216 THE FORESTS AND DESERTS OF ARIZONA 



Here we find not onh'^ the cottonwoods, hackberry, and ash of 

 several species, as along the streams of the more eastern plains, 

 but a tree alder of excellent shape, peculiar to Arizona, and a 

 plane or sycamore much more striking and beautiful in its foliage 

 than those which are planted in our eastern streets and parks. 

 There is the same tangle of luxuriant vegetation, with grapevines 

 trailing over bushes and trees, that we find in the bottom lands 

 of our Gulf states, with rock and debris and driftwood and sand 

 carried b}^ the flood waters of the stream which comes from the 

 pine plateau — the forest watering the plain. Down in this bower 

 of green, a real paradise after the wear\^ desert ride, we gladly 

 camp and enjoy a refreshing bath in the soda springs. 



In addition to the creek and these interesting soda springs, 

 there is a still more remarkable sheet of water to be found in the 

 well-known Montezuma well, a deep hole in the limestone hills, 

 probably originally a large limestone cave, the roof of which fell 

 in when the water collected in it. Here also we find reminders 

 of the cliff-dwellers, who, a thousand years ago or more, built 

 their abodes in the walls of this huge well and used its never- 

 failing water, which passes through a subterranean tunnel into 

 the creek, to irrigate their fields, as do the ranchers of today. Not 

 only the line of the ancient ditch has been found clearly defined, 

 but the petrified ditch itself has been dug out, the lime of the 

 water having completely filled the original ditch with its deposit. 



A thrifty agricultural population, with whom agriculture, and 

 especially horticulture, evidently pays, has now taken the place 

 of these prehistoric tillers of the soil, who have left the signs of 

 their existence and their activity ever3'where through the terri- 

 tor}'^ in more or less preserved rains, the largest and most elabo- 

 rate of which, named Montezuma castle, probably because of its 

 size and elaborateness, is found not many miles from Montezuma 

 well. Little is known of these prehistoric peo23le, but after see- 

 ing the present abodes and ways of the Hoj)i and Zuni Indians, 

 there remains but little doubt in our minds that the ancients 

 were the ancestors of these natives, perhaps not so man}' cen- 

 turies removed ; and observing that these cliff-dwellings are as a 

 rule situated near or overlooking agriculturally available grounds, 

 and recalling the histor}'- of the Apache raids, we conclude that 

 they were agricultural Indians driven to construct their dwellings 

 in inaccessible places for defense against their enemies. 



Resuming our journe}', a few miles bring us to Verde — the 

 abandoned military post known as Camp Verde — where 2,000 of 



