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     “‘"Have you ever been in that canyon?" I asked the "capitan", pointing in the direction of the sacred canyon.

     “‘"A short distance only," said he. "Indians claim it is a sacred canyon and go not often into it. I no think there is mineral in that canyon. Too much volcanic rock and sandstone. See high peak yonder? Indians say he (volcano) been in action in the memory of their oldest people. Me, I sometimes see smoke come from peak. On hazy day he give off sulphuric smell."

     “‘I said nothing of the Indian maids and the burros that I had seen. Having pulled back to my camp in Little Mountain, I decided to wait till the surveyors reached Monument 41 before I went again into the sacred canyon...

     "’...The next morning I climbed to a high point from which I could see into the sacred canyon, but though I watched for two days, I saw no sign of the squaws. On the fourth day I went over to the mouth of the canyon, cutting sign, but I found no fresh tracks. Watching me from the hillside were hundreds of antelopes, with a look of wonder on their gentle faces, proving that they had seldom been hunted by man.

    “‘When I went back to camp that day I got leave from the company officer to drive a team and wagon into the sacred canyon. I told him about the squaws but said nothing about the hidden well. He gave me a driver, a Cornish miner, saying he might be of aid in locating mineral. The officer also saw to it that we had plenty of food and several barrels of water and promised to post the troops to watch for Indian signs.

    “‘About sunup the next morning we left the surveyors' camp, going first to the spot where I had seen the mule bones.  There we unhitched our mules, giving them a taste of water before hobbling them, so they would come back to the wagon when they got thirsty. As the grass was good we did not suppose they would stray very far.