The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-09-09
The Ancient McAicans.


PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, May IA paper
. On the Migration of the Ancient Nexcans, and
their Analogy to the existing rdian Tribes Of
Northern Mexico,'' by G. +. Ruxion, ESQ, was
read. That portion of Mexico cIasscally known
Is the Valley Of Anahuac ha been peOpled in Mr.
RuNton's opinion by at least nine distinct tribes,
who succeeded each other N that comparatively
crcnmscrbed tract the first ing the 1'oltecans,
and the last, who held it at tn me Of the conquest
by the Spanlartis, the AZtecs. Contemporary with
these the wild and wholly barb'.rous people called
0ttomies lowered on the extrenle boundaries of its
civilized StaieS-reusing to benefit by the exam
pie OF the immgraed tribes, and for the most part
engaged in constant warfare with them to recover
the lands of which they had been despoled. The
otomies, then, Were probably the aborgines of
Alahiiac; and a certain analogy may be traced in
Their character and habits to the savage tribes of
Apaches who infest the Northern States of Mexico
al the present time. 1t is certain that the Toltecs
is also the AZtecs, came from the North and ac
cor'iing to the traditions OF the people, the Toecs
brought with them hig h degree of civilization
higher than that possessed by the AZtecs But
that the ancient Mexiclns had attained to any
other than the most primitive stage is not borne
'sg any remains which are left in these days TO di-
rect onr judgment. The Aztecs are supposed to
nave inhabited a country northeast OF the Gulf of
California called by them AZatan; but where the
exact locality of this was is entirely con jectured.
Somewhere about the year ll60 of our era they
u s-Oulll,
cause OF his movement is equally involved in OBJ
security. 1t is generally affirmed that the AZtecs
We're not originally an agricultural people. That
this is an error any one who has visited the ruins
OF the ancient towns on the Gil; and in other parts
OF Northern Mexico can testify. The remains of
bitches and canals by which the corn fields Were
irrigated plainly perceptbe-and the fields
themselves can. in many parts, be distinctly traced.
The Indians of Northern Mexico, including the
Pneblos, appear to belong TO the same great FAM
ily-the Apache, from which branch the Nayagos,
Apaches, Coyoteros or WOlf-eaters, Mescaleros,
Moquis, IubisSas, Maricopas. Chircaquis Che
meguabos and iumayas, which tribes of the
MoIul> and the Nigoras, small tribe on the ella.
All these speak dialects of the same language more
or less approXimatng to the Apache, and of all of
which the domatic structure is the same. The
people are eminently distinguished from the New
MeXIcans or descendants of the Spanish conquer
ers III their social and moral character; being III
dustrIous, sober and honest-the women re-
inarhabie for chastity as the New Mexcans no.
ia-a,,s Tor thf laxly Of their morals. The Pueblo
indians are the original nina nai' u Ne y, M-.~
Though they have embraced the outward forms of
the Roman Catholic Church, they still cling to the
belief of their fathers and celebrate in secret the
ancient rites OF their own religion. The aged and
devou of both may still be often seen on the
fiat house tops with heir faces turned to the rising
sun, from which direction they expect that sooner
or later, the God of Air will make his appearance.
They the most industrious portion of the pop,l-
lation, and cultivate the soil in higher degree than
the civilized descendants OF the Spanards them
selves. They number about u 200, without in
Guiding the Moquis, who have preserved their indie
pendence since the year 1880 Mr.. Ruyton is of
opinion that if all the historians who have worked
up into romance the meagre materials afforded by
Mexican history, had written only what they CON
scientiouSly beiieyed--i the ancient Mexicais Lad
been described TO be what in truth they were and
no more, a tribe of Indians dwelling in lodges Of
stone and living by agriculture, should be bet
ter able 10 appreciate their real state and TO draw
a just comparison between the pomp and glory OF
the court Of AioneZuma and the regal splendor dis
played at the present day in the medicine lodge of
Tum-ga Gosh, or Buffalo Belly, the chief of the
mighty ration of the manche.-AMenaum.