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I have just one request to make each of you。 Skip； please don't drink。 It runs in the family； and； I promise you； you won't be able to handle it。 I could not。 And； Nora； please forgive your mother。 I know that in my absence； she may blame me for what has happened。 When you are grown； forgiveness will be difficult for you。 But remember that； in a way； she was right to blame me。 And…in her own way…she has always loved you deeply。
This is a beautiful place to die； children。 The night sky is filled with stars； the stream splashes below； a coyote is sounding in a distant canyon。 I came here for riches； but the sight of Quivira changed my mind。 In fact； I left no mark of my passage there。 And I have taken one thing only from it； and that was meant for you； Nora； as proof your father really found the fabled city。 For it was there that I learned； for the first time； that I had left my real； my true successes…the two of you…far behind in Santa Fe。
I know I have not been a great father； or even a good father； and for that I am truly sorry。 There is so much I could have done as a father that I didn't。 So let my last act as a father be to tell you this： I love you both。 And I will love you always； forever and ever； from eternity to eternity。 My love for you burns brighter than all the thousands of stars that carpet the sky above my head。 I may die； but my love for you never will。
Dad
Nora fell silent and closed her eyes。 For a moment； the entire canyon seemed to drop into reverential silence。 Then she looked up； shut the notebook； and carefully placed it on the ground beside her father。 She turned and gave Smithback a tearful smile。
Then the four of them made their way down the faint path； to the waiting horses and home。
Authors' Note
The archaeology of this story is speculative in places。 However； it is grounded in fact。 The history of the Anasazi； the mystery of the Chaco collapse and the abandonment of the Colorado Plateau； the long…sought evidence of a Mesoamerican connection； the use of radar to locate prehistoric roads…as well as the cannibalistic and witchcraft practices described herein…are based on actual research findings。 In addition； one of the authors； Douglas Preston； has traveled and lived among southwestern Indian peoples； as recounted in his nonfiction work Talking to the Ground。
The authors made use of information from a number of other publications； the most important of which include： Clyde Kluckhohn； Navaho Witchcraft； Blackburn and Williamson； Cowboys and Cave Dwellers； Basketmaker Archaeology in Utah's Grand Gulch； Crown and Judge； eds。； Chaco and Hohokam： Prehistoric Regional Sytems in the American Southwest； Kathryn Gabriel； Roads to Center Place： A Cultural Atlas of Chaco Canyon and the Anasazi； James McNeley； Holy Wind in Navajo Philosophy； David Roberts； In Search of the Old Ones； George Pepper； Pueblo Bonito； Hester； Shafer； and Feder； Field Methods in Archaeology； Lynne Sebastian； The Chaco Anasazi； Levy； Neutra； and Parker； Hand Trembling； Frenzy Witchcraft； and Moth Madness； Mauch Messenger； ed。； The Ethics of Collecting Cultural Property； Chris Kincaid； ed。； Chaco Roads Project； Phase I： A Reappraisal of Prehistoric Roads in the San Juan Basin； Tim D。 White； Prehistoric Cannibalism at Mancos； Christy Turner； Man Corn： Cannibalism and Violence in the Prehistoric American Southwest； and Farouk El…Baz； 〃Space Age Archaeology；〃 Scientific American； August 1997。
It should be noted that the Nankoweap tribe is wholly fictitious； as is the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute。 The witchcraft practices and beliefs described herein are not intended to negatively depict or portray the beliefs of any existing culture。 All the characters； events； and most of the places portrayed in this novel are also entirely fictitious products of the authors' imaginations。
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