Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-07
Discovery OF Ruined Cities within
the (areaf Rasin.l .ll -.

! land, broken towards the ella and the HI
Grande by detached Sierras. Almost al
the streams run through deep canons. Tht
country is barren and desolate, and entirely
uninhabIted even by The lowest, order 0
Indians. But though now SO bleak ant
forbidding, streWn all around may be seer
the evidences that it was once peopled by
civilized and thickly settled population
They have long since disappeared. but theil
handiwork still remains to attest their for
mer greatness. Capt: Walker assures Us
that The country from the Colorado to the
Rio Grande, between the ella and San Ju,
an, is full of ruined habitations and cities
most OF which are on the table land AL
though he had frequently met with crum'
bling masses of masonry and numberless
specimens of antique pottery. such as have
been noticed in the immigrant trail south
of the Gila, it was not until his last trip a.
cross, that he ever saw Structure stand
ing. On that occasion he had penetrated
about midway from the Colorado into the
wilderness, and had encamped near The
Little Red River with the Sierra Blanca
looming up to the South, when he noticed
at little distance an object that induced
him to examine further. As he approached
he found it to be kind Of citadel, around
which lay the ruins of 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 dis
tinctly 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 evl-
IDENTIFY passed over the whole country. 1t
was no ordinary conhagration, but must
have been some fierce furnace-like blast OF
fire, similar to that issuing from volcano,
as the stones were all ournt-some oil them
almost cindered, others glazed as if melted.
This appearance was visible in every rum
he met With. A storm of fire seemed to
have swept over the whole face OF the
country, and the inhabitants must have fall
en- before it.. In the centre ofthe city we
refer TO- rose rock, twenty or thirty teet
high, upon the top of which stood portion
Of the walls of what had once been an I'M
mense building. The outline of the build
ing was still distinct, although only the
northern angle, with walls ID or 18 feet
long, and 10 feet high, was standing. These
walls were constructed of stone, well quar-
ried, and well built. All the south end oi
the building seemed to have melted to cin-
ders, and to have sunk 10 mere pile OF
rubbish. Even the rock on which 1t was
built appeared to have been partially fused
by the heat. Captain Walker spent some
time examining this interesting spot-he
traced many of the streets, and the outlines
of the houses, but could find no other wal
standing; as often as he had seen RUNS ol
this character, he had never, until this oc.
casion, discovered any of the implements
of the ancient people. Here he found
number of hand-mills, similar to those stll
used by the Peublos and the Mexicans fol
grinding their corn. They were made o.
light porous rock, and consisted oftwo pie
ces, about two feet long and ten inches
wide, the one followed out, and the o.hel
made convex like roller to fit the concav
ity. They were the only articles that hat
resisted the heat ' al.ai
No metals of any kind were found
Strewn all round might be seen numerous
fragments of crockery, sometimes beautl
fully carved, and others painted. This
however, was not peculiar to this spot, a
he had seen antique pottery in every par
ofthe country from the San Juan to the GIla
Capt. Walker continued his journey ant
noticed several more ruins little off hi
route next day ,,but could not stop to exam
inc them. On this side Of the Colorado h
has never seen any remains except of tn
present races. The Indians have no tradl
tions relative 10 the ancient people tha
once thickly settled this region. They loo
with wonder upon these remains, but know
nothing Of their origin. Capt Walker, who
we may remark, is most intelligent an
close observer, far superior to the general
1 ty Of the old trappers, and with wonder
fulretentive memory, is of opinion that thi
Basin, now so barren, was cnce charmln
country, sustaining millions of people, an
that its present desolation has been wroush
by the action Of volcanic fires. The mi
| discovered proves that the ancient rae
once farmed; the country, as it now ap
pears, never could be titled, hence it is IN
ferred 1t must have been different in earl
days. They must have had sheep too, TO
! the representation of that useful animal wa
found carved upon piece OF pottery. !.
.. Lieut. Beale. states that, on his first tri
| across the continent, he discovered, IN th
| midst of the wilderness north OF Gila, wha
appeared 10 be strong fort the walls
great thickness, built of stone. He fra
versed it, and foundIt contained forty-tw
rooms. H In the vicinity were met with nu
merous balls of hard clay, from the size Q
a bullet to tha! of grape shot. What wa
singular about them was the fact, that fire
auenily ten or twenty were stuck together
like a number Of bullets run out of half
dozeti connecting moulds, or like Who'll
baking of rolls. 1t is difficult to say wha
these were intended for. They were S
hard, however. that the smaller ones cou
be discharged from a gun. And now It re
mains for the antiquarians to explore ;hI
most interesting region IN the very heart
| our country, and to say who were the peo
pIe that inhabitedt. They may have beeI
the ancestors of the Aztecs, whom Corte
found in Mexico, for they were known t
have come from the north. Tradition re
lates that they sailed out from their north
ern homes, directed by their prophets no
to cease their march till they came acros
an eagle sitting upon cactus with ser
pent in his claws. This they found .wher
the city of Mexico now stands, and her
they established their dominion. =
This legend is still preserved in the de
vice upon the Mexican dollar. Some rem rem
nants of the Aztecs sill renamed within
few years past, at the ruined city of Graz
| QuiYera5 or Pecos, in the wilderness o