The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-26

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Inso~xsrv or an Ancient Anaesscsn PyraaAA
(YroD Pi.o~rvtns (Cs Herald
TuxolIcrs upon the Colors4s aad It. fihutsfies
have long since spoken OF The existence Of saolent
ruins In different localities, embraced BY the great
American desert. lying upoa both, though priuci
Pall5 upon the west bank Of the C0l0rado, and be-
tween k and the California range Of ROantsias
Even Baron Won H,nnboldt. during his researches
upon toe American continent, discovered uDmisiska-
bae evidence Of the existence, IT some greatly remote
pe1ed, o. race Of people entirely unlike. aud Appar
rcosly Emperor u, hose inhsbtig the continent at
me time of ia discovery ~ Europeans
These evidences becoming every day more and
more conclusive a. the energy, love Of travel and
novelty OF the American people lead them into
oarths widest 'stpe> and over Its most forbidden
sterile and inh spitaole wastes. We remark rs
above, on perusirg article frcme the pen OF our
San Banardn0 correspondent, giving an accOun. u
an anusnt pyramid lately discovered upon the great
dcsrrt Of the Col.sraOo, by party Of adventarers
I've in number, attempt to cross the desert in
westerly direction rom point on the Colorado,
ut least two hundred miles aeve its confluence with
the CHA -
San BERNARDIso VALLEY, June 49, 1858.
There has been little excitemelt here 0f late
among the antiquarsi ans aud curious arising from
the discovery II an ancient pyramid upon the great
Colorado desert and ~hich fixes the probability be.
y0nd al dispute o. The possession aud occupancy, at
some greatly porio0 OF time, OF the American
continent BY race OF people OF whom all existing
history is silent
party of men, tive in number, had assembled the
mouth VI the ella. their object being discover,
If possible, some la ge tributary from the west, by
which they might uake the passage OF the desert,
and enter California, by u new, more direct aud
easier route inssuEch there known to exist
numerous small streams upon the eastern slope OF
the mountains, that si,her lost in the sands OF
the desert or unite VITA the Colorado through tribu
taries heretofore unhnown. They represent the
country either side the Colorado ~ almost
totally barren Of every vegetable product, and so
level and monotonous that ady object sufficient to
arrest the attention porsesses more or less OF curosi
and interest," snd IT vas tins that led to the dis
covery and examination OF this hitherto unknown
relic OF forgotten
An object appear, d npon the plain to the west,
having 20 much tue appearance OF work of art,
from the regularity OF It's outline and its isolated p0
stiOn. that the party determined upon visiting it.
Passing over an almost barren sand plain distance
OF nearly five mile they reached the base Of Of
tho most wonderful objects considering its oc4ton,
Ut being the very h me OF desoIatlon that the mind
can possibly conceive OF; nothing less than an i'm
meDse stone pyramid, composed # layers courses
OF from eighteen inches 70 nearly three feet in thick
ness, and from five eight feet in length. 1t has
level top Ut than nifty feet square though it is
evident that it was once completed, but that some
great convulsion VI nature has displaced its entire
top, as IT eyde ntly now lies huge and broken mass
upon one Of It's sides though nearly covered by the
sands
This pyramid differs, in some respects, from the
Egyptian pyramid. u is. or was more slender or
pointed; and while those OF Egypt are composed Of
steps or layers recediDg they rise, the American
pyramid was undoubtedly, more finished struc-
tore. The outer surface OF the blocks evidently
cut to an angle that gave the structure, when new
and complete, smooth or regular surface from top
to bottom.
From the present level Of the sands that surround
it, there nifty two distinct layers Of stone, that
will average Ut least two feet; this gives its present
height one hundred and four feet that before the
top was displaced, it must have been, judging from
an angle OF its sides q: least twenty feet higher THAI
at present How TAR Il extends beneath the surface
n Is tn duta With
great labor.
Such is the age this immense structure that the
perpendicular joints between the blocks are worn
away to the width Vt from five to ten inches at the
bottom Of each joint and the entire Of the pyramid
60 mu n worn by the storms the vcistades aud the
Borrowings OF centuries al to make It easy Of ascent,
particularly upon one Of It's sides We say one Of its
sides, because singular fact connected with this re-
markable structure Is, that ii inclines early ten de-
grees to one sid. 81 the vertical perpendicular.
There is not the slightest probability that it
thus erected but the Of its inclination is not
easily accounted for. By whom, at what age of the
world ano for VIII s purpose, this pyramid erect
ed. Will probably forever remain Q hidden mystery.
The party IN their unsuccessful attempt to the
desert q this point, ia their wanderings discovered
other evidences OF nature tbst would seem to make
it certain thar that portion of country upon the Co
dorado, now the most barren, once the garden
and granary OF the Continent, and the abode Of mil
lions Of our race
Prog. e.s Of ih- saul. ste marie Canal
the work on The ~ il progressing very rsoidiy.
1t states that THE orce of the contr actors has all
been concentrated on the lock Sites and that srch
win continue 10 he the case until the exc svstion
shall be finished about two hundred men, it says,
are now at work upon the upper lock and every day
shows q decided progress Che excavation, at its
lower end, is now within twentyfour inches Of tho
bottom, and week { tine we ther will probably
enable TO third If the lock ready for laying
down foundation tmters, which i the tst prepara-
tory work needed before commenting the massive
The bailiug wheel pit is now sunk to depth Of
eighteen feet and Is TO go somewhat lower. The
Last five feet Vi it Is imposed of solid hard, red
sandstone in layers ~ foot or more in thickness
which ia q sure indication shat part if not the
whole, of the lover ack hot On will he of the came
material which will be far better than was AIRED
might be found. The comp Any have purchased q
powerful steam tug. which Is expected here the
0eming week ~i'h some large sco "a with which the
business of bringing stone from Drummond's Island
VII at once he commenced
The work for carpenters and m asons is now Just
commencing, AND soon there will be large force of
each class ~ these wonder working mechanics en-
ployed The first crib Of the pier at the lower end
OF the canal has been Sunk in It's place. and in
short time the compaDys DE- WILDE doing Lively
business force OF abut tweuty- i've men are DOW
engaged In cutting down and he wing timber for
locks and piers. sugar Island. twelve miles below
this place on some pine lands which tie company
located for this purpose. The company have CON
tract for the fsoesones Of tie locks to be procured
at Maiden Detrnt, bnt expect to use the lime
stone Of DrumInouds Island for the backing. or
m0et bulky portion of the walls Every part Of the
work il therefore ! fairly commenced, and we
shall endeavor tn keep leaders posted from week
to week as to its progress
Extraordinary Sales OF Cattle, &c.
FIRM 10 Cincinnati G,zstt
The Northern Ke ns1cky Importing Association Of
Breeders had auction sale Of tne'r pure FLOODED
short horned stock, purchased in England in 1853,
A.