196511 Desert Magazine 1965 November

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W E S T E R N T R A V E L / A D V E N T U R E / L I V I N GOVEMBER 1 9 6 5


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aDesert Magazine Beck ShopWARRIORS OF THE COLORADO By Jack Forbes.Covers all Indian tribes of the Colorado Riveran d is especially recommended to readers pur-suing the early history of Southern Californiaand Arizona. I l lustrated with historic photos.$5.95.THE OLD ONES By Robert Silverberg. Goodbook to introduce the Anasaziancestors to thePueblo Indiansto readers newly interested incl ff dwe l l i ngs and ruins of Arizona and Utah.Recommened for young adults (14 or over) aswel l . $4.95.THE LAME CAPTAIN By Sardis W. Templeton.A book eagerly awai ted by Pegleg "aficio-nados' ' who seek documented information re-ga rd ing his l i fe and trails across the desert.Hardcover, 239 pages. $7.50.GOLD! By Gina Allen. How gold since cavemendays has incited murder and war, inspired poetsand art isans and borne the commerce of thewor ld is told in such an excit ing fashion that itreads l ike f ict ion. Recommended for everyone$5.95.THE WESTERN HERO By Kent Ladd Steckmesser.Here the author presents the straight dope aboutWild Bil l Hickok, Kit Carson, Bill Cody, Billy theKid and other heros of the early West, with agood sound theory about what made heros ofyesterday, and what makes heros of today.$5 .95 .O N DESERT TRAILS by Randall Henderson, founder and publisher of Desert Magazine for 23years. One of the f irst good writers to revealthe beauty of the mysterious desert areas. Hen-derson's experiences, combined with his com-ments on the desert of yesterday and today,makes this a MUST for those who rea l ly wantto understand the desert. 375 pages, i l lustrated.Hard cover. $5.00.STANDING UP COUNTRY by C. Gregory Cramp-ton. Best book ever writ ten about Utah-Arizonacanyon country Superb color. $15.JEEP TRAILS TO COLORADO GHOST TOWNS byRobert L. Brown. An i l lustrated, detailed, infor-mal history of l i fe in the mining camps deep inthe almost inaccessible mountain fastness of theColorado Rockies. Fif ty-eight towns are includedas examples of the vigorous struggle for exist-ence in the mining camps of the West. 239pages, i l lustrated, end sheet map. Hard cover$5 .50 .HUNTING THE DESERT WHALE by Erie StanleyGardner. Among the f irst Americans to evercamp at Scammon's Lagoon in Baja California,if not the f irst, Gardner learned, while huntingthe great grey whale with a camera that theydon ' t sit graciously for portraits! Whale huntingand beach combing for rae treasures make forexcit ing reading. Hardcover, 208 pages, illus-trated with photos. $6.00.WILD BUNCH AT ROBBER'S ROOST by PearlBaker. Famous hideout country in southeasternUtah described by author who l ived there andwas steeped from childhood in f irsthand know-ledge of Butch Cassidy and other renegadeact iv i t ies. $7.50.GEMS, MINERALS, CRYSTALS AND ORES byRichard Pearl. This collector's encyclopedia isthe best of its kind. Bril l iantly i l lustrated withfull-color photos. Arranged in alphabetical orderfrom Agagte to Zircon, it tells where to f indthem, how to identify, collect, cut and disp lay.Hardcover, 320 pages, $6.95.

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GHOST TOWNS AND MINING CAMPS OF CALI-FORNIA by Remi Nadeau. Theonly good, hard-cover book on the California ghost towns. Werecommend it high ly. $5 .95.REMNANTS OF THE OLD WEST by HarriettFarnsworth. The old West's last living characterswere interviewed by this author and the bookis f i l led with never-before published t idbits thatdeserve recording. An attractive book that makesa surprisingly inexpensive and worthwhi le g i f t .Hardcover. $2.95.DESERT ANIMALS IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONALMONUMENT by Miller and Stebbins. Excellentbook and f irst of its kind with thorough textand good i l lustrat ions. Color plates. $10.THE DINOSAUR HUNTERS, Othneil C. Marshand Edward D. Cope, by Robert Plate. A dualb iography of the first dinosaur hunters whosebitter rivalry split the scientif ic world for about25 years but whose exploits of the 1870s and1880s excited the public imagination and madedinosaurs a household world. Easy reading, thebook is packed with action result ing from theintense fued between Marsh and Cope, bothweal thy men who exhausted their fortunes inth arduous hunt for the creatures of the past.281 pages. Hard cover. $4.95.THE VAQUERO by A. R. Rojas. Only authenticrecord of the true vaquero. Well-i l lustrated andentertaining, especially for horse lovers. $3.95.WILLIE BOY, A Desert Manhunt by Harry Law-ton. Exciting, true, adventure that took place inthe Southern California desert. $5.95.LOST DESERT BONANZAS by Eugene Conrotto.Brief resumes of lost mine articles printed inback issues of DESERT Magazine, by a formereditor. Hardcover, 278 pages. $6.75.TREASURE HILL by W. Turrentine Jackson. Excit-ing saga of the boom and doom of easternNevada's rich silver era in 1868. One of thebest portraits of a typical mining camp everwrit ten. Hardcover, $5.BIRDS OF ARIZONA by University of Arizona.Finest book on 500 species of birds that fre-quent all zones of Arizona. Wonderful colorplates. $15.ERNIE PYLE'S SOUTHWEST. A collection ofErnie s t imeless word pictures describing hiswanders through the Southwest. Hardcover.$5 .00 .

THE TRAILS OF PETE KITCHEN by Gil Proctor.The adventures of Arizona's most famous pio-neer, Pete Kitchen, make for excit ing reading.Treasure seekers will find meat in his accountof the Treasure of Tumacacori and history buffswil l relish this unusual book. Hardcover. $4.95.30,000 MILES IN MEXICO by Nell Murbarger.An entertaining travel book that takes you toplaces you'd never have known about withoutit. $6.WESTERN GHOST TOWNS by Lamber Florin.First in his series of excellent ghost townbooks. More than 200 superb photos of boomcamps and gold towns as they appear today.Large format, hardcover. $12.50.GHOST TOWN ALBUM by Lamber Florin. Avivid, lusty writer gives a good account of theOld West's boom camps with excellent photsof the way they look today. $12.50.FIELD NOTES OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK.Rough notes by Clark recently discovered ina St. Paul attic reveal new highlights abouthis exploration with Lewis. Field notes are re-produced along with maps. Large book. Collec-tor's item. $20.00.SHADY LADIES OF THE WEST by Ronald DeanMiller is a l ively account about l ively women.Hardcover, 224 pages. $6.95.PLANTS IN HIS PACK by Janice Beaty. The ad-ventures of Edward Palmer, first botanist to ex-plore remote Guadalupe Island of Baja and todig into ancient ruins of Utah and Arizona. Longforgotten, a quirk of fa te f ina l ly brought hisremarkable career to light. Recommended foryoung readers as we l l as adults. Hardcover,i l lustrated. $3.75.SILVER THEATER by Margaret Watson. Terrificbook for history buffs who appreciate the lustytheatrical events that shook the early West.$9 .50.THE DESERT IS YOURS by Erie Stanley Gardner.In his latest book on the desert areas of theWest, the author again takes his reader withhim as he uses every means of transportat ion toexplore the wilderness areas and sift the factsand rumors about such famous legends as theLost Arch, Lost Dutchman and Lost Dutch Ovenmines. 256. pages, i l lustrated Hard cover. $7.50.PAINTERS OF THE DESERT by Ed Ainsworth. Abeautifully i l lustrated and wel l -wr i t ten roundupof 1 3 of the desert 's outstanding art istsDixon,Forsythe, Swinnerton, Fechin, Eytel, Lauritz, Buff,Klinker, Perceval, Hilton, Proctor McGrew, andBender. Folio size, gold-stamped hard cover.Full color reproductions. 125 pages. $11.00.PHOTO ALBUM OF YESTERDAY'S SOUTHWESTcompiled by Charles Shelton. Early days photocollection dating from the 1860s to 1910 showsprospectors, miners, cowboys, desperados andordinary people. High quality of prin t ing, handset type, 195 photos. Embossed black and goldhard cover. Fine gif t i tem. $15.00.TREASURE TALES OF THE ROCKIES by Perry Eber-hart. Packed with Colorado history, legend andmaps. One of the best treasure books on themarket. Hardcover, 303 pages, $5 .00.HILTON PAINTS THE DESERT by John Hilton.Collection of 12, 16x19 inch Hilton prints ade-quate for f ram ing , or bound in plastic covert ied with leather thongs for viewing. Interestingtext explains Hilton's paint ing technique. Statewheether bound or unbound. $65.

2 / Desert Magazine / November, 1965


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WESTERN ftHftiSTMAs CARDSi IN BEAUTIFUL FULL COLOR16 YEARSBYMAIL i USE THIS HANDY ORDER FORM

Thinkin' ofyouWith friendly Greetingsof the Season and Happiness througho utthe New Yearby Arthur FitzSimmonsSIeighb el s an d SnowflakesMay th emeaning of theSeason bedeeper . . .as Christmas comes, etc.Roy Kerswill

A Cowboy's Christmas Ev e-M ay thePeace and Joy ofChristmas be with youthrough all he Yearby Joe Stanley" . . into a desert place .. May th e Spiritof Christmas abide with you throughoutthe Coming Yearby Wayne Lowdermilk

A Memory of Christmas6 line versee n d i n g . . . Have aMerry Christmas inthe good old-fashioned wayby StanleyIt wouldn't seem like Christmas ifwecouldn t get in ouch, etc.Greeting in -side isMerry Christmasby Nicies

From the Two ofUsChristmas Greet-ings from the two ofus and Best Wishesfor the New Yearby Charles ParisOne Christmas Eve out Westinside is a16 ine w arm, descriptive verse by S. OmarBarker plus greetingby JoeStabley

Golf's CandlesticksMay the Peace andGood Will ofChristmas always be withyouby Thomas L.LewisWinter FunMerry Christmasand HappyNew Year-color photo byRay Atkeson Roadrunner Santa R.F.D.-Merry Christ-mas and Happy New Yearby WilliamTilton

'All isCalm, All s Bright"May thePeace and Joy ofChristmas be with youthrough all the Year-by John W. Hilton

"Howdy, Neighbor-Christmas Greet-ings from our outfit to yours with all goodwishes for he New Yearby HamptonA Good Day for Visit ing-May the Spiritof Christmas abide with you throughoutthe Coming Yearby Bernard P. Thomas

A Brand New Holiday Season-ChristmasGreetings and Best Wishes for all the Year-by William Tilton

Christmas DawnTo wish you a BlessedChristmas and aNew Year ofHappiness-by John W. Hilton"Peace on Earth"-Peace and Good Willat Christmas and through allthe NewYearby Brummett EchoHawk

". . . the day the Lord hath made.. ."May the Spirit ofChristmas be with youall the Coming Yearby Russell MoretonWhen Friends Meet-Best Wishes forChristmas and aProsperous New Yearfrom our outfit to yoursby Schwiering

Yes, these are the western Christmas cards you've been looking f o r ! Best quality ar t in superbcolor for 1965. Bright, authentic scenes, bymail only. Heavy, white paper folds to a rich4J/< x6 J4 card. Deluxe envelopesextras included. We can print your name inre d tomatchgreetings. Cards sent safely inou r exclusive "Strong Box" carton. Ou r t ime-tested ways an dexperienced staff offer 24hr . shipping ' t i l Christmas. It's fu n tobu y from th e Leanin' Tree!H O W T O O R D E R : Write quanti ty ofeach card yo u want inbox below i l lus-t ra t ion. Cards may be assorted atno extra cost. Order al l ofon e kind oras many ofeach asdesired. Circle total quanti ty an d cost on price list. Canada residents please remit inU.S.dollar value. Colorado residents ad d 3% sales tax. You may order by etter orf i l l ou t couponand m ail this en tire page with cash, check or money order toThe Leanin'Tree.Thank you kindly.

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'Detent'Big event for November is the Annual Death Val ley '49er En-

cam pm ent in Death Va l ley, Cal i f . Nov. 11 thro ugh 14. The 16 th yearof the gala and exci t ing encampment , th is year wi l l be even bigger andbet ter . For info rma t ion wr i te Death Va l ley 49 ers , 175 S. Alvarado St . ,Los Angeles, Cal i f .

Other events th is month are: 29 Palms Gem and MineralSociety 's 5th Annual Show, 29 Palms, Cal i f . Oct . 23 and 24; Imper ialVal ley Rodeo and Brawley Cat t le Cal l , Brawley, Cal i f . , Nov. 8 through14 , Wild B urro Races, Beat ty , Nevada, Nov. 9 throu gh 1 1 ; 5th An nualAf ton Canyon 4-Wheel Dr ive Junket , open to al l 4-wheel dr ive owners,Heme t , Ca l i f ., Nov . 11 throug h 14, wr i te Bud Jackson, 25 48 0 Gi rardSt . , Hemet, Cal i f , for informat ion.

JACK PEPPER, Publisher CHORAL PEPPER, EditorElta ShivelyExecutive Secretary Al MerrymanStaff Artist Rose HollyCirculation Marvel BarrettBusiness Lois DouganSubscriptions

Bruce KerrAdvertising DirectorDeser t Magaz ine, Pa lm Deser t , Ca l i f . 92260 Te lephone 346-8144

DESERT is publ ished monthly by Desert Magazine, Palm Desert , Cali f . Second Class Postage paid a tPalm Desert, Calif., and a t addi t ional mai l ing of f ices under Act of March 3 , 1879 . Title registeredMo. 3 5 8 8 6 5 in U. S. Patent Off ice, a n d contents copyrighted 1965 by Desert Magazine. Unsolic itedmanuscripts a n d photographs cannot be returned or acknowledged unless ful l return postage isenclosed. Permission t o reproduce contents must be secured from th e edi tor in writing. SUBSCRIPTIONPRICE: $5.00 pe r year in U.S., Canada and Mexico. $5.75 elsewhere. Allow f ive weeks fo r changeof address. Be sure to send both o ld and new address.

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CONTENTSVolume 28 Number 11NOVEMBER, 1965

This Month's CoverHik ing the RimCHUCK ABBOTT

6 Books for Desert Readers8 Idyll for Outlaws

By FRANK BERBERICH10 Globe's Famous Bell

By MARGARET MAZEI12 Lowest Grave in the World

By DANIEL REARDON13 Tree of Life

By R. N. BUCKWALTER14 Back Way to Trona

By ROBERTA STARRY16 Ghost Pueblo of Baja

By JOHN ROBERT CONDIT18 What Happened to ThrowingRocks

By FRANCIS LOUISE BODE20 Warner's The Man and the Place

By HARRY JAMES24 The Mystery of the Hohokam

By STAN JONES2 8 Lost Bullion Ship of Owens Lake

By JOHN F. GILBRIDE3 2 Ghost Town

By LAMBERT FLORIN34 DESERT Cookery

By LUCILLE CARLESON35 Desert Dispensary

By SA M HICKS38 Letters from Our Readers

4 / Desert Magazine f November, 1965


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O u r 21s t A n n u a l B o u n d - u p !WESTERN CHRISTMASby famous Western A rtists... In full C olorGREETINGS..

from our outfit to

Greetings...from our Outfit toYours-With Best Wishes for theSeasonand aProsperous New YearDown from theHil ls -Best Wishesfo r aMerry Christmas and aHappyNew Year

A Tree for theRanch May theWonderful Spirit of Christmas bewith you allthrough the YearThink in' of You-With Best Wishesfor aMappy Holiday Sea

Spec ia l De l ivery -Appropr ia te verseby S.Omar Barker "The Lord is my S he phe r d" - The23rd Psalm and greetingCow Country Christmas - Westernverse byS.Omar Barker nt Night - MaytheSpirit ofChristmas abide with you through-out the coming Year

Los t . . . a nd Found for C hr i s t m a s -Merry Christmas, Happy New Year,too!Feeding Off the Ridges-Best Wishesfor the Season and forEvery Dayof the Coming Year

Mai l Quarte t -Merry Chr is tmas andHappy New Year inmusic form Christmas EveCalle rs -Appropr ia teverse by artist

Hol iday Stage-Best Wishes for aReal 0 The Lord's Can dles -Wes tern verseby S.Omar Barkerace On Earth-May the Peace andJoy ofChristmas bewith you todayand allthrough the YearChristmas HandoutsGreetingwarm and friendly six-line descriptive western verseld Fashioned Christmas anda New Year filled with Cheer

Appropriate verseMerry Christmasand Best Wishes for a Happy NewYear.Wood for the Christmas Fires-Verseaccompanied bygreetingMay thePeace and Joy ofChristmas be withyou through allthe Year

Artist Bob Lorenz celebrates his 21st year inthe field ofwestern artin a ne w l oc a t i on -Cheyenne, Wyoming. Our1965 selection features Lorenz andother prominent artistsPhippen, Lougheed, Wieghorst, Kleiber, etc. Finest quality heavy-grade paper, single foldedto 4% " x 6% ", with m atching white envelopes. Extra envelopes always included with eachorder. Cards may beordered with orwithout your name custom printed inredtomatchgreetings. These exclusive cards available bymail only. Your order carefully filled andshipped within 24hours right up 'tilChristmas.HOW TO ORDER: Write quantity ofeach card you want inthe box below illustration. Cardsmay beassorted atnoextra cost. Order allofone kind, or asmany of each asdesired.Circle total quantity and cost onprice list. You may order bypersonal letter or f i l l outcoupon and mail this entire page with cash, check ormoney order to;

Christmas Eve in a L i ne C a m p-Merry Christmas Christmas Eve at the Church-WithBest Wishes for a Happy HolidaySeason

T he lazy 81 RanchBox 3232Cheyenne, Wyo.8 2 0 0 1

Total Quantity 15 25 50 75 100 150 200 300 500Without Name $2.85 3.95 7.95 11.75 14.95 21.9528.95 42.75 69.95With Name $3.95 5.25 9.45 13.7516.9524.75 31.9547.00 76.45Canada residents remit inU. S. Dollar value. Wyoming residents add sales tax.Names to beprinted oncardsSEND CARDS TO:Rte., St. or Box NoCity State Zip

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STORY OF BODIE by Ella Cain. Stories of howthis western mining camp earned the reputa-tion of being the most lawless, wildest andtoughest in the west. Paper $3.50STORY OF INYO by W. A. Chalfant. Fifthprinting of authentic history of Owens Valleyand Inyo County. How L.A. got its water $5.95NEVADA'S TURBULENT YESTERDAY by DonAshbaugh. Tales of long gone Nevada ghosttowns and mines and the people that builtthem $7.50HIM PRINCESS by John Hungerford. Story ofS. P- Narrow Gauge from Laws to Keeler inOwens Valley. New printing, paper $1.25SILVER THEATRE by Margaret G. Watson. His-tory of entertainment on Nevada's miningfrontier from saloons to handsome thea-tres. $9.50GENTILE WILDERNESS. The Sierra Nevada inbeautiful color photos by Richard Kauffmanand text by John Muir. Best of Sierra ClubEixhibit Format Series, incomparable. $25.00GHOST TOWNS AND MINING CAMPS OFCALIFORNIA by Remi Nadeau. Guide andhistory book of historic areas by famous(author. Our top seller . $ 5 . 9 5WESTERNERS BRAND BOOK No. 11 C a l i f ,(deserts volume. Many top authors. Limited'525 copy printing. Numbered. Collectorsbook. : $30.00

MANY OTHERS. INDIANS, BOTTLES,COLLECTORS BOOKS. Write for complete list.Postage prepaid if payment enclosed withorder. InCalif, add4%sales tax.P I N O N B O O K S T O R E

206 No. Main St., Bishop, Calif. 93514In theHeart of theEastern High Sierras

B e d s j o b ^ e s e b t f t e a d e b s

E x e c u t i v eP l aa n

A gift subscription to DesertMagazine will preserve theChrist-mas spirit by reminding yourclients andemployees monthlyforthe entire year of your interest inthem.Desert Magazine is an appro-priate Christmas gift for East-erners as it presents a true yetexciting picture of the West . . .both the past and present. Forthe Westerner, it stimulates adesire to travel andadventure intolittle known areas covered exclu-sively by this publication.We take care of all details, in-cluding the mailing of a beautiful4-color Christmas Gift Card inyour or your company name toeach of the recipients. TheExecu-tive Christmas Gift Plan starts with10 or more subscriptions at agreatly reduced rate from ourregular price. All orders must bein by December 1.

For details write to:DESERT MAGAZINEPALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92260

Books reviewed may be orderedfrom the DESERT Magazine BookOrder Department, Palm Desert,California 92260. Please include25c for handling. California resi-dents must add 4% sales tax.Enclose payment with order.

Z O D I A C P A R T I E S , M E N U S ANDRECIPESBy Choral Pepperwith illustrations by AlMerryman

This is probably the first time in his-tory that an author reviewed her ownbook.First, let mesay, it isn't a desert book.It's a sort of wacky astrological partybook. It waswritten prior to mybecom-ing editor of DESERT Magazine, andduring the process of moving to PalmDesert, the manuscript waspacked in abo x and forgotten . . . but not forever.W h e n we recently moved the DESERTMagazine office to our new location,th e boxwith the manuscript turned upin an old file. Not knowing what e lseto do with it, I sat on the floor amidpacking cases andread it. And bydarn,

it waspretty good! It was l ike readingsomething written by someone else. SoI packaged it up and sent it to NaylorPubl ishing Company, under an assumedname. Naylor thought it was prettygood , too. T h e n , in signing a contract,we had to admit our identity. After theice was broken, it seemed sort of sillyto useanother name. So that 's how ithappens you're reading a review writtenby theauthor of a book that isn't aboutthe desert ortheWest .W h a t it is about, chiefly, is people.What happens when you get a bunchof ego-proud Leos together for a party?W h a t do youserve them? How do youset your stage so each guest will have achance to star? And how do you lurethis kind of man to the altar, in caseyou happen to be a single gal ?Wel l , all these things are in thebook,with more about people under the signsof Aries, Taurus, Libra, Capricorn,Aquarius, Pisces, Scorpio, Sagittarius,Gemini, Cancer, and Virgo. It's a funbook, nothing serious, andwhether you' reimpelled, compelled or repelled by thestars, you'll find good party ideas in it

an d thesame menus andrecipes that in-sured years of success during my daysas a party-giver.But just to make certain the charmstill works, I recently whipped up anexciting Aries dinner formyexcited Arieshusband. And let metell you, nomatterwhat anyone says, there just might besomething to this astrology business after

a l l !The book is hardcover, and sells for$4 .95 . We're taking advance orders fromDESERT Magazine Bookshop and willfill them with first editions as.fast as thebooks roll in. If youwish yours auto-graphed either for yourself or for some-

one else as a gift, please sayso andprintthe name clearly onyour order.C.P.

T H E R O C K P A I N T I N G SO F THEC H U M A S HBy Campbel l Grant

W h e n the author's article on SantaBarbara cave paintings appeared inDESERT (May '64) ' wenoted that thisbook was in theprocess of being written.A number of readers inquired about it sowe are pleased to announce that at lastthe book is published and available.

In therugged mountains of SouthernCalifornia Mr. Campbel l has exploredand discovered 61 previously unknownChumash cave sites. With this materialhe hasbeen able to reconstruct the livesof the long-vanished artists. Their re-corded history begins with a 1542 diarynotation by a member of Cabrillo's Span-ish expedition to California, but inreality, this marked the beginning oftheir end, forthearrival of thewhite manbrought on their decline and final ex-t inction.

Vandalism and erosion are taking atoll . That these pictographs have beenpreserved in the hundreds of handsomeblack-and-white and color photo repro-ductions in this book is of great impor-tance tothe future.Mr. Grant has done a fine job ofgathering rare information and historicphotos to enlarge upon his owndiscov-eries andthis is theonly difinitive workrelative to therock paintings of this mostinteresting of all California tribes. Theircave art work is considered the finest in



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North America by many experts, althoughthis reviewer believes there may be stillundiscovered cave art in Baja Californiaof equal interest . The book includes abrief description of Baja cave art alongwith that of Europe, Africa, Australiaand other countries.

Those interested in prehistoric andprimitive art will be as pleased with thisbook as those interested in archeologyand regional history. 163 pages. Ha rd-cover, $10.

P I M A S , D E A D P A D R E S A N D G O L Dfrom the journal of Paul V. Lease

Upon the death of Paul V. Lease, aninveterate treasure hunter who had be-come obsessed with the idea that Jesuitpadres had confiscated much of northernMexico's gold for their own coffers, hiswidow accumulated his l ifet ime of notesand shipped them off to an old familyfriend to be consolidated into this nicelydone paperback book.The research accomplished by Mr.Lease is vast and detailed. His case is be-l ievable. His map is excellent. In addi-t ion to providing a good historical back-ground to an excit ing tale, he suppliesplenty of fodder to the old controversialrumor that the Black Robes had amazingamounts of wealth stored away in Pimeriaand Lower California.The first edit ion is l imited to 1000

copies, i t includes 62 pages and a foldingmap based on mission locations at thetime of the Pima uprising of 17 51. $3.00 .

G H O S T T O W N T R E A SU R ESBy Lambert Florin

With each new ghost town bookFlorin adds to his series, i t 's a temptationto write, "This is his best ." Actually,"his best" probably depends more thananything else upon which ones you don'thave. A full set is destined to be a col-lectors item of the future.

Dedicated to the project of photo-graphing and recording each and everymining camp or ghost town of the Westwhile there's st i l l some remnant, even ifi t 's only a tombstone, Florin devotes hisfull time to delving into the back coun-try. His writing is rich with life. Morethan any other ghost town writer of note,he is blessed with an ability to projecthimself back into t ime. Others concen-trate on ennumerating facts and figures;Florin concentrates on human interest .This newest of his series of five, large-format books covers material scattered

throughout the West, as do his others,but the bulk of interest lies in Washing-ton, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona andCalifornia. The photographs are superb,as always, and watercolors by Dr. DavidMason also contribute to the beauty ofthe book.

One difference, though, publicationcosts have gone up. While the otherfour books sell for $12.50 each, this newone is $12.95.

H O S T E E N C R O T C H E T T Y o r"How a Good Hear t Was Born "by Jimmy Swinnerton, creator of thefamous Canyon Kiddie Cartoons

The theme of this legend is probably2000 years old, having passed to theHopi Indians from their ancestors, theCliff Dw ellers. Here the Ow l People,the Wood peckers and the Termi te Queenconsult with the Indian children in ascheme to eliminate an evil Kachina dollwho suddenly appeared in their midstas a result of Hosteen Crotchetta's mal-ice. Swinnerton's color and illustrationsare superb and this delightful book forchildren will also be enjoyed by adults.Large format, $7.50.

M I N E S O F T H E H I G H D E S E R TBy Donald Dean Mil ler

Another book by the author of lastyear's Shady Ladies of the West. Thisone is less ambitious and a paperback, butit 's the best account of high desert historyto come to our attention. Not only arethe Virginia, Dale, New Dale, Supply,and other early mines described in livelydetail , but so are the early gangs that"traded" in catt le and honorable freigh-ters who furnished the life blood be-tween this remote desert area and theoutside world.

The author served as a ranger in thearea for a number of years and knewpersonally many of the characters aboutwhom he writes, most of whom are nownot l iving. Th e book has 63 pages, goodhistorical photos and costs $1.95

Books reviewed may be orderedfrom the DESERT Magazine BookOrder Department, Palm Desert,California 92 26 0. Please include25c for handling. California resi-dents must add 4 % sales tax.Enclose payment with order.

E R I E S T A N L E Y G A R D N E R ' SNewest Adventure

H u n t in g L o s t M i n e sB y H e l i c o p t e r

The famous mystery writer takesyou into Arizona's Supersti t ion Moun-tains to look for the Lost DutchmanMine and the Tr igo Mountains tosearch for Nummel 's lost bonanza.Author of numerous books on BajaCalifornia and Southwestern deserts,Mr. Gardner 's latest episode is pro-fusely illustrated and, although fac-tual, is as fascinating as a Perry Masonmystery.ADVANCE ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN FORA SCHEDULED NOVEMBER PUBLICATIONDATE. FIRST ORDERS RECEIVED WILL HAVEPRIORITY. HARDCOVER FIRST EDITIONS,$7.50. Please add 25 cents postage andCalifornia addressees add 30 cents more forstate sales tax.

Other books by Erie Stanley Gardneravailable through the DESERT MAGAZINE BOOK SHOP.THE DESERT IS YOURS. The au tho rrevisits desert country in search of Peg-Leg's gold, the Lost Arch Mine, rocks,flowers, and serenity. $7.50N EI G H BO RH O O D F RO N TI ERS . E r i eStanley Gardner finds adventure fromPuget Sound through the high desert ofCalifornia down to the Yucatan Penin-sula. $5.50HOVERING OVER BAJA. An extra-

ordinary adventure into unexplored ter-ritory where palm-lined canyons revealundreamed of surprises. $6.00H U N T I N G T H E D E S E R T W H A L EThe hunters, with cameras only, baggedmore than a whale at Baja California'sremote Scamm on's Lagoon. $6.00TH E H I D D EN H EA RT O F BA J A . Th eauthor's account of Baja's most dramaticand mysterious archeological discovery todate. $7.50

Send Check or Money Order to:DESERT Magazine BookDepartmentPALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA(Please enclose 25 cents for handling anc

California addresses add 4 percent statesales tax. No. C.O.D.s or charges please.

November, ! 965 / Desert Magazine / 7


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Newest High-Quality

B e s t - W e s t P u b l i c a t i o n sHOSTEEN CROTCHETTY or HOW A GOOD HEART WAS BORN

Written and Illustrated by JIMMY SWINNERTONCreator of the famous Canyon Kiddie cartoon series. Four-color watercolors by Swinnerton, the Dean of Desert Artists. 48 pages on highquality cover-weight paper. An Arizona Indian legend, thousands ofyears old, re-created in full color by Jimmy Swinnerton. Large 9x11inch format. A perfect Christmas g ift for those who want to pass onthe immortal Canyon Kiddie legend to their children and grandchildren.

FIRST PUBLICATION, OCTOBER, 1965$7.50 (plus 30 cents tax for California addresses.)

BROOMS OF MEXICOWritten by Alvin Gordon Illustrated by Ted De Grazia

Delightful free-verse, written by one who has spent a quarter of acentury in Mexico. Alvin Gordon also authored "Our Son Pablo" and"Inherit the Earth." Water color i l lustrations, more than 50, by thatunique and fascinating Arizona artist, Ted De Grazia.FIRST PUBLICATION, OCTOBER, 1965A COMBINATION OF LYRIC VERSE AND RHYTHMIC ARTISTRY.

$6.75 (plus 27 cents tax for California addresses)

OTHER POPULAR BEST-WEST PUBLICATIONSLOST DESERT BONANZAS by Eugene Conrotto. A compilation of aquarter of a century of lost mine facts and maps from the pages ofDesert Magazine.$6.50 (plus 26 cents state tax for California addresses.)THREE PATHS ALONG A RIVER by Tom Hudson. The history of SanDiego's back country and the San Luis Rey River valley.$6.00 (plus 24 cents tax for California addresses.)ERNIE PYLE'S SOUTHWEST, illustrated by Bob Bales with annotationby Ed Ains worth . A collection of more than 5 0 columns by the lateErnie Pyle, as he wandered from the Four Corners Area to Palm Springs,back and forth across the Southwest he loved so much.

$5.00 (plus 20 cents tax for California addresses.)PUEBLO OF THE HEARTS by John Upton Terrell. The first full lengthhistory of a once important frontier and outpost known as the Puebloof the Hearts, in northern Sonora. From Cabeza de Vaca to DeAnza.$6.00 (plus 24 cents tax for California addresses.)

Send orders for the above listed books to:B e s t - W e s t P u b l i c a t i o n sP. 0. Box 757 Palm Desert, California 92260

Idyll forOutlaws

B y F r a n k J. B e r b e r i c hB ETWEEN THE old town of Balla-rat and Indian Ranch, the narrowslash of Surprise Canyon terminates 6.5miles and 6433 feet higher in the Pana-mint mountains that frame California'sDeath V alley. At this precise spot, byan ironic twist of fate, a town was born.In I860 Dr. S. G. George, the dis-coverer of Surprise Canyon, began talkingabout canyon walls 10 feet apart andrising 800 feet. He spoke of the view ofPanamint valley from lookout points andthe secluded character of the terrain.When Dr. George said that two men withrifles could hold a regiment at bay, menwith hard eyes and fast guns began to in-vestigate. Soon the upper area of SurpriseCanyon became the unofficial headquar-ters for tough gentry engaged in avoidingwhat law there was. They also found itan excellent base from which to spotwagons traveling Panamint valley, well intime for a leisurely holdup. Surprise Can-yon provided an idylic outlaw life, lacedwith liquor and easy pickings.

In 1873 the bombshell exploded andPanamint City was born! To their com-bined amazement, the outlaws discoveredthey had holed up over a rich silver lode.The only thing needed was capital. Thiswas a major problem for the First Citi-zens of Panamint. Their combined ex-perience in raising money had been con-fined to waving a six-gun at the righttime and place for the greatest return inprofits.They were justifiably wary about

8 / Desert Maga zine / November, 1965


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SERVICEFORMER SUMMER r'"i r ^ . . HEAOOUARTERiCHARCOAKILNS ":THORNDiRogersfk.y;.' h

^Telescope**?iil?k- 11,04INDIAN ' %,,, -, ''/|,V~ ?:-.,=GEORGE S *t , '*, .*

BALLARAT ::: '?'^'\, f \approaching financiers lest the approach-ed oneclimb onhis desk and screamforthe law. Theyoung town nearly died ofmoney starvation before R. C. Jacobs andE. P. Raines contacted Senator John P.Jones, a shareholder in the fabulousComstock mine, and a man accustomedto dealing with hard men. Hewas alsowilling to gamble $113,000 on Pana-mint.

With abanshee yowl, Panamint's popu-lation ofgamblers, gunmen andprospec-tors celebrated the birth of themostslam-bang-up-and-coming town in theWest. Speculators flocked into Pana-mint, heeding thecall ofsilver. Includedwere six-gun experts such as DaveNeagle, PatReddy, Earl Rogers, Bill Fal-lon, John Small and John McDonald, toname a few.By 1874 the town wasanestablishedfact and"supporting industries" beganto show up. There wasUncle Billy Wol-sesberger, known as Uncle Billy BeDamned, whosold goods andgimcracks.Jacob Cohn sold blankets, clothes, gunsand ammunition. Miss Delia Donoghueopened a restaurant. Charles Kin g putin ameat market andJohn Schober start-ed a sawmill. The last, and most popu-lar enterprise, was fulfilled with thearrival ofMartha Camp andher"CampFollowers." The town broke out thebottled goods and celebrated for aweek!From the bottles laying around the

place today, it would appear that Bittersand Stout Porter were two favorite

drinks. The Bitters of 1874 were apo-tent alcoholic beverage peddled under athin guise ofmedicinal andmoral cover.Du e tothemachination andhypocrisy ofbusiness men, Bitters were bottled dyna-mite. Pure food anddrug laws were wayoff in thefuture. Bitters manufacturers,with a straight face and legal right,laced their products with cocaine, mor-phine or anything else they could find.They were medicine andthey gave a mana lift, right? In fact, a fewbottles of,for example, Cocoainized Pepsin Chin-chona Bitters orWilson's Wa Hoo Bit-ters could probably lift the Statue ofLiberty off its base!

Such were some of the beveragesstacked high in thestores of PanamintCity, stores and saloons with rock wallstwo feet thick and tiny slit-like windows.Behind the loose rocks over the fire-place in a ruined miner's cabin, weoncefound anold fashioned thick glass bottlewith raised letters reading, "Burnett'sCocoaine, Boston." For all the talkabout other wild West towns, PanamintCity was reputed to bethe only town inwhich both Wells Fargo and the U. S.Post Office Department refused to dobusiness. However, contact with theNational Archives andRecords Serviceindicate that a "Panamint" Post Officewas once located (February 21, 1874)105 miles southeast of "Owins" River,on thePanamint Creek, 80miles eastof Olanco, 107 southeast of Lone Pine,and itwould service amining camp . . .the words of the oldrecords. The first

postmaster was William C.Smith (Sep-tember 16,1874) andnext came Gus-tavus A.Swazey (September 29, 1874).Unhappily, there seems to be norecordconcerning the 13-day stint of Post-master Smith and nothing quite jibeswith the records ofPanamint City.The tempo of the town is furtherillustrated by the fact that the GoodCitizens couldn't overcome their earlytraining. The town turned out tohelpload the silver wagon andwave goodbyeas it started down Surprise Canyon. Assoon as it was out of sight, the towns-men raced tothe best vantage points tohold itup! Senator Jones, nobody's fool,pu t asudden stop tothat. Heordered thesilver cast into 500-pound rough ballsand sent it out in unguarded wagonswith onebeat-up old prospector as adriver. How far can you runwith astolen 500-pound chunk of silver? Thetownsmen gave up inutter disgust.The town didn't go soft. It roaredalong until July, 1875, when a flashflood picked itup, lock, stock andbarrel,including people, anddeposited it un-gently down the length ofSurprise Can-yon. Six-gun artists John Small andJohnMcDonald, among the fewsurvivors,were quite put-out about the turn ofevents. Tobolster their lowmorale, theytied up the town's remaining citizens andlooted a safe of $2500. McDonald'smorale was much lower than Small's sohe shot Small and took the whole kitty.

This ended thewild days of PanamintCity. / / /November, 1965 / Desert Magazine / 9


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l e t ' s Go To Baja!"

Are you dreaming of Baja downMexico way? Baja California inOld Mexico has me in its spelland I must go back again. Maybeyou have always wanted to seethis fascinating peninsula thattime forgot. If so then now is yourchance. I am guiding a group allthe way down to La Paz on alesurely trip lasting 30 days. Weleave San Diego area January 10,1 9 6 6 . If you want these adven-tures of a lifetime make yourreservations now. Write to me forthe details.

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THE BELL OF St. Paul 's MethodistChurch of Globe was one of thefirst brought into the Arizona Territory.it was installed atop the original build-ing in 1882. Besides calling people toworship, it served as the town's firealarm and warned of storms and im-pend ing Apache raids. It rang as thedeath knell for at least one hanging.Because of its many frontier uses thetownspeople nicknamed it "God'sAlarm Clock."That paragraph, prepared by DonNelson of the Globe Record, willappear on a plaque to be placed on thepresent St. Paul 's Methodist Church

of General Clinton B. Fisk of Sebright,New Jersey, aroused the interest ofEasterners in the struggling little con-gregation and was so successful that herefforts produced a third of the actualcost of the building, as well as an organ,hymn books, Bibles and a communionset.

The first wedding held at St. Paul 'sstarted off to be a home ceremony, butself-appointed guests changed the plans.After invitations had been issued by thebride-to-be, Miss Tonnie Kennedy, ayoung cowboy approached the groomwith a complaint that he hadn't receivedo n e . The groom explained that the wed-

\ I I I / Y \ 1-II.VIW M i l I F - ..

Trustees of the first congregation held their meetings in the newspaper office.this month when the historic bell ringsto celebrate the 85th birthday of thechurch.

The minister under whose pastoratethe original church was organized wasthe Reverend J. J. W ing ar. He hadheard of the growing community in themou ntains and w alked a 3 5-mile round-trip from the town of Pinal (near pre-sent day Superior) to tend the flock. Formany months he made the trip everyweek, prea ching on Sunday and ^return-ing to Pinal on Monday or Tuesday. Ser-vices were held in the office of the oldSilver Belt, Arizona's oldest newspaper,until funds were raised to build a church.The mother of one Globe citizen, wife

ding was to be private, as the bride'shouse was too small to accommodatemore than the members of the twofamilies.

Refusing to accept defeat, the cowboywent to the bride. "At the laying of thechurch cornerstone in April ," he remind-ed her, "you lost the race and said'Alright, I'll be the first one married atthe Church!' So Church it will be. Doaway with invitations and give us all ahearty welcome."The bride had all but forgotten therace when a shovel had been handed

to each of three girls by a gentleman whoannounced that the one winning the racecould turn the first shovelful of dirt for10 / Desert Maga zine / November, 1965

G l o b e ' s f a m o u s B e l l


11/40

The first church bell in Arizona Territorywill toll this November to celebrate its

85th birthday.

Original St. Paul's Church of Globe.the cornerstone of the new church. Andso it was that a remark made in jest wasresponsible for the first church weddingin Globe.

The hanging mentioned on the plaquefollowed a pack train holdup and shoot-ing and, oddly enough, the man who

planned the holdup was the one whotolled the bell for the victim's funeral.Cecil Grimes, his brother Lafayette,and a man named Hawley plotted torelieve the mule pack train of its WellsFargo shipment at a time they were cer-tain it contained enough to be worthwhile. Waiting among the loungers atPioneer Pass when the buckboard fromthe railroad arrived, Cecil helped trans-fer the freight from thewagon to amuletrain which then carried it down thetrail to Globe. With quiet matter-of-factness, he handled the Wells Fargobox. Its weight told him that this dayit contained the payroll for the MacMorris mine. Departing in advance ofthe train, he alerted his brother andHawley and then rode on to Globe.The robbery went off smoothly andthe two men rode away with the loot,unaware that they were being followed.Then old Doc Vail stumbled unwittingly

into their resting place and they shot himto insure his silence. Those shots broughtAndy Hall, the driver, who had beentrailing the robbers from a distance.That, of course, was his death warrant.Lafayette Grime's abnormally smallfootprints betrayed him, in spite of alltheir precautions. When he and Hawleyfinally led the posse to the money, theywere hung on the spot. Lawmen savedCecil for a fair trail and he wassentencedto a mental institution from which helater escaped. Although he played therole of a sorrowing fellow citizen whenthe menwere laid to rest, he never paidfor the deaths for which he was partlyresponsible.That original church structure servedthe parish for 48 years. Then, in 1928,Governor G. W. P. Hunt laid thecorner-stone from it as a foundation for thepresent church, which stands at thecornerof Cedar and Hill streets in Globe. / / /

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N o v e m b e r , 1965 / D e s e r t M a g a z i n e / 11


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Badwater in Death Valley by John Gebhart.

L ow est G rav es in the W orld

A FEW MILES west of Badwater, 282feet below sea level in California'sDeath Valley National Monument, arethe graves of Jim Dayton and Shorty(Frank) Harris.James Dayton, the first to be buriedhere, was caretaker of Furnace CreekRanch. He died in 1899 on the spotwhere he is buried while en route toDagg ett for ranch supplies. Feeling ill,he tied his mules to the wagon and diedwhile trying to seek shelter in the shadeof a mesquite tree. At this spot tem-peratures as high as 134 degrees have

been recorded. Th e mules, unable toescape, perished where they were tied.Frank Tilton, a friend of Dayton,delivered a memorable western-typefarewell at the brief funeral service."Well, Jimmy," he said, "you livedin the heat and you died in the heat andnow you've gone to hell."Shorty (Frank) Harris, the occupantof the other grave, was Death Valley'smost famous prospector. Only five feettall, he grew twice as high among men.

It all began in 1904 when, prospectingwith E. L. Cross, he discovered the richBullfrog mine in the Bullfrog-Rhyolite

district near Death Valley. He soonparted with his share for only $800, butthis did not make him less popular withthe men. Admiration and drinkingmoney were all he craved. He couldneither read nor write, so prospectingwas more important to him than thehuge rewards he permitted others toreap. Other strikes brought him littlein the way of riches.

He sold his claim with Pete Aguerre-berry at Harrisburg (named after him)for $10,000 and some bad stock. Petewas really the discoverer, but Shorty waslucky enough to be along. Even atthat, he almost lost it by talking toomuch before their claim was filed.

Shorty was reputed, and believed ithimself, to possess "a nose for gold."Other prospectors consulted him as anoracle. When he loaded his jackass fora trip, men followed him secretly, andthen openly, so great was their faith inhim as a gold detector.Although he didn't die until 1934(35 years after Jim Dayton), he believed

that the best burial spot for him was be-side Jim at the very bottom of DeathValley. Honoring this request, a strange

assortment of mining camp charactersassembled for his last farewell. In theextreme heat, they didn't overexert them-selves digging a large grave, consideringshorty's small stature. What they didn'treckon with was the fact that Shortyrested in a standard size coffin. Du ringthe funeral the grave had to be hurriedlylengthened. Hence, Shorty was laid torest in a somewhat reclining position.The bronze historical marker abovethis unique gravesite is equally interesting.It commences with Shorty's carefullycomposed final request:

Bury me beside Jim Dayton in thevalley we loved. Above me write:Here lies Shorty Harris, a singleblanket jackass prospector. Epitaphrequested by Shorty (Frank) Harrisbeloved gold hunter, 1856-1934.Here lies James Dayton, pioneer,perished 1898.Although the date of Dayton's deathis given as 1898, it was actually a yearlater, 1899. Shorty's birth is given as1856, but by his own statements he wasborn in Rhode Island, July 21, 1857.However, the wild burros which fre-quent the two graves show little concernover the mix-up of dates. / / /



13/40

THE TREE OF LIFEBy R. N Buckwalter

IF A MAN puts his dreams into action,there's no guarantee his endeavorwon't go awry, but it's the only way he'sever going to prove his point. And that'swhat happened to the dream of awealthy Los Angeles builder back in1936.

On a world cruise, Lawrence Holmesbecame fascinated with the Carob tree,often called the Tree of Life, which hefound growing in arid areas around the

A few specimens of the Tree of Lifestill exist on the Sou thern Californiadesert.eastern Mediterranean. It occured tohim that this tree that once grew in theGarden of Eden and supplied food toprehistoric desert nomads might bringfertility to our own desert Southwest.Upon his return to America, Holmes pur-chased several thousand acres of land inthe Cajalco Valley some 15 miles south-east of Riverside, California, intendingto plant the area in Carob trees. He

then ordered a shipload of beans broughtover for his own use and to distribute togrowers interested in helping him createa new market.

The Carob tree produces a pod aboutthe size of the lima bean, each pod con-taining five or six large edible beans. Thepod itself is used for food, or is groundtogether with the beans to form a flour-type meal.Then along came progress. In 1936the Metropolitan Water District built anaqueduct from the Colorado River to LosAngeles. A part of this project was theconstruction of a final settling basin, now

known as Lake Mathews. This was in anarid, uninhabited part of California, withone exception. It overlapped about 1700acres of Holme's Carob grove. When thebulldozers came, the trees had just ap-proached maturity. Then came the waterand all was washed into oblivion.There's a sequel though. LawrenceHolmes, who'd been so certain of thisventure he'd spent his entire fortune onit, died in poverty after an auto Occidentin Pasadena in 1950, just short of his85th birthday. But he did prove his

point. W hile everything else was de-stroyed on his Cajalco Valley estate, asmall portion of his original Caroborchard extended beyond the Metropoli-tan Water District fence, and those treesare still there. About 50 in number,they have grown all these years with nocare whatsoever, and still bear fruit.They are living proof that LawrenceHolmes was right and that the Tree ofLife has a rightful place on our desert.Anyone who wishes to see these treeswill find them on the north side of LakeMathews about 400 yards east of themain dam spillway. / / /

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November, 1965 / Desert Magazine / \3


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T h e B a c k W a y to T r o n aB y R o b e r t a S t a r r y

FROM RED Mountain to Trona theback way is a way missed by mostmotorists racing to California's DeathValley from metropolitan areas to theeast and south. To m iss it is a big mis-take. Here is romance, spectacularscenery, mine diggings, collector's rocksand one of the few short-line railroadsstill in operation.On September 27, 1913, Mrs. JosephHutchinson, dressed in the height offashion, trudged behind a plow and ateam of mules. Her long silk skirtswept through the sand and rocks scuffedher high-button shoes. A wide-brimmedhat pinned to her elaborate coiffeurshaded her eyes from the warm autumnsun. She was here to break ground forthe future Trona Railroad.When mule team freighting becametoo expensive for short hauls and truckswere still not practical on the desert, the

14 / Desert Magaz ine / November, 1965

California Trona Company (now Am-erican Potash) was faced with a direneed for a railroad to cover the 32-milestretch to the Southern Pacific line. Largecompanies refused to lay it because they'dalready experienced losses by layingtracks to mine prospects which folded,sometimes even before a load of oretraveled the line. The struggling youngcompany, harassed by claim jumpers,legal battles and development problemswas desperate. Its entire future hingedon transporting its products to the mainline at a reasonable cost. Finally, withtheir backs to the wall, company officialsdecided to gamble on building theirown. Today it is one of the few shortlines in existence, having managed toprosper while others sold their rails forscrap.Its picturesque steam locomotives werereplaced by diesel power in 1949, but if

you travel the area in the afternoon,you're likely to see this short line trainmaking its daily trip to the SouthernPacific junction at Searles and, as a whitecloud of powdered chemical billows fromits freight cars, you get the impressionthat it's smoke from the engine and oldN o . 2 is still in use.

A day train and a night train trans-port over 6300 tons of soda ash, chlor-ides of soda, lithum, pryo-borate, andborax daily, but in the old days thetrains carried passengers as well. Timetables used to list stops at Trona, Boro-solvay (now West End), Rock Crusher,Hanksite, Pinnacle, Spangler and Searles.The only day stops now are in the spring-time when grazing sheep wander ontothe tracks or, just about any night, whena herd of wild burro decide to explorethe other side of the tracks.

Diggings in the nearby mountains in-


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To Bishopnyokern cOChina Lake

10 SanUBernardion

dicate the Spangler mining district. Atthe RR crossing there is still evidence ofthe old Spangler siding, once a waterstop.In 1896 William Spangler and his twosons left a farm in Tulare County, Cali-fornia, and headed for the Rand MiningDistrict where a gold strike had started.With a four-mule team hitched to alight wagon, they hauled food and waterover Greenhorn Mountain, down toKernville, over Walker Pass and even-tually to the hills across from SpanglerSiding.Their explorations uncovered lowgrade quartz floats with points of goldsticking out. Gath ering a sample load,they were delighted when it ran $45 tothe ton. This was good enough to en-courage them so they went back to theirfarm, loaded up their one room houseand hauled it over the mountain to theirnew claim.Tony and Rea, the Spangler sons, de-veloped the district. Working by hand,swinging a single jack, they dug thou-sands of feet of underground tunnels. Ahike through this area leaves you with asense of awe for man's determined abilityto search out and obtain earth's treasures.Distant formations along the route looklike steeples, domes and spires, but asyou draw near you discover that inactuality they are the geological remainsof a day when the desert was tropical

and fresh water flowed into Searles Lake.An ancient beach line lies 700 feetabove the now dry lake, indicating

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Searles was the deepest of a chain ofnow dry lakes reaching from OwensValley to Death Valley. Last to dry up,it is the source of valuable mineral salts.Scientists believe the Pinnacles werebuilt out in the lake by a blue-greenalgae, minute organisms growing oneonto another.

A maze of roads run through thevaried forms, providing an ever changingview appreciated by artists and photo-graphers. A bit of imagination helps inseeing men, birds, animals and mooncities. In the morn ing and evening long,blue shadows accent the figures.

In addition to scenery, the area is richwith variegated red agate with dendrite,banded and plume agate, geodes andnodules and decomposed jasper thatfluoresces a bright green under ultra-violet light.Unless a recent storm has washed outroads, the entire route may be traveled inlate model passenger cars. This backway, like all desert travel, can be a de-lightful experience unless you forget tocarry water, a spare tire and shovel, orfail to stop in Red Mountain for gas, thelast source of that most necessary ingre-dient until you reach Trona. / / /

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N o v e m b e r , 1 9 6 5 / D e s e r t M a g a z i n e / I S


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Ghost Pueblo in BajaBAJA CALIFORNIA'S list of ghosttowns is enough to give any goldmining fan an attack of acute goldfever before he gets half way throughthe history of the first mine. For, inher geological bosom are fabulousriches in nearly all of the mineralsprized by society and industrycopper,mercury, sulphur, and gold. Baja hasalso contributed generously to Mexico'ssilver output, which equals almost halfof the total world production.

My first trip to Baja was in 1903 bythe Condit family stork which landedme in San Quintin about 130 milessouth of Ensenada. Although I wasreared, schooled, worked and havelived most of my adult life north ofthe border, Baja is the land of mydreams. So now and then, when thewanderlust stirs me to restlessness, I

allow a bit of nostalgia to mingle inmy thoughts and, presto, I find myselfheaded for Baja. So it was that onerecent morning my wife and I crossedthe border at Tijuana at 6:00 a.m. Myexcuse was to share the pleasure ofknowing El Alamo with my wife, whohad never been there.The gold boom era in Baja was actu-ally a secondary event, being sequentialto a colonization enterprise of vastproportions backed by foreign capital.Several large syndicates were involved,as the company rights were either soldor transferred from one to another andsubsidiary companies were formed. Mone-tary backing came from small individualstock holders, private financiers, largefinance firms, capitalists and some ofthe most prominent banking institutionsin London and Wall Sreet.

During 1888 to early 1900, the Mexi-can Land and Colonization Company,with home offices in London, was incontrol of the enterprise in the Northernsection of Baja. The company had almosthalf of all land of the peninsula at itsdisposal for colonization and also theright to exploit mineral resources.About this time, in the course of ex-ploratory surveys to evaluate the produc-tive potential of the land, fabulously richgold placers and quartz mines were dis-covered in the region of El Alamo.The activity in the gold fields wasof such magnitude that a subsidiary tothe parent company in London wasformed for the purpose of directing min-ing activies in Lower California. Th issub company was called the Santa Claraand Lower California Mining Bureau,with offices in Alamo, Ensenada, San

Ten stamp mill with El Alamo and Sierra Juarez in the background.

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By John Robert Condit

Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, St.Louis and New York. The Sa n FranciscoChronicle, San D iego Union, and otherCalifornia papers featured glowingarticles about the rich bonanzas in Bajaand in a few months the region of ElAlamo was host to more than 8,000 popu-lation. Impressive buildings were erected,there was a newspaper, The Alamo Nug-get, and fantastic plans were spun forthe future, including a concession grantedby the Federal Government to build arailroad from El Alamo to San Diego.More than 25 gendarmes found it diffi-cult to keep civil order. Gold was soabundant just for the digging that nowater wells were dug. Instead, waterwas hauled from the nearest spring,about 15 miles, and sold readily at $2.50per jug.That was many years ago. Today onlymelted adobe construction remains, theframe buildings having long since beenused as fuel for the wood stoves of thehopeful ones who wait for El Alamo tolive again.El Alamo is like all ghost towns inthat it is a relic of a bygone era, butit is unique in that it had six or sevenboom periods and it would still yieldgold prolifically if worked. It also hasthe most amusing, yet plausible, storiesof past incidents of any ghost town Iknow.Have you ever heard of a louse race,with purses ranging in the thousands,winner take all ? According to goodauthority, due to scarcity of water andnecessary hygienic commodities, lice werecommon in the early days of El Alamo.After a rich strike a holiday would bedeclared and, there being no facilitiesnor materials for diversion, the minersimprovised means to engage in theirfavorite sports, gambling and racing. Apiece of white paper served as a track.The course was a penciled circle on thepaper; the steeds, lively lice from thebetters' unshorn locks. The wagersequal pokes of gold dust which all wentinto a jack pot. The first louse out of

the circle earned for his master theentire pot!

O l S a n Q u i n t i a

We arrived at El Alamo about 9:00p.m., welcomed in a darkness such asonly exists in Baja by the soft yellowglow of oil lamps from three widelyseparated locations. No buildings werediscernible, except those picked up in thebeam of our headlights. The last timeI had visited El Alamo was in 1933, soI had no idea who lived there now, butI approached the nearest lamp-lightedhouse and inquired for my friend Arriola.We were warmly welcomed by DonLouis Mesa and informed that my friendArriola had passed away.Mr. Mesa was quick in pegging usas turistas en paseo and that we wereready for some rest. He offered us achoice of either beds in his house orany place in his court yard for sleepingout under the stars. We chose the latter,as that was part of the purpose of ourtrip.At sunrise we breakfasted beside anopen fire on the outskirts of town, in-cluding in our menu some of the deliciousMexican bread recommended in his Bajabooks by Erie Stanley Gardner. Mr.Mesa had assured us there were nospecial arrangements necessary to visitingthe mines, but some one would be gladto escort us if we wished.El Alamo has, within a radius of 5miles, some 20 or more key mines.Among them are La Viznaga, La Gloria,Las Virgenes, Los Angeles, La Cruda,La Quinota, La Princessa, Ulises. Theseinclude thousands of feet of tunnels andnumerous surface operations. The onlymining activity at present is dry placeron a limited scale and rework of tailingdumps, also limited, but some of themoperated as recently as 1948. Miningequipment of all types and vintage lies

scattered over th e ground, horn earlyarastras to modern mechanized machin-ery.A fair amount of statistical data ispublished about El Alamo, but very littleof human interest and those living theretoday are of too recent vintage to telltales of the past. W e were fortunate toknow Senora Josephina Bariloni de Cotaof Ensenada who could tell us of the olddays in El Alamo. Her father camedirectly from Naples, Italy, to the goldfields of El Alamo, where he operateda store, pool hall and cantina. SenoraJosephina Cota speaks English, Spanishand Italian fluently.

"Yes, the stories of the abundance ofgold at El Alamo were quite true," shetold us. "Children at play in the streetsand yards often found sizable nuggets."Her mother had once found a nuggetweighing over one ounce in the gizzardof a chicken, she recalled. Before thelong periods of drought in Baja, cloudbursts were quite frequent. After oneof these, children and housewives wouldrush out to the slopes of the foothillsbordering the town to pick up nuggetsimbedded partially in the clay, their sur-faces shining in the sun.

When Senora Cota was a small girl,her father presented her with a necklaceon which were suspended 10 gold nug-gets of exceptional size which he hadtaken in trade in his store. She lovedher parents and was eager to please themby wearing the necklace, but she pre-ferred their scoldings to the uncomfort-table weight on her small neck!

The trip to El Alamo can be madefairly comfortably in a late model pas-senger car, although a good landingstrip is located there for those havingair transportation. W e made the returntrip from El Alamo to Ensenada in sixhours, but en route we took much longereven lingering for a bath at San Salva-dor hot springs.Be sure to carry water and start with

a full tank of gas. Little ranches neverseem more than four or five miles apartand the natives' friendly greetingsassured us of help should we need it.Our road out of Ensenada led us upCanyon de las Cruzes to a pass in theDescanso Mountains. Then we droppedrapidly into Ojos Negro s valley. At thefoot of this grade, the road forks. Tothe left is Real de Castillo where goldplacers were first discovered in 1872 byAmbrosio Castillo, for whom the townwas named. This town was the capital of

northern Baja from 1872 to 1882. TheContinued on P age 33November, 1965 / Desert Magazine / 17


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We were picnicking at a spot alongthe American River near the historic min-ing town o f Auburn, California, when Ifound these striking pieces of shale.They are silvery blue-gra y except on theweather exposed sides, which are rustyorange. On another family excursionfarther up in the Sierras, I had discovereda fallen cedar tree that was disintegrat-ing. The su rface ivas like molten silverand the pits were filled with rust-coloredpith. Exqu isite in color and texture, thecedar with its deep indentation was aperfect complement to the smooth, sheerplanes of the shale. The vegetation inthis case came from a pine tree that hadblown over in a storm. New growth hadalready begun, so 1 plucked the needlesfrom around the brown, silver-tipped newgrowth and grouped them as an accenttvith the wood and stone composition.The whole is placed on a walnut basewhich reflects their forms in its polishedsurface.

On an expedition into the Californiadesert east of Daggett where we werelooking for agate, we came upon thisstrange cinder. About six inches in diam-eter and charcoal gray with bits ofwhite frosted over its surface, it sug-gested to me a primeval setting like thebeginning of plant life on earth. Ona slate base we'd found in the Sierrafoothills, I placed baby tears moss,young fern tendrils and whisps of thu-juosis to look as though they'd arisenabout the cinder as it cooled in anage when the world was young.

My husb and dignifies this rock by thename of conglomerant. Its brilliant reds,golds, oranges, purples, grays and brownsare repeated in the fruit of the opuntiacactus, while the duller tones are echoedin the bronze and tans of the ripenedheads of Egyptian corn. Corn tassels anddried barley add a sparkling golden tanaccent. An old, rusty iron wagon hub Idragged hom e from a desert trek servesas a base for the rusty plow disk. Eventhough there's a hole in the disk, it wasnot needed in this arrangement, as thematerials are all dried.

Although it came from the bank of acanal, this piece of rust colored com-pressed ash suggested a desert vignette.On a redwood burl slab base, aloe leaveswith their prickly, sharp edges, were re-grouped and placed on a pin frog. Spentblossom heads with delicate green stemsand beige, papery flower sheaths arelinear accents for the bold, solid form ofthe compressed ash.



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HB^HHNHHHHHHHHBWhat happened toT H R O W I N G

Dry arrangements are fun and practicalas long as they are not left around tobecome dusty and disheveled. There isno excuse for this when you have acollection of rocks for inspiration, as itis always easy to create something freshan d new. A case in point is this group-ing of concretions from Nevada's Pyra-mid Lake. Although it suggests a tropi-cal island with palm trees swaying inthe wind, it's actually only a foot high.The base is a section of crust from thedry lake bed while the mountain is an-other free-standing limestone concretion.Three varieties of succulents provide thevegetation.

A treasure from the countryside aroundModesto, California, was the lichen cov-ered granite and oak branches in thisplate. Nature arranged the basic linesof the oak with the help of a littletrimming to remove twigs that crossone another. Several pieces of granitewere grouped to give weight to the base.There is a delightful affinity between thetwo materials, for each has lichens ofunbelievable colors pale turquoise, bril-liant orange, mustard yellow and silverblue. A seedling columbine that came upin our garden repeats the yellow andorange of the lichens and gives an earlyspring touch to the arrangement. Thebase is a slice of redwood blackened bylong immersion in water, its shape re-flecting the original contour of the treetrunk from which it was cut.

R O C K S ?By Frances Louise Bode

THE FUN OF this whole crazy rock collecting business isthat it's ahobbyfor ourwhole family. W hile my husband and sonsearch for "cuttingrocks," those perfect specimens used forcabochons, I hang onto their throw-ing rocks" rejected outside their workroom door. I hardly know a "cuttingrock" from the hole itcame out of, bu t I doknow that the inherent beautyofany unusual rock may be a source of inspiration for a prize-winning floralarrangementwhich constitutes myprimary interest in their cast-offs.

This hobby hasenhanced our lives bymaking usvibrantly aware ofthe beauty to be found everywhere in nature. We hope these ideas willstimulate a similar interest in theactivities of other desert wanderers. / / /

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Juan Jose Warner'sown ranch and trading postas it loo ks today.Color Photo byJack Pepper.

W a rner' -pHROUGH WARNER Springs ran one of the. 1 most impo rtant trails in California. Indian trad-ing, hunting, and war parties traced and retraced it.Spanish Californ ians covered it on their journeys be-tween the early mission settlements and, later, betweentheir great ranchos. American trappers in their widesearch for beaver plodded its dusty ways. Over itstumbled men from Vallecito whose tattered uniformsidentified them as General Stephen Watts Kearny'sArmy of the W est. Again, later, came men of thefamous Mormon Battalion.

From 1858 until 1869 it was the first sign of greengrass and civilization in 22 days for passengers whohad traveled more than 2000 miles on the ButterfieldStage Route from Titon, Missouri, through hostile In-dian country, barren deserts and lurking stage coachrobbers. This era ended in 1869 with the completionof the first transcontinental railroad.Unlike today's travelers who reach Warners onpaved State High way 79, the only cross-country route toWarners and thence to Los Angeles and the West

Coast passed from Yuma and the vast wind-sweptColorado Desert through the rugged Carrizo Corridorbetween Vallecito and Laguna Mountains. What awelcome sight was the verdant valley of Warners, forafter this area the trip w as all but finished!In sharp contrast to the days of Indian massacresand other forms of early Western violence, the valleytoday is peaceful and relaxing with a variety of attract-ions for vacationers throughout the year.On the site where Indians used to heal their woundsbefore the advent of white man is now the family-styleWarner Springs Guest Ranch where visitors relax in

either the hot springs pool or another cooler one. Theranch has comfortable cottages and features all types20 /

the man and the placeby Harry James


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Built by Cyrus Kimball in 1862, this adobe building has been incorrectly identified attimes as W arner's ranch house. It still stands 1% miles S.E. of the real stage station.Photo by Shirley Adams, Laguna Beach, California.of recreation, including golf and horse-back riding.

Today's Warner Trading Post, operat-ed by Alfred Iller, offers not only gro-ceries, but also clothing and souvenirs.Mr. Illers is an authority on the historyof the area. Side trips from Warners maybe made to Lake Henshaw, PalomarObservatory, Julian, Oak Grove and intothe nearby Laguna Mountains.On a hill near the Trading Post is apicturesque adobe chapel which serves theCupeno and the Los Coyotes CahuillaIndians of the area along with resortguests who visit the tiny church for Sun-day mass.

Several miles down the road to Anza-Borrego, hidden by a low hill, is a smalladobe building which once housed a rivalto Warn er's Trading Post. Known asthe Kimball-Wilson store, it is remem-bered today as the scene of four gorymurders commited "in the good olddays." Close by is a gigantic sycamore

claimed by old-timers to have been usedas a hanging tree. A small plaque infront of the adobe says it was a Butter-field stage station, although many authori-ties believe it was not.Warner's own ranch house and tradingpost are still standing and are locateddown the road from the Guest Ranch. Un-fortunately, because of vandals and souve-nir hunters, authorities were forced toput a chain fence around the historiclandmark. The beautiful countryside sur-rounding the old trading post is one ofthe largest working cattle ranches inSouthern California. See color photo.In 1830, Jonathan Trumbull Warner,then 23, had to move to a milder climatethan his native Connecticut, so he headedfor St. Louis where he secured employ-ment with a party of mountain menheaded for Sante Fe and led by JedediahStrong Smith, whom Warner greatly ad-mired. After Smith's tragic death inSante Fe in 1831, Warner continued his

journey to California, en route seeingfor the first time the area where he laterestablished his ranch.Known as 'Long John" because of hisheight and slimness, Warner traveledthroughout California and Oregon, in-tending to return home. Illness changedhis mind, however, and he obtained em-ployment as a clerk in Los Angeles.Quickly he learned Spanish and became

a co-partner in a store with Henry Mel-lus. He then became a friend of Pio Pico,last govenor of Mexican California. Thisfriendship changed his life.Living with Pico's mother was AnitaGale, the daughter of an English seacaptain who had brought her to Califor-nia when she was only five years oldand left her with the Picos as theirward. In 1837 she and Jonathan War-ner were married in the San Luis ReyMission.Because of his connections with the

Picos and his friendship with so manyleading California citizens, Long Johnbecame a naturalized Mexican citizen in1843. Then, with the approval of thePicos, applied for an abandoned ranchof theirs in the Valle de San Jose.This pastoral valley which came to beknown as Warner's was also known asAgua Caliente because of its hot springs.The ranch had been granted to Jose An-tonio Pico in 1840 by the then governorof California, Juan Bautista Alvarado.The Picos built a ranch house, planted

vineyards, and grazed cattle there, butabandoned it within two years becauseof constant trouble with Indians.In 1844, after obtaining his Mexicancitizenship and adopting the name ofJuan Jose Warner, the former Connecti-cut invalid received a grant for 48,000acres in one of the most beautiful valleysin California.When the Warners moved from LosAngeles to their new ranch, they livedin an Indian-built adobe near the hotsprings before moving into their own

quarters about three miles east of thesprings. Here, too, Warn er built thetrading post which was to make himknown far and wide during the years hewas its proprietor.One historical puzzle is how such ahighly-regarded person as Warner couldhave taken into his employ a man whosename was connected with at least twoof the bloodiest episodes in Californiahistory. William Marshall, a sailor fromProvidence, Rhode Island, jumped hisship, the Hopewell, in San Diego. Afterbeing jilted by a beautiful San Diegosenorita, Lugardia Osuna, he left that

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pueblo an d made his way to Agua Cali-ente. There he ingratiated himself witha Cupeno Indian chief an d married hisdaughter. Next he wormed his way intothe confidence of Warner an d becamehis most trusted employee.When the war between th e UnitedStates an d Mexico broke out in 1846California was to become one of themost hotly contested prizes of the con-

fused campaign, a campaign which in-volved th e Picos, Fremont, Kit Carson,and other prominent figures of the period.Warner was in a hot spot. He wasa naturalized Mexican citizen and vir-tually a member of the Pico family, andPio Pico was now governor of California.Somewhat inexplicably, his loyalties seemto have been with the United States andhe became a confidential agent of ThomasLarkin, th e Consul in Monterey, who wasdirecting U. S. strategy in the war.Uncertainty as to Warner's sympathies

caused him on one occasion to be arrest-ed by American forces and thrown intothe guardhouse in San Diego. Only byfeigning insanity was he able to escapebeing shot. Durin g this period, WilliamMarshall became a sort of major-domoat th e ranch, and was on hand to receivethe battered troops of General Kearnywhen they reached Warner's.It was Marshall who supplied themwith their first decent meal in days an dthere are stories that it was Marshall whosupplied them with quantities of potentfire-water sold at the trading post. This,and kegs of wine th e Army of the Westfound buried in the old chapel at SanYgnacio, may have been somewhat re-sponsible for their inglorious defeat bythe California Lancers at San Pasqual.In 1850, the officials of San DiegoCounty, eager for more revenues, levieda tax on cattle possessed by Indians ofthe back country. Some of the Indianspaid meekly, bu t Antonio Garra, Jr., re-fused to pay. Marshall became one ofthe ringleaders in this tax revolt, but insowing the wind, he reaped a whirlwind.The tax revolt exploded into a plannedIndian uprising against all whites inSouthern California.Garra made contacts with Indians allthe way to the Colorado River. Whitesettlements everywhere were close topanic. The success or failure of theGarra revolt would hinge, it was gener-ally believed, on whether or not "Cap-tain-General" Juan Antonio of the Ca-

huilla Indians and his warriors wouldjoin Garra. Fortunately, he chose to sidewith th e whites.

; / ' - - y . ' , v u - r " - ' " -

The adobe in which Anita and ]uan Jose Warner lived when they came to tthe valleystill stands at the present da y Warners Guest Ranch. H. James photo.

Garra and his followers beseiged theWarner ranch and trading post. Luckily,Warner had been warned by friendlyIndians and had sent his family safelyto San Diego. The beseiging Indianskilled one of Warner's servants, andWarner killed four of the attackers withhis long rifle. Then he managed toescape and join his family in San Diego.

Further enraged, the Indians sackedthe house, drove off Warner's cattle, andkilled four helpless white invalids theyfound at the hot springs. Finally theyounger Garra was captured by Juan An-tonio, and all the marauders, with th eexception of Garra Sr., were court-mar-tialed by the American Army and shot.Garra Sr. met the same fate after a trialin San Diego.William Marshall and Juan Berra, an-

other ringleader, were also taken to SanDiego for trial. At long last Marshallgot his come-uppance. Charged withhigh treason, robbery, and the murderof the four invalids referred to earlier,he was found guilty and hanged onDecember 18, 1951 .

It is thought that Long John Warnerdid no t again live at his ranch after theGarra near-destruction of it. Eventuallyhe returned to Los Angeles where heresided until his death in 1895.Despite the surge of development thathas swept most of Southern California,Warner ranch country looks much as it

did in California's yesterday. One im-provement welcomed by all cross-countrytravelers, though, is the nice modernhighway. / / /

Cahuilla Indians an d resort guests still attend Sunday services in the picturesque chapelnear the ranch compound. H. James photo.

November, 1965 / Desert Magazine / 23


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T h e M y s t e r y of the H o h o k a m sPT R O G LY P H S! P I C T U R E S a n dsymbols chipped into stone! Thefirst I had ever seen!

There were many of them on theseblack desert stones. The sun, the moon,the stars, all painstakingly portrayed.Intricate designs chipped with exquisitecare, beautiful in their artwork; a deer,a mountain goat with arched horns, all ina clustered circle around the oval depres-sion of an ancient volcano.There were more symbols and figures;

the snake, the scorpion, stick-figures withround heads wearing what appeared to bea bowler hat!

Depressed areas, bordered with bouldersplaced in straight lines, are remains ofprehistoric Hohokam irrigation system.

By Stan JonesThis was my introduction to a magni-ficent civilization. A trip to the Univer-sity of Arizona in Tucson solved thepuzzle of the petroglyphs, but curiosityurged me to look further into th e mysteryof this remarkable vanished racetheHohokam.In ever widening circles, atop the blackboulder-strewn hilltop, I began to ex-plore. Two odd features of this mountain,Cerro Prie to (Dark Mountain) , puzzled

me. Hardly discernable, because of desertbrush and trees, there seemed to be aseries of horizontal lines resembling giantsteppes on the east slope of the mountain.

Too, something seemed unnaturalabout the dry washes running down fromthe steep incline of the mountain. Theywere definitely not of the ragged, un-even design that characterizes flood andcloudburst ravines of the desert lands.

Instead, from their beginning at th ebase of the cliffs near the top of the peak,each source-gorge appeared measured indistance from the other, all around themountainside. Great banks of boulderslined their course.Then, about midway down the slopes,each gorge sprouted additional and small-er gorges, also boulder banked, and thesesmaller channels fanned out in a seriesof inverted Ys. Nature's handiwork? Ifound that hard to believe. There was

nothing left to do but climb up and ex -plore.Wel l , I found that ne w world, and it

is, indeed, an amazing and thrill ing one!It lies only 28 miles north of Tucson viaa super-highway, and aproximately eightmiles west of Red Rock, Arizona, off asmooth, dirt road that, years ago, led tothe once wealthy mining town of Sasco.

I

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Hohokam pathway at Cerrn Prietn haw.lmost touching Sasco and encompas-sing an area of nearly 20 square miles,this new/old world and i ts long-departedinhabitants have furnished the futurewith a puzzle that no one, to date, hasbeen able to solve.While Sasco disappears under thesands of time, it is strange to think thatthere, closeby, on the harsh, steep slopesof Cerro Prieto, stands evidence of a re-

markable civilization that flourished atleast 700 years before Sasco was built!While exploring Cerro Prieto, I chidedmyself for believing that I saw odd charac-teristics in this tortured land where un-believable and weird formations arecomm onplace. I climbed throu gh thethorny growth of the mountain only ashort distance before my heart leaped.There before me was a definite clearing,nearly six feet wide, leveled into the hill-side, bordered by hugh stones, and ex-tending north as far as I could see around

the lower slope of the mountain! Defin-itely, a pathway. And on the bare groundlay piece after piece of broken clay pot-tery, some brill iantly painted, whilestrewn in profusion among the clay frag-ments were bright, chipped stones.I had found it . The distinctive red onbuff pottery remnants proved it . Anoriginal Hohokam si te!Deeply excited, I scrambled up theslope to discover ledges carved into themountainside in a series of g ig a n t i csteppes, each terrace, with exception of

brush now growing over it , table-topsmooth and dotted with tell-tale heapsof broken pottery and chipped stone.Nine great steppes, each about 30 feetin width, banked up into one anotherwith definite walls of boulders inclinedinto the mountain's steepness, stil l hold-ing firm after all these years. What atremendous feat of engineering this en-tire project had been!The steppes extended north aroundthe slope of the mountain nearly half amile and climbed upward in ever dimin-ishing distances. At each level, as thesteppes ended at the far northern extrem-ity, the low, stone walls of rectangularbuildings stil l remained.By chance, I ventured from the eastslope and the terraces toward the north-ern section of the mountain and, again,found excitement and wonder. There, onsurfaces leveled into solid caliche andprotected by great banks of boulders, werestone-walled frames of buildings, oneafter another, dotting the way up the en-tire slope into the heights of the moun-tain.And what remarkable bui ldings! The Petroglyphs were many and varied.

walls, most still intact despite the on-slaught of the centuries, were fashionedwith boulders cleverly fitted one into andagainst another, forming thicknesses ofabout a foot and a half. So perfectly con-structed were these walls that a plumb-bob showed not a trace of lean or off-center.

The plumb-bob and a level and square,tested at a later date, proved that thesepeople, classed as "aborigine" by history,somehow had learned, centuries ago,principles of architecture and constructionequal to present day know-how, as eachwall and corner of the rectangular build-ings was absolutely perfect and true.There were no roofs to these remark-able buildings, a fact which puzzled me.

The Arncmfl State Museum's *fc>$$,ever, answered this question, as it isknown that mud and thatch roofs, sup-ported by ridgepoles, were the coveringthe Hohoka

Documents

196511 Desert Magazine 1965 November