The Raymer enterprise. (New Raymer, Weld County, Colo.) 1910-19??, 1919-07-31
ADOzEN DAYS AMONG
COLORADO MOUNTAINS


80 called from the cedar or pine trees
growing on the Mesa giving them 9
green color. The large mesa from
which the park gets Its name is 5
miles long by 5 miles wide.
We climbed over mesa after mesa .
the highest one having q road Of Is
elevations around 1t. Looking OF to
the west and little north we could
see the La Sale Mts. Of Utah asi
the La Platte range to our right in
Colorado. A mountain shower made
the roads greasy and caused tho
third car to slide into the ditch very
easily. The drivers from the other
cars came back to pull the car out
and l mile more and we arrived In
Spruce Tree Camp. Here, conven-
fences were different fom those we
had had or were to have. Tent hous-
es were given to each one for the
night.
Taking just enough time to put
our belongings in the respective
tents we went down a trail which
led to the canon below the mesa.
Deep in under the big cliff was a
spring with the coolest water one
would ever care to find. A little
shower came up. but did not hinder
US much under this deep elf. From
here we followed a trail around the
mesa to the other side Of the canyon,
which brought US to one OF the cliff
dwellings. known as Spruce Tree
House. Perhaps an explanation Of
cliff jewellers would help in making
these scenes more vivid. The mesas
which have been described little
before. are cut In by depressions,
which have been worn down by rains
Of centuries. eroding deep gorges, call
ed canyons, which extend for many
miles. On either side OF the canyon
may be seen the alternating layers
Of rock In different colors and de-
grees of hardness When softer lay
ers OF rock occurs below the harder
In the sides Of mesa, q deep cavern
Is worn some even SO feet high and
several hundred feet long, and 1t is
in these sheltered caverns ION the
sides of the mesa that are formed
some Of the best preserved cliff
dwellings in America. In prehistor-
ic times a large human population
lived in these dwellings. They made
their living by agriculture, in a
crude form, which was carried on on
top Of the mesa. corn being the chief
crop and that scanty. Game was
scarce and a few asa were taken
from the Mancos river, at that time.
A few berries and nuts helped ont
some. Then. as now, water was not
to be found, only in some lonely, IS
olated placej ct the heads Of can
yons, but they kept on cultivating
and raising their corn. This, they
ground on nat stones called mctates
and baked the bread On a fat stone
griddle. We saw several metates at
the cliff dwellings. still in perfect
shape, and. we also saw some clay
bowls, or vessels which were used
to boil their meat in. Some 0: these
vessels we're decorated with fancy
designs. They are said to have been
made by putting clay over tounda-
tion woven Of grass and strips Of
bark, when the foundation was taken
on. leaving its impression in the clay.
These people had hard life, but
they were so confident that the gods
supplied the rain and made the corn
grow, that they were very r,lig-
ious people; they worshipped the
sun as father Of all. and the earth
az the mother who gave them all the
material things. They had nc wit
ten language except a few symbols,
which they painted or scrat,ssi on
their earthen Jars or side, Il tao
cliff. Their tools, axes, etc. we're
fashioned out OF stone and they
showed true art In weaving Of San
dalls and basketry. They were not
satisfied at living in cave and fash
Toned stones or more Of an adobe
bricksSnd placed them one on the
other to make walls.
Their homes here protected them
from storms. sun, Wild animals, and
hostile humans. They never enter
cd their homes from the canyon be-
low, which was almost impossible,
but climbed up the cliff to the mesa
top by means Of notched sticks, or
ladders. Each clan had Its kiva,
where the men Of that clan we're en-
gagged IN their occupations. Each
clan also had one or more rooms for
corn or storage purposes. Many Of
these kivas were subterranean, with
the ceilings a. the floor Of the room
above. Going down one Of these XIV
a. with the door shut. gave one the