In the vicinity of Mount Taylor, between Cabezon and San Mateo, a most striking sky 

 line is formed by volcanic peaks of varied shapes. Here we see the "Alesna," or "awl," so 

 called, no doubt, on account of the sharp point it presents 



Camp Life in New Mexico 



THE ENCHANTMENT OF WANDERINGS AND STUDY AMONG ANCIENT 

 INDIAN RUINS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST 



Bv E T H E L Y X G. NELSON 



IT is now more than four years since 

 I began to follow in the wake of an 

 areh£eological expedition to New 

 Mexico. I confess it was with consid- 

 erable trepidation that I first embraced 

 the idea. The picture brought to mind 

 by the mere mention of this corner of 

 our country was one in which heat, 

 sand and drought were the main fea- 

 tures. What a change has been wrought 

 in my opinion by these five years' ex- 

 perience may be Judged by the fact that 

 I now look forward with the greatest 

 eagerness to the early spring days when 

 we may again start forth on our wan- 

 derings through this land of enchant- 

 ment. 



Truly a land of enchantment ! There 

 is a spell in the deep blue of the sky, an 

 exhilaration as of wine in the air, and 

 a charm in the very immensity of the 



unpeopled spaces, in this little-known 

 section of the United States. Here, 

 too, the romance of olden times is still 

 maintained, for the cowboy rides the 

 range, and the trapper and the treasure 

 hunter are frequently met with. Weird 

 and wonderful are some of the tales 

 told by these natives as they visit with 

 us around our evening camp fire, and 

 we listen, interested and credulous as 

 we might not 1)e elsewhere, for the spell 

 is upon us. 



My first summer of camp life in New 

 ]\rexico began in the vicinity of the pic- 

 turesque village of Galisteo. I well re- 

 member my introduction to it. After 

 a walk of some three miles from the 

 desolate little railroad station, whose 

 newly appointed agent seemed scarcely 

 aware of the existence of the near town, 

 we came suddenly to the edge of a rise 



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