The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-05-02
NO. 2G


and articles for the warrior, husband:
men and tradesnan. The party re-
turned TO the Mormon settlements ON
the 3lst of December last, having TN
their trip made some most remarkable
discoveries. They found, in fact, The.
ruins Of Il city built in the rocks. very
similar to the far famed Petra i'm ,Es
Eastern Desert. AMI even su. pnss:n.
it in e&tcnt. From MIR. IIuntincton's
account. furnished the Descret News
we take the following highly interest
ing particulars:
On tn. l7th, VIC left Man,i with
our full out fit of men and animals.
and With I've wagons. We never lclt'
more gloomy nud doubtful, or under.
took what appeared to us a more
hazardous woik, during an experience
OF twenty ycars in this church. A
wild, mountainous md dreary desert,
hitherto almost entirely unknown, Law
beiure tis, and what was still more
formidable, Indian Walker and hi,
allies had deere, that we never
should pass, and with twenty Span.
iards had posted themselves on our
r'utei and their rallying smoke was
in tull view. Still we unanimously
resolved 10 go ahead, and our enemies
He'd hci',re we reached their position:
the Spaniards their way and Walker
his, leaving our path perfectly open.
We followed Gunnison's trail 10
within 50 miles ofG'anI River, which:
according to our calculation, ;s CSC
miles from Great Salt Lake City
his road, SO far. was IL tolerahly coed
one, bit the country has little or no
wood, grass Or water. There is n
beautiful valley on Grand. River.
twenty miles long, and from five to-
! ten vide. Il has good soil and graz.
ing range, IS very we'll timbered and
watered, and is about fifty miles from
the Elk Mountain. From here we
travelled 10 miles to St. Johns Riy-
er,* over very Tough and mountain
Gus region, difficult to pass over even
with packed animals, being covered
with dense forests of cedar. 1t is for.
iy miles from ST. Johns River to ths
iear.st Nstaju town.
EEcEPTtoN BIZ THE ENAvAJoEs-CaS,
i IBALIsM.--The Naynioesl me. us With
seFy llustila feelings; they are at war
| with the Whites: and three. days before
we arrived, had killed, boiled. and eat
cn white man, SO great was theif,
evaporation: BY the persuation Of
two friendly Indians with us-ours
guide and i,terpreter-,hev listened
20 an explanation of our business
We were finally enabled to form d
treaty and did some trading with them
whil' they were doing some tall steal.
ing from us. They were highly excl
ed, but the chiefs were more cool.
appeared quite friendly, and wished
us to come again and trade. Trade
is the best letter Of introduction n
white man can take among the Indi-
ans. Their great Captain wished ns
not to go amnng their towns and will.
ages, rs there were sUme that could
not be controlled, and he did not want
to tight u.s. He said we had come q
very great way, and he wished us
well, and Went to his town and brought
out All abundance Of corn. meal: -four.
bread, boans, dried pumpkin, dried
squash, pinsnuts, with sheep and goat
meat of the finest quality, TO fit US out
for our journey home.
FInsT DlscovEEY OF RCtNs.-On
the North side Of S.. Johns River.
and about FIVE hundred miles southeast
from the Great Salt Lake City; We
travelled Der Il scctiun Of country
mostly among the mountains, and
about forty, miles in length, up and
down The River, by twenty-five miles
III width, covered with the ruins Of
former towns and Villages. The walls
of many buildings are still standing
entire, some OF them three or funr
stories high. with the ends Of the red
cednr joists yet i'll the walls, some
projecting eight or ten inches, but
worn to APPOINT at their extremities.-
Every building was d fertilization in
the strongest manner Imaginable, and
in style that the present age knew
nothing of; many Of ,hem still plainly
show the whola manner OF structure
and even the m ,rks Of the workmen's
tools. Tie first ruins we discovered
w're three buildings, c.umbled to
mere helps. One appeared to have
been pottery, for In and around it
were loads Of fragments of cnckery OF
fine quality ori,anented with a great
variety Figures, painted with various
col"rs as bright as put on yesterday.
A F"RTIfIED C1rY..-From here wa
travelled ten miles, with occasional
ruins by the way, and entered a deep
cahon with projecting shelves Of rock,
and under these shelves were nu,ner.
CONTINUED ON FOURTH pAeE.)