Luminarios outline the O. E. Hopler, Jr., residence at Albuquerque.

Land of the Luminarios...

A supply of sand, a paper sack and a lighted candle—that is all it Most New Mexicans today, however,
takes to make a luminario. In New Mexico and elsewhere in the do not make a distinction, and simply
Southwest this custom of ancient origin is finding ever increasing popu- call their unusual decorating idea "lu-
larity. More and more candles are glowing at night—to celebrate minario lighting."
weddings, religious festivals, homecomings and, of course, Christmas Nor is there any certainty as to the
time. exact history of the luminario. Some
By LAVON TEETER out the light when the candle burns claim that the luminario lights were
Photograph by C. E. Redman down. The bags are placed two feet first set out symbolically to guide the
apart all around flat pueblo roofs, or shepherds to the manger; others say
E LUMINARIOS!" on top of sloping walls, or along the that the lights represent the star of
You hear this only in the footpaths of homes, churches, parks Bethlehem; still others suggest that
Southwest and especially in or public buildings. When lighted — they had a historical significance at
New Mexico, where natives and tour- hundreds, thousands, millions of them the time of the American Occupation.
ists alike exclaim at the far reaching —they create a fairyland of magic in Some, who follow the old tradition,
modern adaptation of an old custom. the desert. use only 12 luminarios, one for each
Luminario lighting, because of its Whether you travel on the main high- of the apostles. Others use 9, repre-
beauty and appeal, is being adopted ways stopping at the larger cities such senting the nine principals at the na-
and developed by both the Spanish and as Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Roswell, or tivity. Most people, however, use as
Anglo population of this southwestern wander up into the small towns and many as necessary to carry out their
state. villages of the Sandia and Jemez ideas of design and outline.
Luminarios are a unique means of Mountains, or follow the path of the Whatever its origin and history, lu-
evening decoration used to highlight Rio Grande River, you will be in lu- minario lighting is a distinctive, color-
the celebration of festive occasions— minario country. More recently the ful, early custom that New Mexicans
religious days, fiestas, rodeos, wed- luminario custom has been extended to arc finding decidedly worth preserving.
dings, parties, carnivals, homecomings, Tucson and other Southwestern cities Civic leagues, garden clubs, college or-
the friendly barbecue in the family where a considerable population of ganizations and interested individuals
patio and, of course, the Christmas Mexicans dwells. encourage it with gifts and prizes.
season. The glimmer of burning lu- Pine knots have been used from
minarios extend a shining welcome to early times to light caves and to fur- The Southwest's mild climate and
"The Land of Enchantment." arid landscaping make a perfect back-
nish fire for religious purposes. It is ground for the glow of lighted candles
All this unusual glory spreads from not definitely known who introduced that glimmer more extensively each
a paper sack, some ordinary sand, and the practice of using paper sacks with year. The shining amber lights are
a candle. The top of a No. 5 paper lighted candles. Joseph A. Bursey, di- always a sign of a gracious invitation
bag is folded down like a cuff about rector of the New Mexico State Tourist to something special and the spectator,
two inches to strengthen the form and Bureau, says that technically they stranger or native instinctively responds
balance. The bag is half filled with should be called faroh'tos, as distin- to their charming beauty with a heart-
sand for weight against wind, to hold guished from the pitch-pine bonfires felt muchas gracias—thanks for the
upright an inserted candle, and to snuff which are properly called luminarios. luminarios of the desert dwellers.

DESERT MAGAZINE
 DESERT CALENDAR
Late November or early December—
Zuni Pueblo Shalako Ceremonies
and House Dances.
Dec. 2 — Los Vigilantes Christmas
Parade, El Centra, California.
Dec. 2 — Annual Christmas parade,
Barstow, California.
Dec. 2-3—8th Annual Arizona Avia-
tion Conference, Tucson, Arizona.
Dec. 2-4—Feast of St. Francis Xa-
vier Mission, Tucson, Arizona.
Dec. 3 — Palm Springs, California, Volume 18 DECEMBER, 1955 Number 12
Desert Museum field trip to Split
Rock Canyon. COVER Navctjo Mother and Daughter at Window Rock,
Dec. 3-4—Sports Car Road Races, Arizona, WESTERN WAYS PHOTOGRAPH
Palm Springs, California.
Dec. 6—Dons Travelcade to Miami CHRISTMAS Land of the Luminarios, by LAVON TEETER . 2
copper mines, from Phoenix, Ariz.
CALENDAR December events on the desert 3
Dec. 9 — Santa Claus Parade, Lan-
caster, California. PALEONTOLOGY Burial Ground of Ancient Sea Monsters
Dec. 10—Palm Springs, California, By NELL MURBARGER 4
Desert Museum field trip (destina- EXPERIENCE Christmas in Keams Canyon
tion unannounced).
By JOSEPH SCHMEDDING 8
Dec. 10-11 — Dons Travelcade to FIELD TRIP Saddle Mountain--Collector's Paradise
Tucson-Ajo and Saguaro National
Monument, from Phoenix, Arizona. By G L E N N a n d M A R T H A V A R G A S . . . 9
Dec. 10-12 — Tortugas Indian Cere- POETRY Christmas Thought and other p o e m s . . . . 1 2
monials, Las Graces, New Mexico.
BOTANY V a l i a n t I st h e J r o n w o o d , b y C A P SMITH . . . 1 3
Dec. 1 1—Desert Sun Ranchers Ro-
deo, Phoenix, Arizona. ADVENTURE We Exolored the Winding Stair Cave
Dec. 11 — Achones Procession after By W. R. HALLIDAY, M.D 15
Vespers, Taos, New Mexico.
CLOSE-UPS About those who write for Desert 20
Dec. 12-18—Sixth Annual Thunder- INDIANS The Man Who Laughed Too Much
bird Invitational Golf Tournament,
Palm Springs, California. By HARRY C. JAMES 21
Dec. 17—Arizona Snow Bowl opens GARDENING "All This and Christmas Too"
for winter season. Flagstaff. By RUTH REYNOLDS 23
Dec. 17—Palm Springs, California, CONTEST Picture of the Month Contest announcement . . 24
Desert Museum field trip to Lost
Palms. LETTERS Comment from Desert's readers 24
Dec. 18 — Dons Travelcade to old PHOTOGRAPHY Pictures of the Month 25
Army Post at Fort McDowell, from
Phoenix, Arizona. NEWS From here and there on the Desert 26
Dec. 18—College of Southern Utah's DESERT QUIZ A test of your desert knowledge 27
Annual presentation of the Mes-
siah, Cedar City, Utah. FICTION Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 30
Dec. 18—Salt Lake Oratorio Society's MINING Current news of desert mines 31
Annual presentation of the Messiah,
Salt Lake City, Utah. URANIUM Progress of the mining boom 32
Dec. 18—Palm Springs, California, LAPIDARY Amateur Gem Cutter 35
Civic Chorus presentation of the
Messiah. HOBBY Gems and Minerals 36
Dec. 19-24 — Bethlehem Pageant, INDEX Contents of Desert for 1955 41
Joshua Tree, California.
Dec. 24 — Procession of the Virgin, BOOKS Reviews of Southwestern Literature 45
Taos, New Mexico. COMMENT Just B e t w e e n Y o u a n d M e , b y the Editor . . . 4 6
Dec. 24—Christmas Eve festivities in
Spanish villages throughout the The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert,
Southwest. Bonfires for El Santo California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert,
Nino (the Christ Child) lighted California, under the Act of March 3. 1879. Title registered No. 3588(55 in U. S. Patent Office,
before houses, in the streets and and contents copyrighted 1955 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents
before candle-lit Nacimientos (Na- must be secured from the editor in writing.
tivity scenes). RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor EUGENE L. CONROTTO, Associate Editor
Dec. 25 — Deer Dance, Taos, New BESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDELL. Circulation Manager
Mexico. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for
Christmas Week—Nativity Plays, Los damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-
Pastores and Las Posadas, given in scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.
St. Joseph's auditorium and in SUBSCRIPTION RATES
homes of descendants, Taos, New
Mexico. One Year $3.50 Two Years S6.00
Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra
Dec. 26—Desert Sun Ranchers Ro- Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With
deo, Phoenix, Arizona. P. O. D. Order No. 19087
Address Correspondence to Descri Magazine, Palm Desert, California

DECEMBER, 1955
 Union Canyon, Nevada,

BurialGround
of Ancient
Sea Monsters
Although the land around Union Canyon,
Nevada, is broken and bare, 200 million years
ago it was under water. In that ocean lived and
died the terrible fish-lizard, ichthyosaur. The
old sea floor was uplifted 7000 feet above its
former level and the bones of that sea monster
—now turned to stone—rest just as they were
deposited. Scientists acclaim the Nye County
discovery the best yet found in the world.

By NELL MURBARGER
Map by Norton Allen

Charles L. Camp, professor in paleon-

tology at the University of California.
Despite a keen interest in Mrs.
Wheat's report and a burning desire
to examine the deposit, Dr. Camp's
40 years' experience in such matters
Artist's conception of the ichthyosaur and its young. Pho- taught him that undertakings of this
tograph courtesy of the American Museum of Natural sort generally involve considerable ex-
History. pense, and he feared that excavation
of the site would prove too costly for
(ACK IN THE Earth's dim past Greek ichthys, which means fish, and the limited funds then available. When
when the Sierra Nevada was sauros, a lizard. It is properly pro- he learned, however, that preliminary
yet unborn and much of our nounced ick-thy-o-sar with accents on explorations had been made by Mrs.
Southwest desert was submerged under the first and fourth syllables. Wheat, using only a worn-out kitchen
warm ocean water bordered by lush This sudden and belated interest in broom, he agreed to visit the site. In
tree ferns and palm-like cycads, this a long-dethroned sea king is attributa- the fall of 1953 he and a colleague,
slowly emerging continent was roamed ble to the discovery and excavation of Dr. S. P. Welles, made a field trip to
by strange prehistoric beasts, and the a great new ichthyosaur graveyard in Union Canyon. What the two men
unchallenged King of the Sea was the West Union Canyon, in the Shoshone found was far more than enough to
Ichthyosaur. Mountains of Nye County, Nevada. excite their enthusiasm.
Following the initial appearance of The question of who first discovered
the fossil ichthyosaurs in Union Can- In June, 1954, Dr. Camp obtained
their kind perhaps 200 million years sabbatical leave to work on the ichthy-
ago, these great dolphin-like creatures yon will probably never be settled to
the satisfaction of everyone. Early osaur project, which he undertook with
flourished throughout most of the Tri- a crew of 1 1 friends and university
assic, Cretaceous and Jurassic periods. mining prospectors in the Berlin-
Grantsville area are said to have known students, each of whom had volun-
About 100 million years ago they had teered to devote part or all of his sum-
become extinct. of the fossil bones but these men were
interested in precious metals, not sci- mer vacation to the performance of
The ichthyosaur, for some reason, unpaid manual labor in the fossil
never received the publicity accorded entific discoveries and they left the
giant fish-lizards undisturbed and un- quarry.
his land-roaming contemporary, the Considerable progress was made
dinosaur, and his name, until quite heralded. Probably the first paleon-
tologist to examine the deposit was during that first summer and before
recently, was almost unknown save to Dr. S. W. Muller of Stanford Univer- snow fell it was known that this was
paleontologists and serious students of sity, who came upon the ichthyosaur not the burial place of an isolated ich-
geology. graveyard in 1928 while searching for thyosaur, but a massed entombment
But now that has been changed. To- marine invertebrates. Dr. Muller re- of numbers of these giant sea dwellers.
day, there is scarcely a literate West- ported his discovery to Mrs. Wendell These West Union Canyon ichthyo-
erner who has not at least a reading Wheat of Fallon, an associate in arch- saurs, which had perished some 160
acquaintance with the ichthyosaur. eology at Nevada State Museum and million years ago, were the largest of
Ichthyosaur is compounded from the she, in turn, referred the matter to Dr. their kind ever found anywhere in the

DESERT MAGAZINE
world, the scientists learned. Prior to
this discovery the ichthyosaurs of the
Triassic were believed to have never
exceeded 35 feet in length, yet at least
one of these fossil giants of Union
Canyon measured more than 50 feet,
with nine-foot ribs.
Information concerning this signifi-
cant development was first released
through the newspapers of Fallon and
Reno, in July, 1954. The story im-
mediately captured the public interest
and in a span of three months a dozen
organizations were raising money to
erect a fence around the deposit and
to hire a watchman to protect the
quarry against possible vandalism. Tn
addition various Nevada groups united
in a "Park Those Bones" campaign,
the objective of which was to secure
permanent preservation of the ichthy-
osaur quarry, either as a national
=-v *
monument or state park.
In the course of all this publicity, " • : •

is i>
the rather twisty Greek word, ichthy-
osaur, quite naturally underwent slight Dr. Charles L. Camp, left, and Col. Thomas Miller examine the latest
alteration. Before more than a dozen fossil discovery. Photo by the author.
vertebrae had been exhumed the ich-
thyosaur of Union Canyon became served Dr. Camp for sleeping and of- laborers and Dr. Camp's youngest son,
known as "Ichy." fice purposes; another small cabin was 13-year-old Roderick, was not sched-
Although the work of excavation used as a guest cottage for visiting uled until after the close of school.
was necessarily halted through most officials and a brown army tent, set The canyon, as a consequence, was
of the winter of 1954-55, the publiciz- back in the pines, was occupied by still blissfully quiet and peaceful dur-
ing and campaigning continued with- Dr. Camp's long-time friend, Col. ing those final days of May, 1955,
out abatement. Determined efforts by Carter Collins (retired) of Berkeley. when its sole inhabitants—except for
many interested persons, plus the pres- The arrival of volunteer student an occasional rockhound or stray trav-
sure exerted by Col. Thomas Miller,
chairman of the Nevada State Park Dr. Camp watches the Harold Newmans, senior and junior, sandblast
Commission, early in 1955, led to the away the loose material from the harder fossils. Photo by the author.
creation of the Nevada State Ichthyo-
saur Park. Although under State Park
Commission jurisdiction, the new res-
ervation was given a special governing
board comprised of Norman Hansen
of Gabbs, chairman; Margaret Wheat,
secretary; Dr. F. G. Tagert, Austin;
Harold Newman, Berlin; and Don
Bowers, Fallon.
Soon after the initial announcement
of the Union Canyon discovery ap-
peared in Nevada newspapers, I visited
the excavation site. So little work had
then been done, however, and so little
had been learned concerning the ex-
tent of the deposit that I decided to
await further developments before
writing the story for Desert Magazine.
Weeks later T returned to the can-
yon and found a number of changes.
The tents that earlier had sheltered
Dr. Camp and his contingent of stu-
dent workmen had been replaced with
a shed built from the lumber of a
collapsed store in the ghost town of
Berlin — the same material having
functioned, even earlier, as a store in
the old mining camp of Tone. This
shed was being utilized as a semi-open-
air kitchen and living room. A cabin,
donated by the U. S. Forest service,

DECEMBER, 1955
eler—were Dr. Camp, Colonel Collins, During the first year of excavation most strongly to his downfall, but his
the ichthyosaurs, mourning doves, and Dr. Camp located portions of at least big, unwieldy bulk made it easier for
me. It was my privilege to learn much 14 ichthyosaurs—the largest of which the smaller and more active members
more about ichthyosaurs and their ex- measured 50 feet from tail to snout, of his own kind to replace him. Neither
huming than would have been possible with ribs nine feet in length and verte- is it known why so many ichthyosaur
had the busy summer work program brae 13J/2 inches in diameter. The skeletons were deposited in West Union
been in full swing. live weight of such a specimen, Dr. Canyon. Possibly a strong water cur-
The Ichy, I learned, had been a Camp estimated, would have been rent or undertow, carried the dead
creature quite similar in appearance to around 10 to 12 tons. While this still bodies to this point in the same man-
a present-day dolphin or porpoise. He would leave the ichthyosaur much ner that driftwood collects abundantly
was stout—the larger specimens thus smaller than his land-roaming con- in certain coves.
far discovered measure eight feet in
temporaries and only about half as Ichthyosaur skeletons of unknown
diameter—and his forward end had
terminated in a long, slender snout, long and much lighter than the giant number accumulated in this area and
fitted with numerous sharp teeth. As whales of today, he was probably, in here they settled in the soft ooze on
a means of propulsion he had a large his day, the largest creature that swam the ocean's floor.
tail fin, a dorsal fin, and four side the oceans.
Possibly 100 million years passed
paddles, or flippers, consisting of a After ascending in prominence and until, in the Miocene period, this part
curious mosaic of bones enclosed in flourishing for some millions of years, of the world began rising. Igneous
tough, connective tissue. His skin the giant ichthyosaur began a steady eruptions became active; the land
was smooth, only slightly wrinkled, decline to extinction. No one knows crumpled and buckled and folded and
and without scales. for certain what factors contributed kept on lifting, until it rose 7000 feet
above its former level. The sea bottom
muck changed gradually to shale and
limestone and the ichthyosaur bones,
ammonites and other marine mollusks
entombed in that muck, changed to
heavier and harder stone.
Disentombing these fossil skeletons
is a slow and painstaking operation.
After the heavier over-burden has bee*)
cleared away by bulldozer, the careful
work with hand shovels, rock scratcher
and whiskbroom, and a final furbish-
ing with sandblasting equipment fol-
lows. The bones remain in place in the
hillside bedrock, slightly higher than
their imprisoning matrix—much like
figures in bas-relief.
From the time Dr. Camp first began
work at the quarry it was his feeling
that these incomparably fine fossils
should not be torn out of their canyon-
side tomb and packed off to covetous
museums in other states, but that they
should be left intact in Nevada.
There was no one happier than
Dr. Camp when the ichthyosaur
quarry and a 100-acre triangle of Na-
tional Forest land were set aside as a
state park wherein the exposed fossil
skeletons are to be permanently safe-
guarded against despoilage by vandals
and souvenir seekers.
In addition to observing the work
at the quarrv, where Dr. Camp and
the Harold Newmans — senior and
junior—of the nearby ghost town of
Berlin, were daily engaged in the pains-
taking and trying operation of sand-
blasting the limestone-imprisoned fos-
sils, I found that the immediate en-
virons of the canyon provided many
other fascinating points of interest.
Among these were Dr. Camp's
headquarters, where I was especially
interested in examining the many con-
veniences this veteran camper had de-
vised and fabricated from odds and
TO CLOVERDALE S TONOPAH
ends.

DESERT MAGAZINE
 The main building of the camp—
that aforementioned shed-like affair
built with third-hand lumber — con-
sisted of one wall, half of one sidewall
and a roof of which two corners were
supported by planks. The opposite
corners were spiked to the trunks of
uncut pinyon pines whose leafy heads
rose well above the structure and kept
it cool and shady. In the shelter of
this building were an oilcloth-covered
table, several pine benches, a few mis-
matched chairs and an overstuffed di-
van salvaged from the Wheats' back
yard in Fallon. On the walls of the
building were hung skillets and kettles,
assorted kitchen implements, and a
bank of orange-crate cupboards hold-
ing dishes and canned goods. Just out-
side the building was a homemade
campstove consisting of four earth-
filled gallon cans topped by a slab of
sheet iron. For quick snacks and cof-
fee a two-burner gasoline camp stove
was available, and a gasoline lantern
provided the camp area with light. Resourceful scientists made this camp building from odds and ends found
One of the outstanding features of in the canyon. Dr. Camp attends to the cooking while Col. Carter Collins
the camp was its water system. From takes his ease. Photo by the author.
a cold spring about 200 yards up-can-
yon, water was piped by gravity flow years, and faded soon afterward, to ghost towner. Although the store and
to this open-air kitchen-dining room, rise briefly again when the Berlin mine postoffice collapsed a couple of winters
where it served a sink faucet and con- started in the '90s. Charles Joseph of ago, the old mill building, assay office,
tinued on to a metal roof tank over a Tonopah, who passed his boyhood in boarding house, and several cabins are
shower bath. Union, pointed out to Dr. Camp the still standing. In the lonely little cem-
"You'll notice that the tank is schoolhouse site. He proved his asser- etery below town are several graves
painted black to absorb the rays of tion by searching through the head- whose identifying inscriptions can still
the sun, and the adjacent roof area is high sagebrush where he found the be read.
coated with aluminum paint to reflect wrought iron end support of an old Looking at these narrow and all-
the rays; so if we have any sun at school desk. The remains of an early but-forgotten graves, 1 could not help
all, we are assured of hot water for brick yard and a well-preserved kiln but think how strange are the devia-
bathing while our quarters remain for burning lime are still to be seen tions and deflections that mark the
cool," Colonel Collins pointed out. a short way up the canyon from camp course of man's progress and man's
In addition to the shower outlet a headquarters, and the ruins of old history.
length of copper tubing led from the stone and adobe buildings are visible The old-time miners, wood-cutters
tank's bottom to a burlap-covered re- through the tall sage. and freighters who peopled these once-
frigerator at one corner of the kitchen. Over the ridge on the south lies the busy towns of Grantsville, Union, and
Water dripping over the top of the weathering ghost of Grantsville. A Berlin, and probed into these moun-
refrigerator kept the burlap constantly contemporary of Union, this place tains in their everlasting search for
wet, and by the processes of evapora- once had 42 business establishments, precious metals, little supposed that
tion a cool enough temperature was including two newspapers and a brew- less than a century later the fossil
maintained to preserve fresh milk and cry, and a population of 1000. All bones over which they trod daily would
meat for several days. After servicing that remains are a few old stone build- bring to West Union Canyon more
the cooler surplus water passed off ings, a great pile of mill tailings, and persons than ever were brought by
through a drain to irrigate Dr. Camp's a paling-fenced cemetery so old that gold and silver.
garden, which consisted of one clump not one inscription can be read on
of rhubarb, ten stalks of corn, two We have no reason to suppose that
its time-scarred headboards. some future generation of men — or
diminutive rows of lettuce and some
carrots. And, of course, there is Berlin, two possibly a different race of man-beings,
miles to the north of Union Canyon. altogether—will not some day walk
Because of my interest in Western For the past 10 years Berlin has been these same hills and find something
history, I spent two very enjoyable the home of Harold and Dorothy that is of greater value to them than
days prowling through the several Newman and for a much longer time either gold or silver or stone memen-
ghost towns in the vicinity of Camp has been the home of Mack and Will tos of Earth's dim ages. Until that
Ichthyosaur. Foster, two fine old timers who died time, however, the name of Union
For a mile or so on either side of there early in 1955 at the respective Canyon will loom large in the special
the quarry West Union Canyon is ages of 85 and 88. world of the paleontologist, and the
studded with the crumbling frame, While Berlin is not as old as Union, treasure of Nevada's Shoshone Moun-
adobe, brick and stone ruins of the Grantsville and Tone, it was going tains will continue to be the cemetery
early mining town of Union—a place strong in the 1890s, and is historic of the great Triassic Sea King —
that flourished in the late Civil War enough to fire the interest of any Ichthyosaur.

DECEMBER, 1955
 LIFE O NTHE DESERT

Christmas in The snow is heavy on the ground but the Indi-

ans leave their warm hogans anyway and trudge
the many miles to the Trading Post and the Mis-
sions. It is Christmas time and there will be a

Keams Canyon joyous reunion with old friends, giits, games, good
food and prayer. Indian Trader Joseph Schmed-
ding describes a Hopi Christmas in the high country
of Keams Canyon,

By JOSEPH SCHMEDDING and some canned goods arc included. The chapels of the various missions
Some of the packages, intended for have an overflow attendance on this
/IN THE 16 YEARS I have spent families whose particular needs are day. The missionaries, one and all,
/ on Indian reservations as a trader, acute, will contain some articles of and regardless of denomination, are
the Christmas holidays have all clothing for their little ones. These among the hardest workers in this re-
been about the same. Each December special bundles will be marked with mote vineyard of the Lord. On this
25 is a replica of the one before. We the name of the intended recipient to day, at least, they have visual proof
knew what to look forward to and insure correct distribution. The un- that their efforts and unselfish work
what preparations to make. marked packages will be handed out show increasing fruitfulness. With the
to our friends indiscriminately for they increasing number of Indians who
Unlike off-reservation businessmen, contain virtually identical gifts in order learn to speak English, it becomes
traders do not look for a big Christmas to avoid envy or disappointment. progressively easier to disseminate the
business. In fact, there is no business joyful message of Christ's birth.
during this period and much free dis- In the missions, whether Catholic,
tribution of gifts to the Indians and Baptist, Mennonite, Mormon or Protes- The atmosphere is filled with Good
to the various missions which provide tant, there is similar activity. The con- Will Toward Men. The Indians who
feasts for their flocks. gregations that support the Indian mis- have but a dim conception of the re-
In Keams Canyon, Arizona, where sions send assortments of used and ligious aspect of Christmas know, in-
we lived for nine years, we were sur- new clothing, shoes, warm underwear, stinctively, that this celebration is more
rounded by a beautiful land that pro- caps and something the Indian children than just free food and gifts. Through
only get at Christmas time, toys of the Christian example of sharing with
vided a White Christmas background. every kind and description. In addi- the less fortunate, not only materially
At an altitude of 7000 feet winter sets tion, the missionaries usually prepare but also spiritually, we bring the mes-
in early here and from about Thanks- feasts for the cold and hungry people sage of Christ to many who earnestly,
giving on the world rests under a who descend upon them for the tradi- if unconsciously, desire it.
blanket of deep snow. This is the only tional Krissmuss dinner.
outward evidence of Christmas. There After the chapel service the frolick-
are no brightly lighted store windows Every year, shortly before Christ- ing begins. There are large gallon con-
with gay and colorful displays — no mas, I am asked by both the Baptist tainers with steaming coffee. Stacks of
Christmas trees crowded into the cor- and Catholic missions in this vicinity freshly-baked bread are piled high
ner lot where they are offered for sale. to do my share toward making the upon improvised tables. Meat has
But, despite this lack of outward indi- feast possible. I donate flour for bread, been roasted over open fires and huge
cation, everyone is aware of the ap- quarters of beef, whole sheep and chunks are carved from quarters of
proaching holiday and the very air is quantities of coffee and sugar. And beef and halves of mutton. Nobody
permeated with the Christmas magic. this I give gladly—it is our way of is forgotten and there are seconds and
For weeks my Indian friends ask, creating good will and helping these thirds for all who want them.
"How many more days 'til Krissmuss?" people—our friends. In our trading post we are busy giv-
and the same question is asked of the A day or two before Christmas the ing out the gifts. Wrappers are removed
missionaries and government employ- Indians begin to assemble at the trad- immediately and the contents inspected
ees at the Indian agencies. Like im- ing posts and missions. Very little critically and compared with the as-
patient children they eagerly look sortment received by neighbor or
actual trading is done, but the Indians friend. There is much jolly wisecrack-
forward to their Krissmuss, as they come early so as not to miss any part
mispronounce it, for Krissmuss has ing and general hilarity. All day long
of the festivities. By Christmas morn- new faces appear. Some Indians were
taken on a real and special meaning
for them. ing every guest hogan is filled with delayed by snowdrifts and other ob-
visitors. stacles.
Assisted by my wife and two clerks,
I began the customary preparations at Outside the snow lies high. It is By late afternoon the crowd begins
an early date. It is quite a job to make cold in these high altitudes and a to thin out. Dusk falls early and it is
up gift packages for the many visitors blizzard may sweep down on us at a cold ride back to the home hogan.
that will flock to the trading post on any time during the holiday season. With happy shouts and repeated thank
Christmas Day. These packages con- Those hardy children of Nature are yous and also an occasional "Kriss-
tained stick candy, cookies, popcorn, inured to the inclemencies of the muss," meant to be "Merry Christmas"
chewing gum, and similar treats for weather — nothing would keep them in the white man's fashion, the last
the children. For the adults suitable from this festive gathering. In their ones disappear over the snowy dis-
items are included, such as warm flan- tedious existences there are few social tance.
nel shirts for the men, velveteen for a gatherings. Thus it is no wonder that Another Christmas has joined the
new blouse for the women. Assorted all who are able flock to the glittering many previous ones. Again the joyful
groceries, principally coffee and sugar celebration put on for their benefit. message has been told and lived.

DESERT MAGAZINE
 •_:• , . . ; • -. • • • - • . . ;-.-

Saddle Mountain in Western Arizona where chalcedony is found in abundance.

and by the Adams' description, Saddle

Saddle Mountain -- Mountain was just such an area. We

determined at once to make the trip
and we invited Richard "Hap" Ward

Collector's Paradise of Palm Springs to accompany us.

A few days later we headed our
station wagon toward Salome, Arizona.
The Adams' supplied us with a map
to the collecting area and in accord-
ance with this map we turned south
In a precipitous range overlooking the junction of the Hassayampa at the intersection in the main street
and Gila Rivers in southwestern Arizona, Glenn and Martha Vargas of Salome—the road which leads to
found a mountainside where almost unlimited quantities of chalcedony Hassayampa.
are weathering out of the fractures and cavities of an ancient lava bed. We followed this road as it wound
across a nearly level plain that con-
By GLENN and MARTHA VARGAS tains a number of farms. Water was
Photographs by the authors flowing in the irrigation ditches and
Map by Norton Allen fields of barley were showing slight
tinges of yellow. On the open range,
FTER ATTENDING the rock- They also showed us fire chalcedony, cattle watched us from behind unusu-
hound convention in Indio, known by many as fire agate. Their ally large creosote bushes. Hap called
California, in the Spring of specimens were dark, tending more our attention to a very spiny shrub
1954, we camped at Wiley Well. Our toward purple and brown, but just as which we identified, with the aid of
camp neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. beautiful as the lighter Coon Hollow Jaeger's Desert Wild Flowers, as a
John Adams of Phoenix, Arizona, who material. crucifixion thorn. The plant was strik-
showed us almost unbelievably large Every rockhound field trip leader ing, growing to a height of nearly 10
chalcedony roses and geodes they had has dreamed of a collecting area which feet, sparingly branched and bearing
collected in the Saddle Mountains contained enough material to satisfy thorns two-inches in length.
northwest of Hassayampa, Arizona. the needs of a large group of people, Our map indicated a cattle guard

DECEMBER, 1955
 SADDLE W,•••-•.. '-. •
MOUNTAIN\'%D;...,/-^;-•••;

40 miles south of Salome marking a The foot-trail led up a low hill. We dony scattered over the slope and the
junction with another road which turned east on the hill and walked plain below. Rhyolite occurs here in
would take us to the Saddle Moun- across a large wash, passing through distinct layers, each of different tex-
tains. a stand of Bigelow Cholla cactus. The ture and hardness. One stratum near
plants to the west were brilliantly the base of the mountain is 30 feet
Twenty miles from Salome we
back lighted by the sun which now thick, but contains little chalcedony.
caught the first glimpse of the moun-
hung low over the horizon. Past the After the lava was deposited, move-
tain which did indeed resemble a sad- patch of cacti we entered an area cov- ment at or near this area caused these
dle, but it looked more than 20 miles ered with huge boulders and on some layered beds to tip. The entire moun-
away. of them found petroglyphs — those tain dips to the east in about 20 de-
Our speedometer registered 42 miles strange picture writings of the Indians. gree angles. The formation of the
when we reached the cattle guard. The Our experience has been that where chalcedony found in the various open-
road branching off toward the moun- one found petroglyphs there was water ings within the lava probably took
tain was inferior to the one we had nearby. A quick look around showed place at the time of this tilting. The
just traveled on, but it was quite pas- us only sheer cliffs and steep slopes, creation of quartz and its varieties
sable. Traveling on it for one and however. It was not until our third (chalcedony is a variety of quartz)
eight-tenths of a mile, we came to our trip to Saddle Mountain that Conrad usually takes place when super-heated
next landmark, a rock cairn where we Vargas found the water in an almost water of approximately 700 degrees
were to leave the main road and fol- inaccessible canyon a short distance Fahrenheit rises into a formation from
low a little-used trail to a campsite ateast of the petroglyphs. Water falling a thermal area beneath the surface.
the base of the mountains. This trail down a cleft in the face of the moun- During the upheaval period at Saddle
consisted of two tracks across a rocky tain had created a large basin at the Mountain, the small cracks that re-
alluvial fan. It called for slow and base of each fall. Water will some- sulted from the tilting process were
careful driving. times remain in these natural tanks, or excellent channels for that super-heated
Arriving at the campgrounds we tinajas as the Mexicans call them, from quartz-ladened liquid.
were delighted to find Mr. and Mrs. one rain storm until the next, and A few feet from the petroglyphs we
Adams there. they serve as watering places for both found almost perfect rosettes of radiat-
prospectors and the wildlife of the ing clear quartz crystals. In our mind's
Spreading around us lay the collect- area.
ing area of our dreams. The ground eye we could see these beautiful crys-
was covered with brown and white The rock here is rhyolite, and it is tals made into jewelry or adorning the
chalcedony. Even though the day was in the fractures and cavities of this crystal collector's display case. Close
nearly spent we could not resist the volcanic stone that chalcedony often examination revealed that a few of the
temptation to start our search at once is deposited. crystals were hollow, a much coveted
—or rather, our selection of the better On some parts of the mountain the prize.
pieces, passing over many hundreds of cavities are very numerous, and these The fast fading light of day forced
inferior specimens. are the source of much of the chalce- us to return to camp. Our short search

10 DESERT MAGAZINE
had already resulted in bulging pock-
ets which contained material as fine
as we usually gathered in a full day of
hunting in other areas.
After our evening meal Adams told
us they discovered the collecting field
only a few years before. Discovering
fire chalcedony in the washes and on
the flats caused Mr. Adams to climb
the mountain in search of the material's
source. There is only one trail up to
the top and he discovered it after a
number of tries. On the first bench
of the mountain he discovered large
chalcedony and quartz-lined geodes.
Finally he found the material with the
fire inclusions on a lava cliff high on
the east side of the saddle.
On the morning of the day we ar-
rived at Saddle Mountain, he had
blasted loose a huge block of the lava
and gathered from the debris a large
amount of fire chalcedony. Some was
coated with an opal layer that fluor-
esced.
The clear warm dawn heralded one
of those hot days so characteristic of
the desert in early April. After a quick
breakfast we started up the mountain's Glenn Vargas examines a specimen on the bench above the water tanks.
almost perpendicular face. The trail Those in the foreground weigh 25 pounds.
was a difficult one. Our first stop was
at the blasted cliff where it was an In a short time we had all the rock specimens so large that we were
easy task to find the fire in the vugs we deemed wise to carry and we astounded. Some of these weighed 25
and to break the desired pieces off. headed for the geodes. The entire sad- pounds and the whole area was strewn
I fi y h l d y d with them—any one of them a collec-
t!T'ZTl?^±!i^ t^Z die was sprinkled with chalcedony.
bles fire opal, but physically it is quite The ground was covered with pieces tor's item. The mouths of the cavities
different. According to the Smith- weighing up to 10 pounds and colored were ringed with chalcedony ranging
sonian Institution, the fire is produced in rich orange and brown that is so in color from the common white or
by a thin layer of iridescent iron oxide g
cream through the yellows, oranges
that has been coated with a thin layer characteristic of the material.
of clear chalcedony. and browns. Some cavities were lined
On the geode bench we came across with hundreds of quartz crystal ter-
Prehistoric Indians left these petroglyphs on the boulders near the quartz minations and a few showed interest-
crystal rosette location. ing stalactites of colored or clear chal-
cedony.
During our descent, a nighthawk
flew out from under a bush. Our at-
tention was drawn to the bird's nest
in which we saw a newly-hatched
chick and an egg. The egg was pipped
and we spent a half hour watching the
second chick emerge from its shell.
After lunch we cleaned the speci-
mens and after the heat of day passed,
went back to the flats to search out
more fire chalcedony. Here we dis-
covered some specimens of banded
chalcedony which, when tumbled, make
striking baroques.
When the day finally drew to an
end, we packed up our gear and gath-
ered up the wonderful specimens we
had collected. In a few minutes Sad-
dle Mountain was behind us. Our con-
versation during the long ride home
centered around leading our rockhound
friends back to the collector's para-
dise we had just visited.

DECEMBER, 1955 1
 . Sketch by Bonnie Welch, California artist

ROAD OF PEACE DESERT RIVER

By LORNA BAKER By MILDRED BREEDLOVE
Los Angeles, California Las Vegas, Nevada
By MARIE JENNINGS
As dry as the top of a desert hill
Laveen, Arizona Lies the bed of a desert river;
There came across the desert sands Some there are who wish for Christmas Not a spring nor a brook nor a creek to fill
Three kings of wide renown white. Her bed, or master her raging fever.
Each bearing gifts in eager hands Who miss the crystal glitter of the snow,
And wearing not his crown. Not a bush nor a tree on her sunny bank,
Remembering holidays with brilliant lights Nor moss to cover it over;
The way was cold, the journey far, Reflected on the frosty scene, aglow.
But still they traveled on, Only the sands where the water sank,
Their hearts turn back to childhood's mem- And the rocks that give them cover.
While high above, a guiding star ories
In dazzling brightness shone. Recalling wintry contrasts as they dream: Unchanged for a year, or a decade, or two,
Green pine, white snow, cold sparkling air. As the sun goes his way unobstructed;
How strange that heaven should decree And fireplace cozy, with warmth supreme. But when rain clouds have chosen a ren-
Of all this world—so wide— dezvous.
A lonely desert path should lead But I embrace the brilliance of the star-light Half the water of earth is abducted
His chosen to His side— Enhanced by every grain of desert sand; Then released all at once with a deafening
I watch breeze-ripples cross the dry-brown roar,
Close to our hearts, the picture clings grass And a power the sands find abhorrent;
Of humble manger, when And catch its fragile fragrance in my One stroke of the heavens has evened the
A Babe in swaddling clothes was King hand. score,
And kings were only men! I crush a twig of desert shrub, its odor And the river explodes in a torrent.
Today, as on that silent morn, Redolent of frankincense' sweet spice,
His wondrous blessing stands, And know that such a desert land as this
For Peace on Earth is ever born Beheld the angels on their sacred tryst.
THE DESERT'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Across the desert sands. The shepherds on that old Judean hill By GEORGIA JORDAN
Saw such stars as these that here enthrong. San Diego, California
They knew the desert night in all its beauty, The Christmas night is dry and crystal clear,
And heard the whisper of its quiet song. As silver moon and evening Star appear.
On such a night as these my desert knows Is this the Star that lit a path to earth
That heavenly paean swelled upon the air. When herald angels sang of Jesus' birth?
Let's glory in a season that we know
By TANYA SOUTH Was shared by one whose birth was 1 find His peace here in the desert glow
herald' there. On Christmas night as star-dust reaches low
Nothing is lost of wisdom or of And casts a spell on desert holly's spray,
worth. WINTER NIGHT Pale beauty for the season's holiday.
All is preserved — whether it dwells
By GRACE PARSONS HARMON
on earth This virgin holly with the Star's uplift
Or in some inner interstice alone. It Desert Hot Springs, California
rests The stars are gold in the desert sky Imparts the desert's timeless Christmas gifts,
Within that Source of all. And cradled When the west's rich hues have gone; A symbol of a crown of piercing thorn.
there, The cholla wears a silver wreath Of strength and lasting life, of peace reborn.
Can be recalled at need. And Truth As the moonlight gilds each thorn;
attests The coyote's call rings clear and near
To its existence, and God's loving Where the hill's blue shadow lies; PAINTED DESERT
care. The wintry chill calls the heart of me By GRACE BARKER WILSON
Nothing is hidden. Someone's eyes To dream where the bright flames rise— Kirtland, New Mexico
can see.
And on your choice of ways waits With a letter to read from the one that When sky gods mix their colors up
Destiny. I love And splash them on the sunset sky,
As the firelight plays on the rafters Left over paints they drop to earth
above. And leave them there to dry.

12 DESERT MAGAZINE
 p&l

In Vinegar Wash on the Southern California desert is this venerable patriarch of

the Ironwood clan, believed to be centuries old.

Valiant is the Ironwood

Cap Smith has traveled the length and breadth of the Desert South- tree could have been seen by Father
west with a friendly eye out for the tough and gnarled old ironwood Kino when he first visited the area in
trees that shade travelers, house birds and feed insects and small 1699. Indeed he may have passed
animals. Recently Carl Walker led Smith to Vinegar Wash off the within 25 feet of it. For years we
Ogilby-Blythe road in California where stands the largest ironwood considered the Raven Butte tree the
Smith has ever seen—a "middle-aged" giant that was a youngster largest desert ironwood in existence.
when the Conquistadores hunted for their cities of gold. That was before we saw the Lum-
holtz tree, growing between Tinajas
By CAP SMITH
Altas and Tule Well, south on the
Photograph by the author
Lechuguilla along the Devil's Highway.
WINTER my wife and I "I think that's the biggest and old- Lumholtz in his New Trails in Mexico,
accompanied the Carl Walkers est ironwood tree in the Southwest," 1912, reported that tree as being an
of Gold Rock Ranch, Imperial he said. unusually large specimen. Travelers
County, California, on a jeep trip into since have confirmed this (Desert
Deserts are not noted for big trees.
Vinegar Wash—a little-known desert Magazine, January, 1951). It is an
Perhaps this accounts, in part, for the
canyon off the Ogilby-Blythe road. In exceptionally shapely tree, symmetry
fact that every desert resident holds
this remote area of dry rivers, deep not being common in ironwoods.
in his mind at least one ironwood tree
sand and burning sun, we came upon (Olneya Tesota) that he considers out- The Lumholtz tree, still in its prime,
some of the largest ironwood trees standing. When my father and I were may be the most symmetrical of all
we have ever seen. prospecting and mining on the Lechu- large ironwoods, but after carefully
Dad Walker, who has lived on the guilla Desert southeast of Yuma, Ari- sizing up Dad Walker's Vinegar Wash
desert for more than 30 years and is zona, we noticed an exceptionally giant, I agreed with him that his could
familiar, as few men are, with its hid- thick-trunked ironwood growing in a well be the most massive and ancient
den canyons and the wild life they wash just below the ancient Indian ironwood tree alive today.
support, stopped the jeep and waved camp at Raven Butte. Considering Split by the weight of its ponderous
toward one of those great spreading the scant rainfall in that area and the branches, wrenched and twisted by
trees. ironwood's slow rate of growth, that tornadic winds, that old veteran has

DECEMBER, 1955 13
lived through periods of prolonged and have sprouted from the thick stumps agreement with my first information
terrible drouth that killed younger trees of those felled 40 to 70 years ago. It is established. At either rate (9.6 or
whose smaller skeletons stand naked may take a hundred years for them 9 years per inch), the Walker tree is
all around it. Though past its prime, to attain their former size. between 550 and 700 years old.
it still puts out a great canopy of No doubt steamboats that plied the That the Walker tree in Vinegar
shade—nesting places for birds, shel- Colorado River were also fired with Wash is alive and unscarred by man
ter for sun-wearied wild things. Its ironwood. Last winter we followed today is largely due to its secluded lo-
tiny blue-green leaves look healthy as an ancient wagon trail up onto a mesa cation and the fact that no mineral
those of a lusty young seedling. Its above Gavalin Wash. There we found has been found in its vicinity. Barring
enormous clusters of lavender wisteria- ricks of ironwood cut in cordwood accident, that dauntless patriarch may
like blossoms, appearing in May or lengths which had been ricked up a live and continue its services to desert
June if there has been rain, still furnish very long time ago, probably before creatures for another century or so.
nectar for humming birds, bees and the last steamboat on the river made What is time to one so venerable? The
its final run. centuries of its life have seen the en-
insects that visit it in swarms; its rich, tire recorded history of our nation.
oily beans, the dry pods of which lie Ironwood has a beautiful golden They have seen the pageant of the
thick at its feet, still supply food for grain set off with brown and black Spanish Conquistadores, the American
doves, rodents and other desert crea- and takes a high polish. Rare is the explorers—the gold seekers. Only yes-
tures, as they have for centuries. desert dweller who at some time has terday the toot of the steamboat whistle
not toiled to make articles of it. The echoed through its branches. Where
The indomitable ironwood needs Indians fashioned arrow points, knives, is that steamboat now? Even the wild
few favors. The searing sun, the broil- hoes and digging implements from river it rode has been shackled.
ing heat reflected from sky and soil, are ironwood. Because of the wood's
indispensable. Moisture it must have, twisted form and grain, and its extreme I hope that the years will be gentle
but the deep beds of sand in the washes weight, articles made are usually small. with Dad Walker's gallant old tree. I
hold a little moisture for a very long The wood is so heavy that a man alone hope that it will receive at least one
time and the tree's roots are far-reach- can lift only a small log; so hard that good rain a year, that desert wind
ing. If rain does not come for a year it can be chopped across the grain only storms will bypass it, that the ax will
or two or even five, it will turn the with great peril to the ax. never scar its valiant iron frame.
edges of its leaves to the sun and I hope that some day I shall be
grimly hang on. Its iron heart is prac- Ironwood can be sawed only a little
tically impenetrable to termites. Even easier than iron, resists the plane and privileged to spread my bed roll in its
after death its indestructible roots will repulses carving tools. It can best be welcome, benevolent shade.
hold it upright, a silver-black ghost worked with saw and scraper or sand-
against the pastel colors of the desert, paper. Handsome things have been
a monument to itself as durable as made of it. I prize a pair of book ends TWO MEN EXPLORE GLACIER
marble. and a desk set I laboriously fashioned O N 13,000-FT. MT. WHEELER
from a dead limb of an ironwood I Weldon Heald, author and historian,
A man who has lived much of his personally knew and loved.
life on the open desert never stands recently made public a report on an
under one of these ancient trees with- Information concerning rate of ascent of Nevada's 13,061-foot Mt.
out thinking, with a touch of home- growth of the ironwood tree is hard Wheeler, second highest peak in the
sickness, "Just the place to camp. Bed to find. The only data I have seen state, where the writer and his com-
roll here. Fire there. Grub box in that stated that a tree eight inches in diam- panion, Albert Marshall of Three Riv-
crotch. Canteens on this limb. Water eter was found to be 77 years old ers, California, explored a living gla-
cans over here in the shadiest spot." which figures to an inch of growth cier found there.
He thinks too of what the ironwood every 9.6 years. A tree 60 inches in Heald and Marshall climbed the
tree has meant to him and to other diameter would be approximately 577 peak on its northeastern slope and
men who have traveled the desert be- years old. entered the rim of the glacier's cirque
fore him: shade in an almost shadeless Specimens I examined under micro- (deep, steep-walled amphitheatral re-
land; browse for burros; fuel for camp- scope revealed the difficulties of de- cess in a mountain caused by glacial
fires; nutritious beans when other food termining age by counting annual rings. erosion). Although the precipitous
sources failed. Some of those rings are no more than walls and jagged rim are the most
The hard, fine-grained dead wood a hundredth of an inch in width. There prominent features of the landscape,
of the ironwood flares up like pitch may be two or three such thin rings the explorers found that they were un-
pine and burns down to a bed of merging into a confused area where able to see the cirque's floor from their
smokeless coals as hot and long-last- the cellular structure of the wood is vantage point. By working down the
ing as a coke fire. This perfect fuel completely obliterated to my 10 power extremely rotted and dangerous slope
for the dutch oven and coffee pot of glass. • *' east of the summit they reached the
the pioneer, not only baked the beans Occasionally I could trace this area cirque's floor and there found the gla-
and sourdough bread for the old-time to a point where two or three thin cier.
desert prospector, but sadly enough, rings emerged from it, as if one por- Heald reported that the glacier's
fired the boilers for the mines he found tion of the tree received more moisture greatest activity is centered on the east
and sold to exploiters who, without than another. It may be that in periods or true right side. Here a double ice
his esteem for the living tree, saw it of prolonged drouth when the tree is tongue, divided at its lower end by a
only as fuel and felled the live tree as nearly dormant, it does not put on rock island, slants steeply up the cirque
well as the dead. Wood choppers for annual rings. wall.
the mines in the Cargo Muchacho The average of the count for a 12- A stream of considerable propor-
Mountains cut down the ironwoods inch section, counting only identifiable tions drains the glacier, but the floor
between the Cargos and the Sand rings, gave me 18 rings per inch (on of the cirque is so heavily burdened
Dunes from the Sidewinder Hills near the radius) or nine years per inch of with loose rock that the water flows
Yuma almost to Glamis. Trees now diameter. How many years may be beneath the surface for more than two
growing in that area are seedlings or concealed I do not know, but fair miles down the canyon.

H DESERT MAGAZINE
 Bill Brown at the entrance to the Cave of the Winding Stair.

For years stories about the bot-

We Explored the tomless pit in which Jack Mitchell

almost lost his life circulated and
grew in the southwest. Finally, in
1949, three daring young men de-

Winding Stair Cave cided to conquer the Cave of the

Winding Stair. For hours they
toiled deeper and deeper into the
unknown blackness—and then—
they reached bottom! But, the
Cave of the Winding Stair was not
By W. R. HALLIDAY, M.D. for the most beautiful caverns in the about to give up without a strug-
Photographs by Bill Brown and range to open to the public. High up gle. There was still the problem
one of the ridges he came across a of getting out and here the expe-
Walter S. Chamberlin
small opening from which a passage dition almost ended in tragedy.
Sketch by Margaret Gerke corkscrewed down into the heart of

7 HE LATE Jack Mitchell of

Mitchell's Caverns in the Provi-
dence Mountains of California
once tried to explore the Cave of the
the ridge, becoming larger as it
dropped. Soon he came to a fissure
which defied his flashlight beam. Rocks
which he dropped, rattled from one
He secured the services of two as-
sistants and considerable equipment.
A log was fixed across the passage
where it lies to this day. With 1200
Winding Stair—an effort which nearly wall to the other until the noise faded feet of manila rope and block and
cost him his life. out. Mitchell realized that his discov- tackle, a three-way pulley was built.
It was 25 years ago when Mitchell ery was of extraordinary interest and By means of this device Mitchell was
began the development of his caverns, he immediately began planning the slowly lowered into the fissure. Too
he explored ever fissure in the lime- first exploration of the Cave of the narrow for comfort at the start, the
stone beds of the Providences looking Winding Stair. passage widened gradually until Jack

DECEMBER, 1955 15
 group of electrical engineers to con-
duct sonar experiments in the cave
during the war and he allowed the
10'

0 Entrancepassage members of the Southern California

Grotto of the National Speleological
Society to explore it.
The N.S.S. was organized some 15
60'
cmmneu years ago when a group of Washing-
ton, D. C , cave explorers joined with
a group of spelunkers and speleolo-
gists from New England. The South-
ern California chapter—or Grotto—
was one of the newest branches of the
40' organization when Mitchell granted it
Broken Rock Room
1 permission to explore the cave.
It was late on the unauspicious eve-
ning of Friday, May 13, 1949, that
Pete Neely, a student at Los Angeles
City College, Ed Held, a fellow in-
terne in Pasadena, and I arrived at
the Providence Mountains. Lacking
fourwheel drive which would have en-
abled us to strike out across the desert,
/ow-er passaae ' -The Hen" we had decided to pitch camp at the
C & K Mine where a poor but passable
road came to within a mile of the
cave. We had little trouble reaching
/50-I80' this goal and in a few minutes we set
Great up our simple dry camp.
The brilliant desert moonlight
fossilized. lirn_estone_ I Pit clearly illuminated the hillsides and
,'"",*-*»Bonanza king Mi slopes, and we were too excited to
Stair (3rd level) sleep. The idea came to us that it
K
>/l00°<X^. ' Y''%- (not open ¥opublic) would be easy to carry our equipment
v
up to the cave during the night thus
-_ 7 _ - 'Mitchell s.Caverns -—-«.. saving time in the morning.
volcanic play \
Our plan to carry the equipment in
the cool of night seemed a less brilliant
one as we proceeded with the job. Our
A) carbide miners' headlights furnished
I So Barstow us with adequate illumination within
lowest a cave, but outdoors the shadows cast
terel by the moon made the rocky ridges
interminate and the washes bottom-
less. I was carrying 275 feet of one-
inch manila rope and each time we
were forced to detour around an out-
realized that he was suspended in a Edwin Code, noted California au- crop or cliff, it grew heavier.
room whose walls and floor he could thor, was one of the few men who Finally we had our equipment at
not reach with his flashlight beam. knew of Mitchell's experience and he the cave. We fixed our ropes in prep-
Suddenly a jerking halt stopped his incorporated a highly imaginative de- aration for the morning's descent and
downward progress. He shouted, but scription of that event in his popular then went back to our sleeping bags.
only garbled echoes of words answered book Desert Country. Soon Jack was Almost immediately, it seemed, the
him from above. He learned later that sought out by a veritable horde of sun was in our eyes and in a short
the pulley had jammed! would-be cave explorers, some with time we were on our way to the cave.
A magnificent view of the entire desert
Minutes turned into hours and he outlandish equipment. Fame distorted valley below us as far as the Needles
remained helpless, twisting back and the facts surrounding the cave. Many and even beyond the Colorado River
forth on the end of the rope, becoming swore that it was a 3000 foot sheer greeted us on our walk up the hill.
more motion sick with each twist. drop to a river, alternately icy and We filled our carbide lamps and
Above, his partners worked frantically, boiling, with rooms filled with the slithered through the tiny entrance. At
not daring to fully release the ropes bodies of pigmies with long red hair once we could see where the cave re-
for fear of losing their burden. For covering their bodies. How pigmies ceived its name, for a steep narrow
hours they got nowhere. Finally, the got into the story Mitchell was never twisting passage led us to The Fissure,
loop slipped back into place and they able to find out, but on several oc- through which we were to descend.
pulled up the barely conscious Mitchell. casions he had to listen patiently to Here we secured our ropes and other
After that dreadful experience, stories of their existence. equipment and made ready for the
Mitchell gave up all thought of further With only two exceptions, Mitchell descent.
exploring that cave, and vividly aware turned all these people away, recog- Sitting comfortably astride this two-
of its danger, ordered its opening con- nizing their inability to tackle a prob- foot-wide crack without evident bot-
cealed. lem of this magnitude. He allowed a tom, we paused a moment to discuss

16 DESERT MAGAZINE
the situation. It appeared to be an on the high walls and ended in another coral gave way to crystalline forma-
easy chimney climb with little danger, room with a passage off to the left. tions which were far more delicate and
so we decided against the use of safety We entered this tunnel which soon crumbled under the touch of hand or
belay ropes, by which one climber can became a sort of straddle traverse with foot. I had only 15 feet to go, but
support another in case of a fall. In- a seemingly bottomless crevice on one that 15 feet was an eternity of uncer-
stead, we fixed a five-eighths inch ma- side. Our traverse led us to another tainty as each move caused more ma-
nila to Mitchell's log to ease our return. chimney. As I looked into the depths terial to break underfoot.
This type of chimney descent is fre- below my spare flashlight fell out of Then we came to the Great Pit. One
quently encountered in caving, and my pocket. We heard it hit, and roll look showed us that routine techniques
special techniques beyond routine a little. I'll get it on the next level, I were now out of the question. Some
mountaineering methods have been thought. 20 feet across, our powerful flash
developed for use in such situations. Not being as skilled a climber as beams could not reach the bottom.
Where ledges or even tiny niches oc- Pete, I chose a different route where We dropped rocks. They took three
cur in the face of both walls, it is I thought the coral formations would to four seconds to hit, though it seemed
easy to climb with one hand and foot give me better footing. About halfway 10 times that long waiting there in
on each side of the chimney, alternately down I discovered my mistake for the the dark, already 300 feet below the
moving the hands and feet. With holds
on one side only, both feet are used Flowstone in the middle level above the dry pools.
on that side and counterpressure fric-
tion on the opposite wall is applied
with the hands, back, or seat, depend-
ing on the width of the fissure. Here,
where the walls were perpendicular
and smooth, we depended entirely upon
friction to hold us in place, with hands
and feet on one side, and the length
of our backs against the other. It re-
quires practice and it is tiring, but
works well. It was cool in the cave,
but already I had started to perspire,
and not entirely because we were en-
tering the unknown.
Less than 70 feet down we came to
a ledge where the opposite wall
abruptly turned into the ceiling of a
fair-sized room about three stories
high.
No more chimneying, of course.
Our fixed rope was not the right type,
or we could have wrapped it around
our bodies and rappelled to the floor
in a couple of jumps. Instead, using
the tiny dripstone ledges for footholds,
we went down the rope hand over
hand into what we immediately called
the Broken Rock Room. Here an
upheaval eons ago tossed great lime-
stone slabs together like tumbleweeds.
To our left a sheer pit continued down-
ward. We were able to make our way
between the boulders and from the
dusty slope at the bottom of the pit
we saw our first cave formations. There
were few stalactites and stalagmites,
but flowstone "waterfalls" were nu-
merous.
The passage curved to the right and
abruptly ended at a dry pool. Magnifi-
cent formations cascaded down a 75
foot chimney above the pool, but we
could go no further. Was this all
there was to this fabulous cave?
We started back. At the base of
the broken rocks I wedged my head
and shoulders into a small hole. To
my surprise my carbide flame revealed
an enlargement beyond. I called to
Pete who had started to climb back to
the surface.
The path zigzagged for about 50
feet past coral-like dripstone coatings

DECEMBER, 1955 17
surface. There was a short side pas- three solitary stalagmites about 5 feet easier climb beyond in a few minutes.
sage thickly studded with delicate high. We looked upward for their cor- Then it was my turn. I covered the
flowerlike crystalline formations, but responding stalactites but our flash- first 10 feet without difficulty but then
no route down except the Great Pit. light beams were lost before they began to slow up. Each foot, each
We might have rappelled, but hav- reached the ceiling. We discovered inch became a struggle, then a torture.
ing no idea what lay below, none of my flashlight which had bounced once My hands began to cramp and I lost
us were anxious to take the chance of on the lip of the Great Pit, once at its my feeble foot support. Just as I
ending up in something worse than base, and rolled 30 feet. At first glance reached the upper wall, my arm could
Mitchell's position. Finally we secured it appeared surprisingly intact, with
no longer hold me. In the moment I
the long climbing rope around a con- only a smashed crystal and bulb, but
then I noticed that the entire switch could still support my weight, I called
venient, well wedged rock and Pete up my predicament and was reassured
tied the nylon safety rope around his assembly had been neatly sheared off
without scratching the case. Nowhere of their ability to hold my weight on
waist with a slip-proof bowline knot. the safety rope. A little happier, I
Ed braced his feet and got into belay did we find evidence of previous hu-
man visits as we traced the room to called "Falling!" as my fingers gave
position with the rope half around
him. its end 100 feet away. Satisfied, we way.
"On belay!" he called. "Belay on. Thanks to good rope handling above,
Climbing," returned Pete, and he was I fell only about a foot on the springy
off over the edge, at first finding quite The State of California re- nylon, and hung while my hands re-
satisfactory holds among the lime nod- cently entered escrow for the gained a little strength. At five minute
ules on the wall. This was too easy, intervals I could pull an arm's length
purchase of Mitchells Caverns up the rope and Pete and Ed took in
we thought. Then came what we had
feared—an overhang where no wall from the Jack Mitchell estate. the slack. After a half hour of this
could be reached. The Cave of the Winding Stair, constant squeeze against my lower ribs,
Undaunted, Pete swung down the two miles from the main cav- I felt a minute hold for my right foot.
climbing rope, hand over hand to the erns, is not part of this initial I may have been happier in my life,
floor of the alcove, a distance of 20 but right then I couldn't remember
unit of the State Park, but is when it might have been. I was up in
feet. "Off belay," he shouted up, un- within the proposed ultimate
tying. We pulled up the safety rope. another 10 minutes and out of the
I tied in and joined him while he boundaries of the project. cave in two more hours. We left the
rested and looked over the rest of the The State has plans to pur- ropes in place until the next morning
pit, still without my flashlight. chase 30 sections of land in the for those eight hours underground had
taken a lot out of us.
Looking down, we could now see the Providence Mountains, includ-
base of the pit six or seven stories be- ing the highest point—an anci- But had we conquered the cave?
low us. The climbing rope was long Despite the successful descent, we re-
ent volcanic plug which, when mained doubtful. After all, only two
enough, but we were unsure of the
120 foot safety rope. Pete elected to up-lifted, created spectacular ge- of us had reached its bottom. The
try anyway, and tied back in. ologic formations underground. question remained debatable until a
At the present time two State month later when Pete teamed up with
Holds on this stretch were practi- a group from the Sierra Club for a
cally non-existant, the route being over Park Rangers are stationed on 13-hour trip which found two others
smooth flowstone pillars. The method the property in order to protect reaching the lowest level. At the low-
we used here has no name and would the State's interests from van- est point, Pete spotted a tiny hole
most probably be disowned by our with a strong updraft of air. What
dalism. The caverns are closed
friends of the Sierra Club. By leaning lay beyond?
far back, with a good grip on the to all visitors and no camping
climbing rope, our feet could exert facilities are available at this Four months of planning went into
enough friction on the smooth wall time. Less than a mile from the our next trip. We were now far be-
for us to walk down backwards and yond the crude techniques used at
cavern headquarters is a rela- first. Pete and two rockclimbers placed
horizontally, by this cross between
rappel and chimney techniques. At tively level area which has our newly prepared steel cable ladders
any rate, it was effective. In a few been used for camping in the in position, and drilled holes for two
minutes, broken only by cries of past. expansion bolts which, with attached
"Slack!" and "Resting!" came the long- carabiners, would enable a traverse
awaited call "I'm down! Off belay." converting the Great Pit into a simple
Although we did not know it at the chimney. Then the rest of the party
retraced our steps. Not a large cave, arrived, descended, and Walt Cham-
time, Pete had become the first person but a challenging one and rewarding
on record to reach the bottom of the berlin and Bill Brown went to work
with its gloriously bizarre formations. on the hole of the air current. With
Cave of the Winding Stair.
As is often the case, covering the skill, precision, three sticks of dyna-
After a few yells of jubilation over 70 foot ascent to the overhang ledge mite and a considerable jolt to the
the successful descent from our three, was easier than the descent, for now eight of us in the cave, a neat manhole
well separated level, I tied in and at close range we could make out the was opened. That the last portion of
joined him by the same route. tiny holds that make all the difference the cave was not important, however,
The base of the pit sloped into a in the world on a vertical face. Pete was immediately evident, for a mud
circular room 30 feet across, profusely practically ran up the face, keeping floor representing the bottom of the
decorated with flowstone and drip- Ed busy taking in slack rope, and I cave showed itself 10 feet below in a
stone, and we continued under a nat- followed almost as fast in my turn. small room. Now, finally, with ladders
ural bridge to the lowest part of the The overhang, however, was an- and dynamite, we had conquered the
cave where a series of dry rimstone other matter. Pete nimbly climbed the cave. We knew that now no mystery
pools formed the floor in a long room 20 feet hand over hand, using a wrap- remained in the cavern and we could
richly draped in formations, including around foot support, and reached the expect a party of spelunkers of aver-

18 DESERT MAGAZINE
 Pete Neely, (left) at the lowest point in the cave. (Right) Descending into
the Broken Rock room.

age experience to make the descent bad or the one we explored, occur pioneer spirit pushing forward into
and return in 12 hours. along joints in limestone, the solution the last frontier of unexplored terri-
One danger remains. Many of the and precipitation of which causes the tory. It's the thrill of conquering some-
readers of this article will ignore the formation of stalactites, stalagmites, thing alien and forbidding. It's the
fact that hard work is involved during flowstone, crystals, cave- pearls and curiosity to know what is down that
every minute of the time required even other cave decorations. hole or around that corner, a dead
for experienced personnel to descend No two caves are alike. Horizontal end, a mysterious pit, or great natural
to the bottom. I cannot emphasize too or vertical, long or short, tiny or huge, draperies cascading down from a high
strongly that this is the most danger- wet or dry, beautifully decorated or ceiling in a photographer's paradise.
ous cave in Southern California, that plain, easy or difficult, all are interest- It's finding strange blind animals, crys-
opportunities to break one's neck with ing. Some are bone dry, others knee tals, fossils, Indian relics, underground
ease exist at every turn. There are deep in mud. Some have crystal clear streams or mudbanks.
many more beautiful caves in Califor- underground streams coursing through The National Speleological Society
nia. There are even many unexplored their depths. Others are completely exists as a central correlating agency
caves in Southern California, some in filled with water throughout their and repository of data of the results
the same area. I strongly recommend lengths. Few have been completely of investigations by its individual mem-
leaving the Winding Stair to the skilled explored. Many have never been en- bers, and is constantly searching for
speleologist. If you must visit it, con- tered. The majority are still undis- new caves and facts about them. It is
tact the N.S.S., which still conducts covered. a nonprofit organization devoted to
periodic scientific expeditions into the It is difficult to define the psycho- "unlocking the secrets of the nether-
cave. logical factor for the appeal of spele- world," and has national headquarters
In many ways, this was by no means ology and spelunking—the science and in the Star Building, Washington, D.C.
a typical cave. But then, none of them sport of caving. It's mountaineering in Although growing constantly in mem-
can really be called typical. Of course, the dark. It's being transported away bership and available information there
caves of some sort occur in all kinds from everything and everyone that ir- arc still vast areas from which no
of rock, but solution caves, like Carls- ritates you in the cities. It's the old information has come.

DECEMBER, 1955 19
 Olga, in her prize winning story in and co-founder of the Society's South-
the 1953 Life on the Desert contest. ern California, Cascade, Colorado, and
Smith was born in Clifton, Arizona, Salt Lake City chapters. He is at pres-
where his father was a pioneer peace ent a member of the Society's Board
officer and cattleman. His father later of Governors. The exploration of the
went into mining and here Smith met Cave of the Winding Stair was the
the boom-camp miners—men who had first formidable problem attacked by
been at every big strike in the world Western speleologists.
The following note from Dr. Ed- —returning with fabulous stories of * * *
mund C. Jaeger explains why his mines and lost mines. Hearing these
monthly "Nature Trails" feature is tales, Smith decided early in life upon LaVon Teeter, who wrote this
a career as a prospector, but his father month's "Land of the Luminarios,"
omitted from this issue of Desert Mag-
thought a college education more im- spends all of her free time writing
azine : about the Southwest.
"So sorry I could not get my article portant and sent him to school in the
East. Through the years Smith prac- "Every time I look around I see a
to you this month but I have been place or a thing or a person that is so
very ill and at present am at Loma ticed his profession, engineering, in
various parts of the country, but has interesting I immediately want to write
Linda (California) Sanitarium. I have about it and let other people see it
not lost that yen to prospect.
two stories about complete and if pos- too," she declares by way of an ex-
sible will get them to you later. I miss "I still like to explore the old back
trails, visit with old timers and hear planation for her writing urge. Writing
so much my autumn desert trips. The is a hobby with Mrs. Teeter, however,
about the old times," he explains.
new station wagon is wonderful in * * * for she is a "full time wife and mother."
performance and last weekend even
though I was very weak I had one of Dr. William R. Halliday, author of
the boys take me out to my beloved this month's "We Explored the Joseph Schmedding, author of
Mojave. We got some remarkable Winding Stair Cave" is a good ex- "Christmas in Keams Canyon" in this
pictures of rock wren nests which I ample of a physician who seeks relax- month's Desert, is a man of many tal-
hope later to send you." ation in a field completely unrelated to ents who has enjoyed a rich and varied
medicine. As a result, he has become life. He arrived in the Southwest from
Dr. Jaeger's many friends and ad- known as one of America's leading North Carolina as a youth. After a
mirers will join with the Desert Maga- speleologists—experts in the explora- stint as a cowboy and ranch hand he
zine staff in wishing a speedy recovery tion and study of caves. During his enlisted in the Fourteenth U. S. Cav-
to the dean of the desert's Nature training in chest surgery in several alry and saw service in the Philippine
writers. Western cities, and his two tours of Islands. In 1912 he returned to the
duty with the Navy, he has found time Southwest and became an Indian
to explore some 200 Western caves. trader, first at Sanders, Arizona, and
Cap Smith, author of this month's Dr. Halliday has held various offi- later at Keams Canyon where he re-
"Valiant is the Ironwood," was first in- cial positions with the National Speleo- mained until 1924.
troduced to Desert readers by his wife, logical Society and has been chairman Schmedding spent several years
thereafter as a business executive in
New York City, Liberia, West Africa,
and Havana, Cuba. In 1933 he re-
turned to the United States to make
his home at Montrosc, California. He
recently moved again, this time to
Desert Hot Springs, California.
Schmedding has written a number
of magazine and newspaper articles.
He enjoys music and serious litera-
ture, principally early American his-
tory.
* * *
Glenn and Martha Vargas, authors
of this month's "Saddle Mountain —
You Are Cordially Invited . . . Collector's Paradise," live in Thermal,
. . . to visit and enjoy the outstanding exhibit of Southwestern California. They pursue occupations
art in the spacious foyers of Desert Magazine's beautiful Pueblo that must certainly be the envy of
along Highway 111 between Palm Springs and Indio, California. fellow rockhounds—teaching lapidary
The finest work of more than fifty of the Southwest's best known to adult classes and selling desert dis-
artists make up this ever changing display. play materials wholesale to dealers and
artists.
Visitors are always welcome at the admission-free Desert The Vargases also direct field trips
Magazine art gallery which is open seven days a week from 9 into the desert and one of their pet
a.m. to 5 p.m. under the direction of Mora Brown, acting director. projects is the field trip by bus. Chief
advantages of everyone riding together
Adjoining the art gallery is the Desert Book and Crafts Shop and sharing expenses are the transpor-
where the best of current Southwestern books are available for tation and food cost savings, increased
your reading enjoyment. Visitors may browse at will in the rest- social contacts and elimination of the
ful atmosphere of the gallery and book shop. need for father to drive and mother
to cook and tend to camp chores. "This
Friend or Stranger, you are welcome here. way," say the Vargases, "everyone can
dig for rocks—even the bus driver."

20 DESERT MAGAZINE
 This ancient Hopi legend, as
told to Harry James by one of the
elder members of the tribe, will
appear in Mr. James' new book.
The Hopi Indians, to be published
next March by Caxton Printers of
Caldwell, Idaho.

By HARRY C. JAMES
Illustration by Don Perceval

I, as the Hopi people

say for "once upon a time,"
there lived at the Hopi Indian
village of Oraibi a man whose real
name is now completely forgotten. He
is remembered only as The-Man-Who-
Laughed-Too-Much.
This man was a great storyteller and
he laughed and he laughed all the time.
He was very popular with the boys of
the village and all too frequently Lolo-
lomi, the old village chief, had to break
up gay meetings in the man's home
and force the boys to leave to attend
rehearsals of dance ceremonies in the
underground kiva meeting-place.
Since his father's death, Honau,
nephew of Lololomi and one of the
most promising boys in all Oraibi, had
been spending more and more time in
the company of The - Man - Who -
Laughed-Too-Much. Time after time
Lololomi pleaded with the boy to
find other friends, to work harder in
the fields so that his mother and two
younger sisters would have ample food
for the long winter months, and to
spend more time with the chiefs in
the kiva and less time with The-Man-
Who-Laughed-Too-Much. Too-Much and a half dozen Oraibi had the little ones that were hardly
"In a few years I shall be gone from boys came by. They were all carrying more than skin and bones.
Oraibi and you will be the young man boomerang-like Hopi rabbit sticks. As Honau entered his house his
who should be one of our leading They stopped and watched Honau as mother and his sisters looked at him
chiefs, the wise head of your family he sweated in the sun. with sad eyes but they said nothing.
living the Hopi life in the Hopi way "Come on with us, Honau! The The evening meal had been saved for
with dignity." weeds can be killed tomorrow. Old his return. They ate in silence—Ho-
But the words of the old chief were Lololomi is not your father. You are nau from his sense of guilt, the others
in vain. He was an old man who sel- a young man. You do not have to do because of their heavy hearts at know-
dom smiled. The-Man-Who-Laughed- what he says. Soon they will have you ing that he had again deserted his trust
Too-Much was a merry companion. grinding corn like a woman. Come to join the rabbit hunt of The-Man-
It was much more fun for Honau to hunting with us like a man!" Who-Laughed-Too-Much.
listen to the latter's wonderful stories The boys' jeering tone then changed Some few days later the people of
than to hear Lololomi recount the end- to one of friendly urging—they would Oraibi harvested their small but preci-
less religious traditions of the Hopi
have great luck and his mother would ous crop of peaches. They split and
tribe.
be delighted to have good fat rabbits pitted them and spread them to dry
One day The-Man-Who-Laughed- to cook. on the flat rocks near the western edge
Too-Much organized a rabbit hunt of the mesa. That evening Chief Lo-
Honau threw down his hoe and
among the boys. He particularly urged lolomi went from house to house, ap-
Honau to go with them, but that day joined them.
pointing older boys to sleep out by
Honau's mother, her brothers and the It was dark when they returned to
the drying peaches as a night guard
old chief had all demanded that Honau Oraibi. In the darkness The-Man-Who-
during the time it would take to dry
spend the day in the family corn field. Laughed-Too-Much distracted the boys
them thoroughly.
There was much weeding to be done with his silly talk as they divided up
if the crop was to be saved for the the rabbits they had killed. When the "Honau, tonight you will sleep there
year. boys got home they discovered, as with two other boys to guard the
Honau went early to the fields and usual, that The-Man-Who-Laughed- peaches from the Apaches."
he was hard at work with his heavy Too-Much kept the best and fattest Honau did not dare to say no to the
hoe when The - Man - Who-Laughed- rabbits for himself and that they again old man, but before dark he went to

DECEMBER, 1955 21
We nouse of The-Man-Who-Laughed- the silly Coyote. When the long story word from their leader they made a
Too-Much to learn what other boys finally ended one of the boys called desperate dash for freedom and in
had been selected. He found most of out, "Show us how Chief Lololomi complete rout they disappeared over
the older boys of the village there, and dances the Eagle Dance." the mesa edge, dropping even the two
also Lololomi. The-Man-Who-Laughed-Too-Much bags of partially dried peaches which
The-Man-Who-Laughed-Too-Much jumped up and began to imitate in they had secured.
had planned a little feast for the boys cruel burlesque the old chief's partici- Honau led his two little sisters home
this particular night. Two of his water- pation in the Hopi Eagle Dance. For and saw his mother lying dead. Angry
melons had ripened early and he was a moment the group was shocked by tears filled his eyes and a fierce resent-
going to tell them one of his funniest such an affront to the dignity of the ment gripped his heart. He dashed out
stories, the one about a raven and a village chief, but the man's antics were of the house and ran to the home of
coyote. It was obvious that the boys so skillful that they could not restrain Chief Lololomi.
did not want to guard the peaches and themselves. The room rocked with
miss the fun. laughter. They did not hear a pierc- The old chief looked at the angry
ing scream that cut through the night boy and said simply "Come, let us
Lololomi turned to The-Man-Who- find him."
Laughed-Too-Much, "You are like a air or the muffled cries of two little
witch. These boys look more and girls. Among the groups of men in the
more to you for advice and not to their An Apache raiding party had come streets talking about the raid there was
proper religious leaders and to their to Oraibi. It found the peaches quite no sign of The-Man-Who-Laughed-
village chiefs. You are destroying them unguarded. Emboldened by their easy Too-Much. Then they went to his
with your foolish laughter and your entry, the Apaches decided to take house and when they opened the door
silly stories." back to their villages some Hopi cap- he did not seem to be there. Lololomi
tives as slaves. The mother of Honau and Honau searched, and other men
At this moment the old man saw and boys joined them. Finally, in a
Honau join the group. "You, Honau, was killed when she resisted them as
they carried off her two little girls. small dark room where the corn was
pick two boys and come with me to
the peaches." Her scream alerted the village, but the stored they found him hiding under a
laughter of the boys had drowned out pile of old clothing that had belonged
The old man's eyes were aflame and the alarm. to his mother. When they pulled the
he spoke with such force and passion old clothing from him he screamed
that Honau could not refuse. With his They knew nothing of what was hap-
for mercy for he thought they were
eyes on the ground he named two of pening until the door was thrust open
violently and Chief Lololomi was in Apaches. Then men and the boys
his friends. laughed at him with contempt but this
the center of the room, his eyes ablaze.
The old man led them off to the time The - Man - Who - Laughed-Too-
mesa edge, but not before The-Man- "You boys come at once. The Much did not laugh.
Who-Laughed-Too-Much jeered, "Oh, Apaches are here. Honau, your mother
go on—you are the one who tells silly is dead—your sisters have been taken." Honau looked on him with fierce
stories. The Apaches never come to scorn. How could he ever have en-
The boys followed the old man, who
joyed being with this man? The
the Hopis nowadays. None of us has carried an ancient stone hammer in
ever seen an Apache here except to thought of his dead mother over-
his hand. They dashed for their homes whelmed him. One of the boys was
see the great Snake Ceremony. The for such weapons as they could find.
peaches do not need to be guarded." still carrying a knife which had been
The Apaches had been cornered in dropped by one of the Apaches. Ho-
Laughter and jeering remarks fol- an angle of the dance plaza near the nau grabbed it and made a savage
lowed the little group to the flat rocks chief's house. One of them had an old strike at the cowering Man - Who -
where the peaches were spread. Lolo- gun, others were armed with knives Laughed-Too-Much but the old chief
lomi showed the boys where they could and two of the small party of about was too fast for him and struck the
roll up in their blankets and be shel- a dozen had heavy bows and arrows. knife from his hand.
tered from the wind. Then he left them They held the two small Hopi girls in
to their long vigil. front of them and threatened to kill "That is not the Hopi way, my son.
the children if the Hopis advanced. The old men of the village will meet
As the night wore on the three boys together at once and decide upon a
could see the warm light of the fire With hurried words old Lololomi proper punishment for him."
through the small window of the house gave his directions — they must do
of The-Man-Who-Laughed-Too-Much. everything possible to save the children. The following night the boys were
Occasionally when the door was opened As he and the war chiefs gave the all down in the kivas with the men of
they could hear the laughter of the word, the Hopis charged the Apaches. the village but The - Man - Who -
group inside. It grew colder and colder. Laughed - Too - Much was elsewhere,
In spite of his many years the old chief
They were miserable. Honau especi- dressed in woman's clothes and grind-
dashed in first and, fearless of slash-
ally could not help but think how warm ing Apache knives, he seized the two ing cornmeal like a woman. This was
and comfortable it must be inside. the punishment that the chiefs had
little girls and tore them free. As he
"How foolish we are to stay here in turned to carry them to safety he wasdetermined for him. He was no longer
the cold! There will be no Apaches." cut viciously on arms and back. He called The - Man - Who-Laughed-Too-
again turned and waving his stor^ Much and as long as he lived he wore
He strode off and the other two boys woman's clothes and did women's
laughed, threw off their blankets and hammer high above his head once more
rushed into the melee. work. And whenever any of the boys
followed him. saw him they could not help remem-
Inside the house there was hilarity. Although the Apaches fought des- bering how he hid under his mother's
The-Man-Who-Laughed - Too - Much perately, the man with the gun was so old clothes and how he howled with
was delighted thaf they had come. quickly overpowered that he was un- fright when they began uncovering
Places were found for them by the able to fire a single shot. As the con- him. Then they would have to put
fire. Food was set before them. The flict continued more and more Hopi their hands over their mouths to hide
gay host launched into his long and men joined in and soon the Apaches their laughter—which is what all po-
hilarious account of the old Raven and were hopelessly outnumbered. At a lite Hopis do when they laugh out loud.

22 DESERT MAGAZINE
 H O M E O N T H E D E S E R T

By RUTH REYNOLDS Christmas dinner. There are things

The desert Christmas may not from which we do not easily depart,
ERE IN THE Desert Southwest be a white one, but the Yule and roast turkey is one of them.
December brings no year's-end season is nonetheless a tradi- A few hours of my spare time must
melancholy — only tranquillity tionally joyous — and busy — go into candy making, limited now
and, to the home on the desert, a fine holiday. Nature compensates to Whipped Cream Caramels. Long-
display of color and winter greenery. for its lack of snow by provid- time favorites of all the family, they
December almost defies the year to ing warm, bright days and stary still must be made, wrapped, pack-
evenings. Ruth Reynolds tells aged and mailed.
die at all. Now the myriads of green-
of her Christmas plans and the
foliaged pyracanthas and cotoneasters A few should be saved for guests
work and happiness that lie
are decked with their red or orange- who drop in but they are too tempting
ahead—decorating, candy mak-
red berries, the poinsettias are bloom- ing, cooking the roast turkey to save well and too rich to be com-
ing in sheltered nooks and the orna- and transplanting her Christ- patible with slim waistlines except
mental orange trees are hung with their mas gift plants. those of young or very active people,
fruit. although I now substitute evaporated
milk for the two cups of whipping
Now the days invite us to bask in
cream originally called for in the rec-
the sun in the patio or drive far into and their children come home for the ipe.
the open desert where quietness falls holidays!
like a benediction on the spirit. Now Into the Whipped Cream Caramels
This year, with only Ted and I at go: two cups of evaporated milk, two
come those evenings when the sunset home and no relatives coming from
diffuses a mauve-pink radiance over cups of granulated sugar, one-half
the east, how much time I shall have! pound butter or margarine and one
the valley and mountains — and the
At least that's what I tell myself and three-fourths cups (one bottle) of
desert repays us a hundredfold for any
now. Later, like everyone else, I shall dark com syrup.
lost December pleasures we may once probably ask, "Where did the time go?"
have had, like first snowfalls and white Withholding one cup of the milk,
Christmases. Not into housework and cooking, I put all the other ingredients into a
for I have the usual number of work- large kettle and bring the mixture to
As pleasant as these are to remem- saving gadgets and appliances, and I a boil. Then I dribble in the second
ber, I am inclined to forget them and, am fast becoming a devotee of pack- cup of milk, reduce the heat and stir
with my heart at home in the desert, aged and processed and frozen foods as the boiling continues for—and here's
marvel, "All this and Christmas too," that are so time saving. Among the the catch — nearly an hour. A few
for Christmas comes as surely and can newer frozen foods that appeal to me short time-outs from stirring do no
be as merry here as anywhere, and as are cranberry relish and oyster stew. harm, however, and allow me to have
traditional — with only the "sleigh- The relish — cranberry with orange ready two ungreased eight-inch square
bells-in-the-snow" replaced by the sun- overtones—is almost as good as home- pans lined with pecan meats over
shine and starlight here where the tra- which I poor the hot mixture when it
made. The stew could stand a few
dition of outdoor living prevails at this forms a firm—not hard—ball in water.
more oysters but it makes a fine Christ-
time of year, where if there are fewer mas Eve supper dish—if you're saving After it cools in the pans—prefer-
yule logs crackling indoors there are up for roast turkey next day. ably over night—it is ready to be cut
more bright-berried shrubs and living into one-inch squares and wrapped
Christmas trees outdoors that are dec- Turkeys are so improved, processed individually in waxed paper or foil—
orative by day and ideally suited for and sized that there is small chance with the aid, perhaps, of a helpful
lighting effects by night. of making a wrong choice, but I find husband. The recipe makes two
the frozen ones—small or medium— pounds of caramels and, unlike many
Here in Tucson this "lighting up" particularly good for broiling in the
is town-wide and ranges from a single homemade candies, they keep fresh
broiler or outdoors on the charcoal indefinitely.
arborvitae outlined in colored lights brazier. I have the butcher saw the
to Christmas - scene extravaganzas. main or middle part of the frozen tur- Time spent in Christmas shopping
Many of these are, of course, very key crosswise into inch - and - a - half should be pleasantly spent, and usu-
striking and beautiful, but the lumi- slices. I keep them frozen and broil ally is I think. But to make sure, I
nario, a lighted candle anchored in them, salted and buttered, as needed. plan to browse some among plants
sand in a common paper bag, gives, I The tag ends and giblets usually end and things at the nurseries. But Heaven
think, the loveliest light of all, and the up in a stew which offers endless pos- help me if Ted's gift from me should
one most likely to "light a pathway for sibilities—from dumplings to turkey- turn out to be an enormous bale of
the Christ child" as it is supposed to vegetable soup. peat moss! Just what I've always
do according to legend. wanted, and just what I shall need
These frozen turkey slices are nice most for transplanting into the garden
The things we used to do and the for picnic broiling too at this time of any plants I might get for Christmas.
fun we had when the children were at year and are less expensive than steaks. A camellia would be lovely, and
home! And the things we will do and I would not, of course, suggest them camellias can be grown here. Their
the fun we will have when the children as a departure from roast turkey for aversion to our alkaline soil can be

DECEMBER, 1955 23
overcome by growing them almost en- spring and summer and then make
tirely in peat moss and acid reacting cuttings from it and pot them for
fertilizers. A little sulphur mixed with blooms next Christmas.
a few shovels of topsoil and one of well For an easy-to-grow plant I'd choose
rotted manure and enough peat moss a pyracantha. I'd choose it for other
to fill a two by two foot hole should reasons too. It is a showy, fast grow-
get a camellia off to a good start in ing evergreen — a firethorn of many More on Basket Weavers . . .
the garden. It requires partial shade, varieties. Besides the occinea, the Covelo, California
good drainage and an always-moist hardiest species which without drastic Desert:
soil. Its leaves should be washed fre- pruning may reach a height of 20 feet,
quently with a spray from the hose as there are other types more suited to Continuing R. B. Bernard's com-
they like moisture not present in desert espaliering and conforming to small ments on basket weavers (Desert,
air. areas. Among these are the koidzumii, Sept. '55) . . .
with large scarlet berries in clusters, I have been a resident of Mendo-
The poinsettia is, of course, the cino County, California, since 1903.
and the k. stribling with red berries
plant most often given at Christmas. There arc still many good Porno basket
continuous along the branches. The
It too can be transferred to the garden weavers in the Ukiah, Hopland, Red-
lalandii is a vigorous, orange-berried
eventually. Watered well and placed wood Valley and Manchester areas.
type.
well away from sunny windows or
strong artificial light it can be kept in Although pyracanthas grow in al- The Porno Mothers' Club of Ukiah is
healthy bloom indoors for some time. most any soil, they respond beauti- greatly interested in fostering the art
of basketry and at least two of its
When its leaves fall it is ready to be fully to adequate fertilizing and water- members have a backlog of orders for
cut back — each stem to about two ing. They should be pruned regularly typical weaves and patterns from the
"eyes"—and stored in a cool place, after shedding their berries, and as Smithsonian and other museums.
with watering reduced to a minimum. berries are borne on second year wood,
the branches should be cut back to the Mrs. Elsie Allen and her mother,
In the spring it can be planted out- laterals, removing as much old and Annie Burke, make many of the large
doors—plunged, in its own pot, into leaving as much new wood as possible. winnowers, storage baskets and trin-
ground that has been acidified, and ket baskets. They go far afield for their
left to grow there until next winter, or But time enough for pruning and for materials, but cultivation has destroyed
it can be transplanted into a sunny renewing other garden activities after much of the slough grasses and other
spot in the garden. If there is too December has led us to the threshold materials used in their art.
much danger of frost it might be best of a new year, too swiftly, perhaps,
to let the plant grow there through after all. Lake County has many fine weavers
left, but I doubt if any are still making
the solid feather baskets. This tsapo-
pekah is decorated with the green head
feathers of the mallard duck.

Desett Pietotes An The Upper and Lower Klamath and

Hoopa tribes of Northern California
are known for their superlative baskets.
Do you have a photograph of desert life that you are proud of? In my opinion they crowd the Pomos
Perhaps it is the one you took last Christmas at the Indian dance, or for beauty and workmanship. Living
last month at the Death Valley Encampment, or last week when the along rivers as they do, the Klamaths
first signs of a new winter appeared on the desert. You can share and Hoopas use spruce roots, five-
these photographs with your friends and neighbors in the Southwest finger fern stems and basket grass
by submitting them to our picture of the month contest. Cash prizes which is first died with alder bark to
are given for winning entries. an orange-red color.
Entries for the December contest must be sent to the Desert Maga- These Indians used baskets for squaw
zine office. Palm Desert, California, and postmarked not later than caps which were originally widow's
December 18. Winning prints will appear in the February issue. caps. After a widow's hair was cut at
Pictures which arrive too late for one contest are held over for the next the neckline, a pine pitch lined cap
month. First prize is $10; second prize $5. For non-winning pictures was placed on the head and a vow
accepted for publication $3 each will be paid. taken to wear this cap in mourning
for one year. Sometimes porcupine
HERE ARE THE RULES quills were inserted as ornaments and
1—Prints for monthly contests must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, printed these caps were colored bright yellow
on glossy paper. with wolf moss. Patterns are most
2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and unusual. One cap I saw had a pattern
place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour of day, etc. in the crown like that used by the
3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED.
4—All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contest
Erie Indians. In the early days of the
month. Hudson Bay Co., Erie Indians came
5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert to the North country as canoemen. It
Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. is possible that a straggler wandered
6—Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the down to California and left his crest,
desert Southwest. interlaced claws, to be copied by the
7—Judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be made natives here.
immediately after the close of the contest each month.
Still another tribe of fine weavers
Address All Entries to Photo Editor
is the Panamint Shoshones from the
Death Valley area. I rank them with
'Decent PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA the Pomos.
EDITH V. A. MURPHEY

24 DESERT MAGAZINE
 Pietans of
tk Month

Desert Friend
This little girl has discovered that
the horned toad is a curious and
harmless desert friend. Robert M.
Riddell, Jr., of Tucson, Arizona, won
first prize in this month's contest with
this charming photograph using a
Rolleicord V camera at 1/25, f:ll,
Super XX film.

Ot$$n Pipe Chtistms

Second prize winner in this month's
contest is Louie Kirk's photograph of
his sons Bruce and Wayne distribut-
ing gifts on Christmas Day, 1954.
The Kirks found themselves in Organ
Pipe National Monument—hundreds
of miles from the snow and fir trees
of their Ashford, Washington, home
—bu:, undaunted, they decorated a
young cactus and achieved "Christ-
mas with a desert flavor." Exposure
data: Leica camera; Plus X film;
f/100 at f:5.6.

DECEMBER, 1955 25
 Indians Defy State . . .

Hete miThete on the Desert... PHOENIX—The Gila River Pima-

Maricopa Indian community will go
ahead with plans to drill an irrigation
ARIZONA Riy«r Suit Delayed . . . well on its tribal lands, despite state
PHOENIX—The death of George threats of legal action to halt the well
Rabies Source Studied . . . I. Haight, Special Master in the Ari- under the groundwater code. Approval
PORTAL—The U. S. Public Health zona-California water suit, has delayed of the well drilling has been granted
Service, long suspecting that rabid bats U. S. Supreme Court action on the by the Secretary of the Interior, accord-
from Mexico may be spreading the case. Simon H. Rifkind, a New York ing to Jay R. Morago, tribal governor.
disease in the United States, has estab- lawyer and former federal judge, was The Pima-Maricopa tribesmen are re-
lying on water rights that they claim
lished a research station in the Chiri- appointed new special master to re-
place Haight. The suit involves more go back "to time immemorial" as op-
cahua Mountains to trap and inspect posed to the rights claimed under the
the bats that fly across the border. than a score of briefs and arguments recent state groundwater code which
Mexican authorities report that rabid between the two states. Arizona wants
to restrict California to 4,400,000 prohibits the drilling of irrigation wells
bats have been found in Northern
acre-feet of water while California on lands declared critical groundwater
Mexico.—Phoenix Gazette claims 5,360,000 acre-feet.—Phoenix areas.—Phoenix Gazette
Gazette
• • •
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel Bird Refuge Opens . . .
New Sunset Crater Road . . .
Death Valley FLAGSTAFF—A 1000 acre bird
California SUNSET CRATER—The new en- sanctuary was dedicated on land four
trance road to Sunset Crater National and one-half miles northeast of Flag-
Home of the Famous Annual Monument was opened recently. The staff by the National Forest Service.
BURRO-FLAPJACK hard surfaced route leaves Highway The sanctuary is sponsored by the Al-
CONTEST 89 a short distance north of the High- pine Garden Club of Flagstaff. Mem-
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel was until his way Department Maintenance camp, bers have developed nature trails and
death in 1950 owned and operated by 14 miles north of Flagstaff. The route posted signs identifying plants.—Phoe-
George Palmer Putnam, renowned goes through five miles of cinder hills nix Gazette
author and explorer. It continues un- and parks to the boundary of the
der the personal management of Mrs.
George Palmer Putnam. monument and about one more mile
Season: October 1 to June 1
inside the monument to the base of Scrub Growth Depletes Range . . .
the crater.—Coconino Sun TOMBSTONE—Economic value of
over 13,000,000 acres of Arizona graz-
ing, timber and watershed lands is be-
ing steadily decreased by the uncon-
'Tis not the weight of jewel or plate, trolled growth of scrubby pinyon pine,
Or the fondle of silk and fur; juniper and other woody plants, the
'Tis the spirit in which the gift is rich, Arizona Farm Bureau Federation de-
As the gifts of the wise ones were; clared.—Tombstone Epitaph
And we are not told whose gift was gold
Or w hose was the gift of myrrh.
—Edmund Vance Cooke
More Colorful Than Euer

SHARE YOUR ENJOYMENTOF

by Giuing a Gift Subscription

To Your Friends
thou ghtful Christmas present that spreads its good
the entire new year and for many years to come

ent card order blank in this copy and a colorful

g your name will be sent to your friends to
before Christmas.
New Mexico Magazine is now using a
color section every month. For a year of
this colorful magazine, send $2.50 to:
*»<s
NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE
BOX 938 SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

DESERT MAGAZINE
 CALIFORNIA Charcoal Kilns Monument . . . tains, have been dedicated as State
historical monuments. The Kilns were
Advocates Desert County . . . INYO — Charcoal Kilns, the bee- operated over 80 years ago on the
MOJAVE — Judge Jack Werner, hive-shaped kilns made of adobe brick shores of the now-dry Owens Lake
Ridgecrest Justice of the Peace, asked and used to convert timber into char- near the point where Cottonwood
Mojave and other Kern County desert coal for the furnaces of the Cerro Creek emerges from the mountains.—
communities to study feasibility of Gordo mines high in the Inyo Moun- Inyo Register
forming a new county that would in-
clude the desert sectors of the eastern
part of Kern. Judge Werner recently
You do not have to have an automobile and
told a Mojave audience that the Kern
County seat, Bakersfield, is too far
from desert communities for conveni-
Desert Quiz: a vacation to become better acquainted with
that fascinating land known as the Great
ent transaction of county business. The American Desert. The Desert Quiz will take you to many places, and
long distance from the seat of govern- give you a glimpse of the historical background and of the life and lore
ment makes it difficult for citizens to of the desert country today. The questions cover a wide range of subjects.
represent themselves at meetings of A score of 12 to 14 is fair, 15 to 17 is good, and 18 or over excellent.
the board of supervisors and county The answers are on page 38.
commissions, he said. — Lancaster 1—The Chuckawalla is a — Lizard Bird Shrub
Ledger-Gazette Rodent
2—The Mormons originally went to Utah to—Seek gold Hunt
buffalo Trap beaver Escape persecution
"Wild" Horses Are Strays . . . 3—If you found the fossil imprint of a butterfly in a slab of limestone,
ROSAMOND—Reports of a large the scientist most directly concerned with this phenomenon would be
wild horse herd roaming the desert a—Meteorologist .... Archeologist . Paleontologist Min-
have attracted scores of hunters to the eralogist
Rosamond area, but the herd is neither 4—The annual Death Valley Encampment is sponsored by — Kern
large nor made up of true wild horses County Pioneers Death Valley Scouts . China Lake His-
asserts Rawley Duntley, local rancher. torical Society Death Valley '49ers
The horses being hunted are the re- 5- -When motoring from Albuquerque to Taos, New Mexico, the prin-
mainder of a herd formerly owned by cipal town you would pass through is—Carlsbad . Santa Fe
Duntley and sold in ]950. Duntley re- Gallup . Tucumcari
ports that he recently found the re- 6—The most widely known participant in the "Lincoln County War" in
mains of a dozen horses which were New Mexico was—Wyatt Earp __ . Billy the Kid . Kit Car-
shot and dressed out to be sold by the son . Geronimo
hunters forcing food.—Boron Enter- 7—The piki made by the Hopi Indians is a—Drink Food
prise , Medicine . Cure for snakebites
8—The name John D. Lee was associated with—The Mountain Meadows

OLD WEST
If you like the OLD WEST, you'll treas-
Massacre
Purchase
by boat
. The discovery of Meteor Crater The Gadsden
First trip through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado
ure TRUE WEST—only slick-paper mag-
9—Trona, California, is best known for its production of—Gold
issue crammed with factual, exciting
articles written by top authorities. Chemicals.. . Gypsum .._ . Quicksilver .
Plenty of action photos, loo—all about
the Old West: BAD MEN, LOST MINES,
10—The Dons Club, dedicated to preserving the lore and traditions of
BURIED TREASURE, RANGE WARS, the Southwest, has headquarters at—Los Angeles . Reno
INDIAN FIGHTS, OUTLAWS, GHOST-
TOWNS, TRAIL DRIVES, GOLD RUSH, Santa Fe . Phoenix
COWBOYS & RANCH LIFE. Truly,
TRUE WEST it the t*a\ thingl 11—Bright Angel Trail leads to—The bottom of Grand Canyon
Subscribe NOW.
Top of Mt. Whitney . Rainbow Natural Bridge Valley of
SPECIAL GET-ACQUAINTED OFFER: Fire in Nevada
• 2 years of TRUE WEST (12 i es) $3.00 12—The Southwestern custom of lighting Luminarios on Christmas eve
es) - $5.00
was handed down from the—Mormons __ .... Indians __. Mexi-
Rush bills, check or M.O. to:
TRUE WEST • P.O.Box 5008-W Austin 31,Texas
cans . Gold Seekers of'49
13—Hohokam is the name given the prehistoric people who once occu-
pied—Grand Canyon Escalante Desert .__ Salt River Valley
SAN JUAN and COLORADO in Arizona . Pyramid Lake area in Nevada
RIVER EXPEDITIONS 14—The hardest of the following minerals is—Calcite Fluorite
Enjoy exploration, safe adventure and Feldspar . Topaz
scenic beauty in the gorgeous canyons of 15—Deglet Noor is the name of—A species of date grown in the South-
Utah and Arizona. Staunch boats, experi- west . An Indian tribe . A mountain range in Utah
enced rivermen. For 1S56 summer schedule
or charter trips anytime write to—• A famous Navajo medicine man
I. FRANK WRIGHT 16—A miner with a cinnabar deposit would produce—Tin . Alumi-
num . Platinum . Quicksilver .
MEXICAN HAT EXPEDITIONS
Blanding, Utah
17—The Gila River flows westward into the—Salton Sea __ . Colorado
River _ . Rio Grande . Great Salt Lake
18—If you wanted to visit Pyramid Lake you would go to—Arizona
LOSE YOUR BAGS? Utah . Nevada . New Mexico
Identification i.s easy when you use Travel-
Tags on your parcels and luggage. Your 19—Tallest among the cacti of the Great American desert is the —
name and address printed and sealed per-
manently in plastic, encased in detachable
Saguaro ..__. . Organ Pipe Cholla ._.. Prickly Pear
card holders. Identity may be concealed 20—Datura or wild Jimson found on the desert is best known for its—
from curious eyes yet be readily available
when needed. Tlireo tags $2.00 Postpaid. Sweet aroma Narcotic effect .___.. Gorgeous red blossoms
THE HILLSIDE PRESS EiveSidefcaiif. Food value

DECEMBER, 1955 27
 OLD WALL TELEPHONES—oak cabinet,
. good condition. Regular $15—now $9.95.
THE DESERT TRADING POST
Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 12c a Word, $2.00 Minimum Per Issue
J Two $18.50. Six $50.00. Tontz's, Dept.
31, Elsinore, California.
SILVERY DESERT HOLLY plants: One
dollar each postpaid. Greasewood Green-
houses, Lenwood, Barstow, California.
INDIAN GOODS VIEW LOTS — Palm Desert Heights. Just BUILD YOUR OWN real swimming pool!
above Desert Magazine block. Near Fun for the entire family! Easy plan and
5 FINE ANCIENT Indian arrowheads, $2. Shadow Mountain Club, school, church, instructions, only $1.00. Delta Pools, Box
Flint eagle ceremonial, $2. Perfect Fol- market, bus. 70x100, $1200 up. Paved, 604, Stockton, California.
some, $5. Spearhead, $1. List Free. Lear's gas, elec, water. Restricted. For brochure
Glenwood, Arkansas. write Box 65, Palm Desert, California. HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems,
minerals and rocks. The rockhound's
BEAUTIFUL TURQUOISE and Silver jew- WANT WELL DRILLED—Ocotillo Wells, how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One
elry by the Pueblo Tribes — Bracelets, Highway 78, San Diego County, will deed year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c.
earrings and necklaces priced from $2.50 free 50 acres choice subdivision land to Gems and Minerals, Dept. J10, Palmdale,
to $100.00. Authentic Navajo rugs 18" x responsible party who will drill well on California.
36" to 50" x 54" and priced from $8.50 to same and sell water to community. Rogers,
$70.00. The_£iadk4iS^_4632_Crenshaw Box 86, Del Mar, California. JEB GROUNDAIRE Scintillation counter
Blvd^Los'Angeles 43, California. with 2YB x Ws crystal. Plus JEB Audio
SIX FINE Ancient Indian Arrowheads— Signalaer. Super sensitive. Very little
$2.00. Fine granite Tomahawk — $2.10. MISCELLANEOUS used. Owner now confined to wheel chair.
Effigy pipe $4.00. Perfect flint thunder- Original cost almost $700. Will sacrifice
hjrd—$3.00. Flint fish hook—$3.00. List DESERT TEA. One pound one dollar for $395. Fully guaranteed. Box 984,
free. Arrowhead, Box 5283, Indianapolis, postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses, Len- Tehachapi, Calif. Phone TAylor 2-4840.
Indiana. wood, Barstow, California.
HOTEL-RESORT AUDITOR: Knowledge
BEAUTIFUL OBSIDIAN arrowheads from GHOST TOWN ITEMS: Sun-colored glass, of all accounting procedures, excellent
the Klamath Country. Black $1.00; gray amethyst to royal purple; ghost railroads training, experience, education and refer-
$1.50; translucent $2.00; profusely illus-
trated catalog 50c. Moise Penning, 158
Jmaterials, tickets; limited odd items from ences. Single, go anywhere. Box 22,
Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, Calif.
camps of the '60s. Write your interest—
Dolorosa, San Lorenzo, California. Box 64-D, Smith, Nevada.
BUY SURPLUS DIRECT from govern-
NAVAJO RUG REPAIRING — worn or LADY GODIVA "The World's Finest ment at tremendous savings. Farm tools,
damaged rugs re-woven. Arizona Weav- Beautifier." For women who wish to machinery, feed, truck, jeep, tractor.
ers, 1940 East Osborn Road, Phoenix, become beautiful, for women who wish Hundreds of others. List $1.00. Box
Arizona. to remain beautiful. An outstanding des- 169-Daa East Hartford 8, Connecticut.
OVER 600 fine old baskets. Many rare ert cream. For information, write or call
Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland, Pasadena WANTED—Frontier or old revolver for
Navajo rugs, both old and new, Bayeta- 6, Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. Desert reader's collection. In good con-
Germantown. Artifacts, gems, and fine dition and reasonable. Roy W. Guerin,
Indian jewelry. Buffalo Trading Post, 2190 Cheryl Way, San Jose, California.
Highway 18, Apple Valley, California. AMAZING TRIPLE-action Geiger counter
U-238C, combines audio, neon flasher,
meter. Guaranteed best available. Also HAND-MADE VIOLINS — visit the old
BOOKS — MAGAZINES metal detectors and Scintillation counters Desert Violin Maker on Sunrise Claim
from $49.50. For radio-active Uranium Summit Diggins. Hand-made Stradivarius
BOOKS FOUND—Any title! Free world- sample send 25c to Goldak Company, models, fine rich mellow tones. Made of
wide book search service. Any book, 1559A W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, beautiful curly maple and spruce woods.
new or old. Western Americana a spe- California. Violins repaired. Write George Blatt,
cialty. Lowest price. Send wants today! Box 213, Johannesburg, California.
International Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, GOLD PROSPECTING CATALOG—List-
Beverly Hills, California. ing, placer and lode maps, steel gold pans, THE HAPPY CHILD receives letters and
mining and mineral books, books on lost gifts—25c per letter, 75c per gift. Jean,
BACK NUMBER Magazines, Books. Re- mines, pocket magnifying glasses, min- 12761 Mitchell Ave., Los Angeles 66,
duced prices. Store open evenings and eral collection sets, blueprints of dry California.
Sundays. 5620 Lankershim, North Holly- washers and wet washers you can build
wood, California. yourself. Catalog and Gold Panning Les- SECTIONIZED COUNTY MAPS — San
sons — Free. Old Prospector, Box 729, Bernardino $1; Riverside $1; Imperial
WOOD AND WEEDS. Fun with dried Desk 5, Lodi, California. 50c; San Diego 50c; Inyo 75c; other Cali-
things by Fiances Bostic. Sixteen illus- fornia counties $1.25 each. Nevada coun-
trations of dried arrangements with text. INTERESTED IN Prospecting for Gold ties $1 each. Uranium location maps:
$1.35 Postpaid, Desert Crafts Shop, Palm and Industrial Minerals? Join United southwestern states $ 1; Northwestern
Desert, California. Prospectors and read Panning Gold. states $1.50; California $1.50; Four Cor-
Write for application: United Prospec- ners area $1. Westwide Maps Co., 114
tors, 7 0 1 ^ E. Edgeware Rd., Los Ange- W. Third St., Los Angeles.
REAL ESTATE les 26, California.
PAN GOLD: $1 for 75 panning areas in
COACHELLA VALLEY—80 acre Produce URANIUM MAP of Southwest. Geiger 25 California counties. Geological for-
and Date Ranch, showing $20,000 Net. counters, scintillators, snooper, $29.95 mations, elevations, pertinent notes. Pan-
Write Ronald Johnson, Box 162, Thermal, up. Free catalog, or better, send $1.00 ning pans $2.75, $2.25. Leather nugget
California. for authentic uranium map of Southwest and dust poke $1. Fred Mark, Box 801,
Desert and catalog. Harry's Geiger Ojai, California.
SAVE, BUY DIRECT from Government, Counters, 360 So. Hawthorne Blvd.,
Surplus Farms, land, homes, etc. List Hawthorne, California.
$1.00. Box 169-DMA, East Hartford 8,
Connecticut. INDIAN PHONOGRAPH Records. New
. Singers! Latest Songs! As well as many Dam Contract To Be Let . . .
21/2 ACRE RANCH, modern home, 75 ^ old-time songs and chants—all completely BLYTHE — The Federal govern-
almond, 25 apricot trees, all steel chicken authentic. Write for free record list No.
equipment. Consider car or trailer as 5. Canyon Records, 834 N. 7th Avenue, ment is expected to award contracts
part down payment. Full price $16,500, Phoenix, Arizona. for the Palo Verde diversion dam on
terms. 2070-W Westward, Banning, Calif. the Colorado River by Jan. 1, 1956.
TELEPHONE REPRESENTATION in Taft, Cost of the project has been placed at
MAKE EXTRA MONEY! Start your busi- for Uranium Crews; Companies and Sup-
ness at home at Wholesale Prices! Giant pliers. Taft Telephone Answering Service, $4,538,000 and construction will re-
100 page catalog. Free details. BTS Hotel Savoy Lobby, Taft, California. quire two years.—Palo Verde Valley
Products, Box 217, Oakland 38, N. J. 6-6881. Times
28 DESERT MAGAZINE
 NEVADA Local Control for Indians . . . NEW MEXICO
N e w Land Racket Hit . . . CARSON CITY—Nine of Nevada's Indian Relocation Backed . . .
17 counties will be charged with
LAS VEGAS—Rep. Clifton Young jurisdiction of Indians in all civil and SANTA FE—Delegates to the In-
has asked the Bureau of Land Man- criminal matters. This formerly was terstate Indian Council meeting passed
agement to look into alleged new the duty of the Federal government, several resolutions aimed at improving
frauds in the land promotion business. but Congress recently shifted it to the the welfare of Indians, but directed no
The new racket involves the so-called states. The act provides, however, criticism at the Federal Indian admin-
Pittman Act, passed in 1919 and ap- that counties can appeal to the gov- istration — a target of attack from
plicable only in Nevada. Under this ernor for exception from this law. many Indian leaders. The council
act a qualified person can apply for Counties obtaining exception included asked that relocation of Indian fam-
permission to explore for water and Washoe, Humboldt, Clark, Elko, ilies to industrial areas be continued.
develop agriculture on four sections or Pershing, Churchill, Lyon and Mineral. Indian leaders elsewhere have been
2560 acres of public domain. If he —Nevada State Journal critical of the alleged government pol-
succeeds in locating water and puts 20 icy of extending assistance only to In-
acres under cultivation, he is then en- dians who move off of reservations.—
titled to apply to the government for Indian Claims Game Rights . . . New Mexican
one section or 640 acres. A number WELLS—Indian Joe E. Andreozzi
of Clark County citizens have inquired pleaded not guilty to charges that he
about the legality and soundness of violated the game laws by killing two Burro Shipments Increase . . .
offers made to them to apparently deer out of season. Reports from the CARLSBAD—A sudden interest in
have locators file for land in their judge's office are that Andreozzi plans burros has resulted in the shipment of
behalf under the act. — Nevada State to invoke the Temoke law, a govern- more of the animals out of New Mex-
Journal ment treaty under which Indians can ico in the last six months than in any
kill deer at any time of the year with- similar period since 1947. Most of
Pyramid Lake Doomed . . . out license in the Wells area.—Wells the burros were sent east to be sold
Progress as pets for children. — Eddy County
RENO — Congress is expected to • • • News
enact legislation for the $43,500,000
Washoe Reclamation Project next year Drouth Area Declared . . .
intended to guarantee more flood con- CARSON CITY—Secretary of Ag-
trol, irrigation water and electric power riculture Ezra Benson has declared all
for western Nevada. One of the vic- or portions of six counties as drouth
tims of the project will be Pyramid disaster areas. Counties effected are
Lake {Desert, Nov. '54) which is now Washoe, Pershing, Humboldt, Eureka,
dropping three and one-half feet each Lander and Elko. — Nevada State
year as a result of the Newlands Proj- Journal
ect which irrigates the Fallon area by • • •
draining water from the Lake's source. Nevada Receives Old Engine . . .
The Washoe Project calls for the up- CARSON CITY — The Southern
stream storage of virtually all of the Pacific Railroad Co. presented to the
flood water and the spring runoff that State of Nevada steam engine No. 8,
formerly discharged into the lake. It one of the last locomotives traveling
may take as long as 80 years for the the Laws-to-Keeler narrow gauge in
lake to become completely dry. — Owens Valley.
Nevada State Journal
FOR SALS
Personal Incomes Highest . . . You'll want to keep those
This Unique Year-round
WASHINGTON, D. C —Nevada
residents had the biggest percentage MAPS Resort Property Offered
For the First Time
increase in their incomes last year and
enjoyed the highest income per man, which appear each month in
woman and child of any state in the Desert Magazine—maps which • Young expanding business on U. S.
union. The state's per capita income will be your guide on many de- Highway 80 — Gateway to San Diego
lightful excursions into the great and fastest growing area in U. S.
was $2414 compared to the national
average of $1770.—Salt Lake Tribune desert playground. • Excellent climate.
• Ideal retirement activity for man and
Attractive loose-leaf binders em- wife.
bossed in gold not only will • Will make $10,000 yearly.
preserve the maps, but will be • Two completely furnished living quar-
1000 TRAVEL SCENES
a beautiful addition to your ters.
home book-shelf. Each binder • 37 acres, tower, gift shop, cafe, cabins,
holds 12 copies. Easy to insert, furnishings, antiques, relics, everything
goes.
they open flat.
SPECIAL OFFER • Requires $20,000.
Mailed postpaid for
To introduce readers of DESERT to our $2.00 For Full Details Contact
2"x2" COLOR SLIDES for home projec-
tion, we are offering a FREE 20 page
catalog and a FREE sample color slide. THE
DENNIS A. NEWMAN
Travel, Science, Nature, National Parks OWNER
and the southwest. Write today to —
Desert View Tower, Boulder Park
KELLY D. CHODA PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA Jacumba, California
732 URSULA ST. AURORA 8, COLO.

DECEMBER, 1955 V
Tribesman Convicted . . . Boar Population Dwindles . . . proper's estimated population in July
ALBUQUERQUE—A member of SANTA FE — Bear populations was 205,000; metropolitan Salt Lake
the Cochiti Indian Masked Medicine have been decreasing rapidly in most City, 317,000; and Utah, 783,000.—
Clan has been convicted of taking New Mexico mountain areas during Salt Lake Tribune
sacred clan objects from another In- the past few years and in order to pro-
dian's home. The objects—an eagle tect this animal, the game commission
has shortened the season in some of Hunters to Kill Porcupines . . .
feather, a bear cloth amulet and cere-
monial bowls—were exhibited in fed- the best known hunting ranges. Regu- SALT LAKE CITY—Utah sports-
eral court over the protests of Cochiti lations do not apply to Indian lands men have been asked to cooperate
Governor Joe Trujillo who said reveal- where bear hunting is allowed in the with the Department of Fish and Game
ing them to white eyes would decrease Navajo Reservation in the Chuska and the U. S. Forest Service to help
their value to the pueblo. Vicente Mountains.—Eddy County News in the reduction of an increasing pop-
Suina, 35, was convicted of the theft ulation of porcupines. The animals
• • •
despite defense contentions that he is are damaging vegetation on the water-
a medicine man and has as much right Ranges, Cattle in Good Shape . . . sheds, it is said.—Box Elder Journal
to the objects as the man he took them SANTA FE — Agriculture Depart-
from.—New Mexican ment agents report that the state's
ranges and livestock look good. Fol- Octogenarian Hikes Narrows . . .
lowing the pre-winter survey, the Ag- CEDAR CITY—William G. Curtis
ricultural Marketing Service reported celebrated his 80th birthday by hiking
Fund Drive Law Passed . . . the Zion Narrows, a backpack trek
that the supply of food is the greatest
SANTA FE—A new law which re- in several years.—New Mexican that takes three days to complete. Ob-
quires charitable organizations and • • • servers believe Curtis is the oldest man
professional solicitors to register before ever to hike the Narrows. He made
they can legally solicit donations, has UTAH the trip carrying a full pack all the
been passed in New Mexico. The reg- Population Loss Refuted . . . way and emerged without blisters on
istration must be with the county public SALT LAKE CITY—Utah's popu- his feet.—Iron County Record
welfare department director. After the lation continues to increase at nearly • • •
drive is completed, a financial state- double the rate of the nation's the Salt
ment showing how much money was Lake Chamber of Commerce reported Drouth Area Asks Aid . . .
raised, the expense of conducting the in an effort to end rumors that Salt BRIGHAM — Box Elder County
drive and how the money will be used Lake County and the state as a whole commissioners will again attempt to
is also required.—Las Cruces Citizen are losing population. Salt Lake City secure aid for the drouth striken west
county area. An earlier appeal to the
State Drouth committee has not re-
ceived action. The commissioners hope
the necessary action will be taken to

Rock Shorty declare the area a drouth area in order

to receive freight assistance from the
Federal government to help with the
cost of shipping hay and feed for cattle.
of Death Valley —Box Elder Journal

"Sure, we have a lot o' them through the stuff about knee deep
mirages in Death Valley," Hard when I stepped in a gopher hole
Rock Shorty was telling the dudes and sprawled out on the ground.
who were loafing on the lean-to An' there right under my eyes
porch in front of Inferno store. wuz a lot o' little gold nuggets—
millions of 'em. I scooped up a
rj FURNACE
"They do funny things some-
times — them mirages. Death couple o' handfuls an' put 'em CREEK INN
Valley Scotty told me once that in my pocket. AMERICAN PLAN

he got the idea fer that big Castle " 'Shorty, you an' me have
he built up in Grapevine Canyon been slavin' our lives away tryin' FURNACE CREEK
from a mirage. to make a livin' outta this ol'
silver mine up here on Eight Ball ,„ EUROPEAN PtAN A<
"My partner, Pisgah Bill, wuz
crick. An' now we've got a for-
always tellin' about the mirages
tune jest fer shovellin' it up. Let's
he saw. One day he came bustin'
pack up an' git down there where
into camp all excited.
they's so much gold we can live
" 'We're rich,' he hollered soon like kings.' For folders and reservations
as he saw me. "To prove his wealth Bill write 5509 Death Valley Ho-
"When I could get 'im calmed reached in his pocket an' pulled tel Co., Death Valley, Calif.
down a bit he told me about it. Or phone Furnace Creek Inn
out a handful o' little pebbles. at Death Valley. Or call your
" 'Best mirage I ever saw in He stared at the rocks a moment local travel agent.
my life,' he was sayin'. 'Looked an' gasped. All he had was or- Special discount—INN only
Nov. 20 to Dec. 18
like Death Valley wuz all a big dinary wash gravel.
lake o' water. Me an' the rep- " 'I guess that gold I saw was
tiles' — Pisgah allus called his jest part of the mirage,' he stam-
burros reptiles — 'wuz wadin' mered."

DESERT MAGAZINE
 Kingman, Arizona . . .

MINES 9*4 MINING

Boron, California . . . Carson City, Nevada . . .
Arizona-Golconda Metals, Inc., is ex-
pected to purchase a heavy media separa-
tion mill for the treatment of ore in making
concentrates. The erection of a Dorr-Oliver
flo-solids mill for the recovery of both
basic and precious ores is expected to fol-
low. Precious metals such as germanium
The Pacific Coast Borax Co. announced The state of Nevada is standing on the and indium will be recovered from the
that it will convert its present system of threshold of another rich bonanza—mer- Golconda shaft, company officials believe.
mining at Boron to open pit and will con- cury production—reports from several sec- —Pioche Record
struct new concentrating and refining plants tions of the state indicate. Lincoln county's
at the mine site. The new facilities are new mercury mine is reported to be a good
expected to cost $18,000,000 and comple- producer. Several deposits have been found The California State Division of Mines
tion date has been set for late 1957. The in the area. United Mercury Company's has recently issued a bulletin dealing with
company also announced that the Wilming- mine 65 miles southwest of Battle Moun- the Geology of Mineral Deposits in the
ton refinery will continue to produce boric tain will start production in the immediate Ubehebe Peak Quadrangle in Inyo County.
acid, special borate compounds and the future. Western Mercury and Uranium The quadrangle takes in the old Ubehebe
famous 20 Mule Team packaged borax Corp. has recently acquired a group of 21 mining district which extends from the Inyo
products.—Boron Enterprise claims, containing quicksilver ore, about Range to the Panamint Range in the Owens
• • • 118 miles southwest of Pioche. Just over Valley-Death Valley region. Lack of water
Santa Fe, New Mexico . . . the Oregon line westerly from McDermitt, and isolation of the area are the most
The discovery of an estimated four mil- a quicksilver strike of bonanza proportions serious deterrents to mining. Mines will
lion tons of monazite sands, host material was made at the Bretz Mercury Mine. probably continue to produce small quan-
to the breeder-reactor substance thorium, • • • tities of metal from the lead-zinc-silver de-
has been reported in San Miguel County Rosamond, California . . . posits. The bulletin also describes minerals
by Edward J. James, president of Onego Germanium production by the Darmond found in the quadrangle. Published by the
Corp. On the basis of assays the concen- Mining and Smelter Corp. of Rosamond State of California's Department of Natural
trate from the monazite bearing surface will soon be a million dollar a month enter- Resources as Special Report 42, 63 pages,
sands is calculated to have a value of $40,- prise, company president Floyd G. Brown charts, maps, illustrations and three folding
000,000.—New Mexican predicted. The Darmond company plans maps. $2.00.
• • • a 24-hour per day operation at Rosamond. • • •
Overton, Nevada . . . —Pioche Record A comprehensive booklet written by Mar-
Facilities of Nevada Silica Sands, Inc., • • • vin J. Gallagher, Nevada State Inspector of
near Overton, Nevada, have been purchased Plaster City, California . . . Mines, is being distributed free of charge
by Hunt Foods, Inc., and two glass plants by the State Printing Office at Carson City.
of Glass Containers, Inc., in Antioch and United States Gypsum Co. announced
plans to increase gypsum board production Entitled Nevada Mining Claim Procedures,
Vernon, California. Nevada Silica Sands, the booklet was prepared in response to
Inc., has operated for many years at Over- at its Imperial Valley plant at Plaster City.
The increased production will provide many requests for information concerning
ton where a 300-ton flotation mill is hand- the locating of mining claims. Copies can
ling the material mined on the surface. — enough gypsum lath and board for the in-
terior walls and ceilings of about 45,000 be secured by writing to the State Printing
California Mining Journal Office or to Gallagher, also at Carson City.
• » • new homes per year, a company official
said.—Calexico Chronicle — Wells Progress
Washington. D. C. . . . • • •
A Senate Interior subcommittee urged a
government financed program be started as Lucerne Valley, California . . . — Annual Inventory —\
soon as possible to build plants for treating
low-grade manganese ore. Most of the U.S.
Kaiser Steel Corp. announced recently
that it will purchase a 10-square mile area CLEARANCE SALE
supply of manganese is imported from of limestone deposit in the Lucerne Valley
South Africa and India. Some 15,000,000 area for more than $1,000,000. A Kaiser
units of this metal essential in making steel spokesman said tests in the area indicate
are locked up in low grade ores purchased the deposit, known locally as the Cushen-
during the war and since the Korean war. bury deposit, contains enough high grade
There are 22 pounds of metal to the unit.— metallurgical limestone to meet the firm's
Pioche Record requirements for many decades. Kaiser also
• • • announced the planned construction of a
Lovelock, Nevada . . . multi-million dollar ore up-grade facility
The Pabco Company has revealed plans for its iron mines at Eagle Mountain, be-
to construct a processing mill in the Love- tween lndio and Blythe, California.
lock area to treat its gypsum product. The • • •
mill is expected to be built near Colado, New York, N. Y. . . .
six miles east of Lovelock. The company
has been developing its large deposits of The price of platinum has been advanced
gypsum during the past summer and the $11 an ounce by Baker & Co., leading re-
new mill will supposedly be used to prepare finer of the metal. The new price is $91
this material on a pre-fabrication basis. — an ounce for large quantities. Small lots
Nevada State Journal are priced at $94 an ounce.—Pioche Record
• • • • • •
Tonopah, Nevada . . . Gorfield, Utah . . .
Rehabilitation and development is sched-
uled on the Silver Leaf mine in the Hanna-
Garfield Chemical and Manufacturing
Co. will spend $2,500,000 for expansion in
$60.00 OFF
Reg. $139.50 URANIUM
pah district, 20 miles east of Tonopah. The
mine has been shut down for 20 years. The
property has a good silver and gold produc-
sulphuric acid manufacturing facilities at
Garfield, Utah. It is the third expansion of
sulphuric producing facilities by the firm
SCOUT DE LUXE Geiger
Counter
Reg. $249.50 Scintilla-
$79.50
tion record. Eight claims embracing the
mine area were acquired from Mrs. Myra
Richardson and Jess Crain by the Uranium
in the post war period and will bring to
1000 tons daily output of the plant.—Salt
Lake Tribune
Dyne Scintillation Coun-
ter $165.00
and Federated Minerals Co. of South Da-
kota.—Nevada State Journal
• • •
•
Cisco, Utah . . .
• •

Sinclair Oil and Gas Co. reported a

Reg. $35.00 C-18 Geiger
Counter (pocket-size) $21.00
ACT NOW! - SUPPLY LIMITED!
Boulder City, Nevada . . . major discovery of natural gas 25 miles Send for FREE Christmas Catalog today!
A barite deposit on the northwest slope north of Cisco in northeastern Grand
of Hemingway Wash in Boulder City will County. The firm immediately projected
be developed by a group of local men, it drilling of three additional wells on 9000 FISHER
was announced. The deposit was originally acres of leases it has in the area. It ap- RESEARCH LABORATORY, INC.
discovered in 1945, but at that time the peared the wildcat might be capable of an 1961 University Ave., Palo Alto, California
government refused to permit mining in output of between 30 and 40 million cubic
the area.—Nevada State Journal feet daily.—Salt Lake Tribune

DECEMBER, 1955 31
 AEC Declares Policy for
BOOM DAYS IN URANIUM Purchase of Thorium Ores
The AEC has issued a policy statement
regarding the status of thorium which de-
clares that no new contracts are being nego-
tiated at present because of limited require-
ments for the metal.
"Since 1947 the commission has been
purchasing by-product thorium salts from
domestic processors of monazite sands.
Thorium is a source material under the
Atomic Energy Act and shipments and sales
An aroused western mining industry de- U. S. Senator Clinton P. Anderson of are subject to the licensing regulations of
manded the Atomic Energy Commission New Mexico, chairman of the joint House- the commission.
immediately disclose its intentions as to Senate Atomic Energy Committee, declared "By-product thorium production in excess
purchase of uranium ores from U. S. pro- the AEC should "issue a formal govern- of licensed domestic and export sales has
ducers. The action came at the recent Las ment statement by early next spring, ex- been purchased by the commission for re-
Vegas, Nevada, American Mining Congress plaining if it wants uranium and in what search and development and also for stock-
conference. years and at what price." piling against possible future needs. The
It was apparently felt by the majority of commission has established a limited stock-
the delegates to the conclave that the future pile
sonably
goal. Contracts concluded now rea-
assure the fulfillment of the goal
Geophysicists Adopt Ethics, of the uranium program is inextricably tied within the time limit set by the commission.
Prospector Safety Codes to new and current planning on military
"Consequently no new contracts are being
requirements for nuclear energy.
A code of ethics and a safety program negotiated. Because of the commission's
for prospectors were adopted in Denver by Dr. Armand J. Eardley, dean of the Col- limited requirements for stockpiling, at no
some of the nation's leading petroleum and lege of Mines and Minerals Industries of time have we had a thorium buying pro-
mineral scientists. the University of Utah, told the convention gram similar to that for uranium ores.
The 25th annual convention of the So- that according to his estimates the military "It should be added that thorium has
ciety of Exploration Geophysicists adopted requirements of the present uranium ore potential uses in the atomic energy program
buying program will be met by the end of and may possibly be converted into a satis-
a code which includes: this year. factory nuclear for the production of in-
"Work shall be done with fidelity to
clients; findings shall be confidential; com- Other speakers scored the commission dustrial power. When and to what extent
these uses may become important will be
pensation shall be accepted only from a for not letting the uranium miner, miller dependent upon the results of research and
single source; only reputable enterprises will and investor know the true situation regard- development programs," the AEC policy
be engaged in." ing the ore buying program. statement declared.—Salt Lake Tribune
Bart W. Sorge, Pasadena, Calif., said less G. R. Kennedy, special representative for • • •
than half of one percent of the accidents the Kerr-McGee Oil Industries of Oklahoma,
occur in handling explosives, and added that said the present "feeling of uncertainty . . . Atomic Energy Commission to
the greatest number occur in handling drill- is alarming and can do nothing but harm Purchase Zirconium, Hafnium
ing tools and lifting heavy equipment. — to the industry and to the nation." — Salt The Atomic Energy Commission will ask
Salt Lake Tribune Lake Tribune
for offers of up to two million pounds of
zirconium metal and for as much hafnium
metal as can be produced in the processing
of zirconium in November.
The two metals are needed to meet the
"PROSPECTORS' increasing requirements of the AEC's re-
actor development program and of cur-
rently scheduled naval projects, the Com-
mission said.
SCINTILLATORS • NUCLIOMETERS • GEIGER The AEC has tentative plans to solicit
proposals for delivery of two million pounds
COUNTERS & MULTIPLE TUBE COUNTERS of high purity zirconium metal over a five-
year period, or 1,200,000 pounds over a
three-year period. The proposals should also
Demonstrators on Hand Offered at a Substantial include offers for the delivery of as much
hafnium metal as can be produced in the
Discount process of manufacturing the zirconium.
"Present plans call for issuance of an
Bank terms arranged on approved credit in California invitation for proposals in November, with
receipt of proposals by February of next
year. The deadline for starting deliveries is
WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT expected to be July, 1957," the AEC said.
—Mining Record
"ROCK-A-TEER" TRIM SAW METAL DETECTORS • • •
FINDINGS CAPS ETC. MINERALIGHTS Twin States Uranium, Inc., has sold 28
GRINDING WHEELS CHEMICAL KITS claims to the Gibraltar Uranium and Oil
Co. of Grand Junction, Colorado, for an
STERLING SILVER MORTARS & PESTELS undisclosed amount of cash and royalties
BAROQUES BOOKS estimated at $5,000,000. The claims are
located 10 miles east of Winslow and the
MINERALS MINER PICKS sale was hailed in some Arizona quarters
CUTTING MATERIAL HARDNESS TESTING SETS as the beginning of a $30,000,000 uranium
development program in Navajo and Apache
MOUNTINGS JEWELRY TOOLS Counties. The claims contain an estimated
500,000 tons of commercial uranium ore.—
SANDING CLOTH DIAMOND WHEEL DRESSERS Hoi brook Tribune-News

(Lomhtoti cf\oak THE PROSPECTOR'S CATALOG

We are pleased to announce the advent of
a new Minerals Unlimited Catalog, specifi-
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sional prospector. If you are interested in
Geiffer Counters, Miiieraliglits, Blowpipe Sets,
4 blocks south of Olive Street Gold Pan or any of the other equipment
necessary to a field or prospecting trip,
send 5c in stamps or coin for your copy.
Open Daily except Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — Tuesday Evenings till 9:00 p.m. MINERALS UNLIMITED, Dept. 1>
1721 University Ave., Berkeley, California

32 DESERT MAGAZINE
 AEC Studies Livestock
Deaths from "Blue Snow"
A special team of AEC investigators is
checking stories of a "blue snowfall" in the
Black Lake region last spring which ranch-
ers contend caused illness and death of
livestock. The team is attempting to deter-
mine whether there was any connection
New ways to curb what was described between the blue snow and radioactive fall-
as the "uranium stock swindle" were sug- Discovery of a uranium ore body of out caused by atomic tests in Nevada last
gested recently by Rep. John B. Bennett of major proportions was made recently on spring.
Michigan. "The sale of uranium securities the Diamond Claim of the Uranium Mines. Ranchers complained that more than 100
has grown into a big racket," Bennett de- Inc., group six miles south of Austin. Im- head of cattle died of a mysterious disease
clared. He said promoters of these securi- portance and extent of the discovery was following a heavy snowfall in northern New
ties should have to put up their own money realized by company officials when the ore Mexico last May.
before seeking funds from the public. showing broadened from a 10-foot width
AEC officials contend the fallout in the
Before being permitted to sell stock to on the surface to a 35-foot width 12-feet
below the surface. Minerals occurring in New Mexico area was negligible and said
the public they should also be required to the vein are autunite and torbernite. Addi- fallout was not responsible for the infection
show a record of production and earnings, tional preliminary development work shows of humans or cattle in the area.
he added. He said he will push for enact- the high grade face of ore widens even Walter Graves, supervisor of the Carson
ment of a bill he has introduced in Congress
to force such promoters to comply with more with increasing depth.—Reese River National Forest, said his office had received
the full registration requirement of the se- Reveille no reports of the blue snow or injuries to
livestock.—El Crepusculo
curities and exchange act. At present the
law exempts from the requirement stock What is believed to be the highest ura-
issues of $300,000 or less. Most uranium nium strike on record was discovered 13
issues fall into this category. miles southwest of Lake City, Colorado, Colonial Uranium Co. has acquired con-
at an elevation of over 12,000 feet. This trol of Thorium Corp. of America. Colonial
unusual deposit is thought to come from and TCA plan to embark on an early pro-
Uranium Mines in Utah Must hydrothermal action and further explora- gram to create milling facilities for proc-
tion will prove a primary ore deposit con- essing thorium ores now obtainable in
Be Ventilated, State Orders taining pitchblende. American Uranium Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico,
Uranium mine operators in Utah were made the discovery.—Pioche Record. Robert I. Ludwig, Colonial president, said.
ordered by the State Industrial Commission
to install ventilating equipment necessary
to keep air-borne radioactive substances at
a level which will be safe for those working
in the mines. Otto A. Wiesley, commission
chairman, said the order is being made ef-
fective as of next Jan. 1 to give the oper-
ators sufficient time to make atmospheric
contamination studies and arrange for the
Prospector's Headquarters
GEIGER COUNTERS AND SCINTILLATORS
installation of the equipment. Tho "Snooper" Geiger counter—Model 108 ..S 29.95
The "Lncky Strike" Geiger Counter—Jlodel 106—. 99.50
The Commission has adopted as a maxi- The "Professional" Geiger Coimter—Model 107 .. 139.50
mum allowable concentration of radioactive The "Special Scintlllator"—Model 117 . 299.50
substances to which workers would be ex- The "Deluxe" Scintlllator—Model 111B . 495.00
posed, a total of 300 micromicrouries of
the degradation products of radon gas per ULTRA-VIOLET MINERALIGHTS
cubic liter of air. This is calculated on a Model XH—Operates on 110 AC only... - - - 1 1.75
basis of an exposure of 40 hours per week. Model M12—Operates on batteries only—with battery _ _ .10.(1.1
This figure is based on findings developed Model SL-2537—Operates on batteries or 110 AC without case & batteries 39.S0
With 303 case and batteries - - lil.00
at a conference on uranium mining health With 404 case and batteries _ 68.00
hazards held last February in Salt Lake
City. CHEMICAL TEST KITS
The commission's order said the atmos- Kit for 14 Minerals (Uranium not Included) - !•>•!>•">
phere content of radioactive substances is Kit for 3fi Minerals (Including Uranium) - - 31.25
to be determined "by a field method accept-
able to the State Bureau of Mines, and BOOKS
every operator shall make a reasonable ef- Prospecting With a Geiger Counter" by Wright
fort to approximate said standard."—Salt 'Uranium Color Photo Tone" I.mi
Facts You Should Know About Uranium" by R. W. Ramsey - I.ill)
Lake Tribune Uranium Prospectors Hand Book" - - 1.1)0
'The Uranium and Fluorescent Minerals" by H. C. Dake 2.(1(1
'Popular Prospecting" by H. C. Dake 2.1)11
'Uranium, Where It Is and How to Find It" by Proctor and Hyatt 2.5(1
Three location sites are being considered 'Minerals for Atomic Energy" by Xininger 7.."ill
by Tonopah United Uranium, Inc. for the 'Let's go Prospecting" by Edward Arthur - - - 8.50
installation of a portable uranium upgrad-
ing plant which will be able to upgrade MAPS
uranium ores that have a U3O8 content of Map and Geology (Uranium and Mineral Districts of California).., 1.50
.03 or greater.—Humboldt Star Map of Kern County (New Section and Township) 1.50
Map Uranium and Minerals (The Nine Southwest States) 1.00
Book and Map "Gems and Minerals of California" by McAllister 1.75
Book and Map "Lost Mines and Treasures of the Southwest" 2.00
TREASURE HUNTERS
New type metals detector. Distinguishes
metals from black magnetic sands. Ideal for OTHER SUPPLIES
locating gold nuggets, placer deposits. De- Fluorescent Minerals set—10 Specimens—boxed 2.50
tects metals under salt water. Locates coins, Prospectors Ticks (not polished) - - 3.85

L EZ
- :.,-..*• j e w e l r y on Prospectors Picks (polished) _ __ __ 4.10
beaches. Free Mineral Specimen Boxes (35 Named Minerals) _ _ 1.50
from false de- Pocket Camp Stove 6.95
tections. Each 12" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.25
~vfc-*! unit supplied
.. . * with two dif- AH prices F.O.B. Los Angeles
ferent search
coils. Ask for Add 3% Sales Tax if you live in California. 4 % if in Los Angeles
::n free l i t e r a - Member of American Gem & Mineral Suppliers Association
C ture.
^w*- GARDINER
• - • - • > . 7 N £ -••• ~ -
-.-.•.. • ; - \ ~ ^ ^- ' r
ELECTRONICS
C O . , OEPT. DM
2 5 4 5 E. INDIAN
ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1 £3... SCHOOL ROAD 3632 W. Slauson Ave. Open Monday evening until 9:00 Los Angeles 43, California
i v;;.in. - B
\ ^| "• :-*28
. ^ S CSS> , ". PHOENIX, ARIZ.

DECEMBER, 1955 33
New Mexico Uranium Ore U. S. Uranium Mines Show Map of Uranium Deposits
Richest Yet, Assay Shows 40% Production Increase Published by Government
E. Frank Parker, Albuquerque assayer, Sheldon P. Wimpfen, AEC operations The federal government has announced
announced that examination of New Mexico manager at Grand Junction, Colorado, es- publication of a new map showing locations
ore samples just completed show a higher timated that U.S. mined uranium this year of the most important known uranium de-
grade uranium than ever discovered on the will be 43 percent greater in total tonnage posits in the United States. The geological
Colorado Plateau. survey, which prepared the map, said the
than in 1954. principal deposits are in sandstone of the
Parker said the sample brought to him "A year ago," Wimpfen said, "we were Colorado Plateau in Arizona, New Mexico,
for assay by Albert E. Walker of Albuquer- able to cite 10 deposits which had more Colorado and Utah, and in limestone in
que has a uranium content of 10.91 percent than 100,000 tons of uranium reserve. To- New Mexico.
—about 21 times greater than the overall day we know of 25 deposits which contain Important deposits in sandstone also are
average discovery in New Mexico, Colorado reserves in excess of 100,000 tons and at located in South Dakota and Wyoming
or Utah. Parker said he ran three tests on least a few where reserves are measured in marginal to the Black Hills, and in other
the sample, carnotite in a carbonaceous multiples of millions of tons." parts of Wyoming. The locations of the
sandstone, in addition to the AEC standard There are now nine AEC mills in the deposits are based on information obtained
tests. country and three more will be added by from published and unpublished reports by
Walker refused to reveal the location of the end of the year. The rate of milling is the AEC, its contractors and the geological
the discovery saying only that it was in 25 percent greater this year than in 1952, survey.
New Mexico.—Alamogordo Daily News he added.—Cocow.no Sun Copies of the map may be ordered by
mail at 50 cents each from the geological
survey distribution centers at Washington
25, D. C , and Federal Center, Denver 2,
Colorado. Purchases may be made across
the counter, but not by mail, from survey
offices in Washington, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Denver and Salt Lake City. —
Phoenix Gazette

Merritt K. Ruddock of Moab and Denver

recently received a check for $2,800,000
for the sale of his family's Cal-Uranium
Mine in Utah's Big Indian District. Moun-
tain Mesa Uranium Co. purchased the mine.
The money was advanced to Mountain Mesa
by Hidden Splendor Mining Co., a wholly
owned subsidiary of financier Floyd B. Od-
ium's Atlas Corp. The payment is regarded
as another step in the involved assembly of
major uranium properties in the district
under direct or indirect control of the Atlas
Corp.—Salt Lake Tribune

Uranium exploration activity reached a

new high in Socorro County, New Mexico,
as crews finished staking claims on a 28-
if you're prospecting for anything... section ranch. Ranchers Exploration and
Development Corp. of Roswell and Grants,
and Paul E. McDaniel, Inc., had a 20-man
Here's why you need a Mineralight crew doing staking and validation work on
the Hunter Long ranch, 20 miles east of
Mineralight Ultra-Violet lamp has proved to be Socorro. Over 1000 claims encompassing
invaluable in locating mineralized areas with approximately 18,000 acres will be staked
scheelite, uranium and other ore deposits. The and filed in the program.—Grants Beacon
MINERALIGHT shows traces not sufficient to
excite other responses and detects minerals which
are often found with uranium ore. (mercury tests
detect as low as 1000th of 1%). With
MINERALIGHT you can spot outcroppings,
follow float and other indications to the
main vein or ore body. Complete information
RADIUM MINES, INC.
includes valuable Bulletin, "Uranium Prospect- 140 N. VIRGINIA ST.
ing With Magic Mineralight". For fun or RENO, NEVADA
profit, anytime you're in the field you
should have a MINERALIGHT.
Why not deal with a prewar corporation?
See the MINERALIGHT in INCORPORATED 1940
action. Your MINERALIGHT
dealer can demonstrate the
various models for you and FOR SALE: Uranium, Germanium, Rare Earths,
give you complete infor- Claims in three states.
mation on Geiger counters,
scintillation counters, and WANTED: Claims of uranium and all other
other prospecting equipment, rare elements.
as well as the latest data
on uranium prospecting.
"Fluorescence is a Fun Hobby With a Future!"
A flick of the switch on your Ultra-Violet
M1NERAUGHT shows you a whole new world. 1'OVVEKFUL POCKKT MICROSCOPE
By the distinctive glow or "Fluorescence" Magnifies objects 20 to 60 times. Fully
adjustable—laboratory quality. Wide
under ultra-violet activation, you can identify viewing field, all in focus—5/16" at
not only strategic minerals like uranium and 20X. Very high light efficiency, shows
tungsten, but find valuable collectors' natural colors. All parts brass or
steel, plated, and with dulite finish.
specimens to sell or trade. Complete with cowhide leather case—
Twenty-five years of Progress With Ultra-Violet $14.75 F.O.B. factory.
PACIFIC TRANSDUCER CORP.
ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, I N C 11836 Wrst Pico Bird. Dfpt.125
Los Angeles fil, California

34 DESERT MAGAZINE
 thus removed are those that failed to reach

AMATEUR OEM CUTTER the bottom of an eight-inch column of water

in 30 minutes. Another ounce of the chem-
ical used above is then added to what is left
in the two-gallon jar, again agitated, allowed
to settle for 30 minutes, and then siphoned
SEVEN BASIC STEPS FOR TRIM SAW SAVES TIME off and added to the larger jar. This proc-
ess is repeated until the large jar is filled.
CUTTING SAPPHIRES TOLD WHEN CUTTING CABOCHONS After two hours of settling the solution can
be siphoned off from the large jar.—El Paso,
There are no hard and fast rules regard- For perfect cabochons the next step after Texas, Mineral and Gem Society's The Voice
ing the angle sapphires can be cut. A slabbing is to outline all flaws with an
simple fact to remember is that the darker aluminum — not lead — pencil. Wet the • • •
the stone the shallower you should cut slices to simulate a polish and see the gem A machine to make diamonds on a com-
facets on bottom and top. If the stone is possibilities. Templates are invaluable for mercial scale would have to produce pres-
light in color you can give it "plenty of marking cutting outlines. sure of up to 8000 pounds per square inch.
back" and obtain a more lively stone. The If only one cab is to be cut from a slice, Such a machine would cost $1,500,000.
sequence of operation for cutting sapphires a sturdy pair of round-nosed pliers can be Synthetic garnets have been produced in
consists of: (1) orienting stone to find table; used to clip away the excess rock before the General Electric synthetic diamond lab-
(2) cementing with hard cutting cement to grinding. A trim saw, however, is ideal for oratory from common rock.—Seattle, Wash-
dopstick; (3) roughing out shape; (4) cut- this job, especially when several gems are ington, Nuts and Nodules
ting facets; (5) polishing facets; (6) break- to be cut from one slab. The trim saw is
ing sharp corners on girdle; (7) knocking a simplified slabbing saw. No chuck is
off dopstick and cleaning in methylated used and the stone is hand-fed into the Zircon is also known as hyacinth and
spirits. diamond blade. This type saw is also handy jargoon. In ancient times it was called
for cutting pebbles and fragments which lynx-stone. Rubies, sapphires, spinels and
The finishing polish of highest quality are too small for the slabbing saw. garnets are found with zircons.—Evansville,
can be obtained on a small end grain wooden
disc of approximately three-inches diameter To conserve valuable material when saw- Indiana, Lapidary Society's News Letter
in which a half round groove has been ing precious stones, some lapidaries remove
turned. This is charged with approximately the diamond blade and substitute a much
one microne size diamond dust mixed with thinner metal disc reinforced with large (Ivinqtbn. DIAMOND BLADES
olive oil and applied in small lots continu- washers to prevent bending, leaving only *•" / "* "Treat Mourj«lf t o the best"
ously. Since the wooden disc has to revolve a half-inch of the rim exposed. Norbide
at approximately 3000 rpm, a considerable or one of the silicon carbide grits, about yy-Duty Super Standard
amount of heat is generated which might 120, does the cutting.—Indianapolis, Indi- er-Chgd. ('barged Charged
$ $ 9.03 $ 7.98
melt the cement. However, you can dip ana, Geology and Gem Society's Geologem 11.50 10.44
the stone in cold water without fear of 15.23 11.02
cracking it, and so work continuously. — 22.2C 18.53
29.40 25.67
Compton, California, Gem and Mineral ABRASIVES CAN BE SEPARATED 32.76 29.08
Club's Rockhound Call BY USE OF SIPHON PROCESS 65.60 43.20 30.12
77.95 51.97 39.84
93.24 65.73 51.40
Abrasive grains, often called "grits," some- 149.62 125.73
times do not work the way they are sup- 226.00 188.05
CLUB SPEAKER GIVES ADVICE posed to. Lapidaries have been annoyed State Arbor Size
TO BEGINNING GEM HOBBYISTS and discouraged when scratches appear on Sales Tax in California
the almost completed surface of a stone they Allow for Postage and Insurance
Mrs. DeWitte Hagar has the following are polishing with the finer grades of grits. Covington Ball Bearing Grinder
advice to give to beginners interested in One of the reasons for this is that com-
the gem and mineral hobby. First, join a mercial grades of silicon carbide and alu- and shields are
club and attend all the gem shows near at minum oxide often carry grains that are furnished in :>
home. Observe a lapidary at his work, take much coarser than specified on the con- sizes and price
some lessons. Vary the shape of your tainer. r a n g e s to suit
cabochon—don't make them all "canoe" An easy method to purify the abrasive y o ii r r e q u i r e -
shaped. Perfect the art of cutting cabo- has been developed. First place two pounds ments. Water and
chons before going on to other types of of 600 grit into a two-gallon jar and add grit proof.
cutting. Mark the base of a stone before an ounce of solution sodium metasilicate or COVINGTON 8" TRIM SAW
starting a cut and keep the bottom side orthosilicate and then fill the jar with hy-
of the stone toward you while cutting. When drant water. Stir the contents thoroughly ;tii(l inolov ure com-
buying cutting material, examine it both wet and then allow the jar to stand 30 minutes. pact mid do not
and dry. Keep an eye out for fractures.— After that period of time, carefully siphon splash. Save blades
and clothing with
Hollywood, California, Lapidary and Min- off the liquid to within two-inches of the (his saw.
eral Society's The Sphere settlings into a five-gallon jar. The grains
BUILD YOUR OWN LAP
and HAVE with a COV-
INGTON 12" or IK" Lap
/lie Kit. We furnish every-
thing you need. Send
for new free lapidary
catalog.
Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolla COVINGTON
Multi-Feature
Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry it;" Lapidary
Unit Does
HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVER everything

Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings

OOVINGTON
and Brooches 12", 14"
or 16"
SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH Power Feed
CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES Diamond
Slab Saws
Write for Folder With Prices
SAVE

ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP BLADES

Used by the U. S. Government

235 East Seaside Blvd. Long Beach 2, California Send for New Catalog, IT'S FKEE
Across from West End of Municipal DEALERS WANTED
Auditorium Grounds
Hours 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily Except Monday
Covington Lapidary Eng.
UEDLANDS I), CALIFORNIA

DECEMBER, 1955 35
 ROCKHOUND CLUBS CHOOSE
OFFICERS FOR NEW YEAR
The Orange Coast Mineral and Lapidary
Society of Huntington Beach, California,
elected Larry Summers president for the
coming year. Others elected were Neal Wil-
son, vice president; Mrs. Thelma Biescar,
AMERICAN GEM SOCIETY PRECIOUS GEM. HIDDENITE secretary; and Larry Gubin, treasurer.
REVISES BIRTHSTONE LIST RARER THAN DIAMONDS
The American Gem Society has issued Hiddenite, a variety of green spodumene, Katy Trapnell was elected president and
its revised list of birthstones. The selection is a precious gem that is literally priceless Jim Blakeley vice president of the Phoenix
differs from the Biblical and English lists. because of its rarity. About three-fourths Mineralogical Society of Arizona. Elected
Months and their stones in the new list are: of all the hiddenite that has ever been to the board of directors were Joseph W.
January, garnet; February, amethyst; March, found is now in the South Carolina Geol- Harris, C. Fred Burr, Harry V. Hill and
bloodstone or aquamarine; April, diamond; ogy Museum. Susan Cummings.—Rockhound Record
May, emerald; June, pearl or moonstone; Hiddenite was discovered in 1879 by
--:• ••:•• *

July, ruby; August, peridot or sardonyx; William E. Hidden who was prospecting the Officers of the San Jose, California, Lapi-
September, sapphire; October, opal or tour- foothills in Alexander County, North Caro- dary Society for the 1955-56 club year are
maline; November, topaz or citrine; Decem- lina for platinum then believed necessary to Victor Mason, president; Marvin H. Brown,
ber, turquoise or lazurite. Minnesota Min- the manufacture of electric lights. He noted vice president; Mrs. Florence Fuller, secre-
eral Club's Rock Rustler's News some unusual gem stones with a greenish hue tary; John W. Catlin, treasurer; and Claire
in a local mineral collection which he mis- R. Rice, editor.—Lap Bulletin
took for emeralds. The gems were identified * * *
The California Federation of Minera- as a variety of spodumene hitherto unknown. Members of the San Diego, California,
logical Societies will hold another field trip Hidden uncovered several pockets of the Lapidary Society have elected Charles
seminar on the weekend of Dec. 31-Jan. 1, green spodumene in 1880, as well as em- Tucker president for the coming year. Other
Mary Frances Berkholz, Federation field eralds and other semi-precious gems. A officers who will serve with him include
corporation, "The Emerald and Hiddenite Frank Whigham, first vice president; How-
trip chairman, announced. New ideas, trips ard Blackburn, second vice president; Ed
and current field trip problems will be on Mining Company" was formed to exploit Bohe, treasurer; and Eleanor Blackburn,
the seminar agenda. Each member society these discoveries. secretary. Tucker replaces Ed Soukup. —
is limited to two representatives and place In 1927 Burnham S. Colburn of North Shop Notes and News
of the meeting has not yet been announced. Carolina and his brother William, a mining * * *
— Lockheed Employees Recreation Club's engineer, reopened the mine. Hiddenite is
Rockcrafters not found in veins but in peculiar crevices New officers of the Omaha, Nebraska,
beneath the surface. The two men had Mineral and Gem club are Ruth Grantham,
almost exhausted their funds when they dis- president; John Hufford, vice president;
BLANK MOUNTINGS covered a pocket of the gem material. Lloyd C. Fowler, secretary-treasurer; and
Jack Ferrel and Max Schackneis. directors.
for Hiddenite is a better stone than emerald,
Colburn believes, but tends to be thin,
AGATE JEWELRY making it difficult to cut and easy to dam-
WHOLESALE age during mining.—State Magazine FEDERATION VICE PRESIDENT
Rings — Ear Wires — Tie Chains GIVES COLLECTING ADVICE
Cuff Links — Neck Chains Vincent Morgan, vice president, mineral
Bezel — devices — Shanks In Kimberley, South Africa, Ben Smith division, of the California Federation, has
found 28 diamonds in one day's washing the following advice to give to mineral col-
Solder — Findings lecting parties:
at a site in the heart of the city. An old
Send stamp for price list No. 3 building was demolished to make way for First make certain that the spot where you
a modern structure and Smith and his are going to collect is reasonably safe. An
O. R. JUNK.'NS & SON associates moved in with a portable wash- old mine which has been abandoned 40
440 N.W. Beach St. ing plant and fine screens to sort coarse from years or more may be perfectly safe while
NEWPORT, OREGON fine grit. Evansville, Indiana, Lapidary So- an active mine may have areas in it that
ciety's News Letter are extremely hazardous.
Do not remove material, however desir-
able, from around supporting timbers. This
may be all that holds the ceiling up. Con-
SAWS! GRINDS! HILLQUIST SLABBING SAWS tinually watch overhead and along the walls
SANDS! BUFFS! I 12" bench model, $72 of any passageway, for a loose slab may
Everything in- I 16" door model, $110 need only the vibration of your voice to
eluded except I 20" floor model, $155 come crashing down.
motor. Uses all Real rockhounds saws
Hillquist acces- favored for their big Never enter an old mine alone. Always
sories. Ideal for I HILLQUIST DIAMOND SAWS capacity ond lifetime have at least one person outside who can
beginners. Only I Cut Faster—Last Longer —Cost construction. "Magic- drive a car in the event of an emergency.
$42.50 complete. Always let someone at home know where
I Less. Available in all sizes. Brain" automatic feed
HILLQUIST TRIM SAW I You'll swear by 'em, not at ;em!_ for above $46.35 you are going and when you should be back.
The "Cadillac" of trim saws. Exclu- Provide some method of protection for
s i v e "up-and-down" Before you buy any lapidary specimens as they are collected. Where con-
arbor. "No-splash" ditions permit, specimens of all but the
plastic guards. equipment-send for our big most lacy materials may be protected for
Precision rock shipment by placing them in a box or can
clamp ond guide.
Complete with 8"
blade, $62.50
FREE CATALOG! ..JS5H55SSHS
:
filled with sawdust or sand.
Exercise all due care and caution when
*I° I -'"-' •-"•"•gs§
FULL OF HELPFUL LAPIDARY
INF0RMATION SendN0 extricating fragile specimens in order to
HILLQUIST GEM DRILL-HOLESiW - prevent damage. If you cannot work a
I Drills finest holes LAPIDARY EQUIP. CO. .HILLQUIST DRUM SANDER specimen out without spoiling it, leave it
l o t high I The most popular drum
1 speed and saws
1545 W . 4 9 St. SEATTLE 7, W N .
I sander made. Patented for someone else who may be better
Idiscsupto \W. I "quick-lock' screw makes' equipped.—Pasadena, California, Mineralog-
I Exclusive ramrod I it easy to change sanding ical Society of Southern California's bulle-
I action prevents I cloth. 3 " x 7 " - $9.50 tin.
I core plugging.
I Fully automatic. HILLQUIST COMPACT LArUNIT
I Bigger than the Gem-Master. Handles
HILLQUIST COMPLETE FACETER I up to a 10" saw. Saws, grinds, AUSTRALIAN FIRE OPAL
Only $62.50 complete with 31 I sands, polishes, laps, facets, * All types In stock. Blue, green, jelly, white,
index plates. You can cut a n y ! I cuts spheres — does every opal chips. Faceting material, slabs, fine
faceted form quickly and 1 specimens. Opal prices on request.
^easily. The equal I
of faceters I H. A. IVERS
costing twice I
1400 N. Hacienda Blvd., Phono Oxford 71248
the price. I | at $122.50 I>a ll;ibra, California.

36 DESERT MAGAZINE
 Have you ever seen anything so sparkling
and bright
As the millions of tin cans along the high-
ways at night?
Like jewels they glisten, in the rays of your
light.
Would they were jewels instead of a blight.
—Pick 'N Shovel
• • •
Limited collecting is now permitted at
has a fine star at the base of the neck, the Brown Derby Mine near Ohio City,
visible on a mirror placed in the solid gold Colorado. Permission to enter and collect
case on which the sapphire is mounted. must be arranged in advance and a charge
The star formation is the only known re- may be made for material collected. Ar-
verse intaglio cabochon in existence. The rangements for visiting this mine may be
Eisenhower sapphire is also the largest black made by writing to Charles Vashus, Ohio
star sapphire in the world today. City, Colorado.—Sooner Rockologist

LINDE "A" RUBY POWDER $3.75 PER LB.

For a LIMITED TIME the factory has asked us to sell "factory seconds"
of this wonderful polishing agent which normally sells for $20 per 1b.
Actual professional tests show this to be perfect for polishing cabochons
and for use in tumbling barrels. DEALERS WRITE FOR DETAILS.
QUANTITY IS LIMITED but we should be able to fill orders until the
end of the year. 8 oz. $2.00; 1 lb. $3.70; 5 lbs. for only $13.90.

TIN OXIDE $1.50 PER POUND

If you buy $5 worth of Basic Lapidary Supplies from the following list.
A $10 purchase entitles you to buy 2 lbs. Tin Oxide at $1.50 per lb.
A $25 purchase entitles you to buy 5 lbs. of Tin Oxide.
The Eisenhower Sapphire NORTON CRYSTOLON GRINDING WHEELS . . .
Size 6xV2" 6x1" 8x1" 8x1 Vi" 10x11/2"
Cutting of the 1444 carat Eisenhower 80 grit $3.20
sapphire has been completed, Kazanjian 100 grit $2.90 $3.95 $5.85 8.20 $12.40
Bros, or Los Angeles, cutters and importers 220 grit 3.25 4.30 6.45 9.00 13.65
of diamonds and precious stones, announced. 320 grit 3.65 4.90 7.35 10.25 15.50
The Eisenhower sapphire joined the Kazan- Shipping weight 2 lbs. 3 lbs. 5 lbs. 6 lbs. 9 lbs.
jian series of Great Americans in sapphire Crystolon Wheel Dressing Brick 6 " x 2 " x l " $1.05
which includes the likenesses of George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The CRYSTOLON ABRASIVE for the Lapidary
Thomas Jefferson sapphire is being carved. Grit Size 1 Pound 5 lb. Lots Grit Size 1 Pound 5 lb. Lots
Six models of the Eisenhower carving 80, 100, 120, 180, 220 $ .90 $ .56 Graded 400 1.09 .75
were made by Harry Derian, the artist, in 2F (320, 3F (400} .94 .60 Graded 600 1.35 .98
terracota. This took over six months. The
actual carving was done with a dental DURITE (Silicon Carbide) ROLL SANDING CLOTH—
power drill using diamond bonded tools,
diamond charged and diamond crystal, at Dry Rolls-Available in 120, 220, 320 grits
a speed of 10,000 revolutions per minute. 2" wide, 25 ft. long-$2.15; 150-foot roll—$ 9.60
Most of the tools were of special design. 3" wide, 15 ft. l o n g - 2.15; 150-foot r o l l - 14.10
The first step was to carve out the nose. 10" wide, 5 ft. long— 2.15
The forehead, mouth, ears and eyes fol- 12" wide, 5 ft. long— 2.40
lowed.
A cavity was discovered on the right DURITE SANDING CLOTH in round disks . . .
side of the neck caused by a basic fault Dry Type Available in 120, 220, 320 grits Wet Type Avail, in 150, 220, 400, 600 grits
line running across the face. This line was 6" discs 8 for $1.10 25 for $ 2.40 6" discs 5 for $1.00 25 for $ 3.90
used to advantage to form the line of the 8" discs 5 for 1.10 25 for 4.40 8" discs 3 for 1.10 25 for 7.00
mouth. The finished sapphire measured 2Yi 10" discs 3 for 1.10 25 for 6.90 10" discs 2 for 1.15 25 for 11.00
x 2-1/16 x 3!4 inches. 12" discs 2 for 1.10 25 for 10.10 12" discs 2 for 1.65 25 for 16.00
A unique feature of the stone is that it
CONGO OR FELKER DI-MET DIAMOND BLADES
4" diamete by .025" thick $ 7.80 10" di jmete r by .040" thick $14.80
1 12" di imete r by .040" thick 18.20
6" diamete by .025" thick 7.80
Gem Stones Serais 6" diamete by .032" thick 7.80 14"
16"
di imete r
di imete
by
by
.050"
.050"
thick
thick
25.20
28.60
Write Your 'Wants' to Merc-ell's 8" diamete by .032" thick 10.40 20" di imete r by .060" thick 39.20
8" diamete by .040" thick 11.40 24" di imete r by .050" thick 50.60
ROCK HOUSE When ordering please state arbor hole size
329 E. Alosta <Hiway 66)
Glendora ALL PRICES F.O.B. PASADENA — ADD 3% SALES TAX IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA
CUSTOM CABOCHON CUTTING
SLAB STOCK
AND SAWING
JEWELRY FINDINGS
GRIEGER'S, Inc.
MI SKKA LIGHTS Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4185 — Catalina Station, Pasadena, Calif.
HIGHLAND PARK 1633 EAST WALNUT ST. PASADENA 4, CALIF.
Lapidary Equipment and Supplies

DECEMBER, 1955 37
 AMERICAN INDIANS USED MANY

GEin m u m A D V E R T I S I N G
12c a word . . . Minimum
RATE
$2.00
MATERIALS FOR ARROWHEADS
American Indians made their most im-
portant implements—the arrowhead—from
a variety of material.
In the East they used Maine slate for their
spear and arrow points. A fine example of
ROCKS—opposite West End Air Base, ag- McSHAN'S GEM SHOP—open part time, quarrying is found in the ancient quarry
ate, woods, minerals, books. Local infor- or find us by directions on door. Cholla right in the heart of Washington, D. C.
mation. Ironwood Rock Shop, Highway cactus wood a specialty, write for prices. Boulders of quartz and quartzite were dug
60-70 West of Blythe, California. 1 mile west on U. S. 66, Needles, Cali- from the shore line of the ancient cretace-
fornia, Box 22. ous sea.
GIVE A CHATHAM Emerald crystal for Indians in the midwest dug into the flint
Christmas. Singles and crystal groups, FIRE AGATE—ground to show the fire, strata for their material. Flint was heated
50c to $4 each, postpaid. Sizes Vi to 2 you finish it. $2, $3 and $5 each. B&H and then dashed into water. This resulted
carats. In Reno, Phone 3-1429. Frey Rock Shop, 2005 N. Big Spring St., Mid- in a cracking of the flint and the usable
Mineral Enterprises, Box 9090, Reno, land, Texas. pieces were then worked into the shape
Nevada. desired.
STOP AND SEE US—we have minerals, In the states of Oklahoma, Kansas and
URANIUM SAMPLE in petrified wood rough and slab material, 32 varieties of Missouri, Indians used chert which gave
(Autunite). Good test specimen with finest baroques and jewelry. Priced to the great plains buffalo hunters their weap-
radiometric assay $1.00 postpaid. T. sell. P. G. Nichols, Shady Acres Trailer ons.
Skokos, Box 151, Kanab, Utah. Court, 1302 W. Casa Grande Rd., Tucson, In Wisconsin and Michigan gray quartzite
Arizona. and sugar stone were used. From the same
states have come many copper artifacts and
JEWELRY MAKERS attention. Folder FOR SALE: Beautiful purple petrified wood arrow points.
with 60 modern, original designs for with uranium, pyrolusite, manganite. Nice In the Southwest and Far West, great
pendants, necklaces, earrings, etc. No sample $1.00. Postage. Maggie Baker, deposits of obsidian furnished excellent ma-
soldering. Complete set $1 postpaid. Kingman, Arizona. terial. The Indians broke off large flakes
Dills-Gould, Box 87, St. Helena, Calif. of this material from the outcroppings and
HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems, chipped them to the right shape.
APPROVAL SELECTIONS—slabs of agate minerals and rocks. The rockhound's In the Northwest came the finest of all
— moss, banded, etc., turritella, desert how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One arrow points—the agate arrowhead. A fa-
roses (plume), Eden Valley petrified year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. mous New York Jewelry firm used Oregon
wood. Colorado petrified woods of reds, Gems and Minerals, Dept. J-10, Palmdale, points to decorate a cup for Kaiser Wilhelm
yellows. Send today! Robert E. Frazee, California. of Germany.—Chicago Rocks and Minerals
328 North Park Avenue, Valley Center, Society's The Pick and Dop Stick
Kansas. MONTANA SERPENTINE. Rare, beau-
tiful, different. For gems, ornaments,
OPALS AND SAPPHIRES rough, direct specimens. Many other uses. If sincerely BAKERSFIELD FOSSIL AREA
from Australia. Cutting opal, 1 ounce interested write for information. Rosebud YIELDS PERFECT PINE CONE
$5, $10, $20, $30 and $60. Blue sap- Serpentine, Box 564, Columbus, Mont.
phires, 1 ounce $10, $30 and $60. Star A fossilized pine cone discovered by
sapphires 12 stones $10, $20, and $30, GEMS A-PLENTY: Beautiful baroque George Saunders of Bakersfield, California,
etc. Post free and insured. Send inter- gems, large variety, tumble polished all has been declared authentic by Theodore
national money order, bank draft. Aus- over, $10.00 for one pound (about 100 Downs, Curator of vertebra paleontology
tralian Gem Trading Co., 49 Elizabeth stones). 10 lbs. of top grade gemstone for the Los Angeles Museum of Natural
St., Melbourne, Australia. Free list of prepaid for $7.00. Wholesale price to History. Saunders found the cone nine miles
all Australian stones rough and cut, 16 pp. dealers on baroque gems and gemstone northeast of Bakersfield at a place known
in the rough. Satisfaction guaranteed on as Shark Tooth's Hill. Downs visited the
GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, every sale. San Fernando Valley Gem area following Saunders' discovery and
blue and bluish green, cut and polished Co., 5905 Kester Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. found a tooth of an extinct species of sea
lion and numerous shark's teeth there.
cabochons — 25 carats (5 to 10 stones Saunders' cone is in an excellent state of
according to size) $3.50 including tax, FINE CRYSTALLIZED minerals and mas- preservation with each nodule and each row
postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10 sive ore specimens direct from western
to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax, mines. Mineralights, fluorescent speci- tightly packed together like cut quartz
postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral mens and specimen kits for prospectors. crystals. Downs said the mineral which
Shop. 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long Beach No cutting material handled. Write for penetrated the cone and hardened it was
2, California. free list. Rocky Mountain Minerals, Dept. gypsum. The specimen is about three-inches
D, Box 1204, Idaho Falls, Idaho. long.
Downs identified the specimen as belong-
BEAUTIFUL FREE GOLD — Specimens ROCK COLLECTORS—Attention! Thanks ing to the middle or late Miocene period.
$1.00 each. Return if not satisfied. Prices to you, and our good merchandise, our
to dealers. J. N. Reed, Box 102, Cabazon, rock and mineral business has steadily
California. grown! Merry Christmas and Happy New ANSWERS TO DESERT QUIZ
Year to all our customers, who are nat-
ATTENTION ROCK COLLECTORS. It urally our friends, too. The Rockologists, Questions are on page 27
will pay you to visit the Ken-Dor Rock Chuck and Mae. 69-457 Highway 111, 1—Lizard.
Roost. We buy, sell, or exchange mineral Box 181, Cathedral City, California. 2—Escape persecution.
specimens. Visitors are always welcome. 3—Paleontologist.
Ken-Dor Rock Roost, 419 Slitter, Mo- 4—Death Valley '49ers.
desto, California. 5—Santa Fe.
Rockhounds and others interested in min-
erals have been invited to visit one of the 6—Billy the Kid.
COLORADO MINERAL specimens, cut- Southwest's most complete displays at the 7—Food.
ting and tumbling materials. Send 2 cent Arizona Mineral Museum in Phoenix. The 8—The Mountain Meadows Massa-
stamp for list and terms. Dealers please museum is located at the State Fairgrounds cre.
write for wholesale list. John Patrick, and will be open throughout the winter from 9—Chemicals.
Idaho Springs, Colorado. 9 to 5 Monday through Friday and from 10—Phoenix.
9 to noon, Saturdays. 11—The bottom of Grand Canyon.
NOTICE: After August first we will be 12—Mexicans.
located at 2020 North Carson St., Carson 13—Salt River Valley of Arizona.
City, Nevada. Mail address, P.O. Box The nation's rockhounds will soon be 14—Topaz.
117. Gold Pan Rock Shop, John L. and identified by auto insignias, sponsored by 15—Species of date.
Etta A. James, prop. the American Federation. The new insignias 16—Quicksilver.
are now being distributed by the Federation 17—Colorado River.
ROUGH TURQUOISE — World famous to an estimated 30,000 rockhounds in the 18—Nevada.
19—Saguaro.
spiderweb turquoise. $1 per ounce, $12.50 United States. From the Rockhound Record, 20—Narcotic effect.
per pound. Travis Edgar, Battle Moun- bulletin of the Mineralogical Society of
tain, Nevada. Arizona.

DESERT MAGAZINE
COMMON SALT ONE OF MOST CYCLOTRON PERMANENTLY however, and after millions of years the
IMPORTANT MINERALS KNOWN color is still only skin deep. Natural stones
CHANGES DIAMOND'S COLOR in which the color change has penetrated
Common salt, sodium chloride, is such deeply enough to survive cutting and pol-
a familiar commodity that people tend to The exposure of cut diamonds to a stream
take it for granted. In modern life it is of deuterons produced by a cyclotron is ishing are very rare and hence extremely
scarcely possible to avoid contact with salt, modern alchemy having an effect similar expensive.
the products of salt, or things in the prepa- to that achieved in Nature when diamonds Cyclotron bombardment now makes safely
ration of which salt has played a part. It is lie deep in the earth close to radioactive and permanently available this coloration
an indispensable article in the diet of man minerals. The green or golden color char- of diamonds. Once removed from the cyclo-
and animals, yet less than 5 percent of the acteristic of certain rough stones, both Bra- tron there is no residual radioactivity in the
U. S. production is consumed in the home, zilian and South African, is now believed
for salt is the basic chemical raw material gem as there was in the radium-treated stones
from which most sodium and chlorine com- caused by such natural bombardment. The of 20 years ago.—Chicago Rock and Min-
pounds are made. It has, in addition, hun- weak rays do not penetrate the stones deeply, erals Society's Pick and Dop Slick
dreds of other commercial applications, in-
cluding the preserving of food and ice con-
trol.
Salt is obtained from sea water, from
mines and from brines beneath dry lakes.
Halite, the natural sodium chloride, has a This is b u t a s m a l l p o r t i o n o f G R I E G E R ' S I N C . stock o f
perfect cubic cleavage, a hardness of 2.5
and a specific gravity of 2.1 to 2.6 The BRACELET CHAINS KEY CHAINS NECKLACE CHAINS
pure mineral is transparent to translucent If you do not hove o u r FREE C A T A L O G — 5 5 1 , send f o r it.
and colorless to white, but impure halite
may be yellow, brown or red. It occurs as
crystals with cubic habit or as a granular No. 39-5
mass called rock salt. KEY RING I "
The three general types of salt marketed & I" FANCY
are: crude salt, produced from sea water, 18 INCHES
99.4 percent pure; kiln dried salt, a mois- CHAIN
THIS 11 LUSTRATION' SHOWS ONLY
ture free product, 99.8 percent pure; and A PORTION OF CHAIN AflD CARP Chain will not kink.
vacuum refined salt, 99.95 percent pure. No. 26C-6 RHODIUM PLATED
The latter is used for seasoning food.—Del- NECK CHAIN — 18' 2 for $1.00
vers Gem and Mineral Society's Delvings
YOUR COST—78 c each I dz $3.85 3 dz $8.65
in I doz lots. GOLD PLATED
GEOLOGICAL FAMILY LINKS On fancy display card, jump rings made 2 for $1.00
FOSSIL, OIL LOCATIONS from as large as 19 gauge wire will fit in dz$3.75 3 dz $8.45
these links for hanging baroques.
Microscopic fish fossils may provide clues YOUR COST—24c each
to the location of oil, a husband and wife STERLING SILVER RHODIUM PLATED
$I.IOea 3 for $ 2 . 8 0 I dz $ 8 . 3 5 in 3 doz lots.
geological team reported. They found that
endothyroid foraminifiera, which enrich de- GOLD FILLED
posits of Indiana limestone, were good in- $l.25ea 3 for $3.10 I dz $ 9 . 3 0 DEALERS WRITE FOR PRICES
dicators of oil.
The fossils are a half a millimeter in
diameter and they bear physical resemblance
to the pearly nautilus. They existed between YOUR COST—26c each
70 and 80 million years ago, according to in 3 doz lots. No. 27-2
the New York Times. Dr. Doris E. Nodine NECKLACE CHAIN 18 "
Zeller, who examined these fossils in the Has foldover clasp. Any of our jump rings
Rocky Mountains, the Avon Gorge near will fit in links.
Bristol, England, and in the Djurdja Moun- RHODIUM PLATED 2 for $1.00 $4.10 dz 3 dz $ 9 . 2 5
tains of northern Algeria, was assisted by
her husband, Dr. Edward E. Zeller. GOLD PLATED 2 for $1.00 $3.50 dz 3 dz $7.90
They found the fossils in rocks of an age
equivalent to those unearthed in the Missis-
sippian stratum in northern Illinois, Indiana
and Missouri. This information was of par-
ticular interest to oil geologists, who believe
the presence of these fossils indicate the No. 28-3 These bracelet chains are ideal for mak-
location of oil. (From the Pick and Dop BRACELET CHAIN 7" ing of baroque bracelet jewelry. The
Stick, bulletin of the Chicago Rocks and clasps are the foldover type which allow
Minerals Society.) STERLING SILVER RHODIUM PLATED
easy hooking. Any of our jump rings will
95c ea 3 for $2.15 1 dz $7.60
fit in the links.
GOLD FILLED YOUR COST— 73c each
Employees of North American Aviation's
propulsion field laboratory at Chatsworth, $I.IOea 3 for $2.50 dz $8.80 in I doz lots.
California, have organized a new rockhound
club, the North American Rocket Rock-
hounds. Elected president of the new or-
ganization was Felix Kallis. Other officers No. 28-4 These bracelet chains are ideal for mak-
include Frank K. William, vice president; BRACELET CHAIN 7" ing of baroque bracelet jewelry. The
Peggy Hood, secretary; and Mrs. Madelyn clasps are the foldover type which allow
Cheadle, treasurer. The club has 25 charter RHODIUM PLATED
members. Meetings are held on the first 3 for $1.00 I dz $2.70 3 dz $7.30 easy hooking. Any of our jump rings will
Friday of each month. Kallis is a past fit in the links.YOUR COST—20c each
GOLD PLATED
president of the San Diego, California, in 3 doz lots.
Mineral and Gem Society. 4 for $1.00 I dz $2.45 3 dz $6.60
PRICES QUOTED APPLY ONLY TO THOSE QUANTITIES MENTIONED
PER ITEM AND COLOR OR LARGER MULTIPLES THEREOF.
ADD 1 0 % FEDERAL EXCISE TAX EXCEPT WHERE N O T E D .
FAMOUS TEXAS PLUMES C a l i f o r n i a r e s i d e n t s — P l e a s e a d d 3 % s a l e s t a x .
Red Plume, Black Plume, Pom
Pom and many other types of
agate. Slabs sent on approval
for deposit or reference. Free
price list on rough agate.
GRIEGER'S, Inc.
MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 4 I 85, CATALINA STATION, PASADENA, CALIF.
WOODWARD RANCH Box 453, Alpine, Texas

DECEMBER, 1 9 5 5 39
 Three thousand people attended the recent HORSE CANYON AGAIN OPEN, AUSTRALIA CLAIMS WORLD'S
Humboldt Gem and Mineral Society show ROCKHOUND CLUB REPORTS
in Eureka, California, the sponsoring or- FINEST OPAL SPECIMENS
ganization announced. Outstanding exhibits Horse Canyon, popular Southern Cali- Of all the gem stones found in Australia,
included jade and gold collections and the fornia collecting area, has again been the opal is perhaps the most outstanding
1500-piece cabochon collection owned by opened to rockhounds. This famous agate for its quality is admittedly the best in the
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Johnson of Corvallis, deposit in Cache Creek near Monolith, Cali- world, the play of color, intensity and va-
Oregon. fornia, has been leased by the Horse Can- riety of pattern being infinitely superior
• • • yon Agate Club of Fresno for 1955-56 with to opal mined elsewhere.
an option to renew the lease for 1956-57.
Dates for the 1956 Rocky Mountain Clubs and individuals who wish to collect There are four main types of opal in
Federation convention in Rapid City, South in this area may obtain permission to do Australia: white or fire opal, black, boulder
Dakota, have been set for June 14-17. A so by purchase of a ticket which entitles and opal matrix. Opal is a child of the
feature attraction of the meeting will be them to a day's digging for one dollar. A desert and occurs in what is known as the
a mass display of the major Fairburn agate limit of 50 pounds of material has been Rolling Downs Formation where there is
collections. — Wichita Gem and Mineral placed on each ticket. Camping is per- everywhere a tendency to opalization.
Society's Quarry Quips mitted in the established area only. Deep Opal is composed of hydrated silica and
holes and excavations must be filled and has a specific gravity of 2 to 2.2 with a
firearms or explosives are not allowed in hardness on Mohs' scale of 5.5 to 6.5.
the area. Secretary of the Fresno club is Generally speaking it is not necessary to
Mrs. Helen P. Bever.—Lockheed Employees diamond saw opals when cutting. The se-
Recreation Club's Rockcrafters quence of operation i.1:: I. sawing; 2. rough-
ing out, holding stone by hand; 3. cement-
ing on dopstick; 4. roughing out, removing
surplus material and shaping; 5. finishing
SILVER ONCE OUTVALUED grinding to exact shape and setting edges; 6.
GOLD BY 14-1 RATIO sanding on carbo paper; 7. sanding on worn
Silver has been known from the begin- carbo paper; 8. polishing on felt buff; 9.
nings of history. It is ductile and malleable knocking off dopstick; 10. cleaning with
—one ounce of this metal can be stretched methylated spirits. Compton, California,
into a mile-long wire. Rockhound Call
In 2000 B.C. Greece considered silver
more valuable than gold. The rate of ex-
change was one ounce of silver for 14
ounces of gold. Coins were first made out FINGERNAIL, COPPER PENNY
of silver around 600 B.C. A common prac- USED FOR HARDNESS TEST
tice was to shave the edges of the coins to
obtain a few crumbs of illegal silver. This If you want to check the relative hard-
was stopped by introducing a raised ridge ness of a specimen that you have found
around the edge of the coin—a practice still but do not have a hardness scale with you,
employed today on all coins. Silver is found you can easily improvise by using three
in many different ores, the main one being common things: your fingernail, a copper
argentite.—Hollywood, California, Lapidary penny and a knife blade.
and Mineral Society's The Sphere A fingernail has a hardness of slightly
over 2 on Mohs' scale. All minerals that
HILLQUIST can be scratched by your fingernail are
less than 2.5. This includes talc and selenite
COMPARE! (gypsum). A copper cent has a hardness
9 Put the Hillquist Gemmaster beside any lapidary of about 3.5 which means it can scratch
machine — cheaper, flimsy "gadgets" or units that the above mentioned two minerals and
sell at twice the price. Compare construction! Com- calcite. A steel knife blade has a hardness
pare ease of operation! Compare how much you of about 5.5 which will scratch the three
get for your money and you'll say, "I'll take the minerals above plus fluorite and apatite.
Gemmaster!"
When you test a mineral for its hardness,
Here is a worthy companion for our larger and remember to test a fresh surface. Many
more expensive Hillquist Compact Lapidary Unit.
Tho smaller in size, the Hillquist Gemmaster has
minerals that are exposed to the weather
many of the same features. It's all-metal with spun tend to become soft and powdery.—David
aluminum tub. You get a rugged, double-action rock E. Jensen's My Hobby is Collecting Rocks
clamp, not a puny little pebble pincher. You get a anil Minerals
full 3 " babbitt sleeve bearing and ball thrust bear-
ing. You get a big 7" Super Speed diamond saw
and all the equipment you need to go right to work.
While various types of petrified wood
USES ALL ACCESSORIES showing worm hole borings are not rare,
You can use all the regular Hillquist accessories
with the Gemmaster: The Hillquist Facetor, Sphere
yet they are by no means common in fine
Cutters, Laps, Drum and Disc Sanders, etc. examples. In general there are two types
of worm bored fossil woods, those made by
WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG dry land termites which are the smaller
"POOR MAN'S URANIUM holes as a rule; and the salt water teredo
i COMPLETE, READY TO USE! YOU GET ALL THIS- bores which are usually larger holes nearly
DETECTOR"—$8.49 an inch in diameter.—The Mineralogist.
With the Urani-Tector Uranium Kit you can
now prospect at low cost! New invention
by University of Wyoming scientists using
sun's energy! All you need for prospecting
for all types of uranium. More reliable than
Geiger Counters for determining uranium
ALTA INDUSTRIES
BIG 7" Diamond Saw • 6 ' x 1 " Gi value. Includes 4 valuable uranium ores. 2133 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, Arizona
Wheel • 6 " Felt Buff • 6 " Backing Wheel Ideal gift for Dad or Junior.
6 " Disc Sander • Double-action Rock
Clamp • Oil Feed Cup • Water Feed LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT
Hose & Clamp • Dop Sticks & Dop Wax< GEM COLLECTORS:
Polish, Compound, Etc.
Pocket-size, long-wave Urani-Tector shows
MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN
the beautiful fluorescence of fluorescent
BUILT FOR LONG SERVICE!
No other low-cost lap unit minerals, and may be purchased (separately New 10-12 inch powerfeed slabbing
gives you full 3 " sleeve from the Kit) for $3.89. saw unit.
bearing, ball thrust bearing
and pressure lubrication. Postpaid. Moneybacfe guarantee from— 16-18 inch powerfeed slabbing saw
units.
CMG INDUSTRIES, Inc. 8 and 10 inch trim saw units.
/ OJ. DM-12, 615 So. Second
LARAMIE, WYOMING Plain and ball bearing belt sanders.
Send postal for free literature.

40 DESERT MAGAZINE
DESERT MAGAZINE JANUARY TO
PALM DESERT, CALIF. EIGHTEENTH VOLUME INDEX DECEMBER, 1955

Bailey, Paul Walkara, Hawk of the Robinson, Bert, Basket Weavers of Ari-
Mountains _ Mar p43 zona - . _ __ .. Apr p47
Adams, Aries Aug p4 Beebe, Lucius, Comstock Commotion Sinkankas, John, Gem Cutting—A Lapi-
Adams, John Dec p9 . Jan p41 dary's Manual Nov p40
Agua Prieta, Mexico Aug p27 Belden, Burr, Death Valley Heroine Southern Ariz. Bank & Trust Co., The
Agua Salada, Mexico.., —Jan plO _ Aug p47 Other Side of the Mountain Jan p43
Ajo, Arizona _ — Jun pl8 Bernard, Barney & Higham, True Story Smith, Watson and Roberts, Zuni Law:
Algodones Sand Dunes ._ ...Jun p8, Oct p4 of Jacob Walzer— . ... Feb p47 A Field of Values .. May p43
Ail-American Canal Jun pl2 Braddy, Haldeen, Cock of the Walk Stegner, Wallace, This Is Dinosaur
Allen, Dorothy W., Author of— ....Dec p45 Sep p47
Rare Bird of the Santa Ritas Nov p23 Carlson, R., The Flowering Cactus Toore, Frances, New Guide to Mexico
Allen, Dorothy W. (Close-ups) ....Nov p24 ...Feb p47 . Jul p47
Allen, Norton (Close-ups) Apr p23 Carter, E., The Gift Is Rich Oct p47 Verde Valley Pioneers, Pioneer Stories
Alvarado, Jose Jan plO Clements, Thomas, Geological Story of of Arizona's Verde Valley ... Jul p45
Amboy Crater, Calif Sep p l l Death Valley .. _ May p43 Walker, Ardis, The Manly Map and the
Animal Life— de Baca, Fabiola, We Fed Them Cactus Manly Story .. May p43
Bighorn sheep Jun p21 ... Aug p47 Wellman, Paul, Glory, God and Gold
Burros Jan p29, Mar pl9, May p30 Coachella Valley UHS, The Key to Plants Mar p43
Elk Apr p36 and Places of Interest in Coachella Val- Woodbury, Richard B., Prehistoric Stone
Deer ..... __.Oct p24 ley Jun p47 Implements of Northeastern Arizona
Frog .. ..Apr p 15, Jul pi2 Comstock, John. Butterflies of California Dec p47
Gila Monster Jun p21 _ May p43 Wortman, Bill and Orv, Bouncing Down
Ground sloth _ ... Feb p24 Cory, Dr. David, Within Two Worlds to Baja ... Mar p43
Kangaroo rat Jan p9 Dec p47 Borrego Valley, Calif..... Jun p9
Kit fox Jan pl9 Cummings, Byron, First Inhabitants of Botany—
Lion Feb p7 Arizona and the Southwest Nov p47 Agave ... Mar p8
Mice Apr p 15 Davids, Arlette, Rock Plants Dec p45 Ajo lily Jun pi8
Pack rat Jul p25 Dexter, Earle F., Doors Toward the Bamboo Jun p26
Peccary __Jun p21 Sunrise Dec p47 Cactus ...Mar p6, Jun p21, Nov pi4
Rabbit ...Feb p27 Disney, Walt, Living Desert Jun p47 Camellia Dec p24
Squirrel .. .._ Apr pi5 Dodge and Zim, The American South- Canyon broom . ...Apr p4
Wildcat _ . Nov p26 west Aug p47 Catsclaw . .. Apr p4
Wood rat Jul p25 Early and Morhardt, Western Men and Chilopsis _ Apr p4
Anvil Canyon and Springs, Calif Sep p4 Desert Gold .. _. Apr p47 Chuperosa .. ... May p25
Apache Creek and Springs, N.M.____Feb pl8 Emmitt, Robert, The Last War Trail Cirio .. . ... Oct pl9
Archeology— ...Jan p41 Columbine _. Apr p 19
Ferguson, Harvey, Rio Grande.. Aug p47 Corona de Cristo ... Jun p2 1
Columbian Mammoth Oct p9 Creosote Jun p21, Nov p46
Dinosaur tracks _ _ Feb p35 Forbes, Robt., Crabb's Filibustering Ex-
pedition Into Sonora, 1857. Jan p43 Desert aster Jun p27
Petroglyphs — Canyon del Diablo, Aug Desert holly . . Mar p30, May p25
p6; Greenwater Canyon, Oct pl6; Mission Graham, Wm., The Reno Court of In-
quiry Jan p43 Desert willow Jun p21
San Pablo de Bicuner, Jun p 12; Palomar Devil's claw _ Jun p!6
Canyon, Feb p9; Saddle Mt., Dec plO; Hafen, LeRoy and Ann, The Old Spanish
Trail Oct p47 Earth-star ...Jun pl5
San Cristobal, May pl6, Aug p30; Valley Elephant tree . ...Feb plO
of Fire, Feb p24 Haskell, H. and Deaver, C ,
Pinyon Resources Dec p47 Fiddleneck ....May p25
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum—Jun pl6, Galls Aug p!6
Aug p24, Oct p23 Hepburn, Andrew, Complete Guide to Goat-nut . ... May p25
California Jul p45 Grapple melon .. Jun pl6
Atomic Energy Commission Jan p4
Hood, Mary V., Outdoor Hazards, Real I ion wood
Atwater, Jane, Author of— and Fancied ... Nov p47
Hobbies for Health Jan pl5 ... Apr p4, May p25, Jun p21, Dec pl3
Houston. Eleanor, Death Valley Scotly Jimson May p25
Told Me Jul p45 Joshua tree ...May p5
B Lavender, David, Bent's Fort Jul p47 Juniper . _ May p25
Long, Margaret, The Santa Fe Trail Lily ....May p25
Badwater Bill ...Jan p20, Mar p25 ... Dec p45 Melonita Jun p 16
Barnett, Christena, Author of— Madison, Virginia, The Big Bend Mesquite .. . Jun p21
Natives in My Garden Aug p20 Country Dec p47 Orobanche Jun p 16
Barnett, Chistena (Close-ups) Aug p45 Mann, E. and Harvey, F., New Mexico— Palm ...Feb plO
Land of Enchantment Dec p45 Palo de Cristo __ May p5
Barrett, Ed Apr p5
Martin, Douglas, Yuma Crossing Sep p47 Palo Verde .... Apr p4, May p24, Jun p21
Basso, Nellie and David Apr p l l , Jul pl6 Pines Apr pl8
Beckwourth Jul p20 McGraw-Hill Field Series, Amphibians
and Reptiles of Western North America Podaxis ...Jun pl5
Bell Rock, Ariz. Jul pl4 Poinsettia .. Dec p24
Benson, Forrest Jan p27 Jan p41 Pyracantha .. ... Dec p24
Big Bend National Park Feb pl7 Morris, Henry C , Desert Gold and Rhus ovatas .. _.May p7
Birds—barn owl, Jun p9; buzzards, Feb pl2; Total Prospecting ...Dec p45 Rixfort rockwort .. ... Mar p20
caracara, Feb. pl2; great horned owl, Jul Nininger, Dr. Robt., Minerals for Atomic Roses Apr pl9
p2; hawk, Feb pl2; hummingbird, Feb Energy Feb p47 Sagebrush - A u g pl6
p8; kinglet, Sep pl8; ospreys, Sep p l 3 ; Nordhoff, Walter (de Fierro Blanco), Smoke tree ...Apr p4, May p25, Jun p21
Palmer thrasher, Oct p25; red-shafted The Journey of the Flame __Sep pl5 Squash Apr p22
flicker, Oct. p2; sparrow, Apr pl6; Town- Ormsby, Waterman, The Butterfield Over- Sticker weeds Jul p23
send solitaire, Sep pi8; trogon, Nov p23; land Mail Jul p44 Willow May p25
white winged dove, Oct p25. Palm Springs Desert Museum, The Desert Bradshaw Trail .. Jul p7
Black Rock Desert Apr p l l in Pictures __ Jun p47
Brinkerhoff, Cordelia, Author of—
Blake, Wm. Oct p5 Parks, Bill, The Mestizo.... ...Oct p47
Battle of Agua Prieta Aug p27
Blythe, Calif. ....Jun p4 Pearl, Richard, How to Know the Min-
erals and Rocks-. Apr p47, Nov p40 Brinkerhoff, Cordelia (Close-ups) Aug p45
Book Reviews—
Adams, Ansel, Mission San Xavier Del Peterson, Elmer, Big Dam Foolishness Bronco Canyon, Ariz May p4
Bac Apr p47 ...Jun p47 Brown, Charles.... ...Jan p20, Mar p21
Agnew, Edith, Nezbah's Little Lamb Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Hiking, Bundy, Gus .. ...Jan pl6
_ Nov p47 Camping, Mountaineering and Trail-Clear- Burridge, Gaston, Author of—
The Gray Eyes Family Dec p45 ing Equipment Sep p47 Trout Streams of the Mojave May p9
Arthur, Edward, Let's Go Prospecting Reveles, Efren, Indian Campfire Tales Will the Desert Become the Powerplant
Feb p47 Mar p43 for a New World? Sep pl6

DECEMBER, 1955 41
Burridge, Gaston (Close-ups) Sep p22 Galurio Mts., Ariz. Jun p8 Horse Springs, N. M Feb p20
Burroughs, Hulbert, Author of— Garces, Padre Franciscan Jan p l l , Jun plO Hoyt, Mrs. Albert Jun p22
Tomorrow's Desert Feb p4 Gardner, Ace Jun p4 Huhn, Ernie Sep p4
Bustamente, C. Jan pl2 Gatewood, Lt. Charles Sep p8 Humboldt River, Nev. Jul pl9
Butte Valley, Calif.... .—.Apr pl3, Sep p7 Geronimo Head, Ariz. Feb p23
Gems and Minerals (Collecting Areas)— I
c Apache Mts., N. M. Feb pi8 Ichthyosaur State Park, Nev Dec p4
Camp, Chas. L. Dec p4 Chemehuevi Mts., Calif Nov pl8 Indians—
Camp Verde Museum Jun p29 Greenwater Canyon, Calif Oct pl7 Arts & crafts Mar plO, Jun p27, Dec p24
Capitol Reef Nat. Mon. Aug p47, Nov p4 Monte Cristo Mts., Nev Mar pl2 Ceremonials—Intertribal, Mar p l l ; Nav-
Carr, Wm. Oct p23 Saddle Mt., Ariz Dec p9 ajo fire dance, Jan p20; Navajo medicine
Case, Paul _. Jun p4 Trinity Range, Nev Jul pi6 bag, Apr p26; Navajo war dance, Mar
Chaffin, Art and Delia Sep p46 Wilson Canyon, N. M.~ Feb pl8 p27, Jun pl7; Yuma keruk, Aug p31;
Chambers Well, Calif Feb pl4 Gems and Minerals (Specimens) — Zuni shalakos, Jan p30.
Chuckawalla Mts. and Well. May pl9, Jul p6 Agate Mar pl2 Education Jun pp21, 22
Cinnamon Roll Rocks Apr pl6 Chalcedony Dec p9 Food Nov pl4
Clapp, George Mar pi9 Chert Nodules Jul pl8 Government . Jun p21, Oct p30
Clark Mt., Calif Sep pl9 Geodes Apr p4 Health ...Jun p21
Clark, Tom Jul p4 Jasper Mar pl4, Jul pl8 Legends Apr p20, Dec p21
Clements, Dr. Thomas Jan p20 Obsidian Apr pl8, Jul pl8 Personalities—Ban-i-quash, Aug p24; Bar-
Coffman, Nellie Jul p8 Opal Feb pi9, Jul pi7, Aug plO boncito, Jun pl7; Begay, Dana, Jun p27;
Collins, Col. Carter Dec p5 Petrified wood Mar pl4, Aug pl5 Bowannie, Fred, Jun p27; Chee, Begay
Colorado River Phonolite May p4 Apr p26; Cochise, May pi3; Coloradas,
..Mar p31, Jun pp5, 11, 32, 46, Aug p30 Wonderstone Mar pl6 Mangas, Feb pl9; Daklugie, Jun p31;
Conservation Jun ppl7, 22, 29, 32, 46 Geology—Feb pp4, 25, Mar ppl4, 20, Oct Geronimo, Mar plO, Sep p9; Hayes, Ira,
Coolidge, Ariz. Jun p5 p9, Dec pl4 Mar p42; Houser, Allan, Mar plO; Kay-
Coyote Holes, Calif. Jul p7 Ghost towns— itah, Sep p8; Martine, Sep p8; Mother
Craik, Jesse ...Jul p28 Berlin, Nev. Dec p7 MacCree, Jan p26; Palma, Feb p46; Tso,
Crowley Lake, Calif Apr pi9 Chala, Apr p28; Victorio, Feb pl9.
Fairview, Nev. Oct p l l
Crow Springs, Nev Mar pl2 Grantsville, Nev. Dec p7 Prehistoric Aug pl9, Sep p2
Culiacan, Mexico Mar p9 Hardin City, Nev Apr plO Tribes — Chemehuevis, Feb pl6; Hopi,
D lone, Nev. Dec p7 Sep p27, Dec p8; Navajo, Jun pi7, Nov
Jarbidge, Nev. .Nov p7 pl2; Pai-Pai, Feb p9; Papago, Jun p21,
Darwin, Calif. Mar pl9 Jul p30, Aug p24; Quechan, Apr p5, Jun
De Anza, Captain Jan p l l Leetsville, Nev Jan pl5
Old Ryan, Calif -Oct pl6 p 10; San Carlos, Apr p33.
Death Valley Mar pl9, Sep p4 Welfare Feb p5, Jun p21
Death Valley Scotty Jan p20 Picacho, Calif. _ Apr p4
Delmonte, Jocelyn Apr p20 Union, Nev. Dec p7 Insects Jan pl9
Delmonte, John Feb pi4 Glass Mountain, Calif Apr pl8 Isenbeck, Charles Apr plO
Desalting water unit Feb p31 Glimpse, Fred, Author of— Ives, Lt. J. Feb pl6
Desert Hobbies Jan pl5 He Saw Only the Desert -- -July p21 I
Desert Protective Council. Jan p42, Jun p21 Glimpse, Fred (Close-ups) July p24
Devil's Canyon Aug p4 Goss, Inez, Author of— Jaeger, Edmund, Author of On Desert Trails
Devil's Postpile Nat. Mon Mar p 13 Hens That Lay Wooden Eggs Sep p21 with a Naturalist series—
Dillon, Richard, Author of— Goss, Inez (Close-ups) Sep p22 X—Life on Two Deserts Jan pl8
Adolph Sutro's Coyote Hole Mar pl7 Granite Springs Valley, Nev Jul pl7 XI—Scavengers of Sonora Feb pl2
Dillon, Richard (Close-ups) Mar p26 Grand Canyon Jan p9, Oct p29 XII—Where Burros Collect the Garbage
Dodge, Thomas Jan p27 Green, Ed Apr p l l , Jul pl6, Aug pl3 and No One Pays the Rent Mar pl9
Dos Palmas Oasis, Calif Jul p4 Green, Tom Jun p4 XIII—Denizens of the Desert Who Live
Double Hot Springs, Nev Apr p9 Greenwater Canyon, Calif. Oct pl6 by Their Wits Apr pl5
Douglas, Ariz. Aug p27 Greenway, Col. John Jun pl8 XIV — Hard-Shelled Denizens of the
Dowling, Tom Feb plO Guadalajara, Mexico Mar p8 Wastelands May pl9
Dragoon Mts., Ariz. May p l l XV—Strange Plants from Desert Lands
H Jun p 15
Dunn, Dorothy __ Mar plO Hall, Dick Wick _ Jul p9 XVI—lt Builds Its Home of Wood Jul p25
E Halliday, Dr. W. R., Author of—We Ex- XVII — Strange Hatcheries for Desert
Eggert, Gilbert, Author of— plored the Winding Stair Cave—Dec pl5 Insects Aug pl6
Agate Hunters in the Apaches -Feb pl8 Halliday, Dr. W. R. (Close-ups).-Dec p20 XVIII—Rare Mollusks on Desert Slopes
Eichbaum, H. W. Mar pl9 Hardin, J. A. Apr p9 ._ - Sep p 18
El Camino del Diablo Jan plO Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley XIX—Gray Ghosts of the Viscaino Des-
Elephant Rock _ Feb p25 Every issue ert Oct pl9
Ellinger, Ed, Author of— Hassayampa Dam Disaster Nov p l l XX—Desert Hunter — Shy and Deadly
Sedona Is Our Home Town Jul p 13 Haury, Dr. Emil Oct p9 Nov p26
Ellinger, Ed (Close-ups) Jul p24 Hazen, Guy May p4 Jaeger, Edmund (Close-ups) Dec p20
Emory, Lt. Wm Jun pl8 Heald, Phyllis, Author of— Jackson, Raymonde, Author of—
Engelhardt, Father Zephy Jun plO Fish that Thrive in Cactus Land Apr p29 We Are Seeking a New Home in the
Esmeralda formation, Nev Mar pl4 Held, Ed Dec pl6 Back Country Oct p21
Everett, Percy Aug p20 Hemet Jeep Cavalcade Apr p34 Jackson, Raymonde (Close-ups) Oct pl8
F Henderson, Randall, Author of— Jalisco, Mexico Mar p8
Fages, Pedro Jan p l l , Jun plO Ace Gardner on the Trail Jun p4 James, Harry C , Author of—The Man Who
Fallon, Nev Mar pl7 Cattle Ranch Among the Palms—Feb p9 Laughed Too Much Dec p21
Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs Kelly of Capitol Reef Nov p4 Jarbidge Canyon, Nev Nov p7
Oct p46 Three Days in Devil's Canyon Aug p4 Jeffords, Dolores, Author of—
Felt, E. P. Aug pl8 Herbert, Charles, Author of—Saguaro Har- Dwelling Place of the Ancients Feb p24
Ferguson Lake, Calif. Apr p5 vest in the Land of Papagos Nov pl4 Jeffords, Dolores (Close-ups) Feb p20
Fish..._-Apr p29, Jun p21, Jul pl2, Sep pl9 Herbert, Charles (Close-ups) Nov p24 Joshua Tree Nat. Mon Apr pl6, Jun p22
Fleck, Randolph Jul pl4 Hesperia, Calif. Mar p28 K
Fort Union, N. M. Apr p36 Hidden Passage Canyon Jan p21 Kelly, Charles Aug p46, Nov p4
Fort Yuma, Ariz. Jun plO Hidden Springs Oasis, Calif Jun p21 Kerley, Joe, Author of—The Last Rug of
Forty-Mile Desert ^..Jan pl5, Jul pl6 Highways and roads—Mar pl9; Jun pp30, Mother MacCree Jan p26
Fossils—Jan p29, Feb p33, May p31, Jun 46; Sep p46; Oct p6 King, Bill Sep pl3
p32, Aug p33, Sep ppll, 31; Dec p4 Hite Ferry Jul p29, Sep p46 Kino, Father Eusebio
Fry (Sierra Vista), Arizona Oct p30 Hockey, Edith, Author of— Jan p l l , Apr p21, Jun p21
Fuller, Bertha, Author of— Life on the Desert Jan p24
Everything Was Peaceful Jan p22 Hockey, Edith (Close-ups) Jan p8 L
Hodson, Keith Aug p l l Laguna Dam Jun pl2
G Hoffman, Hal, Author of— Laguna Salada Feb p9
Gaillard, Capt. D. Jan pl4 Life on the Desert May p27 Laird, Art and Nell Jan pl7
Gallenkamp, Charles, Author of— Holtville, Calif. Jun p7 Lake Havasu Nov p21
Where Ancients Wrote in Stone May pl6 Homesteading—Jun p31, Aug p20, Sep p24, Lake Lahontan Jul pl8
Gallenkamp, Charles (Close-ups)-May plO Oct p22 Largo Canyon, N. M _Feb pi8

42 DESERT MAGAZINE
Las Playas, Ariz. Jan pl4 Mesquite Diggings, Jul p5; Naretina Mar- Robt. Leatherman, R. Riddell Jr. Oct p2
Laudermilk, Jerry, Author of— ble, May p l l ; Nevada Hills Mine, Oct Adrian Atwater, Willard Luce...Nov p25
Night in Ghostly Castle Sep p26 pl3; Rainbow Ridge, Aug pl2; Sutro R. Riddell, Jr., L. Kirk... Dec p25
Leadabrand, Russ, Author of— Tunnel, Mar pl7; Uranium, Jan p4 Photography (covers) —
Day in Greenwater Canyon Oct pl6 Mitchell, Jack Dec pl5 In Navajoland Esther Henderson Jan
Lea Russell Canyon, N. M Feb pl9 Mitchells Caverns Dec pi5 Badwater Hill Josef Muench ... ... Feb
Lechugilla Mts., Ariz Jan pl4 Mobley, Sheriff .. ...Jun p7 Desert Goldenbush Adrian Atwater Mar
Lederer, Muriel, Author of—They're Finding Mono Lake, Calif. Apr pi8 Devil's Cactus Garden
Pay dirt on the Colorado Plateau Jan p4 Monte Cristo Mts., Nev Mar pl2 Hubert A. Lowman ... Apr
Leon, Manuel Feb plO Montezuma Castle, Ariz. Sep p26 Desert Tortoise Harold O. Weight May
Leonard, John Jun p21 Montgomery Pass, Nev...Mar pl4, Apr p20 Zion National Park Josef Muench Jun
Leroux, Antoine May p5 Moreno, Jose Jun plO Sedona, Arizona Ed Ellinger Jul
Lesure, Thomas, Author of— Morris, Marijane, Author of— Harvest Time in Canyon de Chelly
He Captured Geronimo Sep p8 Apache Artist Mar plO Josef Muench Aug
Their Grubstake Is in Copper Jun pl8 Morris, Marijane (Close-ups) Mar p26 Aspens on San Francisco Peak
Lesure, Thomas (Close-ups) Jun p24 Mosauer, Dr. Walter .Jan pl9 Harry Vroman Sep
Lewis, Nev. Jul pl6 Mountain climbing _ . . A p r pl8 On the Mossy Cave Trail
Lights, Garver Apr pl8 Mount Glen, Ariz. May pl2 Hubert A. Lowman ....Oct
Ligier, DeForest, Author of—They Mine Mt. Wheeler, Nev. ...-.Dec pl4 Suguaro Cactus Fruit
Marble in Apacheland May p l l Murbarger, Nell, Author of— Charles W. Herbert .. ... Nov
Lilley, Barbara Feb pl4 A Skeleton Guards the Lost Gold of Navajo Mother and Daughter at Window
Little Ajo Mts., Ariz Jun pl9 Jarbidge Nov p7 Rock, Arizona Western Ways... ...Dec
Little Dragoon Mts., Ariz May pl5 Burial Ground of Ancient Sea Monsters Picacho del Diablo Aug p4
Lost Mines— Dec p4 Pilot Knob, Ariz Jun ppIO, 30
Algodones Dunes Oct p4 Camper's Tour of Mexico Mar p4 Pirsson, Louis ... Mar pl4
Bicuner Jun plO Lost Hardin Silver, Mystery or Hoax? Pleasant Creek Guest Ranch, Utah Aug p46
Camino del Diablo Jun p21 __Apr p9 Pleasant Valley, Ariz. Jul p9
Death Valley Gold Ledge Sep p4 Opal Miner of Rainbow Ridge A u g p l l Porter, Horace _ ...Feb pl8
Hardin Mine Jan pl7 Rock Hunting Along Pioneer Trails in Providence Mts.. Calif..... Dec pl5
Jabonero Gold Jan plO the Trinities Jul pi6 Publowski, Father Felix .. ...Jun pl4
Santa Ysabel Aug p8 They Found New Wealth in Fairview Pyramid Lake, Nev. .. ... Jul pl7, Dec p29
Sheepherder Nov p7 Oct p 11
Tabaseca Trail Jul p4 They Mine Marble in Apacheland Q
Loughead, Flora Aug pl4 May p 11 Qucchan Revolt Jun p l l
Lovelock, Nev. Jul pl6 Quien Sabe Point Jul p4
Murbarger, Nell (Close-ups)
Lowell, James Jun p26 Quitobaquito Oasis . Jan pl.3
....Apr p22, Jul p24
Lowry Wells, Nev. Jul pl7 R
Luminario Lighting Dec p2 Murphy, Frank Jun p5
Lyle, Ralph _ Jan p20 Museum of Northern Arizona Feb p31 Rasmussen, Charles .. ... Jun p20
N Redland Canyon, Calif. .. ...Sep p7
M Red Rock Mts., Nev. . .Jan pl7
Manly Peak, Calif Apr pi3, Sep p5 Nardmark, Olle Mar plO
National Speleological Society .Dec pi6 Reptiles—
Marsh, Bea, Author of— Navajo Falls Jul p2 Alligator ....Jul p32
The Mule I'll Never Forget Jan p9 Navy Sep p31 Chuckawalla . ...Jan pl8
Marsh, Bea (Close-ups) Jan p8 Nayarit, Mexico ..Mar p8 Bull snake .. Jul p30
Maps— Needles Peak, Ariz. May p5 Gopher snake —Mar pl3
Arizona—Hualpai Mts., May p5; Mission Neely, Pete Dec pl6 Lizard Apr p 16
San Pedro, Jun p l l ; Sonora border, Jan Nelson, Neils May p!8 Rattlesnake Aug p32
p l l ; Saddle Mt., Dec plO Nevada Calico Mts. Apr pl2 Sidewinder .. Jan p 18
Baja California—Devil's Canyon, Aug p6; Newman, Harold Dec p5 Tortoise May pl9
Viscaino Desert, Oct p20 Nightingale Mts., Nev. Jul pl7 Reynolds, Ruth, Author of Home on the
California — Algodones Dunes, Oct p5; Nininger, Dr. Robt. Jul pl4 Desert series—
Bristol Dry Lake, Sep pl2; Chemehuevi Nogales, Mexico Mar p9 Water, Work and Zucchini ... ... Apr p22
Mts., Nov p20; Death Valley, Sep p5; Nusbaum, Dr. Jesse .. ....Feb p35 When the Palo Verdes Bloom May p24
El Centro, Jun p7; Glass Mt., Apr p20; My Bamboo was the Traveling Kind
Old Ryan, Oct pl7; Providence Mts., Dec
pl6; Rochester Basin, Apr p5; Tabaseca
o Jun p26
Onate's Explorations Apr p6, May p5 When the Rains Fail to Come Jul p23
Trail, Jul p5; Whipple Mts., Feb pl6 Ophir Mills, Nev. Jan pl6 Flowers that Blossom in August Aug p29
Colorado—Four corners area Jan p7 Organ Pipe Nat. Mon. Jun p20 What Grass for Desert Lawns?- Sep p23
Mexico Mar p6 Owens Valley, Calif. .. ....Mar pi3 Planning a Winter Garden .... Oct p28
Nevada—Fairview, Oct pl2; Hardin, Apr Tamarisk in the Back Yard Nov pl3
plO; Jarbidge, Nov p8; Monte Cristo P All This and Christmas Too ... Dec p23
Mts., Mar pl2; Trinity Range, July pl7; Pack, Arthur Oct p23 Ricketts, Dr. L. Jun pl9
Valley of Fire, Feb p26; Virgin Valley, Painted Canyon, Calif .....Jun p21 Riffey, Laura .. .. Feb p8
Aug pl2; Union Canyon, Dec p6 Palm and Andreas Canyons, Calif.. Feb p31 Rochester, Ed . Apr p4, Jun plO, Jul p5
Southwest May p20 Palm Springs Tramway ... Jan p29 Rocky Point, Mexico ... Jun p20
Mason, Dr. C. Jun p27 Palomar Canyon, Baja Calif Feb p9 Russell, Asa, Author of—
May, Tom, Author of— Palo Verde Dam Sep p7 Life on the Desert .. Apr pi3
Life on the Desert Feb p22 Palo Verde Valley ..... Jun p5 We Lost a Ledge of Gold— ... Sep p4
Mazatlan, Mexico . Mar p9 Panamint Valley, Calif ...Mar p20 Russell, Asa (Close-ups).... Apr p23
McDonald, John Mar p21 Parkman, I. H., Author of—
McKay, Douglas
McKenney, Wilson, Author of—
Jun p21 Hassayampa Dam Disaster—1890
Nov p 11
s
Saddle Mt.. Ariz. .. . . D e c p9
Dick Wick Hall of the Laughing Gas Parkman, I. H. (Close-ups) ....Nov p24 Sahwave Mts., Nev. ...Jul pl7
Service Station Jul p9 Parra, Felisario Jul p5 Salome, Ariz Jul p9, Nov p28
Meling, Salvador and Alberta Aug p5 Payne, Theodore Aug p20 Salton Sea ...May p29, Jul p32
Meteorite Museum Jul pl4 Pegleg Mon. Campground Jun p9 Salton View Jun p23
Mexico Mar p7 Peralta, Pedro .. ...Feb p23 Salvation Spring and Pass, Calif Jul p6
Michler, Lt. N. Jan pl4 Peters, Sam and Dorothy .. ...Jan pi6 San Antonio del Mar .. ... Aug p5
Miles, Gen. N. Sep p8 Phillips, M. Penn Mar p29 San Cristobal, N. M. ...May p!6
Miller, Col. T. Feb p46 Photography (contest winners) — San Jose Ranch _ Aug p5
Mills, Shorty Jun pl2 Harry Vroman. Weldon Heald... Jan p23 San Juan River Jun pl7
Mining— Clinton Hoffman, Ruth Malatests Feb p21 San Pedro Martyr Range, Baja Cal. Aug p4
Bonanza Mine, Aug pl4; Candelaria Harry Harpster Jr., L. Schooler Mar p23 Santa Fe Railroad .. ... Jun p8
Mine, Mar pl2; Carrie Mine, Mar pl2; Don Cathcart, Willard Luce _ Apr p25 Santa Ritas, Ariz. ....Nov p23
Copper, June pl8; Darwin Mines, Mar p Bert Tallsalt, Hulbert Burroughs May p23 Savage, Dr. P. .. ... Mar pl9
20; Dromedary Hump Mine, Oct pl4; D. Randall, Nell Murbarger Jun p25 Schmedding, Joseph, Author of—
Josephine Mine, Mar p21; Kaiser, Oct D. Randall, Weldon Heald ... __.Jul p2 Christmas in Keams Canyon . Dec p8
p34; Last Chance Mine, Mar pi6; Ligier R. Riddell Jr., J. Meyerpeter Aug p23 Schmedding, Joseph (Close-ups)..^Dec p20
Marble, May pl4; Lila C. Mine, Oct pl6; Than Mclntosh. Wm. Fettkether. Sep p25 Scortecci, Prof. G. ...Jan pl8

DECEMBER, 1955 43
Sedona, Ariz. Jun p29, Jul pi3 Gems of Monte Cristo Mar pl2 White Mts., Calif. Apr pl8
Seven Troughs Mts., Nev. Jul pl7 Hidden Gold of Bicuner. Jun plO White Sands Nat. Mon Mar p30
Severson, Parker Apr pl9 Lost Gold of the Great Dunes..... Oct p4 Wickenburg Museum May p29
Sherrill, Bill Aug p5 Rock Trails in Chemehuevi-Land Nov pl8 Wikieup, Ariz. May p4
Shotwell, A. J. Jun pi8 Waybill to the Lost Jabonero Jan plO Williams, Carl Jul pl3
Sierra Club Feb pi4, Apr pi8, Dec pi8 Weight, Harold O. (Close-ups) Apr p22 Window Rock, Ariz. Jan pl7
Sierra Vista, Ariz. Oct p30 Weldon, Peter Jun pl2 Winterhaven, Calif. Apr p5
Silver City, Nev. Mar pl7 Werner, Louise T., Author of—Three Tries Wratten, George Sep p8
Simpson, John Jun pi7 to the Top of the Whippie Range Feb pl4 Wright, Otis Jan pl6
Singer, O. E., Author of— We Climbed Glass Mountain Apr pl8 Y
Navajo Medicine Man Apr p26 Werner, Louise T. (Close-ups) Apr p23 Yerrington, Nev. Jan pl5
Singer, O. E. (Close-ups) Apr p23 Whipple, Lt. A Feb pl6, May p5 Yuha Basin, Calif. ...Feb p4
Skeleton Canyon, Mexico Sep plO White, Georgia Oct p29 Yuma, Ariz. Jun plO
Skolle, John May pl6 Whitehouse, Jack (Close-ups) Mar p26 Yuma Border Patrol Jun p29
Slide Mt., Nev. Jan pl6
Smith, Cap, Author of—
Valiant is the Ironwood. Dec pl3
Smith, Cap (Close-ups) Dec p20 PORTABLE CAMPING UNIT
Smith, Dr. Antoinette Jul pl3 SET UP IN FIVE MINUTES
Smith, Shine
Smith, Walter _
Socorro, Baja Calif.
May p8, Jul p21
Jul p20
Aug p5
lew and Improved Kar Kamp Manufacturing Co. of
11680 McBean St., El Monte, Cali-
Sommers, Mickey
Springer, Fred
Stony Lake, Nev.
Stowe, Perry, Author of—
Mar p21
Jun p6
Jan pl6
Products for fornia, has introduced on the market
a portable outdoor room that can be
erected in five minutes. An all-alumi-
Diving Owls of Borrego Valley...Jun p9
Stratton, Ed and Sylvia
Striped Butte, Calif
Oct pll
_ Sep p4
Desert Living num car-top carrier provides carrying
space for the camping unit with enough
room left over for accessory camping
Stuart, Jack _ —Mar p21 equipment.
Sulphur Springs Valley, Ariz. __. May pl2
Superstition Mts., Ariz. Feb p22 Kar Kamp is unrolled from the car-
Sutro, Nevada _ .—Mar pl7 DETECTRON ADDS FEATURES rier and assembled into a completely
TO DG-2 GEIGER COUNTER enclosed IV2 by 10V2-foot room.
T
The completely redesigned Model When set up, the rust-proof aluminum
Tabaseca Tank, Calif. Jul p6
Tasertano. Nick May p7 DG-2 Geiger counter manufactured by frame eliminates the conventional
Tample Mt., Utah .. _.Jan p5 Detectron Corp., 5528 Vineland Ave., space-consuming center pole. All cor-
Teeter, Lavon, Author of— North Hollywood, California, features ners, doors and windows are equipped
Lund of Luminarios Dec p2 many worthwhile improvements. A with rust-proof zippers. The canvas ex-
Teeter, Lavon (Close-ups) Dec p20
Texas Canyon, Ariz. ._ _ May pi2 new carrying handle and wide-face, terior is water-repellent, mildew-proof
Tinajas Altas, Ariz. __ Jan p l l easy - to - read sensitivity meter are and flame-proof. A full size canvas
Tinker, Frank, Author of—Ban-i-quash among the new features along with a floor covering is also furnished with
Builds a House of Grass Aug p24 "time response switch" which provides the unit.
Tinker, Frank (Close-ups) Aug p45
Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad-Oct pl6 fast recording for prospecting and slow The Kar Kamp room permits direct
Torrey, Utah Aug p46 recording for more accurate specimen access to the interior of the car, but
Treaties __ Jun pl7, Sep p9 checking; completely tropicalized and the vehicle can be driven away without
Trinity Range, Nev. Jul p 16 waterproofed circuitry; neon count in- having to take down the room. Room
Tucker, Merle Jun p27
Tule Tank, Ariz Jan pi 1 dicator for visual radiation detection; unit weighs 88 pounds.
Turkey Flat, N. M. Feb pl9 and a set of sensitive headphones for • • •
audio-click detection. The DG-2 is
u sensitive to both beta and gamma radi-
SCINTILLATOR METER GIVES
URANIUM PERCENTAGES
Union Canyon, Nev. Dec p4
University of Arizona Jun p21 ation and is completely calibrated in
all three scales. It operates on 900 Precision Radiation Instruments of
U. S. Bureau of Reclamation Jun pl2 4223 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Ange-
V volts power using standard low-cost
batteries and weighs only five pounds. les, is now manufacturing the Model
Valley of Fire, Nev. Feb p24 111B Scintillator which features a spe-
Van Dyke. John C. May p42 Complete with headphones, batteries,
Vargas, Glenn and Martha, Authors of— six ore specimens, carrying belt and cial meter which gives uranium per-
Saddle Mountain, Collector's Paradise instructions, it sells for $98.50. centages in ore at the discovery loca-
Dec p9 tion. The 11 IB utilizes an extra large
Vargas, Glenn and Martha (Close-ups) inch-and-a-half sodium iodide crystal
Dec p20 and an eight-tube "Multi-Mu" circuit.
Ventana Cave, Ariz. Jun p20 PORTABLE BABY SITTER
Villa, Pancho Aug p27 The instrument can be used effectively
Viscaino Desert, Baja Calif Oct pl9 FOR THE OUTDOOR MAN from the air as well as on the ground.
"Hike-A-Poose" is a lightweight, It weighs only seven-and-three-fourths
w sturdy device that permits hikers and pounds.
Wadsworth, Beula, Author of—South-
western Man Against Mammoth Oct p9 active sportsmen to tote their young-
Wadsworth, Beula (Close-ups) Oct. pi8 sters comfortably on their backs. Made PORTABLE FILTER FOR
Walker, Capt. Joseph . . May p5 of canvas and tubular aluminum, the FAMILY SWIMMING POOLS
Walker, Carl Dec pl3 portable seat weighs only 39 ounces.
Walker, Lewis, Author of—
Diaclear, Inc., Hamden, Connecti-
Tucson Desert Nature Trails Oct p23
It has a special harness to insure bal- cut, has placed on the market a porta-
Walkers Ranch, Calif. Jun p46 ance and no rigid parts come in con- ble filter for the family size swimming
Walnut Grove, Ariz. Nov. p l l tact with the body. pool. Tt is a complete filter unit,
Washoe Lake, Nev. ... .. .. . Jan pi6 mounted on wheels, which can be
Weber, Dr. H. Mar p42 The Hike-A-Poose doubles as a pack
Weight, Harold 0., Author of— frame for carrying bulky loads. It also placed in operation in five minutes to
An Ancient Sea Bed Gives Up Its Dead converts into a child's car seat. Hima- filter pools containing up to 15,000
Sep pi 1 layan Pak Company, 61 Renato Court, gallons (16x32x4 feet). Diaclear op-
Bel! Rocks that Ring in Big Sandy Valley erates on the diatomic method of fil-
May p4
Redwood City, California, manufac-
Dark Gold on the Tabaseca Trail... Jul p4 tures these devices and sells them for tration and keeps the water sparkling
Doodlebug Trail into A gate land... Apr p4 $14.95. and clean. It retails for $250.00.

44 DESERT MAGAZINE
 NAVAJO STORY FOR
PRIMARY YOUNGSTERS
Edith J. Agnew spent a good deal
of research in the Navajo country be-
LEGEND OF PANCHO VILLA PIONEER TRAIL FOLLOWED fore writing The Gray Eyes Family—
SUBJECT OF NEW BOOK ON MODERN HIGHWAYS certain to be enjoyed by children of
Perhaps no man stands as the per- The Santa Fe Trail was at one time primary grades. Her story is illustrated
sonification of revolution in its every America's main street — "The Great with black-and-white drawings by Jean
aspect as does Pancho Villa. His leg- Trail of Commerce" bridging the Mis- Martinez and the type is large and clear
end is described by Texas Western sissippi and points East with the Golden for young eyes.
College English professor and South- West. Professional guides knew every Tlie Gray Eyes Family lived in Nav-
west author Haldeen Braddy in his inch of the route as well as the major ajoland, at the bottom of Rock-That-
new book, Cock of the Walk. Braddy and minor alternate paths. Land- Looks-Like-a-Man's Hat: father Ha-
makes no attempt to separate truth marks and station names along the steen, mother Denezbah, Tom, Mary,
from fiction. To understand Villa and trail were household words. And yet, Peaches and the baby Sam. Tom
his place in the hearts of his friends today, a scant 80-odd years after the wanted to go very much to the school
and foes, we must completely digest trail gave way to the railroad, we find in Utah, but he tended sheep at home
the fiction which is even today being most of the original wagon ruts cov- and besides there wasn't any room in
expanded as positive truth by dwellers ered by Nature and forgotten by man. the school. How Mary helped him and
on both sides of the border. The Santa Fe Trail by Margaret how the whole family got their "name"
Villa has become a legend. He is Long traces the trail from St. Louis to papers is told. Trader Sam and the
the suppressed feudal serf suddenly Santa Fe along major highways, city
missionary lady enter into the story
and brutally turning the table on his streets, county roads and farm paths.
former master. To the millions of pe- All known stage stations and land- and the family takes a trip to Shiprock,
ons who worshipped him, his every marks are described in the book along "'Rock-with-Wings" to see Tom, who
savage move was the move they se- with their proximities to present day got sick and went to the hospital. It's
cretly longed to make. If they could highway points and information as to a delightful family, along with the pets:
not be free in body at least Villa gave how the present day backtracking pi- Dog-with-Spot-on-Tail and Dog-with-
them a chance to be free in mind. oneer can best reach them. Included White-Nose, and the kittens that kept
But, as is always the case, the brutal in the book are monument scripts. Peaches happy.
framework he erected in place of the Activities of local historical societies Published by Friendship Press. 127
previous order was as great a violation in relation to the preservation of such pages. $2.00.
to society. Author Braddy repeatedly memorials to places, people and events • e •
makes it very clear that in trying to are also noted by Dr. Long. Whenever
sum up Villa's actions one cannot say possible, snatches of local history CACTI IN COLOR . . .
something bad about him without say- which, bit by bit, added up to the Thirty-two lithographs in glowing
ing something good, and likewise can- colorful drama of the Trail, are in- color make Rock Plants an exquisite
not say a good thing without adding cluded. gift book for everyone who loves cacti.
something bad. His peon soldiers The entire trip is logged by auto The originals were painted by Arlette
thrilled to his battle cry: Maten los mileage. Davids, whose flower paintings are
ricos! Kill the rich! But they killed Published by the W. H. Kistler Sta- world famous and who started her
rich and poor alike. tionery Company, Denver. Maps, il- series of water colors at the Bagatelle
Published by the University of New lustrations, appendix and index. 310 Flower show in pre-war Paris. Rock
Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 174 pages. pages. $10. Plants is a collection of her best, re-
Four photographs of Villa. Source • • • produced in splendid lithographs which
list. $4.00. retain all the freshness and spontane-
TALES OF A N OLD-TIMER ity of her design and color. She in-
• • •
NEW MEXICO'S ENCHANTMENT From a mining man who spent sev- cludes cacti originating in Mexico,
TOLD IN TEXT, ILLUSTRATIONS eral years developing desert mineral Texas, Brazil, Argentina, Honduras,
deposits a half century ago comes a Madagascar and Africa, painted in de-
New Mexico, Land of Enchantment, little book of reminiscences which will lightful simplicity of a single blossom
is a generously illustrated book which warm the hearts of old-timers who or plant, and each plate may be framed
presents the major aspects of the state knew Tonopah and Goldfield in the separately.
—its land, people, government, indus- days when the boom was on. With introduction by Henry de
tries and schools. Authors E. B. Mann The author is Henry Curtis Morris, Monthcrlant, translated from the
and Fred E. Harvey have compiled a now of Washington, D.C., where he French by S. P. Skipwith. Published
storehouse of elementary information played important roles in the service by the Hyperion Press, New York. 32
about New Mexico and the reader will of the Bureau of Mines during World pages. $1.95.
find here everything worth knowing War I.
about the state, from the discovery of (Continued on page 47)
In his book Desert Gold and Total
Folsom Man to the modern method of Prospecting, he tells of the days when
financing public education.
Outstanding are the nearly 300 pho-
prospecting was done with burros, and
Diamondfield Jack Davis and Death
Looking for a PUBLISHER?
Do you have a book-length manuscript you
tographs, illustrations and maps found Valley Scotty were well known names would like to have published? Learn about
our unusual plan whereby your book can be
in the book, which prove beyond a in the Nevada mining camps. published, promoted and distributed on a
professional basis. We consider all types of
doubt that New Mexico is the Land of Morris believes there is still rich work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly
Enchantment. mineral wealth in the earth for pros- and religious books, etc. New authors wel-
come. For more information, write for valu-
Published by the Michigan State pectors who are thorough enough or able booklet D. It's free.
University Press, East Lansing; 295 lucky enough to find it. VANTAGE PRESS, I N C .
6SS6 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif.
pages; bibliography; illustrations, maps, Published by the author. 60 pp. Main Office: New York 1, N. Y.
drawings; $5.00. Historical photos. $3.00.

DECEMBER, 1955 45
 Between you and Me

By RANDALL HENDERSON

NE OF MY recent visitors was Harry Goulding of Until recently, the Navy appeared to be winning the
^ e Monument Valley Trading Post near the Ari- contest. But the latest news from New Mexico indicates
zona-Utah state line. Harry, more than any other that the generals have not been asleep. They have asked
one person, deserves the credit for opening up passable that 1000 square miles including some of the finest hunt-
trails across the sandy floor that surrounds the great mono- ing areas in southern New Mexico be added to the Fort
liths which gave the Valley its name. Bliss reservation.
Harry shares the view of many other Southwesterners At the same time the commanding officer made known
—that Monument Valley should be reserved as a National that the area would be closed to all hunting except by
Monument. The procedure for bringing this about will military personnel from the Texas base. Civilians are to
not be simple, for the reason that the Valley is almost be excluded on the ground that the possible presence of
entirely within the Navajo Indian reservation. dud shells would be hazardous.
It is an arid land, and if it were not for the payrolls I hope that sooner or later Congressman Engle's com-
brought into the valley occasionally by movie producers mittee will have an opportunity to ask the army officers
who use the Indians as extras, the Navajos would find it why unexploded shells would be a hazard to civilians, but
difficult to survive. not to military personnel.
Goulding feels that the transfer of these lands to the Judging from newspaper reports from New Mexico
jurisdiction of the Park Service without disturbing the the citizens of the state are not going to permit a thou-
hogans and flocks of sheep, as has been done in Canyon sand square miles of their land to be taken over as a
de Chelly National Monument, not only would be of great private hunting reserve for the U. S. Army without a
benefit to the Navajos, but would open up a fascinating vigorous protest.
new area for tourist travel. The Indians would have pri- These huge and ever-expanding land grabs by the
ority in the construction and maintenance work of the various defense agencies are a serious matter to the three
Monument, and visiting Americans would have the oppor- million Americans who now make their homes and earn
tunity to become better acquainted with the problems of their livelihoods on the Great American Desert.
those nomad people. Crafts work could be encouraged Since public hearings are seldom held, the only re-
and the result inevitably would be a higher standard of course you and I have is through our representatives in
living for the Indians. Congress—and I hope those who share my concern over
One of the first projects to be undertaken by the Park the situation will make known to their congressmen their
Service would be the construction of good roads to replace feeling in the matter.
the chucks and ruts that now bar the way to all except
the hardiest of the motorists. This is late afternoon. The sun is just sinking behind
After all, the most interesting denizens of the desert the high ridge of the San Jacinto Mountains on the west.
are its people—the natives of this arid land. And the To the north, across the floor of Coachclla Valley, the
Navajos are the most colorful of all the Southwestern Little San Bernardino range is a fantastic pattern of high-
tribesmen. I share Harry Goulding's hope that sooner or lights and shadows—"shadow mountain" we call it.
later the Indian Bureau, the Park Service and the Navajo Fortunate indeed are those who can be on the desert
Tribal Council will be able to reach an agreement which at this time of the day, for, while many of the beauties of
will bring Monument Valley—and its people—within the the desert are hidden from those who travel only the
jurisdiction of the National Park Service. paved highways, the late afternoon shadow design of the
:|: * * mountains—all desert mountains—is a picture that every
Most heartening is the news that California's Con- motorist may enjoy.
gressman Clair Engle, chairman of the House Interior The newcomer often looks at these arid-looking hills
Committee, has asked the Interior Department to with- with disdain. "What beauty can you sec in those barren
hold any further withdrawals of public lands for military slopes?" he asks. You and I, who love these mountains,
reservations until the committee has an opportunity to find it hard to answer that question. For after all, the
investigate the Defense Department's need for additional beauty on the horizon often is a reflection of beauty and
lands. understanding within. One has to see through and beyond
It is good to know that someone in a position of au- the grim mask of the desert to discover its charm—and
thority finally has become aware of the obvious contest your vision and mine sometimes is dimmed by the pres-
now going on between the admirals and the generals to sure of the petty details of living and making a living. It
see which can acquire dominion over the largest portions is good to look up to the mountains. It is good to look
of the Southwest desert country. up—period.

46 DESERT MAGAZINE
 ual search for gold and silver, you will STONE TOOLS SPANNING
BOOKS read of the romance of its fabulous
cinnabar mines.
14 CENTURIES DESCRIBED
The highly detailed and exacting
(Continued from page 45)
Three chapters at the end of the record of stone artifacts taken from
INDIAN INTEGRATION EFFORTS book sum up in fascinating and con- the Hopi Awatovi pueblo is found in
DESCRIBED BY MISSIONARY cise fashion the "fur, feather and fang" Richard B. Woodbury's Prehistoric
For 27 years Earle F. Dexter has population of the Big Bend, its place Stone Implements of Northeastern Ari-
served as a director of religious work as a botanical wonderland, and last, zona, the sixth report of the Peabody
among Indian Americans in the South- the part which the comparatively new Museum-Harvard University Awatovi
west. From this extensive experience Big Bend National Park is playing in Expedition.
he has drawn accounts and observa- preserving a large section of the coun- More than 8000 stone objects were
tions of the impact modern civiliza- try which is to remain unspoiled for uncovered at Awatovi giving scientists
tion is having upon Indian youths and future generations to study and enjoy. a direct link with 14 centuries of con-
how they, in turn, are reacting. This University of New Mexico Press, tinuous Indian history. Not all 8000
broad sketch of the Indian situation Albuquerque, New Mexico. 248 pp. objects receive individual treatment in
is presented in Doors Toward the Sun- Comprehensive bibliography and in- the book, but the various general types
rise. dex. $4.50. are described, measurements given, ex-
• • • act discovery sites located, followed
The problems of Indian integration
are more social and economic than CHURCH CAN AID INDIAN
by a discussion on how the implements
they are racial, Dexter believes. He SEEKING NEW WAY OF LIFE
were made and used. The layman may
expresses great hope that barriers that find this method of presenting the fruits
Dr. David M. Cory has been pastor of discovery too tedious for his taste,
have grown between the two people
of the Cuyler Presbyterian Church, but it is all a very necessary prelimi-
over the years can be worn away by
Brooklyn, New York, for over 20 nary for archeological research.
increased social contact and more gen-
years. Among his most active parish- Classification is made by usage
uine attempts at understanding. Edu-
ioners are a large group of Mohawk which complicates matters somewhat
cation will result in better jobs for
Indians who have taken from the for the Indian apparently had the same
the Indians.
church a firm stepping stone on which bad habit that most of us have: when
Doors Toward the Sunrise is not a to cross from the old to the new way
textbook nor is it a sermon. The author in the midst of a job and in need of a
of life. Dr. Cory knows well the In- tool, he usually picked the nearest one
presents real people he has known do- dians' problem of adjustment in the
ing things and believing things that at hand, thus making hammers out of
White Man's world and also the role axes and drills out of arrowheads. This
should inspire us all. The reader is of the church in aiding that adjustment.
introduced to the Indian as he is—an becomes further complicated when we
In his book, Within Two Worlds, he remember that some stone tools had
individual in search of firm cultural reports the progress being made by
ground to replace the shaky and inade- more than one legitimate use.
American, Alaskan and Canadian
quate foundation he has inherited. churches concerned with Indian inte- The author was in charge of stone
Published by the Friendship Press, gration. and bone artifacts on the expedition.
New York. Drawings by Rafael Pala- Published by Peabody Museum, Cam-
cios. 116 pages, $2.00. The problem, as seen by Dr. Cory, bridge, Massachusetts. 240 pages, 19
is a vastly complex one. The Indian, tables, appendix, index, 28 collotypes
caught between two worlds, is being and 13 illustrations. $7.50.
forced from the old to the new. Before
STORY OF THE BIG BEND
the reader can jump to the conclusion
COUNTRY IN TEXAS that this is all well and good, Dr.
The Big Bend Country of Texas Cory points out that the Indian feels NAVAJO PINYON RESOURCES
was truly one of the last western fron- that the New World is lacking in many ARE SUBJECT OF SURVEY
tiers. Virginia Madison, author of The things—the old ways have the security The University of Arizona has pub-
Big Bend Country, grew up a regular of a leisurely, timeless pace, with cere- lished the first report on its survey of
West Texan so her comprehensive monials, family obligations and group natural resources of the Navajo-Hopi
story is authentic as only one who commitments. The White Man's world Indian reservation, under contract to
lived in and loved the country could means time clocks, low scale jobs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The
have written it. slum living, prejudice, language handi- initial work deals with the pinyon re-
Its early days were crammed with cap and discrimination. What is own- sources of the two reservations.
the wild and lawless adventure of all ing a television set or second hand car Pinyon Resources was written by
of our western lands. Its long border compared to holding a secure and re- botanists Horace S. Haskell, now with
with Mexico added complications of spected place in a society? the Museum of Northern Arizona, and
an international nature as well. In- Churchmen must understand the Chester F. Deaver of Arizona State
dians, Mexicans, renegades, cattlemen, problems of the Indians they are min- College and directed by Dr. George A.
sheepmen, miners — all played their istering — problems that vary from Kiersch, head of the survey project.
part in the Big Bend story and Vir- individual to individual and from tribe Copies of the university's study of
ginia Madison knew intimately many to tribe. The church must supply these pinyon resources and the forthcoming
of the famous people of that region Indians with a firm foundation of value reports on mineral resources may be
who could give her first hand facts and belief, Dr. Cory believes. He also secured from the Director of Resources,
about the vast and little known Big thinks it would be a good thing if more Navajo Agency, Bureau of Indian Af-
Bend. effort were exerted to develop leader- fairs, Window Rock, Arizona. 37
After reading The Big Bend Coun- ship among the Indians themselves. pages. Maps, tables, index.
try, one feels well acquainted with that Published by Friendship Press, 257
huge, sprawling, little populated land, Fourth Avenue, New York 10. N. Y.
its history, its enormous potentialities, 177 pages with notes, chronology of Books reviewed on these pages are available
the colorful and reckless life of its Indian history and reading list. Cloth at Desert Crafts Shop, Palm Desert
scattered inhabitants. Besides the us- Add three percent sales tax on orders to be
cover $2.00; paper, $1.25.
sent to California
DECEMBER, 1955 47
BOOKS FOR mmm mm . . .
Here are a few selected titles suggested by the Desert Magazine staff as worthwhile gifts to friends who
like to read and learn:

HISTORY AND LEGEND PLANTS AND WILDLIFE

H(»2 JOURNEY OF THE FLAME, Fierro Blanco, lie- D45 THE LIVING DESERT, Walt Disney. Exciting and
print of the popular historical novel, acclaimed as factual story of the teeming plant and animal life
the greatest collection of desert lore ever compiled. An of our Western deserts. Based on the motion picture
amazing collection of fact and fiction about Baja Cali- "The Living Desert." Excellent colored photographs,
fornia and the Southwest. 294 pp $3.75 glossary. 124 pp $2.!)5
W31 THE VOICE OF THE DESERT, Joseph Wood
Hfi7 VUMA CROSSING, Douglas D. Martin. Tales of Krutch. In which a Naturalist explores the rich,
four centuries of history when the Yuma crossing intriguing, unexpected variety of life on the Southwest-
was once the only safe ford of the Colorado River—of ern desert. 223 pp $3.75
sea captains, Indians, missionaries, Indian scouts and W94 WHAT KINDA CACTUS IZZAT? Reg. Manning.
many more. Illus $4.00 Humorous drawings, informative text make this an
easy-to-read book for everyone interested in the "Who's
H41 LIEUTENANT EMORY REPORTS, Ross Calvin. Who" of the desert cacti life. 107 pp $2.25
Reprinted for the first time since 1848, is the much-
quoted, seldom seen Notes of a Military Reconnaissance W18 OUR DESERT NEIGHBORS, E d m u n d C. Jaeger.
by W. H. Emory. This is the salty story of a young A fascinating book of a naturalist's experiences with
career-soldier. Maps, notes, biblio, 208 pp $4.50 the jackrabbit, the packrat, the coyote, the canyon wren,
the sidewinder, and scores of birds and animals and
H4(i PAGEANT IN THE WILDERNESS, Herbert E. reptiles of the Southwest Desert. Illus. Index, 239 pp.
Bolton. The story of F a t h e r Escalante's trek into $5.00
the Great Basin, 1776. A translation of the Escalante
journal, which not only places the expedition in its proper GEMS AND MINERALS
historical setting, but depicts this trek as a great adven- M34 FIELD GUIDE TO ROCKS AND MINERALS,
ture. Biblio., index. Photos, two maps, 250 pp $5.00 Frederick H. Pough. Color illustrations. Textbook
covering the whole field of minerals for both student and
1)41 DEATH VALLEY IN '49, William Lewis Manly. veteran mineralogist $3.75
W r i t t e n in his own words, the classic of Death Val- M4 FIELD HOOK OF COMMON ROCKS A M ) MINER-
ley crossing; the day-by-day amazing account of how- ALS, F. B. Loomis. N a t u r e Field Book series. For
Manly and his party survived innumerable hardships. collecting, identification. 144 pages on minerals, 96 on
Photos, map $(>.5O rocks. Minerals in which color is important for identifi-
Hlfi OLD RILL WILLIAMS, Mountain Man, Alpheus cation are illustrated in color. Many photos, drawings.
H. Favour. Tempestuous career of a peerless hunter, Geological time chart, biblio., index, 352 pp $4.50
trapper, marksman, horesman, who became more Indian M29 THE FIRST BOOK OF STONES, M. B. Cormack.
than white, accompanied first survey party to make For children. Makes stone collecting easy and ex-
Indian treaties for Santa Fe rights-of-way. Map, photos, citing for beginners. Large type and plenty of simple
index $.3.00 illustrations. 90 pp., index $1.95

BOOKS FOR
AMERICAN INDIAN COLOR ROOKS, Eugene H ,135 WIKI OF WALPI, T. K. Smith. Enchanting story
Bischoff. Read and Color—50c each of little Wiki who lived near a Navajo village; looked
for herbs and became the Little Big Medicine Man of his
J20 Hopi & Zuni .126 Indians of the Plains people. Lovely color illustration. Ages 6-9. 44 pp...$1.50
J21 Navajo .127 Famous Chiefs
.122 Pueblo .128 Apache
.130 LITTLE WOLF THE I4AIN DANCER. T. Shannon.
Cut and Color—50c each Little Wolf lived in a sun-drenched pueblo in north-
J29 Kachina Dolls .130 Indian Dances western New Mexico. The story of how he was chosen
J24 LET'S GO TO THE DESERT, Harriet E. Hunting- to dance in the age-old Rain Dance of his tribe. Clear
ton. Scientific facts about desert plants and animals print, colorful drawings. Ages 5-8. 48 pp $2.75
written for children up to 9. Each story illustrated by
full-page photograph. 88 pp.—44 photographs $2.75 .138 SUN DANCE and the Great Spirit. For ages 8 to 11.
,132 ADVENTURES IX CACTUS LAND, Betty B. Hern- Sun Dance was a young Ute boy, who liked to hunt,
don. Experiences of animals, birds and reptiles of and has an exciting time with an all-black s k u n k and an
the desert with real names and life-like conversations. old mountain lion. Excellent drawings by L. F. Bjork-
Ages 9-12. 169 pp., illustrated $3.00 lund. 128 pp $2.50

Add 5 cents a book for postage. California buyers add 3% tax

Books will be Christmas wrapped and mailed to any address with gift card if you wish

'De&ett Tftayciftne
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA