WILD LIFE IN CALIFORNIA 



rock masses. Not very long ago, geologically 

 speaking, the valley of the Colorado Desert 

 was submerged and formed an arm of the 

 sea or of the Gulf of California, and while 

 in this condition the comparatively still water 

 of the ocean prevented an extensive distribu- 

 tion of the heavier eroded parts that were 

 brought down into the canyons from the 

 mountain sides, from whence they were 

 sluiced out by the rapidly flowing streams 

 into the ocean waters and deposited accord- 

 ing to size and weight. The lightest material 

 was carried the farthest and spread out. The 

 deposition of the erosions in this way gave 

 a fan shape to the deposits and in some cases 

 with a slope of about one foot in ten from 

 the mouth of the canyon to the outer edges 

 of the fan. When the country was elevated 

 above the ocean level once more and the sea 

 had disappeared, the canyon streams soon 

 cut channels down through the loose material 

 of the fan deposits in forcing their way to 

 the desert floor. In some places we found 

 these channels a hundred or more feet in 

 depth. The fans are greater or less in extent 

 in their intrusion upon the desert according 

 to the magnitude of the canyon from which 

 they emerged. 



Palm Canyon, which is the most extensive 

 in size and length of all the canyons in the 

 vicinity of Palm Springs, as stated, is situated 

 south of that place, and the entrance to the 

 canyon is six miles from there with an ele- 

 vation of several hundred feet above the 

 valley. This is the most popular of all the 

 canyons by reason of it being comparatively 

 easy of access, there being a road which 

 enables autoists to run their machines well 

 into the canyon. Besides the natural attrac- 

 tions which embrace the largest groves of 

 palm trees on the west side of the desert, a 

 nature man, or a hermit, makes his abode 

 there. The novelty of his dress, or lack of 

 it, his accomplishments as a musician, his 

 skill in manufacturing souvenirs, his cabin, 

 and the unusual appearance of the man him- 

 self, all combine to make him an important 

 addition to the features of Palm Canyon, 

 especially with the tourists visiting the 

 springs. 



At some period ages ago through some 

 action of nature the original channel of the 

 canyon appears to have "been dammed by a 

 filling of rocks and earth to a depth of more 

 than one hundred feet and greater width from 

 wall to wall. The canyon stream there was 

 diverted in an easterly course to a point two 

 or three hundred yards distant, where it cut 

 a way for itself through the hills, turning 

 north and making a channel that in a quar- 

 ter mile or so brought the waters back into 

 the old channel some distance below the dam. 

 The only practical way of reaching the upper 

 part of the canyon is by using a trail passing 

 over this dam. The nature man's cabin is 

 located on the level top of the dam along- 

 side the trail. Its location gives him a com- 

 manding view, especially down the canyon, 

 nearly a half mile to the terminus of the 

 auto road, from which point all further ex- 

 plorations have to be made on foot. It can 



be relied upon that few tourists, if any, start 

 up the trail without the knowledge of the 

 nature man. The trail where it passes over 

 large rock masses, or other points, where the 

 indications of it are slight, is made distinguish- 

 able by the nature man having placed small 

 rocks one upon another in spots along the 

 indistinct places. 



This nature man is an interesting character. 

 He is still a young man. His long hair and 

 full beard, together with pleasant facial fea- 

 tures, makes his photographs look somewhat 

 like the pictures of the Saviour, a fact of 

 which he is very proud. After meeting him 

 a number of times I reached the conclusion 

 that he really enjoys a certain amount of the 

 solitude of mountains and desert but desires 

 the presence of visitors and sight-seers for 

 what coin his music and wares might induce 

 them to part with. The amount of money 

 thus secured cannot be very large, but as his 

 wants are few and simple it is probably suf- 

 ficient for all his needs. He endeavored to 

 establish rules to govern the conduct of his 

 visitors. These are set forth on a neat and 

 well-written card, prominently placed at the 

 end of the auto road, where all who enter 

 the canyon and the domain of the hermit can- 

 not help seeing them. A reading of the rules 

 will show that the author is not only a man 

 of some education and culture, but also not 

 unreasonable. The following is a copy: 



AN APPEAL, TO REASON. 



Small rocks, piled one upon the 

 other indicate the trail. If U 

 don't need them someone else 

 may, therefore leave them as U 

 find them. 



In the beginning all things, Rocks, 

 Plants, Animals, Man, were 

 called into existence by the First 

 Great Cause, GOD, and therefore 

 all belongs to Him, and -since U 

 are unable to create U have no 

 right to destroy, not even a 

 snake. 



Therefore when U enter this Can- 

 yon leave Ur fear and hatred and 

 weapons of murder behind. Say 

 "Peace and Good Will to All." 

 Come! Look! Admire! Enjoy! 

 but don't let Ur joy mean suf- 

 fering to something else. God 

 loves All. Live and let live! and 

 God will bless U. 



HE WHO LOVES ALL THINGS. 



He did not seem anxious to hide the fact 

 that a certain amount of his "nature life" is 

 commercialism, pure and simple. He justi- 

 fies it as being easier than hard work in pro- 

 curing the necessities of life. He seems to 

 be sincere in his declaration of love for the 

 life he is living. He says he is studying 

 philosophy and religion and expects that when 

 he masters the subject he will be able to 

 fathom the mysteries of life "without the aid 

 of scientific instruments." 



