197208 desertmagazine 1972 august

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AUGUST, 1972 . 60c


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D e s e r t M a g a z i n e B o o k S h o pS U N , SAND AND SOLITUDE by Randall Hender-s o n . For more than 50 years Randall Hendersonhas traveled across the deserts of the West untiltoday he is known as the voice and prophet orthis region of mystery, solitude and beauty.Founder of Desert Magazine in 1931, he has de-voted his l i fe to ui der standing the great out-doors. His second and latest book is o culmin-ation of his experiences, thoughts and philoso-phy. Hardcover, deluxe format, deckle-edgedpaper , 16 pages ful color., excellent illu strat ions ,$ 7 . 9 5 .D U T C H O V E N C O O K B O O K b y Do n H o l m . W i l dl i fe editor of the Port land Oregonian, the authorhas spent his life exploring and wri t ing aboutthe outdoors, so his recipes for preparing foodin a Dutch Oven come from experience. If youhave n't had food r. noked in a Dutch Ov en, youhaven't Iived . . . an d i f you have you wil lfind these recipes ne w and excit ing culinaryadventuresas we'l l as his style of writ ing.Heavy paperback, 10 6 pages, $3.95.CALIFORNIA by David Muench and Ray At-keson. Two of the West's greatest color pho-tographers have presented their f inest workslo create the vibrations of the oceans, lakes,mountains and deserts of California. Theirphotographic presentations, combined with themoving text of David Toll, makes this a classicin Western Americana. Large 1 1x14 forma t,heavy slick papei. hardcover, 200 4-colorphotographs, 186 pages, $25 .00 .LOST MINES OF THE GREAT SOUTHWEST by JohnD. Mitchell. The first of MilcheM's lost minebooks is now available after having been out ofprint for years. Reproduced from the originalcopy and containing 54 articles based on ac-Mitchell interviewed. He l i fe inve stigating reportsnines and treasures of thei. i l lustrated, 175 pages,counts from peop espent his entire acluland legends of lostSouthwest. Hardcove$7 . 50 .NEVADA GHOST TOWNS AND MINING CAMPSby Stanley W. Paher. Covering all of Nevada's17 counties, Paher has documented 575 miningcamps, many of which have been erased fromthe earth. The book contains the greatest andmost com plete col loci en of historic photo graph sof Nevada ever published. Tnis, coupled withhis excellent w rit in;] and ma p, creates a bookof last ing value- Large 9x1 1 form at, 700photographs , hard cove', 4 92 pages, $15 .00.MOCKEL'S DESERT FLOWER BOOK by Henry andBeverly Mockel. The wel l -known pa in ter o fdesert wild f low ers ha*; combined his four-colorsketches and black and white photographs todescribe in detail so the layman can easilyidentify wild f lowers, both large and small.Microscopic detail makes this an outstandingbook for identification. Special compressed fibercover which wil l not slain. 54 full-color i l lustra-t ions with 72 l ife-size drawings and 39 photo-graphs, 316 pages, $5.95.EXPLORING DEATH VALLEY by Ruth Kirk. Goodphotos and maps with t ime esiimates from placeto place and geology, natural history andhuman interest information included. Paperback.$ 1 . 9 5 .COLORFUL DESERT WILDFLOWERS by Grace andOnas Ward. Segregated into categories of red,blue, white and yellow for easier identif ication,there are 190 four-color photos of f lowers foundin the Mojave, Cclorcdo and Western Arizonadeserts, all of which also have common andscientific names plus descriptions. Heavy, slickpaperback. $4.50.

HAPPY WANDERER TRIPSBy SLIM BARNARD

Slim and Henrietta Barnard present theirpopular "Happy Wanderers" te lev is iontravelogues every Saturday at 4 p.m. onLos Angeles Channel 7. For those inter-ested in taking the trips, they have com-piled two volumes of selected safaris theyhave made throughout the West. Bookshave maps, history, cost of lodging, mile-a g e , etc. Books are large format, heavypaperback and 150 pages each. VolumeOne covers California and Volume Two,Arizona, Nevada and old Mexico. Whenordering state which volume.

Volume OneVolume Two

$2.95$2.95DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES by Lake Erie Schaefer.A sequel to BURIED TREASURE & LOST MINES byFrank Fish, the author knew Fish for many yearsand claims he was murdered. Her book addsother information on alleged lost bonanzas, plusreasons why she thinks Fish did not die a naturaldeath as stated by the authorit ies. Paperback,i l lustrated, 80 pages, $3.00.LOST MINES & BURIED TREASURES ALONG THEOLD FRONTIER by John D. Mitchell. The secondof Mitchells books on lost mines which was out-of-pr int for many years is. avail able aga in. Man yof these appeared in DESERT Mgazine yearsago and these issues are no longer available.New readers wil l want to read these. Containsthe original map f irst published with the bookand one pinpointing the areas of lost mines.Mitchell 's personal research and investigationhas gone into the book. Hardcover, 240 pages,$7 . 50 .CO M MO N EDIBLE & USEFUL PLANTS OF THEWEST by Muriel Sweet. A descript ion with artistdrawings of edible (and those not to touch)plants along with how Indians and pioneers usedthem. Paperback, 64 pages, $1.50.

WHEN ORDERING BOOKSPLEASEAdd 50 cents PER ORDER(Not Each Book)for handling and mail ing

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ALSOADD 5 PERCENT SALES TAX

Send check or money order to Desert Maga-zine Book Shop, Palm Desert, California9 2 2 6 0 . Sorry, but we cannot accept chargesor C.O.D. orders.

DESERT GEM TRAILS by Ma ry Frances StrongDESERT Magazine's Field Trip Editor has revisedand brought up to date her popular f ield guidefor rockhounds. She has deleted areas wnich arenow closed to the public and added new areasnot covered before. The maps have also been up-dated. This is the "bible" for both amateur andveteran rockhounds and back country explorersHeavy paperback, 80 pages ancl still the sameprice, $2 .00 .GOLDEN MIRAGES by Philip A. Bailey. Out oprint for more than 20 years, this was a collector's item. A valuable book for lost mines andburied treasure buffs, it is beautifully writ tenand gives f irst-hand interviews with old-t imerslong since passed aw ay . Excel ent for researchand fascinating for arm-chair readers. Hardcoveril lustrated, 353 pages, $9.95.GHOSTS OF THE GLORY TRAIL by Nell MurbargerA pioneer of the ghost tow n explorers anwriters, Miss Murbarger's followers wil l be gladto know this book is once again in print. Firspublished in 1956, it is now in its seventh edit ion. The fast-moving chronicle is a result of per-sonal interviews of old-t imers who are no longehere to tell their tales. Hardcover, illustrated291 pages, $7.00.BURIED TREASURE & LOST MINES by Frank FishOne of the original treasure hunters providedata on 93 lost bonanzas, many of which he personally searched for. He died under mysterioucircumstances in 1968 after leading an adventurous l ife. I l lustrated with photos and mapsPaperback, 68 pages, $2.00.LAND OF POCO TIEMPO by Charles F. LummisA reprint of the famous writer and historian ohis adventures among the Indians of New MexicoLummis was one of the foremost writers of thWest. Paperback, 236 pages, $2.45.THE WEEKEND GOLD MINER by A. H. Ryan. Aelectronic physicist "bit ten by the gold bug,the author has written a concise and informativbook for amateur prospectors tell ing where anhow gold is found and how it is separated antested, all based on his own pract'cal experience. P aperback, 4 0 pages, $1 .50 .CORONADO'S CHILDREN by J. Frank Doby. Originally published in 1930, this book about losmines and buried treasures of the West, is classic and is as vital today as when f irst writ tenDobie was not only an adventurer, but a scholaand a powerful writer. A combination of legendand factual background. Hardcover, 376 pages$3 . 95 .SELDOM SEEN SLIM by Tom Murray. Profiles anvignettes of the colorful "single blanket jackasprospectors" who l ived and died as they lookefor gold and silver in Death Valley. Slick paperback, exclusive photos of the old-timers, 6pages, $3.00.DESERT OVERVIEW MAPS by Wes ChambersUsing topographic maps as basic underlays, Wehas compiled two excellent detailed maps foback country explorers of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Maps show highways, gravel roadsjeep trail5 plus historic routes and sites, olwells, which are not on modern-day maps, plughost towns, Indian sites, etc. Mojave DeseOverview covers from U.S. 395 at Little Lake tBoulder City, Nevada, to Parker Dam to Victorv i l le . Colorado Desert Overview covers from thMexican border to Joshua Tree National Monument to Banning to the Arizona side of thColorado. $3.00 each. Be certain to state whicmap (or both) when ordering.


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WILLIAM KNYVETT, P I R U S H E RJAC;K PEPPER. EDITOK

GEORGE BRAGA, Art DirectorM A RY F RA N CES S TRO N G . Field Trip EditorE N I D C . H O W A R D . Utah Associate EditorGLENN VARGAS, Lapidary EditorK. L. B O Y N T O N . Naturalist

DuvxLVolume 35, Number 8

MAGAZINE

AUGUST, 1972

CONTENTSF E A T U R E S

THE COVER:After their surrender to KitCarson at Canyon de Chel-ly in 1863, the proud Na-vajo Indians were banishedfrom their native lands forfive years until the "GreatWhite Father" realized hismistake and allowed thetribe to return in 1868. To-day there is peace and tran-quility in the historic can-yon. Photo by Ray Matiley,Tucson, Arizona.

MALHEURA DESERT REFUGELO ST M IN E O F M IN N ELU S A CA N Y O N

HITE'S COVERIDING OREGON'S ROGUE RIVER

INDIAN TRAILS OF '72THE CACTUS MOUSEA DESERT DANDYN E W M E X IC O 'S M A N Z A N O M O U N T A I N S

Mary Frances StrongGeorge Pflegerfay Widen erEleanor VisserEnid C. HowardK. L. BoyntonTheltna E. Honey

D E P A R T M E N T SA PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE

BOOK REVIEWSDESERT LIFE

CALENDAR OF EVENTSRAMBLING O N ROCKS

DESERT SHOPPERLETTERS TO THE EDITOR

William KnyvettJack PepperHans BaerwaldClub ActivitiesGlenn and Martha VargasNew productsReaders' Comments

HI.TA SHIVF.I.Y. Executive Secretary MARVEL BARRETT. Circulation Manager

ED I TO RI A L, CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING OFFICES: 74 -109 Larrea St., Palm Desert, California 92260. Telephone Area Code714 346-814-1 Listed in Standard Rate and Data. SUBSC RIPT ION R ATE S: United States, Canada and Mexico; 1 year, $5.00; 2 years,$9-50; 3 years $13-00. Oth er foreign subscribers add S i.0 0 U .S. currency for each year. See Subscription Ord er Form in this issue. Allowfive weeks for change of address and send both new and old addresses with zip codes. DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Secondclass postage paid at Palm Desert. California and at additional mailing offices under Act of March 3. 1879. Contents copyrighted 1972by DESERT Magixine and permission to reproduce any or all contents musl be secured in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photo-graphs WILL NOT BE RETURNED unless accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.


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AS A DRILLBasic unit. Drills clean holes faster. Comes withmotor, chuck, foot rheostat, drill pan and drilling tem-

plate. Booklet of operating' instructions included.Nick le Pla ted __ $42.50(Does not include price of diamond drill point.)

DIAMOND DRILL POINTSGood drill points are necessary with any drillpress. Two styles are listed below. The solid style hasa drilling point composed of a special alloy and dia-mond bort. This type of drill is delicate and needs carein its use. However, with care, the solid type is muchlonger lived and will drill more holes per dollar. Thehollow core style drill has a hollow steel tip which iscoated with diamonds by a special process. This styledrill, drills very fast and is less dedicate and can beused by the beginner with good success. We do recom-mend this type drill for beginners and for extra fastdrilling in Opal, Obsidian, etc.No. 14 2MM Hollow corediamond drill point $5.50 EachThe New "WH IZ-I-Z Sintered Diamond Drills

No. Point Size Shank S t a Price Each89 1.00 m m 1.00 mm _ $5 5090 1.50 m m 1.50 mm ..._ _ 5.0091 2.00 mm 2.00 mm _ _ _ 5.5092 2.50 mm 3/16 inc h ._ 6.0093 3.00 mm 3/16 inch 7.0094 3.50 mm 1/8 inch .. ._. ___ _ 8.0095 4.00 mm 1/8 inch _ _ 9.00Prices on request for larger drillsup to 8 mm

Metro Diamond DrillVitromet Bonded Diamond DrillsHere are the handiest Vitromet Bonded DiamondTools developed for the Jewelry and Lapidary Crafts-man for drilling, reaming and beveling Gemstones.

Dril ls With 3/32" ShankNo . 8 1 mm (3 /16 ' : diam ond depth ) $7 .50No . 9 VA m m (3 / 16 ' " d i a m o n d d e p t h ) $ T WNo . 10 1V4 m m __ _ j ^ 5 0

No . 11 2 mm ._ $7 00No . 13 2z mm _ $8 noNo . 6 3 m m _____ _ $9 .50No . 7 3V4 m m _ _ ___ _ $11.50No . 5 4 m m ._ ___ _ _ $14 00Be sure to include sufficient postage

any overpayment will be refundedSHIPLEY'SMINERAL HOUSEOn Hwy. 160 in southwest Colorado, 18 mileseast of Durango or iy 2 miles west of Bayfield.Mail ing Address:SHIPLEY'S MINERAL HOUSE, Gem Village,Bayfield I), Colorado 81122Phone: 303-884-2632SEND FOR NEW CATALOG No. 9-B

LOTTIE M. SHIPLEY

P u b l i s h e r ' sT H E SANDS of the desert are beingclosely examined for the possibleexclusion of special interest groups. Forthose who adopt a "i t will never happen"attitude, let us note that the sands of thebeaches have already fallen under newregulations by the California Fish andGame Commission. Due to the increasingthreat posed by tourists and students whoswarm over the beaches by the thousandscollecting seaweed, periwinkles, sea slugs,and star fish, regulations are now in effectcovering the t ide pools along California's1 200-mile-long coastl ine.

Many areas that were formerly rich inmarine life have been denuded and col-lectors have concentrated in previously un-touched areas where depletion is proceed-ing at an accelerated pace.

Penalties for violation of the new regu-lations are $500 or six months in jailor both for stripping marine life fromtide pools.

Collecting is outlawed between the hightide mark and 1,000 feet beyond the lowtide mark without a DFG permi t .

Qualified researchers can get permits,while schools must work through countyboards of education to set up special col-lecting programs.

F.xemptions include: Taking abalone,clams, crabs, lobsters, scallops, cockles andsea urchins at state parks, beaches and re-serves, and national parks; taking, squid,sand dollars, limpets, mussels, octopi,shrimp and chionesand marine l ife thatcan be taken from state parksat all otherareas except wild life refuges and otherclosed areas.

Today the beaches, tomorrow thedesert . I t could happen.

FortheBirds?Youknowit

HummingbirdFeeder D R I P L E S S BEE ROOF ANT PROOF NOTHING TO UST

ONLY , i ' " ' PostpaidSend check or money order to:

MAGAZINEPalm Desert, California 92260C a l i f o r n i a res idents a d d 15 c ta x


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Tainter ojMany art critics consider John Hilton the foremost painter ofdesert scenes of the West. His oils are hung in galleries through-out the United States and are constantly in demand. DesertMagazine has a limited supply of prints of his painting entitled"Contrasts" showing sand dunes covered with desert wild-flowers and the Santa Rosa Mountains in the background.The four-color prints are 11x17 inches on mat paper with two-inch m argins. Ideal for fra min g, are mailed rolled, in a tube.These prints are available to Desert Magazine readers for only$2.50, including tax and postage. Send check or money order toDESERT, Contrasts, Box 1318, Palm Desert, California 92260.


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F I S H ! F I S H ! F I S H !TROUT, BASS ANDCATFISH

Get your share at Hall's CrossingHALLS'S CROSSING MARINA OFFERS: Gas and oil, l ive bait and lures, fishing gear, boat repairfacil i t ies, cold beer, ICE, groceries, slips and buoys for rent. Overnight accommodations thatsleep two to eight persons. Write or call for reservations. At the general store: fresh milk, eggs,butter, frozen meat, cold cuts and canned items for camping or picnicking. Take a boat trip toRainbow Bridge in one day. 2, 3 and 4-day tours to various parts of the lake, camping andsleeping under the stars. Ferry service for travelers with l ight vehicles. All types of pleasurecraft for rent from 14-ft to houseboats. Airstrip is 4000 feet with t iedown facil i t ies available.H A L L S C R O S S IN G M A R I N AWrite Lake Powell Ferry Service, Blanding Utah or call Moab Mobile Operator, ask ~or Unit 56

Dick Smith invites you . . .ComeFlywith me!See Canyonlands from theair! Majestic pinnacles, redrock canyons and arches.Truly a scenic wonderland.

Several flights to choose from in addition to flights over MonumentValley, Lake Powell, and Rainbow Bridge. Combination land-air andLake Powell-air tours available. Write today for a brochure.Cantfonlands

(^AviationAT CANYONLANDS RESORTEAST ENTRANCE TO CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARKWRITE: P.O. BOX 246, MOAB, UTAH 8 4 5 3 2 TELEPHONE 801-259-7766"Serving 0PEN5:00PM'DAILYtheWorlds Finest Quality Bee f"

"THE BEST FORLESS"

SUMM ER SPECIALS5 P.M. - 8 P.M. Daily, except SaturdayTOP SIRLOIN STEAK $3 .7 5 FILET MIGNO N STEAK $5 .50NEW YORK CUT STEAK $4 .7 5 WESTERN B.A. BARBEQUE $5.25

C OC K TAILS - D AN C IN G For reservations: 328-1101

STEAK RANCH and HOTEL67-501 Highway 111, Palm Springs, California

B o o kR e v i e w sby Jack Pepper

All books reviewed are avai lab le throughDesert Magazine Book Shop

F LORA OFB A J A N O R T EBy Tina Kasbeer

Another interesting book which wilbe welcomed by Baja buffs is Viora ofBaja Nor/e by a botanist who spends alof her free time in Baja. Although exist-ing Baja travel guides touch briefly onthe endemic plants of the country, this isthe first book to go into detail.

Many of the plant specimens exist nowhere else in the world, are weird inshape and in some cases so isolated theyare botanical puzzles. One familiar tomany Baja travelers is the cirio or, as it iscalled by many, the Inverted Carrot. Igr ows up and then down.

The author not only describes theplants but also tells how the I nd ians andtodays residents -use certain of the plantsfor medicinal purposes. Although accur-ate in every detail, this book is writtenfo r the layman and should be included inyour Baja research library.

Paperback, illustrated, 36 pages, $1.00Sa n Bernard ino

M o u n t a i n f r a i l sSAN BERNARDINOMOUNTAINTRAILSByJohn W. Robinson

An experienced hiker and writer , JohnW. Robinson has a new book on hikintrails in the San Bernardino Mountainwhich is crammed with information abou100 back-country tr ips into Southern California's historic range.His previous book, Trails of the An


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MALHEUR. . .Established by President Theodore Roosevelt in1908, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in theheart of the Oregon desert contains hundreds of dif-ferent waterfowl and native birds, plus 33 species ofmammals, making i t an ideal "hunting ground" for

photographers.

THERE WAS a chill in the autumn air,even though rays of the late after-noon sun cast a golden shadow acrossthe field of ripened grain. For a momentall was quiet. Then faint honking soundscould be heard. They grew louder as for-mations of Canada Geese came into view.The first "Vee" dropped and we trembledwith excitement as wave after wave ofthese majestic birds, settled into the fieldto feed. The tumult reached thunderingcrescendos as hundreds of geese enjoyedtheir evening meal.

Though it was a moment to savor andlong remember, it was but a prelude tomany thrilling experiences we would en-joy during a visit to Malheur NationalWildlife Refuge in the heart of the Ore-gon Desert. Malheur is pronouncedMAY-HEWER.

Malheur encompasses the largest re-maining freshwater marsh in the UnitedStates and is one of the most outstandingwildlife refuges in our country. Establish-ed as a preserve and breeding grounds fornative birds by President Theodore Roose-velt in 1908, the Refuge also provides ahabitat for 33 species of mammals.

A trip to Malheur Refuge affords anoportunity to visit wildlife in its nativehabitat. You are the guest here and willfind it necessary to quietly drive alongthe roads and dikes, then wait patientlyto observe or photograph the inhabitants.The entire Refuge is open to the public;and, though many access roads have lock-ed gates, the keys are readily given to allserious observers. Malheur is ours to en-joy as long as we abide by the few simplerules.Visiting season at Malheur is from Ap-ril to November with mid-April throughMay and September through October pos-sibly the best periods. Mosquitoes aboundduring June and July as no pesticides areused on the Refuge.A paved road leads to Malheur Head-quarters, 30 miles south of Burns, Ore-gon. The first stop should be at the finemuseum, open 24 hours daily, with an ex-cellent exhibit of refuge birds and mam-

Under the direction ofJohn Scharff, who was managerfor % years, Malheur becameone of the nation'soutstanding wild birdsanctuaries.

: #.

fit

mals. Descriptive literature, maps and abird list are provided. You may also ob-tain the literature by writing to MalheurNational Wildlife Refuge, P. O. Box I 13,Burns, Oregon 97720.Casual visitors, or those with limitedtime, can observe many waterfowl species

on the spring-fed pond at Headquarters.The Audubon bird-blind is here and avail-able to anyone interested in taking photo-


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A DESERT REFUGE

TheAudubonbird-blind affordsphotographers anopportunity forexcellent close-upshots of waterfowl.

. >. Agraphs. A climb to the top of the 50-footviewing towel will provide a birds-eyeview of the Refuge. A small herd of an-telope is confined to a large fenced areaunder the tower. They are often in favor-able positions lor photographs.

It is possible to spend just a day andglimpse" Malheur, but to really see itrequires at least several days. All modernaccommodations are available in Burns.

Campers will find facilities, complete withhookups, at the Environmental ResearchCenter a few miles south of Headquarters.Jerry and I arrived at Malheur in mid-October of last year. An early winterstorm had left a blanket of snow on themountains and brought a crisp, fall chillto the air. During our visit, we encounter-ed cloudy days and a light snow fell onenight.

After visiting the museum, we talked alength with Richard Toltzmann, the actingrefuge manager. He marked a map to in-dicate the best points for observation andphotos, gaye us the key needed to opengates, then we were off to explore theRefuge.The first day we drove out into MalheurLake via Cole Island Dike. We set up ourcameras but the sight of so many Trump-eter Swans, Snowy Egrets, Great BlueHerons, Wood Ducks, Western Grebesseveral species of geese and ducks had us"gaping" more than picture taking.Avid birders for many years, the varietyof waterfowl had us thumbing the pageof our bird book and thrilling to the manynew sightings. To residents of a deserwhere "there ain't no water," this greamarsh in the heart of the Oregon Deserwas almost unbelievable.We spent some time in the Audubonbird-blind taking color photos eventhough the weather was unfavorable. Bufor us, the joy of just seeing such a widvariety of birdlife was most meaningfulTrips to Buena Vista Ponds, KrumboReservoir, Boca Lake, "P" Ranch Stationand numerous other areas filled our days,We were up early and generally returnedwell after dark. Late one afternoon, wslowly drove along a section of the Center Patrol Road. Dozens of quail crossedahead of us, then a cock pheasant emergedfrom cover to look us over. We stoppedAnother cock appeared, then another andanother until over two dozen pheasantsambled along the road in front of us.The sun was dropping over the rimrocks as we continued south. A movemenin the brush caught my eye and I signalledJerry to stop. We waited and wondered ifanything would happen. Then cautiouslya doe (Mule Deer) came out into the center of the road. She observed us foawhile, then switched her tail and a tinfawn put in an appearance. In a momenits twin joined the family circle. Mothedeer felt a little nervous at our presencand guided her babies into the brush.When they had gone, we drove south ashort distance and were rewarded with


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^\:,-^r*:~ - - - : - - - -- . . * * ~ 1

Volcanic rimrocks (above) dominate the Malheur land of rivers, lakes andmarshes. Spring-fed ponds (below) are favorite spots for friendly geese.

the sighting of a herd of about 30 deergrazing in a meadow. They seemed undis-turbed by our presence and continuedbrowsing as we drove away.This was one of the remarkable advan-tages to be found at Malheurlengthy ob-servations of bird and animal activities.We enjoyed watching a pair of beavers

working on their dam and several musk-rats repairing their houses.Early one morning, we explored thesouthern end of the Refuge near French-glen. When it was time for a coffee break,we parked along the bank of the Donnerand Blitzen River (locally shortened toBlitzen River). We quickly recognized

a saucy Belted Kingfisher. From his van-tage point on a limb above the water, hekept us entertained by diving after unwaryfish.We also found ourselves in the middleof a "cattle drive" when two cowboysbrought a small herd across the river anddrove them up the rimrocks onto the allu-vial fans of Steens Mountain. We, too,visited this magnificent mountain whichrises from the desert floor in solitary iso-lation to an elevation of nearly 10,000feet. But this is another story we will betelling you in a future issue.

One of the wariest, pugnacious anddifficult animals to observe is the badger.Though short-legged and rather stout, hecan quickly dig or race out of sight as youapproach. We saw a sizeable adult digginginto a ground squirrel nest. He didn'tcare for our intrusion and, after lookingus over for a few moments hastened overthe ridge and out of sight.

It was well after dark one evening whenwe headed toward our trailer parked atthe Environmental Station. The car lightscaught: a flash of movement and reflectedtwo shining eyes. Jerry put on the brakes.A beautiful mountain lion wanted to crossthe road. After a short hesitation he cross-ed in front of us, then leaped up on thelow rimrock. Switching his tail he turnedand growled a "thank you." Mountainlions are fast facing extinction. They havean important role to play in the balanceof nature and have recently been placed onthe list of protected species.

During our week at Malheur, we sight-ed 37 species of birds and 13 mammals.Mr. Toltzmann assured us this was a goodrecord for so late in the season.The area encompassed by Malheur Re-fuge (181,000 acres) with its lakes, riv-ers and marshes has played an importantrole in the history of Oregon's desert coun-try. Peter Skene Ogden, famed HudsonBay Company explorer, first crossed south-eastern Oregon in 1826. It was a time ofgreat drought and he found bands of In-dians encamped near Malheur Lake. Theywere all facing starvation due to the scar-city of game. Ogden was not impressedwith the area's potential and headed hisparty south leaving the Malheur Regionunexploited.

This, of course, was not to last. Therewas no drought during the 1850s whenprospectors traveled through the Malheurarea en route to Idaho silver strikes. They


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told of grass-covered hills and valleys,lakes and marshes teeming with water-fowl and abundant game. When this newsreached the outside world, settlement be-gan.It seems only natural that the first per-manent residents would be trappers. In1862, four of then elected to settle at theedge of a spring-fed pond (at what is nowHead quarters) when; they built a sodhouse. It is also understandable that themore aggressive stockmen would find thearea of interest. They came and the namesJohn Devine, Miller & Lux, Fine, Smytheand Peter French would become wellknown in the annals of Harney County.

Peter French settled in Blitzen Valley in1872 and built a cattle empire around his"P " Ranch, now part of the Refuge. Sever-al other ranches were added to the Refugeover the years including the "Double O"in the Harney Lake area.There was not a great deal of develop-ment during nearly three decades follow-ing the establishment of Malheur Refuge.This was all to change when a vigorous,forward-looking, young Oregonian JohnScharff joined the Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice of the Department of the Interior.In 1935, John came to Malheur as RefugeManager.

He brought with him progressive plansto build a great Refuge that would pro-vide protection for the wildlife, yet allowuse by the public Over the years, Johnhas seen his plans and most of his dreamscome true. Until his retirement in July1 971, after 36 years at Malheur, he work-ed to develop the Refuge into one of Ore-gon's, as well as this country's, mostvalued natural resources.

Sitting on a dike in the pristine settingof Malheur Lake one has time to thinkwhile watching Sandhill Cranes stalkingthe water and Trumpeter Swans swim-ming by. How fortunate we are to stillhave such a region to visit in this periodof time when "wild land" is almost gone.We must protect our Refuges and notallow the land to be taken for other uses.We must protect our wildlife and in do-in so protect ourselves. Without the beau-ty of wild land and its inhabitants, therewill be little food for our souls.Malheur demonstrates how man andwildlife can live together compatibly. Avisit to the Refuge is an experience ofbeautyone you, too, will long savor andnever forget.

M A L H E U RNationalW ildKfe Refuge

*tfLCANADA GOOSE

Burns l\

Research CenterCamping Facility

8


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o f M i n n e l u s a C a n y o nby George Pf leger

GOLD HAS been m ined in the SouthernCalifornia. San Bernardino Moun-tains since the middle 1860s. Fabulousdiscoveries were made and the land wasclaimed by the kicky ones who proceededto reap the golden harvest.Towns sprung upi in Bear and Holcomb

Valleys with the influx of miners andhopeful prospectors. Stores to fill grub-stake orders, restaurants to feed the hun-gry and saloons lo quench the thirst of allwho came through the swinging doorswere about all the settlements consisted of.Naturally we must include the gamblerswho did their best to separate the minersfrom their hare! earned gold or wages,and, for the most part, succeeded.The best discoveries of gold in this areawere made in the years following the Civil

War when many ex-soldiers were on theloose and looking for a way to make a liv-

ing, get rich quick or just find adventure.Some men, after reading of riches for thetaking, didn't have to think twice andthey soon found themselves on the long,lonely road to California and perhaps . . .gold.In the early 1870s such a man arrivedin San Bernardino. He had no plans ex-cept to make his way the best he couldwith what jobs were available. He foundwork without much difficulty and wasjust getting settled when news of a newgold strike hit the papers.The man from the east watched as mensold what little they possessed to get agrubstake so as to try their luck in thehigh mountains that surrounded them. Hehung around the mining camps until helearned enough about prospecting to cutout on his own and try his luck.Working the canyons and gullys wasdisappointing, but he was determined tofind wealth and wouldn't leave the moun-tains until he did, the same vow made bythousands who eventually admitted fail-ure and went home. The quest for goldfrom early spring up into the summer waswithout success but the courageous pros-pector did not drift from his purpose. Thesearch went on. This was a stubborn pros-pector.One sunny day his luck changed. Whilewalking along the north side of Bear Val-ley a cool stream of water reminded himof his thirst and strolling upstream hefound a place where the water was movingslower and he bent over to drink.A pebble caught his eye. He picked itup for a closer examination. It was yellow.He had found gold! Sitting down nearthe creek, he studied the small nuggetresting in his hand and dreamed of allthe fine things and the good life the treas-ured metal would buy for him. He wasrudely rocked from his dreams by therealization that all he had was ONE small

nugget; it would take many like it to givehim the things he wished for.Knowing the gold was not born wherehe had found it, the most sensible thingto do would be to find out where it camefrom, upstream. Week after week hecombed the canyon looking for the motherlode. And evidently he finally found it.He was reported seen in San Bernardinowith his pouch filled with nuggets, bothlarge and small and the good life was fin-ally his-his dreams fulfilled. A claim hasnever been filed on this rich placer mineand from all reports he mined it secretlyfor years without revealing its location,not even to his family.After his demise, a map, worn thin andbadly blurred was found in his billfold.But it didn't betray the old man's secret,showing only the stream and several trees.Only the deceased miner knew where thegold would be found using the referencepoints. His secret had died with him.The story of the lost mine in MinnelusaCanyon persists. Some call it a myth.Others, including this writer, believe itexists; that it is in the canyon and willsome day be found.Finding the stream is no problem be-

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Looking up Minnelusa Canyon away from the lake and in the general area whereauthor thinks the lost diggings are located.cause of a sign on the highway a few mileseast of Fawnskin reading "MinnelusaCanyon." Here we parked and the questfor gold began. Checking out the streamnear the road, we were able to get a littlecolor in the pana good indication of anupstream source.Gaining permission from a propertyowner at the mouth of the canyon, we be-gan an intensive search for such tilingsas old tools, tin cans, diggings, a campsite,remains of a cabin or shelteranythingthat would tell us someone had spent alot of time in one place.For the first few hundred yards thecanyon is choked with brush, vines andbriers; a good hiding place for the mine.On the west bank, in about 150 yards, wefound an old digging high up on the bank.14

It is about 15 feet long, six feet wide andfour feet deep and filled with brush. Fal-len branches and a tree trunk lie acrossone end.Could this be the lost mine? Clearingout the debris didn't take long and soonwe were shoveling out the rocks and dirtthat had fallen in over the decades.Using the metal detector in the cleanedout pit proved encouraging. The ear-phones screamed and the needle on thedial went around and hit the peg. We hadmetal un der foot. C ould it be gold ?Digging feverishly, we discovered thecause of the positive readingmagnetite,or iron, big chunks of it in clay. Still, wesearched for gold. After all, isn't it usu-

ally found in connection with magnetite?Three ho urs and two broken backs later,

we finally gave up. No gold was in evi-dence. But we did find every shade andtexture of clay and a small amount of as-bestos. A little sleuthing amongst theneighbors solved the mystery of the pit.It seems some residents of the area, backin the 1920s, did prospect this spot forasbestos for a time with limited luck. Itwould have been easier on the linimentbottle had we known this sooner.The old miner was supposed to havestated that the mine was located wherethe canyon gets steep; so upstream wewent. About a quarter of a mile up wecame to some 100-year-old prospect holes

CAUTION!The entrance to Minnelusa Canyon ismarked by a sign on State 38, a few mileseast of Fawnskin on Big Bear Lake. Parkyour car under the trees by the highway.Do NOT drive up the Minnelusa CanyonRoad as there is no place to park. Youmay hike up the road to where it crossesthe creek and then take the path alongthe creek and up the canyon. The searcharea is above the homes at the base of thecreek. DO NOT GO ON PRIVATEPROPERTY. The area above the homesis part of the San Bernardino NationalForest. DO NOT SMOKE OR LIGHTMATCHES IN THE AREA ANDWATCH OUT FOR RATTLESNAKES.in magnetite outcroppings. How do weknow these holes are so old? Simple, notin cans.There are several stone claim monu-ments, now collapsed, erected to the old-timers; indications they thought they hadsomething but were disappointed somuch that they threw a mining pick intothe rocks, there to remain until we camealong and found it. The handle remainsin fairly good shape, and is still usable.This is the only piece of equipment Ihave found in the canyon to date. But itstands to reason there is more. After all,the gold nuggets weren't dug out withsticks and fingernails. The old miner hidhis tools at his secret mine somewhere inthe canyon.

If you get a chance to get by this way,take a stroll up the trail and if you canfind an ancient camp, chances are you'llfind some rusty mining tools and a goldpan stashed in the rocks nearby. If youare this lucky, you could be within astone's throw of the "Lost Mine of Min-nelusa Canyon."


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16/44

A LONG THE South Fork of the MercedRiver in Mariposa County, Califor-nia, approximately four miles south of itsconfluence with the Merced, rock founda-tions and disintegrating machinery com-pose a silent memorial to a long forgottenmining community. Nestled amidst greenhills and rollicking river, this is the siteof "Hite's Cove" and the Hite mine, oneof the most colorful and productive inMariposa County history.

John R. Hite found his golden dreamin this tranquil canyon in 1861 quite byaccident. While crushing some rock sam-ples by the river, his Indian wife slippedaway to attend an Indian celebration atIndian Flat over the ridge on the Merced.Hite chased the fleet-footed girl, but soontired of the vain pursuit, and sat down torest--in the middle of a bonanza!

Before anyone was; aware of h is find,Hite had accumulated $50,000. His firstmilling process was by arrastra, and hepacked ore to the river on donkeys. By1886, the rich yield enabled him to es-tablish a 10-stamp mill, equipped with a500-foot flume to bring water from theriver, and a cyanide plant. A tramwaywas also constructed to haul the ore fromhis mine directly to the mill.16

HITESCOVE-

by Jay WidenerBut John Hite was more than a miner;

he was a builder. From the proceeds ofhis own mine, he built a village of homes,a large hotel, shops, and a stable, andsoon had a community of several hun-dred people. He planted a two-acre gar-den, and raised a variety of vegetables;and a fountain was constructed that play-ed in every direction with breathtakingbeauty.An eighteen-mile wagon-road was con-structed from Mariposa at a great expense-a road that in the early 1870s became a

snow-free route for Yosemite tourists,who spent the night at Hite's Cove, and

then continued their journey into the val-ley by saddle.During the 1 7 years that Hite operatedhis mine, he took out $2,500,000. He in-vested heavily in San Francisco real es-tate and ranch property throughout thestate, and in August 1879, sold his mineto the Clark and Bothwell Company forover $600,000.

This ended in litigation in 1882, andfrom 1883 through 1903, the propertywas managed by various lessees and own-ers with little success. In 1905, the Yo-semite Mining Company made an unsuc-cessful attempt to open the mine, and in


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While chafing hisIndian ivije. Hitediscovered gold andthen built one ofthe richest operationsin the Mother LodeCountry. Today, allthat remains are (left)crumblingfoundations, (right)abandoned or e

crushers an d (below)rusting machinery.

\

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->- "

1938, the property was acquired by theMinerals Engineer ing Company of LosAngeles who did some work, but no pro-duction was recorded.

After Hite extracted his mill ions, heturned to ranching at his Indian PeakRanch. Tiring of this, he left his Indianwife at the ranch, and went to San Fran-cisco to stay for awhile. While there, hebecame seriously ill. and had to go to ahospital , where he was nursed back tohealth by nurse Nettie Craven. Miss Crav-en was certainly aware of the prize shetended in her capable hands; but for what-ever reason, she made Hite her special

patient, and soon she and Hite weremarr ied .

Thus Hite, a declining old man of 70years became, in 1898, the defendant inthe famous Hite divorce trial , in whichLucy Hite, an Indian woman, was theplaintiff. After trial and appeal, Lucy wasawarded $16,000 plus $5,000 attorneyfees, and apparently, the Indian PeakRanch on which she l ived.

Hite's Cove today is still a setting ofserene beauty, unpolluted by the t idalwave of tourism that has overtaken themajority of ghost towns. On two trips in-to the area, in August of '71 and in March

of this year, we were visibly impressed bythe few signs of digging. It seems evidentthat here indeed is a virgin site for bottleand relic buffs, and very possibly for theamateur prospector.

The trail to Hite's Cove begins at theconfluence of the Merced and the SouthFork on State 140, approximately 18miles north of Mariposa, at the site ofMajor Savage's trading post . Followingthe pictorial South Fork, the trail is easilynavigable by even the least seasonedhiker.

The old narrow and steep wagon-roadnorth from Jerseydale is still accessible,but is restricted to four-wheel-drives. Thisroute also necessitates fording the river onfoot at the end of the road, an impracticalfeat during wet or high water seasons. Be-fore using this road, I would strongly ad-vise contacting Roger Warren, Fire Control Officer, at the Mariposa office of theU.S. Forest Service, who can give you in-formation on road condition.

And don't hesitate to introduce yourselfif you meet another bottle buff at Hite'sCo ve- i t may be Roge r! Q]

1


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i

Oregon hasbeautiful covessuch as GoldBeach (left) nearthe Rogue Riverand spaciousovernightcamping areas(below) alongits 400-milecoastline. Allphotos courtesyOregon StateHighwayDepartment.

byEleanorVisser

Z ANE GREY once wrote, " . . . The hap-piest lot of any angler would be tolive somewhere along the banks of theRogue River, most beautiful stream inOregon . . . and the coldest, swiftest, deep-est stream I have ever fished." The famousauthor had two missionsfishing andwritingand he pursued both as long ashe lived, much of the time at his remotecabin which still stands on the RogueRiver.The Rogue River, as a sport-fishingriver, ranks among the great salmon andsteelhead streams of the world, many ofwhich Zane Grey fished. It is also re-nowned as a boating and vacation areahaving been named one of the seven"Wild Rivers" of the "National Wild andScenic River Systems."Along its shallow, lower thirty-twomile section, the Rogue is an easy-to-reach, wilderness playground. Countlessboaters, campers and anglers every yearvisit this wild river country. Another ex-

citing experience is riding the hydro-jetMail Boats on this stretch of the river.You relax while the boats take you on ajaunt into isolated scenic splendor andthrough some of the most spectacular un-touched wilderness in the world. Thetrip is a photographer's, botanist's andhistorian's delight.You can reach the Rogue, located on

the southern Oregon coast 40 miles northof the California-Oregon border, fromnorth or south on Interstate 101. Fornearly 400 miles this panoramic highwayhugs the rugged Oregon coastline wherewild, turbulent rivers rush out to mergetheir fresh water with the salt water ofthe Pacific, and where hundreds of sealscavort on the off-shore rocks.In the small coast towns of Gold Beachand Wedderburn, which nestle on eachside of the mouth of the Rogue, you willfind modern, ocean-view motels priced,at $10 to $16 per day, and several finerestaurants. If you are a sea food fancier,


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Tourists goalong for theride in the mailboat from GoldBeach up thescenic RogueRiver. One-day

trip includeslunch at a

riverside ranch.

there is daily fresh salmon and shell fishbrought in from the icy waters of theRogue and ocean by the fishing fleetbased on the river at the Marina. If youhave your own camping equipment, thereis a tree-shaded modern campground withwater, tables and a boat ramp a few milesup the Rogue from Gold Beach. But,wherever you settle down, when youwatch the red-gold sunset color the skyover the sea, you will know you've cometo a very special place.Although the U.S. Mail Boats run allyear from the Mail Boat landing in Wed-derburn, between May 1 and November 1you should make night-before reservationsfor the 9 A.M. departure. Adult fares are$5.00, children 4 to 11, $3.00 and for theyounger children there is no charge. Fam-ily-style luncheons, which are served up-river at Singing Springs Ranch, are alsoarranged for in advance at a cost of $2.50for adults and $1.50 for children. Wearcasual clothing, and take a jacket with you

because the wind whistling down the can-yons in early morning and late afternooncan be chilly, even in midsummer. Brim-med hats and sun glasses are advised forthe warm, bright sun during the middle ofthe day.The 64-mile round-trip Mail Boat rideis over the fascinating lower "River of theRogues" which was named by pioneerFrench trapper-explorers because of theroguish and hostile Indians who livedalong its banks. Known in the early his-tory of southwest Oregon as Rogue RiverIndians, it was from them this third larg-est river in the state derived its name.A local Indian hunting and fishingguide, who knows well the remote wilder-ness areas of Oregon, tells the life story ofthe famous Rogue River to all who willisten. Its origin is at Boundary Springs inthe high country near the northern borderof Crater Lake National Park. He de-scribes its swift passage down from themountains, its serene glide through the

W -a.


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populous upper Rogue Valley and thecity of Grants Pass. Then is wild dashthrough Hellgate Canyon and north toHobson 's Horn and Sexton MountainPass.

From there the river cascades throughGreen Knob, Agness and Bushy BaldMountain, dropping 900 feet in i ts roar-ing, riffled rush through the vast forestsof the ("oast Range, to finally emerge atGold Beach. On its 213-mile journey, theRogue gathers the waters of the sizableIl l inois and Applegate Rivers, and count-less smaller streams.

T h e Mail Boat trips over the shallowriffles of the lower 32 miles of the Rogueexcite thousands of travelers each year.Especially designed and built to skim overriffles and rocks, the fast, open, shallow-draft hydro-jet craft are known as MailBoats because they daily carry mail andsupplies to isolated homes and resortsalong the river. In addition, they carryfrom 30 to 50 passengers on each trip inthe summer months. These modern, sleekboats are Coast Guard inspected.

The river pilots are skilled, licensedboatmen, who know every bend, riffle androck in the river and, as the)' swing theircraft expertly around treacherous sand-bars and huge boulders, their passengerslounge on comfortable, wide, cushionedseats to watch the panorama of scenery un-fold and to take pictures. This remindsone of riding in sight-seeing boats pro-pelled along canals in amusement parkswhere you watch constantly changingscenes on each side.

Through loud-speakers the friendly pi-lots, who stand on platforms at the rearof the boats, point out historical markersand points of special interest, includingremnants of old mining camps left fromthe 1850s, when millions of dollars ingold were taken out of the Rogue valley.And they tell the part the river played inthe Gold Rush days, as well as legends ofIndian history.

One such legend relates how Indianbraves had to prove their love for theirsweethearts by swimming the icy, tumul-tuous waters of the Rogue in winter. Onebrave drowned while proving his devo-tion, and ever since his death his sweet-heart climbs on a rock at the river's edge atnightfall , opening her arms wide and sing-ing her mournful plea for his .eturn. Be-guiled, like Odysseus to the sirens, pass-ing fishermen would plunge into the wat-

er toward her, only to be drowned, as wa sher lover, in the icy, swirling currents.

On the journey the boats pass PaintedRock, a towering cliff, which was oncethe site of an Indian village. You can stillsee Indian messages carved on the side ofthe rock facing the river. The pilots re-count the name s of creeks, rocks and rif-fles, bestowed by early day prospectors,such as: Wake Up Riley Creek, WhiskeyCreek, Elephant Rock, Nail Keg Riffleand Mermaid Riffle, where the Indianmaiden's song for her lover still drifts inthe air.

The Mail Boat trips are a delight tocamera buffs. Movie cameras whir asaround each bend of the river new vistasof primitive scenery, wild bird and animallife appear. You may see deer, bear andraccoon along the banks or scampering upinto the forests. You watch a doe as shebrings her fawn to the river's edge todrink, and shows not a trace of fear asshe looks curiously at the passing boat.

Bald eagles, blue heron, hawks, cranes,gulls, pell icans and innumerable smallerbirds make their homes along the river,and many fly companionably along withthe boat for a time.

Strange nests of ospreys, looking likegiant salad bowls, are perched on the topsof snags. Ospreys are rare, large hawksthat sail the river canyons searching forfish they catch with their claws. The pilots


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also cater to still camera enthusiasts, andstop the boats for picture taking whengood shots come: into view.The river is a botanist's dream and, asthe Mail Boats proceed in the crystal clearair between alternating cliffs and openglades, you are treated to picturesque viewsof moss-covered rocks, trees, shrubs andwild flowers. Red-barked Madrona trees,sprouting bright red berries, are colorfulbetween dark, cool, fragrant evergreenbranches of Douglas fir, Port Orford ce-dar and Ponderosa pine.

There are glimpses of broad-leafedevergreen trees known as Oregon Myrtle-wood. Th ese rare M yrtle wood trees, whosewood is highly prized for making beauti-ful bowls, trays and art objects, grow onlyin small groves scattered in valleys andalong rivers in southwest Oregon and thenorthwest corner of California. The manyvarieties of trees, with their varying shadesof green, make striking contrasts of colorwith flamboyant wild rhododendron, azal-eas and foxglovesome of the estimated3,000 higher forms of plant life nativeto this area.

The two-hour trip upstream ends at thehamlet of Agness, and the resort of Sing-ing Springs Ranch, which are located atthe top of a cliff. You climb up the side ofthe cliff on a guard-railed path, but pas-sengers unable to climb are taken by thetruck up a backwoods road to the resort.

An angler lands a 36-poundChinook Salmon near the mouthof the Rogue River. Fishingis excellent both in the oceanand all along the Rogue.

Here is the tiny Agness United StatesPost Office, one of the smallest in thecountry and just about big enough forone person to stand in, which was estab-lished in 1897. From here mail broughtby the boats is distributed to scatteredsettlers and trappers.If you decide to remain at SingingSprings for a day or two cottages, set inwooded areas beside wildfowl ponds androse gardens, are available at about thesame rates as accommodations in GoldBeach and Wedderburn. You will betempted to stay and make the trip backdown the river another day.Should you be fortunate enough to visitthe Oregon coast, to ride a Mail Boat upand down the riffles of the Rogue, andenjoy the restful peace of mountains, for-ests, streams and ocean you will, for awhile, forget the nerve-shattering noiseand confusion of the everyday world.Whether you capture the essence of theRogue River in photographs, movies, oronly as pictures in your mind, it will al-ways stay with you. And you 'll believewhat Zane Grey wrote in his journal," . . . the spell of the river is overpower-ing, and you long to return to it."

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23/44

by Enid C. Howard

NAVAJO TRAILS of 1972 bear little re-semblance to the horse and foottrails used by Indians through centralArizona more than a century ago. Today,smooth ribbons of asphalt unwind overdune and prairie in this land of rock andsand where towering buttes are lost tosight in desert haze.The modern Navajo travels the roadsin his sporty car or late model pickup,shops at the local supermarket, gas station,TV and furniture store. He wears his cow-boy or Mod apparel with dash and indi-viduality, sparked with handsome, hand-made silver jewelry, often set with price-less turquoise, which is so right with hisdark hair and strong features.He is employed at a mechanized indus-try on the Navajo Reservation, either own-ed outright by the Tribe, or promoted onthe land through lease. He m ight own andoperate a service station, pilot a plane,raise cattle, work for the road department,teach school, deliver mail, work on theNavajo Police Force or as a forestry rang-er. The Navajo Nation today is a busy net-work of modern thriving communities

Although many of the youngerNavajos now travel in pickuptrucks, the horse is still themainstay of Indians in the moreremote parts of theirreservations. The horse wasbrought to the West by theSpanish invaders. Color photoby William Knyvett.

linked by the common purpose of findinga better way to upgrade the Navajo standard of living.The land of the Navajos is heaven-widand spacious, and they are an industriouscharming and hospitable people. They invite you to explore their land of loftymonuments, glowing canyons and sweeping vistas, ancient legends and ruins, trading posts, modern motels, hogans andsquare houses, new schools and museumsflocks of sheep and goats, and exquisitenative handcrafts. Every Navajo is fiercelyproud of his land and, rightly so, as it iuniquely adapted to his way of life.One can travel the four compass pointof Navajoland and discover new depthto the character and life style of thesequiet-spoken Indians. The communitiementioned here are but a small cross-section of this intriguing, dynamic and burgeoning nation.On the western side of the Reservationat Tuba City, one might take Navajo Trai3 (State 264) to Holtvilla. Just to confusthe visitor, this stretch of Trail lies withinthe Hopi Reservation (600,000 acres) surrounded by Navajo land. Along this routare the mesa villages considered to be tholdest continuously occupied pueblos inAmerica. The Hopi Indians were herwhen the Spaniards searched for the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, and still livehappily in the old structures.Modern conveniences have come to thHopi pueblos also. Invited to visit one othe pueblos, I was intrigued to see ga


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stoves, refrigerator.-., television, radios andcomfortable furniture tastefully arrangedin the centuries-old buildings.Handcraft skills of the Hopi people areof good quality and they produce manyartistic items native to the Tribe. They arefamous for their authentic Kachina Dolls.The Hopi women create lovely baskets and

pottery, while the Hopi silversmiths areskilled at inlay designs.

Mother of Pearl shell, set in silver forbracelets, pendants and rings, is highlyprized by serious collectors of fine Indiancraft items, although it is very expensive.No longer do the skilled artisans of the In-dian Tribes sell their work for peanuts.They have been educated to know theworth of their craft, and this is as itshould be. The Hopi Silversmith GuildStore, on Second Mesa, is the commercial

Trader Don Lorenzo Hubb ell'shome and trading post as itappeared circa 1876. Today thearea is a National Historic Sitehonoring the famous whitefriend of the Navajos.

outlet for Hopi handcraft of highestquality.Near the Guild store, the Hopi Tribehave modernized their image by construct-ing a new motel compound, The HopiCultural Center Motel, with 33 units,restaurant, lounge, display and sales forHopi Crafts. Architecturally patterned af-ter the old pueblo design, it is a delightfulovernight stop for those who wish tospend some time exploring the mesa vil-lages. Trailers can be parked near themotel, but there are no facilities.Navajo Trail 3 eastward joins Trail 8,where turning north will bring the travel-er to Chinle, and Canyon de Chelly, thatplace where all Navajo hearts dwell. If theheart were a painter, it could paint a poig-nant scene of suffering, of warring andmassacre, within these canyon walls.The pathos of yesterdays when theNavajos were forced by U.S. Army troopsto leave this sun-tinted canyon and endurebanishment for four long years. The heart

and soul of Canyon de Chelly is its time-lessness. One feels there was no begin-ning, there will be no end to its existence,it will always be beautiful and beloved bythe Navajos.Canyon de Chelly National MonumentHeadqua rters is perched atop a rise at theentrance of the canyon. Here the visitormay obtain information on the early in-habitants, study their artifacts and read thestory of the Navajos who made "The LongWalk" in 1864 when they were removed

to Fort Defiance. All this is displayed veryeffectively in the small but complete mu-seum in the foyer. Visitor hours; winter,8 A.M. to 5 P.M., summer, 8 A.M. to6 P.M.The Rim drive on the south side of thecanyon is for passenger cars, and a "do ityourself" drive, for spectacular effects ofdepth and distance at the overlooks. Hik-Villages of the HopiReservation are located onthree m ain m esas and arecompletely surrounded by theNavajo Reservation.


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In contrast to the trading postsand tribal headquarters ofearlier years, the architecture todayis of modern design and in keeping

with the landscape. This is thenew Hopi Cultural Centerwith a motel, restau rant and craft shop.

ing is allowed only from the rim to theWhite House Ruins. This is private landand visitors should not intrude or trespass.The people usually do not object to yourphotographing scenery, but do not "snap"the Indians unless you ask permission.You will be expected to pay for this privi-lege.Accommodations at the ThunderbirdLodge near the Monument Headquartersare excellent, and arrangements to tour thecanyon with one of the Indian guides canbe made at the office. One should not missthe opportunity to observe the small farms

of the families who summer in the can-yon, and winter on the mesa tops, or tosee and photograph the extensive ruinswithin the canyon.Cottonwood Campgrounds adjacent tothe lodge is super. Under shading oldtrees are restrooms, picnic tables, fire-places and water, but no wood. There aretrailer pull-outs but no hook-up facilities.It is operated by the Monument and isopen April 1 to November 1.Chinle, keeping pace with progress, hastwo restaurants, one motel, gas and gro-ceries, modern schools and hospital fa-cilities. The Chinle people go about theirproductive routines, but are not too busyto welcome travelers who come to visittheir beautiful Canyon de Chelly.From Chinle, retrace the route on Trail8 to Ganado, for here is located the grand-daddy of all Trading Posts. Hubbell T rad-ing Post is a national historic site and thecomplete story of it;: history can be obtain-ed in the trading room there. The Nation-al Park Service maintains the facility as aworking example of how it was in 1876when Don Lorenzo Hubbell was teacher,friend, fair trader and doctor to the Na-vajos. He guided the Indians through thefirst years of painful exposure to thewhiteman's blunderings, temperament, di-seases and strange ideas of food and

One of the largestprehistoric ruins in Canyonde Chelly is the White Houseivhich ca n be reached by a trailfrom the rim of the canyon.

equipment.If you happen to be interested in buyinga "one of a kind" handmade Navajo rugof museum qualityhere is the place tofind it. Prices for these beauties are high,but worth the investment. Sometimes theyare sold before they are finished, and oftensight unseen, as the product of the expert

weaver is known by serious collectors. Dovisit the rug room at Hubbells.

Don Lorenzo Hubbell is buried on thsmall hill overlooking the Trading Posnext to his wife, Lena Rubi, and his closest Navajo friend, Many Horses. Thihistoric site is a tribute to an outstandinpioneer and fair trader to the Indian people, among whom he chose to build hihome and live his life.Twenty-seven miles east of Ganado viacontinued on pttge 3


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Color photo by Jack Turner

CACTUS MOUSE. . .A DESERT

by K. L. Boynton(ft 1972

A CXORDING TO cactus mouse philoso-phy, no matter how tough life in thedesert may become, it is up to a fellow tomaintain appearances. None of this slop-py desert-rat stuff for him. He dressesmost fashionably: buff waistcoat satinsmooth, white vest, white spats andshoes, white gloves and black whiskers.

Finding time to keep such elegant rai-ment in perfect order in a dusty desert


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and when a fellow must do all his ownwork of food finding, food hauling andhouse construction, is not easy. Costumeupkeep i t seems, according to biologistEisenberg's study, is both a t ime consum-ing and complicated affair

It starts with a bath and, deserts beingwhat they are, the mouse must providewater for it himself. He licks his paws,roll ing them under his mouth to applyplenty of moisture. Then he's ready. Hisface is first on :he agenda, and it is at-tacked vigorously with both paws. Start-ing with his nose, he works upwards anddownwards, bobbing his head to aid inthe scrubbing. His big ears get special at-tention (even scrubbing behind them)and ending with a final few good swipesfor the top of his head and back of hisneck.

His white vest is then licked until itshines with cleanliness, its gleaming furthen being combed and smoothed downneatly with his pav/s and nails. Now hegoes after his sides, his forepaws reachingwell up over his back as he turns andtwists. Flanks, legs get their treatment; infact he doesn't miss a thing. His tailcomes last. Seizing it in his forepaws hehauls it up to his mouth, licking andsmoothing it from base to tip. Ablutionsnow over, he does a job on his nails, pick-ing and cleaning his toes with his teeth. Afinal shake and fluff, and he ready to goforth.

This small object of sartorial splendor iswise in his fastidiousness for much of hissuccess in the desert is due to his cleanli-ness. Constant fur care keeps fleas andother unwelcome residents to a minimum.Body cleanliness also cuts down the possi-bilities of internal parasites. Further, as thework of biologists McNab and Morrisonshowed, this same fur coat, thicker in pro-portion to his body mass than that of hiscousins among the white-footed mice l iv-ing in forest or prairie lands, helps shuntaside desert sun radiation.

Tnsulating against heat, it is a great fac-tor in keeping his temperature down. Odd-ly enough, his fur coat also helps cool himoff when his temperature reaches the pointwhere body heat must be unloaded. Com-pressing his fur, he squeezes out the heat-ed air. Spreading and opening his coat, helets more heat escape. If he has to resortto licking his fur under extreme heatconditions, he adds evaporative cooling.

A cactus mouse prefers dim light, andis therefore active at dusk, perhaps as a

safety adaptation from daytime predators.These l i t t le fellows have outstandingly

large eyes, the weight of their lens beingat least five times that of the lens of thehouse mouse. As zoologist Walls showed,large eyes let in more light and increasethe clarity of the image on the retina, thusgiving much better vision in dim light.The ears of these desert mice are largereven than those of the white-foots ofprairie and forest. Tests have shown thatthey can hear in the ultrasonic ranges, andit well may be they may make high fre-quency sounds themselves and use themas a bat does in echolocation enabling con-siderably more accurate activity in dark-ness.

The mouse's business day or night isput in foraging for foodseeds, fruit,grain, insectssome of which is eaten onthe spot, or in the case of seeds or grain,may be packed into the mouth and luggedoff to be buried in secret caches dug inthe sand near the home nest . Burying suchsupplies is a very big deal. A small holemust be dug, the seeds shoved out of themouth and into it, and the hole covered upagain, the mouse being very careful tosmooth the ground and disguise the spotwith elaborate forepaw action.

If nest building is in order, dry grasses,soft parts of plants, feather treasures andthe like are hauled to a selected site in acactus or rock crevice or other such pro-tected spot. Here the mouse proceeds toshred it into still finer softer material,holding it in his forepaws, splitting andpulling it with his teeth.

When a pile is accumulated, he bur-

Sketch by Karen Fowler

rows into it and, turning his body roundand round, molds it into the ball shape socharacteristic of white-footed mice every-where. The entrance is a nice round hole,just big enough to slip through, and themouse may make a round wad of materialand have it handy to use to plug the doorshut when he is in residence.

Explorer by nature, the cactus mousedearly loves to poke his long nose intoeverything, his body stretched out, hisears up, whiskers forward, testing, testing.From time to time he may sit up to lookaround, to listen harder. In the wild, ex-ploring is a good way to set up a homerange where the terrain becomes wellknown, where food sources become locat-ed, and man)' good escape places are athand.

It is also a fine way to meet the neigh-bors, a matter of social consequence. Malecactus mice usually avoid encounteringeach other, and hence fights seldom occur.Should a fray be unavoidable, both con-testants go at it with vigor, biting, scratch-ing, clutching each other and rolling headover tail, each squealing to add sound ef-fects. It ends when one goes onto his back,closing his eyes in submission, at whichpoint victor and vanquished go their ways. . . to take a bath, naturally.

In the exploration, should the encoun-teree be some highly decorative little itemwho perc hance had b uilt her nest in a cac-tus not too far away, things would be dif-ferent. Naturally she would not be avoid-ed, and naturally there would be no fight,an d naturally one thing would lead to an-

continued on page 36

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.----"" tr l

There's no smog to obstruct the view (opposite page) from the Capillo Peak Camp-ground, or from the Capillo Peak Fire Lookout (above) in the Cibola NationalForest. The Lo okout Road (below ) is one of many scenic trails winding throughth e Manzano Mou ntains. Ph otos from 11. S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region-is the only one that doesn't have safedrinking water. The Fourth of July Camp-ground , 5 miles further, is the largest with26 units and is the most commonly used.New Mexico's only stand of hard mapleenhances its fall beauty. Trails lead toMosca Peak with splendid vistas of the RioGrande Valley to the west and the fertileEstancia Valley to the east. A crest trailsouth traverses the length of the moun-tains.Although there are springs, take a can-teen of water when hiking or riding.Horses may be trailered into Fourth ofJuly and other canyons. Check with rangerfor exact water locations of springs, assources dry up at certain times of the year.Signs mark the trails which have grownup with bushes in spots. Extensive horse-back trips on these trails are not for thetenderfoot trail rider without a guide.

The quaint village of Manzano is thegateway to the other eastern campgrounds.It was named for the ancient apple treesstill growing there. Natives and expertsargue over planting dates from 1676 to1800.

A road leads northeast from Manzano

to New Canyon (10 units) and CapilloPeak (7 units) . From the Capillo LookoutStation, your vision is the only restrictionon how far you can see. The road to this9,368-foot peak is steep with switchbacksand trailers over 16 feet are not permitted.To be safe, check with the Cibola Nationa lForest Ranger, at Mountainair, on roadconditions and the length of any traileryou plan to pull into the mountains.

A short walk from any campgroundgives a refreshingly new perspective ofthe mountains with their conifer and as-pen-covered peaks, deep valleys, lime-stone buttes and wildlife. Deer, turkey,red and blue fox, the little tassel-earedAbert squirrel, blue scale quail and band-tail pigeons may be seen by the quiet, cau-tious observer. Pinon jays scream at pic-nickers and constantly spy for a brief op-portunity to steal a morsel of food.

My dog and a jay teased each other oneentire afternoon at New Canyon over afew scraps the dog didn't want but pro-tected. For the fishermen, the little Ta-jique Creek and Manzano Lake are stock-ed with trout each spring. Although fish-ing isn't a major attraction of the area,


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The other two ruins are state monu-

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ments and were constructed of red sand-stone, which glows blood red in the bril-liant sun. Quarai is 8 miles north ofMountainair. The walls of this mission,La Concepcion Purisima, stand almost totheir original forty foot height. Anatmos-phere of worship pervades the rooflesssandstone cathedral with its azure skyceiling. Birds sing from niches andwindssough in the pines and cottonwoods. It'sno wonder visitors report seeing ghostsand hearing their wailing on moonlight

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Manzano is one of severalSpanish-American towns locatedon State 1 0 which runs alongthe base of the ManzanoMountains,

nights! The other ruin Abo, is adjacentto U.S. 60, 12 miles west of Mountainair.There is only on^ campground, John F.Kennedy, on the west side. It covers 10acres with 18 units Turn east from N M 6which proceeds southeast from U.S. 85 atBelen and terminates it U.S. 60, 22 mileswest of Mountainair.

There are many other spots where onemay camp. Cottonwood Springs and PineShadows Spring in the southern part arebeautiful examples. From either of these,Manzano, the highest peak in the range,can be reached by trails. Turn north fromU.S. 60 about 16 miles west of Mountain-air into Priest Canyon. Watch closely forthe single brown and white sign right atthe road. Before pulling any rig into thisarea, check the ranger as the dry washeschange with rains.I drove a Comet station wagon over the12 miles to Cottonw oad w ith no difficulty.However, care was required as there wassome sand and I skirted a few high cen-ters. The drive through Priest Canyon,not particularly scenic in itself, presents amagnificent view of the towering moun-tains into which it leads.From any campsite, you are only anhour or two from many other attractions.The modern city of Albuquerque has

: - *

parks, zoo, museums, art galleries, swim-ming pools, golf courses, North America'shighest and longest tramway and the his-toric Old Albuquerque Plaza founded in1706.In the Plaza you will find Indian wo-men in their colorful costumes, sitting onthe broad sidewalks, selling silver and tur-quoise jewelry, beads and pottery. Theshops around the Plaza feature native per-fumes, leatherwork, western and fiestaclothes, silver jewelry, paintings, wood-carvings and pinatas. Cafes serve deliciousMexican and American cuisine.

State 10 takes you into the SandiaMountains with ghost towns of the gold,silver, coal and copper mining era as wellas summer and winter sports. To the southof the Manzanos you will find the Valleyof Fires State Park in the heart of a hugelava flow, Elephant Butte and CaballoLakes with plenty of fish and water sports.

The Manzanos offer uncrowded camp-sites for being lazy, shutter-bugging, ex-ploring or whatever your bag may be. Theonly time during the year when they attractnear-capacity crowds is the Fourth of Julyweekend. So, if you want to enjoy whatthe gang hasn't found, I recommend the"Apple Tree" Mountains.

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NAVAJOCOUNTRY


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The annual Into -Tribal Indian Ceremonial (above) in Gallup, New Mexico fea-tures parades, hidian dan ces and craft displays from tribes throughout the West.Handsome Navajo jewelry and that of the other Indian tribes of the West suchas this sand-cast riaja (below) today is considered to be equal to that of the finest

artistry in the world.of life for the Reservation people, and the the year, representing every type of hand-local rodeos are hotly contested. Ask per- work of all Indian Tribes,mission to take pictures at these events. For the ceremonial, each Tribe wearsThe culmination of all Indian Tribes their elaborate traditional costumes in theactivities for the >'car takes place in Aug-ust when all "Trails" lead to Gallup, NewMexico, for the world famous Inter-Trib-al Ceremonial. Into the exhibit hall poursthe finest Indian craftsmanship and art of

parade and tribal dances. A whoop-it-uprodeo is part of the four-day program toentertain the thousands of visitors whotrek to Gallup to see this colorful pageant.This year the Inter-Tribal Indian Cere-

monial will bt held August 10 through13. For complete information on this out-standing four-day event write to the Gal-lup-McKinley Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1 395, Gallup, New Mexico 87301

Ask for a list of motels and trailerparks for the area, or maps and brochuresfor any other point of interest in Navajo-land, or other Indian Reservations. Gallupis known as "The Indian Capital of theWorld" and the Gallup Chamber of Com-merce acts as an information center ontourist attractions and facilities for allIndian Tribes.If your interest lies in exploring ancientIndian ruins, in the northern region of theReservation are Keet Seel and BetatakinRuins, in the Navajo National Monument,accessible from U.S. 160. From there youmight swing further north to the land thatmust be seen to be believedMonumentValley! Its unique beauty invades yourheart!Yes, the Navajo, Hopi and other IndianTribes are on the move, and they knowwhere they are going. The Indians in Ari-zona have grasped the opportunity for de-termining personally their own future.The most dramatic change on the Reserva-tions has been the result of commercialand industrial projects developed by theTribes. To create employment for the peo-people near their homes, Tribal Govern-

ment has assisted several private firms tolocate on the reservation.Education has assumed a major rolewith the people, and an extensive adulteducation program is given priority. Morethan -12,000 young Navajo people attendschool regularly, and the number of Nava-jo students attending college and universi-ties is at an all time high.That the Navajo has great stamina,adaptability and determination to travelnew Trails in 1 972 will become very evi

dent to the visitor in this sprawling, vi-brant and enchanting land that is bigenough and wide enough for elbow roomand where a man "can see clear into theday after tomorrow."Navajoland is filled with the sights andsounds of life, but retains the intimatefeeling of being one with the ruggednessof the wide open country. Here there istime enough to absorb deeply of the sun,the breeze, the far horizon, and listen todrifting sand whisper through sage and

mesquite. Tread softly, with courtesy andconsideration, and you will always bewelcome.


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CACTUS MOUSEA DESERT DANDYcontinued from page 21

other. Unlike many species of white-footswho throw their spouses oat immediatelyupon setting up housekeeping, Mrs. Cac-tus Mouse is quite tolerant, with the hon-eymoon going on perhaps even after thebirth of the litter.

Small families are the rule here, a def-inite adaptation to desert conditons.Three or four make a batch; the young-sters themselves are very large, beingalready about 13 perecent of their adultweight. This, too, is a desert advantagesince raisin g already bigger and fewer off-spring is much easier on the mother interms of water loss in nursing and energyexpenditure .

Cactus mice don' t look like much whenthey arrive. Apparently hair less, blunt ofhead, eyes shut tight, even their pawsseem to be unfinished. But they have theirwhiskers and can make their wants wellknown, and besides their mother is thereto clean, warm and feed them. The youngget on with things themselves, their earsup in 24 hours, their front teeth in by thefifth or sixth day.

They are especially fast at getting theireyes open in 10 to 15 days, compared withup to 28 days in some other species ofwhite-foots. They also grow faster , andhence the cactus mouse tribe has a goodsetup in desert conditions. Successful re-production can be carried on during theshort period when rainfall and food arearound, the young are ready to breedthemselves as early as 28 days for the fe-males, 40 for the males.

Biologist Terman, interested in white-footed mice generally, pointed out that innature the number of these animals peracre is consistently small. Further, out-breaks of over population do not occur inwhite-footed mice as they do in house

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mice, lemmings, or meadow mice. Testmade in labs, too, under the very besmouse-happy conditions with plenty ofood, plenty of space and good livingconditions showed that they breed to certain point, and then while conditionstill all seemed perfect, the white-footedmouse population leveled off. Somewheresomehow, still unexplained satisfactorilythere is an efficient population contromechanism at work that keeps the population of these little animals at relativelylow and stable levels.

The young stay in the home ranges otheir parents until they mature, at whictime they extend the explorations thehave already been making further andfurther until they find a place for themselves. Here each ma)1 live for the duratioof his life.

Interested to see how this little creaturgets along so well under desert conditionsMcNab and Morrison found that in addition to the insulation advantage of the fupelt, the cactus mouse has another biace; his basal metabolism is about 10 percent lower than would be normal for ananimal of its size. They feel that thicould well be an adaptation to desert conditions, pointing out that the poorwill, most successful bird in the desert, is ofsome 33 perecent in its expected metabolism.

The cactus mouse is a quiet species, easgoing, tolerant, a conserver of energyWith a low basal metabolism there is lesneed lor evaporative cooling, and hencthe animals are far better able to stanhigh temperature living. They are, in facwell adjusted to high temperature.

By and large, white-footed mice are pretty smart lot, unrelated, by the way, thouse mice and rats, belonging ins

197208 desertmagazine 1972 august

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