New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-09
MYSTERIOUS RUINS IN NEW MEXICO.

great deal has been written about the ruins AZ
Gran Quivira and Casss Grandes in NeEMexicO,
which have been supposed TO be relics Of some mys-
erous people anterior to the arrival of Europeans on
this continent. We now find in The 81. Loais ReDnJ-
hean Of the Sd instant long narrative by MAJOR
Carleton, who visited these localities in December
last at the head Of squadron OF u. ). Dragons IN
pursut OF the Apaches, ani who furnishes the folio n
ing account @ these mysterious run-, which ne attrb-
ues not to aoy ante-hstOrc people but TO the first
Spanish adyenuTers IN that country. The expedition
reached Gran Quivire on DecembeT n and found the
ruins to be as follows
AT II o'clock in the forenoon we came 20 the last
high ridge on the point Of which the ruins are su
nttd TIE ridge is composed of dark blue compact
limestone which crops out in several places along IT'S
slopes he ascent Is quite abrupt on every nand eS-
cept toward the east; the ridge prolonged IN thlt
direction for several miles We oil felt reoired that
finally we had reached paco about which 40 much
had beer written and yet 80 little had really been
known. Whatever may have been the grandeur aud
nagnfcence of this place In ages long past ne present
appearance and condition are easily descrio ned We
found the ruins OF Gran Quivra 20 consist OF the 70
mains OF large church cathedral with monastery
attached 10 IT, small church chapel ana the T1os
of a town extending nine hundred feet IN direction
east and west. and three hundred feet north and
south All these buildings had been constructed Oi
the dark blue limestone which is found n the vicinity
1.-The caihedrl which we had seen from Lt
euaa de Ia Puer.a. Is one hundred aud forty iret
long outside with the walls nearly sax feet 10 thick
nefs. 1t stands longitudinally W. 10 3, win the
qreat entrance in the eastern END. The altar was N
the western end Like the churches at Abo and Quar-
ra II is constructed ID the form of the cross. From
the doorway at the foot Of the cross 10 the trans p
is eighty -four feet inches acress the uansept
| it il twenty. one feet Elk inches and thence 10
the head of the cross Il IL twenty-five iret seven
inches; making the total leng,f inside hundred
and twenty-eght ieet eight ibches. The width OF
Tie nave is twent seven feet the leagth inside Of the
,hort arm Of the cross is thirty.s1 feet gallery
tended along the body of the cathedral for the ur-t
twenty four feet Some of the beans which sustained
il and the remains of two OF the pldf- hat stood
along under the END OF II which nearest 20 the
altar are still here; Ebe beams in toieraoly good
state of preservation, The pillars very much decayed
They ore Of pine wood, and very elaborated carved
There is also what perhaps might be termed an entab
lature suppo ting each side OF the gallery and deeply
embedded in the nan vail Of the church This il
twenty four feet long by say egh'eel inches or two
feet i width. 1t s carved very beautifully indeed,
aud exhibits not only greet skull N the use OF garous
kinds of tools but exquisite taste on the part OF The
workmen in the construction of the figures. Those
beams and entabiauTes would oe orn ament 10
any edfce even at the present day
1--WE have cut one Of the beams into three parts 10
take back with us. The entablatures are 50 deeply
set in the walls Nng1le 10 procure piece OF
them The beams square aud are carved on three
sides; the floor Of the gallery rested the fourth
side The stone of which the cathedral buIit
not bexn or even roughly dressed but the -mOOthest
aide of each niece laid 10 the surface with great
care. We saw no one piece in all the ruins which
wss over q foot IN length. The mortar was made
from the ordinary sOil found the spot VI affords
but poor cement ~ resist the action OF the elements
and the ordinary ravages Of lime. The walls of the
cathedral are now about 30 feet in hight. II est
mated from the great quantity of stones which have
fallen down, forming sort of talus both with he
walls and outside OF them, that originally this buli
ing was ell Of so feet in hight. There is small room
I =. -. IL, aufa fha hah- nd slsr
room which is very large and which communicates
with the main body Of the building by door at the
left of the transept There WAS also communication
between this large room and the monastery, or sy-
tenn of coysters which attached 70 the cathedral.
The chapel il l30 feet from the cathedral Tais build
ing is lie feet long outside, and 80 feet in width. IL
wall, are feet inches in thickness. II is apps
rtny in better state of preservation than the cathe-
draI but yet OF the former wood works remain
in IL short distance from the chapel there is an
irclosure which we supposed was the ancien, ceme-
tery.
with here and there some evidences OF narrow streets
running nearly east and west and north and south.
Through these stones pieces OF beams and sticks of
wood are seen to project. These indicate by moSs
and otherwise, that they Of very great antiquity.
They are bleached white by the weather, and
deeply enswei by the tooth of time. We saw some
deep pits which were circular and walled around like
wells We believed them TO be the remains of els
terns-they were not deep enough for wells: Some
have concluded they we're estHyds. Two hundred
and ninety feet north of the cathedral there evi
cent traces of al estaH9ae. This well the cis
,erus was probably made 10 collect the rain water
which ran from the different buildings. Toward the
east we saw a well defined road, which kept the rldye
for few hundred yards and then turned OF toward
the southeast where ell further vesges of it are los.
in the sand. Where il IS the most plainly marked
along the summit Of the ridge large cedar trees
are growing directly IN the middle Of H. These trees
look TO be very old indeed.
"ln every direction about the ruins we found greet
quantities OF broken pottery many specimens oil
Which We have collected 10 take 20 Albuquerque
some Of il IL hardsomeiy marked and well glazed
We ulso found several stones which were evidently
opce used &c matafss. These maiates are IN use %
his day TO rub boiled corn upon until i becomes
hind Of dough suitable TO be kneadsd into cakes eaed