Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-03-15

del N0rte. west OF the nlo dcl NoIle,
and extending in TO the section Of coun'
try from which l write you, are the Pue
bios Of Pojuate, Acoma, Laguna. Funi,
and the seven preblos, still inhabited, oi
} the Moqui valley. With the exception
of Oraive and Moqui, have only the
Navajo names Of these last. Their pro-
per names are, of course, those given TO
them in the Moquno tongue, their being
probably one exception, that ofthc Pue'
bio, which has language different from
the others; six Of them, including Moqui,
speaking one and the same language.
Besides the last which | have men.
toned, there are extensive remains Of
ruined and deserted villages in the val.
ley of Chaco, (on the route from Jemcz
to the Canon Of Chellcy,) and on, and
near 10, the main travelled road from
the Rio del Nore, by way Of Laguna
and Zuni to Fort Defiance.
These deserted places arc objects Of
high interest, indicating an ancient
population of semi.civilized Indians, dc.
pending, in great measure, upon the
character of their structures for protec'
ton from the wild Indians, who evident.
ly, centuries ago, surrounded and harri'
: ed them, as now their descendants are
lordcd over by Apachcs and Navajos.
There is matter for much speculation
as to what has been the cause Of the a.
abandonment of so many Of the Indian
villages, the ruins Of which | have just
referred TO. The observation of officers
and others connected with the army, has
necessarily been confined to the vicini.
ty of certain travelled routes, and there
. fore but little is known Of the number Of
these ruined villages in portions not yet
visited; and thus no probable estimate
can be made Of the probable population
which once carried on tho cultivation
of the ground, and raised Aocks and
> herds. Ruins, however, have been seen
north, south, east and west throug hou
this tract of country. TIE entire coun.
try south Iuni, as far as the Gila rv'
er, and which is supposed to have been
that crossed by the army of Vasquez
Coronado in l54l-42, is yet uncxplored
by our people. | am assured by the 60
vernon Of Zuni, (an Indian of much in
i telligence,) that there arc ruins of anci'
ent Inllan villages south Of Pueblo
North of the Pueblo, and on direct trail
travelled by the Zunis and Navajos, be-
7 tween it and Fort Defiance, are also tt
be found the remains of two or three an
cient villages.
am indebted to friend for a sugses
ton in regard to the probable cause o
the abandonment Of so many Of the a
bodcs of the ancient inhabitants of thi
part of New Mexico. The entire coun
try as have related to you, is arid il
the highest degree, having not one stea
dy running stream except the San Juar
n X, the boundary of the Navajo countr!
on the north; near to each ruin, however
. is found an arroyo, (dry bed ola creek,
destitute Of water, except momentarll.
after hard rain, or the melting ofsnov
in the mountains. These arroyos m.
friend supposed to have been once run
ming streams, which were broken up b.
earthquakes and other convulsions o
= upheavings of the car'h's surface. II
some instances ruined towns are found
at least fifteen miles distant from tn
first drop Of permanent water. Wheac
then, did the inhabitants Of these place
J, draw their supply Of water?
Between Covero and the Sierra d
Zuni, and mainly enclosed in the vale.
of the Gallo creek, is huge stream o
wall Of lava, extending for distance o
twelve or fifteen miles. The outer sur
face presents the freshest appearance
seologically speaking, and would seen
to indicate that the eruption had been o
?. comparatively recent date. The quite
IN surface Of this lava, and of fragment
il from it, is almost entirely free fror
=. marks Of disintegration or wear by wea
Il ther, and might readily be said 10 sho'
q. that the eruption had occurred With
r. the las, three to five hundred years.
N The supposi,ion that the ancient sem
=. civilization of Mexico originated wit
v. a people who migrated fiom the nortl
y, seems now to be abandoned. The II
mains Of the large town or settlemer
i. near the junction ofthe San Juan, wit
@. the Colorado Of the west, those found
ID the Gila river, and again below Yano
Mt in the state Of Chihuahua, are rcgarde
a. as having been built and inhabited by
IL people belonging to the same stock
le the Mexicans Of the time Of Montez
u. tH, u. H.. - o.o,,n;od1 tha NJ,