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

over It's whole extent Ask the Mexican by whom
answer Is. don't know he refers you to the
aged Apache, On the patriarchal Teiua of an humid
red and twelve years, and long since blind, but
ms answer Is the same, don't know" Ask him
Tor some tradition respecting them, and he will
tell you. that while yet little boy, he asked an
aged chieftain the some question, and was told
lnai, many moons ago, when their own people
were far more numerous than now, and long before
the Spaniard had set foot upon their lands depu-
'ation OF the prophets of all the tribes of the
mountains assembled at Na-ha.go, a place about
one hundred and fifty miles to the north of this.
and supposed TO have been the great seat or capital
OF this extinct people that having assembled the
great temple, they there sacrificed innumerabe
victims to their gods, that thereby they might be
induced 10 tell the origin OF these temples, and by
what people reared that their gods were prevailed
upon, and were about to do so, when the Great
SPIRIT, who is greater than all the GODS being dis.
pleased, because the sacrifices were not made TO
him, sent his lightning and thunders among them,
driving them all down from the temple, and killing
many. lnasmuch, therefore, as this, their great
attempt, 10 found even a plausible tradition ia re-
ference to them, proved futile, il would seem
less to look for one among these tribes, with which
10 unfold the mystery Nor is il necessary, bear
ing, as they do, their own imperishable history. in
characters as full ofmeaning the present let
tiers OF the alphabet, but requiring careful examina
ton.
Another night at the preside of our truly
hospltabe Mexican, and we were again upon the
now turbid waters of the Colorado. 1t is not my
ofa river passage of nearly one hundred and forty
miles, In canoe, requiring nine days to accom-
Pllsh 1t, through the most delightful country that
the sun ever shone upon, but will leave this to APP
pear at time when It can be accompanied by the
faithful deineations of Mr. Blanchard, whose life
like sketches alone can convey 10 the mind those
beauties that language, unasslsed by his art. is in
capable OF dong II Is now Just eleven days since
we babe adleu TO our patron and friend, Father Cas-
tello, and We cannot but admire his sagacity In
choosing from the many that. offered themselves,
E,l
far we have encountered no danger they were not
ready to face, difficulty that they not able
TO surmount, and we have reached our place of des-
finatIon on the Colorado. and though nearly, or
quite. one hundred and ifty miles from the Gulf
1t is here safely navgable for large vessels. Here
the White Water River comes in from the east,
taking Its name from the cearness and purity of Its
waters. Leaving the Colorado, and proceeding up
this stream-by some called the Maria-a distance
of ten miles, on the following day we reached the
end OF our Journeyings by canoe: And, without at
tempting single definite description at this
time, must say that l cannot conceive why
II is that travellers have so long neglected to
give a description of the unsurpassed beauties,
the luxuriance and fertility of the valleys of
the Colorado and its tributaries 1t seems to me
the country above all others best fitted for the
abode OF happy millions, II has undoubtedly
been. We are now In district of country, that
must, for years to come be the great centre Of at
traction to the antiquarian; and, though the first to
unfold to my countrymen knowledge Of the ex-
stence and location of these records of the lore of
antedlluVldn centuries, am lar from being able 10
do justice to the subject with the limited means at
my command. shall, therefore, only give you, In
these papers, an outline hisory OF our progress IN
unfolding the archives and tracing back the genoa
logy OF line OF Pharaohs or kings, not only CO.
temporary with the Pharaohs Of ancient Egypt
but showing concluslvey their undisputed claim to
an era long prior TO these. Before dong this, how
ever, shall continue my description OF the prlnc-
pal monuments, pyramids, columns, and tablets of
stone, on which are inscribed or eDgraven thou
sends OF characters, many entirely oblterated, but
yet enough remaining. that are perfectly legible to
employ life time in deciphenDg. and fill volumes
with delineaons. 1t may be well, in this place, to
say something of the reasons or causes for direct
ing our attention TO this particular locality, without
traveller to guide us. Not that we were without
good reasons for believing in the existence of these
ruins, at or near the place we find them; but the
source from whence our information came, is
known TO but few. Soon after the discovery OF
gold IN such abundance IN California, il was as
certained that the knowledge of Its existence there
had been known for long tune, 10 certain Mexi.
can priests or Jesults, but owing to the unsettled
state OF political efairs, they had kept the secret
entirely TO themselves, and not till they pros
pect Of the cession of that part OF Mexico TO the
States, did they give TO those power the least
animation of ts existence or abundance, and when,
TOO late, they made the discovery 10 those holding
the treaty making power, IL was looked upon as an
attempt TO throw an obstacle in the way OF the
the treaty In addition to this, and as If corrobo-
Iatiye of the truth OF their first assertion they also
disclosed the fact, that at this precise spot there
existed in the depth Of an almost impenetrabe forest,
The ruins OF structures, that N brought to light and
TO the knowledge Of mankind, would astonish the
world. With much difficulty and delay, we at last
succeeded in ascertaining their locality, and then
lost no tune IN repairing hher and though neither
of our guides, nor Father Castillo, nor yet our
hospitsbe host at the forks Of the Colorado and
ella, had ever visited them, they were not
entirely ignorant Of their existence, but never
had deemed them worthy OF notice or exa-
mination, having always understood that ac-
cess to them was extremely difficult, If not dan
perous. ! will now endeavor TO show you how
near right they were IN their conlectures OF the
difficulties to be encountered, and how far wrong
in their estimate Of the Importance Of these hid.
den ruins, IN furnishing the only unbroken record
OF the worlds early history. The White Water"
at the place is about twelve rods wide, and from
three to six feet deep. On the north shore Is
sinp Of alluvium or bottom land, extending n long
distance up and down the rlver, and at this place
more than forty rods wide, before reaching the
fret Of series Of elevations, that gradually rise
higher and higher they recede from the river.
Upon this low bottom land, covered with rank,
luxunant grass and a few cotton woods, that seem
from their uncommon size, TO have stood for CEN
tufy al least, 10 the first Of a series of ruins,
wonderful as almost 10 exceed belief. Twenty
five rods inland from the north bank Of the stream,
is wall OF stones OF great size, and which were
once square.edeed, many ef them eight feet long
by three and -four wide, and sixteen inches thick.
At the north end OF the wall, which is twenty-five
feet wide the stones rise one above another, and
each layer receding about ten inches, until it
reaches the height Of feet; and may be called
the north face OF the wall, from the top OF which
il gradually descends towards the river, until, at
the distance OF forty feet IL reaches the surface Of
the ground, and ~ PROFESSIONALLY the abutment of
an ancient bridge; and If airy further proof was
wanting, we have u in the fact that fifteen rods TO
the north Of this, and jutting out Of the bank, is
another wall. the exact counterpart OF the one Just
descnbed. IL Is clear, therefore, that the river
Cnce ran between these abutments, but has gradu-
ally changed its bed from the north to the south
eide OF the valley, giving TO these old walls at the
present time a most unmeaning position. A few
rods the OF this, quiet httle creek puts IN
from the north, and as our course inland or back
from the White Water" lies alenR Its valley, we
determined on forcing our canoe as far up its
channel as possible. But before we had assembled
the stream half mile, we were met by rapids Of
such extent as to preclude the possibility Of fur
ther advance. As the place we desired so much
40 find had hcen ren cd "a living three or