Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-12-15
Strange Inhabitants of the Great
Basin.

The recent discoveries in what is called the
Great Basin," a tract Of table laud lying be
tween the Rocky and the Pacific ch lin Of nonu
tains, are exciting much interest. and awaken
ing inquiry and speculation agan as to the ori-
GIN OF The people who evidently, in former pc
rod, inhabited these now desoIate regions. Capt.
Walker, the moun,aincer, passed through the
centre Of this basin In 1850, and gave some in
terestlng revelation OF what he saw. These
statements have been called in question, on &C.
couut of their supposed lpprobabliy but the
recent trip pof Lieut.. Beae gives degree of
confirmation to the fact, which will make the
credulIty of the statements 10 be more readily
admitted. The whole country, from the Colo
RADIO to the RIO Gande, between the Gia aud
San Juan, is full OF ruined habllations aud cities,
most OF which are on this table land. Capt.
Walker states that in travlslng 'his desert, ho
had frequently met with masses OF masonry, and
nurnberless specimens OF antique pottery.
In his last trip across he saw the ruius Of q
city more than mile IN extent, the streets Of
which ran at right angles, The houses bad all
been built of stone, but all had been reduced 10
ruin BY the acton OF some great heat, which
bad evidently passed over the whole couatry.
In the centre OF The city rose abruptly rock
twenty or thirty feet high, upon the top Of which
stood portion OF the walls Of what had vnce
been an immense building. The outline of the
building was still distinct, although only the
northern angle, ith walls fifteen or eighteen
feet long, and ten feet hgh,was standing. These
walls were Constructed of stone, well quarred
and well. built. Lieut.. Beale, on his first trip
across the Continent, discovered in the midst Of
the wilderness of CHA, what appeared to be a
strong fort, the walls of great thickness. built
tanned tony.two rooms. A correspondent Of thu
Placervle Herald gives an account more won
derul still, Of stone bridge, which had also
been discovered, the foundations of which were
of stone, and nearly SIX hundred feet from one
of the outer abu,ments to 'he other, while b.
tween the two are NJ less than seven distinct
piers. This bridge has the appearance of a
river once flowing between its piers, though
now there is not The slightest appearance ofsuct
river in tha, vlclaity.
Next, we have an account of a strange race
of people, neither white nor Indians, called Mo.
quis, lighter in color than the Indians OF Califor-
MA. The women are tolcrabIy fair, not being sc
much exposed to the SUM- A nong them Cap.
tain Walker saw three perfectly white, with
with white hair and light eyes.
Here they raise all kinds of grain melons
and vegetables. They have also a number o
orchards, filled with many kinds Of fruit trees
The peaches they raise are particularly fine
They have large fucks OF Sheep and goats, bu
very few beasts OF burthen or cattle. They ars
a harmless inotiensive race kind and hospitabl.
to strangers, and make very little resistance
when attacked. The warke Navao>, VIII,
dwell in the mountains to the northeast of them
are in the habit OF sweeping down upon then
every two or three years and driving off lhei
stock. At such times. they gether up all that i
movable from their farms, and fly for refuge t.
their mountain stronghold Here their enemie
dare not follow them. When n stranger ap
proaches, they appear OH the top Of the rock
and houses watching his movements. One O
their villages, at winch Captain Walker sta, e.
tor several days, is over 600 yards long. TIL
houses are mostly built OF stone and mortar
some of adobe. They are very snug and con-
Portable. and many OF them are two, and eve,
three stories high. The inhabitants are consld
erably advanced IN some Of the arts, and manu-
tacture excellent woolen clothing, blankets
leather, basket, work and pottery. Unlike mo,
of the Indians tribes in this country, the wome
work within doors, the men Performing all III
farm and outdoor labor.
These people, according to the accounts, hay
never had any intercourse with the white rae,
The question as to the existence of these peop
and the evidences Of a superior civilxatio
once existing in the Great Basin, is one whc
will probably be settled before many years.
|
Gen. German. the new Governor of MINES,
Ia, has issued an order in which he saws ii
liquor tra6c among the Indians must and sh,
ha stonoad y The +. rant /. o.J...I. ,