60 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
The only Indians found in this vicinity are Pai Utes, but they are unacquainted 
with the significance of the characters, and declare that they have no knowledge of 
the authors. 
As to the age of the sculpturings nothing can be learned. The external surface of 
all the bowlders, as well as the surface of the deepest figures, is a glistening brown- 
ish black, due, possibly, to the presence of iron. The color of a freshly broken sur- 
face becomes lighter in tint as depth is attained, until at about one-half or three- 
fourths of an inch from the surface the rock is chocolate brown. How long it 
would take the freshly broken surface of this variety of rock to hecome thoroughly 
oxidized and blackened it is impossible even to conjecture, taking into consideration 
the physical conditions of the region and the almost entire absence of rainfall. 
Upon following the most convenient course across the Benton range to reach 
Owen valley proper drawings are also found, though in limited numbers, and seem 
Fic. 18.—Petroglyphs in Death valley, California. 
to partake of the character of indicators as to course of travel. By this trail the 
northernmost of the several groups of drawings aboye mentioned is the nearest and 
most easily reached. 
The pictures upon the bowlders at Watterson’s are somewhat different from those 
found elsewhere. The number of specific designs is limited, many of them being 
reproduced from two to six or seven times, thus seeming to partake of the character 
of personal names. 
In a communication dated Saratoga Springs, at the lower part of 
Death valley, California, February 5, 1891, Mr. E. W. Nelson says that 
about 200 yards from the springs, and on the side of a hill, he found 
