Desert Magazine 1944 June

THE
M A G A Z N
JUNE. 1944
Golden-flowered Palo Verde tree in bloom. Photo by Leo Hetzel.
EL SAGUARO SONNET
By CORA L. KEAGLE Pa/a Ven.de By JAMES B. DUMMER
Pixley, California Los Angeles, California
By GRACE CULBERTSON
Candelabra of the Giants, San Diego, California If I must live alone, O let me dwell
When Gargantuan feasts are spread Not in the narrow canyons of a town,
On the desert, in the moonlight, Upon my wall a palo verde tree Not where a mass of jumbled buildings frown
Boulders white for loaves of bread, Breaks into bloom as if before my eyes. On endless streets forever parallel,
It brings back other sunlit springs to me But in some place where desert hillocks swell
June days bring another feasting As clear and wide a cloudless desert lies. Above the v a l e s o'er-spread with yuccas
When Saguaro's fruit is red; Within these bands of gold great vistas gleam bright,
To Papago Indian tribesmen, And far horizons fade beyond framed bounds. Where skies are never dulled by smoke at
It is wine and fruit and bread. Upon white desert sands I'm wrapped in dream night
And in white silences drown raucous sounds. And wary horned toad basks in sandy dell.
"A happy sort of picture," someone said,
DESERT BUTTERFLIES "The essence of all springs is captured here." There 'neath the silver lamps that burn on high
By JOANNE DE LONGCHAMPS
And when the day dawns dull and grey and dead I'll feel your friendship firm and deep repose,
Reno, Nevada Glad promises of bud and leaf appear. And muse on tranquil days now long gone by
A palo verde tree in yellow bloom— If I must live alone as you dispose,
Across these grey forbidding sands The desert smiling in my city room. For we must dwell apart and calmly try
Roots twist like gnarled and aged hands. To banish thought that once our paths were
Rock-pitted, still, the desert lies close.
Below unruly cloud-swept skies.
How strange to see them in this place, A DESERT RATTLESNAKE
In colorless and rockbound space, By J. C. DAVIS
DESERT MAGIC
Where no bird sings and no wing flies, San Bernardino, California
These hosts of golden butterflies! By MABEL E. LOWER
Leaving his winter lair, Los Angeles, California
What brought them here, what mocking mirth Out from that secret place,
Has scattered now across this earth Into the daylight glare Have you felt the desert's magic—
Such fragile things, so soon to die Gliding with languid grace; Breathless silence 'neath the moon?
Beneath an unrelenting sky? Sinuously and slow, Seen the silvery shadows blending—
• • • Sage and sand and drifting dune?
As after sudden rain
JOSHUA TREE Small rivulets groping go
Athwart a thirsty plain. Have you wandered through this dreamland,
By M O N T E HUMPHREYS In diamond tracery bold, Arms and hearts alike entwined—
San Diego, California His musky, dusky skin, Down the starlit desert pathways;
Ghost-white glow of an argent moon Broidered in beads of gold, Night's soft purple curtain folding
Paints frosty light on dervish arms, Fairer than tempting sin! Care away, and gently holding
Unlike, at night, your self at noon, Lidless his basilisk eyes; Just two souls in sweet enchantment,
A desert lord of nocturne charms. His head a poisoned dart; Leaving all the world behind.
Poised like a wind-blown flower
Form grotesque of sun's domain, Above — alert — apart! If you've known this Heaven-on-Earth land,
Of twisted, gnarled and knotted shape, His tongue a lambent flame Dreamed the desert night away,
Are you wracked and warped with pain, That, flickering ceaselessly Heart to heart in sweet contentment,
Or soul serene of wasteland scape? Bids all, "Beware, I come! As moon's waning brought the day.
I pass! Make way for me!"
Are you true self—or soul contrite Tense curves of virile strength Then you've walked in God's own garden,
Of reckless farer by the way, Relaxed; his vantage won; Few there are who hold the key-—
Who rashly dared the desert's might, Straight all his beauteous length While the world roars by the gateway—
-...And perished in the blazing day? Lies in the hot white sun. Knowing not this ecstacy.
THE DESERT MAGAZINE

DESERT
• The letter by John Hilton appearing

in this issue was intended for Desert's
editor, Captain Randall Henderson, com-
manding officer at an ATC oasis station
in the Sahara desert of North Africa.
Since it answers some of the questions of
desert lovers about war's influence on
their favorite haunts in the Colorado and Volume 7 June. 1944 Number 8
Mojave deserts of California, we thought
they wouldn't mind sharing the letter
with Desert's readers. It also will ex- COVER JOSHUA BLOSSOM. Photograph by Nicholas N. Koz-
plain to those many gem collectors why
John has not been logging more field loff, San Bernardino, California.
trips for them.
POETRY Palo Verde Dreams, and other poems . 2
• This issue carries the second editorial
page written by Corporal Rand Hender-
son during the year he has served with CLOSE-UPS Notes on Desert features and their writers 3
the Marine Corps in the Pacific and
Southwest Pacific theaters. Now that life FIELD TRIP Fossil T r e a s u r e s of W a h W a h
is peaceful compared with the Tarawa
period, some of his spare time is being By CHARLES KELLY 4
devoted to writing. Until he can come
home to Desert, to write some of those DESERT QUIZ
desert travelogs he is thinking about, we A test of y o u r desert, k n o w l e d g e 8
hope he will increase his contributions
as a "foreign correspondent." BOTANY
P a r a d e of the P e n t s t e m o n s
• This summer Desert will have a pic- ByMARYBEAL 9
torial feature in which the "characters" MAGNESIUM Miracle M e t a l From N e v a d a Hills
are absent — only their tracks will be
visible. But those tracks have revealed By LELANDE QUICK 10
the life drama of their owners to the
camera of Lt. Richard L. Cassell D.C., BOOKS History of Comstock Lode, a n d other r e v i e w s . .14
who photographed them in Imperial Val-
ley, t t . Cassell. who has been with Army
Air Force Flexible Gunnery school at Las HELD REPORT "The desert is still w a i t i n g for y o u "
Vegas, Nevada, since spring, has been By JOHN HILTON 15
using the 16mm motion picture camera
six years in filming birds and insects. His PICTORIAL M o j a v e ' s G i a n t Lily
"Warriors of Another World" won
Lloyd Bacon Trophy in 1942 national By CATHERINE a n d DICK FREEMAN . . . 19
contest conducted by Home Movies mag-
azine. In 1943 it was judged one of Ten ART OF LIVING
Best non-theatrical motion pictures in Desert Refuge, b y MARSHAL SOUTH . . . . 25
annual national contest conducted by LETTERS
Movie Makers magazine. His motion C o m m e n t from Desert M a g a z i n e r e a d e r s . . . 27
picture "Humming Bird" has been ac- NEWS
cented by Coordinator of Inter-American H e r e a n d There on the Desert 29
Affairs and is being translated into for-
eign languages for distribution in Latin MINING
America. His articles and photographs Current m i n i n g n e w s 32
have appeared in Home Movies maga- HOBBY
zine, U. S. Camera, Nature magazine, Gems a n d Minerals
Natural History magazine. —Edited b y ARTHUR L. EATON 33
• Novel subject for Desert readers will CRAFT
A m a t e u r G e m Cutter, b y LELANDE QUICK . . . 36
be Oren Arnold's description of the
Western style square dance which is COMMENT
being revived in Arizona. The patterns S a h a r a Diary, b y RANDALL HENDERSON . . . 37
of such dances as the Arizona Star, the COMMENT
Wagon Wheel, the Baby's Cradle, are in- Just Between You a n d Me, b y RAND HENDERSON 39
tricate but never would be confused with The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Publishing Company, 636
those of the conga, the samba or the heli- State Street, El Centro, California. Entered as second class matter October 11, 1987, at
copter hop. the post office at El Centro, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered
No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1944 by the Desert Publishing
Company. Permission to reproduce contents must be secured from the editor in writing.
RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor. LUCILE HARRIS, Associate Editor.
BESS STACY, Business Manager. — EVONNE HENDERSON, Circulation Manager.
CREED OF THE DESERT Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage
By J U N E LE MERT PAXTON or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Subscribers should
Yucca Valley, California send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. If address is un-
certain by that date, notify circulation department to hold copies.
You call me queer, and weird at night; SUBSCRIPTION RATES
My swords you often rue; One year . . . . $2.50
Canadian subscriptions 25c extra, foreign 50c extra.
Yet in my arms I take delight
To hold white blooms for you. Subscriptions to Army personnel outside U.S.A. must be mailed in conformity with
P.O.D. Order No. 19687.
Address correspondence to Desert Magazine, 636 State St., El Centro, California.
JUNE, 1944
Finding a whole mountain of
fossils is just about enough to
make rockhunters like Charles
Kelly and Frank Beckwith "go
crazy." They had h e a r d that
somewhere b e y o n d the Con-
fusion range in central western
Utah there were some rare fos-
sils. But when they drove into
the isolated area, pushing and
shoveling along the desert roads,
they did not expect to be the dis-
coverers of the richest deposit of
its kind in the state of Utah. They
not only found an abundance of
fossils but when they went to
Jack Watson's little cabin to
spend the night he showed them
what he called "live trilobites,"
Fossil mountain near Jack Watson's cabin in north end of Wah Wah valley con- nearest modern relative of that
tains finest Ordovician fossils in Utah. Frank Beckwith photo. ancient form of life.
7o5iil 'Ttea5ut25 ofi W&lt Walt

By CHARLES KELLY
Map by Norton Allen
» / OR forty miles we jolted over a stood a high ridge known as Fossil moun- sils washed down from above, and when
/ rough desert road, leaving a long tain, our immediate objective. we reached the fossil bearing strata Frank
white plume of alkali dust. Then It took a lot of pushing and shoveling nearly went crazy. It proved to be the
we ground in low gear to the summit of to negotiate the intervening sand, but we richest deposit of its kind in the state of
Marjum pass in the House range, with finally drove our car to the base of the Utah, and one so isolated it previously had
Notch peak looming above. While the en- ridge. Without stopping to eat lunch we been overlooked.
gine cooled we looked back toward Delta, each grabbed a gunny sack and some old We already had collected many beauti-
Utah, our starting point, a mere speck on newspapers in which to wrap specimens ful specimens of trilobites from the lower,
the Sevier desert. Westward, toward the and started up the slope. Almost imme- middle and upper Cambrian formations of
Nevada line stood a haphazard scattering diately we began to find fragments of fos- the House range. But Fossil mountain
of low mountains appropriately called the
Confusion range. Somewhere in that
geologic puzzle were said to be rare fossils.
Frank Beckwith and I were determined to
find them. Frank had been over the road
once before, but the country was new
to me.
At the western foot of the pass we turn-
ed south on a dim trail crosscut by deep
channels eroded in the soft clay. After
many miles of rough going we finally
reached a bit of good road — the hard
smooth bottom of a dry lake. Farther along
were two more playas which afforded
pleasant relief from the constant jolting.
At last we reached an opening in the south-
ern tip of the Confusion mountains, turned
west and entered the extreme northern end
of Wah Wah valley. Across the valley
This beautiful slab, now in Smith-

sonian institution, shoivs many forms
of Ordovician fossils—Pliomera and
Bathyuriscus trilobites, Bryozoa, Pele-
cypods, Brachiopods, Fucoids
and Graptolites.
THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Jack Watson surveys Blind valley which has been his desert empire since he was a young man. There is but one narrow
entrance to the valley, an ideal winter grazing range.
proved to be of the Ordovician or Lower flat fossil, about two inches in diameter, sponge, and rare as hen's teeth. I never
Silurian period which followed the Cam- that looked like a petrified sunflower. heard of one being found anywhere in
brian and contained a much greater variety "What's this?" I asked Frank. Utah. Where did you pick it up?"
of ancient sea life. Most prominent were "Holy jumping cats!" he shouted. I showed him and we both started
the cephalopods, a tube-like shell from the "That's a receptaculite, sometimes called searching. He picked up another close by.
size of a pencil up to three or four feet sunflower coral. It's really a type of Then we both began to find more, nearly
long. Many were eroded free of enclosing
rock and we soon had a pile of several hun-
dred pounds. The chambered nautilus is a
modern relative of the cephalopod, but its
Ordovician ancestor was straight, and pro-
pelled itself by ejecting a jet of water from
its siphuncle. In several specimens this in-
ner chamber was beautifully crystallized.
Farther up the ridge we began to find
fragments of trilobites. These were mostly
pliomera. They seemed to have buried their
heads in the mud, leaving their rears ex-
posed, and these when weathered out had
a spider-like appearance. In all our search-
ing we found but two heads, both sepa-
rated from the rest of the body. In the same
rock were beautifully fluted plectorthis
shells; pelecypod shells the size and shape
of a navy bean; ostracods, looking like tiny
oysters; several varieties of bryozoa,
fucoids and colonies of graptolites. We
also found one large bathyuriscus trilobite.
These were all beautifully sculptured on
the rocks by wind and rain, making very
attractive specimens.
Then, on a little bench, I found a round
Above right — Sections of

Cephalopod shells. Core in piece at
right was originally the hollow si-
phuncle by which it propelled itself.
Lower—Gastropods with cross sec-
tions of Cephalopods (large circles).
Beckivith photos.
JUNE, 1944
to the corner of the cabin read: "Water
10c Gal."
Hearing our car a man came out to greet
us. Frank introduced him as Jack Watson,
owner of the "ranch." He was a tiny man
weighing 97 pounds. He was about 70
years old and appeared to have been dried
up by years of desert heat. He was glad to
have company and insisted on cooking
supper for us. That night I learned some-
thing of his strange story.
•
While still a young man Jack had ex-

• ,-• t .
plored that section of desert when hunting
stray cattle. Camping at a small spring he
found the cattle in a hidden valley entirely
surrounded by mountains, with one nar-
The little cabin in Wah Wah valley where Jack lived alone for more than 30 years. row entrance. Blind valley, as he named
the place, contained some good desert
vegetation and seemed to be an ideal win-
always in pairs. Within an hour I had 10, By late afternoon we each had several ter grazing ground. He decided to quit his
and Frank had 22. When we had ex- large piles of specimens scattered along the job and start his own ranch there. By locat-
hausted that spot we climbed up and down base of the ridge for a mile or more. It ing on that spring he could control the
the hill for another hour, but found no was evident we could not take them all, so range for 40 miles in any direction.
more. They seemed to have lived in a we began sorting out the best, wrapping
colony on that one little bench. I believe them carefully and carrying them in gunny During the next winter he hauled lum-
we collected them all. sacks. When I reached the car after my ber and built his cabin. Then he drove in
third trip Frank was coming in with a a few head of cattle and brought out his
heavy load. Dropping his sack on the wife. His stock did well on the virgin des-
"Jack Watson appeared to have been ert range. When the next winter came he
dried up by years of desert heat." ground he pulled out a thin slab of rock
about 10 inches square, which he had care- drove his herd into Blind valley, put up a
fully wrapped in his shirt for protection. couple of poles and forgot about them un-
til spring.
"Here's the prize of my whole collec-
tion!" he said proudly. "Did you ever see For the first few years everything went
anything as beautiful as that?"
It was indeed an extraordinary speci- Near Jack's cabin are the potholes in
men. The face of the slab was crowded ivhich he caught his meager
with hundreds of fossils, including six dif- water supply.
ferent varieties, all standing in relief on
the rock. When we wasted some of our
precious water to wash it, each fossil shone
like a jewel.
"I'm going to send that to the Smith-
sonian institution," he said. "I don't think
they have any specimens from this lo-
cality." And that's where it went eventual-
ly, together with some of the rare recepta-
culite. Later, Dr. Charles E. Resser, of the
Smithsonian, came out to visit Fossil moun-
tain and pronounced it one of the finest
Ordovician deposits he had seen.
"Where will we camp tonight?" I asked
Frank as the sun dipped below Fossil
mountain.
"Across the valley at Jack's place." he
said.
"Jade's place?" I questioned. "Is there
actually someone living in this desert?"
"Sure," he replied. "His shack is over
there against the cliff." I looked but could
see nothing but rocks. There wasn't a
spring or creek within 40 miles, and I
thought Frank was joking.
It took us an hour to plow through the
sand. Then, turning a rocky point along
the cliff on the east side of the valley I saw,
in the gathering twilight, a small cabin and
stock corral. There were no shade trees,
no grass and no garden, but a tin trough
indicated the presence of water nearby. Ap-
parently it was not plentiful. A sign nailed
THE DESERT MAGAZINE

along fine. His herd increased and he was \
well pleased with his isolated location.
Then came an unusually dry summer and
his spring almost dried up. He began dig- \
ging, hoping to increase the flow. He dug
untiringly for days, but all he had was a
series of potholes in the rock. Filled with
gravel they had acted as a reservoir for
rainwater. He had no spring!
A timely rain filled his potholes soon
afterward. He was safe for that year. But
to assure a larger supply he built a number
of small dams. Even so, his situation was
precarious, because his potholes sometimes
would almost dry up between rains and the
nearest living water was 40 miles away.
After a few years Jack's wife died. When
we met him he had been living alone for 30 HOTCH PH. _••:,,,.•••;••:
years. His cabin walls were hung with
calendars for each one of those years, and
although nothing ever seemed to happen,
he faithfully kept a diary. His pets were a
12-year-old "colt," a 40-year-old mule,
and a rattlesnake under the kitchen floor.
"What are you fellows looking for, any-
way?" Jack asked us next morning after
breakfast.
"Trilobites," Frank said. "We found
some nice ones yesterday on the ridge
across the valley."
"Cripes!" said Jack. "You don't need
to go that far. I can get you a bushel of
'em right here. Live ones. My potholes
are full of 'em." -S> PLACE M-ms)
"Live trilobites?" I asked incredulously, '£'•. '•
wondering if the old man had lived alone &I'«J .;•,;„;, ..>«o MILES •'
'*',....i! !"•; TO DELTA
so long he was a little crazy.
"Sure," he replied confidently. "Come :
on, I'll show you."

He led us to one of his deep potholes,
dipped up a can of water and handed it to *tO M/LE'S >:
me. It was jumping with some kind of |l ^ TO BLACK ROCK :
animal life. I poured some of it into my
pa'm, and with it a real, live trilob'te about
as big as the end of my thumb. Nowadays
scientists call them Apis glacial/s, but they
are the nearest modern relative of the
ancient trilobite, one of the earliest forms
of life. In late summer Jack's tanks are
alive with them. When the water dries
up they lay eggs in the mud, which hatch :^f J ; <:
when the next rain falls. It was an odd

coincidence to find the fossil and the live
organism, separated by millions of years, in
the same spot — the only place in Utah
where either of us ever found "live trilo-
bites." How they can survive in such a
desert is a mystery.
Jack then took us to Blind valley, his
little desert empire. As he enthusiastically
pointed out its advantages for winter graz-
ing, it was easy to understand why he had
been held to that lonely spot for so many small truck with plenty of spare parts. He water ran out. That possibility always
years. By controlling that hidden valley went to Black Rock, 40 miles south, two or hung over his head. He often had run
he was king of the desert for 40 miles or three times a year for supplies. He kept short, but his holes had never been en-
more in any direction. the truck in good repair, since it was his in- tirely dry.
In a shed back of his cabin Jack kept a surance against dying of thirst in case his After returning home from that trip I
JUNE, 1944
used to think of old Jack Watson every
time I turned on a water tap. I imagined To make the Sand Dune Sages continue to earn their
finding him dead in his cabin, mummified
by desert winds. He managed to survive
DESERT QUIZ high rating, this month's quiz has some questions to
match their superior wits. Answers to several of
that dry summer, and the next, which was them will be found in very recent issues of Desert Magazine, so Desert Rats and
even worse. But the third summer was a those yet uninitiated into the Desert Fraternity, as well as the Sages, should make
scorcher. Even city water was rationed, a good score if they are observant readers. Subjects include Indian lore, arch-
and I knew old Jack would be in trouble. eology, history, geography, mineralogy, desert lore, botany, Southwest literature,
Later, from Frank Beckwith, I learned men who have played important roles in history and development of Southwest.
what happened. Answers on page 34.
Jack waited until his last drop of water
was gone, hoping for rain. When it didn't 1—Rainmakers refers to—Pueblo Indians Craftsman who makes katchina
come he reluctantly decided to leave. But dolls White men who brought irrigation to the desert Banks of
when he tried to crank the truck, it clouds
wouldn't start. He worked on it frantically 2—Most of the state of Nevada once was covered by—Lake Bonneville
until he was nearly exhausted—still it Great Salt Lake Lake Lahontan A great forest
wouldn't go. There was nothing to do but
try to walk out. He previously had placed 3—Brothers of Light refers to—Jesuit priests who established early missions in
Southwest A clan of the Hopi Indians Teachers in first Indian
milk cans full of water at intervals along
schools Secret Spanish-American religious order
the road, for just such an emergency, and
was sure he could make it on foot. When 4—Japanese relocation camp at Poston, Arizona, was named after Charles D.
he reached the first can, however, he was Poston, who was a—Frontiersman Army officer Politician
bitterly disappointed to find it empty— Sociologist interested in minority races
robbed by some sheepherder. He hurried 5—The banded "Mirage Stone" used by Navajo in ceremonials and by Zuni to
on to the next, but it also was empty. Rest- make fetishes is made from—Feldspar Aragonite Obsidian
ing until nightfall, he continued walking, Calcite
hoping to find water in some of his cans. 6—If you were lost in the desert, without water, you would most likely find it
But every one had been emptied. He by—Watching direction the birds were flying Looking for a trail made
didn't remember much of the last 20 miles, by animals Hunting for cactus Digging in sand dunes
but stayed on his feet, stumbling into Black 7—Elevation of Twentynine Palms, California, is about—2000 feet 175
Rock the next afternoon, nearly dead from feet 4000 feet sealevel
thirst. His mule came in next day, and 8—Father Eusebio Kino, who was an important founder of Southwest missions,
the "colt" two or three days later. was of the—Franciscan Order Jesuit Order Dominican Order
When rain fell again in the fall, Jack 9—Cactus most successfully used in making furniture is—Cholla
went back to gather up the survivors of his Bisnaga Saguaro... Night-blooming Cereus
herd. I didn't hear from him for a long 10—Because of strict taboo, Navajo never kill—Deer Peccary
time. Then he was brought to Salt Lake Eagles Bear
City to have his right arm amputated after 11—Shell ornaments commonly found in ancient village sites in southern Arizona
a serious accident. He had ridden 285 had their origin in—Gulf of Mexico Pacific Coast Gulf of Cali-
miles without a dressing or a sedative. He fornia Salton Sea
was in the hospital a long time, but when 12—Southwest desert area was called "Mystic Mid-region" by—John C. Van
he got out he headed straight back for Dyke Harry Carr Arthur J. Burdick Wm. T. Hornaday
Blind valley. 13—Mineral brought through Wingate Pass, in Mojave desert, over mono rail in
About a year later I met Jack in Delta. 1920s was—Gold Epsom Salts Tungsten Silver
14—Rainy season in Navajo country of northern Arizona and New Mexico is in—
"Have you quit the ranch?" I asked.
Winter Spring Summer Throughout year
"Yes," he said sadly, "I finally had to 15—Corn was introduced into Southwest—From supply brought by the Pil-
leave. I could have made it all right, ex- grims By Cortez who brought it to Mexico from Spain Was native
cept for just one thing. I couldn't chop to New World By Hopi whose legends say it was brought from under-
wood with one hand." world
"There's one question I'd like to ask 16—If you were in a war plant and needed spiderweb silk with a diameter of five
you, Jack," I said. "It's been puzzling me ten-thousands of an inch, you would—Select a single strand from the Green
a long time. When your waterholes went Lynx spider Split a strand from the Black Widow spider Weave
dry that time, why didn't you ride your several strands together Divide four ways a strand from the Golden
Garden spider
horse or the old mule instead of walking
those 40 miles?" 17—Most conspicuous plant in the Southwest areas which botanists call Temp-
erate Semi-desert, or Desert Grassland, is—Pinon pine Yucca
"Hell!" he said, looking foolish, "I Organ Pipe cactus Ocotillo
never thought of it." 18—Highway which crosses Great Salt Desert, west of Salt Lake City, Utah, is—
No one but Jack would want to live at 40 6... 91 30
Blind valley, so his shack has been empty 19—One of these Indian Pueblos is not located in Rio Grande valley of New Mex-
for several years. Possibly his potholes ico—Laguna Isleta— Santo Domingo Cochiti Tesuque
have been filled up by cloudbursts. If any 20—Mount Lemmon, in Arizona, is the highest peak in—Superstition moun-
of you fossil hunters decide to visit Fossil tains Pinal range Santa Catalina mountains San Francisco
mountain, take plenty of water. There isn't mountains.
icing within 40 miles.
8 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

k th
By MARY BEAL
t h e Pentstemon desert from bordering ranges on the west,

quest, we select a few without the making itself at home on dry hills and in
fiery brilliance of the Scarlet rocky canyons. Its stately clusters of stems,
Buglers described in the May issue of Des- 2 or 3 feet tall, are generously bedecked
ert Magazine. One of the loveliest, with flowers of an entrancing gamut of
Palmer's Pentstemon, is rather widespread color tones, the corollas over an inch long,
at moderate to high altitudes, its graceful bright blue or purplish blue, lighter at
wands of delicately colored bloom lighting base, the abruptly dilated, bell shaped
up slopes, washes and canyons, and ex- throat lilac or red-purple. A panicle often
haling a delightful fragrance. Etched in has 50 or more blossoms. The pale-green
my memory is the vision of a magnificent leaves are sharply toothed, the sterile sta-
clump over 5 feet tall, supremely beautiful men beardless. Look for it in April and
in the late afternoon light. It appeared like May along the western edge of Colorado
magic at a bend of the road skirting the desert and in the western and southern
Providence mountains in eastern Mojave borders of Mojave desert.
desert. It was standing at the edge of a
shallow rainwash, its dozens of flower- Pentstemon albomarginatus
strung stems gently swaying in the breeze. A smaller species, growing in low
clumps 6 to 10 inches high with several Blue Beard-tongue {Pentstemon spec-
Pentstemon palmeri leafy stems from the long fleshy root, the tabilis) . Photographed by the author
Several to many slender erect stems IV2 herbage pale grey-green with a sheen. in southwestern Mojave desert,
to over 5 feet tall, from a woody base, more Leaves and sepals white-margined, flowers California.
leafy below, the herbage hairless and light- whorled in a spike-like leafy panicle, the
ly covered with a bloom, the narrow sessile corolla light to deep rose pink, throat paler
leaves mostly lanceolate with shallow with bright reddish lines and dense yellow Arizona, southern and eastern Mojave des-
sharp teeth. The inch-long (or more) beard. Found infrequently at moderate ert and along the western edge of Colorado
altitudes in April and May in sandy areas desert from April to June.
corolla is pale pink (or deeper) or orchid
of western Arizona, southern Nevada and
pink, with crimson lines in the throat ex- Pentstemon pseudospectabilis
eastern Mojave desert.
tending well down the 3-lobed lower lip, A beautiful plant with several erect
the short tube abruptly dilated into the Pentstemon antirrhinoides stems up to 4 feet tall, the oblong-ovate
wide-open throat, showing the hairy palate An intricately-branched leafy shrub 2 to leaves sharply serrate, the corolla about an
and densely hairy tip of the sterile fila- 7 feet high, with many small glossy rich- inch long, gradually inflated to the spread-
ment. Frequent from 3500 to 6500 feet in green leaves on pale woody branches. The ing lips, bright pink to rose-purple. Com-
Mojave desert, Arizona, southern Nevada very broad, gaping corolla is sulphur-yel- mon in sandy washes and open ground up
and Utah. low, washed with terra cotta or russet out- to 6500 feet in mountains of eastern Colo-
side, the sterile filament densely bearded. rado desert, Arizona and southwestern
Pentstemon spectabilis Rather common up to 5000 feet in rocky New Mexico, blooming in spring and
This showy species has ventured into the canyons and mesas of southern and western summer, according to altitude.
Left to right—Scented Pentstemon (P. palmeri), a favorite of honey bees in eastern Mojave desert. Bushy Beard-tongue (P.
antirrhinoides), specimen from Providence mountains of eastern Mojave desert. White-margined Pentstemon (P. albomar-
ginatus) , usually growing in drifting sand. Photographed specimen from a colony found by the author near
black lava bed surrounding Pisgah Crater.
Left to right. 1—The prospector, daring desert heat and endless miles of hills and sand, deserves credit for locating the great
deposits of magnesite from which magnesium is made. Photo by Truman D. Vencill. 2—Magnesite blasted out with dynamite
is scooped up with big shovels, dumped into specially designed trucks which carry 20 tons of ore each, in steady stream to Gabbs
plant, from where magnesium oxide and other concentrates are hauled to plant at Las Vegas, 334 miles away. 3—Ore is pulver-
ized in a battery of ball mills (center), then moves to classifiers (foreground). Finer material flows
out and is carried to the next operation.
MhacLe Metal Ttom A/evada

By LELANDE QUICK
Photos courtesy Basic M a g n e s i u m , Incorporated
r HE romantic thing to me is that

the plant stands squarely astride
the old Spanish trail so that I
like to refer to it as the Path of Progress."
I had spent the whole day with Bill
Burke, Frazer's able assistant. I wasn't too
tired, for the buildings were so large we
had driven right through most of them in
Dam power daily than the city of Los An-
geles. It cost more than $140,000,000.
and beside it other war plants authorized
by Defense Plant corporation were really
Guernsey Frazer, administrative assistant our car. Silver-like magnesium has been minute. The electrical installation alone
to the general manager of Basic Magne- aptly called the miracle metal. Its use is cost $40,000,000. Of this amount $23,-
sium was talking to me as we looked over comparatively new because it used to cost 000,000 went into solid silver bus bars.
the enormous plant at Henderson, Nevada. $5.00 a pound to produce it but now it All of this silver had been mined in Ne-
"That idea pops into my mind oftener can be turned out for about 20 cents. Mag- vada and stored in eastern vaults at West
than do the facts that confront us daily, nesium is about two-thirds the weight of Point, New York, but because of the acute
such as how we built this third largest city aluminum but it has the tensile strength of shortage of needed copper, usually used for
in Nevada in 11 months to house the 5500 hot rolled or mild steel. Its potentialities bus bars, the silver was processed into
permanent workers we now have at BMI— for postwar use are unlimited for making equipment in the east and came home
a town complete with hospital, schools, the standard things lighter—washing ma- again to Nevada as a substitute for the cop-
churches, markets and a general shopping chines that will weigh less than present per bars in six of the ten electrolysis units
center. Construction of the plant itself vacuum cleaners, bath tubs that one man now operating at the plant.
over a period of only 18 months was the can easily carry. And because it is cheaper Aside from the cold and unromantic sta-
largest construction job ever accomplished to produce, the cost of items made from tistics of the accomplishment the real ro-
in four directions—in refractory brick it will be reduced in two directions for it mance was in the successful fight of
work, sheet metal, electrical and plumbing is an axiom in the metal industry that "if more than 13,000 construction workers
installations. It was built by McNeil con- you save a pound you save a dollar." (Boulder Dam had but 5250 at the peak)
struction company of Los Angeles be- BMI, as they always refer to Basic Mag- to accomplish their purpose in the face of
tween November 15, 1941, and July 31, nesium, Inc., is the largest magnesium natural difficulties and lack of living
1943." plant in the world, using more Boulder quarters. With the combination of natural
Left to right. 4—In battery of roasters magnesium oxide is calcined. Partially moist magnesium oxide, introduced at top of these
seven-story units, is subjected to intense heat generated by oil burners. Last process at Gabbs mill. 5—One of a battery of wet
mixers in ivhicb coal, peat moss, magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride are mixed. From mixture cakes of magnesium are ex-
truded, cut into slabs by piano wire. 6—Here cakes of raw materials pass through long tunnel kilns, thoroughly dried. Process
consumes some of the coal and peat moss, leaving cakes porous.
I
* KP'
Left to right. 7—Cakes of raw materials after being conveyed from oven kilns. From here they are conveyed to crushers which
break them into small pellets, which go to chlorinators where magnesium oxide is transformed into magnesium chloride.
8—From chlorinators molten magnesium chloride is carried in electrical jeeps and poured into cells. In cells are other chlorides.
Direct current of high amperage, low voltage, passes through. Electro-chemical action causes metallic magnesium to rise to sur-
face, while chlorine passes out to be re-used in process. 9—From electrolytic cells metallic magnesium is skimmed from top
and poured into pots. Worker at left is ready to sprinkle flux in pot in case molten magnesium catches fire. There are 880 of
these cells at Basic plant, in operation 24 hours a day, 1 days a week.
and man-made hazards a world safety rec- sium from sea water. Only BMI uses the explored by Escalante, a land whose mag-
ord was established despite 75,000 record- electrolysis process, through a strange com- nesium would one day help save the liber-
ed accidents which resulted in but ten bination of circumstances. Germany first ties they were founding. Ever since then
deaths. That many fatalities reasonably developed the process and then she helped we've celebrated the 4th of July and the
could occur in any community of 10,000 England build a plant at a time when her fireworks have been steadily improved in
persons following normal pursuits in an purpose was to keep England stronger than magnificence due to magnesium. But now,
18-month period. Never had there been a the France she feared and believed strong. with cheap production of this flare ma-
more concentrated effort to whip the im- Later England needed our magnesium and terial, a community need only spend a
mutable forces of the desert to make it through lendlease arranged to pass along hundred dollars for an evening of fire-
serve man. the secret to us in exchange for the in- works where it used to spend a thous-
cendiary bomb material. The magnesite of and."
They tell you at BMI that while the Gabbs valley in the desert drops on the
magnesite ore exists all around them they "Just why did you build at this spot?" I
cities of Europe almost nightly to destroy
get it from deposits nearby that had been wanted to know.
the factories producing materials for the
worked earlier. "Nearby" is the Gabbs tnemy. "We had to use Boulder Dam power
valley, 334 miles northeast of the plant. and Lake Mead water—lots of it, and it
The Pacific ocean is the same distance from Frazer continued his conversation as we was better to bring the ore to the power
BMI! But distance is not the tangible- sat in his office at the end of the day. "I and water than vice versa. We had many
thing in the desert that it is in cities. A always have been a close student of Ne- unique problems to solve here, but the
few hundred miles of desert is not awe- vada history and as near as I have been strangest of all was that mortar set too fast
some to a man working in a plant so large able to learn, Father Silvestre Velez de Es- on the bricks for the furnaces, or re-
that one section of it has more than 50 calante was the first white man to go fractories as we call them. In these desert
buildings in a row. Gabbs valley contains through here. He made the trail through temperatures the mortar became as hard as
mountains of magnesite ore which is these vegas or meadows in the summer of a bride's first cake in less time than it takes
crushed and processed into magnesium 1776, the trail that later was used by Jed to say BMI. We solved that problem by
oxides and other concentrates at the mine Smith, Jefferson Hunt and the first occu- mixing mortar in ice cream freezers."
and then hauled in huge trailer trucks pant Bringhurst, sent down here by Brig-
south to the plant at BMI which is 15 miles "Yes, I read about that," I said. "I saw
ham Young in 1855.
east of Las Vegas. the special ice plant you built for the pur-
"The founding fathers in Philadelphia, pose. Bill Burke was telling me how the
There are other magnesium plants in ringing their liberty bell at almost the same mortar hardened like glass so that it was
the country but they recover the magne- hour, did not dream of this vast land being air tight, acid tight, current tight, gas
Left to right. 10—After molten white metal is ladled from cells into pots, it is poured into containers as shoivn here. 11—Mag-
nesium "cheeses'' go into crucibles at BMI refineries, where other alloying metals are introduced. Various alloys are made—for
incendiary bombs, sheet magnesium, airplane parts, tracer bullets, flares. 12—Crucibles of still-hot magnesium alloy go into
ingot pouring machine which is kept hot by gas flames, tips automatically, keeping outpoured magnesium alloy flowing steadily
into moving molds. Ingot molds move down line to right, cooling as they go. At end, they drop into bins—a finished product.
COAL PEAT M O S S SALT
CRUDE MAGNESITE CALCINED
Ml NED I N FROM MINED IN
MAGNESITE CONCENTRATES MAGNESITE
THE WEST AND BRITISH COLUMBIA CALIFORNIA DESERTS
MINED AT F I NELY PULVERI ZED RESULT OF ROAST1NG SH| PPED TO 9.M.I.
MAGNESITE SHIPPED TO B.M.I. OR I ED, BALED AND
QABBS, NEVADA MAGNESITE SHIPPED TD B.M.I.
CONCENTRATED RESULTING FROM CONCENTRATES
T|ON FLOTATION PROCESS IN FURNACES
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE
SOLUTION
MADE BY NEUTRALIZING
DRY MIX
MAGNESITE CONCENTRATES, CALCINED
M A G N E S t T E , COAL AND PEAT ARE MIXED
IN A
A MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION
PELLETS TO M A K E P U R E
PLANT ACID
R E 3 U L T OF K N E A D I N C T H E CONCENTRATED BRINE
RECOVERED
FROM PROCESS W E T M I X A N D D R Y I N G IN K I L N S
MADE 8Y
ELECTROLYSIS
PROCESS AND MIXED

WITH FRESH CHLORINE
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE
(ANHYDROUS)
HYDROGEN
MADE AS A FUSfD MELT BY BY-PHODUC
GAS IN ELECTRIC FURNACES
LIQUID SODIUM
REFINING FLUXES CHLORINE
HYDROXIDE
CRUDE USED BY OTHER
BY-PRODUCT
MAGNESIUM METAL DEFENSE INDUSTRIES
OF BRINE.
USED BY OTHER
DEFENSE INDUSTRIES
BILLET
STANDARD INGOT PERMANE T MOULD A9T1NG OF CITHER PURE
PURE MAGNESIUM. USED FOR MAKING ALLOY INGOT OR ALLO ED MAGNE IUM. PURE Bit ETC Afll
A3TING OF ALLOYED POWDER BlLLETS AND TOR MAKING MADE B Y ALLOYING PURE MAGNESIUM POWDERE 1 FOR USE IN TRACER BULi ET'9 Awn
ROLLING INTO SHEET3 MAGNESIUM AND ALUMINUM ALLOYS. WI TH OTHER MET ALS. USED FOR FLARE 5. ALLOY ILLETS ARE US 0 FOR
RCRAFT-, AUTOMOTIVE MAGNESIUM WEIGHS ONE-THIRD LESS A IRCRAFT ENG 1 NE AND FRAME PARTS MAKING ODS, BAR 1, TUBING, A KG ES, ETI
RTAT I ON EC.UI PMENT THAN ALUMINUM AND INCEND1ARY BOMB CAS NQS IL30 8LAN (S FOR FORGIN9 1
How Basic Magnesium, Incorporated, turns Nevada's

AteuadcA lujM Meted 9«du&buf, raw materials into strategic magnesium products which
are used around the world in the Allied cause.

tight and corrosion resistant—and that's
tighter than a funeral drum, I guess."
And then Frazer asked me, after I had
peered into every tunnel, furnace and lab-
oratory for eight hours, if I knew what was
going on at BMI. "No," I said, "what do
you make?" After the loudest guffaw ever
heard in southern Nevada the geniaJ
Frazer said, "Tell him again, Bill. He's
seen so much today we've got him dizzy."
"Well, I helped string up the first
power line here," Bill Burke replied, "but
I vaguely understand it all myself. After
we get the materials in from Gabbs, the
magnesite concentrates, calcined magne-
sia, coal and peat are mixed in a dry state
and then mixed in a solution of magne-
sium chloride. After kneading the wet mix
and drying in kilns the material is made
into pellets. Then anhydrous magnesium
chloride is made as a fused melt by treat-
ing the pellets with chlorine gas in elec-
tric furnaces. Crude magnesium metal re-
sults from electrolysis of the molten mag-
nesium chloride. From this we get slabs Crucible, loaded with two tons of white hot magnesium alloy, has been lifted from
for rolling into sheets and plates for air- gas furnace by overhead conveyor in one of the three BMI refinery units. It is being
. craft, automotive and other transportation lowered to cooler before being sent to ingot-pouring machine (See No. 12).
equipment. Then we get a standard ingot
for making powder billets and magnesium grandma had her tintype taken—but it's We load them with liquid chlorine and
and aluminum alloys. The billets are not so complicated, is it?" they are lined so that the contents never
powdered for use in tracer bullets and "Simpler than the solar system," I re- vary more than ten degrees while in tran-
flares. We also make alloy ingots for air- plied. sit regardless of the outside temperature.
craft engine and frame parts and for in- "We get a lot of things besides magne- That goes back to Pittsburgh to make
cendiary bomb casings. It's a big step from sium, too," continued Bill. "See those big glass. Then we get sodium hydroxide as
the first magnesium used in the flash when tank cars? They're super-thermos bottles. another by-product of the electrolysis of
the brine. This is used by many other de-
fense industries. We use mountains of salt
In shipping department, finished ingots are strapped with steel and packed into from the deserts roundabout to make the
cardboard cartons for shipping.
brine and we couldn't get far with our ore
if we didn't have all this water, salt and
electricity we get near the plant."
Then I asked Frazer what postwar
would mean to BMI. "It will mean many
things," he said, "but this is no 'war baby.'
Magnesium will be in terrific demand for
postwar recovery and industries."
Even so, the possibility of a shutdown is
a real nightmare to every BMI employee.
But the Anaconda Copper company, great-
est name in metals, operates BMI and they
have an easily understood urge to do to
aluminum what aluminum did to copper.
Whatever happens two things are prac-
tically assured—the metal business will be
revolutionized and the desert will be in-
dustrialized. They brought the cotton mills
to the cotton fields and the romance of the
deep South faded. Now they bring the
furnaces and foundries to the ore deposits
of the deserts, but we hope that at least
the peace of the desert will not be too dis-
turbed.
JUNE, 1944 13
BOOK'S THEME IS INFLUENCE
OF INDIANS ON WHITE BOY
Charles B. Nichols, author of latest
book-of-the-month, CRAZY WEATHER,
writes of a subject he knows well when he
describes the life of a young white boy who
is brought up with and influenced by con-
tact with southwestern Indian tribes. Mr.
Nichols himself was raised on 11 different
Indian reservations where his father was a
AUTHENTIC BONANZA HISTORY STUDY DISCLOSES NEW special agent for the U. S. department of
PUBLISHED BY MINES BUREAU PUEBLO INDIAN CRAFT interior. The author has used his special,
THE HISTORY OF THE COM- PUEBLO INDIAN EMBROIDERY, intimate knowledge of Indian life, char-
STOCK LODE, by Grant H. Smith, is a title of volume four of Memoirs of the acter and customs in writing one of the
comprehensive mining history of the Lode Laboratory of Anthropology, Santa Fe, most interesting and original stories that
from 1850 to 1920. For the experts or New Mexico, will come as a surprise to has been produced in some time.
specialists it contains a progressive record most readers. Although it is well known South Boy, young son of a white cattle-
of the development work carried out, the that weaving of textiles is one of the crafts man, spent a lonely childhood in the
failures encountered, the bonanzas discov- of the Hopis of northern Arizona and partially uncivilized and wholly forsaken
ered, and the production reports of the other Pueblo tribes of New Mexico, ex- regions along the Colorado river. Most of
mines. But for the layman the work is as amples of these textiles embellished with his time was spent among his Mojave
absorbing reading as fiction. embroidery are rare. During his intensive friends who accepted him as an equal and
The rise and fall of fortunes in the roar- search for material on this subject, the initiated him into their tribal lore and
ing days when the Lode was most active, author, H. P. Mera, found less than 100 superstitions. His education, consequently,
and the personal lives of the men who de- examples dating prior to 1880. was a peculiar mixture of redmen's doc-
veloped it color each page of this chronicle. This craft is believed by some to be ol trines and what his dainty mother referred
Historically exact and authentic in every prehistoric origin, by others a result en to as Cultural Advancement and Christian
detail, it is fascinating reading because it tirely of European influence. Mera gives Instruction against Rough and Heathen
tells the story of one of the most romantic evidence supporting both theories, but Worlds!
and brilliant periods in American history. concludes that present knowledge cannot The plot of CRAZY WEATHER con-
Publication of Nevada State Bureau of prove either theory, although he would cerns itself with the development of South
Mines, 1943. 290 pp. Appendix, produc- tentatively accept an aboriginal origin in Boy's character and attitude—the resolv-
tion records, illustrations. Spec. ed. for the Southwest, at least as early as the ing of his mind from confused loyalties to
Nev. residents, 75c. Library edition, twelfth century. courageous, purposeful decisions. He runs
$2.00. Most of the 73 pages of the monograph away from home to join a Mojave war
—A. M. are devoted to a study of the embroidery party heading south to fight the Piutes in
• • • style and technique on both cotton and the blazing heat of summer. Through
wool fabrics. Twenty-six page plates, these brief, strange events South Boy
SPANISH LANGUAGE GUIDES emerges a man.
FOR THE ARMY AIR FORCE three in full color, show both embroidered
garments and remnants which have been Refreshing elements in the book are its
CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH, by found in ancient Indian dwellings, and complete lack of any "love interests," its
Solomon Lipp and Henry V. Besso, was many detailed studies of specific designs frank simplicity and its very natural and
especially written for the army air forces of responsive dialogue. Macmillan Co., 1944.
Altogether, this is an unusual and in
the United States, but can be just as useful $2.00. —Aliton Marsh
to the civilian. Special words, useful to teresting study, despite scarcity of ma-
the flyer only, are common throughout the terial. Since it is doubtful much additional
book, but these can be omitted by civilians, material will be uncovered, this presenta-
or others substituted from the vocabulary tion of the subject in monograph form at
least calls attention to another American
THE FANTASTIC CLAN
with good results. The thousands of other
idioms, words and expressions easily can craft which can take its place beside those K M E FANTASTIC
As enjoyable as a
of pottery - making, weaving and silver fc- .i CLAN ' good travelog.
be used by anyone. The simple construc-
m
work.- Tells you how to
tion and direct method make the book one "call by name" the
of the best for an earnest beginner. Cloth- • • • odd members of the
bound, $1.25 ; paper, 75c. 6x9 inches, 168 WHEN LAW WAS MADE BY spiny clan of the
pages. MEN QUICK ON THE DRAW desert.
CONVERSACION, by H. V. Besso and When Frank Goodnight rode into Sher- THE FANTASTIC CLAN by Thomber
S. Lipp, is a more advanced book, to follow man City on an errand of personal revenge ana Bonker, describes with charm and
the completion of Conversational Spanish, he discovered nearly everyone in the cattle accuracy the strange and marvelous
especially for use of both army and navy. community belonged to one of two rival growth on the desert. An informal intro-
The story and cartoons are amusing and in- duction to the common species in their
law-dispensing factions from which he native habitat, including notes on dis-
teresting enough to lead the advanced stu- could not remain free. As one oldtimer put covery, naming, uses and directions for
dent from lesson to lesson. The book also growing. Many excellent drawings,
it, "I guess I'm the only one in town that paintings and photographs, some in
contains much valuable information on
Spanish America, vocabularies, grammar ain't lined up." Personal motives are inter- full color. Endmaps, glossary, pronounc-
woven with those of the rival desert and ing vocabulary, index.
review and all necessary material for a real
student. Cloth $1.50, paper $1.00. 6x9 hill cattlemen to make Ernest Haycox' $3.50
inches, 294 pages. Both titles published in THE WILD BUNCH a tense emotional
1943 by Hastings House, New York. story of conflict in the Old West. Publish- DESERT CRAFTS SHOP
—Arthur L. Eaton ed by Little, Brown, Boston, 1943. $2.00. 636 State St. El Centro. California

rr
detent U diU waUincj, (a* you
(AN OPEN LETTER FROM JOHN HILTON TO RANDALL HENDERSON)
Thermal, California them to become acquainted with desert Several different doctors tried to help but
Dear Randall: ways. It was hard work at times but a lot the darned thing didn't get any better.
It seems a long time to us since you left of fun. I met a great many fine men, from Then finally they decided that I had in-
the American desert for the African but I generals to buck privates, and I wouldn't jured the main nerve in my left arm and
imagine it seems even a longer time to have missed it for anything on earth. shoulder. I worked for several months
you. The last I heard from you, aside from Then the calcite deal opened up. Sud- with an arm in a sling and was never with-
your editorials, was at Christmas time. The denly we found that there was a crying out considerable pain until just recently.
other day I got to thinking of what you need for this material and we had one of At one period I lost the use of the hand
must be wondering about the desert and the three potential producing properties. for as long as a day at a time.
the changes on it. So I decided to sit down I dropped everything to mine calcite— We got the calcite out, however. That
and write a sort of general report on the even to writing for the DM. We tried was the important thing. We mined crys-
part of the country that you and I have keeping the shop open for awhile but soon tals that would have been prizes in any
traveled together. Eunice was too busy with company busi- museum in the world but this is war and
You probably remember that when Gen- ness to do it justice so we closed up for they all went into making the still secret
eral Patton and his desert troops were com- what we thought would be the duration. instrument that has saved so many lives
ing into this area, I spent a great deal of Capital had entered into the picture by and so much equipment.
time with the army as an unofficial guide then and with more good intentions than Then one day we failed to bring any
to more or less orient them. I went on sound business judgment I turned the prop- crystal off the hill. The day stretched into
some mighty wild and interesting rides erty over to others and worked for a salary. a week and we kept thinking that one of
during that time in everything from a peep One day I took one of those crazy falls, that the crews would strike a good pocket but
to a tank. I helped locate roads, maneuver a fellow can, when my feet slipped out they just didn't. Production was pretty
areas, ranges and targets, gave talks to from under me on loose rock. The next slim for some time and the summer heat
groups of officers with slides from my col- morning I could hardly walk and my weakened the morale of the men, including
lection and in any way I could, helped shoulder and neck were one solid pain. the various "experts" they sent out to study
'Snow incrusted the north side of every rock, palm tree, cactus and even the bright colored ivildf lowers."
JUNE, 1944 15
other day we were in the upper end of Lost
Palms canyon in the Eagle mountains.
There had been a freak snow storm in the
hills the night before and the canyon was
a beautiful sight. Snow incrusted the north
side of every rock, palm tree, cactus and
even the bright colored wildflowers. I shot
a whole roll of Kodachrome. The wash
has been heavily traveled and the foot trail
to the palms well worn. There must have
been as many men in this one remote spot
in the past two years as there have since the
dawn of creation. Yet I can truthfully say
that the canyon is as lovely and unspoiled
as ever. Not a palm has been mutilated,
not a tin can or bit of rubbish was to be
seen.
For every careless hand that would leave
such things there are crews everywhere
now burning and burying and cleaning. I
know that you won't be disappointed in
Lost Palms canyon on your return.
On the way down, the snow had melted
and I could see the green tips of new or-
chid shoots coming through the reeds by
the tiny creek bed. I called the colonel's
attention to them, saying this was the only
place on the desert where I ever had found
this little wild orchid. He found it hard
to believe that they really were orchids un-
til I discovered some of last year's flower
stems with the pods still intact. Colonel
Senay has served in Panama, and other
jungle countries and is an observant man.
He had to admit they were orchids. The
driver, a boy from the Middle West, went
home muttering about a country where
orchids and palm trees were covered with
snow.
One other day we crossed the Little
Chuckawalla mountains on one side of the
wide graded roads the army has built right
across this range of hills—from highway
60-70 to the Niland road. We stopped to
eat lunch (after a good bit of maneuvering
on my part) near one of my old geode
fields. Heavy rains and a complete lack of
"Colonel C. T. Senay, commanding officer of Camp Young, has learned to love the rockhounds have combined to make pick-
desert and hopes to come back when the shooting is over." ing mighty good. We all gathered rocks
for awhile and now I am afraid the whole
the problem at a low ebb. At about this pieces of jewelry to get on our feet again staff is turning rock conscious. Especially
time a possible synthetic substitute loom- and when I say we, I mean the whole after they saw some of the green moss agate
ed on the horizon and another mine struck family. Eunice and Philip (who is 15 and polished. When the war is over there will
a rich pocket. The camp was abandoned, over six feet tall) both have learned to be literally dozens of swell gem fields to
machinery sold and I was out a mine and polish and Katherine (she's five now) map for the DM with passable roads to
a job. And with an arm I couldn't use gives "expert advice" from the side lines. within easy walking distance.
very well. I have started again helping the army a One other day in the Chuckawallas the
We finally got readjusted. I sold a little, only this time it is in moving out in- colonel called from over the hill and we
couple of paintings and opened the shop stead of into the desert. The officers in all converged to see what was wrong.
again. My arm seems wholly to have re- command at present are conscientious in There was a shaft someone had sunk on a
covered and now we are doing pretty well, their desire to see that the desert is left as small manganese vein and at the bottom
thanks to a good DM friend, Mr. J. L. near the way they found it as possible. I was a desert tortoise, the first of the sea-
Kraft, who found a wonderful stock of old have been going along on inspection trips son we had seen. He had fallen in unhurt
jewelry that had been in storage since the over the area with Colonel Senay and sev- but was unable to get out of the vertical
days of tintypes. These brooches and pins eral members of his staff. pit. He would have starved down there
look wonderful set with desert stones, and These trips have taken me back into walking helplessly round and round the
sell like everything. We've been doing lit- many of the favorite haunts that you and I bottom so I climbed down and got him out.
Hbut cut and polish and wholesale these have enjoyed together. For instance, the We soon found another and the discussion

turned to tortoises. The colonel and three
of his officers who were along at the time
were interested. They hadn't heard of the
law protecting them but thought it was a
mighty good idea. I am sure it will please
you and Steve Ragsdale, not to mention
thousands of other desert folk, to know
that the word is being quietly passed
around among the men in the hills that
there is a law against harming desert tor-
toises and besides, "the CO. likes 'em and
says they're to be let alone."
Salt Creek wash, between the Orocopia
and Chocolate mountains, looks just like it
always did except that the gravel is strewn
with shell cases from aerial machine guns.
The bloodstone deposit I wrote about in
the March, 1938, DM, looked no different
than it did when I saw it a few weeks be-
fore Pearl Harbor. A few soldiers who
read back copies of Desert magazine have
collected samples. But one good thing
about G.I. collectors, they can't carry much "Wildflowers always are the thickest and brightest where the desert crust has been
with them and are happy with a piece or broken, and these tracks left by a caravan of military trucks stood out as if they had
two of each kind. I only hope that the been painted by a giant brush across the sand."
rush of civilian collectors into these areas
after the war are equally considerate of one
another and the country. We found a wonderful field of chalcedony mock warfare have passed harmlessly over-
and carnelian on the slope of a huge butte, head.
Tabaseca Tanks in the north end of the
and hidden up an easily missed side can- There naturally has been a certain
Chuckawallas is as lonely a spot today as
yon we found a "California" giant cactus amount of damage to both plant and
the time Zane Grey camped there while
over 30 feet tall. This huge monarch stood animal wild life, but everything within
writing "The Wanderer of the Waste- all alone, the only saguaro for many miles.
land." There are tank and half-track trails reason is being done to leave the desert as
around the base of the flats and jeep tracks It is no longer a military secret that des- the army found it. Drivers at first thought
in every wash, but the quail still call in the ert training is coming to an end. Area it was fun to run half tracks over ocotillos
canyon and the roadrunners go on collect- after area is being evacuated and where and small trees but soon they found that
ing lizards as if a mock war never had been once thousands of lively soldiers camped, almost everything on the desert bites back
fought in their back yard. There is a good the coyote and desert fox roam untroubled and it is better to go around. Some areas
gem field in this area which I will map as and great desert tortoises are emerging are literally plowed by tanks but for every
soon as gasoline is unrationed. from their holes to find that winter and plant that was destroyed a hundred are
Last week we took two peeps into the
Turtle mountains and checked that area. "Major Cowden is a fine campfire cook, who 'sets the table' on the hood of a peep.
We turned off about where I marked the He's one of the officers who has really learned to like the desert and hopes
rose quartz and chalcedony along the road to come back to it."
from Desert Center to Parker in the Feb-
ruary, 1941, DM. But instead of stopping
near the highway as the map showed, we
followed military trails right into the heart
of the Turtles to see if the area had been
properly evacuated. We stopped in my
old gem field long enough to see that there
was still plenty of good rose quartz peb-
bles and chalcedony to be had but we
found armor-piercing machine gun slugs
from aerial gunnery scattered about with
the gems. We went right into the middle
of the Turtles one way and came out an-
other over a terrain that three years ago
would have seemed impossible for wheel-
ed vehicles. It took a good deal of hanging
on and many times we were in low gear
with four-wheel drive.
We made three discoveries there. The
area had been pretty well covered by mili-
tary equipment during desert maneuvers
but camps had been carefully cleaned up.
JUNE, 1944 17
breaking of the crust has planted the seed
better and allowed more rain to get deep
into the sand. The same thing has hap-
pened where desert maneuvers have taken
place—only on a grander scale. The an-
nuals are not the only ones to get a new
impetus. Young smoke trees, ironwoods,
ocotillos and even barrel cactus are spring-
ing up all over such areas. Last week I
took a photo which illustrates my point
perfectly. A wash was sprinkled with
about an average crop of desert flowers ex-
cept the path that had been made by a
caravan of military trucks. These tracks
stood out as if they had been painted by a
giant brush across the sand.
I am writing you this because there are
peep is a rockhound's dream. Here one breaks a new trail a good many "sob sisters" of both sexes
in the Chuckawallas." making quite a thing of how the army is
"wrecking our dear desert." These folks,
for the most part, don't know the desert
springing up since this winter's heavy the desert crust has been broken. The very well or they would not be so concern-
rains. graded sides of a road are invariably two ed. You and I know that the desert is
If you will remember, the wild flowers bright strips of taller and larger flowers tough and adaptable. That it has been
always are the thickest and brightest where across the desert in the spring, for the "torn up" by other hoards at different
times and that today a few peaceful old
ghost towns are the only evidence of all
this activity. The desert is mighty hard to
spoil. It's too darned big and resilient. It
is going to take more than a war to destroy
its peace and beauty.
There are thousands of officers and men
who trained here who have learned to like
it and have a great respect for this land
that others think is such an awful place.
The average of those who like the country
and intend some day to come back and
show it to their folks is about the same as
always, but the volume has been great.
Hundreds of thousands of men from all
walks of life and every part of our land
have gone through training courses in our
desert. Out of them will come thousands
of boosters and others who will come to
live and build up our young communities.
I'm going out to hunt calcite next month
if my ration board approves. I have sev-
eral good leads and a lot of experience
from the last mine. It still is one of the
top strategic minerals. I hope also to have
time to get out a few articles for the DM.
Yes, Randall, the desert you love is still
waiting for you. It hasn't changed a great
deal and probably never shall, and the
folks out here can hardly wait till you get
back to enjoy it with us.
As Ever, Your Friend,
JOHN
P.S.—I'm enclosing some of the pic-
tures we took on these recent trips.
"In the heart of the Turtle mountains

we found a saguaro cactus over 30 feet
tall, despite the fact it is supposed to
be confined to the Arizona side of the
Colorado river. This country looks
like a combination of Monument
Valley, Utah, and the cactus country
of southern Arizona."

JUNE, 1944 19
PICTORIAL RECORD OF JOSHUA TREE BLOSSOM
Photos and text by Catherine and Dick Freeman Title photograph by F. V. Sampson
Fossil remains discovered outside the Joshua tree's zation,the Joshua is host to the night lizard, Xantusia
present limits in California, Nevada, Utah and Ari- vigilis, which lives under the porous bark, subsisting
zona, indicate that in earlier, more humid ages it had upon termites, ants and insect larvae. Other animal
a much wider distribution. Catherine and Dick Free- life in the little community, according to Edmund
man, in photographing this series covering early bud Jaeger, includes at least 25 species of birds. Com-
stage, full flower, developing and maturing of fruit, to monest inhabitants are red-shafted flicker, cactus
final skeletal period, chose as their subject the Yucca woodpecker, ash - throated flycatcher, Baird wren,
brevifolia, or short-leaved species. Close-ups of the plain titmouse, western bluebird, Pasadena screech
flowers were taken 20 miles west of Lancaster, Cali- owl and Scott oriole. Pack rats sometimes build their
fornia. Besides the yucca moth which effects its fertili- large nests of coarse twigs at the base of Joshuas.
Above, left to right. 1—In the earliest stage the Joshua bud Below, left to right. 4—At last the bracts straighten out hori-
resembles a large artichoke. The fleshy bracts, or modified zontally into an attractive star design, while the partially opened
leaves partially enclosing the flowers, are tinged with a soft rose lilies continue to clamber for a place in the sun. 5—Compressed
coloring on the outside, while underneath they are tinted with a into a dense ovoid mass the maturing flowers never find room to
pale lemon yellow. Their texture is like soft chamois or suede. become full-blown, as do most other yuccas. The thick waxen
2—As the buds develop and swell the bracts are pressed back- petals are brittle and will break off if forced to open more fully.
ward. At this period of growth the bracts reach their greatest A heavy fragrance fills the air near the blossoms and attracts
beauty. Deep ashes-of-roses tinges the outer wall, which cups within the little pronuba moth which effects fertilization by de-
within the waxen creamy bundles of marvelously interlocked positing her eggs in the developing capsules. 6—Under each
flowers. 3—The great "artichoke" is bursting with the crowd- bract a pedicel, or flower stem, develops on which may be from
ing lilies within. Looking at it from the tip, the robust blossoms one to nine flowers. From the center of each blossom the long
appear to be pressing forth vigorously against their soft protect- pistil extends beyond the petals, disclosing the opening at the
ing walls. top through which the pollen is forced by the pronuba moth.
6
:
-S^ X •
'jpSiiSm'S^, ^ * « * '• .• >' '• ^ ]F
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Above. 7—Heavy clusters of densely crowded flowers are 12 often reach considerable size before the flowers are entirely
to 18 inches long. As most of them, bloom at about the same gone. The persistent perianth, or petals, hang loosely about the
time, the flowering season is one of luxuriant display. When in enlarging fruits, giving a ragged appearance. Often these do not
full bloom the once lovely bracts shrivel up under the blossoms, completely disappear until the ripe capsule itself falls off. 9—
become dark and brittle. The coloring at this period is greenish- Almost mature capsule shows the persistent stamens and petals
white or cream, the weight several pounds. during development of the seeds within it. Dark spots probably
Below. 8—The capsules, or fruits, begin to develop near the are evidence of parasitic larvae which injure plant tissues just
base of the flower while the upper end still is in full bloom. They beneath surface. Fungus growth too may make such spots.
8 9

10 11
Above. 10—Sometimes the crop is so large the fruits crowd under strain of this rough treatment, seeds escaping to lodge in
one another as closely as the blossoms before them. Since many scattered spots. Old flower stalk, however, may remain on
Joshuas live in the higher desert elevations which are subject to tree for several years, a skeletal reminder of former loveliness.
strong winds, each little stem, or pedicel, must be tough and Below. 12—High in the arid mesa lands of the Mojave des-
strong to hold fruits until complete maturity. 11—When cap- ert such forests as this, in the Lancaster area, may extend for
sules have reached full maturity they break off readily, roll over miles, varying from open to very dense stands. In all seasons
desert like "tumble fruits." Fragile outer covering soon breaks Mojave's giant lily is an unusual feature of the landscape.
12
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DESERT MAGAZINE, EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA
ASSORTMENT THREE ASSORTMENT SIX
Hope-climbing, Deep Canyon, Santa Rosa Mts., Calif.* Fossil Oyster Beds, Yuha Basin, Imperial Valley*
Discovery of Three Turkey Cliff Ruins, Arizona Collecting Staurolite (Fairy Stones) near Taos, N. M.*
Trip to Hidden Forest, Northeast of Las Vegas, Nev.* Malcolm B. Cummings Tells of Rainbow Bridge Discovery
Agate, Jasper on Ancient Beachlines, Mojave Desert* Technique of Rock-climbing Explained and Illustrated
Camping Trip to Skeleton Canyon, Southeast Arizona* Hunting Meteorites with Magnet in Meteor Crater, Ariz.*
Hopi Girl Tells About Hopi Snake Dances, Arizona* Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, Washington*
Black Pottery of San Ildefonso, New Mexico Wickenburg's Discovery of Gold on Hassayampa. Ariz.
Trip to Redrock Arch Country, Southeast Arizona* Story of Lorenzo Hubbell, Jr., Navajo Indian Trader
Following Anza's Trail up Coyote Canyon, California* Onyx in Orocopia Mountains, Colorado Desert, Calif.*
Myths and Facts About Great Salt Lake, Utah Mortero Canyon Palm Oasis, Western Colorado Desert*
Collecting Howlite and Geodes in Mojave Desert* Story of C. Hite and Lost Silver Mine, Monument Valley
Garnets in the Aquarius Range of Western Arizona* Formation and Desert Locations of Rillensteine*
Pete Augereberry, Death Valley Prospector* Reg Manning, Famed Desert Cartoonist of Phoenix, Ariz.
Finding Obsidian at Mono Craters, California* ' Travelog to 49 Palms, Mojave Desert, California*
Climbing Trip, Fortification Hill, Lake Mead, Nevada* Explanation of "Desert Varnish," or "Sunburned" rocks*
Native Palms in Kofa Mountains, Western Arizona* Characteristics of Genuine Navajo Indian Jewelry
Exploring Great Salt Lake Islands, Utah Fluorescent Opal in Virgin Valley, Northern Nevada*
Finding Lt. Ives' Colorado River Boat, "Explorer"* Story of Ghost Mining Towns—Hamilton, Treasure City*
Cochiti Indian Drum Makers of New Mexico "Chanting Rocks," El Cajon Pass, Mojave Desert*
Mineral, Fossil Deposits, Santa Rosa Mountains* Most Popular Lapidary Equipment Pictured, Described
Inc. Nov. 38, Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec, 41, Jan., 42. Inc. May, Aug., Nov., Dec, 40; July, Oct., 41.
ASSORTMENT FOUR ASSORTMENT SEVEN
Discovery of Enchanted Mesa, New Mexico* Nellie Coffman, Founder of Desert Inn, Palm Springs
Quartz Crystals, Cave Creek, near Quartzsite, Arizona* Travelog to Colossal Cave near Tucson, Arizona*
Navajo Tribal Record of Ruins of Astaelakwa, N. M.* Canyons of San Jacinto Mt. near Palm Springs, Calif.*
Camping in Havasu Canyon, Northern Arizona* Building Metropolitan Aqueduct from Colorado River*
Martin Hennings, Pioneer New Mexico artist Chalcedony and Cornelian in Saddle Mts., Arizona*
Obsidian and Agate Along Bonanza Road, Nevada* The Pinnacles, south of Searles Lake, Mojave Desert*
Chemical Mining at Dale Dry Lake, California* Collecting Sand Spikes in Colorado Desert, California
Navajo Indian Legend of the White Shell Woman* Climbing the San Francisco Peaks, Northern Arizona
Exploring Meteor Crater, Arizona, with Magnetic Rake* Identifying the Odd, Colored Desert Lichens
Heat, Dryness .Cloudbursts of Desert Climate Explained* Petrified Roots, Jasper at Kramer Hills, Mojave Desert*
Amethyst Crystals, Bullfrog Hills near Rhyolite, Nev.* History of the Vallecitos Stage Station, California*
Travelog to Captitol Reef National Monument, Utah* Travelog to Carrizo Badlands, Colorado Desert, Calif.*
Japanese Relocation Center, Poston, Arizona* Strange Life History of Yucca Moth and the Yucca
Collecting Sandstone Concretions near Yuma, Arizona H. H. Nininger Tells How to Recognize Meteorites
By Boat from Gulf of California to Salton Sea* Discovery of Moki Ruin near Colorado River, Utah*
Collecting Copper Ores, Dragoon Mountains, Arizona* Following Vagabond Trails Through the Southwest*
Jet Found in Coal Veins, Henry Mountains, Utah* Finding Ruins of Ancient Indian Antelope Run, Utah*
Capt. T. J. Jeffords, Blood-Brother of Apaches Charley Williams, Mojave Desert Rock collector
Prehistoric Giant Sloth Cave on Lake Mead, Nevada Amusing Cactus Cartoons by Harry Locke, Ariz. Artist
Inc. Apr., June, July, Aug., Sept., Nov., 42. Inc. Jan., 38, Oct., 39, Mar., Dec, 42, Jan., Mar., 43.
ASSORTMENT FIVE ASSORTMENT EIGHT
Powell Weaver, Colorful Trapper and "Mountain Man" The Rare Red Ant Chant, Navajo Healing Ceremonial
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico* Explaining the Danger of the Gila Monster's Poison
Dick Wick Hall, Famed Humorist of Salome, Arizona Desert Color—Its Source, Effect on Sky, Clouds, etc.
Collecting Bloodstone in Orocopia Mountains, Calif.* Life and Land of Papago Indians, Southern Arizona
Thunderbird Trading Post and "Cozy" McSparron, Ariz.* Kangaroo Rat, and other desert rodents
History of Calico, California, ghost mining town Discovery of Indian Petroglyphs in Northeast Utah*
American Girl Mine in Cargo Muchacho Mtns., Calif.* How to Understand Cause of Desert Mirages
John Wetherill and First Expedition to Rainbow Bridge Explanation of Lightning Spoiled, or Split, Rocks
Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree National Monument, Calif.* Personality Story of Lon Megargee, Desert Artist
Chalcedony "Roses"—Their Characteristics, Locations History of Lee's Ferry on Colorado River, Arizona*
Building of San Jacinto Tunnel, Colorado River Aqueduct Legends and Modern Life of Laguna Indians, New Mex.*
Expedition to Crossing of the Fathers, Colorado River Building a Desert Garden in Navajoland, Northern Ariz.*
Lone Woman Miner at Copper City, Mojave Desert* Navajo Creation Myth, Murals by a Navajo Artist
Prospecting with a Portable Ultra-Violet Ray Lamp Two White Women Spend Christmas in Acoma, Sky City
Story of Cochise, Famed Apache Chieftain Building and Furnishing an Adobe Home, Phoenix, Ariz.
Collecting Chalcedony in Turtle Mountains, California* What Happened in Past Geologic Ages to Petrify Wood*
Trip to the Valley of Fire near Overton, Nevada What Sand is—How it was Made, its Forms, Composition
Story of John Albert Scorup, Mormon Cowboy of Utah Story of Black Horse, Navajo Indian of Rock Rocks, Ariz.*
Exploring Salt Cave, Collecting Crystals, Lake Mead* Indians Ruins—Wukoki, Betatakin, Keetseel, etc.
Travelog to Eagle Mountain Canyons, California* Ross Santee, Artist Interpreter of Life in Southwest
Inc. Mar., May, June, 38; July, Sept., Oct., 40. Inc. Jul., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec, 43, Jan., 44.

"Brown and golden and rich! Something like a
roasted yam, yet holding also an indescribable tang
of pineapple and of mango." That is the way Mar-
shal South describes roasted mescal, the most
prized delicacy at Yaquitepec. This month he tells
how the mescal hearts are gathered and roasted—
and eaten. The South family practices the rite of
mescal roasting in much the same manner as the
Indians who once lived on Ghost mountain and left
their ancient fire pits behind.
Old-time mescal roast. Ink drawing by Marshal South.

By MARSHAL SOUTH
r HROUGH the east window the ragged mass of an un-

finished wall bulks like ebony against the pale dawn
light. Except for the vibrant blundering notes of the
big carpenter bees about the eaves troughs, Ghost Mountain is
see, just ahead, the shadowy shapes of those simple hearted
children of the desert whose dusky feet traced out these ancient
trails between mescal hearth and mescal hearth in the long
vanished years.
Mescal roasting is a family affair. Tanya and I find and bring
wrapped in a cloak of silence as absolute as though it was the in the sprouting plants that are ready for the baking. Rider helps
first morning of the world. dig the pit and fetches stones to line it. Rudyard and Victoria
Soon the sun will be up. Already the jagged rocks along the trot hither and thither, lugging in fuel. They cease their labors
eastern ridge, where the mountain crest plunges into the occasionally to hunt for snail shells or to admire the tiny thickets
shadowy lowlands, are beginning to glow pink. Lone, dead of desert ferns that grow in cool sheltered niches at the base of
mescal poles are gaunt against the sky. Between the bulk of giant boulders. . , '
giant boulders the silhouettes of gnarled junipers are an edging It must have been like this in the old days, which only the
of black lace. Rider is already awake, lying quiet and thoughtful silent rocks and ancient junipers remember. Then, as now,
in his covers, awaiting the arrival of the goldfish. the orioles flung their liquid notes along the slopes. The blos-
Every morning, just as the sun looms above the horizon, the soms of the desert pea bush crowded the space between the
goldfish make their magical appearance, swimming gracefully boulders with gay bouquets of dazzling yellow., The bodies of
down the length of an old smoke-tinted ceiling beam. First, those who moved to and fro at their tasks were innocent of
along the dark length of the stretching timber that is their prom- clothes. The old days and the simple dwellers of the desert are
enade, appear the shimmering waves of a pale golden sea. Then, gone. "They killed them all off," an old Mexican woman once
suddenly, in the midst of it, there are the goldfish. A long line said to us sorrowfully. "They killed off all those poor people.
of them. Flashing, ruddy-gold fellows of assorted sizes, all But, gracias a Dios, maybe the padres at least saved their souls."
headed south. Their appearance, and the ceremony of counting Mescal roasting is strenuous work. There is the pit to be dug.
them, marks the official beginning of a Yaquitepec day. Rud- And afterwards it has to be roughly lined with stones. On these
yard and Victoria always wake up to take part in this tally of the old hearths, where the earth is permanently black from the
magic fish, and always are baffled. Because, no matter how scorch of unnumbered ancient fires, the digging usually is not
many times they count them, they never can arrive at the same so hard as it would be in fresh ground. Also there are plenty of
number twice. "Twenty-two," says Rudyard. "No, seventeen," fire blackened stones that have been used and re-used number-
declares Victoria. And they are both wrong—or maybe both less times in the past. This lessens the labor sornewhat. But
right. For when Rider, the countmaster, makes the check, there still the work requires considerable effort.
are but eighteen. And as he goes over his count to verify it, The dimensions of the pit can be governed by ambition—
there perhaps will be fifteen. Or nineteen. Magic is in the gold- and the size of the proposed baking. About three feet across and
fish, that changes their number, from second to second, with from 18 inches to two feet deep in the center, when stone lined,
the rapid lift of the sun. Sometimes we think that those people is the average size of the pits we make. The stone lining is hasty
whose houses are so well constructed that there are no spaces and crude—just sizeable rocks laid together in a pavement over
beneath the corrugations of roofing iron through which the sun
the bottom and up the sloping sides to the rim.
can paint glowing goldfish upon beams are missing a lot of fun.
Mescal roasting was hurried this year. We really ought to have Digging in these old hearths always gives us a vivid sense
done more of it, for the children love the brown, delicious, of their antiquity. The blackened earth extends downward to
natural sweet. But there have been so many other tasks, and great depths. Their age must be measured by many centuries.
days have been so crowded, that we found it hard to use the About the hardest part of the proceedings is gathering the
necessary time. mescal hearts. The sprouting plants first must be found—and
suitable ones always are widely scattered. You have to catch
Those days that we did manage to spare were picnics indeed. them in just the right stage. If the flower shoot is not high
For we drift now through that enchanted period of spring when enough you lose a great deal in content. If it is too high the suc-
the rock crest of Ghost Mountain is vibrant with the crystal culent juice pulp has begun to transfer itself to the upbuilding
notes of orioles and canyon wrens, and all the white, gravelly of the stalk. The ideal stage is when the sprout is up about 15
stretches are gay with a carpet of desert flowers. To set forth in to 18 inches. At this period maximum plumpness—as far as
the early dawn, armed with shovels and digging bars, and bear- roasting purposes are concerned—has been attained by the
ing food for a day's outing, is sheer delight. There is a tang to hearts.
the air, and a wide sense of freedom that belongs not to this age, Your plant located, the next task is to remove the central
but to another, when man was not so enmeshed in miseries of heart so that it can be roasted. This means taking practically the
his own devising. Bare feet fall softly upon whispering gravel. whole plant, with the exception of the extreme woody root, and
From the junipers, as one brushes past their dark green branches, divesting it of leaves. The old timers did this by means f^
exhales an aromatic fragrance. In the stillness we imagine we chisel-pointed hardwood digging sticks. With these they
JUNE, 1944 25
wrenched out the swelled heart and its attached sprout and pried thing," Rider said dolefully, shivering at the icy wind howling
off the surrounding dagger-pointed leaves. We still use the about the house. "Come, see for yourselves."
wooden sticks on occasion. But we have found that a light iron So we went and saw for ourselves. There, six inches from the
digging bar, although it is heavier, is more effective. It is some- floor, in a dark corner, wedged between the wall and the leg of
times quite a struggle to get off all of the stubborn leaves. When an old cupboard, was General Machado, stiff and stark. Cold
this is accomplished, you have a whitish-green club, something and rigid, his legs dangling out of his shell, and already mouldy
like a grotesque animal foot. This is the heart, the forerunner looking, he hung there like a dead stiff coyote across the top
of your subsequent delicacy. of a barb wire fence.
When a sufficient number of hearts have been collected, we We could not reach him without moving a quantity of piled
lop off the extreme, spine-armed tip of the sprout and arrange boxes and stored stuff. His appearance, in the wan beam of the
them, thick end inwards, around the circumference of the roast- flashlight, told us that we couldn't do any good if we did reach
ing pit upon a low coping of good sized stones, built around him. It was too cold to undertake the job, anyway. And besides
the rim for that purpose. Then you proceed to pile the fuel in a we hadn't much heart for it. Somehow the sight of our poor
great heap all around, covering coping stones and hearts alike. pet hanging there lifeless, as upon a gibbet, cast a gloom over
For this purpose any handy dry fuel will do. Usually we use the us. Several times during the winter when we really ought to
old dead butts and stalks of mescals themselves, intermixed with have moved stuff in that corner to get at things we wanted, we
occasional dead branches of juniper, if there are any around. invented excuses.
Apparently, from the comparative rarity of charcoal in the old With the coming of spring, the other two awoke. They came
fire hearths, this was the course followed by the ancients. Dead down the aisle between the trunks and stores looking for green
mescal butts provide intense heat, but leave almost no charcoal grass. "We ought to get that other dead tortoise out of the
as compared with wood. corner," Tanya said reluctantly. "The weather is warming. It's
When the fire is lighted it must be kept well fed and blazing not healthy."
hotly for from a half to three quarters of an hour. Mescal hearts No one wanted the job. But it had to be done. So Rider
are stubborn things and can stand lots of heat. The blaze brought the long iron fire rod with the hook at the end of it
blackens them and makes hot the rim of rocks upon which they and Rudyard fetched the flashlight. "See if you can hook him
lie, heating also the lining of stones in the pit. Coals and blazing out," I said glumly, trying to decide whether we would bury him
fragments fall into the pit and add to its temperature. It is a hot or keep his shell as a memento. "Be careful though. He's prob-
job and long mescal poles come in handy for stirring and ar- ably pretty smelly."
ranging the blazing fuel. The youngsters grubbed in the corner, on hands and knees.
At the end of half an hour or so the fire is allowed to die There came a sudden exclamation. "He's not here!" Rider's
down. When it has dwindled to a mass of glowing embers, voice was startled.
through which scorched mescal hearts and blackened rim rocks Flashlight in hand Rudyard backed out from under a table.
smoke hotly, you go around the edge of the pit, with a pole or His eyes were wide. "Someone has spiwited him away!" he said
a long handled shovel, and tumble scorched hearts, hot stones hoarsely.
and embers all together into the pit. Then the rest of the hot "Oaha!" Victoria cried breathlessly. "I know! The angels!
ashes are piled in a mound above them. And over all a thick, They came and tooked him!" She bolted to Tanya to impart
heaped covering of earth. Then you go on to the same round of this amazing news.
proceedings at the next roasting pit. Or you go home. The job But it wasn't the angels. For that afternoon, after we had
is done. hunted unsuccessfully for General Machado's body, we met him
And you leave your mescals cooking in their primitive oven coming down the aisle, calm and distinguished looking. He had
for two days. At the end of the second day you go back and open an air about him. An air of authority, such as any really worth
up the pits. Things will have cooled down by then so they easily while general ought to have. "Out of my way," he seemed to
can be handled. The hearts that you take out won't look very say haughtily. "Can't you see I am in a hurry. I have to rejoin
inviting. They will be charred and earth plastered, and the my command."
shoots will be limp, brown sticky things. But don't throw them So we restored him to his command. And they welcomed him
away. Carry them home tenderly and with reverence. For be- with sour looks. For they do not like General Machado. Nor
neath the scorched, charred envelope lies something more de- do we, now. Well, not much. For we feel, somehow, that he
licious than many a famed delicacy of civilization. has been guilty of dying under false pretenses.
Take a knife or a hatchet and carefully trim off the outer Quail calling from the ridges. "Chouk!" And again:
crusting, and the prize lies before you. Brown and golden and "Chouk!" The bustling flutter of the purple finches who are
rich! Something like a roasted yam, yet holding also an inde- putting the finishing touches to their nest in the tiny house atop
scribable tang of pineapple and of mango. Roast mescal! In all the high pole at the center of the ramada. The sun has dipped
the desert there is nothing quite like it. And it must be tasted far to the west now, and the shadow of the house roof reaches
to be appreciated. It will keep, too, if you slice it and dry it for out to the chunky little squaw-tea bush that stands in the center
future use. But we at Yaquitepec seldom get this far. Our en- of the white gravel court. Along the rocks of the terrace nod the
thusiastic youngsters believe in living in the present, and the blue-flecked chia sage blooms, and the desert four-o'clocks are
golden brown stuff doesn't keep very well with us. It tastes just opening their white flowers. On the slope, beyond the
too good. little flat through which the foot trail winds, a clump of desert
Our desert tortoises are awake again. All through the cold paintbrush flames a splash of scarlet.
months they slumbered, hidden away in dark corners behind • • •
trunks and boxes in the house. Well sheltered in their hide-outs ATTRACTION
they were oblivious of the icy blasts that roared above Ghost Then worship not the good men do,
Mountain. That is, two of them passed the winter in this ortho- But do it, you, as well.
dox fashion. The third—General Machado, our latest acquisi- All hearts who wisely live and true,
tion and by far the biggest of the three—scorned the protective To Light and Truth impel.
folds of the covering which we had laid over him. He vanished Whate'er you are you but attract
at the beginning of winter, and we could not find him. Exactly as you earn
Then one day, Rider, poking about in the dark hinterland of And they who only good enact,
the storeroom with a flashlight, came hurrying out with the To them will good return.
sorrowful news that General Machado was dead. ' 'Frozen, poor —TANYA SOUTH
not be adapted to the varied and complex
LETTERS... Desert Goes to a Sailor . . .

needs of such instruments." He learned
that etched glass is used in optical fire
control instruments, that platinum wire is
considered superior to spider silk, and that
the silk of other spiders is used more often
Rock Collector in New Guinea . . . than Black Widow spider silk in other
New Guinea Area FPO San Francisco types of optical instruments.
Dear Editor: Dear Miss Harris: I do not mean to say that your article is
Yesterday I received the first copy of my Your excellent Desert magazine I de- entirely incorrect. But it is definitely mis-
gift subscription. To say I was thrilled vour most eagerly as soon as it is received leading; and of course the writer dwells
would be putting it mildly. I have read aboard. It transports me to our enchanted upon the sensational Black Widow to the
Desert before, and being a rockhound and desert—at the moment to Borrego where exclusion of the above facts.
collector of Indian artifacts I naturally find once again I'm tramping among the bad- WINIFRED NOBLE
it a source of entertainment and informa- lands.
tion. My rock collecting has been done Although I've sailed the sea for a long Dear WN: Having no desire to publish
mostly in California, Nevada, Arizona and time yet I love the desert. It is and always any material because o\ its sensational
New Mexico. After the war I plan to will be my heart's wonderful happy home. value, Desert upon reading the Natural
spend many happy hours again in the des- This confession is made, I'm sure, to History article you refer to, rechecked ivith
ert and mountain country of Arizona and kindred spirits—those associated with DM Mrs. Mora Brown, author o\ "Spider
New Mexico. couldn't be otherwise. So you see I only House," with Mrs. Nan Songer, who
I am enclosing a description of the geo- wanted to warm my chilled inner self with furnishes the web for precision instru-
graphical and botanical aspects of New the smiling rays of desert sunshine which ments, and T. K. Lee, who developed the
Guinea. There are beautiful rock and shell you all so abundantly enjoy and I so Tackhole Dot and who uses much of the
specimens here. One section is famous for ardently crave. web extracted by Mrs. Songer. Their state-
gold mining. Many soldiers stationed Now that I've opened the window and ments follow.—LH.
there have melted and hammered out gold again glimpsed my world of happiness, I
rings from the beautiful native gold. must close it quickly, for here too is need Riverside, California
Agate, chalcedony, onyx, copper, jasper for my thoughts and efforts—so that one Dear Miss Harris:
and coral are found here. We find cat eyes day familiar trails may again be trod with- Despite the high authority quoted in
that the boys make into ring and necklace out ever the need to look back with un- Miss Noble's letter, I cannot see wherein
sets. I spend all my spare time looking for certainty. my article "Spider House" is either incor-
rocks and shells. The rock specimens all PETER PAUL MARTINEK rect or misleading.
are found along the beaches and washes. • • • In the fourth paragraph of this article I
This is also butterfly collectors' paradise. Birds and Spiders Improve DM . . . quoted Mrs. Songer: " . . . for consistently
At home I was president of the Santa Boulder City, Nevada good web I like best the Green Lynx and
Maria rocks and minerals club. We aim to Dear Sirs: Golden Garden. In autumn, though, these
have a bigger and better club after the war. I want to congratulate you on the last adults die, so for winter work I use adult
If any of your readers care to write me I few copies of Desert. The articles on Black Widows and the young of the other
might possibly sometime be able to send flowers, spiders, birds, etc., were very in- two species."
them a rock, shell or coral specimen. teresting and a very great improvement I visited Mrs. Songer in early spring.
I might add that soldiers over here are over last year's issues. It has helped me to Consequently the only adult spider avail-
not heartened by the constant bickering in learn more about life on the desert. able was the Black Widow; hence, neces-
and out of congress over labor, business, MRS. VEVA BERRY sarily a Black Widow was used for demon-
soldier vote, soldier bonus, win-the-peace, • • • stration.
1944 presidential election, second front Claim Black Widow a Fake . . . Please understand I do not question the
and countless other petty aches. What we Silver City, New Mexico sincerity of Wm. H. Carr, Dr. Willis J.
want is peace and unity of purpose at home Dear Sirs:
now. We want to feel that we have a solid Gertsch or Miss Noble. I am 100 per cent
Having read "Spider House" by Mora
united home front, not a disintegrating against faked reporting, too, but I believe
M. Brown in the April issue, I was con-
one. siderably confused when I opened my investigation will show that they did not
April copy of Natural History and read an look deeply enough into the subject.
Thanks again for an interesting and
colorful magazine. Reading it has done article, "The Modern Nature-Faker" by MORA M. BROWN
much to keep my morale and that of my Wm. H. Carr, associate curator of Museum
friends high. of Natural History. Yucaipa, California
CPL. JOHN A. WELDON The article is headed by the statement, Dear Miss Harris:
• • • "Before some trust is lost in the printed I wish to state that Mrs. Brown's article
word, it is time to point out that a great "Spider House" which appeared in your
Escape to the Desert . . . many tall tales and misleading statements April issue is perfectly true and accurate in
Salt Lake City, Utah are being published as fact." Among the every detail. Since I was the first person in
Dear Sirs: popular fallacies current today seems to be this country to use the Black Widow and
Thank you for publishing such a de- the one about the use of Black Widow gave the first article to Nation's Business
lightful magazine. Because we travel all spider silk in bomb sights and other mili- magazine in 1941, and since a number of
of the time we are unable to subscribe, but tary sighting instruments. It says that Dr. leading magazines, such as Coronet, Na-
have to take a chance finding it wherever Willis J. Gertsch, associate curator of in- ture and several others as well as Desert,
we are. Once we were desert rats, but now sects and spiders of American Museum of recently have printed similar articles, all
our travels take us to damp and rainy cli- Natural History, upon becoming suspi- mentioning the use of the Black Widow
mates most of the time. But once a month cious of statements in the press, made in- silk in wartime precision instruments, it
we are able to escape back to the desert in quiries among optical manufacturers. He might seem that the article in Natural His-
the pages of your magazine. "was told that spider silk is too fragile for tory by Wm. H. Carr could be taken as a
MRS. J. C. ALEXANDER, JR. these purposes and that the thread could challenge to these articles. Since each arti-
JUNE, 1944 27
cle was sent to me and received my per- from hundreds of people from all parts of and not as well suited to really fine sight-
sonal O.K., I should like to answer the ac- the country who wish to take up the work. ing as when the spider silk with the Tack-
cusations made by Mr. Carr. The general impression seems to be that hole Dot at center is used. Much research
I have been supplying silk for various extraction of spider silk is a large produc- has been necessary to perfect the methods
aeronautical military sighting devices as tion industry. I would be glad to have this of installation of spider silk in telescope
well as telescopic gun-sights to contractors impression branded as a big mistake. As sights and the writer has spent half a life-
for U. S. bureau of aeronautics, supply di- Mr. Carr points out, there are many other time doing just that. It has been perfected
visions of the war department, navy de- types of cross-hairs used where size will and the methods of application, in some
partment, as well as individual optical con- permit. The etched line is used on all sights respects at least, are secret and the ma-
cerns for some time. And in the winter that must withstand heavy concussion. The terials used in the application are of my
time much of this silk IS that of the Black steel, or platinum wire is used in a large own formula.
Widow. According to information I have percentage. If the inquiries had been more Suffice it to say that in the last five years
there also are certain army laboratories careful, it would have been learned, how- I have installed reticules of spider silk,
which supply their own silk for instru- ever, that the engraved line, even the finest mostly of the Black Widow variety (as
ments which use only the Black Widow. line that can be etched with diamond, is furnished by Mrs. Nan Songer) in many
I see nothing sensational about using the much too heavy for certain telescopic reti- thousands of telescope sights, which are
Black Widow spider. I simply started cules. Also that the steel or platinum wire now in use in large numbers in Alaska and
using them during the winter months as is several times WEAKER in certain re- Canada (where temperature changes are
the only large spider with a sufficiently spects than the spider's silk with its higher extreme) and all over the United States
strong silk that was available here at that degree of elasticity, and will not with- and many of them have been taken into the
time. They are very well-behaved during stand the contraction of freezing tempera- Pacific area by various members of the
extraction of web. tures of the stratosphere. armed forces. Major Rex Applegate, chief
However, by next winter I do not expect I have been called many things, from of combat section, Camp Ritchie, Md., uses
to use them, as an explorer, Chas. A. King, "Spider Woman" to "Black Widow scopes in instruction there for snipers.
made a trip into interior Mexico to bring Lady"—and I haven't minded at all. But Hunters by thousands use them on such
out for me 150 large tropical spiders, and I certainly would resent being classed as big rifles as 505 Gibbs, 375, 333, 300
the Mexican laboratory of the U. S. depart- a "Nature-Faker." H&H, etc., and it is rare indeed that we
ment of agriculture sent 100 more of the NAN SONGER ever hear of one breaking from the shock
same species. The silk from these spiders of recoil. They stand the shock better than
has been declared superior in several ways. Birmingham, Alabama steel wires. The reason manufacturers do
There does seem to be a general miscon- Dear Editor: not use it, so far, is because of the difficulty
ception of this work, though I personally It is true that to date manufacturers of in applying it as a manufacturing proposi-
have seen no "tall tales" printed which telescope sights use steel or tungsten wire tion and lack of skilled technicians.
might account for it. I have received letters in their instruments, being rather coarse T. K. LEE
Keeping Essential Crops Growing...

IS THE PATRIOTIC MOTTO OF IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT. WHICH IS THE SOLE AGENCY SUP-
PLYING WATER AND POWER TO FARMS AND CITIES OF FERTILE IMPERIAL VALLEY. CALIFORNIA.
On March 15, 1944, there were 4,536 of these This stupendous achievement represented Im-
farms, of which 2,388 or 52 per cent were owner- perial Valley's contribution to the Nation's "Food
operated, and 2,148, or 48 per cent, were farmed by
tenants. Average area of each farm was 100.4 for Victory" campaign—that the United States and
acres. her Allies might also have superiority in food, as
In 1943 agricultural products produced in Impe- well as in ammunition, guns, tanks, planes and
rial Valley had a valuation total of $58,544,562. other necessary military equipment.
Imperial Irrigation District is continuing its vital program of holding the line on the home front by
maintaining 3000 miles of canals and drains—and 27,000 canal structures—despite serious handicaps in
shortages of labor and essential materials, because it is vitally necessary to insure delivery of water to
Imperial Valley's fertile acres that are producing food for victory.
Imperial Irrigation District,

Qbe Your Own Power-Make it Pay for thf AH American Canal

CALIFORNIA
River Encroaches on Town . . .
NEEDLES — Slowly rising Colorado
an the river waters, fed by backwater from
Parker dam, may force this town of 4000
population to move to higher elevation.
ARIZONA Paradise Ranch Land Sold . . .
In April river was four feet higher than
Mexico Water Treaty Shelved . . . PHOENIX—M. B. Cheney, prominent town, which is partly protected by river
PHOENIX—Senate foreign relations Cleveland manufacturer, has sold about dikes. Flood experts estimate that entire
committee in April postponed action on 1000 acres of his widely-known Tumbling area will be flooded in another three or
treaty between United States and Mexico, 77 ranch in Paradise valley. Mr. and Mrs. four years.
distributing waters of Colorado and Rio Fowler McCormick, Chicago, purchased
Grande rivers, until after fall election, un- one tract of 450 acres which includes a No Coolers for Hot Workers? . . .
less state department should demand beautiful modern residence, guest house, HOLTVTLLE — Dwellers in Imperial
earlier action. Main objection to provisions farm house, manager's residence and Valley are getting hot, and agriculturists
of the treaty to date have come from Cali- stables. The other parcel of 480 acres was are getting even hotter as they face sum-
fornia senators Downey and Johnson, with sold to Daniel C. Gainey, Owatonna, mer with no assurance evaporative coolers
some opposition from Arizona. Colorado Minn. Cheney still owns 1000 acres in the will be available. Local chamber of com-
Basin senators up for reelection are valley, which he plans to develop. merce, appealing to Senator Sheridan
Thomas, Utah; Downey, California; Hay- • • • Downey, Governor Earl Warren and
den, Arizona; Milliken, Colorado, and WPB, following army's withdrawal of its
McCarran, Nevada. John G. Verkamp, 67, widely known In- approval of cooler manufacture, stated,
dian trader, lumberman and stockman, "Agricultural workers as well as other in-
Wants Franchise for Indians • . . died April 4 at his Grand Canyon home. dividuals here, have no prospects of get-
GANADO—Federal wardship for In- He had lived at Flagstaff and Grand Can- ting any type of coolers or fans for their
dians and discriminations against them yon, where he established a curio store in homes with coming of summer heat. This
should be removed "at the earliest possible 1906, for 50 years. situation is vitally important to the war ef-
time," declared Dr. C. G. Salsbury, for 17 • • • fort as without cooling these individuals
years superintendent Sage memorial hospi- will move to cooler regions for the sum-
tal and Ganado mission. He scored the Dr. Charles P. Austin, Morenci, was mer months."
continued "condescending paternalistic in- elected 1945 president Arizona medical • • •
terference" of the government with every association April 20 at meeting in West- Gordon Feekings has been elected Palm
detail of Indian life, the 389 treaties still in ward Ho hotel, Phoenix. Springs chamber of commerce president.
effect some of which are "absolutely ridic-
ulous" which are basis for preserving
wardship, implying incompetence. He
stated our dealings with the Indians "run
the whole gamut from pillage and destruc-
tion to sentimental coddling—from starva-
tion to feeding on the fat of the land, from
the best we have to offer in education to
insisting that he revive and preserve his
ancient tribal beliefs." "Sentimentalists
want him kept in paint and feathers, medi-
cal scientists want him to have modern
care, some of the long-haired writers and
bureaucrats want him to have a smattering
of medical science and the medicine man's
chant along with it. Some want him to
raise all the sheep he can—others want to
cut him to nothing and live on the govern- Don't try the train during '44
ment. I believe every Indian should be
granted the franchise and released from
wardship unless he is proved incompetent, "Unless the Axis is no more!
and certainly no Indian with less than half
blood should be considered an Indian." Until the war ends our best advice to civilians is this:
Don't think of making a train trip unless you abso-
Gold Hunters Lost Found . . . lutely must! We cannot carry all civilians who want to
PHOENIX—Anton E. Hohre, 59, and travel because we're doing our war job. All Southern
his 72-year-old unidentified companion, Pacific trains are filled to capacity, and most trains
who became lost in Four Peaks area, were are sold out a long time ahead. If you can't buy the
found several days later by deputy sheriffs, train ticket you want right now—why not put the train
little worse for the experience. A plane fare into WAR BONDS?
from Falcon Field located the men and
dropped smoke bombs with which the
aviators signaled their position to the
search party. The couple were equipped
with a "gold finding machine" with which
S P The friendly Southern Pacific
they were attempting to locate various
minerals.
JUNE, 1944 29
River Board Members Appointed . . . Dry Ice Plant Expanding . . . NEVADA
COACHELLA — Six California mem- NILAND — Increased navy demands Nevada Fishing Seasons . . .
bers of Colorado river board were appoint- are responsible for expansion plans for Na- HAWTHORNE— F i s h i n g seasons
ed for indefinite terms by Governor Earl tional dry ice corporation, which is a 95 have been announced by the following
Warren April 26. Members are E. F. per cent war-producer. Since January three counties: Nye, May 1-September 30;
Scattergood, Los Angeles, general man- new carbon dioxide wells have been drill- Churchill, May 1-October 1, no closed
ager Los Angeles department water and ed, fourth is underway. Expansion will season on catfish; Esmeralda, May 3-Octo
power; Dr. Harry W. Forbes, Coachella, give plant 40-ton daily capacity. L. B. ber 1; Lyon, April 15-October 1. Fisher-
member Coachella valley county water dis- Fade, superintendent, says all navy bomb- men should consult county clerks or ward-
trict board; Fred W. Simpson, San Diego, ers and ships are serviced by dry ice ens for specific regulations.
president San Diego highway development products.
association; Evan T. Hewes, El Centro, "Bing" Buys Nevada Ranch . . .
president Imperial irrigation district; W. Chandler Mexico Interests Sold . . . ELKO—Harry L. (Bing) Crosby has
P. Whitsett, Los Angeles, director Metro- CALEXICO — Harry Chandler, Los purchased a 10,000-acre stock ranch near
politan water district of Southern Califor- Angeles newspaper publisher, and his as- Tuscarora, 50 miles north of here, and will
nia, and Fred J. Toole, Blythe, trustee Palo sociates reportedly have sold all their hold- run 2100 head of cattle. Announcement
Verde irrigation district. ings in Mexicali valley, south of here, some was made in April by Crosby's Nevada
of which they have held since 1899. Mexi- manager, Howard Eacret, who will man-
Want Mineral Rights Reserved . . . can interests are said to have purchased the age the ranch. Property involved an ex-
WESTMORLAND — Spruce - West- property, which included banks in Mexi- change of the 3600-acre Jube Wright
morland farm center has requested di- cali, Tijuana and Ensenada, Colorado ranch along the Humboldt river which
rectors of Imperial Irrigation district to re- River Land company holdings, and 500,- Crosby had operated several years.
serve all mineral rights on land sold here- 000 acres of land.
Believe Sheep Poisoned . . .
after or contracted for sale by the district • • •
so that value resulting from discovery of GOLCONDA —- Loss of more than
Eugene E. Therieau, former city council-
oil in Imperial Valley may be used to re- man, was elected Palm Springs mayor 3400 sheep on range in vicinity of Getchell
duce district's bonded debt. mine near here was attributed to poisoning
April 18.
by E. A. Clawson, receiver for Pacific
States saving and loan company, owners.
Clawson said most of the sheep were found
The Desert Trading Post

Classified advertising in this section costs five cents a word, $1.00 minimum per issue—•
dead day after flock was moved to area,
and that all burros used by herders also
died of poisoning. Majority of the sheep,
Actually about 1^2 cents per thousand readers. it was estimated, were worth $15 per head.
Investigation was started.
MISCELLANEOUS MUSEUM SUPPLIES WANTED: Anything
suitable for museums. Rocks, Minerals, Fos- New Naval Air Project . . .
THE ROCKHOUND COLONY GROWS— sils, Guns, Horns, Beadwork, Meteors. Cata- FALLON—Navy announced April 19
Eighteen to date. We'll have a name by next logue 25c. Museum Supplies, 6601 Oshkosh that a $1,627,800 project has been approv-
issue. So many have written they are coming Chicago 31, HI.
in April to buy that I expect we'll soon be sold ed for naval auxiliary air station here, to
out. If you belong to the rockhound fraternity Wanted—Coleman No. 500 single burner camp operate under cognizance of naval air sta-
and are looking for a fine location and a nice stove or will trade Turner two-burner pres- tion at Alameda, California.
place to live, write for particulars. We want sure stove in good condition. Dan H. Dun-
only the best people and want you to be satis- ham, 3014 So. 34th St., Omaha 5, Neb. Aviators Take Census . . .
fied or we don't want you. W e want a colony
that will be TOPS in every way. Come and WINNEMUCCA — Aerial survey in
The BASIC FACTS of your unknown self. Do
look things over. The Colorado Gem Co.. you know their beneficial nature and where Humboldt and Pershing counties for ante-
Bayfield, Colo. to find them? Address: BASIC-RESEARCH lope and deer census revealed that "horses
MANUSCRIPTS MARKETED: Books, stories, LABORATORIES SYSTEM, 785 Lafayette were very prominent on the range." Count
plays, photoplays, articles. Circular D-64 Street, Denver 3, Colorado. showed 1384 horses, 215 deer, 675 ante-
Free. OTIS ADELBERT KLINE, Literary lope, 660 bucks, 89 Canadian honkers, 10
Agent, Established 1923, 507 Fifth Avenue. 25 Genuine Indian arrowheads, $1.00; Toma-
New York 17, New York. hawk head 50c. Cat. of Indian relics, crystals coyotes, three burros, one mule.
and ore specimens. Geo. Holder, Glenwood • • •
FOR SALE—Indian relics, 23 assortments from Ark.
which to choose, $1.00 per assortment or $20 A. J. Shaver of Winnemucca was ap-
for all 23. All perfect specimens. Choose from pointed engineer of Colorado river com-
these: 10 beautiful prehistoric Indian arrow- LIVESTOCK mission with headquarters in Las Vegas by
heads; 10 tiny bird arrowheads; 10 arrow- Gov. E. P. Carville in April.
heads from 10 different states; 2 stone toma- KARAKULS producers of Persian Lamb fut
hawks; 4 spearheads; 5 stone net sinkers; 10 are easy to raise and adapted to the desert • • •
fish sealers; 2 hoes; 4 agate bird arrows; which is their native home. For further in- Appropriation of $450,000 for addi-
5 flint drills; 7 flint awls; 10 beautiful round formation write Addis Kelley, 4637 E. 52
Place, Maywood, California. tional construction at Battle Mountain air-
head stunning arrowheads; 4 fine sawedged port was made in April, according to Sen-
arrowheads; 4 fine flying bird arrowheads; "Karakul Fur Sheep — America's Great Live-
4 fine drill pointed arrowheads; 4 fine queer ator P. A. McCarran.
stock Opportunity—You can be a part of this
shaped arrowheads; 4 rare double notched fascinating business and have your Karakuls • • •
above a barbed base arrowheads; 5 double cared for by experienced rancher. Write for
notched above a stemmed base arrowheads; NEW MEXICO
details, James Yoakam, National Distributor,
12 small knife blades of flint; 1 rare shaped 1128 No. Hill Ave., Pasadena, California." Pueblo Agent Resigns . . .
ceremonial flint; 3 flint chisels; 7 crystals
from graves; 10 arrowheads of 10 different ALBUQUERQUE — Dr. Sophie D.
REAL ESTATE Aberle, superintendent United Pueblo
materials including petrified wood. Locations
given. 100 arrowheads $3.00. 100 very fine
For Imperial Valley Farms— agency of New Mexico since 1935, has re-
mixed arrowheads all perfect showy colors in- signed the position to continue medical re-
cluding many rare shapes such as drill point- W. E. HAN C O C K search on malaria in Washington, D. C.
ed, double notched, saw edged, queer shapes. "The Farm Land Man"
^ _ e t c , location and name given, $25.00. List Since 1914
Dr. Virgil K. Whittier is acting superin-
tree. Lears, Glenwood. Ark. EL CENTRO CALIFORNIA tendent.

Boys Camp at Mesa Verde . . . UTAH Utah state fair will be held September
GALLUP — Plans for explorers' camp 3-9, at Salt Lake City fairgrounds, Sheldon
Days of '47 Scheduled . . .
for boys 12 to 16 years of age at Mesa R. Brewster, secretary-manager.
SALT LAKE CITY — Expansion of • • •
Verde national park, Colorado, have been Days of '47, Inc., to include groups which
announced by Ansel F. Hall, hotel conces- formerly sponsored Pioneer Days celebra- Utah American Legion convention will
sionaire at Mesa Verde. Camp will operate be held in Richfield, August 18-19.
tion has been announced by Thomas B.
from June 19 to September 9 with two six-
Child, president Days of '47. Invitations • • •
weeks periods. Arrangements are being
made to meet the boys here and escort them to participate with Sons and Daughters of Robber's Roost Roundup is scheduled
to Mesa Verde for a summer of pioneering Utah Pioneers July 18-24 have been ex- for July 28-30 at Price.
and adventure in Navajo country, Mesa tended to chamber of commerce, junior
Verde and La Plata mountains. chamber of commerce and other groups.
Committee members have been appointed
Roman Hubbell Son Killed . . . to prepare for the July event. A WESTERN THRILL
GALLUP—Capt. Roman Hubbell, Jr., "Courage," a remarkable oil painting
30, eldest son of Roman Hubbell, was kill- Coyote Evades Bloodhounds . . . 20x60 feet, the Covered Wagon Train cross-
OGDEN—It took weeks of effort, 20 ing the desert in '68. Over a year in painting.
• ed in action in capture of Manos island of On display (free) at Knott's Berry Place
the Admiralty group in South Pacific hunters and a pack of bloodhounds to de- where the Boysenberry was introduced to
March 24. Although his parents live at stroy one coyote, accused of sheep killing, the world and famous for fried chicken din-
Winslow, Arizona, where his father is an which mysteriously had made his way to ners with luscious Boysenberry pie.
Indian trader and Indian tour operator, Fremont island in Great Salt lake. Finally You'll want (1) A 4-color picture of this
Capt. Hubbell was reared in Gallup and a hunter's bullet drove the coyote into the huge painting suitable for framing. (2) A
graduated from Gallup high school in salty lake, a motorboat crew overtook him, 36-page handsomely illustrated souvenir,
dragged him aboard and killed him. pictures and original drawings, of Ghost
1933. Town Village and story of this roadside
stand which grew to a $600,000 annual busi-
New Mexico Trade High . . . Utah's First Plastic Firm . . . ness. (3) One years' subscription (6 num-
SANTA FE—New Mexico led far west- SALT LAKE CITY—Utah Plastic com- bers) to our illustrated bi-monthly magazine
of the West. True tales of the days of gold,
ern states in trade with a 15 per cent gain pany was undergoing final test before achievements of westerners today and cour-
in February over same period in 1942. launching into production on its first war ageous thoughts for days to come. Mention
State was second to Florida, which had 25 order in April. Threaded electric fixture this paper and enclose one dollar for all three
per cent gain. Arizona ranked 21st, Ne- taps are the first articles to be produced and get authentic western facts. Postpaid.
GHOST TOWN NEWS,
vada 25th, Utah 32nd. Survey was based and are believed to be first plastic product BUENA PARK, CALIF.
on reports from nearly 19,000 stores. made in Utah.
No Desert Library is complete without this magnificent set of books-the most authoritative work on desert birds
THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA

By W. LEON DAWSON
A complete scientific and popular account of the 580 different species of birds found in the State of California. 2121 pages.
Over 1400 illustrations including 110 full-page color plates of magnificent quality, by Major Allan Brooks. Printed on fine
coated paper, each volume, size 123/4xl01/2x21/), j s bound in two shades of top-grade library buckram, stamped in genuine gold.
Completely indexed. Individually cased.
Color plates include such desert birds as: Scott's, Hooded and Bullock's orioles. Cooper's and Western Tanagers, Green-tailed
and Desert Towhees, Cactus and Gila woodpeckers. Valley and Desert quail, Roadrunner, White-tailed kite. Band-tailed
pigeon, Verdin, Phainopepla, Lazuli Bunting, Arizona grosbeak, and 92 others.
Originally priced at $200 a set, a few

remaining sets of the de-luxe edition,
already a collector's item, are offered
at $60.00 postpaid to any part of the
U.S.A. Satisfaction guaranteed. To
order, fill in coupon below.
THE DEVIN-ADAIR CO., Dept. D.

23 East 26th St., New York 10, N. Y.
Please send me sets of Dawson's
The Birds of California. Check enclosed.
NAME
STREET
CITY .STATE
JUNE, 1 9 4 4 31
Milford, Utah . . .
Completion in April of Tintic Standard
mining company's fluorspar mill at Cougar
mine 65 miles southwest of here marks
first step in establishing Utah as major pro-
Washington, D. C. . . . Las Vegas, Nevada . . . ducer of metallurgical and chemical
Hitherto censored statistics on 1942 pro- grades of fluorite. When exploration gave
Immediate diversion of helium to pri-
vate and commercial users, according to duction of magnesium metal, just released assurance of at least 80,000 tons of ore
U. S. bureau of mines, has been made pos- by U. S. bureau of mines, reveal 20Q per averaging 40 per cent calcium fluorite,
sible by bureau's spectacular wartime ex- cent greater production than in 1941. Of company exercised its option and contract-
pansion ahead of schedule, which has left total 1942 production of 97,925,684 ed with Metals reserve company to deliver
large reserves for government use, and by pounds, actual primary and secondary con- concentrate over period of January 1, 1944,
present extraction of helium which other- sumption t h a t year was 84,525,700 to March 31, 1946. Concentrate will be
wise would be wasted from natural gas and pounds. Principal producers, location and trucked to Lund for shipment. Later addi-
subsequent piping to wartime industrial source are: Dow chemical company, Mid- tion of equipment to produce the higher
plants. Due to new developments helium land, Mich., brine; Dow chemical, Free- grade chemical fluorite is planned.
will play important peacetime role in treat- port, Texas, sea water; Dow chemical, Va- • • •
ment of asthma, tuberculosis and other lasco, Texas, sea water; Permanente mag- Banning, California . . .
respiratory diseases, in eliminating or re- nesium corporation, Permanente, Calif., Frank Backman, former Banning resi-
ducing caisson diseases, in operating room magnesite; Permanente, Manteca, Calif., dent and engineer on Colorado river aque-
as part of noninflammable anaesthetics, magnesite; Diamond magnesium com- duct, has been appointed manager of
and in welding magnesium metal. Other pany, Painesville, Ohio, magnesite; Inter- Henry Kaiser steel mill at Fontana, ac-
new uses include cooling of electric motors, national mineral and chemical company, cording to Banning Record.
in explosion-proof motors, low tempera- Austin, Texas, chloride; Mathieson chem- • • •
ture heat treatment, preservation of foods, ical company, Lake Charles, La., chloride; El Centre California . . .
as tracing gas to determine underground Basic magnesium, Las Vegas, Nev., mag- Belief that oil may underly rich farm
migrations of hydrocarbon gases. Produc- nesite; Ford motor company, Dearborn, land in central and southern Imperial
tion costs are now about one cent per cubic Mich., dolomite; Magnesium reduction county is held by oil companies which have
foot. Production figures are secret but bu- company, Luckey, Ohio, dolomite; New leased more than 8000 acres preparatory to
reau says present output is 25 times prewar test drilling. Amerada oil company, with
England lime, Canaan, Conn., dolomite.
total, due greatly to helium coming from
• • • leases in Heber district, is reported to have
new Navajo plant in New Mexico.
spent about $200,000 on preliminary sur-
San Francisco, California . . . veys. Texas company also is interested in
State division of mines press bulletin oil possibilities. Neither company is bound
just released gives 1943 production figures by leases to spend more than a year's rental
GENUINE STEERMIDE for carbon dioxide, iron and quicksilver. if tests prove unsuccessful. Independent
Two wells, one near Niland, Imperial Exploration company, of Houston, Texas,
county, and one near Hopland, Mendo- is another oil company interested in this
cino county, produced 227,424 m. cu. ft. county. They have established offices in
STILL AVAILABLE
THE SAME COOL COMFORT, carbon dioxide gas which was compressed Brawley.
THE SAME RUGGED WEAR to make 14,037 net tons dry ice valued at
Your STEERHIDE Huaraches will be • • •
well worth the ration stamp you must $248,126, a gain over 1942 of 2116 tons.
now send us, because they are carefully Iron ore shipments totaled 907,458 tons Trona, California . . .
handcrafted of real sole leather and have Boric acid produced here is used in boro-
the stamina of a shoe. Work, walk and valued at $2,341,827 f.o.b. mine, which
play in them, they can take it, and every
came from four properties in San Bernar- silicate or fiber glass, for important war-
pair you buy saves American shoe
leather needed elsewhere. Send your dino county and one each in Santa Cruz time roles. Tensile strength exceeding
foot outline and shoe size. We guarantee 250,000 pounds per square inch makes
a fit. Please send ration stamp. and Shasta counties. This total is more than
all iron ore mined in state since 1881 to glass fibers ideal as reinforcement for
date. Ore mined was hematite from San plastics. They will melt but will not burn.
Bernardino county which went to new steel They will not stretch, swell or shrink, are
mill at Fontana, magnetite from Shasta unaffected by most chemicals. In various
and magnetite sands from Santa Cruz coun- forms, they are used to weave fabrics which
ty. State quicksilver total was 33,948 withstand heat, damp and decay; to make
flasks valued at $6,177,159 f.o.b. mine, blankets and boards for heat and sound in-
coming from 86 mines in 17 counties. sulation, retainer mats which increase life
1942 production was 30,087 flasks. of storage batteries.
• • •
• • •
Twentynine Palms, California . . .
Santa Fe, New Mexico . . . To meet increased war demands Desert
John M. Kelly, director state bureau of Chemical company, at east end of Dale Dry
mines, and Charles Johnson of Silver City, lake about 20 miles east of here, is install-
U.S. bureau of mines, announce they will ing complete new spraying system for salt
\ ^ Sizes for everyone—men, \ cake production, and new salt vats to bring
pJ women, children. Children's $2.25
ask government for $100,000 for 1945
program to investigate iron ore deposits total area covered by vats to 200 acres are
Please send pairs Huaraches
Foot outlines enclosed, sizes near Silver City and in southern New Mex- under construction. Although tonnage of
Name ico; four fluorspar deposits, one near salt and salt cake cannot be revealed it is
Address Grants, two near Deming and one near Sil- stated production in past three years has
ver City, and one coking coal deposit near increased 1500 per cent. The salt is in de-
Carthage. Current year's allocation of mand by magnesium and synthetic rubber
$30,000 is being used to study deposits of industries. Salt cake is used primarily in
SANTA FE-NEW MEXICO fluorspar, used as a flux. pulp paper and glass industries.

f Qem
and Mineral c>/iOfi . . .
On Highway 91. 11 Mi. East of Barstow
GEMS AND MINERALS One Mile West of Yermo, Calif.

E. W. SHAW, P. O. Box 363, Yermo, Calif.
ARTHUR L. EATON, Editor
TURQUOISE . . .
Nugget—Flat—Bead—Slab—Cabochon
THE MATTHEWS SALES CO.
Pacific Electric Bldg.
610 So. Main St. Los Angeles 14, Calif.
OVER ONE THOUSAND ATTEND OLD BALDY IS NAME OF Established 1915
SOUTHWEST MINERAL EXHIBIT NEW LAPIDARY SOCIETY
Over 1000 persons attended the seventh an- John J. Brice, Pomona, California, reports
nual gem and mineral exhibit of Southwest Min- organization in 1943 of Old Baldy lapidary so-
eralogists at Harvard playground April 1 and 2.
Copper minerals were featured. Awards were
ciety, inc. Purpose of the society is promotion
of good fellowship among amateur gem cutters
COLLECTORS' ITEMS
made as follows: of the locality; improvement of members in art In my excavations in prehistoric
Minerals, judged by variety, quality and of cutting and polishing various rocks and gem mounds, at Wickliffe, Kentucky, and
rarity—Harold Eales, 1st; Florence Hake, 2nd; materials; cooperation in solving members' other DIGS, I have accumulated thous-
Ethel Prosser, 3rd. problems of cutting and polishing; collection of ands of duplicates which I have decided
Crystals, judged by variety, quality and materials for cutting and polishing; and provid- to dispose of to other collectors at very
rarity—Ruth and Franck Stillwell, 1st; Harold ing opportunity for purchase, exchange and ex- reasonable prices. Since this is not a
Eales, 2nd; Ellsworth Beach, 3rd. hibition of specimens and materials. business with me, I cannot bother with
Polished Flats and Nodules, judged by quality Officers are Wm. Dyer, 220 E. Alosta, Glen- anything less than a $5.00 order. Remit
of workmanship, variety of specimens, and out- dora, president, and Elmer Teague, San Dimas, with order, and if goods are not satis-
standing material—Harold Lippitt, 1st; Albert secretary-treasurer. Meetings are third Mondays factory, money will be refunded.
Hake, 2nd; Ethel Prosser, 3rd. at members' homes. Membership is limited and
Cabochons, judged by quality of workman- only those who cut and polish may join. Mem- The following are a few of my collect-
ship, variety of specimens and outstanding ma- bers live in Glendora, Covina, San Dimas, Clare- ors' items. Some are definitely unique
terial—Dr. H. E. McKibben, 1st; Bud Prosser, mont, Pomona and Ontario. and all are guaranteed genuine:
2nd; Albert Hake, 3rd. Jerry Laudermilk spoke on flints of Brandon,
Artcraft (including polished material for per- England, at March meeting held at home of Mr. Beautiful Kentucky Crinoid Buds—
sonal adornment, articles of utility and pure and Mrs. Ellis Johnson, 3425 Padua Av., Clare- 15c to 25c
art), judged by quality of workmanship, effort mont. Laudermilk displayed ancient tools used Kentucky Crinoid Joints and Stems—
and originality—A. C. Barnes, 1st; Jeane and in the flint mines of Brandon and also some flint 15c to 25c
Harold Lippitt, 2nd; Bud Prosser, 3rd. arrowheads of his own making. Large Buds 50c to $1.00 each
Judges were Thomas Daniel, Gordon Funk, • • •
Glenn Harmas and Richard R. F. Lehman. Quality and Size Determine Price
INYO COUNTY PRODUCES Prehistoric Flint Arrowheads....10c to 25c
• • • BULK OF STEATITE TALC Prehistoric Spear Points 75c to $2.00
STAR QUARTZ FOUND IN Otis Booth of Sierra talc company states that
95 per cent of high quality steatite talc used in Prehistoric Stone or Flint Celts—
CALIFORNIA LOCALITIES all types of American war production comes $1.00 to $2.00
Asteriated or Star quartz, of several distinct from Inyo county. Some comes from Montana. Prehistoric Mound Beads,
types, has been reported recently from many lo- Talc is used in making paint for ships as it 2-ft. String. $2.50
cations in the Southwest. As the star is dis- gives paint a low reflective quality—especially
tinctly connected with crystal structure, it al- valuable in camouflage. Prehistoric Mound Pottery $4.00 to $10
ways shows the six points of the hexagonal sys- Booth says that versatility of talc's uses is be- Address:
tem. Carson City, Nevada, provides bright pink coming greater with war experimentation. Fired
rose quartz with fine stars. Some of this type talc has been found to have a harder durability COLONEL FAIN WHITE KING
has altered in color from rose to lavender. state than steel allows. Nozzles of sand blasters Proprietor, Wickliffe Mounds
Jacumba, California, has produced a whitish and other equipment now are being made of WICKLIFFE. KENTUCKY
to blue grey vein quartz, seldom larger than two fired talc.
inches, with a distinct star only when properly
cut in cabochon. Star rose quartz has also been
found in Black canyon, near Mesa Grande, Cali-
fornia, and near Campo. Quartz from both of
these latter locations has a tendency to fade com-
pletely when exposed to the direct sunlight.
HERE ARE THE GIFTS
MEXICO'S NEW VOLCANO
• • •
YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!
SIMILAR TO VESUVIUS Rings, $4.00 and Up Necklaces, $5.00 and Up
April eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in Italy serves Brooches, $5.00 and Up
to call attention to the similarities between it Bracelet and Ring Sets, $15 and Up
and El Paricutin in Mexico. Both are small vol- Plus 20% Excise Tax and 2'/ 2 % Sales Tax
canoes, as Vesuvius is only 4267 feet above sea-
level, and neither approaches the giant bulk of Petrified Picture Wood and Moss Agate — Jewelry
14,000-foot Mauna Loa nor 10,000-foot Mt. Hand Made in Sterling Silver Mountings
Etna. But there their mediocrity ends. Many
of the larger volcanoes are the "quiet" type. RINGS — BRACELETS — NECKLACES
Records show that many of these erupt without BROOCHES — TIE SLIDES, ETC.
earthquake or explosion. But both Vesuvius and
El Paricutin are of the "explosive" type. El Mail Orders Filled Anywhere in U. S. A.
Paricutin was born one year ago with an earth-
quake and explosion and has been in violent
action ever since. Vesuvius becomes so violent
ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP
at times that it has been used as a classic exam- 26 Jergins Arcade Village Long Beach 2, Calif.
ple of explosive volcanoes. Its present eruption, Entrance Subway at Ocean and Pine
although violent, is not a big one from the Open 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. Daily
geological point of view.
JUNE, 1944 33
Rocky mountain federation is preparing a cir- B. L. Jones has moved from San Dimas to
culating collection. The Arizona unit is being Gerber, California. Jones specializes in Yermo
AMONG THE arranged by H. S. Keithley, Mrs. J. E. Speck and palm but also has a large collection of other
ROCK HURTERS P. J. Hickey. Every member is asked to help.

• • •
Mrs. Zella McCullough, secretary, reports
petrified woods and agates.
• • •
Lelande Quick, DM's Amateur Gem Cutter
from Modesto that Mother Lode mineral society editor, addressed the Metropolitan Club of Los
is up and coming under new president, A. J. Angeles, April 5, on subject of "The Fascinating
Chester Howard spoke on meteorites at April
McMeekin. Well attended meetings are varied, Avocation."
11 meeting of Texas mineral society, Dallas.
L. D. Van Cleave sent a box of tri-state minerals interesting and instructive. A representative of • • •
to the club as a grab bag. Chemistry of Rocks the magnesium company of Manteca was guest President and Mrs. Standridge were April
was subject of Dr. L. A. Nelson's talk for May speaker at April 28 meeting. He illustrated his program chairmen for Southwest Mineralogists.
talk with a colored motion picture. On the 7th, President Standridge gave a talk on
9 meeting. Annual election of officers is sched- diamonds. Dr. Doe lectured on mineral identi-
uled for June meeting. All Texas collectors are • • •
fication at April 21 meeting. Field trip for the
invited to attend meetings, according to Mrs. A. Dr. A. Goetz of Cal Tech lectured about month was to the Standridge home.
L. Jarvis, secretary. atoms and electrons at March meeting of Los • • •
• • • Angeles mineralogical society. Mont Forbc-s Membership of Mineralogical Society of Ari-
Leland S. Chapman's "What Is Your Min- preceded Dr. Goetz with a brief outline of the zona, Phoenix, has reached 150.
eralogical I Q" in East Bay's Rockpile leaflet life of Joseph Le Conte who spent 32 years in • • •
propounds many difficult questions—difficult geological work for UC. Gallium, according to W. Scott Lewis, may
unless you have a thorough knowledge of min- • • • become useful in the future if it ever is found
erals and mining. Dr. Bronson F. Stringham, assistant professor in sufficient quantity. Present chief use is in
e o • of geology at university of Utah, addressed making medium high temperature thermo-
W. Scott Lewis has mounted extremely thin April gathering of mineralogical society of meters. It is a white metal which melts at 86°.
sheets of a Canadian phlogopite mica between Utah on geological problems of Utah. Specific gravity 5-95. Water has no effect on i:
glass plates. When held close to the eye toward • • • and it oxidizes very slowly in air; can be dis-
a bright light asterism appears. This star effect C. L. McCullough, past president of Mother solved in ammonia or potassium hydroxide:
is due to microscopic crystals of tourmaline or Lode mineral society, Modesto, has been trans- only common acid acting on it is hydrochloric.
rutile in the mica. ferred from San Diego to Maryland. There is no generally recognized ore of gallium.
• • •
Walter Rosenfeld of Bell high school spoke
on ceramics and pottery at April meeting of
GEM MART A D V E R T I S I N G RATE

5c a Word — Minimum $1.00
Long Beach mineralogical society. Lead and zinc
minerals were featured. The gem cutters dis-
played their chalcedony. April lapidary meet-
ing was held at the Gordon home.
• • •
INTRODUCTORY OFFER—One dollar each INDIAN RELICS, Curios, Coins, Minerals. Francis J. Sperisen gave cutting and polish-
lot. Five all different Fluorescent Agates—• Hooks, Old Buttons, Old Glass, Old West ing hints for East Bay mineral society at April 6
polished. Thirty rough Mexican Opals. Fifty Photos, Weapons, Catalog 5c. Lemley An- meeting. He also discussed outstanding books
nice pieces Turquoise. Twenty different rique Store, Osborne, Kansas. on minerals. Lewis J. Renton showed koda-
polishing specimens. Postage ten cents. Min- • chrome slides of minerals at April 20 meeting.
erals and gems on approval. DR. RALPH ROCK COLLECTORS, ATTENTION ! Notice
address change. 2 only—Choice iron pyrite This collection was shown at the New York
MUELLER, Professional Building, Kansas world fair.
City, Missouri. XL groups 9x7x3-inch and 7x5x3y2-inch
each at $25.00. 1 only—Choice limonite after
AGATES, Jaspers, Opahzed and Agatized pyrite XL group, 7x5x3V2-inch, at $25.00. 1 I
woods, Thunder eggs, polka dot and other fine benitoite, neptunite, natrolite, spec. DESERT QUIZ ANSWERS
specimens. Three pound assortment $1.50 2l/ 2 xl 1/2-inch over 26 XLS at $25.00. 1 mu- Questions on page 8
postpaid. Glass floats, price list on request. seum spec. 12xllx2y 2 -inch over 60 XLS,
Jay Ransom, 3852 Arboleda Ave., Pasadena 8, $100.00. I large sky blue fluorite and barite 1—Pueblo Indians, who supplicate gods
Calif. XL, group Ilx6x5-inch $35.00. Other groups for rain by prayer-dance ceremonies,
from $2.50 up. Groups of amethyst phantoms are sometimes called Rainmakers.
$2.50 brings you prepaid six rare and beautiful in qtz. XLS $2.50 to $7.50. 1 museum group 2—Prehistoric Lake Lahontan, filled by
crystallized Arizona minerals. Vanadinite, 15x9x5-inch over 100 points and lots of py-
Dioptase, Wulfenite, Willemite, Chrysocol- water from snow and glaciers of
rite XLS, $100.00. Past offers all good. No Sierra Nevada, once covered most of
la, Azurite. Specimens lV2 x 2 or larger. catalogs. The Rockologist (Chuckawalla
Wiener Mineral Co., Box 509, Tucson, Ari- present .state of Nevada.
Slim), Garvey Trailer Park, 941 E. Garvey
zona. 3—Brothers of Light, or Penitentes, are
Blvd., Garvey 32P, Calif.
members of secret New Mexico re-
100 Jewelry Stones removed from rings, etc., Montana Moss Agates in the rough for gem cut- ligious order.
$2.00. 12 articles of Antique Jewelry, rings, ting, $1.00 per lb. plus postage. Elliott's Gem 4—Poston was a politician, Arizona ter-
pins, etc., $3.00. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. Louis Shop, 26 Jergins Arcade, Long Beach 2, Calif. ritorial delegate, Indian agent and
1, Missouri.
50 assorted ring stones, including genuine and Register of U. S. land office.
Choice Palm Root—Full of eyes showing root synthetic, $7.50. Genuine Zircons, blue or 5—Indians use Aragonite, from Butter-
and trunk structure. Very colorful. Sliced for white, 3 for $3.75. Twelve genuine Cameos fly mountain near Suanee, New
Cabochons. 25 cents per square inch. Satis- or Opals, $2.50. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. Louis Mexico, for their "Mirage Stone."
faction guaranteed. GASKILL, 400 North 7, Mo. 6—Look for animal trucks, especially if
Muscatel, San Gabriel, Calif. Tourmaline matrix, in quartz crystals, $1.00 to numerous enough to make trail
$30.00, tourmaline pencils, 50c to $5.00, which nearly always leads to source
Swisher's rocks, minerals and petrified woods. of water.
Island corals, shells, shell costume jewelry, Essonite garnet-green-clusters, 50c to $3.00,
fine copper minerals from Bisbee, Arizona. unique specimens. Sagenite agate, $1.00 to 7—By recent official survey, Twenty-
Fine quartz crystals from Arkansas. Also fine $4.00, specimen rough nodules. Gem list 10c. nine Palms elevation is 2000.27 feet.
line of Art Figurines. Swisher's, 5234 So. Return specimens if not satisfactory. The 8—Father Kino was a Jesuit.
Broadway, Los Angeles 37, California. Desert Rats Nest, 2667 E. Colorado St., East 9—Saguaro. 10—Bear.
Pasadena, Calif. 11—Gulf of California. Very little came
6 prehistoric lizard scales and two beautiful Gem Jasper from Indian Ridge, Ohio. Beauti- from Pacific.
Colorado minerals 3 x 3 , $3.00. One fluores- ful pastel colors. Makes lovely cabochons; 12—Burdick, in his book of that title.
cent mineral 3 x 3 , $3.00. Fluoresces a velvet 2 ounces rough for only 25c, or $1.50 per lb.,
red spotted with other colors. Cobalt in 13—Epsom salts. 14—Midsummer.
postpaid. Lake Superior Agates 10c each and 15—Native.
nickel. Jack the Rockhound. P. O. Box 86, up. Wyoming Jade, gem quality, slabs of all
Carbondale, Colo. 16—Weave several together, for no
kinds. Send for list. James W. Riley, RR. 2, spider spins web so coarse.
Springfield, Ohio. 17—Yucca. 18—Highway 40.
Serpentine core drillings 1 to 2 in. diameter to
12 in. in length. Nice for cabinet. 15c inch. Minerals, Fossils, Gems, Stamps, Coins, Pis- 19—Laguna.
Postage please. C. Earl Napier for Rock. tols, Glass, Bills, Indian Relics, Bead Work. 20—Santa Catalina Mts.. elevation 9150
Yosemite Highway above Knights Ferry, Catalogue 5c. Cowboy Lemley Curio Store, feet.
"-Calif. Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Kenneth C. Peer, chief chemist, and Donald
E. Thorpe, associate chemist of the Ragooland-
Broy laboratories of San Francisco, state that the
most accurate and reliable means of identifying
Never Before Advertised
beryllium glucinum (from Greek word mean- BRAND NEW IMPORTATION!
ing sweet) is through application of quantita- Oi a Rockhound Triboluminescent, fluorescent, and phos-
tive spectrographic methods. There are about phorescent, this SPHALERITE is the most
20 beryllium-containing minerals so far listed, By LOUISE EATON
sensational material to come to the at-
but only a few of these are of proven commer- tention of the mineral collecting frater-
cial value. When yu sees a rockhoun's ad sum- nity for a long time. This new sphalerite
• • • where yu don't expect, it's kinda like bein fluoresces and phosphoresces a bril-
Scott Norviel continued his lectures on de- in a strange place 'n meetin' sumwun liant golden color, while the calcite with
terminative mineralogy, chemical characteristics, from your own home town. Yu feels as which it is associated in most cases
at April meeting of Mineralogical Society of if you'd met your clostest friend, even phosphoresces blue. T h i s material
Arizona. May 8 meeting was in charge of the tho yu didn't know each other mutch uv shows just as much fluorescence under
juniors. eny when you both was at home. That's the inexpensive black bulb as it does
• • • just the heart warmin' feelin' yu gets under the cold quartz lamp. But this I
"Three swaps," says Dick Lehman, "are as when yu meets a rockhoun advertisement fluorescence is only part of its unique i
good as a field trip." in a unrockhoun magazine. qualities. When it is scratched with a
knife blade or a nail, in fact anything
• • • Whot is wun man's meat, says sum- hard, it gives off a brilliant array o'
Mineral of the month for Los Angeles min- wun, is a 'nother man's poizun. That sort "cold" sparks in the dark. There is only
eralogical society was copper. Motion pictures uv applies to rockhouns 'n what they col- a limited quantity of this material avail-
(courtesy U.S. bureau of mines) of mining and lects, too. Wun fella can see only sage- able, so hurry your order to be sure o'
smelting of copper were shown at April dinner nite 'n th next wants just opals 'n sum- getting a specimen. 1x2—50c, 2x2—$1.00,
meeting. Members displayed beautiful and rare win elst has a yen f'r palm. This makes 2x2i/2—$2.50, 2x3—$4.00. Larger s i z e s -
copper specimens, and traded extra material. tradin a bit disatisfactory, becuz folks is prices on request.
Chuck Jordan had Bisbee copper specimens for slightly disappointed if they don't re-
sale. ceive their own special brand uv speci-
• • • ments. However, rox sent in trade is The West Coast mineral Co.
San Diego mineralogical society held a gem most generally better lookin inside than Box 331 La Habra. Calif.
exhibit April 16 at YMCA. Emphasis was they appears on the surface at first glance. Please add postage to all orders.
placed on stones from San Diego county, but 47 Furthermore, rockhuns is good sports 'n
never crabbs mutch. We buy mineral collections and
states were represented. C. A. Scott, member,
minerals of all kinds
demonstrated cutting and polishing technique.
San Diego county is especially rich in such gems
as tourmaline, kunzite, beryl, topaz, garnet and
smoky quartz. Some strategic minerals also are HUGE SALT DEPOSIT LIES
found in the county—among them quartz, Ice- DEEP IN WEST VIRGINIA RX—the complete
land spar and mica. A fluorescent display was
an interesting feature of the exhibit; also a dis- It has been reported from the state of West lapidary shop in
play of wartime strategic minerals. Virginia that one of the largest beds of pure one small machine
• • • salt anywhere in the world has been discovered
in the corthern part of that state. It is estimated No more sales
Earl B. Noble spoke on "A geologist looks for during duration
oil" at April dinner meeting of Pacific mineral to be about 98 per cent pure salt and to lie
society. Noble is chief geologist for Union oil nearly one and one-half miles below the ground V A 1-tlKER 3521 EmfMldSt.. Tc
company of California and familiar with all surface. The bed is thought to contain from
phases of oil exploration. His talk was illus- seven to ten trillion cubic.feet of salt. The
trated by lantern slides. method of mining will have to be similar to that
• • • used to recover sulphur in eastern Texas and
Mrs. Ralph Houck was lucky winner of the Louisiana. Hot steam is pumped down to the
cartload of specimens prepared by Long Beach salt deposit, and the hot saturated salt solution
shortly afterwards is pumped back to the sur-
UNUSUAL AND
mineralogical society. Milo Potter constructed
the cart and members donated specimens to
fill it.
face, where it is evaporated to recover the salt
crystals. RARE CUT G E M S -
• « o in Precious Topaz, Golden-Beryl,
Attendance ha.s been increasing in the Dinuba Peter W . Burk, secretary pro tern of Orange
lapidary class which meets Tuesdays 7:30-9:30 Rhodolite and Hessonite Garnets.
Belt mineralogical society, reports that the group
at the high school. Dr. Weddle of Miramonte studied strategic minerals at April meeting held Also rare green.
was a February visitor. in San Bernardino junior college. Mrs. Howard
• • • Fletcher spoke on tin and its occurrences; Ross ALL KINDS OF AGATES
Mineralogical society of Utah staged a '49er Nussman on lead and zinc; R. H. Eells on non $1 to $10 Dozen
party March 25. Besides the usual frontier en- metallic mica. Kenneth Garner told of the im-
tertainments, an exhibit and sale of specimens portance of these minerals in war production. Spinels of all kinds. Cabochons in Tur-
was held for rockhounds. quoise, Emeralds, Azur-Malachite, Gol-
• • • den-Starolites, Swiss-Lapis, etc.
March bulletin of Sequoia mineral society A strange sand concretion found recently near All kinds of Scarabs.
lists 90 paid memberships. Coyote Wells, Imperial county, California, is
• • • shaped like a covered dish, flattened on the bot-
Arizona Rockhound record states that so far tom, and about 8 inches through in any direc- CEYLON ZIRCONS—50c per carat.
as is known, only one Arizona mineral, lepido tion, deeply corrugated on the top. When the STAR SAPPHIRES—$1 per carat.
lite, contains rubidium. Rubidium is a soft, sil- top or lid was first removed, it was found that
very white, wax-like metal which melts at 38V2 the large smooth pebble around which the con- COLOMBIA EMERALDS—$10 up each.
degrees. It rapidly oxidizes in air and will de- cretion had formed had completely disappeared,
compose water with ignition and liberation of leaving a large cavity. In this cavity were 15 or Synthetic Stones. Rare Cameos, Neck-
hydrogen. In radio it is used in the manufacture 20 small iceland spar crystals of varying sizes, laces, Stickpins, etc. Rough Gems for
of vacuum tubes. A pellet of rubidium ignited most of them quite transparent or translucent. Cutting in Garnets, Tourmalines,
in a tube produces an almost perfect vacuum. A Quartz-Topaz, Nephrite, etc.
large part of the rubidium of commerce comes
from the carnallite deposits of Solikamsk in the Among recent finds of Indian relics in Impe-
Soviet Union. Name rubidium comes from color rial county, California, are: One eight-inch cere- Ask For My Approval Selection
of spectrum-red. monial spear head, perfect, near Palo Verde;
• • • seven large arrow points, one especially fine,
John G. Talbott, assistant superintendent near Sidewinder; one arrowhead, crude; one ERNEST MEIER
General Fiber Products company, Los Angeles, piece of pottery very small but perfect; one oak Church-Street Annex P. O. Box 302
is in charge of the plant at Kingman,' Arizona. cooking paddle; one common opal ornament;
He is interested in cutting agates and petrified one jasper ornament, all northwest of Coyote NEW YORK 8. N. Y.
woods. Wells.
fU N E , 19 4 4 35
This p a g e of Desert Magazine
VRECO DIRMOND sows AMATEUR GEM CUTTER is for those who have, or aspire
to have, their own gem cutting
a n d polishing equipment. Lelande Quick, who conducts this- department, is former presi-
dent of Los Angeles Lapidary society. He will b e glad to answer questions in connection
with your lapidary work. Queries should b e addressed to Desert Magazine, El Centro, Calif.
By LELANDE QUICK
When I mentioned the danger of gem cutters wanted complete outfits indicating they had
contracting silicosis in April Desert Magazine, nothing at all and were just beginners.
and requested information regarding methods of There is evidence on every hand that great
prevention, I had in mind that there probably numbers of people are becoming interested in
was some simple arrangement available some- gem grinding and people are learning that they
where that could be stocked by gem dealers. do not have to have a profound knowledge of
Many helpful letters have come to me suggest- mineralogy and geology to make a successful
ing all manner of respirators, from those used attempt at gem cutting.
in mines and quarries to those used by spray In recent months I have been enjoying the
We are now permitted to sell a limited painters. These are available at mining supply experience of lecturing and exhibiting my gems
number of these Improved Vreco Dia- or-paint stores and the names of a few of them before many organizations, such as Kiwanis,
mond Saws to civilian users. are: Dupor's No. 24 ($2.75), Willson, Pulmo- Lions, Rotary and other clubs. The genuine in-
Owing to production economies Vreco san, and McDonald's "Dustfoe" respirators. terest in gem cutting has amazed and gratified
offers these faster cutting, longer life There are many others but if you rush out to buy me. So much enthusiasm has been generated in
Diamond Saws at lowest prices, one don't buy just a respirator. Some are ap- some quarters that a group in Glendale and an-
pos (paid. proved by the National Safety council and the other in Westwood, California, have petitioned
6-inch $4.50 10-inch $6.80 U. S. bureau of mines for Type A dust, gas, my aid in organizing lapidary societies in those
8-inch 5.50 12-inch 8.75 fumes, smoke, sprays, etc. In purchasing a res- communities and I am inclined to do so. These
pirator you should be sure that it is approved by are all folks who do not know jade from soap-
14-inch $11.00
authorities for silica dust to avoid wasting your stone and who never saw a diamond saw in their
Be sure to specify arbor hole size money and misplacing your confidence.
when ordering. lives. I believe that by fall the equipment situa-
All respirators make you look like a man tion will be eased to such an extent that every-
Vreeland Lapidary Mfg. Co. from Mars and I have no doubt they are all
bothersome and uncomfortable. To adjust one
thing will be available except motors.
2020 S. W. Jefferson St. Portland. Ore. In the meantime I wish that everyone in the
each time you go to the Sanders means another Burbank-Glendale area and in the Westwood-
operation and it seems to me, as I have said be- Beverly Hills area who is interested in taking
fore, that a hospital mask or just a handkerchief up gem cutting would send me a postal in care
would be adequate protection for a man who of Desert Magazine and I will notify each one
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT uses a sander an hour or so during a week. At
least the convenience of the mask will encourage
when organization meetings will be held in
August. Obviously I need some experienced
one to wear it which is certainly more protection lapidaries too but please understand that this
GRIT BUV WITHOUT PRIORITY than an involved respirator that would hang on
a peg most of the time. Enterprising dealers
venture is not intended to draw members from
We made a lucky buy of a ton of grit existing established societies and it is not an
should investigate the situation, stock a good attempt to organize new mineralogical clubs of
without priority and are passing our respirator or mask and then let the gem cutting
good luck on to you in this . . . which there are ample. If some experienced
fraternity know about it. Captain John J. Spen- folks are willing to help the neophytes I hope
SPECIAL cer of Seattle says the mask is effective and com- they will do so but retain their membership in
fortable. societies to which they belong at present. As a
10-lb. package 300 (FF) grit for rule the man who belongs to several societies
use with Old Miser only and Dr. Nakadate of Poston, Arizona, sends me
generous information on the "stone cutter's dis- is a good member of none and almost never is
one jar Old Miser Lapping an active member in all.
Compound, all for . . . ease" or silicosis. He also suggests the wet
gauze mask (soaked in cold cream) as the sim- The Los Angeles Lapidary society long ago
$3.50 F.O.B. Redlands plest, and possibly the most effective, prophy- reached a closed membership of experienced
COVINGTON LAPIDARY ENG. CO. laxis and he also reminds me of the real possi- amateurs. There is nowhere for the novice to
Redlands, California bility of inhaling metallic substances which go to learn, and the only answer is new societies,
could give systemic poisoning. For instance one preferably community affairs, that are organized
could encounter trouble after a few hours of by and taught by the old timers who learned it
grinding malachite and inhaling the copper. all the hard way. I have no wish to be personally
Once the disease is contracted there is no active in any new organizations; my life is too
cure, although the doctor advises some success full as it is. But I am anxious to help new
has been achieved in treatment by insufflation groups start off in the right direction and I an-
of aluminum powder. David Allard of Redondo ticipate many postals and offers of help from
Beach, California, quotes from a Collier's maga- the experienced.
zine article advising that a small amount of • • •
aluminum powder blown into the air and breath- LAPIDARY HELPS AND HINTS . . .
ed by the gem cutter will combine with the
silica to form a harmless substance, but I be- Contributed by Harold Odle, owner of the
lieve this idea is impractical except in industry Flathead Museum, Rollins, Montana.
where it is supervised by safety engineers. We • • •
thank our readers for their many helpful sug-
MINERALIGHT gestions and interest and "a word to the wise is
For the man with no tin oxide, rouge will cut
anything up to and including the garnet.
Instantly Identifies sufficient."
Fluorescent Ores • • •
Analyze all prospects with Tripolite is not tripoli at all. It is diatomite
this magic lamp. Fortunes with little polishing value.
have been found in old min- Elphage J. Mailloux finally has accumulated • • •
ing dumps. Use it in mining a sizable list of available lapidary items for sale
(See January and February, 1944, Desert Maga- Real German tripoli is part moissanite, a
operations for faster—better mineral silicon carbide, and it will polish any-
sorting and grading. zine). If you will drop him a postal he will tell
Satisfaction guaranteed or Write Dept. you where you can purchase a complete outfit thing but a diamond.
money refunded. Complete T today • • •
with five motors, other outfits, saws, grinding
list of fluorescent ores and ' Any common red clay carries enough alumina
20 representative samples heads, grits, new and used saw blades, pans,
free with each lamp.
Catalog
alcohol lamps and many other items. These to polish slowly.
items are for sale by people abandoning the • • •
ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, INC. hobby or unselfishly selling surplus materials Nearly all communities have road cuts where
and equipment. Most of the correspondence re- the sub-soil is exposed and rotten stone can be
ceived was from people who wanted to buy secured between the hardpan and the top soil.
rather than sell. Most of the would-be purchasers It is an excellent polishing agent.

. r ru V -; A : ,T^.:;;v;rT-r^
By RANDALL HENDERSON
/ 7 V l T H THE ALLIED FORCES IN AFRICA—In the Twice a week the transport planes bring us fresh meat from
YY peaceful atmosphere of this little Sahara oasis where I a major base several hundred miles away. One evening when
have been stationed the past six weeks, it is hard to our meat ration was steaks we went out among the sand dunes
realize that in other parts of the world men are fighting a grim and broiled them over an open fire. It is an old desert custom
war for survival. where I live at home. Since most of the men in the outfit come
Planes stop here every day. Men in uniform climb out of from homes east of the Mississippi, this was their first taste of
them and stand by while the mechanics refill the fuel tanks and desert barbecued steaks. The verdict was "good chop." By the
check various gadgets and controls—and then motors roar and time we got around to "thirds" the fresh meat was exhausted
the huge craft glide off the runway and disappear in the haze of and we were finishing with canned vienna sausages. There were
the distant horizon. They belong to a world that seems as re- still a few of these left on our improvised grill when the dinner
mote as the planet Mars. was over and we invited the Arab mess boys to help themselves.
In this primitive community it does not appear difficult for They would have none of them. The prophet Mohammed put a
men to dwell together in peace. French, Senegalese, Arabs and taboo on pig meat.
Americans—we all are neighbors. We greet each other with a * * *
friendly salute—sometimes a French salute and sometimes One afternoon this week I had to go out and shoo some camels
American, but it makes no difference. We draw our water from off the runway. One of them was very persistent, and three
the same wells. We have no common language except that uni- times during the afternoon I had to go out in my jeep and throw
versal symbol of goodwill—a smile. It is good to live among rocks at him.
people who can laugh—and do. I do not mean the artificial Caravans come in every day, unload their packs, and then
laughter of a drinking party or the polite grimace of courtesy. head off again toward the horizon. They spend as little time as
I mean the smile that springs spontaneously from humans with possible in the oasis for their food is the grass and shrubs that
goodwill in their hearts. grow out on the desert and they get nothing to eat while they
For more than a year I have been living close to the primitive are in the village. However, there are always a few of them in
tribesmen of Africa—dark-skinned, unschooled, uncivilized ac- the oasis overnight, and near sunrise they awaken the com-
cording to our standards. Both in the jungle and on the desert munity with their noise. My vocabulary doesn't seem to have a
I have found them responsive to friendliness. And I have asked word that describes the vocal notes of a camel—but it is some-
myself these questions: Why have we allowed the grim busi- where between the bawl of a cow and the roar of a lion. One
ness of getting ahead in the world to crowd out so much of the overnight visitor recently asked me if the noise that awakened
warmth in our natures? Why does wealth and power make men him was made by lions. I assured him it was camels. He agreed
haughty and cynical? Are we not paying too high a price for with me that only a very tired old lion would roar in such dis-
the gadgets and comforts of our civilization when these things mal tones.
are acquired at the expense of good wholesome neighborliness? * * *
I do not know the answers, but I suspect that if we could Last month I took issue with the historian who attributed the
trace the causes of this world-wide war down to bedrock funda- failure of the American experiment in camel transportation in
mentals, we would find that it is because we have drifted too the days before the civil war, to the fact that the camel's feet
far away from the virtues which come from close association would not stand the rocky trails on the desert of the Southwest.
with the good earth. One of those virtues is the honest smile I stated that the camels here travel over the rocks without injury
that comes from a man with neither greed for personal power to their feet. And that is true. But an officer in the French
nor the vanity that so often comes with the possession of ex- Camel corps told me there is another breed of camels in the
cessive wealth. desert region to the east of here, which can be used only on
Anyway, do not look down on these African savages because sandy trails. Its feet are too tender for the rocks. My apologies
their skins are black and they can neither read nor write. I have to the historian, whoever he was.
found them good neighbors. * * *
* •» *
Recently some members of the Camel corps spent a day here
JUNE, 1944 37
on maneuvers. Without doubt they are the most colorful sol- Most of the plants which grow on this desert are complete
diers in the world. Some of the platoons wore flowing garments strangers. But I have met a few old friends—and enemies. The
of red and white and others wore white and blue. Hollywood first shrub I recognized when I jeeped across the desert the day
never has turned out a prettier job of costuming than was done I arrived here quite obviously was a first cousin to the milk-
by the Frenchman who designed these uniforms. weed. As a youngster I spent too many days hoeing these pesky
The camels with their dark-skinned riders and French of- weeds out of the cornfield ever to have a kindly feeling toward
ficers came in silently one morning—and then disappeared as them. But away off in this remote corner of the world it gives
mysteriously as they had come. A French officer pointed out one one a sort of warm feeling to meet even an old enemy. The Sa-
beast that had not taken a drink since November—and this was hara species is a big hardy shrub that appears in the most un-
in March. They do not like cold water, and drink little during expected places.
the winter. A drink a week serves them in summer. I miss the greasewood and burroweed here. There is nothing
* # * that takes their place. Much of this area is as barren as the floor
The cinema is our evening diversion at this isolated oasis on of Death Valley. So far, I have found but four plants in blos-
the Sahara. Our theater consists of a small screen nailed on the som. One resembles locoweed, but has a yellow flower. An-
side of the adobe mess hall, and a portable projector. The men other is a species of Palo Verde. I believe I have seen the same
bring their blankets and pillows and spread out on the sand to tree in the patio of the Harlow Jones home at Twentynine
watch the pictures. The mess hall yard is surrounded by a low Palms. The third is a thorny perennial with a dainty little ball
mud wall, and back of this wall the Bedouins and Senegalese of yellow fluff growing beside each thorn. Out among the
from the oasis gather to watch the movies. Our turbaned guests dunes grows a bushy little plant with leaves like the sweet-po-
cannot understand the words that come from the speaker-^but tato and a blossom like morning-glory. Then there is a desert
they follow the story amazingly well. We know from their re- gourd much like those I have seen along the Colorado river—
actions as the plot unfolds. Pictures of grain fields and forests the wild gourd that the coyotes like so well. And a grass that
and running water stir them more than machinery and sophisti- resembles galleta. The camels feed on this grass.
cated settings. Most important of all of course is the native date palm. There
The opportunity we have given these people to see our pic- are many hundreds of them growing along a wide sandy wadi at
ture programs has created goodwill in an unexpected direction. this oasis. An Arab counts his wealth in camels, goats and palm
Most primitive people are reluctant to be photographed by trees. Most of the trees, I am told, are owned by families. But
white visitors. In this settlement the natives are eager to have concentration of wealth is a problem here the same as in USA.
their pictures taken. "Cinema" is a password that opens the A few rich Arabs—the "sixty families" of the Sahara—have ac-
door to the camera hound. quired large numbers of the trees which are "sold" to the poorer
In this community where four languages are spoken, there are Arabs during the harvest season. Along in June when the fruit
a few English words that have universal exchange value. begins to set, the nomad tribesmen flock in here from all corners
"Finish" or "finee" covers a wide range of meaning—it is all of the compass and "buy" as many trees as they can afford—at
gone, it is broken, I have none, it is time to quit work, I am out from 200 to 300 francs a tree. That is $4.00 to $6.00. They
of money, and a flock of other negatives. "Very good" and "no camp under the tree until the fruit is harvested, and then the
good" are understood by everyone. And of course all the young- palm reverts back to its original owner.
sters can say chewing gum. They are inveterate beggars. The palms here are not as graceful as those in the Coachella
# * # valley in California. These have short stubby fronds which
After all, the most interesting phase of any land is the people grow in a top-knot at the end of a long scraggly trunk. But they
who dwell there. My acquaintance with the native population have furnished an abundance of sweet nourishing food for these
of this oasis began with the houseboys on duty in the barracks— desert tribesmen for countless generations.
and Jello. In the bachelor officers' quarters we have Ahmed and A palm must have its roots in moist sand. Beneath this oasis
Taleb—two bright youngsters who make the beds, shine shoes, is a great underground reservoir that extends for miles along the
do the laundry and run errands. They have reduced the efforts wadi. There are hundreds of wells, with water at a depth of
of housekeeping to its lowest minimum. Some men are more from 12 to 20 feet. The water is hard. It takes lots of soap for
critical than others about such things as well swept floors and the laundry and toilet. But it is sweet—and despite the strong
properly made beds, and these likeable scoundrels know the min- flavor of the chlorine with which all our drinking water is
imum demands of each of their masters, and they do just that and treated, it serves very well. There is enough not only for the
no more. Taleb has acquired the art of making up a cot that will domestic needs of the oasis, but there are scores of tiny gardens,
pass a perfect army inspection on the surface—with the bedding all irrigated with water drawn by hand with goatskin buckets.
beneath in complete confusion. If my tour of duty here continues through the harvest, I am
The most faithful servant we have is Jello, the burly black going to buy a palm tree. Taleb has promised to pick the fruit
soldier assigned by the local French commandante to guard our for me.
barracks. He is on duty 24 hours a day with instructions to keep * * *
all other natives outside the adobe wall which surrounds our Out on the ramp in front of my office a motley crew of Arabs
mud house. He is quite meek and obliging toward us. But let and Senegalese is digging rocks and filling the holes. When I
an Arab peddler set foot inside the gate, and he bristles into a glanced through the door this morning, one of them appeared
domineering policeman who will tolerate no back talk. I don't to be loafing on the job. He was squatting on the ground, apart
know where he got his name, for he understands not a word of from the others. I watched him a few moments. He wasn't
English, but I suspect it was given to him by the American sol- loafing. He was saying his prayers to Allah. When he had
dier who first saw him wearing the red fez that is part of his bowed his forehead to the earth the proper number of times he
uniform. He keeps it on day and night. Also, he is quite proud gathered his pick and resumed his work. Allah surely has not
of his name, and all my efforts to find out what he was called showered these people with many material blessings. But they
before he became Jello have failed. He loves to have his picture have faith nevertheless. And that is something—a very im-
taken, and when I start out with my camera he tags along—and portant something.
grins with pleasure when I invite him to pose in the photograph. * * *
Ahmed, Taleb and Jello! You will hear more about these Midday temperatures reached 98 degrees today. But that is
dark-skinned members of our military family here. They play not uncomfortable in this dry atmosphere with a breeze blowing.
^lively part in the daily drama of life in this Sahara oasis. Warmer days are ahead—but the Arabs and I will not mind.
* * # We are conditioned to high temperatures.

Hetween Uc
By RAND HENDERSON
has come to Camp Tarawa! The offices During the past several weeks I have been interspersing my
and headquarters buildings have been wired for some regular duties with instruction in radio classes. It is surprising
time, but last week light was brought to the tents which and gratifying to see how quickly men learn out here. Many
serve as living quarters for the men. It was quite an occasion, educators are amazed by the speed with which service schools in
and has brought marked changes in our living habits. the States turn out trained men, but here we have cut in half the
Candles have been scarce, and the kerosene lamps which time required by those schools in the States.
some of us found in a nearby town were inefficient. As a result, The reason for this stepped-up learning ability of men over-
light has been community property. Several of us from different seas I do not know. Perhaps it's because in combat they've seen
tents would pool our candles and lamps in one tent, and that the great necessity for knowing a job well and for doing it well.
would serve as the recreation hall for the night. It was always Whatever the reasons, the conclusion is the same. The time ex-
congenial and lively, but for those who wanted to read or write pended in formal education, particularly in the higher branches
concentration became a supreme achievement. of learning, can be reduced 50 to 75 per cent by employing the
Now every tent has its light, and those who enjoy privacy techniques of service teaching, and by simulating in so far as it
occasionally can find it. is possible the conditions of service schooling. Men who have
* * * known the speed and efficiency of these schools will not pas-
It has been an interesting experience watching this camp sively pursue the leisurely course of present day education when
grow. When we arrived here from the Gilberts, after many they return to schools and colleges!
weeks aboard ship, only a few tents dotted the site. First event * * *
of significance was the piping in of water. The days were past The most over rated angle of this war, from the standpoint
when we had to wash clothes'by tying them to a line and heaving of the men who are fighting it, is the Pin-Up picture. I refer to
them overthe stern of the ship to drag for a couple of hours. those glamour shots of actresses, models, etc., which by virtue
Then the post exchange was built. I felt like a small boy in of being printed as near to life size as the particular publication
his first toy shop when I walked into the PX, picked some Amer- will allow, have been dubbed "pin-up pictures." Presumably
ican change out of an assortment of Jap yen notes and shillings men in uniform throughout the world are to tear them out and
and pence from my pockets, and proceeded to stock up on soap, pin them over their bunks as soon as they arrive, there to re-
tooth paste, candy, writing paper and other items which had main the center of attraction until the "powers-that-be" decide
run short. another young lady is due to provide inspiration for the war
effort.
Biggest event of all was the day mail call resounded through
camp. Bags of letters, packages and papers poured in on trucks Now, I have no personal bones to pick with the publicity
for several days. Letters ranged from three months to just a agents and others who instigate the Pin-Ups. If they feel that
few days old, but we arranged each bunch in chronological order they are maintaining international morale, more power to them
and read and enjoyed each as if it just had been written. Some But I'd hate to think that the ones I love and respect have the
were newest photographs of wives, sweethearts and children, to idea that Pin-Ups are the motivation behind my fighting
be passed around and admired by our buddies. Truth is that in 15 tents I just walked into, I counted 38 pic-
tures—three were Pin-Ups, the rest were photographs of wives
For all, there was inspiration in that mail, bringing with it sweethearts, parents, children. Those figures speak for them-
a reassurance that the campaign past had been worth while. selves.
Life now is enjoyable, even relatively luxurious. We are ap- * * *
preciating the comforts around us even more than we did when
we were temporarily separated from them by the campaign So far I haven't seen anything printed about one very domestic
Were learning to enjoy what we have. It's a valuable lesson, function of that Yankee institution, the jeep. When we are
a bit of wisdom that will give us happiness when we return to living on rations, and a jeep is handy, we cache some cans of the
C unit around the engine, put a canteen cup of water on the
our various civilian pursuits. We are building many such atti- engine block, and within 30 minutes we have a hot meal of
tudes in our overseas adventure. We are learning to feel the stew or hash and coffee.
respect and longing for the United States which peoples of
other countries share. We are obtaining a clear perspective of Whenever I go out in one of these jeeps equipped with radio
the strengths and weaknesses of our homeland. transmitter and receiver, I wonder about the possibilities of
The majority of us are just beginning to fit these fragments of radio travelogs from the desert. A word picture of the scenery
knowledge and understanding into a philosophy which will while jolting up a remote palm canyon, a conversation with the
carry us through life. I have an idea that it will be a good phil- grizzled old prospector panning for gold beside a stream an
osophy, and strong. actual record of a typical evening around an ironwood camp-
* * * fire—well, who knows? It's an exciting, strange new world
before us. Anything is conceivable!
JUNE, 1944
39
rnoenix,
VALERIE JEAN'S DESERT CANW...

Here is the candy that grows on date palm trees in the men in service to receive an attractive box of sweet
Coachella Valley of California. Many varieties of the energy-rich fruit of the palm tree direct from a desert
delicious confection are arranged in special packs for date garden. Gift cards will be enclosed when re-
your choice. It will be a treat to your friends and your quested. Please write plainly. Prices prepaid in USA.
year-Round Gift A SPECIAL ... Other Date Treats

One pound pack of— No. Al
Sugar rationing limits the amount of our 3-lbs. Stuffed Dates — (finest
Assorted Dates famous Valerie Jean Date Cake baked dates a n d fresh walnuts
and so we can supply a limited amount used) _.. _ $3.75
Date Candy of the choice, firm and chewie Deglet
Date Roll, and Noors — the only kind we use in baking. No. A2
Date Cake Not recommended for those who want 3-lbs. Date Cake—(dates, wal-
soft dates. nuts, eggs, flour, sugar and
DELIVERED pure vanilla—a Gourmet's
FIRM CHEWIE DEGLET delight) $3.75
$1.25 NOOR DATES
The Kind That Should Be In Every Pantry
No. A3
3-lbs. War Candy ._...$2.75
also the Delicious, chewie, ideal for all pur- No. A4
SAME ASSORTMENT poses, especially "tasty" salads. 3-lbs. Date Roll $2.75
A 5-pound box attractively pack- Order by Number
3-POUND SIZE $3.00
aged and shipped prepaid in the
5-POUND SIZE $4.25 U.S.A. for just
Perhaps you are one of the many who

$3.50 VALERIE JEAN'S
R. C. NICOLL. Owner
want to send a Father's Day Greeting If a Gift, Send Your Card To Be Enclosed
:rom this Desert Oasis. Time is short. THERMAL, CALIFORNIA

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THE

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

• The letter by John Hilton appearing

7o5iil 'Ttea5ut25 ofi W&lt Walt

This beautiful slab, now in Smith-

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Above right — Sections of

While still a young man Jack had ex-

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on, I'll show you."

when the next rain falls. It was an odd

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t h e Pentstemon desert from bordering ranges on the west,

MhacLe Metal Ttom A/evada

r HE romantic thing to me is that

PROCESS AND MIXED

How Basic Magnesium, Incorporated, turns Nevada's

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"In the heart of the Turtle mountains

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'jpSiiSm'S^, ^ * « * '• .• >' '• ^ ]F

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Old-time mescal roast. Ink drawing by Marshal South.

r HROUGH the east window the ragged mass of an un-

LETTERS... Desert Goes to a Sailor . . .

Keeping Essential Crops Growing...

Imperial Irrigation District,

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The Desert Trading Post

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THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA

Originally priced at $200 a set, a few

THE DEVIN-ADAIR CO., Dept. D.

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GEMS AND MINERALS One Mile West of Yermo, Calif.

ROCK HURTERS P. J. Hickey. Every member is asked to help.

GEM MART A D V E R T I S I N G RATE

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VALERIE JEAN'S DESERT CANW...

year-Round Gift A SPECIAL ... Other Date Treats

Perhaps you are one of the many who

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