I. THE CLIFF-RUINS OF JOHNSON CANYON 
Johnson Canyon is probably the largest of the eastern tributaries 
of the Mancos Canyon. It begins as a draw at the divide which 
forms the boundary between La Plata and Montezuma Counties, 
and 2 miles farther west drops down between perpendicular cliffs. 
From this point the bottom is a V-like gorge, often rendered impass- 
able by great blocks of stone which have broken away from the 
rim rock and crashed into the watercourse below. Where such is 
the case the dim trail ascends the steep talus slope, winds along 
precarious ledges, and, as soon as there is an opportunity, descends 
to the canyon floor. 
In describing the cliff-dwellings of Mancos Canyon neither Jack- 
son’ nor Holmes? mentions the ruins in this canyon. Nordenskidld 
speaks of them as follows: * 
The system of canons southeast of this river [the Mancos] also contains 
numerous cliff-dwellings of considerable size. I did not carry out any exca- 
vations there but only photographed a number of the most important ruins, 
namely, those in Johnson Canon. 
Prudden does not refer directly to the Johnson Canyon ruins but 
locates several of them on his map of the prehistoric ruins of the 
San Juan watershed.* 
Possibly three-quarters of a mile from the beginning of the box 
canyon the first fork of any considerable size runs off to the north. 
In it is located Mancos Spring. We found no other permanent 
water supply between the La Plata and the Mancos which is acces- 
sible, and in consequence this spring served as a base for all our 
operations in the vicinity. There is a large spring some 3 miles 
down the canyon, but its water is green and unpleasant to the taste. 
There are also numerous small drips at the base of the rim rock, 
which doubtless were used by the aborigines. 
1[Bighth] Ann. Rept. of the Hayden Surv. for 1874, p. 369, 1876. 
2Tenth Ann. Rept. of the Hayden Sury. for 1876, p. 393, 1878. 
*The Cliff-dwellers of the Mesa Verde, p. 69. 
4The Prehistoric Ruins of the San Juan Watershed, pl. xvi. 
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