The Shasta courier., 1860-04-07


Evidences of an ancient civilization of high
order are constantly accumulated, as adventure
carries our people into the wistern wilds The
remains of ruined cities and vast piles of build
ings are not confined to the area of Central
America, but are found in New Mexico, and per-
haps may yet be brought to light even further
North.
An interesting article has recently been pub
lished in the Fort Smith Times in regard to the
ancient remains of the city Quivera, situated in
level plain some ninety miles northeast of Fort
Stanton, New Mexico, and about seventy from
the high Isolated peak which the Mexicans call
Z" The Captain that we condense for our anti.
quarlan readers.
The plain upon which lie the massive relics o f
once gorgeous temples and magnificent halls,
slopes gradually eastward towards the river Pc
cos, and is very fertile, crossed by gurgIing
stream of the purest water, that not only sus-
tans rich vegetation, bat perhaps furnished
with this necessary element the thousands who
once inhabited this present wilderness.
I. The city was probably built by warlike race,
as it is quadrangular, and arranged with skill to
afford the highest protection against an exterior
foe, many of the buildings on the outer line be-
ing pierced with loopholes, as though calculated
for the use of weapons.
Several OF the buildings are of vast size, and
built of massive blocks of dark granite rock,
which could only have been wrought to their
present condition by vast amount of labor. At
the present time, the best tempered tools, in the
hands ofthe most skillful workmen, could scarce
y produce an impression c. the surface, In one
place pile of ruins appears to have been in
| tended for three separate buildings, each about
three hundred feet front, with the intervals be-
tween them occupying one thousand feet.
The middle building is constructed with great
neatness and care, of ponderous blocks of the
material before mentioned, of nearly cubical
form, which, allowing 1900 ounces as the
weight of a cubic foot, would be found to weigh
more than three tons each, and could only have
been transported from the distant quarry and
placed in their present elevated position with
prodigious labor. The walls of this building
are at the present time from 80 to 35 feet in
height, while the surface of the ground is strewn
with huge masses of fallen blocks which have
probably been displaced from their former po-
stion by the action of some great disturbing
agency, such as a volcanic eruption, which
would lead to the conclusion that they once rose
to great altitude. This temple las it may pro-
perly be termed) is entirely destitute of any par
titions, or the appearance of their former exist
ence, and appears to have been designed by its
architects vast hall to be used for the per-
formance of solemn religious rites, or the cele-
bratio1 of public feasts.
The pavemeutis is hid from view by a confused
mass OF fallen building materials, among which
are to be found fragments of carving in bass
relief, and fresco work of superior design and
execution, which would justify the conclusion
that these silent ruins could once boast of halls
as gorgeousiy decorated By The artists hand as
those of Thebes or Palmyra.
This series of buildings are all loop-holed in
each side. much resembling that found in the
old feudal estates of Europe designed for the use
of archers
The blocks of which these buildings are COM
posed are cemented together by a species of
mortar of bituminous character, which has
such tenacity that vast masses of wall have fall
en- down without the blocks being detached by
the shock. The slight examination which has
been made by officers of the United States army
indicate the presence here of objects of rare cu-
riosity.
1t is impossible, in looking upon the evidences
of the residence in North America, in ages that
are past, of a powerful and civilized race, to re.
gret that they utter no voice to tell us of the
causes that made it prosperous and finally swept
it away into utter oblivion. Whence came the
builders ofcites dumb ruins, awakening our
admiration of the art and power of lost race,
yet thwarting all efforts to penetrate the dark
veil that shrouds their history? When Thebes
and Palmyra were in heir glory, we cannot but
believe that in the depths of this American
continent people, brave in arms and skillfu in
arms spread in mighty numbers from the neigh
borhood Of the northern lakes to the Isthmus of
Panama. Should any fortunate accdentlift the
obscurity that overwhelms this ancient race,
America will doubtless be found as rich in the
antique as Egypt or India.