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Desert Magazine 1958 August
Desert Magazine 1958 August
By LEIGHTON ZEBOLD
Cucamonga, California
Only the wild goose knew the trail,
Winging his way out of the wilds
Of barren Athabascan snow.
Only the wild geese, braving the gale,
Knew the land that is Navajo.
Heeding the clamorous call from the sky,
Trusting the words of lagaigi,
Southward from Saskatchewan,
Over the peaks Lukachukai
Came this stanch American.
Out of the wastes of rock and sand,
Over the suffering centuries,
Fashioned he a hearth and home,
His only implement the hand
To shape the arrow and the loom.
Out of the Nature-World he knew,
Bird and beast, the small, the great,
His gods were cast. A simple faith
That Spirit, choosing what is true,
At last shall triumph over Death.
PAINTED DESERT
By GLADYS I. HAMILTON
Summers, Arkansas
Were you the ancient clay pot
Used by God to mix his clays,
The greens and blues, the rose and reds,
Those first beginning days?
And when His task was finished
And the world was as He planned,
Did He fling aside the colored clay
To crumble into sand
That covers your immensity
Of blending hills and rocks?
Were these the primal pigments
God used from His paint box?
I think you hold a secret,
Painted Desert, in the sun;
A secret only you could share
With the Omniscient One!
VISION
By MERLE BLINN BROWN
Piedmont, California
From the mountain's highest peak
Where the winds are blowing free,
And the streams that feed the rivers
Start their journeys to the sea— DESERT SHACK LITTLE TRAILS
There I see Thy wondrous purpose
In the wind and flowing tide, By E. MURIEL SILVERWOOD By GRACE PARSONS HARMON
Thanks, O Lord, for breadth of vision, Duarte, California Desert Hot Springs, California
Fresh and strong, and deep, and wide.
They call it a shack
Back of the dune The little trails are winding
Bleak in the sunlight Across the desert land,
Cold 'neath the moon . . Where creosote scents the ranges
Prayer A haven I call it
And white-plumed yuccas stand.
By TANYA SOUTH From the jungle of life The little trails are winding
The olden ways, the olden views I bask in seclusion Around saguaros tall,
Depart, and different things infuse Away from the strife. And underneath the sotol
Our daily living. Yet is prayer Where waiting nestlings call.
Unchanged. It guides us now to fare
In this mad traffic—how to live. Across the range they're winding,
And teaches us to daily sieve
COYOTE'S SERENADE Down to the water hole,
The true from false. Prayer is the key By ADELAIDE COKER Where the coyote yaps a challenge
Unto all higher gates there are. Ojai, California On his stealthy night patrol.
Whatever be our Fate's decree.
Our earnest prayers will guide us far Were I
Along the line of true endeavor, Your love I'd not The little trails are winding—
Upward—ever. Resist your wooing long . . . They wander as they may—
Anything, bold coyote, to stop Where little trails are winding,
Your song. Care "takes a holiday"!
DESERT MAGAZINE
DESERT CALENDAlR
July 27-August 3—Navajo Craftsman
Exhibit, Museum of Northern Ari-
zona, Flagstaff (see page 7).
July 31 -August 3 — Eastern Sierra
Tri-County Fair, Bishop, Calif.
August 1-3—Rough Riders' and Cow-
boys' Reunion and Rodeo, Las
Vegas, New Mexico.
August 1-3—Billy the Kid Pageant,
Lincoln, New Mexico.
August 2—Old Pecos Dance, Jemez
Pueblo, New Mexico.
August 2-3—Horse Show, Pine Val-
ley, California.
August 4—Corn Dance, Santo Do-
mingo Pueblo, New Mexico. Volume 21 AUGUST, 1958 Number 8
August 8-10 — 74th Annual Rodeo,
Payson, Arizona.
August 9—37th Smoki Ceremonials
and Snake Dance, 8 p.m., Prescott, COVER Navajo Mother and Child, b y JOSEF MUENCH
Arizona. POETRY Navajo and other poems 2
August 10—Fiesta de San Lorenzo,
Picuris Pueblo, New Mexico. CALENDAR August events on the desert 3
August 12—Annual Fiesta and Corn HISTORY Mission Tumacacori
Dance, Santa Clara Pueblo, N.M.
August 14-16 — Cache County Fair By JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH . . . . 4
and Rodeo, Logan, Utah. MYSTERY Lost Bells of Tumacacori
August 14-17 — Inter-Tribal Indian
Ceremonial, Gallup, New Mexico. By PHYLLIS W. HEALD 5
August 15—Assumption Day Fiesta FICTION Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley . . . . . . 6
and Corn Dance, Zia Pueblo, N.M. CLOSE-UPS
August 15-17 — Davis County Fair, About those who write for Desert 6
Kaysville, Utah. ARCHEOLOGY Museum Where "Ideas" Are More Important
August 16-17, 23-24—Pony Express
Days, Ely, Nevada. Than "Things," b y NELL MURBARGER . . 7
August 20-24 — Salt Lake County LETTERS Comment from Desert's readers 10
Fair, Murray, Utah. NATURE
August 21-23 — County Fair and Edible Plants That Grow Along the Desert Trails
Rodeo, Logan, Utah. By EDMUND C. JAEGER 12
August 21-24—Nevada Fair of In- PERSONALITY
dustry, Ely. Haska of the Hogan, b y JOE KERLEY . . . . 14
August 22 — County Fair, Tooele, PHOTOGRAPHY
Pictures of the Month 15
Utah. FIELD TRIP
August 23-24 — Box Elder County Where Green Marble W a s Mined
Fair, Brigham City, Utah. By EUGENE L. CONROTTO 16
August 23-24 — Coconino County ART OF LIVING
Sheriff's Posse Roundup, Sedona, Just a Dusty Desert Road
Arizona. By MAX H. ROBINSON 20
August 25 — Summit County Fair, PROGRESS
When Riches Come to the Navajo
Park City, Utah.
August 25-31—National Speed Trials, EXPERIENCE By NORMAN B. WILTSEY 21
Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. Pinyon Jays Are Funny
August 28—San Augustin Fiesta and By LAURENCE M. HUEY 25
Dance, Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico. TRUE OR FALSE
August 29-September 1—Annual Fi- INDIANS A test of your desert knowledge 26
esta, Santa Fe. Children of the Sky Dwellers
August 29-September 1—Fiesta, Mo-
rongo Valley, California. NEWS By TRUDY ALFORD 27
August 29-September 1—County Fair From here and there on the desert 31
and Livestock Show, Elko, Nevada. CONTEST
August 30-31 — Pow Wow, Apple MINING Picture-of-the-Month contest announcement . . 34
Valley, California. Current news of desert mines 35
August 30-September 1—Lions Stam- HOBBY
pede, '49er Show, Fallon, Nevada. LAPIDARY Gems and Minerals 37
August 30-September 1—Iron County Amateur Gem Cutter, by DR. H. C. DAKE . . 40
Fair, Parowan, Utah. BOOKS
August 30-September 1 —• Pioneer COMMENT Reviews of Southwestern literature 41
Days Rodeo, Kingman, Arizona. Just Between You and Me, b y the Editor . . . 42
August 30-September 1 — Rodeo,
Williams, Arizona.
August 30-September 1 — Homecom- The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert,
ing and Rodeo, Bishop, Calif. California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert,
August 30-September 1—30th Annual California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office,
and contents copyrighted 1958 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents
Nevada State Rodeo, Winnemucca. must be secured from the editor in writing.
August 31-September 1—Labor Day RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor EUGENE L. CONROTTO, Associate Editor
Rodeo, Eureka, Nevada. BESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDELL, Circulation Manager
Late August—Hopi Snake Dances at Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
Shipaulovi, Shungopavi and Hote- unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for
villa. For exact dates (set 16 days damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-
scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.
before ceremonials) and informa- SUBSCRIPTION RATES
tion regarding bus transportation, One Year $4.00 Two Years $7.00
car caravans, etc., send stamped Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra. Foreign 50c Extra
addressed envelope to Winslow,
Arizona, Chamber of Commerce. 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, Palm Desert, California
AUGUST, 1958
HISTORIC PANORAMAS XVIII
Mission Tumacacori
By JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH
DESERT MAGAZINE
Lost Bells of Tumacacori ...
One of the Southwest's most
romantic lost treasure legends con-
cerns the fate of the mission bells
of Tumacacori in southern Arizona.
The existence of these priceless
bells is supported by historical
fact—but so far they remain un-
discovered, presumably buried be-
neath the desert sands by the
priests who were forced to aban-
don the mission.
By PHYLLIS W. HEALD
By NELL MURBARGER
scientific interest, to protect historic Stone Age implements, and thousands tional or expansion funds the Museum
and prehistoric sites, works of art, of pieces of Indian pottery ranging has been strictly on its own. A recent
scenic places, and wildlife from need- from tiny clay pots to ollas almost auditing set the Museum's valuation
less destruction; to provide facilities large enough for a man to hide in. at $1,407,391.61.
for research and publication, and to The Museum owns more than 34,000 Since its inception, one of the Mu-
offer opportunities for aesthetic enjoy- archeological specimens. seum's main projects has been the
ment." In this same building is housed the study, preservation and encouragement
Through the ensuing three decades Museum's reference library, where Li- of native Indian handcrafts.
the Society has held steadfastly to those brarian Katharine Bartlett is respon-
ideals. This is an important reason During her early desert rambles,
why the Museum of Northern Arizona sible for 6000 volumes and 9600 Mary-Russell Colton learned that Hopi
has enjoyed 30 years of unflagging pamphlets, all dealing with Southwest- pottery and other handcrafts had de-
popularity, and is regarded today as a ern subjects, and an incredible file of teriorated so greatly in quality and
model among small museums in the 2200 historical maps, 7500 negatives workmanship they no longer appealed
United States. and photographs, and hundreds of sci- to the buying public. Seeking to revive
From 1952 to 1957 the Museum entific papers, unpublished manuscripts these dying arts, Mrs. Colton organized
was visited by over 92,000 persons. and journals. Prior to her appoint- the Hopi Craftsman Exhibition in
During the summer of 1957 58 per- ment as Curator of History and Li- 1930. Since the Hopis at first were
cent of all adult visitors came from brarian in 1953, Miss Bartlett served cool to the idea, it was necessary for
states other than Arizona—as many the Museum from 1930 to 1952 as the Coltons to woo potential exhibitors
from foreign countries as from Flag- Curator of Anthropology. individually.
staff itself. That this amazing collection of ma- Describing those formative years,
Although most visitors see only the terial has been gathered, prepared, Mrs. Colton wrote in the Society's of-
main exhibit rooms, students and cataloged and maintained completely ficial organ, Plateau:
others with scientific interests are wel- without tax revenue, either from city, "We used to trek across the desert
come to use all facilities in the Re- county, state or federal sources, seems three or four times each year. In the
search Center across the highway. little short of miraculous. At times spring we made our 'visiting trip',
One large cinder-block building in the State of Arizona has voted to the when we called on everyone in each
the Center houses long stacks of Museum a grant to pursue some cer- of the villages known to make any
shelves laden with prehistoric baskets, tain piece of research; but for opera- type of article. We visited the potters,
AUGUST, 1958
the basketmakers, the weavers, the
leather workers, and the silversmiths,
and we talked of the exhibit. When the
evening came, we made our camp
somewhere on the village outskirts, in
a peach orchard, or on the mesa in
the junipers and our friends came to
see us. We sat together by the camp-
fire and talked in the peace of the
evening.
"On our first visit, we collected ma-
terial ready to be taken in, but our
second trip, in late June, was the big
collecting trip. All day from early
morning until late evening we went
from house to house in each village,
and in the houses the people brought
out their work for us to select the best
for exhibition.
"Every exhibitor received a receipt
for his work and every piece was
tagged. In the evening and in the
early morning the people who had
been in the fields came with their work
to our camp. . . .
"After many years of camping, we
Front entrance to the Museum. Photo by the author. found it more restful to take a little
evidently placed up the canyon to companions, but they finally got under
LETTERS
Waterman Mill Was Dismantled . . .
reach a good water source. At a joint
in the pipe a single drop of water
would collect every few minutes. While
we watched, a small bird alighted on
the pipe at the joint and reached under
way again and proceeded up one of
the washes to make camp. While they
were getting settled one of the men
remarked that he heard a buzzing
sound out in the bushes and wanted
Daggett, California to take the drops of pure water as they to know what it was.
Desert: formed, completely ignoring the poi- Upon investigating with a flashlight
On page 36 of the June issue there soned water flowing along the ground they discovered another rattler and
is a news item taken from a Barstow below. then Henry's companions really blew
paper which is in error. The facts are MRS. LaVERNE G. RILEY up. They accused him of every sort
the historic Waterman Mill was dis- • • • of misrepresentation and told him that
mantled by my father in 1892 and Snakes Made Him a Liar . . . they wanted nothing more to do with
never rebuilt — therefore manganese such a "danged liar." With that they
ore is not being processed there as the El Cajon, California packed up and headed for home.
newspaper reported. Desert: WALTER FORD
A little mill erected in 1952 by I was interested in the editorial re-
Frank Parker and known as the Parker marks in the June issue relative to • • •
Mill recently has been trying to proc- seeing rattlesnakes on the desert. In Precious Desert Plant Life . . .
ess some ore. This mill is situated my 35 years of wandering over the Tucson
about a quarter mile northeast of the deserts I have seen only two rattle- Desert:
Waterman Mill site. It has never snakes. During the many years that
Henry Wilson was searching for the I'd like to congratulate you on the
ground any ore from the Waterman very timely and forthright article, "We
Mine. None of the Watermans are Lost Pegleg Mine he also saw only two
snakes, and these encounters were un- Would Protect Desert Plant Life," by
associated with this manganese activity. Harry C. James (Desert, May, 1958).
der rather amusing circumstances.
ROBERT W. WATERMAN I wish it could be given wide circula-
Henry told me that on one of his tion among the thousands of newcom-
• • • Pegleg treks he had induced two men ers who are pouring into Arizona each
Ways of a Wise Bird . . . from Los Angeles to grubstake him, year.
Palmdale, California but before they left on the venture
Desert: they wanted to be assured that they It's a crime to see the bulldozers
While on a camping trip to Death would not run into any snakes. Henry scrape off thousands of acres of des-
Valley in 1927, we stayed one evening told them that in all the years of ert vegetation in every part of the
near the mouth of a canyon in the traveling over the desert he had yet state. Then, after the new home owner
Panamint Mountains down which a to run into his first rattlesnake. They has a completely denuded dusty lot,
small stream of cold clear water reached Indio after dark and had to he goes out and digs up cactus and
trickled. Posted at the entrance to the stop for some reason along the stretch other desert shrubs to replace exactly
near Travertine Point, and there across what was originally on his property.
canyon was a U.S. Government sign
worded, "WARNING—Poison Water. the highway in the glare of the head- As I get older, I begin to think the
Do not use for any purpose." lights was one of the largest rattle- human race hasn't as much sense as it
Along the canyon wall and very snakes Henry had ever seen. should have.
close to the water was an old pipeline He had a difficult time pacifying his WELDON F. HEALD
10 DESERT MAGAZINE
house in one of the villages and make
this our headquarters when we came
visiting. We had a little house on a
ledge, high up over the valley near
Shipaulovi. It was our house for many
years and a very peaceful place . . ."
Goods thus collected were dis-
played during the first week of July
each year. Prizes were awarded for
the best entries in various classes, and,
with subsequent sale of the goods, all
proceeds given to the Hopis.
Only 212 articles were displayed
at the first Exhibition. Popularity of
the show increased rapidly, however,
and today the four-day presentation
attracts hundreds of entries, is viewed
by thousands of persons, and approxi-
mately 75 percent of all goods exhib-
ited are sold. As direct result of this
continued competition, the quality of
Hopi pottery has improved until now
it is as good or better than at any
time in history. Navajo craftsmen
hold a similar exhibition at the museum
during the closing days of July.
Another Museum project, now in
its 25th year, is the Junior Indian Art
Show consisting of the best oil paint-
ings, water colors, pen and crayon
sketches, hand-blocked textiles, sculp-
tures, etc., submitted by Hopi and
Navajo students. Hopi Craftsman Exhibit scene. From left, June Finley, Museum art
Heading the judging committee was assistant; Jimmy Kewanwytewa, custodian; and Maxine Gibson, recep-
Mrs. Colton, a famous artist and ex- tionist. Photo by Christy Turner II.
hibitor in her own right, and for many
years Curator of Art at the Museum. historic dwelling sites in northern Ari- sonnel is necessary to lift an institu-
Any of the young Indian artists whose zona may be had from the fact that tion head and shoulders above all
work was under consideration would in the 12 years preceding the founding others in its class—I am certain that
have been gratified, I am sure, to know of the museum, Dr. Colton collected this added push has come from the
how much honest effort was devoted to and cataloged material, and recorded long-sustained interest of Dr. and Mrs.
selecting the three award winners in information from 1280 individual sites Colton.
each class. As I tagged along behind in the Flagstaff vicinity. All this valu-
the judging committee, I could see that When they chose Arizona Territory
able material was turned over to the for a vacation site in that summer of
its members were definitely partial to museum, and with it as a nucleus the
entries which were not a mere reflec- 1910, it was a good day for them—
tion of some white teacher's conven- work of cataloging these former dwell- and a very lucky day for Arizona.
tional education in art, but were done ing sites has gone forward steadily
in the true Indian style—an art-form until today the museum has informa-
as delightful and completely distinctive tion and surface artifacts from more MEXICO CLAMPS DOWN
as that of a Japanese print. than 7000 prehistoric sites in northern ON RELIC ROBBERS
Arizona. The Museum of Northern
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with Arizona is actually what its name im- The Mexican Government is inten-
Mary-Russell Colton. Seldom have I plies. Its collections, exhibits and other sifying its efforts to stop the illegal
met a more friendly woman, or one activities are confined strictly to Ari- exportation of archeological treasures
having a keener sense of humor or zona north of the 34th Parallel which from that country. The United States
more sparkling personality. bisects the state in half. is the prime market for these smuggled
To exaggerate Dr. Colton's contri- For all the 30 years of the museum's goods because of proximity and the
bution to the study of Arizona's pre- life, that irresistible force which has fact that buyers pay premium prices.
historic peoples is impossible. In ad- made this institution great has been Authorities believe strong action is
dition to his 30 years as director of Dr. Harold S. Colton and Mary-Rus- needed if the country is not to be
the Museum, Dr. Colton took a prom- sell F. Colton. Naturally, they have stripped of its centuries-old relics, in-
inent part in the creation of Sunset not done it alone. In addition to a cluding idols, vases, jars, jade pieces,
Crater and Walnut Canyon national board of 22 trustees, including some etc. Federal agents have located at
monuments, did some of the first sci- of Flagstaff's most prominent citizens, least 15 well-organized bands dedicated
entific excavation work at Wupatki the Museum currently has a paid staff to the plundering of archeological
Ruins, and has written copiously on of 15 members, each proficient in his treasures. Some of these use private
archeological subjects. line. But more than all-around effi- planes to carry on their work.—Phoe-
Some idea of the abundance of pre- ciency and thorough training of per- nix Gazette
AUGUST, 1958 11
ON DESERT TRAILS WITH A NATURALIST — LII
now we were very hungry. It was
Edible Plants That Grow decided, in the interest of saving time,
that I would cook lunch while the
others went up-canyon to search for
Along the Desert Trails snails.
"It's such ideal territory for finding
a new snail, lots of rock slides and
deep crevices," said Dr. Berry. "I
To be a good cook one needs a good imagination — especially predict we will have our prize even by
when preparing meals over a campfire. This month Dr. Jaeger divulges the time the meal is prepared."
some of his culinary secrets, and the reader will find these meals tasty, "I don't think it is so certain that
nourishing, and—perhaps most important of all when cooking in the you'll have quite that good fortune," I
out-of-doors—easy to prepare. said, "but we'll see what the outcome
is."
By EDMUND C. JAEGER, D.Sc. The supply box was woefully low
Curator of Plants on provision after five days of camp-
Riverside Municipal Museum ing, and I was at wit's end deciding
what to prepare. Finally I got some-
N A MARCH morning in 1929, leading southward into one of the thing cooking, and was about ready
Dr. Stillman Berry, the eminent canyons of the intriguing Avawatz to call the men in when I heard a
mollusk specialist, two of my Mountains. It was a long pull, and great shout not very far up-canyon.
students and I left Saratoga Springs we did not get to the place where we "What's all this noise about?" I
in the Death Valley region and mo- hoped to collect land snails until noon. called.
tored up the steep rock-strewn road We had had an early breakfast, and "Wait until you see!" replied Dr.
Berry triumphantly as he came run-
ning back toward camp with hand
Dr. Jaeger working in the field. outstretched toward me. Near the
skillet where I was vigorously stirring
my concoction of hot food, he excitedly
showed me several small beautifully-
banded desert land snail shells.
"A brand new one," he said. "A
really brand new one, and, of course,
an unnamed one."
"Well, what are you going to call
it?" I asked.
"Naturally, Avawatzica will be its
specific name in deference to these
mountains of rugged grandeur where
we found it. From now on it will be
called Sonorelix avawatzica."
Just then Dr. Berry caught sight of
the dark red mixture stewing in my
skillet.
"And what are you going to call
that?" he asked, pointing an extended
finger toward it. "I never saw the likes
of that before—it too must be new
and have a name bestowed upon it."
I'll just call it 'avawatzica', too," I
jestfully replied. And to this day the
newly-invented camp dish has gone
by that name. In all the succeeding
years it has been a favorite. I've
served it to groups of nearly a hundred
persons, and all have pronounced it
good. This dish, which may be con-
sidered the backbone of a meal, rec-
ommends itself in part because it can
be made so quickly. Here's the recipe
for generous servings for three:
In four tablespoons cooking oil,
butter or margarine brown two
heaping tablespoons of flour in a
skillet or saucepan. Pour in one can
tomato sauce or tomato soup and
DESERT MAGAZINE
one can red kidney beans. Boil well
for three minutes. The browned
flour gives a zestful baked flavor.
It's simple to make, yet so pleas-
ingly good.
I created another worthy camp dish
in 1937 on a sketching trip for my
desert wildflower book. We were
camped at the base of Kokoweef Peak
in the Mojave Desert's Ivanpah Moun-
tains, and at day's close came the
question from hungry companions:
"What's on the menu tonight? We're
starving!"
"I don't know what it will be, but
whatever it is we will call it 'kokoweef-
ica' after our campsite," I replied.
I gave directions to get the juniper
campfire started, and then looked over
the depleted supplies in the grub-box.
Working hurriedly, I came up with the
following:
Two cups of elbow macaroni
placed in rapidly boiling salted {half
teaspoon) water, and cooked until
tender. When done, drain off the
water, then add a can of tomato
sauce. When this is well cooked in,
stir in a cup of diced American
cheese. Serve after the cheese melts.
Folks often write me to ask about
the merits of desert or squaw tea as a
camp or home beverage, and especi-
ally how to prepare it. At least seven
kinds of desert tea (Ephedra) grow
on our western deserts. Among the
most common are: Ephedra californ-
ica, with coarse yellow-green stems;
Ephedra nevadensis, with gray-green
stems; and Ephedra viridis, with viv-
idly green broom-like clusters of
branches.
Ephedra viridis sometimes is called
"mountain squaw tea" because it is Some desert plants which can either be eaten or brewed into tea. 1. narrow-
found at higher elevations (4000 to leaf miner's lettuce. 2. round-leaf miner's lettuce. 3. pennyroyal. 4. yellow
7000 feet). It is a particularly hand- pepper-grass. 5. desert tea. 6. wild onion.
some plant where it grows among
black lava blocks or junipers of red
volcanic soils. This species, in my a supply of dried plants on hand for brown sugar (panocha). I had some
estimation, is the most flavorful. I use winter use. They are best gathered canned milk which we put in to help
it green or dried. when in full flower. Added sugar bring out the delicate spicy flavor. The
brings out the full blossomlike aromas. chocolate available in Mexican stores
All one has to do to make a good Mexican chocolate also makes an has, in addition to the cinnamon, pow-
drink is to brew a handful of the small excellent beverage. It can be pur- dered almonds and eggs. Our supper
jointed stems for about 10 minutes in chased prepared and boxed in round that night consisted of chocolate, well-
a couple of quarts of vigorously boil- cakes in most Mexican stores (abaro- baked tortillas and fresh cactus fruits
ing water. This beverage is surpris- tes) for about five pesos (40c) a from the widespread pitahaya agria
ingly refreshing, especially if a little package (six cakes), or you can make (Lemairocereus gummosus). We had
sugar is added to bring out the flavor. your own from cocoa, as I sometimes a simple but well-balanced meal,
Lemon juice or strawberry jam may be do. healthful and satisfying.
put in for variety. Squaw tea is said to
be a good source of vitamin C, often I was introduced to this drink many There are a number of desert herbs
lacking in ordinary camp fare. years ago while botanizing in Baja which can be used with distinct ad-
California's desert mountains south of vantage in scrambled eggs. Among
In those areas where the desert ap- Ensenada. Two Mexican cowhands, these are some members of the mus-
proaches forested mountains, there are with whom we fraternized one evening, tard family such as squaw cabbage
species of a kind of mint called "pen- made it from raw ingredients. They (Streptanthus inflatus) and yellow
nyroyal" (Monardella) which also boiled several spoonfuls of ground pepper-grass (Lepidium flavum). I
make good tea. It has a delicacy of cocoa beans in water, added a dash fold the cut-up leaves into the beaten
flavor all its own, and I generally keep of black pepper, cinnamon and native eggs. These greens are in season but
AUGUST, 1958
a few weeks, so most of the time I A good many of my correspondents one-jourth cups oj milk put suffi-
prepare omelets with domesticated have inquired about the edibility of cient wheat flour (pre-mixed with
herbs as follows: the fat green fruits of the Mojave and a full teaspoon of baking powder
For three servings beat six eggs Tree yuccas. The Indians are said to and one-third teaspoon of salt) to
in a saucepan, add a little salt and have eaten them after roasting or boil- make a batter that is rather thin.
a jew cut-up sprigs of fresh or dried ing. I am still at a loss to know how Pare one sweet apple, cut in quart-
thyme (Thymus vulgare) or mar- they found them palatable. I have ers and slice very thin, then fold in.
joram {Origanum hortensis), three tried repeated boilings in fresh water Fry pancakes in salad oil, and when
tablespoons of canned milk and one- to remove the soapy flavor, but with- done to rich yellow brown serve
fourth cup of finely minced cheese. out success. Every time I pour off with syrup made from manzanita
Flujj and brown in butter or oil in the water a big pile of foamy suds berries, maple syrup or, better yet,
an iron skillet or Dutch oven. builds up on the ground beneath— wild choke cherries. The latter is
Several species of miner's lettuce the last water seems as full of sapona- made from wild cherries I gather in
(Montia) grow on our deserts, gener- ceous substances as the first. The flat late August in the mountains.
ally in the shade of rocks or shrubs. black yucca seeds contain a very high Equally good in camp, especially on
They make a very acceptable salad as grade cooking and salad oil which, a winter morning, is apple corn bread
do several kinds of wild crucifers properly refined, is mild in flavor and made by thinly slicing an apple, and
found in early spring. Ocotillo flowers very nutritious. adding it to a corn muffin mix. Baked
spiced with a little lemon and olive oil My first interest when on a desert in a Dutch oven with plenty of hot
are said to add both flavor and vivid trip is in the wildlife. I am constantly creosote bush, mesquite or ironwood
color to any green salad. alert to see new things even in familiar coals on the rimmed lid to insure a
If you like the delicate flavor of haunts, and I often fill my notebook brown top crust, it is delicious every
young onions, you can satisfy your with choice bits of Nature news. I time.
cooking or salad needs by using some also revel in the bright sunshine, the I suggest that my readers delve into
of the wild onion bulbs that often are scented breezes and sight of sand and Charles Francis Saunders' "Useful
found in abundance in gravelly places rocks and hills and plains. But I do Wild Plants oj the United States and
on the higher desert slopes. In spring not neglect to enjoy the simple meals Canada and Sturdevant's Edible Plants,
a great number of the simple slender served out-of-doors that appease a as they explore new ways to augment
green leaves of wild onion often pro- healthy hunger. At breakfast time my the camp menu. Camp cooking is lots
trude above ground. The small white German apple pancakes very often are of good fun—and can be educational
marble-sized bulbs are found about two on my menu. They have proven to be for we learn much interesting and
inches below the ground surface, and a favorite with my young friends. Here valuable plant lore by inquiring into
generally can be secured by pulling up is how to prepare them for serving the botanical relationships, the native
on the leaves after the soil has been three: home, and distribution of the plants
loosened with a knife or pick. Into one egg whipped in one and we utilize.
14 DESERT MAGAZINE
Pictures
of the
Month
Summet Staim
Richard H. Currens of Buckeye,
Arizona, took the second-prize
winner near his home during what
he described as the worst thunder-
storm of the summer. "I was
standing right beside him," wrote
his wife, "and when that thunder-
bolt struck the ground, believe me,
I left!" Camera data: 4x5 Graphic
camera; Tri-X film; time exposure.
A U G U S T , 1958 15
Bobby Robey on the face of the secondary Verde Antique quarry.
ately north of the quarry named for The field trip was led by Bill Tem- The road passes through the pleas-
Sheldon Stoddard, a San Bernardino ple, Sr., a Ventura carpenter, and his ant narrow valley formed by Side-
County pioneer who came to Califor- son, Bill, Jr., recently discharged from winder Wash which drains about 50
nia in 1851. For many years Stoddard the Army and now an electronic's square miles of rolling terrain. There
carried mail and freight between San mechanic. The Temples come often has been much home-building devel-
Bernardino and Salt Lake City, mak- to the desert, and they had made very opment here in the past two years.
ing 24 round-trips in all. thorough preparations for this outing. Scattered about were a few Joshua
VERDE RNT/QUE
QURRRY
TO BARSTOW
Victorville
0.0 Ml.-j-;:-
AUGUST, 1958 17
trees overlooking the thick carpet of ing on stone came echoing down from were freighted to Victorville, placed
green creosote and other smaller several places on the steep face of the
on trains and transported down the
shrubs, and yellow goldflowers and hill, Bill Harrison, his 10-year-old Cajon Pass to Colton where they were
canary-yellow desert dandelions. nephew, Bobby Robey, and I made a sawed and polished.
After the pavement ends nine miles Jeep ride southward across the talus Bill told me the story of this deposit.
from the Victorville Bridge, the road slope of the mountain to the base of The marble was laid down as lime-
passes through a narrow defile in the the main working. stone in the Late Paleozoic era, pre-
barren and rocky hills. It then swings Bill is a chemist employed for thesumably during the Mississippian age
in a more northerly direction. After past 10 years by the Tidewater Oil when a great inland sea covered vast
emerging from this pass the two Verde Company at Ventura. A bachelor, he areas of the Southwest. This was about
Antique workings near the top of the was born in Nebraska 36 years ago, 200,000,000 years ago—the age of
1100-foot hill jutting out of the plain amphibians and floral life. The Victor-
and studied at the University of Iowa,
immediately east of the trail, are clear- University of Rochester and U.C.L.A. ville area was the scene of much vol-
ly visible. Stoddard Well Road is a Of medium height, stocky and with canic action at the close of this era,
better than average desert route and and heat and pressure from this vol-
short-clipped hair, Bill's serious inter-
passable to all types of vehicles. canism compacted the impure lime-
ests are many. Photography, television
There are several short branch trails stone into marble. The impurities in
script writing and rock collecting are
leading to the base of the quarry hill. chief among them. And the latter is the bedding gave the stone its distinc-
tive color patterns. Heat and pressure
also explain why no fossil remains are
found in the metamorphized stone.
When we returned to the field camp,
Ruth Parker of Ventura, a country
school teacher, avid Sierra Club mem-
ber, and rockhound of 20 years stand-
ing, requested Bill's services. Only a
few feet off the trail she had uncov-
ered a 300-pound chartreuse marble
boulder and needed his know-how
with a sledge hammer and drill to
break it into pieces she could handle.
Miss Parker is an amateur botanist.
Knee-deep in wildflowers, she named
off two dozen different species—pha-
celias, blue bells, 18-inch-high golden
yellow fiddlenecks, the dried inflated
stalks of desert trumpet, yellow ment-
zelia . . . The purple heads of chia
(Desert, April, '58) were abundant,
and when the summer heat has passed,
those wishing to collect its cereal seeds
will have a good harvest ground here.
Miss Parker's pride and joy was
the discovery of a patch of delicate
evening snow, a gilia, growing in a
hollow on the side of the hill. The
white buds were tightly closed in the
bright sunlight, but at sunset they
opened wide and remained so until
morning, filling the air with exotic
fragrance. Before extensive cultiva-
tion, miles upon miles of evening
snow scented the air below Grapevine
Ruth Parker is an avid amateur botanist. Canyon on Highway 99 near Bakers-
field, still one of California's most
The one at the bend in the road (15 more than a busman's holiday, for he famous wildflower areas.
miles from the Bridge) which heads enjoys polishing stones and making The birds were very active on this
to the loading area under the main jewelry as well as searching out the desert slope, especially sparrows and
working, is very rough in places. The remotest secrets of stones and fossils. rock wrens. Miss Parker laughed when
better trail forking at 16 miles from Bill's enthusiasm for rocks and the she recounted how a pair of rock
the Bridge leads to a point under the outdoors has spilled over onto Bobby wrens advanced to within a few feet
smaller quarry. The Temples con- and Bill's other nephews and nieces. of her, scolding and bobbing with each
ducted us to this latter point, for it is " 'Pretty rocks' are probably the hop, probably because she had been
here that more float material is avail- first words they all spoke," laughed sitting near their nest.
able to collectors, and more protected Bill. Just before noon, Bobby and I
camping sites can be found. Of course, At the loading area, connected to made the tough climb up the hill's
there is no water in this area, and the main quarry by what once was face to the secondary quarry.
campers would be wise to bring their a road but now a trail suitable only The layer of verde antique atop the
own firewood. for foot travel, we found one of the hill is from three to six feet in width.
After the convoy was parked and old sleds used for hauling the bould- The quarries were driven into the side
the sound of prospecting picks strik- ers to wagons. From here the stones of the limestone bed and therefore
18 DESERT MAGAZINE
The Temples have made many desert outings, and they have worked much verde
antique marble on their lapidary outfit.
one must go sideways—not into the On the same mountain flank, but been some silver, iron and a mineral
face of the quarries—for marble. Here further east, is the Three Colored filter—victorite pyrophyllite—develop-
the miners blasted off the overburden Marble Quarry. This working, often ment here.
and threw it into the dump. The area confused in the old mining reports and Gertrude Temple, the field trip
where the cars were parked was strewn even today with the Verde Antique, leader's wife, met us at the parked
with huge limestone boulders only a produced a stone of white irregular cars with a cool glass of lemonade.
few years ago. Nearly all of this easy- dolomite fragments in a green and Mrs. Temple has cut and polished
to-get-to material has been chipped black matrix of dolomitic limestone. much verde antique, her specialty be-
down and carried off. Those who As far as color is concerned, it is ing button earrings. After slicing the
search for verde antique from now on somewhat inferior to the Verde An- material on her 14-inch slab saw, she
are faced with a steep climb, which tique marble. The Three Colored roughs-out the desired shape on a trim
will greatly limit the amount of ma- Quarry was worked between 1915 and saw. Next comes the shaping on a
terial one person can take home. A 1918. fine 220 carborundum wheel. Marble
collector who enjoys hiking will find These two quarries are among half is relatively soft compared with other
this area one well worth visiting. a dozen small dimension stone works gem stones, and it cuts and grinds
When Bobby and I reached the sec- in the Victorville area active a half very fast. Sanding is done with a well
ondary quarry, we took a long rest. century ago, yielding building, monu- worn 220 or 320 grit cloth—with the
It was a bright clear day and we were mental, paving and curbing stones. emphasis on "well worn" or else the
able to trace faint dirt roads for miles Marble production declined sharply material will show scratches. She
through the green desert. Immedi- with the increased use of terra cotta finishes by polishing the piece with
ately south of the Verde Antique hill in construction. Another curtailing Linde A compound on a leather wheel.
is Sidewinder Mountain, a long rugged factor was the establishment in San This last operation only takes two
desert range with a great white scar Francisco of mills to handle the much minutes.
high up on its flank. This is the Side- better grades of marble from Vermont
winder Mine, one of the largest gold and Italy. These stones were brought I met many more fine people from
operations in the Victorville-Barstow to the West Coast as ship ballast, and the Ventura society that afternoon, and
region. Work began here in the 1880s as such were transported more cheaply I was grateful for their thoughtful hos-
and continued intermittently until than marble from northern California pitality. There are many homes on
1942. In the old days the ore from the quarries only 150 miles from San the coast whose inhabitants share my
Sidewinder was shipped to Victorville Francisco. recollection of a worthwhile and pleas-
for milling at a 10-stamp mill erected The tremendous limestone deposits ant desert outing—and no doubt on
in 18&7. The mine was then yielding throughout this area are responsible their mantels oi cupboards are bits oi
$30 in free gold to the ton of ore. A for the large-scale cement operations the same yellow and green marble ad-
cyanide mill was built near the mine in Lucerne Valley, Victorville and mired in a long ago era by the patrons
in 1928, but it has been dismantled. Oro Grande. In addition, there has of the old Palace.
AUGUST, 1958 19
Just a Dusty Desert Road ...
By MAX H. ROBINSON
TS JUST A ROAD," said I, a stranger to the and I shunned the skunk. I heard the busybody, scolding
beauty of the desert land, "just another road, squirrels and the gophers, living underground, creating,
dusty and forlorn." working, playing, like the tenants of a town.
And so I traveled on — under a snowy canopy of Above me flew the circling vultures, while the jewel-
floating clouds, against a blue background, through sunny like butterflies applauded the beauty of the day. Alight-
lanes of pinyon and green mesquite, and over mountain ing here and there were the sweet-toothed wisps of feath-
passes lined with rocks of gold and amber hue. Around ers—the pygmy hummingbirds.
the bend I saw the waterhole and the yucca — stems of The perky blue jays told me all and more—about the
creamy waxen blossoms, candles of the desert lighting all robber shrike, the hungry snake, and the gay freedom-
the way. And hidden there, among the cactus flowers, I loving jack rabbits flirting everywhere. I saw the prairie
could see the mariposa lily and a carpet of wild verbena. dog sitting near his burrow, and caught a glimpse of the
"No life," said I, "just endless miles to cover." bounding deer high-tailing up the slope. I watched the
Of what value was all this barren and desolate darting dodging lizard, and his friends the tortoise and
space? No tender green grass at the road's edge, no plant the toad. And in the late of evening I heard the hungry
higher than the car's hood, no murmuring brook shaded call of the lean and sly coyote.
from the sun's warm rays. "It's quiet here along the road," said I, a little more
Each turn in the road was a disappointment for ahead gently now. "No roaring, blasting, whirring—only the
lay more of the bleak scenery I had just passed through. soft hooting of an owl and the stir of breeze at dusk; the
A battered cabin here and there gave mute testimony to cooing of the doves and sweet song of the mockingbird
the fact that man and beast must live where there is water. calling to its mate."
But as the days went by, I traveled on to meet the And as I traveled on, a peace came over me—a hap-
papa and mama quail and their little replicas strutting piness I had never felt before. Looking back once more,
right behind; the unsophisticated roadrunner, jaywalking I knew it would always be—not just a road—but a way
all around. I laughed at the shameless hussy. Cottontail of life for me.
20 DESERT MAGAZINE
Paul Jones, chairman of the Navajo Tribal Council. J. Maurice McCabe, the Council's secretary-treasurer.
AUGUST, 1958 21
who must channel and supervise its
distribution. J. Maurice McCabe, the
efficient secretary-treasurer of the Nav-
ajo Tribe, called it an "awkward"
amount.
"Don't misunderstand me," McCabe
emphasized in an interview given to
a newspaper reporter. "We're de-
lighted to have this large amount of
money, as any organization would be.
The headache lies in the tremendous
responsibility involved in its proper
handling. Here, in the hands of this
Council, lies the total capital of an
entire people. It's a frightening thing
to contemplate.
"We Navajos are realistic; we re-
member the hard past and look warily
to an uncertain future. Perhaps we
are too wary, but we have ample rea-
son to be. Our uranium leases were
supposed to furnish us with handsome
royalties for decades to come—but al-
ready the uranium is playing out. How
do we know but that the oil will also
play out within a year or two? Oh, I
know that the geologic forecast is ex-
cellent—but how can we be sure? The
answer is that we cannot be sure.
Therefore, it is obviously of the utmost
importance that this present windfall
be used in a manner carefully calcu-
lated to most benefit all Navajos.
We cannot afford to gamble on a
nebulous future.
"I have been asked by well-meaning
people to explain why this vast sum of
money is not distributed evenly among
our needy people. To any economist
the answer is perfectly simple. Spread
over 80,000 people on a per capita
basis, the money would pay a few gro-
cery bills and liquidate a few debts.
Manuelito Begay, a Navajo Tribal Councilman and a leader from the Then everybody would be right back
where they started from; making a
Crownpoint area. Council is seeking long-range and permanent benefits meager living from sheep, goats, blan-
for the tribesmen from newly-gained oil fortune. ket-weaving and silversmithing. Well,
soaring natural stone bridges, and bar- The Navajo Tribal Council, which Icapable believe that the Navajo people are
of doing greater things!
ren flats where boundaries of Utah, meets regularly at Window Rock, Ari-
Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico zona, to administer the business affairs "Understand, I do not advocate that
meet. Known to pioneers as "The of the tribe, will receive thousands of Navajos give up their ancestral arts
Land that God Forgot," and until dollars a day from one pipe line alone. and skills; I ask simply that they add
recently one of the largest trackless In all, three lines are planned—one of to those crafts through training and
areas in the United States, the Four them already completed. This is the education the highly specialized skills
Corners country now is bisected with Four Corners Pipe Line from Utah- and professions of the white man, so
roads and studded with oil and natural New Mexico oil fields to Los Angeles they can protect their rights and make
gas wells. refineries, delivering 70,000 barrels of a good living in this modern world.
To oil men accustomed to the level crude oil daily. Money per se means little; education
or gently rolling plains of Texas and To all this mighty flurry of activity and training mean everything.
Oklahoma, this desolate waste seemed and feverish planning for the future, "Our boys and girls have herded
as devoid of petroleum prospects as the Navajos remain impassive while sheep and goats for centuries; now it
the moon. But geologists assured them meticulously checking the fine print in is time they learn to be lawyers, doc-
the prospects were there. Test drill- their oil lease contracts. By mid-1957, tors, airplane pilots and hostesses,
ings were made in selected areas, and the Tribal Council had received about carpenters, electricians, machinists,
oil was found in paying quantity. The $35,000,000 in oil lease bonus money. nurses, stenographers, mechanics and
big companies quickly moved in and Counting $15,000,000 remaining from plumbers. We desperately need tech-
spent millions of dollars for leases, uranium lease payments, the Council nical high schools and business schools
drilling and pipe lines. Industry lead- treasury had a neat bank balance of to supplement Government primary
ers believe the new field is the most $50,000,000. Admittedly, this is a lot and secondary schools, and other ed-
promising in the nation, with the pos- of money—but it adds up to a king- ucational facilities available to the
sible exception of the Gulf Coast. sized headache for Council officials Navajos. Trusts must be set up for
22 DESERT MAGAZINE
Horse-drawn wagons still are much in use on the Navajo Reservation. Milton
Snow photograph.
Three young Navajo men from Kayenta come in their best finery to take part in
an evening squaw dance. Milton Snow photograph.
AUGUST, 1958
ing sprees of the Osage tribe after oil
was discovered on their Oklahoma
lands nearly 40 years ago. Today, the
high pressure exponents of the "hard
sell" look in vain for the legendary
Red Man who cracked up one Cadillac
against a telephone pole, stepped out
of the wreckage unhurt, caught a ride
to town in a Model T Ford and or-
dered another Cadillac — bigger and
redder than the one he'd wrecked.
That type of Indian disappeared when
the high-tax era moved in. The oil-
rich Indian of 1958 is of an entirely
different breed.
Slim Whitehorse, for example, re-
ceived $200,000 for 183 acres of land.
Whitehorse, a long-hair Indian, speaks
no English and never had a day's
schooling in his life. But Slim has
immense dignity and keen native in-
telligence — nobody is running any
tricks on him. After long and silent
deliberation, he bought a new but low-
priced pickup truck, household sup-
plies for his hogan, blue jeans, cowboy
boots, 10-gallon hat, and a few modest
gifts for his family. Then, through an
interpreter furnished by the Tribal
Council, Slim arranged to have the
balance of his land surveyed, marked
and recorded to legally define its boun-
daries as protection against possible
white sharpshooters. The rest of his
money went into the bank.
Albert Baker, an educated Navajo
who received $90,000 for a 90-acre
tract of land, came to town to buy an
automobile and ran afoul of a demon
young car salesman. A gentle courte-
ous man, Albert listened patiently
while the salesman enthusiastically ex-
tolled the advantages of a flashy red-
and-white convertible in the $5000
price class. When the youngster
A Navajo girl. Her generation will receive training in the white man's stopped for breath, Albert quietly said:
skills and industries. Photograph by Milton Snow. "Do you take me for a fool, young
man? Do you think that I have for-
educational, health and welfare pur- that oil operations on the Navajo Res- gotten the value of a dollar because
poses over a long-range schedule. Not ervation have reached the proportions by great good fortune I now have
a dollar must be wasted or frittered of an authentic boom. According to many dollars? No, young friend, I
away." the United States Geological Survey, still remember what it was like just a
Under McCabe's watchful eye, the hundreds of gas and oil wells will be few winters ago when my wife and I
Tribal Council carefully checks before drilled there by the end of this year. pawned all of our fine turquoise-and-
authorizing any expenditure. Last year, Already about 1,200,000 acres of tri- silver jewelry at the trader's store for
$5,000,000 was set aside as a trust bal lands have been leased to the oil food. There came a time when the
fund to finance college scholarships companies. Individual Indians who pinyon nuts were few, and there was
for worthy Navajo students. Recently, own land outright on the reservation only a little mutton and fry-bread left.
$25,000 was allotted for the purchase have leased an additional 100,000 My children could not go to school
of eye-glasses for people unable to acres, for which they received over because they had no warm clothes or
buy them. With the first flow of $2,000,000. shoes to wear."
uranium dollars several years ago, the The commercial consequences of The Navajo paused and laid a hand
tribal officials contracted with cloth- this cash bonanza have not been what on the gleaming hood of the converti-
ing manufacturers to supply clothing white businessmen expected, for the ble. "This car is very beautiful, but
for Navajo children who were not at- lucky Navajo individuals are treating it was not made to haul sheep and
tending school because of inadequate their new fortunes as security against wool and supplies. Young man, when
attire. In 1956-57, $1,000,000 was the future, rather than as a means for I came into your place, I told you that
allocated for this purpose. reckless spending in the present. This I was looking for a good used pickup
Despite McCabe's cool skepticism is a disconcerting situation — especi- truck at a fair price. I will look at
and the wait-and-see attitude of the ally to fast-talking car salesmen who other places until I find one. Thank
tribal elders, it now appears certain have heard tales of the fantastic spend- you, and goodbye."
24 DESERT MAGAZINE
LIFE ON THE DESERT
Pinyon jays taking food from the hand of the Indian's wife. Photograph by the
author.
Pinyon Jays Are Funny... did I realize that I was about to spend
one of the most delightful ornithologi-
cal hours of my life.
After the Indian welcomed me to
A pleasurable incident which occurred 36 years ago is the sub- his camp, I asked about the tame jays.
ject of this true experience story—an afternoon spent among the pinyon He told me that the birds had been
pines observing the antics of a Paiute Indian's pet jays. taken from their nest in a pine tree
during the early spring, and had been
By LAURENCE M. HUEY kept as pets in several different local-
ities in which the family had lived dur-
N THE SUMMER of 1922 the rickety wagons on which they had ing the past three months. The birds
pinyon pines on the northern loaded all of their possessions, includ- had never been caged, in spite of the
slope of Mount Magruder in west- ing a flock of 20 chickens. Wishing fact that roving bands of wild pinyon
central Nevada had an extra heavy to purchase some eggs, I went to their jays were constantly about. Oddly
crop of cones which gave promise of camp a few days after they arrived. enough, he had no sooner said this
a goodly harvest of pine nuts. About Upon approaching their place, I was when we heard the voices of a large
mid-July an Indian family moved in surprised to see two pinyon jays flock of jays in the pines on the nearby
and pitched their tents near a small perched on top of one of the wagons. hillside. The two pets, roaming freely
spring to await the harvest time. They They were exceptionally tame and did about the wagons, paid no attention
had two teams of small horses and two not fly when I came up. My interest to their wild relatives. The wandering
A U G U S T , 1958 25
flock seemed to have no enchantment apart it opened the hole. Without re- pleted and in the sifting stage, that is
great enough to lure them from the moving its beak it cocked its head when it was being held in a vertical
happy semi-domesticated environment. sideways and peered in, first with one position and the tobacco settled into
My Indian friend went on to tell me eye and then the other. The jay then an even mass by gently tapping the
that the birds were very mischievous tried to reach in with its beak as far sides, the jay quickly jumped onto the
and were constantly getting into as the hole would permit. Failing to hand that was holding the cigarette,
trouble. As we sat near the wagon find the imaginary object of its search, and thrust its beak down into the open
talking, one of the jays—the tamest of the bird repeated the peering prank. end. Spreading the mandibles apart,
the two—hopped up onto the top of This was the most amusing incident I
had ever seen a wild bird perform. the paper was split and the loosened
the Indian's hat. He brushed it off tobacco ran out. The Indian caught
with his hand, but in the course of a The Indian, observing my keen inter-
est, offered to show me other tricks his the tobacco in the palm of his other
few moments it was back. This time hand. Then the jay probed it over
the bird performed one of its queer pet jays could perform.
antics. The hat was an old one of soft This time he took from his pocket with its beak as if searching for food.
felt, and constant creasing had worn a small sack of tobacco, and rolled a This brought peals of laughter from
an inch-long hole near the peak of the cigarette while the jay sat watching on both of us, and the episode was re-
crown. Into this crack the jay thrust the wagon wheel a foot or two away. peated for my pleasure.
its beak, and spreading the mandibles When the cigarette was almost com- Both jays took leading roles in the
next trick. The Indian brought out
two ears of corn and we both flipped
This is one test in which you kernels into the air for them to catch.
TRUE OR FALSE grade your own answers. And
if you flunk badly no one need
know it but yourself. However, a low grade is no disgrace if you learn
This they did with ease by making
short sallies from convenient vantage
points. If the kernel was missed, a
something in the process. Twelve to 14 correct answers is a fair score, chicken snapped it up the moment it
15 to 17 is good, and any score over 17 is excellent. The answers are on hit the ground. Very few got past the
page 36. jays, however. As fast as a grain was
caught, the bird would attempt to hide
1—Rattlesnakes are most vicious when the weather is cold. True it by hopping around on the ground
False and diligently searching for a place
that offered some security from possi-
2—Cochise was the name of a famous Navajo chief. True False ble discovery. This spot usually was
3—The desert mesquite tree sheds its leaves in winter. True False under a sage bush where the bird would
A—The Casa Grande ruins in Arizona are the remains of an old U. S. thrust its beak into the dead leaves
Army fort built to protect wagon trains from marauding Apaches. and deposit the corn. Then with a
True False deft sweep of the beak it would cover
5—The Seven Cities of Cibola according to legend were located in what the spot with leaves or a small stick,
is now Cibola Valley along the Colorado River in Arizona. True and return for more. The chickens
False knew all about this trick. The jays
never seemed to be able to avoid the
6—Desert lilies grow from bulbs. True False prying eyes of some old hen, and their
7—Ballarat is a famous ghost town in California. True False caches were soon despoiled. This
8—Some of the Pueblo Indians of the Southwest still use a stone metate catch, hide and scramble game was lots
for grinding corn. True False of fun and was enjoyed by all—especi-
ally the chickens!
9—Bright Angel is the name given to a trail leading to the summit of
Mt. Whitney, highest peak in United States. True False The most sagacious prank on the
10—Chuckawalla lizards were eaten by desert Indians. True part of the tamest jay happened as I
False was leaving. I purchased a dozen eggs,
and had paid the Indian with several
11—Carnotite, the ore from which comes uranium, radium and vanadium, small coins. In the lot was a bright
is yellow. True False new quarter. Wishing to help me put
12—Mishongovi is the name of a town in the Hopi reservation. True the eggs in my hat—the only recep-
False tacle available—the Indian placed the
money on the bed of a wagon. As
13—Among the peaks visible from the Southern California desert San quick as a flash the jay hopped down,
Gorgonio is the highest. True False picked up the quarter in its beak, and
14—Sport fishing in the Little Colorado River is a thriving industry at was off amid a blast of harsh words
Cameron, Arizona. True False from the Indian. The coin was dropped
15—The flood water which poured out of the Colorado River in 1905-6-7 by the jay on the far side of the camp,
irretrievably lost in the sage brush.
and formed Salton Sea reached United States by way of Mexico.
True False I returned a few days later with a
16—The Bill Williams River of Arizona flows into Lake Mead. True camera to make some pictures, but
False found the Indian had gone hunting.
17—Window Rock, tribal headquarters for the Navajo, is in New Mexico. The jays would not perform well for
True False the woman, but she got them to eat
out of her hand and in this act I made
18—The Ouray Indian reservation is in Nevada. True False the picture which accompanies this
19—Sand paintings are used in Navajo healing ceremonies. True story. During my visit I asked her
False what they called the jays in the Paiute
20—Roosevelt dam is in the Gila River of Arizona. True False language, and she replied, "Ky'yah,
Ky'yah—that's what he say!"
26 DESERT MAGAZINE
Children ohthe Sky Dwellers..
Caught between two worlds —
the white man's with its gas cook-
ing stove and all important weekly-
pay check, and the orderly inte-
grated ways of their forefathers—
the Acoxnas struggle forward, mak-
ing their adjustments along the
way. While most of these pueblo
people live in nearby farm com-
munities, the roots of tribal tradi-
tion lie deep within the great rock
citadel upon which their way of
life was sustained for centuries.
By TRUDY ALFORD
Map by Norton Allen
one had a chance to speak. At the would no longer come to see us in family here in Acoma has one mem-
beginning, most of the elders didn't person. After two or three days of ber who goes to Grants or Albuquer-
like the idea." council everyone went along with the que to earn cash. It takes cash nowa-
"Why not?" I asked. majority opinion—to allow the show days!" he declared.
"Some thought the electricity might to take place." While pottery making has never
hurt the cattle. Others thought if peo- Chavez has a job in the Anaconda been considered a major art with the
ple saw Acoma on television, they Copper uranium fields. "Almost every women of Acoma, it is now almost at
AUGUST, 1958 29
Acoma scene in 1904—it looks much the same today. Photo by Mode Wineman,
courtesy Dept. of Interior.
a standstill. Only a few older women of what the Spanish Conquistadores material for constructing this church
make enough pottery for their sum- called El Penol—The Great Rock— was carried to the top on the backs of
mer stalls on the highway, and while is the setting for these festivities. It is the proud people of Acoma.
most of the younger women know how reached from Highway 66 by driving Sky City is a venerated shrine. Here
to make pottery, they do little prac- 14 miles south on State Highway 23. the Acomas live again the ways of their
ticing. Details of the dyes — where On approaching Sky City, the pene- forefathers. Four war chiefs are
they are gathered, how they are ground trating solitude of the desert, with its elected each year to guard ancient se-
and mixed—and countless other age- cacti, wind-swept junipers and the crets, and they never leave their post
old secrets soon may be lost forever. riotous brilliance of the sun, make for the duration of their office. It has
But, women of Acoma have many more credible the Acoma legends that been said that the personality of an
other activities to keep them busy. personify these natural wonders. The Acoma changes when he is On Top.
They help with the harvest, and pre- ascent to Sky City is made either by A white rancher told me that one
serve several hundred quarts of food the 50-year-old "new" Sand Trail, or young man who worked with him for
against the chill winter's hunger. They by the ancient Toe and Finger Trail. six years and who was one of the most
are tender patient mothers and excel- On top, the centuries dissolve among friendly and open persons he had ever
lent housekeepers. One young matron, ancient adobe and rock homes ar- met, became very reserved and reluc-
the mother of eight, bakes bread for ranged in two and three story tiers tant to answer any questions concern-
her family every week in her outdoor around the rocky plaza. There are ing religious or other customs when
oven. More modern conveniences are no shrubs or trees here—nothing but he was On Top.
appearing regularly, and many homes flat rough rock and thin layers of pul-
now have running water and gas stoves. verized sand. There can be no doubt that white
man's culture is making inroads in the
The Acomas are quite conversant The most impressive building on Acoma society, but who can say which
about their Catholic religion. Visitors the crag is the church of San Esteban way of life will be better for the In-
are most welcome when certain feasts Re. Built in 1629, it is the largest dian in the long run? History that is
are celebrated. Saint Stephen's Day mission church in the Southwest. (An yet to be written alone holds the
(their patron saint), September 2; All extra 50c admission after the initial answer.
Souls Day, November 1; and Christ- dollar entrance fee to the pueblo, is As I left, the streets were mysteri-
mas are the special occasions on the charged to enter the church. It costs ous and silent. Only the soft whisper
Acoma calendar when dancing and another 50c if photographs are taken.) of the rising wind, breathing a halo
feasting usually take place in addition In some places the walls are nine and of the infinite peace of the desert
to the celebration of the mass. a half feet thick in this 150-foot long around the twin spires of San Esteban
The Acomas' ancestral home on top and 40-foot wide building. All the Re, broke the silence.
30 DESERT MAGAZINE
Corvina Thrive in Salton Sea . . .
32 DESERT MAGAZINE
NEVADA Nevada Growth Predicted . . . Novajo Dam Request Granted . . .
Hoover Dam Nears Capacity . . . CARSON CITY —With an ample WASHINGTON, D.C.—The House
HOOVER DAM — Hoover Dam supply of Colorado River water, the appropriations committee awarded the
water may reach a near-capacity level state of Nevada will grow to 1,300,000 full request of $7,000,000 for the Nav-
this August. By the first of June, Lake persons and Clark County to 600,000 ajo Dam. Other New Mexico Federal
Mead's level stood at 21,160,000 acre- within the next 42 years. This was the public works projects approved for
feet, with two months of peak flow prediction of a New York economist fiscal year 1959 were: Abiquiu reser-
still expected. Spill level of the lake, testifying in the lengthy Colorado River voir, $1,250,000; Sandia flood control
which has not overflown since 1941, is suit. Nevada's growth rate—66 per- project, $775,000; Los Esteros-Ala-
about 27,000,000 acre-feet. The above cent since 1950—is the fastest in the mogordo reservoirs, $90,000; and
average snow-melt inflow to Lake Union.—Nevada State Journal Middle Rio Grande reclamation proj-
Mead was expected to permit Hoover • • • ect, $3,628,000.—New Mexican
Dam power plant to generate electrici- NEW MEXICO
ty at 100 percent of its firm output to
supply some Arizona, Nevada and Tourist Influx Expected . . .
California users for the next 12 SANTA FE—State Tourist Director
months.—Phoenix Gazette Merle Tucker predicts close to 20,-
000,000 out-of-state visitors will come
• • • to New Mexico each year by 1968.
Antelope Count Increases . . . "The tourist industry will continue to
BLACK ROCK DISTRICT — A l - rank as one of the most important
though fewer antelope were counted elements in the state's economy, ac-
in some areas by Nevada Fish and counting for more than $350,000,000
Game Commission Black Rock Dis- per year in cash income," Tucker said.
trict personnel, the overall count He warned, however, that New Mex-
tended to show a slight increase over ico will face increasing competition
last year. Greatest gains were noted from other tourist-conscious areas, and
in the Owyhee Desert country. Ante- Eighteen-year-old Everett Ru-
he called for more concerted efforts ess dreamed of a wild carefree
lope population in Nevada over the by the state to maintain its position as
past few years has remained static or life in the far places of the earth
a popular vacation destination. Tucker where, unfettered by the petty
shown some decline.—Humboldt Star estimates that the number of motels restrictions of civilization, he
• • • and resorts in New Mexico will nearly could explore the unknown wil-
Javelina Released . . . double in the next 10 years. He en- derness and paint and write as he
LAS VEGAS—Twenty-five javelina visions the construction of a number roamed.
were released into the McCullough of "ranch motels" where families can
enjoy the convenience of a motel and In 1934 Everett entered the
Mountains of Clark County, the third canyon wilderness along the Col-
plant in this area since 1956. Fish and the novelty of trail rides on horseback.
Tucker also predicted increasing pres- orado River, searching for the
Game officials hope to establish a "beauty beyond all power to con-
huntable population of wild pigs in sure on state and Federal governments
to develop more forest recreation areas vey" that he knew awaited him in
Clark County, but indicate that it will the colorful desert land.
take some time to determine whether to ease the overcrowding of the exist-
ing ones. He never returned from that
the javelina will adapt to their new trip.
home. • • • His burros and pack saddles
• • • Visitor Center Planned . . . were found by searching parties
Navy Receives Land . . . FORT UNION — A $71,800 con- three months later—but no clue
LOVELOCK — Formal withdrawal tract for construction of a visitor has ever disclosed the fate of this
of 791,106 acres of northern Nevada center and utility building has been young artist-explorer.
land recently was made by the Navy, awarded at Fort Union National Mon-
following receipt of the Department From that fateful journey and
ument. Each building will be a one earlier treks has come a compila-
of Interior's approval. The land will
be used for an aerial gunnery range. story masonry block structure in ter- tion of his letters, stories, wood
Included is most of the land used by ritorial style with red brick cornices. cuts, drawings and photographs,
the Navy for gunnery practice in Persh- Most of the visitor center's floor area first published by Desert Maga-
ing County, during the war, along with will be used for museum exhibits which zine Press in 1940, but as vivid
270,000 acres of the Black Rock Des- will tell the story of the historic fort and alive with the wonder and
ert in Humboldt County. Originally and Southwestern frontier days.—New enthusiasm of youth today as
the Navy sought 3,000,000 acres in Mexican they were in 1934—and as they
this area.—Lovelock Review-Miner will be in 1994—
• • •
Silver Monument Approved . . .
NOW! 1958
CEREMONIAL
ON DESERT TRAILS
VIRGINIA CITY — Design has
been approved for a monument com- •
MAGAZINE
11 Full Color
WITH EVERETT RUESS
memorating the 1859 discovery of sil- Plates Cloth-bound—Original First Edition
ver on the Comstock Lode. Jack • 100 Black and
Cooney of Carson City drew the plans White Pictures
Plus interesting text
$175
for the monument, and he has been on Indian Dances, (California Purchasers Please Add 4 %
commissioned to proceed with its erec- Culture, Folklore Sales Tax)
tion on a plot of ground in Virginia
City. The monument will be a nine- 50c Pp
Send Orders to
DESERT MAGAZINE
foot-high truncated pyramid, set on a CEREMONIAL ASSOCIATION BOOK STORE
rectangular stone base and protected GALLUP, NEW MEXICO
Dept. DM Box 1029 PALM DESERT CALIFORNIA
by a concrete curb and stainless steel OR AT YOUR NEWSDEALER
guard rail.—Territorial Enterprise
AUGUST, 1958 33
Billboard Troubles Seen . . . UTAH Land Transfer Negotiations . . .
SANTA FE — A complex road Poison Weed Being Sought . . . SAN JUAN COUNTY —The In-
ahead has been predicted for billboard terior Department has given its ap-
control in New Mexico along the new LOGAN—A poisonous weed sus- proval to Federal legislation which
interstate highway system. Chief State pected of causing a weird cyclopia would give the Navajo Indians 53,000
Highway Engineer L. D. Wilson made type of deformity among lambs born acres of grazing land in the McCracken
the forecast after terming Federal high- in some western sheep-growing areas Mesa area of Utah's San Juan County
way legislation dealing with billboards will be the object of a search this in exchange for their Utah-Arizona
"confusing." The new act sets up con- summer in the Boise National Forest lands which will be flooded by the
ditions for control of billboards and by scientists. So far the deformity has Glen Canyon Dam. Meanwhile Utah
provides bonuses to states which con- been found only in lambs born in state and Federal officials are meeting
form with controls over billboards certain areas of Idaho and Nevada, with Navajo Tribal Council represen-
within 660 feet on either side of inter- and the scientists believe it is caused tatives in an attempt to work out some
state highways. The bonus amounts by a poison ingested by the mother of the proposed transfer's details. The
to one-half of one percent of the which causes defect of the unborn Interior Department noted that since
amount of Federal funds available on animal.—Salt Lake Tribune the coming of the white man the Mc-
a project.—New Mexican Cracken Mesa region has been an area
of friction between white and Indian.
KENT FROST JEEP TRIPS Low Bid for Flaming Gorge . . . —Salt Lake Tribune
Into the Famous Utah Needles Area
Junction of the Green and Colorado rivers; MANILA — Arch Dam Construc-
Indian and Salt creeks; Davis, Lavender,
Monument, Red, Dark and White canyons;
Dead Horse and Grand View points; Hoven-
tors of Omaha, Nebraska, a joint ven- Aerial Survey for Highway . . .
weep and Bridges national monuments.
3-day or longer trips for 2-6 person parties
ture firm, was apparent low bidder for COVE FORT — The Utah State
—$25 daily per person. Includes sleeping the prime contract to build Flaming Road Commission has approved ex-
bags, transportation, guide service, meals.
Write KENT FROST, Monticello, Utah. Gorge Dam. The firm's bid was $29,- penditure of $40,000 to complete an
602,497, some 12 percent above the aerial survey of the Denver to Cove
Federal engineers' estimate of $25,- Fort route. The work will be done
Book Manuscripts
by cooperative publisher who offers authors
889,667. Bids for the prime contract
ranged as high as $50,000,000. Sev-
preparatory to ground surveys and
actual alignment of the new road. Con-
early publication, higher royalty, national
distribution, and beautifully designed books. enth highest concrete dam in the U.S., troversy concerning the construction of
All subjects welcomed. Write, or send your Flaming Gorge will harness the Green this highway arose on several occasions
MS directly. because this route was approved after
GREENWICH BOOK PUBLISHERS, INC. River for flood control, power and
Atten. Mr. Slocum, 489 Fifth Are., N.Y., N.Y.
reclamation.—Salt Lake Tribune the original system of Federal high-
ways was set up, and consequently no
funds were provided for. This is the
reason construction has been delayed,
road officials said. — Emery County
Cash for Unusual Photographs.. Progress
• • e
The variety of camera subjects offered by the desert is unmatched. "Dutch John" Now Official . . .
This is one reason why so many desert lovers are also serious pho- DUTCH JOHN—The name "Dutch
tographers. Desert Magazine offers cash awards to photographers John" has been given the construction
whose pictures are judged winners of our monthly contest, and if you camp and town being built at the site
are a photographer you owe it to yourself to regularly enter this of Flaming Gorge Dam in extreme
contest. northeastern Utah. Dutch John Flats
is the name locally given to the area
Entries for the August contest must be sent to the Desert Magazine of the townsite, and was derived from
office. Palm Desert, California, and postmarked not later than August "Dutch John" Hanselena, a horse
18. Winning prints will appear in the October issue. Pictures which trader and miner originally from
arrive too late for one contest are held over for the next month. First Schleswig, Prussia, who settled along
prize is $10; second prize $5. For non-winning pictures accepted for the Green River in Red Canyon in the
publication $3 each will be paid. early 1870s. "We chose Dutch John
as the name for this new town," said
HERE ARE THE RULES Commissioner of Reclamation Dex-
1—Prints must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, on glossy paper.
heimer, "because it is descriptive as to
location, is appropriate as to historic
2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and origin, and has the unique western
place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour oi day, etc.
flavor found in many other reclamation
3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED. names." All Bureau of Reclamation
4—Entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contest month. personnel and equipment have been
5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert moved from Vernal to Dutch John.—
Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. Green River Star
6—Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the
desert Southwest.
7—Judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be made Visitor Center Dedicated . . .
immediately after the close of the contest each month. DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONU-
Address All Entries to Photo Editor MENT—The new and unique visitor
center, constructed to protect and dis-
72eAent THttfOftHe PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA play the dinosaur quarry within the
Utah portion of Dinosaur National
Monument, was dedicated on June 1.
34 DESERT MAGAZINE
Arrolime, Nevada . . .
OTHER SUPPLIES
Mineral Hardness Test Set 2.25
$ $ $ TREASURE $ $$ Radiassay—Uranium Test Kit 14.95
Mercury—Detector Fluorescent Screen 6.75
New transistor metal detector finds lost or Scheelite Fluorescent Analyzer 8.00
hidden treasure, coins, gold, silver, Jewelry, Fluorescent Mineral Set—10 Specimens—boxed 2.50
relics. Profitable hobby. New underwater Mineral Specimen Boxes (35 named Minerals) 1.50
metal detector detects sunken ships, out- Prospectors Picks (not polished) 4.50
board motors, Prospectors Picks (polished) 5.00
etc., in 300 ft. 12" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.25
of salt or fresh 16" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.70
water. Oper-
ates from a All prices F.O.B. Los Angeles
boat. Scintilla-
tion counter. Add 4 % Sales Tax if you live in California
Free catalog.
Member of American Gem & Mineral Suppliers Association
GARDINER
ELECTRONICS
DEPT. 9
2 5 4 5 E. INDIAN
ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY
SCHOOL ROAD 3632 West Slauton Ave., Dept. D Open Monday evening until 9:00 Let Angeles, Calif.
PHOENIX, ARIZ.
AUGUST, 1958 35
Panaxnint Valley, California . . . for the use and occupancy of six min- ton — has been found in the lower
ing claims belonging to the Johnson workings of the old Yuba Mine, first
A Federal jury returned a verdict operated in the 1870s. A firm known
of $18,000 in favor of Hogan Johnson brothers near the Randsburg Wash in
Panamint Valley. The claims are a as the LSZ Corporation has developed
and John Johnson, both of Barstow, the sector during the past year, and is
and against the United States as the part of the 177,000-acre Mojave "B"
Gunnery Range. During the govern- now producing ore. The Yuba Mine
fair market value of mining equipment was worked intermittently from 1872
and buildings destroyed since Septem- ment's occupancy, the buildings and
equipment were destroyed. In a com- to 1900. It caved-in shortly before the
ber, 1943, when the government took turn of the century. — Nevada State
possession of a gold mine and six panion case, an 83-year-old widow Journal
mining claims. The suit arose out of was awarded a judgment of $15,000
the government's condemnation action for the destruction by the government
of buildings and a cyanide mill on the Victorville, California . . .
east edge of Searles Lake. — Indian
EXPLORE FOR TREASURE! Wells Valley Independent Portland Cement Company's "bag
Find gold, silver, coins, battle
relics! M-SCOPE Treasure-Metal • • • house" cement control experiment was
Locators. Guaranteed proven-per- hailed as 100 percent effective. The
formance. Transistors, Fiberglas Washington, D. C. . . . bag house checks total output of big
cases, lightweight. Also Geiger,
scintillation counters, minera- The Atomic Energy Commission kilns, and also replaces huge brick
lights. Free catalog. Easy terms. smoke stacks belching dust, steam and
FISHER RESEARCH LAB., Inc. announced a breakthrough in its ef-
Dept. D-l, Palo Alto, Calif.
forts to find a way to put deadly radio- smoke. About 600 pounds of water
active wastes to work for mankind. vapor per minute can be absorbed by
Next time- By converting the waste products of the experimental bag house. All dust
take MINERALIGHT along is eliminated and solids are returned
atomic fission into powerful tools for to the kilns. Dust has plagued the
-and have some real fun on field trips medicine, industry and research, the cement industry for nearly a century.
You see rocks and minerals at their commission simultaneously has found Wide national attention to air pollu-
fascinating best only when you
view them under the magic of ultra- a safe way to dispose of this dangerous tion problems accentuated the need
violet fluorescence. Take along
MINERALIGHT every time you hit the
material.—Salt Lake Tribune for an effective control method. —
road. You'll do more, see more, • • • Victor Press
have more fun—learn
more, too. Don't miss
the displays at your
Pioche, Nevada . . .
mineral dealer
and at DISNEYLAND.
The discovery of a rich vein of lead- Grants, New Mexico . . .
Write for information. silver ore has given the old mining
Ultra-Violet camp of Pioche new hope for a revival The first U.S. uranium producer to
Products, Inc. aim exclusively at the commercial
Dept. D, of its boom days. High grade ore—
San Gabriel, Calif. some of it valued as high as $200 per market plans to build a mill in Grants
—the sixth for that area. According
to officials of Thor-Westcliffe Develop-
ment Company, that concern will sell
Compton Rock Shop refined uranium products to the for-
eign market. "Western Europe," said
one official, "is years ahead of the
METAL DETECTORS U.S. in preparing for the change-over
to atomic-powered electric generating
\ .. Battery test switch plants because of its fossil fuel scar-
V,
• Head phones with clear signal city."—Grants Beacon
• Great sensitivity • Low cost operation
# Q j
n en o 3 c o n t r o i # Easiest of all to operate
MORE ACCURATE, it's the first METAL DETECTOR designed SPE- TRUE OR FALSE ANSWERS
CIFICALLY for detecting placer gold, nuggets, and other small metal Questions are on page 26
objects. Depth range 7 feet—comes complete, ready to use. 1—False. Rattlers are sluggish in
cold weather.
MODEL 27—instructions included $110.00 2—False. Cochise was an Apache.
MODEL 711—with 21 ft. depth range $138.50 3—True.
4_False. Casa Grande ruins are of
prehistoric Indian origin.
MINERALIGHT—Complete line from $14.95 up to $114.00 5—False. According to legend the
Seven Cities were in New Mex-
Send for Complete Information ico.
6—True. 7—True. 8—True.
VISIT OUR NEW MINERAL DEPARTMENT, stocked with many out- 9—False. Bright Angel Trail leads
standing specimens, including native wire silver from Honduras, S. A. to the bottom of Grand Canyon.
10—True. 11—True. 12—True.
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES—TOOLS—GEMS—JEWELRY 13—True.
14—False. The Little Colorado is
CHEMICAL KITS. MORTARS & PESTLES—PICKS—BOOKS—ETC. mostly dry.
FOR THE W O O D WORKING HOBBYIST WE N O W STOCK A 15—True.
16—False. The Bill Williams flows
COMPLETE LINE OF ATLAS A N D PORTER CABLE POWER TOOLS into Lake Havasu.
(buy from an experienced wood worker) 17—False. Window Rock is in Ari-
zona.
18—False. Ouray reservation is in
Comfiton cR.ooh <SnoJ2 Utah.
19—True.
1405 S. Long Beach Blvd. 3 blocks south of Olive 20—False. Roosevelt dam is in the
NEwmark 2-9096 Open Friday Evenings Compton, California Salt River.
36 DESERT MAGAZINE
SYNTHETIC SAPPHIRE
AUGUST, 1958 37
A DOZEN FOSSILS of the great southwest.
GEm mart A D V E R T I S I N G
12c a w o r d
R A T E
. . . Minimum $2.00
These fossils are named, and their ap-
proximate ages given. For these relics out
of the past send $2 to: El Paso Fossils,
924 Ash Lane, El Paso, Texas. Write for
other free information concerning fossil
prices.
BOOKS - MAGAZINES TURQUOISE—Exceptionally clean Ameri- GOLD QUARTZ specimens for sale. Ex-
can water-worn nuggets in pure undyed tremely rich gold quartz from a produc-
HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems, min- natural colors and higrade solids. $5
erals and rocks. The rockhounds' how-to- brings your choice postpaid 150 grams ing Mother Lode mine. These specimens
do-it magazine tells how. One year (12 "good" or 125-g. "better" or 100-g. "best." have been hand picked for their excel-
issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. Gems Desertgems, Macatawa, Michigan. lence as collectors' items. $2 and up
and Minerals, Box 687-D, Mentone, Calif. postpaid. Also fine quality gold nuggets
OPALS, DEEP RED, blue, green, golden, $2 and up. Dell Riebe, P.O. Box 46,
THE BOOK of Mineral Photographs, 118 flashing in all colors of the rainbow, Grass Valley, California.
pages, octavo, over one hundred pages direct from the mine, 15 for $5.00. 10
of excellent illustrations of fine minerals ringsize stones (opal, amethyst, etc.) MISCELLANEOUS
and rocks with descriptions. Indexed. ground and polished, ready to set $5.00.
$1.68 postpaid. B. M. Shaub, 159 Elm Kendall, Sanmiguel d'Allende, Guana- 35-YEAR COLLECTION of rocks, petrified
Street, Northampton, Massachusetts. juato, Mexico. palm, iron and other woods, agates, fire
agates and cabinet specimens. D. W.
TURQUOISE FOR SALE. Turquoise in the Rogers, three blocks north of Midland
CUT -POLISHED- TUMBLED GEMS Elevator, Ashton, Idaho.
rough priced at from $5 to $50 a pound.
LARGE VARIETY mixed tumbled stone Royal Blue Mines Co., Tonopah, Nevada.
—Tigereye, agates, obsidian, palm root,
quartz. 40-60 stones in pound—only $4. WE ARE MINING every day. Mojave MICROSCOPE NEEDED TO
Cash or money orders, tax paid. Sid's Desert agate, jasper and palm wood
Originals, Route 1, Box 369, Beaumont, shipped mixed 100 pounds $10.50 F.O.B. IDENTIFY PETRIFIED WOOD
California. Barstow. Morton Minerals & Mining, Identification of petrified wood in the
21423 Highway 66, R.F.D. 1, Barstow, laboratory is accomplished by viewing slides
GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, California. of Vfc-inch thick slabs of the rock under a
blue and bluish green, cut and polished microscope. According to Mrs. Virginia
cabochons — 25 carats (5 to 10 stones Page of the Stanford University Department
according to size) $3.50 including tax, EQUIPMENT — SUPPLIES
of Biological Sciences, these slides are of
postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10 ULTRA VIOLET lamps for spectacular the wood cut in three planes—across the
to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax, mineral fluorescence from $14.50. Free grain, radially with respect to the center of
postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral brochure. Radiant Ultra Violet Products, the stem, and tangentially. After the thin
Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long Beach manufacturer, DM, Cambria Heights 11, slices of wood are mounted on a glass slide,
2, California. New York. they must be ground down until they are
transparent.
ATTENTION DEALERS and novelty 6" DISC DRY sanding cloth. 220, 320. 6 Reason for preparing sections of three
stores: "Baroque Jewelry" — earrings, for $1. Postpaid. Stop at our yard for planes is that the microscope characters on
necklaces, key chains, lariats, cufflinks supplies. Jewelry. Rocks. Pollard, Rt. which the keys for identification are based
and baroques by the pound; also pol- 2, El Cajon, California. East on 80. must be received from these three direc-
ished thundereggs, petrified wood, snow- tions. This applies to woods such as pine
flake obsidian—ready for resale. Write BOLA AND JEWELRY finding price list. and oak, but not the popular palm woods
for wholesale prices now. Roy's Rock Compare our prices before you buy. found on the desert. Only a cross section
Shop, Box 133, Trinidad, California. Please include 10c to cover cost of mail- slide of the palm is needed for identifica-
ing. Dealers send resale number for tion.
FIRE AGATE from new field. Field run wholesale list. The Hobby Shop, Dept.
tumbled $6.00 lb. Some have plumes or DM, P.O. Box 753, 1310 Elgin Street, Most microscopic characteristics of wood
feathers. Selected rough fire agate $4.00 Caldwell, Idaho. are obliterated in the fossilization process.
lb. Rough piece ground exposing fire Nor can one rely on the type of petrification
$3.50 up. Fire agate sets $10.00 up. NOTICE ROCKHOUNDS! — Hand-forged or mineralization. A given kind of wood
Tumbled agate, jasper, chalcedony, etc., one piece polished steel prospecting picks, can be found in a variety of forms of min-
from southern New Mexico, $3.00 lb. $4 each postpaid in U.S.A. Ray Flarty, eralization. And conversely, woods that
Minimum order 2 lbs. You pay postage. Box 160, Nederland, Colorado. appear to be identical from the standpoint
Please send checks or money orders with of the way in which they have been pre-
order to: Marshall Kuykendall, Box 576, served, prove on investigation with a micro-
Lordsburg, New Mexico. DEALERS scope to be composed of a variety of kinds.
Thus, it is impossible to identify wood with
OPALS AND SAPPHIRES direct from VISIT GOLD PAN Rock Shop. Beautiful the naked eye.—Slover Gem and Mineral
Australia. Special — this month's best sphere material, gems, mineral specimens, Society's The Rolling Stone
buy: faced (top surface polished) solid choice crystals, gem materials, jewelry,
black and dark gray opals. 6 stones baroques, etc. Over 100 tons of material
weighing over 20 carats. Airmailed for to select from. John and Etta James, BERYLLIUM-COPPER IS
$15. Send personal check, international proprietors, 2020 N. Carson Street, Car-
son City, Nevada. MIRACLE METAL ALLOY
money order, bank draft. Free 16 page
list of all Australian Gemstones. Austra- Less than two percent by weight of beryl-
lian Gem Trading Co., 49 Elizabeth DESERT ROCKS, woods, jewelry. Resi- lium added to copper will produce an alloy
Street, Melbourne, Australia. dence rear of shop. Rockhounds wel- hard enough to cut steel. This combina-
come. Mile west on U.S. 66. McShan's tion is used in the manufacture of watch
Gem Shop and Desert Museum. P.O. springs, instrument panels on airplanes,
CUTTING MATERIALS Box 22, Needles, California. autos and radar, and also in the sensitive
DINOSAUR BONE. Gem quality colorful fire control equipment of large guns.
agatized, jasperized, opalized bone 50c MINERALS - FOSSILS Beryllium was discovered in 1925. It is
pound. Also beautiful red lace agate $1 two-thirds the weight of aluminum. The
pound. Postage extra. Gene Stephen, 12 POUNDS OF beautiful Colorado min- only known use of pure beryllium is in
Route 2, Grand Junction, Colorado. eral specimens, $8.00 prepaid. Ask for X-Ray tubes. Twenty years ago a pound
list of others. Jack the Rockhound, P. O. of pure beryllium cost $500—today the
Box 245, Carbondale, Colorado. cost is $15.—Rock Lore
IT'S NEW — PETRO-POLISH FOSSILS. 12 different for $2. Other prices • • •
An inexpensive kit for polishing rocks and Californium — chemical element number
minerals. Learn the basic principles of on request. Will buy, sell or trade. Mu-
grinding and polishing stones. Contains nec- seum of Fossils, Clifford H. Earl, P. O. 98—was created in 1950 by atomic physi-
essary grinding and polishing powders, com- Box 188, Sedona, Arizona. cists using the huge cyclotron at the Uni-
plete instructions, and two practice stones. versity of California at Berkeley. Only
$2 postpaid (4% sales tax in Calif.)
GEMMY FLUORITE octahedrons. 3 pairs about 5000 atoms—less than one billion
HANSEN HANDICRAFTS $1. Each pair a different color. Gene billionths of a gram—of californium were
919 So. Monterey Ave., Monrovia, California Curtiss, 911 Pine St., Benton, Kentucky. produced.—S.M.S. Matrix
38 DESERT MAGAZINE
AMERICAN FEDERATION Members of the Montebello, California,
NORTHWEST SHOW IS ELECTS HAZEN T. PERRY
Hazen T. Perry of the Midwest Federa-
Mineral and Lapidary Society elected these
new officers: Jack Schwartz, president; Don-
ald S. Hall, vice president; Robert A.
AUGUST HIGHLIGHT tion was elected president of the American
Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Serv-
ing with Perry will be Mrs. Helen M. Rise
Carter, secretary; Vera Fluke, financial sec-
retary; W. N. Ewing, treasurer; Frances
Ewing, bulletin editor; Albert D. Carter,
The Northwest Federation of Mineralog- (Northwest Federation), vice president; federation director; and John Morrell and
ical Societies' 18th Annual Convention and Henry B. Graves (Eastern), secretary; James Karel Blair, directors.—The Braggin' Rock
Show is scheduled for Pasco, Washington. F. Hurlbutt (Rocky Mountain), treasurer;
The event takes place at the high school on Dwight Halstead (Texas) and Lowell Lovell
August 30, 31 and September 1. (California), regional vice presidents. —
Gem Cutters News POPULAR, CLAIM-T£STtD by
Host society is the Lakeside Gem and * * * Rockhounds, Prospectors and Collectors
Mineral Club of Pasco and Kennewick, the
latter community being just across the Co-
lumbia River from the convention town.
Ennis Scott is the newly elected president
of the Coachella Valley, California, Mineral
ESTWING PROSPECTOR'S
Show officials said the fluorescent display
Society. Also elected were: Gay Ion Rob-
ertson, vice president; Joan St. John, secre-
S 3 PICKS
probably will be the largest and best ever tary; May Beckwith, treasurer; LeRoy
Lighter in weight — only 14 ounces — perfectly bal-
anced for greater driving power. New design based
shown in the northwest. Camping for vis- Pawley, director; and Clifton Carney, feder- on 35 years improvement. Forged in one piece — of
tempered tool steel. Guaranteed non-brea'"*blel
itors along the river will be available, and ation director.—Lik 'n Lap
general admission for the show is 50c a * * *
THOUSANDS OF SATISFIED USERS
Get the pick the prospectors demand. Send today for an
day, or $1 for the three days. ESTWING Prospector's Pick. Guaranteed quality. We bill
Also scheduled for August are these Bob Sharman will head the Shadow you for postage . . . ON SPECIAL OFFER — send only
5 4 . 3 5 to: Grieger's, 1633 E. Walnut, Pasadena 8 0 , Calif.
AUGUST, 1958 39
Some years ago a huge single mass of
AMATEUR GEM CUTTER
By Dr. H. C. DAKE, Editor of The Mineralogist
jaspagate was found in a wheat field at
Antelope, Oregon. This enormous mass
was all solid gem quality. It measured
approximately 4 x 2 x 5 feet, and thousands
of pounds in weight. It required the services
In the examination of tourmaline for The heat treatment to improve the color of two stout horses, plus rollers, to drag
flaws, either in the rough or cut, carbon of zircon is well known. A certain number it out of the field. For several years pass-
disulphide can be used to good advantage. of dark colored, off colored, or colorless ing gem hunters were invited to "help your-
This liquid has the same index of refrac- zircons will upon heat treatment change to self," as it was a nuisance to the farm
tion as tourmaline, hence tourmaline will beautiful "electric" blue. This work gener- owner. Finally after hundreds of pounds
appear to disappear. Flaws in tourmaline ally is carried out (in America) in the were broken off, it was sold for $5.00 to
will show with remarkable clarity when the electric furnace where the temperatures can a Washington state gem cutter. From An-
rough fragment or cut stone is submerged be raised and lowered slowly and kept un- telope, the mass was hauled to the railroad
with a small amount of carbon disulphide. der close control. In the case of most gem at Shaniko for shipment.
* * # stones there is a "critical" temperature where
the change in color takes place instantane- This huge mass was found at Antelope in
Much of the strongly fluorescent Cana- ously. Below this temperature no change 1935, during the depression days when
dian wernerite can be cut into attractive occurs, and if the temperature is raised too
cabochon gem stones. The material, with agate was at a low value and the demand
far above the critical point the color may was not great. A mass of this kind would
its bright yellow color, has the added at- be destroyed. In the case of zircon the
traction of being strongly fluorescent and be worth at least 50c a pound or over
color change is not permanent in all the $5,000 today.
has found wide popularity amongst collec- stones; some of them gradually fade out
tors and lapidaries. Wernerite has an aver- to a much paler shade. The color may be
age hardness approximating opal, and will improved temporarily (for several months
take a good polish. on the average) by being subjected to heat
* * * treatment. RONETA — AGATES OF FIRE
The occurrence of green to white jadeite A rare gem to treasure for a lifetime
For centuries agate has been treated by
from Clear Creek, San Benito County, Cal- various methods to alter or improve its Polished to reveal fire—ready for you to
ifornia, has been described in a paper by make the gemstone of your dreams • From
color. Agate treatment may be grouped Coon Hollow Area • Unusual coloring •
Chesterman and Yoder of the U. S. Geo- under two classes: chemical and heat. Some Instructions how to finish without losing
logical Survey. According to these writers methods involve a combination of chemical colors enclosed with each order.
the following observations have been made: and heat treatment. The agate may first be Guaranteed free of fractures. Each stone
Jadeite is found in small veins cutting soaked in some chemical solution for a shows good fire.
Slabs to make cabochons
albite-glaucophane, acmite schist, and as number of months and then subjected to up to 20x15 mm $5 and $10 each.
larger lens-shaped pods with serpentine. The heat treatment to alter the color of the Beautiful finished gems $15 and up
vein jadeite is associated with albite, anal- absorbed chemical. Please mail remittance with order. We pay
postage.
cite, natrolite and thomsonite, while preh-
nite, thomsonite and minor sphene are ERVIN E. SPIERS
found associated with the jadeite pods. The Huge agates are more or less common to Juctnita Mines and Laboratories
white jadeite vein material is almost pure many localities in the western states, but BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA
jadeite. they are rare in the Midwest region. What
Chemical analysis of the green jadeite is perhaps the largest or one of the largest
shows that it carries about 10 percent of agates every found in Minnesota, is the 32
the diopsite molecule and 14 percent of the pound mass of sagenite agate from the
acmite molecule. The average specific grav- Shiely gravel pit, near Minneapolis. This
ity is 3.43. The mineral association suggests huge specimen was acquired by Ray Lulling
that the jadeite has formed under low tem- of St. Paul.
perature and pressure conditions, and that * * * Polished Gems of Synthetic
there are several possible modes of origin. Agates do not occur in situ in the Mid- Ruby - Sapphire - Topaz
* * * west region. In all probability all of them
were brought down from the north by the Send 25c coin or stamps for bag of Baroque
The problem of determining the cause of Tumble Polished Gems plus circular de-
color in gems has long engaged the atten- Pleistocene glaciers. The Midwest gem scribing 340-page Craft Catalog on Gem Cut-
hunters find their agates in places like com- ting, Jewelry Making and Prospecting. Helps
tion of gemology. For years the cause of you make money in your spare time. One
color in amethyst was thought to be due to mercial gravel pits, and at times in plowed man picked up an interesting rock—as a
the presence of manganese. It has been fields, but at no locality are they plentiful, result now owns half a million dollar busi-
and usually limited in size to a few pounds ness! It could happen to you! You receive
more recently shown that the cause of color extra gems of ruby, sapphire and topaz as
in amethyst is due to its molecular structure in weight, hence the 32 pound mass is likely a FREE BONUS. 50c cash refund if not
rather than any extraneous included mate- a record. Agate masses, weighing up to pleased.
rial. Proof of this is the fact that the color 100 and 200 pounds are fairly common to GRIEGER'S INC. — PASADENA 42, CALIF.
of amethyst can be altered by heat treat- many far west localities.
ment at comparatively low temperatures.
The heat treatment doubtlessly brings about
a rearrangement of the molecules, thus
causing a change in color.
Color in smoky quartz was also a matter
SHOPPING FOR PRICE?
of uncertainty and speculation for many IMMEDIATE DELIVERY—PREPAID
years. It has been shown that the smoky BELL CAPS-Gilt or white plate Dozen for 25c Gross $2.75
appearance of some quartz crystals is due EARWIRES—Half ball with split drop. Nickel or gilt 6 pr. for 30e 12 pr. for 55e
to exposure to radium radiations while in EARSCREWS—Flat pad for cementing. Nickel plate ..6 pr. for 30c 12 pr. for 55c
the ground. Quartz crystals in an area EARCLIPS—Cup for cementing. Nickel or gilt 6 pr. for 30c 12 pr. for 55c
where there is an abnormal amount of SWEATER GUARDS—2 clips with 1/2-inch discs complete with chain.
natural gamma radiation will alter to a Gold or rhodium plate __ 3 sets for $1.40 6 sets for $2.55
smoky color. It has been established that BRACELETS—Rhodium plate. Med. link. Complete. 8-inches 6 for $1.35 12 for $2.30
the smoky quartz crystals found in the CHAIN—Medium link. Rhodium or gold plate . . 1 0 feet for $1.20
European Alps will vary in color depending BOLA SLIDES—Vs-inch swivel disc. Nickel or gilt 6 for 45c 12 for 75c
on the elevations where they are found. BOLA TIPS—Nickel Plate and lacquered VM" - - 12 for 75c
The surrounding rocks vary in radioactivity BOLA TIPS—Gilt. 2 " scroll pattern 12 for 50c
at different elevations, and the individual CORDS LEATHERETTE-Brown, black, tan, gray, dark blue 6 for $1.20 12 for $2.00
familiar with these specimens can tell at a CORDS RAYON—Black, tan, wine, brown/gold combination 6 for 45c 12 for 75c
glance the approximate elevation where CUFF LINKS—15 mm. disc for cementing. Gold or rhodium plate 3 pr. for 85e 6 pr. for $1.50
they were found. BOW PINS—IV2" Gold or rhodium plate. Safety catch 6 for $1.00 12 for $1.75
Recent experiments with diamonds and THESE PRICES ARE FOR MAIL ORDER ONLY
other gem stones have established the fact Items are packaged in quantities listed FREE CATALOG
that the color can be altered by exposure Add 10% Fed. Tax on all items except cords. California Residents also add 4 % sales tax.
to heavy radiations from radium and X-
rays. The many recent discoveries in the
field of nuclear fission undoubtedly will find
JEWELGEMS BY JAY O'DAY
P. O. BOX 6 RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA
application in gemology.
40 DESERT MAGAZINE
By RANDALL HENDERSON
THE PROOFS of this issue of Desert or personal reasons are reluctant to surrender the sub-
Magazine I paused many times to study the faces sidies they receive from Uncle Sam. They want to keep
pictured on page 21—photographs of Paul Jones their free schools and hospitals and the many services
and Maurice McCabe, the tribal executives who are lead- Uncle Sam provides for them, including their exemption
ing the great Navajo people in their quest for education, from state and federal taxes.
economic security, and all the advantages and opportuni- We can understand this, for we have comparable
ties to which human beings aspire. groups in our white society—those who make their own
Somehow, I feel that the affairs of the Navajos are in way without fear or favor; and those who want farm
good hands—and that the wealth that has come to these subsidies, closed shop unions, pensions for able-bodied
people through their oil leases and uranium mines will veterans and other gratuitous aids that will relieve them
be spent honestly, and wisely. of some degree of personal responsibility for their own
welfare.
* * *
And so there is conflict among the Indians themselves.
On another front, the Indians—and I am referring Some want their reservation lands divided and allotted
now to the approximately 300 tribes in the United States to them as individuals. Others want to keep their tribal
—are in a period of readjustment that is difficult and lands intact under collective ownership, with Uncle Sam
often confusing both to themselves and to Uncle Sam, as a guarantor of their welfare.
their trustee. Commissioner Emmons has the difficult task of steer-
I have just been reading a critical blast directed at ing a course that cannot possibly meet with the approval
the Bureau of Indian Affairs by Oliver La Farge, presi- of both factions. But he is trying—honestly and faithfully
dent of the Association on Indian Affairs. This associa- —and for that we should give him full credit.
tion was formed for worthy purposes—to help the Ameri- * * *
can Indians attain the rights and opportunities—and the
dignity—of full American citizenship. On a recent trip through the Indian country of north-
ern Arizona I spent a delightful evening with Shine Smith
It was to this end that Congress in August, 1953, at Cameron.
without a dissenting vote passed Concurrent Resolution
108 which declared it to be the policy of the federal Good oF Shine! He came to the Navajo reservation
government that the federal trusteeship over all Indians 42 years ago as a young Presbyterian missionary. Accord-
should be discontinued as rapidly as possible—that is, ing to his code, the doctrine of heaven for the saints and
as rapidly as the circumstances of each tribe would permit. hell for the sinners was less important than the immediate
need for food and clothing, medicine for the ill, courage
Commissioner Eramons and his staff in the Indian for the down-hearted, and love expressed in terms of serv-
Bureau have been trying faithfully to carry out this policy. ice to all regardless of the gods they worshipped.
They have set up safeguards to protect both individual
and tribal interests, and from my personal observation in In 1921 the Navajos had a bad winter. Frigid
the tribes with which I am acquainted, the Bureau is doing weather with much snow and ice brought sickness and
a commendable job. death to many of these ill-clad and badly housed tribes-
men. Hugh Dickson Smith, the missionary, kept a string
La Farge's accusation that the white men are stealing of saddle ponies at Tuba City, and rode day and night
the Indians' land is untrue and unfair. on errands of mercy to the Indians. Friends marvelled at
Critics of the Emmons administration make the mis- his endurance. He not only faced blizzards to carry food
take of trying to classify all Indians in a single category. and warm clothing to hogans far and wide over the reser-
Actually, there are as many problems in the administra- vation, but he also brought hope and good cheer.
tion of Indian affairs as there are tribes. Indians, in their Due to his unorthodox ministry, the church long ago
basic desires and abilities, are much the same as other withdrew its support of his work—but he carries on with
human beings. faith that from some source the funds for his own meager
Among them are strong competent men and women needs and those of the Indian families will be forthcoming
who aspire and have the ability to be free, independent —and they always are.
citizens—to own their own property, and to make their To the Indians he became known as the friend "who
way in a free competitive economy without charity from brings hope and life like the Sun shining on Mother
anyone. The program of terminating the federal trustee- Earth." Gradually he became known as Sunshine Smith.
ship is a godsend to these people. Today he is plain Shine Smith—loved by everyone who
But there also are many tribesmen who for traditional has had the privilege of knowing him.
42 DESERT MAGAZINE
yon from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead,
generally regarded as the most hazard-
ous of all the river journeys in the
West.
Her share-the-expense expeditions
FAMED JOURNAL, DOCUMENTS. One feels a true kinship with these have made it possible for large num-
MAP OF EARLY WESTERN pioneer travelers when everyday events bers of adventurers who otherwise
RAILROAD SURVEY REPRINTED —from fighting off mosquitoes to be- could not afford the expense of a can-
In the early 1850s one of the burn- holding breathtaking scenery — are yon boat trip, to experience the thrills
ing public issues concerned which of described. Here is true history—the of navigation in the rapids.
the four proposed transcontinental rail- on-the-spot accounts of great stretches
of the West before they were settled On one of her television broadcasts,
road routes the government should Georgie White was introduced as the
sanction: (1) the Northern, or Whit- by white men.
"Woman of the Rivers" and the book
ney; (2) the Central, or Benton; (3) Published by the Arthur H. Clark now published under that title gives
the Albuquerque, or Gwinn; or (4) Company, Glendale, California; with a brief biographical sketch of this un-
the Extreme Southern. full scale reproduction of the scarce usual woman.
Congress, moving to find more solid folding map drawn by Heap; portrait
ground on which to base a decision, of Beale; facsimile of the original title Georgie's exploits as a river-runner
ordered surveys of the lines. It mat- page and the full series of 13 litho- have been given time on various tele-
ters little that none of the routes was graphed plates from the original edi- vision programs—and now they are
eventually chosen (the first railway tion; index; notes; uncut deckle-edged available in book form. The book
took the regular emigrant route up the paper; limited edition; 346 pages; Woman of the Rivers was written by
Platte, passed north of Great Salt Lake $9.50. Georgie's sister, Rose Marie DeRoss,
and entered California through the • • • who from an office in Los Angeles
Sierras), for out of these surveys have GEORGIE WHITE STORY handles the booking and office details
come reports, journals and descriptions of the river expeditions.
PUBLISHED IN NEW BOOK
of the land which are an invaluable Last year Georgie White with her Mrs. DeRoss has told the story from
part of early Western literature. flotilla of neoprene rafts piloted 401 the viewpoint of a passenger on trips
The most recent of the Arthur H. passengers down and through the most through Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon,
Clark Company's splendid "The Far turbulent rivers in western United Cataract Canyon and the San Juan
West and the Rockies Historical States—without serious injury to a River. The narratives are a day-by-
Series" (Volume VII) is a reprint single person. Her expeditions included day record of navigation through
of the various documents which sup- three voyages through the Grand Can- (Continued on page 43)
ported the Central Route, principally
the "Journal of the Expedition of E.
F. Beale, Superintendent of Indian
Affairs in California, and Gwinn Har- Two New Books Published By
ris Heap, from Missouri to California DESERT MAGAZINE PRESS
in 1853," and also material on rail- For Your Summer Reading Enjoyment:
road and Indian affairs by Beale,
Thomas H. Benton, Kit Carson, and • •
Col. E. A. Hitchcock, and other NELL MURBARGER'S inspiring
papers.
Central Route to the Pacific by
Gwinn Harris Heap is edited by Brig-
ham Young University Historian Le-
Sovereigns of the Sage
Roy R. Hafen, who also supplies the A treasury of true stories about unusual people and places in the vast
introduction to the work and scores Sagebrush Kingdom of the Western United States, by the author of
of invaluable footnotes. "Ghosts of the Glory Trail."
Beale, leader of the survey expedi- 380 pages; 70 halftone photographs; eight pages of maps; complete
tion, is remembered for his experi- cross index .. . $6.00 postpaid
ments in introducing camels to the • •
Great American Desert. Heap was the GEORGIE WHITE'S story
expedition's journalist.
A special feature of this volume is
the long folding map of the Central
Route included in only a few copies of
Woman of the Rivers
Written by the famous river pilot's sister. Rose Marie DeRoss, this is a
the original edition. This is regarded
as the first accurate and detailed map book of adventure — the thrilling sport of running the white water
of the region from Huerfano River to rapids of the West's turbulent streams.
Little Salt Lake. The balance of the 84 pages; halftone photographs; maps; paper cover . . .
route is taken from maps by Fremont $2.00 postpaid
and others.
For the reader, this is more than a Order both books by mail from
book of historical significance. The
objectively-written accounts of cross-
ing the virgin prairie, or finding great DESERT MAGAZINE BOOK SHOP
buffalo herds, camping under the stars, Palm Desert, California
meeting emigrant trains, Indian en-
counters, and fording the treacherous (California buyers please add 4% sales tax)
Western rivers make vivid reading.
AUGUST, 1958 41
a ranch establishment near the walls pickup truck, and traveled alone. All
BOOKS. .. of Pueblo Bonito where he was to who dream of following the sandy
spend most of the rest of his life in trails across the primitive stretches of
{Continued from page 4 1 )
exploration of Chaco Canyon's many Baja, will find real interest and worth
treacherous rapids in a setting of gor- ruins. in this small booklet. This is a chal-
geous canyons. The evening camp- The author's thorough and obviously lenging trip, a never-to-be-forgotten
fires, the side canyon hikes, the com- sympathetic research on the life and adventure, and the author makes it
missary arrangements, the good humor work of Richard Wetherill gives enter- very clear that its hardships are far
of the voyagers—all these facets of a taining and informative material on outweighed by the rewards.
river voyage are related in this very the early period of archeological ex- Given are tips on equipment, water,
readable book. ploration of a wide section of the driving, legal requirements, roads, etc.
Published by Desert Magazine Press. Southwest. The countless rugged can- The author also describes the trip's
84 pages. Halftones, maps. Paper yons of that almost unknown area pro- highlights, including the missions, vil-
cover. $2.00. vided a dangerous and grueling job in lages, vegetation and some of the nice
those early days but Richard faced his people he visited.
HE DISCOVERED THE CLIFF chosen life work with boundless deter- Published by AAA Publishing Com-
HOMES OF THE ANCIENTS mination and enthusiasm.
Frank McNitt's book, Richard McNitt relates the differing ideas pany, San Bernardino; map; illustra-
Wetherill: Anasazi, is the fascinating concerning Richard Wetherill, tales tions; paper-cover; 72 pages; $1.
story of Richard Wetherill, born in that he was dishonest and mistreated
1850 and murdered in 1910, who the Navajos—but one feels that the
dedicated his life to the search for author was convinced, through thor- Books reviewed on these pages are
evidences of ancient man in the South- ough research, of WetherilPs integrity. available at Desert Crafts Shop
There was criticism too of Richard's Palm Desert, California
west. Add four percent sales tax on orders
The Wetherill family lived on Alamo archeological exploration but the book to be sent to California
Ranch on the Mancos River in Colo- leaves one with the firm impression Write for complete catalog of
rado near Mesa Verde. Richard's first that he made a great contribution to Southwestern books
discoveries of cliff dwellings on forays the historical and archeological worlds,
for stray cattle fired the young man's and little doubt that he was motivated
imagination and gave him an increas- by sincere love and enthusiasm for the
ing urge through the years to hunt far untiring and not too well paid work DESERT BEST SELLER LIST*
and wide for the cliff homes of the he undertook. 1. Sovereigns of the Sage
ancient peoples who lived in the South- Published by University of New Nell Murbarger $6.00
west hundreds of years ago. Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 362 pp. 2. A Naturalist's Death Valley
including informative appendices, pho- Edmund C. Jaeger $1.50
Perhaps it was the finding and nam- 3. Ghosts of the Glory Trail
ing of the hauntingly beautiful Cliff tographs, maps of Mesa Verde and Nell Murbarger $5.75
Palace on Mesa Verde which deter- Chaco Canyon, and an extensive bib- 4. Goodbye, Death Valley
liography. $10.00 L. Burr Belden $1.25
mined his career and eventually turned 5. On the Trail of Pegleg Smith's
him from ranching to the hazards and • • • Lost Gold
excitement of full time archeology. BOOK O N SOUTHWEST INDIAN J. Wilson McKenney $1.50
Through the years he explored, dug CEREMONIALS REPRINTED *Based on June sales by
Desert Magazine Book Shop
thoroughly and carefully in the count- Fast gaining recognition as a South-
less ancient ruins he discovered, and west classic, Erna Fergusson's Danc-
recorded painstakingly all of his find- ing Gods again has been reprinted. It
ings, shipping his collections to fairs, was published in 1931 and reprinted Up-to-Date! Authoritative!
schools and museums. in 1934 and 1942. The author is a
native of New Mexico and widely The Only Complete
A meeting with a wealthy pair of
brothers, Talbot and Fred Hyde of known for her books on the Southwest LOWER CALIFORNIA
New York, led to the formation of and Latin America. GUIDEBOOK
the Hyde Exploring Expeditions and A business of guiding tourists at
Richard's employment for years as Indian dances in New Mexico and Revised and enlarged. 220 pages,
leader of expeditions in search of ar- Arizona led to the writing of Dancing with folding map in color, 20
cheological ruins throughout the South- Gods. This personal observation com- detailed maps, illustrations. Full
west. Richard Wetherill was the first bined with careful research resulted in tourist and sportsman information,
to distinguish between the Cliff Dwel- a treasury of factual information on and accurate mileages of all main
lers and the Basket People, as he the dances and ceremonials of South- and side roads. Essential to the
termed them, who pre-dated the Cliff western Indians. vacationer, fisherman, hunter,
Dwellers. Published by University of New yachtsman, and explorer in this
Mexico Press; 16 full-page illustra- fascinating peninsula.
Richard married Marietta Palmer in
1896 and their life was a constant tions of paintings by prominent South- Desert Magazine says "an indis-
struggle to make ends meet but Mari- west artists; index; 286 pages; $5.00. pensable guide."—The Los Angeles
etta was a gallant partner and bore • • • Times comments "The first real
five children, carrying on alone after BOOKLET DESCRIBES DRIVE guide to Lower California." — The
Richard was killed by a Navajo in TO BAJA CALIFORNIA TIP Governor of Baja California writes
1910. About the time of their marri- Solo Below is the personal account ". . . of great value."
age, the Hydes decided that an expedi- of a drive to the tip of Baja California Cloth bound $6.00—Stiff paper cover $5.25
tion should explore the huge Pueblo by Leo O. Donahue, writing under the postpaid, plus sales tax
Bonito in Chaco Canyon, New Mex- pen-name of Don A. Hugh, general At your bookstore, or direct from—
ico. There Richard's brothers Al and manager of the AAA Publishing Com- The Arthur H. Clark Co.
Clayton built and operated a trading pany of San Bernardino, California. Dept. D, Box 230, Glendale, California
station and in 1898 Richard started Donahue made the trip in a standard
AUGUST, 1958 43
PLANNING A TRIP?
WHERE TO GO!
WHAT TO SEE!
If you anticipate a Southwest vacation this year, a guide book will
make your outing more enjoyable. Here is a list of books on some of
the most scenic places in this area that you can purchase by mail: