Unknown Mexico, Volume 1 | Page 2

range called the Sierra Madre, cross it to the
famous ruins of Casas Grandes in the State of Chihuahua, and then to
explore the range southward as extensively as my means would permit.

The western Sierra Madre may be considered a continuation of the
Rocky Mountains and stretches through the greater part of Mexico into
Central and South America as a link of the Cordilleras, which form a
practically uninterrupted chain from Bering Strait to Cape Horn. The
section occupying Northwestern Mexico is called Sierra Madre del
Norte, and offers a wide field for scientific exploration. To this day it
has never been surveyed.
The northernmost portion of the Sierra Madre del Norte has from time
immemorial been under the dominion of the wild Apache tribes whose
hand was against every man, and every man against them. Not until
General Crook, in 1883, reduced these dangerous nomads to
submission did it become possible to make scientific investigations
there; indeed, small bands of the "Men of the Woods" were still left,
and my party had to be strong enough to cope with any difficulty from
them.
Inasmuch as my expedition was the first to take advantage of the
comparative security prevailing in that district, I thought that I could
best further the aims of Science by associating with me a staff of
scientists and students. Professor W. Libbey, of Princeton, N. J., took
part as the physical geographer, bringing with him his laboratory man;
Mr. A. M. Stephen was the archæologist, assisted by Mr. R. Abbott;
Messrs. C. V. Hartman and C. E. Lloyd were the botanists, Mr. F.
Robinette the zoölogical collector, and Mr. H. White the mineralogist
of the expedition.
All the scientific men were provided with riding animals, while the
Mexican muleteers generally rode their own mounts. Our outfit was as
complete as it well could be, comprising all the instruments and tools
that might be required, besides tents and an adequate allotment of
provisions, etc. All this baggage had to be transported on mule-back.
We were, all in all, thirty men, counting the scientific corps, the guides,
the cooks, and the muleteers, and we had with us nearly a hundred
animals--mules, donkeys, and horses--as we crossed the sierra.
It was a winter campaign, and from Nacori, in Sonora, to Casas
Grandes, in Chihuahua, we were to make our own trail, which we did

successfully. Ancient remains were almost as rare as in the rest of the
Sierra Madre del Norte; yet traces of ancient habitations were found in
the shape of stone terraces, which had evidently served agricultural
purposes, and at some places rude fortifications were seen. In the
eastern part we came upon a considerable number of caves containing
house Croups, the builders of which, generally, rested in separate
burial-caves. In the same locality, as well as in the adjacent plains of
San Diego, Chihuahua, we found numerous mounds covering house
groups, similar in construction to those in the caves. From underneath
their floors we unearthed about five hundred beautifully decorated
pieces of pottery.
Among the further results of the expedition may be mentioned the
gathering of large collections of plants, among them twenty-seven
species new to science; fifty-five mammals, among which the siurus
Apache was new to science, and about a thousand birds. A complete
record was made of meteorological observations.
Thus far, although the question regarding surviving cliff-dwellers was
answered negatively, the field southward in the sierra was so promising
that I was eager to extend my explorations in that direction. The funds
of the expedition, however, began to run low, and in April, 1891, I had
to return to the United States to obtain more money with which to carry
on a work that had opened so auspiciously. I left my camp in San
Diego in charge of one of my assistants, instructing him to go on with
the excavations during my absence. This work was never interrupted,
though the force of men was now considerably reduced. The law
prohibiting excavations without the special permit of the Government
of Mexico had not yet been promulgated.
I was so absolutely confident of the ultimate success of my efforts, in
spite of discouragements, that I twice crossed the entire continent of
North America, went down to the City of Mexico and came north
again--a journey of over 20,000 miles--seeing prominent people and
lecturing to arouse a public interest. Finally, the American Museum of
Natural History of New York decided to continue the explorations, the
funds being this time supplied mainly through the munificence of the

late Mr. Henry Villard, and toward the end of that year I was able to
return to my camp, and in January, 1892, lead the expedition further
south. My scientific assistants were now: Mr. C. V. Hartman, botanist;
Mr. C. H. Taylor, civil