Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-11-17
Fro,n the San Francisco Herald.
DISCOVERY OF RUINED CITIES WITHIN TIE
GREAT BASIN.

GhEdI bANlN.
THE Great Basin in the middle of our
Territory, bounded on the North by the
Wahsatch Mountains and the settlements
of the Mormons in Utah, on the East by
the Rocky Mountains skirting the right
bank of the Rio Grande, on the South by
the Gila, and the West by the Sierra Ne
vada is a region still almost unknown
Trappers and mountaineers have passed
all around the inner side of its rim, but
none have ever crossed it with the excep-
tions of Mr.. Beale, who traversed on his
recent trip It's Northern slope, and Capt.
Joe Walker, the famous mountaineer, who
passed nearly through it's centre in the
winter of 1850 But little, therefore, is
known regarding it, but that little is ex-
ceedingly interesting, and fills the mind
with eagerness to know more From
Capt Walker we have gathered many
partic ulars regarding his celebrated trip,
and the character of this mysterious land,
which have never before been brought to
light. There is no lack of streams within
it; the Rio Colorado Chiquito, or Little
Red River, runs entirely across it, about
100 miles to the North of the Gila and al
most parallel to it, and empties into the
Colorado. About l20 miles still further
North the San Juan follows exactly the
same course as the little Red, and empties
into Grand River, the most important
branch of the Colorado Grand River it
self pursues course little South of
West across the Northern part of the
Basin, while the Avonkaree, large river
discovered by Mr.. Beale, Green River,
and the Rio Virgen, are all large streams,
which drain the Northern mountain rim
and run in Southerly direction into the
Colorado.
The Great Basin between the Colorado
and the Rio Grande is an immense table
land, broken towards the ella and the Rio
Grande by detached Sierras. Almost all
the streams run through canons. The
country is barren and desolate, and en-
tirely uninhabited even by the lowest or
der of Indians. But though now so bleak
and forbidding. strewn all around may be
seen the evidence that it was once peopled
by a civilized and thckly settled popula-
ton. They have long since disappeared,
but their handiwork still remains to at
test their former greatness. Capt. Walk
er assures us that the country frou Colo
RADIO to the Rio Grande, between the Giia
and San Juan is full of ruined habitations
and cities, most of which are on the table
land. Although he had frequently met
with crumbling masses of masonry and
numberless specimens of antique pottery,
such as have been noticed in the immi
grant trail south of Gila, it was not until
his last trip across, that he ever saw
structure standing. On that occasion be
had penetrated about midway from Colo
orado into the wilderness and had encamp-
ed near the Little Red River, with the
Sierra Blanca looming up to the south,
when he noticed at little distance an OBJ
ject that induced him to examine further
AS he approached, he found it to be a
kind of citadel, around which lay the ru-
ins of a city more than mile in length
1t was located on gentle declivity that
sloped towards Red River, and the lines
of the streets could be distinctly traced,
running regularly at right angles with
each other. The houses had all been
built of stone, but all had been reduced
to ruins by the action of some great heat,
which had evidently passed over the whole
country 1t was no ordinary conaagra
ton, but must have been some fierce fur
nace-like blast of fire, similar to that is
suing from a volcano, as the stones were
all burnt, some of them almost cindered,
others glazed as if melted. This appear
ance was visible in every ruin he met
with. A storm of fire seemed to have
swept over the whole face of the country,
and the inhabitants must have fallen be-
fore it. In the centre of the city we refer
to, rose abruptly rock twenty or thirty
feet high, upon the top of which stood a
portion of the walls of what had once been
an immense building The outline of the
building was still distinct, although only
the northern angle, with walls fifteen or
eighteen feet long, and ten feet high, was
standing These walls were constructed of
stone, well quarried aud well built All
the south end of the building seemed to
have melted to cinders, and to have sunk
to mere pile of rubbish. Even the rock
on which it was built appeared to have
been partially fused by the heat. Capt.
Walker spent some time examining this
interesting spot-he traced many of the
could find no other wall standing; as of
Geu dS ue udu seen ruins OI tnlS CHARACTER,
be had never, until this occasion, discover
ed any of the implements of the ancient
people. Here he found a number of hand
mills, similar to those still used by the
Pueblos and the Mexicans for grinding
their corn. They were made of light po-
rous rock, and consisted of two pieces
about two feet long, and ten inches wide,
the one followed out, and the other made
convex, like roller, to fit the concavity
They were the only articles that had re-
sisted the heat No metals of any kind
were found Strewn all around, might
be seen numerous fragments of crockery,
sometimes beautifully carved, at others
painted. This, however, was not peculiar
to this spot. as he had seen antique pottery
in every part of the country, from the San
Juan to the Gila
Capt. Walker continued his journey,
and noticed several more ruins a little off
his route next day, but he could not stop