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fully and bounce up and down
on the bumpers. Gloria, who
is poking around up near the
fan, suddenly straightens up.
"Mr.Wilson," she says, grinning
from curl to curl, "I don't think
this is standard equipment."
She is holding up a monkey
wrench.
MARCH, 1944
*7/te Mountain GLmle*
By G E N E HASSLER
Oakland, California
A million boulders, and ten million more!
In geometrical design arrayed:
Prismatic slabs, spheroids, that once were core
Of Earth, when molten igneous matter swayed
The seas, and lavas tore the world apart!
A million boulders, cubed, or edged and shaped
To rhombohedrons, hemispheres, and cones.
To truncate pyramids, where ice had scraped
Terrific hardness, or, in splintered zones,
Where cleaved the granite from a crystal
heart—
A million boulders, and ten million more,
Make up the towering mountains I explore.
MARCH, 1-944
! '! the canyon and worn trails led to the small
stream below. Originally a fissure, the
canyon with its basalt walls was more than
100 feet deep. The surrounding country
was fairly level. Although 6000 feet above
the sea, the shelf through which Black can-
yon cut a rugged gash extended for miles
in a southerly direction, surrounded by
peaks of brown granite. The soil was a
deep rich loam, sprinkled with lava,
abounding in wild flowers, and unusually
rank vegetation for such a desert country.
The district was capable of supporting
great numbers of bighorn sheep, and the
plateau itself was a perfect pasture for
young lambs.
Many of the petroglyphs were records
of the hunt. Bighorn sheep, with marks
showing where the fatal blow of an arrow
penetrated their bodies, predominated.
Eagles, deer and antelope also were
among the trophies. But most interesting
of all, were the pictures of the Indians
themselves. They appeared much more ad-
vanced than the coastal Indians or the
neighboring Mojaves.
Vernon Smith, left, and Jim Macmillan. They started out to enlarge a rock col- By the time we had finished my well
lection but ended at a prehistoric art collection. balanced, tempting repast, night closed
over us with the stillness of death. Not a
breath of air nor the sound of a living thing
least. I take great pride in my delicious yon, there, out of the wind, but we damn broke the silence all night long. Brilliant
camp stews. But John annoyed me until he near froze to death. Most of our sheep did. stars hung low in the sky peering into a
got back on the subject. That's how I happened to find those In- land where the curtain of life had fallen on
"We brought our sheep in, in the early dian things—pictures—what do you call a chapter of history in the dim past. I lay
spring, and stayed until the water was 'em?" in my sleeping bag wondering what had
gone." He rolled a cigarette and reflected, The petroglyphs told us another story. happened to the sheep, the deer, and ante-
"That was many years ago. One spring the The story of a prehistoric tribe of Indians lope and where the Indians had gone. It
snow caught us. A blizzard so bad we who came to the Coso mountains to hunt seemed to me their lives had been the span
couldn't get out of our blankets for two bighorn sheep. of but a fleeting moment, a brief record of
days. We were camped down in the can- Their camps were made on the rim of grim survival in the endless march of time.
v > ' PA N A Ml N T
—•VA LL£Y
TO BALLARAT
MARCH, 1944
When George and Sis arrived
at the rancho, it appeared de-
serted—in fact, it looked like the
perfect setting for a haunted-
house story. Later when the
silence of the night suddenly was
broken with hooting, screaming,
barking a n d whistling, further
realism was added to the scene.
Flashlights revealed the weird
sounds to be the protests of West-
ern Horned Owlets. Scientists
call them Bubo virginianus pal-
lescens, the sub-species name re-
ferring to the pale coloring as
compared w i t h others of the
same species, such as the Arctic,
Montana, Northwestern, Dusky
and Pacific horned owls. The
desert variety ranges from cen-
tral Texas west to southeastern
California, into northern Mexico.
These are the only large owls
with ear-tufts or "horns" — they
grow to nearly two feet in length.
The males (as male r e a d e r s
would suspect) have a shorter
series of deep resonant hoots.
The rhythm usually is — hoo,
hoo-oo, hoo, hoo; while the fe-
males extend it—hoo, hoo-hoo-
hoo, hoo-oo, hoo-oo.
4kotne
From the expression on the owlet's fantastic face one would think he had caught
the kangaroo rat himself. Owlets
By GEORGE McCLELLAND BRADT
IN THE southeast corner of Here we could find the material for a
New Mexico, on the little-used des- photographic cross-section of desert bird- Photos by the author
ert road between Columbus and El life which would be fairly representative" of
Paso, Texas, lies a long-forgotten rancho. the entire Southwestern area. feathered babies of a pair of Western
Its rusty windmill, creaking and groaning On a glorious afternoon early in May Horned Owls.
in the gusty restless wind, pumps nothing we began our ornithological reconnoiter- The moment I peered over the nest-edge
but air to the dry tank where thirsty cattle ing. After two hours of dusty driving we they spread soft, broad, brownish wings,
once came to water. Tumbleweeds, not had arrived in our venerable Buick to clenched white feet, snapped hard sharp
steers, race about the ghostly corral. In a within a few yards of the ranch's corral beaks, and hissed in impotent, infantile
rude log shed hang an empty trunk, an gate when, for the third time that after- rage. Not the slightest fear did they show.
ancient saddle, a single stirrup. noon, we bogged down in the betraying Perhaps they were counting on the parent
Slowly the desert reclaims what once sand. Extricating ourselves from beneath bird, perched watchfully on the nearby
was desert. Seed by seed mesquite and the jumble of camera equipment, food and windmill, to return to strike with vengeful
yucca slip under the sagging fences. Rare water with which the car was loaded we talons the rash intruder. Perhaps they had
cloudbursts wash away old foundations. began shoveling away the loose sand. never been taught to fear anything as
Sand erodes and drifts and covers. A Hardly had we begun the odious task when singular as a soldier - ornithologist. Or
bleached and lonely skeleton lies the little from the top of a tall yucca not 50 feet what is even more likely, the three, great-
rancho under the heedless sky. from the car flew a great, grey-brown, eyed hunters-to-be probably were so ex-
But although abandoned by men, the silent bird. Forgetting sand and shovel we cited at the prospect of trying out their
ranch's every inch is tenanted by infinite rushed to investigate. Cradled in the brand new falons on a real live victim
forms of desert life. yucca's shaggy arms was a large nest. I (me) that they had forgotten to be afraid.
Last spring, Sis (my wife) and I de- quickly returned to the car for a stepladder As much as I regretted it I had to dis-
cided to confine our weekend "birding" to to see if the nest was occupied. It was! appoint the eager little creatures for I had
the little rancho and its sandy environs. There in lofty solitude sat the three fierce, no desire to become a proving ground for
MAliCH, 1944
Butch Cassidy still lives! Re-
gardless of the various ends sup-
posed to have been met by the
leader of the Wild Bunch, he still
lets his friends hear from him and
occasionally even visits them,
declares Mother Snider, who by
her testimony adds another facet
to the Cassidy legend. Mother
Snider is the kind of pioneer you
read about in fiction. At the age
of 19 she rode in a wildly careen-
ing wagon pointing an empty
rifle at Victorio and his Apache
raiders—and although a bullet
ripped through h e r sunbonnet
she aimed the bluffing rifle as
courageously as if she were hold-
ing her fire for more deadly aim ..
But when Butch Cassidy came to
town for an interlude between
robberies he was counted as a
family friend—and she hopes he
will come to see them again soon.
By BETTY WOODS
MARCH, 1944 11
Left—Lone survivor of buildings in
Alma where some of the Wild Bunch
at times hid out, leading respectable
lives. Below — Susan Elizabeth
Meader, Mrs. Snider's mother, from a
portrait taken about the time of the
Apache raid, 1905. Photo courtesy
Mrs. Snider.
MAHCH, 1944 13
(fO--Wket2 the (fold J1U5 Sutled
By THERON MARCOS TRUMBO
Illustration by John Hansen
TIXAS
H\ I H U A H U l
Maximo Milliano, with the aid of the "Father La Rue, as representative of the Springs to return again to Mexico. Padre
Church, organized an expedition to search Church, I demand that you immediately La Rue knew that his little colony no
for the whereabouts of this colony which deliver possession of the mine and all gold longer would be safe here in the shadow of
had so strangely disappeared. After a bullion on hand to the Church, to whom the Organs. Soon would come the throngs
whole year's time they stumbled by chance it belongs." of gold seekers. He sank to his bed that
onto the Indian village of Tortugas. Here The padre gazed steadfastly down into night with a heavy heart.
the Indians told Milliano of the colony in the greedy face below him. Trouble came sooner than he had an-
the Organs—told him of the gold that had ticipated. The wild Apaches' hatred had
been traded them for food. At sight of "Senor, the mine does not belong to me.
Consequently it cannot belong to the been smouldering since the desecration of
some of this very gold, Milliano's eyes their holy springs by the white men. One
widened in surprise. No wonder the Church. God led a dying soldier to dis-
dark night soon after Milliano's visit,
Church had heard nothing from Padre La close its existence to us and God has help- when thunder was booming over the peaks
Rue! ed us to develop it. It has been our only and lightning threw weird shadows in the
Barred from entering the stone portals source of livelihood these years. Since the canyons, they swooped down upon the vil-
of Spirit Springs, Milliano demanded to gold belongs to my people, I refuse to de- lage, showered it with deadly arrows, toss-
see Padre La Rue. liver over one small portion to you or to ed firebrands upon the roofs, overcame the
A few minutes later, with sinking the Church. I would suggest that you re- guards and rushed into the treasure-house.
heart, the good padre appeared on top of turn to Mexico City and forget us." Brave to the last, Padre La Rue stood
the wall near the gate. In anger, Maximo Milliano left Spirit guard over the mass of gold. But he was
MARCH, 1944 15
overcome . . . and died in the room where
he had guarded the gold so many years.
After the padre fell, those of the col- Til IIP AD E AI 01* ^ ' s mont
h' s I 1 " 2 is a
composite test of
onists still alive fled to the shelter of the I till t Vll lALwIn your information on desert history, geog-
canyons and the peaks. Rain poured down raphy, geology, mineralogy, wildlife, le-
gends, literature and Indian life. If you are an average interested reader of Desert
in mad torrents and the Indians soon fled.
Magazine, you should score more than 10, which puts you in the Desert Rat class.
Half-drowned people clung stubbornly to If you answer 15 or more correctly, you may tell your friends you're a Sand Dune
their rocky shelters and listened with fear- Sage, for you have proved you are a careful reader of DM and good desert books,
ful hearts to the tumbling waters that were and possibly you have answered some correctly because of personal observation or
breaking and dashing down the canyons. experience. A score of less than 10 should make you resolve to read your Desert
As morning dawned, the storm ended. more carefully, discussing the various subjects with your friends or family, or
Wearily, hopelessly, a little group of sod- making up your own quiz as each issue arrives. Answers on page 28.
den humans collected where once had been
the village of Spirit Springs. The mine 1—Lowest elevation in United States is foot of Bright Angel Trail in the depths
was gone, covered now by tons of rock and of Grand Canyon. True False
rubble. During the storm a mighty stream
had flowed through the village leaving 2—Yucca baccata is a dance. True False
only a few rock walls to show that man
once had called it his home. Padre La Rue's 3—Crystals found in geodes usually are of quartz. True False
cave was hidden, its entrance covered with
stones that would take years to remove. One of J. Frank Dobie's best known books on lost mines and treasure is "Gol-
Filled with despair, the pathetic refugees den Mirages." True False
made their way down to the valley where
they were welcomed among the Mexican 5—Franciscan Father Garces was murdered by Indians at Yuma in 1781.
people who had newly colonized the banks True False
of the Rio Grande.
But the gold was not forgotten . . . 6—Craft for which Hopi and Zuni Indians have gained greatest renown in com-
mon is making of katchina dolls. True False
Each generation since has had its treas-
ure-seekers. Today this land is no longer 7—All "pure" sand is composed exclusively of finely ground quartz. True
in Chihuahua, but lies in southern New False
Mexico. Like all legends there must be a
grain of truth in this story of Padre La Rue, 8—Hovenweep is the name of a group of Indian ruins on rim of Little Colorado
although most histories fail to mention river, northern Arizona. True False
him.
It is told that in 1907 a prospector visit- 9—The roadrunner, or chaparral cock, is a member of the Cuckoo family.
ed the mountain home of one Teso True False
Aguirre, a descendant of one of the orig-
inal Spirit Springs colony, and was shown 10—One can be sure a specimen is dolomite if it effervesces instantly in cold hydro-
the old cave. But he was not shown the chloric acid. True False
treasure. Again, Col. A. J. Fountain of
Las Cruces, New Mexico, claimed to have 11—Gila Monster is a hibernating lizard. True False
found an old record in either the Mesilla
Mission or the Dona Ana Mission describ- 12—Lost Pegleg Smith mine generally is believed to be in the Colorado desert of
ing the richest mine in the Spanish Amer- Southern California. True False
icas, located near the present town of Or-
gan, New Mexico. 13—Desert Lily, which usually begins blooming in February and March, is found
most abundantly in desert foothill areas. True False
At a later date, a band of Spanish refu-
gees on their way from Mexico to Spain 14—"Down the World's Most Dangerous River," by Clyde Eddy, is the account
stopped over in El Paso. They were re- of a scientific expedition down Colorado river in the 1920s. True
ported to have found a church record in False
Mexico City, giving the exact location of
the Spirit Springs mine. But even with all 15—Largest island in Great Salt Lake is Antelope Island. True False
of these "proofs" nothing ever was found.
16—Helium, gaseous element of argon group, occurs in natural gas in New Mex-
Today, on the streets of Las Cruces, you ico. True False
can hear wild tales of men who have wan-
dered into a strange cave to find a couch 17—Earliest Americans to come to the Southwest were seeking gold. True-
of stone carved out of the rock on which False
are dark stains of blood . . . And always it
is just around the next peak, this chimer- 18—Geologists say the Carrizo mountains in northeastern Arizona are examples
ical treasure that lures men to spend their of sedimentary mountains. True False
entire lives in the rugged Organ moun-
tains, searching and digging and prying 19—Setting of Fierro Blanco's "Journey of the Flame" is along Camino del Diablo
into every cave and every crevice in the in Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona. True False
vain hope that here . . . or maybe over
there . . . or somewhere . . . they will 20—Bright red shades in such colorful Southwest areas as Grand Canyon and
stumble onto the golden treasure of Padre Bryce Canyon are due to presence of hematite. True False
La Rue!
Noiv that winter rains have filled the pool ajter a long spell
of drought, Rider and Rudyard launch the old cement mix-
ing trough and go canoeing, ivith fire shovels for oars.
By MARSHAL SOUTH
Wrapped in what she calls her "bath-a-robe" she stalked about
among the pails and home-made mescal brushes with a great
MARCH, 19 44 17
miracle year after year there is always something mysterious monium breaks loose, with all the shoutings and gesticulations
about it. This season, in particular, the change was startling, of a regiment of excited organ grinders.
for the dry spell had been long and hard. All letters are read aloud, attentively listened to and com-
When we came back to the mountain the bunch grass all ap- mented on. Sometimes we have to go back and re-read special
peared dead. The mescals were shrunken. Famished rats had paragraphs. The Board is very thorough and gets a great deal
made cruel inroads on even the struggling chollas—in some in- of joy and excitement out of its widely spaced mail day
stances stripping them almost completely of their fleshy bark. "meetings."
In long walks we could find nothing of those showy succulents Most letters are from kindred souls—often far distant—
known popularly as "hen and chickens" except seemingly black-
whom we may never meet, but who also feel the restless urge
ened corpses, wedged in the crevices of the rocks. It appeared
that Ghost Mountain could never "come back." towards freedom and simplicity of living which is today tugging
at the hearts of so many of the human race. Once in a whiie we
Then came the rains. A few days after the first storm had get letters of censure—frank scoldings from good folks who de-
subsided we went out to some of the farther ridges to collect clare that we are very wrong to have "deserted civilization."
fuel. The change in all the country was a shock. Everywhere They say that we are deliberately erecting stumbling blocks in
there was a sense of slumbering life having suddenly awakened. the path of progress. And when sometimes I answer and ask
Under the lee of almost every big rock delicate little desert ferns innocently what "Civilization?" And what "Progress?" they
had unfolded their green fronds. Mosses and lichens glinted become very angry and their replies sound as though, while
among the stones underfoot. Thin blades of grass were thrust- writing them, they had been jumping up and down like our
ing through the sticks and gravel of every sheltered patch. All
enraged pocket mice do when they are squabbling over grains
the cacti, especially the beavertails, looked plump and swollen
and alive with new strength. And in all the rock crevices where of corn. Some correspondents are greatly worried about the
the blackened shapes of the lamented "hen and chickens" had "Futures" of our youngsters. And one expressed grave concern
mouldered, tiny leaf edges groped towards the sunlight. It for their health "separated as you are from all properly prepared
was a sort of mass resurrection. We came home with our load commercial foods," she wrote, "are you sure that they are getting
of firewood feeling strangely happy. Also we had seen a snail. enough vitamins?"
Maybe it doesn't seem very important, the sighting of a That one was a poser. It brought the Board up with a short
snail. But on Ghost Mountain the discovery and observation of turn. Victoria wrinkled her nose: "Wita-mines? Witerminns?"
a live desert snail is an event. There must be numbers of them she puzzled, puffing out her plump little cheeks. "Do you
on the mountain, for their whitened shells are fairly plentiful qwite wealize what she means?"
and Rider has collected them for years. But: no matter how you
search you almost never see a living specimen. The only ones "Of course!" Rudyard pounded on the table with his fist like
we ever have found have been discovered immediately after Tarzan calling for order in a council of gorillas. "Of course!
rains. Then at rare intervals, you will find one trailing its dainty Vitamins are all the goodness which is carefully extwacted fwom
form across the damp rocks. Delicate and striking little creatures food so that it can be pwoperly enwiched later on. Are you so
these desert snails. Although of the same family as the com- absolutely ignorwant?" He glared at Rider who was chuckling
mon garden snail, it resembles it no more than a slender song- like a Cheshire cat.
bird resembles a fat barnyard hen. These Ghost Mountain snails
So that was that! We forwarded on Rudyard's definition to
are jet black with fine, racehorse lines. And their delicate shells
are, in life, beautifully shaded with markings of brown. These our correspondent, telling her also that we did not know about
brown markings do not last long after the creature has died. the vitamins on Ghost Mountain. That there might be a few,
They soon fade. Almost all the empty shells that Rider and lurking in the farther rock caves which we had never thoroughly
Rudyard discover are a bleached, desert white. Always it is a explored. But we did not think the children would come to
shock to discover a snail in the savage .surroundings of the any harm from them, as they were all thoroughly aware of the
desert. Like finding a fur seal somewhere in the jungles of the necessity of giving a wide berth to all dangerous looking
equator. But then, there is the equal shock of the desert tortoise. creatures. We have not heard from her since.
And once we found a tiny tree toad under a rock, right on the
heat seared crest of Ghost Mountain. Yes, mail days on Ghost Mountain are happy days. Despite
"Civilization" and "vitamins" and "Progress"—even the irate
The Yaquitepec mail sack, when it gets in, is usually well correspondent who told me that "after the war" the "new,
filled, these days. And that is something to rejoice over. For if mechanized civilization will be a thing surpassing our wildest
there is one thing more than any other which makes life worth dreams of liberty and ease"—we get along very well.
while on our mountaintop it is to receive letters from good If it be our personal conviction that what "Civilization" needs
friends. They are good friends too. For they uncomplainingly is not more softness and ease but more simplicity and nearness
stand the test of waiting scandalous periods for often the briefest to the earth and fundamental things, at least we are not alone.
of replies. Somehow they seem to know that all their letters • • •
are carefully treasured, even if sheer pressure of circumstances
often force just hastily scribbled postcards in return. THE CLOCK
Mail day is always a big day, and it is a family affair. Every- The clock is Master. Every hour
It measures for us. And its power
one gathers round, as for a tribal council. Rider perches him-
Is boundless. All our food, our thought
self on a chair and Victoria stands on a bench, in order to see So dearly bargained for and bought,
better. Rudyard usually squats precariously on the extreme edge Is done to these tick-tocks of time,
of the table top, his little heels partly overhanging space and That mark our slavery and grime
his whole, intent, compactly bunched body giving the impres- In this society today.
sion that each instant he is going to topple backwards to disaster. And they ivho truly ivould be free
But he never does. He and Victoria appoint themselves Mas- Must overrule and get away
ters of Ceremonies. They direct the order in which the mail From its obsessing mastery.
shall be opened. And if their rulings ever are ignored pande- Tanya South
MARCH, 1944 19
1—Site of Pisgah Crater before anything happened. A— 2—The fault forms and makes a weak place in the crust of
Alluvium, B—Underlying strata, C—Bedrock, which con- the earth. The lower margin of the fault makes a leadway
tinues to unknoivn depths, possibly 40-50 miles where it upward for the escape of the magma. 3—Magma begins
blends with molten magma. to rise along fault.
4—Tongues of molten rock begin to slope their way to sur- After initial outburst, explosive phase rapidly subsides.
face. Magma contains water as superheated steam under It may have lasted less than a month. Lava begins to fill
great pressure. As columns rise they are preceded by crown crater. At length pressure causes breaks through sides of
of incandescent gas which melts everything it meets. cone near base, lava pours out, forming flows A and B.
5—With a violent steam explosion eruption takes place. Lava through other canals fails to reach surface and intrudes
Dust and lapilli are shot upward. Fragmented material and between strata to form laccoliths at C. Volcanoes like Pisgah
lava soon build up cinder cone as they fall around vent. put on a single show, never repeating the performance.
MARCH, 1944 21
them. The wave pulled them back and forth like a couple of
tadpoles in an olla of water. Then the wave knocked them off DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL TERMS
their feet. They sat in the sand and gravel and looked east to-
wards what seemed a roundup of all their tribal nightmares. BASALT—Hard, usually dark colored, fine grained rock,
About three miles away the desert was going to pieces. From always product of volcanic activity. Type of solidi-
the flat floor of the valley there loomed a frightful thing—a vast, fied lava.
ghastly, solid but boiling shape like something seen in a bad CINDER CONE—Ring-shaped heap of fragmental ma-
dream—a cloud like a monstrous cauliflower. This seemed terial of all sizes built up around vent of volcano by
rooted in the ground. It was black except where its summit and volcanic action.
the swelling billows of its mass caught the sunlight. Here it was FAULT—More or less vertical crack or joint formed by
silvery white. As they watched, it rose up and up until it touched movement of earth's crust.
the sky, then it spread out like a canopy, and dust and cinders LAPILLI—Italian word for "little rocks." Small pieces
began to fall. of solidified lava varying from size of nut to size
Other explosions shook the valley. The cloud heaved with of pea.
each concussion and finally the curtain of dust became so thick LAVA—Melted rock which has been brought to earth's
that the cloud itself was hidden by a screen like a wall. This surface by volcanic action. Same fluid rock subse-
was ripped at times by writhing stems of lghtning that twined quently solidified.
about like veins of glittering fire. This was electricity generated MAGMA—Rock, fluid from heat and pressure, as it oc-
by the friction of particles of ash against one another. Muddy curs within the earth. Differs from lava in having
rain began to fall and the drenching with uncomfortably warm both steam and gases dissolved in the hot material
water brought the girls back to what little sense they had left— under pressure.
barely enough to run, run, run away from this focus of stark ter-
ror—the birth of Pisgah crater. MATRIX—Ground-mass of a rock when surrounding
some particular embedded substance which may be
What had happened was this: A long long time before the either a mineral, a fragment of a different type ol
Chemehuevi ever thought of migrating into the valley of the rock or a fossil.
Mojave—possibly about the time the first brick was laid in SEISMOGRAPH—Instrument for recording period, ex-
Babylon—deep down in the earth, perhaps 40 or 50 miles below tent and direction of each vibration of an earthquake.
the surface, a vast crack began to form and fret its way through
the rocks of the crust. This crack or fault extended until it finally STOPING—Action of a rising column of magma in
made a weak place in the valley floor. At a depth of one mile breaking its way through surrounding solid crust.
the pressure amounts to 450 tons per square foot. It increases Takes name from its similarity to ceiling stoping in
rapidly after this and at 40 miles becomes fantastic. mining operations. Large blocks break from roof
and fall back into the magma.
With the increase in pressure there also is an increase in tem-
STRATUM (pi. Strata)—More or less continuous sheet
perature. Towards the bottom of the 40-50 mile zone the rocks
or layer of rock of any predominant type, as sand-
are hot enough to boil—only they can't. The pressure is too
great. These rocks which should flow like melted wax actually stone, limestone, shale, etc.
are extremely rigid. We know this from evidence of the seismo- WIDMANSTATTEN FIGURES—Crystalline markings
graph which shows that earth shocks travel as fast in the deep of a particular type developed on meteoric iron when
layers of the crust as they do near the surface. this is etched with dilute nitric acid. Crystalline
areas are of two types which differ in their reaction
to the acid—some stand in relief, others are eaten in
Inside Pisgah Crater. Clumps of silvery white grass against more deeply so that in some cases the block can be
background of basalt and lapilli emphasize melancholy inked and an impression drawn off as from an en-
effect of "cinders from furnaces of hades:' graved plate.
So the fault I mentioned not only cut through the valley floor
at the surface but penetrated into the zone of fantasy at the bot-
tom where we find melted rock with a reaction to stress similar
to conditions in a lump of pitch. This may be plastic enough
to stick to your fingers but under a quick rap with a hammer fly
to pieces with the brittleness of glass. When the lower edge
of the fault reached the hot zone things began to happen that
wouldn't be evident at the surface for thousands of years. At
some point, possibly at several points along the vertical line of
the fault, melted rock, the molten magma, began to rise.
The magma is a red-hot hurlyburly of geochemical contradic-
tions that defy all common sense. It is not only hot enough to
be fluid but is rigid as steel from pressure. It also holds water
and other gases actually dissolved—water mixed with molten
rock. Nobody knows much if anything about the condition of
the elements and compounds in the magma. Possibly molecules
of the oxides of silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium,
sodium, postassium and other elements shove shoulder to
shoulder with molecules of water and carbon dioxide like a
jammed crowd at a ball game, but here held down by the ex-
treme pressure. At the first opportunity the molecules will
seek relief by expansion. The water escapes first as superheated
steam.
TO BAKCH
'Vl'TORVILLE
*S LOS ANGELES D f l E B E T T
PISGflH CRRTER
MARCH, 1 94 4 23
like in texture but almost never glassy. Vast areas of the earth to side and as much as 500 feet in length. This structure some-
are covered with basalt and in several cases it presents a question times is so impressive that formations where it is exceptionally
that has not yet received a satisfactory answer. well developed are of world-wide renown. Such are the Giant's
This most astonishing problem is the fact that native iron Causeway in Ireland, Fingal's Cave in Scotland and the Devil's
sometimes occurs embedded as small grains or large pieces in Post-pile at the head of the San Joaquin river, California. The
the stony matrix. In Ireland, in New Hampshire, New Jersey, prisms usually have a hexagonal section, but 3, 4, 5 and even
Spain and other places, the iron can be identified only when 7 and 8 sided columns occur.
polished surfaces of the rock are treated with a solution of cop- Cause of this columnar jointing which would be responsible
per sulphate. This leaves a deposit of metallic copper coating in all cases has not yet been tracked down to a single factor.
the grains which are then readily seen with a lens. In Green- Possibly there is no single solution. It is certain that shrinkage
land, where native iron occurs in its greatest abundance, no such cracks whose centers of origin are controlled by points of shrink-
delicate treatment is required. At a place called Ovifak on age disposed in a regular hexagonal pattern over the surface of
Disco island, the explorer Nordenskiold found great blocks of the rockmass, have produced the columns in some cases. An-
native iron which had weathered like boulders from the basalt other possible determinant is the presence of convection currents
matrix. Some of these had an estimated weight of 20 tons. rising from the hotter bottom layer to the surface of a cooling
Geologists are divided into two camps regarding the occur- but still fluid mass of basalt. This last theory might be all right
rence of this metal. Some hold that the iron resulted from re- for such cases as the Giant's Causeway where the columns are
arranged vertically but does not explain formations in which
duction of beds of ore by the hot magma. But there are im- they are arranged horizontally as at O'Rourke's Quarry, Orange
portant objections to this assumption. The Greenland iron Mountain, New Jersey.
shows the crystalline structure called Widmanstatten figures
when a polished surface is etched with dilute nitric acid. The The subject of prismatic jointing is difficult when approached
iron also contains up to 6V2 per cent of metallic nickel. Both from any angle. But readers of Desert Magazine who want to
these qualities are supposed to be earmarks of meteoric iron. go into the subject can find plenty of headaches in the discussion
of the subject by Joseph P. Iddings in his work "Igneous Rocks,"
Apparently this indicates one of two things. Either meteorite
pages 320 to 327, and Robert B. Sosman surveys the whole prob-
iron became in some unknown way embedded in the molten lem in the "Journal of Geology," April and May, 1916, pages
basalt or else these are samples of the actual nickel-iron core of 215 to 234 under the heading "Prismatic Structure in Igneous
the world. This is but one of the many puzzles associated with Rocks."
basalt. Another, and a common enigma to many persons, in-
cluding some geologists, is the cause of the prismatic columns All I have just said is barely a hint at the interesting features
seen in some basalt flows. of basalt. To go into detail would require a book and since
many such good books already have been written I will end my
The prismatic units of columnar basalt may be from an inch yarn by saying that Snake and Loses-things finally found their
or less in cross section and a foot long to giants 20 feet from side folks and their running-away days were over.
Achievement
On October 15, 1943, purchase of the electrical Thus was achieved a goal toward which the
properties of the California Electric Power Com- people of Imperial and Coachella Valleys have
pany in Imperial Valley and the area in united their efforts for a quarter of a century.
Coachella Valley destined to be served by Full development of the power resources on the
the Ail-American Canal was. completed, and great AU-American Canal now seems assured
Imperial Valley Irrigation District became the and both water and power will be put to the
sole distributing agency for electrical energy common usage of developing these two fertile
in these areas. reclaimed desert valleys.
MARCH, 1944 25
Another Fuzzy Thinker Speaks . . . never enter the brain of the "average mod- How Cacti Left America . . .
San Jose, California erately educated person." Please note the Evansville, Indiana
Editor Desert Magazine: last two lines of Tanya's verse in the Jan- Dear Miss Harris:
I hope you will continue giving us the uary issue, Mr. Boyer and Helen Knupp—• The magazine came this morning and I
same sort of magazine you have for the "To fill their lives with Light and Love— am more than happy to have it. I really
few years I have been a subscriber. It is These are worth while!" Such thoughts as shouldn't have Desert at all. It makes
because of the beautiful F A C T S in its that are worth many times the cost of a me so disagreeably homesick for the South-
pages that I intend not to let my subscrip- whole year's subscription to our magazine. west again.
tion expire. Yes, dear editor, I am one of those I am interested in Mr. Henderson's
"fuzzy thinkers," and I pray that you con- mention of cactus in Africa. He states that
Since reading the Letters in January is-
sue I again read Mr. Boyer's letter in the tinue to give us the esoteric beauty of the he thought cactus was native only to the
November number, and I express my as- desert, for "These are worth while." Americas although it is found in many
tonishment and wonder how Mr. Boyer WM. C. CHANDLER other places.
was able to come to the conclusion that • • • My information is the result of painstak-
"most of us enjoyed" such and such read- Likes Death Valley Stories . . . ing comprehensive study of the native
ing, "despite the few that complained." flora of the Holy Land, Palestine, Syria
Buttonwillow, California and Mesopotamia. The huge prickly pear
How was he able to get a poll of the ideas Dear Sir:
of so many readers? cactus is very widespread and thrifty
Enclosed is renewal of subscription to throughout this region, particularly in the
A "fuzzy" thinker like myself of course Desert Magazine for another year. I would region called the Wilderness of Judea,
would not be expected to figure that out. not want to be without this valuable maga- which includes all the semi-arid slope
Another "fuzzy" thought comes that is too zine. Your articles and maps, especially from the top of the Mount of Olives down
deep for me—how is it that D. M. has built about the Death Valley region, are of to the Jordan and the Dead Sea. This re
up such a circulation, continuing its pres- deepest interest to us. gion in many ways is similar to Death Val-
ent policy, to suit us "fuzzy thinkers" so I spent one year in Death Valley coun- ley and Salton sea of our own Southwest.
well? As he alludes to "the average mod- try as agent telegrapher for the historic It is the opinion of the most learned
erately educated person" as being the kind old Tonopah & Tidewater RR at Sho- botanists of the Holy Land area that cactus
that does not appreciate esoteric matter de- shone, and visited many of the places of was not found there until after the padres
scriptive of the beautiful facts of life it interest in that region. I especially appre- entered California and our Southwest.
must be that we "fuzzy thinkers" are sim- ciated the stories about Senator Charles From the American mission gardens they
ply folks who have not had the chance to Brown and family and about his father- sent specimens to their brothers in other
loll around some dude ranch and absorb an in-law Dad Fairbanks. I read in your monasteries. For these men were serious
education as some of the patrons of those magazine lately of the death of Dad Fair- students of flora, especially that which
places do. banks, the grand old man who knew might be used for food, clothing or shel-
Of course an artist, in rendering a com- Death Valley country probably better than ter of man.
position from the original may hit a dis- anyone else. From monastery gardens atop Mt. Car-
cordant note once in a while. That is to be C. A. VINSON mel, Mt. Sinai and perhaps others, these
expected. But I still love to hear renditions • • • cacti escaped into the desert of Palestine
of Paderewski's compositions, for though Wants Navajo Rug Articles . . . where they at once became much at home.
they be poorly offered, the melody is still San Diego, California Their stay was not challenged, for the
intact. And although I never met Mr. Desert: Arabs were not agriculturists. They, like
Paderewski I have met the desert and 1 The only fault with Desert Magazine is our Southwest Mexicans and Indians, used
appreciate the reproductions of the orig- it doesn't come often enough. We would its succulent joints as a green vegetable
inal in the pages of Desert Magazine. very much enjoy a long series of articles on and its fruits in various ways. They made
I believe it is because the sordid facts of Navajo rugs, their history, designs, dyes, splendid self-supporting barriers from
the desert are and always have been only a weavers and traders . . . And could some- thick hedges of it. Camels and asses ate it
minor part of the whole that the Desert one write an article on San Diego Rawson with relish. It not only was accepted as a
Magazine has attempted to reproduce the who has the last trading post curio store welcome addition to wild life, but was
beautiful, the glorious and profound im- west of the Navajo country? planted and carried from place to place,
pressions we "fuzzy thinkers" enjoy about R. M. ZERBER including Australia.
the desert. I am glad to add a hearty "amen" to all
Dear RMZ—For story of San Diego
I cannot resist referring to the remarks Raivson, see DM, March, 1941. your editor has said about the efficiency
made by Helen Knupp in the January is- • • • with which you are carrying on in his ab-
sue about the grade of poetry and what she sence. I am exiled from my beloved La-
says about how people feel and the an- DM is "Letter from Home" . . . guna Beach and La Jolla for the duration,
noyance it causes those who do feel. I Los Angeles, California but Desert Magazine helps me keep look-
wonder if she knows how those who sub- Dear Editor: ing forward.
mit poetry to the D. M. feel about such re- A friend brought me a copy of your July JEAN LEATHERS PHILLIPS
marks? I am sure she does not! issue, and I cannot tell you how thrilled I • • •
It seems to me the editor should be com- was with every page of it. I am from the Breath of Open Spaces . . .
plimented for publishing poetry sent in by desert of Nevada, and it was like a letter Alpine, California
these aspiring poets, for they are inspired from home, to one who had been away a Dear Miss Harris:
with thoughts of beauty and that is more long time. I'm enclosing check to renew my sub-
than I can say of Helen Knupp and others I intended to send in my subscription scription. It's a magazine that I watch for
like her. then but days slipped by and I did not get eagerly. There's a breath of the open
Unless one is a "fuzzy thinker" we can- around to it. Enclosed you will find my spaces in it that relaxes one. Its "homey"
not expect him to note the beautiful facts check for $2.50, and I know I am going to touches bring the soul of the desert to
expressed by Marshal South and the won- receive many times that amount in the me—something a too-scientific magazine
derfully beautiful lines that Tanya adds to pleasure it brings. of hard-boiled facts could not do.
them, for such profound beauty could CAROLYN HUMPHREYS CORA DYER
MARCH, 1944
Wild Turkeys on Increase . . . Italians Escape—Almost . . . Holtville Fire Damaging . . .
FLAGSTAFF—Arizona's wild turkeys BLYTHE—Comic opera aspects fea- HOLTVILLE—A half block of busi-
are showing enough increase that William tured brief flight to freedom of six Italian ness section of this Imperial Valley town
Brown, deputy game warden, believes be- prisoners of war from Blythe prison camp was destroyed January 24 by wind-driven
fore many years there will be a crop for in January. Escaping camp in early morn- blaze which caused estimated half million
turkey hunters to harvest. Birds had been ing, they stole car at roadside, drove to- dollar damage. Telephone communica-
almost exterminated when in 1931 Coco- wards Mexican border until it ran out of tion was cut off when Southern California
nino turkey refuge was established and gas 120 miles away. They made zigzag telephone exchange was destroyed.
control exerted over such predators as coy- course through rugged desert until they be-
otes, foxes, feral house cats, eagles, moun- lieved they had reached Mexico. Deputy Record Crop for Coachella . . .
tain lions and poachers. Sheriff Peter Klyne of El Centro, expert INDIO—Value of Coachella Valley
• • • desert tracker, and posse found abandoned crops for 1943 more than doubled that for
car, tracked men and found them fast 1942, totaling $11,627,109.30 against
CALIFORNIA asleep in sanddunes half a mile north of $5,369,920.75 previous year, which in
Veterans Taking Five Acres . • . border. Said men, "We're tired of the turn had been almost double 1941 total.
BARSTOW — Countless servicemen war, and tired of being prisoners." They Main factor was largest date crop on rec-
back from war fronts with shattered minds had hoped to reach Mexico, get civilian ord, with estimated value of $4,475,-
and bodies, already are taking advantage of jobs and find peace. 928.80, plus $346,880 for culls. Thomp-
government's offer of a five-acre tract of son grape, tomato and grapefruit crops
land in the desert. Paul Witmer, registrar Golden Eagle Tamed . . . passed million dollar mark. Sweet corn
U. S. district land office, Los Angeles, re- and green beans brought more than half
LONE PINE—Residents watching a million. Cultivated acreage decreased from
ports that one youth returned from huge Golden Eagle on roof of a cafe here
18,493 in 1942 to 15,042 acres.
Guadalcanal asked for a place "as far away stared in disbelief when Joe Grivet paraded
from everything as I can get." Witmer lo- the bird down Main street. He had caught Burned San Jacinto Sown . . .
cated him on a tract of barren desert near the eagle in a coyote trap set in Alabama P A L M SPRINGS — Approximately
Palm Springs. Land in sections near hills, had nursed it back to health. He in- 7000 acres of San Jacinto mountain area
Twentynine Palms, Morongo Valley, Palm tends to free the bird, which has an eight- burned in Tahcjuitz fire early in the winter
Springs, Victorville and many others now foot wingspread, but it has become par- had been sown with mustard seed by end
is to open to civilians as well as veterans. tially tame. of January. DeWitt Nelson, supervisor
San Bernardino national forest, said mus-
tard was best plant known for quick es-
tablishment of cover crop for denuded
The Desert Trading Post area. In addition 8000 pine seedlings have
been planted in upper reaches of burned
Classified advertising in this section costs jive cents a word, $1.00 minimum per issue—
Actually about ll/2 cents per thousand readers.
area.
M A R C H / 19 4 4 29
Famed Lodge Burns . . . UTAH
DATIL—Navajo Lodge, celebrated in
best seller "No Life For a Lady," written
Hope for Dewey Dam . . .
T H O M P S O N S—Development of
Sez Hard
by Agnes Morley Cleaveland, was destroy-
ed by fire in January. It was built in 1886
for Mrs. Cleaveland's parents, and was
Dewey damsite on Colorado river east of
here, or at least another project on the Rock Shorty
river, is virtually a certainty within "a con-
considered one of the finest hand-hewn log
buildings in the country. It had been
siderably shorter time than 25 years" ac-
cording to John C. Page, consulting engi-
of
moved here from its original site in 1920
when it was opened as a hotel.
neer and former bureau of reclamation
commissioner. Page is compiling compre- Death
hensive report on Colorado river basin
Press Officers Named . . .
SANTA FE—New Mexico press as-
project development, with recommenda- Valley
tions for new projects. Such a dam is need- By LON GARRISON
sociation at annual convention in January ed badly, he said, to control silt deposits
elected A. W\ Barnes, Gallup publisher, in Lake Mead, to provide electric power
president of the association. Frank C. "Look!" pointed out Hard Rock
which would make industrial development Shorty. "Right up there near the top
Rand, Jr., Santa Fe publisher, was elected of state possible.
vice-president, succeeding Barnes; David 0' Telescope peak — you'll need
Bronson, Las Cruces, and Earl Grau, these glasses to see it but there it is—
Tucumcari, were re-elected treasurer and Governor Wants Virgin Dam . . . see that little bald spot about as big
secretary. Board of directors renamed tor ST. GEORGE — Governor Herbert as two acres? Looks kind o' funny
two-year term were Geo. S. Valliant, Albu- Maw in January said he would ask con- there in the middle o' all that brush
querque, Richard Hindley, Clovis, and struction of a dam on the Virgin river but the way it got there is funnier
Floyd B. Rigdon, Carlsbad. Dale Bullock, which would irrigate 3100 acres of Ari- yet. It was made with skiis, an' I
Santa Fe, was elected to board to succeed zona strip country and 11,000 acres of made it."
Rand. Utah's Dixie valley, as an emergency food Hard Rock took another look at
project. Plans call for earth-fill dam near the site of his ski adventures.
New Mexican's Record Intact . . . here. "Maybe yuh read a year or two
LOVINGTON—Calf roping record es- ago about a couple o' fellers who
tablished at Denver arena several years Plan Permanent River Body . . . come up over Telescope peak from
ago by John McClure still stood at close of SALT LAKE CITY—Representatives the other side an' skied down this
1944 national western stock show rodeo. of seven western states affected by Colo- way as far as they could an' then
Clyde Burke of Comanche, Oklahoma, rado river, headed by Charles A. Carson of hiked on down to where they had a
dropped his calf in 16.4 seconds, as Phoenix, Arizona, declared at a meeting car waitin' for 'em. Well, that's gos-
against McClure's record of 12 seconds here in January they would endeavor to pel all right but what they don't tell
flat, and world record of 11.2 seconds. form permanent organization to conduct is that it took 'em close to all day an'
Colorado river affairs of New Mexico, then all night too to get down an'
The Postman Didn't Ring . . . Colorado, California, Utah, Wyoming, their skiis are still up there some-
HAYDEN—Dave Ellis lives on a star Arizona and Nevada. place in a tree to scare the pants off
mail route 12 miles from here, but for some mirage-crazy prospector.
more than a month snowdrifts prevented Geologist Takes New Post . . . "Well, those guys hadn't nothin'
mail delivery. He couldn't stand it any BINGHAM - - L. S. Breckon, mine to do with this clear spot up there—•
longer. He drove 15 miles south to Rose- geologist at Bingham pit of Utah Copper I'm just tellin' about 'em so that
bud, 31 miles west to Mosquero, 65 miles company for past 10 years, has been ap- you'll know there's snow up there to
to Springer, 40 miles to Raton, 83 miles to pointed field engineer for Kennecott Cop- ski on sometimes. In fact, years ago
Clayton, then slipped up on his own post- per corporation, of which Utah Copper is I done it myself. I had a little pros-
office—12 miles from home. Total mile- a subsidiary. Retaining headquarters at pect right in the place that clearin' is
age was greater than distance to Denver, Bingham, he will conduct exploration now, with a cabin. In the winter time
but he got his mail. work and examinations of mine prospects the easiest way in was for me to go
in western states. A native of Salt Lake up over the top an' down on this
Indians Seek White Medicine . . . side. I'd use skiis for the slide down
GALLUP—Chee Dodge, Navajo coun- City and graduate of University of Utah,
he went to South America in 1920 where this way on account of it was just
cil chairman, has requested Indian service 'Swish!' an' I was there.
to provide a dozen hospitals similar to one he worked for Cerro de Pasco copper com-
pany, after which he engaged in mining "One trip I was takin' in a bunch
at Crownpoint, to be scattered throughout of steel for drills an' had along a
Navajo reservation. President Roosevelt activities in this country and in British
Columbia. cook stove an' some other odds an'
already has asked congress to appropriate ends an' it made a purty solid pack.
$73,050 for Eastern Navajo hospital at I got 'er all on my back an' dumb
Crownpoint, $52,590 for Northern Nav- Dehydration Fund Approved . . .
ROOSEVELT—Final approval of $50,- the other side all right. Then I
ajo hospital at Shiprock, $34,065 for started down to the cabin. Well sir,
Charles H. Burke hospital at Fort Win- 000 federal advance to equip potato dehy-
dration plant here has been given by de- that wasn't as easy as it looked! With
gate and $34,250 for Zuni hospital. that pack I got to goin' so fast that
• • • partment of agriculture, according to Sen-
ator Murdock. Local farmers had con- when I got stopped down to the cab-
New Mexico bankers association will in I smelled smoke. I looked down
hold annual convention in Santa Fe April tributed $30,000 for building and for dig-
ging potato pits. an' my skiis was on fire! I'd been
28-29. comin' too fast an' burned up my
• • •
• • • skiis an' set the woods on fire too.
State income from rentals and royalties Roy A. Schonian, publisher of Uintah Before I c'd stop it, it burned down
on gas and oil lands set all-time high in Basin Record, Duchesne, was elected presi- my place an' that little spot 0' timber
1943, totaling $4,581,758, more than a dent of Utah state press association in Salt I was just showin' you."
million dollar increase over 1942. Lake convention in January.
MARCH, 1944 31
Albuquerque, New Mexico . • .
MARCH, 1944 33
AMONG THE
GEM MART ADVERTISING RATE
5c a Word — Minimum $1.00
ROCK HUI1TERS
INTRODUCTORY OFFER—One dollar each INDIAN RELICS, Curios, Coins, Minerals,
lot. Five all different Fluorescent Agates— Books, Old Buttons, Old Glass, Old West Orange Belt mineral society enjoyed a varied
polished. Thirty rough Mexican Opals. Fifty Photos, Weapons, Catalog 5c. Lemley An- program January 6 at San Bernardino junior
nice pieces Turquoise. Twenty different tique Store, Osborne, Kansas. college. Mary Van Lanningham spoke on cal-
polishing specimens. Postage ten cents. Min- cite and its occurrence; Mrs. D. H. Clark on
erals and gems on approval. DR. RALPH CABACHON CUTTERS—Don't miss this one. uses of calcite. J. C. Filer described calcite
MUELLER, Professional Building, Kansas Stone Canyon Jasper—beautiful blending of prisms and told how they are used for polarizing
City, Missouri. reds, yellows and browns slabbed for Caba- light. R. H. Eells read a paper on use of copper
chons. 20 cents per square inch. This will in jewelry.
AGATES, Jaspers, Opalized and Agatized please you or your money refunded. Gaskill, • • •
woods, Thunder eggs, polka dot and other 400 North Muscatel, San Gabriel, Calif. Charles O. Parker, Denver, Colorado, as-
specimens. Three pound assortment $1.50 sayer, is giving a complete course in mineral
postpaid. Glass floats, price list on request. ROCK COLLECTORS, ATTENTION! — A identification at Opportunity school Monday
Jay Ransom, 3852 Arboleda Ave., Pasadena 8, COLORFUL COLLECTION — 5 slabs Cut- through Thursday, 7:15 p. m. The instruction
Calif. tables, $1.00; Sky Blue Fluorite Xls., $1.00;
Azur-Malachite, $1.00; Chalcanthite, $1.00; is free.
Amethyst Phantom XI., $1.00; Iron Pyrite • • •
Beautiful Chryscolla Crystals. Specimens con-
taining blue, green and white crystals. All and Qtz. XI. group, $2.50. Realgar & Sequoia mineral society has elected the fol-
sizes, $1.00 and up. Also cutting material Orpiment Xls. on Calcite, $2.00; Purple lowing 1944 officers: Gates Burrell, president;
reasonable. Artcraft Stone Co., 2866 Colo- Dumortierite Radiating Xls., $1.00; White Leon Dial, vice-president; Nellie Petersen, sec-
rado Blvd., Eagle Rock, Calif. Aragonite Stalactites, $1.00; Silky Asbestos, retary-treasurer; Mabel Andersen, assistant sec-
$1.00; Vanadinite Xls., $1.00. Free polished retary; Jesse McDonald, federal director; Pete
JADE—Near black, cuts out almost black. This specimen. All the above postpaid $8.00. De- Eitzen, Florence Chapin, Hans Andersen, Frank
color makes fine crosses. Slice 75c. Allan cember offer still good. The Rockologist, Dodson, board of directors.
Branham, Jade Hunter, Box 562, Lander, (Chuckawalla Slim), Paradise Trailer Court, • . • *
Wyoming. 627 E. Garvey Blvd., Garvey, Calif. Henry Mulryan discussed talc at January din-
ner meeting of Pacific mineral society, Los An-
20 mixed fossils for a dollar bill. 100 ancient Worm bored Petrified Wood, $1.00 per pound. geles, held in Hershey Arms hotel, 2600 Wil-
Indian arrowheads $3.00. 10 tiny bird ar- Dinosaur Bone, 50c and $1.00 per lb., plus shire Blvd. Mulryan is a consulting engineer
rowheads $1.00. List Free. Lear Howell, postage. Bill Little Gem Cutting, Hesperus, formerly connected with Johns-Manville com-
Glenwood, Ark. Colorado. pany and Gladding-McBean company.
• • •
$2.5G brings you prepaid six rare and beautiful JADE—A new color—grey-green-mottled. The
crystallized Arizona minerals. Vanadinite, H. W. Ender, Gunnison, Colorado, reports a
only piece of this variety found up to now— promising cinnabar deposit south of Gunnison.
Dioptase, Wulfenite, Willemite, Chrysocol- slice $1.50. Allan Branham, Jade Hunter,
la, Azurite. Specimens l ! / 2 x 2 o r larger. Box 562, Lander, Wyoming. • • •
Wiener Mineral Co., Box 509, Tucson, Ari- Mineralogical Society of Arizona, Phoenix,
zona. 50 Genuine and Synthetic slightly damaged studied specific gravity at December 2 meeting.
stones assorted $7.50. Genuine Zircons Llue The next gathering, December 16, was given
100 Jewelry Stones removed from rings, etc.. or white 3 for $3-75. Twelve genuine Cameos over to discussion of the strategic minerals. In
$2.00. 12 articles of Antique Jewelry, rings, or Opals $2.50. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. Louis. January the society took up the study of chem-
pins, etc., $3.00. B. Lowe, Box 311, St. Louis. 1, Missouri. ical characteristics, speaker, Scott L. Norviel.
1, Missouri. • • •
Minerals, Fossils, Gems, Stamps, Coins, Pis- Rocky mountain federation plans that each
CABOCHON CUTTERS with our unnamed tols, Glass, Bills, Indian Relics, Bead Work. member society prepare a collection of the out-
mixture of good cutting material sawed Catalogue 5c. Vernon D. Lemley Curio standing minerals in its locality to be circulated
ready to shape cut and polish you can finish Store, Las Cruces, New Mexico. in turn among the groups. Dr. Olivia McHugh,
several fine stones. 25 cents for two ounce; member of mineralogical society of Utah, origi-
and with money back guarantee. Gaskill, 400 Montana Moss Agates in the rough for gem cut- nated the proposal.
North Muscatel, San Gabriel, Calif. ting $1.00 per lb. plus postage. ELLIOTT'S • • •
GEM SHOP. Petrified Picture Wood and Speaker Kintz of U. S. bureau of mines lec-
JADE—Another new find—rich deep green Moss Agate Jewelry Hand Made in Sterling tured on safety at January 11 meeting of Texas
with darker green spots—slice $1.50. Allan Silver Mountings — Rings, Bracelets, Neck- mineral society, Dallas. At February 8 gather-
Branham, Jade Hunter, Box 562, Lander. lares. Brooches, Tie Slides, etc. Mail orders ing the group held a rock auction. Specimens
Wyoming. filled anywhere in U.S.A. 26 Jergins Arcade, were donated by members to augment the
Long Beach 2, Calif. treasury.
A Curiosity—12 prehistoric lizard scales for AGATE—We hunted Montana Agate for many • • •
$1.00. Shaped as a diamond on playing card. years—near Fallon, Montana. We offer now Helyn C. Lehman is chairman of the Red
Just as big. Color jet black. Jack The Rock Agate we have held back—not field run, but Cross committee of Los Angeles mineralogical
Hound, P. O. Box 86, Carbondale, Colorado selected stock. Good color, or spots, guaran- society. All members plan to donate to the blood
teed in every Agate at $1.00 lb. Allan Bran- bank.
JADE—Nice rich medium green, makes fine ham, Jade Hunter, Box 562, Lander, Wyo- • • •
brooches, ring sets—slice $2.00. Allan Bran- ming. Louise Eaton wishes to thank those organiza-
ham, Jade Hunter, Box 562, Lander, Wyo- tions who have kindly sent her names and ad-
ming. Swisher Rocks and Minerals, also Corals, Shells, dresses of officers, time and place of meetings
Statues, etc. We also buy mineral species and and other information about their activities.
THE ROCKHOUND COLONY GROWS — woods. Must be good. Swishers, 5254 So. • • •
Fourteen lots sold to date and more coming Broadway, Los Angeles 37, Calif. Mineral minutes of Colorado mineral society
also six acres of back land for orchard. Send Gem Jasper from Indian Ridge, Ohio. Beauti- states that gilsonite or uintaite is produced only
in a good name for colony and postoffice ful pastel colors. Makes lovely cabochons; in Utah and Colorado. It is a vein deposit de-
We're going to have a colony we'll all be 2 ounces rough for only 25c, or $1.50 per lb., rived from the alteration of petroleum; related
proud of. Ideal location—mild winters— postpaid. Lake Superior Agates 10c each and to asphalt but harder; requires a higher tempera-
cool summers—virgin collecting country anc up. Wyoming Jade, gem quality, slabs of all ture to fuse; is used in making paint, varnish
finest scenery. Lots cheap—$150 for 100x300 kinds. Send for list. James W. Riley, RR. 2, and rubber products; in briquetting ores and
ft. on U. S. 160. We need cutters, dealers, Springfield, Ohio. coal. Original source is Uintah mountains,
collectors, hobbyists, silversmiths, etc. Also Utah, probably the oldest mountains in U. S,
plenty in other lines of business, especially £. Tourmaline matrix, in quartz crystals, $1.00 to • • •
good tourist court with at least 16 cottages, $30.00, tourmaline pencils, 50c to $5.00, Sixteen members of Mineralogical Society of
because those who have bought lots will want Essonite garnet-green-clusters, 50c to $3.00, Arizona are thumbnail and micro-mount en-
a. place to live while they build. Many more unique specimens. Sagenite agate, $1.00 to thusiasts.
are intending to come and buy and when the $4.00, specimen rough nodules. Gem list 10c. • • •
tourist trade starts this will be one of the best Return specimens if not satisfactory. The Southwest mineralogists, Los Angeles, plan
locations in the country. All interested write Desert Rats Nest, 2667 E. Colorado St., East to stage their annual show Saturday and Sunday,
to The Colorado Gem Co., Bayfield, Colo. Pasadena, Calif. April 1 and 2.
MARCH, 1944 35
This page of Desert Magazine
RX—the complete
lapidary shop in
AMATEUR GEM CUTTER is for those who have, or aspire
to have, their own gem cutting
and polishing equipment. Lelande Quick, who conducts this department, is former presi-
one small machine dent of the Los Angeles Lapidary society. He will be glad to answer questions in connec-
No more sales
tion with your lapidary work. Queries should be addressed to Desert Magazine, El
during duration Centro, California.
W. A . FfcLKER 3521 Emerald St., Torrance, California By LELANDE QUICK
On my recent vacation trip to the desert 1 Magazine is just getting under way as this is
found everything pre-war. The desert and the written. In the meantime restrictions are lessen-
Geivington LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT rocks are still there. The road-side dealers still
hold forth and report their business good.
ing and diamond saws and other equipment now
can be bought from some dealers.
I also discovered what used to happen to the • • •
GRIT BUV WITHOUT PRIORITY scrap in desert towns before the scrap drives. It
was scattered over the landscape. I saw enough
Ratnapura is in the news. It is the district
We made a lucky buy of a ton of grit of Ceylon richest in rubies and semi-precious
scrap to build a battleship—a terrible reminder stones and therefore the richest gem field in the
without priority and are passing our of the tragedy of waste characteristic of America. world outside of the diamond mines. The ruler
good luck on to you in this . . . • • • and owner of the district sent his son to the
SPECIAL I recently experienced a thrilling evening University of Southern California to study gem-
when I met with three friends to divide a 10- ology. It will be news to many that U. S. C. is
10-lb. package 300 (FF) grit for pound package of opals from Australia. The the only university in the world with such a
use with Old Miser only and strings were untied and while we all looked on course.
one jar Old Miser Lapping bug-eyed, four large boxes were filled with Ratnapura, with his pockets filled with cut
Compound, all tor . . . opals that had been weighed without too much gems as big as hazel nuts, went into chortles of
$3.50 F.O.B. Redlands examination. The boxes then were shuffled delight as I talked to him one evening. "For
around by a disinterested party while our b^cks excellence in my studies my father just cabled
COVINGTON LAPIDARY ENG. CO. were turned and we all made our selection. Then me permission to buy the greatest gift in the
Redlands, California the fun began and we exclaimed over our treas- world," he said. "I bought a red Lincoln
ures for the rest of the evening. Zephyr today, all upholstered in red leather."
Out of this experience I can offer the follow- And then he went on, "If you ever come to Co-
ing advice. Don't order more than $99.00 worth lombo, Mr. Quick, don't go to the hotel. You
at a time. When you get $100 worth or over must be my guest. My father has 12 palaces
GOLDEN MIRAGES you have to pay a consular fee, pay a broker
a stiff price to get them out of the customs, and
just for guests." And so I have another dream
to turn to once in a while.
run all manner of errands to get your package. Word recently came from him that he was
Don't permit your package to contain any all right and that he counted his evening at the
"faced" or partly processed opals, for then a Los Angeles Lapidary Society meeting as one
10 per cent duty is added. The opals now com- of the great evenings of his life. With such
ing through are from the bottom of the barrel— treasures at his finger tips he went into rhap-
they're not as good as they were five years ago sodies over Nipomo sagenite and orbicular
for the same money but they still are a good buy. jasper.
Fair opal for amateurs, known as "practice • • •
opal," can be bought for 50 cents an ounce, but
it is wiser to buy the material priced at from DID YOU KNOW—
The thrill of man's struggle to find $2.00 to $10.00 an ounce. If you are consider- • The most precious jeweled ornament in the
legendary lost gold mines of the ing importing any (from dealers advertising in world is not a crown or a scepter. It is the
West pulse through Philip A. Bailey's the mineral magazines) the best procedure is shawl of the Gaekwar of Baroda, India, com-
"Golden Mirages." It is a gold mine this: Order from $50 to $90 worth of rough posed entirely of pearls with diamond corners
of Americana, containing the history, opal only with half of your order for practice and a diamond center. Worth many millions of
legends and personalities of old opal, and the other half for better grade but to dollars, it is said to have been made for the
California and the Southwest. include no faced or boulder opal. Order it sent tomb of Mohammed at Medina, Arabia.
by prepaid parcel post to your bank and send
"Without question the most your order via air mail (70 cents), to save • Chalcedony (agates, jaspers and woods) oc-
complete record of Pegleg three weeks' time. The opals will arrive at the curs in 28 California counties. It is the most
Smith lore ever to be print- bank in about 70 days when you can examine popular material with amateur lapidaries. If
ed"—Randall Henderson. them before paying. If they are unsatisfactory you send me a postal I'll tell you if it is found
the bank will return them. If they are all right, in your county and where.
Illustrated with many photographs, pay the bank the amount of your order and that • • •
maps. Bibliography, index. 353 pp. is all. LAPIDARY HELPS AND HINTS . . .
$3.50 The best grade of opal comes as seams in Roland Willis advises the soldering of a
half-ounce pieces of matrix. To get the most copper disk over the end of an old hose nozzle.
California buyers add 9c tax. out of this the chunk should be sawed in half it Drill a needle point hole in the center and turn
it contains two seams and the pieces lapped on the water. The resulting fine forceful stream
DESERT CRAFTS SHOP down to the fire. Cabochons for mounting in will clean any geode or specimen of all mud,
636 State St. — El Centro, California rings should be finished flat—not loaf shaped. tin oxide or anything soluble—pronto.
When flat, the fire shows at any angle. If you • • •
want to make a ring it is wise to visit a good
jeweler and see his selections for ideas. Quality James Underwood gives the following direc-
opals about one-half inch in their widest part tions for mixing plaster of paris for mounting
rocks for sawing: Allow two parts water to one
HILTON'S bring from $300 to $600, including the mount-
ings, in the better stores.
• • •
part plaster. Pour plaster slowly into water and
stir vigorously until it is of whipping cream
consistency. Make box like containers or trough
and (jem SU&p, So far I have had but one dissenter to my
recent stand on opal-lucite jewelry but many
arrangements for the setting of stones, wash the
rocks and grease the containers. Water used
people have applauded the idea. One dealer from washing containers of the previous batch
JOHN W. HILTON, Owner said he had to carry it because for a time there will set the plaster fast. A drop of Le Page's
was a small demand but now he's stuck with it. glue will retard the "set" an hour. (Others
I still think that imprisoning an opal in a piece claim it will set the plaster faster.) Plaster
On U. S. Highway 99, Ten of lucite is worse than wearing a diamond collar should be purchased from builders' supply
Miles South of Indio button in a celluloid collar. houses for about $1.50 for a 100-pound sack.
o • • » • •
•
E. J. Mailloux reports that so far the offers If you have suspected iris agate to lap, drop
ACROSS FROM VALERIE JEAN DATE to buy equipment outnumber the offers to sell it on a piece of plate glass and you can then ob-
SHOP. P. O. ADDRESS, THERMAL, CALIF. by about seven to one. The exchange idea out- serve the development of the color bands as you
lined in December and January issues of Desert work.
lnJO GEOMORPHOLOGY, N. E. A. Hinds. Dramatic, complicated 168 NAVAJO SILVERSMITHING, A Brief History, Arthur Wood-
story of evolution of earth's landscape. Tells how face ol ward. How silversmithing was introduced among Navajo
earth has come to look as it does today, gives better under- Indians, its development to present day, origins of jewelry
standing of world about us. Geology simplified for student designs. Appen., including field notes of Richard Van
and general reader. Among abundant photos, sketches, Valkenburgh. Biblio., index, 78 pp $1.85
diagrams and maps are many of the Southwest. Extensive 169 SUN AND SADDLE LEATHER. Badger Clark. Sweep of
biblio., 894 pp $5.00 western skies and smell of campfires permeate these
poems of the cowboy and his range, written in the ver-
ll !2 DESERT CHALLENGE. An Interpretation of Nevada, Rich- nacular of the West. 201 pp $2.50
ard G. Lillard. History and geography combined to give
life and dynamic personality to least known state in Amer- 147 THE DEVIL'S HIGHWAY, Richard A. Summers. Vivid his-
ica. From geological history, through weather, wild life, torical romance for youthful readers based on life and work
gold camp days, to modern "Divorces while you play." 46 of Padre Kino in northern Mexico and southern Arizona in
photos printed in sepia offset, folding map. Appen., index, 17th century. Exciting plot involves Indians, alchemy and
397 pp $4.00 exploration. Lithographs by Nils Hogner. 299 pp..— $1.75
148 WATERLESS MOUNTAIN, Laura Adams Armer. A Navajo
ll J3 THE HUMBOLDT, Dale Morgan. Dramatic story of a Nevada boy is trained in the ancient religion and practical knowl-
river. "Meanest and muddiest, filthiest stream, most cor- edge of his people. Awarded Newberry medal as most dis-
dially I hate you," was the general sentiment of settlers, tinguishd contribution to American literature for children,
traders and miners who challenged it. Its history and that 1931. Illus. from 16 paintings by Laura and Sidney Armer.
of the men who struggled against it is more bizarre than 212 pp $2.50
fiction. Illus., biblio., index. 374 pp $2.50
li;4 TALES OF THE PIONEERS. W. A. Chalfant. Last historical SPECIAL
chronicle to be written by late dean of Western editors.
Early days in mining camps of California and Nevada writ- SOME DESERT WATERING PLACES in South-
ten in picturesque style of the times $3.00 eastern California and Southwestern Nevada,
II;5 THE OUT TRAIL, Mary Roberts Rinehart. An enjoyable ac- Walter C. Mendenhall. More than 300 water-
count of the author's experiences while exploring the holes in Colorado and Mojave deserts, Death
desert, in the Southwest and in Mexico. Humor and en- Valley and adjacent Nevada area described
thusiasm, beauty and drama combined in a delightful and located. Mineral resources, physical fea-
travelog. Limited number. 246 pp $1.00
tures, climate, water supply, desert travel notes,
II ,6 ONE MAN'S WEST, David Lavender. Intensely real, excit- main routes. Water-supply Paper 224, U. S.
ing, heroic tale of modern pioneers, revealing a West of
today as romantic and colorful as yesterday's. Informal Geological Survey, Washington, 1909. Photos,
autobiography, in which mountain and desert play no less pocket topographic map, index, 98 pp. Limited
a part than such miners and cattlemen as Tom Walsh, Al number only $1.00
Scorup, the Mormons, renegade Pahutes and Navajo cow-
boys of Monument Valley. Line drawings, 298 pp $2.50
117 LORENZO IN TAOS, Mabel Dodge Luhan. Of this biography All Books Postpaid — Add 2y2% Tax in California
of the literary genius D. H. Lawrence, Willa Cather says, "I
am sure it is the best portrait there ever will be of Lawrence
himself. It's amazingly spontaneous and amazingly true."
The author knew him well during the last years of his life,
Desert Crafts Shop
spent at Taos, New Mexico. Includes over 90 hitherto un- 636 State Street El Centro, California
published letters from Lawrence. Photos, 351 pp $2.00 WRITE FOR A COMPLETE CATALOG OF TITLES
MARCH, 1944 37
Qu5t l2eture.en l/ou and Me
IIIUIIIIlHniiii'iY
By RANDALL HENDERSON
IJ/lTH THE ALLIED FORCES IN AFRICA—According flowing with water. He pours it in the pots and cans to prove
t^j/ to news reports from the States, congress has been de- what a generous supply he has produced. No traveler need fear
bating the payment of a bonus to soldiers who are thirst on the long journey across the Sahara with this formula.
mustered out at the end of the war. There appears to be some The final act of course is to pass through the crowd exchanging
difference of opinion as to the amount of the bonus. I overheard those potent slips of paper for 10-franc notes.
one of the privates suggest a simple solution. "I'll be glad to It is a profitable racket. And the old Arab is a master sales-
settle for one of these army jeeps," he announced. man. Perhaps it is fortunate I cannot understand his language.
In truth, almost any of the soldiers would do that. This is one I might be tempted to invest in one of those magic formulas my-
point on which the men in the army are almost unanimous— self. There have been a few times on the desert when I was
they all want to own a jeep when the war is over. I hope the very very thirsty.
car manufacturers who are now tooled for jeep production will * * *
not be in too much of a hurry to change back to stream-lined
models. I daresay they will find a ready market for great num- This is being written on the first day of 1944. There is con-
bers of these little all-service army cars between the time the fidence here, among men of all the Allied forces, that Germany
war ends and the time when mass production can be resumed on will be knocked out of the war long before the end of this year.
regular models. Also, it will help solve a rf.ther critical problem Important new offensives—as hinted following the Roosevelt-
of transportation during the first few months after the war ends, Churchill-Stalin conference—are in the making and may have
when hundreds of thousands of men will be returning to empty been launched before this issue of Desert Magazine is printed.
garages. We still face many long months of hard costly warfare after
When Montgomery's British army made its final sweep across Germany surrenders, but we will move into the final half of
north Africa, it captured many German "jeeps," and they now our task, against the Japs, with a well-trained army and an ample
are being used here by Allied soldiers. It really is an insult to supply of weapons. Having been through a baptism of fire, this
the sturdy little American car to call its Hun imitation a "jeep." no longer is an army of novices in the art of making war. There
If the Germans had not done a better job of making weapons are brighter days ahead than we have known since Pearl Harbor.
than they did in the making of jeeps, this war would have been * * *
over long ago. It is a poor substitute for the American car. Generally, I spend New Year's Eve beside an ironwood camp-
* * ->,- fire somewhere out on the desert. It has become a sort of ritual.
Occasionally, when there is a half day off, I walk down to the This year I had hoped to spend it on the Sahara. But pressure
native quarter where the street fakirs hold forth. The Arabs do of work ruled out that possibility—and so I crawled into my
not mind being hoodwinked, as long as it is done by people who army blankets at 10 p. m. and snored the old year out and the
speak their own language, and the professional fakirs have more- New Year in.
different kinds of small change rackets than a street carnival I hope that by next New Year's the army will have turned
in USA. back the Southern California desert to its rightful owners—the
The fellow who intrigues me most is an old man in a turban lizards, horned toads, tortoises and desert rats—and that I will
and a pair of baggy pantaloons. His line of patter has much the be camped out there among them, with a canopy of diamonds
same inflection and rhythm as that of an old-school auctioneer overhead and a coyote on a nearby butte howling at the rising
in the States. He not only has a ceaseless flow of talk, but he moon. That is the world that Nature created—and it is good
also is an actor and a magician. I cannot understand a word he to be a part of it. Most of the troubles on this earth are man-
says—but his pantomime answers all my cuestions. made, and they are easily forgotten in the companionship of the
things that live and grow on the desert.
He does his act on a side street, and always has an eager crowd
around. His properties consist of a miscellaneous collection of * * *
pots and cans and funnels—and a precious package of little Mediterranean winter weather is cold and raw. The Arabs
slips of paper, each with a mysterious inscription on it. are conditioned to it. They go around in barefeet arid rags. But
He has discovered the secret of how to produce water in the the British and French as well as the Americans are wearing
middle of the desert. He shows just how it is done. The earthen their winter clothes—all they can put on. Buron Fitts of Los
olla in his hands is empty. He turns it upsidedown and pounds Angeles is one of my associates here, and he and I shiver around
it on the bottom to prove it. Then he brings out one of those a little coal-oil stove in the liaison office where we work, and
magic inscriptions and pastes it on the bottom of the pot with daily make a vow that when we get back to Southern California
saliva. There are a few mysterious passes and a couple of im- we will spend the first month out on the desert dunes soaking
portant words like "open sesame" and behold the pot is over- in the sunshine before we return to our civilian jobs.
MARCH, 1944 39
VALERIE J tAH'S year-Round Gift
from the Desert
Five Pounds of Assorted
Dates, Date Candy and
Date Roll. (Also Date Cake
when materials are avail-
able for baking this item.)
DELIVERED
$A25
. . . and in the . . .
THREE POUND SIZE
$3.00
Valerie Jean's
THERMAL, CALIFORNIA