Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-05-04

enough wonders to make It at
tractive as a field for the tray
eler OF an inquisitive turn of
mind who enjoys visiting little
known territory. There is opportu-
nifty for adventure and scientific study.
! There are miles upon miles of sand
dunes whose rippled surfaces remind
one OF the sandy bottom of a pool of
water and whose aridity and menace
TO the inexperienced are UNSURPASSED
by the worst sections OF the Sahara
or Tibetan deserts. Before the wa
tiers OF the Colorado poured into the
Saiton sink, creating a lake nearly
oOo square miles in area and 80 feet
ueep. there was a marsh with an in
cFustauon OF salt from six to twelve
inches thick. This salt was so pure
that the bed was worked with sue
cess commercially. 1t was constantly
renewed in way that would seem
mysterious In the almost rainless land
10 one unacquainted with the geoloei.
Cal conditions existing beneath the
sloping surface OF saline crystals. Wa
ter Moved down through the soil from
the mountains bordering the desert
on either side at some points under q
pressure OF As pounds to the SQUARE
inch. 1t forced It's way I'D TO the sur.
race and was there evaporated leav.
Ing the salt behind
MUD volcanoes provide interest and
excitement for the adventurous trav-
eler. Before the Colorado burst
through into the irrigation canal inst
below Yuma and flowed north tbrouoh
the dry channels of two ancient rivers
ih'o 'ne Salton sink. there used to be
huu volcanoes north OF the Mexican
border and just south of the sink
Ihey were drowned in the lake which
resulted from the floods of the CoIo-
rado. There are such volcanoes bou-
ever, in the desert in the nortbor,
part OF Lower California. The vol
canoes seem uncanny, so strangely
'ut Oh place do they appear I'm the
STU plain which constitutes most of
the desert surface.
The solfataras In California beforo
their submergence had been visited
uunDer OF times by explorers. although
not always with safety. They rose near
mounds OF volcanic rock. One OK.
plorer' In attempting to cross the thin
crust which covered the hot mud hoe
separating the mounds from the solid
ground broke through and was scaId.
Cd so seriously that his explorations
had TO be abandoned and his life u,a.
IN peril for a time.
The miniature craters looked r,uob
IKE dilapidated beehivns and emI,,od
sulphurous vapors that. crvstaII,,t.,a1
ilneu the vents with glitterlng yellow
crystals. The hot water around the
bases OF some OF the fumaroIes was e.
acid that shoes or clothing mois,onoS
with 1t were destroyed.
Inc second group OF solfatarss g..
ABOUT 40 miles south OF the inter,a
uohal boundary line, near the haso
OF DARK butte named Cerro Prtoto
Ihey are much more active than wero
thOse on the Dorth side OF tho H.
they boil congtantly and emit unoartt,
ly sounds
One Of the riders Of a big cattle cor,
pany, according to a tale going tho
rounds OF the cattlemen. while md
the influence Of liquor. visited tbjs g.
fernal region with its putting iets 80
steam sulphurous odors. treacberone
marshes and weird colorlng. ue do,
cided to explore the interior NJ o,o n,
these Stygian caves lie had bardI,.
disappeared from view before he 80
peared IN sobercd state and starred
on cead run for his pony
Tho crusts too thin in this Deio,
torhood for me-" he exclaimed -,
don't believe the end Of that bolo g.,
more than 40 feet from hades ana
while I'm fair gambler and only
an ordinary sinner. don't want -
take any chances hereabouts. Calexico
ana the forget-it water for mine"
In some not distant prehistoric tmo
the space now occupied by the des.
ert wos the head Of the Gulf OF Cal.
horn'a. The water line on the rocks
and tbe beach line IN the sands can