Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-03-23
rERMs OF ApvERTlsINe.

manlike manner. The only entrance we could find
was hole about two feet square and eighteen inches
from the ground, which is the usual size of all the
doors, both in the outer and partition walls with the
exception of some subterranean entrances, which
yet smaller, and difficult TO find. Through the
petfeclion of the rocky roof, there very little
rubbish in the rooms. From the first room we passed
through small hole in the right hand corner to the
second, and there through another hole into the
third, and so on, from left room to right and from
right to left all through the twenty four rooms; and
every wall was supplied with portfolios.
Fifty yards above this was large cave with mar
row winding entrance guarded by high wall; near
the mouth of this entrance is an opening in the rock
leading off into the mountain, which we did not ex-
ploIe, and after little looking and rumagng about
we found an outlet to the cave. For three or four
miles 10 this canon buildings were everywhere In
view, of various forms and dimensions and in almost
every stage of decay.
From here to st. Johns river, a distance Of ten
miles, there were scattering ruins; and from there,
in twelve miles northeast to the head OF
canon, whose sides banks, to the very head,
were perpendicular and shelving. and near the banks
there was no soil on the rocks. Right on the brink
ct this preclpce and under the shelves OF rock be-
MEATH were the best building sites for those beings
who built and dwelt here ages ago.
ANOTHER STRONGHOLD,
All around the head of this canon, and down on
either sde far we could see, were houses of ev
cry conceivable form and siZe and in places where
sage and cedars, in every respect like that on noun
ains around. In the centre of this canon, and near
the head, building sixteen twenty feet square.
four stories high, and built upon a fiat rock about
four feet higher than the level of the bed of the ca
non, and bu, little broader than the building to this
we could not find an entrance, and, unlike all the
rest, it had port holes. One large building which
we entered stood the edge of the precpice, with
its front wall circular and flush with the bank, which
formed the back part, making the ground plan of the
building like a haf-mOOn There were no windows
in the lower story of any building and every entrance
was made as difficult and hidden possible. The
door, hole, into the one last mentioned was guar
ded by two or three walls of different angles thus
making q crooked, narrow passage to the door, and
every part OF this passage in full view from the
portfolios of the building, the front wall being full
of them, like pigeon holes, pointing in every possible
direction; they were not more than two inches in
diameter on the outside, and plastered smooth
on the inside with kind of cement, with which the
stones laid and the rooms plastered, and is as
hard as stone
The inside arrangement of all the houseswas much
alike all having port holes in the partition walls and
very small and obscure passage ways from
to another, and from two houses into the
mountain. Some the cliffs above were connected
with those below.
We noticed there no water about there, and
inquired of the Indians how the former Inhabitants
could have managed They told that they had
heard long time ago there was no water running
there. We asked them who built those houses?-
They smingly shook their heads and said that they
had heard, but that surely somebody rust have
built them a very long time back.