New-York tribune., 1907-09-16

dominates in this region. makes beans fits chief ar
tcle of food. and It through the custom in
early days OF holding feasts in the shady canyon
that 1t got Its name.
The native Indians still live on the mesas that
adjoin the canyon. where they celebrate many
quaint customs and religious ceremonies. some of
which are known 10 have been derived from the
Cliff Dwellers- Among these Indians is still 10 be
found strain OF the extinct blood. there
some intercourse between the two races before the
Cliff Dwelers became extinct. The Indians are.
however. a greatly inferior race. never having
tained to anything like the civilization of the older
race.
It is a generally accepted theory that the Cliff
Dwellers crowded by the Indians from the
mesas. where still found evidences Of extensive
irrigation systems They went into the canyons
and for shelter from the force of numbers of
their conque-ors. who drove them from their agr
cultural pursuits and then were extermnated
largely through starvation the date OF their pass
ing being set at something thousand years
ago: The Indians prohted in way from the
agricultural example by their predecessors. and
the irrigation plants fell into decay
The houses of the Clir Dwelers and the caves
that in many Instances extend far into the walls
the canyon. have been found rich in relics OF
the vanquished In the musty corridors of
these caves have been found many OF the mummi-
fed remains Of the people who lived there.
These we'll preserved. but when not treated
scientifically Crumble 10 dust when exposed to the
outer air. Many OF them have been so exposed and
lost by transient curiosity seekers who have bene
flied science little through their findings The skull
formation Of the Cliff Dwelers. which fs large and
gives evidence Of Intelligence far beyond that Of
the Indian is. however. we'll known
In the forest reserves and other lands under the
control of the government archaeological ruins are
longer open the public for excavation. and
special permits required even before explora-
tion is allowed authority collect objects of
antiquity from government property be
secured only through the Secretary Of Agriculture
in the OF the national forests. the Secretary
OF War military reservations. and the Secretary
the Interior on all other lands controlled by the
government. There is careful provision safeguard
ing the public properties against the gathering of
such objects for commercial purposes or their sub
seQuent purchase by private persons
All remains utensils implements of any kind
discovered under permits must be deposited and
kept in designated museum open to the public |
No monument building which he preserved
where it stands may be mutilated. destroyed re-
moved Large objects of historical scientific in
terest public lands be declared national |
preserved. Among such monuments are caves cliff |
dwellings. peculiar and unusual geological forma
tious such other objects may be considered |
of public interest value.
A large part of these relics antiquity lie in |
the semi-arid regions of New Mexico Arizona |
Utah and Colorado. where the prehistoric Cliff |
DweIers and Pueblo Indians had their homes BY /
preserving them and making accessible such arti- |
cles be properly collected in museums. the !
government is following enlightened policy in I
interest of the public and OF the Investigations
which, it is hoped will eventually solve the mys-
terious history Of the primitive people OF North
America.
The portion of the Canyon Of the Rfto de los
Frijoles where the present investigation will be
made is in the Jamez National Forest It's purpose
Is discover and preserve relics and antiquities /
which would otherwise lie unknown would he I
carried away by unauthorized persons and lost 10
science. The particular object of the present ex-
TedtiOn is to obtain pottery. clay. sJone wood or
bone implements domestic furniture utensils.
seeds or anything else that will serve to throw |
light on the history the people who formerly
lived there.
All specimens collected will he deposited and pre-
served in the Southwest Museum of the ArChseO- |
logical Institute OF America. at Los Angeles This |
s the first permit OF the kind issued by the Secre
tary of Agriculture. and is taken as marking an |
epoch in such work in that IL places such invest
cations on an entirely different basis from the
laphazard methods formerly employed