The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-04

CALIFORNIA BASIN, WITH REPUTATION or the
POPULAR THEORY OF THE NORTHERN ORIGIN OF
TIE AzTEcs OF MEXICO. +t
The April meeting Of the chronological Society was
held on Saturday evening last he LIST inst at the rooms
Of Mr. f. G. squicr in Franklin street Messrs Andreas
Poey of Havana and Buckingham Smith, Esq, late
Secretary OF the LEGATION Of the United States in Mexico
were elected corresponding members. A new work, in
quarto by Nessrs. j. c. Mott, Nd OF Mobile, and Geo.
r. Grddon, Esq, entitled TYPES of Mankind, was laid
before the society and elected considerable remark as
constituting probably, of the most important works
on great archaeological and chronological problems OF
The day that has appeared for many years. in this or any
other country contains papers by Agassz and ohers
also the hitherto unpublished papers of the late Ia
mented DR. Saml. G. Norton of Philadelphia who may,
perhaps be regarded as the founder of positive phloso
ply in the United States. Dr. Morton one Of the
original members of the society and OF the conri
butors to it's published transactions.
After the general business Of the society was disposed
Of the subjoned paper read by Hon. J. R. Bartlett
late Commissioner for running the boundary between the
United States and Mexico Mr.. Bartlett's paper was
profusey illustrated by maps plans and drawings which
it is Of impossible to reproduce in this report
In the paper which shall read TO the chronological So
ciety this evening" propose dcyong myself to two sub
ecs the discussion OF which being strictly chronological
ana properly did not belong my journal Of expora-
connected
facts stated conclusions arrived at the result of
what in my journeys The subjects are the au-
cient and modern standardization OF the aboriginal
tribes in the great California BASIN and the migration OF
he Aztecs or ancient Mexicans.
In the district Of country bounded on the east By the
Rocky mountains the west by tho Colorado river, the
south by the river cila and extending norhward about
three hundred miles, there exist many Indian tribes,
which have attained higher rank in civilization than
any other aborgines of the North American continent
remarkable tribes Which werc so prominent in Mexican
history The civilization of the former peculiar and
distinct from the latter and the difference Us marked
the skill which characterzes the wigwam and the
stately ediGce. The northern tribes OF which
am speaking cultivate the soil; they raise
wheat corn and other articles for their subsistence,
cotton, which they spin and weave into garments to
their bodies horses and CATTLE and they erect their
own dwellings, greater less capacity In their pot
teres and household implements too they before all
others No aboriginal tribes found in other parts Of
North America the Aztecs or Mexcans alone excepted
have attained the rank of these tribes Many other
tribes true cultivated the SOIL OF them reared
dwellings, beyond those of the rude wigwam raised
cotton from which they spun and wove their own gar
ments and none erected lofty and spacious ed
fees Hence this civilization Of the California basin is
peculiar and win add that believe it to be indigenous
The tribes to which refer vary somewhat in tho
tent of their knowledge of the arts alluded to- This in
measure may be attributed to their peculiar localities
their necessity for clothing and for dwellings,
All these tribes live in communities, either in compact
villages, or, is sometimes the case, community of
several hundred souls will occupy single connected
building. When the latter mode Is adopted the
building is constructed on the same plan; usually
three sides Of a hollow square, or raised on the
summit Of eminencc where this general form Is
not necessary These buildings consist of several stories
The first story has entrances doors in the exterior
wall Its top is reached by small ladders, which are
drawn up after they are assembled The second story
then recedes few feet leaving gallery all around in
which are dcorways to the several apartments. The
third story is reached In the same manner, by lad
ders when another gallery terrace occurs with door
ways to every apartment before. The first lower
story is entered by trap doors from above.
A account
give you idea of their extent. Those described by
Lieut. Simpson, his narrative OF Colonel Washingtons
expedition to the Navajo country among the most in
terestng. These were found upon the river Chaco,
branch of the San Juan, and are in ruins The building
called the Pueba Pntado built of tabular pieces Of hard
gray limestone three stories high and contained
the ground floor tyour apartments, of them not
than five feet square, and the largest twelve by six
The Puebla Weggi had circuit Of hundred feet,
and contained ninety nine apartments the first floor
The Puebla Unayida had circuit Of nine hundred and
niney-four feet; the Hungo Pavic circuit of eight
hundred and seventytwo feet with seventytwo rooms
upon the ground floor. The Puebla Chettrokettle,
circuit of 800 feet with 124 apartments the groun
aoor These several buildings of three four so.
RES receding from the other and oil built of stone
Near the latter is ruined oaiace about 1900 feet in
circuit which has been four stories high with 1873
on the ground floor Allowing each story to receie
before and the upper apartments to correspond with
those below, this building contained not less than GAL
apartments Two miles beyond this are the ruins Of
still larger building called the Penasca Blanca, having
circuit of 700 feet.
The pueba Of Taos is one of the most remarkable now
existing 1t consists of edcc 400 feet long by so
vide and is divided into long ranges OF apartments
above the other forming pyramidal pile OF 80 GO
feet, and five six stories high. This great building it
is SAID affords habtations for 500 or 600 people.
The second class where the tribe community live
in villages consists of buildings generally Of story
but sometimes Of two When Of the latter the
is by ladders from the outside az before mentioned The
object of this is to render them perfectly sola ted and to
afford them protection from enemy To render these
dwellings more secures they often built upon the
the open plateau where there il neither tree BUSH
nor rock to conceal an enemy. These people often
command a view Of the adjacent country where
they may establish lookout and place q sentinel
to give NS;o warning + an enemy should apprpach
stone well laid up in regular layers without mortar
others Of baked brick, of what known in
Mexico as adobes This brick, or adobe, is made in
mouds baked in the sum- and regularly laid in mortar of
the same material. The material is earth mixed with
gravel and in some instances Of chopped straw The
three or four inches in thickness The adobe is
times laid upon the walls in thick layers Of from twenty
which cases are removed after the mud becomes hard
and, from the specimens saw, this mode is quite
durable as that Of moulding the material into regular
Among the principal tribes (Which known as the
Puebla Indians from their living in yillsges of the dis
trict in question: the Moqu the Zun those of the
Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna Pcuris, San Domingo Jcmez
Taos Co. Tho Navaos possess all the arts of the Pueblo
Indians except that Of erecting houses for they still
tribes Of the ella, with which spent fifteen days, also
dwell in wigvams, yet they aborous cultivators Of
ton raised by themselves.
The Moqu is the larger of all the Pucbla tribes,
and embrace about $500 souls: next, the Zuni; the
others embrace from 500 to 1900 each. The Nava-
jos considered branch of the great nomadc
tribe of Apaches which extend from the Colorado of the
West through Northern Mexico to the Pecos of Texas
This tribe, he Navajos) from its proximity to the Pue
ba Indians, has adopted all their arts except that of
erecting large dwellings. cannot say that they cult
vatc cotton, although know that they make superior
blankets Of wool In their habits and manners they also
differ much from the Pucbla Indians; for. like their
brethren the Apachcs they nomadic, very
warlike, and full of reachery and considered the
greatest robbers OF the country With the exception Of
this ohoot OF the Apaches all the semicylzed tribes
referred gentle in their manners possess much in
genrty and prefer peace to war.
No aboriginal tribes of America present interesting
n field for the phanthropis these Puebla Indians
Possessed Of the first rudiments of civilization and
earnest desire TO learn they could be brought to higher
oinf than has vet been attained by their red breh
ien that, too, in a very short period For now
in their native State, they expert in certain arts
which the Cerokees Chocaws and the most advanced of
cur Indians east Of the Rocky Mountains, have never