Semi-weekly herald., 1917-09-10


far above all the surroundings on the
desert as does the ship stand out in
its lonliness upon the peaceful waters
of the deep blue sea.
At the Spruce Tree House
1t was just one hour and. As min
utes from the time the lead car bade
adieu to the city of Mancos until it
swung around the pines which over
look the walls of Spruce Tree house
built by the historic race, com
monty termed the ancient Cliff Dwell
lers. AS the cars rolled into the
beautiful parking place constructed
and supervised by the government
supervisor Thos. Rickner, with the
able assistance of park rangers Geo
Carr, II. G. Jeep and John Stavely,
the McClurgs of Colorado Springs
and New York began the program in
the cliffs on the opposite side of the
canon. The pagean. consisted Of
representation of the early lives of
the ancient Cliff Dwellers based up
on the myths and legends concerning
those people. Twenty-Five men, boys
and girls, representing the ancient
people, came out of the cliffs and
engaged in the festivities accompany
ing the celebration of the marriage
of the Dawn and the Moon. From
their representations it was apparent
that the ancient Cliff Dwellers be-
lieved that the evil spirits lived in
the underworld and that the good
spirits were to be found in the heav-
ems. To. Mrs. Gilbert McClurg of
Colorado Springs belongs chiefly the
credit of the staging of the pageant,
altho she was ably assisted by her
husband and daughter-in-law, Mrs.
Dudley McClurg of New York.
How They Spent the Evening.
AS the sun was going down in the
western sky the program in the cliffs
ended and the McClurg party left for
Mancos when the Mesa Verde park
virtually passed into the control and
possession of the Oldsmobile party.
After enjoying the hospitality of Mrs.
Oddie Jeep and her assistant, Miss
Mary Seitz at the dining room table
where was served one of the best
of dinners, the individuals of the par
ty realized that it was not up to them
to have the McClurg party carry off
all the honors of the day. So down
on the dancing pavilion in harmony
with the music under the supervision
of Mr.. Jeep began a program that
lasted for some two hours, but was
not enough for it was decided that
a big bonfire should be provided and
that an Indian war dance should be
staged in honor of the occasion. /.
was up to Jim Jarvis and Manager
Dressler to carry the heavy parts and
lead in the dance. Mrs. Gilbert Nc
Clurg was brought out into the big
circle to relate the legend concern
ing the woodpecker and the coyote,
and other stories and myths concern
ing the ancient people of the park.
These festivities over, the individuals
became invisible. They had passed
from the scene of action just as their
ancient forefathers had passed away,
leaving plenty of evidence behind
them that they had enjoyed active
careers and left their footprints on
the sands of time. Sentinels were on
duty, but nobody cound be found any
where. They had gone to their chos-
en- pueblos here and there and over
yonder, and it was only the cal, of
the breakfast bell that could arouse
them from their morning sleep, for
the sleep was all in the morning.
Visit to the Sun Temple.
With the government forces as
guides the autoists made a visit to
Sun Temple, the place where the Cliff
Dwellers met to pay their respects
to the sun, they evidently being sun
worshipers. No one pretends to know
the age of these buildings, but on top
of the walls yet remaining intact
is the stump of a cedar tree recently
cut down, showing the age of $50
years. Just how many centuries it
would take for those walls to crum-
BILE and form earth SO that cedar
tree might grow there is only mat
ter of conjecture. A similar tree Is
found in similar place at the Spruce
Tree house, showing the age Of 37d
years. A few feet from this ruined