The San Francisco call. [volume], May 29, 1910, Page 16, Image 16

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
John L. Co wan
THERE, is no more vagrue and in
definite term , in American, geog-.
raphythan the '"Painted Desert.".
There are' maps that confine'the
name to a narrow . strip of " territory
along the Little Colorado river, and
others on \v*liichit is not designated at
aIL George Wharton James says . the
Painted Desert region extends from the
Rio Grande Indefinitely westward, in
cluding the Mojave desert, the Salton
sea and the Panamint, Funeral and
Calico mountains. Its northern limits
are among the r plateaus, of Southern
Utah, and its southern boundary, must
be sought .somewhere '.in northern
Mexico.
It includes the Colorado; desert, the
Grand canyon, the t tawny cliffs of Pa
jarito park, the ilogollbn plateau, the
Tor.to basin, the Verdi. Hassayampa
and Salt River valleys, the purple.Su
perstition mountains, j Therefore, it ex
tends over portions of Colorado, Utah,-
New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada "and Cali
fornia. of this vast region -is
desert in character, and -only a rela
tively small portion of its desert ex
panses deserve to be described as
"painted." Nevertheless, . the conditions
of»color and barrenness that first sug
gested the name ' exist \u25a0• in places
throughout tJiio whole district. Parts
of It areas fertile as any of the- world's
garden spots. It contains some of the
noblest virgin pine " forests remaining
in America, including a number of na
tional forests; aggregating many mil
lions of acres in extent. It "is crossed
by the continental 'divide. ' The' lofty
peaks- of the San Francisco, and San
Mateo mountains, as well as the lesser
heights of the Ladrone, Zuni, Supersti
tion, Mogollon.Pinal and other ranges,
are within its boundaries. It is crossed
by one of the great rivers of America —
the Coloroda, and a hundred smaller
Btrrams, ;such as_ the Little t Colorado,
the Gila/Puerco and Virgin '-riverß,-Bin
Williams fork, and ; Havasu, "Walnut,
Oak. Willow, Diamond and Bluewater
creeke traverse, others portions. - Parts
of the really desert area are "mere
wastes of neutral colored sand, but
other parts are . chaotic _."bad lands,"
upon which the master painter of .the
universe has spread-a divlne i harmony
of color that shames 1 the "utmost pow
ers of the imaginatlon.7 '
Transcontinental travelers over ; the
Eanta Fe "route never fall" to •' admire
and wonder at .the standing rocks, red
cliffs, bold - mesas, : black \u25a0 lava, preci
pices, extinct craters and 'tall
white walls that \lend variety to;, the
view the : whole way from the^^ntio
Grande to boundary T line, between
New Mexico and Arizona.; West jof the
Colorado river the .'choccJate, colored
to.ountaf.ns, ttp hills that "shade from
WONDERS OF THE
PAINTED DESERT
irray to DlacTr; and from brown to^crim-.
son' and purple, ; compel -the \u25a0wondering:*.;'
admiration of even the. least observant.' ;
All these are of 'the painted desert,: but' .
they are no more thah.tantaliaing'hlnts. \u25a0'\u25a0
of the greater ..glories ,that<tie 5 beyond ;^
the car -.window: perspective. .• - .;, -*-•.\u25a0. i~r* '•_ ;
r Most of • those who forsake ". the" Eull- :.*
mans' and everafter boast , of a s cipse fat' : .
hand view of the painted, desert, -ifl-"~
spect it only as aii incident of .; a"- trip; •
to the strange jj tWns ~of the"; Hop! '"In-}
dians— a long: and. ; : wearisome; journey^.:;
of 100 miles or, so; from .'Canyon vDlablb,.-.
Winslow or HolbrookV-.Tbeportloni'One?
fiees.on '.such a trip is_\ notvthat.jmbstj./
worthy' of .'inspection— fpr'V tbe\ jwagon >
roads follow ; the .; lines .of least resist- ;
an'ceV* '] irrespective ' of " .the - J scenery.?/
Nevertheless;' \no .'traveler - over'"' either; \u25a0-
route will' ever forget the wide 'outlook .'
over '- the."- gaudy, superiiieated^ sands,' :
the fantastic sky, lints ; the black, [ j^rirh >
volcanic - craters, and basalt cliffs; VtlieV'
orange and : vermilion' "bad.. lands." "• The 1 '•
coloring.is as rich .and 'varied, as, that^'l
of ; the i Grand .^canyon, and the prospect
is limited only by the feeble? powers of-,
human vision. 'VThe -winds '\u25a0' and V storms'' :
and rushing waters of ages rhaye'ehi's-*;;
eled clay, .basalt- and sandstone . into,-
Images, • columhs, ' monuments; - towers ' . (
and strange, fantastic forrns^ that" have; '
no names. 1 Irrespective' pf. its-coloring, .*;
it would deserve; to • rank 'among. thel ; : (
world's wonders.'; Yet. its' coloring-con- \u25a0*>
stitutes Vthe * greatest wbnder -:>'of '= aIU •'!
Here may be.seen a ; red; wall, 500^feeti:'
hjgti . and 100;;mlles > iongV;' Yonder :is a> ,
coal black * cliff of V hardened lava . ris- ' . j
ing.-from a valley/ floor of; showy, ai^-;
kali. In;; others places 'are mural; faces* \u25a0'
of white; 6r* gray, rock for \u0084
scores of miles,- and tilted, rock 'strata^. 1
of various hues, rising, to dizzy)heightst'
that'a- day's hard ..on' horseback ! - (
will hardly carry,; oue : pasL „ Fronii any 1
vantage point- one, may. survey;a*glo'w -if i
ing ' landscape ..that ' shows' "a « hundred >;
shades of" pink; 'gray,- green, .red;fchoco-- : |
late, ; carmirie fl crimson,'; mauve,;salmoh,'r.'!
brown, -yellow.' and; olive. ? Near^lnd lan. f;
\u25a0Wells is a ; seemingly , interminableUlne" '.;
of -tall rock. sentinels,.j*all%.;garbed i 'in^:
different: hues, on- guard In^this*land e of //
enchantment.- .'' No - \u25a0 wprideV"; that". ••.ttie','"i
Spanish . . explorers, '. when^' they, > beheld; „'
this harsh ; but glorious land, more" than j'V
three I and ta • half centuries -*agb, -named "
It ''ErPlntado;Desierto," v.t '^\~\ ".\u25a0'; ... '.\J~,:
. \u25a0-, -Hence .the, Painted ;vDesert r 'deserveSr .
, better .' of \u25a0 the« trayelerrpossessed ; of ; the.,:
laudable desire^tq-see'andiknbwf some--' 1
thing of- this". wbndertulV'land r ;of> ours ':\u25a0
than to be viewed . mereiy^asT. an fineU '. ":
dent'Of a'- laborious' 3qurney; A with?some>r
other ,; objective^lNine"r:miles ifnbrtliTbf j!i
Adamana on the-Santa^Fe rbuteiSrDeadt :
river canyon,": from*' the"; rim \u25a0-'of,\.which'i:
may be:bbtained ; "a, view 'of ; the ! Painted?'
Desert that "can; hardly ; be matched -fbrX
, scenic * : interest?; The:. rbad^thltlteryit-^
sell . derives^more f than -passing; interest (3
from the. fact ' fhat it .crossesithe,fpld; :
overland'; stage route— thejfar^ western"* f
extension of- the; historic- Sarita'-Fe^trajl., \u25a0:
Although • . this ; bas ; not.-, been * trayersedj"'
i « r> more \u25a0. thanj^ a . qimrter; of .; avcßutwry » [ ,
the lUccp* rutS'Tworn by^ the "i wheels • of ; ;
the vstaEre^coabhes.ff reightlngr ,caraya.ns
and -prai rie^schp'oners ; of : trie ' emi grants;
bound' f or/the; f ar^ofl, land^bf ; goldtin^th'e
exciting" yeaTcsHhat-began" with-V'4D >rafe'i
stiilv^alrily^JgTble."-;-\i r v;:^ : 3v-y':^V : "v
-; Just.: pn^the-^brink -ofv th'e4"can'ypn;'is
an.'an ci ent'T c e<&r '. t fce^the "orily/brie for
rn^le^s\iarouh4.>v'^radltidn^rias^
her&^wasYftheLfaVorltev.rendezvous>*and
cflj^p^s^^?^pt^^bj^p^^o§e^S(§K
does ;'and'f cft^'tle jTJastlers \u25a0 tHatj- terrorized
this*^part:>of* A^izbna^f^or '!many>yJßarsi;
'Hen^ce^-the^spot'^sflpcally^ambis^'^^Uij!^
;Vrobb'ers',^rbpst:'vX,T^^ de s4end^into H^e ;
cariypn : at^his^ppint^-.withf.te^mVrtand;
-wagon, is; ; k nptXpoisible,f spith'atjsight,
\u25a0 VeeTs 'val way s ; eat'a t ' th*e.i r lun en c on"? at]thi s j
Spot'ltb ' forlify^tlromselves\ ''( br.T'a'f f eiv;
libu irs/: of .'(str.enuouij i^.\yal)ti n g, ;!;l:-Watef ,'.
as, Vweilas^f ob^iimu^t.vbkst'aken^ along. ;
for,* this' lsi < a;i ! 'desert'^;in;fsctias/.well|
as: : Jn*name^;.^iiA^^4^
.; To describe.-eyenVaf small fportionVofj;
thet Paintea r ;l?esert ;that ;' IS"; yisj.bje'i'f rojn ;
the 7,r6bb^rs'£rbbst'^w
le6s";."an "undertaking;^s\ro'"d«ticribe;."an
'Arlzona':siinso't?r/lt N jhfgh't'^asSjfior l .>ii)«''i
ruins jof • paradis e. r^ As j f air \as }th c" (eye;
'cah^.'^r^^'is^a^T^ucqessJloQ^o^b'utte^/i
terraces^ and-.*castellated : 'hillsHthat''dis-'
play ;niore| ttianV rainbow •qolpring.'?Pfir-^
vadi n g • ali . ls ' 'ih 'a! rri ys t i'cj purp'le\ha2^b f j
the, Tarid s lartds- that) blends r<;l)aps Ht'self ,
into fa^»cblorJ.syjppnohyVmqr«<ceiestial j
•W«^oti^nlasiCDSilt4j§^on^J^^b^bli^
.world. 'l ,"Asvay*prf Jtq/theV nortliyj'est^ are'
t he i fl at \ toppedi'llbgolibn \ buttes/- bey Qnd
.whichpies^^erland-.ofT^'elKQ^pClndJansV
called'jby^itrietSpaniards^tne^provineefpf
.Tusayan;- to) the f sputineast* is \Z\Xti\?
. the > sole « mbljern | repf es entati ve i"fof -X the I
• "seyen ;ci ties^of-'j Ci tibia" ;J ahd^ to \- the •
,nprth">nd;e^t!.is;the.land^qfithe'Nav.af 4
joies',' -'-the ;'iAm6rlcajifcßedoulns*i : But^thls;
;ls;.'desolatjon,pl'ts^f,^uhinhablted^ r eve*pi!
by; x th'e ; ha'rdy^, tribesivthatV find £ In'Jthe
deserVa; cpngeniai .'home'.^;AtJ one's ,f eet^
"is^th^'san"'dy;.i v ijpuiaer^strewntbe w d?Q
1 forgotten "\u25a0^rlyer'^'.VwHoseT'j" healing *" ; flpwi
Ice'afiVdxa'g^i^'agp^wh'en^sthis^gor^eduV
: land Vof * thirs t \u25a0 bore^aTf aiy different ¥f\a^\
pect,"' when*\lt A was '£ sreen^with i tropic !
vegetation I^aVd ?* hTe|odip^us^with^'thel
:uV;' v 3."v 3 ."- of s birds; ,P From parchedjdes-j
waves,* so'i
that^one7lhrjnkslf|jom^therdesceht"lnto*
' the t canyon; as} intj)/ajjflerj^fulrnace/ I ."'--i-^i;;
f iJHowever,v^Hs^not|^asibadj>,'as ;'^'{t't
•looks7;.;-. ; Aicircuitousjp.ath^leads^tp)(tn*e'i
rcanVbri/jflo^r^rbyer^filitteTing^bV^
gypsum ''andf thick'-deposlts ;of '% niine/ah
D"aint< Kear. : the ; bbUoni^thp.vVd*ieTbC|a {
\vast^jdeppslti^of s ; isilicifled .'Atwopdi;-ifs/'v,
OT^^^4^«JJ^S^SXciz6na:;;(whlch>;isV-15^-V
"\u25a0"mile? i
/driVeifromYAdamana) ;f;but"ls • f ary larger jj I.',*1 .',*
[a^%n.^any?rd)ipi|cts».iiQt?less^wp'ndec-j^j(
;fbl.%'Offic^JlyvitHs ; (knownVas-the-horth\','
,sigillarta"fQrest^/!ltvislpr6posedlto|setVC!
• aside v72^' square? miles'jpfiatfasfitjna- ''"ft
;tlflnal^_m6nuih/eh'th';inv-'Xcco'rdance^wlth'*
.the!, provisions \u25a0• of Athe' paeyl act; ithatv it;
may < be'.j f orey e'r* preserved iin* its * pres^
en't's condition 3 fpr£ toe fen JQymentf of I the >
people. ;;i" Here >the * petrified . tree j trunks •
areg not asj \u25a0/in"/ fhe > 'more'] fa- >
mqus i ( deposits cfarth"er.ssouth,^ mid
amafcihg.^yaflet'y?ofi 5 colors vthat^distin-'
, Swishes : the wood If. of f the*lat-*i
> ter^ locality^ i3f wantlng.>i Most gbf.s thel
petrifactiohsfare'ra^glossyilblack'/and'
nearly^ all ; areiniarked Jiwith j the^yslgil- 1
Mpeciessof|treeV^tAn*ihspectiqn|offtho;
•tree J top£> shows theyt grew Alike*;
iP'airos.^wUhout'^brahiclies.^he^follage";
;fpr.mingr7a;^pread}ngic.rown:iatv'theltppS
• A;~ care f v I'~1 '~ c urn i nat ijbn~, p'f * 1 1 h e i~.% whqlej
a r eaVsiiows { that" tlierV. are Tori 1 v;' 42 jj tree';
V-trimlro, % or,-, rather \stumps,'^T»o\y -stana-'i;
t-in&.^with ;theVrpotß istur^orobeddeajln^
V th *? % r.°. ck V beneath.*>? ; Of %t al leh vtrees,
".'\u25a0 there^are~£ 'tens' | of
r--fromVa \u25a0iewi.inchesiiupX-tb? five'ifeetrlnr
banded i:
.• colored j J in \\ red -jj and £ orange,"', but t the t ,.
r,va9t7rmajorlty ; \are^pf^eb6nJ,blacknes3A :
the^i north of^^
Aby.'.:JohnyMulrj:
? ; Beyenior;eight}years?ag6rc^He|was|thet'
4 first^to v make '< ah<" intelligent** examiria^;-;
h,tlon^of,4tbeiwliole3;area^ajidptQ»^B^'^
i?kriownSl_tsiextent*and^its},pop.ular,?apd|'
scientific Ejfnterest.:i cj However i '\u25a0'* it i' 'had! <\u25a0
f, been"^ known v£ and Eanat h ernatJzed alby ir
;' .' Arizona 1 * cowboys?- for i. at? leasftjjaVgener- i;;
: "atiohu bef ore 'lie fsaw 'it.. 'iTheirionly •««-"{\u25a0
V. terest =lh"vltiTras:to^keep^as*fafi'aWaT-?
--.frpm;-lt : .as?DOsslbleitThe,' flfnty". edges, of »
V- the^J chips'^ and -^fragments . : jpf : siHci;fie.di
!f thevhpbfai"of^the!r;pbriies-;ana-'
'\u2666cattle \ likergla^/ :^o'itlj^t"."thjey.-jshunn«d j *"
\u25a0J. the vinelghborhbodVqf i ; the \u25ba•n'Qrtti^sisrll*
a.*;place iadcurs'ed. \*>- -"j \u25a0 ; :
-.•',slft' .one*s/eyes-»beis%Jtarp,ilhei niay '-find;
'" silek i an'dVrock'Jf ragnients. JThefe "iaxe l
corals' and.', tha-'fossll- bones- of- flshes
that* .'disported themselves^ In - ocean
depths ; when ; the region • that ' now
forms, this lofty Arizona plateau was
far- -below sea level.- -Thera are . corals
and the fossilized remains ot 'prehis
tprtc* birds, '"mammals and 'reptiles for
\u25a0which? science has not 'yet- "invented
riames. - .On;a;larger;?cale. are a thou
sand'freaks'of . erosion— the- work of
sandstorm .and .rainstorm, '" of, wind.
water, I '. frost,'- snow.'.' heat, .and all the
slow.^but V' resistless forces of nature.
Tonder'stand a. host of [gigantic, silent;^
stone 'figures-^-some of almost angelio
beauty : and others diabolic Yin their h
Brotesquencss. For hours or for days
one; nray.; wander wthrough.'; a maze of
Aylndlng :'gorges and canyons, around
titanic- monuments, -over .distorted
buttes* and' crazy "hills, until the mind
becomes bewildered,an<3 . confused wttlx
the' 'endless; variety: of form and until
the; eye\"'s iweary and' surfeited with
the; dazzling,- succession ot dellcats
tints ., and; gorgeous .colors. Yet one
might .follow this,. little strip of the
Painted desert , for . 100 miles, , discover
ing' -^'something: new; "and. wonderful
with* j every. -rod.*.; And this is\,but a
patch -Qf-tfce '.Painted desert region —
, no, wonderful in its. lawless
beauty .: than * a \u25a0 of other patches
,oriequal' ; .b recreate* extent.