197608 Desert Magazine 1976 August

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A U G U S T , 1976 75

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I N D I A N B O O H S O F

TEMALPAKH by Lowell John Bean and Kather-ine Siva Saubel. Temalpakh means "from theearth , " in Cahu illa, and covers the many uses ofplants used for food, medicine, rituals and thoseused in the manufacturing of baskets, sandals,hunting tools; and plants used for dwellings.Makes for a better understanding of environ-mental and cultural relationships. Well illustrat-ed, 225 pages, hardcover, $10.00; paperback,$6.50.

TURQUOISE, The Gem of the Centuries byOscar T. Branson. The most complete and lav-ishly illustrated all color book on turquoise.Identifies 43 localities, treated and stabilizedmaterial, gives brief history of the gem and de-tails the individual techniques of the SouthwestIndian Tribes. Heavy paperback, large format,68 pages, $7.95.

ROCK DRAWINGS OF THE COSO RANGE byCampbell Grant, James Baird and J. KennethPringle. A Maturango Museum publication, thisbook tells of sites of rock art in the Coso Rangewhich, at 4000 feet, merges with the flatlands ofthe northern Mojave Desert. Paperback, illus-trated, detailed drawings, maps, 144 pages,$3.95.DICTIONARY OF PREHISTORIC INDIAN AR-TIFACTS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWESTby Franklin Barnett. A highly informative bookthat both illustrates and describes Indian arti-facts of the Southwest, it is a valuable guide forthe person interested in archaeology and anthro-pology. Includes 250 major types of artifacts.Each item has a photo and definition. Paper-back, 130 pages, beautifully illustrated, $7.95.

GOLDEN C HIA by Harrison Doyle. This book il-lustrates the great difference between the highdesert chia, and the Mexican variety presentlysold in the health food stores. It identifies theenergy-factor, a little-known trace mineral foundonly in the high desert seeds. Also includes asection of vitamins, minerals, proteins, en-zymes, etc., needed for good nu trition. Referredto as "the only reference book in America on thisancient Indian energy food." 100 pages, illus-trated, Paperback, $4.75; Cloth Cover, $7.75.

NAVAJO RUGS, Past, Present and Future byGilbert S. Maxwell. Concerns the history, leg-ends and descriptions of Navajo rugs. Full colorphotographs. Paperback, $3.50.

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I N T E R E S THOPI KACHINA DOLLS [With a Key to TheirIdentification], by Harold S. Colton. Kachinadolls are neither toys nor idols, but aids to teach-ing religion and tradition. This is a definitivework on the subject, describing the meaning, themaking and the principal features of 266 vari-eties of Kachina dolls. Line drawings of eachvariety, plus color and b/w photographs make ita complete guide to learn more of the richness ofAmerican Indian culture. Paperback, 150 pages,$3.45.SOUTHWEST INDIAN CRAFT ARTS by ClaraLee Tanner. One of the best books on the sub-ject, covering all phases of the culture of the In-dians of the Southwest. Authentic in every way.Color and black and white illustrations, linedrawings. Hardcover, 205 pages, $15.00.

'ft! ; r iHE ROCKS BEGIN TO SPEAK by LaVan Mar-tineau. The authors tells how his interest in rockwriting led to years of study and how he haslearned that manyespecially the complex pe-troglyphsare historical accounts of actualevents. Hardcover, well illustrated, glossary,bibliography, 210 pages, $8.95.

THE CAHUILLA INDIANS by Harry James. Acomparatively small and little known tribe, theCahuilla Indians played an important part in theearly settlement of Southern California. Today,the Cahuilla Indians are active in social and civicaffairs in Riverside County and own valuableproperty in and around Palm Springs. This re-vised edition is an authentic and completehistory of these native Americans. Hardcover,illustrated, 185 pages, $7.50.

FORKED TONGUES AND BROKEN TREATIESEdited by Donald E. Worcester. This book givesus a better understanding of the unequal strug-gle of native against immigrant while our nationwas being explored and settled. Profusely illus-trated with excellent photos, a "m us t" refer-ence for historians, students, librarians. Hard-cover, 494 pages, $9.95.

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WILLIAMand JOY KNYVETTCo-Publishers/EditorsGEORGE BRAGA, Art DirectorMARY FRANCES STRONG, Field Trip EditorF.. A. BARNES, Utah Associate EditorGLENN VARGA S, Lapidary EditorK. L. BOYNTON, NaturalistMARVEL BARRETT, Circulation ManagerColor Separations byHenry Color ServiceLithographed byRotary Offset P rintersAvailable in Microfi lm byXerox University Microfi lms

DuaiLVolume 39, Number 8

MAGAZINE

AUGUST 1976

CONTENTS

THE COVER:Spring in the desert ofcentral Baja California,Mexico. Like a torch, aflowering agave reachesskyward, seen against aforest of the strange,pole-like cirio trees [lariacolumnaris)with the rug-gedly weathered Sierra deCalamajue as a back-ground. Photo by JosefMuench, Santa Barbara,California.

F E A T U R E SFORT STOCKTON 10 Fred S. Cook

COIN HUNTING IN BARNWELL 14 Richard TaylorMODOC COUNTY 16 Van Wilkinson

IDAHO'S SILENT CITY OF ROCKS 20 Ruth HeinerON THE TRAIL OF THE KINO MISSIONS 24 Russell Wahmann

WESTERN WHITE-WINGED WONDERS 28 K. L. BoyntonFORTS OF UTAH 32 JoeKraus

THE DUNE PATROL 36 Jerry Harrell

D E P A R T M E N T SWilliam Knyvett

Mail Order Items

Book Reviews

A PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE 4BOOKS OF THE WEST 6

BOOKS FOR DESERT READERS 8

RAMBLING ON ROCKS 42 Glenn and Martha Vargas

TRADING POST 44 Classified ListingsLETTERS TO THE EDITOR 46 Readers' Comments

CALENDAR OF WESTERN EVENTS 46 Club Activities

EDITORIAL AND CIRCU LATION OFFICES : 74-425 Highway 111, Palm D esert, California 92260. Telephone Area Code 714 346-8144. NATIONALADVERTISING OFFICES: JEPublishe rs' R epresentative, 8732 Sunset Blvd., LosAnge les, California 90069. Telephone Area Code 213659-3810. Listedin Standard Rate andData. SUBSCRIPTION R ATES: U nited States, Canada andMexico; 1year, $6.00; 2 years, $11.00; 3 years, $16.00. Other foreignsubscribers add $1.00 U. S.currency foreach year. See Subscription O rder Form in this issue. Allow five weeks for change of address andsend bothnewand old addresses with zipcodes. DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Second class postage paid at Palm Desert, California and at additionalmailing offices under Act of March 3,1879. Contents cop yrighted 1976 byDESERT Magazine andpermission to reproduce any or all contents must besecured in writ ing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.Desert/August 1976


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A S p e c i a lG u i d e b o o kO f f e r i n g !Great reading about theWest fromthe pens of such authors asRuss Leadabrand , Choral Pepper,Marjorie Camphouse and theSociety ofAmerican Travel Writers.Informative little books that will makeyour future trips more enjoyable.Well illustrated, paperback.Supplies are l imited.

ONLY $ 1 9 5EACH

a n y1

3 f o r $ 5 o oPlus 25c per order for postage/ handlingCalifornia residents please add 6% sales tax

I fExploring Calif . Byways#11 In and aroundLos Angeles

Exploring Calif . Byways#111 Desert Country Exploring Calif . Byways#IV Mou ntain Country

Exploring Calif . Byways#V Historica l Sites Exploring Calif . Byways#VI Owens Val ley Exploring Calif . Byways#VI I An HistoricSketchbook

Guidebook to theColorado Desertof CaliforniaGuidebook to theMountains of San Diegoand Orange Counties

Guidebook to theMissions of California

Exploring the UnspoiledWest Vol. 1Wyoming , Montana ,Brit ish Columbia,Alaska, Utah, Ca l i f . ,Colorado, Idaho,Nevada

Exploring the UnspoiledWest Vol. 2New Mexico, Arizona,Mexico, Oregon,Washington, Alaska,Hawaii, California

Exploring HistoricCalifornia

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Send orders toBox 1318,Palm Des ert, California 92260Please add 25c lor postage & handling

JEEP TRAILS TO COLORADO GHOST TOWNSby Robert L. Brown. An illustrated, detailed, in-formal history of life in the mining camps deep inthe almost inaccessible mountain fastness of theColorado R ockies. 58 towns are included as exam-ples of the vigorous struggle for existence in themining camps of the West. 239 pages, illustrate d,end sheet map, hardcover, $7.95.RELICS OF THE WHITEMAN by Marvin andHelen Davis. A logical companion to Relics of theRedman, this book brings out a marked differ-ence by showing in its illustrations just how "su d-denly modern" the early West became after thearrival of the white man. The difference in arti-facts typifies the historical background in eachcase. The same authors tell how and w here to col-lect relics of these early days, tools needed, andhow to display and sell valuable pieces.Paperback, well illustrated in color and b/w, 63pages, $3.95.BLUE GOLD, The Turquoise Story by M. G.Broman. Information on the identification, his-tory and mining of turquoise, as well as an intro-duction to the lapidary and silversmithing tech-niques used in making turquoise jewelry. Thisbook is intended for the general reader who isinterested in knowing more about the origin ofturquoise as well as the interesting facets of buy-ing, collecting and assembling of turquoisepieces. Paperback, color and b/w photos, $4.95.

NEW BAJA HANDBOOK for the Olf-PavementMotorist in Lower California by James T. Crow.Discover the real Baja that lies beyond the edgeof the paved road, the unsp oiled, out-of-the-wayplaces unknown to the credit-card tourist. Theauthor, drawing from his extensive travels inthese parts, tells where to go, what to takealong, the common sense of getting ready. Illus-trated, paperback, 95 pages, $3.95.CALIFORNIA by David Muench and Ray Atke-son. Two of the West's greatest color photo-graphers have presented their finest works to cre-atethe vibra tionso f the oceans, lakes, mountainsand deserts of California. Their photographicpresentations, combined with the m oving text ofDavid Toll, makes this aclassic in Western Amer-icana. Large11x14format, hardcover, 186 pages,$25.00.DICTIONARY OF PREHISTORIC INDIAN AR-TIFACTS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWESTby Franklin Barnett. A highly informative bookthat both illustrates and describes Indian arti-facts of the Southwest, it is a valuable guide forthe person interested in archaeology and anthro-pology. Includes 250 major types of artifacts.Each item has a photo and definition. Paper-back, 130 pages, beautifully illustrated, $7.95.

JESSE JAMES WAS ONE OF HIS NAMES byDel Schrader [with Jesse James III]. Accordingto the author, Jesse James did not die as record-ed in history, but lived to a ripe old age. Thisbook details the lively escapades Jesse was sup-posed to be involved in following his attendanceat "his own funeral." Interesting and excitingreading based on information supplied by JesseJames III, executor of his grandfather's wil l .Hardcover, illustrated with old photos, 296pages, index, $8.95.THE OREGON DESERT by E. R. Jackman andR. A. Long. Filled with both facts and anecdotes,this is the only book on the little but fascinatingdeserts of Oregon. Anyone who reads this bookwill want to visit the areasor wish they could.Hardcover, illustrated, 407 pages, $8.95.LOST MINES OF ARIZONA by Harold Weight.Covers the Lost Jabonero, lost mines of theTrigos, Buried Gold of Bicuner and others ofsouthwestern Arizona. Paperback, $2.00.REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THEAMERICAN SOUTHWEST by M. M . Heymann.Features 68 species, all in beautiful four-colorphotographs. Descriptions are stated in simple,non-technical terms. Extensive text tells of theirorigins and life-styles today. Extremely usefulbook for all who enjoy watching and learningabout wildlife. Paperback, 77 pages, $4.95.

CAMPING AND CLIMBING IN BAJA by JoRobinson. Contains excellent maps and phoA guidebook to the Sierra San Pedro Martir the Sierra Juarez of Upper Baja Calif. Muchthis land is unexplored and unmapped sti l l .routes to famous ranches and camping spotspalm-studded canyons with trout streams teweekend tourists who aren't up to hiking. Paback, 96 pages, $2.95.GUIDE FOR INSULATOR COLLECTORS John C. Tibbitts. This is the third and final bon insulators by veteran bottle col ector John bitts. This third book has a revised price list index to insulators described in the previous volumes. However, each volume describes inators not shown in the other books, so for a cplete roundup of all insulators, all three volumare needed. Books are paperback, averaging pages, illus., $3.00 E ACH . Please state WH IVOLUME when ordering.HANS KLEIBER, Artist of the Bighorn Motains by Emmie Mygatt and Roberta Cheneman who loved nature above all, this legacHans Kleiber's superb etchings and paintingadm irably presented by the authors as a gliminto the experiences which served as bground and inspiration for his art. Horizo81/2x11 format, 74 etchings, 22 paintings, atints, photographs, cloth bound, boxed, $17

DESERT GE M TRAILS by Mary Frances StrongThe "bible" for both amateur and veteran rock-hounds and backcountry explorers, DESERTMagazine's Field Trip Editor has brought up-to-date her popular field guide. Areas have beendeleted which are now closed to the public, andmaps updated. Heavy paperback, 80 pages,$2.00.TURQUOISE, The Gem of the Centuries byOscar T. Branson. The most complete and lav-ishly illustrated all color book on turquoise.Identifies 43 localities, treated and stabilizedmaterial, gives brief history of the gem and de-tails the individual techniques of the SouthwestIndian Tribes. Heavy paperback, large format,68 pages, $7.95.FORKED TONGUES AND BROKEN TREATIESEdited by Donald E. Worcester. This book givesus a better understanding of the unequal strug-gle of native against immigrant while our nationwas being explored and settled. Profusely illus-trated with excellent photos, a "m u st " refer-ence for historians, students, librarians. Hard-cover, 494 pages, $9.95.WHERE TO FIND GOLD IN THE MOTHERLODE by James Klein. As in his Where to FindGold in the Desert and Where to Find Gold inSouthern California, author Klein guides you tothe areas in which people are doing the bestnow. He includes history, tips on equipmentneeded, how to pan, how to stake claims, etc.Paperback, 121 pages, illustrated with photosand maps, $4.95 each.

HISTORICAL ATLAS OF NEW MEXICOWarren A . Beck and Ynez D. Haase. Geogracal data, sites of preshistoric civilizations, evof history, first towns, stagecoach lines, histrails, etc., are included in this comprehenatlas. Excellent maps, index. Hardcover, hirecommended, $5.95.HISTORICAL ATLAS OF CALIFORNIA Warren A. Beck and Ynez D. Hasse. Extendocumentation and pertinent detail make atlas a valuable aid to the student, scholar everyone interested in the Golden State. 101cellent maps present information on the mfaults, early Spanish explorations, Mexican grants, routes to gold fields, the ButterfieldPony Express routes, CCC camps, World WInstallations, etc. Hardcover, extensive inhighly recommended, $9.95.THE CREATIVE OJO BOOK by Diane ThoInstructions for making the colorful yarn mans originally made by Pueblo and MexIndians. Included are directions for wall-ojos, necklaces, mobiles and gift-wrap tieWell illustrated with 4-color photographspages, paperback, $2.95.THE CARE OF DESERT REPTILES by KaSwitak. This small, but informative bocontains 4-color photos of all species incluand were photographed in their native habInteresting information regarding DistribuSize; Food, and Care. $1.50.


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An informative study of coin hunting,a complete guide on where to search,

f ield. 181E SUPERSTITIONS, The Origins

t Dutchm an, the author turns up

is a full color presentationlor photographs, inter-

The

read-

NEVADA GHOST TOWNS AND MININGCAMPS by Stanley W. Paher. Covering all ofNevada's 17 counties, Paher has documented575 mining camps, many of which have beenerased from the earth. The book contains thegreatest and most complete collection of historicphotographs of Nevada ever published. This,coupled with his excellent writing and map,creates a book of lasting value. Large format,700 photographs, hardcover, 492 pages, $15.00BUTCH CASSIDY, My Brother by Lula ParkerBetenson. Official version of the authentic lifestory of Butch Cassidy, actually Robert LeroyParker, famed outlaw of his native Utah and ad-joining states, told by his surviving sister. Thebook also offers a new look at Utah Mormom his-tory by a participant. Hardcover, many rare pic-tues, 265 pages, $7.95.

GEOLOGY FIELD GUIDE TO SOUTHERNCALIFORNIA by Robert P. Sharp. Designed forpeople without any formal acquaintance withgeology, this book provides some understandingof basic geological matters, furnishes descrip-tions of geological features and relationships in 9natural provinces within Southern California andserves as a guide to geological features visiblein Southern California that can be seen whiletraveling by car along highways. Well illustratedwith maps and pictures, paperback, 181 pages$4.95.

Written by the authorJeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns, thistowns along with historical backgrounds.

A sequel to his The King'sthe author presents. land wh ich has barely been p enetrated byBeautifully illustrated with color reproduc-

A revised and up-dated practical

CALIFORNIA-NEVADA GHOST TOWN ATLASand SOUTHWESTERN GHOST TOWN ATLASby Robert Neil Johnson. These atlases are excel-lent do-it-yourself guides to lead you back toscenes and places of the early West. Some pho-tos and many detailed maps with legends andbright, detailed descriptions of what you willsee; also mileage and highway designations.Heavy paperback, each contains 48 pages, eachAtlas priced at $2.00.MY CANYONLANDS by Kent Frost. A vivid ac-count of the early exploration of Utah's Canyon-'lands by the author who spent his entire life ex-ploring America's new national park and whopresently runs a guide service through thescenic country. Hardcover, artist illustrations,160 pages, $5.00.

GOLD DIGGERS ATLAS by Robert Neil John-son. Maps covering the areas from Californiaeast to Texas and north to British Columbiashow where gold has been found. Gives likelysites of "bu ried treasure tales" such as the LostBreyfogle Ledge, Lost Adams Cave, Lost ArchMine, Lost mule Shoe Gold, Lost Black RockSilver and many more. Paperback, $3.00.CALIFORNIA YEARBOOK, Bicentennial Edi-tion. Contains 25 separate chapters covering allaspects of the state. Comprehensive index ofnames, places, topics and events. 400 pages ofaccurate, up-to-date information and statistics.Large format, paperback, $4.95.

California residentsplease add6% state sales taxPlease add 25c for postage & handling

GOLDEN C HIA , by Harrison Doyle. This book il-lustrates the great difference between the highdesert chia, and the Mexican varie ty presentlysold in the health food stores. It identifies the en-ergy-factor, a little-known trace mineral foundonly in the high desert seeds. Also includes asection on vitamins, minerals, proteins, en-zymes, etc., needed for good nutrition. Referredto as "the only reference book in America on thisancient Indian energy food. 100 pages, illustrat-ed , Paperback, $4.75; Cloth Cover, $7.75.LOST MINES AND HIDDEN TREASURES byLeland Lovelace: Authoritative and exact ac-counts give locations and fascinating data abouta lost lake of gold in California, buried Aztec in-gots in Arizo na, kegs of coins, and all sorts of ex-citing booty for treasure seekers. Hardcover$5.95.ON DESERT TRAILS by Randall Henderson,founder and publisher of Desert Magazine for 23years. One of the first good writers to reveal thebeauty of the mysterious desert areas. Hender-son's experiences, combined with his commentson the desert of yesterday and today, make this aMUST for those who really want to understandthe desert. 375 pages, illustrated. Hardcover,$7.50.TOP BOTTLES U.S.A. by Art and Jewel Umber-ger. The discovery of a rare old bottle opens up anew understanding of life at an earlier period. Acollection of old medicine bottles takes one backto a slower, less complicated life-style. A timewhen a concoction of aromatic bitters could curealmost anything. The authors have an expertisein their field that cannot be challenged. Illustrat-ed, paperback, $4.50.

BAJA CALIFORNIA GUIDE by Cliff Cross in -cludes highway information on the new trans-peninsula highway, accommodations, etc. Allupdated material, 60 maps, 450 photos, largeformat, $4.95.TREASURE HUNTER'S MANUAL #7 by Karlvon Mueller. Treasure, or treasure trove, mayconsist of anything having a cash or convertiblevalue; money in all forms, bullion, jewelry,guns, gems, heirlooms, genuine antiques, rareletters and documents, rare books and much,much more. This complete manual covers everyfacet of treasure hunting. Paperback, 293 pages,illustrated, $6.50.UTAH GEM TRAILS by Bessie W. Simpson.Newly revised edition for the casual rockhoundor collector interested in collecting petrifiedwood, fossils, agate and crystals. The book doesnot give permission to collect in areas writtenabout, but simply describes and maps the areas.Paperback, illustrated, maps, $3.50.WILD LIFE OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERTS byJim Cornett. Wr itten for the layman and seriousstudents alike, this is an excellent book on all ofthe common animals of the Southwest deserts. Amust for desert explorers, it presents a brief lifehistory of everything from ants to burros. Paper-back, 80 pages, illustrated, $2.99.


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C O O K B O O K SFor the outdoor enthusiast,and those who like to flavortheir life with theunusual

ROUGHING ITEASY by Dian Thomas, puts:he fun back into camping with easy andeconomical ways toprepare foods, equip acampsite and organize acamping trip. Pa-perback, 203 pages, $5.95.AME RICAN INDIAN FOOD AND LORE byarolyn Neithammer. Original Indian plantsused for foods, medicinal purposes, etc., de-scribed, plus unusual recipes. Large format,191 pages, profusely illustrated , $4.95.DUTCH OVEN COOK BOOK by Don Holm.Mew andexciting culinary adventures inDutch Oven cooking. Heavy paperback, 106pages, $3.95.CACTUS COOK BOOK compiled by Joyce L.Tate. Anexcellent selection of recipes thatemphasize their edible orpotable qualities.Also includes chapter on Food Preservation.Paperback, 127 pages, $2.00.

SOURDOUGH COOKBOOK by Don andMyrtle Holm. How to make a sourdoughstarter and many dozens of sourdough re-cipes. Paperback, 136 pages, i 11 us., $3.95.CROCKERY COOKERY by Mable Hoffman.262 tested slow-cooker recipes. ContainsConsumer's Guide to various pots, tempera-ture charts and details onhow therecipeswork with each pot. 176 pages illus., $4.95.ARIZONA COOK BOOK by Al and MildredFischer. Unusual recipes forIndian cooking,Mexican dishes, Western specialties. Uniquecollection. Paperback, 142 pages, $3.00.

Add 25c per order for postage/handlingCalifornia residents please add 6% Sales taxSend check or money order today to

Magazine Book ShopP.O. Box 1318Palm Desert, California 92260

B o o k s forH e a d e r s

pinole and various sourdough recipes aro f f e r in g s of the" E a r l y C a l i f o r n i achapter.

The abundant chapter on "CaliforniFru i t s " will surprise everyone with itversatil ity andvariety, especially thtantalizing section onAvocados.

Other chapters contain delicious recipes for wheat germ zucchini breadasparagus pie,seaside grunion, wincake, and many, many more.

A total of 400recipes, paperbacspiral-bound, 142 pages, $3.00.

All books reviewed areavailable through theDesert Magazine Book Shop. Please add 25c perorder for handling and California residents mustinclude 6%state sales tax.

CaliforiyaM . i r OH. W A

. StA F0WS f ^

CALIFORNIAFive-In-OneCOOK BOOKCompiled by Aland Mildred Fischer

For those familiar with Al and MildredFischer's Arizona Cook Book, addingthe i r new California "Five-In-One"Cook Book totheir collection will be amust.

Recipes have been divided into "EarlyCal i forn iaIndian, Mexican, Mission,Gold Rush," "Cal i forn ia Fru itsCitrus,Dates, Figs, Nuts, Raisins, Avocados,etc., " "C alifo rnia Products Honey,Rice, Beans, Beef, Lamb, Vegetables,e tc . , " "Sea Foods" and "Wine Cook-i n g . "

Acorn stew, pinon nut cakes, junipertea, beef jerky, pemmican, masa, atole,

ADVENTU RES IN THE REDWOODSBy Harriett E. Wea ver

The story of thegiant redwood goeback into antiquity a hundred mill ioyears to a ime when much ofthe planwas covered with warm seas, when somof its creatures were deserting water fdry land and monstrous reptiles domiated all l iv ing th ings.

Thus b egins the saga of the giant trethe Coast redwoods and their moutain cousins, the Sequoiathe liviskyscrapers found only inCalifornia aa small portion ofOregon.

How have they managed to survive tdinosaur and the Timber Barons? Hdo they maintain their delicate ecosytem? The answers are asawe-inspirias their majestic size, truly justifyitheir scientif ic name ofsempervirens,ever- l iv ing.

Cave Paintings of BafaThe first definitive book on the art of prehistoric peo-ple which has ong been neglected by historians,archaeologists and artists. Forty pages of color re-productions ofsome ofthe f inest ofthe cave paint-ings, 70 sketches off igures which appear invariouscolors on cave walls in four mountain ranges.Hardcover, $18.50.

Send check or money order today to Add 25c per order for"7kmAmT . , . . . . postage/handlingJtm*L~ Magazine BOOk Shop California residentsP. O. Box 1318 Palm Dese rt, California 92260 p l e a s e a d d 6 %S a l e s l ax

By Harry Crosb


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Author of FROSTY, A Raccoon to Re-and Beloved Was BAHAMAS,to Remember, many of ourare f a m i l i a r w i t h H a r r i e t t

as Cal i forn ia 'swas spent

the redwoods. In addition toa detailed guide to all major red-

in both the coastal andBeaut i fu l ly i l lustra ted, paperback, 160

The name Wells Fargo invokes livelyof an erawhich thr ived on drama

of heTales of Wells Fargo

of Westernhas recreated the Wells Fargo

W i t h his personal narrative style,br ings to l i fe the Concord stage, BlackBar t , the intrepid stage drivers andshot-gun messengers, the California ColeRush andNevada si lver str ike.

An equally authentic, visual accompaniment to the test is provided by RoyPurcell. Many readers wil l remembeMr. Purcel l as the "myste ry a r t i s t of themurals in Chlo r ide Canyon ," Letters tothe Editor, September and Octobeissues, 1975. His i l lustrations for WellsFargo, The Legend have been selecteefor their artistic excellence as wel l atheir graphic genuineness.

Paperback, 154 pages, $4.95.LOST MINES AND TREASURES

OF THE SOUTHWESTby Jimmie Busher 200 stories 200 mapsCalif Ariz Nev Utah Colo N.Mex Tex Okla

Fantastic New Book Wonderful GiftOnly $5 postpaid Satisfaction GuaranteedPrompt Delivery Send orders to:Treasure Book GuidesBox 368 Mesilla Park, New Mexico 88047

SRICESForAmrly Sky West Aviation

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our scenic MightsOFFERING:Popular air tours over Canyonlands andArches National Parks and other scenic high-lights in southern Utah.

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UPHILL BOTH WAYSHiking C olorado's H igh CountryRobert L. Brown

Hiking teaches self reliance, affords pleasure, freedom, and re-wards unlike those offered by any other activity today. This bookoffers a choice selection of hikes. They are grouped by area and allare in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. There are trails of graduateddifficulty, including walks for the beginner, and for all who want tosee more of Colorado's beautiful high mountain country.

Need suggestions about what to carry, how to build your pack,safety suggestions? This book has these features, and more.2 3 2 p a g e s , 6 x 9 p a p e r b o u n d , p h o t o g r a p h s and m a p s $4.95

The CAXTON PRINTERS, Ltd.Box 700Caldw ell, Idaho 83605

COME EXPLORE THEWILDERNESS WITH USBACKPACKER magazine is .. . for experienced, upscalehikers, backpackers and outdoors enthusiasts. Editorialemphasis is upon thequality of theoutdoors exper ience ,not upon elementary "how to 's" . iEach handsome issue of this richly i l lustrated bimonthlyhas over 80 pages of photos andarticles by such leadingpho tog raphers and wr i te rs as Co l i n F le tche r , Anse lAdams, Harvey Manning, Eric Ryback, Eliot Porter, andGalen Rowell.We feature articles on . . . Backpacking trips in pursuit of scientif ic or historic infor-mation Ski tour ing Hikes for spiritual or esthetic uplift Nature photography with portfol ios of color photos andinterviews of leading nature photographers Indepth backpacking equipment reports

Yo u can look forward toBACKPACKER every February,Apri l , June, August , October and December.

Please send me a nine-month trial subscription (4bi-monthly issues) of BACK-PACKER magazine at theSpecial Introductory Sub-scription rate of$7.50. This sa savings of 25% off thesingle copy price.Ad d $ .60 for Canada; $3.00 for Foreign i Check enclosed, i iMoney Order enclosed.

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BACKPACKER MAGAZINE28 West 44th Street, NewYork, N.Y. 10036Desert/August 1976


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A nostalgiclook at

B RIVING DOWN Highway 385, f romOdessa to Fort Stockton, theWestTexas plains seem tostretch endless-ly towards an ever evasive horizon. The100-mile stretch is broken only by thes le e p in g oil t o w n s of C ra n e andMcCamey, their presence bringing amoment of respite from the boredom ofthe empty land.

It helps if one has a companion or,lacking that, avivid imaginat ion towileaway the t ime. For apart from the thinribbon ofhighway concrete and asphalt,this is a and little changed over the cen-

tur ies.It does not take much inventiveness to

see theghosts of Conquistadores sky-lined on the owhills ahead, eternallylooking forth e El Dorado that brought

them to explore and settle this vastnessOr perhaps the il e of Comanche warriors trailing along the desert wastes, enroute to or returning from their raids intoMexico. A clear night, with a brigh

Opposite page: Photo ofthe 2nd Fort Stockton. In the

foreground is post trader'sFriedlander's building. The building

shown above the latter is the fort'spost trader's building. The view is to the

northeast of the presentcounty courthouse.

Right: Aview of a troop of theTenth Cavalry adjacent to the row of

officers' quarters. Both photos taken byCaptain George Wedemeyer

in 1885.


11/48

brings them into better perspec-

the Mexican s to the South cow ering

The road dips to cross a sandy, v irtu al-ly waterless gully, sometimes calledrivers in this land, and you can visualizethe train of prairie schooners, lurchingand waving as the hoarse shouts of thedrivers urge the oxen to double their ef-forts in pull ing up the far side.

The stagecoach careens by, its " w h ip "f logging the air with words never meantfor the lady passengers. Nor would thescene be complete without the spectacleof a vast herd of long-h orned ca ttle head-ed north, perhaps to Dodge City, Abi l -ene or some other railroad.

And lastly you see the cavalry patrol,moving in pairs, ever on the scout formarauding Indians, Comancheros, oreven Mexican or American bandits thatonce made this land a risky one fortravel not more than a century ago. Asyou watch them, their pace becomes alit t le l ivelier, their talk a l it t le spicier forthey know, and now you know, they arenearing Fort Stockton and the end of ajourney.

As far as may be determined, the f irstsettlers to locate here were a group ofJesuits who planned a mission of sorts tobe called "St. G al l , " although there issome discrepancy amongst historians as

by FRED S. COOKto whether or not this was ever accom-pl ished, in what year, and whatever hap-pened to the mission. Unfortunately forthe good Fathers, the Comanche andKiowa, and the Apache to the north werenot as amenable to Mission life as themore docile tribes of California.

Sometime in 1854, the first of two, oractually three, posts were establishedhere, and at that time the area wasknown as Comanche Springs. It wasfound ed as a tem pora ry post , asub-camp of Fort Davis, about 100 milesaway, and its main purpose seems tohave been to deny the Comanche andKiowa raiders the privilege of using thewaters of the Pecos River and so hindertheir raiding activit ies.

From the start, an aura of mysterysurrounds the "Fort." No one seems tohave knowledge as to how it was named.Some claim it was for Commodore Rob-ert Field Stockton who distinguishedhimself in the Mexican War. But then,whoever heard of the Army giving aNavy man the honor of having a fortnamed after him? Some say it wasnamed for Richard F. Stockton (1730-1781), a New Jersey lawyer who was oneof the signers of the Declaration of lr.de-


12/48

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endence, Still others say it was forome soldier or non-commissioned offi-er whodist inguished himself in a cam-aign thereabout.The true answer wil l probably never

e know n, anymore than it wi l l be knownA'ho carved the da t e "1847" on the'zero stone" which l ies in the parkjefore the court house. This stone,/vhich is claimed to be the basis for allhe surveys of the area, was reportedmarked by the f irst survey crew to come

ou t of Fort Davis. However, in that yearhere was noFort Davis. Thet rue date ofhe stone, according to local historians,/vas 1859when Anson E. M i l l s , the de-puty su rveyor for El Paso County, form-ally laid out Fort Stockton on March 29,1 8 5 9 .

It was also at that t ime that Company' H , " of the First United States Infantry,

commanded by 1st Lt. Walter Jones,started construct ion of the f irst perman-ent fort . Prior to that it hadonly been re-garded as an outpost and the men sleptin tents.

Almost from the start the fort madehistory. A company of cavalry, under thecommand of Captain Alb ert G. Brackett,rested there overnight ontheir pursuit ofa band ofComanche warriors whom theywere to fol low deep into Mexican ter r i -tory, and thus st irred up considerablediplomatic chat-chat.

The fol lowing year, in 1860, May 23 tobe precise, thestatus of the encampmentwas off icially changed to "For t S tock ton"f rom "Camp Stock ton. " Ac tua l ly , itnever was a " f o r t . " At least no self-re-specting scribe of Hollywood westernswould have termed it that . The OfficersQuarters, some of which st i l l stand andare used as private residences today,f lanked one side of the parade ground.On the opposite side were the barracksand some general buildings, all of whichare now gone. One end of the groundcontained general buildings, and at theopposite endwere the Sutler's store andGuard House. This latter, st i l l in goodcondit ion, is maintained by the City andis open to the general public. Nearbywas a Butterf ield Express Stat ion. Therewere nowalls of adobe or wood, and hepost, often manned by a skeleton force,was never attacked.

In 1861, the Civi l War broke out andBrigidier General David E. Twiggs or-dered the men out of Fort Stockton. Infact, he ordered the men in the entireSouthwest to abandon their posts and re-

treat to San Diego in California, Theywere hardly out of sight when the poswas occupied by the Second Regiment othe Texas Mounted Rif les, under thecommand of Col. John R. Baylor. Heturned command over to Captain Bi" G o o d " Adams who looked after thingsunti l early in 1862when word came thaSibley had been defeated by Californiatroops in western New Mexico. Adamthen ordered the fort abandoned and leffor other parts. As far as can be determined, the Confederate garrison neveengaged in hostile actions against anyo n e , inc luding Comanche, Kiowa, Apac h e , Comanchero, banditos or you nami t . And for that matter, the settlers whremained there found the interveninyears rather trouble-free ones.

In 1867, the U.S. Army returned to thscene, this time in the shape of two companies of the 41st Infant ry, and soofol lowed by the Ninth U.S. Cavalryunder command of Colonel EdwarHatch. The latter were black soldiers anwere soon dubbed by the Indians as th"Buf falo Soldiers. " They proved to bone of the best cavalry units in the A r m yalthough there was an ugly incident aFor t S tock ton when some rebe l leagainst their white off icers. The " r ebel i o n " was put down by loyal troops ansome of the part icipants sentenced tdeath while others received long prisoterms.The troops based here engaged in number of campaigns against the Comanche and later against the Apachebut apart from that there was very littacit ivity in the area unti l the period between 1876 and 1880 when, strangeenough, a number of bandits seemed at racted to thearea. According to reportor legends, Bil ly the Kid was a residenhereabout for a whi le , as was SamBasThere were stories that Frank and J essJames were seen in the area, but sucstories are more often the fabricat ionimaginations rather than factual.

June 26 & 27, 1886,Company " G" the Third United States Cavalry anCompany " P " of the 16th Infantpacked their bags and marched off. OJune 30, 1886, the f o r t was off icialisted as being permanently abandoneby the mi l i ta ry .

When Fort Stockton was founded, thusual resultant town sprang up. Onethe best patronized places of businewas the Grey Mule Sa loon whesoldiers from the fort , travelers and loc


13/48

FORT STOCKTONTEXAS- 1875 wow.

I" -ICORRALM MMMB SINK.

MH SINKGH \T R A D E R . H \

SINK I SIN*.badmen congregated. It was said to beowned by a local sheriff named Royalwho was f inally defeated in a close elec-t ion. When he refused to give up hisoff ice, he wasshot down in the court-house by an oppone nt who did n't w ant todrag through the red tape of a recount.About the turn of thecentury, a M r s .Annie Riggs opened a hotel near thecourt house plaza and just to make surethat none of her guests became unruly,or bothered any strangers, she enforcedher "house ru les" bywear ing a six-gunon each hip.

Today, the old hotel is a very wellstocked and well kept museum which isopen to the pu blic. Rooms are decoratedas they were about the turn of the cen-tury, a l lowing one o l i terally step intothe past.

There are also a number of other oldhomes andbuildings about town, somesti l l inhabited and others in variousstages of disrepair. One includes a m u-seum-schoolroom where many of thelocal residents did actually learn their"T h ree R's" in the days when therewere no busing problems and childrenminded their parents and teacher.

The County Court House is of modernvintag e, bu t on the same site as the or ig-inal court house. Some say that an inves-t igat ion of old records will disclose theDesert/August 1976

signature of " J u d g e RoyBean." Thenthere are others who say that JudgeBean couldn't write hisname and neverkept records anyway.

For those who like to poke around oldcemeteries, Fort Stockton mayprove adisappointment . When theArmy pul ledout they took all their bodies and re- in-terred them in Fort Sam Houston in SanAntonio.

The early graves that are left showthat l iving to 40 years of age in thosedays was an achievement in itself. Butwhether this was due to a lack of medicalprof iciency on the part of the doctors, ora lack ofmarksman ship on the part of thedeceased, is unknown.

Today, Stockton is a f r iendly, smalltown , on the west Texas Plains, baskingin thehistoric sunshine of its past. It iswell supplied with modern hotels, res-taurants and other visitor facil i t ies. It sthe home of awell known Texas historianand author, Clayton Wil l iams, Sr, whois always ready to stop and spin a yarnwith a visitor.

Within easy driving range are suchhistoric sites asFort Davis, now a StatePark; McDonald Observatory; the one-t ime wi l d , oil towns of McCamey andCrane and to thenorth, it is a pleasantday's t r ip to Carlsbad and The Caverns,an d toGuadalupe Na tional Park.

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pp.

stores, saloons, hotels and other busi-ness houses. But the town was finishedin 1904 with the completion of the SanPedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Rail-road. This new line passed through LasVegas, taking away Barnwell 's Nevadat rade. For a t ime, the town survived bysupplying a few C alifornia camps, but itwasn't profitable and rail service was

soon discontinued.Today, only a couple of small cabins, a

corral and a few foundations mark thesite of Barnwell, but we were correct inassuming that it could be a coin hunter'sbonanza.

We've found 32 old coins, severaltokens, some excellent old bottles andother memorabilia during our several

trips to the site. Some of the coins, in-cluding a shield nickel and a 1900S In-dianhead penny, are in surprisingly goodcondit ion.With more than a decade of continuousactivity in its past, Barnwell is bound toyield more coins to those who have thepatience and perseverance to seek themout.

Above : Ruins of a saloononce owned by the brother of

Wyatt Earp in the goldmining tow n of Vand erbilt,a few miles from Barnw ell.

Right: A portion of theman y coins and interestingrelics found in Barnwell.

Desert / August 1976 15


16/48

AUOIIOCCountv. . .a history

buff'sminefield

I IRESIDE S MO KE snakes up into aW cool October n ight, deep blue w ithI the clarity of Northern California in1855. Men and women, jubilant with theexhaustion of a gut-ripping mountaincrossing, sing and dance beside verdantpines. Children sleep in wagons cluster-ed at a f lat meadow spring.

Something cracks in the bouldersbundled in the dark forest slopes.A f iddl e, squeaking accompaniment tonervous off-key singers, stops. Dancerscontinue to stomp the Fandango. And afew singers keep it up.

From the muddy banks of a livestock-choked creek ruff l ings and a shril l cry.

Silence. Too long. The last silence.Indians, Paiutes, tumble from theirrocky crags. Arrows, long shafts arcacross camp fires. Screams of one-on-onecombat choke the children awake.

Mu ske t shots send blue clouds and un-burned powder into the pine thickets.And more Indians come.

In a few minutes, in an obscure valleyalong the Lassen-Applegate Trai l , 200settlers are cut apart, massacred, theirbelongings strewn, their livestock takenand their westward progress foreverstopped.

T -B byVAN WILKINSON

This gentlehillside was finalstopping placeon the a scent ofLassen[Fandango]Pass. The smalllake served as afinal wateringspot before thegreat uphillstruggle.

Desert /August 1976


17/48

And their horror gave us the name:Fandango Pass.

To historians, of course, this is a l ie.To them , the Fandango Pass massacre isa handed-down exaggerat ion, more ac-curately an incremental compilat ion ofvalid parts into a questionably grislywhole.

Modoc County, even today, is an his-tor ian's minef ie ld: somet imes the "dig-g i n g " is quietoccasionally the paradeof facts is explosively shaken by a rumorove r t u rned o r an anach ron i sm un -earthed.

Let 's poke around Modoc County,start ing with those bold, pained yearswhen Northern Cal i fornia 's uppermostterr itory was wholly the domain of thePaiute, Pit and Modoc Indians and wasin the way of westward swarming set-t lers and miners.Oregon's fer t i le midlands were beingti l led by 1844. Eastern farmers, wil l ingto take the term "west" at i ts fu l lestvalue, were hauling their futures alongthe Oregon or California Trai l . Then, asnow, t ime was money and f irst come wasfirst served a piece of the new territory.Hence the need for shorter routes to thenew lands.

Jesse Applegate (in 1846) and PeterLassen (in 1848) helped to lure wagontrains into Oregon and Northern Cali-fornia by detour ing f rom the establ ishedCal i fornia Trai l a long the HumboldtRiver and str iking northwest across thetop of Nevada and California.

These two road f inders whose namesnow identify the trail had either ESP orsome inside data from Sutter, becausethe new trail system was in use just asthe gold seekers began to overload thetradit ional trails in their desperate west-ward c rush.

Fandango Pass (called Lassen Passprior to 1856) is the steepest, bloodiest,mountain crossing along the t ra i l . Youcan drive it today, only a half hour's de-tour f rom Highway 395.

Families of the Forty Niners who hadendured the dry summer dust of Neva-da's deserts and the brackish mudwaters of Surprise Valley looked up thesharp eastern face of the W arner Mo un-tains toward Fandango Pass. Somethought they were about to cross thedreaded Sierra Nevadas and then dropcontented into the fert i le SacramentoValley. The wiser stayed silentthey

Right:Weather-abused

sign marks site ofthe reputed

FandangoMassacre. Thatthe date is missing

seems fittingIndian attacks along

this route werecommon in the 20

years between1846-1866.

Below: A saggingbarn shed and the

rusted s hells ofsteam-poweredmachinery litter the

mining campwhich used to be

called theHigh Grade but

has been renamedKlondike.

knew that hundreds of wild miles layahead.The pull up Fandango Pass was med i-ocre for a couple of miles and hell for onemore. Wagons were st r ipped. Oxenwere double, t r ip le teamed. Women

chocked the wagon wheels just beforeoxen slid backwards in utter fat igue.Possess ions were thrown as ide aschildren and elders pulled on the ropeswhich edged the wagons up the steepestquarter mi le.


18/48

Oxen and men died together on thisgrade.

If spir its w ere low on the way up, theysoared as the summit was passed andthe f lat green expanse of Fandango Val-ley lay ahead.

And that 's where legend and ledgerdi f fer .

Bibliophiles tell us the oft-cited w agontrain descended the valley, left much oftheir traveling gear and disabled wagonsbehind, converted to horseback andmoved speedily on. Later wagon trainsfound the abandoned debris and erron-eously concluded that a massacre hadoccurred.

Most people prefer the account whichtells of those later wagon trains f indingburned , broken wagons, bloodied mus-kets and knives, fouled personal belong-ings and, of course, bodies.

No one disputes this: the WarnerMountains, Fandango Pass and the wetlowland trails leading away were undercontinuous attack from Paiutes and18

Modocs. No trail was more drain ing interms of human life and more constant interms of Indian harassment than theLassen-Applegate system, at least on aper man basis.

You can explore the Fandango area inModoc National Forest (see map). Al-turas, the county seat, is a good place tobegin. National Forest Headquartersand the Modoc County Museu m are bothhere.

Alturas is the biggest city in andaround Modoc County, and it 's a smalltown . I t wasn't always that wayit usedto be tiny. From 1870 until 1874 thename was Dorris Bridg e, after the area'sfirst ranchers. After 1874, it was re-named Alturas, Spanish for "valley atopa m oun t a in . "All that remains of the infamousLassen [Fandango] Pass grade areeroding ruts which run straightup the east face ofthe Warner Mountains.

Desert/August 1976

A bunkhouse and workshopfor High Grade miners

is a classic example of log cabinarchitecture so popular in the

Modoc wilderness where timberis a major comm odity.

Alturas's history is as kinky as thecounty's. Sixty years after the gold rushera, Alturas residents st i l l feared raidsfrom random, renegade Indians. Therailroad's arrival in 1908 brought a newlevel of urbanity, but not without somegood ol' Modoc turmoil. Right-of-waysquabbles halted the railway's progressat the town's edge. So, as the citizensand courts enjoyed a Sunday off , railmenconstructed the l ine into town that day.Such is and was the mood of many inModoc County, whose motto is "Wherethe West Sti l l Lives." Yes sir.

The railroads, which came late toNorthern California, deserve a mention.In part icular, the NCO. That 's r ight, theN C O . Not a b ig g ie by a nyon e 'sstandards, but possessing a sadly tu mu l-tous and singularly obscure history r ival-ing any in the nation.

To NCO's early crit ics, the lettersstood for Narrow , Crooked and Ornery orNorthern C alifornia Outrage . To the menwho hung in there to put the l inet h r o u g h , i t s o f f ic ia l name was theNevada-Californ ia-Oregon.Starting at Reno in 1880, as a linewhich would lead north to Goose Lake at

- ' . . * ; ;


19/48

the Oregon border, the venture f inallyculminated at Lakeview, Oregon, in1 9 1 2 , 32 years, 238 miles and some r id i -culous events later.

Railroads crept into Modoc's richfarming and t imber land near FandangoValley and over the Warner Mountainsinto Surprise Valley at Cedarvil le. Butthese short lines had ever shorter lives;they were scrapped and dismantledshortly after completion.Campers, f ishermen and hikers ofModoc often stay at the secluded lakespots right below the Oregon line in theWarner Mountains. The road in goesthrough the High Grade mining area (re-named Klondike), the only signif icantmining area in the Warner Mountains the weathered and t i lted outbuildingsdate to about 1910, when the county'sonly gold rush was at its heighth. Fur-ther along this bumping, steep road onecomes to the ghost townsite of Fort Bid-wel l . As late as 1911, residents aroundFort Bidwell were terrorizing or beingterrorized by local Indians.

Modoc names, untraceable to definitepoints, pull from historic sources all overthe Early West. "Modoc" appears to beeither a misbreeding of two Klamath In-d ian words, "m o a " (southerner) and"dock" (near), or a Shasta Indian wordof unclear meaning, or the name of acharacter (Maidac) in a novel read by theexplorer John Fremont, who assignedthe area that name.

The local Indians, having been there a

Lassen -Applegate *Trailf follows Villow Creek)

F O R T B 1 D W E L LB A C K C O U N T R Y( H o d o c C o . )

bit longer than Fremont, called the area"Smiles f rom Cod." White set t lers andtravelers dubbed it the "Batt le Croundof the Pacif ic." The Indian tribes camein all names: the marauding Paiutescontroll ing Surprise Valley to the east,the war-ready Modocs in the north andthe peaceful Pits living in the central,wet lowlands.

To protect worried stockmen andfarmers from uncooperative Modocs,Fort Bidwell was established in 1866,about 16 years too late to help thosealong the Lassen-Applegate Trail in theWestward Movement. Except for Cali-fornia's only Indian war in 1873, whichsaw Modoc warriors outf ight cavalrymenin harsh lava fields, most conflicts wereminor enough to allow the 1893 closureof the fort. Today it stands as a Depart-ment of Interior school for Indians.Desert/August 1976

There's not a lot going on in the north-easternmost niche of California, even inthe "busy" summer season. No four-laners full of smogged-in tourists, butplenty of clear two-laners which lay inbeautiful vacant straightaways throughfarm fields and prairie highlands.

Winters come hard to Modoc County;they hit soon and stay late. Roads closeunder the vast artic blades of snow-windwhich wail across the Great Basin.Otherwise, Pacific storms keep Modocpine mountains green and moist.

History is spread thicker here than itspopulation. Mysterious remnants, hilar-ious episodes and pristine environs gangup on the novice Modocophile. A casualtour, and there simply is no other way todo it, awakens the old Fandango ques-t ion: why is it so peaceful and quiethere?

19


20/48

Left:Rock fantasyhigh abovea meadowwith tigerhead onthe left.

A NE OF THE FEW remaining un-So managed and undeveloped historicaly landm arks in southe rn Idaho is theunique City of Rocks whose comely andgrotesque formations stand l ike mutesentinels guarding the secrets of herpast. In this Bicentennial year, our herit-age looms clearer in our conscience, andthe preservation of these milepostsbecom es eve r m ore s ign i f i can t andmeaningfu l .

This picturesque phenomenon in na-ture is only 35 miles from the city ofBurley, Idaho. Situated in the roll ingAlbion-Malta mountains known as theSouth Hills, the silent city is in the Saw-tooth National Forest. This mountainpass, curiously re sem bling a modern cityskyline, was once the hub of three fa-mous east-west pioneer trails whichcrossed the barren deserts and desolatewastelands.But even more than the nostalgic ro-mantic legends of the past, the silent cityhas great scientific value for its granitemantled gniess dome formations whichreveal its geological history.

These huge rocks are scattered overan area of more than 35,000 acres, partof which is used for grazing. Threadedthrough the towering spirals passed thetrails of the Indian, the fur trader, ad-venturous explorat ion part ies and bravemen and women seeking peace, freedomand fortunes. The Indian followed thebuffalo from water hole to water hole,20

Right: Close-upphoto of

pioneer nameswritten onrocks with

wagon grease.

and the fur trader followed the Indian.The vanguard scouts followed the furtrader, and the sett lers followed thescouts as the last frontiers melted away.Just over 100 years ago, this land ofscenic grandeur was the scene of war-ring Indians, stage coach robberies, andthe hijacking of wagon trains. The FortHall-Raft River route, the Soda Springs-Hudspeth cutoffs to the California t ra i l ,and the famous Oregon Trail all crossedthrough the tottering cathedral peaks.

One can hear the rust le of the windthrough aspen, pine and juniper as itwhispers of the past, and the lonely cryof the coyote at night echoes otherstrange sounds in history. The slowplodding of the oxen, and the creeking

groans of the Conestoga wagons mingledwith the happy laughter of pioneechildren; the screaming angry cry of Indians answering the sharp crack of immigrant r if les, the yell of a driver, or theloud clatter of startled horses pullingunbending coaches.

Time has not erased the most fantastic register of dates and names paintewith wagon grease on a huge roc(Register Rock) by a few who paused trest. These stand out in bold relief evethough the elements have eroded anchipped away at the rocks on which thewere writ ten. These awesome etchingand messages of that period in historcannot be duplicated anywhere else ithis Magic Valley area.


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Turtle Rocksits n

stoney silence.The rust ing metals on thewheels of

the wagons are still seen on the rocks asa reminder of the anguished struggle topush thewagons over areas that theteams alone could notmanage. Twistedand gnarled trees also bear evidence thatthey were used to anchor block andtackle equipment to hold wagons fromslipping. Old diaries are replete with thereactions of the immigrants to thissteepled marvel, andalso f i l led withstark tragedy, romance, and colorfulfolklore of this area.

No two rock formations are shapedalike, and many have been given namesby common consent or legend. Thehighest peak rises 7,699 feet above sealevel, and Twin Sisters (62 stories high)6,838. Bath Rock, 26feet high and al-most perpendicular to the road, holdsaccumulated rain water, and if onebathes in it before sun-up his youth wi l lbe restored, according to legend.

Eons ago, when theearth wasveryyoung, the great r iver plain to he north,east and west of theSilent City (alsoknown asGoblin City) was agreat r iverplain of semi-tropical gardens throughwhich f lowed themighty Snake Riverand many small streams. Through thoseverdure-clad plains roamed themasto-don, ma mm oth, camel and species of thehorse. Great catastrophes overwhelmedthe valley onseven different occasionsand volcanic ash rom these eruptionsspewed forth asea of lava covering thebeautiful valley with a blanket rangingup to 800 feet deep. Inthe cataclysm,all

'o f the teeming l i fe was annihi lated, hesmall r ivers were burned up and thechannels obliterated. TheSnake Rivercu t itsway through the lava carving oneof the most scenic canyons inthe west.The lofty Tetoris were uplif ted tof ramethe eastern boundary.

Thus theland was dry anddesolatewhere only bands of savage Indiansroamed tohunt orf ish on achoice riverbank before the fur t rappers arrived.Nature from primeval t imes hasslowlysculptured what appears to be anend-less sea of domes and turrets frommountains which have been pushed,heaved and faulted unti l they haveeroded and crum bled away leaving these

weird giant spires andminarets. Therocks clearly reveal the continual transit ion of ime, and are easily accessible fostudy.

These boulders are of oldest Precambr ian c r ys t a l l i ne basem en t com p lexhaving been buried by 50,000 feet oPaleozoic and Mesozoic rocks which resulted inhigh temperatures and extremepressure deep below the e arth's surfaceAs time passed, these rocks eventuallybecame exposed and uplif ted in thrusand shif t ing in a10-mile vert ical uplif t inthis area. Some geologists say that parof these rocks originated far tothe wesof where they now stan d, and the uniquprot ruding monol i ths are a geologist 'paradise!

The granite rocks are light incolor anappear asmushroomed or cone-shapedomes whose caps or t ips are slight ldarker incolor, and more hardened thathe sides and bases. Where moisture hapenetrated the t iny fractures in throcks, it has dissolved some of thminerals which have jelled, f i l l ing up thfractures and pores which hold the sanand rock together somewhat like a cment, and forming ahard cap crust. Below thecap theabsorpt ion of moisturand evaporat ion has caused chippinand fall ing away of the decompose


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grani te at the base where it is more vul-nerable, and has been carried away bywinds, rains, and melt ing snows.

Some precious stones such as waterrubies, garnets andopals were found bythe mica miners among the irregularcone formations where the dream ca-thedrals sparkled in bril l iant splendor.

According to legend, the area was hecampsite of some of the Blackfeet In-dians, the Bannock, and as recent as heearly 1900's some Shoshone tribes win-tered among the tottering peaks.

Just four miles away are the remainsof the famous debatable Almo massacre.The story is told of an immigrant wagontrain of 300 men, women and children(60 wagons) who were supposed to bebur ied in a hole they had f rant ically dugin aneffort to f ind water. They were sur-rounded and cut off by Indians who hadbeen w atching for an opportuni ty to en-t rap them. There are several versions ofthe story. One is t ha t on the four th nightof the siege, a man and a woman slippedbetween thewheels of awagon into highsagebrush and escaped across the Utah-Idaho border, staggering into the l i t t leMormon set t lement at Brigham City,more than 100 miles from the besiegedwagon t ra in .

Another man and two women, crawl-Desert/August1976

ing on their hands and knees, also es-caped into the Raft River area wherethey were later found by the rescueparty. One of the women had wrappedher nursing baby in a blanket which she>held in her teeth as she crawled tosafety. The rest of the wagon train weredead in the smoldering blackened asheswhen help arrived.

Two years later, Chief Pocatello andhis Bannock Indians burned and lootedseven wagons in a t rain headed forCal i fornia.

Since this historical area is not underany county, state or federal control,there are no facilit ies at the silent cityitself, but the nearby town of Burley hasnumerous accommodations.

There is agood highway leading to thearea, but through the strange formationsthemselves, there are only dirt roads.

Seasona l w i l d f l owers abound , es-pecially during years when rain is plen-t i fu l . Ground squirrels, jack rabbits,coyotes, and occasionally deer, can beseen in the area, in addit ion to birds,hawks, partridges, blue grouse, sagehens, and once in a whi le an eagle.

The Silent City of Rocks holds manysecrets of the past, geological forma-t ions unequalled in theWest , and aquietescape for ponder ing andmeditat ion.

1

w[Now...IGood things \ Ware happening at...D e a t h V a l l e yJ u n c t i o n

Stay at the historicAMARGOSA HOTELThis lovely 50-year-old hotel isbeing restored. 20 rooms openyear 'round. All carpeted. Allbeautifully furnished. Electricheat and air conditioning. Makethe Amargosa Hotel your head-quarters while in the DeathValley area.You can now dine in the restor-ed DINING ROOM in the Hotel.A separate banquet facility isavailable for groups.Telephone Death Valley Junc-tion #1 for information or reser-vations.

Visit Marta Becket's famousAMARGOSA OPERA HOUSE.You've read about this beautifuland unique attraction in Desertand National Geographic. SeeMarta Becket's program ofdance-mimes. See her fabulousmurals inside the Opera House.Performances Friday, Saturdayand Monday Through April.Saturdays only in May, Septem-ber. 8:15; doors open at 7:45.Telephone Death Valley Junc-tion #8 for reservations. Tourswelcomed.

The General Store, Filling Sta-tion, Pottery Shop and BeautyParlor are open. RV Parkcoming. Space available fordevelopment.

For further information aboutDEATH VALLEY JUNCTIONplease write:

Death Valley Junction, Inc.P.O. Box 675

Death Valley Junction,California 92328

win


24/48

0 N T H E T R A I LQFTflEK I N B M I S S I O N Sby RUSSELL W AH MA NN

F EW MEN have left their mark on thedesert as has Father Eusebio Kino,Jesuit missionary, explorer, astrono-mer, cartographer and ranchman, whofor a quarter of a century was the out-standing f igure on the Sonora-Arizona-Cal i forn ia f ront ier.

Kino's mark, standing today as monu-ments, are the remnants of a chain ofmissions he established between 1687and 1711. A score of present-day townsand cities began their history as one ormore than 110 mission pueblos hef ounded.

From Tuscon, over good highways,one can visit at least nine of the desertmissions associated with Padre Kino. Ina two-day swing via Nogales, Santa Ana,Caborca and Sonoita, and returning toTucson, one can see these missions andeven view Kino's recently discovered,and now authenticated, remains in aspecially built structure at Magdalena.

Six miles south of Tucson, just west ofInterstate Highway 19, is San Xavier delBac. The site was f irst v isited by K ino in1 6 9 2 . He later introduced catt le, grainand seeds. In 1700 he began a churchabout a mile north of the present site.The structure there today, begun in1 7 8 3 , is a stunning example of Spanishcolonial architecture, a baroque monu-

ment to the splendor of civilization onthe desert frontier, and one of Arizo na'art treasures.

Continuing southward on Interstat19-U.S. 89 about 43 miles from Tucson iSan Cayetano del Tumacacori. FatheKino founded this church in 1691. Thepresent structure, built between 1796and 1821, is the t h i rd . The latter twwere built on the same site. Destroyedby an Apache raid in 1821, it remained inruins until restored by the National ParkService in 1929.

Cross into Mexico at Nogales. Nopassport is needed, only proof of U.Scitizenship and an auto registration is requi red. Obtain a Mexican Tourist Permihere just inside the border. You wineed to show it at a check-point jussouth of Nogales, Sonora. Without it youmust return to the border. It is a goodidea to also obtain Mexican auto insurance, either in Tucson or Nogales, Arizona. It's inexpensive and might save afew headaches later because Mexicandrive with a "Lat ino machismo" att itude. Travel south on Mexican Highway15 to the vil lage of Im uris. There you wilturn left on Mexican Highway 2 towardCananea.

San Xavier del Bac, near Tucson, aptlycalled "The White Dove of the Desert,is the finest example of Spanish coloniaarchitecture in Arizona. Familiar tomany tourists, it is thought to be the fifthchurch structure on the site. T hebaroque decoration around the doorwayis characteristic of European influence


25/48

Tumacacori National Monumentin Arizona. Photo by Russell D. Butcher,Seal Harbor, Maine


26/48

The mission ruin of Cocospera is easilyreached on the highway. The site is lo-cated on the northwest side of the roadapproximately 20 miles from Imuris.Perhaps it is too accessible because ithas been continually ravaged by mis-guided treasure seekers. Don't fall intothis class of vandals. Leave everythingas it is and respect the fragile walls. Nochurch in northern Sonora has ever heldthe same degree of fascination createdby the lonely ruin of Nuestra Senora delPilar y Santiago de Cocospera. Situatedon a high bluff above the picturesqueCocospera Va l ley , th is miss ion haswitnessed the rise and fall of empires.

The rich river lands provided theSpanish with produce and the Apachesused the valley as an invasion corridor onthe central Pimeria Alta (northern f ron-t ier) . Father Kino laid the foundation fora church with transepts and adobearches. Later, Franciscans built a churcharound the walls of Kino's Jesuit mis-sion. Kino's square defense towersformed the bases for twin bell towers ofthe latter structure.

Return to Imuris and Highway 15. Afew miles south of Imuris look for a signIn this specially built m onum ent, the re-mains of Father Kino may be seen atMagdalena. They lie where they werefound 255 years after his death. The at-tractive plaza surrounding the mon u-ment, museum and present church con-tains many fine shops.

on an unpaved road to San Ignacio. Turnright and drive into the village of San Ig-nacio de Caborca. Time has passed it byas it rests peacefully along the Rio Mag-dalena. This once important mission, atraining ground for new Jesuits on thedesert frontier, reflects the characteris-tics of the earlier churches of the Pim-eria. Co in and admire the circular mes-quite-log staircase.

From here you may follow the un-paved river road or return to the pavedhighway for your next stop at Magda-lena. Founded by Kino in 1690, it wasdestroyed in the Indian revolt of 1695.Father Agustin Campos built a chapelhere, Santa Maria Magdalena, in whichKino died on March 15, 1711. After

Interior of Cocospera. Wood was em-ployed for roof beam s, lintels, doors andfurniture. Here is a heavy m esquitevigor or beam which held a choir loft.Originally adzed square, time an d van-dals have taken their toll of the beams. Athick gypsum plaster covered the adobeand finished the walls of the altar areayears of archival research by some of thechurches' foremost scholars, on Ma y 211966, 255 years after his death, the re-mains of Padre Kino were found. TheMexican Government maintains a mu-seum and monument at the grave site.The remains may be viewed through awindow of a specially-built domed struc-ture sitt ing in the m iddle of an attractiveplaza which contains shops dedicated totour ists.

Ten miles south of Magdalena is thevillage of Santa Ana. To continue alongthe mission t ra i l , turn west here onMexican Highway 2. Leaving the greenMagdalena Valley, the next 44 miles tothe town of Altar reveals the harsh Sonoran desert which characterizes most othe Pimeria Alta. At Altar one may takean optional detour to the right (northward) to the small towns of Oquitoa, A tiand Tubatama. Although optional, thisleg may prove to be the most rewardingpersonal experience.

In these tiny villages, off the beatentour ist path, a smile and a sincere att itude on your part will break through thelanguage barrier and the usual feeling osuspicion. One time, with companionsat At i l , and with a f lat t ire , the en tiretown mobilized itself in our behalf to finda tire pump. On the west side of the


27/48

plaza is the adobe ruins of Kino's mis-sion, nex t to the "modern" church,Santa Teresa del At i l . The old church atSan Anton io del Oqu itoa was constructedin 1705 and the present Franciscan struc-ture at Tubatam a was built in 1791.

Here again, the graciousness of thevil lagers of Tubatama was revealed asthe last two cans of cold Cervesa weresold to us. The Delco electric plant whichsupplies the vil lage and the only meansby which new ice {hielo) could be made,runs only between 5 P.M. and 10 P.M.

A word of caution about the road fromAltar to Tubatama. I t is part ial ly pavedwith improvements continuing in a slowfashion (by U.S. standards). A newalignment and bridges are being con-structed. Driving in darkness is danger-ous and road warning signs are rare. Apile of white rocks in your lane may be

Organ Pipe JCatus Nat 11s ^ ^ Mon ^CampgroundSonoitafc

Nuestra Senora de la Concepciondel Caborca in Sonora, Mexico.Main architectural features of theFranciscan missions inSonora are in evidence at Caborca;solid massive walls and buttresses,arcaded corridors, archessupported on piers and two-storiedbelfries. The arcades aredirectly traceable to Spain.There, the arches are supportedon columns in the Plateresquestyle. In the Sonora missions,the use of adobe and sm all stones,together with the lack of skilledworkme n, dictated the use ofsimple square piers inplace of columns.Buttresses were introducedto strengthen the long, highadobe walls and to react againstthe thrust from vaultedroofs and domes above.Caborca is the finest examp leof Mexican frontier architecturein Sonora.

Kitt PeakNat'l Ob

J Nogales

^ J^Tubutoma

Cocoiporo^

Con tinued on Page 40s^Caborco

PitiquitoNot recommended f Imuris 1SomJ \Ignacio/

rMagdolena


28/48

W e s t e r nh i t e - W i n g e dW o n d e r s

by K. L. BOYNTON1976

28

W E S T E R N WHITE-WINCED dovesMM migrate great distances from their| | win ter quarters in Mexico andpoints considerably south for the dubi-ous pleasure of raising their families inthe deserts of the Southwest. Why anybird in its right mind elects to conduct itsdomestic proceedings in a harsh envi-ronment and during the worst monthsfor heat and dryness at that, is hard tounderstand. A few birdbrains amongt hem, might, maybe; but how can prac-tically a whole clan be wrong? Yet, everyspring sees these birds zooming into thesouthern parts of Arizona, New Mexicoand Texas by the thousands, all set topitch right in on family chores.

Various and sundry biologists lookedinto this seemingly witless behavior,wondering how this good-sized bird(measuring some 12 inches and weigh-ing probably a third to a half pound) canhandle the rigors of desert living. Herecertainly is no small bird that might tuckinto a bit of shade and get along on prac-tically nothing. Whitewings need plenty


29/48

of groceries to fill their menus and abouncing famiily of two squabs, yam-mering their heads off for food, likewisehave to be stuffed while growing up.

The first bit of news that showed up inthe scientif ic investigations was that thewhitewings, with no apparent advancenotice while in Mexico, st i l l seem toknow somehow when the deserts upnorth are going to start spreading out theprovender. The Arizona-bound contin-gent, for instance, knows specificallyand exactly when the big saguaro com-missaries will open for business. Sincethe giant cactus is a main source ofwhitewing food during the peak of themating season, they check right in ont ime. An Organ Pipe Monument study,for example, shows them arriving inforce on April 19, and the saguaros open-ing their f irst blooms only two days later.

These flowers provide the f irst food of-fered by the saguaros. Big, white blos-soms, with that waxy gloss typical of cac-tus blooms, they withstand the desertheat well and the blooming season islong. In each flower's bell is a generoussupply of thick sweet nectar, and thecloves, dunking their heads in, imbibedeeply. When the fruit r ipens,the doves

dine royally, staining their faces andbills red with the juicy pulp. Seeds andfruit of various other plants are alsoavailable, wild jujube and the tasty pur-ple drupes of the Condalia being parti-cularly favored in certain areas.

However, in spite of dining on foodwith high water content, these doves,u n l i ke ce r t a in o th e r d e se r t -b re e d in gbirds, are absolutely dependent on addi-tional free water each day. This is avail-able season long only at a few perm anentwater sources in scattered locations inthe desert, which means that the doveshave to fly considerable distances everyday to drink.

Anatomists, regarding the whitewings,report that when it comes to flying thesedoves certainly have what it takes. Theirwing shape is elliptical, an excellent de-sign to give high maneuverability andprecise control with a minimum of drag.The skeleton itself is especially well builtin the f lying department, with its deep-keeled breast bone and enlargement ofthe upper arm bone, both providing wideareas for the attachment of the bigbreast muscles that power the flight.

The first and largest of these muscles,attached to the edge of the breastbone

and to the under side of the arm by acomplicated tendon arrangement, lowersthe wing. A second big f l ight muscle,also attached to the breastbone and thistime to the upper side of the arm, raisesthe wing with the help of a couple ofsmaller ones. Various joints and musclesof the arms spread the wing and adjustits shape during each beat. The positionof the feathers a very important matterin f lyingis handled by tendons on theback of the hand part of the wing. Thebig depth of the breastbone, besides in-creasing the length and mechanical ad-vantage of the f lying muscle f ibers,strengthens the skeleton as a whole.This is a definite plus, since in the air alarge part of the dove's body weight iscarried on the breastbone.

With an anatomical set-up like this,the whitewing is highly capable of therapid, powerful and sustained f l ight de-manded by the need to travel for water.Lew Arnold's comprehensive study ofthe doves in Arizona found that the birdsnest within a radius of 10 miles from thenearest source of waterprobably evenfarther away. A water tank in the SandTank Mountain region, for example,drew them from all directions, making

Opp. page:White-winged

dove buildsa nest

in a giantsaguaro cactus.

This thornyhaven makesit difficult

for predators.Photo by

LewisW. Walker.

Right:Western

white-wingeddove

feeding onsaguaro nectar.

Photo byGeorge Olin.


30/48

possible at least 314 square miles of po-tent ial breeding range. This tank aloneserved some 3,000 pairs of whi tewings .Here at 7 P.M. on June and July even-ings there might be 4,000 birds comingto drink. Every tree and bush largeenough to hold them was covered withbirds. More were on the ground in theshade of bushes andwashes, hot, th i rs tyand pant ing, wait ing a chance at thewater.

Once the whitewing gets the old bi l lin , however, he can take on a load in ahurry, thanks to the drinking style evolv-ed by his fami ly long ago. This isachieved by a pumping act ion gul letwhich permits him to suck up waterinstead of having to take a bil l ful l andthen t i l t back his head to let it run downhis throat, as most birds do. BiologistsR.E. MacMi l len and C.H. Trost, inter-ested in the whitewing's water needs,found the bird dr inks about 12.4 percentof its body weight a day when it has anoppor tun i t y , but can get by wi th as l i t t leas 4.2 percent. An interest ing parallelstudy of themourning dove by G.A. Bar-tholomew and W.R. Dawson showedthat these birds can dr ink in 10 minutesan amount ofwater equivalent to over 17percent of their body weight . So thechances arethat the whitewing, guzzl ingas fast as he can, gets his quota safelyaboard.

Water avai lable in the desert is apt tohave considerable saline content, and

here again the dove tr ibe has evolvedways of handl ing this problem. White-wings offered fresh water and 12.5 per-cent sea water by M acM i l l en and Trostfailed to discr iminate between them,f lour ishing equal ly wel l on both. If twohigher saline solut ions were offered,however, the birds always selected thewater with the lower salt content. Watercontaining salt beyond a crit ical l imit ,however, was refused, the birds notdr ink ing at all, even if they lost weight.

Al though they arr ive by the thous-ands, whitewings are really not gregar-ious birds, yet many nests are apt to befound in the same area. This is largelydu e to the fact that housekeeping sitesoffering food andnesting facil i t ies withinf lying distance to water are so few andfar between. What goes for a nest withthese birds is the usual sloppy job typicalof doves: a f l imsy platform slapped to-gether with a few sticks laid carelesslyl e n g t h w i s e , c r o s s w is e , a n y - o l d - w i s e .Where? In a mesquite crotch, on a l imbof an iron wood, palo verde , on an arm ofa saguaro, in acholla cactus. In the treesthere might be some chance of shade,but one nest wasbui l t on the stump of asaguaro in the blazing sun, the bird sit-t ing on the eggs apparently uncon-cerned.

Two eggs are par for a clutch, withboth parents sharing the sit t ing choresdur ing the 17-19days of incubat ion. Thefemales sit through the night and morn-

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i n g , the males taking over aroundmidday unti l late afternoon. Teamworkis essential, for one parent can't handleth e big job of raising squabs successfullyunder desert condit ions. The eggs andyoung cannot be left alone to broi l in thes u n , take cold in the night or be eaten bypredators. Somebody has to be sit t ing nomatter how uncomfortable condit ionsmay be.The adult birds are consequently subjected to heavy water loss. Both sexeneed water just to keep up their ownbody weight. True, whitewings l ike theicousins the mourners, can stand hightemperatures anddangerous dehydrat ioremarkably wel l . They can also unloabody heat from the surfaces of their barlegs and feet and by l i f t ing their wingthus exposing the body parts that arscanti ly feathered. And, in high heathey f lut ter their g ul lets, pant ing. But iaddit ion to the loss of water due to envronmental condit ions, there is anotheheavy drain: f irst by the female in thproduction of the eggs and then by botparents in prov id ing "c rop mi lk " to feethe squabs unti l they canhandle regulafood.

Dur ing the incubation period, thcrops of both the male and female enlarge, st imulated by the hormone prolact i n . By the t ime the squabs make thebo w to thewor ld , a substance chemicalquite close to the milk of mammalsready, secreted by cells in the crop lini n g . At feeding t ime the parent opens itbeak, the youngster puts its bi l l in, anthe f lu id is l i terally pumped into iHighly nutr it ious, crop milk containsome 18 percent protein and 12 percefat , and it of course provides the youngsters with the moisture they need. Feon provender l ike this, the young squabgrow fast. This desert adaptat ion is f infor them, but rough on the parents, thproduction of crop milk being a majreason to t ravel daily to the watsources.

The birds are up early in the morn incooing and feeding among the saguaroshort ly after sunrise, and the daily f l igschedule soon gets underway. Froabout 7 to 10 A.M. the mass movemeto water is made up almost ent irelymales tanking up for their hot middst int on the nest. Back they go, the f l igd w i n d l i n g a w a y . A r o u n d n o o n , thsecond big wave arrives, this t ime madup of females now off duty. They drin


31/48

and depar t . The evening incoming f l ightlanding around 7 P.M. is made up ofbo th sexes, the hundreds o f pa i r snesting within travel distance seeming tocome in turns for the last dr ink of theday.

Dur ing a l l f l ight per iods, the tra f f icaround a water hole for a good quarter ofa mile is tremend ous b irds swoopingand f ly i ng , crowding the trees, wai t ing achance, shoving at the water hole andf ina l ly taking off , f ly ing away. Arnold,watch ing the mi l l ing b i rds, had a viv idanswer to his question: Why don't thedoves nest close to the water source andsave flying energy and time? Why? Be-cause nobody, not even the doughtywhitewing, could raise a family in such abedlam.

Al l th ings considered, the whi tewingsare pretty successful in their family af-fairs with the choice of nest locationmaking some d i f ference. Arnold 's studyin the Tucson Mountain Park Area foundthat the birds did best when nesting injumping cholla with 85 percent success.Palo verde nests came off with 73 per-cent success, Iron wood w ith 50 percentand saguaro nests not doing so well w ithonly 25 percent. B iologist Max Hensley,reporting on his Sonoran desert contin-gents in various nest sites, ran thus: 24nests, 44 eggs of which 45 percenthatched. Of these, 90 percent reachedthe fledgling stage.

Coyotes, snakes, birds of prey accountfor some of the lack of success. The Gilawoodpecker might be guil ty, too, as thisbird dearly loves to poke its bi l l into heneggs and lap up the contents with itsbarbed tongue. Since its range is almostident ica l to that o f the whi tewing, andsince eggs have been found with holeswhacked in them and the contents gone. . . well? A suspicious eye was also castat the white-throated woodrat as a nestpredator, but Arnold's study showed thisfe l low to lerant o f whi tew ing neighbors, afact corroborated by Zoologist D.M . Gor-such's observations of a Gambel's quailnest buil t in the entrance of a wood rathome. Everytime the rat came or went i thad to cl imb over Mrs. Quai l . Beyond afew scolding clucks from Mrs. Q., andthe scrabbling noise of the rat squeezingby, there was no trouble.

With this fair ly good score for nestsuccess, and the fact that the w hitewingshave two batches in most of their range,the clan keeps up its nu mbe rs. That is, i fDesert/Augu st 1976

the parents are not slain during thebreeding season. It used to be thoughtthat with the advent of the summer rainsin Arizona, for instance, the birds tookoff for Mexico since they were no longerseen in droves around the permanentwa te r h o le s . Co n se q u e n t l y , i t wa sthought the hunting season should beginbefore the ir "de pa r tu re ." Arnold 's con-clusions showed this was not true, thatindeed the birds were sti l l nesting.They were not at the permanent watersources because the rains, f i l l ing thenatural depressions and holes near theirnesting sites, made it no longer neces-sary to undergo the long fl ights. There-fore, mid-season hunting of the birds atpermanent holes prior to the rains is ob-viously mighty poor game management.Families are bound to be broken up inthe middle of the breeding season, theeggs don't hatch and squabs die withoutthe double parental care. Populationdrops are inevitable.

Left to i ts own devices, the whitewinggets along fine due to i ts remarkablecapacity to stand dehydration, to makerapid and sustained fl ights, and to makeup its water deficiency fast. The tr ick ofthe trade developed over the ages in cropmi lk p roduct ion tha t nour ishes andwaters the young gives the offspring aremarkably good chance at survival.

After al l , the big Southwest desert,seemingly so inhospitable, is a very goodprovider for a bird with know-how l ikethese wh itewin g wonders.

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197608 Desert Magazine 1976 August