THE

MA G A Z

,•*«

I -^ 1
AUGUST, 1942 25 CENTS
 Qod'd Jbeient
By EDMOND READ
Glendale, California
Winner of first prize in Desert Mag-
azine's monthly amateur contest is
this view of the Arizona desert, near
legendary Superstition mountain.
Taken with a 13.5 cm. Carl Zeiss Tes-
sar on a 4x5 Speed Graphic. Expos-
ure f 18 at 1 Yi sec. with a Wratten A 25
red filter; Eastman Infra-red cut film.

Special Men.it
The following photos were judged
to have special merit:
"No Visible Means of Support," by
Ted Jerome, Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Desert Tragedy," by Clifford B.
Paul, Moline, Illinois.
"Navajo Butcher Shop," by Joe
Orr, Los Angeles, California.

Aid Jfdl
By ARLES ADAMS
El Centro, California
Second prize winner in the June
contest was taken with a 21/4x31/4 Ko-
dak Special. F8, 1/100 sec, late aft-
ernoon. Kodabromide paper, veri-
chrome film.

»"£.<

4
 DESERT

JUL. 31-AUG. 2 Charity Horse show,

Flagstaff, Arizona. Vic Watson,
chairman.
AUG. 2 Feast Day of Our Lady of An-
gels and Old Pecos dance at Je-
mez Indian Pueblo, New Mexico.
22nd Annual Smoki Ceremonials,
Prescott, Arizona.
4 Feast Day of Santo Domingo and
summer corn dance, Santo Do- Volume 5 AUGUST, 1942 Number 10
mingo Pueblo, New Mexico.
6-30 Art exhibit at Museum of North- COVER "NAVAJO," by Josef Muench, 839 Mission Canyon
ern Arizona, Flagstaff, features
Arizona sculptors, Mary and Road, Santa Barbara, California.
Robert Kittredge, Mrs. E. V. PHOTOGRAPHY Prize winning pictures in June 2
Staude, Mathilde Schaefer.
7-9 Cowboys' Reunion, Las Vegas, CALENDAR Current events on the desert 3
New Mexico.
7-9 Rodeo at Tomblers Lodge, Mor- LETTERS Comment from Desert Magazine readers . . . . 4
mon Lake, Arizona. CLIMATE
10 Fiestas at Picuris Indian Pueblo, Why Deserts?, by WELDON HEALD 5
Penasco and Abo, New Mexico. HUMOR Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley
12 Annual Fiesta and com dance at
Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico. By LON GARRISON 8
12-15 Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, CACTI Coryphantha deserti
Gallup, New Mexico. By GEORGE OLIN 9
13-15 State Convention American Le-
gion, Provo, Utah. POETRY "Sand Painting," and other poems 10
14-15 Belen fiesta, Belen. New Mexico.
15 Annual Fiesta and Dance, Zia In- PERSONALITY On the Trail to Keetseel
dian Pueblo, New Mexico. By JOYCE ROCKWOOD MUENCH . . . . 1 1
18-21 Supreme Assembly, International DESERT QUIZ
Order of Job's Daughters, Albu-
A test of your desert knowledge 14
querque, New Mexico. BOTANY These Roses Grow in High Places
22 Fiesta and Dance, Isleta Indian By MARY BEAL 15
Pueblo, New Mexico.
25-26 Davis County Fair, Lagoon, Utah. LANDMARK Bowers Mansion, by W. A. CHALFANT . . . . 1 6
27-29 State Convention Utah Medical
association, Provo. FIELD TRIP Crystals That Fade in the Sunlight
27-29 Kow Kounty Karnival, Richfield, By JOHN HILTON 17
Utah. CONTEST Prize announcement for August 19
27-29 Box Elder County Fair, Tremon-
ton, Utah. ARTIST Tree People of Joshua Forest
29-30 Rocky Mountain Federation of
mineral societies annual conven- By CARLISLE ELLIS 20
tion at Salt Lake City, Utah. CONTRIBUTORS About the Souths 22
ART OF LIVING Desert Refuge, by MARSHAL SOUTH . . . . 23
Weatkeb TRAVELOG Playground in the Utah Wilderness
By CHARLES KELLY 25
FROM PHOENIX BUREAU NEWS
Temperatures— Degrees Here and There on the Desert 29
Mean for month of June 85.0 MINING Briefs from the desert region 32
Normal for June 84.5 HOBBY
Highest, on June 22 112.0 Gems and Minerals
Lowest, on June 5 62.0 ^Edited by ARTHUR L. EATON 33
Rainfall— Inches HOBBY Amateur Gem Cutter
Total for June - 0.00
Normal for June 0.07 —Edited by LE1ANDE QUICK 36
Weather- PRIZE CONTEST Announcement of awards for personal
Days clear - 26 adventure stories 37
Days partly cloudy „ . - - 3 COMMENT
Days cloudy 1 Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . . . . 38
FROM YUMA BUREAU BOOKS "Man Who Killed the Deer," and other reviews . 39
Temperatures— Degrees
Mean for month 84.8 The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Publishing Company, 636
Normal for June 84.7 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
Highest, on June 21 and 30 113.0 No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1942 by the Desert Publishing
Lowest, on June 8 58.0 Company. Permission to reproduce contents must be secured from the editor in writing.
Rainfall— Inches RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor. LUCILE HARRIS, Associate Editor.
Total for month ...0.00 Manuscripts and photographs submitted must be accompanied by full return post-
73-year average for June 0.02 age. The Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of manuscripts
Weather- or photographs although due care will be exercised for their safety. Subscribers should
Days clear - 28 send notice of change of address to the circulation department by the fifth of the month
preceding issue.
Days partly cloudy 2
Days cloudy 0 SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Release from Lake Mead averaged around One year, including gold-embossed loose leaf binder $3.00
25,000 second feet. Storage during the Two years, including binders for both years 5.00
month increased about 3,000,000 feet. You may deduct 50c each for binders if not desired.
JAMES H. GORDON, Meteorologist Canadian subscriptions 25c extra, foreign 50c extra.
Address correspondence to Desert Magazine, 636 State St., El Centro, California.
AUGUST, 1942
 Frosting on the Cake . . .

LETTERS.
Let's Keep the Wildlife Reporters Congressman's Favorite . . .
Dear Mr. Henderson:
San Jose, California

June LeMert Paxton, in quoting Wm. Shakes-

peare in your July issue, relieved my feelings
somewhat. I delayed writing in regards to the
lack of appreciation some one expressed for the
harmonious notes given us by Marshal and
Straight . . . Caliente, Nevada Tanya South, for the simple reason 1 was un-
Taft, California Dear Sir: able to concoct suitable words for the purpose.
Gentlemen: I am enclosing pictures of a cactus taken by I am enclosing P.M.O. for a two-year exten-
A thoughtful friend loaned me most of the Willard Smith of Caliente. This cactus is locat- sion to the Desert Magazine for the simple rea-
1940-41 numbers of your magazine. In going ed on Route 93, 30 miles west of Caliente. The son that it gives me the privilege of expressing
through your Desert Quiz I got an average of cactus is 26 inches in diameter, 12 inches high, an opinion. The beauty of the desert is brought
15 correct answers—though I did make a few and has 170 segments. In these parts this to me only through the covers of Desert Maga-
lucky guesses. That ought to qualify me as an species of cactus is commonly known as pin zine, thanks to the South family. I admit I en-
S.D.R.—senior desert rat. Now I don't see how cushion. joy other articles, but the frosting is taken from
I can get along without the magazine, and I Our representative, J. G. Scrugham, on his the cake after I have reread "Desert Refuge,"
am enclosing five bucks. trips over Route 93 always takes time to stop as I can see and feel the desert's gifts more
As a subscriber, may I "bawl you out" for re- and look at this cactus as it is one of his favor- through reading their experiences than anything
printing from Glendale, Utah, a common error. ites, and also one of his hobbies. else.
That article mentioned where copper boundary WM. C. CHANDLER
LEO W. HARTON, SR.
markers, set in trees three feet above the ground,
were now 15 or 20 feet up, and sometimes on
the opposite side of the tree. Tribute to the Unknown
I have read the same yarn about deer horns Desert Woman . . .
placed in a tree crotch, and spikes driven in Pasadena, California
bird's eye maple trees in Michigan to foil tim- Dear Mr. Henderson:
ber thieves. It just isn't so. A tree grows from I have read with a great deal of interest Phil
the tips. A spike driven three feet from the Stephens' story of the desert woman's poem
ground in a sapling, will be three feet up a cen- that took 40 years to write. Possibly if more of
tury hence if the tree is still standing, except for our poets and so-called poets would emulate her
variations that may be caused by erosion of the example we would have more spirit and less
ground around the trunk. dross in the resultant productions. Perhaps
Haven't you ever seen a wire fence spiked there wouldn't be so many poems, but I am sure
to trees, where the trunks had grown half way that the standard would be higher.
around the wire. And the wire was still three My main object in writing, however, is to
feet from the ground, not 30. A set of antlers register a protest against allowing this treasure
placed in a sapling crotch six feet up today will to be handed down without the author's name.
be within easy reach a decade from now, if the No doubt others will feel as I do, that such a
mice don't get away with them. gem should find a permanent abode in the col-
Having gotten that off my chest, here's good lections of poetry that from time to time make
luck and a long life to your unique and most their appearance. When such a time comes I
interesting magazine. hope the signature will not be anonymous.
W. H. IRELAND J. ROSS REED
• • •
Desert Magazine staff shares your hope
One With the Sand and Stars . . . that the desert woman who wrote "In the
Seattle, Washington Hearts of Men" is still living, and that her
Dear Mr. Henderson: name will be disclosed. When that infor-
This is just to express to you my delight on mation is available you may be sure it will
the arrival of each number of your magazine. be passed along to our readers. —R.H.
Because in mind we are so perturbed, so
anxious about life in the city, that to be taken Far Away From Manly's Trail. . .
away in thought to the great open spaces . . . to
ramble around undistracted by crowds . . . and Army P. O. 937
the noise of many tongues . . . is to find recrea- Dear Mr. Henderson:
tion and to feel that we are really one with the The clock says nine p. m. but the sun is still
wind, sand and stars . . . and that it is good to Nevada "Pin Cushion" Cactus way up in the sky so you can figure I am a long
live. way north of Seattle, and still farther away from
Once I lived in a desert town in the Laguna the desert.
district in Old Mexico. The Cat on the Hill . . . Just received April and May numbers of your
magazine and found plenty to bring back mem-
ADELAIDE GORDON Yermo, California ories of happier days—saner days too, though
• • • Dear friend Randall: the true desert rat is never quite sane. I thought
Seeking Minerals in Havasu . . . Several years ago there were inquiries as to the pictures were extra fine and felt most sen-
the origin of name Cronese (appearing on most timental in seeing my old friend the tortoise.
Virginia City, Nevada Keep up the good work and keep the war out
Gentlemen: maps as Cronise). I had heard that it was an
Indian word meaning wildcat, and that the In- of Desert Magazine. To truly love your forbid-
A copy of your June issue was loaned to me dians so named it because of the cat's image that ding alluring realm is going a long way to-
by Mrs. Pease of Sacramento, containing a very sits on Cat mountain. ward true love of America.
interesting article on "Havasupai" by Randall I only hope I can be back before some one else
Henderson whose description of his trip recalls But the Automobile club insists it was named
after a scientist named Cronise, who wrote about unravels all the mystery of Manly's trail. Who-
a trip made by myself to the locality. ever can do that is entitled to plenty of space
I was sent to investigate the mining develop- the Mojave in 1880.
with you, but don't "fall" for another South
ment conducted below Beaver falls in 1913. I have talked with several old desert men who Park Canyon fall like the last one. Excuse me
Previous to that time considerable money was visited the valley in the '60s and they say it was for starting that battle all over again.
expended endeavoring to find platinum. My named Cronese then, which was 20 years be-
notes show that my party was at Mooney falls fore Mr. Cronise's visit here. GORDON F. HELSLEY, Lt. Col. M. C.
March 18, 1913, elevation at that point 3100 A short time ago I had a long visit with a The question of Manly's route through
feet. Pahute Indian who has been my friend. I asked the Panamint mountains in the winter of
I distinctly remember wading and recrossing him to say "wildcat" in his language. He pro- '49 is still subject to controversy. Col. Hels-
the creek, but have no idea as to the number of nounced it CROdthESE. The dth is slurred and ley's reference is to Dick Freeman's story in
times. We climbed over Beaver falls. I still subdued so that it sounds like an "n," but if you the March '41 issue of Desert Magazine in
have some souvenirs as a reminder of the trip. pronounce it "n" they will correct you. There which Freeman presented what he and
Other references in your magazine bring mem- is no doubt that the Pahutes saw the cat on the others believe to be the Manly pass. Let's
ories of former trips of investigation. hill. hope that in due time we may have Col.
A. E. VANDERCOOK ELMO PROCTOR Helsley's version.

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 • • • ; . . . • - ^ . • ; : , . . . . . . . • • •

Have you ever wondered—

What causes the lack of rainfall on
the desert?
Why high desert mountains have
forests and streams and lakes
while the intervening valleys
are dry?
What causes summer cloudbursts
on the desert?
What relationship there is to the
Great American desert with
other deserts of the world?
Why deserts are hotter in summer
and cooler in winter than adja-
cent temperate zones?
You will find the answers to these
and many other interesting questions
in this article by Weldon Heald.

America's best known desert is Death Valley—yet this region of extreme aridity is not de-
void of water. Photograph shows one of the crystal clear salt pools on the floor of the valley.
Mrs. Hubert A. Lowman, wife o\ the photographer, is standing in a field of salt. Devil's
Golf course in the background.

By WELDON HEALD

HY Deserts? the sun. The sun's radiant energy deliv- the atmosphere, that blanket of air which
Ninety-nine people out of a ered as heat upon the surface of the earth surrounds the earth. Everybody knows that
hundred would answer, "Deserts starts a complicated series of causes and warm air rises while cool air sinks. And so
are caused by lack of rain, and don't be effects worthy of Rube Goldberg himself. air heated by contact with the sun-warmed
silly by asking obvious questions." The weather you are enjoying or curs- surface of the earth rises, but as it rises it
The one hundredth would peer at you ing today is the result of air currents, expands and cools, finally sinking as cool
over his spectacles—and very correctly ocean currents, high air pressure, low air air in another spot where the upward
reply, "In general, aridity is caused by ter- pressure, winds, evaporation, rain, and warm currents are not so strong. This as-
restrial belts of anticyclones." snow acting upon each other and all cending and descending air gives rise to
That makes it unanimous, they all originating from the fact that the sun heats a world-wide circulation of the atmos-
agree, but it leaves us just about whe r o we the surface of the earth. And since climate phere, never quite identical at two given
started. It doesn't explain why I have a is the daily weather of a place neatly tabu- moments, but settling into broad belts'
Redwood in my front yard while you have lated and averaged for a long period, it which have remained relatively stable for
a saguaro cactus. follows that the sun must be responsible several thousand years.
Of course it doesn't rain much in the for the lack of rainfall which makes a des- Similar in nature, but even more com-
desert, but why doesn't it? Do deserts just ert climate. All we have to do is to follow plicated, are the ocean currents. In general
happen or is there some definite reason? up the processes by which solar energy is they consist of warm surface currents flow-
Let's go back to the beginning and con- converted into world weather. ing from the equator to the poles and a
sider the source of all earthly activities— Next in importance to the sun's heat is slow creep of cold water on the ocean

AUGUST, 1942
 similar in the northern and southern hemi-
spheres. Both north and south of the equa-
torial low-pressure belt (ascending air)
are sub-tropical belts of high pressure
(descending air) extending from latitude
10° to latitude 30° in the northern hemi-
sphere and a little higher in the southern
hemisphere. Above these are the temper-
ate belts of low pressure (ascending air
again), approximately 30° to 60° north
latitudes and 35° to 55° south latitudes. '
Then come the north and south polar caps
with high pressure again. Although these
belts are permanent and definite, we must
remember that they show average air pres-
sure only and that areas of high and low
pressure can occur temporarily anywhere
upon the earth's surface.
If the earth were not rotating about its
axis air would simply flow from areas of
high-pressure to areas of low-pressure.
Due to the rotation of the earth, air is de-
flected to the right in the northern hemi-
sphere and to the left in the southern
FIGURE 1—Shaded areas mark the two broad belts of desert which extend around hemisphere, resulting in winds which
fhe globe in both the northern and southern hemispheres. These desert belts are not closely follow the pressure belts. The
continuous due to variations caused by geographical features. general east-west drift of air in the equa-
torial regions, called the doldrums, is
known for its gentleness and its unreliabil-
ity. Sailing ships are often becalmed for
weeks in the doldrums. The sub-tropical
high-pressure belts are the homes of the
trade winds, northeast in the northern
hemisphere, south-east in the southern
hemisphere. These winds have been the
joy of generations of sailors because of
their steadiness and reliability. The tem-
perate belts have westerly winds varied by
"cyclonic depressions," while, in general,
the polar caps are areas of easterly winds.

But all this is just background, stage

setting, build-up. What kind of weather
actually occurs in the various parts of the
FIGURE 2—Keeping in mind that rainfall is produced by the cooling of moist air. world with their different pressures and
this sketch shows how damp breezes from the Pacific are forced upward by mountain winds? Does the rainfall tend to arrange
ranges. At the higher altitude the air is cooled and precipitated as rain while the inland itself in belts too? It does, and in the same
valleys remain dry deserts. belts north and south of the equator. The
areas of high average air pressure tend to
floors in the reverse direction. Local con- pressure and is measured by the number of be dry while the areas of low average air
ditions, such as the sizes and shapes of the inches of mercury it will raise in a standard pressure tend to have rainy climates.
continents, depth and extent of the oceans glass tube. About 30 inches is the average In both the northern and southern
and the straits between them, so change sea level reading. Air pressure varies, how- hemispheres there is the equatorial belt of
the natural trend of ocean currents that ever, because whenever air is descending heavy rainfall, the sub-tropical dry belts,
they deserve a special study in themselves. it has more weight than when it is ascend- the temperate rain belts, and the polar caps
These currents of air and water act upon ing; that is, cold air is heavier than warm. of generally light snowfall. The reason
each other and complicate things consid- So a high-pressure area is simply a place of for this is not hard to find. Warm air holds
erably, but we now have the simple out- descending air and a loir-pressure area a more moisture or water vapor than cold
line from which we can trace the different place of ascending air. air so that when moist air is cooled it gives
climates of the world—sun's heat, air cir- up part of its moisture. The cooling of
The old familiar theory that everything
culation, and ocean currents. moist air is the only way in ivhich an ap-
which goes up must come down applies
Next let us look at the areas of ascend- even to air, so that ascending and descend- preciable amount of rain can be produced.
ing and descending air currents upon the ing air currents tend to distribute them- That is the most important connecting link
earth's surface. The atmosphere at sea level selves in alternating belts around the globe in the series we are following from the
has an average weight of nearly 1 5 pounds parallel to the equator. The arrangement sun's energy to the formation of deserts.
to the square inch. This is called the air's of high-pressure and low-pressure belts is Now we are getting somewhere. If that is

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Damp currents of air thrust upward by mountain ranges are cooled in the higher altitudes—
hence there is more rain on desert ranges and plateaus than in the valleys. San Francisco
peaks in northern Arizona, entirely surrounded by arid desert, illustrate this phenomenon.
Photograph by Hubert A. Lowman.

so, and warm air cools by ascending, then high average air pressure. Let us see how all over the ocean, but in areas of intense
the belts of low air pressure must have it happens. low pressure called cyclones or cyclonic
more rain than the belts of high pressure, storms. These storms travel, with many
Large continents, such as Asia and
and deserts should be found in the two variations and side excursions, from west
North America, tend to be occupied by
belts of sub-tropical high pressure. In gen- to east finally striking the west coast of
high air pressure in the winter and low air
eral that is true; on the lowlands swept by North America and producing heavy rains
pressure in the summer, while over the
the trade winds between latitudes 20 and from Alaska to northern California. If the
adjacent oceans the opposite is true—the continent were small or less mountainous,
30 are most of the great deserts of the
air pressure is high in the summer and these storms would pass over it with little
world.
low in the winter. This is because land is diminishment, giving generous rains to
But there is a catch to it. Nothing in na- heated and cooled much more rapidly than the interior. As it is, however, they meet
ture is as simple as that. Not only are there water. The Great Basin of western North with every kind of obstacle, so only the
places in the sub-tropical high-pressure America is much warmer in the summer largest storms manage to surmount them
belts which have an abundant rainfall but, and colder in the winter than the Pacific all.
in Central Asia, North America, and to a ocean. If we go back over the relations be-
lesser extent South America, there are tween air pressure and rainfall, especially First there is the semi-permanent win-
broad deserts extending right through the remembering that the cooling of moist air ter high-pressure area over the interior to
stormy temperate regions of low-pressure. is the only way in which an appreciable deal with. This "anticyclone" is jealous of
(See Fig. 1.) Our own Great American amount of rain can be produced, we see its privileges and sends out-flowing winds
Desert, stretching from the Mexican bor- immediately that this reversal of air pres- that often baffle attack. Southern Califor-
der to southern Canada, is one of these ex- sures between the land and the ocean auto- nians are familiar with the desert blasts
ceptions; it is wholly north of the sub- matically makes for the aridity of the in- of the famed Santa Ana wind, which sev-
tropical belt and exists because it is with- terior western states. It works like this. eral times each winter routs the advancing
in a great and mountainous continent. It In winter over the Pacific ocean the air, clouds of approaching storms. Then
is an exception but not a freak. Its reasons relatively warmer than that of the adja- again the cyclonic storms are often de-
for being are the same as for all deserts— cent continent, tends to rise; not evenly flected far to the north by the high-

AUGUST, 1942 7
 Sez Hard
Rock Shorty
of
Death
Valley
By LON GARRISON

"Lost?" asked Hard Rock Shorty.

"Sure I've been lost. When I was
new in this country seemed like I
was lost most o' the time. I c'd go
out to get the mail an' get all tangled
up worse'n a boy scout with a new
compass."
Hard Rock thought sadly back to
Rapidly rising air currents on the desert in summer cause thunderstorms, even the days when he was young and
amounting to cloudbursts. Photograph by G. E. Barrett. life was full of confusion for one
who had yet to learn his landmarks.
pressure area, passing weakly over Cana- thunderstorms are spotty and unreliable "Of course, after you get to know,
da. Secondly, even if the storm is strong except on the high mountains, the greater there's lots o' things to tell what
enough to break down the high-pressure part of the interior is arid while the low way is which an' there ain't no more
area temporarily, it must surmount range places are complete desert. reason for gettin' lost in the desert
after range of mountains before it can Every state in western America, there- than there is in a sign factry.
slide down the east slope of the Rockies fore, contains arid regions, the total area "The compass plant's one o' the
and gather new hosts of moist air from the running to five hundred thousand square best directers we got in the desert.
Gulf of Mexico. Mountain ranges, by miles. But it must not be thought that all It's a little weedy lookin' jigger with
forcing the air upwards rapidly, rob pass- this is desert—far from it. So important is just four leaves, one growin' out o'
ing storms of their moisture. The air rising the effect of altitude on rainfall that al- each side but it points six ways—
on the west coast slopes of the Coast, most every mountain range and high pla- north, south, east, west, an' up an'
Sierra Nevada, and Cascade ranges, cools, teau in the West is heavily forested and down. Three o' the leaves are all the
precipitates its moisture and descends on supports green meadows, running streams, same but the north pointer has a
the east side as a dry wind. On reaching and lakes. The contrast of climates in the little black tip on it. In the fall when
Utah and Colorado the air rises again, but West is tremendous, and the transitions the leaves are beginnin' to turn yel-
having much less moisture the rainfall is sudden, contributing greatly to its charm Ier, that'n turns two or three days
greatly diminished. (See Fig. 2.) So the and fascination. How often we have been ahead o' the others. The leaf's so
winter rains in the low regions of the in- on the cactus desert or sage plains and
terior are very light. sensitive that bein' just that much
looked up to the long lines of pine and further north makes the diffrence.
fir on the mountain tops or swam in a cool If seeds fall down crooked, they
Early summer brings a change. The
mountain lake a few hours from the siz-
winter high-pressure area breaks down be- sprout all right but soon as the
zling desert below.
cause increasing sun heat causes the air leaves come out the plant twists
over the land to rise while over the Pacific, Deserts are not a recent innovation, nor around. Sometimes it'll twist itself
now cooler than the continent, the air be- are they due to a gradual drying of the plumb out o' the ground.
gins to sink, bringing about a reversal of earth. Apparently they have existed "I only saw one growin' crooked
pressures. In other words, the "anticy- throughout geological time and at some oncet. That'n got me headed wrong
clone" spends the summer vacation at sea. periods greatly exceeded their present one day when I was dodgin' a arger-
This descending air means that practically area. But appreciation of deserts is a new ment with a depity sheriff an' I
no storms originate in the middle Pacific thing under the sun. Places to which we wound up in Daggett for 30 days in
during this season. However, on land now go for rest and recreation were spok- the cooler. After I was properly
damp inflowing air from the ocean makes en of as, "arid and repulsive to the last cooled I went back to take a look at
for fog along the coast and upward con- degree," 50 years ago. Now that we have that compass plant. It was off in its
vection currents in the interior. These discovered the lure of the deserts, let us go pointin' all right so I took a look
rapidly rising air currents cause thunder- to them, get inspiration from their many around to see what the trouble was.
storms, sometimes amounting to cloud- wonders, but it will be much more inter- Found where some dumb jackass
bursts, and in many desert localities are esting if we take with us an understanding had lost a big chunk o' magnetite
practically the only rain that ever falls. As of them, a knowledge that such a master- right where this plant was an' it'd
this condition persists for only the two or piece as the Grand Canyon was made by pulled it around nearly 90 degrees."
three hottest months of the year and the the unromantic reversal of air pressures.

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Close-up of the Desert Coryphantha. Photo taken by the author near Ivanpah, California.

good yellow to the pink of C. alversonii.

The fruits are greenish red when ripe.
They have a slightly acid taste somewhat
less agreeable than that of C. alversonii.
In time the pods dry and weather to a
point where the seeds may escape.
In its northern range along the
California-Nevada line, C. deserti grades
into C. chlorantha. The intermediate form
is small—the flowers are a poor yellow.
As one goes farther north and east this
form begins to take on the character of
is proper since their ranges adjoin one C. chlorantha. At St. George, Utah, the
ded.en.ti another. Thus it would seem that C. vivi- type of C. chlorantha is found.
para is related to C. deserti through the
By GEORGE OLIN At the juncture of the California, Neva-

r
intermediate species C. arizonica.
da and Arizona state lines C. deserti grades
HIS little foxtail cactus is particu- Coryphantha deserti was first described into C. arizonica. The change is more
larly interesting to those who have by Dr. Geo. Engelmann in 1 880. The type
abrupt in this case and in several localities
theories about the evolution of was collected at Ivanpah, California.
the types of the two species may be found
species in our desert plants. Specimens in this vicinity are quite charac-
teristic of the species. The plants are together. C arizonica is a much less firm
It is a species which seems to have small; never more than 4 inches tall and plant and is more sparsely spined than
reached a fixed position as regards its usually much less. Solitary specimens are C. deserti.
adaption to the conditions of its range. the rule; they seldom branch unless in- This is the theory advanced here: that
Apnarently it is the original form from jured or of exceptionally large and robust C. deserti is a species which has reached
which several other species have sprung. growth. The plant body is surrounded by
In explaining this theory it may be point- stability, that it is a species which possesses
1 5 to 20 spiral rows of grooved tubercles.
ed out that C. deserti is confined to three many of the characteristics common to the
Each tubercle is tipped with from 20 to 30
counties in California—Inyo, San Bernar- other three species, and that since it ap-
radial spines and 2 to 6 centrals. All the
dino, and Riverside—and a narrow strip spines are comparatively short, the radials parently is oldest and most fixed, and the
along the Colorado river in western Ari- usually about Vi inch long, and the cen- intermediate forms linking it to the other
zona. trals slightly longer. They are all a greyish species can be traced, then the other
white near the base and the tips are a dull species are forms of C. deserti which have
Engelmann states that both C. deserti been changed enough by the slow process
brownish red in color.
and C. arizonica belong to the vivipara of evolution to deserve species rank.
group and from this it might be assumed The flowers are borne at the tip of the
that they are more specialized forms of plant and rise from the base of the new Botanists have found the plants in this
that species. However, field work in Cali- tubercles. They are about an inch high and group hard to separate into definite
fornia, southern Nevada, and northwest- the same in diameter. The sepals, about 23 species. It is impossible to lay down hard
ern Arizona will prove that C. deserti. in number, are very narrow and fimbriate and fast rules as to classification. Only by
chlorantha. and arizonica are very close to- in their margins; the petals are also fimbri- field work is one able to form any accur-
gether and linked by intermediate forms ate at the bases. The flower of the tvpe can ate idea of their species rank. Nature pre-
while the type of C. vivipara which ranges best be described as straw color with the sents a problem in plant evolution along
farther north is quite different from these tips of the petals shading into pale purv le. the California-Nevada line for anyone in-
three. In general characteristics C. vivipara Since the flower is highly variable in vari- terested to solve. Every answer will be dif-
most closely resembles C. arizonica, which ous localities it may range from almost a ferent—one of them may be right.

AUGUST, 1942
h Sand Painting
By R U N A B. RUHLE
Claremont, California
The wise Hah-tah-li skilled in healing lore,
To help an ailing member of his band,
Kneels down upon a floor of clean white sand.
And makes the potent medicine of yore;
The powdered rocks in brilliant colors pour
In ordered measures from his well-trained hand.
Conforming to the pattern that was planned
By People of the Sky long years before.
But when the golden disk fades from his eyes
Through turquoise gates, the picture-prayer is
done;
Serenely, without questioning or qualm,
He keeps a law no tribesman may despise—
That sacred paintings vanish with the sun—
So wrecks his labor with a sweeping palm.

TO A CALIFORNIA DESERT
By LF.LA M. W I L L H I T E
Salinas, California
Some like tall trees of emerald green
Wandering across a mountain's base—
I like a smooth long stretch of sand
With nothing but unlimited space.
• • •
STRICKEN SAGUARO
By WILLIAM RICHARDS
Tucson, Arizona
The timeless mountain purpling in the west
Had been your friend through centuries untold;
Papagos and Apaches called you old
E'er white men sought your dubious shade for
rest,
Pausing in their insatiate search for gold.
You thorny veteran, mocking every test
Of Time—by winds made strong, by drought
made bold,
Saguaro, was Eternity your quest?
I saw your horny shadow on the sand
Grown long to warn the coyote day was done
But yesterday; barren today, the spot
Where staunch and silent you were wont to
Copyrighted photograph b) D. Clifford Bond. stand;
Yes, e'en to you the worm of time had come
To blight your ancient heart at last with rot.
WHO GIVES HIS HEART GIANT JOSHUA TREE • • •
By GRACE CULBERTSON By MARY APOLLINE FRITZ WILD SANCTUARY
San Diego, California Los Angeles, California HuNTINGTON BARKER
I now perceive I have small right to speak. Out in the desert there it stands Hollywood, California
Who only know the desert passing well; Silent, gaunt and grey with age
Who from well-traveled roads my lyrics seek. Deep rooted in the changing sands I saw a lonely desert plot
Whose words of bright oases briefly tell. Among the greasewood and the sage. Alive with cactus thorns.
True testimony comes from those who earn And there upon that sandy spot
Initiation to its ancient spell Far up above its fellows gnarled I saw a toad with horns.
Bv braving perilous lone trails to learn It proudly rears its branches where
That secret charm that nothing may dispel . . . The winds have twisted, bent, and snarled This garden with its bristly spikes
Who has not dared the risk of shadowed death Around a trunk quite bleak and bare. Untended and uncurbed
And an anonymous sun-sepulchre Is just the sort my fancy likes
Stern and grim this giant is
To worship beauty with his every breath. But birds have found a place to rest. Because it's undisturbed.
Though restless sands so soon his footsteps Tight in the crook of an arm of his • • •
blur, They have built a sheltering nest. SUPPLICATION
Need not the desert sing, but he alone (With apologies to the spirit of Dick Wick
Who gives his heart, to be the desert's own. High among its limbs grotesque
The desert night winds play Hall)
• • • By JEAN MCELRATH
The tunes of a jester all possessed
WASTE LANDS Merrily lauding his monarch's sway. Wells, Nevada
By GRACE S. DOUGLAS I'm an old Desert Rat and though I've tried.
Burlingame, California Out in the desert there it stands
Among the greasewood and the sage. I can't get used to a water-soaked hide.
1 give thanks for the waste lands the plow will Undaunted still by Time and sands, My whiskers drag with the weight of sand
never turn. The Monarch of who knows what Age. Tbat rain has turned into muddy land.
For gnarly trunks of juniper no stove will ever I'm growing webs between my toes
burn, And I need a raft so I can doze.
For yellow clouds of mustard bloom that float CREED OF THE DESERT I dare not sleep for fear I'll sink
above the trail, By J U N E LF.MERT PAXTON And not come up in this awful drink.
For bark of lone coyote, for the mating call of Yucca Valley, California Maybe the turtles are feeling at home,
quail, Or those darn bull frogs that live in Salome;
For endless stretch of desert sands with over- The chipmunk toils assiduously;
But give me. Lord, before I die,
arching skies He's always on the run.
No doubt he gets his vitamins Just one more day with a clear blue sky
Where one may free imprisoned dreams and And dry desert sand for under my feet.
rest world-weary eyes. From working in the sun.
Gol dang it. Sir, turn on the heat!

10 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 The Navajo guide lets his horse satisfy its thirst before himself taking a drink.

There are many odd and unusual things on the

On the Trail desert—but after all the most interesting subjects

in this great land of pastel horizons are the humans
who have made their homes here for countless gen-
erations. Human nature is always a fascinating
subject, and on the desert especially so. And if you

to Keetseel agree with this conclusion you will enjoy Joyce

Muench's story of the Navajo guide who led her
along the trail to an ancient cliff dwelling in north-
ern Arizona.
By JOYCE ROCKWOOD MUENCH

f] CLOUD of dust came rolling to- What a picture they made! The simul- ture has returned often, as a kind of pre-
""/ ward us out of the blue Arizona taneous assault upon the eyes, the ears, and face to all that I was soon to learn about
sky. As its billowing form ap- the nose, was like the crashing of unre- the Navajo way of life. We had arranged
proached, vague outlines began to appear membered harmonies in a great symphony. to ride, in the company of a ranger and an
and then to clarify before our eyes. It was The colorful costumes, the bright red wa- Indian guide, to the remote ruin of Keet-
a Navajo family with herd of sheep, gon, the realistic grouping of the animals seel the next day.
wagon, children, dogs and all. were all so much a part of the desert, so at The ranger had a horse of his own and
Seeing our car, the procession moved one with this land of contrasts, that my Bob, the Navajo, brought two more for
out of the ruts to give us the right of way. companion and I suddenly felt ourselves the all-day trip. The trip to the cave of
A small boy on a shaggy burro crowded to be intruders—strangers in an ancient Keetseel was nine miles each way and then
some of the sheep into the grey sage and land. 14 more miles remained before the day
the Indian ponies willingly pulled the Clouds, wagon and odors were all gone was over for him. His price, for all of this
wagon onto bumpy terrain to escape the before I could get the scene into proper fo- was $2.00.
iron monster in which we rode. cus. But the vivid recollection of that pic- Bob is the nephew of a medicine man

AUGUST, 1942 11
 cated youth should live in the wilds with
a tribe, even if his own, that is still cen-
turies behind in its thinking and in many
of its ways. The ranger assured me that
the heritage of a culture is not so easily
cast aside. Nor is the Indian culture as
crude as many of us have been lead to be-
lieve.
As we rode along, I made the most of
every chance to speak with Bob of Indian
things and ways, and tried to be satisfied
with the terse expression and the Navajo
dislike for a direct question or answer.
Bob's uncle, Pesh-la-chi, is 61 and has
never been out of Indian country. He is
perhaps the last of a long line of medicine
men. For the young Indian who goes to
the white man's schools, never quite cap-
tures the point of view that comes from a
horizon bounded only by tribal traditions:
How the earth was created and how the
Indian people came upon it, and all the
great wealth of Indian legend. These are
things the medicine man does not lightly
tell to his white brothers. If Bob had never
gone to college, he would, no doubt, have
followed his uncle. He stands now, be-
tween two worlds, neither of which he
can entirely embrace. He is caught in a
world between an old culture dying and a
new one being born.
We pondered these things, in our sev-
eral ways, as we came to a sparkling
stream, rare enough in this dry land. The
Indian let his horse satisfy himself before
he stooped down to drink of the cool clear
water. It was almost noon and we decided
to stretch our legs and rest a little before
pushing on. As we sat and talked or
The tasks of the Navajo women, like their sisters elsewhere, are never done. Many listened to our guide, a rabbit scuttled
of the women still grind corn by the same methods used in prehistoric times. through the brush, and inquisitive birds
queried our purpose. Breaking through
some of his Indian reticence, Bob told us
and has been carefully schooled in the an- us much sooner to the sandy bed of the of his early life and of the gentle people
cient lore of his tribe. Perhaps the Navajo, Tsegi canyon. Bob, though his own graz- that are his kin-folk.
like the Apache, came from the north. ing lands were far from this spot, knew it When he was very young, his father
There is a touch of the Oriental in his fea- all like a book. The ranger took the op- died and he and his sisters were taken into
tures and more than a touch of it in his portunity to tell me about an evening he his uncle's family. It made a large group.
philosophy. Like the Chinese, he is never had spent in Bob's company. His mother, and her older sister, Pesh-la-
in a hurry. Hosteen-begay, or Bob, as we called chi's wife were the only grown women,
We mounted our horses and with a him, has been to college. He is as at home but there were four sons and two small
packet of lunch and several cameras, start- at the white man's dinner table as he is on daughters. Then Pesh-la-chi's father still
ed off through the low forest of juniper the desert and mountain trails. The lived, like an ancient god himself, Bob
in the direction of the "Cave of the Broken ranger had invited him to dinner one eve- often thought. He must always have a
Pottery," Keetseel. Bob, tall and lanky, ning. In the expansive mood that followed warm place at the fire and be given the
rode his pony as though he himself were a good meal, the host was boasting a little choicest bits of food. And when the old
a part of the four-footed animal, sure, about his knowledge of Shakespeare. man spoke, the children, the women and
swift, and utterly at home on the great "I probably know more of his works the menfolk as well, listened. For when
plateau. He had brought no lunch for the than any man on the whole plateau." It one has seen the sun and the moon come
ride and if we had not urged him to share seemed a safe enough boast. He began up and go down as often as old man Hos-
ours, would have had nothing to eat from quoting. Once his memory failed him. The teen Clye, his words were worth hearing.
dawn until after dark. He is innured to Indian, meanwhile, was watching the
hardship. There is no such word in his Often at night Hosteen Clye told the
warm blaze in the fireplace and avoided whole family stories of olden times before
vocabulary. his host's eye. A polite silence lengthened the white man came and even before the
Where the juniper grew straggly and into an uncomfortable one. The ranger's Navajo had come to this part of the coun-
gradually gave way to sage, a canyon sud- wife looked in amusement from the fair try that they now looked upon as their
denly appeared before us. Without a word, face of her husband to the dark one of her own. The warm winter hogan was secure
or even a signal, the Indian led us off-the guest. It was evident at last, that the against the cold wind that howled outside.
trail and down an arroyo. The ranger him- ranger was not going to recall it, so Bob The children were tucked away in blankets
self had never been over this route before quietly finished the quotation for him. around the circular edge, close to where
and was delighted to find that it brought I was moved to question why this edu- the big timbers went into the ground. As

12 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 The remote and lovely old cliff ruins at Keetseel, "The cave of the broken pottery," in
Navajo national monument, northern Arizona. Well sheltered beneath a huge overhanging
-wall, these ruins have been unusually well preserved.

AUGUST, 1942 13
he lay there, little Bob could follow the what miraculously out of the low growing subject. He was healing by the oldest kind
straight line of the wood up to where it trees. We could hear, even from a distance, of magic spells, by song and odor, by the
pushed through the roof and where the sounds of chanting. We climbed off our hopes of human hearts.
smaller branches closed all but a hole for horses and approached quietly. Taking I was aware that Bob was speaking, very
smoke. Bob as an example, we stood at the open- quietly to another Indian near him. Hav-
A small fire burned in the center of the ing of the hogan. I saw perfectly illustrat- ing received a brief reply, our guide
earthen floor, and around it sat the grown- ed the courtesy with which an Indian turned and started off back toward the
ups in varying positions of perfect relaxa- greets his host. There was no word spoken horses with the ranger and myself follow-
tion and contentment. There would be for some minutes. Even had I not known ing.
long silences when only the wind lifted a that it was proper to be quiet, my astonish- Bob put his horse into a stirring gallop,
little and a lamb cried out sleepily from ment might well have kept me silent while almost as soon as we were back in the
the corral nearby. Or perhaps it was a dis- I took in the strange sight. saddle. There was no opportunity to ask
tant coyote's voice that made the small In- A child of about five years was sitting him the many questions that were on the
dian feel safe and secure in his warm blan- on a blanket in the center of the hogan, tip of my tongue. Far from being tired,
kets. He would be lulled to sleep by the naked. Near her a medicine man sat. It our horses entered into the race, and when
low voice of the old man telling the old was he who was chanting. Whether in we pulled up at camp, I think I was more
old tales. words or only with a sort of humming, a breathless than the horse I rode.
There were stories of how the use of guttural sing-song that was almost hyp- After a few minutes of quiet talk, Bob
one's real name, not the one like "Bob" or notic, he was making passes over the dark swung his long frame into the saddle and
"Wide Hat," but the name given in head. What else he did was not too clearly disappeared like a shadow into the dark-
christening, by an enemy or even a care- to be seen, but I recall vaguely that there ness of the trees. I looked after him with
less friend had brought harm to a man. were leaves, colored sands, shells nearby. regret, for it seemed that out of my ken was
For evil forces lie in wait to cast their There were a number of other Indians, slipping the embodiment of the Indian
spells upon such people. To take a hair, or too. A small fire burned with some aroma- spirit, gentle, strong, silent as deep water,
a piece of nail from an individual was to tic scent filling the air. The vesture of time and possessed of a sustaining philosophy
get a definite ho'd over him. The college- seemed to have fallen in pieces and the which the white man can never hope to
bred Bob was still not able to laugh at this past to be gleaming through in the persons claim as his own. To myself I said, "Good-
idea, nor at the belief that to dig into the of this Indian medicine man and his young night, Bob."
silver mines known to the Indians, was to
hurt their mother earth and so to risk hav-
ing evil spirits come and take the land This month's True or False covers the usual
from the Indian. Who can gainsay that?
It was with a feeling of having jour-
TRUE OR FALSE wide variety of subjects—geography, history,
mineralogy, botany, literature, and the gen-
neyed back into another time and land that eral lore of the desert. It hardly is likely that any one person will know all the
I realized we had spent a full half hour answers. In fact, the average reader will not answer 10 of them correctly. A score
at our lunch, and that the mystery and of 15 is exceptionally high, and any person who exceeds that number is one of
beauty of Keetseel still lay ahead. those super-students of the desert country. The answers are on page 32.
When we came to the foot of the great 1—The fangs of a rattlesnake are in its lower jaw. True.. False
cave that has protected this ancient, desert- 2—The commanding officer of the Mormon battalion on its trek to the Pacific
ed village from the rain of the last 700
years or so, we tied our horses and made was Kit Carson. True-- False..-../.—
ready to climb the tall ladders up to the 3—Joshua tree belongs to the palm family. True False
cave. The ranger was ahead and hearing 4—A stand of beehives is know as a lapidary. True False../.....
no step behind me, I turned to see if Bob 5—Showlow is the name of a town in Arizona. True False
were coming. The Indian stood rooted to 6—A horned toad belongs to the, reptile family. True - False
the ground beside his horse. I could not
read his face as I might have a white 7—Raton pass is one of the gateways into Death Valley. True False
man's, but I realized that he had no inten- 8—The only difference between an amethyst and a quartz crystal is the color.
tion of joining us. The ancient people- True..-..... False -.
dwelt in these cave houses and who knows 9—Barstow, California, is on the banks of the Mojave river.
what spirits linger there? No Indian will True False
approach them. They have stood un- 10—Goldseekers who came west over El Camino del Diablo crossed the Colorado
touched with their wealth of pottery and
the story of their erection and final deser- river at Ehrenberg. True False
tion waiting to be revealed. It has re- 11—Dinosaur national monument is in Utah. True False
mained for the white man to despoil them, 12—Chief Winnemucca was an Apache Indian. True False r.
in hope of some small profit. 13—A U. S. mint was once located at Carson City, Nevada.
Keetseel itself deserves many pages. But True. False
this is Bob's story. He waited with not the 14—George Wharton James wrote the book. Wonders of the Colorado Desert.
slightest show of impatience until we had True False
seen all that we wanted and had photo- 15—The trading post at Cameron. Arizona, overlooks the Grand Canyon of the
graphed to our heart's content. Colorado river. True False
For a while, on the return trip he had 16—Largest city in Arizona is Tucson. True False
nothing to say. It was as though he might 17—A Navajo hogan always faces the east. True False
be pondering our visit to the ruin, or per- 18—The blossom of the mescal plant is yellow. True False
haps he half expected to find us changed. 19—Homes of the Pueblo Indians are never more than one story in height.
When we had climbed up out of the True False
last arroyo and were again on the high 20—The Hassayampa river of Arizona is a tributary of the Gila.
plateau, Bob led us by a different route on True False
the way home. A hogan appeared some-

14 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 On the mountains and plateaus that thrust them-
selves up from the floor of the desert, there's a
gnarled twisted perennial which the botanists call
Cowania, but which long ago was given the com-
mon name of Cliff rose. In ancient days it was a
useful plant for desert Indians, and today it pro-
vides a lovely decoration for the mountain trails
and highways.

fioded Qiow.
in Placed
By MARY BEAL

C' VERY spring I pay homage to the Cliff roses in the

r Providence mountains of the eastern Mojave desert in
California. Clearly etched in memory is the vision of a
superb colony of roses six or eight feet high, which I came upon
near the end of a day of mountaineering up Gilroy canyon.
Their flower-studded branches swayed gently in the breeze,
glowing in the late-ifternoon light and exhaling an exquisite
fragrance. The lower reaches of that canyon were transformed
into Elysium. Margaret Armstrong extols the luxuriant beauty
of the Cliff roses in the Grand Canyon, but I'm sure they do not
outshine that Providence mountain galaxy enshrined in my
memory.
It isn't a true rose according to scientific classification, but
even the botanists recognize the common name that has been
given to this lovely blossom. The botany books list it as Cowania
mexicana var stansburiana, some of them omitting the "mexi-
cana."
Since the rose probably is the best known flower in the world,
it is very proper that the desert should have its own member of
this world-wide family—and so we will continue to call it the Clijf Rose—but it isn't a true rose.
Cliff rose regardless of what the botany books may say.
If you'll follow me to some of the mountain areas in the
eastern Mojave, Arizona, southern Nevada or Utah, we will ing material for garments and mats, footwear, string and rope.
find Cliff roses growing amid the rocks, on the ledges and Browsing animals do not disdain it for feed, though its bitter
slopes, picturesquely gnarled and twisted, and blooming from flavor has earned it the name Quinine bush in some parts of
May to August according to the altitude and local conditions. Arizona.
Do not look for the large pink wildrose that adds charm to Another member of the Rose family, found in the same gen-
the prairie and eastern roadsides, and some parts of the eral areas, has enough resemblance to the Cowania to be some-
West. The flowers of the Cliff rose are small, V2 to % inch across times mistaken for it by a novice. So let's take note of the dis-
with light creamy-yellow petals centered by numerous golden tinguishing differences as listed below:
stamens, the calyx very hairy and glandular.
Fallugia paradoxa
The woody much-branched bushes are sometimes 10 or 12
feet high in favorable locations, but more often from 2 to 8 Commonly called Apache Plume, for the numerous plumy
feet with a shreddy trunk and sometimes growing from a tails attached to the seeds and supposed to resemble an Indian's
rock with no soil visible. feather head-dress. The bush is seldom over 5 feet high, often
less, the leaves much like those of Cowania. The flowers are
The dark-green leathery leaves are very small, Vi to 1/3 inch larger, usually about IV'2 inches broad with pure white, cupped
long with a few short blunt lobes, white-wooly underneath and petals, and grow singly on long peduncles. Because the flowers
glandular, growing in clusters. When the shrubs are in bloom are scattered the bush is less noticeable than the Cliff rose but
the leaves are almost concealed by the flowers which crowd in fruit the Apache Plume manifests quite pronounced individu-
every branchlet. The seeds develop silky, plumy tails about 2 ality. Its fine, silky, plumose tails turn fawn color or purplish
inches long, giving the bush in fruit a feathery appearance. and the shrub appears to be covered with a soft delicately-hued
The Cowanias can be given credit for utility as well as beau- fluff. It too is a good forage plant, even better than Cowania be-
ty. In early days the Indians found the inner bark useful in mak- cause of its pleasanter flavor.

AUGUST, 1942 15
 W. A. Chalfant, veteran writer, historian with imported tile harmonized (in cost)
BOWERS MANSION and publisher of Bishop, California,
won Desert Magazine's landmark con-
with all else. Unused shelves of books
were bought by the yard.
test for June. He identified the accompanying picture as the Sandy Bowers Eilley, acclaimed "Queen of the Com-
mansion near Carson City, Nevada—and his story of colorful Eilley and stock," decided she should visit the Queen
Sandy Bowers is published on this page. This June contest brought more en- of England. Before their departure Sandy
tries than any other landmark during the 4V2 years Desert Magazine has con- gave a banquet. He responded thus to the
ducted these prize events, and the judges spent many hours checking them as toast "Our Host:"
to completeness and accuracy before reaching a decision. Many excellent "I've been in this country among the
manuscripts were submitted and in all instances where postage was en- first that come here. I've had powerful
closed they have been returned. Thanks to all the contestants—and we are good luck. I've got money to throw at the
sorry there were not more prizes to be given. birds. Thar ain't no chance for a gentle-
man to spend his money in this yer coun-
try and thar ain't nothin' much to see, so
me and Mrs. Bowers is goin' to Yoorup to
take in the sights. One of the great men of
this country was in this region a while
back. That was Horace Greeley. I saw
him and he didn't look like no great
shakes. Outside of him the only great men
I've seen in this country are Governor Nye
and Old Winnemucca. Now me and Mrs.
Bowers is goin' to Yoorup to see the
Queen of England and the other great men
of them countries and I hope you'll all
jine in and drink to Mrs. Bowers' health.
I have plenty of champagne and money
ain't no object."
They went to "Yoorup," stayed more
than two years, failed to meet the queen,
but bought many costly nicknacks for
their mansion.
The Comstock began to slump and the
Bowers mine like others dropped in pro-
duction. Though Eilley's peepstone pre-
dicted more wealth it failed to appear.
Stock fell from $400 to $8 a share.
An adviser told Eilley that more stock
must be sold or development of the mine
must stop. In this distressing time in 1868,
Sandy died. Suit was brought to recover
some of the money that had been "thrown
at the birds." Judgments were secured, but
the debtors had disappeared. Magnate
Sharon had bought Bowers stock, and be-
By W. A. CHALFANT came owner of the mine. The mansion was
mortgaged. Payments could not be met.
O OWERS Mansion, on Highway turn to Salt Lake City. Eilley told Alex to The mortgage holders arranged a lottery.
l\ 395, eight miles northwest of Car- go and stay gone, and divorced him for Eilley received 1000 of the 40,000 one-
son City, 21 miles south of Reno, desertion. dollar tickets, the mortgage holders an-
Nevada, was more a part of Comstock lode Rogers' claim adjoined that of Lemuel other 1000. The rest were unsold but par-
history than the palaces built by the bonan- Sanford (Sandy) Bowers. An early por- ticipated in the drawing. An unsold ticket
za kings. tent had disclosed to her the initials won and the mansion reverted to Eilley.
Eilley Orrum (christened Ellison) was "S.B." and she soon married Sandy, 14 But there were more debts, and credit-
a Scotch lassie who at 15 was converted to years her junior. The prophecy was ful- ors finally took over the place. It went
Mormonism, came to America, and be- filled. The combined claims yielded from one owner to another. A plan to
came wife No. 1 of missionary Stephen $300,000 a year. make it a Monte Carlo failed. It now
Hunter. Her "star of destiny" told her she With wealth seemingly unlimited Eilley stands, well preserved, the property of
would be "fruitful and multiply," and be- indulged her ambition to have Nevada's Henry Riter, who keeps it open to the
come immensely wealthy. Ten years with finest mansion. She chose a site facing public.
Hunter failed to fulfill either prophecy, Washoe lake and against the Sierra. The Eilley as the "Washoe Seeress' subsisted
and when he polygamously added three building was of cut stone. A description of on her meager income as a soothsayer in
"nieces" Eilley bought a $15 divorce. its furnishings reads like a tale from Virginia City, Reno and San Francisco,
Next she became Mrs. Alexander Arabian Nights. Door knobs and hinges never abandoning hope that the Comstock
Cowan, but fared no better. They moved were of Bowers mine bullion—although would come back. She passed away in the
to Gold Canyon, Nevada. Boarding min- silversmiths later said the makers had sup- King's Daughters home in Oakland in
ers and washing their clothes provided her plied plated hardware and stolen the sil- 1903 at the age of 83. Henry Riter brought
subsistence. Boarder Rogers failed to pay ver. Windows were plate glass, skylights her ashes back to the mansion to rest with
and she took over his 10-foot claim. Her Bohemian glass. Mirrors cost $3,000 each, those of Sandy and their adopted daugh-
peepstone foretold riches there. lace curtains $1,200 each. Gold-framed ter, Persia, who had passed away some
Orders came from the Mormons to re- paintings, marble urns, fountains lined years before.

16 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Visiting the old Nevada mining camps at Rhyolite and Bullfrog,
John Hilton met some interesting people and was given permis-
sion to visit claims where fine amethyst crystals occur in the
quartz seams in the rocks. John's story in this issue of Desert Mag-
azine will give you a few tips on how and where to hunt for these
semi-precious gem stones.

A black and white photograph hardly does justice

By JOHN HILTON to this beautiful lavender-tinted cluster of ame-
thysts. This was among the crystals brought home
from Bullfrog by John Hilton.

/ 7 HAD always wanted to see the The lights were on the fine old railroad I decided this must be the Westmoreland
_ V ghost mining camps of Bullfrog and station which once was the pride of Rhyo- manor. There was ample evidence that I
Rhyolite, and when my friend Ed lite citizens. No trains have come this way had guessed right when I entered the place
Giles at Goldfield told me there was a hill for many years, but some one had taken and saw the walls adorned with various
in that vicinity where amethyst specimens over the substantial old structure and gold-sealed certificates attesting to the fact
might be obtained, I was more eager than brought it back to life. A big sign across that the proprietor was the world's cham-
ever to make the trip. the front read "Ghost Casino." Music pion prevaricator.
It was late in the evening when I drove from a juke box wailed out on the desert His stories were worth traveling a long
into Rhyolite. The sky was overcast. It air. way to hear. No one but an honest-to-
does not rain often in this country—but I recalled that when I was in Las Vegas goodness desert rat could ever attain such
when the clouds do unload here they are earlier in the week some one had told me skill in the art of telling tall yarns. Like
usually very generous with their water. that I should get acquainted with N. C other professional liars, Westmoreland
My mental picture of Rhyolite was of Westmoreland at the casino in Rhyolite. never resorts to tales that are vicious or
gaunt weather-stained buildings with He was described as "quite a character." harmful. They are told merely to entertain
roofs and windows missing—ghost skele- One of my informants offered to take the tourists who come that way.
tons in the desert. oath that at least one percent of the yarns But not all of his information was in
Imagine my surprise then when I told me by Westmoreland would be true the realm of fantasy. He informed me that
rounded a bend and saw a colorful display —but that the other 99 percent would if I really wanted to learn the facts about
of lights gleaming through the stormy qualify him as the most artistic liar out- the Bullfrog mine and the amethyst de-
night. It could easily have been a section side of Death Valley. posits nearby I should get acquainted with
of the main street in Las Vegas. As there were no other lights in town, the Taylors, who lived at the mine. You

V r>' ^issnf^:^''-OLD BULLFROGl~-&i

AUGUST, 1942 17
will find them very friendly folks, he as- sprinkled with pure gold which was so mens as long as they respect the private
sured me. popular with the jewelry trade in former property of the Bullfrog mine."
I spread my sleeping bag that night on years. In this part of Nevada where gold I followed Mrs. Taylor's directions and
the veranda of the old railroad station. ore is really gold ore a self-respecting per- was soon climbing the steep hill toward
Next morning as I pulled up the grade that son would no more think of picking ore the first dump. I saw considerable quartz
led to the Bullfrog mine I saw a woman from a mine dump without permission in seams, but no amethyst, so concluded
standing on the porch of one of the camp than of going into a bank past the teller it must be higher up. The second dump
buildings. It was Mrs. Rosa Taylor. She and pawing around in the cash drawer. did not appear as promising as the first, so
greeted me with a cheery smile that I soon Furthermore, the Nevada law is just as I began climbing still higher, wondering
discovered was a characteristic of her hos- specific in the one case as in the other. if these Nevada folks had been kidding
pitable nature. Either offense is grand larceny regardless me.
She had been working in her "garden," of the amount of ore taken. On the third dump I sat down to get my
and proudly exhibited the various green I am merely passing this along for the wind. There was a large quartz outcrop-
things that were sprouting. The garden information of those not familiar with the ping on the left bank of the cut, but still
consisted of boxes filled with earth that code in high grade ore districts. The aver- no amethyst. Then I remembered that that
had been brought in from some distant age mine owner or operator is reasonable gem along with rose quartz, fades in the
point and carefully screened against ro- and friendly, and if approached in a frank desert sun. So I decided to break into the
dents and insects. When I learned that not and courteous manner will gladly show seam. The first blow of my prospector's
only the earth but the water had to be the visitor every consideration, including a pick produced massive amethyst quartz,
hauled in I could understand how much small specimen of pay ore if he has the au- faded on the surface for the first quarter
those green sprouts meant to Rosa Taylor. thority to do so. It is only those who ignore inch, but nicely colored below that.
the common rule* of courtesy who fare And that was the answer. Pecking away
Her little dog came up, and she asked with my hammer I soon uncovered consid-
me to stand perfectly still for a minute badly
erable amethyst quartz and a couple of
"till he discovers who you are." Otherwise The rock retaining wall around the pockets of small crystals.
she wouldn't guarantee that he would not house where Mrs. Taylor has part of her
garden is made up of pretty desert stones, With this added knowledge I returned
bite, as he had been trained to guard the
including blocks of massive amethyst. It down the hill to a block of rhyolite with
mine. a seam of quartz crystals exposed. I turned
This explanation led her to a story that came from claims owned by her and Mr.
Taylor. It was the same deposit Ed Giles it on edge and broke it open along the
amused her very much. A man came to seam, exposing a lovely nest of crystal
the property; passed the house without had told me about.
amethysts in the middle, surrounded by
so much as "by your leave" and started She invited me into the house and "bleached amethyst" on the exposed
picking up samples from the ore dump. showed me her fine collection of minerals edges.
The dog rushed out and nipped the man's and ores including several very beautiful After that, everywhere I turned were
leg. He yelled to her to put the dog in the clusters of amethysts. She told me how to little quartz seams which were potential
house where it wouldn't be biting people. reach the deposit. producers of amethyst. It was simply a
She answered that it was the business of a The directions were simple: "go back matter of time and elbow grease to get
watch dog to bite unknown and uninvit- down the road to the old railroad bed, turn some really nice specimens. I needed a
ed people who prowled around high grade right and continue past the white stakes to small bar to pry up large stones and a gad
ore dumps. The man left—but not grace- the hill where there are three dumps, one to split them, but without these tools I did
fully—with the dog nipping at his heels. above the other. The amethyst is scattered very well with my light pick.
From the Bullfrog mine is still coming all over the hill, and we do not object to It did not take long to discover that
that beautiful green - stained q u a r t z Desert Magazine readers collecting speci- there is plenty of interesting material for

Two o\ the few surviving buildings in the old mining camp of Rhyolite.

18 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Amethyst crystals exposed to the sun have jaded, but a prospector's Mrs. Rosa Taylor with a fine specimen oj amethyst
pick will reveal the lavender-tinted gems below the surface. taken from the claims owned by her and Mr. Taylor.

collectors who are willing to work for As is usually the case, the time I had many interesting things in this highly
their specimens, and that the best and allowed for this gem hunt was all too mineralized region, and it would be pleas-
most highly crystallized pieces are not in short. An hour produced some very nice ant to go here even if there were no speci-
the mine but out on the surface among the specimens but I could have spent a week mens, just to get acquainted with the fine
thousands of rhyolite boulders that cover here without a dull moment. Nevadans who are found in this last fron-
the hillside. The amethyst crystals are just one of tier area of United States.

PRIZE CONTEST
ANNOUNCEMENT . . .
Somewhere in New Mexico an ancient
race of men left this fine example of pre-
historic masonry for the scientists and
travelers of 1942 to puzzle over. It has
been partially restored by one of the fed-
eral agencies, but much of the stone work
remains exactly as the aborigines built it.
Is it a religious shrine, a burial pit, a
fire vault or a storage bin? Archaeologists
have given much study to these questions.
And perhaps no one knows the correct an-
swer. But many interesting facts about
this place are known, and Desert Maga-
zine would like to present as much of this
information as can be condensed in 500
words.
In order to obtain as complete data as
possible, as cash award of $5.00 will go
to the reader who sends in the most in-
formative 500-word article about this
piece of masonry. The manuscript should
give the location, accessibility by highway
or other means, and as much historical and
other data as is available.
Entries should be mailed to Landmark
Contest, Desert Magazine, El Centra,
.
California, and must reach the magazine
Prehistoric Masonry in New Mexico not later than August 20 to qualify for the
prize. The winning story will be published
in our October issue. Members of the
Who can identify this picture? magazine staff will be the judges.

AUGUST, 1942 19
 To one person the desert is drab and barren. But
to others—those who have retained the imagina-
tion of their childhood days—the mesas and can-
yons and mountains of the arid regions are vivid
with life and interest. Ethel Ulman sees the Mojave
desert inhabited with a strange and fascinating
tribe of people—the Tree People of the Joshua forest.
Being an artist she has found it possible to sketch
the fanciful personalities of the Joshua clan so that
all may see them through her eyes.

Tree People of
Joshua Forest
By CARLISLE ELLIS

NE morning at daybreak, on a train carrying me

from California, I idly raised the Pullman blind for
a glimpse of the landscape. We were crossing the
Mojave desert and to my astonishment it was inhabited by an
animated company of the strangest people I had ever seen.
"They were a fascinating but rather abandoned lot—dancing, J. -

Ethel Ulman at work among the Joshua trees.

' <••• • • - \ ,

Tree People of the Joshua forest.

20 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
posing and waving their arms in the wildest way. I knew them, sonality and of infinite variety. Of course I began furiously
of course, for a new kind of tree people, and with all my heart sketching, and nothing in a long career of drawing and paint-
I wanted to get off the train and join them." ing has been so much fun.
And that is Ethel Ulman's story of her introduction to the "That first batch of studies went to New York and was
Joshua trees of the desert. given a one-man show at Rockefeller Center. The drawings
Tree people were not new to her. "As far back as I can re- amused people, I suppose because I was so care-free and indif-
member," she says, "trees had clearly defined personalities for ferent to the strict canons of academic art when I did them.
me. All through childhood I lived in and among them, gave Anyway, the show was a success and this was repeated later at
them names and held long conversations with them. Some the Stendahl Galleries in Los Angeles. Now I find them in con-
of them I never forgot and when, years later, I went back to siderable demand in other places and so I can come to the des-
visit the old home I slipped away as soon as I could to make ert almost as often as I like."
calls on old tree friends. I had found that people changed, but Mrs. Ulman has another home in Pasadena and there she
the trees had not. It all came back to me as if there had been no is busy with other types of art work. She has mastered the meth-
passage of time. My trees seemed to mean more to me than the ods of the Persian decorative painters and adopted with note-
persons I met, and I was comforted. worthy success their oddly stylized subjects. She has also won
acclaim as a painter using native flower designs. She studied art
"Soon after that I came to California and in Carmel fell in in Paris and also at the William M. Chase school and the Art
love with a group of Monterey pines seen from my window. Students' League in New York.
Grey moss draped their expressive limbs and this helped to But no amount of academic training has been able to rob her
create a company of charming tree people. As we grew better of that free play of the imagination which gives her tree draw-
acquainted I found them doing the most amazing things and ings their uniqueness. Here is an untrammeled talent. The same
growing more and more human. freedom is shown in another series that she calls Rock Gods.
"I had had some art training and the temptation was irresist- These were made from nature along the California coast. The
ible. I made some playful sketches of them and this led to a drawings bring the rocky cliffs to life in arresting fashion and
series of stories for children to accompany the drawings. They they aroused another of Mrs. Ulman's talents—sculpture. She
had a ready acceptance and this led to the work I am doing now, modelled figures of her Rock Gods, a number of which now
though there was a long interval given to mural painting and stand in the gardens of her friends in Carmel.
the production of Persian screens." Trees, however, are still her passion, and of them all the
Following that first morning glimpse of the Joshuas it was Joshua tree comes first.
several years before Mrs. Ulman returned to the West but "They look so charged with human emotions," she ex-
through much globe-trotting that memory never faded, and as plained one day, "that I can quite believe the old Indian
soon as possible she came to the desert. legends about their holding mystic tree ceremonials at a certain
"The trees were just as I hoped—fairly saturated with per- stage of the harvest moon. Why not? I shall always see them

"It's for your own good." 'How very amusing."

AUGUST, 1942 21
 Ahaut the Sautlti
For the information of many hundreds of new
readers who do not have access to back files of
Desert Magazine, here is a brief sketch of the
Souths, and the background of their life on a lonely
desert mountain.
Ten years ago, at a time when the Great Depres-
sion was at its lowest ebb and banks were closing
their doors in distress. Marshal and Tanya South,
both writers, decided that they had had enough of
the "blessings" of civilization.
They loaded their meager belongings in a jalopy
and headed toward the desert wilderness in quest
of a place where they could build a new home and
live natural lives secure from the ballyhoo and the
uncertainties of man-made laws and institutions.
Their trail ended at the base of Ghost mountain
on the western rim of the Southern California des-
ert. They climbed to the little plateau at the top of
the mountain, slept the first night beneath a tar-
paulin surrounded by junipers and boulders. It
was many miles to the nearest water, but desert In-
dians once lived off this barren land, and since its
aridity assured the isolation they were seeking,
they began building.
Water for the first adobe bricks had to be packed
on their backs up the steep trail. But they were free
and independent—and happy. They worked from
sunup until dark, long hours of hard labor, but it
brought them added health and a serene philoso-
phy of life.
Since that adobe home was started—they called
it Yaquitepec—three children have been born.
Mrs. Uppercrust and the kiddies. Rider, Rudyard and Victoria. Tanya is teaching
them from books. Marshal is teaching them from
dancing and play-acting at pale dawn, as I did from that speed- Nature.
ing railroad train many years ago." They live partly off of the land—a tiny garden
On her frequent trips to the desert Mrs. Ulman usually stays watered from the cisterns filled with rainwater
at the Casa del Adobe in Palmdale, in the heart of the Joshua drained from the roof of the cottage, mescal, chia
tree region. and other seeds and shrubs of the desert. Once a
She finds in the Joshua trees the personification of all kinds month Marshal visits a distant town for such essen-
of people. There are fairies and witches, but there are also every- tials as they can buy with the returns from their
day folks like you and me. There is the haughty dame of Fifth writing.
Avenue society, the back-fence gossip, the old codger who tells For them, their experiment in primitive living has
stories to everyone who will listen, the jitterbug of the dance been a glorious success and they have no desre
hall and the politician with the gift of gab. They are all in the ever to return to the world where humans fight
Joshua forest, and the imaginative mind of Ethel Ulman plus a each other for food and shelter and power and
few deft strokes of the crayon brings them to life in caricatures gold.
that are always vivid with personality. Every day is a new adventure at Yaquitepec,
and Marshal South's articles which have been ap-
ANTELOPE INCREASE IN NEW MEXICO . . . pearing in Desert Magazine since February, 1940,
Motorists traveling New Mexico highways have a choice of give a vivid cross-section of their daily lives, and a
more than a half-dozen main routes from which they may ob- fine insight into the philosophy of their way of liv-
serve from the roadside that fleetest of all North American an- ing.
imals—the antelope, according to the New Mexico state tourist
bureau.
The restoration of antelope in New Mexico is one of the sagas ico include U. S. Highway 70 between Clovis and Roswell, and
of western game conservation. From 1,700 head counted in again west of Roswell; U. S. Highway 85 south of Raton; U. S.
1916, the present population of this swift-footed big-game an- Highway 66, west of Santa Rosa; U. S. Highway 285, near Abi-
imal has risen to 25,000 head. qui, and southward between Vaughn and Roswell.
The antelope is credited with remarkable speed, but most In western and southwestern New Mexico, the best routes
authorities agree that the 60- and 70-miles-per-hour speeds are include U. S. Highways 70-80, between Deming and Lords-
over estimates. Top speed for the animals is closer to 45 miles burg, and U. S. Highway 60, west of Magdalena. The Gila
per hour, at which they can travel for a mile or two, and much country in this same area also provides a number of secondary
farther at a cruising speed of about 35 miles an hour. routes in the vicinity of Beaverhead and Black Springs where
The best routes on which antelope may be seen in New Mex- antelope herds thrive.

22 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Paul Wilhelm (lejt) and Marshal South at Thousand Palm oasis. Photo by Florence Silver taken just before Marshal started the
120-mile trek to Ghost mountain with Rhett and Scarlett.
The Marshal South clan at Yaquitepec is grow- swirls scudded underfoot. In a bright flash of feathers a scarlet
ing. After packing hundreds of tons of water, build- tanager winged through the bushes. The grim, jagged moun-
ing materials and other essentials up the steep tains beyond the oasis stood sharp against the sky like the paint-
Ghost mountain trail during the past 10 years, the ed backdrop of a stage scene. We had over 120 miles of trail
Souths have acquired two burros. The arrival of the ahead of us. There was a spice of adventure in the air. It was
animals was a big event for the youngsters at good to be afoot—and footloose. I found myself adapting and
Yaquitepec. And if you are wondering where and humming half forgotten fragments of an old ballad of the Pony
why and how Marshal obtained the beasts, here is Express . . . "Shake along, little burros; shake along . . . A hun-
the story. dred and twenty miles to go . . Remember that the mail must
go through."
I had brought along a couple of blankets for the trip. And
these with a gay orange colored bag—once the container of a
hundred pounds of dog biscuit and now pressed into service as
a packsack were roped upon Rhett. He was a wise old cam-
paigner of the trails and sniffed a bit contemptuously at the
lightness of his load. Scarlett I had planned to ride on occasion.
By MARSHAL SOUTH She was a good saddle burro, Paul said. Her ears were longer
than Rhett's and her expression a trifle more sophisticated.
11/ HEN, some time ago, Tanya and I decided that the in- We left the fringe of mesquites behind, turning from the trail
\/\/ creasing family needs called for an improved transpor- to make a short cut across the bleak wastelands along the
tation system up the trail of Ghost mountain we turned flanks of the desolate hills. The wind tore down and scurried
naturally to the Desert Magazine to solve our problem. Some- the dust; the far, grim summits; of the Santa Rosas towered
where, we felt sure, among the vast army of desert dwellers and against the sky. Ahead, the town of Indio was a distant, dim
friends, we could find the owner of a couple of good burros blue cloud. I climbed aboard Scarlett presently; having decid-
who would be willing to part with them. ed that by now she should have gotten over the first pangs of
And we were not disappointed. You can get most everything home-parting. With Rhett in tow—for I dared not turn him
from the desert if you ask for it in the right quarter. To our loose so close to his old home—v/e jogged on.
modest advertisement came not one but many replies. But the We reached the highway in the lowering dusk. Trucks thun-
one that intrigued us most was from our fellow wilderness dered past and cars came charging at us glaring eyed. A con-
dweller—whom we knew well but had never met—Paul Wil- crete highway is no place for peace loving burros. But we
helm of Thousand Palms oasis. Paul wrote that he had a couple could not help it. Civilization has robbed life of many another
of gentle burros he would be glad for us to have. The matter bit of peace and freedom. We hugged the far shoulder of the
was settled. road and made the best of it.
And settled too, almost as speedily, was the problem of get- We spent the night at John Hilton's—after being first halt-
ting them to Yaquitepec. Randall Henderson of Desert Maga- ed in the dim darkness of a lone stretch of road by a patrol car
zine offered to drive to Ghost mountain and transport me to of Uncle Sam's immigration service. But, as we knew most of
Thousand Palms oasis in his car. "You can then," wrote Ran- the local force, the inspectors waved us cheerily on our way.
dall, cheerfully, "return with the burros at your own sweet But there was drama in the encounter. Somehow it made us feel
leisure." like a "Contrabandista" guiding his pack train of stealthy, heavy
Thus it was arranged. And thus it came about that on a late laden mules along mysterious trails. We regretted bitterly that
Sunday afternoon, when the wind was snoring through the we had no black mustachios, or a sinister dagger, or a sable,
lofty palm summits of Paul's little desert Eden, I headed scarlet-lined cloak. We determined to have at least the cloak
through the low mesquites of the wash with two new—though next time.
somewhat reluctant—friends in tow. Rhett and Scarlett. Dust Perhaps to say that v/e spent the night at John Hilton's is
AUGUST, 1942 23
scarcely the truth. There was not much of it to spend. John had paused right there. And while I loafed in the warm sunlight
arranged in advance to leave a light burning. But by the time I they industriously made a dean sweep of the precious proven-
had unpacked and hitched the burros to a telegraph pole and der. A burro's life, I reflected, as I munched one of my own
tiptoed into the bedroom the morning star and a worn moon dry sandwiches, has certain advantages.
were hanging high in the east against a glow of dawn. I sup- And so, through desert silence and sunshine and the shimmer
pose I slept all of 15 minutes before John summoned me to of desert mirage, the burro Pony Express moved on, slowly but
breakfast. surely eating up the miles. A hundred and twenty miles is noth-
John Hilton needs no introduction to Desert Magazine read- ing to an automobile. But to the leisurely jog of burro travel it
ers, and it was hard to get away upon the trail again. By art and is a respectable distance. As we ambled along, however, across
subtlety he and his wife Eunice convinced me—no hard task-— thirsty stretches where mesquite-grown dunes shimmered in the
that I must stay to lunch also. There is so much to see at John's sunglare, or through the wind whispered star glow of night, we
—his cactus gardens, his gorgeous paintings, his fascinating remembered always that ". . . the mail must go through."
collections of desert gems and minerals. I finally got away about And through it went. Even a little ahead of calculated time.
two-thirty in the afternoon, bearing, among a varied assort- Three more night camps—the last one only a couple of miles
ment of other souvenirs sent to the family at Yaquitepec, a spe- from the rugged base of Ghost mountain—then on a bright
cial treasure. A priceless bottle of genuine Mexican hot sauce morning, as the sun lifted well above the ridges, a couple of
which John had brought from Sonora. It was positively guar- weary burros plodded the last stretch up the precipitous Yaqui-
anteed to possess a potency capable of burning a hole through a tepec trail. We were met by three excited youngsters who, while
copper pot in five seconds flat. And the bottle would, John as- dancing for joy over daddy's safe return, still managed to find
sured confidently, last me "almost indefinitely"—one had to time to shower their new four-footed friends with an amazing
use such a minute quantity in order to transform one's "innards" variety of edible tid-bits.
into a raging conflagration.
It was a joyful homecoming—with the savory aroma of
It really was a good sauce. Compounded, I believe from sul- breakfast and the cheerful clatter of dishes, as Tanya mixed her
phuric acid, chillis pepinos, T.N.T. and dynamite. I blush to say greetings with the bustle of setting out a meal. The mail had
that I consumed most of the bottle that night for supper. But gone through. Scarlett and Rhett had come to their new home.
thoughtfully saved a small sample so that Tanya and the chil- The trip was over.
dren could judge the flavor. Yes, over. But a wealth of memories would long endure.
From John Hilton's the burros and I trailed contentedly on. High lights and shadows; mirth and tribulation. For not in a
A grand day of desert sunshine with distant mountains wire- space 10 times as great as this could one compass all the inci-
edged against the turquoise sky. Scarlett and Rhett were resigned dents. But they are safe in memory's album for future scanning.
now. They munched at bushes and weed patches with an air of Somehow, as I watered and fed Rhett and Scarlett, I could not
stoic endurance. Most of the time I walked. We all enjoyed our- help recalling one of them—the meeting with another artist
selves better that way. Foot-pace burro travel may be slow. But friend. Mr. Crocker, whose home is near Julian, California.
one gains by it something which cannot even be sensed when With his daughter he had come whirring out of the mirage-
one goes charging across country in a soulless gas-burning blinking distance as we had been plodding along with the Su-
machine. perstition mountains on the horizon. We had not seen each
Inspector Smith and his brother officer whirled their patrol other for a long time and, when sight of our cavalcade had
car out of the darkness again that night and stopped to inquire jerked his car to an amazed halt, he had dipped back into his
after the good health of the pilgrimage. They rendered the own memory of past days.
cheerful information that they hadn't seen many sidewinders "You may not know it," he said a bit wistfully, "but once I,
on the highway at night so far this year. Which was consoling— myself, ran a pack train. How well I remember . . . And how
for we had been thinking about sidewinders, for whom we they would scatter . . . And run under trees . . . And try to rub
have a great respect. After the big car had purred away into the their packs off . . . And . . ." He sighed. And we looked at him
mystery of the night we went on beneath the starglow in a in a new fellowship. For, with the manners and bearing of Bos-
cheery frame of mind. Not alone because of the reported scarcity ton's most exclusive set, he is the last person in the world whom
of sidewinders. It always gives one a warm feeling to rub shoul- you would ever remotely suspect of having run a pack train.
ders with Efficiency, especially in wartime. And this was the "Yes," he said regretfully ".. . those were the days .. . But cuss!
second time on the trek that we had evidence that the border . . . Ah, not even yet have I succeeded in breaking myself of
patrol is very much on the job. the habit."
We finally camped for the night at Coolidge Springs, in a And when he and his daughter had whirred on, leaving the
ghostly dark with the wind sighing through the tall lines of burro express the richer by a welcome gift of grapefruit and
shadowy athel trees. dates, which Rhett, Scarlett and I ate, share and share alike, I
I watered and packed the burros and we were off on the road had chuckled a little.
again before anyone was astir. "DANGER. ARTILLERY I chuckled again now as I turned my two faithful trail com-
FIRING," said .1 big red-lettered sign in the wash, marking the panions loose to a long, well-earned rest. ". . . But cuss! . . ."
edge of a military reserve. But there was no evidence of artil- Yes, he had in truth run a pack train—there can be no secrets
lery nor any sound of firing. Only, in the distance, the grim among fellow members of the noble fraternity of packmasters.
waterline of the old vanished sea, whose waves had beaten But it is a good world, nevertheless. And how else, anyway,
against these now dry scorched desert buttes far back in the would one run a pack train—or a couple of burros either?
mists of Time, stretched like a black, ruled line. Somehow there • • •
was in that old bleached sea-stain something that carried a note PERFECTION
of ironic laughter regarding Man and his "works" . . . his wars Perfection is not marked by outward sign,
and his achievements. Dust! Yesterday the ocean. Today the It is so different for each one of us.
puny voices of the guns. Tomorrow the old sea-line and the Each has his own accepted strange design
very mountains upon which it is graved will be gone. For what he deems perfection to be icon.
A glorious desert morning, with the stretch of the Salton sea It is the most elastic term we know,
glinting like the blue steel blade of a giant's sword beyond the As different as the dreams we dreamers find;
stretch of the sandy desert to our left. Early in the forenoon One sees perfection watching violets grow,
Rhett and Scarlett discovered a luscious pile of dusty hay be- One sees it as some figment of the mind.
side the roadway. Evidently a hay truck had come to grief. We —Tanya South

24 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Established as a public park reserve by presidential order in 1937, the
Capitol Reef national monument, deep in the heart of the southern Utah
desert wilderness, is one of the newest and least known of Uncle Sam's
playgrounds. Prehistoric tribesmen lived here years ago, but few white
men ever have explored the remote canyons in the 57 square miles oi
desert terrain now reserved for public use. This is one of the places you
will want to go when post-war vacations are in order.

By CHARLES KELLY

^ 7 IXTEEN years ago Utah newspa-

i pers carried the story of a remark-
able archaeological find in Wayne
county, Utah. It was said that in sandstone
caves near Torrey, Ephraim Pectol had
found caches of prehistoric Indian arti-
facts, among which were three large paint-
ed buffalo hide shields. Nothing similar
had ever been found within the limits of
Utah.
Frank Beckwith and I had been doing
archaeological research whenever we
could steal time from our work, and were
naturally interested in this reported find,
although somewhat skeptical, since we had
followed many disappointing leads. To
satisfy our curiosity we drove to Wayne
county to look at Mr. Pectol's collection
and personally examine the unique
shields. That was in 1927 when a trip by
car into that isolated section was an ad-
venture.
We found Torrey a typical desert vil-
lage located at the base of highly eroded
cliffs known locally as the "fluted wall."
Sixty years ago in his book Geology of the
High Plateaus of Utah, C. E. Dutton gave
this description of them: "The colors are
such as no pigments can portray. They are
deep, rich and variegated, and so luminous
are they that light seems to flow or shine
out of the rock rather than to be reflected
from it."
Many of the buildings in Torrey are
constructed of that same rock. The road
was deep with red dust and the whole
town seemed to have been generously
sprinkled with red powder. Mr. Pectol,
we discovered, was bishop of the little
Mormon settlement and proprietor of its
one mercantile establishment. His place of
business was an old fashioned country
store carrying everything from horseshoes .
and hairpins to coal oil and calico, where
the cracker-barrel congress still met each Utah State Highway 24 passes through narrow Capitol gorge, five miles long, m
afternoon to settle international affairs Capitol Reef national monument.
and discuss the price of beef on the hoof.

AUGUST, 1942 25
 ing that Wayne Wonderland be created a
national monument. The memorial was
sent to Washington but seemed to have
become lost in the files. During his second
term another memorial was sent to con-
gress. In the meantime Governor Dern
had been appointed secretary of war. He
was familiar with the beauties of the Won-
derland and took the matter under his
wing, with the result that in 1937, 57
square miles in the heart of the Wonder-
land was set aside as Capitol Reef national
monument. Small appropriations were
made from time to time; one small admin-

Square miles of ripple-marked flag-

stones cover the desert between
Torrey and Fruita in Capitol Reef na-
tional monument.

When we introduced ourselves Mr. Pectol

left his customers to show us his collec-
tion of Indian relics displayed on a sort of
mezzanine at the back of his store. We
spent two hours examining pottery, bas-
kets, beads, arrow points, cradle boards
and hundreds of artifacts gathered in
Wayne county over a period of many years.
We saw and handled the three large
shields of buffalo hide, satisfying our- Several million years separate the prone petrified tree and the living -juniper, in the
selves they were genuine and very ancient. Capitol Reef area. Many such logs are found in the Chinle formation.
Their presence in Utah never has been
scientifically accounted for.
become world famous. But it was far off istrative building was erected, a bridge
Pectol opened his store in Torrey in main roads and practically unknown ex- built and some road improvements made.
1910, but was not satisfied with being cept to local ranchers. So, in order to pub- But war clouds stopped any major appro-
merely a merchant. Fascinated by the hun- licize the area, he organized what he called priations; no custodian has been appoint-
dreds of square miles of cliffs, canyons a Scenic club, composed of local people. ed and no development work, except some
and badlands in Wayne county, he spent This was later expanded by Mr. Pectol and road construction, has been done. How-
much of his time each summer exploring his brother-in-law, Joseoh Hickman, to in- ever, in spite of the fact that Capitol Reef
its unknown corners. Amazed by the great clude several southern Utah counties, un- national monument remains practically
variety of archaeological, geological and der the title of Civic Clubs of Southern unknown, it is visited annually by an in-
scenic marvels it contained he began call- Utah, a live organization which continues creasing number of persons who enjoy
ing it Wayne Wonderland, a name now to advertise the state's scenic resources. traveling the unbeaten trails.
firmly attached to the region. Largely
because of reports he brought back from In 1925 Joseph Hickman was elected to State Highway 24 leaves U. S. Highway
these expeditions many famous geologists the state legislature, where he introduced a 89 at Sigurd, just north of Richfield, and
and archaeologists have visited Wayne bill to set aside 40 acres surrounding Hick- runs east through Wayne county. Crossing
county and their findings have added man natural bridge as a state park. This a high divide south of Fish Lake plateau it
much to scientific knowledge. was passed and on July 20, 1926, the park continues on to Loa, county seat, at 43
was officially dedicated by Governor miles. At 51 miles it passes through Bick-
As he explored narrow hidden canyons George Dern. Four days later Hickman nell, where the first exposure of red rock
where no white man had ever set foot, was drowned in beautiful Fish lake. No appears. Nearing Torrey, 60 miles, the
Pectol became obsessed with the idea that appropriations were made for the park's road parallels the "Fluted Wall," and this
his playground should be set aside as a development, and it remained almost un- formation upon which is piled other high-
national park or monument. Both Bryce known even to residents of the state. ly colored strata, continues to Fruita, heart
and Zion recently had been made national of the monument, at 72 miles.
parks and he believed this Wonderland Ephraim Pectol was elected to the legis-
contained a greater variety of attractions lature in 1932, and one of his first acts was Fruita, where administration buildings
than either of those areas, which now have to introduce a memorial to congress ask- and accommodations will some day be

26 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

built, is merely a wide place in the canyon
of Fremont river, originally called Dirty
Devil by Major Powell when he discov-
ered its mouth in 1869 during his voyage
down the Colorado. In this picturesque lit-
tle valley eight families live on 185 acres
of irrigated land planted with peach,
apricot and other fruit trees. Sheer walls of
the canyon, protecting the fruit from frost,
are composed of red Wingate and cream
colored Navajo sandstone, the latter erod-
ed into rounded masses, one of which re-
sembles the dome of our national capital,
hence the name.
The great uplift, which at Fruita rises
2,000 feet, is known as Capitol Reef.
Through this great mass of rock the Fre-
mont river has cut a narrow canyon 13
miles long. Paralleling it are other narrow
canyons cut by the action of water, but dry
during most of the year. One of these,
through which the road passes, is Capitol
Gorge, five miles long, and so narrow
that in many places two cars cannot pass.
At the narrowest point one can almost
touch the walls on either side from the
windows of a car. Still another canyon,
Grand Wash, near Fruita, is too narrow to
permit passage of a car, with walls so sheer
that sunlight penetrates to the bottom
only a few minutes each day.
A mile and a half down the river from
Fruita is Hickman natural bridge, a sym-
metrical span in a picturesque setting, re-
cently pictured in Desert Magazine's land- Hundreds of "Fremont culture" petroglyphs decorate the canyon walls surrounding
mark contest. Probably fewer people have the little valley of Fruita.
seen this natural wonder than have visited
the better known but inaccessible Rainbow State Highway 24 is hard-surfaced to Fruita are 12 miles of wild desert road,
arch. Torrey, 60 miles. Between Torrey and passing through a red desert of beautiful-

CAPITOL REEF ••,

NATIONAL MONUMENT

5^-%>.. •,,L.__%iT_

A!!!M«i.""'-i'« .»»H.,nAl-_,1 '•;,.,

___ WAYNE COUNTY / • h<

GAP FIELD COUNTY

•ill,..

AUGUST, 1942 27?.

 In the middle foreground lies an im-
mense circular valley. Completely sur-
rounding it are the Circle Cliffs, through
which there is but one narrow and dan-
gerous passage. The whole colorful pano-
rama is a land almost devoid of water, on
many square miles of which no white man
has ever set foot, and into which it is not
safe to enter without an experienced guide.
In that bewildering maze, known only to
a few, are sections of petrified trees meas-
uring 13 feet in diameter, acres of dinosaur
bones, small mountains of huge selenite
crystals, and many other marvels yet to be
discovered.
In prehistoric times this almost water-
less, broken country of cliffs, canyons and
high plateaus, was inhabited by a race of
people designated by scientists as the "Fre-
mont culture," differing in several respects
from the better known San Juan and
Mesa Verde peoples. The little valley at
Fruita seems to have been the center of
their orbit; smooth rock walls surround-
ing it are covered with representations of
men in elaborate costumes wearing heavy,
ornate necklaces. Many caves and cliff
dwellings inhabited by them have been ex-
cavated, but many more remain to be dis-
covered in tie narrow, hidden canyons bi-
secting Capitol Reef.
First to see this Wonderland were said
to be four men sent on an exploring expe-
dition by Brigham Young in 1862. They
went as far east as Hanksville, but made
no settlement at that time. In 1875 the
settlement of Fremont was located north
of the monument area. In 1880 Ebenezer
Hanks founded Hanksville, 48 miles east.
At about the same time a homestead was
Ephraim Pectol, father of Capitol Reef national monument, with one of the buffalo-
located at Fruita and shortly afterward
hide shields he discovered in a cave near his home at Torrey, Utah. Photo by Frank
Beckwith. several families moved in. This was dur-
ing the days when Mormons were being
arrested for polygamy, and "Cohab " can-
ly ripple-marked flagstones, part of the through the Robbers' Roost country made
yon, hidden in the rocks above Fruita, was
Moenkopi, formation. Above this appears famous by the outlaw Butch Cassidy.
a favorite hideout for men wanted by the
the Chinle shale, softly weathered in deep While Capitol Reef national monument law for the offense of "cohabitation."
red and pale green tones, in which is contains some of the finest scenery in Since this section was 72 miles from a rail-
found, at many places, trunks of great pet- Wayne county, it comprises only a small road, and roads until recent years were
rified trees. part of Wayne Wonderland. To the west little more than desert trails, ranchers in
The monument area extends from just Fish lake, source of Fremont river and one the area still live under pioneer conditions.
below Torrey through Capitol Gorge to of the famous fishing waters of the West, There is not an incorporated town in
Pleasant creek. From there the road con- lies on its high plateau. To the northwest Wayne county.
tinues on to Gainesville over a beautifully is Thousand Lake mountain, and to the
colored painted desert. At the latter set- south is Boulder mountain, on whose flat Some day, when war clouds have rolled
tlement occur great uplifts of Mancos top repose another thousand hidden lakes away, Capitol Reef national monument,
shale, eroded into symmetrical serrated full of rainbow trout, and what is said the land of shining rocks, will be devel-
ridges. Seen at sundown, with purple light to be the highest pine forest in the world. oped for tourist enjoyment; trails will be
filling the depressions, this formation is a From the top of this mountain one obtains built to outstanding scenic attractions and
color photographer's dream with its back- what I think is one of the grandest views comfortable accommodations provided.
ground of snowcapped Henry mountain anywhere in the West, comprising all of But hundreds of square miles of Wayne
peaks. Again the formation changes to the Wonderland area, all seven peaks of Wonderland will always remain a land of
thinly bedded, highly colored, fantastical- the little known Henry mountains, and mystery, luring into its unknown recesses
ly eroded Morrison shale as the road nears across the Colorado river, the beautiful only a handful of adventurous souls who
Hanksville on the Dirty Devil river 48 LaSal range. To the southeast can be seen like to tread unbeaten paths. And that, I
miles east of Fruita. From Hanksville a the tips of monuments in Monument val- think, is the way Ephraim Pectol, father of
road runs 65 miles to Greenriver, Utah, ley, more than 100 miles distant. the monument, would want it.

28 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 100% VIRGIN WOOL
HAND WOVEN TWEEDS
an the, A limited yardage of these beau-
tiful fabrics is still available from
ARIZONA In addition to an all-time record commer- our stocks. Hand-woven with
cial pack of 404,000 cases of grapefruit juice, painstaking care by our skilled
Cut in Indian Funds Seen . . . Arizona growers are now supplying between Spanish-American weavers from
175,000 and 200,000 cases to the U. S. army. original designs by Preston Mc-
W I N D O W ROCK—Possibility that the Crossen; distinctive, long-wear-
war may be a long one and that it would un- • • •
doubtedly lead to curtailed Indian funds was All canyon-rim drives at Grand Canyon
ing, easy-draping; in weights
told by John Collier, Indian commissioner, have been suspended by Fred Harvey com-
and patterns for suitings and
who addressed members of Navajo Tribal pany. All other services will be available.
topcoatings for men and women.
council. Collier requested continued coopera- • • • SPECIAL: 13-oz.. 56-in width
tion by members of the Indian nation, prais- C. F. Wilcox, 111 years old, and Arizona's twill weave suiting in mix-
ing them for their past attitude of helpful- senior pioneer, died June 6 at the Arizona tures of natural gray with
ness. Pioneers home. light blue, navy, tan, brown,
• • • teal gtreen, natural white or
New Bison for Houserock . . . Payment of $15,500 to San Francisco gray. $6.50 per yard. In writ-
FLAGSTAFF—Augmenting the House- Peaks Boulevard company of Flagstaff for ing for swatches please
rock valley bison herd, Arizona has intro- construction of a road up to Fremont and specify color preferred.
duced 12 more bulls and yearling calves, Doyle saddles has been approved by con-
gress.
shipped from Wichita mountain game refuge
near Lawton, Okla. Another bull, a three-
year-old, was sent to Tovrea memorial zoo
• • •
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Zook of Flagstaff
MCROJ5EN
near Phoenix. State-owned herd at House- have sold their interest in the Flagstaff HAND -WOVEN TEXTILES
rock valley has attracted many tourists. Journal and will now manage Madison,
IAMTft FE (Mi\ MEW MEXICO
Nebraska, Star-Mail. Mrs. Zook was editor
Nevills' Expedition Starts . . . of the Journal for six years.
« • •
GRAND CANYON—Two of the young-
est persons ever to challenge swift waters of CALIFORNIA
the Grand Canyon were among eight persons
in Norman D. Nevills' fourth expedition Hospital Work Starts . . .
down the Colorado scheduled to start July PALM SPRINGS—Construction work on
15 at Lee's Ferry. The boys are Bruce Wilson, ramps and corridors for $4,000,000 El Mira-
13, Burlingame, California, and Garth dor army hospital has started. At peak of con-
Marston, 16, San Francisco. struction, it is anticipated that 1,000 men
will be employed. First 200 patients were
Thirst Kills Financier . . . expected to arrive late in June. The hospital
KINGMAN—P. B. Cheney, 50, Boston
financier and one-time Santa Fe director,
died of thirst and exposure on the Alamo
Crossing road south of Yucca late in May.
Mr. Cheney, who annually visited the arid
desert strip fringing the Colorado river in
Arizona, was enroute to Prescott from Yuc-
ca via Alamo Crossing and Congress Junc-
Please start
tion. His car had stalled in sand and when
he died he was back-tracking to Yucca for
assistance.
your railroad trip
Formal Opening for Zoo . . .
PHOENIX—E. A. Tovrea Memorial Zoo
had its formal opening June 21. The zoo,
on a Tuesday
planned by Tovrea, an Arizona meat packer,
will eventually contain one pair each of all or Wednesday, or Thursday
of Arizona's wildlife.

Rabbits Destroy Cotton . . . If you are planning a trip by train, we hope you will
CASA GRANDE—Rabbits, both jacks and try to leave on a week-day, to relieve the week-end
cottontails, are making depredations into
cotton crops in this area as a result of recent burden on our trains. Also you will be more apt to get
dry weather. K. K. Henness, county agricul- just the accommodations you want.
tural agent, announces, however, that ample
poison for control is available. In addition, we hope you will consider the advan-
tages of traveling later in the year. Vacation places are
Hualapai Missionary Dies . . .
VALENTINE—Ending a 25-year career less crowded and in this glorious West of ours, many
as missionary to Hualapai Indians of north- regions are at their best in the fall or winter.
ern Arizona, James Peter Anderson died at
Sawtelle Veterans hospital, Los Angeles, The armed forces have first call on our trains.We know
June 3. Remains were interred at Kingman you want it that way. So we will appreciate it if you do
not far from the reservation.
• • • everything you can to cooperate with the m, and with us.
Despite the driest May in Arizona in more

SP
than 40 years, runoff on the Salt, Verde and
upper Gila rivers has held up.
• • •
John P. Hale, former Mesa high school
principal and owner of world's most complete
collection of branding irons, (Desert Maga- The Friendly Southern Pacific
zine, Sept. '38) died at his home in Mesa,
June 23.

AUGUST, 1942 29
eventually will accommodate 1,500 beds and Woman Lost in Canyon . . . High on a mountainside near Two Bunch
will be staffed with between 1,200 and 1,500 INDIO—Authorities found Miss Eliza- Palms, Cabot Yerxa is building a new trading
doctors, nurses and other personnel. Build- beth Messanger, 85, in a canyon off famed post. A well sunk 123 feet has tapped 125 de-
ings will not be air-conditioned, officials be- Palm Springs canyon, 12 hours after she had gree water.
lieving that men brought from tropical war wandered from a picnic ground. She was • • •
zones essentially need desert quiet. tired, but otherwise uninjured. During the last week of June, the Inyo In-
dependent, a Chalfant paper, celebrated its
Davis Dam Contract Let . . . seventy-first anniversary of continuous pub-
lication.
WASHINGTON, D. C—Davis dam and
SUBSCRIBE TO powerhouse on the Colorado river will be • • •
built by the Utah Construction company of Best fishing in 10 years is reported in High
Sierras lakes at the present time.
Hoofs and Horns San Francisco and eight associate firms under
terms of a contract approved by Secretary
Harold L. Ickes. Clauses permitting sudden
• • •
Arthur E. Bailey, resident property owner
of Palm Springs, has been named city mana-
To Keep Abreast of the RODEO termination by the government and for pos-
sible delays because of priorities were ap- ger replacing John D. Lange, who goes to
GAME and its HAPPENINGS- proved by Ickes. Cost of the project is set at the federal housing authority. Bailey was
$18,966,392. hired for a trial period of 5V2 months.
Its news about Rodeos and Roundups • • •
is the most authoritative of any pub-
lished in America. Rcdeo Association Seek Official Depot . . . NEVADA
bulletin and Cowboy's Turtle Associa- GARNET—Palm Springs resortmen have Government Controls Land . . .
tion news are published monthly.
opened a campaign to make Garnet official RENO—Enough land to encompass states
Those who enjoy poetry of the Old depot for the village in place of present sta- of Delaware, Rhode Island, and District of
West will revel in the abundance of
truly typical poetry that appears in tion 10 miles west. Construction of clay Columbia and a small portion of Texas is
each issue of Hoofs and Horns. You'll road from Garnet to Palm Springs is pro- held by the federal government in Nevada for
like Hoofs and Horns! posed to permit horseback riders and horse- various military purposes.
Each issue is generously illustrated drawn vehicles to meet trains.
with pictures of the people and places • • • Sign Stops Fire Fighters . . •
that are important to the current and
past history of the Range country. Southern council of state chamber of com- LOVELOCK—A. St. Claire's cabin at
Don't miss a single copy! merce has voted to recommend that the state Lower Rochester burned to the ground, when
group assist Coachella valley county water fire-fighters were restrained by a sign "Dyna-
Subscription Rates district in securing priority rating for rein- mite cache" written on a piece of cardboard.
1 YEAR $1.00 2 YEARS $1.50 forcing steel for completion of Coachella Several small explosions occurred in the
branch, All-American canal. building but it was said these could have
3 YEARS $2.00 S YEARS $3.50
• • • been gasoline cans.
MONEY MUST ACCOMPANY THIS ORDER Otis Art institute students of Los Angeles,
SEND NAME AND ADDRESS TO working in Ramona bowl, are painting 20- Historic Hotel Reopened . . .
HOOFS and HORNS foot by 16-foot mural to cover one entire wall GOLDFIELD—Once again historic Gold-
P. O. Box 790 Tucson, Arizona of Ramona Pageant association administra- field hotel has been opened to the public,
tion building at Hemet. the Gettle brothers of Hollywood having re-
decorated rooms and modernized plumbing
in the building. Throughout the hotel famous
figures of Goldfield history have trod since
it was first built in 1907 at a cost of $348,-
Westcraft 000.

and Mountain Sheep Seen . . .

FALLON—Mountain sheep may be inhab-
iting Kingston canyon, it was revealed when
at wood Jack O'Donnell and Everett Reed, miners,
disclosed that they had seen one of the rare
Write for Information animals among the Schmidtlein cattle in the
canyon. Forest Ranger Sevy and others state
GEORGE T. HALL that the sheep may have been in the canyon
for a small band has been inhabiting a part
So. Calif. Westcraft Distributor of the Toiyabe range about 200 miles farther
5614 W. Washington south for some years.
Los Angeles, California • • •
Now is the time to buy Defense Bonds! Next year's automobile license plates for
Nevada will be the same as the 1942 tag, but
owners will receive windshield stickers
bearing the license number and an individual
serial number.
10y2 MILES NORTHEAST
DESERT HOT SPRINGS OF PALM S P R I N G S
• • •
Fire has destroyed the 50-year-old Hum-
THE LARGEST BEST EQUIPPED NATURAL HOT MINERAL WATER boldt county landmark—the old Grayson
ranch house at Willow Point.
BATH HOUSE ON THE DESERT
is open to the public every day, under scientific management . . . • • •
Ladies' and Men's Departments NEW MEXICO
A private Tribal Dances Reduced . . .
PASAD6NA warm water GALLUP—In a patriotic move to conserve
gasoline and rubber, Navajo Indians have
swimming acted to discontinue for the duration all pow-
pool. wows and dances except a number of more
traditional ceremonies. Medicine dances, in-
cluding the squaw dance and solemn "yei-be-
chai," are to be permitted. Tribal members
Guest cards also acted to approve opening of 12,000 acres
on request. of land near Shiprock for oil and gas develop-
ment.
RESIDENTIAL LOTS 50x130 FEET PRICED AT $250.00 UP
Terms: 10% Cash — Balance in 36 Months Zuni Rites Planned • . .
See our Mr. Todd or Mr. Duncan on the ground GRANTS—Zuni prayer sticks were pre-
pared late in June for ceremonies to be held
L. W. COFFEE, Subdivider at full moon. Zuni Indians hold these devo-
257 South Spring Street Los Angeles, California tions in the fields and hills to bring bless-
ings of rain to the tribe and world.

30 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

To Study Indian Mystics . . . Exploration Trip Ends . . . Henry Hooper Blood, governor of Utah
from 1932 to 1940, and a noted public lead-
GALLUP—To learn some of the Indian's VERNAL—Led by Bus Hatch, veteran er, died at his home June 19-
magic art, Erwin Sloan of Rochester, New river-man, federal park officials, archaeolo- • • •
York, will attend the Inter-Tribal Indian gists and Dr. Frank Setzler, head curator, de-
ceremonial at Gallup August 12-15. Mr. partment anthropology, U. S. museum have L. T. McKinney, succeeding Henry G.
Sloan is a magician himself. completed a 10-day trip through Yampa can- Schmidt as custodian of Arches national mon-
yon and Green river gorge. They examined ument, has taken over his new post after be-
Navajo Seek Zufii Medicine . . . archaeological sites where prehistoric Indi- ing transferred from Chaco national monu-
FARMINGTON — N a v a j o tribesmen ans dwelt along the Yampa before the ad- ment, New Mexico.
plagued by a grasshopper invasion have hired vent of any now known tribes. « • •
a Zuni medicine man to drive the 'hoppers Dr. W. M. Stookey has been appointed re-
from their 5000-acre Hogback irrigated farms gional director for the American Pioneer
project near Shiprock. "The white man's The 1942 Ute Stampede will not be held,
officials have decided because of a shortage Trails association. He is a member of the ex-
medicine is too feeble," the Navajo declare. ecutive committee of Utah Pioneer Trails and
of essential products and the threat of gaso-
line rationing. Landmarks association.
Crops Forecast Bright . . . o • «
LAS CRUCES—Crop forecasts for New
Mexico are bright despite a light May rain- Fort Douglas army officials have revived
fall and only one-fifth of normal planting, Utah state fair, September 12-19, will be the official post paper, the Union Vedette,
reports bureau cf agricultural economics. known as the "Utah State Victory Fair." not published since post Civil war days.
Farm labor is generally inadequate in all
counties.

Acoma Indians Need Land . . .

GALLUP
ACOMA PUEBLO—An appeal for addi-
tional land to graze sheep so that Acoma In-
dians may increase the size of then rlocks his
been made to Secretary Harold Ickcs. They

NEW
made the request in an effort to help mem-
bers of the tribe who do not have sheep now.

Tires From Reservation . . .

GALLUP—An amazing number ot o.'d
automobile tires have been contributed to the
nation's rubber drive by Navajo Indians as a
result of the word passed by T. R. Fleischauer
MEXICO
"THE INDIAN CAPITAL"
that he would pay one cent a pound for rub-
ber. A few days after the announcement he
had more than 1000 pounds of rubber.
• • • Invites You to
The Santa Fe New Mexican, published the 21st
since 1849, is now established in a new home
formally opened June 20.
• • •
Twice normal production of "shading"
sheep pelts is needed by the government to
Inter - Tribal
supply sheep-skin lined clothing for flyers.
e o •
The Santa Fe fiesta this year will be cut
from three to two days, and will be held on
pre-Labor day weekend, September 5-6.
• • •
Indian
Total of 128,300 acres of land in north-
ern Taos county has been acquired by Rio
Costilla Cooperative association, financed by
farm security commission.
• • •
Ceremonial AUGUST
New Mexico state fair officials will pro-
ceed with plans for the 1942 exhibition de-
spite a federal request for cancellation. 1 2 - 1 3 - 1 4 - 15
• • • 1942
UTAH SAN JUAN DANCERS

Berry Feud Starts . . .

SALT LAKE CITY—Davis and Utah YOU HAVE read about the famous Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in
counties are mixing it up over claims of the The Readers Digest, Life, Vogue, Esquire, the National Geographic
latter that the best strawberries are grown in Magazine. You have glimpsed it in a Fitzpatrick Travel Talk or in a Bur-
the latter section of the state. Davis county ton Holmes Travelogue. Or maybe you heard it broadcast nationally
officials replied, "Davis county can grow bet-
ter strawberries 'neath the foundation of the by Columbia or NBC. Make this the year to answer your urge to see it.
new naval depot at Clearfield than Utah
county can grow out in the open." Through four nights and three days see seven thousand real American
Coach Placed in Service . . .
Indians in more than sixty different tribal dances. And bring your
ZION NATIONAL PARK—Utah Parks
camera. See ten thousand square feet of the finest handicrafts and a
company has inaugurated an antique service score of craftsmen at work. Thrill to the Navajo Sand Paintings . . . and
with its horse-drawn coach. It will be used Navajo magic. And don't miss the native Indian sports, races, games
for canyon side trips to replace bus service. and rodeo. Blanket-cool nights await you. Gallup has eleven hotels and
twenty auto courts.
Governor Takes a Hand . . .
BRIGHAM CITY — Even Herbert B.
Maw, Utah governor, has donned overalls to
Write the Indian Ceremonial Association for Free Indian Literature
aid in relieving farm-labor shortage during
the annual beet thinning work. He is em-
ployed on a field in a Box Elder county farm.
Previously he had urged "white-collar" work- GALLUP, NEW MEXICO > . . AUGUST 12-15
ers to do the same thing.

AUGUST, 1942 31
 DESERT SOUVENIR
A four-color picture suitable for framing
shows the Covered Wagon Train of '68
MineA.and . .

crossing the desert; now on display at

Knott's Berry Place, Highway 39, two miles Las Vegas, Nevada . . • Virginia City, Nevada . . .
from Buena Park out of Los Angeles 22 The world's largest magnesite ore concen- Indications that famous Comstock lode
miles. This remarkable oil painting 20x60 trating and treating plant at Gabbs valley may be a producer again are contained in the
feet took over one year to complete. A copy went into production on schedule June 27 announcement that quartz averaging $1,000
will be mailed you together with the special when President Howard P. Eells, Jr., of Basic per ton has been extracted from property of
souvenir edition of our Western Magazine Magnesium, Inc., threw a switch starting the the Consolidated Chollar, Gould and Savage
jampacked with original drawings and pic- industry. The plant, designed to produce Mining company. The strike was assertedly
tures and complete description of Ghost more than 150,000 tons magnesium oxide per made in a tunnel driven into a nil1 where
Town and Knott's Berry Place. Both will be year, will supply the Las Vegas unit with raw overburden had been removed to permit min-
mailed with current issue of our 32-page material. Construction started last December ing of large low-grade ore bodies. The Com-
magazine for 25 cents postpaid in the and 900 men were employed during that stock lode is credited with producing gold
U. S. A. Thousands have already viewed stage. Movement of magnesium oxide from and silver worth close to $900,000,000.
this great work of art and acclaim it a won- Gabbs valley was expected to start within a • • •
derful contribution to the history of the few days after the plant went into operation.
West. Admission is without charge whether • • •
Washington, D. C. . . .
you stay for the chicken dinner and boysen- The number of placer mine claims per in-
berry pie or not. Send 25 cents for all three: Dayton, Nevada . . . dividual, corporation or partnership exempt
picture, souvenir and current issue to Ghost Soil deposited over centuries by the Car- under the mining moratorium act is unlimit-
Town News, Buena Park, California. son river is being dredged and washed at the ed, according to an interpretation issued by
rate of 15,000 cubic yards per day through the United States department of interior.
the use of a dragline and washing plant of Lode claims are limited to six for an indi-
the Dayton Dredging company. The dredge vidual owner and 12 for a partnership or
is said to be the largest of its type in the corporation. The act specifically provides:
world. The giant machine manufactured in "that the provision of section 2324 of the re-
the east was transported to Dayton in 34 stan- vised statutes 'requiring that no less than
dard freight carloads with a total weight of $100 worth of labor be performed annually

TflflDinG POSI
1,700,000 pounds. The walking-type dragline on each unpatented claim,' be suspended as
is equipped with a 185-foot boom. Stacker on to all mining claims in the United States from
the floating washer is 190 feet long and in July 1, 1941, until noon, July 1, 1943." In
two sections—the lower measuring 105 feet previous years when the labor requirement
and the upper 85 feet. Use of this machine was suspended it did not apply to any person
Classified advertising in this section permits dredging to a depth of 120 feet, or who paid an income tax. According to Attor-
costs jive cents a word, $1.00 mini- more than 90 feet deeper than usual dredg- ney General Wayne McLeod of Nevada, the
mum per issue—actually about 1 1/3 ing. present act makes no such provision.
cents per thousand readers. o • • • • •
Reno, Nevada . . . Salt Lake City, Utah . . .
LIVESTOCK Arrangements to place the old Common- Largest known concentrated body of mag-
wealth mine 12 miles south of here bick in nesium salts has been disclosed near Thomp-
KARAKULS producers of Persian Lamb fur production are being formulated. California sons, Utah, through drill tests financed by
are easy to raise and adapted to the desert interests are reported to have sampled the Defense Plant corporation, according to John
which is their native home. For further in- property recently. Several years ago the prop- Sandburg, president of Utah Magnesium cor-
formation write Addis Kelley, 4637 E. 52 erty was tested for Treadwell Yukon Co. and poration. DPC now will finance an extracting
Place, Maywood, California. that time it was reported ores contained over plant at Thompsons, Mr. Sandburg predicts,
500,000 tons of lead, zinc, gold, silver and which will mean construction of a steam
KARAKUL SHEEP—Blue Ribbon Quality — iron ore averaging $16 per ton. electric power plant to provide adequate
Recognized as War Industry—Authentic in- • • • power from Utah coal available nearby and
formation furnished. James Yoakum, 1128
N. Hill Avenue, Pasadena, California. Humboldt, Nevada . . . ultimately construction of a hydro-electric
Natomas company, using a new dragline project at Dewey dam site.
MISCELLANEOUS dredge, will handle 120,000 cubic yards from
the Greenan placers at the mouth of Copper
12 BEAUTIFUL perfect prehistoric Indian canyon south of Battle Mountain. Millions ANSWERS TO TRUE OR FALSE
Arrowheads, postpaid for a dollar bill. Cata- of yards of placer gravel have been blocked Questions on page 14.
log listing thousands of other relics free. out since the company took a lease on the
Caddo Trading Post, Glenwood, Arkansas. placer ground. The dredge includes a 1—False. The rattlers fangs are in the
Monaghan dragline, designed to use a six upper jaw.
cubic yard bucket, but a four cubic yard 2—False—The Mormon battalion was
PHOTO FINISHING bucket only will be used at first. led by Capt. Cooke.
• • • 3—False. The Joshua tree belongs to
6 OR 8 EXPOSURE ROLL enlarged to mam- the lily family.
moth Rancho size, 25c; or 16 small prints Carson City, Nevada . . . 4—False. A stand of beehives is an
from roll, 25c. RANCHO PHOTO, Dept. When the Murray aid-to-small-business apiary.
EM, Ontario, California. bill is signed by President Roosevelt, the 5—True.
RFC will make available development loans 6—True.
MAPS up to $5,000 to small mine operators
throughout the west, according to Nevada 7—False. Raton pass is in New Mexico.
Senator Pat McCarran. Senator Mc&rran 8—True.
BLACKBURN MAPS of Southern California 9—True.
desert region. San Bernardino county 28x42 sought passage of a bill to authorize RFC to
make such loans, but prior to its enactment 10—False. El Camino del Diablo crossed
inches $1.00; San Diego county 24x28 the Colorado at Yuma.
inches 50c; Riverside county 50c; Imperial Chairman Henderson said his organization
would issue directive for loans under Mur- 11—True.
county 19x24 inches 50c; Yuma and Gila 12—False. Chief Wlnnemucca was a
river valley 17x27 inches 50c. Postpaid. Add ray bill, "when expenditure may make ac-
cessible or reveal sufficient mineral showing Paiute.
3 % sales tax in Calif. DESERT CRAFTS 13—True.
to warrant development mining loan."
SHOP, 636 State St., El Centra, California. o • • 14—True.
15—False. Cameron overlooks the Little
REAL ESTATE Angels Camp, California . . . Colorado.
Urgent need of quartz crystals for oscilla- 16—False. Phoenix is the largest city in
For Imperial Valley Farms •— tors in military radio equipment will bring Arizona.
a resumption in production of ores from the 17—True. 18—True.
W . E . HANCOCK Jack McSorley placers two miles west of 19—False. The pueblos are often two or
"The Farm Land Man" Mokelumne hill. Federal authorities are more stories in height.
Since 1914 reported ready to purchase all material op- 20—True.
EL CENTRO CALIFORNIA erators can produce.

32 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 hackberry, cottonwood, oak, gum, sequoia and
fir—several of the specimens being duplicated.
In the Nigger Rock region about 35 miles

Cjemi and southwest of Vale, were found locust, catalpa,

maple, hackberry, oak, sequoia, fir and gum-
wood. Phipps creek near Jamieson, reveals cot-
tonwood; while specimens found at Cain
Springs southeast of Harper were identified as
This department of the Desert Magazine is reserved as a clearing house for gem and oak.
mineral collectors and their societies. Members of the "rock-hound" fraternity are invited These specimens represent, only a very small
to send in news of their field trips, exhibits, rare finds, or other information which will section of Malheur county, for there are the ex-
be of interest to collectors. tensive fossil beds near Rockville, Succor creek
ARTHUR L. EATON, Editor canyon, Quartz mountain, on the Watson road,
where the petrified redwood stumps still re-
main standing. Westfall and Drewsey sections
WEST COAST SOCIETY HAS MINERAL PROSPECTING STILL are interesting places as is the Owyhee canyon
EXHIBIT AT FULLERTON IN 'HUNT AND PICK' STAGE up above the lake.
West Coast mineral society held its "West "Prospecting for minerals can be conducted
Coast Mineral Exhibit" Friday, Saturday and on a far more scientific basis than by just going EAST BAY CLUB GOES
Sunday, July 17-18-19, at 109-111 South Spadra out with a pick and hunting for them," states ON DIAMOND HUNT
road, Fullerton. A large parking lot was re- Dr. Robert C. Miller, director of the Califor- East Bay mineral society took its May field
served in the rear, together with a used car lot nia academy of sciences and chairman of the trip to Pope valley to search for some of the
for trailers. committee on latent natural resources. famous Lake county diamonds. At the next
Exhibits were restricted to residents of Or- "Oil companies have prospecting down to a meeting of the same society, Julian Smith of San
ange county and that part of Los Angeles coun- scientific basis," says Dr. Miller. "They don't Leand.ro was elected president, and Nathalie
ty adjacent. Membership of the organization just go around drilling holes in the ground and Forsythe of Berkeley, secretary.
includes persons from both of these districts. hoping they will find oil. They first find pos- On June 4, Dr. Henry H. Hart discussed the
Mineral dealers and makers of lapidary equip- sible locations by means of geology, geophysics subject "Jade, and its place in Chinese life," at
ment were quite welcome. No charge was made and paleontology, and finally sink a test well. the Lincoln school auditorium in Oakland. At
for space, nor commission from sales, but each The paleontologist studies the microscopic or- the next meeting, June 18, William B. Pitts of
dealer was expected to donate saleable speci- ganisms found in the cuttings, animals and Sunnyvale, dean of lapidists, spoke on vari-
mens for the auction which was held Saturday plants that lived thousands of years ago; often ous phases of his work, and showed specimens
evening. The plan did not include placing of he can tell from them the age of the rocks being of thin sections.
exhibits for competition, but solely for their penetrated, and whether the drill has reached
educational and cultural values. possible oil bearing strata. Most minerals, how-
The exhibits were kept open from 2 p. m. to ever seem to be still in the 'hunt and pick'
10 p. m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 stage."
a. m. to 6 p. m. on Sunday. The purpose of this To aid in deciding where to look for miner-
was to give ample time for those who came from als, and in determining advantageous places for
some distance to see all of the exhibits. industrial plants, the committee on latent na-
West Coast mineral society is among the tural resources has cooperated with the Cali-
oldest of the California societies, as it was or-
ganized in May, 1935, when there were but
fornia division of mines in the preparation of
maps showing the distribution of such strategic MINERALIGHT
four or five in existence. Prior to the organiza- minerals as iron, limestone, molybdenum, vana-
tion of the society, prospective members got up dium, titanium, copper, quicksilver, chromite, C R E A T E R
quite a creditable exhibit of minerals only, as manganese and tungsten. These maps are now EFFICIENCY MINERS — PROSPECTORS
there were few gem cutters. The July show, in the offices of the California division of mines ATTENTION!
NIG H E R
however, contained a large proportion of cut in the Ferry building, San Francisco, where Are you overlooking hidden riches?
INTENSITY
stuff, thus reflecting modern tendencies. they may be consulted by any interested person. Over $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 worth of
• • o • • • LIGHTER Scheelite located by M i n e r a l i g h t
users — much of it in gold, lead, silver
W E I.G H T
AFTER THE WAR IS WON— IDENTIFIES MANY SPECIES
and copper mining properties.
Accurate check for Mercury, too.
A VICTORY CONVENTION OF PETRIFIED WOOD FREE Models in all sizes shown in new
catalog — also ore specimens in full
C. D. Woodhouse, president of the Califor- color. Money-back guarantee and 20
nia Federation of mineralogical societies, in his
Julian M. Field recently submitted 18 speci- 4 -Color free ore specimens with each lamp.
mens of petrified wood gathered in Oregon to
recent message to the members, explains why Professor George F. Beck at Ellensburg, Wash- Catalog WRITE DEPT. T TODAY
it is unwise to have a convention this year. He ington, for identification. At the time Professor
continues with remarks that are worth the con- Beck had reported on these specimens he had
sideration of all: ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, Inc.
not been able to make a thorough study, but re-
"For years our Uncle has allowed us to hunt ported back as follows: Locust, catalpa, maple,
5205 SANTA MONICA BLVD. LOS ANGELES
for rocks and collect minerals on his vacant lots.
We will all agree that this kindness on his part
has given us many happy hours and a host of
wonderful memories. Now our recreation is
threatened bv three international hy-graders
who are jealous and envious of our play-
JUBILEE CATALOG ...
grounds. Minerals that mean pleasure to us are, . . . NOW IN PREPARATION
to them, only a means of killing more innocent
people and making a hell on earth. Until this This catalog will contain a very complete listing of metals for the
banditry is stamped underground for ever, all making of jewelry, as well as articles and illustrations helpful in de-
of us must rally around our Uncle and give him signing and making useful jewelry items. Sena us a card or letter
everything that we have so that our right as a stating that you are interested in amateur jewelry work and a copy
free people to enjoy our hobby may not perish
from this earth. We have covered a lot of coun- will be sent when available. It will also list a large selection of mag-
try on our field trips and some of those among nifying glasses, minerals, and all sorts of collectors supplies.
us must have observed minerals which will
benefit our government in time of war. This is SEND FOR YOUR FREE COPY of our 10th ANNIVERSARY CATALOG
a war by and for minerals and we, as mineralo- This lists and describes our large selection of PREFORM OABOCHON BLANKS,
sawed slabs of semi-precious gem materials, fluorescent lights, and
gists, can and must help. It is the duty of every
member of every society in the federation to "MINERALS FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH"
stand by his country and his organization. If we We Close at 5:30 P. M. Every Day — Open Evenings by Appointment Only
cannot go into the field we can study and work
at home. Let us, therefore, resolve to devote all
of our time and energy to winning this war and
when this is done and we can run all the white
405 NINITA PARKWAY
WARNER & GRIEGER PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
and yellow hy-graders off the reservation, the
California Federation will have a Victory Con- Ninita Parkway is one block east of the intersection of So. Hill Ave. and San Pasqual Sts.
Our phone number is SYcamore 6-6428.
vention that will never be forgotten."

AUGUST, 1942 33
 The Southwest mineralogists of Los Angeles
have elected the following officers for the year
HILTON"S Ait AMONG THE
1942-1943: C. R. Standridge, president; Joe

and Qem
ROCK HUnTERS Vercellone, vice-president; Frank Stillwell,
treasurer; Herbert Collins, recording secretary;
Dorothy C. Craig, corresponding secretary. The
above, with Jeane Lippett, Albert Hake and
JOHN W. HILTON, Owner Long Beach mineralogical society met June Harold Eales, form the board of directors. All
12 in the Presbyterian church cottage to view meetings are held, on the first and third Fri-
9 movies of the Hawaiian islands. Each member day;, of each month, at Harvard playground,
brought material for a swap session. Mr. Cutler 6120 Denker avenue, Los Angeles.
On U. S. Highway 99, Ten donated a beautiful piece of milky quartz, and • • •
Miles South of Indio Mr. Bond gave a large magnetite specimen for Imperial Valley gem and mineral society
the communal collection. The club picnic with voted to discontinue meetings until September
the Cactus club was held in Silverado canyon. 15 due to the absence of many members on va-
ACROSS FROM VALERIE JEAN DATE The mine has been closed to the public for cation or in war work. The final June meeting
SHOP. P. O. ADDRESS, THERMAL, CALIF. strategic reasons, but several members found was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. Soper
good specimens of silver ore on the old dump. in El Centro. A swap game furnished each of
• • • those present with new gem specimens.
Dorothy C. Craig, new corresponding secre- • • •
tary of Southwest mineralogists, Los Angeles, New Jersey mineralogical society, of Plain-
STUDENTS AND HOBBYISTS writes: "We hope to make up by study and by field, New Jersey, announced election of the
ALIKE FIND THE social activities the necessary curtailment of following officers: Joseph D'Agostino, presi-
field trips for the duration, and know that Des- dent; O. I. Lee and S. S. Cole, vice-presidents;

Dflllll HGflZMf
A Source of Accurate and Always
ert Magazine will fill a large part of the gap, G. R. Stillwell, secretary; Miss H. M. Hageman.
felt now that we can't go places and see things assistant secretary; O. B. J. Fraser, treasurer;
for ourselves." Thanks, Dorothy.
• • •
Miss E. M. Hensel, librarian; J. N . DuPont,
curator.
E. A. Van Amringe, head of the department o • •
Timely and Interesting Informa- of geology of Pasadena junior college, addressed O. B. J. Fraser reports that to date the Plain-
tion on the Absorbing Sub- the Mineralogical Society of Southern Califor- field, New Jersey, group has managed fairly
jects o f . . . nia May 11 on the subject "A Mineral Collect- well with field trips, but that, hereafter, near-
ing Trip to the Mojave Desert," illustrating by localities, trips to collections, or other
• GEOLOGY his talk with numerous kodachrome slides and things of mineralogical interest that can be
interesting anecdotes of the trip. leached by train or other public conveyance, will
• GEMOLOGY • • • have to suffice.
• MINERALOGY Los Angeles mineralogical society turned its • • •
June 18 dinner meeting into an annual auction. Miss T. Antoinette Ryan, geological coordin-
Subscriptions are $2.00 Yearly; President James C. Arnold announced that ator of the California state bureau of war mate-
Single Copies 20c there would be no personal sales nor trading of rials, has verified the discovery of a massive
minerals permitted on that occasion. The duel ledge of tin, 40 feet wide and seven miles
TELEPHONE TUcker 6801 purposes of the auction were to cover some of long, on the Derrick ranch near Healdsburg,
the operating expenses of the society, and to Sonoma county, California. A second large de-
428 Metropolitan Bldg. give members a chance to add to their own pri- posit of tin, amounting to 105 claims, is report-
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. vate collections. Paul H. M. P. Brinton spoke ed to have been acquired by large mining in-
on beryllium later in the same meeting. terests in Modoc county. Development is pro-
ceeding rapidly.

GEM MART ADVERTISING RATE

5c a Word — Minimum $1.00 BAD N E W S FOR THE
SON OF H E A V E N ! . . .
We were glad we attended the exhibi-
Folks it happened at last. Old Drywash Cham- AN INVITATION: Want to know where to tion of the Los Angeles Lapidary Society.
bers had to settle down, had to save tires to hunt rock ? Want a rock sawed or polished ? It is doubtful if any other group in the
hunt rocks, but the prospectors all over the Want a cabochon or pendant made, either U. S. could have equalled this showing.
west still send in specimens so you will find from your rock or your choice of our supply?
a lot of rare and beautiful material at the Want to see a worid-wide collection of rock? Of course most of the outstanding
new Desert Rats Nest. If you write and tell Want to sell rock? Want information or in- winners used "STREAMLINER" HEAVY
me what you want, and I don't have it, I will structions on cutting and finishing at hone? DUTY DIAMOND SAWS.
get it for you. So drop in as you go by and Then drop in on us—we rock folks to sleep. At the present we are under contract
get acquainted. Mail orders filled C.O.D. Open every day except Sunday. Saturday from filling orders for America's largest cor-
Six big local specimens for two dollars and nine to nine. Chuck and Rocky, 201 Broad- porations, and the U. S. Govt., and as
postage on three pounds. The Desert Rats way Arcade Bldg, 542 South Broadway, Los you read this, hundreds of "Streamlin-
Nest, 2667 East Colorado, East Pasadena, Angeles, Calif. ers" are whirring away, night and day
Calif. G. W. Chambers (the Desert Rat). they never stop. They are doing their
AGATES, Jaspers, Opalized and Agatized
part to cut down Hitler's lead.
SPECIAL $3.00 COMBINATION, rough
Cabochon material, suitable for cutting, woods, Thunder eggs, polka dot and other We are now working on the largest
Amazonite, New Mexico Moonstone, Sun- specimens. Three pound assortment $1.50 order for Diamond Saws ever placed.
stone, Moss Agate, 5 Lake Superior Agates, postpaid. Glass floats, price list on request. Also included in this order are the larg-
Turquoise, Opal. Also large variety AUS- Jay Ransom, Aberdeen, Wash. est saws ever constructed. Naturally we
TRALIAN BOULDER OPAL specimens are taxed to capacity, but we aim to
showing vivid flashes of red, green and blue WANTED: Western Minerals, crystallized or take care of our regular customers. But
—priced from 25c to $1.00. Frederick J. rare. Will buy or exchange for Franklin, please do not send us rush orders, a
Essig & Co., 162 N . State St., Chicago, Ills. N. J., Minerals. John S. Albanese, Post Of- slight delay may occur in making de-
fice Box 281, Newark, N . J. livery.
100 GOOD GRADE Prehistoric Indian Ar- Your next saw should be a Heavy
rowheads $300. Mixed shapes and material.
Ages old. List free. Lear Howell, Glenwood, ZIRCONS—OPALS—CAMEOS — 3 Genuine Duty, Tooth Lokt, Precision "Stream-
Arkansas. diamond cut Zircons (total 2^j carat) $2.75. liner" Diamond Saw, Patents Applied.
Twelve Genuine Opals $1.50. Twelve Genu- And at no extra cost. 10-in.—6.50
INDIAN RELICS, Beadwork, Coins, Min- ine Cameos $2.50. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. 12-in.—7.50 14-in.—9.00 16-in.—11.50
erals, Books, Old Buttons, Old Glass, Old Louis, Mo. Postage 25c.
West Photos, Weapons. Catalog 5c. Vernon
Lemley, Osborne, Kansas.
10 Tiny perfect Indian bird arrows of translu- Wilfred C. Eyles
200 JEWELRY STONES removed from rings, cent chalcedony for a dollar bill. 100 ancient Lapidary Engineer
etc., assorted $2.00. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. arrows $3.00. List Free. Lear Howell, Glen-
Louis, Mo. 2794-A Street Hayward. California
wood, Arkansas.

34 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Pacific mineral society is to be congratulated The Santa Mcnica gemological society heard
on the inauguration of a radically new idea. An a talk by its field trip chairman, Cliff Schrader,
"organizing committee" has been formed for at its June meeting. He told of a trip he once
the purpose of visiting various communities to made to Virgin valley, Nevada, for fire opals,
exhibit mineral specimens and "to promote the and exhibited specimens. One field trip was
advancement and study of mineralogy through made by the society this month to the nearby
Of a Rockhound the organization of mineral societies." Among mountains for fossils. Members attended a swap
the leaders in this work are Dean DeVoe and party at the home of the corresponding secre-
By LOUISE EATON Warren Jones. This seems to be one of the fin- tary, Miss Sadie Sherman, in Los Angeles on
est ideas in many years for the advancement of June 18. Colored slides were shown of various
• Rockhoundin' is a peculiar diseez desert areas and members enjoyed viewing
that ken be acquired very eazily 'n in the science.
• • • Miss Sherman's collection of minerals and pol-
meny ways. Sum folks ketch it by goin' ished specimens.
on trips with other rockhouns; sum by Imperial Valley gem and mineral society, al-
jest lookin' at pretty rocks in a museum though small in membership, is very active.
'r exhibishun; 'n sum jest plain inherit Outstanding exhibits of minerals were placed on
it from their auntsestors. In eny case, view at the Imperial county fair and at the John M. Grieger of Warner and Grieger,
when the diseez is once contracted, it is "Calexico Cavalcade." Parties have replaced Pasadena, left the last week of June to spend sev-
sorta permanent 'n incurable. Very few some of the regular meetings. In May the third eral weeks in the East. Among other business er-
ever backslide. birthday of the organization was celebrated at rands will be an inspection of the Shulak min-
• 0 • the Sam Robinson ranch, north of Holtville, eral collection at Chicago.
• This diseez is a sorta insanity that where some attempt was made to test the abil-
breaks out in a rockhoun on most eny ity of members in mineral identification. Other
occashun, enywhere. One pore rockhoun party-meetings have been held at the homes of
A. L. Eaton, President Lloyd Richardson, and
got hisself made into a soldier 'n sent
to sum outta the way place on a rocky Howard Soper. f Qem
island. Bang! Out busted the rockhoun • • •
diseez, when he found stains of copper Sequoia mineral society has invented a novel
and Mineral Slto-p, . . .
on the side of one of them rocks. He sez and interesting way to outwit old bugaboo "tire On Highway 91, 10 Mi. East of Barstow
he is goin' back sum day to try 'n find shortage." Visiting days. Sunday, April 19, the Two Miles West of Yermo California
out where them stains cum frum. group visited the homes of seven members in
Selma who have fine collections, and, in May, E. W. SHAW. P. O. Box 363. Yermo. Calil.
held a "Fresno visiting day."
Frank Hornkohl demonstrated spectrographic • • •
methods of determining minerals to Kern coun- West Coast mineral society May 5 elected
ty mineral society at its June meeting. He acted and installed the following officers: Charles S. THIS RING MADE IN
as host at the Hornkohl chemical laboratories, Knowlton, of Fullerton, president; Mrs. Bertha STERLING S I L V E R
which are equipped to make complete spectro- Crane of Santa Ana, first vice-president; N. W. WITH YOUR STONE
graphic analyses. Mathews of Fullerton, second vice-president;
• • • Lee Seabridge of Norwalk, secretary-treasurer, $8.00
and delegate to the Federation; Lawrence Sher- (plus Federal and sales
Peter W. Burk, new secretary of Orange Belt wood of Fullerton and John Smith of Santa taxes)
mineralogical society, states that 21 members Ana to the executive board. Instead of suspend-
and friends enjoyed a pot luck supper, June
21, at the cabin of Virginia Ashby, Forrest
Home. Kenneth Garner, secretary of the Cali-
fornia Federation, talked on the construction of
ing meetings for the summer, West Coast ex-
pects to hold picnic dinner meetings, and may
even hold an exhibit if conditions permit.
Jewel Craft
704 S. San Pedro, Los Angeles
the Basic Magnesium, Inc., plant, at Royson, • • •
Nevada, and the process of handling the ore. San Diego, California, rockhounds shared
• • • experiences in a discussion of cutting material
Los Angeles mineralogical society met at locations at the evening meeting in natural his-
Tustin, California, June 28, for a field trip. tory museum, Balboa park, June 12. Reports MINERAL
Mr. Bessette led the members to a nearby field were made on how to get there and what to
find, by G. D. (Jack) Martin, president of the IDENTIFICATION
to collect barite and metacinnabarite.
society, W. H. Murphy, Robert Rowland, and SIMPLIFIED
• • • K. K. Brown. Other members added helpful in-
President Don Major of Northwest Federa- formation on nearby sources. By O. C. Smith. A.B., A.M.
tion of mineralogical societies has just issued a • • » "CLASSIFIES ALL
directory of the member societies, together with Geologists of the California state bureau of MINERALS TO 1940"
a list of members of each society, and the ad- war minerals production report potentially rich Simplicity for the amateur. Completeness
dress of each. The booklet also includes the con- deposits of scheelite, calcium tungstate, along for the professional.
stitution of the federation. Complete BLOWPIPE METHODS and
the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, from TABLES.
• • • Mariposa county to Kern county. The area is
W. L. Couzins of the Fairchild aerial survey approximately 130 miles long and eight miles Price — $3.50 — Plus tax in California
addressed the May dinner meeting of Pacific wide, with at least 110 deposits averaging one Order from • O. C. SMITH - Dept. D
Mineral society on "Aerial Surveying and Its percent concentration. 5157 Santa Ann St. — Bell. California
Relation to Geology," using aerial slides as il-
lustrations. For the May field trip, members
went to Darwin district in Inyo county, Cali-
fornia, where they visited Defiance, Thompson THE304D.C. D I A / ' 1/ I I /> U T —DISCOVERS
and Cord mines. Among specimens found were - 6VOLT - D L A t K L I VJ H T HIDDENVA1.UES
galena, pyrite, anglesite, hemimorphite, linar--
ite, aurichalcite, fluorite, calcite, .hydrozincite, ULTRA-VIOLET FLUORESCENCE
limonite, malachite, wulfenite, and scheelite Locates Scheelite and Other Strategic Minerals
crystals. Try it on your next field trip. _ . . _ „ _
• • • Exclusive Outstanding Features . . .
Members of the Searles Lake gem and min- • Laboratory a n d field tested to in-
eral society had a picnic meeting June 17 at sure its eificiency.
Valley Wells where the speaker was George • Meets the requirements of the
Gardner, the "Slate Range Hermit." June 25 the prospector a n d geologist in the
club was shown the moving pictures "Potash field, small, compact, light weight.
Production in America" at the Trona club. • A powerful generator of invisible
• • • Ultra-Viol st energy. Pure Fused
Quartz burner, a n d special U. V.
Sequoia mineral society enjoyed a combina- filter.
tion picnic dinner and mineral meeting in — FIVE OTHER MODELS —
Dinuba park July 6. Each family brought and Se:nd for Literature
cooked its own dinner, then settled down to a
minerals meeting at 7:45. They listened to a talk DALLONS LABORATORIES
by Dr. Weddle on his recent trip to Utah, Ne-
5066 Sta. Monica Blvd., Los Angeles
vada and Arizona, illustrated by slides.

AUGUST, 1942 35
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT . . .
Also Diamond Saw Blades and Supplies
I. ROY GARDNER
5340 Blackwelder St., Los Angeles, WA9221
AMATEUR GEMCUTTER
Here is a n e w department in Desert Magazine for hobbyists who have, or
aspire to have, their own gem cutting and polishing equipment. Lelande Quick,
former president of the Los Angeles Lapidary society, will conduct the column,
RX—the complete presenting each month practical suggestions for converting rough stones into
polished gems.
lapidary shop in
one small machine
By LELANDE QUICK
Write for circular
and free working chart. While writing is no new adventure for sional artisans by the interest we stimu-
me, writing on lapidary subjects most late. Few of us have any idea of turning
W. A . FtLKER 3521 Emerald St., Torrance, California
certainly is, and I approach my new stint an avocation into a vocation.
with the DESERT MAGAZINE as There is a vast fraternity of amateur
eagerly as a rockhound jumps a claim for lapidaries who have blundered into
a specimen—or two. While people with amazing short-cuts, who have devised re-
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT hobbies never go crazy (some say they
are all crazy) sometimes people with a
markable machinery, who have dreamed
rocks gathered at seashore, mountain
crusade do get a bit balmy. My hobby is and desert into superb gem specimens,
FOR QUARTZ CRYSTAL WORK being a lapidary and my crusade is to re- who have discovered new varieties; a
vive that lost art of cutting gem stones. generous group of people who want to
Used by the U. S. Government It is the only hobby that can be followed tell you how if you will only ask. If you
wherever there is land—in any season, have questions about gem grinding, if
Multi-Speed 16-inch climat. or variety of weather. It knows you have ideas for others, write to me
LAP UNIT. and tell me about them. These columns
assembled all ready to no season and requires no license and
use. with inclosed shaft when one cannot roam around after like- are for you and I hope they will prove
and ball bearing thrust. ly material he can stay at home and wor- useful to all lapidaries, interesting to all
Also removable L a p ry the specimens he has collected. If he readers.
P l a t e , for Lapping, • • •
Grinding, sanding and has no rubber for trips he can spend the
Polishing. time working up the stuff he has—if he If a diamond is exposed to radium emana-
can get carborundum. tions it will turn green.
14-inch Now mineralogical societies are fine • • •
Power Jade, the favorite gem material of the Chi-
Feed but they do not go far enough. That is
to say, they teach men to collect speci- nese, is not found in China. The name comes
DIAMOND from the Spanish words "piedra de hijalda" or
SAW mens to show their friends unacquainted
with mineralogy. But they should also "stone of the flank" because the South Ameri-
with Covington Swing Arm can Indians wore it over the kidneys to cure
insures maximum blade life teach the collector to cut and polish his
and prevents carriage and kidney disease.
better specimens and create something
bearing wear. Has 5-inch himself. Every mineralogist would be a • • •
slabbing area.
"OLD MISER" better mineralogist if he was also a LAPIDARY HELPS AND HINTS . . .
Lapping Compound lapidary. On the other hand, a man can Cut the bristles from old scrub brushes and
Saves every grain of grit. be as stupid as a goose about mineralogy cover the wood with various grades of carbor-
Send for Literature to any of and still become a skilled lapidary. undum cloth. Use these to hand polish book-
our dealers or—• There is a wide misuse of the words ends, clock mounts, etc., made of onyx. They
"lapidist" and "lapidarist." A lapidist or were intended to fit the hand and the job is far
Civ^it^ LAPIDARY ENGINEERING CO. a lapidarist is a person skilled in the less tiring when they are used.
I I CAJON ST. • REDLANDS, CAL. knowledge of gems, a connoisseur (gem- • • •
ologist is the new and popular term). A For a high polish on rhodonite use a well-
"lapidary" is either a person who cuts worn sanding disk at high speed (3500 R.P.M.)
and polishes gems, or, it is his shop, just and keep the stone moving fast. Watch the
as ye olde-fashioned apothecary dis- heat! N o further polishing is required; another
VRECO [HflMOND SflWS pensed his stuff in an apothecary instead
of serving tuna on rye in a "drug" store.
hour on a felt buff with tin oxide will not en-
hance the polish at all.
A lapidarian is the same as a lapidary but • • •
the term is obsolete although it is some- Do you want to have great fun and satisfac-
times used as an adverb. A man can be a tion in coloring your desert chalcedony rosettes
lapidist and never cut a gem; he can be a and Mint canyon nodules? Soak them for a
lapidary and not know that amethyst is week in potassium ferrocyanide and then for an-
purple quartz. other week in ferrous sulphate if you want them
For the record, then, let me say that I blue or soak them in the ferrous sulphate solu-
am not a mineralogist, a lapidist or a tion first and then bake them in a loaf of bread
lapidarist, but I am a lapidary and I do (for slow heating and cooling) if you want
my gem cutting in my lapidary. For all them red. A chromium and nickel solution turns
would-be lapidaries this column will be them green and hydrochloric acid makes them
conducted hereafter. It will give useful yellow. Do the coloring while the material is
hints on cutting and polishing; attempt in the rough and then select the best color for
to answer questions about materials; your gems.
bring the romance of gems to you; try • • •
to stimulate an interest in this lost art. Use modeling clay instead of plaster of paris
6-in $3.90 12-in $ 7.50 Yes, it was the "lost art" until recent- to hold stones for re-sawing. Clay has a high
8-in 4.60 14-in 9.50 ly. Professional lapidaries guarded their viscosity and does not permit the stone to chat-
10-in 5.90 16-in 11.90 secrets so well through the years that it ter against the saw blade.
POSTPAID is said there exists nowhere in the world • • •
Be Sure to Specify Arbor Hole Size. today one man who could take a diamond Put 10 percent oil in your mud; it prevents
in the rough and go through all the lapi- rust and does not retard the sawing time.
dary stages until he has a faceted stone.
Send for Free Illustrated Booklet on The so-called "diamond cutters" are
Vreco Gem Cutting Equipment skilled in only one or two phases of the Desert Magazine readers seeking
and Supplies business. There is an understandable re- information in connection with their
sentment among professional lapidaries lapidary work should address their
today at the mounting interest of the letters to Desert Magazine, El Centro,
public in amateur gem cutting. It is true California. As far as practicable, Mr.
Vreeland Lapidary Mfg. Co. that many of us sell a stone now and Quick will give the answers in this
2020 S. W. Jefferson St. Portland, Ore. then to help with the overhead but I column.
think we make business for the profes- _

36 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Utah, New Mexico and the desert area of Cali-
Aty DESERT AdVEHTUKE fornia.
True names of those involved must be given,
although with the knowledge of the judges,
Magazine, El Centra, California, and must fictitious names may be substituted in special
PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT cases where there is reflection on personal
reach this office by September 1, 1942, to qual-
ify for the awards. character.
Strange and exciting are stories that come out If the story has appeared previously in print,
of the desert—stories that need no embellish- If good sharp 5x7 or larger pictures are
available, an extra $2.00 will be paid for each this fact and the time and name of the medium
ment to give them color and mystery. In order in which it appeared should be given.
to obtain some of the best of these personal ad- photograph accepted. Pictures are not essential,
ventures, Desert Magazine will award a series however. All readers of Desert Magazine are invited
of prizes for those judged to be acceptable for Writers must be prepared to supply confirma- to submit manuscripts.
use in these pages. tion as to the authenticity of their stories. Only Judging will be done by the staff of Desert
For the best story of approximately 1500 true experiences are wanted. Magazine, anc the decision of the judges will
words or less, an award of $25.00 will be made. All stories must be essentially of the desert, be final. Unaccepted manuscripts will be re-
To each other contestant who submits an accept- and the scene is limited to Arizona, Nevada, turned if accompanied by return postage.
able story the award will be $10.
The manuscript should be a true experience,
preferably of the writer—no yarns or tall tales
or heresay stories will qualify. The experience
may involve danger while lost on the desert,
an adventure while living or traveling in the
desert wilderness, or the Indian country. It
may be the meeting of an unusual character, re-
vealing a phase of human nature, or a distinct
The Angelns Hotel
Unusually large end airy rooms, furnished
way of life. with a type, size, and grade of furniture seldom
Two excellent examples of the types of found in modern hotels. Your choice of double
stories which will be most acceptable, appeared or twin beds, all with deluxe inner spring
in last month's Desert Magazine—Charles mattresses ,and box springs, thus guarantee-
Kelly's adventure GOLD HUNTERS ARE ing the acme of comfort and luxury.
LIKE THAT, and Phil K. Stephen's story RATES: Room with private bath—S2.00-S2.50-
BEAUTY IS NOT IN FACES. $3.00. one or two persons. Without private
The contest is open to amateur and profes- bath, Sl.50-S2.00, one or two persons
sional writers alike, but those who plan to sub-
mit manuscripts should carefully observe the — Special. Weekly Rates —
following rules: Fourth and Spring Streets
All manuscripts must be typewritten, on one LOS ANGELES
side of the page only. A. C. Berghoff, Proprietor—Harry J. Wall, Manager
Entries should be addressed to Editor Desert

District Power Aids Battle for Victory

With hydro-electric plants operated by the
Imperial Irrigation District along the Ail-
American canal 24 hours a day the Imperial
Valley's own cooperative water and power
production facilities are contributing to even-
tual UNITED NATIONS VICTORY.
From these plants, power now flows to
Camp Dunlap, to the Salton Sea seaplane
base at Sandy Beach, to Camp Seeley, to the
new navy airport near Seeley and to the
C. A. A. Airways radio station.
In addition if recommendation made by
War Production Board is carried out the All-
American canal power will be used to supply
Imperial and Coachella Valleys, thus releas-
ing imported power for coast areas.
It is giant engineering projects such as the
All-American canal, Boulder dam, Parker dam and PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT . . . The Ail-
others of a like nature that will contribute in an all- American canal carries millions of gallons of water
out effort permitting us to emerge victoriously from down to rich soils of the valley, where crops need-
this war of production. ed to feed armies ripen under warm sunshine.

Imperial Irrigation District

Use Your Own Power-Moke it Pay for the All American Canal

AUGUST, 1942 37
 u5t He tureen Ifou and Me

By RANDALL HENDERSON

ESPITE the fact that it is almost sure to be a losing ven- It would be easier to form judgment as to the comparative
ture financially, the business men of Gallup, New Mex- strength of the opposing forces if the war correspondents would
ico, have announced that the annual Inter-Tribal Indian give us more information as to the water supply. Men may go
Ceremonial will be held as usual this year, the dates August for days without food, but at this time of year a few hours on the
12-15. desert without water is fatal.
Limitations on rubber will not keep the Indians away. Most * * *
of the Navajo, who greatly outnumber the other tribesmen at Here in the Desert Magazine office our staff members try to
the Ceremonial grounds, travel in wagons or on ponies. It is a keep an open mind as to historical controversies in which posi-
gala event for the Indians, not only because they enjov the tive information is not available, as it seldom is. But I must con-
competition in dancing and sports events, but because of the fess that I find it very difficult to go along with those archaeo-
generous prizes offered for their handiwork in pottery, weav- logical sleuths, amateur and professional, who insist that the
ing, basketry and other crafts. prehistoric Indians created the famous "Indian Maze" on the
The Indians look forward to the Gallup pow-wow, and I am desert near Needles, California.
glad they will not be disappointed. It is good for Indian and I have returned there again and again—and every visit mere-
Anglo-American to get together in the spirit of carnival. For ly strengthens my conclusion that there is nothing either
American motorists who have the time and rubber, this should aboriginal or mysterious about those uniformly-spaced wind-
be a good year to see the Gallup Ceremonial. Problems of ac- rows of pebbles on the desert mesa.
commodation and traffic will not be as acute as normally. They may have been left there by the railroad construction
* * * crew at the time the Colorado bridge was built, as some authori-
ties assert, or they may be the residue of a construction job done
While no announcement has been made, we may be sure the by soldiers stationed on the Colorado river at an earlier date. In
Hopi clansmen will be holding their Snake dance the latter any case, the "maze" closely resembles such a pattern as would
Dart of August in accordance with tribal custom. It will matter have been created by an old-fashioned scraper sent out to skim
little to the Hooi whether white visitors come to their cere- rocks from the malpais surface. By no stretch of the imagina-
monial or not. The Snake dance is a devout ritual, a prayer for tion can I visualize Indians in breech-clouts spending weeks
life-giving rain—something far more important to them than out on that mesa piling up rocks one by one in a project so
any war in which their white neighbors are engaged. meaningless.
But I cannot prove it, and your guess is as good as mine.
I am not inclined to criticise the congressmen who voted to It is not important, anyway.
disband the Civilian Conservation corps. Perhaps there is more * * *
urgent need for the services of these young men and their offi- In some way or other I seem to have gotten into the poets'
cers elsewhere at the present time. But I can reconcile myself doghouse. Anyway, one young lady read the "Just Between"
to this decision only as an emergency measure—not as a per- page last month and then wrote me this note:
manent policy. The CCC was one of the most constructive agen-
cies of the entire New Deal program, and one that should be "I am glad you at last have admitted that a little poetry
restored to its full strength and vigor as soon as this war is end- in the hearts of men would make this a better world in
ed. which to live." Signed, ILLENE.
Now ILLENE, you have me all wrong. I have always been
in favor of poetry. I even wrote one myself once. The more
World interest the last few days has centered on the desert of poetry there is in this world the better. My only quarrel with
northern Africa where one of the most critical battles of the war the poets is that there are too many of them writing it and not
is in progress. At this writing, the decision has not been not enough of them living it.
reached. A poet who sends verses to the editor and then feels resent-
Only those who dwell on the desert can fully understand the ful when they are returned, isn't a poet at heart. Real poetry is
punishment dealt to men, friend and foe alike, in carrying on an expression of inner beauty and harmony—not merely some-
mechanized warfare in summer temperatures on the Sahara. thing for the world to applaud.
Guns, tanks, ammunition and human skill—all these things be- And besides, the temperature out here on the desert today
come secondary to the vital need for water—many gallons of it is 115 degrees in the shade, and it is no time to be picking on
every day for each human body and motor-propelled vehicle. a desert editor anyway.

38 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 land lake and forest regions and the Rocky
mountains, illustrated with more than 100 pho-
OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY tographs taken on the hikes.
—a monthly review of the best literature More than a mere account of the animal, bird,
of the desert Southwest, past and present. insect and plantlife found along the way, it is a
stimulating lesson in observation. "A person
with sharp eye;; and listening ears may see more
in a city park than an unobserving person would
HE FINDS PEACE WITH HISTORIC DAYS IN see in a remote wilderness. It matters not so
HIS OWN TRIBESMEN EARLY CALIFORNIA much where you go hiking, but it matters a great
The problem of Indian youth, torn between Heinrich Lienhard migrated from his native deal how you go hiking." Moreover, it demon-
two cultures, is epitomized in fictional form in Switzerland to the new land of California to strates that nature cannot be seen at its best
the life of Martiniano, the chief character in join Captain John A. Sutter in 1846. His diary from a car window. "One must keep his feet
Frank Waters' new novel, THE MAN W H O was carefully kept through the four years that on the ground and his head in the clean fresh
KILLED THE DEER. followed and the original manuscript is here air to enjoy the adventures of hiking and to de-
translated for the first time by Marguerite Eyer velop trained eyes and ears that will see the
Martiniano is duly exposed to the two con- beauty and hear the music of our great out-
flicting ways of life and the resulting malad- Wilbur, under the title, A PIONEER AT SUT-
TER'S FORT. doors."
justment places him at odds with both—a man
between two worlds, unable to find contentment To the student of California history, and to J. B. Lippincott Co., 1942. $2.50.
in either. At times the pendulum of his mixed collectors of western Americana, the volume • • •
loyalties swings toward Indian symbolism and will have real significance. It is early Califor- CHARACTER NOVEL DEPICTS
the great cycle of Pueblo tribal life. Again it nia viewed in process of development, unim-
swings away, for he cannot quite bring himself paired by the natural erasures of Time. While LIFE IN GOLD-RUSH TOWN
to enter the tribal dances, wear a blanket or cut past impressions are often concerned with the Relentlessly working claims by day, weigh-
the heels from his shoes. over-all picture painted in broad, sweeping ing out gold dust at the bars and gambling
No longer able to control that inner rebellion, strokes, omitting the characteristic details that houses at night—the people in a Montana gold-
Martiniano kills a deer during the closed season gave California its individuality, this close-up rush town move rapidly through the pages of
on a federal range. Because the Indians are try- serves to give the average reader details of life Ernest Haycox's latest novel, ALDER GULCH,
ing to keep their sacred Dawn lake property out at Sutter's Fort, Sutter himself and many an- furnishing a stirring back-drop for the story of
from under governmental control, the authori- other well-known Californian (including Mr. Jeff Pierce and Diana Castle.
ties must be appeased. To show their good Lienhard's personal opinion of them) as well So intent are these two on going their separ-
faith they whip Martiniano for his transgres- as placer mining, Indian ceremonies, the laws, ate ways in the hard frontier town that romance
sion. This is only the beginning of many such or lack of laws, as seen through the eyes of fights a defensive battle until the end. Jeff had
violent clashes with the tribal leaders. one who was on the ground. escaped from a ship where he had killed a man
Throwing tradition to the winds, the Indian It is written in the perspective of the day, re- in self-defense. His early life had made him
youth marries a girl from another tribe. To flecting life before the gold rush as it was ac- bitter; he trusted sparingly, asked no one for
make matters worse he drives a Mexican sheep- tually lived—thus making available a glimpse help, needed no one. Diana, beautiful and well-
herder from the Dawn lake property, precipi- into California history that heretofore was ac- bred, left home to escape a marriage she did
tating a feud that has been smoldering between cessible only to those with the time and in- not wish. Determined to make something of
his tribe, the local Mexicans and the white clination for research. The serious reader will herself in the rough country where she went
commissioners. Out of this comes a congres- find genuine satisfaction in this diary that is with Jeff, a stranger, she established a bakery
sional act giving the Pueblos a few years of completely devoid of all latter-day interpreta- and a good reputation—both of which the
grace, and for a time, at least, insuring their tions, so often highly colored in the light of Gulch had seen little of.
privacy and religious freedom. subsequent events.
Wallace Hebberd, Santa Barbara, California, Softening of his bitterness, woven in with
But it is the mystic hold of the spiritual over 291 pp. $5.00. —Marie Lomas the clearing of the town of lawlessness, and
the worldly, the inescapable cycle of tribal life, • • • the hardening of her already strong will in
with its rituals of the seasons, the reverence for this gold-mad town makes stimulating reading.
ancient beliefs and spiritual traditions that NATURE BOOK FOR YOUTH Much of the appeal of Haycox's story rests on
finally draw Martiniano back to his own peo- A-HIKING WE WILL GO, by Jack Van the authentic ring given it in details charac-
ple. The day comes when he walks forth in full Coevering, is a nature book written for teen-age teristic of the period.
acceptance of the Indian way of life. An old boys and girls. It is a series of stories about ac- Little, Brown & Co., Boston. 303 pages.
trader, seeing him, notices that Martiniano has tual hikes taken along the Atlantic ocean, in in- $2.00. —Harry Smith
at last cut the heels from his shoes.
Farrar and Rinehart, New York, 311 pp.
$2.50. —Marie Lomas

WISE OLD COYOTE

The author of "Pecos Bill and Lightning" Each month the Desert Magazine 2—Not mDre than four prints may be
brings to children more folk tales from the
Southwest. In this collection the hero is Don offers cash awards of $5.00 and submitted by one person in one month.
Coyote, wisest of all animals. Leigh Peck tells $3.00 for first and second place win- 3—Winners will be required to fur-
his story in imaginative style warmed by ners in an amateur photographic nish either good glossy enlargements or
friendly humor, under the general title, DON
COYOTE. contest. The staff also reserves the the original negatives if requested.
What Raynard, the fox, is to European chil- right to buy any non-winning pic- 4—Prints must be in black and white,
dren, and what Brer Rabbit is to the children tures. 3^4x5^2 o r larger, and must be on glossy
of the South, so Don Coyote is to the Indian paper.
and Mexican children of the Southwest. Always Pictures submitted in the con-
a champion of the under-dog, he nevertheless test are limited to desert subjects, Pictures will be returned only when
is not averse to taking advantage of the stupid- stamped envelopes or photo-mailers are
ity of other animals, just for the fun of it. But but there is no restriction as to the enclosed.
he is clever or he never could have persuaded residence of the photographer. Sub-
O'Possum that he should hold up the world. jects may include Indian pictures, For non-prize-winning pictures ac-
Sometimes—like many clever humans—he gets cepted for publication $1.00 will be paid
fooled himself.
plant and animal life of the desert, for each print.
In the course of the stories Don Coyote helps
rock formations—in fact everything
a turtle win a race, he punishes a rattlesnake that belongs essentially to the desert Winners of the August contest
and he flies with the blackbirds. But it takes country. will be announced and the pictures
a locust to succeed in outwitting him. published in the October number
There is something of both fable and of folk- Following are the rules govern- of the magazine. Address all entries
lore in the tales and, best of all, they have an ing the photographic contest:
American flavor, replacing the age-old Euro- to:
pean folk stories that have been with us for 1—Pictures submitted in the August
more years than we care to admit. conrest must he received at the Des- Contest Editor, Desert Maga-
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 78 pp. $2.00. ert Magazine office by August 20. zine, El Centre California.
Illustrations by Virginia Lee Burton.

AUGUST, 1942 39
FOLLOW THE UlESTERn TRAILS . . . i n BOOKS!
Do you plan some day to visit Rainbow bridge? These are just a few of the many delightful places
Would you like to go shopping among the Navajo every American looks forward to seeing—when rub-
for rugs? ber and time are available for travel again.
Do you look forward to the time when you can camp Your trip will be many times more enjoyable if you
for a week on the North Rim of Grand Canyon? use the spare hours now to become acquainted with
Do your future vacation plans include trips to Chaco these scenic and historical areas. Desert Magazine's
canyon or Bandelier or Morro rock or Havasu can- selected book shelf will help you. Here are just a few
yon or Arches national monument? volumes that should be in every traveler's library:

80ACOMA, Mrs. William T. Sedgwick. Story of the Indian

civilization of New Mexico's Sky City. Substance of all
that has been written on Acoma. Based on diaries, archae-
ological notes of Bandelier, Fewkes, Parsons and Hodge,
ON DESERT TRAILS
and legends and folk-tales. End-maps, photos, app., bib-
lio., index, 318 pp $2.50 with Everett Ruess
71 INDIAN TRIBES OF THE SOUTHWEST. Mrs. White Everett left a comfortable home to follow remote trails
Mountain Smith. Chapters on Acoma, Apache Indians, in mountain and desert—his camp outfit on bunos. He
Havasupais and Huaiapais, Hopi Snake Dancers, Navajos, camped with the Navajo, climbed precipitous cliffs to
Rio Grande Pueblos, Salt River Indians, Taos and Zuiii explore ancient ruins, danced with the Hopi. he was
Pueblos. Chapters headed with useful information for cold and hungry and footsore, but it was all a glorious
travelers. Endmaps, index, 146 pages $1.50 adventure. He saw the humor in every situation and the
23 LANDMARKS OF NEW MEXICO. Edgar L. Hewett and beauty in every landscape. His letters and other notes,
Wayne L. Mauzy. Invaluable guide to geographic, scenic illustrated with halftones and woodcuts, have been com-
and historic landmarks, written by eminent archaeologists. piled in book form. Fascinating to adults, stimulating to
81 half-tone engravings, index, 200 pp $3.50 youth.
24 ARIZONA CARTOON GUIDE. Reg Manning. Terse and en-
tertaining, sprinkled with the humorous and satiric car- POSTPAID TO YOU $1.50
toons which have made the author famous. Arizona on
parade—geography, history, Indians, cacti and natural
wonders. 16x19 caricature map, 124 pp $1.00 29 NEW MEXICO, A GUIDE TO THE COLORFUL STATE. An-
75 RHYTHM FOR RAIN. John Louw Nelson. Drama and an- other complete handbook in the American Guide series
cient culture of the Hopi Indians, told in the epic story of of the Federal Writers Project. 18 tours. Special pocket
the Great Drought. Interpretation of Hopi rain dances by map. 458 pp $2.50
a man who has a sensitive understanding of the Indian
mind. Paintings by Indian artists, photos, glossary of Hopi 33 DEATH VALLEY. A Guide. Complete and beautifully il-
words. 263 pp $3.25 lustrated publication of the Federal Writers Projoct. Geol-
76 HOPI GIRL. Mrs. White Mountain Smith. Realistic novel of ogy, plant and animal life, history, followed by series of
a Hopi girl, educated in white schools, who returns to the 20 tours with detailed information for travelers. Biblio., in-
ways of her people. 273 pp $1.50 dex, map, paper bound, $1.00. cloth $1.75
28 ARIZONA. A GUIDE TO THE SUNSET STATE. Complete 3 CALIFORNIA DESERTS. Edmund C. Jaeger. Complete in-
information on historical and natural setting. Social, agri- formation on Colorado and Mojave deserts. Plant and ani-
cultural and industrial development. 19 detailed tours. mal life, geography, chapter on aboriginal Indians. Draw-
Many halftone photos, maps. General tourist. information, ings, photos, end-maps. 209 pp $2.00
chronology, biblio., 530 pp $2.50
30 NEVADA. A GUIDE TO THE SILVER STATE. Same com- All books postpaid — Add 3% tax in California
plete coverage as other volumes in this series. 8 tours.
Pocket map, 315 pp
31 UTAH. A GUIDE TO THE STATE. Follows style of this
series. Sections on national monuments and parks. 10
_ $2.50
desert Crafts Shop
tours, 595 pp _ $2.50 636 State Street El Centro, California