197609 Desert Magazine 1976 September

8/14/2019 197609 Desert Magazine 1976 September

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SEPTEMBER, 1976 75c

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V V J L LJ A M a n d J O Y K N Y V E T TCo-Publishers/EditorsGEORGE BRAGA, Art DirectorMARY FRANCES STRONG, Field Trip EditorF. A. BARNES, Utah Associate EditorGLENN VARGAS, Lapidary EditorK. L. BOYNTON, NaturalistMARVEL BARRETT, Circulation ManagerColor SeparationsbyHenry Color ServiceLithographed byRotary Offset PrintersAvailable in Microfilm byXerox University Microfilms

Volume 39, Number 9 SEPTEMBER 1976

CONTENTS

THE COVER:"TuckirT In ," an originaloi l , 24"x18" by PatriciaScarano of Port Angeles,Washington. See articleon Page24.

F E A T U R E STUMCO . . . THE FORGOTTEN GHOST Roland West

NEVADA'S WALKER LAKE 12 Russell Mills

HITE 16 F.A.Barnes

EAST OF INDEPENDENCE 20 Mary FrancesStrong

EMOTIONS ON CANVAS 24 J.M. Moynahan

DESERT FALCON 28 Jim Cornett

A LESSON WITH LEAD 31 Craig MacDonald

ROCK GARDEN OF ANTIQUITY 32 T.Scott Bryan

VOLCANO, CALIFORNIA 36 Howard Neal

D E P A R T M E N T S

William Knyvett

Mail Order Items

Book Reviews

A PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE 4

BOOKS OF THE WEST 6

BOOKS FOR DESERT READERS 8

RAMBLING ON ROCKS 42 Glenn and Martha Vargas

TRADING POST 44 ClassifiedListings

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 46 Readers'Comments

CALENDAR OF WESTERN EVENTS 46 Club Activities

E D I T O R I A L AND CIRCULATION OFFICES: 74-425 H ighway 111,Palm Desert, California 92260. Telephone Area Code 714346-8144. NATIONALA D V E R T I S I N G O F F I C E S : JE Publishers' Representative, 8732 Sunset Blvd., LosAngeles , Cal i fornia 90069. Telephone Area Code 213659-3810. Listedin Standard Rate andData . SUBSCR IPTION RATES : Un i ted S tates , Canada andM exico; 1year , $6.00; 2years, $11.00; 3years, $16.00. Other foreignsubscr ibe rs add$1.00 U.S.currency foreach year . SeeSubscription Order Form inthis issue. Allow five week s for change ofaddress andsend both newan d old addresses with zipcodes. DESERT M agaz ine ispublished monthly. Second class postage paid at Palm Desert, California andat additionalmailing offices under ActofM arch 3,1879. Contents copyrighted 1976 by DESERT M agaz ine andpermission to reproduce anyor allcontents must besecured in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts andphotographs will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed andstamped envelope.Desert / September 1976 3


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B A C K I S S U E S196911 issuesonlyFeb.-Dec.

Complete' 6 6 , '67, '68' 7 0 , 7 1 , '72, '73Volumes

"Rain Barre l"Assorted Issues1959 to 1965

Package of 20

Mai l a l l orders to:DESERT Magaz ineBox 1318Palm Desert, Calif . 92260

A P e e ki n t h eP u b l i s h e r sP o k e

I ! HE DESERT has an attraction tom any peop le f o r i t s t r anqu i l i t y ,others savor its recreational aspects,while another segment seeks its hiddenwealth in the form of minerals andcaches.

Larry Winkelman, of Orange, Califor-n i a , belongs to all these groups and ownsand operates Allied Interiors at 966 N.Main St., which specializes in manytypes of equipment and accessories forthe enjoyment of the outdoors. Anyspare time that his business permitsyou 'l l f ind him camped out on the desertand exploring with his metal detectors.

On a recent monthly outing with the Prospectors Club of Southern California, alarge active group of prospectors and treasure, lost mine and relic hunters, Larry hita small bonanza that easily won him thec lub 's "F ind o f the Month . "

Using a late model Compass metal de-tector, at a depth of about a foot, he lo-cated an old tobacco can (Prince Albert-type, used frequently by prospectors tokeep their claim papers in). Ope ning thel i d , Larry was astounded when coinsstarted falling out, 139 of them, in fact,dating from 1824 to 1914.

Included in the find were large cents,Indian head pennies, two-cent pieces,three-cent pieces, a half-dime, shield-type nickels, Liberty nickels, bust dimes,Liberty seated dime, barber dimes, abust quarter, Liberty seated quarters,barber quarters, L iberty seated ha lf-dol-lar, barber half-dollars and one goldcoin,a 1911 five-dollar gold piece.

Larry declined to identify the exactarea of the f i nd , but did me ntion that it was an old desert mining distr ict near Cali-fornia Highway 395.

This is a good t ime to remin d you that the N inth A nnua l National Prospectors andTreasure Hunters C onvention w il l be held October 9th and 10th at the Tropico Min e

in Rosamond, California. This is a familyfun event put on by the Prospectors Clubof Southern California and is a great wayto spend a weekend in the de sert and seeone of the truly fascinating mines in theWest. The latest models of metal detec-tors and related prospecting equipmentwill be on display in addition to the fea-tured attract ions of gold panning, drywashing, metal detect ing and a Finder'Keepers' Treasure Hunt with coins andsilver ingots worth hundreds of dollars.Plan now to join in the fun.

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Desert/ September 1976


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"A Lonely Desert W as h" . Photo by George Servicet h e d e s e r tw i t h y o u r f r i e n d s a l l y e a r .

S e n d th em a G h ristm a s g i f t s u b s c r i p t i o nPLEASE USE ORDER FORM ON PAGE 45


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Send orders toBox 1318 ,Palm Desert, California 92260Please add 25c for postage & handling

JEEP TRAILS TO COLORADO GHOST TOWNSby Robert L. Brown. An i l lustrated, detailed, in-forma l history of life in the mining camps deep inthe almost inaccessible mountain fastness of theColorado Rockies. 58 towns are included as exam-ples of the vigorous strug gle for existence in themining camps of the We st. 239 pages, illustrated ,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 where 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 Off-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 moving text ofDavid Toll, makes this a classic in Western Am er-icana. Large 11 x14 form at, hardco ver, 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 a nthro-pology. Includes 250 major types of artifacts.Each item has a photo and definition. Paper-back, 130 pages, beautifully illustrated, $7.95.

CAMP ING AND CLIM BING IN BAJA by JohnRobinson. Contains excellent maps and photos.A guidebook to the Sierra San Pedro Martir andthe Sierra Juarez of Upper Baja Calif. Much ofthis land is unexplored and unmapped still. Carroutes to famous ranches and camping spots inpalm-studded canyons with trout streams temptweekend tourists who aren't up to hikin g. Paper-back, 96 pages, $2.95.GUIDE FOR INSULATOR COLLECTORS byJohn C. T ibbitts. This is the third and final bookon insulators by veteran bo ttlecollector John Tib-bitts. This third book has a revised price list andindex to insulators described in the previous twovolumes. However, each volume describes insu l-ators not shown in the other books, so for a com-plete roundu p of all insulators, all three volumesare needed. Books are paperback, averaging 120pages, illus., $3.00 EA CH . Please state WH ICHVOLUME when ordering.HANS KLEIBER, Artist of the Bighorn Moun-tains by Emmie Mygatt and Roberta Cheney. Aman who loved nature above all, this legacy ofHans Kleiber's superb etchings and paintings isadmirably presented by the authors as a glimpseinto the experiences which served as back-ground and inspiration for his art. Horizontal8V2X11 format, 74 etchings, 22 paintings, aqua-tints, photographs, cloth bound, boxed, $17.95.

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 excit ingreading 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 w ith 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 A N D A M PH IB IA N S O F TH EAMERICAN 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.

6

DESERT GEM 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.ADVENTURES IN THE REDWOODS by Har-riett E. Weaver. Miss Weaver, California's firstwoman park range r, tells the fascinating historyof the giant redw ood, and in add ition, gives a de-tailed guide to all major redwood groves in boththe coastal and Sierra regions. Beautifully illus-trated, paperback, 160 pages, $2.95.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 us t" 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 C alifornia, 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 MEXICO byWarren A. Beck and Ynez D. Haase. Geographi-cal data, sites of preshistoric civilizations, eventsof history, firs t towns , stagecoach lines, historictrails, etc., are included in this comprehensiveatlas. Excellent maps, index. Hardcover, highlyrecommended, $5.95.HISTORICAL ATLAS OF CALIFORNIA byWarren A. Beck and Ynez D. Hasse. Extensivedocumentation and pertinent detail make thisatlas a valuable aid to the student, scholar andeveryone interested in the Golden State. 101 ex-cellent maps present information on the majorfaults, early Spanish e xplorations, Mexican landgrants, routes to gold fields, the Butterfield andPony Express routes, CCC camps, Wo rld W ar IIInstallations, etc. Hardcover, extensive index,highly recommended, $9.95.THE CREATIVE OJO BOOK by Diane Thomas.Instructions for making the colorful yarn talis-mans originally made by Pueblo and MexicanIndians. Included are directions for wall-hungojos, necklaces, mobiles and gift-wrap tie-ons.Well illustrated with 4-color photographs, 52pages, paperback, $2.95.THE CARE OF DESERT REPTILES by Karl H.Switak. This small, but informative bookletcontains 4-color photos of all species included,and were photographed in their native habitat.Interesting information regarding Distribution;Size; Food, and Care. $1.50.


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An informative study of coin hunting,

f ield. 181E SUPERSTITIONS, The Origins

, the author turns up

is a full color presentationolor photographs, inter-

$7.95.The first of Mitchell's lost

d 175 pages

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 w ithin Southern Ca lifornia andserves as a guide to geological features visiblein Southern California that can be seen whiletraveling by car along highways. W ell illustratedwith maps and pictures, paperback, 181 pages,$4.95.

Written by the authorJeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns, this

The Great Murals of an Unknown PeopleA sequel to his The King'sthe author presentsdisclosure of a sweeping panoramaBeautifully illustrated with color reproduc-of cave paintings and sketches of figures

A revised and up-dated practicalthe 8x11 heavy paperback new edition is

1976

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

GOLDEN CHIA, 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 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 nutr ition . 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 Arizona, 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 tod ay, m ake 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.

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 "b urie d treasure tale s" 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.

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.WELLS FARGO, The Legend by Dale Robert-son. In his personal narrative style, the authorhas recreated the Wells Fargo legend, bringingto life the Concord stage, Black Bart, the intre-pid stage drivers, the California Gold Rush andNevada silver strike. Beautiful illustrations byRoy Purcell. Paperback, 154 pages, $4.95.WILD LIFE OF TH E SOUTHWEST DESERTS byJim Cornett. Written 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 the unusual

ROUGH ING IT EASY by Dian Thomas, putshe fun back into camping with easy andeconomical ways to prepare foods, equip acampsite and organize a camping trip. Pa-perback, 203 pages, $5.95.AMER ICAN INDIAN FOOD AND LORE byarolyn Neithammer. Original Indian plantsused for foods, medicinal purposes, etc., de-cribed, plus unusual recipes. Large format,91 pages, profusely illustrated, $4.95.DUTCH OVEN COOK BOOK by Don Holm.>lew and exciting culinary adventures inDutch Oven cooking. Heavy paperback, 106pages, $3.95.ARIZONA COOK BOOK by Al and Mildred:ischer. Unusual recipes for Indian cooking,Mexican dishes, Western specialties. Uniquecollection. Paperback, 142 pages, $3.00.

SOURDOUGH COOKBOOK by Don andMyrtle Holm. How to make a sourdoughstarter and many dozens of sourdough re-cipes. Paperback, 136 pages, illus ., $3.95.CROCKERY COOKERY by Mable Hoffman.262 tested slow-cooker recipes. ContainsConsumer's Guide to various pots, tempera-ture charts and details on how the recipeswork with each p ot. 176 pages illus., $4.95.CALIFORNIA COOK BOOK by Al and Mil-dred Fischer. Recipes divided into "EarlyCal i fornia," "Cal i fornia Frui ts," "Cal i forniaProducts," "Sea Foods" and "Wine Cook-i n g . " 400 more unique collections by theFischers. 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 Des ert , Cal ifornia 92260

B o o k s f o rH e a d e r s

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

THE DESERTBy Russell D. Butcher

The American desert covers a vastarea of the West, from the Rio Grande tothe California Sierras and north to thesagebrush plains of Oregon. Here, onhigh m ountain ranges and in hidden can-yons, unique f lowers bloom overnight.On remote plateaus rare wildlife makesits last stand against encroaching civi l i-zation, and isolated marshes remnantsof lost lakesgive sustenance to migrat-ing birds.

Russell Butcher, free-lance photo-grapher and writer, states in his Fore-word :

"To many people, the desert seemsonly a barren wasteland, a terr ifyinglyempty land of crushing heat, venomousrepti les, and thorny plant l i fea placetha t is best scurried across on a four-la nefreeway on the way to somewhere else.

"But for a growing number of others,the subtropical and rain-shadow desertsof the West are endlessly fascinating en-vironmentswhere the slant ing sun ofearly morning and late afternoon accen-tuates the colors and textures of theland, the songs of birds fill the air,masses of bri l l iant spring wildf lowerscarpet the ground, and the brightest

canopy of stars moves across the sky atnight .

"As Randall Henderson, founder ofDesert Magazine, wrote in On DesertTrails, ' the real desert . . . is not for theeyes of the superficial observer or thefea rful soul of a cynic. It is a land whichreveals its true character only to thosewho come with courage, tolerance, andunderstanding. '"I t is my hope that the photographsand text of this book, portraying some ofthe outstanding and most accessibledesert places, wil l help inspire a deeperunderstanding of the beauty and mean-ing of the deserts."

Mr. Butcher's superb photographs re-veal all the mystery and wonder of thisawesome and intensely vulnerable en-vironm ent. His text explores the geologi-cal origins of spectacular desert forma-tions and the remarkable means of survi-val employed by the creatures that abidein places so hostile to life. An attentiveobserver and confirmed nature-lover, hemakes us fully aware of the richness ofthe desert experience.

Also included are informative guidesto the parks, wildernesses, desert gar-dens, and museums, and useful sugges-tions about ways to meet the hazards ofthe desert.

Large format, excellent photography,128 pages, hardcov er, $17.50.

WE STER N SIERRA J EEP TRAILSBy Roger Mitchell

In this, the fifth book in his Jeep Trailsseries, Mitchell describes 20 interest ingbackcountry trips easily accessible fromthe populat ion centers of California'sgreat central valley.

Most of the routes described havesome feature of significance for thehistory buff, the sportsman, the natural-ist , and the photographer. All offerscenic beauty. All routes require back-country vehicles, and none should be at-tempted by conventional passenger cars.

Desert /September 1976


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V s ' i n g w h a t he t e r m s " T h e M i tc h e l lScale," Roger includes a rating systemso you can determine just how d ifficult aroute is before you try it.This latest guide is more than just aninventory of rough roads on the westernslope of the Sierra. It will probably intro-duce you to a land you never thoug ht wasaccessible except by foot.Paperback, well illustrated with mapsand photos, $2.50.

ARIZONA PLACE NAMESBy Will C. BarnesRevised and enlargedby Byrd H. GrangerArizona is the sixth largest state in thenation, encompassing 113,810 squaremiles in which the elevation varies from137 feet above sea level to the lofty SanFrancisco Peaks, rising 12,610 feet. Thestate contains violent contrasts, fromburning desert floor to evergreen-cladmountains with running streams.Roughly the state divides into threeareas. The first is the Arizona, alsocalled the Coconino, Plateau. Toward thesouth the plateau slopes to its rim, thegreat Mogollon escarpment, which dropsabruptly hundreds of feet into the Basinarea of the state.Arizona's topography has, of course,had a primary effect on her place namesIn this volume, the countys are listecalphabetically, with a brief history givenof each. The place names are then listec

alphabetically within the county. Elevat ion, map coordinates, history and references are then given for each placename.Information is included on posoffices, their dates of establishmentnames of first postmasters, changes inthe name of the office, and the date odiscontinuance if known. Also includeis information on Wells Fargo StationsThe volume contains Biographical Informa tion, a Map B ibliography, 18 pageof Maps, and an extensive index.Large format, hardcover, $11.50.Desert/September 1976

OREGON'S GOLDEN YEARSMiles F. PotterGold! I've struck gold!

"This cry draws m en like a magn et," says M iles F. Potter, "an d it canturn a country topsy-turvy."A single handful of shiny nuggets changed Oregon from quiet

settlement in the Willamette Valley to a brawling frontier that stretchedfrom the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of adventuresomesouls faced staggering hardships as they streamed across twothousand miles of America's wastelands, armed with pick and sho vel,lured on by dreams of golden treasure at trail's end.177 pages, 8V2 x 1 1, paperbo und337 photographs, many from glass-plate negatives more than acentury old $7.95

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

T h e F i r s t a n d O n l yC o l o t B o o k o nT u r q u o i s eBy OSCAR T.BRANSON

This Book Is AMust For AnyonePossessingEven One PieceOf TurquoiseJewelry

Beaut i fu lIl lustrationstn AccurateColor Can HYou IdentifyTurquoise In YourJewelryPicturesTurquoise from 43Localities fromU. S. And AroundThe Wor ld .Photography ByRay Manley Studios68 Pages62 Full Color Pages100 Color Plates9"x12" Perfect Bound

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DESERT MAGAZINEP. O. Box 1318Palm Desert, Calif. 92260Calif. Res. Please Add State Tax


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V

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* J W& :

TUMCO...Forgotten

Ghostby ROLAND W EST

1 OST AMID the myths and legends ofother more glamorous ghost towns,Tumco lies almost forgotten in thesoutheast corner of California's ColoradoDesert.

Tumco is easily reached by passengercar via Highway S34, which runs northfrom Interstate 8 near the Arizona andCalifornia state line to Highway 78 going

10

east out of Brawley. The Tumco turnoffis well marked and only a mile or sodown an unimproved but adequate road.

Definitely not a stereotype ghost town ,all that remains are a few crumblingadobe walls, some foundations, andmany, many shafts. The shafts are ofparticular interest. It is almost unbeliev-able that so many could exist in such aconcentrated location. Several are dug atsuch an angle it 's a wonder a man everentered or emerged except on his stom-ach, not to mention the dif f iculty of get-ting ore out. Some are on small knollsand plunge straight down. Care shouldbe taken when approaching any of theshafts as the footing can be very tricky.

Indians originally mined the area in acrude fashion, and there are st i l l well-de-fined paths and trails where, in dayspast, many artifacts could be seen.

From 1865 to 1870, Mexicans minedthe area, but kept their operations lowDesert/September 1976


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Left:Crumblingmemoriesof bygone

days.Right:

A cave-in, an ev er - , ,presentdanger.

key so as not to arouse the suspicions ofthe people around the area and in Y um a,a short distance to the east.

Sometime in the 1880s, a Swedishtrack walker for the Southern PacificRailroad by the name of Hedges, discov-ered gold in the area. Apparently theSwede was more interested in looking forgold than walking track, and would takeexcursions into the surrounding canyonslooking for it. Soon after his strike, atown sprung up, taking the name of thetrack walker.

At the height of activity, Hedgesboasted of a pop ulation of over 3,000 a ndfour saloons along Stingaree Gulch. Aswas the case in most mining camps,Hedges had a Chinese family who ranthe grocery store.

One thing missing from the l i festyle inHedges, which seems to be part of thehistory of all mining camps of that era,was violence and camp girls. In fact,compared to Panamint City, Hedges wasvery tame. There is only one infamousdeed on record. A Mexican boy by thename of Pedro was accused of stealing abar of gold and was hanged.

Three bars of gold had been processedone morning and left unattended for ashort t ime. When the foreman returnedfor them, only two remained. Pedro, whohad been working nearby, was accusedof taking the missing gold bar and wasasked to return it. Denying the theft, hewas hung by his thumbs over the cyanidevats while the miners implored him toconfess, return the gold bar, and nothingwould happen to him. Proclaiming hisinnocence, the miners, who had by thist im e becom e v io len t , d ragged h imdown, put a rope around his neck andhanged him. Years later, while d isman tl-ing the mi l l , a gold bar was found in thefoundat ion.

Hedges hauled his processed gold inwagons to the railroad in nearby Ogilby,where it was then shipped to the SanFrancisco mint. When Hedges decidedhe had enough gold and was t ired ofm in ing, he sold his interests to a gentle-man by the name of Borden of theBorden Milk family. Borden changed thename of Hedges to The United MinesCompany. The town promptly becameknown as Tumco, the initials of the The

United Mines Company. Tumco f inallywithered away in 1909, due to the r isingcosts of mining and the fixed price ofgold. Tumco had another brief life from1913 to 1916.

There is at least one weekend prospec-tor working the area now, and seems tobe staking claims everyw here. However,a rockhound in the area says the claimsare i l legal.

Actually, the rockhound had some in-teresting stories of Tumco and the sur-rounding area. According to him, Span-iards mined the area during the days ofCortez. Supposedly, they would fill theirships with sand from Africa's gold coastfor ballast, sail around Cape Horn, upthe Gulf of California and into the Colo-rado River near Yum a, where they wo ulddump the sand and take on gold for the irreturn voyage. An expert on sand, know-ing what to look for, can st i l l f ind muchof this sand.

Another interest ing comment from therockhoun d was tha t the area has been as-sayed for every conceivable type of min-eral except plat inum. Another boom forforgotten Tumco?

Desert /September 1976 11


12/48

Nevada'sWalkerby RUSSELL G. MILLS T HE SAGE-DOTTED mounta ins andvalleys across Nevada change only inan infinite variety of shapes andcolors. Occasionally, however, the other

side of the range reveals a sight that is insharp contrast to this succession of rock,sage and alkali flat. One of these con-

trasts, Walker Lake, located in west-cen-tral Nevada, adds a sparkling accent tothe surrounding countryside, reflectingthe blue sky and the warm colors of themountains. Although it is a tropical des-ert lake with sparse vegetation, it has adefinite appeal, both to the eye and tooutdoor recreation.

It was named, in 1845, by John Fre-mont in honor of the famous mountainma n a n d e xp lo re r , Jo se ph W a lke r .Walker's trail blazing through Nevadaled him past the lake in 1833 as he

Above: Looking north onWalker Lake with Wassuk Mountainson the left. Right: Typical

example of the old beaches.


13/48

searched for any easy Sierra crossing.Although another explorer, JedidiahSmi th , may have seen the lake as earlyas 1827, its discovery has been generallycredited to Wa lker, who also was respon-sible for recording much of the early in-formation on the area.

Walker Lake is located just north ofHawthorne on U.S. Highway 95, and l iesbetween the Wassuk Mountains on thewest and the Cil l is Range to the east.The fert i le valley north of the lake is thehome of the Walker River Paiutes. Theancestors of these native Americanslived in the area around the lake andwere f irst seen by the early explorers.Today, the Walker River Indian Reserva-tion covers over 300,000 acres of sageand grassland.

The valley south of the lake is occu-pied by Hawthorne, Babbit t and the U.S.Naval Ammunit ion Depot . Hawthornewas founded in 1880 as a stop on theCarson and Colorado Railroad. Later,when the ra ilroad closed, the town begana series of ups and downs through thefollowing years. Hawthorne was relat ive-ly unaffected by the mining boom of theComstock to the north or of Tonopah and

Goldf ield to the south, but it played aminor role in providing supplies to theminers, part icularly those working claimscloser to the area.

The city reached something of a stabil-ity in 1930, however, when the U.S.Naval Am mu nit ion Depot and its town ofBabbit t were located in the immediatearea. Four years prior, in 1926, when thedepot was located on the east coast, itsuffered a disastrous explosion, so thegovernment decided to move it to a moreremote location. Today, the ammunit ionbunkers are spread out over the southernportio n of the valley and are seen as hun -dreds of precisely placed mounds ofear th.

Hawthorne is also the center of out-door recreation for the area. It has excel-lent accommodations for its size and hasbecome a stopping point for travelers onthe north-south, Reno to Las Vegasroute.

Nearby, on the lakeshore, facil i t ies areavailable for campers, picnickers, boat-ers and swimm ers. Rockhounds, too, wil lf ind this an interest ing area, as the min-eral deposits offer many specimens.

Fall is the be ginning of f ishing season.

Unlike most angling waters, f ishing is acool weather sport on Walker Lake, dueprimarily to the combination of shallowwater and the heat of summer. The al-kaline water certainly ha sn't affected thesize of the trout, with three- and four-pounders common and bigger onescaught every year. In the past, when thenumber of nat ive cutthroat trout declin-ed, the Nevada Fish and Game Depart-ment began planting an experimentaltrout h ybrid a cross between a rainbowand a cutthroat. These fish have beenthriving and the lake has continued tohave trout that are something to talkaboutor maybe l ie about.

Boating and, of course, water skiinghave always been popular on the lakeand each summer the added a ttract ion ofa 100-mile marathon draws racing boatenthusiasts from all over the U.S. Theequally popular sport of swimming hasalways made the lake a favorite spot. Inthe early days, however, the circum-stances were often somewhat unusual.

On one occasion, on a hot, dry summerday in the late 1890's, the litt le narrowgauge C&C train was puff ing along thelakeshore in a cloud of dust when it


14/48

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began slowing, then finally stopped.After what seemed to be an extendedwait, one of the passengers, the wife of anewspaper editor, became impatient anddecided to find out what caused thedelay. She stepped off the train andwalked alongside the cars, but foundthat the brakeman was not at his usualstation in the back. She then looked forthe conductor and baggageman andthey, too, were missing. Finally, shewalked up toward the sti l l -steam ing loco-

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Looking northwest,this is part of the

Tamarack PointCampground.

motive and found that i t was abandoned.Puzzled, she began to look around the

area. Then she noticed footprints in thesand and, fol lowing them, arr ived at thebeach where she was shocked to find theentire train crew in the water taking acooling swim. History doesn't revealwhether or not the lady tried to have herhusband write an editor ial condemningthis practice, one that apparently wasfair ly common on the old C&C.

Mo st a ll of the we stern lakeshore is ac-cessible. The highway snakes along thesteep eastern flank of the WassukMountains and is the only access to thewater, for there are no major roads onthe east side of the lake. There are p icnicspots, campgrounds, boat launching fa-cilities, miles of open beaches, and now,a few homes are beginning to dot theupper shoreline.

Two campgrounds were buil t by theBureau of Land Management and areoperated by the county. Sportsman'sBeach is 15 miles from the center ofHawthorne and Tamarack Point is threemiles further north. Both have cabana-type shelters with picnic tables and firepits. Closer to town, boat rental andmore launching faci l i t ies are also avail-able. For those, however, who love the

Dese rt/Sentom hor 1O7


15/48

beauty of the desert, the lake offers acolorful and interest ing panorama, es-pecially the rock-strewn shoreline, ter-raced high above the lake.

These irregular beaches provide aglimpse into the lake's past as well as avisual calendar of its decline. WalkerLake was once the southernmost t ip ofLake Lahontan, a Pleistocene body ofwater that covered a large port ion ofnorthwest Nevada. Although the presentlake is fair ly large, its 20-mile length andfour- to f ive-mile width is just a smallpart of the orig ina l, which once extendedinto California , to the Oregon border andeastward into central Nevada.

Just as the present desert lakes inNevada have no outlet, Lahontan alsof i l l ed , over the years, from the mountainrunoff while the water sank into the soiland evaporated faster than the lakecould be f i l l ed . The 800-foot-deep lake,which covered over 8000 square miles,began a 50,000-year decline that even-tually left valleys f i l led with sand, alkalif lats and seven remnant pools, two ofwhich are permanent: Pyramid andWalker Lakes.

The highest point on the mountain-sides that felt the prehistoric waves iscalled the Lahontan Beach, and it clearlyDesert /September 1976

shows the magnitude of this ancientbody of water. This is apparent whiledriving along U.S. 95 and observing thebeaches, terraced from the water's edgeto the tufa formations high above theroad, for the high-water mark is over 300feet above the present lake's surface!

Unfo rtunate ly, Wa lker Lake has showna decline just in the short period of its re-corded history, because it suffers thesame fate as its giant predecessor, La-hontan: insuff icient water to overcomeevaporat ion. The lake is fed principallyby the Wa lker River. The East and WestWalker Rivers tumble out of the steepeastern scarp of the Sierras, flow north-ward until they converge south of Yer-r ington , then swing in a wide loop to thesouth to empty into Walker Lake. Aswith most of Nevada's r ivers, the up-stream water use depletes the flow intothe lake. Hopefully, conservation pro-grams will stop the lake's decline andsti l l al low use of the r iver's water.

In future years, it wil l be far morepleasant to stand in the cool grey beforedawn listening to the wildlife at water'sedge, than to gaze down from the high-way to a huge alkali f lat radiat ing heatwaves as just another valley between thesuccession of Nevada's mountains.

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16/48

T HE HUE area is the beginning andend of boating on long and spectacu-lar Lake Powell in southern Utah. Asthe uppermost accessible area on thislong desert-canyon reservoir, Hite is thebeginning of conventional boating andother lake activit ies. As the first place itis possible to leave the Colorado Rivergorge at the lower end of Cataract Can-yon, Hite is the end of their adventurefor r iver runners.

From the last rapids in Cataract Can-yon to Clen Canyon Dam, the immenseconcrete plug that created Lake Powell,i t is 110 air miles. By water, the sametr ip would cover almost 180 miles,because of the twisting, turning natureof the Colorado River gorge that the lakefills.

Within this labyrinth of sheer-walledcanyons, sand dune beaches and m agni-ficent vistas set among towering mono-l i ths of red-hued sandstone, there areseveral major zones of activity, each withits own special highlights.

The lower end of the lake is the mosth i g h l y d e ve lo p e d , w i th i t s l o d g e s ,motels, trai ler parks, big campgrounds,marina, the nearby town of Page, andother faci l i t ies. The d am , itself, the spec-tacular highway bridge that spans GlenCanyon just below the dam and thevisitor center th at perches on the canyonrim all attract heavy visitation to theWahweap zone of Lake Powell.

O n e h u n d r e d m i l e s u p la ke , t h emarinas at Hall 's Crossing and BullfrogBasin are the center of another zone oflake activity. These marinas are servedby paved roads that approach the lakefrom the north and south.

Midway between Wahweap and Bul l -f rog-Hal l 's Crossing, Rainbow Br idgeNational Monument is the focus for an-other zone of activity. Here, there is no

byF. A. BARNES

16 Desert/September 1976

Slickroshore

downlakfroHit

This aerialview of the H iteregion of LakePowell shows itbroad expansesof whiteslickrock,toweringredrock cliffs,the U tah 95bridge across tmain channel, the lower left,and part ofthe HenryMountains inthe distance.


17/48

"

- * * ? /


18/48

Abov e: The Hite airstrip is beside the main road , between thetwo Utah 95 bridges. There are no facilities at the strip, and noaviation fuel. By prior arrangement air tour operators at Moab,Blanding, Canyonlands Resort and Page wil l pick up passengersat the Hite airstrip for scenic tours or delivery to other points.The strip is also used for air-ambulance purposes . Left: The an-cient rock walls of the Colorado River gorge ab ove Hite create ashifting kaleidoscope of reflections an d shado ws.

approach to the lake by road, but beatersfrom both directions converge to fuel-upat the floating ma rina, and to dock near-by for the short hike to incomparableRainbow Bridge, the world's largest na-tura l br idge.

Abo ut 50 miles uplake from Hall 'sCrossing, roughly 150 boating milesfrom th e dam , the H ite area is the upper-most zone of activity on Lake Powell.Here, Utah 95, one of the most scenichighways in the state, crosses thenarrow gorge of the ancient ColoradoRiver on a single magnificent arc of si l-very steel, and nearby developmentsoffer lake visitors almost every faci l i ty,service and activity to be found in thebusier zones, but on a smaller, less elab-orate scale. Visitors to the Hite area havemost of the conveniences of the largerdevelopments on the lake, plus theadded advantages that go with its re-mote location.

Unlike most of the present centers ofactivity on Lake Powell, the Hite areahas a place in the early h istory of U tah.In 1883, a prospector and fugitiv e fr om18

justice named Cass Hite arr ived at theColorado River near the mouth of Tra-chyte Creek. There, he settled unti l hisdeath in 1914. Over the decades, CassHite developed a small farm on the r iverbottomland, buil t and operated a smallstore and ran a r iver ferry at nearby"Dandy Crossing." Hi te , who acquiredthe Navajo Ind ian name "Pish-La-Ki"(Silver Man), cal led his remote desert-canyon eden "Ticaboo," a Paiute wordmeaning " fr iendly." In contrast, as in-frequent travelers came his way, CassHite acquired a reputation as a cantank-erous old hermit.

Hite was buried in a side canyon far-ther down r iver from the l i tt le settle-ment. His grave is now deep beneath theblue waters of Lake Powell.

There are those who argue that CassHite wasn't as ornery as held by popularviewpoint. One man who knew him per-sonally claims that the gruff exterior wasbut a facade covering a gentle, well-readperson with a keen sense of humor. Thatman is Jim Bacon, of Roosevelt, Utah.In his late teens , Bacon got acquainted

with old Cass Hite while deliver ing mailby horseback between Hanksville andHite one summer. The fol lowing winter,Bacon sent Hite an ornately carved inkstand from distan t Provo. The gift trav el-ed by train to Green River, and on toHite by horseback mai l . In re turn, Hi tesent Bacon a thank-you letter that was atouchingly sentimental poem.

Decades later, long after the death ofCass Hite, and as the tiny settlements atHite and on the other side of the riverwere about to be inundated by the r isingwaters of Lake Pow ell, someone took JimBacon for a cruise on the lake andstopped at Cass Hite's "Garden of Tica-boo." The long-abandoned orchard andgarden were about dead, and due to bedrowned forever, but Bacon found onescrawny l i tt le grape vine sti l l cl inging tol ife.

He dug this up, took it home to Roose-velt and within a couple of years it wasbearing grapes; a l iving, thr iving me-mento of a fascinating chapter in Utah'searly history. Since then, other Utahresidents have taken cuttings from that


19/48

vine, thus keeping the memory of CassHite alive in a very personal way.

The original sett lement of Hite, andDandy Crossing , were eight and one-halfmiles downlake from the present Utah 95br idge, and five miles below the presentHite Marina. The road that originally ap-proached Hite from the north has longsince been drowned, as the waters of thelake have penetrated three miles intoTrachyte Canyon, but on the south sideof the lake, part of the original route,somewhat improved now, is still in useas an approach to the Farley Canyon armof Lake Powell.

Today, Cass Hite would have troublerecognizing the area that bears his nameon modern maps of Lake Powell. His"Ticaboo," and the White Canyon set-tlement across the river, are now underhundreds of feet of water, a modernmarina juts out from the base of cliffsthat were once high above the riverbank,a paved, all-weather highway carries awide assortment of automotive vehiclesacross two bridges that are engineeringmarvels, and countless boats of all sizesply the turquoise waters that f lood theriver gorge and its many bays and side-canyons.This view of the Hite area shows Utah 95descending to the lake level at the baseof the cliffs to the left. The highwaybridges the Dirty Devil arm of the lake amile or so up that slickrock canyon.Desert/September 1976 19

Hite Ma rina hou seboat rentals offer leisurely e xploration of Lake Pow ell's mainchannel and countless sidecanyons. Sand y beache s provide great camp sites.

Yet, doubtless, Hite would still lovethis wild and remote place, becauseother than a wider, bluer strip of waterwhere the muddy Colorado River onceran, the area's spectacular natural beau-ty is largely unchanged.

The geology of the Hite region isunique and the basis of its beauty. In thevicinity of the marina, newer, morecolorful sedimentary strata stand uponan exposed base of almost pure white,monolithic rock called Cedar Mesa Sand-stone. Both the Colorado River, and its

local tr ibutary, the Dirty Devil, have cutdeep gorges into this light-hued rock.

At the present lake level, most of themain river gorge is under water, with thewhite sandstone that once rimmed thecanyon now forming solid rock "beach-es . " The Dirty Devil, however, is nowaccessible by boat for miles, as the lakewater rises between its sheer, age-pa-t inated walls.

Soaring, terraced walls of dark-coloredCutler, Moenkopi and Chinle deposits

Cont inued on Page 38


20/48

EAST OFF OR THOSE who enjoy stalking thepast, California's Owens Valley hasno parallel. This great trough, separ-ating the mighty Sierra-Nevada Rangefrom the lo f ty White and Inyo Moun-tains, is cradled by magnificent scenery,steeped in history and r ich in outdoorpleasures. It is a living showcase wherethe present has blended well with thepast. All the accoutrements for an excit-ing weekend tr ip or outstanding vacationare yours for the taking. W ith so much tosee and do in Owens Valley, a problemarises in deciding where to begin. Whynot explore, as we did "East o f Inde-pendence?"

A short distance south of the l i tt letown of Independence, in central OwensValley, a paved road leads easter lyacross the valley floor to the base of theInyo Mountains. Along this route and itsimme diate environs l ie numerous sites ofhistor ical interest. Here, the valley's

first gold was discovered, hosti le Indianswere fough t and original towns rose. Set-tlement did not come easy.Prehistor ic Indians were the first tooccupy lush and lovely Owens Valley.Numerous arti facts and petroglyphs leftbehind indicate their presence over along period of t ime. When the first whitemen entered the valley, they found alarge tribe of Piutes in residence. Theywere fr iendly to the explorers JedidiahSmith (1826), Peter Skene Ogden (1829),Joe Walker (1833) and John C. Fremont(1844).

The California Gold Str ike of 1849became the match that lit the flame ofmass migration to the western frontier.It also brought an end to the fr iendlinessof the Owens Valley Indians when pros-pectors and settlers began to usurp theirlands. During the next decade, maraud-ing bands of Indians burned cabins andmurdered both settlers and prospectors.

A good dirt roadleads upMazourka Canyonto Badger Flatat 9,000 feet in theInyo Mountains.It is a verypicturesque driveand along theway aremany interestingmining operations.This placer claimhas all thecomforts of homewithin easyreach of the"diggings."20

This action served their purpose. Fear ofIndian attacks brought a halt to settle-ment of the valley.Upon the urging of settlers, a mil i tarydirective was finally sent to Lt. ColonelGeorge C. Evans, at Los Angeles. It or-dered h im to "prepare for a Mono-Owens River Expedi t ion." On Ju ly 4,1862, Colonel Evans arrived at OakCreek with a contingent of the SecondCavalry consisting of 200 men and 46supply wagons. Because of the date, thesite was named Camp Independence.This show of force and a half-dozenserious skirmishes eventually bro ught anuneasy peace to the valley. Once again,settlers and prospectors began to arrive.

"Free Gold" was found east o f CampIndependence and the San Car losMin ing and Exploration Company organ-ized. A rich vein of galena and somepromising silver prospects were soon lo-cated and claimed. Such news spreadquickly and San Carlos Camp began totake shape. The Indians were quiet and,in early 1864, the military force was re-called. Camp Independence was aban-doned.

In d ia n d e p r a d a t i o n q u i ck l y b e g a nagain. Lone teamsters and travelers,isolated settlers and prospectors wereambushed. When Mrs. Mary McQuireand her six-year-old son were wantonlymurdered , settlers brought pressure tobear on the mil i tary. Camp Indepen-dence was reactivated and the resultant" Ind ian W ar " brought peace throughoutthe valley. It is not a pretty story but hasbeen ably told by W. A. Chalfant in Th eStory of Inyo. Camp Independence re-mained garr isoned unti l f inal abandon-ment in 1877.

Summer o f 1863 saw numerouschanges taking place in central OwensValley. Freight wagons regular ly rol ledthrough, both to and from the new str ikeat Aurora and other northern camps.Settlers arr ived almost daily. East ofCamp Independence, along the OwensRiver, rival towns of Bend City and SanCarlos were developing.

San Carlos was first to boast a popula-tion of over 200, some 30 houses and aDesert/Sentemhor 107C


21/48

byM A R YFRANCESSTRONG

Photos byJerry Strong

At Tuttle CreekCampground,

one of two nearIndependence,

the Sierrasprovide a

magnificentbackground.Tuttle Creek

flows rightin the directionof a panoramic

view of theOwens Valley

and lofty!nyo Mountains.

business distr ict which included stores,assay office and butcher shop. A newlyopened express office was hand ling sup-ply shipments and a ferry providedtransportat ion across the r iver.

Three miles south, Bend City becamea "metropol is" wi th al l the serv ices ne-cessary for gracious living. Includedamong the businesses were blacksmithshops, eating houses, a saddle andharness maker, shoe shop, tailor shop,Chinese laundry and saloon. Two hotelsoffered overnight accommodations. Inorder to outdo San Carlos, their ferryservice was replaced with a bridge.

Mining development was proceedingat a rapid pace. The Union and Ida M il ls ,along with several smaller ones, werebarely able to process all the ore. ItDesert/September 1976

seemed as if every hill and gully in theInyo Mountains was under claim. A yearlater, the boom was over. However, afew mines did prove out and have beenactive from t ime to t ime over the years.

The decline in mining had a profoundeffect on the towns of San Carlos andBend City. Most of the miners and pros-pectors had departed the r iver towns fornew horizons. To the west, Indepen-dence had been founded and became theseat of newly-established Inyo County.Rem a in ing bus iness m en g radua l l ymoved to the "new city." Perhaps thef ickle f ingers of fate had entered thescene at the proper time, because onMarch 26, 1872, at 2:30 A. M ., a greatearthquake occurred.The adobe villages of Bend City and

San Carlos were almost destroyed. Thenew, brick courthouse at Independencecollapsed. Adobe mine buildings tumbl-ed to the ground. Long f issures, one a12-mile crack, opened in the valley floor.Land on the east dropped 15 feet as itshif ted northw ard. Owens River changedits course and left Bend City high anddry. Camp Independence reported over200 after-shocks during the 17-hourperiod following the quake. Twenty-sixpeople were kil led and many injured.Had Bend City and San Carlos been attheir peak populat ion, deaths wouldhave possibly been in the hundreds.

Rebuilding commenced at Indepen-dence almost immediately with woodconstruction replacing adobe. Settle-ment continued and , in 1883, a branch of

2 1


22/48

Digging inthemine dump, Jerryuncovered three bismalbottles, silver spoonand a silver matchbox.22

The adit of the Green Monster Mine hasalmost been sealed by a collapsing re-taining wall. Anearly day [7560's] goldclaim, it later produced copper.the Carson andColorado Railroad wascompleted from Tonopah Junction toKeeler at the southern end of OwensVal ley. With a faster means of transpor-tation for their products, farmers andranchers prospered. New mining devel-opments also aided thegrowing econo-my of the valley.

East of Independence, lode and placermining continued inMazourka and Bon-anza Canyons, as well as Santa Rita Flat.Bend City and San Carlos had not rebu iltafter the earthquake and only a fewframe buildings remained in use. Abridge over the river's new bed gave access tomines in thesurrounding areas.

Today, the region east of Indepen-dence may beeasily explored and mostof the sites mentioned visited. Four-tenths of a mile south of Market Street(the main east-west drag of Indepen-dence), turn left from Highway 395onto a paved road which heads easterlytoward thebase of the Inyo Mountains.Th e Los Angeles Aqueduct will becrossed in about two miles and, a l i t t leover amile beyond, theroad drops overthe 15-foot scarp left by theearthquakeof 1872. We enjoyed walking around thescarp which illustrates the tremendousforce and strength of this part icularquake.

Another mile oftravel will bring you toa transmission line. Just beyond, to thenorth, lie the ruins of Bend City. Theyare easy tomiss just mounds of adobeamong bushes of sage and rabbitbrush.First f lung to the ground by an earth-quake, time and the elements are meld-ing the adobe walls back into the ground.

Walking among thefaint ruins, it ishard to imagine this wasonce a largecommunity much less being located ona bend of the river. Bottle hunters andre lic co llectors " d u g " thesite long agoand carted away the spoils. However,even today, a bottle manages to surfacenow and then.

Continuing a short distance east, thepaved road ends atthe site of KearsargeStation on the Carson and C olorado Rail-road. The old, narrow-gauge railbed isstill visible as isthe M clv er Canal onceused to supply water to several mills.

The station was originally named


23/48

of IndependenceInyo County

M

Independence and there was a move-ment to re-establish the county seatalong the railroad. Several hopeful busi-ness men and a saloon keeper set upshop on the site. However, the townshowed her " independence" by elect ingto remain at her present location. Formany years, the stat ion was called"Cit rus," which was later changed toKearsarge. A stat ion, residence for thesection boss and a bunkhouse for Chin-ese laborers occupied the site in earlyyears. Only debris now marks the locale.

Ahead l ies Mazo urka Canyon a nar-row, wash-cut def i le in the Inyo Moun-tains. The earliest prospectors discover-ed gold in the canyon, but Indian hosti l-i t y p reven t ed deve lopm en t o f t he i rclaims. An off-shoot canyon, namedEJonanza Gulch, has been the scene ofplacer mining for nearly 100 years. Thearea is still under claim and active.Placer gold was also mined on Santa RitaFlat. The Black Eagle, Jumbo, GreenWe were delighted with our "souvenirs"found at the Green Monster Mine. Thissilver m atchbox, Circa 190 4, still con-tained two matches.Desert/September 1976

Monster, Custer and other mines haveproduced gold, lead-silver-zinc, tung-sten, iron and copper.A good dirt road leads up throughMazourka Canyon and climbs to BadgerFlat at an elevation of 9000 feet in theInyos. It is a fascinating tr ip with panor-amic views of the valley and Sierras. Welunched under picturesque old cedars oftremendous size then stopped to lookover the Blue Bell Copper Mine . Nothing

of interest was noted at this prospect.Down in Mazou rka Canyon, a dirt road

makes a c irc le tour of "Po p's Gu lch "and Santa Rita Flat. Along the way,there are interest ing mining operat ionsto look over but do not trespass on post-ed property. Also, you wil l want to seethe Whites ide Min e T unnel so safe itwas designated an "emergen cy she l ter"for the region. It is said to have been a

Cont inued on Page 40

23


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WESTERNART

E M O T J O N SON

CANVASbyJ.M.MOYNAHAN

PatriciaScarano

24

"Puppies Belong Outside"

I A person's inner self can betransmit ted through art, then the inneself revealed in the works of PaScarano d isplay warmth, understandinand d ignity. Shesays of her paint ings" I t ' s my way of expressing the deepemotions and feelings I h a ve . " Theviewer can see these elements in her aand the longer one looks at herworks themo re se n s i t i ve and i n s p i r i n g t h ebecome.

How are hese elements developed inDesert/September 1976


25/48

Oil, 20"x30"

a person? Through age, maturation, ex-perience, well yes, part ially, but maybemore they are inherited attributes onlypossessed by a few people. No m atterhow they are acquired or developed, PatScarano is one art ist who characterist ic-a l ly d isp lays them.Miss Scarano has been a "fu l l t ime"art ist for a relatively short t imesixyears. She has, however, engaged in ar-

t ist ic endeavors for a much longer periodof t ime. She is dedicated to her profes-

sion, working at least eight hours a dayon various art ist ic endeavors. Althoughpartially self-taught, she has studiedunder Leslie B. DeMille, David Barkleyand John P ogany. In ad dit ion , she was astudent at the Univeristy of Washington.

She lives in Port Angeles, Washing-ton, which is one of the gateways to thebeautiful Olympic National Park. Manyof her summers are spent in the Park in afavorite retreata retreat she has goneto since childhood. This area abounds

with various forms of wildlife and withits spectacular scenery serves as a back-drop for many of her landscapes. Shetransmits in these landscapes a feelingof endless freedom which is so character-istic of the area.

In addition to her landscapes, MissScarano also paints the contemporaryIndian. Many of her subjects are placedin an idealized manner which gives anostalgic feeling . It is signif icant tha t hergrandmother was half-Indian and was

Desert/September 1976 25


26/48

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raised by Indian parents. It is hergrand-mother whot ransmit ted to Pat anaware-ness of the pride, strength and gentle-ness of the Indian nation. And the artisthas in turn shared this with us.

Her main subjects, therefore, arelandscapes and contemporary Indians.Her dealings with Indian children shouldbe part icularly noted. With children sheis capable of capturing the small eventsof their lives and making these events acentral theme in her creative talents. Patshows a tenderness andwarmth in deal-ing with these very special subjects. Thishas undoubtedly come from her experi-ences in raising a large (six children)fami ly . As shenotes, "Being a mother isa natural part of me, being an artist isevery bit as natura l. " This feel ing, com-bined with her artist ic talents, readilyexplains hersuccess in painting children.


27/48

Striving toward growth, Pat tr ies tocontinually learn as she goes along. Shesays, "In each painting I want to learnand grow, but at the same time I wish toretain and keep practicing the things Ihave already learned." The art ist doesnot see this as a one way road, that is,doing all of the learning without payingback. On occasion she has shared hera r t i s t i c t a le n t s a n d kn o w le d g e w i t ho thers by teach ing a r t workshopsthrough the Peninsula College in PortAngeles.

Not only does Pat work in the fieldwith her art, but she also works in herstudio. What she adds from retrospectreflects painstaking research, much ofwhich can be done in her studio which isstocked with a good collection of re-source materials. She does not confineher research to contemporary artists or

"Father's Daug hter" Oil, 7 6 " x 20 " From the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Carr.techniques, but reads the old masters.Pat is particularly fond of the work ofPeter Paul Rubens and J. M. W. Turner.She loves the color of Rubens and thedrama and beauty of the creative geniusof Turner. Some of their influence can beseen in her work. Her paintings areenjoyed and sold at the C. M . RussellAuct ion, Artists of the Old West, Ne-braskaland Days Annual ProfessionalWestern Art Exhibit, Western and Wi ld -Top left: Oil, 18"x24""Sitting Out of the Sun"From the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Huss.Fa r left: Oil, 16"x20""Sour Cherries"Left: Oil, 16"x20""Hushbaby"

Desert /September 1976

life Bicentennial Art Exhibit, PacificNorthwest Indian Center Show and Saleand the National Western Art Show.

In addition to these shows her art is ondisplay at Thackray Gallery, San Diego,California; Sierra West Gallery, Liver-more, California, and Desert MagazineGallery in Palm Desert, California. Morepublic interest in her talents are sure tocome since she has recently sold the re-production rights of several paintings toTrans World Graphics.

The warm, creative talents of PatScarano have a long and bright future.She says, " A r t has chosen me ratherthan me it." I t doesn't really matter howthe choosing was done. The public is justvery lucky that Pat Scarano and the fieldof art got togeth er.

; ., 27


28/48

DESERTLong talons enablethe Prairie Falconto grasp tightly onits prey, eventhrough severallayers of feathers asfound on quailand dove.

byJIMCORNETT

28 Desert/SeDtRmhpr 1Q7R


29/48

H HE PRA IRIE FALCON of the South-fi wes t deserts may be the fastest crea-1 ture al ive. Clocked at speeds over 50

mph , some observers claim this desertfalcon fl ies even faster, over 100 mph,when diving from high alt i tudes.

Though capable of fast, powerfulf l ight, prair ie falcons are better knownfor their low cruising over open flats.With rapid wing beats, these predatorybirds skir t a few feet above the ground a mode of travel ideally suited forsneak attacks on luckless dove or quail.A falcon suddenly appearing over a

shrub at 30 mph wil l surprise even themost wary animal. I have witnessedmixed groups of dove and quail leisurelyfeeding when suddenly a prair ie falconzooms into their midst scatter ing birdsand feathers in al l directions. The fruit ofthis labor is often a plump quail, one ofthe prair ie falcon's favorite delicacies.

Prairie falcons are adaptable birds,abandoning their low-flyin g sneak attackas occasion demands. One early springafternoon while dr iving down a lonely"desert highway a prairie falcon was seenflying in a queer zig-zag manner about

50 feet off the ground. This seeminglyodd behavior lasted nearly f ive minutes,the falcon constantly swooping within afew feet of a shrub, then pull ing outstraight into the air . As we approached,the seven-inch figure of a round-tai ledsquirrel could be seen hiding beneaththe bush, obviously in near panic. Thelitt le rodent was finally fr ightened intomaking a dash for his burrow but hedidn't quite make it. A l ightning 50-footplunge by the falcon caught the squirreldead in his tracks, the ki l l being made bythe dagger- l ike talons.

The fast-flyingPrairie Falcon

is foundthroughout theSouthwest deserts.

With a naturallyhigh body

temperature, thefalcon seldom

overheats.But even these

birds must seekwhat meager

shade is availablewhen the hotsummer sunis overhead.

Desert/September 1976


30/48

As a bird of prey, the falcon is un-matched in his abil i ty to subdue his vic-tims, even if they are larger and morepowerful than himself. The great hornedowl, found throughout the Southwest, isnearly three times the size of a prair iefalcon, yet has been known to w ind up onthe falcon's l ist of prey. Great hornedowls have weak eyesight during daylighthours and a prair ie falcon may take ad-vantage of this handicap. Driving its vic-tim into the open, the falcon repeatedlybombards the confused owl. In a shorttime the powerful dives and deadly tal-ons take their to l l , the falcon feedingupon his spoils.

In addition to quail and an occasionalowl, prair ie falcons feed upon a wide as-sortment of smaller animals includingcrickets, grasshoppers, sparrows, andapparently snakes. It has been widelybelieved that prair ie falcons do not con-sume snakes. Recently, investigators atthe Desert Museum in Palm Springs,California, have gained evidence disput-ing th is not ion. Working wi th an in juredw i l d b i rd , recuperating in captivity,members of the Museum's staff foundthe falcon would readily eat snakes butonly after i t neatly removed the tough,scaly hide. So taken with the ease andprecision with which the falcon handledthe skinning operation, the investigatorsfelt the bird must have been quite exper-ienced at feeding upon serpents.Unlike most predators who are said tohunt only for the food, the prair ie falcon

may hunt just for the sheer exhilarationof a chase. Natural ist David Nunro ob-served a falcon which repeatedly flewnear ly 70 fee t upw ards , an ob jec tclasped in i ts talons. U pon reaching tha theight, the object would be dropped, thefalcon swooping down and catching it afew feet off the gro und. Occasionally thebird would miss the object, al lowing it tohit the soi l , then pouncing upon it. Sev-era l t imes the b i rd grasped the " to y " inits beak and tossed it several feet away,only to jump on it again. Finally the birdt i red of i ts " ga m e" and f lew off , Nunrohustl ing over to the site where the mys-ter ious object lay. To his amazement, the"toy" turned out to be a piece of dr iedmanure!

The prair ie falcon is an attractive birdwith br ight yellow legs and feet, brownmottled back, and wh ite breast with darkspotting. A medium-sized raptor, thisfalcon averages 17 to 20 inches frombeak to tail with a wingspan of 40 inches.This places him between the red-tailedhawk and the sparrow hawk in size.When seen flying, the tapering, pointedwings, long straight ta i l , l ight under-parts, and dark axi l lars ( junction of w ingand body) help identify this fast-flyingb i rd .

The prairie falcon is most often ob-served during winter when rangingwidely in search of prey. Common tomany areas of the Southwest, these birdsare often overlooked as a result of theirlow-flying habits. During spring they

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become more localized in their distr ibu-tion as males and females stake out ter-r i tor ies. These terr i tor ies are specificareas which usually provide ample foodfor both parents and offspring. By def i -nition such areas are defended evenagainst human intruders should theyenter the nest area. Nesting sites areusually totally inaccessible, high onsome precipitous cl i ff face. Followingmating the female lays from three to sixp i n k e g g s , co ve r e d w i th n u me r o u sspecks. Incubation time varies but nor-mally averages around 30 days where-upon the homely, down-covered youngbreak through their shells and take theirfirst look at mom and dad. The parentsmust now hurr iedly search for prey. Theyoungsters are fed partial ly digestedfood for a time until they can tear apartthe animals left for them. The digestedfood is regurgitated by the parents whofeed prior to returning to the nest. Al-though distasteful to human standards,this practice provides necessary mois-ture and an easily digested meal for theyoung falcons.

Even with the great care given theyoung by the parents there is a highmortal i ty rate in the first month of l i fe.Nearly 35 percent of the newly hatchedfalcons die during these first cr i t icalweeks. Fortunately, the falcons that domake it out of the nest can mate beforethey are one year of age, early breedingpartial ly compensating for the highmorta l i ty.

The continued presence of the prairiefalcon in our desert skies has recentlybeen subject to some doubt. The team ofPhi l l ips, Marshal l , and Monson, f romthe University of Arizona, have foundthat the closely related peregrine falconis now replacing the prairie falconthroughout much of Arizona. Some ob-servers have seen actual battles betweenthe two species, the more aggressiveperegrine falcon presumably coming outon top. However, the final outcome ofthis str i fe wil l probably not result fromthe interaction between these two spe-cies. The desert is one of those rare en-vironments in which the success of ananimal is critically dependent upon itsability to cope with the desert itself,rather than a competing species. Thusthe falcon best adapted to the r igors of adesert environment, with i ts intenseheat, dryness, and peculiar food re-sources wil l be the ult imate victor. Myguess is it w ill be the desert falco n.

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Virginia City Schoolhouse.Courtesy Nevada

Historical Society.L e s s o nW i t hL e a dby

CRAIGMacDONALD I R G I N I A C I T Y , N ev ad a w as aW " ro o t i n ' too t in ' r ipsnor te r " o f a town|| during its lively days in the 1860s.

Almost anything could be expected inthe town where camels, gunfighters andhearses made their way over the dusty,pitted streets.

Since it was such a "roa rin g, bust 'emin the gut" city, i t was not surprisingwhen two intoxicated miners waddledinto Maguire 's New Melodian Theatreand began tearing it apart while a playwas in process.

Actors and customers fled out theexits as the two nuisances drew Bowiekn ives and s lashed the cu r ta in toshreads. Next, the rowdies attacked thestage equipment and finally the seats.

What had provoked this disgusting actis not known, but the two were probablylooking for something which would getthem attention and came up with theidea to "attack" the theatre. Luckily fort hem, no one in the audience put an endto their performance with a piece of leadbut, then again, such rambunctiousaction was not uncommon, and mostresidents partook in it one time or an-other .

During the fracas, one of the actressesstayed out on stage and patiently waitedfor the row dies' f i t to end. As soon as thetwo men had done about al l they could,the petite lady lashed out at them withan acid tongue and a thunder of profan-ity and curses. Needless to say, theguilty party felt a bit wrong and whenDesert/September 1976

they sobered up the next morning theguilt was as responsible for their throb-bing headaches as the booze.

In an act of apology, they presentedthe city $1,000 in hard cash and askedthat it be used for the betterment of theComstock. Local officials determinedthat the money could best be used inhiring a teacher that might educate anduplift Virginia City.

However, hiring a teacher was no easytask since teachers lasted about as longas gunslingers. Of the three previousschoolmasters, one lay peacefully inFlowery Hil l Cemetery, another movedEast after losing an eye, and the mostrecent quit, having lost an ear and a leg.It seems the students, who were alwaystwice the size of their instructors, werethe ones wanting to do the educating.

After searching far and wide, city off i -cials decided to hire a university gradu-ate named Harold Floty. He was timid,skinny and short, but he was the onlyone wil l ing to give the Virginia Cityschoolhouse a go.

On Monday morn ing, the pupi ls,many of which were straight from themines, waited anxiously by the frontgate to see their new teacher. Some hadbrought snakes, others whistles and oneeven had a small piece of dynamite.They were going to test the new school-master's patience and a few even placedbets on how soon their educator woulddepart."W ha t a pushover ," was the whisper-

ed response after the pupils got aglimpse of their bespectacled, bean poleinstructor who carried a smooth skinvalise.

But Harold Floty was a calm customer.After his students were seated, heopened his curious little carrying caseand produced three six-shooters and along, recently-sharpened Bowie knife.

In a soft spoken voice, Harold orderedthe biggest bully to ring the school bellprior to leading the class in prayers. Theoversized bully was not one to challengea cocked gun and reluctantly, for the firstt ime in his l i fe, did what he was to ld.

Next, the class was divided up intogrades as the slender educator pacedaround the room, pointing to variousstudents with his gl i tter ing Bowie knife.Upon hearing a snicker behind him,Harold walked directly to the front of theroom and qu ie t l y opened a la rgewindow. Prior to enter ing the building,he had placed six tiny cans on a fenceseveral yards away. In one fluid motion,he picked up one of the six-shooters andrapidly shot each of the cans into the air.Although Harold said not a word, theexpressions on the students' faces wereenough to show that they knew theywere going to be educated whether theyliked it or not.

Mid-mannered Harold Floty not onlyknew how to speak correct grammar, buthis actions and six-shooter had spokenthe language of the Comstockonewhich would be obeyed.


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R O C K G A R D E NI MO NG BOULDERS of quartz monzo-06 nite, just a few hours away, is a world4 $ apart. I t is a rock garden , the home ofsome of the oldest, the largest and therarest p lants of the dese rt. Some of theseplants can be seen nowhere else in all ofthe deserts of the Southwest. This an-cient garden is near Parador Catavina-Santa Ines in northern Baja California.

So often when v isit ing a rock garden itis the rocks themselves that dominatethe view. Take an area like the wel l -known Wonderland of Rocks in Califor-nia's Joshua Tree National Monument.Even though there is a vast and ever-fas-cinat ing plant community present, thehuge rocks dominate. But in this specialBaja rock garden the rocks themselvesare secondary; it is the plants that com-mand at tent ion.

Here in the northern interior desert ofBaja are found numerous plants thatcannot be found in the United States andsome that cannot be found anywhereelse in the w orld . An d often these plants

are huge, towering over the immenserocks that surround them. The most in-teresting of these plants must be seen tobe believed, for their forms, too, areoverwhelming. The cardon cactus, theelephant tree or torote, and especiallythe cir io or boojum are the plants thatmake this garden so very special. Butone must not forget the myriad smallerplants either, plants as rare as the can-deli l la, as common as the numerous vari-eties of cholla, as specialized as the fanpalm, and as ordinary as the creosotebush.

It is a difficult task to have to selectone member of this plant community asbeing the most distinctive plant of thegarden. But one truly is a Baja plant.Aside from a single small grove in Son-o r a , this tree grows only in a 150-mile-wide swath across northern Baja. And itis very unlike any other plant on earth.This is the cirio.

The cirio has long attracted the ima-ginat ion of man. "Cir io" is the name

A cirioforestin agardenof rocks.39

given the plant by the Mexicans becauseof its similarity to the wax tapers used inthe church. It was not known to thescientific community until 1822 whenCeoffrey Skyes first saw them. He calledthem the "boojum" af ter some mythicalcreatures in Lewis Carroll's The Huntingof the Snark. To the scientist it is Idriacolunmaris, the Idria part alluding to thecirio's resemblance to ancient Greekwater jars.

Despite the rugged condit ions underwhich they must survive, cirios may liveto be hundreds of years old. Some mightbe as much as 800 years old, makingthem the oldest of desert plants. Thebristlecone pine, the oldest of all plants,does live in the desert. But it is foundhigh in the mountains far above thedesert itself. The cirio is a plant of thedesert floor. Size is no clue to age . Someplants grow as much as two inches peryear while others just a few feet tall maybe several hundred years old.The cir io is the true in dividualist o f theplant wor ld. Some grow straigh t and ta l l ,reaching a single branch to 40, 50 andeven 60 feet. Others are madly branchedand look much like a candelabra. In someall of the branches reach for the sky; inothers they droop to grow along theground. Occasionally a branch may be socurved as to be tied in a knot. Cirios telephone poles armed with spikes andcapped by bri l l iant yellow f lowers. Boo-jums each one different, each onestriving to sat isfy the imagination. Idria the oldest resident of the desert.

Second to the cirio, and first in theminds of some, is the cardon cactus. Thecardon is a regal cactus. It resembles thesaguaro, to which it is closely related.The cardon is special for one outs tandin greason it is the largest of all the cacti.While the saguaro may be big, thecardon is often absolutely huge. Somehave been found to weigh as much as 10tons. Specimens standing 50 feet tallwith trunks three feet thick are common.Common, too, are young plants just a


33/48

A N T I Q U I T Yfew inches high, inconspicuous beneaththeir mesquite and creosote nurseplants.Without nurse plants young cardonswould not survive. Cardon seeds rarelydevelop into plants. Those that do growneed plenty of protection because thesmall plants are very tender. Hotsummer sun will kill them as will coldwinter frosts. Being succulent they arefavored bymany animals which nibble atthe tops. This, too, will kill the seed-lings. The dense foliage of the nurseplants affords the shelter and securitythat is necessary to assure survival.

The mature cardon is an im-portant plant to the animalcommunity of thegarden. Theflowers provide nectar tobees,hummingb i rds and doves.Birds such as gilded flickerswith their red cheek patches,red-tailed hawks andeven os-preys nest among the tallestbranches. Withou t the cardonthe gray-breasted cardonwoodpecker could not survive.These birds peck nesting holesinto thebranches holes whichmay later be used by finches,swallows, elf owls, and evenl izards, bats and insects.These holes act as storage re-servoirs for trapped rain water.But to man it is just simplycardon, the magnificent treecactus.Next in the desert parade is the ele-phant tree. Three different trees in Bajaare known aselephant trees. In this areais the true elephant tree or torote. Likethe cirio, it is practically restricted tonorthern Baja.It iseasy to seewhere the name comesfrom. The trunk and branches bear astrong resemblance to the legs andtrunkof anelephant. The runk of atree just 10feet tall might bethree feet in diameter.This trunk and theshort, fat,almost puf-fy-looking limbs are covered with aDesert/September 1976

smooth gray bark which peels off to re-veal the yellow interior.The elephant tree likes the rockyslopes found around Catavina andtendsto grow right in among the boulders. Itleaves the more open flats to the othermembers of the community. Like manyother desert dwellers, the torote bearsleaves only for a short time following aheavy rain; only rarely do they developtheir pink or yellow flowers. They doshow color, however, as the plant fre-quently plays host to the parasitic lovevine, sometimes known asdodder or oldman's hair. Then entire hillsides may be

Top:Pitahaya Dulce.Photo byDallas Clites.

Left: Pitahaya Dulce fruit.Photo byNorman C. Roberts.

Below: The Carambullo cactus.Photo byHarry Crosby.

splashed with brilliant yellow-orange.There are a great many other plantshere. They are less obvious, perhaps,but not less important asmembers of thegarden.The rare organ pipe cactus also growshere. Theonly place this cactus grows inthe United States is in Organ PipeCactus National Monument in southernArizona. Those plants are rather smallcompared to these near Catavina. Heresome specimens vie well with the car-don, many with arms 50 feet into the air.

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H e r e ' s B o wY o u C a n O r d e rH i g h Q u a l i t yR E P R I N T S

SUITABLE FOR FRAMINGOR GIFT GIVING

C ly d e F o r s y t e ' sG O L DS T H I E Eseries4 M I N I N G C A M P S C E N E SI N F U L L C O L O R14x17" with white margins,on high qual i ty paper stock.

No let ter ing or fo ldsThe art ist 's personal accountof how each phase of theseries came to be painted isl i thograp hed on the back ofeach pa in t i ng.

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The organ pipe was named for itsfancied re

197609 Desert Magazine 1976 September

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