The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-08-20
Aztec Ruins,

nc W uSHlHHlbN tlhbil HIS pIUllSltO
the rough notes kept by Capt. JOHNSON who
accompanied the expedition of Gen. KEAR-
HEY across the country from New Mexico
TO Caliiornia.--Capt. j. was killed at the
battle Of San Pascal, ia Califor MIA, and this
journal has been published under the direc-
ton of Gen. KEARNEY. It is full of interest,
and reveals TO the world many a scene and
spot hitherto unknown. We copy the fol-
lowing extract descriptive Of the ruins Of
Casa de Mdntc-Umd-the house of Mon
tezuma, as it is called by the Spanards
and which is probably the work Of the
former Aztec posSessors Of the land
NOUcmber l0.-Marched about $ o'clock !:
and after marching 6 miles, still passing
plains that had once been occupied, we saw
10 our left the CASA dc MontczuIna."
rode TO il, and found the remains Of the
walls of four buildings, and the piles Of
earth showing where a good many others
had been. One of the buildings was still
quite complete, as q ruin; the others had
all crumblcd, but a few pieces Of bro
ken well. The large Casa had been 30 feet
by 40, and had been four stories high: but
the floors and roof had long since been
burnt. The charcd ends Of the cedar ioist
were still in the wall ! examined them
and found they had not been cut with n
steel instrument. The joists were round
sticks, about four feet in diameter. There
were four cntranccs--nOrh, south, east,
and wcSt-thc doors about four feet by two /;
the rooms, rs below, had the same arrange
mcut in each story. There was no sign ola
fire place in the building. The lower story
was filled with rubbish. and above it was
the open sky. The walls were four feet
thick at the bottom. and had a curved in
clinat,on inwardS 10 the top. The house
was built of Il sort Of white earth and pcb-
hlCs. probably continuing lime, which
abounled on the ground adjacent. The
walls had been smoothed outside. and rIa,-
tered inside and the surface still remained
firm, although it was evident they had been
exposed TO great heat from the fire. some
of the room, did not open 10 al the est, but
had n hole 4 foot in diameter TO look
through: III OthCrp,accs were smaller holes.
About POD yards from this building was q
mound, III q circle 100 yards around the
mound. The centre was hollow p yards
in diameter, with two vamp, or slopes 20
inG down 10 is buttcm.-lt was probably a
wen, now partly filled NJ. \ similar one
Was seen near mount Dalas. \ few yards
farther, in the same direction, norinward,
was a terrace 100 yards by ~, abont feet
high. Upon this was pyramid about feet
high, - yards square at top. From this,
sitting ON my horse. | could overlook the
vast plain lying north, cast, and west onthe
left bank of the ella.
The ground in View was about fifteen
milcS--all Of which, il would seem. had
been irrigated by the waters tthc ella.
picked up a broken chrystal Of quartz in
one of these piles. Leaving the Casa.
turned towards the PimoS, and travelling at
random over the plain, (now covered with
musquect.J the piles Of earth aud pottery
StroWCd for hours in every dil,crior. al
so found the remains of Si"in. which fol-
lowed the range OF houses for miles. II
hAd been very .arge.-N hen got to camp
found them ON good grass. and in commu-
mcanon with the PimOS, who came out
with frank welcome. The answer to
Carson, when lie went up and asked for
provisions, was, bread Is to catnot TO sell.
lake what you want" The Gen. asked
a Plmo who made the house had seen.
cit is the Casa de Montczuma,' said he.
1T was built by the most beautiful woman
~ ''' WV WV iva "a WI lll''illstlll Nlt
was fair. and all the handsome men came
to court her; but in vain.-Whcn they
came they paid tribute, and ont of this small
store ne fed all the people in the time of
famine, and II did not diminish. At last. a
she lay asleep, drop Of rain fell upon her
navel aud she became pregnant and
brought forth boy, who Was the builder Of
all these houses lie seemed unwilling
TO talk about them; but said there were
plenty more of them TO the north, south
west, &c. He said when he first knew this
casa, 1t was IN MISREPRESENTATION but that
1t had been burnt too long ago for any of
them TO remember ! showed him the hic-
roglyphic; but he did not understand it,
Some other PimoS and ComoricopaS arri-
we'd, and messengers were sent to their vii
lage to buy watcr-meIonS and provisions.
which soon came, although it was several
miles. They wanted white beans for what
they had ,oSeil, aud knew the value of mo-
ney' Seeing us eating the interpreter told
the General he had tasted the liquor of So
nora and New Mexico, and would ike to
taste sample OF that of the United States.
Inc dog mad hquoriSh tooth aud when
1t better than any he had ever seen or tast-
ed The Marlcopa messenger came TO ask
the General what ms business was, and