, 1853-11-05

Capt. Walker coutnu d his Journey, and
noticed several more rims a little off his
roa,e n ct day, hut lie could not stop TO ex-
anime them. On this side Of the Colorado
he has never seen any remains, except of
the present races. The Indians have no
adl,ions relative to the ancient. people that
once thickly s3ttled this region. They. look
with wonder upon these remains, but know
nothing Of their o.igin. Capt Walker,
who, we may remark, Is a most intelligent
and c.ose observer, far superior to the gem
crafty OF the old lrappers, and with won
de!hA rotcntive memory, is Of opinion that
this Basin, now 50 barren, was once char
ming county, sus oiuing millions of people.
and that its present aesolaiion has been
wrought bythe aetisnIsf y5iraDic ftrrs~-
The mill discovered proves that the ancient
race once larmcd the country as it now ap.
pears never could be tiled, hence il is in
leiTed it must have been different in carly
days. They must have had sheep, too, for .
the representation of that useful animal was
found carved upon a piece of pottery.
Lieut. Bcae states that, on his first trip
across the Continent, h. discovered in the
midst Of the wilderness north Of the Gila,
what appeared to lie a strong fort, the walls
Of 2 eat thickness, built of stone. He
taaversed it, and found it contained forty
two rooms. In the vicinity were met with
numerous balls of bard clay, from the size
OF bullet 10 that Of grape shot. What
was singular about Them was the fact, that
frequently ten 10 twenty were stuck together,
like number Of bullets run out of half a
dozen connecting moulls, or like a whole
baking Of rolls. 1t is difficult to say what
these were intended for. They were so
hard, however, that the smallest one could
be discharged from a gun. And now, it
remains for the antiquarian to explore this
most interesting region in the very heart Of
our country, and to say who were the peo.
pie that inhabited it. They may have been
the ancestors of the AzIccs, whom Cortcs
found in Mexico, for they were known to
have come from the north Tradition re-
latcs that they salird out from their north
ern homes, directed by their prophets not
to cease their match unit! they found an
eagle sitting upon cactus, with a serpent in
its claws. This they found where the City
VI AANb INV StdhAo3 dilu hNAN NoAauN
lished their dominion. This legend is still
preserved in the device upon the Mexican
dollar. Some remnants of the Aztecs still
remain I'd within few years past at the rQ-
ined city of Gran Quivera Or Pecos, in the
wilderness of New Mexico. Here, in deep
cayerns, they kept alive, with reverental
care, the Sacred Fire, which was always 10
burn until the return Of Montezuma 1t
only went out about ten years ago, when
the last Indian OF the tribe expired. 1t
may be that the Pimos south Of the Gila are
an ofshoot Of the great Aztec nation, left
behind in their march to the South. The
Pmos, it is known, arc far superior 10 the
Indians Of Mexico. They raise fine cotton
and from it manufacture all their clothing.
Would that some Stephens or Layald
would arise to explore the wonders that lie
concealed within this Great Basin, and to
bring 10 light the history of the strange
people that once inhabited it.