Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-26
ANTIQUITIES OF AMERICA.

Sierra Nevada the north by the Wahsatch Mountains
and Utah settlements and the south by the river ella
But two white with parties known to have cross
ed this basin These were Capt Joe Walker, who ira
yersed its in the winter Of 1885, and Lieut. Beale
who crossed its northern slope in his recent trip
the country Capt Walker states that the whole country,
from the Colorado the Rio Grande north of the Ga is
filled with ruined habitaons and Cities and among the
ruins he has met with numberess specimens Of antique
pottery In his last trip the desert he discovered
the Little Red river, and about midway across the
wilderness from the Colorado, kind of citadel rising
from abrupt rock twenty thirty feet in height and
surrounded by the ruins of city than mile in d.
ameter The outline of the building distinct although
only the northern angle with walls fifteen or eighteen
feet long and ten feet high standing The houses of
the city had all been built Of stone well quarried and
well built which had evidently been reduced to ruin by
the action of great heat-some fierce furnacelike
blast of fire. similar to that issuing from volcanoes
the stones all burnt, almost cndered and the
others glazed as if melted.
Capt Walker found various stone and earthen imple-
ments among the ruins. He spent some time in examn-
ing this interesting spot in tracing the outlines of the
streets and houses but he could find other walls stand
ing He says that traces of tremendous fire are
visible throughout the entire basn and expresses the
opinion that this tract so barren, charm
ing country sustaining millions Of people, and that its
fires Lieut. Bcale says
son his first trip the continent he discovered
in the midst of the wilderness of Ga what appeared
be strong fort the walls of great thickness built
stone He raversed it, and found it contained forty two
rooms In the vicinity met with numerous balls of
hard clay from the size of bullet to that of grape
shot. What singular about them the fact that
frequently ten twenty of them stuck together like
number of bullets out of half dozen connecting
moulds, like whole baking of rolls 1t is difficult
say what these intended for. They hard,
however that the smaller could be discharged from
gun"
Among the implements which, Capt. Walker found in
his researches many stone hanl-mlls mortars
specimens of which, learn from the California State
Journal have been discovered scattered through all the
mining regions OF California having been found
at distance of from ffteer to twenty feet below the
surface of the ground.
correspondent of the Placerve Herald writing from
the San Bernardno valley, states that the three adven
turers who said to have recently discovered a great
pyramid between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the
Colorado river also found, at distance of three miles
from the pyramid what appeared to have been ancient
bridge the foundations and substructure Of which were
all massive stone The distance from one abutment to
the other about six hundred feet and between the
two less than distinct piers These piers
were all apparently of equal height and at the top must
have been six feet broad by twenty feet in length They
rose in the midst of the desert and partially buried
up by the sands, projecting in instance more than |
eight feet above their surface There river with
in many miles Of the spotthe Colorado being the near
est-but from the position of the ruins the discoveries
came to the conclusion that large river from the
northwest must have flowed between its walls and
piers Evidences of various other ancient structures
apparent in the vicinity in detached por
tons of what we're unquestionaby the walls of build
ngs, and these extended for considerable distance in
in tba
the bridge would indicate have been the bed of the
river.
Traditions give clue to the history Of these yenera-
BILE relics Of the past The Indians look with wonder on
the remains, but know nothing of their origin But it
be supposed that this great basin entirely un
inhabited We copy the following account from the San
Francisco Herald 1t endorsed by the editor of a
paper being furnished by gentleman whose statements
might be depended upon;
" Far away, beyond the South Pass on the head wa
tiers OF ella River lives John Bridger trapper Of the
plains and mountains for than forty years IL
admitted by all appers that he is better acquainted than
any living with the ntrcaces of all the hills and the
streams that lose themselves in the Great Basins While
trapping the tributaries of the Colorado an Indian
fered to guide Mr. Bridger and party people living
far in the Desert with whom they could barter.
The proposition accepted, and, after providing
themselves with dried and water they struck right
into the heart Of that Great Desert where white
before since has trodden and which the hardy
tanners Will only venture to skirt After five days travel
the party arrived at three mountains buttes rising
grandeur in that solitary These mountains were
covered with diversity Of forest asd fruit trees with
streams OF purest water ripping down their declives
At their base was numerous agricultural people,
rounded with waving fields and profusion Of yege-
tables The people dressed in leather they knew
nothing Of firearms using only the bow and arrow and
Tor mile after mile circng these buttes were adobe
houses two and three stories high Mr. Bridger was not
allowed to enter any Of their towns houses and after
remaining three days barterng scarlet cloth and iron
their fur he left them not however before being given
to understand that they held communication with any
people beyond their desert home That these the
same people that once inhabited the banks OF the ella and
the Colorado and left those Of wonder, the
Casas Grande which so deeply attracted the followers
there no longer be a doubt
" Months after this conversation with Mr. Bridrer
had another with Mr. Papn, the agent Of the American
Fur Company. lie told that another Of the party,
Mr. Walker, the mountaineer after whom one Of the /
mountain passes is named and who is known to be man
Of truth, had given him the same description Of these
isolated people, and my mind there is not shadow OF
doubt Of their existence"
Capt Joe Walker has also visited this people and gives
substantially the account Of them He calls them
the Moqus, and says:
Their houses are generally built OF stone and mortar
some Of them OF adobe. They very snug and COM
Portable and many OF them are two and even three sto
ries high The inhabitants considerably advanced in
Of the arts and woolen cloth
ing blankets leather basketwork and pottery Unlike
most Of the Indian tribes Of this country the women work
within DOORS the performing all the farm and out
door labor As they lighter in color than the
Digger Indians Of California. Indeed, the women are