Christmas at Cosnino Caves

After leaving the Petrified Forest, the Railroad Survey followed the Puerco and Little Colorado Rivers to a campsite near today's Navajo town of Leupp, Arizona.  Whipple then took a small exploring party west to San Francisco Mountain, discovering these Indian caves along the way.  The main party spent the Christmas of 1853 here a few days later.

Whipple's comment:

December 24--camp 89.--...Christmas Eve has been celebrated with considerable eclat. The fireworks were decidedly magnificent.  Tall, isolated pines surrounding the camp were set on fire.  The flames leaped to the treetops, and then, dying away, sent up a numerable brilliant sparks.  An Indian dance, by some ci-devant Navajo prisoners, was succeeded by song from the teamsters, and a pastoral enacted by the Mexicans, after their usual custom at this festival.  Leroux’s servant, a tamed Crow Indian, and a herder, then performed a duet improvisated, in which they took the liberty of saying what they pleased of the company present—an amusement common in New Mexico and California, where this troubadour singing is much in vogue at fandangoes.

(You'll find more information on the Cosnino Caves in my Special Places section)

Where is Cosnino Caves?

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