The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-23

stages were vending their way toward
Moab, thirty.hve miles away. The road
for twenty miles ran its crooked way
across the wide-sweeping plains. Far
In front Of us the Laselle mountains
lifted their snowy heads Nearer was
a range OF rocky ridges. and on top
OF one was huge uplifted formation
resembling some great ornate building.
In our stage we called II the City
and County building and in the other
one we found they chTistened il the
Industrial school, but we discovered
that the natives call IL the court house
We stopped at Halfway house. where
make IT possible TO offer retreshment
70 man and beast. The morning ride
had been cool and pleasant and re.
galed by chicken dinner, we started
out in fine spirits. But the wind rose
10 gale and rained sand upon MS until
we were unable 10 appreciate the
rugged scenery Of the Canyon del Dia-
bios. through which our course ran for
miles. Hot. dusty and tired, we were
glad, indeed, TO discern in the distance
Moab, with ITS green of orchard and
ranch, lying across the swift-aowiug
river.
At Moab we farried 4 wire from
the eastern members Of the expedition
informed us that they would be DELAYED
in reaching Monticello and We chose
TO kill time in Moab. No place was
ever better adapted 30 the purpose. We
were soon acquainted with about all
the population and picked mp no small
amount of information from number
of mon who had ut one time or another
hcrded cattle in the Elk range, whittier
we were bound.
Some Of the party praciiced little
mountain climbing and succeeded IN
acquiring suuburn and blistcred feet by
way Of hardening experience. Then
there were teams TO look mp aud saddle
horses TO find. The cameras had 10 be
tried out and there was no dearth of
tempting subjects. Nor must | forget
to mention the visits 10 the bountifully-
laden fruit orchards of this fertile val
ley. Truly, one might do worse than
TO have 10 kill time in Moab.
However. we made At least one trp
| in line with the aspects Of our expedi-
! ton. 4 visit was made 10 number
! Of caves five or six miles up n can
Won. lust south Of Moab, under the
! guidance Of DR.. Williams, who is an
! enthusiastic local collector of the pot.
terry and relics Of the Cliff Dwellers.
Here VIC found some shallow caves,
! usually with low walls constructed
across their front, composed of adobe
and rocks. On the adjacent canyon
walls were also hieroglyphics, or, more
| properly speaking. picture-writlng. IL
! was the opinion Of Professor Cummings,
however, that these might be the work
! Of comparatively recent Indian inbabl'
tsnts. The pictnre-writlng differed INT,
! tie from that employed by the Western
| Indians up to the time of contact with
! the white man.
A not improbable theory is that
these caves were used by hunting par.
ties of Indians, through many genera
tions, perhaps. and the rocky walls
served as . place Of record for their
| achievements or as news bureau
where their friends might obtain lnfor-
nation.
By far the greater number Of AMI
nal figures were evidently intended 70
represent deer or antelope. The. PIC
tured stories we're evidently of mighty
hunters and their deeds,
| must mention the wonderful seen.
cry and vet know not how, 10 describe
it, The famous places in Colorado are,
I believe. not equal 10 our own south
ern Utah. Here is a wonderful region,
unvisited and unknown. Here arc any
number Of gardens Of the gods in the
closed CANYONS which abound. Here are
little green and beautiful valleys with
mighty ramparts Of sandstone cnhS al
about them One is fairly surfeited on
grandeur until the faded senses retuse
to admit astonishmenl.
I do NOT know why / always feel an
impulse TO bring the all but Ubiquitous
tourist into whatever new ana renark'
able place ! discover. II is entirely IN
consistent with a deep-seated aversion
TO following in the beaten tracks 81, or
travel which is ono Of my sharsc1e[ri%, rar
tics. When the way rs made easy l9r
fbe the tourist to come to southern Utah,
il fa' viii Ill have lost, in some measure it, it,
charm to those Of us who, not without
Great oT labor and many hardships, penne
ffrate It's canyons and climb its heights
But after all, not, until man cones, oianI hhr
, ca,,ee1 cars or ~ in some other luxurious way
i not not until then can southern Utah CONE pi,,
wmeapwbiie M there is the tough and faith
ful pony and the rugged trail, aor: A1[ il
there is the land OF many "oHoetS .
be explored and described.