Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 36, Number 283, 19 August 1911 — Page 2

IPilILAIBIItLJlM :. SHORT STFOES Y: PAGE

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Pictured Rocks Near Otaivt Canyon, New Mexilo

How the U. S. Government . Is Hunting for a Scientist to Decipher Mysterious Paintings and Carvings That Jell the History of Vanished Peoples and May Lead to Gold Mines. TOD "flmt ' Americana," wbo dwelt in cave or cliff dwellings, war much riven to exercialDC their artlatto and literary tDUacU on the amootb-C&ead cliffa 'and boulder that abound" in tb canyona of the Par Weat. Tn early biatorlana and deeeriptiTe wrltera who Journeyed through the Weat ware not of an archaeological torn of mind, aa their writing ara painfully deficient when it cornea to mention of the rock writing of too frontier. Of late, however, much attention haa been paid to thee . aaeaaagea of a long dead people. If you are akilled in deciphering the meaaagea of the plctographa painted or cbleelled on tbe rocka by prehlatorto American Uncle Bant would Ilka to aecure your serrlcea. Only recently there appeared an advertisement for auch an individual, aa the 'Government now baa thouaanda of rock puszle on Ita hand

and would like to have them solved. Many of tbe most valuable rock writings have been set aside as national monuments by the Government. SI Morro, or Inscription Rock, tn New Mexico la probably the most notable example. This national monument is near tbe old Zuni trail, which was followed by the Spaniards In their hunt for tbe Seven Cities of Cibolla. For miles the cliffs abound with inscriptions, messages in Spanish being mingled with the older picture writings of the aborigines who wandered over the desert long before the Spaniards came. Tbe deciphering of the ancient picture writings is tbe main object of Government experts to-day. The petrographer who operates in the field nowadays is not satisfied to copy tbe inscriptions, but secures a perfect impression by somewhat laborious methods. If the rock writing is pecked into tbe surface of tbe granite or sandstone, to tbe usual depth of from one-quarter to onehalf an inch, casts are secured by putting sheets of paper or muslin over the characters, followed by a layer of paste. Then comes another layer of paper and a layer of paste, the mold being carefully pressed Into the depressions as the work proceeds. When the mold dries a perfect east has been secured in negative form. This cast is greased and another cast made from It, thus giving a perfect reproduction of the rock writing. It the' pedographs are painted on the

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GiS Writings in Yellow Jacket Canyon, Utah, Showing a f recession , of Men with Enormous Hands.

The Strange Symbols in the Fainted Desert of Arizona

rock tbe outline of the characters Is followed with colored chalk, and muslin is then pressed against tbe rock. The chalk adheres to the muslin, and "then the petragrapher carefully traces the figures in soma more enduring substance. The work of archaeologists trf this unique field in recent years has exploded tbe ancient theory that these rock writings and pictographs were merely the freakish amusements of the artistic or literary "set" of prehistoric times. A certain unity has been found in the work, and tbe rock pictures and writings have been divided into groups, the most important of which Is the Shoshonean. The work of the Shoshonean group is found generally In tbe Southwest, and seldom as far East as tbe Mississippi Valley. Many of tbe symbols found in the most ancient cliff drawings are utilised in the religious ceremonies of the Shoshonean " group to-day. For instance, tbe Bearded Serpent, which has been found painted in the ceremonial kivas recently restored in tbe Pajarito Park region of Upper New Mexico, is- worshipped by the Hopl Indians to-day. In this region, too, exists the tremendous chiselled face in the rocks which prospectors have always believed marks the location of a gold mine in the Lnmedlate vicinity. The inscrutability of the Sphinx-like face, however, gives no clue as to

the exact whereabouts of the treasure, if that indeed is its purpose. According to the experts, however. -the face undoubtedly represents aa idol worshipped by the early Hopl Indians or their predecessors, as is evidenced by the trough la trout of it in which the blood of the animals sacrificed is believed to bare run. In the southwestern area most of the picture writings are painted as wu as pecked, while in the northern areas the artists seem t have dispensed with colors. This may have been because the southwestern tribes had a greater sense of color, or perhaps it was because the pigments were easier found among the highly colored sand- : stones of the desert than among the gray plains of the North. In the Tu!e River region of California, where pictogrtphs abound. I here is a rock covered with picture writings, brilliantly done in colors. At the base of the rock Is to ba found a series of cup-like depressions, in which the primeval artists mixed tbelr colors. The pigments ire still in evidence In these depressions, and have literally become a part of the rock, aa tbey cannot be removed by a steel instrument. It is certain that many of these . rock writings were used as signposts, pointing the way to tbe nearest springs, camping places, or trail , that shortened distances of travel. In the Mohave country Is a rock picture which describe tbe effect of tbe pita of the cidatus, and the use of a certain herb for it cure. In Nevada has been found a boulder on which is a representation of a woman with on olive branch tn her hand. In the San Juan country of New Mexico there is a cliff on which appears a long procession of ani

mals with men to keep tnem in order. In Yellow Jacket Canyon. I'tah. near some remarkable did ruins and community houses which have only recently been discovered, is a wonderful series of cliff writings. One of these shows a procession of

men wan great nanas neia ta strange position. The Colorado River, which flow between walls of rock for hundreds of miles, contains countless petroglypbs. One of tbe rock pictures in the Colorado Canyon, below the mouth of the Dirty Devil River, tells a stirring story of tbe defense of the crossing, tbe stationing of a garrison and tbe death of officer of rank. At Lake Chelan. Washington, picture writings appear on the face of a cliff thirty feet abovi the surfac of the water. It has been deter, mined that stone wedges were driven into the face of tbe cliff, enabling tbe artists to climb where their work would show to better advantage. In Maine there are rock writings which are several feet below tbe lowest tides. Prospectors In the Southwest hsvc long held tbe idea that, some of these Indian inscription ' tell of bidden gold mines, and Govern meui scientists at Washington have long been pestered with inquiries as to translations of certain writing! which have been thought to deal with treasure. Nothing has ever been discovered iuat would bear out tbe prospector' theory, but mining men still cling to the belief that, some day a Golconda will be uncovered through a key found. on soma cliff or boulder. Many "of tbe prehistorlb"xartIsti were clever In depicting astonishment or negation fn drawing tbeif characters.

TROM the porch of the barracks the captain called him and

I ' asked: 'Do you want to be my orderly, Sotgiu?" Sotftu stood at awkward and clumsy as a bear, overawed at the sight of the beautiful lady, who looked him over as if he were a domestic animal she was about to buy. She exchanged a glance with her husband, who said: "All right, Sotgiu, you start to work at once. Be at my house at 7 o'clock to-morrow. Maura will take you there." The oext day Sotgiu began his work as a domestic, dressed in a huge blue apron, with a brush in his pocket and a feather duster in his hand. His duties were not heavy, for besides the ' baby, Miori, a little damsel of eight month, there were a chamber ' maid and a cook in the house. But ha did not feel at home in this magnificent house. And with wide open eyes he stared at the heavy silver tableware, the white tablecloth and the wealth of flowers. He felt at ease only with the nurse, who was like a real comrade, ' a coarse, heavy built country girl from Assiu. s . . - She, too, felt out of place in this magnificent home and !m- " mediatory struck up m friendship with the new orderly, who. like herself, was born' and brought up in the mountains. Often, when their work was done, they sat together on the back porch or in the attic chatting and looking toward the distant mountains behind which was their home. On day, when she was trying to put away some linen with Mimi on her arm, Sotgiu said to her: "Let me carry the baby, you can't work that way. 44 But she won't stay with anybody but me." "Just let me try." When he held the baby in his arms, the feeling of this soft, fittk creature seemed very strange to him. He did not know how to hold it. For the first time in his life he noticed this little baby with the big eye that stared in surprise at her new nurse. Blue eyes and black met for a moment, but the examination must iT.? l- V M"ni Pene1 httlc toothless mouth and talked to him in her mysterious language. ."l She. " ,ini,in8 he cried in delight "Usb f ci!" "f8 to H " "I1 N8' "So!' P Baccol She is a beauty. His pride would not alow him to confess that this little rink and white creature had conquered him entirely. Formerly when his work wa. done he used to go to some saloon with Coixedda. another country soldier like himself. Now he went out walking With the nuo and they sat down in a- lonely spot outside the waOs, where she permitted him to hold the baby Pfti1" dug her little fingers into hi eye, and Sotgiu was to happy he invented thousand trick, to amuse the fattie one. " ,Soon Mi Ttiwd her military playmate's arms, and when it was tome to nurse her. she showed her anger in a v7rv aodible manner. To make ber stop the nurse had to put on A? LTcot'fcd wght of When Mimi was wearier! wl - j . ,

. . i e . i , itiumcQ n ner moun tain home. Sotgiu became her companion instead. The barrarlt?

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HIS FRIEND - - - - - - - '- By Giulio Bechi

Sotgiu stood as awkward and clumsy as a bear, overawed at the sight of the beautiful lady."

the house, Mimi' parents, the canteen existed no longer for him. It was useless to call him or to ask him to do anything. Mimi and he spent hours and hours playing together. They needed no words to understand one another. Mimi commanded by gesture and her smallest whim was obeyed on the spot. One day she was playing with pebbles in the park. When she had picked out one that pleased her particularly, she placed it inside Sotgiu's immense fist Suddenly a big Great Dane caught sight of her and. being young and playful. Jumped at her and licked her face until she fell backward, crying.

Sotgiu turned red with anger and kicked the dog. which ran

away howling, while a fat colonel, red as a tomato, nude a rush for the soldier. "Sacre bleu!" he roared. "That is my dog. you infernal fool! How dare you touch it with your dirty boots Sotgiu heard nothing. He was stooping over the little one, trying to make her stop crying. "I am talking to you I To you, do you hear? Why don't you salute an officer, you muttonhead" The soldier straightened up, pale with anger, clenched his fists and hissed between his teeth:

"Let me alone! Let me alone, will you. or you will be sorry.

The expression of his face, distorted with anger, brought the colonel back to his senses. For a moment he stood dumfounded, then he said: ' , "Bring that child home and then report at the guard house. We will talk about this to-morrow." Mimi began to meow like a cat, so he picked her up, pressed her to his heart and started homeward, broken-hearted, with big tears streaming down his honest face. , The same evening he was placed under arrest ' Of course he lost his job as the captain's orderly, but thanks to his master's intervention, he escaped being court-martialed. When he came out of the arrest, thin and green like a lizard, he wars sent away, and did not even get time to say good-by to tbe baby. , After three long months Sotgiu at last returned to the barracks. He found Mimi on the terrace playing with his successor. She did not even look at him, and when he tried to pick her up she pushed him back and began to cry. She turned ber head away and held out her arms toward the other soldier. Sotgiu wiped the tears from his eyes and went away. Without knowing it he found himself at the door of the canteenThat night he was taken to the barracks intoxicated, had a fight with the sergeant who tried to make him go to bed and was again taken to the guard house. From now on he became the black sheep of the regiment Hardly a day passed when he was not drunk and fighting somebody, v ; ;J?CfJ''f. '-"j Two months passed, and Sotgiu spent most of his time under arrest At last a few hours before they were to be discharged, the soldiers were allowed to walk about where they pleased.' ' Sotgiu went straight to the park, to the very place whew he had met the angry colonel. There he sat down on a bench and buried his face in his hands. I -. .i. .." ; -r Suddenly his face lit up and his heart began to beat A lady with a lace parasol and a large hat was coming toward him with a little girl, who pointed her finger at the soldier. The mother bent down and whispered something to the little girl, who immediately rushed toward him with open arms. "Oh. Mimi. my dear little signorinaf "Now, Mimi. give Tap a kiss. Do you know that Tat is never coming back" Muni looked at the soldier with her big blue eyes as if to seel confirmation of her mother's words, and repeated; "Tato never coming back, is be" The soldw shook his head sadly. , "Now give him a nice kiss. Mimi." - And Mimi jumped up. threw her little" arms around his neck and kissed him. . - Several weeks afterward a parcel arrived addressed to fSjf. norini Mimi." The captain opened iu On a bed of shavings lay a doll dressed in gorgeous Nuores peasant cosbasie; erne ol those primitive dolls which are the delight of children; and ra m hands it held a letter written with Antomcu's chimsy hand: "To Signorina Mimi. of whom I ant always tbinkms, vt and day. and of whom I shall think all my Efc Do not iorget mc, "Good-by! Good-byr