The latest news of the progress of the explorations of what is now
regarded by scientists as not only the oldest archeological
discovery in the United States, but one of the most valuable in the
world, which was mentioned some time ago in the Gazette, was brought
to the city yesterday by G.E. Kinkaid, the explorer who found the
great underground citadel of the Grand Canyon during a trip from
Green River, Wyoming, down the Colorado, in a wooden boat, to Yuma,
several months ago.
According to the story related to the Gazette by Mr. Kinkaid, thearchaelogists of the Smithsonian Institute, which is financing the
expeditions, have made discoveries which almost conclusively prove
that the race which inhabited this mysterious cavern, hewn in solid
rock by human hands, was of oriental origin, possibly from Egypt,
tracing back to Ramses. If their theories are borne out by the
translation of the tablets engraved with heiroglyphics, the mystery
of the prehistoric peoples of North America, their ancient arts, who
they were and whence they came, will be solved. Egypt and the Nile,
and Arizona and the Colorado will be linked by a historical chain
running back to ages which staggers the wildest fancy of the
fictionist.
A Thorough Examination
Under the direction of Prof. S. A. Jordan, the Smithsonian Institute
is now prosecuting the most thorough explorations, which will be
continued until the last link in the chain is forged. Nearly a mile
underground, about 1480 feet below the surface, the long main
passage has been delved into, to find another mammoth chamber from
which radiates scores of passageways, like the spokes of a wheel.
Several hundred rooms have been discovered, reached by passageways
running from the main passage, one of them having been explored for
854 feet and another 634 feet. The recent finds include articles
which have never been known as native to this country, and doubtless
they had their origin in the orient. War weapons, copper
instruments, sharp-edged and hard as steel, indicate the high state
of civilization reached by these strange people. So interested have
the scientists become that preparations are being made to equip the
camp for extensive studies, and the force will be increased to
thirty or forty persons.
Mr. Kinkaid's Report
Mr. Kinkaid was the first white child born in Idaho and has been an
explorer and hunter all his life, thirty years having been in the
service of the Smithsonian Institute. Even briefly recounted, his
history sounds fabulous, almost grotesque.
"First, I would impress that the cavern is nearly inaccessible. The
entrance is 1,486 feet down the sheer canyon wall. It is located on
government land and no visitor will be allowed there under penalty
of trespass. The scientists wish to work unmolested, without fear
of archeological discoveries being disturbed by curio or relic
hunters.
A trip there would be fruitless, and the visitor would be sent on
his way. The story of how I found the cavern has been related, but
in a paragraph: I was journeying down the Colorado river in a boat,
alone, looking for mineral. Some forty-two miles up the river from
the El Tovar Crystal canyon, I saw on the east wall, stains in the
sedimentary formation about 2,000 feet above the river bed. There
was no trail to this point, but I finally reached it with great
difficulty.
Above a shelf which hid it from view from the river, was the mouthof the cave. There are steps leading from this entrance some thirty
yards to what was, at the time the cavern was inhabited, the level
of the river. When I saw the chisel marks on the wall inside the
entrance, I became interested, securing my gun and went in. During
that trip I went back several hundred feet along the main passage
till I came to the crypt in which I discovered the mummies. One of
these I stood up and photographed by flashlight. I gathered a
number of relics, which I carried down the Colorado to Yuma, from
whence I shipped them to Washington with details of the discovery.
Following this, the explorations were undertaken.
The Passages
"The main passageway is about 12 feet wide, narrowing to nine feet
toward the farther end. About 57 feet from the entrance, the first
side-passages branch off to the right and left, along which, on both
sides, are a number of rooms about the size of ordinary living rooms
of today, though some are 30 by 40 feet square. These are entered
by oval-shaped doors and are ventilated by round air spaces through
the walls into the passages. The walls are about three feet six
inches in thickness.
The passages are chiseled or hewn as straight as could be laid out
by an engineer. The ceilings of many of the rooms converge to a
center. The side-passages near the entrance run at a sharp angle
from the main hall, but toward the rear they gradually reach a right
angle in direction.
The Shrine
"Over a hundred feet from the entrance is the cross-hall, several
hundred feet long, in which are found the idol, or image, of the
people's god, sitting cross-legged, with a lotus flower or lily in
each hand. The cast of the face is oriental, and the carving this
cavern. The idol almost resembles Buddha, though the scientists are
not certain as to what religious worship it represents. Taking into
consideration everything found thus far, it is possible that this
worship most resembles the ancient people of Tibet.
Surrounding this idol are smaller images, some very beautiful inform; others crooked-necked and distorted shapes, symbolical,
probably, of good and evil. There are two large cactus with
protruding arms, one on each side of the dais on which the god
squats. All this is carved out of hard rock resembling marble. In
the opposite corner of this cross-hall were found tools of all
descriptions, made of copper. These people undoubtedly knew the
lost art of hardening this metal, which has been sought by chemicals
for centureis without result. On a bench running around the
workroom was some charcoal and other material probably used in the
process. There is also slag and stuff similar to matte, showing
that these ancients smelted ores, but so far no trace of where or
how this was done has been discovered, nor the origin of the ore.
"Among the other finds are vases or urns and cups of copper and
gold, made very artistic in design. The pottery work includes
enameled ware and glazed vessels. Another passageway leads to
granaries such as are found in the oriental temples. They contain
seeds of varous kinds. One very large storehouse has not yet been
entered, as it is twelve feet high and can be reached only from
above. Two copper hooks extend on the edge, which indicates that
some sort of ladder was attached. These granaries are rounded, as
the materials of which they are constructed, I think, is a ver hard
cement. A gray metal is also found in this cavern, which puzzles
the scientists, for its identity has not been established. It
resembles platinum. Strewn promiscuously over the floor everywhere
are what people call "cats eyse', a yellow stone of no great value.
Each one is engraved with the head of the Malay type.
The Hieroglyphics
"On all the urns, or walls over doorways , and tablets of stone
which were found by the image are the mysterious hieroglyphics, the
key to which the Smithsonian Institute hopes yet to discover. The
engraving on the tables probably has something to do with the
religion of the people. Similar hieroglyphics have been found in
southern Arizona. Among the pictorial writings, only two animals
are found. One is of prehistoric type.
The Crypt
"The tomb or crypt in which the mummies were found is one of the
largest of the chambers, the walls slanting back at an angle of
about 35 degrees. On these are tiers of mummies, each one occupying
a separate hewn shelf. At the head of each is a small bench, on
which is found copper cups and pieces of broken swords. Some of the
mummies are covered with clay, and all are wrapped in a bark fabric.
The urns or cups on the lower tiers are crude, while as the highershelves are reached, the urns are finer in design, showing a later
stage of civilization. It is worthy of note that all the mummies
examined so far have proved to be male, no children or females being
buried here. This leads to the belief that this exterior section
was the warriors' barracks.
"Among the discoveries no bones of animals have been found, no
skins, no clothing, no bedding. Many of the rooms are bare but for
water vessels. One room, about 40 by 700 feet, was probably the
main dining hall, for cooking utensils are found here. What these
people lived on is a problem, though it is presumed that they came
south in the winter and farmed in the valleys, going back north in
the summer.
Upwards of 50,000 people could have lived in the caverns
comfortably. One theory is that the present Indian tribes found in
Arizona are descendants of the serfs or slaves of the people which
inhabited the cave. Undoubtedly a good many thousands of years
before the Christian era, a people lived here which reached a high
stage of civilization. The chronology of human history is full of
gaps. Professor Jordan is much enthused over the discoveries and
believes that the find will prove of incalculable value in
archeological work.
"One thing I have not spoken of, may be of interest. There is one
chamber of the passageway to which is not ventilated, and when we
approached it a deadly, snaky smell struck us. Our light would not
penetrate the gloom, and until stronger ones are available we will
not know what the chamber contains. Some say snakes, but other
boo-hoo this idea and think it may contain a deadly gas or chemicals
used by the ancients. No sounds are heard, but it smells snaky just
the same. The whole underground installation gives one of shaky
nerves the creeps. The gloom is like a weight on one's shoulders,
and our flashlights and candles only make the darkness blacker.
Imagination can revel in conjectures and ungodly daydreams back
through the ages that have elapsed till the mind reels dizzily in
space."
An Indian Legend
In connection with this story, it is notable that among the Hopi
Indians the tradition is told that their ancestors once lived in an
underworld in the Grand Canyon till dissension arose between the
good and the bad, the people of one heart and the people of two
hearts. Machetto, who was their chief, counseled them to leave the
underworld, but there was no way out. The chief then caused a tree
to grow up and pierce the roof of the underworld, and then the
people of one heart climbed out. They tarried by Paisisvai (Red
River), which is the Colorado, and grew grain and corn.
They sent out a message to the Temple of the Sun, asking theblessing of peace, good will and rain for people of one heart. That
messenger never returned, but today at the Hopi villages at sundown
can be seen the old men of the tribe out on the housetops gazing
toward the sun, looking for the messenger. When he returns, their
lands and ancient dwelling place will be restored to them. That is
the tradition.
Among the engravings of animals in the cave is seen the image of a
heart over the spot where it is located. The legend was learned by
W.E. Rollins, the artist, during a year spent with the Hopi Indians.
There are two theories of the origin of the Egyptians. One is that
they came from Asia; another that the racial cradle was in the upper
Nile region. Heeren, an Egyptologist, believed in the Indian origin
of the Egyptians. The discoveries in the Grand Canyon may throw
further light on human evolution and prehistoric ages.
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