The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-08

often with but single room. and the material
mostly unburnt BRICK, but occasionally OF roushs
stone. 1t has market place, or public square
covering nearly ten acres, in the centre OF which,
surrounded by wall OF stone, six feet in height, BY
three in breadth at top, incosng about four acres,
stands peculiarly antique looking Catholic church,
built of hammered stone, its two side walls being
only ten feet in height; from the top Of which, i'm
mense rafers of wood, supporting the roof, rise to
out the least support on the inner side, except
the end walls, which are of great strength and
carried to the top of the ridge; from thence,
as well as from each of the four corners OF
the church, rises plain conlcal spre OF stone
made from single block, fifteen feet high
two and half feet in diameter at bottom, and
four inches at top, without so much as cross or
ornament Of any description, except that about
two feet Of the top of each spire is beautifully
gilded. The main entrance is through the north
end. by a massive doorway, crowned by a high
OF the church, are two smaller buildings, for the
use of the priest and few old nuns. There Is no.
thing peculiar in the internal arrangement of the
church, nor does It display the appearance of much
wealth And | should not have been thus parti-
cular in its description, or even Its examinations.
were it not with view OF CRAFTY ing the vanity OF
good old Father CASTILLO, as he is everywhere.
called, through whose kindness and knowledge Of
the locality of these ruins, freely impaired, we are
mainly indebted for our speedy and unexampied
success We had numerous letters to the old man,
from his brother priests IN Mexico, and one or two
from the States, recommending us and our enter
prise TO his special care and guidance. Alter eight
days. spent In making the necessary arrangements
tor our journey, procuring q large canoe and Its
equipment, with provisions for five men for sixty
days, and obtaining all the information possible,
relative to the different Localities, aad the Sc God
bless you" OF the old priest, We embarked, with
two half Indian half Mexican gudesl( as well as halt
brothers) as oarsmen, upon the deep, strong cur
rent OF The Colorado. Keeping near its eastern.
bank. TO avoid the resistance of its now more than
usually rapid current, slowly moving mp one of the
most beautiful MYERS in the world, through luxu--
rant ard delightful country. we reached, a little
before sunset, the mouth of the ella river, now the
boundary between the States and Mexico. Cross
ing 10 the northern shore, we passed the night at
the residence Of Mexican of considerable inu-.
ehoD among his own people, as well as the lndians,
for more than two hundred miles along the valleys
of the Colorado and ella. With much of the
proud Castilian IN his manner, he was, neverthe-
less, frank. communicative, hOspltabe. and inelli-
gent; and learning the object of our visit to the
valleys, insisted upon our gong with him. the next
morning, distance OF three miles or more to the
north and east, TO examine some ruins, which, on
some accounts (hopgh not as extensive as those Of
the "Clty Of the Dead World" already described,
and with which he was famihar), he believed to be
the most remarkable of any yet discovered. Early
on the following momlng-having fortified our
selves with an excellent breakfast of coffee, beef
steak, and sweet potatoes-we were mounted, each
upon an unshod though fleet and easy horse, and
making our way, at rapid pace, over a country of
gently rising acclivilies, covered with perpetual
verdure, with here and there group OF giant trees,
soon reached the border of lofty elevation or table
OF land, commanding extensive and magnificent
view Of the valleys of both rivers and the gently
rising, rolling country on the west OF the Colorado.
Here, upon natural elevation, or an immense ar
thcial mound, that rises, with an easy grade. at
least thirty feet above the level Of the surrounding
plain, stands the monument of people, the me-
mory OF whom had passed away long ere tradition
had taught their savage conquerOrs, by song or
dance, 10 record the history or story OF their ex-
isience. Upon triangular base Of blue granite,
ten feet on every side. and more than two feet
thick, stand three triangular pillars Of the samema-
terial, eleven feet high, and measuring three feet
across each Of their several surfaces, and each,
made OF single block. Their bottoms are set
nearly four feet distant from each other while their
tops are brought nearly together, and probably,
when first erected, touched. On their top rests a
single triangular block, projecting nearly six inches
beyond the tops OF the pillars, or seven feet on
tunes. have elapsed, is stll more than two
feet thick at the centre and though time,
or the hand Of violence, has greatly defaced
and rounded the corners upon every part Of
this singular structure, enough remains to point
cut, infinitely, its or glnaI form. The sur
faces Of the ends OF these pillars, both top aud
both base and capstone have recesses cut into
them, at such an angle as 10 make perfect Joint.
Directly over the centre Of each column or pillar,
is hole four and half inches in diameter, and
nearly filed with metal much resembling zinc,
but which our friendly guide assured contained
some silver. With much officially, we obtained a
specimen, little more thaa an ounce, for anayza-
lion. Ii Is evident the metal was poured INTO these
holes in a melted state and, without doubt, passes
through the capstone and into the pillars, making
one of the strongest and most enduring specimens
Of the skill and craftsmanship Of an ancient people
The inner surfaces OF these pillars stli retain nu-
mt rous traces Of the pictures OF men, plants and
mails, intermwd with hieroglyphic en- aracters.
Of when, together with the whole structure COM
plefe, we have taken accurate drawings Three
iourths Of mile from this, the "FInger-rngs,'
or the remains Of structure that will defy even
conjecture, 10 give IL a name. IL stands, or rather
for the most part. lies, Just within the edge Of
IL "a o. WeFe Tuc Iha.lr
seeing lofty oak, more than nike feet IN circum-
ference, at the ground, surrounded by huge ring
OF SOLID stone, IN every part at least eighteen
inches in diameter lnvoluntarily we raise our
eyes towards the top OF the tree, as a child does
10 The end of ITS huser, to zee how IL could have
been plac, there; but clean trunk, forty or fifty
feet high, with WIDE spreading top Is no solution
Of the mystery; you next examine the ring more
closely To see there Is no deception, and You lind
IL solid rock oi granite, detyIpg as well the out
ward pressure OF The growing tree, as the repeated
blows from heavy hammer There were no less
than nine Of these huge rings, encircline as many
trees, come Of them. however, quite small. There
were but two, Ike the one fret described, IN which
the tree completely filled the ring three feet IN di-
smeter on the inside. Three Others, and among
them California pine, though yet standing. are
dead, IN consequence OF these iigaiures absut
Them and the PROSTATE trunks OF others, IN every
stage of decay, and IN a few instances still sur
rounded by their death. ring. seemed like sad mo-
pitors speaking to the living trees, unfortunately
beeirt by these rings, $50 large csnst thou grow
three whole ones. and nearly as msny more broken
In two, three and four pieces, upon less than half
an acre, and probably as many more beneath the
surface Unlike the situation OF nearly every ruin
as yet seen. this singular edlfce structure was
placed IN deep cavity orbssin.
IL is evident that these rings were once square,
edged, nearly or quite two feet thick, and placed
upon each other. forming a hollow column In a
st micircular form, hfteen feet apart. and from
three to seven feet above the present surface are
the unmo,ed portions OF six OF these colamns. To.
say that they are the foundations, would be wrong.
for the present surfaces or tops of these hollow
shafts, now nearly filed with earth and deciyed
leaves, may be but the middle Of the columns;
certain II is that one Of them offers very lttlr
sistsnce when sharpened pole is thrust into it, to
the depth ct seven feet below the surface OF the
ground. To what height these columns were ele-
waited above the present surface, it is impossible
determine. Ii they were all Frustrated al the sans
time, they fell IN different directions, aud that d.
Iection easily TRACED: and yet In no 90 in.fince