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Show PICTURED ON ROCKS. Cliffs in" Arizona Ornamented With Maps Centuries Old. (Pittsburg Gazette.) The oldest maps In America arc to ha found in Arizona and Texas. How old they are may- not be said, but they date back many centuries, xhe Indian has left behind him many records, in his rude implements of peace and warfare his knives, arrows, axes, spears, vessels, mortars, quoits, etc. we can read today the history of prehistoric races, their habits and customs, their social life, their tribal relations, their occupations and their pastimes. From picture writings we gain additional insight into the ways of these primitive people. It now appears that some of these early dwellers in the land were map makers of no mean ability. abil-ity. The traditions of some of the tribes of Arizona and New Mexico point to a common origin with the Montezuma. It seems quite certain that the nations or tribes occupying the country now known as New Mexico. Arizona. Texas ond Mex ico held intimate relations with each othr, and their inhabitants traveled back and forth from country to country for centuries. I In Tena.ja. canyon. Texas, are unmiMak-! unmiMak-! able evidences of this. The lay of the i land is such as to make this canyon the natural pass for a large area of count ry north and south of that point. The travel wuich has passed through this canyon has worn the solid rock of the trail to a depth of not less than three feet. Even though the region about were densely populated, it must have taken centuries to wear through the adamantine adaman-tine path. The walls of the canyon, which are perpendicular and smooth, are embellished with lines carved in the rock, and then traced over with paint of n Vermillion Ver-million hue. so permanent as to have lost but little of its luster during the centuries it has ornamented the rock canvas. The first discoverers of these markings were unable to decipher them or guess their import.' but subsequently prospectors prospect-ors and plainsmen who visited the canyon can-yon discovered in these lines accurate maps of the country, with the trails, mountain passes and water holes indicated indi-cated thereon. The makers of these mans showed a thorough knowledge of the country and accuracy as to relative distances dis-tances aud points of the compass. Near Oatmans Flat. Arizona, are what are known as "Pedros Pintados," or painted rocks. The walls of the mesa are covered cov-ered front base to summit with drawings of men, animals, reptiles, etc. Some of the figures arc of so uncertain a nature as formerly to have failed of ' classification. classifica-tion. It is now known that some, of these are maps of sections of country, with trails, villages, water wells, etc.. indicated in-dicated upon them.. Tt-is somewhat remarkable re-markable that among the animals pictured pic-tured on these rocks are camels so lifelike life-like as to admit of no doubt as to their identity. There can be little question btft the makers of those pictures had knowledge knowl-edge of Egypt or Arabia or that the camel was once indigenous to this country. |