THE

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JULY, 1941
25 CENTS
 the world's knowledge of scorpions. I hope everywhere they can find a flat place. Rocknuts
his efforts are recognized. (Might say that hos- is the right word for them—and that is what
pital privileges and consultation with the med- your magazine did to them.
ical fraternity constitutes recognition.) More I wish you would run an article about how
power to him! to cure rocknutitis—or do they regain their
But I am wondering about one thing—you sanity after a few months?
may easily believe that ICE is not a part of my VERA MALLORY KEMKNAPP
standard desert equipment. And what am I sup- • • •
posed to do when the Centruroides sculpturatus More Scenery Wanted • . .
gets his gig in my hind leg ? Beverly Hills, California
BOB ORR Editor, Desert Magazine:
• • • The scenic folder in color, Utah—land of
Desert Magazine Goes to Sea . . . Take 'em Away . . . endless scenic discovery—was truly an attrac-
U. S. S. Monaghan Santa Ana, California tive addition to the May number of Desert
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Dear Sirs: Magazine. Surely you dare not stop now until
Dear Editor: I have about 125 seedling date palm trees all the far western states are given a like pre-
The May number just came today. The in- from 1 foot to 4 feet in height growing in my sentation — Washington, Oregon, California,
sert on Utah is a fine surprise. One good thing back yard which I wish I could give free to Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming,
about "our" magazine is that we don't know someone or a community living on the desert Colorado and New Mexico. You hive started
what you'll find next to surprise us with. Seems anywhere that water is available. These date something. Do not let it stop.
to be a habit of yours to be able to interest so palm trees are grown in Arabia, Iraq or Persia M. F. DOLAN
many in so informal a manner. or some similar place. • • •
However there is one suggestion which I be- Authorities state that seedlings occasionally Invitation to Collectors . . .
lieve could be of interest to all. How about an turn out to produce very fine dates. If you care Wecoma, Oregon
index of all your numbers as to places and per- to make this known for the benefit of the pub- Desert Magazine:
sons — a somewhat simplified dictionary of lic in your publication I would greatly appreci- We are members of the North Lincoln Agate
the Southwest? If you don't put one out I'll ate it. society, and we have some beautiful agates that
have to make it myself. (Might be a good thing I would be pleased to hear from you. are found on our beaches. Also, lots of moss
for me to do anyway.) BAYARD T. BAKER and scenic nodules found in central and east-
Anyway, enclosed is a siinoleon for one of • 0 •
ern Oregon.
your binders for keeping DM permanently. Who Knows the Answer? . . . We are holding an agate show July 18-19-20
You see I am not the only person on this ship Tucson, Arizona in the Dorchester hotel and stones may be
who likes this magazine, so special care must Dear Editor: bought, sold and exchanged. Thought maybe
be taken if they are to be kept intact. I can't decide whether your magazine is an some of your many readers and collectors
ROBERT O. MAXWELL asset or a liability in our home. It was all right might be planning a trip to the coast and here
• • • until my husband and youngest son started go- would be a very good chance for them to bring
ing off weekends and lugging home boxes and some of their rocks along and kill two birds
About Those Scorpions;. . . sacks of rocks. with one stone. Anyone who wishes may dis-
Glendale, California And that wouldn't be so bad if they would play, so here's hoping we will see some of the
Dear Mr. Henderson: keep the stones out in the yard where they collectors from the Southwest. We'd like to get
A word of sincere appreciation to Dr. Her- belong. But they have them all over the place acquainted with you.
bert Stahnke for his valuable contribuiton to —on the reading table, the window ledges, W. J. BODOIN

7AKB

STANDARD OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA

UA/SORPASSBV
THE DESERT MAGAZINE
 DESERT

JULY 1-4 Annual fiesta and rodeo by

Mescalero Apache Indians on
reservation, M e s c a l e r o , New
Mexico.
2-4 Rodeo and stock show, Grants, Volume 4 JULY, 1941 Number 9
New Mexico.
2-4 Eighth annual rodeo, Silver City, COVER RED ROCK CANYON, Photograph by Josef Muench,
New Mexico. Santa Barbara, California.
LETTERS C o m m e n t from Desert Magazine readers . . . 1
2-6 Hopi crafts exhibit, Northern
Arizona museum, Flagstaff. CALENDAR Current events on the Desert 3
PHOTOGRAPHY Winning pictures in June 4
3-6 Frontier Days, Prescott, Arizona. PAGEANTRY When the Smoki Dance at Prescott 5
Lester Ruffner, Jr. and Nelson
Wirick, chairmen. HISTORY Hoskaninni
By CHARLES KELLY 6
4 Rodeo at Cree ranch, Ruidoso, ART Nature is His Teacher
New Mexico.
By JOHN W. HILTON 10
4-5 First International convention, FICTION Ha:d Rock Shorty of Death Valley
Cactus and Succulent Society of By LON GARRISON 12
America, St. Louis, Missouri,
Botanical Gardens. SCIENCE Mystery of the Sunburned Rocks
By J. D. LAUDERMILK 13
4-6 All-Indian Pow-Wow, Flagstaff, WILDLIFE Cut Where the Buffalo Ream
Arizona.
By JOHN SIMONSON 16
4-6 Rodeo, Reno, Nevada. $7,000 ANTIQUE "Not gcod now, too old!"
prize money. By MRS. K. P. FREDERICK 17
4-6 National convention, Women's CACTI Mammillaria dioica
Aeronautical association, Albu- By GEORGE OLIN 19
querque, New Mexico. Mrs. Har-
riet Davidson Nye, chairman.
INDIAN CRAFTS They Learned About Turquoise
By BETTY WOODS 20
9-11 Trail Riders take trip to San PUZZLE Desert Quiz—a test of your decert knowledge . . 22
Jacinto peak, above Palm Springs,
California. For information write
ART OF LIVING Desert Home
A. E. Bottel, secretary, San Jacin- By MARSHAL SOUTH 23
to Mountain State park associa- LOST MINES Lost Adams Diggins
tion, Idyllwild, Calif. By JOHN D. MITCHELL 25
10-12 Ute Stampede, Nephi, Utah. POETRY Adobe Ruins, and other poems 29
R. E. Winn, R. Elgin Gardner. GEMS .Fluorescent Opal of Virgin Valley
14 Indian Corn dance at Cochiti By EDITH McLEOD 30
pueblo, New Mexico. NEWS Here and There on the Desert 33
MINING Briefs from the Desert region 37
17-19 Robbers Roost Roundup, Price,
Utah. F. W . Keller and Donald LANDMARK El Morro
Hacking. By CRISTEL HASTINGS 38
CONTEST Prize announcement for July 39
20-22 State Credit and Collection agen-
cies association convention, Al- EOBBY Gems and Minerals
buquerque, New Mexico. Edited by ARTHUR L. EATON 41
TBAVEL Rambling Rocknuts
21-24 Pioneer Days, Ogden, Utah. Fred By BERTHA GREELEY BROWN 42
A. Kuhlmann and E. J. Fjeldsted.
EOOKS Reviews of Southwestern books 46
22-26 Covered Wagon Days, Salt Lake CONTRIBUTORS Writers of the Desert 48
City, Utah. Gus Backman and PLACE NAMES Origin of names in the Southwest 49
J. Parley White. COMMENT Just B e t w e e n Y o u a n d M e — b y the Editor . . . . 50
25-26 Corn dances in Taos pueblo, New The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Publishing Company, G36
Mexico. State Street, El Centro, California. Entered as second class matter October 11, 1937, at
the post office at El Centro, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered
26 Annual fiesta and dance, Santa No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1041 by the Desert Publishing
Ana pueblo, New Mexico. Company. Permission to reproduce contents must be secured from the editor in writing.
RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor.
26-AUG. 23 University of New Mexico TAZEWELL H. LAMB and LUCILE HARRIS, Associate Editors.
holds field sessions in anthropol- Richard B. Older, Advertising Representative, 416 Wall St., Los Angeles, Calif. Phone TR 1501
ogy at Chaco Canyon research sta-
Manuscripts and photographs submitted must be accompanied by full return post-
tion, direction of Dr. Leslie Spier. age. The Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of manuscripts
or photographs although due care will be exercised for their safety. Subscribers should
28 AUG. 3 University of New Mexico send notice of change of address to the circulation department by the fifth of the month
conducts 11th annual field school preceding issue.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
of Indian art at Laboratory of One year, including gold-embossed loose leaf binder $3.00
Anthropology at Santa Fe. Ken- Two years, including binders for both years 5.00
neth M. Chapman in charge. You may deduct 50c each for binders if not desired.
Canadian subscriptions 25c extra, foreign 50c extra.
Address subscription letters and correspondence to Desert Magazine, El Centro, California

JULY, 1 9 4 1
 By DORIS C. PRIESTLEY
1105 S. Hamilton Blvd.
Pomona, California
Awarded first prize in Desert Mag-
azine's June photographic contest.
Photo taken with a Graf lex 4x5, super
pan press film, Agfa; F.8, K3 filter,
1/100 sec. Developed in D 17, 20
min., printed on Brovira.

By CLARENCE G. SCHONBORN
2090 Harding Avenue
Altadena, California
Second prize winner in the monthly contest conducted
by Desert Magazine. Taken with an Ikoflex
camera, 1/50 sec, f8, K2 filter.

Special Meilt
Selected by the judges as having unusual merit were
the following:
"Weathered Pickets, Walker Pass," by Harry W.
Dacquet, Gardena, California.
"Desert Palms," by Clifford B. Paul, Moline, Illinois.
"Organ Pipe Cactus," by Helen A. Young, Delavan
Lake, Wisconsin.
 •

U/ken the Smoki 'Pance at

Sunday at sundown, August 3, 300 the colorful dances of the local Indians.
pairs of moccasined, dancing feet will In the audience laughing at the gaucherie
rhythmically beat the smooth, hard- of that burlesque, were a few Prescott citi-
packed, earthern floor of the Smoki Cere- zens who saw the potentialities for beauty
monial grounds in Prescott, beginning the and reverence in this travesty. These far-
21st annual presentation of another beau- sighted men and women recalled how the
tifully significant group of Indian sagas culture and customs of the ancient Aztecs
and dances. To stirring native tom-tom had been lost. They realized the need of
rhythms, white men, painted and garbed preventing a similar disaster to the culture
as Indians, with complete abandon grasp of the American Indian.
live, writhing snakes in their bare hands
Then and there to preserve, to revitalize
and mouths—whirling, chanting, strain-
and immortalize the religious beliefs, cus-
ing every fiber of their bodies as the cere-
toms, music, dances and literature of a
monials reach their climax in the last of
noble people, they created the Smoki
the rites—the world-famous Smoki Snake
clan pledged to incessant research in the
dance. The thousands who yearly witness
written and unwritten histories of the
the Smoki Snake dance are thrilled by this
Southwestern Indian.
breath-taking spectacle. They claim it to
be one of the most weird and unforget- Toward this end they have worked for
table revelations civilized man has ever 21 years. Now, once a year, early in
been privileged to experience. August, they give the world this strange
Yet, strangely enough, these unique and beautiful digest of the best their
and impressive ceremonials which today studies have uncovered. That group of six
focus the attention of the world upon an or eight originators has grown to an active
almost sacred memorial staged in the participating membership of more than
heart of the virgin pine forest wherein lies 300 men and women. Today, scattered
Prescott, Arizona, had their beginnings ir. over the world, there are hundreds of
1921 when a lively bit of entertainment: others who have participated in the dances
was needed to round out a Trader's day of the Smoki people since the clan origin-
celebration. ated. All of these bear the identifying
At that time, an enterprising citizen of Smoki Snake Priest. "honor mark"—a tiny tattoo mark, like
the mile-high city suggested burlesquing the fang of a snake, on the side of the hand.

JULY, 1941
 When Ki> Carson was sent out by (he Wai- dspart- and his undying enmity toward the white man. But
ment in 1863 to put an end to Navajo depredations, kn is deed now and all the truth will never be known.
Hoskaninni refused to surrender. Instead, he escaced Eoskaninni-begay, son of the unconquerable old
with a litiie band of Indians to the wild Navajo moun- chieftain, was live years old when hi3 father outwit-
tain area and kept his freedom despite hardships ted Kit Carson's soldiers—and recalls many of the
that would have beaten a less courageous leader. incidents of that historic episode. Here is the story as
Many stories have bsen told about the old warrior told to Charles Kelly.

Monument valley, on the Utah-Arizona line, which Hoskaninni claimed as his own after
his return from Navajo mountain. In this section Hoskaninnis authority was supreme for
many years.

By CHARLES KELLY

EEP purple shadows crept up the "Come," he said, "the sun is almost Only Hoskaninni's band and a handful
base of Navajo mountain as the down and we must be going." of stragglers had escaped. Much has been
last rays of the setting sun illumi- "No!" replied the woman, glancing written of this Navajo campaign of 1863,
nated its lofty summit. On the wild des- through tear-dimmed eyes at her small which subdued the proud Navajo nation,
ert between the great mountain and the son. "I will go no further. Even if the but only one living man knows the real
Colorado river a five year old Navajo boy Utes kill me I will not move from this story of that little band of "irreconcila-
clung to his mother's ragged skirts as she place!" bles" who preferred death to surrender.
watched a small herd of half-starved It was the first time she had ever re- Hoskaninni-begay, only son of the old
sheep. Their moccasins had long since fused to obey her husband. Hoskaninni chief, still lives in Monument valley, a
worn out, their feet were bruised and full fi owned and was about to speak, but look- picturesque but little known section of
of cactus thorns, their clothing nothing ing at his little son he realized there desert 50 miles south of Bluff, Utah, on
but tatters. For nearly a month they had must be a limit to human endurance. the Utah-Arizona border. Knowing his
been traveling on foot, mostly at night, Slowly he dismounted and began to un-
through a wild unfriendly desert. They story would be lost when he died, I re-
saddle his horse. The end of the trail cently spent a week with him at his hogan
were nearly dead from hunger and ex- had been reached.
haustion. on the desert in order to record this Nava-
The lad who clung to his mother's jo epic. The interview was made possible,
Slowly a man rode toward them through skirts that day in 1863 was Hoskaninni- after considerable negotiation, through
the sagebrush on a horse which seemed begay, now 81 years old. His father, Chief
scarcely able to maintain the weight of Hoskaninni-begay's friendship for Harry
Hoskaninni, with a band of 16 followers,
its rider. He was tall and gaunt, weary Goulding, Monument valley trader, and
had defied the government and escaped
and hungry, but in his eyes burned the from the net laid by Col. Kit Carson's Ray Hunt, interpreter, without whose able
light of an unconquerable spirit. His soldiers, who had been instructed to round assistance this story could not have been
name was Hoskaninni, husband of the up all Navajo and bring them to the great written.
woman and father of the boy. prison camp at Fort Sumner in Arizona. The white men gave him the name

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Once a firebrand, Hoskaninni-begay now sits in stoic silence. The hands that in youth
pulled the war bow now lie passive, gnarled and wrinkled after nearly a century of life and
struggle on the desert. On the seat beside him is one of the children of his youngest wife.
Copyrighted photograph by Clifford Bond.

JULY, 1941
Hoskaninni, a corruption of Hushkaaney, brother, an uncle, Yellow Hair's wife, her hind, and could travel easier, but we could
meaning "the Angry One." In 1863, when sister and daughter; the grandfather and find nothing to eat for ourselves, and little
the army began rounding up the Navajo, grandmother of the Man Who Swears; feed for the sheep.
he was a young man in the prime of life, Laughing Boy, and two infants belonging "When we finally reached the eastern
with a wife and child. He was not a chief to seme of the women. There were eight base of Navajo mountain the people
nor the son of a chief, although his com- women, four fighting men and one half- wanted to stop there, but my father said
manding appearance and natural ability grown boy. we must go on until we had put the
had made his influence felt among his Before proper arrangements could be mountain between us and our enemies. We
people. completed scouts brought word that the went around the southern end of the
Kayenta (meaning stagnant water), white soldiers were on their way to Kay- mountain, over the roughest country in
about 50 miles south of the Utah-Arizona enta. Instant flight became necessary. The the desert, then turned west and north
border, was the ancestral home of Hoska- women quickly got together what few be- toward the Big river. For many days
ninni's family. Ten miles north stood the longings they could carry on their backs. mother had been crying. She was hungry
sharp pinnacle of El Capitan (Agathla), Only three horses were available and these and very tired. At every camp she would
northern limit of the Navajo country. Be- were ridden by Hoskaninni, his brother ask father to stop. Finally she sat down
yond lived the Utes, traditional enemies. and uncle. Twenty head of sheep were se- and said she would go no further, even if
For generations the Navajo had been lected as the nucleus for a new herd in the Utes killed her. So we made camp
case they made good their escape; no near some springs and began building our
raiding their neighbors—the Pimas, Hopi
more could be driven in their hurried hogans. We still had our three horses and
and Mexicans. When their country was all of our sheep, but Laughing Boy had
taken over by the United States in 1848 flight.
In the dead of night these 17 began died along the way.
they were warned to discontinue their dep-
redation, but the warnings had no ef- their historic trek toward Navajo moun- "All the people wanted to rest after that
fect. Four army campaigns between 1849 tain. To the east they could see the regu- hard trip, but father would not let them.
and 1861 had failed to subdue them. It lar campfires of the soldiers, and to the It was late in the summer, when the grass
was at last decided that the only way to west the scattered fires of the Utes. Their seed is ripe and father made us all work
pacify the country was to capture or kill only possible path of escape lay to the from sunrise to sunset gathering seed for
every Navajo, and destroy every means of north between those two lines, across a the winter. The men went hunting, bu1"
subsistence. wide, dry desert. could find only small game. As we gather-
"Our success," says Hoskaninni-begay, ed food, father hid it in holes in the rocks
Carson began his campaign in July, at different places so the Utes could not
1863, by sending flying columns into "was only possible because the Utes were
afraid of the dark. We made our way from find it if they came. He would not let us
various parts of the desert. These detach- kill any of the sheep, even when we were
ments rode swiftly, killing a few Indians one waterhole to another in the night,
hiding during the day. We had four ene- hungry. He drove everyone so hard that
here and there, destroying cornfields and the people gave him the name Hush-
capturing sheep and horses. At first the mies: the Utes, the white soldiers, bands
of raiding Mexicans—and hunger. Moth- kaaney, the Angry One. They were all
Navajo put up a stubborn resistance, but afraid of him.
they soon realized that Carson meant er was more afraid of the Utes than all
business this time, and by the middle of the others. "As soon as we had made a good camp,
September small groups were coming in "My father and uncle rode ahead on father and his brother and uncle returned
to Fort Sumner to surrender. After their their horses to scout. For the first few to Kayenta to see if the soldiers had left
resistance was broken at Canyon de Chelly, nights we had a bright moon and it was any animals alive. They found all our
practically the whole Navajo nation sur- not hard to drive the sheep, but we could hogans burned and our cornfields tram-
rendered and was placed in the great not stop to hunt for food. Later, when pled down. In hidden canyons here and
prison camp at Bosque Redondo. there was no moon, we had a hard time there they found a few sheep and some
Living on the northern border of Nava- finding our way and moving the herd. By horses. They found some of the people
jo territory, as yet untouched by army then we had got away from the soldiers hiding like rabbits. Each one thought he
raids, Hoskaninni refused to be stamped- but were in the Ute country. Father had was the only man left. While looking for
ed, even by some of his relatives, who one old muzzle-loading rifle, the others horses a band of Utes caught my uncle
surrendered. He declared: "I was born in only bows and arrows. and killed him. Father rode into their
this country. My ancestors are buried here. "When we had traveled two nights camp the next night and killed three of
I will not be trapped like a rabbit nor north of Agathla we turned west through them. On the top of Black mountain he
herded like a sheep. I will be a free man, an opening to the head of Oljeto (Moon- found about 50 Navajo who had escaped.
even though the Utes kill me." A family light water), then continued west and They were living like rabbits on the des-
council was called and Hoskaninni pre- southwest toward Navajo mountain. We ert. Most of them starved to death the
sented his plan to escape to Navajo moun- could have followed several different can- next winter.
tain where he felt sure no white soldiers yons down to the Big river (Colorado), "With the sheep and horses he had
would follow. But in order to reach the but father wanted to get behind the moun- found, and about 10 more men, my father
mountain it would be necessary to travel tain, so we took the hardest road, climbing and his uncle came back to our camp be-
north and west through Ute territory. He down into many deep canyons where hind the mountain. The Utes never came
described the hardships that must be en- there was no trail, and up again to the there in winter, so we had no trouble with
dured, but believed that by utilizing every flat mesas above. them. We were often hungry, but when
possible product of the desert such as "I was only five years old at that time, spring came not one of us, nor any of the
grass seed, wild berries, roots, rabbits, but I herded those 20 sheep most of the animals had died. Our sheep began to in-
gophers, badgers and bobcats, they could way from Kayenta to Navajo mountain. crease and we made new blankets from
survive and eventually reestablish them- In the dark I stumbled over rocks and the wool. Our men went north to the San
selves. Some of his relatives preferred a stepped on cactus thorns. All our feet Juan for buckskin to make moccasins.
promised supply of beef in prison to the were bruised and swollen; we had no "For several years we saw no one at
strenuous life of their forefathers. Only buckskin to make new moccasins. Our our camp behind Navajo mountain except
16 persons volunteered to follow Hos- dried meat was soon gone and we had one young Ute brave, who sometimes
kaninni's banner of "freedom or death." nothing to eat except a little boiled grass traded us powder and bullets for father's
They were his wife and five year old son, seed. After we began turning toward the gun. He claimed to be our friend, but was
his wife's two sisters, his mother, one south we left most of the Ute camps be- only spying on us. He started with a party

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 The Totem pole in Monument valley near Sand springs, one of Hoskaninni-begay's old camping places.

of young men to kill us one time, but he and whites. For many years he was known our custom. Now all I have left is 67 head
was so bad his own people killed him as the wealthiest Navajo. of sheep and one old necklace my father
near Ute mountain." Although they had had no contact with gave me. Even the necklace was pawned
For years it was supposed that Hoska- the outside world for five years, when the last winter to buy food. Now, when the
ninni's band had perished like most of Hoskaninni band returned from Navajo trader sees me walking through the sage-
those on Black mountain. Nothing was mountain they were found to possess a brush he says, 'Here comes that old coy-
known of his whereabouts, as he had no great wealth of silver. During the years ote again!'
contact with the outside world. But after they continued to increase that wealth, yet "When my father died (in 1912) he
that first hard winter the band began to it was known that they never traded for wanted me to take charge of the family
prosper. Hoskaninni was a hard taskmas- silver. It became a legend among prospec- fortunes. But after he was buried his
ter, but he taught his people the benefits tors that Hoskaninni had a secret mine women (including two Ute slaves) in-
of industry. He kept them constantly at where he obtained silver pure enough to sisted on dividing the property. Each took
work, and prohibited all gambling. work without smelting. Hoskaninni-be- her share and went her own way. Soon it
gay told me the history of that secret mine. was all wasted. I have divided my prop-
At the end of five years the Indians at erty with my children and now I have
Fort Sumner were released. Each family It really did exist, although its location is
no more to give them. The rains do not
was given a few head of sheep, some gar- not known to him. But that is another
come, the grass is gone, and our sheep
den seeds and a small amount of rations. story. are dying. If only the rains would fall like
After five years of complete idleness they After he went to Navajo mountain, they did in the old days, the Navajo could
returned to their ruined homes and tried Hoskaninni married his wife's two sisters, once more be prosperous and happy."
to make another start from scratch. Many but neither bore him children. Hoska- I can never forget the evenings spent
died of starvation and disease. But by that ninni-begay, the chief's only son, took his in Hoskaninni-begay's hogan as he un-
time Hoskaninni and his band, who had first wife when he was 14 years old. His folded, bit by bit, the story of his father's
preferred death to imprisonment, were father gave him 200 sheep and his wife life and of his own. Even in bitter pov-
well on the road to wealth. When he was given an equal number by her family. erty he still carries himself with the pride
moved to the east side of Navajo moun- Within a few years he was a very wealthy of race and blood. Inborn dignity and
tain he had a thousand head of sheep and young man. courtesy were exhibited in every word and
many horses. "In those days," says Hoskaninni-be- gesture. He answered the innumerable
By that time most of the Utes had mov- gay, "there was plenty of rain and the questions put to him without hesitation
ed north of the San Juan, leaving the sec- grass grew tall all over this desert. My and, I believe, with the utmost honesty.
father had taught me to work hard and He was glad to know that the story of his
tion now known as Monument valley al-
take care of my property. Soon I had family was to be recorded in permanent
most deserted. Rather than become wards
thousands of sheep, horses, and much sil- form.
of the government, Hoskaninni and his ver. Then young women came to me and
band occupied what was then called the Before parting with Hoskaninni-begay
said I had too much property for one wife I sent to a distant trading post and re-
Piute Strip, 40 miles wide and extending to handle. They took me by the belt and
from the Colorado river to the Carriso deemed his last bit of jewelry—the tur-
would not let me go. I married eight wives quoise necklace given him by his father,
mountains. As time went on and his pres- and had 28 children. All my wives are Chief Hoskaninni. When I laid it in his
tige increased Hoskaninni made his au- dead except the youngest. She has four hand he embraced me and wept for joy.
thority supreme in the desert domain, the children, the smallest one eight years old. It had been a real pleasure to know this
last free chief of the Navajo nation. He As my family died I buried with them old gentleman of the desert and I was
was feared and respected alike by Utes much silver, turquoise and blankets, as is proud when he called me "Brother."

JULY, 1941
 Jimmy Swinnerton came to the desert to
die in peace—and found so much beauty
to paint that he crossed up the doctors and
got well. Today he is as well known for his
oil landscapes as for his "Canyon Kid-
dies" and comic strips. "Nature is the only
real teacher of art," he says. And this ap-
plies to the art of living as well as painting.
"No one can become bigoted and narrow
in the midst of broad desert vistas and
great canyon walls." Here is the story cf
one of the best known artists in America.

Sivinnerton at work In his studio on one o\

his "Canyon Kiddie" 'cartoons.

A/atute i5 lt
eacltet
dren's party. I thought for some time
By JOHN W. HILTON about something that would please the
youngsters, and finally decided upon a set
IMMY Swinnerton was seated at liked Indians, especially the kids, and I of place cards showing little Indians per-
his easel in his Hollywood studio. never had any trouble getting along with forming their everyday tasks and playing
Before him was a partly finished them. After all, a broad smile and a little with their pets, surrounded by the colorful
painting of a huge black cliff in southern patience and understanding is all it takes background of their homes. The longer I
Utah, which even in its uncompleted state to make them like you." worked on these little fellows the more
seemed to breathe the very atmosphere of "You know," he went on, "Indians interested I became, and it seemed to me
the desert. Around the walls were fine ex- are extremely art-conscious. You can see that I really had something in them.
amples of Indian craftsmanship, and on it in everything they make and do. Every "The next time I saw Mr. Hearst I
the floors were geometrically designed little household utensil has its own good showed him a set that I had made for my-
Navajo rugs. As he talked on I complete- proportion or decoration, and art has an self, and asked him if they had any possi-
ly forgot that I was in the heart of a thriv- important place in their religion. Why, bilities. He glanced over them, and put
ing metropolis. The desert seemed to in- they even use art, in the form of sand them in his pocket, saying that he might
vade the room, and the far places Jimmy drawings, to cure the sick. Some of our print them as comic post cards or some-
loved to paint, and the many Indian modern hospitals with glaring white walls thing. I felt a little disappointed, but
friends he had in the Southwest seemed would do well to study the psychological passed it off as another dud idea. After all,
to crowd to life there as he mentioned effect of color and design on sick persons. Hearst ought to know. It was some time
them. Maybe the Indians have something! later that he called me up and asked me
On his drawing board was a layout for "But getting back to the 'Canyon Kids,' about the 'Canyon Kids.' I had forgotten
one of his famous "Canyon Kiddie" car- I had been drawing Little Jimmy for Mr. all about them, but not he. He told me that
toons. "It's funny," Jimmy said, "how I Hearst for a long while when one day I the editors of Good Housekeeping were
came to draw the 'Canyon Kids.' I always was called upon to help arrange a chil- looking for something in the way of an

10 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Indian ca. toon in color, accompanied by
a poem for children.
"I got back the originals and started
on my first layout. I could draw the kids,
all right, and the hills and desert and ani-
mals, but [ had never in all my life written
a poem. Well, when I got through, the
stuff rhymed, which seemed a miracle in
itself. I seit the first batch of cartoons and
poems in and after a few days received a
reply from the editor. He thought the
drawings were great, 'but didn't I think
that the p )ems smacked a bit of doggerel?'
Well, he published them, and asked for
more, but the poetry got no better. From
time to time I received gentle hints that
the stuff I was writing was not exactly
considered literature with a capital 'L.'
They even found fault with my grammar,
but they l:ept printing it.
"Then one day I was invited to a din-
ner with he editor and his associate. They
spent an entire afternoon and evening
pointing 3ut that their magazine had one
of the h ghest literary standards in the
country, Finally the associate editor
turned to his chief and remarked, 'Did you
know that in the past ten years our maga-
zine has published a higher percent of the
really golod American poetry than any
other publication on the market?" It
seemed npy cue then to take a bow, so I
told then] in a few brief words how I ap- "Storm in Monument Valley" is one oj Swinnerton's outstanding canvases. Photo-
preciated their praise, and how I hardly graph courtesy Los Angeles Herald.

felt worthy of being classed with the best

poets of America, but if that was the way
they felt I was very happy indeed. I guess
they gave me up after that because my
characters still say 'ain't' and 'me
neither.' "
Jimmy Swinnerton's love cf the west
comes natural to him. His grandfather
crossed the plains twice in a covered
wagon back in the '50s, and Jimmy him-
self was born in the pioneer town of Eu-
reka, California, in 1875. He received
his early schooling in San Francisco, and
at the age of 15 took up his life's work in
an art school. He met George Innes in the
studio of William Keith, and they both
gave him considerable encouragement
and advice, urging him to go into the fine
arts.
But at the age of 16, after a year of
art schooling, Jimmy got a job doing po-
litical cartoons on the San Francisco Ex-
aminer, and dropped painting. Keith
never spoke to him again.
Here he started Little Jimmy, one of
the first four comic strips in America. He
moved to New York with the idea, and
continued to draw comics and do politi-
cal and sport cartoons until overwork and
city life nearly killed him.
He decided to return to his first love,
the west, and settled on the desert to die
in peace. But strangely enough he sur-
Sivinnerton's painting "In Southern Utah." Photo graph courtesy Los es prised both his friends and doctors by re-
Herald. gaining his health, thanks to the good ad-

JULY 1 941 11
 Sez Hard
Rock Shorty
of
Death
Valley O^Qm) \
By LON GARRISON

"Nope!" announced Hard Rock

Shorty. "I was over in the Sierra
This is Jimmy Swinnerton's caricature oj himself at ivork on the desert. Nevada mountains oncet, an' I ain't
goin' back. Too many o' them blitz-
things, and then reconstruct his experi- skeeters. I don't back off from no
vice and help of Mrs. Nellie Coffman,
mountain lions, an' personal an'
who operated a small sanitarium in the ences on canvas.
new community of Palm Springs. single handed I've licked a bear.
"The painter who works entirely in the But them skeeters—huh-uh! I don't
The history of Jimmy Swinnerton's studio on abstract nothings conjured up want none of 'em."
fight for health in the desert, and of the by his own feverish brain has very little With this pronunciamento Hard
f r i e n d s h i p s with such men as to give the world. His paintings may find Rock settled the argument as far as
Zane Grey and Carl Eytel would fill a favor in the eyes of a few other neurotics he was concerned. All that remained
very interesting book. He became intense- who have had similar nightmares, and if
ly interested in the desert, and being an was to prove his point.
his stuff follows the mechanical rules of "One mornin' over there I went
artist saw its great potentialities for paint- color, balance and composition it may fur-
ings. As his health returned he did more out to get some wood, an' I wasn't
nish fine material for the writings of more'n a couple hundcrd yards
and more serious work, and eventually be- sensation-seeking art critics and their
gan to find himself. Today, even with from town when one o' these tri-
pseudo-sophisticated followers. But art motor skeeter fleets got after me.
health no longer a serious consideration that does not find its inspiration in nature
in his life, he spends a great part of his Great big affairs—buzz like a saw
has little to recommend itself to future hittin' a nail—and' there was four-
time out in the desert he loves, painting generations, and will be remembered
the things he likes. teen of 'em includin' the leader who
principally as a curiosity. was as mean an' ornery lookin' as
"Mr. Swinnerton," I asked, "I know anythin' I ever hope to meet. Zooom
that this is a tough question, and covers "To me, landscape painting is a short-
cut to faith. The artist cannot hope to re- —Zooom—they was divin' in at
a lot of ground, but how do you feel about me, all wavin' their bills, and look-
art?" create nature. The finest artist in the
world cannot paint a perfect flower. The in' for breakfast.
Jimmy lit his pipe, settled back in his real purpose of a painting is to call atten-
chair, and looked up at the ceiling. "I ducks under a tree an' was
tion to the beauty in nature. A successful sure glad I'd brung that axe along.
"Johnny," he said, "art is a mighty painting is a sign post reading, 'Yonder She was sharp as a razor too. The
elusive thing. There is entirely too much is beauty! Go see for yourself.' branches o' the tree kep' the skeet-
written and talked about art and not ers from maneuverin' so good, an'
enough painting and looking. A true "I prefer painting the desert, because it
is not so well posted as other types of after while I begins to get mad. I
artist must distrust what he reads and starts dashin' out an' makin' swipes
hears, and believe only the beauty he sees. landscape. There is no end to the beauty
of sand and rocks and sage-brush, but few at 'em with the axe but I couldn't
Painting is an individual effort, and no hit 'em. By a lucky swing though I
real artist can follow the pattern of an- persons see it when they pass through the
desert. All of the serious work I have done cuts a gash in the leader's foot, an'
other. the fun begins.
has been on the desert, and there is
"Nature is the only true teacher. An enough there to occupy me the rest of my "He was plumb furious. Right
art school can teach one to observe and life." at me he come—power on, an' in
to master the ability of drawing and high gear. I ducks back o' the tree
painting, but no mere technical skill is but that don't stop 'im. He comes
sufficient to bring out the fine things in right on, hits the tree, an' drills
nature. First an artist must love and WILL ROGERS JR. LOOKING
FOR DESERT HOMESITE right on through with his beak. I'm
humbly study nature, remembering all on the other side an' when this bill
the while that man with all his skill and Will Rogers, jr., and his bride are comes pokin' through I just up with
scientific knowledge cannot so much as hunting for a ranch home in New Mexico. the axe, splits his bill, an' clinches
create a blade of grass or a grain of sand. A week after their marriage, the Holly- 'er over.
My favorite Bible verse is 'Blessed are the wood publisher in June went to Santa Fe,
humble in spirit.' The best way to ap- seeking a "pink mesa" on which to build "While the rest of 'em was
proach nature in an humble mood is to a residence for the new Mrs. Rogers, a for- zoomin' around lookin' for the
go out into the desert alone. No one can mer Tularosa, New Mexico girl. Rogers, leader, I gets home, but as I said,
become bigoted or narrow in the midst of son of the late humorist-philosopher, ex- them blitz-skeeters is just one too
broad desert vistas and great canyon walls. pects to be called to army service soon. many for me."
The duty of the artist is to experience these His wife will run the ranch then.

12 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Some folks call them "sunburned rocks" but this explanation did not
satisfy the scientific mind of J. D. Laudermilk of Pomona college, so he gave an answer that seemed applicable to
went to work in the field and in his laboratory to discover what really the black-coated rocks of our own desert.
causes the "desert varnish" that occurs so generally in the arid region. This black lacquer or something like it
And here is the answer—written in terms that all may understand. was said to occur in all parts of the earth
where desert conditions prevail, even in
such unexpected places as on rocks near
By J. D. LAUDERMILK Alpine glaciers where the constant low
temperature and high altitude produce a
condition that may very well be described
HEM'S jest sunburned rocks," their neatly blackened surface. Their in- as "arid." In Egypt, the top of the pyra-
my friend Shorty assured me ternal composition didn't throw much mid of Cheops shows the beginning of a
"There ain't no gold in 'em." light on the subject because they seemed desert varnish coating and the marble of
And as far as Shorty was concerned, to be rocks of all types. Light-colored the Acropolis is said to be acquiring a
that ended the matter. Rocks that did not rocks and dark rocks, granite, basalt and layer of this variety of sun-tan. In Austra-
carry mineral values of some kind were of even quartzite were all coated with desert lia again, it shows up in the more arid lo-
no interest to a burro prospector. Why varnish. The only thing they seemed to calities as well as in some of the forests,
waste time on them? have in common was their brunet com- where it blackens the rocks beneath the
This was in 1920. Shorty and I were plexion. The popular literature didn't trees.
trying to get a little cooperation from a help a particle. Most authors passed the The earliest American reports on the
gang of burros in the strip of desert be- subject up with as little consideration as subject were those of Oscar Loew who
tween Wickenburg and Octave, Arizona, Shorty did. If they couldn't get out of it published his ideas and observations con-
where many stretches seem to have been this way, they had a habit of relapsing cerning the varnished rocks of the Mojave
carefully coated with a black and shin)' into poetry, and spoke of such things as desert in 1876. Loew was of the opinion
varnish that reflects the sunlight like a "cloud shadows on the desert's face." that this black surface finish had come
well-oiled highway. This "mystery of the sunburned rocks" about from the evaporation of the waters
In those days my interest in geology remained in the back of my mind until re- of a shallow ocean that had held the salts
was more practical than scientific, but I cent years when I became seriously inter- of iron and its first cousin, the element
never was satisfied with Shorty's inter- ested in geology, especially in its chemi- manganese, in solution. Later, another
pretation of the black lacquered rocks so cal aspects. I knew this "sunburn" was American observer, H. W. Turner, point-
common in many parts of our deserts. commonly called desert varnish, and I ed out that the present terrain had never
That a rock could become sunburnt simply learned from the scientific journals that been covered by anything resembling an
didn't make sense, although a superficial it had aroused the curiosity of early day ocean. One interesting theory was that of
diagnosis might very well lead to that geologists who had recorded their obser- C. H. White, who suggested that desert
conclusion. vations and had suggested numerous varnish might have resulted from the de-
I often broke open these coated speci- theories. The Germans called it dunkel composition of the pollen of certain des-
mens and tried to discover the secret of Rind en. But none of the scientific sources ert plants such as cacti, which are said to

JULY, 1941 13
 These rocks were partly buried in the sand. Desert varnish spread only over the area exposed.

be particularly rich in manganese. Ac- centrate on the desert varnish of the Mo- the varnished rocks occur in several places
cording to White's theory, much pollen jave and consider the other occurrences on a pebble mosaic which looks as if it
is blown about in the spring and early as separate cases. had been carefully rolled out flat and then
summer. Some of this sticks to the rocks For a starting point, I found a good lo- oiled by someone who treated a few spots
and was supposed finally to leave the cality near Stoddard's well, south of Bar- and then moved on to a new project. Some
black coating. stow, California. This trek to Stoddard's of the black areas are only a yard across,
None of the published data was satis- is just a nice day's trip from the Los An- or even less. All have a circular outline.
factory when applied to the interpretation geles metropolitan area, if you can get Where two of these circular patches run
of the desert varnish of our local deserts. started early enough. You can take in together at their margins, 8-shaped areas
One of the first things that I learned Calico, Odessa canyon and some other result. This effect, which was exactly like
when I began to do research is that iden- points of interest and still get back in the spreading of two grease spots on a
tical results can come about from totally the evening. I always like to camp out pair of Sunday trousers, gave me my chief
unrelated causes. It was precisely like a overnight and make a two-day trip of it. clue. It indicated radiation—something
problem in criminology where the prac- Stoddard's well is a fine place to camp had started at a central point and then
tice is to select a particular crime and pick and there's no better water in the desert. spread outward in all directions.
it to pieces bit by bit. When there are no Things sometimes come here to drink at Examination of the types of rock with-
fragments left unexplained, a reconstruc- night and some of the larger species snort, in these varnished patches merely empha-
tion of the case is then feasible. To try to but they all seem to be perfectly harmless. sized what had been found true elsewhere:
explain all desert varnish from the exami- Wild burros perhaps! they were of many different kinds. The
nation of a single example was a fine way At a point just 1.7 miles north of the varnish itself consisted of a black or dark
to "get nowhere fast." I decided to con- well, on the left side of the Barstow road, brown stain which in some cases was thick

This photograph shows the sunshine reflected from the varnished black rocks on Black mesa, north of Ogilby, California.

14 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Stoddard's well, one of the best known watering places on Desert varnish on pebble mosaic. The highly reflecting
the Mojave desert south of Barstow. Wild burros come surface of the coated pebbles causes the black mosaic to
here for their water at night. photograph white.

enough to be called a crust. This generally in water and alkalies, but easily dissolves ese in their makeup. Others, especially
coated only the upper surfaces and sides of in acid. the dark rocks, sometimes contained much
the rocks and ended at the groundline, Chemical analysis showed that it con- of these elements.
where it showed a tendency to fray out in sisted mainly of iron, manganese and Samples from the center of the coated
tiny tree-shaped branches like the mark- some minor constituents like silica, lime, areas as well as those from the margins
ings in moss agate. This moss-like pattern magnesia and organic matter. Its compo- were subjected to careful microscopic ex-
is termed dendritic and always indicates sition was identical on all the samples ex- amination. The ones from the center
that something has been thrown down amined. My next step was to analyze the didn't tell me much more than I knew al-
from solution. inside of the rocks on which the varnish ready, but those from the margins showed
I collected about a hundred pounds of occurred. This began to get me some- me a new feature. On practically all of
rocks from one of the pebble mosaics, where. these last specimens there occurred scat-
both from the center and from the margin. Many of the rocks which were nicely tered clumps of tiny, biscuit-shaped, black
These were brought to the laboratory and coated consisted of practically pure quartz particles which were frequently linked to-
"made to talk." The varnish is insoluble without even a trace of iron or mangan- gether in chains and branching clumps.

y^TA -•xfeJXi&K

Desert varnish occurs generally over the desert. This map shows two of the most accessible
areas where it is found on Mojave desert.

JULY, 1941 15
The particles were so small that on a dark the sun's energy for manufacture of food rainy season comes along and these colo-
rock they might easily be overlooked, but materials which it shares with its partner. nies decay. Iron and manganese com-
on light-colored rocks a magnification of Between them they do a lot of erosion of pounds pass into solution. They are car-
30 d i a m e t e r s showed that whatever rock and similar substances. Some of the ried out from the general area and repre-
they were, they frequently were coated old glass windows in England have actu- cipitated on the surrounding rocks, which
with a black crust themselves. They never ally been corroded by lichens. Some rocks accounts for the presence of desert varnish
occurred within areas where the rock sur- are no problem at all to this plant com- on rocks that have no iron or manganese
faces were entirely covered, but where bination. One observer, De Barry, who themselves. This sort of thing continues
some fresh rock was available. made a long study of the lichens, noticed year after year and century after century
I scraped off some of this powder un- that they had a way of absorbing iron and until the rocks are all coated. During the
til I had accumulated a sample about the manganese compounds which finally in- summer they get a terrific baking in the
size of an average flea and made a micro- crusted the lichen itself. I finally succeed- sunlight until they finally get toasted to
chemical analysis. You do this entirely ed in growing the lichen on glass plates by the hue of universal melancholy they ordi-
under the microscope. It's very interest- using a culture-medium containing iron narily show.
ing, but hard on the eyes. This approach and manganese which eventually caused A more callous exposition of the desert
to the subject showed me that I was deal- a deposit of desert varnish right on the varnish case can be found in Vol. XXI of
ing mostly with organic matter and glass. After I put the pieces of this "mys- The American Journal of Science. This
smaller amounts of iron and manganese. tery of the sunburned rocks" back together may sound forbidding, but being a scien-
When the black coating had been dis- again it worked out like this: tific paper of sorts it can be understood by
solved off, the biscuit-shaped particles This particular lichen (I wanted to anyone of ordinary intelligence—other-
stood revealed as the living perpetrators name it "Parmelia dunklerindogens Lau- wise I could never have written it myself.
of dunk el Rjnden. It was definitely a dermilkii" but the experts wouldn't do • • •
lichen, one of those plants that likes to that even to a low grade organism) attacks STORAGE IN LAKE MEAD
grow on rocks without any subsoil. I now rocks which contain iron and manganese. REACHES ALL-TIME RECORD
had enough evidence to make an arrest. The lichens keep on absorbing these ma- The spring flood of the Colorado river
This plant has a long record. In the first terials until they defeat their own ends in the last 10 days has added another mis-
place lichens are not simple, honest plants by using up all the raw rock surfaces lion acre-feet of water to Lake Mead above
like cacti, palms or orange trees, but are a (something like filling your house up Boulder dam the world's largest man-
partnership of two plants that have gone with sardine cans and moving into the made lake, bringing the storage in excess
into business together. One is a fungus garage). The lichen moves out to the of 28,000,000 acre-feet, the highest peak
(mould), the other is an alga-like pond margin of the deposit and repeats its old ever reached, Commissioner John C. Page,
scum. The fungus furnishes protection error. The ancestors that get stranded bureau of reclamation, informed Secre-
and the alga does the work of utilizing without anything to eat, surrender. The tary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes on
June 2.
Simultaneously other southwest irriga-
Out Wlie.ie the Buffalo- Roam tion and power projects are enjoying ideal
water conditions. For the first time in 21
years the Roosevelt dam reservoir of the
Salt River valley reclamation project in
Arizona is at capacity with 1,953,793 acre-
feet in storage. The Alamogordo dam res-
ervoir of the Carlsbad reclamation project
in New Mexico filled last week and has
been spilling 5,000 cubic feet per second
since.
The tremendous Boulder clam reser-
voir, rising since February 1, 1935, is now
about four-fifths full. It is 115 miles long,
544 feet deep and covers 142,000 acres.
Its ultimate capacity is 32,249,274 acre-
feet, and depth 589 feet.
Sufficient water is stored in Lake Mead
to provide every man, woman and child
in the United States with 67,000 gallons,
Picture shows three of the buffalo just after they were released from the special nearly a 27-year supply for the city of New
crates in which they were shipped. York. The storage would cover one-sixth
By JOHN SIMONSON of the nation one inch deep.
Water is flowing into the reservoir at
Through the interest of state and fed- square miles. It is bounded on the north the daily rate of more than 100,000 cubic
eral officials and wildlife sponsors. 18 by the San Rafael river, on the east by the feet per second, equivalent to a third of
buffalo were liberated from their crates Green and Colorado rivers with the Mud- gallon per hour for each person in the
on the San Rafael desert near Jeffrey dy and Dirty Devil rivers to the south and land. The maximum, 119,000 cubic feet
Wells at Flat Tops in southeastern Utah the San Rafael Reef on the west. per second, was reached on May 17.
in April this year. Water is being released through the
This area has been officially dedicated
The buffalo were conveyed by truck as a wildlife sanctuary. Mountain sheep dam at the rate of 27,400 cubic feet per
from Gardner, Montana to the San Rafael second. The ability to store spring runoffs
desert. All were from Yellowstone park. and antelope have long enjoyed the free- and other flood peaks in the big lake
Special crates were constructed by the dom of the region. Every effort will be makes it possible to prevent repetitions of
CCC camp at Green River, Utah for the made to protect the animals and give them early-day catastrophic washouts. This is
animals. an opportunity to multiply on the open the flood-control feature of the Colorado
The San Rafael desert covers many range. canyon project.

16 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 In the days before sheep were as plentiful in the Navajo country as or maybe more," said Fred Harvey to
they are now, the women of the tribe obtained their wool yarn by unravel- whom Mrs. Young took her now beauti-
ling cloth they obtained from the traders or other sources. Some beautiful fully cleaned rug for appraisal.
blankets were made, even in those days, and among them the Bayeta "The two burned holes and all—it's
which is so prized by collectors today. Here is an unusual story of the dis- worth any sum a collector may offer you.
covery of one of these rugs by an American woman who recognized it I'll give you $1000 for it myself. Any
in a humble Indian dwelling—and received it as a gift. time," he added.
But Mrs. Young did not want to sell,
f not then or now and as each year is added

Not(poodHxua, too oM/ to the "maybe a hundred or more," she

prizes it more highly.
She can visualize the little brown artist
who a century ago set up her crude loom
—The Story of a Navajo Bayeta Rug in the scant shade of a desert tree, to un-
ravel the bright red baize cloth from Eng-
By MRS. K. P. FREDERICK land, respin it on her primitive spindles
to weave with the other bright yarns she
head and brushing the air with her little had painstakingly made from her own
[ IN Indian blanket lay before a brown hands deprecatingly. sheep. Those yarns of strong fibre, of
7 smoky fireplace on the floor of ? "Not good now. Too old." good sturdy wool she had colored with
humble Indian home in northern Too old!—"Yes, about a hundred years dyes boiled and pounded out of the shrubs
Arizona. Its colors were dimmed by the
soot and dust of years.
Mrs. J. D. Young and her husband
went to the home for shelter from a tor-
rential autumn desert storm. Her eye
sought the fire. She saw the blanket. Only
one who had often visited the Navajo
country and who had learned to love the
beautiful weaving of these tribesmen
could have recognized the filthy rug for
the rare Bayeta that it was.
"I was so excited I could hardly re-
strain myself," she said, in recalling that
event of 20 years ago.
"I forgot I was cold and drenched to
the skin. I forgot I was hungry. The din-
ner plate set before me might have held
sawdust for all I knew. I couldn't keep
my eyes off that rug. I wanted it as I had
never wanted anything before. Mentally
I was pawing over the contents of my
grandmother's heirloom jewel box at:
home in Texas. What were antique rings,
brooches and ear drops beside a real Bay-
eta rug? Did I have enough to buy that:
begrimed work of art? I edged over to the
fireplace. I could scarcely bear to step on
the rug. I wanted to cry out against the
sacrilege of its defilement by filth, to
wash it clean again, to restore the fine:
coloring I knew was there.
"Two days we waited out the storm, two
days of longing. I was afraid of offering
the wrinkled little Navajo woman too
much or too little for it. Afraid she:
wouldn't sell it at all. At last it was time
to leave. My husband bought one of the
many bright blankets they had for sale.
I still didn't know whether to offer her
five dollars or five hundred. I took a long
breath.
"That rug by the fireplace," I began,
trembling.
"You like?" Surprise flooded the placid
face of the Indian woman, "I give it to
you."
"Oh! No." I protested, "I want to buy
it. How much?" Mrs. Young found this rare Bayeta rug covered with dust on the floor of an humble
"No. No." she laughed, shaking her Indian home. Later she refused Fred Harvey's offer of $1000 for it.

JULY, 1941 17
 and spelled the doom of the beautiful
Bayeta. Bayetas were no more. Like the
wild pigeon and the buffalo, they have
given way before the destroying civili-
zation of the white man, never to flourish
again. Those in existence are rare indeed.
Few remain in the hands of private in-
dividuals. The others can be seen in the
collections of the American Museum of
Natural History in New York City; the
Fred Harvey collection at Albuquerque,
N. M.; the A. C. Vroman collection at
Pasadena, California; the Metropolitan
Museum of Art; the J. L. Hubbell, George
Wharton James, Dr. Washington Mat-
thews and a few smaller collections such
as the Los Angeles Southwest museum.
The name Bayeta probably originated
from the Spanish name for baize, the cloth
made in English mills and taken to Spain
to use as a trading medium with the In-
dians of America. Red was the prevailing
color though there was also a blue and a
blue green as well. One authority on Bay-
etas says that the red came from Turkey,
but this has been disputed as has the theory
that the blue green was the unravelled
and respun material of the Union soldiers'
coats of the Civil war.
A bright red vermillion dye was al-
ways a problem to Navajo dyers, so this
well spun, flexible and sturdily woven
baize cloth was avidly sought by the In-
dian women for their weaving. It sold for
six dollars a pound.
Bayetas at the time of their production
probably didn't sell for very much, but in
the last 50 years they have sold for as
high as $1,000 to $2,500. Many of
the handsome "chief" blankets were made
of this material combined with the best
of native wool and finest of dyes. They
were woven crosswise instead of length-
wise.
Mrs. Young's Bayeta is especially well
balanced and harmonious in color, pro-
Mrs. J. D. Young points out the fine texture of her Bayela. The materials woven portion and design. Its lines are clean
into this rug are no longer available for the Navajo. and true. Its colors are white, rich black,
blue green and a soft lovely shade of yel-
low like a slightly toasted golden rod. The
and plants that fought to live in the sun- time. No two are alike in pattern or color
vermillion red is still bright though mel-
parched sands about her. combination. They reached a high point
lowed by age and use. The red is the back-
She had no yardstick to measure the not since equalled. Age has not dimmed ground of the rug.
width or length of her blanket, no color their colors, only enriched and mellowed
chart to go by, no pattern except her own them and many are as bright as ever. The The rug is a little over six feet long and
mental picture to follow. Day after day, texture of their weaving is firm and even, about four wide. Its close beautiful weave
month after month, patiently squatting rather silky but hard, the same on both and its exquisite workmanship can be
before her loom her fingers worked sides as is the pattern of the rug. clearly seen in the accompanying picture.
color and design into a beautifully Gradually the Indian weavers aban- Now instead of being trod underfoot
balanced, harmonious whole. To her, doned their own vegetable dyes for the by dusty moccasined feet and left to be
perhaps just another blanket for her white man's aniline dyes. The task of soiled by the grime of the black fireplace
household needs, to hang up for a door making native dyes from plants was long and covered with the clinging hair of a
to keep out the winter winds or the sand and laborious. Why should they do that mongrel dog, this priceless Bayeta adorns
storms, or for a cover, or a rug to walk when they could buy a package of dye at a wall of Mrs. Young's Texas home, where
upon. To us, a marvel in texture and the white man's store for so little? Too, its unfading beauty and marvel of weav-
weaving, rich in color and high in artistry. they began to use Germantown yarns in- ing may be seen and appreciated by lovers
Bayeta blankets or rugs represent the stead of those made from their own sheep. of real art treasures. .
golden age of Navajo weaving. They were The sheep too became mixed with the Who knows but that in some far off
made during the years from 1800 to I860 white man's breeds and the fleece became spirit land, a little Navajo woman looks
and even before that. But none since, for oily. Cotton was substituted for the warp. down and smiles on the white woman who
the red English cloth used in them stop- All of these things changed the weav- so loves and desires to perpetuate the
ped coming to the United States by that ing and the product of Navajo weaving gorgeous work of her hands.

18 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 numerous small bristles in the axils of the
tubercles. These are entirely lacking in
both the others. If found in flower, identi-
fication is even easier because Mammillar-
ia dioica has a yellowish flower while the
other two have pink blossoms.
Mammillaria dioica is a small plant
which may be either solitary or clumped.
Single stems will sometimes grow to a
height of a foot or more. When clumped
the stems are usually much smaller in
size but clumps with 15 heads are not
uncommon.
The tubercles ascend the stems in spi-
ral rows and are tipped with about 15 ra-
dial spines and usually 3 or 4 hooked cen-
trals. The color of the spines varies great-
ly with the locality in which the individu-
al plants are found. On the desert side
of the coastal range the radials are a silvery
white and the centrals almost a jet black.
Along the coast the radial spines are grey
and the centrals a deep reddish brown.
The axils of the tubercles bear some wool
and a few setose or bristle-like spines.
The flowers of this plant are of par-
ticular interest. The species name is de-
rived from their dioecious habit—that is,
many individual flowers will have only
style and ovary or only stamens and pol-
len. This is an unusual occurrence in the
cactus family and is worth noting if the
plant is found in bloom. The flowers are
rather showy. Their color varies from a
pale cream to yellow. Each petal is striped
with a purplish midrib. They grow around
the author shows a specimen of Fishhook cactus growing just south the upper part of the stems and are fol-
of the Mexican border among the coastal lichens. lowed some months later by scarlet club
shaped fruits. These are slightly acid in
flavor and are greatly relished by the
birds and rodents.
Mammillaria dioica has a wide range.
It is found in great profusion in north-
western Baja California and follows the
coast line to above San Diego. On the des-
ert side of the coastal range it can be
found as far north as the Palms-to-Pines
highway above Palm Springs. Particular-
ly beautiful specimens may be found near
Warner's ranch. These are almost pure
white with black centrals.
a diaica This plant adapts itself readily to culti-
vation but it is raised so easily from seed
By GEORGE OLIN that it is a mistake to collect wild plants.

r HOSE who are familiar with the

desert hills along the western bor-
ders of Borrego valley in the Colo-
rado desert will recognize the cactus illus-
tration as that of a small cactus common
and it does, but certain characteristics
serve to identify it positively when found
associated with the other small cacti of
extreme Southern California.
The two plants with which it might
Dealers can furnish nursery grown seed-
lings at a nominal price which will prove
far more satisfactory.
• • •
Directing activities of the Long Beach
cactus club for the current year are Mace
on the slopes. One of its common names be confused when found in the Borrego Taylor, Jr., president; R. S. McGaughey,
is fishhook. Others call it strawberry. This desert are Phellosperma tetrancistra and
little species has proven itself adaptable to Mammillaria microcarpa. The latter is Larry Butler and W. H. Anderson, vice-
two distinctly different climatic condi- not listed as a native of this locality but presidents; Milo D. Potter, Homer G.
tions, for it is even more common along is named because of claims that it has Rush and George Miller, directors; W. H.
tjhei rugged coastline from San Diego been seen along the grade down Carrizo Anderson and M. J. Armstrong, directors
south into Baja California. With such a gorge. The one characteristic which posi- of the specimen garden; J. F. Kaufman,
variation in range and type of climate the tively identifies Mammillaria dioica if corresponding secretary; W. S. Bell, sec-
plant should vary greatly in appearance; found with either of these is that it has retary-treasurer.

JULY, 1941 19
 I lieu Jleatned
-fiiout /ut&uobe
If you went into an Indian trading post to buy a silver and
turquoise bracelet or string of beads would you know how to
judge the quality of the gems shown to you? Would you select
blue stones, or green? Would you know good quality turquoise
from artificially colored rock? Every vacationist who goes to the
Indian country should have at least an elementary knowl-
edge of the gem stone which plays so important a part in the
lives of the desert tribesmen. Here are some of the answers
—written for Desert Magazine readers by Betty Woods.

a great curiosity. Not that Tom had never

seen blond hair before; as a matter of fact,
he had seen many blondes during his four
years away from the reservation.
"Tell us about these beads," the girl
smiled up at him. "We know nothing
about turquoise. Mother likes the green
kind; I like the blue best."
"The green reminds me of jade," the
mother said to Tom. "Have you ever seen
jade?" '" • ••. (

"Yes," Tom replied.

"Where?"
"At Tiffany's."
"Tiffany's! In New York?"
"Yes."
"Mother, let him explain this jewelry
to us," the girl interposed. Then turning
to Tom she said, "Which is the better, the
green or the blue?"
"The blue."
At work or dressed up for bis ceremonials, the Navajo is never without his silver "Why?"
and turquoise. Copyright photograph by D. Clifford Bond. "It is very hard."
"Is that all?" asked the young woman.
"It has much matrix."
By BETTY WOODS
"But," argued the older woman, "you
The tall man inside never moved his posi-
have a great deal of that greenish kind on
/^NJSIDE the dark little trading post tion by the pile of blankets. In fact, he did
display."
V/tiip tall Navajo leaned on a pile of not stir until a young woman's voice
Indian blankets watching the tourist asked, "Please may we see some tur- "Many white people like it. They do
cars whizz past at a rate that worries the quoise?" not know the difference. It is soft. It is
insurance companies. With his black eyes "He probably won't understand a word cheaper."
on the highway, he liked to smell the you say," remarked the blonde girl's Tom could have added that it also is
mixed odors of leather, groceries, dry mother. easier to work. The Indians prefer to work
goods and sheep hides that hung heavy in "We have beads," said Tom Begay, with the softer stones, yet they usually will
the narrow, cavern-like room. An aged reaching for the finest string in the show- select only the bluest for their own per-
Indian in calico breeches and gray velvet case, where rings and bracelets as well as sonal use when they can afford it. He
blouse was studying the bright confections strands of turquoise were on display. could have told the two women that the
in the candy case. After a while he would "Why you do speak English!" ex- best turquoise comes from the Black Mat-
make his choice. claimed the older woman. rix mine in Nevada. He knew, too, that
On the rough plank floor other Navajo "Yes," returned the man in the purple most of the blue stones used by the Indi-
lounged, wearing huge cowboy hats. They velvet blouse. ans of Arizona and New Mexico come
had come to trade and to watch the white "Mother!" cried the girl in cool green from several Nevada mines. Three to five
people, although few tourists who came dress, "Look at them! They're lovely." thousand pounds annually are mined and
into the store were conscious of their While Tom waited patiently for his shipped to these two states, where four-
scrutiny. Outside on the porch more In- customers to examine the beads his eyes fifths of it goes to the Indians. Turquoise
dians stood or squatted. When a large rested on the girl's corn-colored hair. Tom is sold wholesale at from 10 to 50 cents a
cream-colored roadster .came to a stop Begay had never ceased to wonder at light karat. Tom could have told the tourists
in front not a Navajo seemed to notice it. hair. To him and to most Indians, it was that uncut turquoise sells from $2.00 to

20 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

$50 a pound and that most bead turquoise
is a cheaper grade of stone.
:«•>

"I'll want a bracelet to match these

beads, if I decide on them," the older
woman told Tom.
"This one is Indian," stated Tom, hold-
ing up a bracelet whose silver work was
simple.
"What do you mean by 'Indian?' " the
girl wanted to know.
"The design is Indian. The stone is not
polished much, like the turquoise jewelry
made by white men."
"How interesting!" exclaimed the
young woman. "Just how do you know all
that?"
"I am a silversmith."
"Oh, you made this bracelet," guessed
the mother.
"Yes."
"And you weren't going to tell us," she
laughed.
"You did not ask."
Tom's failure to amplify beyond the
barest answer to the question asked, was
characteristic.
The woman opened her large flat purse,
but suddenly she snapped it shut again.
Her sharp eyes had discovered two other
strings of beads in the showcase.
"Those look very old. Let us see both
strings."
Tom showed not the slightest impa-
tience as he handed them over, nor did
he make any comment. His gaze never
wavered when the girl, who was now
holding the single strand, caught him
studying her. Would she detect the differ-
ence?
"Both strings must be in pawn, aren't
they?" asked the older woman.
"No."
"But I can see they have been worn a
long time."
"They are new beads, but you can't buy
them."
"Why not?" Not all the Indian silver work is done by the Navajo. This is Delia Casa, skilled
"The white trader keeps them to show silversmith of Zuni pueblo. Photograph by Frashers.
people bad turquoise." soft. They were cut and dyed in Ger- woman, "that the beads I am holding
"Well," prompted the thoroughly in- many." came from Germany?"
terested tourist, "what is the difference?" "You mean," demanded the confused "Nevada turquoise was sent to Ger-
"This double strand, the stones in it are many. Labor is cheap there. At least it
was before the war changed so many
things."
"What about these beads?" smiled the
girl who was wiping her red-tipped fin-
gers on a dainty yellow handkerchief.
"They were boiled in mutton tallow."
"Why."
"It makes them look old."
Again Tom could have explained that
in the beginning the stones were greenish
white and that bacon grease or parafine
would have given them the same "old"
look. He knew, too, iodine skillfully ap-
plied heightens the brown color of the
matrix.
"How can one detect such doctored
turquoise?" the girl asked, a most perti-
These two bracelets and ring not only show good turquoise but very fine Navajo nent question.
craftsmanship. "Hold the beads in your hands. It will

JULY, 1941 21
show grease on your white fingers after
you hold it. The trader holds it over a Here are 20 more quiz questions for the folks
lamp," and Tom p o i n t e d to an
alcohol lamp on a shelf. "It finds dye
and grease."
D€S€RT QUIZ who like to test their knowledge of the desert
Southwest—or who perhaps would like to add
a little to their fund of knowledge. This is not an easy list. It includes geography,
"Is there any other way?" the girl urged history, Indian lore, botany, mineralogy—and you'll have to mix a lot of common
him on. sense with the other ingredients to get a high score. The average person will not
"Navajos put it in the sun." answer more than 10 of these correctly. If you score 15 you know more than most
Tom thought of the time he overheard of the desert rats—and only the super-students will rate more than 15 correct an-
a white clerk in a gift shop tell a prospec- swers. The answers are on page 38.
tive necklace buyer how old a certain
olive-green necklace was and that the
greasy look it had was due to the oily se- 1—Director of the national park service is—
cretion from the former Indian owner's Col. John L. White Harold P. Ickes
neck. Of course, the tourist did not know Newton Drury.. Frank Albright
that hard, blue turquoise does not change 2—Prehistoric Indians who occupied the Salt River valley of Arizona are known
color even after years of wear. Turquoise as— Hohokam Cliff dwellers
beads and ear pendants found in prehis- Cave dwellers Legucharie
toric ruins are proof of this. Only soft
stones change with age or absorb grease. 3—The original name given the Rio Grande river by the Spaniards was—
"I shall take the first string and the Rio Hondo Rio del Norte Rio del Llanos Rio del Paso
bracelet. Now tell me," asked the mother, -Fairy duster is the common name of a—
handing Tom the money, "where did you Wild grass Flower Insect. Indian artifact
go to school?"
"To the Indian school, in Santa Fe." 5—The legendary home of the Hopi katchinas is— Grand Canyon
"How did you ever get to Tiffany's in Petrified forest San Francisco peaks Navajo mountain
New York?"
"Our Indian show band played in New 6—Philip Bailey's book Golden Mirages is written about—
York." Comstock lode Seven Cities of Cibola
"Then you are a musician, too?" Desert landscapes Lost mines of the Southwest
"I played the sax." —President of the United States who signed the Swing-Johnson bill providing
The old man at the candy counter said for construction of Boulder dam and the Ail-American canal was—
something in Navajo; Tom went over and Coolidge Wilson Roosevelt Hoover
filled a little sack with jellybeans and
handed it to him. 8—Borrego state park is located in—
"You mean you have been east and you Nevada California New Mexico Utah
still like it better here?" exclaimed the 9—If you wanted to climb the Sandia mountains you would go to—
woman looking around the store. "Every-
thing seems to cling to the past here. If New Mexico Arizona California Nevada
you stay on long enough, won't you be- 10—First wagon train was brought across the desert Southwest by—
come like that old man who just bought Butterfield Lieut. Beale Mormon battalion De Anza
the jellybeans?"
"I want to be like him," said Tom with 11—White Mountain Indian reservation belongs to the—
simple dignity. "He is my grandfather." Apaches Navajo Maricopas Hualpai
Tom Begay could not tell anyone that 12—Turquoise derives its blue-green coloring from—
away from the reservation the brilliant Iron Manganese Zinc Copper
canyons and mesas kept pulling at him,
and that he was homesick for the sight of 13—Phantom ranch is located in—
his horses and the smell of his sheep. He Death Valley Grand Canyon Zion canyon Canyon de Chelly
was hungry for broiled mutton and other 14—The blossom of the agave or mescal is—
hogan cooking and for the companionship
of his people; for their customs and his Blue Red Snow white Yellow
religion. 15—The name Moqui used by early writers, referred to the Indian tribe now
Tom leaned on the pile of blankets and known as— Acoma Hopi Zufii Pahute
looked out the window. The girl turned 16—If you wanted to get a glimpse of the peccaries that still run wild in the South-
and waved at him as she drove away. He
west you would go to— Southern Arizona Mojave desert
did not wave back; Navajo girls do not
wave at men. He had not told the white Kaibab forest Painted desert
girl to buy only Navajo patterned jewelry 17—Kapok is the name of a— Well known Navajo chief Prayer stick
that was strongly Indian in character, nor used by Indian tribesmen River in New Mexico
did he warn her against oriental and white Silky tree fibre used in filling sleeping bags
shopkeepers who sell turquoise-set rings
and bracelets reputed to be over a hun- 18—Joshua tree is a—
dred years old. Tom could have explained Yucca Agave Palm Nolina.
to her that it was in about 1880 near Crys- 19—Heard Museum is located in—
tal, New Mexico, that a Navajo silver- Flagstaff Tucson Casa Grande.. Phoenix.
smith for the first time set turquoise in
silver. Tom could have told that little 20—The well known sand dunes along Highway 80 between Yuma and El Cen-
blonde girl this and much more, but he tro are properly known as— Yuma dunes
did not. Algodones dunes El Centra dunes Colorado dunes
Why? Because he is a Navajo.

22 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 When a kitchen utensil breaks at Yaquitepec, the
remedy is simple. Marshal South and his two sons take
the trail that leads to one of their clay pits and bring
home the materials for new pottery. In their remote des-
ert home on Ghost mountain the Souths have found that
Nature supplies nearly everything essential to human
life. Their experiment in primitive living has brought
them health and happiness.

ome
By MARSHAL SOUTH

^yENEATH the ramada, just outside the house, the carpen-

'\ ter bees are booming and bumbling amidst the thatch
of dead mescal poles. Away to the east is the morning
star, soaring upward like a shining angel above the whitening
paleness of the far horizon.
Why is it, I wonder, that on these hushed, early desert morn-
ings I think so much of my father? It is as though the mists
roll away from an old, old trail that leads back to childhood. I
see him again as he used to be; with his team and buckboard,
driving on lonely roads, silent, keen-eyed for the trail in the
faint light that wraps the world long before sunrise. Again I
hear the slur of wheels through the sand, the strike of steel
tires against a stone, the squeak of singletrees and the creak of
leather. The swiftly moving hoofs of the team drum back the
dead years in memories that bring, now, an odd, choked tight-
ening of the throat as I see again the shadowy forms of the
horses—and my father, his eyes upon the dim road, driving on
and on into the star studded dawning.
But the droning of the busy carpenter bees breaks through
the mists of childhood memories. Busy fellows, these big, shiny
black bees. With all the swelled pomposity of some petty offi-
cial, impressed with his own importance. They are always blus-
teringly officious. They take possession of the long channels .€
cut in the pithy, dry stalks of the mescal shoots by the big
butter-yellow, amber-headed grubs which develop later into the
slender, scarlet-winged, dashingly handsome, mescal beetles.
The carpenter bees move into their dark, abandoned tunnels. Tanya South gathers twigs of ephedra or squaw tea. From
And fall busily to their own carpentering. these a healthful refreshing beverage is made.
From the thatch of the ramada these warm days there drifts
a fine scatter of sawdust. And every once in a while, from a neat
round porthole in a dead, overhead stalk, some shiny black
artisan dumps an extra big accumulation of wood waste down was entirely exhausted. "Not even 'nough for not even one very
on our heads. It is all right, so long as it does no damage. But small salt-cellar, daddy," Rudyard reported solemnly as he
at intervals we get an eyeful. Then we say violent things about leaned far into the bin and studied its vacancy intently for at
the carpenter bees and wish heartily that we had not provided least two long minutes. "But I think that in this corner there
them with such an abundance of pithy labyrinths to work in. might . . . " Then his little brown heels went wildly into the
This last week we have transferred our breakfast allegiance air as he leaned too far. He disappeared into the box with a
from wheat to corn—in the Yaquitepec version of the Pueblo startled yell.
Indian piki. We make a water-thin batter of home ground yel- After he had been duly rescued and comforted we set out for
low corn meal, with nothing added but a little salt, and spill it our "clay mine." This is some distance from the house. There
out on a very hot griddle. The result is a paper-thin, much per- is plenty of clay on Ghost mountain, as is natural in a district of
forated, lace-like wafer which, as it crisps stiff enough, is much weathered granite. But it is patchy. Some deposits are too
whisked from the fire. Cooking piki is fun. And eating it is bet- full of impurities, or too shallow, to be of any use. Every once
ter. With a little butter and honey it is hard to beat. Crunchy and in a while we run across a good spot. Then we mark the place
with the delicate flavor of the fresh grain. I don't know if you and draw our supplies from there until we have worked it out.
can make this sort of piki with "civilized" corn meal. Maybe so. The three of us—Rider, Rudyard and I—carried containers
But quien sabe. Civilized corn meal—like a lot of other things in which to pack home the clay. Graduated according to the
—seems to have acquired something of the hard, tinny brittle- size and strength of the bearer—after the time honored example
ness of the modern age. set by the Three Bears. Rudyard cannily selected an empty bak-
Yesterday the salt-cellar went the way that all things go— ing powder can. Hefting it appraisingly, and with much wrink-
eventually. Being home made pottery and not hammered from ling of his pudgy little nose, he declared he would "bring home
a block of solid silver (as was the one fashioned in the early plently heavy enough for Rudgy." Rider, however, had to be
days of an Arizona mission for a visiting bishop) ours went dissuaded from toting along a basket as large as my own. He is
quicker and more completely. So it had to be replaced. Investi- doggedly ambitious to be all grown up and it is hard some-
gation of the clay bin revealed that our supply of prepared clay times to keep him from overtaxing his strength. We compro-

JULY, 1941 23
mised finally on a smaller basket—and my allowing him to clearing out the accumulation of dead sticks and gravel that
carry the light shovel as well. the winter storms had piled in the shallow depression. Then
The trail was thick-bordered, and in places almost obliter- homeward. The human head is a good, and natural, place to
ated by the herbage that was the result of this year's exceptional carry a burden. In Indian file, so laden, we made our way back,
rains. But the grass now was all dry and tawny brown. It rustled Rudyard in the middle of the line, Rider bringing up the rear.
beneath our bare feet and in the thin shade of it foraging ants Presently a stifled chuckle made me look back. Rider was sput-
hurried busily upon their duties. The wind that came down tering with suppressed laughter, and pointing. But Rudyard,
from among the rocks and junipers was warm and drowsy and oblivious of the merriment, plodded stolidly on. He had hoisted
the yellow flowers of the late mescals swayed against the blue his tiny baking can full of clay to the top of his head and, with
desert sky like the last tattered banners of the retreating hosts plump little arms much too short for the job, was holding it
of Spring. there. His face was set in lines of grim determination, as of one
Away up on the ridge somewhere a sleepy road-runner in- who performs a serious duty. And there was satisfaction there,
toned at intervals his puppy-like whining call. A buzzard too. Was he not doing exactly as we were? He looked so funny
wheeled overhead and two garrulous desert ravens flapped that I turned away quickly. To have let him see me laugh would
heavily. And down by the old mescal roasting hearth, where have been unforgivable.
the trail skirts the blackened ring of stones where we usually And so we arrived home with our clay. And duly ground it
fire our clay pots, we came upon a plump little horned toad fast and sifted it and made us a new salt-cellar—and several other
asleep upon an ant nest. But no ants were visible. Those that things as well Rider made a special little vase for himself. And
had not already been picked off by the artful little marauder so did Rudyard—or at any rate he got himself nicely mussed up
were keeping discreetly underground. Sun warmed and drowsi- with mud. Which is almost the entire joy of "potting" when one
ly content, with a full tummy, he had succumbed to pleasant is three years old. So everyone was happy.
dreams. The garden grows. It is a tiny garden—the most of it pro-
We reached our destination and dug our clay, first carefully tected by muslin covered frames. The beds are microscopic. Bu:
we have more water in our cisterns this year than last and the
green stuff forms a welcome addition to the diet. Right now
we have chives and pinto beans and bush beans and lettuce and
scarlet-globe radishes growing. In the warm, sunny days one
can almost see the plants grow.
We spend much of our time beneath the shade of the ramada
these days. Here there is shade without walls and the little wan-
dering breezes from out the wastelands can come and go as they
please. It is a cool place to eat, too. Victoria is especially fond

Tahoe
of it because there are generally fascinating little lizards to be
seen wandering about on the top of the low, bordering adobe
wall in search of flies. Some of these turquoise studded little
rascals grow very. tame. One, this noon, sat and glinted trustful
jewelled eyes at me as I gently stroked it under the chin with
my finger. They grow saucily insolent, too. There is one in par-
ticular that makes a point of scampering over Tanya as she lies
on the rug in the shade, putting Victoria to sleep. Tanya does
not particularly mind being scampered over. But the other day
when the same inquisitive little sprite, breathlessly driving for
a fly, tumbled into her paint pot as she sat decorating a desert
gourd, she almost said something—very loud. She got up so
suddenly that she upset Rudyard, who fell against Rider, who
was sewing a basket with mescal fibre. And in the wreckage his
prize wooden needle got broken.
So, as there had to be another needle, we raided the nearest
juniper tree for a likely twig, and whittled out a new one. Re-
flecting, as we sat there in the drowsy shade, about the long,
long road humanity has trodden from the time of the first
primitive wooden needles to today's roaring machines. A long
road. Humanity has lost something during that long trek.
Something of incalculable value; something the loss of which
Supeme Vacation Land and is now driving it into insanity and red ruin. It has lost the
knowledge of how to live. It has lost its faith. It has lost its
Playground Empire of the West sense of kinship with the Great Spirit. Dazzled by a greed for
material things it has sold its birthright for a "mess of pot-
Lake Tahoe resorts offer hotel, housekeeping and camp
accommodations at reasonable rates. Bathing, swim- tage." Pottage that is now, alas, red with torrents of blood.
ming, boating, aquaplaning, fishing (in the Lake, Not a cheerful line of reflection. As we sat there in the peace
streams and smaller lakes), golf, horseback riding, etc. of the silent desert, whittling upon our primitive needle, there
100-mile shoreline. Historic Virginia City nearby. Per- came back to us a fragment of Kipling. Just a fragment. But a
fect highways to the Lake and around it. See Tahoe
NOW! grim one. And aptly descriptive of humanity's gleanings on
its march of "Progress."
Lake Tahoe-Sierra Association, Tahoe City, Calif. " . . . The worst we took, with sweat and toil. The best we
Please mail me illustrated folder, with 4-color map, free of left behind."
charge, with information on ALL Lake Tahoe Resorts. Hoiv close, how close are Life and Death,
Name And Truth and Falsehood, Light and Dark.
So close that in each life's full breadth
Address Each light and shade may make its mark.
The Desert Magazine
—Tanya South

24 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Adams and handreau headed
south ajter the massacre and
uere picked up in an exhaust-
ed condition by a scouting de-
tachment from Kearny's
army.

Here is a lost treasure story

that appears to have an authen-
tic background—and yet the
man who originally found the
rich diggings was never able to
return to the place of discovery.
John D. Mitchell has presented
here the meager information
available—you can draw your
own conclusions.

£ait Adami

By JOHN D. MITCHELL

As nearly as can be ascertained the place

where Adams and Landreau were rescued
was about 25 miles northwest of Silver
for this statement is Landreau, who, City, New Mexico. It was to this place that
though an illiterate man, is truthful." Adams came in later years, and he was
Adams and Landreau headed south often seen in that region.
after the massacre and were picked up in The fact that the two men had traveled
an exhausted condition by a scouting par- south after the massacre would indicate
ty from the Army of the West, near the that the rich deposits were located near
headwaters of the Gila river. After the the headwaters of the Black river, but
lapse of 20 years Adams returned t o Adams had only a hazy recollection of the
IEUTENANT W. H. Emory, in the Apache country and tried to relocate days when he and his companion wan-
his Notes of a Military Reconnais- the ruins of the log cabin and the corral dered, exhausted and fearful of the Indi-
/ sance from Fort Leavenworth in that he and his former partners had con- ans, from the scene of the attack.
Kansas to San Diego in California, pub- structed near the rich diggings. The object Adams died at the age of 93 without
lished in 1848, states: "The Prieto of the search was about $60,000 worth of relocating the gold. The search has con-
(Black) river flows down from the moun- gold dust left buried under the cabin floor tinued to this day and more than one man
tains freighted with gold. Its sands are and the narrow gulch from which the gold has lost his life on the trail in quest of the
said to be full of the precious metal. A few had been washed. lost diggings.
adventurers who ascended the river hunt- Adams organized several expeditions If the story is true, the buckskin
ing beaver washed the sands at night when to search for his old workings and was pokes, heavy with $60,000 in gold, still
they halted and were richly rewarded. well known around Fort Wingate, New rot beneath the ashes of the old cabin
Tempted by their success, they made a sec- Mexico, where he purchased provisions floor. No doubt the place is now over-
ond trip and were attacked and most of and equipment for his many trips into the grown with vegetation, and only by mere
them killed by the Indians. My authority wild country to the southwest of the fort. accident will the treasure be recovered.

JULY, 1 941
 CALIFORNIA NEVADA
CANADA INTERNET!
NEEDLES . . . WELLS . . .
• Like the hub of a wheel, Wells lies
• Surprises will reward you every
mile of your trip when you travel via
Needles. Whatever your vacation or
recreational desires may be you will
find it here. Explore canyons, caves
at the crossroads of four great na-
tional transportation systems. Here
east-west Transcontinental High-
ways U. S. 40 and north-south Inter-
national Highway U. S. 93 meet.
FOUR S
and old Indian trails; hunt for gems
and minerals in nearby gem fields;
enjoy line fishing, swimming and
boating on beautiful Lake Havasu.
If you would enjoy the thrills of dis-
Wells is served by Southern, West-
ern and Union Pacific railroads. Also
Greyhound and Burlington busses.
Here the traveler, hot and weary
from desert driving, may plan to rest,
assured all during the summer of
OR your next vacation trip
drive the 1500 miles of broad
highway that connects three
nations and four states, with an ever-
HIGH
covery by all means come and visit
Needles. The wonders of California's
desert country are yours!
sleeping through cool mountain
nights. Comfortable, modern conven-
iences—real western hospitality.
changing landscape that offers the
motorist every variation from the for-
est clad slopes of the Canadian
Built by Mode,
*
*
IDAHO
Rockies to the semi-tropical zone of
the Southern California desert! Landscaped J?
NEVADA • This is the International Four
TWIN FALLS . . . States Highway, extending from
• Located in the heart of a vast geo- Canada to Mexico, through Monta-
LAS VEGAS . . . logical paradise, Twin Falls affords na, Idaho, Nevada and Southern
I
tourists, sight-seers and sportsmen a LAKE LOUI
California.
• Las Vegas, Nevada, (Pop. 11,000), wealth of enjoyment. Mighty Snake
River with its towering canyon walls, • Famed as the United States is for
is rapidly becoming the West's most tremendous spring - fed waterfalls, her scenic roads it is doubtful if
famous play spot. Boulder Dam, and other natural phenomena skirts there can be found anywhere else on
the city a short distance to the north, the American continent any other
Death Valley, Grand Canyon and and nearby are many other out- 1500 mile span of highway which of-
the Southern Utah Parks are immedi- standing attractions such as the fers so wide a range of natural
famous Thousand Springs, Sinking scenic attractions as can be found
ately adjacent, and combine with Canyon, Craters of the Moon, City of along this newly created route.
the liberal laws of Nevada to make Rocks, Shoshone Falls, 50 feet higher
than Niagara, and the Rim-to-Rim • Intersected by all the main east
the West's largest single tourist at- Bridge, 476 feet high and nearly a and west roads the International
quarter of a mile long. Four States Highway is the natural
traction today. route by which the motorist gains ac-
JEROME . . . cess to the beautiful Glacier Nation-
CALIENTE . . . al Park region of Montana; the en-
• Gateway to the famous Sawtooth
• Charming Caliente is a logical Mountains Jerome is also the head- trancing primitive area of Idaho; the
gorgeous mountain playgrounds of
overnight stop as you travel the In- quarters of the Canyon of Ten Thou- the Canadian Rockies; the scenic
ternational Four States Highway. Be sands Springs Association. Located
for miles up and down the Snake wonders of Nevada and the beauti-
sure to see Cathedral Gorge State River Canyon are tens of thousands ful, ever-mysterious, ever-changing
Park and Game Refuge . . . in the of springs coming out of the canyon Southern California desert. Truly this
early morning light and the shadows walls on the north side of the river. is a route for those who find their
of dusk. It will be a sight you will not Right at our door are some of the greatest vacation happiness far
soon forget. Arches and spires are scenic wonders of the country. There away from the crowded roads.
everywhere and at dusk some of the are several beautiful falls: Shoshone
formations resemble cathedrals and Falls, 15 miles from Jerome are 50 ft.
skyscrapers. Stop awhile and enjoy higher than Niagara. Many interest-
ing lakes and rapids of various hues
Kershaw Canyon-Ryan State Park— are found. Facilities for boating, fish- ACCOMMODATIONS
a favorite camping and picnicking ing, bathing and other scenic and AND SERVICE . . .
spot. recreational attractions are good. • While the area covered by the In-
ternational Four States Highway is
PIOCHE . . . SHOSHONE . . . uncrowded and unspoiled, the cities
• Headquarters of So. Central Ida- and towns along this route are in no
ho. Hard surfaced highways radiat-
• For years known as a "ghost ing in five directions. Gateway to sense primitive. Modern accommo-
dations are available at frequent in-
town" Pioche is now called, " The U. S. 93 highway via Shoshone Ice tervals at common sense prices and
camp that came back." Pioche is Caves, Black Butte Crater, Magic everywhere the true western hospi-
now the largest producer of lead, Reservoir and Silver Creek fishing tality prevails.
areas, Sun Valley resort and Saw-
zinc and silver in Nevada. Of interest tooth Forest wonderland. Gateway • Towns, service agencies and civic
to all who travel along the Interna- to U. S. 93 — A highway via Craters organizations along this route are
tional Four States Highway is Cathe- of Moon National Monument, Lost striving to make the highway the
River fishing area and antelope most popular with all motorists. For
dral Gorge, just 8 miles from Pioche; range. Hub of productive farming this reason you will find that every
BOOTHILL which boasts 49 graves; area, with unexcelled irrigation sup- effort has been made to furnish the
"$1,000,000" Courthouse built in 1870. ply and complete rural electrifica- tourist with the best possible service
Be sure to see them all when you tion. Farm lands open for settlement. at most moderate prices.
Wool-growing center. Good hotels,
travel U. S. Highway 93.

ELY . . .
cafes, garages, etc,

HAILEY . . .
• This year make the most of your
vacation dollar. On your trip to the
scenic northwest go one way, come
back another. Let the International
• Today there remains in Idaho one Four States Highway be one of your
U. S. 9
• Visit the Hub of the Copper Em- last place where lovers of true out- routes. It's a trip you will not soon ROAD C ON
pire on U. S. Highway 93—ELY. NE- of-doors recreation can enjoy a va- forget.
cation at reasonable cost. Although The International Four States I
VADA—where man and nature join not a national park, its scenic beauty • For more detailed information,
exception of two short link!;, an
in presenting two wonders of the equals and its fishing, hunting, points of interest, accommodation or in progress that will provide a
West, the Ruth Copper Pit and Leh- mountain climbing, and winter any other question, a note to the sec-
man Caves. One, the largest hole in sports excel many well-known areas. retary of the Chamber of Commerce
Vacationists, tourists, fishermen and of any city listed on this page will
the world, created through the toil hunters coming into the Sawtooth bring you the desired information.
and genius of man to produce a country will find Hailey, near famed
metal vital to the country; the other a Sun Valley, a suitable headquarters.
Mexican border.
r
crete and asphalt from tl|ie C

Here fishing, be it trout or salmon,

maze of underground caverns, deli- compares with the best. Deer, elk,
cately and tirelessly carved for ages antelope, goat and bear abound in
by the artistic hand of nature. this region. THE GREAT I1EW R
26 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
 IDAHO MONTANA
DNAL MEXICO
SUN VALLEY . . . MISSOULA . . .
• Missoula is the center of the great

TATES
• Do stop off at Sun Valley, famous
year 'round resort tucked away in recreational area of Western Mon-
the foothills of Idaho's Sawtooth tana. From Missoula you can drive
mountains. Here you will find your your car into the heart of the moun-
favorite sport, whether it be ice skat- tain areas. You can climb up above
ing on the outdoor, artificial rink the timber line and gaze over a vast

WAY Scenic Attractions accessible and

along the International Four States
Highway.
open the year 'round, swimming,
tennis, golf, scenic ski lift rides to
the top of surrounding mountains,
riding, fishing, boating or skeet and
trap shooting; and expert instructors
panorama of fleece-tipped moun-
tains. You can spend hot summer
days in the cool shade of huge pines
and sleep at night under blankets.
For a cool, delightful vacation, visit
are on hand to give you a brush-up Western Montana. Make Missoula
n Engineers CALIFORNIA
if you so desire. Two hotels—com-
fortable, moderately-priced Challen-
ger Inn and the luxurious Lodge af-
your headquarters, for at Missoula
you are near any type of recreation
you desire.
i the Gods •
•
Mitchell Caverns
Colorado River at Needles
ford all conveniences of modern
civilization. For complete informa-
tion, write W. P. Rogers, General
• Parker Dam Manager, Sun Valley, Idaho.
• Los Angeles Aqueduct RONAN . . .
• Joshua Tree Nat. Monument KETCHUM . . .
• Salton Sea • Ketchum, located in the Sawtooth
• Mullet Island Mountains, has become the most • The Center City. Headquarters of
• Boiling Mud Pots popular tourist and vacation center the West's finest bird hunting—
• Dry Ice Plant in the Western United States. Fish- ducks, Chinese pheasants and
• All-American Canal ing, hunting and other sports attract
thousands of pleasure seekers year- geese. In the midst of colorful Indian
• Imperial Valley Country. Ten minutes from gorgeous
"Winter Garden of America" ly. One mile east of Ketchum is the
• Imperial Dam nationally known Sun Valley where Mission Range and Alpine wonders.
the Sun Valley Rodeo and National Twenty minutes from National Bison
Ski Meet is held yearly. This beauti-
ful back country is easy to reach Range and Wildlife Refuge.
NEVADA
either winter or summer. Paved high-
Whipple Lime Caverns ways which are kept open the year
Cathedral Gorge Park round, the U. P. Railroad and a daily
stage line furnish a choice of trans- POLSON . . .
Beaver Dam State Park
Ryan State Park portation.
Lost City STANLEY . . . • Located foot of beautiful Flathead
Valley of Fire Lake. Fine fishing, boating, swim-
Nevada's Gyp Cave • Welcome to Stanley! Once you ming. Best Chinese pheasant area in
Charleston Park Resort become familiar with the unlimited Montana. Plenty of elk, deer, buffalo
Lake Mead wealth of recreational advantages of
Boulder Dam Southern Idaho, you will agree it's a and other game. Low cost cabins,
Knob Hill paradise from every standpoint. You camps and dude ranches. Heart ol
El Dorado Canyon will find this natural fairyland the Kootenai and Salish reservations.
Old Searchlight most enjoyable of all places to spend Want information? Just write to POL-
McGill Smelter your vacation because it affords you
Ruth Copper Pit everything the great out-of-doors has SON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Lehman Caves Nat. Mon. to offer. It's all here around Stanley
—a scenic hunting and fishing para-
dise. TRUE western hospitality KALISPELL . . .
awaits you. You are always wel-
IDAHO come! • No other place in America offers
Miniature Grand Canyon recreational advantages, lakes, riv-
Stanley Basin ers, forests, mountains and scenery
SALMON . . . comparable to the Flathead in
Galena Summit Northwest Montana. Tempered by
Sun Valley • On the "River of No Return." Gate- many lakes, rushing trout streams
Burning Cave way to Idaho's Primitive Area. THE and rivers, lofty forests and snow-
City of Rocks TOURIST PLAYGROUND, Lakes and capped mountains, the climate is
Craters of the Moon streams teeming with trout. Big ideal. Outstanding around Kali-
Shoshone Ice Caves spell is Glacier National Park, its
Shoshone Falls game hunting and bird shooting dur- 1,534 square miles forming the most
Twin Falls, Snake River ing fall months. Delightful mountain unique and magnificent of all our
Twin Falls' Bridges scenery. Write secretary Salmon National Parks. Here too is Flathead
Thousand Springs Chamber of Commerce for illustrated Lake, and 87 other gem-like lakes,
Goose Creek Game Refuge map. 2,186 miles of fishing streams, Dude
Antelope Game Refuge Ranches, forests and primitive areas.
* WHITEFISH . . .
I NORTH FROM MONTANA MONTANA • The vacationist who chooses
Whitefish Lake for his summer out-
I LAS VEGAS Glacier National Park
Whitefish Lake
HAMILTON . . . ing will find himself in the heart of
Flathead Lake • Hamilton lies in the heart of the one of the finest recreational areas
Bitter Root Valley. On the east is the in the Northwest. He will find an
3ITIONS National Bison Range Sapphire Range of the Rockies, low abundance of modern cabins from
Old Fort Stevensville lying and heavily timbered, offering which he may set forth each morn-
tghway is paved with the Big Hole Battle Mon. big game hunting. On the west lies ing to a new adventure. Facilities
[ construction work is now Gibbon's Pass the famous Clearwater country, con- for every known sport from golf on
River of No Return sidered one of the largest primitive all grass, nine-hole course to swim-
continuous ribbon of con- Salmon River Gorge areas in the United States. Organ- ming in Whitefish Lake, are literally
inadian boundary to the Bitterroot-Selway Area ized, experienced packers are avail- at his finger tips. Fishing is unex-
Chief Tendoy Monument able at low cost to take parties celled, and catches of Mackinaw
through this vast wonderland, most trout from Whitefish Lake, average
of which has never been trod by the 20 pounds. Many visitors to Glacier
foot of man—where game of all

DflD Of THE WEST

National Park make Whitefish their
kinds abounds and with scenery sec- headquarterrs. For this section
ond to none. We extend to you a cor- boasts the lowest cost-of-living level
dial invi:ation to visit us. in Montana.

JULY, 1 9 4 1 27
 WHERE TO STAY, RELAX, HAVE FUN
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA TWIN FALLS, IDAHO HAILEY, IDAHO
Boulder Auto Court The new . . . Hiawatha Hotel
Located only % m n e south of city center of Rogerson Hotel and Coffee Shop An 82 room modern hotel with natur-
Las Veaas — on the main highway to Los
^ Angeles (U. S. 91 and 466) 120 rooms. Only hotel and coffee al hot water swimming pool. Tourists
Thirty Miles to Boulder Dam and vacationists enjoy making their
shop in Southern Idaho completely headquarters here while in the Saw-
Thoroughly Modern Cabins
100% Air-Cooled Electric Heat refrigerated and air conditioned. tooth Mountains. Rates moderate.
Mr. and Mrs. Nick Pahor, Owners Coffee Shop Noted for Fine Food. Quiet, clean and comfortable.
GLENDALE JUNCTION, NEVADA KETCHUM, IDAHO
As y o u tour a l o n g the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Four
Bald Mountain Hot Springs Hamilton Hotel
S t a t e s H i g h w a y , stop in at . . . Cabins . . . Modern . . .
Glendale Service Modern cabins and natural (hot
Located just V4 mile from the intersection water plunge. Rustic, comfortable, Mrs. Bethel Acuff, Proprietor
of U. S. 91 to Utah and U. S. 93 north. pleasant. Plain and deluxe. You see Hamilton, Montana
Modern Cafe and Fountain. it as you enter Ketchum.
One Stop Service for Your Motoring POLSON, MONTANA
Needs. STANLEY, IDAHO
Stop in, rest, relax and ask for information ~HoTeTSalish*~
about road conditions. Resthaven Cabins Popular hotel on beautiful Flathead
On the Salmon River in the Lake in the heart of Montana's scenic
STANLEY, IDAHO Sawtooth Mountains wonderland.
Let the . . . Fishing — True Western Atmosphere Fishing - Hunting - Boating - Bathing
GATEWAY —Hunting— Hiking - Golfing
. . . Entertain You Moderate rates—Lower Stanley, Ida. Dining room recommended by
Pack Trips — Hunting — Fishing
Cafe — Dancing — Refreshments ~WELLS, NEVADA ~~ Duncan Hines
Real rustic cabins with cooking facili- In every town there is one best place "Where Every Window Frames a Picture"
ties and fireplace. Keep right on U. S. to have your car serviced, repaired Poison — Montana
93—Just V2 mi. from Stanley Junction. or to get reliable touring information. *Salish—Tribal name of the Flathead Indi-
ans whose reservation surrounds Poison.
In Wells that place is . . .
Supp Bros. Garage
Complete One Stop Service

STATE OF IDAHO
Much of the value of a vacation
is found in the change it affords from
the routine of the balance of the year.
In Idaho, the broad, open plains of
the Snake river plateau, the snow-
capped Sawtooth mountains and the
forest-clad ranges invite you to come
and forget the rush and bustle of
every-day activities.
APACHE HOTEL The lakes of Idaho are gems set in
For many years the Apache Hotel mountings of granite crags. Wildlife HOTEL
has been the center of hospitality in is sufficiently abundant to satisfy, but
game enough to challenge your skill. Largest and most modern hotel in
Las Vegas, Nevada. The Apache Eastern Nevada, this 100-room estab-
Cafe is recognized as one of the finest The people of Idaho extend a wel-
come to visitors that is as western as lishment has made Ely a tourist cen-
in the West. The Casino is conducted ter for a large area. With steam heat
in a dignified manner. Stay at the the odor of crisp bacon, wafted on the
smoke of an open fire. and metropolitan type service, "The
Apache — the center of social life Nevada" also includes a popular
m The Idaho State Chamber of Com- bar, a cafe and a drug store.
merce invites you to come to Idaho
Las Vegas, Nevada this year and every year. Ely, Nevada
28 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
 Photograph taken at the ghost town of Ballarat, California, by Lucile. Gaiddin.

RARE PRIVILEGE WE OF THE DESERT

BY ELEANOR SMITH REYNOLDS AdaU Bv MARIAN BRUCE YOST
Roosevelt, Arizona Indio, California
By TENNE SUE LIVINGSTON
Yes, I have seen the desert You've hated this desert for years and for years,
When the sun was going down; Las Vegas, New Mexico Dust in your nose and sand in your ears.
And I've seen it in the mornin' It's either so cold or blazingly hot;
Adobe ruins 'gainst a turquoise sky, It's the place where the devil put God on the
When Ol' Sol began to crown Crumbling walls on a mesa, high.
All the peaks of hills about me Sage-sweet breezes loitering near,
spot! ••• \
With a glory, rich and rare, Harboring ghosts of yesteryear.
That crept down the slopes in beauty—• The gnats are so thick, you never stop waving.
Smokeless chimneys, silent rooms, Strangers all think, quite fresh you're behaving!
Like God's love was spillin' there. Phantom dreams in 'dobe tombs. Mosquito formations descend where they please,
Lizards sunning on empty sills, You swoop into action; they laugh up their
Yes, and I have seen the desert Blue-jays scolding from cedared hills.
When the flowers were abloom; Scouting crows croak day's retreat, sleeves!
And the brilliance of their beauty As shadows move on sooty feet.
Almost proved to be my doom Now everything's packed and you're ready to
To merge the daylight into night, start,
As they stabbed my heart with gladness— And smudge adobe ruins from sight.
Actually hurting with their power From this blighted desert, you're happy to part!
To stir my soul within me: You take one last look at the sky's velvet blue,
Hypnotize me by the hour! Myriad stars . . . strangely closer to you.
DEATH VALLEY HILLS The cool breath of dawn lifts her exquisite
Yes, and night time in the desert By DELLA PARRENT CLARK face,
I have seen and felt. I've thrilled Flushed as a virgin in pageantry lace.
When it seemed as if the angels Glendale, California
You open your eyes now in wonder to see
God's jewel-box had spilled: They stand like heaps of melted rock thrown Things splendid, as they were intended to be.
With the stars so close and shiny high,
'Cause the air is pure and clear With hues of flaming craters winding through, Now everything's packed and you're ready to
I have closed my eyes in slumber Their jagged backbones reach into the sky start,
Thankful to be privileged here. And veil their harshness with a subtle blue. Quite simply you find that you haven't the
heart.
Through twisted canyons cut by plunging You've hated this desert for years and for
MOVING streams years,
The colors weave in desert solitude, But, it's got you, I know, for your eyes fill
By LELA M. WILLHITE with tears.
The artist strives to fix their living gleams
Montebello, California In passive oil, and catch their changeful mood.
We're hightailing for a cooler spot, THE DESERT
Blamed old desert's getting hot, A million years that mystery has stilled
Have etched their passing on the canyon wall, BY PAULINE AMERSON
Nights are plenty cool and sweet,
But daylight hours are filled with heat. And here it seems the Infinite has willed Mesa, Arizona
Man shall not pierce the mist and fathom all.
Here all that's real is earth and rock and sky,
And old sol a beaming down, For these all are things which cannot die.
'S got the grass all seared and brown. This is no strength that bends to human will,
There ain't no fodder for my mule, But silence of the ages, deep and still;
And moisture's dried up from the pool. CREED OF THE DESERT And purple twilight of eternity,
By EVA M. WILSON Which clouds this ancient land of memory,
We're hunting for a shady place, El Centro, California And holds its people close against the blue—-
And any creek which shows a trace A place where mighty nations never grew,
Of where there is a flowing spring; No wonder the desert is scarred and
We're tired of hearing locusts sing. worn I took the clouding purple as my own,
And hot enough to melt! And left the world and found myself alone—
But we keep track, me and the mule, With every mountain there a wall too high
And when we know the desert's cool, Poor old Earth has prickly heat For me to see the girl that once was I.
Then we pack up and hike for home, Where she wears her cactus belt. In new made peace, I knew, but did not care—
A vowing never agin we'll roam. That life had gone away and left me there.

JULY, 1 9 4 1 29;
 Some of the finest American opal has come
from Humboldt county in the northwestern cor-
rluote3cent Opal ner of Nevada. Many of the old claims have
been worked out—but attractive specimens are
still obtained from the dumps around the quarry
pits. Edith and Kenneth McLeod of Klamath
Falls. Oregon, went to this opal field with an Ar-

In vitaln l/alleu gon lamp in quest of fluorescent opal—and here

is the story of what they found.

By EDITH McLEOD

long been extinct. Perhaps at one time

they were geysers. Occasionally one sees
a cone that has eroded enough to expose
the hollow center tube through which the
water flowed.
Two miles beyond the cones is a fine
example of lava dike with its two walls
standing high above the surrounding area.
We could trace this dike for miles, run-
ning north and south across the hills.
Jackrabbits scurried across the high-
way, a kangaroo rat paused for an instant
and then darted away. I dozed and then
awakened as we reached a tiny stream
crossing the road.
This is Fish spring, and here we
camped for the rest of the night. Fish
spring has an identifying characteristic all
its own. In the water you will see tiny
flashes of blue—like the reflection of
light on the shiny bodies of minnows or
trout.
Kenneth McLeod inspects one of the pits where opal is found in the ash strata But it is all a delusion. The blue is
between rhyolite and basalt. labradorite washed down from the cliffs
above.
i / OR many months Kenneth and I station that lemons were no longer taboo. Fish spring is not an ideal camping
/ had talked about a trip to the We did want our lemons back. But our spot—it is merely a place where you can
fluorescent opal fields in Hum- time was limited—and then we thought stop for water, and camp if you like. It is
boldt county, Nevada. how embarrassing it would be if another a small spring and stream on one side of a
Then, one Friday evening in early sum- motorist came along and stopped and great flat valley surrounded in every di-
mer I announced quite unexpectedly asked us what we were looking for in the rection by low rolling hills.
"This is the weekend we are going to Ne- sagebrush. "Oh, we are just looking for There are no trees here, and no flow-
vada for opal." Not to be outdone by my lemons" would be the correct answer—• ers were to be seen when we visited this
brusque ultimatum, my husband promptly but it would sound rather silly. place. In fact there are few trees in this
responded, "Well, what are you waiting From Alturas we took the highway to entire area. But the absence of good camp-
for? Let's go!" And so we began stowing Cedarville where our paved road ended. ing places has its compensation—there are
the camp-kit in the car for departure that It was near midnight and the pass through no tin cans or dirty paper plates cluttering
evening. Warner mountains was beautiful in the the landscape.
Leaving Klamath Falls, Oregon, we light of a full moon. There are antelope on the range here.
went south on the Alturas highway along Our route from Cedarville led east Their numbers are reported to be increas-
the eastern side of the Modoc lava beds. across the dry floor of Middle lake. Col- ing. In former years sage hens were plenti-
Fifty-five miles from home we arrived at lectors who come this way should make ful. But disease wiped them out and one is
the "bug station." In all our travels back the trip in daylight if possible. Not far seldom seen now. Deer are rather plenti-
and forth across the California-Oregon from the California-Nevada state line is ful and there are wildcats and coyotes.
line we have never been caught transport- an interesting group of natural limestone Early the next morning we continued
ing a single bug. But we do wish Califor- cones—left there by ancient springs which along a fair road to Virgin valley where
nia would make up its mind as to what is bubbled from subterranean channels. the most conspicuous landmark is a great
prohibited from entering that fair state. They range from 10 to 40 feet in height, redstone house in the middle of the up-
Sometimes it is lemons, oranges or grape- are light grey in color and shaped like per basin. Just beyond it is a dam across
fruit; at other times potatoes, onions, etc. huge round beehives. the meadows, erected by the C.C.C. boys.
Once we remembered just in time and They are the result of years of slow dep- All this area is now the Charles Sheldon
tossed all our lemons out the car window osition of calcium carbonate by the seep- wildlife refuge under the U. S. biologi-
one by one, only to learn on reaching the ing waters of cold or hot springs that have cal survey. The big redstone house has

30 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

been remodeled and serves as headquar- lower part of this range that the fluores- time eras of geology—as very little soil has
ters for the government custodians. It was cent opal is found. Nine miles brought formed upon the basalt capping.
formerly owned by Tom Dufurrena who us to the Virgin House, a four-roomed, The middle formation, the ash and tuff
named it Thousand Springs ranch on ac- wooden structure where the Arachevaleta beds above the rhyolites and below the
count of the numerous springs in the sur- family lived for a few years. Most of their "mesa basalt," is where occurs the pre-
rounding meadows. time was spent at their ranch in the north- cious opal which has made Virgin valley
The Dufurrenas, the Arachevaletas, the ern part of the valley at the mouth of famous, and here, also, is found fluores-
Miller and Lux cattle company, "Opal Thousand Creek canyon. They had a deer cent opal, as well as common opal and
Shorty" and "Opal Queen" have all park here—a fenced enclosure made of opalized wood. In these same beds Dr.
played leading roles in the history of Vir- willows eight feet high and covering pos- John C. Merriam of Carnegie institution
gin valley. Opal Shorty, according to the sibly two acres. and others have found the fossil bones of
tales that survive him, was a miner and Fortunately the Virgin House is being horse, camel, mastodon and rhinoceros
notorious high-grader—a dwarfish fig- preserved by the biological survey as a and other animals.
ure with great powers of endurance, who historical landmark. In front is a long row It is generally considered that the
thought nothing of walking to Alturas of poplars, and to the west is a barn in greater part of the fire opal is a replace-
100 miles away. which is an old pair of bellows and a stone ment and that the wood is of a drift type
Tom Dufurrena gradually acquired forge, the like of which will probably but some believe that there was a partial
most of the range in this area. Later the never be seen outside of a museum. Here forestation here. It is true that much of the
Sheldon game refuge was established and we camped. opal found here and especially the black
the government purchased the Dufurrena For the geologist this is a country of un- variety seems to be sections of limbs opal-
holdings. ized. However, we do not believe that the
usual interest. In early tertiary times rhyo-
The early Basque settlers here were lite formed the floor of this large area. In fluorescent opal is a replacement of that
highly regarded for their hospitality. The Miocene times a vast layer of volcanic ash kind. Many of the precious opal mines are
government men who have followed them in the eastern part of the valley. Tom Du-
and tuff 1500 feet in thickness was depos-
as custodians of this area are inclined to re- furrena stated that opal is found all over
ited over the rhyolite. It is perhaps partly the area.
gard visitors as trespassers. Maybe they
are right. I do not know what the code of aeolian and partly water-laid and lies un-
conformably on the rhyolite. In still later Two years ago we visited with Mrs.
the biological survey prescribes in the Flora Haines Longhead (pronounced
matter of dealing with the public—but times a flow of volcanic basalt of about an
even thickness of 25 feet covered the ash Lockheed), who is called by many the
after all, these men are drawing their pay
checks from the public purse. beds. This flow is unusual because of its "Opal Queen." She doesn't like this title.
great spread, yet uniform thickness. It is At that time she was established tempo-
We traveled part way across the dam, rarily at the Virgin House while looking
called the "mesa basalt." Where this flow
then turned west and then south past low
barren hills. Some were capped with burnt came from has never been determined. after her claims. She showed us a beauti-
looking rocks. Higher up were stratified The basalt capping was the last deposition ful specimen of black opal—black with
cliffs and beyond these is a basalt-covered antedating the cycle of erosion which ex- brilliant flashes of red, blue and green
mesa. To our left was a long valley cavated Virgin valley and Thousand fire, the first black opal that I had ever
through which runs Virgin creek, and be- Creek valley and seems to be of fairly re- seen. It is a magnificent gem. Mrs. Long-
yond it Thousand Creek range. It is in the cent date—recent as eons go in the vast head is in her seventies, a charming and

JULY, 1941 31
 the Virgin House, which saves nearly 20
miles. We had been told by friends this
road was very rough, in fact impassable.
They tried it and had to turn back. But
they have a modern car with low clearance
and we have an old Ford coupe for desert
travel. We decided to go that way—and
had no trouble. Collectors who are not
familiar with the country had better stick
to the main road, however.
Just why this pale yellowish-green opal
fluoresces and the white and tan opal sur-
rounding it does not is a question that no
one has as yet answered. Some believe
that perhaps the fluorescence is caused
by an impurity—but what? On some of
our pieces are tiny whitish specks, in what
were evidently seams or cracks. These
fluoresce very vividly. They look like and
show the fluorescent color of willemite (a
zinc ore). Our analysis of the fluorescent
opal shows a trace of zinc. Could it be that
the zinc causes the fluorescence? Someday
I hope that I shall find a piece of opal con-
taining enough of these specks so that I
may analyze them chemically for zinc. At
present it is only a guess and doubtless a
wild one.
• • •
The tvhite hill in the center of the picture is where the fluorescent opal was found.
Photograph taken from the Virgin House. ANOTHER COLORADO RIVER
DAM PLANNED FOR POWER
cultured woman, active and thoroughly Gloves are advisable. Collectors having no Money will be available July 1, Wash-
interesting. fluorescent lamp should pick out the ington reports say, to start work on $42,-
We intended to do our collecting by greenish, glassy material as practically all 000,000 Bullshead dam on the Colorado
the light of a portable Argon lamp. At of that fluoresces, though some more than river 67 miles below Boulder's great
dusk we crossed the meadow, heading for others. After mining out a small pile of storehouse of power and water.
material, the gas lantern would be re-
a little canyon at the south end of the hill. The Bullshead project must be built
A faint trail led upward in the loose moved and the fluorescent material sorted in double-quick time, Harold L. Ickes,
gravel. Near the top we came to a pit. out with the aid of the Argon lamp. This secretary of the interior, told congress in
Variegated brown and black opal are here. we carefully packed in Kenneth's knap- a warning that otherwise southern Cali-
There was much laying out loose and we sack and started down hill, leaving our fornia faces a serious power shortage and
tools for morning. Sliding, rather than
sorted it over, picking out the solid pieces the national defense program will be
that showed pretty markings. One merit walking, we descended and successfully slowed.
of this quarried material is that it has negotiated all the hazards such as a Ten years ago it was estimated the out-
checked all it is going to check. By pick- barbed-wire fence, a pot-hole in the mead- put of electricity at Boulder dam's pres-
ing and choosing one can get fairly solid ow, a ditch, and Virgin creek. Kenneth ent rate would cover normal load demands
chunks. All Virgin valley opal checks and remarked how much easier it was working of California's southland until 1980. But
there seems to be no certain way to avoid at night than in the heat of the day. growing population needs and the na-
it. To the north is another pit, and to the In the morning we returned to the tional emergency have changed the pic-
east around the hill a short way are three mines, if such small excavations can be ture. About 150 miles downstream from
or four more. We selected the third one as called mines. There is not enough of this Boulder, the power plant at Parker dam
the opal there seemed to fluoresce best fluorescent opal to collect in commercial is nearing completion, will add 120,000
and the seams were the widest. This quantities, but there will be no objection kilowatts to the Boulder production, but
greenish, fluorescent opal occurs along to collecting small amounts for your own even with this there is not enough to meet
with white and tan translucent and semi- cabinets and to exchange with friends. requirements.
translucent, non-fluorescent opal, in a Most of the mines have reverted to the
snow white matrix of chalky looking tuff Power shortages in California, Nevada
government through lack of assessment and Arizona, now placed by the federal
that is tough and slow work to remove, work, but a few of the precious opal mines
even with a sharp pointed pick. The non- power commission at more than 100,000
are still privately owned. These, naturally, kilowatts, will rise to more than half a mil-
fluorescent opal was much too pretty to will be posted.
pass up and we took a bit of that. On the lion kilowatts in the next six years, it is
dumps, with the aid of the Argon lamp, We wrapped each piece of opal in predicted.
we found excellent specimens of a smaller newspaper and stowed it in a box well Bullshead power plant will have a ca-
forward in the car. We already had a con-
size but with a very brilliant fluorescence. pacity of 225,000 kilowatts. This is about
We wonder if exposure to sunlight may siderable load of flat stones which we one-third the size of Boulder's installed
have caused this more brilliant fluores- gather each trip to pave an outdoor liv- capacity. Three more huge generators are
cence. ing room in our back yard, as well as odds being added to the Boulder powerhouse,
and ends of peculiar rocks and "pretty work crews rushing installation. Pouring
To mine the opal we used a geologist's stones" that a rockhound can always see. out a million kilowatts when this addition
hammer and a chisel. Opal shatters easily, We pondered the advisability of return- is completed, Boulder will then "just
and one must watch out for cut fingers. ing by Fish spring by a shortcut west of barely meet the demands on its output."

32 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

H€R6 TH €R€ PREPARE RIGHT
for your

. . an the HIKE
HIKING SHOES
SLEEPING BAGS
KNAPSACKS
ARIZONA Tucson . . .
CAMP STOVES
Ventana cave, 110 miles west of Tucson,
Yuma . . . was continuously occupied by humans from CLOTHING, Etc.
Prospector John Flees for almost a genera- 5000 B. C. to 400 A. D., and has been used
tion roamed the hills south of Salome in the
Little Harquahalas until he was as much a
part of the district as old Lone mountain
in later years from time to time by various
Indian tribes. Evidence uncovered by Dr.
Emil Haury, head of Arizona university an-
V AN SKI and HIKE HUT
DEGRIFT'Q
607 W. 7th Street — Los Angeles
O
where his isolated cabin stood. In March thropology department indicates the cave is Open Friday Nights to 9 P. M.
John's body was found in the ashes of his one of the oldest inhabited places on the
lonely home. Some suspected the old pros- continent, Dr. Haury reports. Discoveries
pector—he was 82—had been murdered, his there give the chronological history of human
cabin burned to destroy evidence of the kill-
ing. But there was no proof of foul play.
life in the Southwest for the past 7,000 years.
Stone-age implements more than 7,000 years
OVER
After the funeral service, J. E. Matteson,
postmaster at Salome, drove to Yuma to con-
old were unearthed, nine well-preserved
mummies of the Hohokam people of the pe-
LOS ANGELES
sult an attorney about the death. It was found riod 1000-1400 A. D. were found. The cave
that old John was neither "relief client" nor is 150 feet long, 50 feet high in front, slop-
pensioner. As to his estate, nothing was ing to a 5-foot ceiling in the back. A flow-
known. Matteson was appointed administra- ing spring is in one corner. Papago Indians
tor, three other good men named as apprais- today use the place for religious ceremonials
ers and these four started an inquiry into and to store harvested saguaro fruit. Cotton
John's life. In a Phoenix bank the searchers cloth, fish nets, fur blankets, belts and san-
found a safety deposit box in John's name. dals were among articles found with the
The box gave up $21,000 in United States mummies.
government bonds. At Prescott, they found
another safety deposit box, containing $2,000
in government bonds, $1,000 in cash—and
Tuba City . . . See Los A n g e l e s from the air in a safe,
a will in Flees' handwriting, dated Decem- Mormons and Indians joined in dedication
h e l i u m . i n f l a t e d a i r s h i p ! C h a r t e r Rates
ber 14, 1936. The will listed five small be- here in May of a monument honoring the
quests, four of $200 each, one of $500, and memory of Chief Tuve of the Hopi tribe. o n request. For reservations and tickets
then old John had written that the remain- George A. Smith, Salt Lake City, member of
der of his estate should go, one-half to Yuma the council of Twelve Apostles and presi- t e l e p h o n e L A f a y e t t e 2 ( 5 3 or w r i t e . . .

county hospital, one-half to Yavapai county dent of the Utah Pioneer Trails and Land-
hospital. mark association, offered the dedicatory GOODYEAR AIRSHIP OPERATIONS
prayer. The monument of red native sand- Box 3339 Terminal Annex, L. A.
stone studded with turquoise, is a token of
Phoenix . . . Mormon appreciation for the chief who dur-
All Arizona gave thanks for record rains ing the mid-eighteenth century protected the
last winter and spring. Now some Arizonans pioneers in northern Arizona from the hos-
find the rainfall is not an unmixed blessing. tile Apache and Navajo. Tuve and his wife
Says the Arizona Farmer: Consider the were converted to the Mormon faith, visited
Brigham Young in Salt Lake City and
sheepmen. Their sheep are fat, but fleeces
are light. Rains washed out the grease and
dirt. Buyers pay no more for naturally
worked in the Mormon temple at St. George,
Utah. Butane Gas Fuel
scoured wool than for wool full of tallow,
ticks, petrified wood and sandstone. Desper- BULK DELIVERIES FOR
ate cowboys are forced to descend to the so-
Yuma . . .
cial level of dairy workers. Range cows, well- Dr. Lawrence M. Huey, curator of birds INDUSTRIAL INSTALLATIONS
fed, produce more milk than their calves can and mammals and Dr. Charles F. Harbison,
take. Waddies are sent to ride hill and mesa, curator of insects, are camping in the Kofa DOMESTIC USES
looking for cows with over-distended udders, mountain area north of here, seeking rare
punchers ordered to "milk 'em out." This, mammals, reptiles, insects and plants for the TRUCK CONVERSIONS
according to the Farmer, is too much for self- San Diego museum of natural history. In
the heart of the huge federal refuge for big- ALSO
respecting buckaroos to endure—that an Ari-
zona cowboy should milk a cow. horn sheep, the two scientists hope to find

Flagstaff . . .
specimens not now represented in the muse-
um. The Kofa mountains are arid, without Kohler Electric Plants
any springs of known location, its only water
When trout in Lake Mary became so thin in natural "tanks" in an almost inaccessible FOR HOME OR COMMERCIAL USE
they were not good eating, Flagstaff sports- rugged region.
men scattered a ton of wheat in the water.
Before thus feeding the fish, six trout were C. C. B E L L
taken and weighed. At the end of a month, Tucson . . .
six sample fish will be caught and weighed, Germ destroyers of the giant cactus in 406-8 South "E" Street
to test the experiment. There is little natural southern Arizona have been discovered, SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA
food in the water for the fish. Game associa- along with at least one insect carrier of the
tion officials estimated the ton of wheat scourge killing the great saguaro. Dr. J. G.
should feed 500,000 fish for a month. Brown, plant pathologist of Arizona univer-
sity, makes the announcement. The germ has
Tucson . . . been found on the surface and inside of mag-
gots hatched from eggs of a desert fly which . BETTER DEALERS FEATURE .
Vegetable "whale oil" is a product of the lays them on the surface of the saguaro. The
desert. Chemists report the seed of the goat- maggots enter the cactus through an injured
nut, found in Arizona, the lower part of Cali- spot and feed on the tissues, the bacteria
fornia and Sonora, yields an oil similar to they carry multiply rapidly and the cactus
that obtained from the sea mammal. Indian rots, in time the decayed area "bleeds" and
tribes for centuries have relished the nut, the weakened cactus eventually falls. The
known also as the wild hazel-nut, the sheep- trouble has caused great damage in organ
nut and by the Mexicans as jojoba (ho-ho- pipe national monument and in scattered
FLEXIBLE STEEL
ba). The shrub is a distant relative of box- areas between Yuma, Globe, and the Mexi- VENETIAN BLIND
wood. can border.

JULY, 1941 33
Holbrook . . . Window Rock . . . CALIFORNIA
When members of the house appropria- When six Navajo Indians went to Wash- Brawley . . .
tions committee at Washington urged the ington to tell the President not to cut down With his airplane seed sower Mai Carber-
Indian bureau to prevent sale of imitation In- their sheep herds, the delegation refused to ry, Brawley pilot, planted rice on 1000 acres
dian products labeled as genuine, John Col- be sidetracked at the department of the inte- of land near Imperial. Commercial rice plant-
lier, Indian affairs commissioner, said it rior. John Collier, Indian affairs commis- ing in Imperial valley follows several years
couldn't be done. Collier said the govern- sioner, offered to produce Secretary Ickes, of experiment. It is announced 4500 acres
ment stamped Indian-made silver of high vice-president Wallace, Mrs. Roosevelt. But will be planted this year, on ranches near
grade as a guarantee of its quality but only the Navajos shook their heads. "Two things Imperial, Seeley, Mesquite Lake and Braw-
about 25 per cent of "genuine" Indian- style we want," said their leader Johnny Chief. ley. A rice mill at Imperial will cost about
silver jewelry and trinkets is actually pro- "To see the White Father and tell him not to $60,000.
duced on the reservations or wholly Indian- cut down our sheep herds any more or we
made. die, and to give him this blanket." When the Indio . . .
interior officials replied that the President Bids have been placed for a government
Ajo . . . "is very tired and worried," Johnny Chief sea-plane base on Salton sea in the Southern
Henry Ashurst, 28 years senator from Ari- answered, "I too am tired and worried." California desert, according to information
zona, defeated last fall, has been appointed Johnny led his little band then to the White here. Location is on the north shore of the 40-
to the board of immigration appeals in the House, there found the President had gone mile long body of water at the head of Im-
department of justice. His new job pays for an automobile ride. "We come tomor- perial Valley. Imperial Irrigation district
$5600. row," the Navajo announced. gave a lease to the United States coast guard
several months ago, covering the right to use
the sea for service planes.

Holtville . . .

Savings forEvery Power User

Weighing 2 5 % pounds, the biggest sugar
beet ever dug in this part of California, was
turned up at the J. R. Snyder farm near here.
Granted the average beet content of 15%
sugar, the specimen would yield about four
pounds of sugar.

Calipatria . . .
One hundred and fifty full-grown pheas-
ants were received at the state game refuge
sj VERY resident of the Imperial .Valley south of here in May to be released in vari-
f whether or not his home or shop is con- ous parts of Imperial valley by deputy game
warden Lee Rossier.
nected with the Imperial Irrigation district
lines, is reaping a direct profit from the service Tehachapi . . .
Shoshone Indians from the Warm springs
of this cooperatively-owned electrical system. district in the southern end of Death Valley
are appealing to the white man's court to oust
three women who have made mining loca-
The reason for this is obvious, if you will com- tions on land the Indians say has been their
home for more than three generations. Rob-
pare the electrical rates charged in Imperial ert Thompson, 68 year old Shoshone, here
Valley before the installation of this publicly- on his way to federal court at Fresno, says
he was born at Warm springs, his family for
owned power plant, with the rates in effect to- many generations has cultivated the two or
day. three acres of arable land there, raising
squash, melons and beans.

Who Gets the Profit? El Centro . . .

Imperial valley's 1941 flax crop is worth
$3,000,000, L. G. Goar, superintendent of
Remember this, that both the Imperial Irriga- the state experiment farm at Meloland, esti-
mated during the harvest started in May.
tion district and the private company operating
in this area, are in business for profit. But in the
one case the excess earnings revert to the bene- NEVADA
fit of private stockholders, while the profits from Boulder City . . .
Heavy spring floods pouring down the
Imperial Irrigation district power distribution Colorado river were expected to fill Lake
become an asset of the entire Imperial Valley. Mead to capacity and the overflow was ex-
pected to put Boulder dam spillways into use
during June. Water storage behind the dam
reached a new peak late in May with the lake
The more meters there are on the District lines holding more than 26,000,000 acre feet. Es-
the greater will be the benefits accruing to own- timated capacity is 32,359,274 acre feet.
ers and taxpayers in this area. Carson City . . .
Nevada's new driver's license law goes
into effect July 1. All licenses heretofore is-
sued by counties or municipalities are nulli-
fied and every driver of a truck, bus, private
or commercial passenger car, must get a new

Imperial Irrigation Distri license under regulations set up by the state

department of highways.

Battle Mountain . . .
Seagulls saved the crops of Mormon farm-
ers from cricket invaders years ago, but Ne-
vada isn't putting its trust in birds this year.
Use Your Own Power-Moke it Pdy for the All American Canal Three airplanes are being used to spread in-
secticides in the Elko region in a six weeks'
war waged now on crickets.

34 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Reno . . . Austin . . . Las Vegas . . .
If you think of Nevada as an arid state, a Leroy Casady of Austin has been appoint- Moapa valley, 60 miles north of here,
desert region, consider this: It ranks 16th ed a member of the state fish and game com- shipped a daily average of 2,000,000 tomato
among states of the union in square miles of mission, representing the third district, Lan- plants this spring, until the total aggregated
inland water area. Bureau of the census re- der, Eureka, Nye and Pershing counties. 32,000,000. By mail, express and truck, the
ports Nevada's inland water area is 838 Other commissioners are Fay Baker of Reno, plants went to growers for transplanting in
square miles, with 33 other states, including Andy Barr of Ely, William A. Powell of regions where long winters prevent early
the District of Columbia, "drier" in this Fallon and E. J. Phillips of Minden. plant starting.
classification. The survey covers inland water
bodies of 40 acres or more.

Winnemucccc . . .
Cattle baron John G. Taylor survived
through times good and bad until he suc-
cumbed to a heart attack May 26 at the age
of 87. He died at his ranch home 50 miles
east of here, the center of Taylor's one-time
empire of three quarters of a million acres
owned and leased, on which ranged 75,000
sheep and 10,000 head of cattle.

McDermitt . . .
Before 50 registered Hereford bulls on the
Lucky Seven ranch were turned out to sum-
mer rangelands the animals were shod. Bulls
have a split hoof. Two half-moon shoes
were placed on each hoof. The shoes kept the
bulls from getting footsore in the rough and
rocky country of the Owyhee desert's an-
telope district. When they are brought back
to pasture in the fall, the iron shoes will be Enjoy the comfort of cool, clean, fil-
taken off. tered air—in your home, office or store.
Guard against h a y fever and asthma by
Fallon . . . living in air free from dust and pollen.
Between October 31, when Nevada was Sleep soundly and waken refreshed. End
admitted to the union, and March 1, 1867, that miserable, scorched, hot-weather
date Nebraska became a state, United States
flags carried 36 stars. Harold Bellinger owns feeling. This summer you can Beat the
the only 36-star flag in Nevada, made in that Heat—enjoy vacation comfort in your own
period, so far as is known here. The flag is home—with a proven
15 feet wide and 25 feet long. It usually is
displayed at Admission day celebrations in
Carson City.
UTILITV air KOOLER
NO OTHER COOLER COMBINES ALL
UTAH THESE IMPORTANT FEATURES
Moab . . .
Fed by melting snows swelling countless • Greater Cooling Capacity
streams in western Colorado and eastern
Utah, the Colorado river is higher in this • Patented "No-Sag" Pads
vicinity than in 15 years. Entire lower part
of Moab valley was under water late in • Uni-flowmeter for even water
May, covered by a lake three miles long and distribution to pads
two miles wide. The river road between
Moab and Castle valley was inundated. • Dynamically balanced blower
for smooth, quiet operation
Zion Park . . . and long life
Mounting tide of tourist travel is reflected
in figures for April attendance at Zion Park, • Low operating cost
where 8,882 persons were checked during the
month, a gain of 2,418 over April, 1940. • Streamline Pad Grilles
Visitors came from every state in the union,
Alaska, the District of Columbia, the Canal • Full year's guarantee
Zone, Hawaii and 14 foreign nations.
SEE THE 15 MODELS OF UTILITY AIR
St. George . . .
KOOLERS AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER
Citizens here voted 952 to 287 in favor of OR WRITE . . . .
building a municipal power plant when an
election brought to a close a bitter campaign.
Southern Utah power company's 25-year UTILITY fun CORPORRTIOII
franchise will expire October 1, 1941. The
city plan calls for a $330,000 bond issue, to 4851 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, Calif.
construct a power plant utilizing diesel and
hydro-electric generating units.

Greenriver • . .
This community is making a bid as site
for a new pig iron and small arms plant to be
IMPERIAL HARDWARE CO.
located somewhere in Utah by the federal Visit a n y of o u r stores for a UTILITY COOLER —
government. It is hoped to win approval of
a proposed location on the east side of the INDIO BRAWLEY EL CENTRO CALEXICO
Green river in Grand county. Governor Maw CALIPATRIA IMPERIAL HOLTVILLE YUMA and SOMERTON. ARIZ.
and the state's congressional delegation have We Ship to any point in the U. 5.
been asked to present Greenriver's claims.

JULY, 1941 35
 NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Tularosa . . .

Hotels, Courts and Old-timers of the southwestern ranges,

who knew Eugene Manlove Rhodes when
that widely known writer of rangeland tales
was a young cowhand, paid their tribute to
Rhodes' memory in two dedication cere-

Guest Resorts monies recently. At Rancho Perdido the re-

constructed choza;—rude hut—of Florencio
Telles became a museum memorial to
Rhodes. It was at the Telles choza on the
"Lost Ranch" that a fleeing bank robber, in
GALLUP SANTA FE one of Rhodes' books, invited capture by pur-
HOTEL EL RANCHO—Famous tourist ren- THE BISHOP'S LODGE—New Mexico's fin- suing possemen when the fugitive stopped to
dezvous with the charm oi yesterday and est Ranch Resort in the foothills near minister to a dying Spanish family. On May
the convenience of tomorrow. Spacious Santa Fe. Splendid accommodations, ex- 19 a new dormitory, Rhodes Hall, was dedi-
interesting lobby — Galleria of South- cellent cuisine; with riding; all outdoor cated at New Mexico state college. Rhodes is
western Art—Sun Deck and Solarium— sports. American Plan. Booklet. buried high in the San Andreas mountain
Tea Terrace—Patio—All modern accom- • • • country, a bronze plate on a great boulder
modations. Main building $3.50 double, HACIENDA DE LOS CERROS—Every mod- inscribed: "Gene Rhodes Paso por aqui."
up—Bunk House $2.50 double. Connect- ern comfort in old Spanish estate two
ing bath. miles from center of Santa Fe. Excellent Las Vegas . . .
• • • meals. Fine saddle horses. Lincoln mo- From the employment office here 350
LAS CRUCES tors. References exchanged. sheepherders have been placed this year in
BROADWAY COURT — A luxurious tour- • • • jobs, tending the woolies. in Wyoming, Colo-
ist's home. Tile baths. Locked garages. THE SANTA FE INN—A hotel of distinction.
35 rooms, each with bath; $8.00 upwards,
rado, Kansas and New Mexico.
single group of 120 men went on chartered
Largest
Air-cooled. Steam heat. Clean, large American Plan. Cocktail lounge. Tennis busses to Wyoming. Pay is highest in Wy-
rooms. Rates $1.50 up. courts. Riding stables. Season opens oming, $45 to $60 » month plus board. Colo-
• • • May 15th. rado ranchers pay $30 to $40 and New Mexi-
TAOS • • • cans $25 to $30 a month.
SAGEBRUSH INN — Outstanding in Taos; HOTEL DE VARGAS—Your Santa Fe home
Frank and Helen Kentnor, management. while you see the Indian country. A Belen . . .
All rooms with bath from $3.50 for two. friendly welcome awaits the Santa Fe In 1877 Frederick Scholle, German immi-
Noted for fine food. Listed in both Dun- visitor who chooses this completely mod- grant lad, drove a freighter's wagon from K";'
can Hines' books. ern hotel. Right in the center of every- Carson, Kansas, to Albuquerque, to pay for
thing there is to see and do, you will en- his transportation across the plains. At Belen
• • • joy your stay in Santa Fe when you he and his uncle Franz Huning set up a gen-
WHITE CITY stay at the De Vargas. Rates, $1.50 up. eral store, and in Belen storekeeper Scholle
CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK— o • • lived 64 years, prospered and acquired many
is at White City, New Mexico. Accommo- LA POSADA INN and APARTMENTS — in cattle, real estate and other property. He died
dations for 600 guests. Cafe, Bar, Drug old Santa Fe. Located two blocks from in May, 89 years old.
Store, Curios. Rates $1.00 up. the Plaza, center of all Santa Fe activity,
• • • La Posada offers the widest variety of
entertainment, swimming, tennis, riding, Taos . . .
ALBUQUERQUE sports. Home of the famous Cactus Tea Felipe Sisneros, 63 years old, rancher of
LIBERTY CAFE—"Finest restaurant on U. Room. Just the place to rest or play. Every Santa Rosa, found a mountain lion scatter-
S. Highway 66." Tourists, come as you modern comfort and moderate rates. ing his herd of sheep. The lion had a sheep
are. Steak, Chicken or Mountain trout HACIENDA AUTO COURT — Stop Once, down when Sisneros ran up, and turned on
complete dinners 50c. Ask us about scen- l the man. Sisneros caught the lion's jaws in
ic attractions near Albuquerque. 105 W. and you'll Come Again. In city limits, k his strong grip, killed the beast with a pocket
Central. mile beyond Indian school. Modern in knife. In the struggle the rancher's hands
every way—Operated by the Scotts. were badly lacerated. He came to Taos for
• • • • • • medical attention.
DE ANZA MOTOR LODGE—Designed to
please the discriminating guest. Offering CARLSBAD
the motorist Albuquerque's finest over- Gallup . . .
night accommodations. Recommended THE CRAWFORD HOTEL Doctors Alexander and Dorothea Leighton
took a poll of the problems of a cross-section
by Duncan Hines. Largest and finest hotel in the Pecos val-
ley. Modern, Fireproof, Unexcelled in of Indians on the Navajo reservation. No. 1
service. Guest rooms and public spaces. worry of the redman is sickness and death,
their report says. How to get a living and so-
Mechanically air conditioned, Rates $1.50 cial security are Navajo worries Nos. 2 and
to $2.50 single.—Free Parking. Come as 3. The doctors later told the American Psy-
you are. Follow the signs! chiatric association these results of their res-
• • • ervation studies.
BEAUTY REST COURTS—Accommodations
for 100 guests. Air-cooled. Tiled showers Santa Fe . . .
and baths. Beautyrest mattresses. Kit- Western public land states will unite to
chenettes. Single and multiple room oppose "excessive future purchases by the
apts. On U. S. Highway 62-285. Close in. federal government." This statement comes
• • • from H. R. Rodges, state land commissioner,
ROSWELL returning from an interstate conference in
Salt Lake City. Moreover, the states affected
NICKSON HOTEL.—Roswell's finest hotel, will seek "adequate compensation" for loss
logical stop-over to and from the Carls- of taxes chargeable to government land pur-
bad Caverns. 125 comfortable outside chases, Rodges says.
rooms; neatly furnished; air-cooled. Rates
$1.50 up. Coffee shop in hotel recom-
mended by Duncan Hines in "Adventures Gallup . . .
in Good Eating." Free parking. Says the Gallup Independent:
• • • A Gallup bank has an Indian client who
the ALBUQUERQUE always signs his checks with two crosses.
DEMING This customer surprised the teller the other
You can't go wrong if you select the PARK
HILTON HOTEL—for your overnight stop. High-
way travelers enjoy every minute of
their stay at this hospitable hotel and so
day with a check marked with three crosses.
"How's this?" the teller asked. "You've put
three crosses on this check." "Well my wife
is getting ambitious. She say I must have a
New Mexico's Newest and Finest
will you. middle name," the Indian answered.

36 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Min&i and
Ship shortage slows United States effort Grants, New Mexico . . .
to accumulate stock piles of strategic mate- Barnsdall-Tripoli pumice operations here
rials. After one year of the defense program, have been taken over by Whittaker, Clark
supplies of some critical items are thus list- and Daniels, New York mineral and chemi-
ed: chromite, ore used in making chromium cal firm, and extensive development is
for steel, enough to last a year at present planned, according to announcement here.
rate; copper, large order placed with Chile, Joe Ebert of Grants has been appointed
delivery of first 100,000 tons being complet- manager of mine and mill.
ed; graphite, sufficient for nearly a year; • • •
manganese, sufficient for 16 months; mer-
cury, domestic output at record heights, sup- Valmy, Nevada . . .
ply enough for more than six months; mica Manganese deposits from Western Alloys,
sufficient for more than a year; nickel, sup- Inc. property here are being tested by the
ply low; tin, enough for more than a year; federal bureau of mines. The company is
tungsten, supply low; zinc supply low. Do- shipping from its recently completed 50-ton
mestic production in tungsten and zinc is concentrator to the government stock pile
expanding. at Ogden, Utah. Contract calls for delivery
of 2500 tons of not less than 48 per cent
manganese content. Here are 3 things all
Winnemucca, Nevada . . .
Humboldt county's Getchell mine, Neva-
da's largest gold producer, is installing a sec-
• •
Phoenix, Arizona . . .
•
Visitors to Arizona\
ond large kiln for roasting ores. Announce-
ment says the big unit, constructed at Allen-
Arizona's department of mineral resources
has undertaken a detailed survey of produc-
Should S e e . . .
town, Pa., is seven and one-half feet in di- ing and non-producing copper mines in the
ameter and 260 feet long. Mill production state to determine possibilities of increased PAINTED DESERT . ..
will be boosted beyond 1200 tons per day. production if copper prices were to advance. This strange region is covered with
• • • Charles F. Willis, chairrnan of the Arizona hills, knolls, rocks, and sand for-
Salt Lake City, Utah . . . department, says the survey is important not mations of many brilliant colors of
"The Mining Industry of Utah" is the title
alone from the standpoint of what it may red, blue, pink, vermilion, buff and
of a 64-page booklet issued by the Salt Lake
mean in increased Arizona copper produc- almost every conceivable color.
City chamber of commerce. Mining, milling,
tion but also from the point of view of na- The sand from the Painted Desert is
refining processes are described; operations
tional defense. On May 31, the office of pro- used by the Indians in some of their
of mining companies in the state are re-
duction management at Washington placed ceremonial sand paintings. This
viewed ; non-metallic resources are listed as
copper under a system of mandatory industry- trip is but a short ride from Hol-
opportunities for development. Geology of
wide control. The action was made neces- brook.
sary by "shortage of copper which is expect-
the state is described and there is an article ed to become worse during 1941," said de- SNAKE DANCES . . .
on mining in general.
; fense director E. R. Stettinius. This year, an odd numbered year,
• • •
the Walpi and Mishongnovi will
Hawthorne, Nevada . . . hold their snake dances. Performed
High-grade ore in the Lucky Boy mine Phoenix, Arizona . . . in the five Hopi pueblos, they are
near here has been reached with a raise from Skyrocketing demands for aluminum never held in more than one village
the main opening tunnel, according to Urpo which threaten a shortage of the metal for at a time. A note to the Chamber of
Kyoto of Duluth, Minn., president of the airplane production have launched the Commerce will bring you the dates
controlling company. The ore was first found government on a long range program for of the dances.
in a cross-cut from the 950-foot level of the production from submarginal reserves in the
Hubbard shaft, running several hundred dol- west, writes Jackson Hoagland of the Min- PETRIFIED FOREST
lars a ton. At 130 feet after starting a raise ing Journal. It is proposed to build an alum- NATIONAL MONUMENT
from the tunnel level, the ledge was tapped inum plant at Boulder dam to make alum-
again, first shipment netting $152 a ton. inum by electrolytic methods. Aluminum Only twenty miles from Holbrook is
reserves in the west consist of leucite and this great national monument
• • • where millions of years ago huge
alunite deposits in Utah, Colorado, Wy-
Fallon, Nevada . . . oming, Nevada and Arizona, with alumina trees grew in a low, marshy,
Hundreds of claims have been staked dur- content running around 35 per cent. Deposits swampy valley. Today we evidence
ing recent months in a 20-mile belt in this near Boulder dam have been investigated. In the immutable work of Time, a dry,
district by night prospectors who hunt for Arizona there is an alunite deposit about five sandy region with petrified logs,
scheelite with fluorescent lamps. Tungsten, a miles west of Quartzsite at Sugarloaf butte multi-colored and multi-shaped, ly-
strategic war mineral, is obtained from this and there are also deposits near Patagonia. ing silent and ageless in the sun
ore. The nation's largest tungsten producer, • • • and under the mysterious stars of
Nevada-Massachusetts company, at Mill City, the Arizona night.
is near the north end of the mineralized re- San Francisco, California . . .
gion, which includes Pershing, Churchill James W . Wade and P. R. Bradley will 9 Every comfort and convenience will
and northern Mineral counties. serve as general chairman of the program be yours if you make your home in
• • • committee and general chairman of the ar-
rangements committee for the eighth annual H B R K
Washington, D. C. . . . metal mining convention and exposition to
President Roosevelt has signed legislation be held in San Francisco September 29 to
aimed at cutting down mine fatalities. There October 2. Wade is general manager of the
were 1400 deaths in mines in 1940. The new Tintic Standard mining company. Bradley is
law requires one annual inspection by the president of Alaska Juneau.
federal bureau of mines and permits addi- • • •
tional inspections in the bureau's discretion.
• • • Austin, Nevada . . .
Property of the Austin silver mining
Beatty, Nevada . . . company, once America's foremost silver pro-
Machinery will be turned over in August ducer, will go on the auction block at a public
for the first time at the plant of the Carrara sale June 21. Ground and equipment were
Portland cement company, 10 miles south of bid in by Lander county at a delinquent tax
here. The company will make white cement sale several years ago. The property includes
from large deposits of marble. Daily produc- many claims, buildings, machinery and
tion of 80 tons is expected. equipment.

JULY, 1941 37
F l Iff A D D A Winner of the May Landmark contest announced by brave Lujan, who went with soldiers from
E.L I f l v l f l l V Desert Magazine was Cristel Hastings of Mill Valley, Santa Fe to Hawiku where, on February
California. This contestant identified the accompanying 22nd, 1632, Father Letrado had been
picture as El Morro, or Inscription rock in western New Mexico. There were scalped by Zuni Indians.
scores of entries in the May contest, all of them of such merit that the judges In 1680 El Morro witnessed a bloody
found it very difficult to select the winner. The prize-winning 500-word manu- war between the Spaniards and Pueblo In-
script is presented on this page. dians. Subduing the Pueblos, General
Don Diego de Vargas brought colonists
and proceeded to settle here.
The first Americans came to El Morro
in 1849. R. H. Kern, an artist, and Lieu-
tenant J. H. Simpson, recognizing the his-
torical importance of the countless in-
scriptions, added their own before depart-
ing with a more or less complete record
of translations they had made.
Hundreds of crude Indian glyphs and
half-obliterated pictographs ornament the
face of El Morro. These pre-date those of
the Spaniards, as Onate's legend was
carved over an Indian pictograph!
Both sides of El Morro carry Indian
glyphs, the best of these being on the
south side. Many of them so high they
must be reached by ladders remain un-
translated even today. Their lofty position
indicates that Indians must have lived
on the high, almost inaccessible mesa.
Remnants of ancient trails lead up to
crumbling ruins of crude terraced pueblos
and broken village walls four to six feet
high.
By CRISTEL HASTINGS El Morro national monument was cre-
ated December 8, 1906. It contained 160

r HE great Rock of El Morro,

known also as Inscription Rock,
pictured in Desert Magazine's
landmark contest in May, looms skyward
multi-colored sandstone 300 feet high, El
Morro stands in the middle of a valley of
lava. Its smooth sides bear numberless in-
scriptions and autographs, ancient and
strange, many of them beyond decipher-
acres. In June, 1917, 80 acres of historical-
ly important ruins were added, making a
total of 240 acres, all rich in archaeologi-
cal lure and in primitive but authentic pre-
American history!
in Valencia county, west central New Robert R. Budlong is custodian here for
Mexico. It is west of Albuquerque, south ing. Autographs of five early Spanish gov- the U. S. park service, and camping facili-
of Gallup about 65 miles, and easily ernors of New Mexico are among them. ties are available for motorists.
reached via U. S. Highway 66 to Gallup, Padres wrote their names on El Morro's
thence south over State Highway 32. It broad flank, as did the first white sol-
may also be reached over State Highway diers who came that way.
53 from Grants. The south side of El Morro contains a The Grandest Trip in the West is a
A turreted castle of solid rock and great cove which, in early days, seems to Voyage through Glen Canyon on the
have served as a fortress for padres and COLORADO RIVER
soldiers in warding off attacks by hostile 200 miles of the finest scenery outdoors.
Indians. There is a pool of good water in See Rainbow Arch, Gregory Bridge,
the cove. Crossing of the Fathers, Hole-in-the-
DESERT QUIZ ANSWERS Rock and other historic spots. Explore
Questions on page 22. Returning from a hazardous journey to for cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and
1—Newton Drury the head of the Gulf of California in 1605- early Spanish inscriptions. No bad
2—Hohokam. rapids. Personally conducted, every-
1606, Don Juan de Onate, founder of the thing furnished. Two weeks on the river,
3—Rio del None. starting about Sept. 15. For details
4—Flower. city of Santa Fe, inscribed a crude record
of his travels on the sandstone walls of El write . . .
5—San Francisco peaks.
6—Lost mines of the Southwest. Morro. His is the first known Spanish in- CHARLES KELLY
7—Coolidge. 1349 Fifth East ...Salt Lake City. Utah
8—California. scription on the huge monolith. Early
9—New Mexico. Spanish missionaries and governors fol-
10—Mormon battalion. lowed suit and over half a hundred Span-
11—Apaches.
12—Copper. ish legends are carved and scratched on
13—Grand Canyon.
14—Yellow.
the wide face of El Morro, the last one
dated 1774.
TOMBSTONE
15—Hopi. Visit Arizona's most unique tourist town,
16—Southern Arizona. After Onate's inscription came that of Tombstone, "The Town Too Tough to
17—Silky tree fibre used in filling sleep- Governor Manuel de Silva Nieto, who led Die." Be sure to see our ad in the June
ing bags. issue of Desert Magazine. For FREE
the first missionaries to Hawiku. He came copy of Tombstone Epitaph and litera-
18—Yucca.
19—Phoenix. to El Morro with ten wagons and 400 cav- ture, write to Box E, Chamber of Com-
20—Algodones dunes. alry. merce.
T O M B S T O N E — A R I Z O N A
After him, in March, 1632, came the

38 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Jla+tdmanJz in Sautkesia THZSPtWTOF
Who Can Identify This Picture?

by JOHN CLINTON
* * *
Did you ever
slam shut the
doors on your
automobile
with the keys
inside the car?
Me, too! Mrs.
Clinton and I
came out of the movies to get in
the Hispano-Plymouth, last night
and—oof! There we were on the
outside, and there were the keys
inside!
* * *
Mrs. C said: "All right, John,
let's see your precious Union
Minute Men get us out of this
one!" Well I walked down to the
day for rest and recreation in a comfort- Union Oil station and told the
Prize Contest able resort nearby.
In order that Desert Magazine readers
boys about it. One of 'em got a
long wire and came back to the
Announcement may become better acquainted with this
place and its historical background a prize
car with me. He twisted the wire
under the wind wing, and hooked
the door handle —and prestol
Located on the rim of the Southern of $5.00 will be paid for the best descrip- * * *
California desert, the old building shown tive story of not over 500 words. Manu- Then, on top
in the picture above played an important scripts should give the name, the exact lo- of that, he pre-
s e n t e d both
role in the history of early desert travel cation by highway, the present owners, Mrs. Clinton
across the Cahuilla basin. and as much of the history as may be con- and me with a
densed in the word-limit. perfectly swell
Gold-seekers, soldiers, stage-drivers, feather key-
freighters all stopped here for water and Entries in this contest must reach the tainer that his
Desert Magazine office not later than boss had given him. Then he
rest after the hard trek across the floor of
July 20, 1941, and the winning story will suggested we each carry keys to
the basin. be published in the September number of the car, and prevent future acci-
Many motor travelers today have seen dents!
this magazine. There is no restriction as to * * *
this historic building—many go there to- who may enter this contest. Well, that made such a hit with
me that I got Union to let me
give one of these swanky leather
key-tainers to every reader of
this column —free! No box-tops,
no contests, no dimes, no sales
slips — nut tin!
Each month the Desert Magazine 2—Not more than four prints may be * * *
offers two cash prizes for the best submitted by one person in one month. Just address a post card to John
camera pictures submitted by amateur 3—Winners will be required to furnish Clinton, Room 729 Union Oil
either good glossy enlargements or the Bldg., Los Angeles, and I'll send
photographers. The first award is original negatives if requested. you a leather key-tainer with
$5.00 and the second $3.00. 4—Prints must be in black and white, love and kisses, and the compli-
3^x5^2 or larger, and must be on glossy ments of the Union Minute Men.
Pictures are limited to desert sub- paper. * * *
jects, but there is no restriction as to Pictures will be returned only when
But l d like t o

the residence of the photographer. En- stamped envelopes or photo-mailers are suggest
y o u Wl ite that
tries may include Indian pictures, rock enclosed. " tno
card now, on
formations, flowers and wild animals, For non-prize-winning pictures accepted accounta last
canyons, trees, waterholes — in fact for publication $1.00 will be paid for each time I offered
everything that belongs to the desert print. my readers a
Winners of the July contest will gift, we got so
country. many requests we had to make
be announced and the pictures pub- the late folks wait. And in the
Following are the rules governing lished in the September number of the meantime, when you need a
the photographic contest: magazine. Address all entries to: f r i e n d —stop at a Union Oil
Station!
1—Pictures submitted in the July con-
test must be received at the Desert Maga- Contest Editor, Desert Maga-
zine office by July 20. zine, El Centre California. UNION OIL COMPANY

JULY, 1 9 4 1 39
 New Curator in Nevada . . . Winning Navajo Converts . . .
S. M. Wheeler has been appointed curator In rites conducted here and at St. Michaels,
of the Nevada state museum, says an an- 320 Navajo Indians were confirmed in the

TRflDIHB POSI
nouncement by Judge Clark J. Guild, chair- Catholic faith by the Most Reverend Bernard
man of the museum and art institute. P. Espelage, O. F. M., Bishop of Gallup.
Wheeler has been employed by the state park • • •
commission as archaeologist, was trained un-
Classified advertising in this section
der F. M. Harrington of the southwest mu- Floods Are Predicted . . .
seum of Los Angeles, and was in charge of
costs jive cents a word, $1.00 mini- excavation work at Hidden caves near Fallon. Record depths of snow piled on the Sangre
mum per issue—actually about 11/2 de Cristo range in the San Luis valley of
cents per thousand readers. southern Colorado headwaters of the Rio
Grande. Surveys reporting storage equiva-
Making War on Gophers . . . lent of 54 inches of water disclosed origin
In the annual gopher control campaign of heaviest run-off in years, with flood
MISCELLANEOUS sponsored by the Yuma county water users threats along the river below here.
association 22,388 of the rodents were killed.
INDIAN RELICS. Beadwork. Coins. Minerals. Bounty of two cents was paid for each gopher
Books. Dolls. Old Glass. Old West photos.
Miniatures. Weapons. Catalogue 5c. Vernon
trapped, cash prizes were given to pupils in New Grass for Range . . .
each of the five valley school districts. All
Lemley, Osborne, Kansas. African love grass may be the answer to
residents take part in the year-around drive
the prayers of Arizona for more and better
STEER HORNS for sale, over 6 feet spread, to cut down damage to crops and to reduce
pasture land. C. B. Brown, Pima county ag-
polished and mounted. Fine decoration, rare the number of irrigation canal breaks caused
ricultural agent, says the new type forage
opportunity, Texas Longhorn cattle are now by the gopher tunnels.
plant has been tried on nine southern Ari-
extinct. Lee Bertillion, Mineola, Texas. • • • zona ranches, grows rapidly in early season,
Heavy Travel in Death Valley . . . spreads to adjoining areas and makes good
KODACHROME 2X2 SLIDES, "Springtime fodder for cattle.
in the Desert." 40 slides with descriptive Visitors to Death Valley in April this year
manual $20. C.O.D. on approval. Write for doubled the record for the month in 1940.
folder. C. Edward Graves, Arcata, California. Superintendent T. R. Goodwin says fair
weather, late Easter and a lovely display of Tourists Like Arizona . . .
PHOTO FINISHING flowers are responsible. He reports 20,756 Records indicate 2,171,829 tourists visited
visitors for the month. Summer travel will Arizona during the past year and spent $74,-
ROLL DEVELOPED AND PRINTED 14c exceed that of last year, Goodwin predicts. 319,105, according to an estimate by the
coin. 14c develops and prints 8 exp. roll; or During June, July and August, 1940, the Conoco travel bureau. Agents of the bureau
16 prints 25c; or 8 exp. enlarged to giant Death Valley national monument checked directed more than a quarter million visitors
double-size 24c. Free—new folio with order. more than 50,000 visitors. Total travel through the Grand Canyon region; 178,675
Same day service. Satisfaction guaranteed. record this year will pass the 90,000 mark, persons through southwestern Arizona;
Send rolls or write for free mailers. the superintendent believes. 245,578 individuals into the northeastern
RANCHO PHOTO, Dept. I l l , Ontario, • • • section and 162,138 to the southeastern part
Calif. of the state.
White Man's Law Wins . . .
CACTUS Ninety-year-old Pia Machita, Papago In-
dian chief, has never recognized the Gadsden
ONE 6-INCH MEXICAN handmade bowl
with 6 varieties of cactus $1.00; or 10 cacti
purchase of 1853 which brought the southern
Arizona home of his tribe into the United
States. Last fall he ordered his young men
WeatUel
$1.00. Both $1.75. El Tex Cactus & Curio,
Sta A, Box 3223, El Paso, Texas. to refuse to register for military service with FROM PHOENIX BUREAU
Uncle Sam. When federal marshal Henry
Smith went to the reservation in October to Temperatures— Degrees
LIVESTOCK arrest Pia Machita, Smith and his accompany- Mean for month 76.4
PROVEN SUCCESS in Karakuls is due to the ing Indian police were set upon by 40 Pa- Normal for May 75.0
co-operative service of our organization. pagos and several of Smith's ribs were brok- High on May 8 102.0
Literature. Visit Karakul Rancho—take Hi- en. In May Ben McKinney, U. S. marshal, ar- Low on May 2 52.0
way 78 at Oceanside. California Karakul rested Pia and 11 of his followers at Toapit Rain— Inches
Sheep, Ltd., 1128 North Hill Ave., James and Wall's well, deep in the Papago reserva- Total for May 0.76
Yoakam, Pres., Pasadena, California. tion. From the county jail at Tucson, follow- Normal for May 0.12
ing parleys, the aged Indian leader sent word
to 14 braves to join him at Tucson and sur- Weather-
KARAKULS producers of Persian Lamb fur Days clear 12
are easy to raise and adapted to the desert render to the white man's law.
Days partly cloudy 15
which is their native home. For further in- • • • Days cloudy 4
formation write Addis Kelley, 4637 E. 52
Place, Maywood, California. Cabin Sites to Lease . . . G. K. GREENING, Meteorologist
Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes has
announced a new governmental policy for leas- FROM YUMA BUREAU
MAPS ing summer home sites at irrigation reservoirs Temperatures— Degrees
in the west under control of the bureau of recla-
BLACKBURN MAPS of Southern California mation. Mean for month 80.2
desert region. San Bernardino county 28x42 Desirable cabin sites exist on the borders of Normal for May 76.2
inches $1.00; San Diego county 24x28 High on May 7 107.0
inches 50c; Riverside county 50c; Imperial many reservoirs, on land withdrawn or pur-
chased by the United States and placed under Low on May 1 57.0
county 19x24 inches 50c; Yuma and Gila
river valley 17x27 inches 50c. Postpaid. Add control of the department of the interior for Rain— Inches
3 % sales tax in Calif. DESERT CRAFTS protection or for future enlargement of the Total for month 0.00
SHOP, 636 State St., El Centra, California. storage basin. Under the new regulation these 72-year average for May 0.04
are now available for lease by individual Weather-
lessees. Days clear 27
REAL ESTATE When a person has selected a lot he will be Days partly cloudy 4
issued a term lease for the area which will Days cloudy _. 0
SELL OR TRADE: 232 acres patented land, grant him exclusive use subject to stated restric-
southwestern Colorado 35 miles Cortez, Sunshine 96 per cent (415 hours out of pos-
tions. The annual fee will vary from $10 to $25 sible 430).
plenty wood, spring water, half tillable, bal- a year depending on its location and the facili-
ance range, taxes paid, sacrifice. $5.00 acre. ties made available. Colorado river—Release from Boulder dam
Yachats Agate Shop, Yachats, Oregon. The lease may be for a maximum of 10 years 1,422,000 acre feet. Estimated storage May
subject to cancellation by the government after 31 behind Boulder dam 27,950,000 acre feet,
giving the lessee due notice of the necessity to a gain of 3,230,000 acre feet since April 30.
terminate. At the end of the 10-year period the Release of extra water from Boulder dam to
W. E. HANCOCK lease may be renewed at the discretion of the make room for heavy spring run-off began
"The Farm hand Man" secretary of the interior or his authorized repre- May 8, will probably continue through June.
EL CENTRO CALIFORNIA sentative. JAMES H. GORDON, Meteorologist

40 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Polished work, ages 14 to 18—Leonard Cher-
ret, Casper, Wyoming, 1st; Scott Cuthill, Cas-

Cjemi
per, Wyoming, 2nd.
Polished work, under 14—Ed Wiemken,
Oakland, and Joy Bell, Berkeley, first; Henry
Batteate, 2nd.
HONOR RIBBON AWARDS
This department of the Desert Magazine is reserved as a clearing house for gem and
mineral collectors and their societies. Members of the "rock-hound" fraternity are invited Honor ribbon awards by the executive com-
to send in news of their field trips, exhibits, rare finds, or other information which will mittee were as follows:
be of interest to collectors. Dr. M. J. Groesbeck, Porterville, for her
lovely collection of precious stones.
ARTHUR L. EATON, Editor Max Vonsen, Petaluma, for his fine exhibit
of crystal group and minerals.
Sylvia May Hirsch, Los Angeles, for her
ta be Ganuentiati City in 1943. superb collection of petrified wood.
George Gary, division of mines, for his dis-
play of crystal specimens, representing the nor-
INERALOGISTS, geologists, gemol- Faceted work—B. N . Porter, Oakland, 1st; mal forms of the six crystal systems, and for a
ogists and plain "rock hounds" from Thos. J. Oliver, San Francisco, 2nd. large 700 pound crystal specimen group.
all parts of the West were in attendance Fluorescent exhibit — Dr. Courtland L.
at the annual convention of the California Booth, Portland, 1st; B. E. Sledge, Oakland, Francis Sperisen, San Francisco, for his ex-
Federation of Mineralogical societies held in 2nd. hibit of faceted stones.
Oakland, California, May 10-11, under the JUNIOR WINNERS J. Lewis Renton, Portland, for his beautiful
sponsorship of the East Bay Mineralogical so- Best mineral exhibit, age limit 18—Mitzi exhibit of moss agate and picture cabochons.
ciety of Oakland. Convention headquarters Sigall, San Francisco, and Al McGuinness, Oak- Sixteen banquet door prizes were awarded,
were in the Claremont hotel, "a gem of a set- land, firsts; Leatrice Evinger, Bakersfield, and approximately $135 of which were donated by
ting," according to Dr. Warren F. Fox, dele- Denny Carlson, San Leandro, seconds. dealers.
gate from the Imperial Valley Gem and Min-
eral society and a director of the state federa-
tion.
Amateurs vied with dealers in their display
of beautiful minerals and semi-precious stones.
Colorful cabochons of all sizes and materials
IT'S LOTS OF FUN!
blended with cut and polished slabs of agate,
jasper, petrified wood and other highly mineral-
ized stones to make a rainbow-like display of
beauty. Large and small masses of crystals
sparkled and the beauties of geodes were dis-
closed.
The attendance was reported as 4,500. On
Sunday showers cut down the attendance mate-
rially. Amateurs in the "swap-room" did a rush-
ing business—demonstrating that "hoss-trad-
ing" is one of the fine arts of the rock collec-
tor. Lapidary equipment and supplies were
shown by various dealers from California and
other states. Interested visitors had specimens
cut as the efficiency of diamond saws was dem-
onstrated.
At the meeting of delegates, Pasadena, Cali-
fornia, was selected as the site of the 1942 con-
vention, defeating Fresno and Los Angeles, the
only other bidders. The directors of the federa-
tion took favorable action regarding the affilia-
tion of the two mineralogical societies in Reno
and Carson City, Nevada. The directors by
resolution approved a plan whereby local so-
cieties will invite service men at the various
army camps to attend the meetings and partici-
pate in the activities of societies located near
the camps.
Other matters included uniform rules for
exhibits, conventions and county fairs, federa-
tion jewelry, the encouraging of local exhibits,
to gather specimens in our MINERAL GARDEN. This i s but ONE SECTION of our
the fostering of mineralogy in the schools, a outdoor mineral department. Our inside display room contains thousands of very
possible increase in federation dues, and the select specimens—our FLUORESCENT CAVE is profuse in select material—our
federation news bulletin. MACHINERY ROOM offers the best in LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT.
Following is the list of prize winners an-
nounced by the federation directors: WE CLOSE WHEN THE LAST CUSTOMER LEAVES
Grand prize—to the society with the best
mineral display, limited to 3x6 feet. Won by Open seven days a week — any hour of the day.
Los Angeles Mineralogical society. ENJOY SAWING — USE VRECO FAST CUTTING DIAMOND BLADES
Best amateur collection—Marjorie Welch,
6 inch $3.25 8 inch 4.35 10 inch 5.40 12 inch $6.50 14 inch $8.65 16 inch $10.80
Alameda, 1st; Harold Soper, San Francisco,
2nd; L. S. Chapman, Hayward, 3rd. Blades sent postpaid prepaid. We maintain A LARGE STOCK of all sizes. Available
Large polished work, slabs, book ends, paper i n '/2< %* %a n d 1 inch arbor holes.
weights, etc.—Carl Bangle, Bakersfield, 1st; YOURS FOR THE ASKING
Isabel Westcott, Hanford, 2nd; W . C. La Ruse, A profusely illustrated catalog listing all equipment and supplies needed for
Oakland, 3rd. gem stone cutting and specimen polishing. There are enough to go around so send
Cabochons—Walter Mehnert, Albany, 1st; for your copy today.
Wm. J. Kane, San Francisco, 2nd; E. S. Somer-
ville, San Francisco, 3rd.
Polished petrified wood—W. J. Hurrle,
Lodi, 1st; D . H. Clark, Redlands, 2nd; Gates
WilRNER & GRIEGER
Burxell, Selma, 3rd. 405 NINITA PARKWAY — PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
Jewelry craft—Virginia Breed, Kingsburg, Ninita Parkway is one block east of So. Hill Ave., and San Pasqual Streets.
1st; Princess Thompson, Dunlap, 2nd; Mrs. Our Phone SYcamore 6-S423.
Claribell Bell, Berkeley, 3rd.

JULY,1 9 4 1 41
 Covington Lapidary Equipment
Used by the U. S. Government
Multi-Speed 16-inch
RAMBLING ROCKNUTS
LAP UNIT Bertha Greeley Brown and her husband of Seattle, Washington, spent several
assembled all ready to weeks traveling in the Southwest, collecting rocks and swapping with the traders
use, with inclosed shaft they met along the way. Mrs. Brown kept a notebook of the places visited and the
and ball bearing thrust.
Also removable L a p "rocknuts" they met along the way—and this is the seventh in her series of
Plate, for Lapping, travelog stories.
Grinding, Sanding and
Polishing, crated, less
motor $41.65
fij I E entered a heavy stream of traffic and likable man hiding away these little inanimate
BUILD YOUR OWN (/I/ jostled westward across the breast of pets I had held the opinion that when commer-
16-INCH LAP KIT
with removable L a p Phoenix, a city rising from the hunt- cialism came in at the door, true rock-love went
Plate fitted to 36-inch ing grounds of ancient Indian tribesmen, and flying out of the window.
shaft, 2 bearings and now, with a modern air, preening her plumage
ball bearing thrust to fit John, the Navajo silversmith, red scarf
your table with rustproof splash pan, and strutting in the Valley of the Sun. about his head, sat in the store room at the
crated $19.50 Our destination was an attractive cabin court Post and, with deft fingers, plied the ancient
12-inch Kit as above, crated $15.00
We are exclusive distributors for the famous owned and managed by Lottie Teasdale, and craft of his ancestors. His inscrutable silence did
"OLD MISER" Lapping Compound here we met our old friends May and Will not hide his love for metal and stone which he
Saves every grain of grit. Cut Lapping Costs Kartsmark, once Washingtonians but now des- so expertly devises into body ornaments with
in Half. A can lasts a year. Price $1.00 ert addicts and Arizona citizens. symbolisms of tradition and superstition.
Send to any of our dealers or —
As we unloaded the car Will Kartsmark "What is your real name, John?" I asked,
COVINGTON LAPIDARY ENGINEERING CO. brought word that F. P. Wiggin wanted to see rather hesitatingly, for I wondered if our ac-
12 Cajon St., Redlands, California E. K. at his trading post. quaintance had reached the stage where I
For two weeks my husband swung like a could be personal.
pendulum between our cabin and Wiggin's "Ta-pa-hah," he answered, never glancing
Trading Post. His head was in the air and he from his work. With easy skill he fitted silver
RALIGHT was mentally suspended by a string of events— about stone, used a torch, set it down and then
all concerning rocks. Each day he rushed into added, "It means By-the-water."
the cabin, hunted through a pile of Texas ma-
FOR BEST terial, picked out the best agates, red, mossy,
blue-gold. Then, in a backroom at the Post he With the Kartsmarks, we visited the Arizona
ULTRA-VIOLET and Mr. Wiggin put these through a gang saw
that cut eight slices at a time into cabochon
state fair and spent most of the time in the
building that housed the mineral display. Much
thickness. I, too, went to the shop, crowded into of the wealth of Arizona lies in its minerals
FLUORESCENCE the small room where, many times, the three and some of the mines have been worked since
of us waited in breathless anticipation for saws the early Spanish occupation of Mexico—over
to make the final turn that revealed beauty hid- 400 years.
Improved High Intensity Genuine Cold
Quartz Lamps — Portable 6 Volt and den since the earth's surface was in the making. Arizona is first in the production of copper
110 Volt Sets. Essential for prospect- and several types of this ore are classed with
ing and mining Scheellte. semi-precious gems and used for jewelry set-
Send for free list of fluorescent minerals,
literature and Money Back Guarantee — F. P. Wiggin has been in the trading post tings. Three of these are: azurite, blue carbon-
Dept. DP 7 business 45 years and most of this time has been ate of copper; malachite, a deep mossy-green
ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, INC. spent on Indian reservations. For health rea- ore; chrysocolla, a silicate of copper in sky-blue
sons he now lives in a low altitude but his heart and greenish-blue shades. Of all our copper spe-
5205 Santa Monica Blvd., Lew Angeles, Calif. cimens, from Russia, Africa, Alaska and many
is still in the old haunts with his many Indian
friends. He has a marvelously beautiful collec- of the states, we hold most precious those from
tion of turquoise, picture-wood and silver-work. Arizona, valued more for sentimental reasons
One jewelry set (bracelet, ring and clip) made than for quality—reminders of experiences we
E Q U I P M E N T F O R hope never will slip beyond memory.
of silver and Arizona wood, in tones of ivory
Sawing, Laping and Polishing and sepia with desert scenes as true as any art- We met E. P. Patterson who had a mineral
Semi-Precious Stones ist could paint, is priced at one thousand dol- booth at the state fair. On the card he handed
Courtesy extended to lapidary and mineral lars. When Mr. Wiggin sees a likely buyer for me was printed "Arizona Minerals and Gem
societies. what he calls "high priced stuff" coming Materials—Wholesale and Retail."
through the door, he quietly steps behind the
Maker of LAPID-RITE Equipment.
counter and puts this set out of sight.
J . R O Y G A R D N E R On the Cave Creek road toward Black can-
5340 BlacKweider St., Los Angeles, WA 9221 "I like it too well to part with it," is his
simple explanation. Until I saw this kindly, yon, north of Phoenix is a jasper field. In pos-
session of a good map and full directions we
started out, with the Kartsmarks, to find this.
Soft radiant sunshine drenched the landscape
COMPACT with an invigorating tonic, we became overly
Hillquist NO. 3 Lapidary Unit ambitious and branched into side issues that
practically dissipated our main objective.
Is a complete machine with all accessories—Diamond Saw; Grinding E. K. prospected every gravel run we came
Wheels; Sanding Laps; Felt Buff; Water Spray; Oil Attachments, and upon, Will scoured through all the rubbish
dumps for desert glass and May and I lazed
Vi-W. P. MOTOR. about looking out over the desert sweeps
All F. O. B. fringed by high mountain peaks which in turn
For $54.70 Seattle were crowded by low, hazy, barricading callipy-
gas. Intoxicated by all the beauty we could
touch, see and feel, we day-dreamed beyond
Popular with hundreds of satisfied users, because it is scientifically de- reason, building castles in the air—which, had
signed, accurately balanced, requires small space; is clean, quiet, safe, they materialized, would have been cute, little,
and so simple to operate that the most inexperienced can do good work adobe houses.
from the very start. Success favored Will. He found a perfect
glass humidor cover, dated 1900, and colored
Write Today for FREE Illustrated Descriptive Pamphlet to deep amethystine shade by the sun rays of
"Collecting and Polishing Gem Stones," to many a year.
"Here, you keep this," he said as he handed
the lovely thing to me. I was delighted and
Hillquist Process Equipment Company upon reaching the cabin I wrapped it in soft
8129 18th Ave. S. W. Seattle, Washington tissue and placed it midway between belong-
ings in my grip, evoking with hopeful thought,
safe transportation.

42 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 J. Lewis Renton, Portland, Oregon, enter-
AMONG THE tained Mineralogical society of Southern Cali-
fornia with his kodachrome slides on minerals CONGRATULATIONS
ROCK HUnTERS of the northwest which he had shown at the
Oakland convention.
To the Winners at the
Oakland Convention!
• • • HISTORY REPEATS . . . Last year at
C. D. Heaton and Harry Stein represented Santa Barbara all the winners, for both
Oregon Agate and Mineral society will be Santa Monica gemological society at the Oak-
host to convention of Northwest federation of large and small work, won with Heavy
land convention. Duty "STREAMLINER" Diamond Saws.
mineralogical societies on Labor day, 1941, ac-
cording to Ruth B. DuRose, secretary. At the Oakland Convention this year,
Sequoia mineral society has voted to give p r a c t i c a l l y every winner used
• • • "STREAMLINER" saws. More awards
Los Angeles mineralogical society features an honorary membership to m e m b e r s in the were won by "STREAMLINER" users
auction of donated specimens in June. army service and to set aside for them speci- than all other saws combined.
mens secured on field trips. Dr. Dyck addressed
• • • the Sequoia group on Folsom man at the May Miss Marjorie Welch, 3268 Central Ave., Al-
Los Angeles lapidary society and Los Angeles meeting. Chris Andersen also gave a talk on ameda, won 1st prize for the best amateur
collection. Miss Welch used 20-in "Stream-
mineralogical society held a joint field trip to West side sea cow fossils. liners."
the Chuckawalla mountains May 30-June 1, • • • Mr. W. G. Hurrle, 26 Nbrth Washington,
for geodes and agate nodules. Kern county mineral society has decided to Lodi, won first prize for large polished petri-
• • • fied woods. Mr. Hurrle cut all his material
center discussion around some one mineral with 16-in. "Streamliners.'
Percy F. Jones spoke on gem stones at the each meeting. Antimony will be considered in Mr. W. C. LaRue, 5222 East 14th St., Oak-
May 15 meeting of Los Angeles mineralogical June. land, won the special award for the best ama-
• • • teur collection of polished work (combined
society. classes). Mr. La Rue uses 20-in. Heavy Duty
• • • Southwest mineralogists were represented "Streamliners."
Long Beach mineralogical society discussed by ten members at the Oakland convention. Mr. Mr. Walter Mehnert, 1315 Marin Ave., Al-
summer field trip policy at the May 9 meeting. and Mrs. Harold Eales were official delegates. bany, Calif., won 1st prize for cabochon work.
Mr. B. M. Porter, 5742 Nottingham Drive,
May 30-June 1 field trip covered the Coldale • • • Oakland, won 1st prize for facet work.
area. Campfire meetings make a hit with the California Journal of mines and geology, Master Al McGuiness, 478 Fairbanks Ave.,
Long Beach group. Volume 36, No. 4, is largely devoted to a Oakland, won 1st prize for best junior min-
• • • erals.
study of mineral resources of the Kernville A student from the Elmhurst Junior High
Attorney J. R. Dorsey entertained Kern coun- quadrangle. Minerals produced in this district School, Elmhurst, under instruction of Mr.
are gold, silver, lead, copper, tungsten, anti- George Campbell, won 1st prize for polished
ty mineral society May 12 with running com- work for sponsored juniors. This school used
ment on his technicolor pictures taken in the mony and zinc. This volume also contains an "Streamliners.'* They had to be good, and
East Indies. index of the mineral collection in the museum, the winners knew it. The contestants had to
state division of mines, Ferry building, San be good to win, make no mistake about that.
• • • Francisco. Copies of the bulletin may be ob- Now, on to Pasadena, where "Streamliners"
Professor Russell Dysart of Chaffee J. C. again will play their part.
tained for 60c (plus 2c sales tax in California)
talked on a geologist's wanderings in the Cana-
dian Rockies at the April meeting of Orange
at offices of the division of mines, Ferry build-
ing, San Francisco, State building, Los Angeles,
WILFRED C. EYLES
Belt society. C. D. Woodhouse was guest State office building, Sacramento. Mineralogist and Lapidary Engineer
speaker at the annual dinner, May 2, of the Or- 2794 A Street, Hayward, Calif.
ange Belt group. His subject was "Prospect- • • •
ing for the strategic minerals." Magnesite, a strategic mineral which is
• • • scarce in United States, may be made chemically
from oyster shells and sea water.
Charles Countryman and Henri Withington
furnished the April program for Searles Lake • • • RINGS AND BROOCHES
gem and mineral society. One of the few deposits of tin in United to fit
• • • States occurs in western Riverside county, Cali- YOUR STONES
fornia.
Frank M. Darroy of Searles Lake district is • • • JEWEL CRAFT
exhibiting some excellent specimens of minabil-
ite—glauber salt—collected in the dry lake at Arthur L. Eaton, club adviser, led in a dis- 704 So. San Pedro St. Los Angeles
Salt Lake City. cussion of moonstone pebbles found on the PLATT PRESTON — CLEMENTE
• • • beaches, at the June 3 meeting of Imperial
Valley Gem and Mineral society.
Two instructive talks were given at May
meetings of East Bay mineral society. Mr. Han-
son spoke on the work of water-landslides in
the Grand Tetons. Dr. Bruce Clark, professor
of paleontology at U. C, gave an illustrated lec-
ture on Mount Diablo.
• • •
OnLY $105 For this complete
Lapidary Shop Equipment on TIME
NO DOWN PAYMENT REQUIRED
Northern California mineral society plans to
extend its circle of influence by soliciting mem- From 6 to 12 Months to Pay—6% Interest—No Other Charges.
bership by letter from outside the San Francisco Tax is Added in California.
area.
• • • HERE'S WHAT YOU GET . . .
1 EYLES "Single Cut" Saw with lk H. P. Motor and 12 inch Dia-
Genevieve Jezler and Lucille Fulcher were in mond Blade (blade guaranteed for 2000 square inches of saw-
charge of Golden Empire mineral society's ex- ing if used according to directions).
hibit at the Oakland convention. The same ex- 1 EYLES 12 inch cast lap with 1/4 H. P. Motor.
hibit was displayed at Butte district fair May 1 Double grinding head with V4 H. P. Motor and 3-step pulley.
22-25. 3 Splash Pans. 1 Carborundum grinding wheel—180 Grit—8x1 in.
• • • 1 Byfield Felt Wheel—8x1 inch.
Dr. Goetz of Cal. Tech. addressed Pacific 3 Wood Wheels (felt backs).
mineral society at the May meeting on silver, an 6 Sheets Carborundum Cloth.
industrial commodity. V4 pound Dennison's mounting wax.
• • • 2 pounds 80 grit Carborundum.
Henry Mulryan of Gladding McBean and Co. 3 pounds 220 grit Carborundum.
spoke on asbestos at the May meeting of West 1 pound Tripoli.
Coast mineral society.
• • • Write or see us for prices on CARBORUNDUM PRODUCTS, BYFIELD FELTS,
Mineralogical society of Southern California WHEELS, WOOD WHEELS, DIAMOND SAW BLADES, POLISHING COM-
celebrated its tenth anniversary June 14 at Al- POUNDS, or other supplies.
tadena golf club house. This group sponsors
the mineral exhibit in Griffith park planetari- E. L. SCOFIELD, JR
um, Los Angeles, under supervision of Wendell 527 Concord El Segundo, Calif. Telephone 290
O. Stewart.

JULY, 1 9 4 1 43
 MINERALS COME FROM
THE 304 D. C. MANY STRANGE SOURCES GEM MART
BLACK LIGHT By J O H N M. GRIEGER Adv. rate, 5c a word—Minimum $1.00
ULTRA - VIOLET
Although the great majority of mineral spe-
FLUORESCENCE cies are the result of the common igneous dep- LOS ANGELES MINING EXCHANGE, state
On your next Field Trip ositional, and metamorphic agencies, a goodly chartered civic purpose corporation. Estab-
DISCOVER HIDDEN VALUES number of rather rare forms come to us in many lishes contacts between buyers, sellers, own-
peculiar and interesting ways. Such minerals ers and investors. No commission. Write.
With the Portable 304 D. C. as "cliftonite, cohenite, daubreelite, kamacite, 408 South Spring, Los Angeles.
lawrencite, maskelynite, merrillile, oldhamite,
plessite, schreibersite, and toenite have no
known terrestrial occurrence, but come from AN INVITATION: Want to know where to
other worlds through the agency of meteorites. hunt rock? Want a rock sawed in half? Want
A number are known from but one meteorite; rock identified? Want to see a world-wide
for example, asmanite in the meteoric iron of collection of rock? Want to sell rock? Want
Breitenbach, chladnite from the Bishopville me- to buy rock? Want to talk rock? Want in-
teorite, moissanite in the meteoric iron of Can- formation or equipment for cutting and
yon Diablo, peckhamite from the Estherville polishing rock at home? Then drop in on
meteorite, victorite in the Deesa meteoritic me. I rock folks to sleep. "ROCKY"
iron, and member gerite in a meteorite from MOORE, 401 Broadway Arcade BIdg., 542
Madras, India. There are other minerals having South Broadway, Los Angeles. Any day but
both a terrestrial and meteoric occurrence, such Saturday or Sunday—Monday and Fridays
as metallic chromium, cobalt, and copper, crys- until 8 p.m.
tobalite, diamond, graphite, iron, manganese,
millerite, nickel, tin, and troilite. AGATES, JASPERS, OPALIZED and aga-
Exclusive Outstanding Features tized woods, thunder eggs, polka dot and
Abandoned mine shafts and tunnels have
• Designed by practical men in the been the birthplace of an interesting group of other specimens. Three pound box $1.25
laboratory and field tested to in- minerals. Some of these are bianchite, cuprogo- postpaid. Glass floats 25c and up. Sawing and
sure its efficiency. slarite, dietrichite, epsomite, jerrogoslarite, and polishing. Jay Ransom, Aberdeen, Wash.
• Made especially to meet the re- goslarite. At Vulcan, Colorado, zinc-copper-
quirements of the prospector and melanterite has been found to occur only in the UNUSUAL, NOVEL and handsome solid sil-
geologist in the field, small, com- mine dumps. During the burning of a portion ver rings mounted with desert stones, agate,
pact, and light in weight. of the United Verde copper mine at Jerome, jasper, obsidian or petrified wood. Ladies'
• A powerful generator of invisible Arizona, a number of new minerals were $1.25, Men's $1.75. Send ring size and stone
Ultra-Violet energy. Pure Fused formed. The starred minerals in this list have wanted. Gaskill, 400 N . Muscatel, San Ga-
Quartz burner, and special U.V. only this one known occurrence: alunogen, briel, Calif.
filter. *butlerite, copiapite, coquimbite, *guildite,
*lausenile, *louderbackite, and *ransomite. At
— FIVE OTHER MODELS — Laurium, Greece, a number of minerals have LEARN CHEMICAL formula reading and
Send for Literature been formed by the action of sea water and writing. Brochure containing names of ele-
other agencies on some ancient lead slags. These ments, symbols, valences. Tables of electro-
DALLONS LABORATORIES are jiedlerite, georgiadesite, laurionite, para- chemical positions with instructions. 26 cents
laurionite, and penjieldite. postpaid. Dr. Cecil Corwin, 451 Maple
5066 Sta. Monica Blvd., Los Angeles Court, Hayward, Calif.
While excavating an ancient Celtic grave at
Lockmariaguer in Brittany, an emerald-green,
wax-like substance was found which proved to PETRIFIED W O O D . Picture wood gemstone.
be a mineral substance formed by the decompo- Three pound box $1.25 postpaid, suitable
sition of human bones. This has been named for the professional. Alton Duke, Holbrook,
MINERAL callainite. The guano deposits of the West In- Arizona.
IDENTIFICATION dies and other islands, as well as those of bat
caves, have been the source of an interesting
SIMPLIFIED group of phosphates. These are brusbite, collo- TOP QUALITY Brecciated Jasper, strong,
phanite, bannayite, martinite, metabrushite, clean, various shades, satisfactory to you or
By O. C. SMITH, A.B., A.M. your money refunded. 5 lbs. $1.00 plus post-
newberyite, oxxammite, pyrophosphorite, scher-
"CLASSIFIES ALL telite, stercorite, stofjertite, and struvite. Fich- age on 6 lbs. 1V2 lbs. 40c delivered. Leo
MINERALS TO 1940" telite and hartite are hydrocarbon minerals oc- Ferris, San Miguel, Calif.
Simplicity for the amateur, Completeness
for the professional. curring in layers of pine wood from the peat
Complete BLOWPIPE METHODS and beds of central Europe. Flagstaffite is another
hydrocarbon found in cracks of buried tree FROM MAINE TO CALIFORNIA we will
TABLES. ship our famous pegmatite minerals, beryl,
Price •— $3.50 — Plus tax in California trunks near Flagstaff, Arizona.
tourmaline, albite, spodumene, apatite, etc.,
Order from - O. C. SMITH - Dept. D wholesale or retail. Send stamp for our com-
5157 Santa Ana St. Bell, California plete list. The BEAU-MONT INDUS-
TRIES, Gardiner, Maine.
Misnamed Minerals W H Y RAMBLE in the heat? Rock and gem
RX—the complete stone for sale. Cutting and polishing. Open
lapidary shop in "Opalescence" Sat. and Sun. The Valley Art Shoppe, 21108
Devonshire Blvd., Chatsworth, Calif.
one small machine Opalescence is a word which is often
Write for circular misunderstood, because its apparent mean- ATTRACTIVE SOUTH SEAS CORAL, Lace
and free working chart. ing is not its real meaning. Many ama- 50c, Branch 45c, Mushroom 40c, Rare coral
teurs, and even the authors of many well- plate $1.50 each. F. W. Sprung, Rt. 1, Box
W . A . FELKER 3521 Emerald St., Torrance, California
known books, labor under the delusion 566, La Canada, California.
that the word means the gorgeous play
of colors which makes the opal one of the
most beautiful of precious stones. But such TEN YEAR ACCUMULATION OF STONES
is not the case at all. removed from jewelry. 200 assorted $2.00.
WE A R E E Q U I P P E D Opalescence is really applied to that B. Lowe, Box 525, Chicago, 111.
to do an expert job of sawing and polishing whitish milkiness often visible in com-
of your rocks, and in addition, carry the mon opal, chalcedony, and even the type
largest stock of Brazilian Agate in the west. of feldspar known as moonstone. It often W A N T RELIABLE ROCK DEALER to take
detracts from the real beauty of the stone, exclusive wholesale contract for output of
CHESTER TEAGUE and seldom adds to it. The "fire" in the geodes large cavities beautiful colored crys-
South Walnut Ave. San Dimas, Calif. fine opal is commonly known to both tals. Also fire opalite. Write Karl Myrick,
dealer and scientist as "play of colors." Box 213, Tujunga, Calif.

44 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

HAPPY JACK INVITES THE the amateur with a bit of diplomacy can get in
ROCENUTS TO BIG BEND nearly anywhere.
The slopes here are a veritable rainbow of GENUINE INDIAN
Santa Helena, Texas color—all plant life blooms twice a year here Silver Mountings Made to Order ior
Dear Desert: —cacti of many kinds, flowers galore, and your gems, or gems we have in stock
Yesterday we received a copy of you for shrubs including the evergreen, ever-blossom-
May (our first) sent by Dr. Lill of Seattle, and ing fast growing wild tobacco tree. Every
right here I want to state that the first spring we have botany classes from several col-
$2.50 we get our hands on goes for a year's leges come down on account of the variety of
subscription. plants.
We read most of it last night by lantern HAPPY JACK WISE
light, but not until we laid down under the ar-
bor for our afternoon siesta did we discover
we had broken into print in Bertha Greeley HERE ARE SIMPLE TESTS
Brown's column. Thanks lady! IDENTIFYING 'FOOL'S GOLD'
We had another very pleasant rocknut here
last week. Mrs. Charles Worley of the Boston Recently, an amateur prospector who wishes
Mineral club, and not so long ago Mr. and Mrs. to remain anonymous, brought in nearly a half
H. H. Lippitt of Manhattan Beach, California. ounce of what he fondly thought to be coarse
One thing in common these two ladies have gold, from the vicinity of the American Girl BRACELETS — RINGS — BROOCHES
that we like. They had rather find their own mine. He had spent some hours picking it from EARRINGS—CUFF LINKS—STICK PINS
rocks than buy them and, God Bless 'em, we'd the gravel and ore. The result was really im- NECKLACES — BUTTONS — BELTS
rather help 'em than sell 'em. We have found pressive, or would have been if it had been real BUCKLES AND BUCKLE SETS
happiness in living by the side of the road and gold. Because of the constant change in stocks and
being a friend to rocknuts, fishermen, hunters The test is simple. Gold is very soft and can because no two genuine Indian articles are
and tramps. be scratched easily, while pyrite is about 6 or ever the same we do not attempt to publish
The Big Bend is truly a rockhound's para- 6.5 hardness, almost as hard as quartz. Gold is a catalog. We do have one of the most com-
plete stocks of genuine Indian handicrafts in
dise—agates, jaspers of all colors abound, crys- also malleable and can be pounded out into a Arizona and specialize in Jewelry, rugs, bask-
tals and geodes of quartz, calcite, aragonite, thin sheet, while pyrite is brittle and crumbles ets, pottery and blankets. We also feature
amethyst and chalcedony. A great deal of the to pieces. Chalcopyrite (copper pyrite) effer- Arizona and Grand Canyon souvenirs and
collector's items. Inquiries are welcome and
best hunting is fenced and closed to dealers, but vesces readily in nitric acid. promptly answered.
• • •
Phil Sabo, one of our readers in El Paso, Vaughn's Indian Store
Want a Real Rock Saw? Texas, has written in to see if he can join the
rock hound fraternity. That is one "fraternity"
which has few requirements and even fewer
W I L L I A M S , A R I Z O N A
For 20 years leading Traders in Arizona
find out about
CLIFF'S POWER FEED rules of membership. Anyone interested in
DIAMOND SAW UNIT rocks and willing to give the other fellow an
even break or maybe a little better is already a
Write for picture, specifications and price
list of this fast, dependable, no-splash, no-
full fledged member. The meeting place is the WANTED: MINERAL SPECIMENS
muss unit and long-life blades. post office, or any place that two "rock houns" Cash or Trade: I want mineral specimens,
get together. He says: "I have been on many crystals, gem-stone rough and polished. I
CLIFF'S AGATE SHOP field trips, and worked in the mines at Bisbee, buy for dealers in quantity—so price it right
C. C. HOPKINS, Prop. Arizona. Have many beautiful specimens from for CASH. I quote no PRICES! SET YOUR
Box 662—Riverton, Wyoming there. I have all kinds of rock, and really like OWN! Send samples and PRICES! Samples
to trade. Come on you fellows!" paid for or returned. NO AGATE, JASPER
OR WOOD—PLEASE!!!
LEARN TOPOLISH GEMS "ROCKY" MOORE
TINCALCONITE 201 Broadway Arcade Bldg.
Send for our Free Price List of lapidary 542 South Broadway
supplies, diamond saws, rough gem Among the humble but fine minerals found Los Angeles, Calif. Phone Michigan 2264
cutting material, blank mountings for in Kern county, and also at Trona lake, is tin-
rings, brooches, etc. Cut gems for art calconite, known locally as "tincal." It is an
students. Send in your stones to be intermediary form between kernite and borax.
mounted. We have a complete manu- Otherwise the same, it varies only in the number
facturing department. of water molecules. Kernite has only four water MINERALS
SMITH'S AGATE SHOP molecules, tincal five and borax ten, so that PROSPECTOR'S SET — SO SPECIMENS
tincal forms readily from either of the others. in l x l " compartments in sturdy, cloth eov-
228 S. W. Alder Portland, Oregon It appears either as a powder or as a very soft, ered, hineed lid box for $2.00, postage 25c.
snow white deposit of remarkable purity. Visitors say our store has the largest stock
of minerals, the best display and lowest
prices west of the Rockies.
Headquarters for fluorescent lights
VACHATS AGATE SHOP and minerals.
Store open on afternoons only including
Box 162, Yachats, Oregon Sunday, but closed on Mondays.
PACIFIC MINERAL MART
• Manufacturers of native stone
Of a Rockhound 637 Redondo Ave. Long Beach, Calif.
jewelry of agate, jasper, petrified
wood, etc. Complete line, whole- By LOUISE EATON
sale, retail. Also custom cutting. • Rockhouns sits aroun their campfirz an GEM CUTTING
Write us. enjoys th almost holy peace of th desert
night. The brilliant moon splashes black EQUIPMENT
shadows under cactus an silhouettes dis- • IS THE BEST OBTAINABLE •
tant mountains. It is almost impossible in VREELAND LAPIDARY MFG. CO.
this tranquility to realize that when this
same aloof moon dumb over th horizon on Dept. DM, 2034 S. W. Jefferson Street
HOBBY!! Make this yours th other side of the world it lighted the sky PORTLAND, OREGON
Nothing more interesting, entertaining, edu- for scenes of destruction an murder.
cational and so inexpensive. GEM CUTTING
now made easy for the beginner. Cut the
pretty stones you find on your hikes into
Gem Stones. o Rockhouns has learned that the desert is T O O H O T
Write for free folder or send 25c for in- fundamentally kind in its cruel finality — To Go Rocking? . . .
teresting, illustrated, 22-page booklet de-
scribing the Johns Gem Cutter and the no lingering deaths, no coddling of weak- Oh, n o ! Y o u ' l l find cool hunting*, p l e n t y of
fascinating art of gem cutting. lings. Life, if it is to be terminated, is cut rock, a n d surprising v a l u e s a t . . .
off with short agony. The fittest survivz, Paul & Bessie Walker's Hobby Shop
THE JOHNS COMPANY an becomes strong. Calimesa, California
Dept. El Sappington, Missouri (Hwy. 99, between Redlands and Beaumont)

JULY, 1 9 4 1 45
 W A N T E D OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY
—a monthly review of the best literature
First issues of Desert Magazine of the desert Southwest, past and present.
November, 1937
We will pay
RENO IS GENUINE DESPITE From these outposts he pictures in proper per-
spective this oasis on the sage-grey desert.
$3.00 THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
It is not of Reno, "The Biggest Little City in
Reno, which started as a toll bridge across
the Truckee in the 60s, soon became a railroad
for each copy sent to this office the World," that Max Miller writes, but of the terminus and shipping center for Virginia City,
in good condition real Reno, Nevada. Beneath the over-publicized Carson City, Silver City, Washoe City, Gold
over-photographed bold exterior he has found Hill, Dayton and Genoa. Its colorful, roman-
the genuine, human side of the town and of its tic history is closely interwoven with the his-
Desert Magazine desert setting. Because he believes that the tory of these neighboring towns and with "all
theme of RENO is bigger than the little town their storm-marked wear."
El Centro — — — — California itself, he takes time to roam about Tahoe and Reno is a very new little city. And because it
Pyramid Lake and even up on the Comstock. is new, its history is very close to the people
who even today call themselves by the sobriquet
of the gold rush days, "People of Washoe." Un-
like other regions, Reno has never overgrown
its history. While other communities build
over their pasts or overlap them, it goes on, ex-
panding without destroying, for space and
room are no object in Nevada.
And therein, Max Miller believes, lies the
charm of the real Reno. It is neighborly and
friendly, but more than that it has the advan-
tage of being surrounded by the peace and
calmness of the desert, by air-cleansed desola-
tion. Within a few minutes of Reno in any di-
recorded by authors and pho- rection one can find such complete solitude
tographers in these unusual, that the trip may as well be to Upper Tibet.
informative and a b s o r b i n g There is much desert philosophy throughout
books. the pages of RENO, an understanding of the
desert and what it does, that can only be gath-
ered by close association with and by a genuine
friendliness toward the people who live within
reach of its influence. These people are grow-
ing tired of divorces, the author indicates. But
they have another attraction to offer those who
come with the serious intention of staying, one
far more typical of Nevada. They offer a tax-
free state without qualifications, for it collects
no income tax, no inheritance tax, no sales tax,
no gift tax and no tax on intangibles.
RENO, by Max Miller, 267 pp., Dodd, Mead
and Co., New York $3.00
"An Odyssey of the Green and Colora- —Marie Lomas
do Rivers" by Barry Goldwater. The in-
timate journal of 9 people and 3 boats
on a trip down 2 rivers. Illustrated with
a fine selection of photographs by the A N ADVENTURE IN
author 50c
OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY
"Trail of the Lost Dutchman," history oi
the lost gold mine in Superstition Moun- Over little-known and sometimes dangerous
tain. Illustrated with photographs, maps trails, Edward and Charis Wilson Weston take
and sketches $1.00 the reader-spectator on an astonishingly beau-
"Arizona Indians," 50 superb portraits tiful adventure through the pages of CALIFOR-
representing all the Indian tribes in NIA A N D THE WEST. Breath-taking views
Arizona. By Joseph Miller. . . . $1.00 of desert and mountain, of lonely homesites
Lawrence Cardwell's "Mountain Medi- long since abandoned, of mountain passes and
cine." Vital, humorous sketches about endless horizons—these are a part of the unfor-
the ups-and-downs of life on an Arizona gettable pattern of their book. "A triumph in
mountain ranch. $3.00 photography and a discovery in story" it has
been called. Certainly each part complements
A photographic record of desert life: the other.
"Loot of a Desert Rat" by Max Kegley.
. . . $1.00 Armed with an encouraging Fellowship
Twenty-four photographs c o m p r i s e from the Guggenheim Foundation, an 8x10
"Arizona Portraits" by Barry Goldwater. camera, sleeping bags and a few supplies, the
Lithographed, with each picture re- Westons with "Heimie," their Ford, began
movable for framing $1.00 their trek in 1937. For two years they ranged
the desert and the mountain West, a strenuous
Mail orders promptly filled. but historic two years of vagabonding.
All books sent postpaid anywhere in the
United States. Ninety-six photographs, technically and ar-
tistically great, bound together by an account
so vivid that the reader experiences, at least in
GOLDWATERS fancy, the gruelling days and the glorious days
that go to make up such an adventure—these
combine to form a valuable contribution to
Phoenix Arizona Western Americana.
Duell, Sloan and Pearce, New York, 127
PP- -, $3.75

46 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

WHEN WHIPPLE BLAZED A book representing exhaustive research and a Gaarden tells about them in GOLD NUGGETS
TRAIL TO THE PACIFIC fine understanding of historical, legal, engi- OF THE WORLD, recently published in Hol-
neering, economic and social phases of the proj- lywood.
When Lieut. A. W. Whipple was sent out in ect. It brings together for the first time all the The author's hobby has been the gathering
1853 by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis to information pertinent to one of America's of facsimile copies of the world's most famous
ascertain the most practicable route for a rail- greatest engineering achievements. 311 pages, nuggets, and out of his experience as a miner
road from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Los Ange- exhaustive bibliography, index, maps $3.50 and collector and research student he has com-
les, the young army officer kept an accurate day- piled a volume of facts not only regarding the
by-day journal of the expedition. largest nuggets found in each field, but the
This diary, edited and annotated by Grant gold-production of all the world-famous mines.
Foreman, recently has been reprinted by the THEY'RE STILL FINDING "Gold is where you find it," says Gaarden,
University of Oklahoma Press under the title GOLD IN THE HILLS and the incidents related in his book are ample
A PATHFINDER IN THE SOUTHWEST. proof that this is literally true. Some of the
Whipple's "itinerary" is one of the most in- The world's largest gold nugget was found richest strikes have been made by mere acci-
teresting, informative and human journals of at Carson Hill, California, in 1854. It weighed dent. As you read this book you will feel the
the early Southwest. His command, in addition 2340 ounces and was valued at $77,220. urge to go out in the hills and start looking for
to an escort of dragoons, was composed of While this was an all-time record, many men the nuggets that haven't yet been found.
qualified civilian scientists, mineralogists, as- have uncovered masses of gold that ranged The book is illustrated with photographs
tronomers, naturalists and artists. from a few hundred to $50,000 in value. John printed in offset. 149 pages, paper cover. $1.50
Their survey generally followed the 35th
parallel, extending across the Indian territory
to Santa Fe and thence through northern Ari-
zona along approximately the present route of
the Santa Fe railroad to a point west of Flag-
staff. Here they swung south along the Big
Sandy and Bill Williams rivers to the Colo-
rado and thence along the western banks of
Only one in the year
that stream to the Mojave valley at Needles, and
then over Cajon pass to Los Angeles.
By the time they reached the Colorado their Only one pla* world
mules had become too few and exhausted to
draw the wagons, and all the vehicles except
a buckboard in which the survey instruments
were carried, had to be abandoned.
Hostile Indians, scarcity of water, and the
blazing of a road over terrain that had never
known a wheel made each day's progress a new
adventure. It is a fascinating story, and Grant
Foreman has made it doubly interesting by the
addition of footnotes which enable the reader
to visualize the journey with reference to pres-
ent-day place names.
The fine lithographs from sketches by H. B.
Mollhausen and J. C. Tidball, members of the
expedition, are reproduced in sepia. Map, bib-
liography, index, 279 pages $3.00
CEREMONIALS
S U N D A Y at Sundown
COMPLETE STORY OF
BOULDER DAM IS TOLD AUGUST 3rd
The Smoki People are dancing again!
Nearly 13 years have passed since President Sunday-at-Sundown, August 3rd, in
Coolidge signed the Swing-Johnson bill, and the cool, pine-scented, mile-high city
the Boulder Canyon project in its larger aspects of Prescott, Arizona, this renowned
is not completed yet. But the great engineering group of 300 white men and women
and economic problems involved in the under- who are preserving Indian rituals and
taking have all been met and solved and it is dances, will hold their 21st Annual
now possible to evaluate the project from an Ceremonials.
economic and social viewpoint. Woven into a dramatic story-thread
This is the task undertaken by Paul L. Klein- will be the symbolic Jemez Buffalo
sorge, assistant professor of economics and Dance, famous Laguna Dog Dance,
business administration at Oregon State col- intricate Shawnee Feather Dance, ex-
lege, in his book THE BOULDER CANYON citing Apache Devil Dance and the
PROJECT, recently from Stanford University stirring Picarus Sun Dance.
Press. Then, before the dying embers of
Dr. Kleinsorge begins his story in 1539 when many fires, the Smoki People will cli-
Francisco de Ulloa sailed to the head of the max their performance with the weird,
Gulf of California in search of a waterway breath - taking Smoki
that would lead to the vicinity of the Seven Snake Dance . . . most
Cities of Cibola. The period of discovery and unforgettable revelation
navigation is told briefly, and then follows a civilized man will ever
more detailed discussion of the reclamation including witness! Don't miss this
of the lower river valleys, the hazards of flood the most colorful of South-
and drought faced by the settlers—the condi- western events — the
tions which impelled the federal government
to finance the Boulder project.
mtio FAMOUS\ Smoki Ceremonials and
Snake Dance.
In clear concise manner, and without pre- Smoki Snake ~
judice, the author carries the project through Dance Sunday-crt-Sundown
step by step—the controversy over the Seven- August 3rd
States compact, the legislative history, and fin-
ally the engineering problems involved not only
in building Boulder dam, but the All-American
canal and the Los Angeles Metropolitan aque- "LAND OF THE
duct, which are a part of the major undertak-
ing.
This is a trustworthy and highly informative
PRESCOTT, ARIZONA SMOKI PEOPLE"

JULY, 1941 47
 A music teacher by profession, EDITH

0/ the. McLEOD of Klamath Falls, Oregon, goes

in for mineralogy and geology as a hobby
and it was on one of her collecting trips
MRS. K. P. FREDERICK of Long 3.—Started the story with an interest- that she decided to send Desert Magazine
Beach, California, had the unique experi- ing personalized incident. the Nevada opal story appearing in this
ence of selling the first manuscript she 4.—Secured good photographs. number.
ever submitted to an editor—and the 5.—Limited the wordage to Desert Mrs. McLeod keeps house, is a mother,
feature she sold was the story of the Bay- doesn't care for radio or large cities, and
eta rug, which appears in this number of Magazine requirements, between 1500
prefers to spend her recreation time ex-
Desert Magazine. and 3000.
ploring the remote corners of the desert
"My husband is a newspaperman," 6.—Schooled myself to accept the country. She and her husband have a mu-
writes Mrs. Frederick, "and after living shock gracefully if the editor sent it back." tual interest in collecting rocks, and this
25 years with a writer, I decided to try my Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Young, owners of leads to many enjoyable camping trips.
hand at it, too. I slaved for two years try- the rare Bayeta rug described by Mrs.
ing to master the technique of fiction— Frederick are natives of Texas. He was
and then gave it up and decided to try formerly head of a teacher's college in that One of the most popular features in
fact features. state, and conducted travel tours in the last month's Desert Magazine was Hunt-
"I wrote the Bayeta rug story with Northwest. The Youngs were frequent ing Chnckawallas with a Camera. The
Desert Magazine in mind, and here is the visitors in the Indian country and are the writer of this story was WELDON D.
formula I followed: owners of many fine blankets acquired WOODSON of Los Angeles. He has
1.—Studied the magazine thoroughly during their travels. been free lancing in the field of nature
to determine its style and appeal. The Bayeta was found at a small Indian and scientific features for the past eight
2.—Did a great deal of research on the Inn not far from Roosevelt dam 25 years years, having had acceptances from Sci-
subject. ago. The Inn has burned since then. entific American, Travel, Natural History,
Field and Stream, American Forests, The
American Field, Discovery, Life and
Camera Around the World.
GOLD GULCH GUS By M. E. Brady
"Of all forms of recreation," says Wel-
don, "tramping the desert is my favorite.
My boyhood was spent in Texas where
there is a wide horizon for exploration. I
became a tramp of the outdoors in those
days, and have been at it ever since."
Keith Boyd, who took the rare pictures
of the chuckawallas for Desert Magazine
is Woodson's brother-in-law. If you don't
think it requires patience and skill and
diplomacy to photograph a chuckawalla in
the wild, just try it some time.
• • •
It is with sincere regret that the Desert
Magazine records the death on May 10 of
MICHAEL E. BRADY, whose "Side-
winder Sam" and other cartoons have ap-
peared at intervals on these pages.
Mr. Brady gained fame originally as
the model for the "Dutch Boy" trademark
of the National Lead company. His life's
goal was to be an artist, and he became
chief cartoonist on the Brooklyn Eagle.
His comic strips were syndicated and ap-
peared all over the world.
Ill health brought him to Twentynine
Palms where he continued his work. Early
this year his condition became more seri-
ous and he was moved to the veteran's hos-
pital at Sawtelle where death came.
Mike Brady was a master cartoonist, a
friendly Irishman, and a high type of
gentleman. Readers of Desert Magazine
will share the regret of Magazine staff
members that the cartoon on this page is
his last, completed just a few days before
"My cbaujjeur is a rockhound. he went to Sawtelle.

48 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 For the historical data
Desert Place Names contained in this de-
partment the D e s e r t
Magazine is indebted to the research work done by the late Will C. Barnes,
WeSTCRflfT
author of "Arizona Place Names;" to Betty Toulouse of New Mexico, Hugh
F. O'Neil of Utah, Marie Lomas of Nevada, and Charles Battye of California.

ARIZONA Mount Whitney towers into the sky, its

lofty summit the highest peak in the con-
LAUFFER MOUNTAIN Gila county tinental United States.
Peak in Sierra Anches range. Named
for Jake Lauffer, early day cattleman and
prospector who had a fine ranch here in NEW MEXICO
the '80s. "His orchard," Barnes says, "was Mode*** Coach
CHAMITA (chah-mee'-tah) • CROSS VENTILATION
the wonder of the region." Near head of Rio Arriba county
Sally May creek. Lauffer and a man Sp., diminutive of Chama, Spanish • ROCK WOOL INSULATION
named Livingston were ambushed and form of old Indian word designating area • BOTTLED GAS RANGES
badly wounded by outlaws here on August north of Chamita and thereby differentiat- • CIRCULATING HEATERS
3, 1888. ing the two areas. Originally an Indian
18 Foot to 26 Foot Body Length
KYMO Yavapai county pueblo bearing the name of Yunque, $ 1 1 9 5 . 0 0 . . . . t o. . . . $ 2 6 0 0 . 0 0
Two first families settling here came, "mocking bird place," to which the Span-
one from Kentucky, the other from Mis- ish in 1598 added San Gabriel, a name GEORGE T. HALL
souri. Hence the name "Ky-Mo." P. O. es- sometimes used today. The name of Cha- SO. CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTOR
tablished April 29, 1893, Robert H. Fer- mita dates from the 18th century and 5614 W. Washington — Los Angeles
guson, P. M. originally referred to a large area in the
vicinity of the town, but usage has local-
HUNT'S CANYON Cochise county ized it to the town itself.
In T. 20 S., R. 29 E., Coronado nation-
al forest, in Pedrogosa mountains. Short RIO PUERCO Valencia county
canyon rising under Limestone peak, runs Sp., "dirty river." Settlement on the
southwest into Sulphur springs valley, banks of the Rio Puerco, a tributary of
east side of Swisshelm mountains. Named the Rio Grande. During the dry season
after Zwing Hunt, killed here by Apaches the river bed is dusty.
about 1880. Barnes quotes an unidenti-
fied correspondent, "He was buried at
the foot of a juniper tree and they cut his NEVADA
A NEW worn
name on the trunk and the date of his JOHNNIE Nye county
AMERICAN TWEED
death. The tree still stands, the epitaph Town, population 27, altitude 3900, at FROM OLD SANTA FE
still decipherable." northwest end of Spring mountain range Painstakingly woven by our skilled
in southeastern part of the county. Town Spanish-American weavers from the
• • • wool of crossbred Karakul and Navajo
established in 1882 by George and E. S. sheep in patterns of natural colors only,
CALIFORNIA Montgomery; mining district in 1905. and in combinations of dyed and natur-
Named by locators for Indian Johnnie, a al colors. Completely new, extremely
PRIEST WELL Riverside county local character. distinctive, entirely American. Com-
parable to the best imported cloths —
Reached by a branch road turning west and more interesting and exciting!
3.7 miles from Rice on the Blythe-Rice DISASTER Humboldt county Samples submitted without charge.
road. In Blythe junction basin, about one Peak, altitude 7400 in northern part of Also to be had in draperies and up-
mile from the base of Arica mountain. The the county, so named because in May, holstery.
well was drilled in the summer of 1917 1865, seven prospectors were attacked
by a mining man named Priest, whose there by Indians and four of the party YOU ARE W E L C O M E !
name was given to it. Well 587 feet deep, were killed. When in Santa Fe, or going through
to water 507 feet, casing 10 inches at top, on U. S. 85, to stop at our plant next to
the State Police Building and see what
4 inches at bottom. Water salty, tempera- has been called "One of the South-
ture 90 degrees, was delivered to a gold UTAH west's Finest Show Places."
mining property two miles away in the
Or for Details Write —
summit of Arica mountain, but was not TOOELE COUNTY
used for domestic purposes. Created 1850. Area 6,849 sq. mi. Ori-
gin of name uncertain. Following theories MCROSSEN
BADWATER Inyo county advanced: 1. Derived from Goshute In- HAND-WOVEN TEXTILES
In Death Valley national monument, dian word tuilla, referring to species of SANTA FE NEW MEXICO
279.6 feet below sea level, is the lowest flag that grew near springs in this region.
point in North America. A marker has 2. Corruption of Sp. tule, for rushes. 3. An
been placed on the mountain to show the Englishman called it "too 'illy" because of
ocean level. The pools of Badwater, in the many hills in the vicinity. 4. The sunset on
rough tan-colored surface of the Salt Great Salt Lake reminded somebody of a
Beds, were named in the early days by valley in Austria so-named. First version
someone who found the water very bad, as is preferred, according to Utah Place
indeed it still is. More than a mile above Names, American guide series. Bancroft
LEIGH HOTEL
Located in the Heart of the
Badwater is famous Dante's View on the has another story on origin of name for SCENIC WONDERLANDS
OF SOUTHERN UTAH
edge of the Black mountains, and to the the town Tooele (Desert Magazine, Aug.
west, across the reaches of Death Valley, 1938, p 28). C E D A R C I T Y , U T A H

JULY, 194 1 49
 Heftveen Ifou an

By RANDALL HENDERSON

cause he is a liar. In fact, the tall tales that Dick Wick Hall,
fl SPENT a restful weekend recently at the ranch home of Shorty Harris, Pegleg Smith and Ol' John Hance bequeathed
V/ Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bergman at Aguanga on the west- to us are part of our treasured lore.
ern rim of the Colorado desert. Harry's grandfather was But these old timers spun yarns for entertainment. They had
station-keeper at Oak Grove in the days when the Butterfield a lot of fun doing it and no one was hurt. If Walter Bellon
trail was the main route of travel across the Southern California wants to win a place among the famous liars of the Desert
desert. country I am going to insist that he get himself an old flannel
Harry is a cattle rancher. But he has also found time to as- shirt and a pair of overalls and join the desert fraternity. The
semble one of the most interesting private collections of Indian desert rats don't mind having the facts distorted a little some-
artifacts in the Southwest. A majority of them were picked up times—but they object to it being done by a white-collared
among the chamise and boulders on his own ranch. politician.
He has built his own museum, and recently has been classify- * * *
ing his exhibits. He has no thought of commercializing his col- Before the August number of Desert Magazine goes to press
lection—it is just a hobby that has made his life on the range the long-standing controversy over the lands to be included in
doubly interesting. Anza state desert park will have reached a decision.
He has other hobbies. One of them is seashells. I suggested There has been quite a tempest of opposition to this park in
it was an odd pastime for a man who has lived all his life on San Diego—much of it from people who know less about the
a semi-arid plateau on the edge of the desert.
desert lands involved than I know about the moon.
"Nothing strange about it," he answered. "Many of the pret- Fortunately, conservation-minded people have rallied in sup-
tiest seashells to be found anywhere in this hemisphere are port of the project. The Sierra Club of California named a special
picked up along the sands at the head of the Gulf of California committee to make an independent investigation. This commit-
—right in the heart of the desert Southwest." tee, headed by Arthur B. Johnson, engineer, not only reported
So there is a new idea for the desert hobbyists. The shells are favorably, but raised a fund of over $600 among Sierra club
found on both sides of the upper gulf, along the beach near members to help pay the government filing fees on the land. The
Rocky Point, Sonora, or across on the peninsula near San Felipe. Anza Memorial Conservation association raised another $300.
The roads down to the gulf are not boulevards—but for those Since $1.00 pays the fee on 80 acres, the cash now available
desert explorers who find adventure in rough desert trails it is from these two sources will provide for 72,000 acres of desert
a thrilling trip. park. The money will be paid to the federal government
There are wagon loads of shells down there, Harry assured through the California park commission—if the commission's
me, and they have hardly been disturbed since the days when decision is favorable. The deadline for California's acceptance
desert Indians gathered them for ceremonial and trading pur- of the public land is June 29.
poses. I hope next month I'll have good news for those who have
SfC 3ft 9)6
worked and contributed so generously for the success of this
I hope OF St. Peter will be as merciful as possible toward project.
Walter Bellon when the San Diego supervisor appears at the * * *
celestial gate for final judgment. Correct spelling of the Spanish and Indian names in the
At a hearing in San Diego early in June, Bellon appeared as Southwest is a never-ending source of discussion in the Desert
an opponent of California's proposed Anza desert park. He Magazine office. We are never quite sure whether it should be
testified that streams of water pouring down from the moun- Navajo or Navaho, Kachina or Katchina, Piute, Paiute or Pa-
tains along the western rim of the Colorado desert would make hute.
possible the cultivation of great tracts of desert land. He sug- For instance, my friends in Nevada have convinced me that
gested that reservoirs for irrigation could be built in Collins the correct name of the Indian tribesmen at Pyramid lake is
Valley in Coyote canyon, Borrego Palm canyon, Bow Willow Pahute. But the Indian department at Washington has officially
canyon, Oriflamme, Carrizo, Banner and Canebrake canyons. designated the tribe as Paiute.
Perhaps not all readers of the Desert Magazine are familiar Members of the Desert Magazine staff are not the only ones
with these canyons. I have tramped up and down them many who have been puzzled over this problem of spelling. Employes
times, and I will give my word of honor that from June to Sep- in the U. S. reclamation service recently made a search of old
tember every summer there isn't enough water coming out of mining claim records in Arizona, and found the Gila river
all seven of them to irrigate 40 acres of spinach. And not much spelled Hila, Jila, Healy, Gilla, Giley and Guila.
more than that during the remainder of the year. Under the circumstances, the most we can promise our read-
Out here on the desert we do not despise a man merely be- ers is that, right or wrong, we will try to be consistent.

50 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 HERE'S DEATH VALLEY, C. B. Glasscock. Vivid historical

BOOKS account of the colorful characters past and present of

Death Valley. Endmaps, photos, index
GUIDE TO SOUTHWESTERN NATIONAL MONUMENTS.
$3.00

ofthe Southwest...
Here is a select list of books—to supplement your
Condensed, authentic information on 26 monuments, all il-
lustrated. Maps, booklist. Paper, 50 pages 30
LANDMARKS OF NEW MEXICO, Edgar L. Hewett and
Desert Magazine, to add to the reference value of your Wayne L. Mauzy. Invaluable guide to geographic, scenic
library and to increase your enjoyment of the Desert coun- and historic landmarks, written by eminent archaeoloaists.
try. Some are new, some have been long in print. Each is 81 half-tone engravings, index, 200 pp $3.50
a vivid portrayal of some vital phase of the Southwest.
Make yourself a very special gift today—and while CARTOON GUIDES
you're checking off your favorites, remember some friend
who would love to have a guidebook for his next trip, or a ARIZONA CARTOON GUIDE, Reg Manning. Terse and en-
volume of desert yarns. Southwest history, Indian lore, tertaining, sprinkled with the humorous and satiric car-
wildlife or mineral collecting. toons which have made the author famous. Arizona on
parade—geography, history, Indians, cacti and natural
TRAVEL AND GENERAL wonders. 16x19 caricature map, 124 pp $1.00
THE DESERT, John C. Van Dyke. New edition of a classic
which has never been equaled for description of the mys- BOULDER DAM, Reg Manning. An illustrated guide to the
tery and color of the desert. Seen through the eyes of an Dam and Lake Mead. Endmaps, index .50
artist, a nature lover and science student, the deserts o) CALIFORNIA, Reg Manning. Companion volume to the
Southern California, Arizona and Sonora become clo'b-^H Arizona cartoon guide. Also with special map, index,
with a magic form. 257 pp S3.03 135 pp _ $1.00
THE WEST IS STILL WILD, Harry Carr. Entertaining ac-
count of a tour of New Mexico, Arizona and Southern Cali- NEW MEXICO, T. M. Pearce. Another in the cartoon guide
fornia, by a newspaperman who had an uncanny gift for series, written and illustrated in the same humorous style,
dipping into the adventurous past and of portraying an presenting a wealth of information. Cartoon map, index,
array of colorful characters. Includes the Indian Country, 107 pp $1.00
Enchanted Mesa, Carlsbad Caverns, Santa Fe and Taos,
Boulder Dam and Death Valley. 257 pp $2.50 AMERICAN GUIDE SERIES
CALIFORNIA DESERTS, Edmund C. Jaeger. Complete in- ARIZONA, A GUIDE TO THE SUNSET STATE. Complete
formation on Colorado and Mojave deserts. Plant and ani- information on historical and natural setting. Social, agri-
mal life, geography, chapter on aboriginal Indians. Draw- cultural and industrial development. 19 detailed tours.
ings, photos, end-maps. 209 pp $2.00 Many halftone photos, maps. General tourist information,
chronology, biblio., 530 pp $2.50
DEATH VALLEY, THE FACTS, W. A. Chalfant. Standard
complete book on the famous sink, covering geography, NEW MEXICO, A GUIDE TO THE COLORFUL STATE. An-
climatology, water, geology and mining, borax, plant other complete handbook in the American Guide series
and animal life and development. Revised third edition. of the Federal Writers Project. 18 tours. Special pocket
Endmaps, photos, index, 160 pp $2.75 map. 458 pp _ _ $2.50
ARIZONA AND ITS HERITAGE. 40 chapters by authorities NEVADA, A GUIDE TO THE SILVER STATE. Same com-
on their subjects, including physical aspects, flora and plete coverage as other volumes in this series. 8 tours.
fauna, archaeology and anthropology, history, mining, Pocket map, 315 pp $2.50
livestock industries, agriculture, recreation, national
monuments, population, education and religion. Map, UTAH, A GUIDE TO THE STATE. Newest in the American
photos, 291 pages, paper $1.50 Guide Series. Sections on National Monuments and Parks.
ARIZONA PLACE NAMES, Will C. Barnes. A valuable re- 10 tours, 595 pp $2.50
ference based on work of 30 years. Sources were early
writings, Indians, Mexicans, cowboys, sheepherders, his- DESERT MAGAZINE FILES
torians. Maps, 503 pp, paper $1.50 We have a very limited number of complete Desert
GRAND CANYON COUNTRY. M. R. Tillotson and Frank I Magazine files which may be purchased while they are
Taylor. Accurate handbook of information covering geol- available at the following rates. These are newsstand re-
ogy, wilcUife, history and recreation. 108 pp $1.00 turn copies, and some of them slightly marked, but are
complete and serviceable.
I MARRIED A RANGER, Mrs. White Mountain Smith. Ab-
sorbing pioneer experiences of a Ranger's life at El Tovar VOLUME 1, Dec. '37 to Oct. '38, 11 numbers (No. 1 missing).
headquarters of Grand Canyon National Park. Tales of the indexed, in gold-embossed loose-leaf binder $3.50
Canyon country, Navajo and Hopi Indians, plants and ani-
mals of the desert, the Rangers and tourists. VOLUME 2, Nov. '38 to Oct. '38 in loose-leaf binder .... $6.00
179 pp _ _ $1.00 VOLUME 3, Nov. '39 to Oct. '40 in loose-leaf binder ... $3.50
The 3 complete volumes in binders $14.00
ON DESERT TRAILS WITH EVERETT RUESS. Letters and
diary notes of the young artist-vagabond who roamed the
desert trails—and finally disappeared in the Utah wilder- BLACKBURN'S MAPS
ness. Color plate, woodcuts and watercolor reproductions, San Diego county, California 24x28 .50
map. 72 pp $1.50 San Bernardino county, California, 28x42 $1.00
THE JOURNEY OF THE FLAME, Fierro Blanco. Fascinating Riverside county, California, 26x26 _ .50
historical novel of Lower California, incorporating geogra- Imperial county, California, 19x24 50
phy, geology, flora and fauna, ethnology and mythology.
End-maps, 295 pp $3.00 Yuma-Gila valley, Arizona, 17x27 .50
GUIDES
Mailed Prepaid in U. S.
DAYS IN THE PAINTED DESERT AND SAN FRANCISCO Add 3% Sales Tax in California.
MOUNTAINS, Harold S. Colton and Frank C. Baxter. An
informative mapped guide to northern Arizona, covering
geography, flora and fauna, geologic history, archaeolo-
gy, Indians. 27 logged trips to Hopi Pueblos, Painted
Desert, Flagstaff area, Verde Valley and Tonto Basin,
Grand Canyon and Williams area. Appen., index, 113
DESERT CRAFTS SHOP
pages $1.00 EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA

JULY, 1 941 51
 TEST PILOTS SAY
CHIEF TEST PILOT

MARSHAL HEADLE of LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT

"Al, there's the new Richfield Refinery
"Yeh —one ot their engineers told me
— 22 million bucks with a fence around
they're now fortifying both their avi-
it. Sure costs dough to make good gas-
ation and automobile gasolines . . . I
oline to say nothing of research and
always say there's no substitute for
testing. Understand they pioneered
> tn 'soup' in a ship or car... and Richfield
1
'
the road performance method of test-
sure delivers it in both."
ing cars much like we test ships."
-

NO OTHER GASOLINE CAN MATCH THE PERFORMANCE OF

FORTIFIED
GASOLINES
 Old timers in Montana used Maybe you hone for local
to refer to pilgrims as ten- color that smacks of the old
derfeet. They also were time West. Waal now, pod-
prone to cold deck such naive parties by inducing them nah, our atmosphere isn't laden with powder smoke any
to fork languid looking broncs that promptly came alive more and lead poisoning isn't the common malady it
and broke in two. They took these guileless strays used to be. Our best citizens claim that packing a six-
snipe hunting and let them hold the sack. Such whimsies gun interferes with their golf swing. But you'll find local
didn't do the victims any real amount of good but the color, lots of it.
diamonds-in-the-rough considered the results right hu- You see, Montana is the country known to Lewis and
morous. Clark; the mountain men of the fur days; the Vigilantes
Nowadays dudes are too valuable to waste like that. of the gold diggings and the cow hands of the Texas
We call tourists "guests" and when they sit in with us Trail. Of course the Indians were tolerably familiar
we deal them a hand of real western hospitality. with it too.

O r d i n a r y super-colossal
l a n d s c a p e s are mighty
Years ago wild game and trivial and puny compared
Indians made the trails in ^ to Glacier National Park. It is a primitive region of tow-
Montana. Now high-pow- ering mountain peaks, glacier-cut amphitheaters and
ered engineers and contractors are responsible. These valleys, ice sheets, Alpine lakes, impetuous streams and
scientific gents have built about 5000 miles of oiled vast forests, the ensemble lavishly colored. Artists fran-
arterial system and draped it over the landscape where tically sort their pigments, geologists become maudlin,
it will do the most good. At that they are using the photographers are all of a dither, botanists and sports-
mountain passes that the old timers located. These new men go mildly daft in this environment while plain
highways are safe, direct and dustless. You will enjoy lovers of the unspoiled outdoors can hardly believe their
driving them. eyes.
A line addressed to the Superintendent at Belton, Mon-
tana, or to the Great Northern Railway General Offices,
St. Paul, Minn., will bring you details.

This year lots of people Three of the five entrances

are going to head across to Yellowstone Park are in
the continent from west Montana. The approaches
to east and east to west. We suggest the northern or to these entrances are oiled highways. They all give you
Montana route through our air-conditioned climate and magnificent scenic panoramas yet no two are alike. One
stream lined mountains,—cold streams where" you can follows a world famous trout stream, another threads a
safely drink without running the water through a meat
grinder. In the summer months you can escape that gorgeous canyon for sixty miles, a third runs along a
oppressive heat. Autumn days are glorious out here and beautiful valley between rugged mountain ranges and
don't let winter bluff you out because we keep our still another spectacular route takes you where you can
mountain passes open the year around. snowball in July. Some people find it convenient to
come by rail. The Northern Pacific, Chicago, Burlington
Moreover it is the scenic route of the West. & Quincy, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific,
and the Union Pacific railways can give you detailed
information about their service to the Montana en-
trances.

M o n t a n a scenery is as a-^ -iL /V W h i l e I n d i a n s aren't

changeable as the fashion £t ri Jl swarming out on the war
in women's hats and like path in Montana any more
those fancy furbelows it runs from flat to edgewise with there are still a lot of rugged individualists amongst
ever shifting colors. We aren't exactly cramped for them who have not degraded themselves by adopting
room in the plains country and the old timers built our the white man's ways and habits. Our Indians are pretty
mountains high and mostly out of rock. There are places gaudy looking aborigines when they get strung out at
where you can see more miles than there are colonels ceremonials. Their tribal dances are sure picturesque.
in Kentucky. If you like scenery with beauty, grandeur, They make the civilized terpsichorean tantrums of to-
variety and wide open spaces come to Montana, the day seem plumb puerile.
Land of the Shining Mountains.
Montana has seven reservations where famous tribes
We have quite a liberal display of it. and the descendants of well known warriors now live.
 M o n t a n a goes in right Figuring that a lot of people
strong for that form of en- preferred their country au
tertainment where gents in naturel the U. S. Forest
high-heeled boots exercise their skill on frantic broncs Service has wisely set apart certain vast regions in Mon-
and range bred cow critters. These occidental pastimes tana and has designated them primitive areas. Roads
are variously referred to as rodeos, round-ups and stam- are not allowed. To get places you either straddle a
pedes. They specialize in violent action. We produce trail-smart cayuse or you travel by hand. This gives
some top-hand bronc peelers, calf ropers, steer busters you the smell and feel of the hills and forest as they
and bulldoggers out here. The balance of us like to used to be. The peace and beauty to say nothing of the
mount the bleachers or corral fence and offer vocal en- pristine trout streams are well worth the effort.
couragement. Maybe you'd like to join us.
The Regional Office of the U. S. Forest Service at Mis-
Montanans, Incorporated, will be glad to send you the soula, Montana, will be glad to send you maps of these
dates of such doings. areas and give you detailed information.

If you like geology, archae-

D u d e r a n c h is a term ology a n d palaeontology,
covering a multitude of
spreads. Some ranches M o n t a n a has material
combine stock growing with dude business,—others are galore to work on. The surface has barely been curried
frankly devoted to paying guests alone. Some are in to date. We are developing more and more amateur
prairie country, some are in the mountains and some scientists per acre each year and the fossil and artifact
have a combination. All of them have saddle horses, crops are growing in proportion. Weird forms of live
scenery, good grub and western atmosphere. If you stock were curving around here millions of years ago
want the low down write Dude Ranch Division, Mon- and judging by the skeletons found in the prehistoric
tanans, Incorporated, Helena, Montana. State the kind closets it was no fit place for a sensitive man in his
of country and recreational activity you prefer, specify cups.
MONTANA, and it will deliver data for your consid-
eration. Montanans, Incorporated, will tell you where the
dinosaurs used to range and perhaps you can dig out
a few ossified rib roasts.

Tourists who crave living

in a rag house will find
camp grounds along the Wild flowers are with us
highways at convenient intervals in Montana. Some of in Montana the entire
them are privately operated, some have been built by this summer season though
Department, some are maintained by municipalities and June and the first half of July are the times to see them
many have been installed by the U. S. Forest Service at their best. Whole mountain sides and flats a mass of
within the boundaries of national forests. The latter are color. The old man of the mountains sure does a nice
in carefully selected spots with natural shade, shelter and job of gardening. Bird lovers will find it interesting out
water supply. They are usually provided with all essen- here, too, with feathered rascals ranging from bald
tial accessories and some that aren't essential but mighty eagles to peewees. Wild animals are no particular men-
handy nevertheless. Many are along the byways in for- ace to traffic but if you look sharp you can see them
est areas and so are missed by the casual tourist who from the highways especially in the evening or early
sticks to the beaten trail. morning.

There may be a certain

There is a network of sec- amount of zest in feeding
ondary roads in this State succulent worms to lethar-
built and maintained by the gic fish but we have had no experience. In Montana
U. S. Forest Service and the Counties tying into the fishing means luring fighting trout and grayling in
trunk line system of the Montana Highway Department. mountain lakes and white water streams with a fly or
These are not always high speed boulevards. To be spinner. When you drop them a line you are pretty sure
truthful some of them are rough, dusty and muddy at to get an answer. If you hook them they may come boil-
times. But these byways take you to lots of grand and ing out in a graceful arc to take a look at you and then
unusual back country overlooked by the average trav- they go away from there in a very fast and earnest
eller. Any discomfort involved is more than offset by manner. Our trout come in many sizes and models.
what you see, so if the urge of the explorer is in you
don't pass them up. We will be glad to tell you what The State Fish and Game Department operates hatch-
some of them are like if you w r i t to try them. eries and keeps the waters stocked.
 There are still a few people Many Chambers of Commerce in Montana
left who like to walk. This have published material apropos of their
country is wide open to territory for the benefit of prospective vis-
such trained athletes. Trails through the timber and itors. These publications vary from year to year but if
mountains take you where you can get clubby with the you are interested in some particular part of the State,
some local subject, activity, or type of vacation drop
wild flowers and stain your fingers with the purple
Montanans, Incorporated, a line and we will refer your
huckleberries. You can cache yourself in some bosky inquiry to the proper communities for reply. Every sec-
dell or perch on a piney pinnacle and watch the family tion has something unusual and worth while to show
life of the little furry and feathered folk who range in you and they enjoy doing it.
that neighborhood. Such places don't smell of gasoline
and swing music.

Old Mother Nature is

still crying hot tears in
Badlands are weird regions Montana as a result of
carved by Mother Nature ancient volcanic convulsions. These hot springs are
into a jumble of mysterious widely scattered over the State. They not only provide
shapes. Some of them are as vivid and vari-colored as a pure, clear plunges for recreation but many of the re-
painter's palette. Eastern Montana has many such areas sorts are equipped with sanitarium facilities and are
and they are well worth making a detour from the arte- patronized for the medicinal qualities of the waters.
rial highways to see. Economists, agrarians and county Chemical analysis shows mineral content comparable
assessors may consider them plumb inconsequential but to world famous spas. Combined with high, dry climate
persons with imagination can get several bushels of and clean air they are ideal places for invalids as well
pleasing fancies to the acre out of them. as for those who just need a good rest.

The air has room to stir The Scandinavians may

around in Montana. The snow have invented the bed
capped pinnacles cool it off slats with the krokinol
and it absorbs the aroma of pine needles and sage brush. wave but Montana has taken over the idea in a large
It is as dry and tangful as a well made cocktail and con- way. In our mountains you can have skiing as you like
siderably more healthful and exhilarating. Summer days it whether you are a pro, an amateur, expert or just one
are warm and balmy and summer nights are cool. Even of the ones who do most of their slaloming wrong side
in July and August a blanket or two on the bunk is not up. Our snow is very durable. During the winter nu-
amiss. That is quite an attraction in itself when the heat merous ski clubs hold some very fancy meets out here.
We are only a few hours from you by air winter or
demons are doing a sun dance on the hot pavements
summer. Western Air Express, Northwest Airlines and
back in the crowded settlements. Wyoming Air Service Inc. will bring you aflying in no
time.

Montana was nicknamed Perhaps you have gathered

The Treasure State shortly by now that we think very v^^^^o^-
after the first soldiers of well of Montana and are
fortune found gold in her stream gravels. Since then willing to share her glories with you. The gate is wide
metals, coal, oil, marble and jewels galore have been open and you don't have to apply for admission. This
taken from her rock lined vaults. Our mining camps, is one heaven without a lookout at the wicket. Just
big and little, are unique. Bearded prospectors still breeze in, hang your hat on the floor and make yourself
haunt the gulches; huge dredges are greedily munch- at home. We want you to enjoy our huge playgrounds
ing away at auriferous gravel deposits; labyrinths of with us during your vacation and will do everything
underground workings honeycomb mineralized veins. possible to make things pleasant for you.
We will direct interested travellers to active and ghost Best of luck till then, old timer!
camps world famous in the mining industry. We'll be seeing you!

PUBLISHED BY

MONTANANS, INCORPORATED
Helena, Montana
For any further information concerning the state send
communications to the above address.
DESIGNED BY BOB FLETCHER ART WORK BY SHORTY SHOPE
 <
• ^ •