The Meeker herald., 1921-02-12

Josephine Mcknight OF Craig. planted
sOme Of the grain md was able to
raise one stalk Of prehistoric corn. 1t
grew to great height and had only a
few small leaves and very small cob~.
The stalk was exhibited ut the Uintall
county fair at Vernal last fall.
In the rubble surrounding the dwell.
Ing found by the Craig men were
number Of long thin bones. resembling
pipe stems about four or Ave inches in
length. They had been carefully hol-
lowed out and the ends rounded and
polished. One theory Is that these
were used as ornamental beads. Here
to were found animal rib bones.
sharIcnel to stillettO-like point and
polished, and war club, fashioned
from a large animal bone and Weighing
about twelve pounds. This club had
hegnn to pctrify.
In the cave below the mouth Of Hell
creek was found well defined indica-
tions Of former masonry dwelling
round In shape and some u feet In
diameter. Here was found large
stationary receptacle oval In shape.
which had evidently been used for the
storage Of grain. The granary had
been constructed by laying large stones.
ccmented with mud Into the desired
shape and coating the immense tub
with mud plaster. The granary was
divided into four reccptaclcs by clever
ly weaving willow withes Into parti-
tions. which were afterwards conte,l
with mud. Corn c0l,s were also found
here.
In this cave Charles Mantle. who
lives at the mouth Of Hell creek. found
n corn grinder, fashioned from sand
stone. A fiat stone three feet In len
9Th and sixteen inches In width. had
been followed out to form crude
mortar. Another piece OF sandstone.
fashioned into pestlc was found
close by.
A third cavern disclosed further cv-
idcncc Of the tumbled masonary Of n
Numbers Of flint implcinents-arrOw
heads. spear heads. hntchcts and the
like-wcre found around the cliffs.
Some are extremely crude and would
seem to Ike the work OF prehistoric pco-
pie. while others better finished. would
appear to have hcen left by the Ute
Indians.
The Craig men are Of the opinion
that the discovery of cliff tlweslings
on the north side Of Green river. below
the junction Of the Yampa. were either
reported as to location or
else the discOverer, James Lofts Of
Yougi,nl. was mislel by the odd form
made by erosion In the soft
cliffs Of whirlpool canon.
A mile or more below Echo park.
where the two rivers combine to form
the Green. Mt Mittcns park. the river
plunged into the almost inaccessible
Whirlpool cnnon. with almost perpcn-
walls. For four miles the river
plungcs downward and then widens out
at Jones hole and continues at more
moderate pace through widening val
lcys to Jensen. Descent Of Whirlpool
ramon IL extremely difficult because ice
IL prevented from forming, both by the
of the fall and the entrance
Of many warm springs which serve to
descended the canon. however, keeping
for the most part on n narrow ledge
which runs along the lowest stratum
Of cliffs. varying from 20 to 200 feet
above the water. The entire north side
Of the canon was scrutinized with n
glass and while the formations gave
the appearance Of the ruins of human
handiwork, Investigation proved that
the formations were due to erosion.
The Craig men who made the trip
are strong in praise of the Pats Hole
as winter resort. Within
five hours after they dropped of the
rim Of Blue mountain at Youghal they
llecended somc 1000 feet and from deep
snows and high winds entered poe
ket In the Yampa river canon where
the wind never blows. In fact, In Ger
tain spots along the bank Of the warm
springs. the grass was already green.
Approximately thousand feet he
low the rim rocks of Blue mountain
lies n sngebush and cedar covered
bench. almost fiat extending from lilly
park to Pool creek or Harpers corners.
n distance OF more than 30 miles. This
bench varies in width from mile to
five miles. From this bench descent
can Ike made by four or five trails to
the Yampa river. Four trails-John-
son draw. Harding park. He'll creek
and Red Rock give ingress to the river,