Originally an archaean sea-bottom rock this stone lay submerged in
the ocean until during the Jurassic Period, under the lateral
pressure of a cooling earthcrust the table-lands and mountain-chains
of Arizona rose from the seas.
Then it slumbered through several epochs of geology, representing
many millions of years in the bosom of earth, the mother, until at
the beginning of the psychozoic era, through erosion or the action of
atmospheric influences and nature's chemistry it came to the surface;
uncovered and freed from all superimposed stratified rock.
It saw the light of day long before the advent of primitive man; but
the giant-flora and fauna of pre-historic time had developed,
flourished and vanished while it rested under ground.
Contrary to the habit of rolling stones which gather no moss, this
Arizona stone accumulated much, for when it had reached its assigned
site on the plaza of Prescott it had become a very valuable,
expensive rock.
When first I saw it, this fearful Aztec juggernaut was within a half
mile of its destination. Slowly it crawled along, threatening
destruction to everything in its path, and in the course of a week
had arrived at the Granite-creek bridge.
It moved by main strength and brute force employing men and horses
after the custom of the ancients when more than thirty-seven hundred
years ago King Menes, son of Cham reigned in Egypt, who albeit
surnamed Mizrain the Laggard, yet was the first king of the first
dynasty of the children of the sun.
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