197602 Desert Magazine 1976 February

8/14/2019 197602 Desert Magazine 1976 February

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FE BR UA RY , 1976 75cICD 08256

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Publisher-Editor

Art DirectorANCES STRONG, Field Trip Editor

A. BARNES, Utah Associate EditorLapidary Editor

BOYNTON, NaturalistCirculation Manager

DuvxLVolume 39, Number 2

MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 1976

CONTENTSF E A T U R E S

an orig-oil painting by Jamesthe Jack Mc-ollection. Seestory24.

DRUID ARCH

BELMONT NEVER GAVE UP THE GHOST

WESTERN COLLARED LIZARD

SHE CARVES IN FOSSIL STONE

JAMES ZAR, WESTERN ART

DRY WASHING FOR DESERT COLD

LASGOLONDRINAS

THE TIME MACHINE

A REAL TREAT, PYRACANTHA J ELLY

10 F. A. Barnes

12 Betty Shannon

16 K.L. Boynton

20 Mary Frances Strong

24 Nick Lawrence

28 Harold O. Weight

32 Jack Kutz

36 Marvin Patchen

46 Helen Peterson

D E P A R T M E N T SA PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE 4 William Knyvett

BOOKS FOR DESERT READERS 8 Book Reviews

DESERT PLANT LIFE 39 jimCornettRAMBLING ON ROCKS 42 Glenn and Martha Vargas

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 46 Readers' Comments

CALENDAR OF WESTERN EVENTS 47 Club Activities

ANDCIRCULATION OFF ICES: 74 -425 H ighway 111,Palm Desert, California 92260. Telephone Area Code 714346-8144 . NAT IONALF F I CE S : JE Publishers' Representative, 8732 Sunset Blvd., LosAngeles, California 90069. Telephone Area Code 213659-3810. ListedandData. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: United States, Canada andMexico; 1year, $6.00; 2 years, $11.00; 3 years, $16.00. Other foreignadd$1.00 U. S.currency foreach year. See Subscription Order Form in this issue. Allow five weeks for change ofaddress andsend both newd oldaddresses with zipcodes. DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Second class postage paid at Palm Desert, California andat additionalActof March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1976 by DESERT Magazine andpermission to reproduce anyor allcontents must bein writing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed andstamped envelope.

February 1976 3


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

E VERYONE IS famil iar with the oldexpression, "Thar 's gold in themthar hills," but a lot of folks do notrealize there is also "gold in them tharwashes." One man who does is DowieCrittenden, of Twentynine Palms, Cali-fornia. In this issue, Dowie tells that" te l l e r o f d e se r t t a l e s , Ha r o l d O .Weight," just how he goes about gettinghis share, and passes along tips andtr icks that he has learned from 30yes,30years of dry washing for gold on thedesert! Harold's camera gives graphicdetai l to a very interesting hobby.

Another avocation is covered thismonth by Mary Frances Strong who re-lates how Mary Pipes, of La Crescenta,California, carves objects out of diatoma-ceous earth. Being very soft, it is a mostdiff icult medium to work wi th , but Maryhas developed her techniques to a finedegree.

This month's feature artist, JamesZar, makes the American Indian come tolife in a distinctive style. In his large por-traits, the subjects loom out of the back-ground in a forceful manner and w ithamazing detai l . Here is a young artistwhose stature in the art w orld w il l surelyrise.

Effective January 15th, our Book Shopand Art Gallery will be open on Satur-days from 10 to 3 for the convenience ofall those who would like to visit us ontheir way through town. Drop in and sayhello, and browse through our 300 booksof the West. Also on display are selectedwork from all the artists who appear inDesert.

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PALM CANYONS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA byRandall Henderson. The bea utiful palm canyonsand isolated areas of Baja California are describ-ed by the late Randall Henderson, founder ofDESERT Magazine. Although these are his per-sonal adventures many years ago, little haschanged and his vivid w riting is alive today as itwas when he first saw the oases. Paperback,illus., 72 pages, $1.95.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.HISTORICAL ATLAS OF CALIFORNIA by War-ren A. Beck and Ynez D. H aase. Extensive docu-mentation and pertinent detail make this atlas avaluable aid to the student, scholar and every-one intersted in the Golden State. 101 excellentmaps present information on the major faults,ear ly Spanish explorat ions, Mexican landgrants, route to gold fields, the Butterfield andPony Express routes, CCC camps, World War IIInstallations, etc. Hardcover, extensive index,highly recommended, $9.95.LOST MINES OF THE GREAT SOUTHWESTby John D. Mitchell. The first of Mitchell's lostrrine books is now available after having beenout of print or years. Reproduced from theoriginal copy and containing 54 articles based onaccounts from people Mitchell interviewed. Hespent his entire adult life investigating reportsand legends of lost mines and treasures of theSouthwest. Hardcover, illustrated, 175 pages,$7.50.

. , . -

WHE RE TO FIND GOLD IN SOUTHERN CALI-FORNIA by James Klein. Pinpoints areasaround the Los Angeles basin such as San Ga-briel Canyon, Lytle Creek and Orange County.Tips on how to find gold, equipment needed andhow to stake a claim are included as w ell as thelost treasure tales of each area. Paperback, illus-trated, 95 pages, $4.95.WHERE TO FIND GOLD IN THE DESERT byJames Klein is a sequel to Where to Find Gold inSouthern California. Author Klein includes losttreasure tales and gem locations as he tellswhere to find gold in the Rosmond-Mohave area,the El Paso Mountains, Randsburg and Barstowareas, and many more. Paperback, 112 pages,$4.95.PHOTO ALBUM OF YESTERDAY'S SOUTH-WEST compiled by Charles Shelton. Early daysphoto collection dating from 1860s to 1910 showsprospectors, miners, cowboys, desperados andordinary people. 195 photos, hardcover, fine giftitem, $12.50.6

DEATH VALLEY SCOTTY TOLD ME by Elea-nor Jordan Houston. A fascinating and unusualrecount of famous Death Valley Scotty's adven-tures as told to the author while she and herranger husband were Scotty's nearest neighborsin 1948. Some of these escapades have neverbeen told before. Illustrated, 116 pages, $1 75.MINES OF DEATH VALLEY by L. Burr Belden.About fabulous bonanzas, prospectors and lostmines. Paperback, $1.95.HOW TO DO PERMANENT SANDPAINTINGby David and Jean Villsenor. Instructions for thepermanent adaptation of this age old ephemeralart of the Indians of the Greater Southwest isgiven including where to find the materials,preparation, how to color sand artificially,making and transferring patterns, etc. Alsogives descriptions and meanings of the variousIndian signs used. Well illustrated, .34 pages,$2.50.SUCCESSFUL COIN HUNTING by Charles L.Garrett. An informative study of coin hunting,this is a complete guide on where to search,metal detector selection and use, digging toolsand accessories, how to dig and the care andhandling of coins. A classic book in the field. 181pages, paperback, $5.00.

.1 v > " i L i f e

TURQUOISE, The Gem of the Centuries byOscar T. Branson. The most complete and lav-ishly illustrated all color book on turquoise.Identifies 43 localities, treated and stabilizedmaterial, gives brief history of the gem and de-tails the individual techniques of the SouthwestIndian Tribes. Heavy paperback, large format,68 pages, $7.95.THE BAJA BOOK, A Complete Map-Guide toToday's Baja California by Tom Miller and El -mar Baxter. Waiting until the new transpenin-sula'- highway opened, the authors have pooledtheir knowledge to give every minute detail ongas stations, campgrounds, beaches, traileroa/'ks, road conditions, boating, surfing, flying,fishing, beachcombing, in addition to a BajaRcadlog which has been broken into convenienttwo-mile segments. A tremendous package forevery Kind of recreationist. Paperback, 178pages, i 11 us., maps, $7.95.ROCKS AND MINERALS OF CALIFORNIAcompiled by Vinson Brown, David Allan andJames Stark. This revised edition will save youhours of time by the description and pictures ofrocks and minerals found in this state. Color pic-tures with clearly developed keys show you howto identify what you have found and gives youfine tools to increase your ability as a field col-lector. Paperback, well illustrated with photos,locality maps, charts and quadrangle map infor-mation. 200 pages. $4,95.

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THEAMERICAN SOUTHWEST by M. M . Heymann.Features 68 species, all in beautiful four-colorphotographs. Descriptions are stated in simple,non-technical term s. E xtensive text tells of theirorigins and life-styles today. Extremely usefulbook for all who enjoy watching and learningabout w ildlife . Paperback, 77 pages, $4.95.RETRACING TH E BUTTERFIELD OVERLANDTRAIL THROUGH ARIZONA by Gerald T. An-hert. This book was written to mark the physicalroute and station locations in the most hazardoussegment of the Bu tterfield Trail Arizona. Theauthors original intent was merely to find,follow and map the Trail, however, the long anddifficult task resulted in putting this vital infor-mation in a book which makes it easy for othersto follow, or to provide a delightful armchairjourney over this dramatic route. Profusely illustrated with maps and photos, this book is avisual hand-tool to the explorer; an exciting seg-ment of Americana to the scholar and h istorian.Large format, hardcover, $9.75.COMMON EDIBLE & USEFUL PLANTS OFTHE WEST by Muriel Sweet. A description withartist drawings of edible (and those not to touch)plants along with how Indians and pioneers usedthem. Paperback, 64 pages, $1.95.CALIFORNIA GEM TRAILS by Darold J. HenryThis completely revised fourth edition is themost authoritative guide for collectors of rocks,gemstones, minerals and fossils. Profusely illus-trated with maps and contains excellent de scrip-tive text. Paperback, $3.00.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.

\_ ^>" " JRAY MANLEY'S SOUTHWESTERN INDIANARTS AND CRAFTS is a full color presentationof the culture of the Southwest including jewel-ry, pottery, baskets, rugs, kachinas, Indian artand sandpaintings. 225 color p hotographs, inter-esting descriptive text. Heavy paperback, 96pages, $7.95.FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HANDBOOK by JamesT. Crow and Cameron Warren. Packed into thisvolume is material gathered from actual exper-ience and presented in a detailed manner so itcan easily be followed and understood. Highlyrecommended for anyone interested in backcountry d rivin g. Paper, illus ., 96 pages, $2.95.CACTUS COOK BOOK compiled by Joyce L.Tate. The author has gathered an excellent sel-ection of recipes that emphasize their edible orpotable qualities. A lso includes chapter on FoodPreservation. Paperback, 127 pages, $2.00.


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

ANANGRY GOD byCaro-A fascinating true story of the au-toanthropologist John Peabodythe "angry god," and to the re-of this amazing memoir is sobroad itthe countryIs being hailed as a classic. Hardcover, 230

by Ruth Kirk.andmaps with time estimates fromtoplace and geology, natural history and

MEN DO TELL TALES by Lake ErieA sequel to BURIED TREASURE &by Frank Fish, the author knew'ormany years andclaims he wasmurdered.onalleged lostwhy she thinks Fish diddie a natural death as stated by theauthori-Paperback, illus., 80 pages, $3.00.byHarrison Doyle. This book l-the great difference between the highand the Mexican variety presentlyin thehealth food stores. It identifies the en-a little-known trace mineral foundin the high desert seeds. Also includes aon vitamins, minerals, proteins, en-etc., needed for good nutrition. Referredas "theonly reference book inAmerica onthisfood. 100pages, illustrat-Paperback, $4.75; Cloth Cover, $7.75.

SPEAKING OF INDIANS by Bernice Johnston.An authority on the Indians of the Southwest,the author has presented a concise well-writtenbook on thecustoms, history, crafts, ceremoniesand what theAmerican Indian hascontributed tothe white man's civilization. A MUST for bothstudents and travelers touring the Indian Coun-try. Heavy paperback, illus., $2.50.CALIFORNIA GOLD CAMPS, a Geographicaland Historical Dictionary of Camps, Towns andLocalities Where Gold Was Found and Mined,and of Wayside Stations and Trading Centers,by Erwin G. Gudde. Includes 7excellent maps,in addition to a List of Places by County, aGlossary and Bibliography. Highly recommend-ed. Hardcover, 467 pages, $19.50.DICTIONARY OF PREHISTORIC INDIAN AR-TIFACTS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWESTby Franklin Barnett. A highly informative bookthat both illustrates and describes Indian arti-facts of theSouthwest, it is a valuable guide forthe person interested inarchaeology andanthro-pology. Includes 250 major types of artifacts.Each item has a photo and definition. Paper-back, 130 pages, beautifully illustrated, $7.95.

CaliforniaCamps.

OF THESOUTHWEST DESERTS bym Cornett. Writ ten for the layman and seriousis anexcellent book on all ofof theSouthwest deserts. Afor desert explorers, it presents a brief lifeof everything from ants toburros. Paper-80 pages, $2.99.

of the Rock, photo-by David Muench, text by Donald G.This outstanding, moving publicationthe reader the unique opportunity to seethe Anasazi civilization thatago. Blending witha fascinating text. Hard-and black192 pages, $18.95.by Randall Henderson,andpublisher of Desert Magazine for 23One of the first good writers toreveal theof the mysterious desert areas. Hender-hs comments

thedesert of yesterday and today, make this afor those who really want to understandthe desert. 375 pages, illustrated. Hardcover,$7.50.1976

AMERICAN INDIAN FOOD ANDLORE by Car-olyn Neithammer. The original Indian plantsused for foods, medicinal purposes, shelter,clothing, etc., aredescribed indetail inthis fas-cinating book. Common and scientific names,plus descriptions of each plant and unusualrecipes. Large format, profusely illus., 191pages, $4.95.GEM TRAILS OFARIZONA byBessie W. Simp-son. This field guide isprepared for thehobbiestand almost every location isaccessible by car orpickup accompanied by maps to show sandyroads, steep rocky hills, etc., as cautions. Lawsregarding collecting on Federal and Indian landoutl ined. Paperback, 88 pages, illus., $3.50.TREASURE HUNTER'S MANUAL B7by Karlvon Mueller. Treasure, or treasure trove, manyconsist 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, 293pages,illustrated, $6.95.CAMPING ANDCLIMBING IN BAJA by JohnRobinson. Contains excellent maps and photos.A guidebook to theSierra SanPedro Martir andthe Sierra Juarez of Upper Baja Calif. Much ofthis land isunexplored and unmapped sti l l . Carroutes to famous ranches and camping spots inpalm-studded canyons with trout streams temptweekend tourists whoaren't up tohiking. Paper-back, 96 pages, $2.95.

BACK ROADS OF CALIFORNIA by Earl Thol-lander and the Editors of Sunset Books. Earlystagecoach routes, missions, remote canyons,old prospector cabins, mines, cemeteries, etc.,are visited as theauthor travels and sketches theCalifornia Backroads. Through maps and notes,the traveler is invited to get off thefreeways andsee the rural and country lanes throughout thestate. Hardcover, large format, unusually beau-tiful illustrations, 207 pages, $10.95.GHOST TOWNS OF ARIZONA by James andBarbara Sherman. If you are looking for a ghosttown inArizona this is your waybill. Illustrated,maps, townships, range, co-ordinates, history,and other details m ake this one of thebest ghosttown books ever published. Large 9x11 format,heavy paperback, 208pages, $4.95.

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 andrelationships in 9natural provinces within Southern California andserves as a guide to geological features visiblein Southern California that can be seen whiletraveling by caralong highways. Well illustratedwith maps and pictures, paperback, 181pages,$4.95.THE CREATIVE OJOBOOK byDiane 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.

COLORFUL DESERT WILDFLOWERS byGraceand Onas Ward. Segregated into categories ofred, blue, white and yellow for easier identifica-tion, there are 190 four-color photos of flowersfound in theMojave, Colorado andWestern Ari-zona de serts, all of which also have common andscientific names plus descriptions. Heavy, slickpaperback, $4.50; hardcover, $7.50.GHOST TOWNS OF THE WEST by LambertFlorin. This popular hard-back series is nowavailable in paperback volumes. Rearrangedstate bystate, lavishly illustrated, handy totakealong while traveling. Please state which volumewhen ordering: Arizona-$2.95; California-$3.95;Colorado/Utah-$2.95; Nevada-$2.95; Oregon-$2.95THE CAHUILLA INDIANS by Harry James. Acomparatively small and little known tribe, theCahuilla Indians played an important part in theearly settlement of Southern California. Today,the Cahuilla Indians areactive insocial andcivicaffairs in Riverside County and own valuableproperty in and around Palm Springs. This re-vised edition is an authentic and completehistory of these native Americans. Hardcover,i l lustrated, 185 pages, $7.50.


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B o o k s forD e s e r tH e a d e r s

All books reviewed are available through theDesert Magazine Book Shop. Please add 25c perorder forhandling andCalifornia residents mustinclude 6% state sales tax.

MEXICO'S WEST COAST BEACHESBy Ai andMildred Fischer

Mexico's West Coast Beaches is a newtravel book covering theexotic vacation-land known as theMexican Riviera, andis complete with highway route maps,city street maps, photographs, and infor-mation onaccommodations, restaurants,

transportat ion and sea-and-sand diver-sions.

Beginning with the"natura l andnear-b y " ElColfo deSanta Clara and conclud -ing with the"of fbeat hideaway" ofM an-zanil lo, the husband-wife writ ing teamhas produced a comprehensive guide towell-known and undiscovered beachesalong theSea of Cortes and hePacific.

In addition tocovering such noted re-sorts as Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta,the authors transport the reader to theever-popular Puerto Penasco andChoyaBay, to theserenity of Kino Bay, o helure of f ishing atCuaymas and San Car-los Bay, to undeveloped HuatabampitoBeach, on to the jungle scene at SanBias, thence to brand-new beach devel-opments at Rincon de Cuayabitos andBucerias, on to twin beaches of Melaqueand Barra deNavidad, and to thebays ofSantiago and Manzani l lo.

In addition to point ing out en routeattractions and g iving detailed beach-by-beach descriptions, the book presentsthe most up-to-date information abouttourist cards and carpermits, trailer andmotorhome traveling, f ishing and hunt-ing licenses andauto insurance. Conver-sion tables include easy-to-read dollars-to-pesos charts, highway signals andtraffic signs, plus metric equivalents ford is t ances , l i qu ids , t em pera t u re andweights.

A complete l ist ing of hotels, motels,trailer courts and restaurants appears atthe end of each beach chapter. Although

HANS KLEIBER, Artist of the Big Horn Mountainsby Emmie Mygatl andRoberta Cheney

Hans Kleiber, Wyoming artist extraordinary, chronicled the out-doors that he knew and loved so deeply as well as any artist hasdone. He was devoted to both nature and art and combined the twoin a lifelong romance with the Big Horn Mountain country of Wyom-ing. The legacy of superb etchings and paintings that he left isadmirably presented in "HANS KLEIBER, Artist of the Big HornMountains."

This lovely volume is produced in large horizontal format with8V2 by 11 inch pages. It contains 74 etchings in duotone, 22 paint-ings and 2 aquatints in full color, and 14 photographs. Bound inbeautiful Sturdite, gold stamped, each book is packed in a strongready-to-mail carton $17.95PLEASE WRITE FORDESCRIPTIVE BROCHURE

The CAXTON PRINTERS,Ltd.'/> Box 700Caldwell, Idaho 83605

the Fischers toured theMexican beachesvia motorhome, their book makes sug-gestions for air, auto, ferry and t raintravel as wel l .

Fully indexed, paperback, well i l lus-t ra ted, 138 pages, $ 3.00.

ROUGHINCITEASYBy Dian Thomas

This unique ideabook oncamping andcooking hasbeen writ ten for those peo-ple who love to camp, but hate all thebother and expense associated with it.

Roughing It Easy seeks to put the funback into camping bysupplying easyandeconomical ways toprepare foods, equipa campsite and organize a camping t r ip.It includes such thing s as: cooking baconand eggs in a paper sack; cooking omel-ets on a No. 10 can; broiling steaks orhamburgers with only a newspaper forfuel; baking pizza in a simple reflectoroven; building f ires with steel wool andf lashlight batteries; and many morenovel, workable ideas.

This book can beused and appreciatedby almost anyone who enjoys the out-doors. There arepractical tips and deasfor both the seasoned and novicecamper. Hunters, f ishermen, backpack-ers, surv ivalists , scouts even familieswho just cook in thebackyard w ill f indmany things of use in thebook. Mothers,especially, should be pleased with thevariety of ways toprepare outdoor mealsan d the funprojects they canemploy tokeep children entertained around camp.

Paperback, 203pages, profusely illus-t ra ted, $4.95.JlWtLftY CRAFTS CATALOG

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OF THESUPERSTITIONS:of

The endless quest for lost treasure inasetback and a

thepublicat ion of a

hadar ich mine, butnew ight upon clues soughtbywhonevertheless search for the

Robert Blair, whose hobby for manyhasbeen thel i terature of lost mine

istheauthor of th is int ruquingby heArizona His-inTempe, Ar izona,

inheintroduction that 35yearso his store f inanced publicat ion of a

Trail oftheLost Dutchman,thelate Barry Storm, which touchedan eraof furious searching for a mine

newbook asserts mayneverCareful ly t rac ing theenigmatic career

anative of the t iny king-m ofWur t t enbe rg , nowapart of West

the book reveals that Waltzs adaylaborer inanearly California

toArizona inthat hemined orheld aclaim to

o or three modest lodes in Yavapaibutnever hadamine of record

intheSuperst it ions.Recognizing that many authors attr i -

butnon-existentto re-discovery of an ancient

topersons of that name, reject ingofan Indian massacre of M ex i -

inheSuperst it ions, and re-forthe f irst t ime theactual loca-

of a " r e a l " Peralta Mine, more thanthe Superst it ions.

The book then l inks the genuineand themine heowned

1976

with thegreatest hoax perpetrated inArizona historythe 15,000,000 acrefraudulent Peralta Grant, which resultedin a Missouri forger, James AddisonReavis, going tofederal prison for at-t empt ing todefraud thefederal govern-ment of land in central Arizona nowvalued atbil l ions of dollars.

The author also shows that thesearchfor other purported lost mines in theSouthwestespecially the Lost SoldierM ine and theLost Doc Thorne Mine

an d thet radit ional account ofdiscoveryof theSilver King Mine hadbecome en-twined and confused with tales of theLost Dutchman Mine.

Although skeptical of lost treasures,the author has documented thebookwith more than 300citat ions from publicrecords, newspapers, andauthors ofearlier lost-mine tales. Thebook iswel li l lustrated with photographs, maps andi l lustrat ions, including three newly-dis-covered signatures ofthe "Lost Dutch-m a n " which prove that hewrote hisname J acob Wa ltz, andneither Walz norWaltzer norWeiser assome writers haveinsisted.

Paperback, 175pages, $4.95.

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W HER E ARE spectacular natural4 spans by the hundreds in the general Four Corners region, but of these, afew are truly o utstand ing in beauty. Onesuch is massive Dru id Arc h. This uniquespan is in the Needles district ofCanyonlands N ational Park insoutheastern Utah. It stands in lonelysplendor at the upper end of a long andmag nif icent canyon system tha t eons ofweather have carved from the colorfulCedar Mesa sandstone that do minatesthis part of the pa rk.

The name of this deep, twis t ing gorgeis Elephant Canyon. Infamous ElephantHi l l , a stretch of tortuous Jeep trail tha t10

gives access to the Needles backco untry,was named after this canyon.

There are two ways to get to D ruidAr ch . One, the most popular, involves anine-m ile round tr ip hike from near thebase of Elep hant Hi l l . An ordinaryhighway vehicle can safely travel the dirtroad that leads to this trailhead . Theother route requires a four-wh eel-drivevehicle and takes longer, but offers asampling of other park highlights. Touse this a pproa ch, it is necessary totravel by four-whee l-drive vehicle overElephant Hill and along several miles ofJeep t ra i l , then by foot through the J ointTrail into Chesler Park (Desert, Augu st

Desert /February 1976

byF. A. BARNES

Druid Arch is massive,and is formed by near-verticalcolumns of rockjoined together at the top.Photo copyright,F. A. Barnes.


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w* hk

Above: This "picture window" through a gigantic rock wall offers hikers a framedglimpse of red and white sandstone spires. Left: Elephant Canyon narrows to nearimpassability near its upper end. Druid Arch stands in lofty majesty in a g iganticalcove at the very end of this long and lovely canyon system .1974) and beyond, into and up ElephantCanyon. Park Service maps of theNeedles district show both routes toDru id Arch.

The only w ay to get to the Needlesdistrict of Canyonlands National Park isvia U.S. 163, from either the n orth orsouth. Between the towns of Moab andMo ntice llo, U tah 211 heads west fromU.S. 163 across high rolling desertlandsset below the looming Abajo Mountains,then drops steeply down into lovelyIndian Creek Canyon and on into theNeedles entrance to the park.

W ith in the park, a paved road goes toa camping-picnic area. Beyond here, tothe base of Elephant Hi l l , the road isgraded dir t .

The h ike to Dru id A rch is not a casualaffair. From May through Septemberand sometimes before and after this longsummer season, temperatures soar inthis part of Utah. Hikers should prepareDesert /February 1976

for a moderately strenuous jaunt, w ithseveral very steep stretches andrelat ively l i t t le shade along the way.

There is usually water to be foundnear the trail at seeping springs or inslickrock potholes, but such water shouldnot be considered po table witho uttreatment, nor should hikers dependupon these sources of drinkin g water.Food and water for the entire hike shouldbe carried , and clothing worn tha t isapprop riate to the season.

The trails are marke d, although inplaces these ma rkings are not tooapparent. Trail junct ions are indicatedby small wooden signs. Between thesesigns, the trail is noted by small rockcairns or by arrows painted on theslickrock. Hikers should stay alert forsuch trail m arkers, especially where thetrai l crosses expanses of slickrock.

Hikers shou ld register at theContinued on Page 40


12/48

BelmontNever

B AC K IN 1874,Belmont was tbustling beehive of central NevadaIts drydesert airthrobbed with accelerated activity. Just over thehi l l , inEast Belmont, the Combination Mill inCompany's 40-stamp mill hammereaway atthe district 's rich ore. A plumof smoke drif ted skyward from the sm elter's slim brick stack, signaling the flowof molten silver. At a nearby ki ln, aplatoon of workmen stock-piled brickfo r the construction of the new NCounty courthouse.

Belmont was a proud lit t le town inthose days, prosperous and pretty. Ithabeen laid out on agentle, south-facinslope of theToquima Range, with asplendid view ofthe vast Ralston ValleyMaples and locusts, fed by amplsprings, shaded its broad streets.Thepopulation, having swelled to1,500 resdents, had brought with it all the coveniences of amajor metropolis. Storeand saloons lined the main street. Therewere four lawyers, adoctor, and aweekly newspaper. First class theatrical productions, s tarring such celebrit ies of thfrontier stage asLotta Crabtree, playeat theCosmopolitan.

Now, more than acentury later, it'susually theraucous call of a pinon jaythat shatters thesilence. For themillhave been reduced to rubble, and thesmelter's vault stands empty, its barwalls open to thecurious and the ments. The courthouse, though stil l animpressive structure, wears agaunt anvacant stare. The sad,sagging falsfronts of store buildings face a dustydeserted street, while sagebrush fillopen doorways. By allreckoning the olNye County seat is aghost town.

However, Belmont has fared far bettethan many of itscontemporaries. As anghost town buff knows, afew splintereplanks scattered among thesagebrushor atmost, acouple of crumbling stonwalls, are all that mark the sites odozens ofdesert mining camps. But Bemont has never quite given up the ghosAlthough at t imes thepopulation hadwindled tobu t afew hardy souls, the

Gave Up the GhostA. bvBETTY SHANNON


13/48

Opposite page: The tinyCatholic church, which

overlooks the 20th centurymining camp of

Manh attan, is one ofNevada's best knownghost town buildings.

However, few know thatthe church served

Belmont worshippers fornearly 30 years before itwas moved to Manhattan

around 1908.Right: A row of buildings,

once the heart ofBelmont 's commercial

district. The brickbuilding on the left is theinfamous "AugerHole."

Below: A back doorview of the "Auger Hole."

The stone cellarserved as Belmont'stemporary jail.

presence has prevented the town's totaldestruct ion by thoughtless vandals andsouvenir seekers. Fortunately, for thosewho care, a picturesque fragment ofanother t ime, another way of l i fe, hasbeen preserved. You can still f ind 1870on Belmont's Main Street.

Belmont's beginning dates back to1865 when silver ore was discoverednearby. W ithi n a year a 10-stamp mill

mi l l , fol lowed by

Belmont was soon recognized as an

act transferring the Nye County govern-ment to Belmont. On May 15 of that

Al though Belmont 's populat ion was

i


14/48

a courthouse. At f irst, the county off iceswere housed in exist ing buildings scat-tered through out the to wn . The jail was amakeshif t arrangement in the basementof a brick structure conveniently locatedacross the street from the leadingsaloon. The upstairs, street- level port ionof the building served as a courtroomduring the week, while on Sunday thejudge 's bench was conver ted to apreacher 's pulpi t .

Finally, in 1874, $34,000 was appro-priated for the construct ion of a court-house and ja i l . But by the t ime the hand-some, two-story brick building was com-pleted in 1876, two of the mills had al-ready shut down and a good port ion ofthe populat ion had drif ted on to newlands of opportunity. An 1880 count re-corded only 400 residents. By 1887 min-ing had virtually ceased.

Ironically, the f ina l , fatal blow can beattr ibuted to a Belmont cit izen. On May1 9 , 1900, a rancher and prospectornamed Jim Butler discovered a r ich oredeposit near a Paiute water hole some 40miles south of Belmont. Butler 's discov-ery started a new silver stampede, andthe town of Tonopah sprang into exis-tence. Within f ive years Tonopah hadgathered enough populat ion to wrest thecounty government away from the, bythen , almost deserted vil lage in theToquima Mounta ins .Although one segment of the com-munity amused themselves with dances,candy-pulls, and l iterary meetings, atone t ime there was another, a seamierside to l i fe in Belmo nt. Belm ont's minerswere a cosmopolitan m ixture of Ir ish andCornish, nat ives of Mexico, and a fewrobust men from the eastern states.Their leisure t ime escapades frequentlymade news.

Sometimes it was amusing, as in thisreport from the Reese River Reveille onthe aftermath of a Mexican Indepen-dence Day celebrat ion. "Today upon thestreet red noses and goggled eyes strik-ingly remind one of pop-eyed frogs look-ing at you from mud ponds and bul-rushes in hotter cl imates than this one.About a half dozen, more or less, aresafely ensconced in the sheriff 's privateapar tments . "

But more often the news was of a t rag-ic nature. Thompson and West 's His-tory of Nevada lists 11 homicides duringBelm ont's boom years, 1866 to 1875. Butcuriously, Belmont's most infamous actof violence is not even mentioned in theaforesaid volume, a respected source ofNevada's early history, although it didmake the front page of the widely dis-tr ibuted western daily, the San FranciscoChronicle.The grim facts f irst appeared in theJ une 5, 1874, edit ion under the headline,"Hanging at Belmont . " The special d is-patch stated briefly that 30 armed menhad broken into the Nye County jail andstrung up two of the prisoners.

But that was not to be the end of thetale. Subsequent issues brought to lightmore details. Eventually the grisly inci-dent developed into a full blown contro-versy o f rumors , accusat ions , anddenials.The vict ims w ere id entif ied as a coupleof miners named Jack Walker and Char-l ie Mclntyre. The pair had been relat ivenewcomers to Belmont. I t was thoughtthat they had previously worked in thecoal mines of Pennsylvania. Walker wasthe older of the two and had a reputat ionof "having been around," whi le hiscompanion was a young lad of perhapslit t le more than 18. Charlie Mclnty re was

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remembered as industrious, quiet, andwith a fair amount of education.

According to the Chronicle's Belmontcorrespondent, the pair had been held injail several weeks. Walker had beencharged with shooting a man during abarroom argument , whi le Mclntyre hadalready been tried for assault on theforeman of the Monitor mine, pur-por ted ly because the foreman hadrefused to pay the youth for work he haddone. Mclntyre had been found guiltyand levied a $200 f ine which he could notpay, so was serving time at the rate oftwo dollars a day, when late on the nightof June 3rd, a group of men, wearinghoods and robes hastily constructed ofbed sheets, broke into the makeshift jailbeneath the courtroom. The sherif f andhis deputy, being hopelessly outnum-bered, were powerless to stop the group,which after binding and securing thelawmen, proceeded to the cell occupiedby the two eastern miners.

The men were gagged, bound, andbeaten, but apparently st i l l held a breathof l i fe. So to f inish the job, as quickly andquietly as possible, the hooded gangprepared to lynch the prisoners in theircell. Using a hand auger, twin holeswere dri l led through the f loor of thecourtroom above, down through theceiling joists of the cell. The ropes werelooped and knotted around the rail ing ofthe jury box, then dropped below.

1 4


15/48

After the lynching the midn ight mobencountered thenight watchman just asthey were emerging f rom the ja i l . Hewas warned not to arouse any of theci t izenry. Butafter they disappeared intothe gloom, thewatchman did enter thejai l whereupon he released the pair oflaw off icers. S trangely, thevict ims' bod-ies we re not cutdown unt i l thefo l lowingafternoon. Nor was there any inquestinto the deaths.

Fol lowing the lynching there was anuproar of indignat ion anddisgust amongmembers of Belmont 's "s t ra ight -go ing"p o p u l a t i o n . R u m o r s w e r e r a m p a n t ,h i n t i n g t h a t c e r t a i n m i n e f o r e m e n ,super intendents, and above-ground op-erators, act ing with the consent of theauthorit ies, were responsible for thebloody affair. It waswhispered that thedeceased had been members of theMol ly Magui res , a secret society com-posed mostly of I r ish immigrants, thenvery active in the Pennsylvania coalmines, leading to the speculat ion thatthe i r on ly "c r ime" hadbeen that of at-t empt ing to organize a union amongtheir underground comrades. Some saidthat they had been given a chance toleave town a fewweeks earlier, but theyhad failed to heed the warn ing.

Since the Chronicle story implicatedthe author i t ies, thesherif f replied to hecharges, his rebuttal appearing in theSan Francisco paper a few weeks later.Desert/ February 1976

The walls are all that remainof theHighbridge millin East Belmont.The mill last sawactivity during World War I.He claimed that both menwere knowntroublemakers, Walker having acquireda badrecord inother places. Hedeniedthat Char l ie Mclntyre was imprisonedbecause of money troubles with a mineforeman. But rather, "he had taken itupon himself to f ight another man'sbat t le " in an East Belmont brawl.

The sherif f explained that both menhad previously escaped from ja i l . In fact,that is why he and his deputy were soeasily surprised and overcome by theself-styled vigilantes. Both were caughtin a deep sleep, because for two daysprior to the unfortunate incident theyhad gone without rest or sleep whileh u n t i n g the f ug i t i ves , hav ing j us treturned them to jai l that morning.

Furthermore, the sherif f offered, thecoroner hadbeen absent from Belmontat the t ime of thehanging, and as all theimportan t cit izens had come to thejai l toview thebodies, hesaw noneed tohold aformal inquest. Finally, he blamed thepoor jail facilit ies. Thelynching had oc-curred, the sheriff reasoned, out of aneed to seejust ice done. After all, themen had escaped once, it was fearedthey might try again.

Whatever the motive, whatever thet ru th , J ack Walker and Charlie Mclntyrewere buried the next afternoon a fewhundred yards outside theboundaries ofthe hallowed ground of the Belmontcemetery. Pundits quickly dubbed thebui ld ing that hadbeen thescene of thebrutal tragedy, the"A uge r Ho le . " It re-mains a Belmont landmark.

One of Nevada's most photographedghost town buildings is thet iny Catholicchurch which sits on a knoll overlookingthe twentieth century mining camp ofManhat tan. However, fewknow that thechurch served Belmont worshippers foralmost 30years before it wasmoved toManhat tan in 1908.

Belmont heaved one last gasp duringWor ld War I. A mining f lurry br ief lyrevived the old camp. A new mi l l , theHighbr idge, was built over the hil l atEast Belmont, to process theextensivedumps left from the earlier mining ac-t iv i t ies. The walls of the magnif icentbrick building that housed the High-

bridge machinery st i l l stands, a loneandf o r l o rn s i l houe t t e aga ins t the blueNevada sky.

Legend has t that before Jack Walkerdied, hepleaded with hisexecutioners tospare the life of his cellmate, CharlieMclntyre, whom heswore was innocentof anywrongdoing Hewarned the mobthat if they murdered his young f r iend,the mines would never produce anotherpound of ore, that sagebrush wouldchoke Belmont's streets. The water-f i l led m ine shafts, the empty courthouse,the board ed-u p s tore f ronts eve ry -where there are reminders of JackWalker 's f ina l , bit ter words.

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WesternCollaredLizard

I CCORDING to collared l izard stan-po dards, themost desirable desert realg g estate for a residence is a rockycan-yo n or hil lside with cactus, creosote andsage dotted about sparingly, a good in-sect supply awaiting capture, andplentyof warm sunshine.

Perhaps this isbecause such a locationoffers somany fine rocky places to sit,basking sleepily in the sun, or alert andbright-eyed to stand up on, front legssti ff, neck outstretched and head heldhigh as possible to get the best view offoe or prey. Or, for that matter, rocksmake f ine plat forms onwhich to sit andlook handsome, a desirable attributesince posing about seems to be a charac-teristic of the clan.

Smal l wonder, for when it comes tosartorial splendor, the western col laredl izards have few r ivals. Nor is it themalealone who dons colorful att ire. Bothsexes aretasteful ly done in backgroundshades of greenish, brown, pale gray orye l low ish , according to the tones of thelocal scenery, with perhaps rust-coloredbands arranged across the body andbrown spots dotted on the long pale t a i l .However, the gentlemen favor blue forareas on thethro at and sides of thebelly,whi le the gravid ladies, on the otherhand, and not to be outshone, selectorange or vermil l ion spots and streaksfor their neck and body highl ights. Bothcarry theclan emblem: double dark barsat the neck and shoulders.16

by K. L. BOYNTON1976

Mouth agape,the collared lizard presents

a frightening appearance.Photoby

George Service,Palm Desert, California.

These aregood-sized lizards, measur-ing some four inches head and body,wi th a tai l twice that long, and whi lestocki ly bui l t, arefast enough when run-ning on all fours. If speed is really calledfor, up they go on their hind legs. Frontfeet clutched to their chests, tai l stand-ing up behind, they rush along, lookingas someone soaptly remarked, l ike min-iature dinosaurs.

Predators, these l izards are insectfanc i e rs , p re fe r r i ng good-s i zed p reysuch as grasshoppers, crickets, wasps orcicadas. They also tuck away spiders andmites and are not in the least bashfulabout adding other l izards to the menuwhenever they can. Onecollared gentle-man, for example, was found, upon in-vest igat ion, to have an eight- inch whip-tai l l izard half digested in his stomach.His capture of this maxi-sized gastro-nomical del ight, incidental ly, was nosmall feat in i tself, since whiptai ls arethemselves very fast on their feet andquite adverse to being swal lowed.Collared l izards hunt by sight. Theireyes arewel l equipped for the jobsince

the photoreceptive cel ls in theretina arentirely of the cone type, excel lent foseeing details and color. Cone cellshowever, need good i l lumination toperate efficiently and since they are ngood for night work, thel izards mustentheir dining forays when the dayl ighbegins tofade. Night work isn't for themanyhow, because being l izards they arunable to keep their body temperatureup sufficiently within themselves anmust depend on thewarmth of the sueach day before they can get goingTheir normal body temperature for act iv i ty is around 99F and they havehigh opt imum range up to 107. Chslows them down drastical ly. Infact, aair temperature of at least 59Fessential, as zoologist H. Fitch found ihis classic study, before the l izards caeven make a purposeful movement.

Such being thecase, hibernation is the cards during thecold months of thyear. The izards, although notvery goodiggers, select a spot back under aoverhanging rock and dig several inchedown into the soi l , making an unde

Desert / February 197


17/48

depress ed, l imbs held next to, and long tail tucked up close in, they'r e co asting, so to speak, meta-

appear once more on the

">As is to be expected, since they are

g a dominance order. They

I ike skin at the throat,

The females, being quite waspish inoutlook, take no nonsense from anybody.Even a court ing male, done so hand-somely in his colors, head bobbing upand down in such a pleasant noddingcourtship manner, is l ikely to get no-where at all. I f in a non-receptive frameof mind, the female puffs out her throatand "sid lehops," arching her neck andhopping stif f- leggedly in place, or stalk-ing slowly off, behavior at once inter-preted by the hopeful male as being ex-ceedingly inhospitable.

Zoologists regard this sidlehopping bitas a fine defensive set up developed bythe species. It protects unreceptive fe-males from the advances of courtingmales without their having to use upe n e rg y f i g h t in g o r ru n n in g a w a y .Equally interesting is the further evolu-t ionary development wherein the recep-tive female, after copulation, changesher color style adding the aforemen-tioned orange pigm ent spots and bars onthe sides of her body and neck. ZoologistFitch, considering all this, thinks thatthe orange color is a social signal seen by

the males and inhibit ing their advances.In cases where it apparently does notwork, zoologist M. Vinegar speculates,might well involve males too young toknow the proper social conduct.

Once bred, the female retains viablesperm for a long t ime and as anatomistO. Cueller points out, this is a very goodway of lengthening the period for fert i leegg laying. As much help as possible isneeded because the egg stage is a verychancy one since lizard eggs are subjectto dessication, especially those of thecollared lizard which are so thin-sh elled.They must be laid where there is enoughsoil moisture to keep them from dryingout and, in fact, actually to provide waterto be absorbed for egg weight gain.Hence Mrs . C. Lizard digs under rocks tothe moistest soil she can f ind , depositsthe eggs and covers them . There m ay betwo to 24 eggs, varying with the age ofthe female, the season and the generalenvironmental condit ions. Incubationtakes 52 to 94 days and the hatchlings,once out, are on their own, coping thebest they can with the hawks and day-t ime snakes and other hungry neighborsout to get them

The chosen environment of rocky hi l l -sides and canyons, with their sparsevegetation, does provide patches ofshade, and the lizards do retire to thesefrom t ime to t ime. St i l l , they are greatsun lovers and are active in surprisingheat and subjected to high solar radia-t ion, a matter of interest to many ascientist who yearns to know how theycan stand it. The team of V. Hutchisonand J. Larimer found that desert lizardsas a group seem to pick up much lessh e a t f ro m th e i r su r ro u n d in g s t h a nlizards that live elsewhere, and that theskin actually plays a big part in heatreflectance. The skin in many lizardsundergoes color changes controlled bylight and temperature, as anatomistS.R. Atsatt found. The collared lizard,for instance, is darker toned at low temp-erature, l ighter colored at high tempera-ture and light or dark depending on-il lumination at the intermediate temp-eratures. A lighter tone in the skin wo uldtend to act as an aid in reflecting heat.But this is not the whole answer to thequestion: how does the lizard handle theintense ultra-violet radiation which, if itreached the internal organs of the bodywould be extremely damaging?Biologist Warren Porter took it from

17


18/48

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Distinctive collar bars are shown in detail. Photo by Dr. R. B. Cowles, Los Ange les.here. Testing various backboned animalsfor solar radiation through their bodies,he found that certain of the desertl izards, the collared among th em , have aprotective set-up that involves skin,muscles and imp ortantly the per-itoneum, which is a membrane l ining thebody cavity. In the case of the collaredl izard, for instance, some 10.6% of in-cident energy is ref lected, 68.6% ab-sorbed by the skin, 10.7% absorbed bythe muscles. The black peritoneum,acting as a f inal shield, absorbs 3.9%.

PALM SPRINGS' COMPLETE INDIAN STORE

Thus the amount of solar energy actuallytransmitted is a low and apparently safe6 . 1 % . So far, so good.

Now how do they keep their tempera-tures from skyrocketing when the desertheat hammers down? Testing, anato-mists J R. Templeton and W.R. Dawsonwere surprised to see that the collaredl izard jus t na tura l ly has a lowermetabolic rate while resting at 104Fthan do less heat-resistant a nimals of thesame size. Further, when the tempera-ture continues to rise, the lizards dissi-pate heat by panting, the rapid f low ofair over the blood-engorged tongue stuckout of the mouth actually gett ing r id ofsome 1.3 times more heat at 111F thanis being produced metabolically by thebody. With physiological pluses likethese and patches of shade under plantsand rocks to he lp, the collared lizards arewell set up to handle the heat problem.Body moisture needs are supplied bytheir insect prey.

Behavior sicentists got interested inthe scholarly potentialit ies of the col-lared l izard. The team of V. Vance,A. Richardson and R.B. Goodrich se-lected eight candidates five males andthree females and set about seeingwhat the animals could do in the way ofproblem solving. Besides a meal worm to


19/48

Collared lizards have a big appetite.Here a sand lizard is the main course.Photo by Joe Orr, LosAngeles, Calif.

the l izard that did the problem rightgot to sit for three minutes on a

as re-by the lizards who dearly loved

and likewise dearly lovedon the hot plate. A wrong an-

a small electric shock.The problem was to pick the box that

and the hot plate in it. One boxlack. Wro ng. It had theshock. One

was white. Right . The boxes werein position at random, but

the same.could the collared lizards dis-

and if socould theyit with reward and therefore

the white box after that?The lizards came up a ramp out ofdamp ho lding tank to a platform where

had to be made: go on alongto the white box, or upto the black one. The

on the platformto one box

the other. They never got overan indication of the old t r ia l and

had f ive trials fora week and the zoologistsif thecandidates could make

for three con-the criterion of the test

be met.W e l l , the l izards f inally made it

after 335 tr ials. When their score wascompared with those of certain otheranimals tested, it came out that eventurt les did better, and that the old lag-ging about on the platform the lizardsdid before making a choice was aboutequal to the performance of slow learn-ers among laboratory rats.

1976

I f informed of th is, the l izards mighthave inquired what the test had to dowith gett ing along in the desert, whereunless the tur t le was a desert tortoise i twouldn't have such a swell score, norwould the most bril l iant laboratory ratlast long. They might have wonderedprivately, too, just how well a questingscientist set down minus accoutrementsin collared lizard territory would do.

Viewed thus, thecollard lizard score of80-100% correct for three consecutivedays in 335 tr ials is not bad, not bad atall. D

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20/48

C a r v e si nF o s s i lS t o n e

by MARY FRANCES STRONGphotos by Jerry Strong

20

I A M NOT A N AR TIST, m ust less asculptor , but I enjoy t ry in g, " Mary

I Pipes shyly replied when I admiredher fine work. Not only are her carvingsbeautifully done but she has chosen touse a most unusual medium diatoma-ceous earth.

The f ine detail yet simp licity of M ary 'scarvings show well the lady's naturaltalent. Some creations d epict a l i t t le rab-bit, ears laid back, crouching on theground; a poodle with handsome haircut"s i t t ing up"; doves of peace graceful lyetched; a l i t t le Mexican sleeping; a cow-boy stroll ing in town and a f iery dragonappears to be standing guard over hisdomain these are but a few of Ma ry'sbrainchilds. Not driven by a need to dogreat numbers of carvings, she worksspasmodically and it is a labor of love.

In discussing her method of carvingand how she decides upon her next sub-jec t , Mary exp la ined she observesnature, looks through both adult andchildren books, then sorts the variousideas in her mind. It is only when shemakes her final decision on the project

that she begins to look for a suitable"chunk o f mater ia l . ""How did you happen to use diatoma-

ceous earth?" I inquired while visit ingthe P ipes a t t rac t ive home in LaCrescenta.

"It all began at the Los AngelesCounty Fa ir," M ary recalled. " I had noidea of carving but saw a craft displaywhere 'Maple Rock' was being sold. Abooklet tell ing how to carve came witheach chunk and, on an impulse, I pur-chased a specimen and carving knife. Atfirst I sat in the garage and carved, butnow I usually work in the den. MapleRock has a layered strata and is fun towork wi th . It comes from a mine in theCoalinga (California) area and quite afew people are using i t for theircarv ings . "

The many facets of rockhoun ding werenot new to Mar y when she took up carv-i n g . She has had long exposure to col-lect ing and the art of lapidary from herhusband. "Dusty" Pipes has been in thehobby for many years and does some ex-cellent cabochon work.

Desert/ February 1976


21/48

Using "d ia to m i te ' (a te rm res tr ic ted

of depo s i t s produ ce su i ta b leWhile diatomite is not a common

animal fats, ant ibiot ics and polluted

Diatomite is a l ight-colored, very

They have long been one of thees of food for m arine a nimals.[Phyllum Tallophyta) are

soli-

on a box. Due to their large num bers,

The United States is the world's larg-Cali-

I felt sure that many of Desert's

ry Pipes told m e, "I f I can carve,

Opposite page:Only the simplest

of toolsa r e n e c e s s a r y

f o r c a r v i n gsoft material.Here, Mary isbeginning analligator. It is

roughly laidexcept for some

fine detailon the mouth.

On the far rightis a block

of "Maple Rock"diatomaceous earth.Right: This

plaque-type ofcarving is not onlydecorative but an

excellent selectionfor a first projec t.

With the exceptionof a cord-woodand hack saw,

this carvingwill be completed

with thefew tools shown.21


22/48

anyone can," I promptly asked her toshare her methods with our readers. Shewas happy to do so. Here it is, step bystep.

The tools needed are very simple andinexpensive. Power tools do not workwell on diatomite due to its softness.

Tool List: Good, sturdy paring knife;

Left: A fiery dragonwell displays Mary'snatural talent.Below: The simplicityof some carvingsis readily notedin this little rabb it.You almost expectthe ears to rise,eyes to open, a nd tosee him hop away.

stylus for etching in design; dental toolsfor fine detail; small paint brush for re-moving dust, and a Miller Falls smallwood carving set.

Step One. First of all it necessary tohave in mind what you wish to carve.Books and magazines are a good sourceof ideas. Once you decide to try your

hand, many ideas will probably come tomind. When the decision is f inal , make arough sketch of the subject. You can alsowork from photos, etc.

"W h e n I dec ided to carve thed ragon , " Ma ry remarke d, " I m ade asketch as usual. Once I started carving Idigressed almost immediately." Thiswill happen but a sketch, photo or pic-ture provides a model from which to be-gin work. Figure the approximate sizeyou wish your carving to be and makenote of this on your sketch. In the be-ginn ing, it is best to make compact andmassive carvings. Appendages break offvery easily and skill should be developedbefore attempting such carvings.

Step Two is very simple. Now is thetime to obtain a suitable chunk of diato-mite (or other comparatively soft mater-ial of your choice). You can collect yourown or purchase it from one of the manydealers carrying carving material.

Step Three requires transferring yoursketch to the rough material by drawing.Excess material may now be cut awaywith a cord-wood saw or any saw withrough, large teeth. Use a hacksaw whereonly small pieces are to be removed. It isalso important to have a level basebefore starting to carve.

Step Four involves the actual carving.Scrape off excess material but do not usea rasp or file on diatomite. This is a jobfor your paring knife. Work until theplanned figure is formed except for finedetai l . Mary switches back and forth tovarious areas. Use the paint brush tosweep away the dust from the area youare working.

Step Five. Carve in all the fine detailusing dental tools or carving tools. Takeyour time and keep dust brushed awayfrom your working area.

Step Six begins the f inal f inishing ofyour carving. Carefully go over it w ith 00steel wool to smooth. Be extra cautiousas the detail w ill eas ily erase. You sh ouldmake the carving as smooth as possiblewithout disturbing any detail.

Step Seven. Using a soft cloth, treatthe carving to as many coats of mineraloil as is necessary to saturate it. The oilmust penetrate thoroughly. Place carv-ing in 120-degree oven and bake untiyou can rub it without getting any oil onyour hand. This will take approximatelythree to four hours. Remove from ovenand let cool.

Step Eight. If you wish to darken the22 Desert/ February 1976


23/48

detail in conjunction with smooth surfaces hasbeen used here toemphasize

or highlight certain areas, brushcan

bepainted w ith water colors or oil atif desired. Besure thecarvings

dry before f inal rubbingStep Nine. Toapply a polish, hand rube because they have theadvantage of

Rub unt i l the textureThe f inal f in ish is now

For a natural- looking f in ish,onDeft Clear Wood Finish ( inter-

For a glossy f inish, use(#90 gloss, crystal

Let dry and youriscompleted.

Th e art of carving is almost as old asIt began when primit ive

his f irst tools, then pro-to thecreation of personal orna-

and items forin commerce. Down through the

to becomee of the world 's great art forms as

1976

In our great-grandfather 's t ime, mentook pride in t he i r "wh i t t l i ng . " But thisart form more or less died out among thecommon man. It wasn't unt i l the hobbyof rock collecting began togrow by leapsand bounds that the latent talent amongaverage folk began to surface again.

Dur ing the last three decades, someremarkable "treasures in stone" havebeen carved by the hobbyist. Theirbeauty of form and art istry r ival thefamous works of the Masters. Ourmodern hobby sculptor has run theg a m u t of m at e r i a l s f r om the m os tprecious of gems todiatomaceous e arth.From them all, he has produced greatbeauty ' to behold.

Mary Pipe's carvings in fossil stoneare delightful, pleasing to the eye andexhibit considerable art ist ic skil l . Theyseem toprove that Man can do anythinghe sets his mind to. Without benef i t oft ra in ing in the art of carv ing, Mary hascreated beauty in stone. We, the ob-servers, are privi leged to have thepleasure of enjoying herwork.

u

Now . .'!>I Good things . ,tare happening at . . !vD e a t h V a l l e yJ u n c t i o n

Stay at the historicAMARGOSA HOTELThis lovely 50-year-old hotel isbeing rejuvenated. 20 roomsopening October, 1975. All car-peted. All beautifully furnished.You, your family or your groupcan make the Amargosa Hotelyour headquarters while in theDeath Valley area.You can now dine in the restor-ed DINING ROOM in the Hotel.A separate banquet facility is Iavailable for groups.Telephone Death Valley Junc-tion #1 for information or reser-vations.

Don't miss seeing Marta Becketat her famous AMARGOSAOPERA HOUSE. You've readabout this beautiful and uniqueattraction in Desert and Nation-al Geographic. Make a visit tothe Amargosa Opera House amust while you're in this area.See Marta Becket's fabulousmurals inside the Opera House.Performances on Friday, Satur-day and Monday evenings at8:15; doors open at 7:45.Telephone Death Valley Junc-tion #8 for reservations. Tourswelcomed.

The AMARGOSA GENERALSTORE, Death Valley JunctionService Station and AMAR-GOSA POTTERY are open.Space is available for develop-ment. Watch this space eachmonth for more news as the re-storation of Death Valley Junc-tion continues.

For further information aboutDEATH VALLEY JUNCTIONplease write:Death Valley Junction, Inc.P . O . Box 675Death Valley Junction, JCalifornia 92328 - mV/tn

23


24/48

WESTERN ART"Miguel"

Tribe: Yuma,22"x28", Oil,

CourtesyPeterson Galleries.

CHRONICLER OFTHE PASTby NICK LAWRENCE

T HE RESURGENCE of western art thepast several years is a result, in oneform or another, of a rather signif i-cant cultu ral regression a throw-backto our history of the West; an integralsegment of our current wave of nos-ta lg ia.

With this renewed interest by westernart patrons throughout the country, andnot surp rising ly a very strong patronagein the art centers of Europe, our tradi-t ional American masters of this theatreof art have enjoyed an overwhelmingsurge in demand. The Remington 's,Russell 's, and more recently the FrankMcCarthy's are str ipp ing previous eco-nomic standards to bits.

Rem ington set a western art auctionrecord in 1973 of $175,000. Extremely24

prolif ic, meticulous with the authenticityof his subject matter, he left an estimat-ed 2,800 works at his death in 1909, andnot surprising in l ight of the currentt rend, these works, together with othermasters of the f ie ld , do not even begin tosatisfy the market.

There are few contemporary westernart ists producing ultra-exceptional work.In the opinion of art ists themselves,Frank McCarthy is probably the bestwestern art ist today. He paints with in-credible realism possible with oil on ma-sonite (which is an extremely diff iculttechnique that only the very best accom-plish with any worthwhile results). BuckMcCain is producing some very crediblework specializing in very large oils. Oneof the fine newcomers is James Zar.

Zar, l ike McCarthy, paints with a rea-lism that is absolutely stunning. UnlikeMcCarthy, whose composit ion encom-passes magnificent sweeping landscapewith action characters, Zar's subjectsloom from the canvas with a fantasticaura of mystic. Specializing in theAmerican Indian, Zar has been able tocapture the sweep of the history of our' f irst ' Americans as few art ists havedone. Painting with tremendous power

Desert /February 1976


25/48

overpow ering.A student of the American West, Zar,

in p lanning a pa int ing, does very signif i -alia, and facial characterist ics in addi-ackground sett ing. A composite of the

subject is then drawn to approximateinal proportions at which t ime his greatesert/February 1976

talent takes over for the f inal work.His most dramatic works are portrait

in nature with subject, regalia, andlandscape in total complement. The re-markable detail work is extraordinary,a la McCarthy. A recently completedwork, however, is a departure in that afull posture oil of a Mohave Indian,"Desert Dweller", just might be Zar 'smost impressive work to date in terms ofpure paint ing technique.

Zar has not always been enamoredwith the American Indian as subjectmatter. " M y catharsis from surrealismto the realism of the American West andour ' f irst ' Americans came about verysuddenly after a trip through the south-west and the plains of the m idwest whenthe opportunity presented itself to visitseveral reservations," he explained."I have always been interested in ourIndian heritage, history, and culture.

25


26/48

Left:"Desert Dweller"Tribe: Mohave,15 " x 30", Oil,Courtesy, Hartman GallerieBelow:"Wolf Robe"Tribe: Cheyenne,24"x30", Oil,Courtesy,Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Sullivan

After seeing these people on their 'res-ervations', the grandness that was theirsbecame a very emotional experience forme and ultimately has influenced mysubject matter professionally."

One is so very aware of the strength inthe subjects of Zar's paintings that onewonders if he possesses a special in-sight. "Because of the fierce pride anddeep reverence this land has worn upontheir faces," Zar clarif ied, "I feel theyare our true chroniclers of the past. Inaddit ion, mysticism and religion aremankind's highest order of awarenessand the American Indian of the past hashad little or no acknowledgement for hisunique contribution in this area to ourAmerican character.

"Each Indian I choose to paint hasmotivated me this degree because he, orshe, seemed a mirror of this inner quest;a person frozen to the significance oftheir own personal vision."

What sets apart the exceptional arti-

26


27/48

sans from mass mediocrity is not onlybasic talent in some cases genius but a common denominator . . . versa-t i l ity. Oil on canvas is Zar's forte; how-ever, his work with oil on treated card-board is not short of magnificent. Hispencil sketches exude a dimensionalquality that only the very best techni-cians are able to produce.

James Courtney Zar's formal art edu-cation at San Jose College, the SanFrancisco Art Institute, and privatestudies under the dynamic Keith Finch,represent 15 years of mastering his craft.Croup shows include the Horizon Gal-lery, Venice; Fiengarten Gallery, LosAngeles; Santa Barbara Art Museum;Hartman Gallerie, Thousand Oaks; Pe-terson Galleries, Beverly Hills; a one-man show University of Santa Clara.

Zar's work, in addit ion to this publica-t ion, is featur ed on the cover of the Inter-national Artists Directory (1976); contri-buting art Arizona Highways Magazine;New Mexico Magazine, BicentennialIssue, January, 1976. He is currentlyteaching art for the ABC Unif ied AdultDistr ict ,Norwalk, Cal i forn ia.

Right:"Dillon"

Tribe: Yankton Sioux,7 6 " x 20", Oil,

CourtesyPeterson Galleries

Below:"Horse Capture"

Tribe: Atsina,24" x 30", Oil,Courtesy

Mr. & Mrs.Raymond Capps

Desert/ February 1976 27


28/48

* *sl^** JlIB i

. . .

> / 1/f

#

1. Here I am, ready to go. The ground I'm placering at present can't be reached by automob ile. Ahorse would have trouble w ith part of the trail. So I pack everything I need on my back. Except forthe shovel and pick, I made all this equipment myselfeven the bucket. When I first came toTwentynine Palms, I asked everybody: "How do you make a dry washer?" Nobody seemed toknow, so I made my own. I've improved and impro ved, to make it as light and sturdy as possiblealuminum and stainless steel. But the past 20 years I haven't been able to think of anything to makeit lighter or better. I am carrying some stuff in my hand my half-inch screen and an aluminum panto dump the concentrates into but they can be fastened onto the d ry washer too. And as a rule Ilike to have both hands free, one for a walking stick, and the other for balance or w hatever. I alwaysuse a walking stick because it's good for balance with a load on your back, and also for knockingrocks over or flipping rattlesnakes out of the tra i l . It's just handy. 2. I've got about half a mile to goup this wash. No tra i l . Sometimes I work two or three miles away from the car, and this kind ofD R Y W A S H I N G F O R D E S

RY WASHING for desert gold is notji I a lost art, but since World War II| y i t has been almost a lost occupation.Week-end hobbyists, yes. And probablyhere and there a few old-timers whoknow a spot to work paying gravel whenthey need some extra change. But howmany men have been working dryplacers, year in, year out since then?

Do wie Cr i t t e n d e n of Twe n tyn in eF'alms, California has for 30 unbrokenyears.

Dowie sold his electr ical engineeringbusiness in Los Angeles in 1945 andmoved out to Twentynine Palms. To re-tire? W el l , today he is sti l l w orking threeclays a week, M onda y, W ednesday andFriday, dawn to dusk, at physical labormany men half his age could not handle.He lets up only during the hottestperiod, and in those 30 years he prac-tical ly has re-placered the entire DaleMining Distr ict southeast of TwentyninePalms, with pick, shovel, and self-de-signed, hand-operated dry washers.

Dowie was always interested in goldmining. Then in the depression years hewent up into Southern California's SanGabriel Canyon and found a lot of un-28

employed men placering the canyon forbread and beans.

"There were two o ld men," Dowiesaid, "and one showed me what he hadgotten a l i tt le bottle w ith three l i tt lepieces of gold, the largest about as big asthe head of a shingle nail . I asked himwhat he thought i t was worth. About adollar, he said. Would he take a dollarfor it? Yes!

"So I forked out a dollar r ight quick.That was my first gold and that reallystarted me. Every summer my wife and Ihad been vacationing at Hobo HotSprings on the Kern River. (They call i tMiracle Hot Springs now.) So I startedtaking a gold pan up there and scrapingout the crevices and was hing the decom-posed granite along the river bank. I didthat about 10 summers, then we movedou t to Twentyn ine . "

It took Dowie about six months to getset up for the entirely unfamil iar f ield ofdesert dry washing. When he startedwork, it was at a place where he knewthere should be gold Dave Poste'smining claim in the Dale Distr ict, withDave's permission, of course."Those days my wife used to go out

placering with me," Dowie recalled."The first day on Dave's claim, sheasked me what she should do.

I said: 'W ell sit down r ight here andstart screening the grave l. '

"She did. And r ight away she found anugget about as big as the end of mythumb. Q uar tz and gold, all put togetherlike a piece of jewelry. It was a beautifulth ing ! Then we found a couple ofnuggets about the size of peas.

"And I looked at them, and I thought:'What is this? It can't be gold there'stoo much of i t! '

" I t was gold, but there wasn't toomuch. In al l the work I did there, I re-covered about an ounce and a half, andthat f irst nugget weighed half an ounce.I've gone back every year to try again,but I never again found anything l ikethat. It just happened but my wife isa lways b ragg ing . "

That was 1946-47. From there Dowiemoved to the canyon below the Iron Age ,the biggest iron mine in the Dale Dis-tr ict, where he worked for about twoyears.

"I ro n is considered to be the mother ofg o l d , " he said. "Of course there's ironDesert/February 1976


29/48

my equipment can't be just hung on me haphazardly. The dry

f GO LDthere's very apt to be gold. Es- &V

ally in the Dale District. There's al- H A R O LD O .s almost always fist-sized iron W E IG H T

"' Mr "

crank up over dead center and operate the belt, it saves four pounds.3. This little wash in the center is the one I'm working now, in the DaleDistrict about 20 miles southeasterly by road from Twe ntynin e Pa lms. I'vebeen mining in the Dale District for 30 years now, and all the big washesalready had been placered before I arrived. I'm that little white object justabove the junction of the two small washes. For several reasons, all thegold isn't recovered the first tim e. 4. He re is whe re I start this wa sh. Youlearn by experience to choose where most of the gold is likely to be. Lots oftimes I've settled down in a canyon and found real good gold and thought," I'v e really got it! " Come back next day go up stream , down stream you don't find a thin g. It isn't just luck but I can't put m y finger on how Ichoose. I'm just going to work here. You can see behind me a lot of largerocks I have stacked up. You have to remove the big rocks first. Then withthis hoe-shovel I m ade it out of an old arm y shovel welded to a longerhan dle I scrape off all the overburden to get down near the bedrock.5. I'm in the grave l now, getting close to bedroc k but not close enoughyet. When you get down to within about an inch of bedrock, then you startscraping up the stuff to run through the dry washer. The rest you justthrow aside, so you don't have to run so much worthless stuff. You don'tmiss much gold, as a rule, if you take what is within an inch of bedrock. Ofcourse, there's always the exception. The gradient of the stre am thedepth to bedrock might make a difference. And sometimes the gold islight and sort of we ll, lacy. Or it may have a little rock sticking to it, whichlowers the specific gravity so it might be found higher up. So it's a goodidea to take 15 or 20 minutes and run a couple of buckets of your top stuff.You have to kind of feel it out. 6. It's obvious here that I'm down to where Ithink there's going to be some gold. So I'm shoveling everything throughmy screen. I'll screen enough gravel to fill the bucket, which holds about55 pounds, run that through the dry washer, then repeat until I have clear-ed the area to bedrock. I work about a five-foot section to bedrock. Thenwhen I start the next section, I pull all the coarse overburden back over thebedrock I've just worked to get to the gravel easier. In order to run and getthe gold out, the gravel has to be absolutely dry. Even out in this drydesert, if you get a lot of rain in the fall , it will stay wet all winter. You canwait a month, go out, dig in and it 's as wet as it ever wa s. In cases likethat, if you're straining at your bit, you've just got to take the gravel homeand dry it. When I found rich spots that were wet, like that, I used to loadup to 900 pounds of gravel in my car, bring it home, dry it on the frontporch, then sweep it up and run it in the back yard. [Better reach somekind of understanding with your wife before you try this.]

Continued on next page


30/48

7. The richest gold is apt to be right on bedrock, and in the little holes andcrevices there. You can't just shovel that up. Here I am scraping and sweep-ing bedrock and crevices to be sure I miss nothing. What I gather, I put inthe bucket and run with the rest of the gravel. As you can see, this isn't theusual whiskbroom. They wear out fast, and I make mine out of old brooms Itake apart. The scraper, which I made out of stainless steel, has a sharpnarrow point. The other side is a flat piece of shovel I cut and bolted on. Bothsides are replaceable, and I have to replace them every six months or so.That odd thing on my right hand is a special glove which covers just thethumb and forefinger I use to hold the whiskbroom , because the work makesthem rough and dry and they crack. The piece of white cloth sewed on pro-

Itects the back of that hand from sunburn. 8. While actually screening gravel, you can see how I hold the screening box with my elbows on knees. The knees support the weight and you can shake the devil out ofscreen without breaking your back. At the same time I'm looking throthe rock too big to go through the screen to be sure I don't throw any nuggaway with the waste. Usually I'll also stand up with the screen and kindpaw through it before I throw the stuff away. I'm using a half-inch mscreen now. A lot of nuggets will pass through a quarter-inch mesh. Bu30 years I've found a lot that wouldn't. So if you use a quarter-inch, and tcan't see those nuggets that won't go through or if you don't look caref you can throw aw ay a lot of gold. But you can see a half-inch nu gget.

nuggets where there's any good gold.But again there's iron witho ut gold,and sometimes gold withou t large i r o n . "

The Iron Age canyon proved to be oneof the exceptions. Dowie averaged about35 cents a day there day in , day out with only one " large" nugget, whichlooked like a lima bean and was worth$7.50.

It wasn't always that lean through the

years, or even Dowie might not havekept on. At his Pinto Mine, about fouryears ago, he hit a hot spot that averaged$12 a day for two weeks. Three yearsago, same place, he washed out a21/2-ounce nugget his largest ye t. An dworking a little wash at the edge of PintoBasin one day, he found a nugget an inchand a quarter long, an inch wide, and aquarter-inch thick.

"I couldn't believe my eyeballs. Tookit out, took another shovel full therewas another almost as big. J ust like that.I got $78 in gold that day. But that wasall there was two big ones, two tinyones. Noth ing mor e . "

With the price of gold around $160 anounce, desert dry washing is a wholenew ball game. It is possible, Dowiethinks, that somewhere in the desert

11 . After I've run a bucket or two through, I take the riffle board out to see what I've got. The con-centrates, behind the riffles, are what is left of 50 to 100 pounds of gravel run through the dry wash-er. I dump these concentrates into the aluminum pan you can see just beyond the dry washer. Atnight I run all the concentrates I have gotten through the dry washer again, and get about half a cof-fee can of reconcentrates. I take these home, pan them with gold pan and water, and get all the goldout. I always wear white pants and white shirt, as you can see here, because I have learned by ex-perience you can work comfortably in about ten degrees hotter temperature if you wear whiteclothes. And I take a painter's white cap and sew on a kind of fringe that hangs down over my upturn-ed collar. Sort of French Foreign Legion effect. That not only keeps off the sun, but also the flies andbugs, and the wind on a cold day. 12. To check the concentrates, I reverse the riffle board, tilt itback, and tap it. As the lighter stuff slides away, you can see the black iron sand which has collectedin back of the riffles. Black makes a good background for bright gold, and if there is any it will showup against the black sand. Most of the gold is usually on the first riffle, but occasionally you will findsome down to about the third riff le. Once in a great while even farther down, depending on howheavy and how smooth the gold is. If you do much dry washing, wear a dust respirator. The little oneI'm w earing is very popular with miners.


31/48

9. I've started to run thefirst bucket of screenedgrave l th rough the d rywasher. I'm using my buck-et as a kind of auxiliaryhopper for the dry washer.If I didn't, I'd have to keepfilling the regular hopper orhave one that is three tofour t imes la rger . Thatwould make the dry washerheavier and more bulky, alittle harder to handle andto store in your car. So Ilean the bucket over theedge of hopper and fill itwith gravel. Then I justhold the bucket there andturn the dry washer crank.As the gravel moves downover the riffle board, moregrave l f eeds by g rav i t yfrom the hopper throughlittle canvas funnels ontothe riff le board. As thelevel keeps going down inthe hopper I keep tilting thebucket to refill it, until thebucket is empty. It worksvery fine. 10. Here you seethe dry washer in actualoperation. When I turn thecrank, the belt operates abel lows under the r i f f leboard, which has a canvasbottom. There's no vibra-

"Not in the Dale District, though. I

gold. Probably the old-

wasn't any iron in them."Elsewhere who can tell? There

might be good canyons out in the desertsomewhere. With the price of gold now if I was a little younger, I probablywould be doing a lot of prospecting."

On these pages, for those who areyounger and want to prospect, Dowietells in his own words a few of the thingshe has learned in 30 years .

tion of the riffle board the be llows blows the airthrough from underneath. The first machines Imade vibrated up and down and sideways, andeverything else. But I found that just caused meto lose gold. This is simpler, better and more ef-fective. It's a pulsation made by air only, and itkeeps the gravel raised up and just kind offloating down over the riffles. It's almost thesame as if water was running down a sluice box.The light stuff floats over the riffles and off thelower end. Because they are heavier, black sandand gold catch behind the riffles. As the upperriffles are cleared, more gravel comes downfrom the hopper.

13 . Wh en I first start when the weather is cool enough in the fall Irun through maybe 20 or 30buckets in a day. Then, as I get used to it again, and the days get longer, I run up to 100 a day. Let'ssee 100 times 50 would be 5000 pounds. Over two tons that I actually put through the dry washer, inaddition to all the rock I move and screen to get the gravel I run. But sometimes when I'm rerun-ning piles of old conc entra tes I've run as much as five tons through this m achine in one day. Thekind of wash you're working has a lot to do with the amount you run. Washes up to 15 feet widethat's as wide as I usually work a foot migh t be the average distance to bedroc k. 14. The shadowsare lengthening and I'm heading back for the car. Usually I leave home while it's dark and get back atdark . It makes a work day of 10 or 11 hours a long day for this kind of work . A nd how m uch gold didI get for my 10 or 11 hours today? We ll , it was n't one of my better d ays. Ab out $ 2.00 at the new priceof gold. But it wasn't one of my worst, either. At lease I got enough to pay for my gas. Lots of timesIdon't. Obviously I don't do it for the money. I could make 10 times as much several other ways. It's agood hobby and a healthy one. But it's hard work, and often it doesn't pay. But I love to do it. It's justa lot of fun . I'd rather do it than eat. D


32/48

ETWEEN Santa Fe and Albuquer-' que, Interstate 25 flashes out across

the land a concrete la

Documents

197602 Desert Magazine 1976 February