Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IX EASY TRIP!
IEW PEGLEG LETTj
.AS VEGAS' GHOST TO1 K< ¥•
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and
The DESERT reader who identifies the above photograph and writes the
most interesting story about it will receive a cash prize of $10.00. The manu-
script should give the location, ownership and accessibility of the area and
as much detail regarding history and geology as is possible within 500 words.
Entries must be postmarked prior to July 20. The winning article will be
published in the October issue. As a hint, these eerie rock formations appear
in southern Nevada. Entries should be addressed to:
30 Pegleg's Gold Lies Here JACK PEPPER, Publisher CHORAL PEPPER, Editor
Elta Shively Al Merryman Rose Holly Marvel Barrett Lois Dougan
32 The Desert and Archeology Executive Secretary Staff A rtist Circulation Business Subscriptions
By CARLOS MARGAIN
33 Desert Dispensary Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, Calif. 92260 Telephone 346-8144
By SAM HICKS
34 DESERT Cookery
By LUCILLE CARLESON DESERT is published monthly by Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, Calif. Second Class Postage paid at
Palm Desert, Calif., and at additional mailing offices under Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered
35 Ghost Town, Oregon No. 358865 in U.S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1965 by Desert Magazine. Unsolicited
manuscripts and photographs cannot be returned or acknowledged unless full return postage is enclosed.
By LAMBERT FLORIN Permission to reproduce contents must be secured from the editor in writing. SUBSCRIPTION PRICF:
S5.00 per year in U.S., Canada and Mexico. $5.75 elsewhere. Allow five weeks for change of address.
39 Letters from our Readers Be sure to send both old and new address.
made right on the scenes. Her story where he went to seek solace in the the almost inaccessible mountain fastness of the
Colorado Rockies. Fifty-eight towns are included
about Jerome, Arizona is classic and basic principles of life both for him- as examples of the vigorous struggle for exist-
one this reviewer is particularly hap- self and the rest of the world. ence in the mining camps of the West. 239
py to see in print. She visited with Ernie writes about folks in back pages, illustrated, end sheet map. Hard Cover.
country towns of Nevada, the Four $5.50.
Fanny Stephens who lived through
Indian raids, became acquainted with Corners country, Barstow, Death Val- THE OREGON DESERT by E. R. Jackman
R. A. Long. This book is a hard one to define.
and
Death Valley "authentics" like Sho- ley, Palm Springs and Phoenix. And A single paragraph may be a mixture of geo-
shone Johnny and Johnny Mills. he tells of people we all know—like logy, history, biography and rich desert lore.
There isn't much of the desert- the late Norman Nevills, Harry The only complete book about the Oregon desert,
Goulding, Charlie Farrell—and people the material applies equally well to other des-
either high or low—she's left uncov- erts of the West. The humor and fascinating
ered in this action-packed book. You hardly anyone knows — like an old anecdotes coupled with factual background and
will like it. Hardcover. 139 pages and prospector in Winnemucca, a dead uTusual photos, including color, make it excel-
only ,|2.95. Indian in Monument Valley and a lent reading material even for those who may
never visit Oregon. 407 pages, illustrated. Hard
service station operator in Arizona. Cover. Third printing, $6.50.
This is a good book—a sentimental
book—and will bring back a number
Book Catalogue now available at Desert
of not-so-long ago memories to a DtittiL Magazine Book Dept.
Magazine Book Shop, Palm Desert, Calif. PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92260
number of no t-so-very-old people.
Include 25c for postage and handling.
Hardcover, 105 pages. $5.00. California residents add 4 % sales tax.
authors of two other fine books The D ENTER A NEW SUBSCRIPTION • RENEW MY PRESENT SUBSCRIPTION
Mexican House Old and New and
Mexican Interiors. Photographs are NAMF
exciting, decorative ideas truly fresh.
Whether you are interested in Span- ADDRESS ZIP CODE
ish influence in decor or not, this
large format, original book will in- • SEND GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO:
troduce ideas that may be adapted
to other trends. NAME
BY RALPH LEBEC
yj NIQUE AND impressionable, it opposite side from the reservation. symbol. A mountain that emanates
stirs the soul, fires the imagination, Tales of gold, lost mines and buried mystery is bound to create spiritual
and creates an aura of reverence. treasure abound when men gather to significance.
Its physical description borders the talk of this mountain. To the Paleface, the creation of
realm of fantasy. An ancient native of Altar Valley, Baboquivari is legend, but to the In-
with whom I shared a glass of fiery dian it is a belief passed on by the
Your first view of Mount Babo- Old Ones from generation to genera-
mescal, told me a story of San Xavier
quivari, (Ba-vo-KEE-vree) gives you tion. I once listened in amazement
Mission. When Jesuit Fathers were
a feeling of strangeness, a spiritual expelled from Southern Arizona in while the old man of a village re-
and mysterious awareness. On cer- 1767, so goes the tale, Papago Indian peated the story "From his body, the
tain days great clouds hover silently converts gathered gold and silver or- Great Spirit Ee-e-toy took a grain of
above its 8000-foot crest. On others, naments from the church and, in the sand and placed it in the center of
its winds sing a lonely dirge. dark of night, carried them to Mt. the void and the foundation of the
A Papago Indian once told me the Baboquivari and hid them at its base. earth was wrought," the old man be-
word Baboquivari means "small in They were then sworn to secrecy on gan. Then he took a handful of
the middle." Later I found the Anglo penalty of death by the tribe. clay and made man in his own like-
corruption is taken to mean "neck ness. He also created a mountain and
between two heads." When Father As far as he can recollect, my aged named it Baboquivari and, he said,
Eusebio Kino entered Southern Ari- friend said, this treasure hoard still its crest shall be my home. From
zona, his chronicler described it as a lies hidden in a dark cave located in there I will watch over my people.
tall ship situated on the top of a high one of the mountain's ravines. A gas lamp flickered in the primi-
ridge—for years afterwards it was Tales attached to Baboquivari are tive hut where weird shadows danced
called "Noah's Ark." countless; its very existence is legend. on adobe walls and the old man
Tucson, Arizona is only 50 miles droned on with the story. My amaze-
Padre Kino, in 1692, was the first northeast of the peak, yet few people ment centered on the fact that their
white man to pass within its shadow. in that city have seen its great height legend was so similar to the book of
Since then many have fallen under dominating the surrounding desert Genesis in our Bible. Perhaps their
its spell. J. Ross Browne, in 1864, landscape. Some who have call it the God is also our God, and he sits on
was so fascinated he drew the sketch "spooky" mountain. All tribes in the the mountain watching us all.
published in his book A Tour area claim it belongs to the Taw-
Through Arizona. - Some day the last of the Old Ones
haw-no Aw-o-tahm, meaning the "de- will die and there will be no one
The Baboquivari range forms the sert people." Papago Indians believe left to enthrall integrated children
eastern boundary of the Papago In- it is the center of creation and the with the story of how the Great
dian Reservation. It runs north and home of the great spirit. Pima In- Spirit created the mountain. But the
south and traverses our southern dians, another desert tribe, believe it mountain will remain. And the
frontier into Mexico. Expansive Al- is the home of Wind Man and his Spirit Ee-e-toy, though sad and aban-
tar Valley, with ever-changing colors brother, Cloud Man. Many years ago, doned, will wait there while the
and sprawling catties ranches, slopes when I viewed the mountain for the wind wails a lonely dirge and his
away from the mountain range on the first time, I too felt that here was a people are lost forever. ///
T )U NEEDN'T go to Egypt to
see a sphinx. There's a giant
one tucked away in California's
Alabama Hills and it's only one of
a monstrous elephant, and eerie
skeletons. One needs only a road
map, a case of wanderlust and a dis-
cerning eye to capture them.
many fantasy forms visible to imagi-
native visitors in this Lone Pine Lying parallel to Highway 395 and
area. 6, which points northward to Bishop
Named for a Civil War action in- and south to Mojave, the Alabama
volving the Union ship Kearsarge Hills may be reached by turning west
and the Confederate's Alabama, Ala- at Lone Pine toward Whitney Portal,
bama Hills is reputed to be one of the gateway to Mt. Whitney. Pic-
the world's oldest rock formations. nickers, campers and rockhounds are
As a result of ancient volcanic up- invariably delighted to discover this
heavals, the upthrust knobs and an- untouched paradise where rock giants
gular pieces have assumed the bizarre slumber in the sun. Less than two
shapes of ponderous giants of the miles from the charming village of
animal kingdom. Desert light and Lone Pine, these monsters — some
shadow, playing magically u p o n amusing, some frightening — are too
twisted stratas, transform them into often by-passed by travelers hurrying
a mysterious sphinx, a leering cobra, to popular Mt. Whitney resorts. / / /
±. HE MAGIC of Colorado River the hospitality of Don Machado's lower and lower. Always they hoped
water splashing and leaping to fill ranch house. Here the traveler, bone- some day the Great Drought would
the dry bed of California's Lake El- weary from his dusty journey, could end. Bulldog persistence and a con-
sinore pumped new life into the sur- enjoy excellent food and lodging stant flow of letters to politicos re-
rounding community last spring. which included a bath in mineral questing the lake be refilled finally
waters thought to possess great health paid off last year. Thousands cheered
According to Frank Pasquale, then along the banks as water funneled
newly-elected councilman, "We plan value.
new life into the dry bed and land
to make Elsinore a better city and In 1883 or 1884, the lake was values rose right along with the water
more modern than Palm Springs!" christened Elsinore by Wm. Collier, level.
This is quite a project, for a lake D. M. Graham and F. H. Heald who,
resort that has been out of commis- according to their first brochure, State Park Marina is the hub of
sion since 1950. thought the name had a pleasant activity at Lake Elsinore. Last sum-
sound. mer over 10,000 well-wishers per
Once reputed to be the largest week splashed, boated and sunbaked
natural lake in Southern California, Gradually, as lake water receded, on its shores. This summer the
scanty rainfall and heavy water use visitors sought health and recreation lake should reach a new high, as
upstream emptied the lake, leaving elsewhere. In 1930 the ornate Vic- Spring rains permitted Coloradoi
a ragged border of cottages to stare torian bathhouse, which had shelter- River water to be released to Lake
gauntly over the dry, empty dust bowl. ed so many great names, was aban- Elsinore a good week in advance of
The lake, according to a Guide Book doned. Sun and wind had almost schedule. Fees of $3 a day plus $2
of 1888, was six miles long and two pummeled it beyond endurance for launching and parking are collec-
and one-half miles wide and very, when, in 1950, Mrs. Bonnie Gough ted. Picnicking and swimming fees
very deep. purchased the rundown building and are 50c per day. There are other gra-
converted it into an antique shop. duating charges for annual, semi-an-
Lake Elsinore is part of La Laguna Another colorful house high on a
Tract, granted June 7, 1844 by Gov- nual and quarterly occupancy.
hilltop among eucalyptus trees is the
ernor Manuel Micheltorena to Julian former summer home of the late Perhaps now there will be no
Manriquez. Called "Laguna Grande" evangelist, Aimee Semple MacPher- more "downs" for this blue, blue,
on early day maps, it was fashionable son. lake with the romantic name. The
for the smart set of Los Angeles and State hopes to prevent a water level
vicinity to go clattering and jolting Loyal residents of Elsinore fought drop of ever more than two feet. At
via the Butterfield Stage through or- valiantly to bring water back to the last the benefits of Lake Elsinore are
ange groves, cottonwood and syca- lake. Many braved financial hard- restored. Its future is most assuredly
mores along Temescal Canyon to ships as property values dropped "up." ///
JL HE DANCE of the Tarantella its size simply to lay one egg and per-
started it. Malevolent Dr. Fu Manchu petuate the hawk's clan.
added to the legend. And fear and Once contact is made, the spider
ignorance perpetuated the base can- and wasp circle warily, looking for
ards about the ferocity and dangers openings. Then one or the other
of the tarantulas. makes a lunge. Engaged, the taran-
No doubt these hairy arachnids tula tries to sinks its hypodermic-like
ANGEL ARCH
are somewhat creepy-looking, but the fangs into the wasp's abdomen. But
Arch Opening is 190' High and 163' Wide
fact is, the North American tarantula there are armor-plated scales which
bite is seldom administered until the seldom are penetrated. Meanwhile,
tarantula has been plagued beyond the wasp has inserted its stinger into TWO DAILY TRIPS
endurance by someone interested in a vital area, always where nerve HORSEBACK TRIPS
measuring a spider's patience. There ganglia are located. The effect is
is said to be one variety in South dramatic in that the stricken taran- CAMPING TRIPS
America big enough and deadly tula staggers and shudders in true ALL EXPENSE PACKAGE TOURS
enough to capture and feast on small movie fashion as he goes limp, prey
birds, but ours are friendly, useful to the Tarantula Hawk.
bug eaters. The wasp is just as efficient in pre-
paring the cadaver as a birthplace for
Tarantulas love to primp and en- its young. She first cleans herself of
joy being stroked or combed with a any remaining tarantula venom, then
small, soft brush. Youngsters occa- flips the tarantula over and drags it
sionally match them for harness into either the spider's own home, or
races, a thread being tied about the a nearby burrow. The wasp care-
spiders' bodies to keep them on the fully scrapes away the irritating hair
track. Squeamish teachers have dis- on the abdomen, then lays one white
patched the author's son when his FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION, FILL OUT
egg, and leaves, after carefully plug- COUPON, WRITE OR CALL:
tarantula accidentally popped out ging the entrance with dirt and debris
from a matchbox on the school room to insure a safe, large meal for the TAG-A-LONG TOURS
floor. (Dead, some boys chop the wasp when it hatches. 156 North First West
body hair and use it as itching pow- Moab, Utah
der. It is an irritant and used by the Though being host for a parasite is Phone: Area Code 801, 253-4346
spider in defending itself.) its last act, the tarantula gobbles up
numerous harmful insects and gener- Send Tag-A-Long Trips Information to:
But such youngsters and tarantulas ally minds its own business without Name —
need all the friends they can get. The harm to man. Deserving a better
spider, not the boy, has a Nemesis press than it receives, the tarantula Address
in the form of a wasp, the "Taran- should be recognized as harmless and City
tula Hawk" (Pepsis thisbe) which helpful, rather than hirsute and
State Zip Code
will take on a tarantula several times horrendous. ///
WHEN LAZINESS
BEAUTIFUL
SCENERY
FISHING
HUNTING
FREE
CAMP GROUNDS
MODERN CABINS IS A GOOD FAULT
a Vacation Land
to Remember Paul Bunyon's famous axe slipped
and wedged the earth 50 feet apart
while he was splitting logs. So per-
fect is this split that if another Paul
Bunyon could squeeze the side back
together, they would fit like a jig-
saw puzzle.
The fault is easily reached from
Mammoth Lake Village on the east
side of the Sierra, three miles west of
Highway 395, by driving through
spectacular alpine country on the
Mammoth Lakes road. Tall trees,
The White Mountain Apache Indians welcome you*
snow - capped mountains, rushing
Come and enjoy the wonderful mountain climate,
the beautiful primitive scenery, clear, cold streams
streams, sparkling lakes and a foam-
and the best trout fishing in the Southwest. flecked waterfall make this minarette
country the most beautiful concentra-
FOR INFORMATION AND MAPS, WRITE tion of picture-book scenery in the
Sierra Nevadas.
WHITE MOUNTAIN
RECREATION ENTERPRISE
The fault itself lies at the end of
a half-mile dirt road off the high-
P.O. BOX 218 way. Whether you ride or walk is
WHITERIVER, ARIZONA
up to you, but the walk through
k OST CALIFORNIANS know
that beneath the surface of their fragrant pines over a pine needle
state lies a maze of faults. The long- carpet is refreshing after a long drive.
of the Southwest.
it R A I S E S . . . i t L O W E R S - i t ' s HYDRAULIC!
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camper top can be safely operated even by a small its compact low silhouette on the road to roomy high ceiling, home away from home complete with
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is lowered quickly by the simple turn of a valve. with minimum drag and sway. Moments later, enjoy and many other luxury features. EVERY NEW
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Write today to the factory nearest you for free folder describing the most advanced camper on the road.
R. D. HALL MFG. INC., 9847 Glenoaks Blvd., Sun Valley (San Fernando Valley), MOBILE LIVING PRODUCTS (B.C.) LTD., P.O. Box 548, Red Deer, Alberta, Dept. D
California, Dept. 0 MOBILE LIVING PRODUCTS (B.C.) LTD., (Sales Office Only),
CAMPERS, INC., 6410 South 143rd Street, (Tukwila), Seattle, Washington, Dept. D
500 • 20th St., New Westminster, B.C., Dept. D
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Awaits
SOUT
FORK
i PUBLIC"
.»* QAMP
by Helen Gilbert
HILE MOST high primitive when the lower canyon abounded in wooden flume over which hikers used
areas are accessible only by horseback Bigcone Spruce—one of the "false to walk a plank.
or packtrain, Big Bear Loop over hemlocks," and two lumber mills
Onyx Summit passes within four operated to suppy lumber for San The cross-roads cafe now known as
miles of the largest wilderness area Bernardino, as well as beams for the Mill Creek Trading Past was once
in Southern California. Remarkably Igo's Store, the starting point for the
San Bernardino mission Asistencia. old stage route to Big Bear Lake.
free from traffic, it penetrates virgin
forests and unspoiled back country At the approach to the canyon is This narrow, steep, winding, one-way
few motorists have seen. an open, stone-lined water ditch. route followed Mountain Home
This is the old Zanja which, accord- Creek canyon to the summit near
This 16-mile extension of State ing to historian George Beattie, was Camp Angeles and the junction with
Route 38 is a connecting link be- built by Guachama Indians under today's highway. From there the road
tween Mill Creek and Santa Ana Chief Solano, their only implements plunged steeply down to the Santa
Canyon resorts and highways al- being shoulder blades of slain cattle. Ana river at a point a mile and a
ready existent in the Bear Lake area. Mill Creek was tapped approximately half below Seven Oaks. This was the
Beginning at Redlands, California, seven miles east of Redlands and the route used by horse and wagon and
Highway 38 passes through chaparral Zanja brought water to Crafton, Red- early automobiles, but it's a far cry
country into the southeastern flank lands, and the flatland below, irriga- from today's high-gear road!
of the San Bernardino mountains. ting crops of the Indian village at
Rich in legend and history of gold Guachama mission rancheria. Cars lined up at "the gate" waiting
rush days, it is a. pleasant trip in for the starting hours—two, five, eight
any season. It was in a Iitie shack in this canyon and eleven—when the chain was low-
that Harold Bell Wright wrote, "The ered and motorists began the long,
Physical aspects of the country are Eyes of the World. Neighboring hot, dusty trip to Bear Valley for a
much changed since the first settlers peaks were the locale of the story. weekend of bass and trout fishing.
traveled to Bear Valley. Long a fav- Dudley Glass, son of a pioneer who
orite picnic spot, Mill Creek canyon High on the face of south wall, owned a section of land near Seven
was once heavily wooded where now known as Sheep's Cliff, is a trestle- Oaks and whose father built the first
are only acres of boulders, due to a supported pipeline which carries road to Barton Flats, told us, "The
disastrous flood in 1938. Mill Creek water to the hydro-electric power Mill Creek control road was begun in
acquired its name in the early 1800s plant downstream, replacing the old 1913 and completed as far as East
by Clement Meighan
JL HE PREHISTORIC remains of
Baja California have attracted much
attention in recent years and a pow-
erful stimulus to further exploration
has been the work of Erie Stanley
Gardner in his books on Baja Cali-
fornia. So much has happened with
new reports and discoveries that it is
worthwhile to review some of the On walls and ceilings of this cave and others like it are found Baja's famous
early findings with regard to the cave paintings.
rock paintings of the central part
of Baja California. article by E. H. Davis (Feb. 1949) thing like the cave paintings that
Early in 1962 I received a phone but this article did not arouse the were being shown to me. I was ex-
call that was to lead me to one of interest of U. S. explorers. It very cited and impressed beyond words.
the most exciting archaeological pro- likely attracted the interest of the In spite of the early explorations and
jects of recent years in the desert Mexicans, however, and may well and later reports on archaeology in
areas. The caller was John Straubel have been the stimulus for the sever- Baja California, I knew that there
of the Hiller Helicopter Co.; he had al visits and publications that began was nothing in the scientific litera-
just returned from an exploration with the Impacto "discovery" of 1951. ture but brief mention of these paint-
trip with Gardner and was checking ings and not even an adequate photo-
In any event, when I got the phone
up on a find of Indian rock paintings call I told Straubel to come around graph of them had yet been printed.
they had discovered in a remote and and I would look at his photos. Mean- On the basis of my opinion that
inaccessible canyon in the middle of while, I got off the shelves the various the photographs represented a real
the peninsula. As the paintings were Mexican publications and the DES- discovery of great artistic and scien-
described to me over the phone, the ERT article which discussed San Bor- f'fic interest, Gardner organized a
figures included life-size humans jita, convinced that Gardner and his second expedition to the area and
painted in red and black. From this party had revisited this striking cave. offered to fly me in to do a survey
description, I immediately assumed How wrong I was! The first picture and preliminary study of the cave
that the party had discovered, or Straubel showed me had in it a life- paintings. This was a fabulous offer,
rather re-discovered, the site of San size and most realistic deer, painted since it was giving me an organized
Borjita, inland from Mulege. This in black, and it was clear immediately expedition and the assistance of those
is a spectacular cavern with over 70 that a most important new site, ap- who had discovered the paintings. In
great painted figures on its roof, but parently never before reported, had the ordinary course of events, it
not an original discovery. It was been found. More and more large
visited many years ago by various ex- and life-like animals appeared in the would
tion
have taken months of prepara-
and many thousands of dollars
plorers and came to scientific atten- photos taken by the Gardner party,
tion with an article (with color and all these were new to scientific to set up such a research trip, and
plates) in the popular Mexican maga- reporting. The well-known San Bor- here I was able to leave in a few days
zine Impacto (for March 11, 1950). jita cave, although it has dozens of on a completely p l a n n e d and
This publication had actually been large stylized human figures, has only thoroughly worked-out expedition,
preceded by a year in the DESERT two very crudely done animals, no- even including helicopters necessary
to reach the remote canyons rapidly.
16 / Desert Magazine / July, 1965
In order to comply with the an- study of the paintings is still under- painted shelter, I told Gardner he had
tiquitites laws of Mexico, it was ne- way but a preliminary scientific re- a winner in this discovery and then
cessary to obtain a government per- port will appear in American Anti- set out to do the recording of the
mit from the National Institute of quity for January 1966. sites. I knew I had only a few days
Anthropology and History. T h i s From a base camp at Wilson Ranch to work at a task that could have re-
agency protects the archaeological re- we flew into the Sierra San Borja to quired at least a month, so I did my
mains of Mexico and issues permits the canyons of the painted caves. best to make every minute count. I
for archaeological study to qualified These are more properly rock-shel- crawled out of my sleeping bag every
institutions. We made our applica- ters since they seldom penetrate into morning befort it got light, shaved
tion air mail, discussed the problems the rock any distance, but are simply in the creek by the light of a flash-
by phone with Mexico City, and re- rock ledges with huge overhangs of light, and as soon as it was light
ceived the necessary papers in only cliff above them. In the course of enough to see got going on the rec-
a few days time. Even so, our permit some thrilling flying up and down ord keeping. For the four caves
arrived in Los Angeles the day before the narrow gorges in a region that visited, I took several hundred photo-
our departure and copies were hastily looks like a little Grand Canyon, graphs, made a 16 mm. movie, and
made so that all members of the field nine of the painted rock shelters were took many pages of notes enumerat-
party could carry one. observed a n d photographed. Of ing the figures present, recording the
Gardner and most of the field these, four were visited on the ground instances in which one painting was
group went down in trucks and de- and recorded in detail. drawn on top of another, and draw-
posited fuel for the helicopters at our ing individual elements of style. In
The largest of the painted rock Gardner Cave the paintings were not
way-stations. I left with the helicop- shelters, named Gardner Cave after evenly distributed, but were clustered
ters and flew down with mechanic its discoverer, is 600 feet long along in three main locations from one end
Jim Arnold in the helicopter piloted the cliff and averages 30 to 50 feet of the shelter to the other. In one
by Bob Vanaken. Flying alongside day's recording here, I estimated that
the other helicopter, we had a fast I walked five miles inside the shelter
and easy flight from San Diego, cov- as I went back and forth many times
ering in a few hours what the party recording and photographing differ-
on the ground took days to traverse ent aspects of the paintings.
through the dust and bumps of Baja
California's famous desert roads. It was very important for us to ob-
The expedition included a photo- tain some objects made by the Indians
grapher from Life Magazine, and his who had lived in these shelters and
photos accompanying Gardner's ar- made the paintings, since such items
ticle in Life (1962, vol. 53, no. 3) are would be the only way we could date
the first series of published photo- the paintings and identify the abori-
graphs of these dramatic new paint- ginal people who did this elaborate
ings. Gardner's book, The Hidden work. Except for Gardner Cave, the
Heart, of Baja, recounts the story of shelters all have bedrock floors so
the discovery and publishes addition- there is no chance of recovering ma-
al photographs. The more technical terials made by the ancient inhabi-
tants. Gardner Cave, however, had
some pockets of soil in crevices of
the boulders and on the last day we
excavated the small amount of soil
3 4 5 cm. in the cave and recovered from it 139
objects used by the Indians, including
sea shells, animal bones, wooden ar-
in width. The walls are painted with row parts, basketry, and other small
136 figures of humans and animals, items. This collection was then de-
the latter including deer, mountain scribed and later returned to the
sheep, eagles, rabbits, one whale, and Mexican National Museum.
several fish. There are 59 human
figures, 69 paintings of animals, and The specimens found all belong to
8 geometric designs in this tremen- an archaeological culture which has
dous array, and since most of the
humans and animals are life size or been called Comondu by Dr. Massey
larger (the biggest human figure is who has done much of the recent ar-
nine feet tall) , a fantastic effort went chaeological work in Baja California.
into this assemblage of primitive art. This identifies the occupation of the
Note that this single shelter contains cave, and presumably the paintings
almost twice as many paintings as the as well, as relatively recent—within
much-publicized site of San Borjita, the last thousand years or so. As a
and as mentioned previously the 69 check, a battered wooden peg (per-
animal figures add a whole new di- haps used in a trap of some kind)
mension to the rock art of this region was sent to UCLA's Institute of Geo-
since San Borjita lacks such paintings physics Radiocarbon Laboratory.
Above: Cactus spine hook was used and the early explorers, while they This implement was dated by the
for collecting pitahaya fruit. Other mention the existence of animal fig- radiocarbon method as having an
spines were found tied with native ures, do not present adequate illus- age of 530-80 years. On this evidence,
cordage. Top right: Fire making trations of them. the shelter was occupied, and the
hearths were used with fire drill. All paintings made, some time between
from Gardner Cave. After clambering up to this large 1352 and 1512 A.D.
Campsite below Gardner Cave. Artifacts found at Gardner Cave. Canyons in same area.
mains in Baja California and would
be most grateful for any photographs
and information on such locations.
While the work of the survey is con-
centrated on this side of the border,
we are equally interested in the re-
cording and conservation of archaeo-
logical remains in Baja California
where the archaeology is much less
studied and much less known. Any
traveler in Baja California is likely
to come upon archaeological sites,
perhaps not as spectacular as the
painted caves but still of great value
to science. A few minutes with cam-
era and notebook can well yield a
record of great value for scientific
study—only the most meager records
exist for the whole of Baja California,
and the chances of making an impor-
tant archaelogical discovery here are Eagles with three-foot wing spans in red and black decorated Gardner Cave.
excellent, even for someone who has
never looked for ancient remains.
There are only two rules. First, Mexi-
can antiquities laws must be respect-
ed. There is no law against looking,
taking notes and photographs, but
one can rapidly run afoul of the
Mexican authorities if the activity ex-
tends to collecting and digging with-
out government permission. Secondly,
see to it that a copy of your records
and photos gets into the files of some
museum, university, or research or-
ganization which is actively concern-
ed with Indian researches in Baja
California. In this way your find be-
comes part of the scientific record
and contributes its value to the search
for new knowledge. Travelers often
do not bother to report archaelogical
sites and discoveries because they
think that what they have found is
either unimportant or already well-
known to the scientific world. The
example of the painted caves describ-
ed here shows that even things that
appear obvious and spectacular have Mexican children at fuel slop were impressed with Hiller helicopter that
often not been visited nor described carried Gardner expedition to painted caves. Below: Life-sized human and
by any scientific reporter. The local animal figures make this cave distinctive from caves previously reported.
people, of course, have known about
these things for years, yet they are
still new to science until an adequate
documentary record of them has been
compiled.
L
by Kay Lamson
JT AITHFUL TO its ancient path family. A jargon apropo 1^to the hand- was cast away, and bubbling over
t h r o u g h the towering Colorado made bottle epoch might^ stump mod- with intrigue for the bottle collector.
mountains, the Animas River stub- ern machine-bottle makers, but they Each night in old Silverton scantily
bornly resists a loss of identity to the know what they're talking about clad enchantresses of Blair Street
waters of the San Juan. On its bank when they trade a black, three-piece spun their webs with Palmer's per-
remains the only living town of Col- mold with a high kick-up and sheared fumes, Espey's Fragrant Cream and
orado's historic San Juan County— lip for a turn-mold, blob-top lady's Nyal's Cold Cream. Arnicated Eureka
Silverton. leg or a cobalt, embossed and whittle- Cream or Haswell's Witch Hazel
While the glitter of Silver Lake, marked pop! Cream was applied to soft feminine
Sunnyside and Eureka fades from the Imported foods, liquors, perfumes skin to insure against the howling
memories of old - timers, years slip and toiletries were a vital part of winds.
through feeble hands that link us existence for an immigrant miner and Raw appetites were whetted with
with the past. Finally only bottles his family of the 1870s. Their dis- Toneco Bitters or Prickly Ash Bit-
are left—thousands of them, waiting carded bottles now serve to remind ters. In mining country the threat of
to give up their secrets to the West's us that our frontiers were molded in chest disease was omnipresent. If the
most recent addition to the field of part by men who had but recently hack were contacted, a miner was
antiquities, students of the lowly crossed the ocean to seek a living un- left to the mercy of Piso's cure or Dr.
glass bottle. These back-country col- der the free skies of the Rockies. King's New Discovery for Consump-
lectors jot down bits of information Those days of wine and rosewater tion. For internal disorders, he sought
that will make their hobby a sophis- are gone, but the bottle remains, relief from the shelf of the nearest
ticated member of the "antique" bright and shiny as the morning it Apothecary, but the Bitters with the
Southern Nevada's
New Ghost Town
by Allen Hagood
road. The old road, which begins to living and administrative quarters
Y v EST END ghost town lies near at a modern gypsum mining opera- and maintenance and mill sheds. Old
Las Vegas, Nevada in an elongate tion about eight miles north of Vegas rusty machinery, nostalgic of a bygone
valley bound by great, upended Wash, meanders eastward across the era, is scattered among the buildings.
layers of yellowish rock that poke desert floor, then ascends a wide un- On our first trip, early in 1964, we
through erosional ruins like sinking named wash to a low but spectacular found Sam Klopier, the watchman,
ships. Muddy Mountains jag across divide at the southern edge of the in the old mine foreman's quarters.
the northern skyline and a multitude Muddy Mountains. At the divide, a The weathered frame house rests on
of lesser ranges and desert basins quaint old "slow" sign admonishes the brink of Lovell Wash, the arroyo
spread southward to the hidden shores travelers to beware of curves ahead. that provides access to the Anniver-
of Lake Mead. It is a land of unex- Although shot up by vandals, the sign sary Mine. Sam informed us that the
pected geologic surprises where even is strongly reminiscent of the '20s present mine owners decided to dis-
experienced geologists are impressed when archaic trucks, heavily laden mantle West End because of a tax
by the complexity of earth movement. with borate ore, ground along this burden on the surface property. The
In this setting is the Anniversary windy route. In descending the buildings and equipment had been
Mine, a secluded and oft-forgotten curves from the divide, vistas unfold sold if) promoters who planned to re-
mining development on the eastern to reveal the gravelly floor of West erect much of it as an Old West ex-
Mohave Desert. End Wash. hibit in Las Vegas. The borate ore
Although the mine is only a few After turning east from West End is far from exhausted and the com-
miles from Las Vegas and Lake Mead, Wash, the road climbs into Borax pany intends to hold its exclusive
it lies in a region remote from the Wash. A mile and a half farther, in mining rights until it is economically
traffic mainstream. Most automo- a confined gulch, you enter upper feasible to reopen the mine.
biles may be driven to West End, but Borax Wash and lonely West End. In telling of local wildlife, Sam
only intrepid backcountry drivers Old shacks covered with corrugated mentioned seeing mountain l i o n
venture over the 13 miles of gravel iron sheeting line the road leading tracks at the exit to a high level of
To Vuma
COyOTE
1 I m p e r i a lC c unty
WELLS
unty
U ^ ^ ^ T o y o t e Wells —-. 1 .
1 V | Underpass
•—••
<—> CO
DESERT TOWER 4
*>
—.»•
—
J
B 0 U H_D_«J
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-
1 N T E It N
— " M Txi" cF"
Because it's impossible to print all of the inquiries relative to the played in the new Home of DESERT
claimed recovery of the lost Pegleg black gold by an anonymous finder Magazine and we hope you will be
who told his story in the March and May, 1965, issues of DESERT, here's among those to visit our new quar-
a round-up of comments. Other letters are printed on the Letters From Our ters.
Readers. We do not publish private address-
To the Man Who Found He suggests a statue of Christ on a es, but if you wish to personally re-
Pegleg's Black Gold . . . turntable. Wilber Hill of San Jacinto spond to any of the letters we've pub-
believes a mining project conducted lished, please telephone the office and
Many are the speculators as to your bv the eye bank of Los Angeles on
identity. Larry Dubrall of Los An- the site you could reveal would con- I will give you the addresses, provid-
geles and the Glen Rices of Palmdale, tribute to their efforts for restoring ed you can answer a question I'll ask
among others, credit famous mystery vision by transplanting corneas from to establish yourself as our Mr. Peg-
writer Erie Stanley Gardner with the deceased persons. Larry O'Malley of leg.
golden horde. A prospector from Ari- Ramona, who some years ago found Now for the letter in which you
zona believes it's none other than seven black nuggets in the 17 Palms have answered reader's questions
Randall Henderson, founder of DES- area of the de Anza desert, but quit printed in the May issue of DESERT
ERT Magazine. Occasional visitors looking when he found he was fol- Magazine . . .
suggest it's desert rat Harry Oliver's lowed, suggests y o u s e n d $10,000
prank and a girl up the street who worth of nuggets c/o DESERT Maga- Dear Choral Pepper:
sells us topographical maps swears zine to be contributed anonymously
it's her rich uncle. A Mr. Reed of to the United Fund, Heart Fund, etc. X HIS TIME I'm sending two of
San Diego is sure it's Horace Parker And then there's the man who wants the black nuggets. The extra one
who wrote the wonderful Anza/Bor- to start a big gold mine employing is mounted on a chain and is for you
rego guidebook and DESERT'S Lost only cripples, epileptics and alcohol- personally.
Mine authority, Kenneth Marquiss, ics so they may be assured of steady
thinks you're a woman. I, too, want to make it perfectly
work in an understanding atmo- clear that other than printing my
A few readers have chatised us for sphere. Or, you could support several story and displaying the nuggets I
making no effort to identify the Real seasoned travelers who would like a sent in, DESERT Magazine has had
Mr. Pegleg. Our stock answer is that trailer and funds to travel across the absolutely nothing to do with the
it isn't our business who you are. country spreading the word of God Pegleg black gold. They don't
You've been good to DESERT—yours and Americanism. A number of oth- know who I am, and I'm sure they
er ideas, similarly worthy and imprac- c;:n confirm the fact that each time
is a great story and you produced the
tical, escape me at the moment, but
evidence to back it up—and if you you are wise to remain anonymous. I've written in I've mailed the letter
desire anonymity, there's absolutely In addition to t h e above reasons, from a different post office in a dif-
no one with whom we would cooper- there might be a few ruthless gold ferent town so they couldn't possibly
ate in any effort to "flush him out," seekers who could give you a heap of trace me by their subscription list.
to use the words of a popular news- trouble. Now the letters in the May issue:
paper columnist who has just that
Bill Knyvett's letter poses an in-
in mind. Thank you for the nugget on a teresting question. While I am no
In addition to letters that have ap- chain for me. It has made mine the expert on the subject nor a metallur-
peared in past issues and in this one, most interesting neck on the desert! gist, I do know that air is present
there have been a number of sugges- Preparing manuscripts is time con- underground for some distance, espe-
tions as to how you should part with suming a n d w e appreciate the cially in sandy or rocky soil, whereas
your money. One reader laments that thought you have put into answer- something like clay would tend to
the East coast has the Statue of Lib- ing letters from our readers. The keep the air out. The nuggets on the
erty, but the West coast has nothing. black nuggets are prominently dis- surface definitely had a heavier coat-
V J E QUESTION students always with not much luck. One year later, looking places as deserts, one of the
ask, when considering the enormous in southern Mexico, he uncovered oldest and most impressive civiliza-
amount of artifacts recovered by ar- corn and other vegetal material, none tions Man ever produced, originated
cheologists, is how did we select a of which was older than the materials and developed during thousands of
particular site—the Tehuacan Valley already found years before in north- years in the desert. This, theEgyp-
for instance— to inaugurate an exca- ern territories. By this time, after 10 tian civilization, is commonly consid-
vation? years, he had narrowed down the ter- ered an exception. But in America
Selection of such is not a matter of ritories where he eventually could lies another extraordinary exception.
chance, although luck helps a great find what he had been methodically Thousands of years ago, at least 3000,
deal. A long time before work in the and tirelessly looking for: the begin- in the completely desertic coastal
valley of Tehuacan began, during ning of agriculture in America. The areas of what is now Peru in South
1948 and '50, excavations were insti- territory he still had to survey and America, Man lived, developed and
tuted at Bat Cave in New Mexico. study was an area between the Valley reached high cultural and intellectual
Among items carefully dug up were of Mexico and the State of Chiapas. levels long, long before Europeans
tiny corn cobs about one inch long. In explaining his selection of the arrived. Some of the most fascinating
Radio carbon dating technique, used desert Valley of Tehuacan for further examples of highly refined, sophisti-
with associated suitable material, excavating, he said, "Botanical evi- cated and interesting civilizations
dated these small cobs back to 3600 dence showed that (the original an- man has ever produced are slowly
B.C. cestor of) corn was a highland grass being unearthed in the moonscape
coastal areas of Peru.
In 1949, the great American arche- and therefore only the highlands
ologist, Mr. R. D. McNeish, was dig- were pertinent. Finally, specimens But let us focus again upon the
ging in north-eastern Mexico at La susceptible to study were to be found small, unimportant-looking Tehua-
Perra cave. The earliest corn he mainly in dry caves in a dry region. can Valley desert. It is hard to ima-
found there was dated 2500 B.C. and We recognized that caves often had gine that such a place, full of cacti,
identified as an ancestor of a still one floor on top of another and re- spiny bush and typical desert flora
existing corn or maize-race. Five years mains from such a succession of and fauna, could be, as it is, a place
later, in 1954, he excavated caves in floors might show the evolution from permanently and uninterruptedly oc-
southwestern Tamaulipas, Mexico. wild corn to domesticated maize. Ergo, cupied by Man during more than
Instead of finding older corn speci- one must look for a highland region 9000 years (further evidence will
mens, as he hoped, he discovered one having caves suitable for occupation, doubtlessly demonstrate that perma-
which could be dated back "only" a dry climate for the preservation of nent and uninterrupted human occu-
2200 B.C. However, the find was corn cobs, located between southern pation is dated back to 10 or 12,000
important in that the corn belonged and central Mexico. years B.C.).
to another new, or unknown, maize- Nevertheless, it does not take long
race. "A careful study of rainfall, cli-
matic, topographic and geographic to realize that such aggressiveness is
At about the same time, investiga- maps revealed only three likely re- more apparent than real. And, it does
tors were working in other places. gions (located between the Valley of not take long to become incredibly
One, R. H. Lister from Colorado Uni- Mexico and the State of Chiapas) : attracted to the unique characteristics
versity, was digging the Swallow southern Oaxaca, the Tehuacan Val- of the desert. The minute you fall
Cave in Sonora, Mexico. Others, E. S. ley, and the Rio Balsas area. Here under its "spell," or whatever term
Banghoorn, M. K. Wolfe and K. H. one might find the original home of you wish to use, such places become
Bisby, from Harvard University, were corn. Archeological dates from pre- more appealing than others actually
also making important discoveries- vious work indicated it should be better suited to permanent human
one, they identified "as pollen grains older than 5000 years ago and botani- occupation.
of maize, some fossil pollen isolated cal studies indicated that it should
from a drill core taken at a depth of be like the most primitive cobs found So, it could have been the invisible,
more than 70 meters (more than 200 in Bat Cave, New Mexico. In the but intellectually effective challenge
feet) below the present site of Mexi- winter of I960, in the Tehuacan re- to the human spirit of enterprise that
co City." This proved contemporary gion, a test in a stratified cave re- prompted people to settle here. Or,
with the last inter-glacial period "esti- vealed tiny, primitive corn cobs in a it might have been a softness behind
mated by geologists to have occurred layer which could be dated about the apparent harshness and gruff as-
about 80,000 years ago" and those 3600 B.C. At last it seemed we had pects of the deserts. The fact remains
are the facts which finally settled the the correct region in which to con- people once arrived and did settle in
question about the American origin centrate our investigation." places such as the Tehuacan Valley
of maize. Desert. And, because of those hardy
Although mankind, in general, has people, we are now able to delve into
In 1958 MacNeish was digging never been interested in establishing the origins of America's civilization.
again in Honduras and Guatemala, himself in such aggressive and lonely Ill
32 / Desert Magazine / July, 1965
TREASURE
New transistor models 1095
detect buried gold, 1 0 up
silver, coins, ancient KITS,
Write
towns, walls of lor tree
shacks. Works
through RELCO
mud, water, Dept. D-18
Part of a series of articles relating Sam Hicks' first-hand observations concrete,
: BOX 10563
fo the uses made by primitive peoples of nature's products. wood. I HOUSTON 18,
BEAN RARE-BIT
\ VEGETABLE CASSEROLE HAM, YAM and BANANA
1 tablespoon minced onion 2 packages frozen green beans, Place a serving size piece of ham in
Vi cup butter cooked and drained flat baking dish for as many as you
Vi cup flour 1 can drained bean sprouts want to serve. Over this sprinkle
V2 teaspoon salt 1 can water chestnuts brown sugar and dot with butter.
V2 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 can mushroom pieces Over this lay a layer of split ban-
1 % cups milk 1 small minced onion anas. Cover this with brown sugar
Vi teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Toss lightly together and spoon 1 and dot with butter. Over this place
1 rounded cup thinly sliced or can or 1V2 cups cheese sauce over a half medium-sized yam which has
grated cheese in casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for been boiled with the skin on and
1V2 cups drained kidney beans 25 minutes. Cover with French-fried peeled. Over this add more brown
Cook onion slowly in butter. Add onions and bake 10 minutes longer. sugar and butter. Pour V2 cup fruit
flour, salt and mustard. Mix well and 6 servings. juice in dish and bake in 375 oven
cook slowly a few minutes. Add for about 25 minutes.
milk, stirring constantly, until thick, If you are serving this for dinner,
then add Worcestershire sauce and SCALLOPS SUPERB make the ham slice Vi-inch thick,
cheese. Cook over very low heat 1 package frozen scallops if for a luncheon, slice the ham thin-
slowly until cheese is melted. Add 1 can frozen shrimp soup ner and use slices of yam instead of
beans, cover and heat through. Serve 1/3 cup thin cream or canned milk the half.
over toast. Serves 4. 1 V2 tablespoons sherry
Thaw scallops and rinse with water
to remove bits of shell, then cook
gently for 15 or 20 minutes. Drain. SHRIMP AND SOLE
Heat the frozen soup in double 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
RICE LOAF boiler. Add cream, scallops and 3 tablespoons chopped celery
V4 cup butter or margarine sherry, and heat, but do not boil. 3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup milk Serve on a mound of hot rice. 2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 V2 cups grated cheddar cheese Vi cup chopped cooked shrimp
Vi cup fine dry bread crumbs Salt and pepper
3 eggs slightly beaten WELSH RARE-BIT WITH BEANS 1 tablespoon water
Vi cup chopped celery 1 lb. sharp Cheddar cheese 4 sole fillets
Vi cup minced onion 1 tablespoon butter 1 IOV20Z. can cream of celery
1 tablespoon parsley flakes V2 cup ale, beer, or cream soup
1 teaspoon salt 1 V2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/3 cup milk
V2 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon finely chopped
1 can mushroom soup Dash Tabasco sauce parsley
1/3 cup water V% teaspoon paprika Melt butter. Add celery and onion
1 small can sliced mushrooms 1 well beaten egg and cook until tender but not brown-
Heat butter with_ milk until melted. 2 cups cooked, drained Great ed. Tear bread into small pieces and
Add rice, cheese and crumbs to eggs. Northern white beans add to onion and celery. Stir and
Stir in hot milk. In top of double boiler or in chafing cook until lightly browned. Stir in
Add celery, onion, parsley, salt and dish, mix dry seasonings. P o u r the shrimp. Season to taste with salt
mustard. Turn into greased loaf pan in ale, beer or cream. Let stand and pepper. Add water. Spread Vi
that has been lined with greased until hot. Add cheese, thinly sliced of the stuffing in each fish fillet. Roll
paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 or grated. Stir, always in same direc- and fasten with wood picks. Arrange
hour, 15 min. Blend soup with water tion, until cheese is melted. Add egg in shallow baking dish. Heat soup
until smooth. Add mushrooms with which has been whipped with fork with milk, add parsley, and if wish-
liquid. Heat through when ready to and mixed with Tabasco and Wor- ed, more shrimp. Spoon this sauce
serve. Pour souce over loaf. 6 serv- cestershire. Add beans and heat. over fish and bake at 350 degrees
ings. Serve over toast. Serves 5 or 6. for 15 or 20 minutes.
34 / Desert Magazine / July, 1965
A monthly feature by
the author of
Ghost Town Album,
Ghost Town Trails, and
Ghost Town Shadows.
Shaniko, Oregon
BY LAMBERT FLORIN
• PLANTS, SEEDS
EUCALYPTUS TREES: Big, beautiful, fragrant,
healthy, pest free, evergreen. Excellent shade
and windbreak trees. Extremely fast growing
from seed. To ten feet first year. Seed packet
$1.00. Eucalyptus, 1739 San Miguel Canyon,
Watsonville, Calif.
• REAL ESTATE
FOR INFORMATION on desert acreage and par-
cels for sale in or near Twentynine Palms,
please write to or visit: Silas S. Stanley, Realtor,
73644 Twentynine Palms Highway, Twenty-
nine Palms, California.
This year we are combining the August and September editions to bring you a big,
oversized, special travel volume covering areas of the West missed by those who fol-
low mainstream traffic lanes through unfamiliar country. In time for your vacations,
either armchair ones or active ones, this grand, double-issue will introduce you to more
Western travel adventure than has ever been contained in a single volume.
You who read DESERT expect the unusual. Next month's color-packed issue will
will even surpass DESERT's established reputation. Buy it and SAVE it. You'll be re-