Imperial Valley press., 1928-05-21
ODD FORMATIONS
ON DESERT NEAR
WEST MORLAND

Most people who have motored
over Imperial Valley recall the
bleak and forbiddinp stretch of dcs-
ert which hes between Fish Springs
and the irrigated country around
WestMorland. Yet, that very sec
ton, in spite of its grim appear
ance, holds perhaps more geological
jokes and whimsicalities of old
Mother Nature than any other see
tion of the Southwest. Here, on
what was once the bed of an ancient
sea, there extends for many square
miles deposits of broken sandstone.
carved by the action of water and
perhaps, later, of wind, into a myr-
lad of curious shapes. A days stroll
over certain of the desert sections
a few miles south and west of Fish
Springs will prove one of the most
interesting excursions that can be
taken anywhere in the desert.
The motorist who halts at Fish
Springs service station for gasoline
can in few moments see enough of
the curiosities that have been gath
cred there to convince him of the
humorous mood of Mother Nature
when she amused herself in carving
the desert sandstone. A party of
Chevrolet motorists set out recently
to visit this section of the desert,
stopped at Fish Springs for infor-
nation. They found there host
of natural carvings, including a
dog, a squirrel, and an ostrich swal
lowing an orange. \ butcher
shop table, held a perfect ham, "a
side of bacon, some sections of sau
sage and a gigantic clcaver, all
shaped as carefully in sandstone as
though human hands had made
them.
Gevcral hundred acres of the
sandstone formations have been ac
CURED by the Imperial Ornamental
Rock Company, and w. II. Cheney
of Fish Springs. president of the
company, directed the Chevrolet
party to the properties of the com
pany some l. miles south of Fish
Springs. Here a walk over the dcS-
crt revealed host of curiostics
lying on the desert floor. A perfect
duck, stone tortoise and very
good imitation of a desert "side-
windcr" were picked up by the
Chevrolet tourists within very
short distance.
One especially strange thing is
the fact that one particular design
is apt to be repeated over and over
again in one small area, and will
not be encountered anywhere again,
exactly as though the prehistoric
carver had tried his hand at one
design until he tired of it and then
went on to making something else.
Indian Relics Found
Here, too, at intervals were curl
Gus circular piles of flat stones, de-
clared to be fish traps, built in the
waters of the rcccding sea by the
Indian dwcllcrs along its shores.
They arc Enthusiastically of human
handiwork, but are quite different
in shape from the stone fish traps
in use today along the shores of the
Gulf of California.
Returning, the Chevrolet headed
up Palm Wash, a wide, sandy draw
a few miles south of Fish Springs,
and followed very doubtful road
for some three or four miles to the
west. Several groups of fan palms
were encountered in the wash. Tho
going was extremely sandy, and the
road is not to be recommended to
anyone unfamiliar with driving in
sand. Hating by the last group of
palms the Chevrolet tourists made
brief exploration of the country
north of the wash, and found many
more of the bizarre carvings deco
rating the small hills between the
desert washes. Many rare and beau
tifui desert wildflowcrs are still in
bloom, and added TO the interest of
the excursion. One especially fine
piece of pctrified wood was discov-
cred here Farther west, along the
foothills of the Santa Rosas, gigan'
tie oyster shells are occasionally en-
countcred Altogether, a trip to this