The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-01-27
Disceliapeops.
From the United States Iagazins
America a Land of Antiquities.

Fes 4
America a Land of Antiquities.
Throughout the length and breadth of
the whole country-washed, as it is, by
the waters of two mighty oceans, and
abounding in natural resources-enor-
nous beyond what is possible to con-
ceive-we find much to admire in the as
pect and beauty of nature and whether
we travel from the distant shores of Maine
and dNew Brunswick to the golden sands of
California, and the shoreso the great Pa
cifc, or from the bright crystal lakes of
Minnesota to the orange groves of Florida,
we behold throughout this immense ex-
tent the features of nature, grand and
beautiful in every form and aspect. The
mineralogist, the geologist, the naturalist,
the botanist, and even the antiquarian,
have all a rich field here.
Strange as it may appear, America
abounds in antiquities, so extensive, so
beautiful and majestic, as to rival those
of Thebes or Ninevah. Ruins of ancient
cities of immense Observation-Disclosures,
mounds, and pyramids temples with
walls built of hewn stone, showing re-
fined taste in architecture, and adorned
with human figures beautifully executed
large affairs ornamented with hero
glyphics, probably giving record of those
who reared them, but which no man has
been able to decipher-remainso of ancient
palaces with beautiful specimens of sculp-
fure and painting, with many othermarks
of ancient greatness, prove to us thai
this is not new world, but that a power
full empire existed at a very remote Pc
riod of time, teeming with a population
highly skilled in arts, and in state o
.civilisation far beyond anything that W.
have been led to conceive Of the abort
gines, previous to the discovery OF th'
continent BY Europeans.
The antiquities of America extend from
the eastern shores of Maine and Massa
ehusetts to the Pacific, and from the
great lakes and British dominions to Pc
.ru and La Plata, in South America; IL
fact, throughout the extent of both con
.tinents. Immense forests grow over tht
ruins oflarge cities, and the gigantic sizeo
the trees, with indications that other gen
-erations Of trees sprung UP and grew
before them, proves that the ruins wert
in existence before the Christian era Ii
every portion of the United States, inter
aesting runs have been discovered. In
the State of New York have been found
sculptured figures of 100 animals of diff
6erent species, executed in style far su
perior to anything exhibited by any of ths
existing tribes Of Indians. The State o
.sohioabounds in ruins of towers, fortif
.eatiens, with extensive mounds and pyr
amids. At Marietta, in this State, bean
.tiful pottery, silver and copper ornaments
and pearls of great beauty and iuster
have been dug up from the earth. Ii
the caves of Tennessee and Kentucky
munmies have been found in Q higi
state of preservation, clothed with cloths
and skins of various texture, iinlaid witt
feathers, like discoveries have been shads
at Carrollton, aear Milwaukee, in the Stat
sef Wiscensin--ruins of huge f0rtifica
tions appear. Similar ruins appear in th,
State Of Missouri. On the south side o
the Missouri river, in the western portion
of this State, is an inclosure of some SO,
acres, which includes the rainsof a build
ing. (no doubt an ancient .eSeR, Wit
walls $50 feet high, and 80 feet wide a