376 GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



would precipitate him down the whole of this dizzy height, our adven- 

 turous seeker after knowledge crept along the ledge until the broader 

 platform was reached, upon which the most perfect of the houses alluded 

 to stands. The ledge ended with the house, which is built out flush 

 with its outer edge. This structure resembles in general features the 

 cliff-houses already spoken of. The masonry is as firm and solid as when 

 first constructed, the inside being finished with exceptional care. In 

 width it is about 5 feet in front, the side-wall running back in a semi- 

 circular sweep ; in length 15, and in height 7 feet. The only aperture 

 was both door and window, about 20 by 30 inches in diameter. In Fig. 

 7 of Plate II, is a design of this aerial habitation as it appeared from 

 below, its uniqueness consisting in its position on the face of the bluff. 

 To the casual observer, it would not be noticed once in fifty times in 

 passing, so similar to the rocks between which it is plastered does it 

 appear from our position on the trail. A short distance to the right, 

 and on the ledge above, is another building of somewhat ruder con- 

 struction, but with corners square, and the walls truncated. 



Eef erring again to Plate III and Fig. 13, the position of these houses, 

 and also of the one in Fig. 12, can be seen in the dark heavy lines near 

 the summit, just above the most precipitous portion of the bluff, gener- 

 ally at a height of from 600 to 800 feet above the level of the cafion. 



This was the last cliff-house we noticed in this canon. From the first 

 to the last, all that were upon an elevation, however slight, were on the 

 western side of the canon, with either doors or windows facing east, 

 overlooking the opposite bluffs. We could not find even the faintest 

 vestige of ruins or houses upon the eastern side. Those built low down 

 on the level land did not hold to the same rule, being scattered indis- 

 criminately upon either bank of the stream. 



Proceeding down the broad open canon over the now very easy trail, 

 we espied upon the opposite side of the stream a tower of apparently 

 greater dimensions than the ones noticed above. The crossing was 

 execrable; but, forcing a way through the tangled undergrowth to the 

 stream, a way was found out of it to the ruin some forty rods back ; 

 (see Figs. 2 and 3.) The tower only remained; this is circular, 12 

 feet in diameter, and now about 2*0 in height, the wall being about 16 

 inches in thickness. Facing the valley northward is a window-like 

 aperture, about 18 by 24 inches in size ; the lower lintel some 7 or 8 feet 

 above the base. The stones of which it is constructed are uniform 

 in size and angle. Being so entirely exposed to atmospheric influences, 

 the mortar has worn away entirely from between the outer layers. In- 

 side, the debris was heaped up nearly to the window. By referring to 

 Fig. 3, it will be seen that a rectangular structure, divided into two 

 apartments, each about 15 feet square, joins the tower. Only one corner 

 of three or four courses of masonry remains, shown in the sketch by the 

 shaded lines ; the rest being indicated by mound-like lines of loose debris, 

 in which but few stones remain ; from which fact, and also that the 

 center of each square is considerably depressed below the surrounding 

 surface, it is probable that they are underground apartments, their 

 roofs not reaching the window midway in the tower. It would be ex- 

 tremely interesting to excavate upon these old foundations ; for there 

 is no doubt that many interesting relics, and possibly some clue to their 

 manner of life, might be found. Our time, however, was too limited to 

 admit of the experiment, much as we desired the information it might 

 furnish. 



In the same neighborhood stands a corner and a portion of a doorway 

 of a house, (see Fig. 4), showing considerable care aud skill in its con- 



