New-York tribune., 1921-04-24
BY ARTHUR CHAPMAN

u Utah are three great natural bridges
4 -~ forming the only group of the kind in
the world, unless more are to be found
some day if this same vast mysterious Colo
rado River plateau, which is constantly yield
ing new surprises to explorers
Undoubtedly there many canyons in the
plateau which never have been traversed by
white men. Whole mesas are made labyrin-
thine by these defiles which twist endlesslv.
bewildering the traveller who ventures to Jour
rey along of them without compass or
guide. IN these gorges are countless cliff ruins
that never have been explored, some of them
perched like swallows nests on the walls and
others buried in the sands at the bottom await
ing the spade Of the archeologist to uncover
their treasures in pottery and other relics.
Another element that adds to the mystery
of this land of wonderful natural formations
Is the desert atmosphere and the blending
quality of the rock colcrs. The manner in
which this combination works to deceive the
eye is shown in the of the Nonnezoshe, or
Rainbow Bridge, in another part of the south
eas -ern Utah plateau This bridge is the larg-
est OF all natural arches yet discovered, and is
eny four miles from the summit of Navajo
Mountain yet one must know exactly where
to look or he will miss the object of his search
From the summit of the mountain Rainbow
Fridge appears as the tiniest of arches in
wilderness of rock, and unless one knows its
exact location he Will miss it altogether.
In view Of these things, il is not surprising
that the secrets of so vast a country are COM
ing to light slowly. The Rainbow Bridge was
not discovered until 1909, ..-
1909 that the world knew Of the existence of
the natural bridge group, consisting of the
Augusta Caroline and Edwin, also christened
with the more musical and descriptive names
of sipapu (Gate of Heaven), Kachina Guard
ian Spirit and Owachomo (Rock Mound).
The group" bridges in Utah, as they may
be called to dfferentate them from the soli-
tary Rainbow arch, have been set aside by
They are in San Juan County, near the head
Of White River. 1t is said the first white man
to see them was Emory Knowles, in 1895 In
the fall Of that same year cattleman named
Scorup who with two cowboys was out after
stray cattle, saw the bridges. In 1902 pros
pector named Horace j. Long met Scorup and
heard him tell about three great arches which
De had seen at the head of White River. In
the canyons of the plateau country there
many great caverns in the side walls, forming
arches. In these arches the Cliff Dwelers
of ~. {Lo
Of the caverns preserving the buildings from
dislntegration. Cliff Palace, in the Mesa
Verde, is one of these great natural arches.
There others in Utah which are much
larger than the ones in the Mesa Verde re-
glcn, and Long thought that Scorup was
referring to the arches of that sort until the
catteman finally made it clear that he meant
actual bridges spanning watercourses.
Lengs curiosity was aroused and he deter
mined to visit the bridges. Scorup offered to
guide him on condition that the largest bridge
'e named the Caroline, in honor of the cattle
mans mother. To this Long consented and
IN March, 1908, he and Scorup started from
Oandy Crossing, on the Colorado River, to
search for the bridges. They had pack horses
ana plenty of supplies, as they did not know
now long they might have to search for the
oFidges. They passed Soldiers Crossing,
so named because of the bodies of two SOL
aiers, who We're slain by Indians, being buried
mere in 1885. From Soldiers Crossing
-'ey plunged into the desert, in most places
'7vsaos over sandstone that had been
-'""s clear bv the winds, which are constant
" at their work of erosion. The entire Colo
fsoo plateau may be roughly described as OF
'ed sandstone formation. This stone in
many Places through the action of wind and
water has been carved into fantastic forms,
o"fvaling the Garden of the Gods in spec
'aeaar features. There are few animals or
Dfas 70 be found and while the chief impress
s'oh is one of solitude there is a constant
Of light
Ss0sup's memory has not played him false.