The Oxford falcon., 1866-06-14
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI. THURSDAY JUNE II, 1866

scrIbed perfectly bewilderrng. Mr.
Chapman .sonlof the celebrated Amerl-
eau artist, who accompanied the. .,ex pc.
dition, WRITES that during bis 'whele life
in Italy he never looked upon Iaad.
scape so e'lchaniingly beautiful, aud sl
the same time so grand ana striking
Little time. howkver, could be spent il
viewing the enchanted vaIIe7; the acrea,
work was still before the party, aud
the axmen were soon pushtd d forward
upon the trail lo9ard The lost city.
THE FOREST sURsouNDINe THs PLACE.
AS the explorers cut their way
through the forest the trees grew Iarg-
er and older, showing that, the verges
of the forest were the last 10 be aband.
oned, and had been cultivated long af-
ter the interior hal becODse a wider
ness. Most of the baaEt1 cf prey, nq..
tives of the American continent, IS well
as animals peculiar to tropical climates
were seen In great numbers. and in
sects innumerabIe, many of them be-
fore unknown TO naturaliSts, gave great
annoyance TO the adventurers. Cen.
Lyon writes that bottom lands of the
Mississippi river do not compare with,
those he found in the Metatatovucs
country. either for soil, verdure or tt!-
penelrabiliry, frequently his whole par
ly not being able to make mdte than
five hundred yards of surveys per day.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY
After a dangerous and wearisome
work the lost city was finally reached
aud for .the first time lhe' foot Of the
Anglp-Scxon pressed its streets: With
awe ank wonder the parry gazed upon
the wcrl:s of an extinct race. Trees
hundreds of years old were growing
among the ruins showing that The city
had been abandoned before the DAYS OF
Corlez, and the architecture OF the
buildings is of an order before unkn0wr
upon this continents :Scgte few houses
are in Ioletab!e state ef preservation
and still habitahle, while their halls
are adorDed wife paintings of rare
beauty and merit Carved deorways
and images abound in every street
evincing .sn their former iEhablianlz 4
knowledge of the fine arls not foun(
among Lhes most civilized oborigina
races Most remarkable of all is, som,
, Of this sculbture indicatrs alnong,ih,
peogle the existence of the Chrisiiar
religion. Places of worship are sart
to be numerous, and upon the revels s.
of a Slalu te OF a men is carefully
carved that emblem of Christianity, lh,
, cross. q
4 Whence this race or what their far,
is a nystery The existence of TIN
city was unknown to the Aztees, an,
, not a tradition concerning them is e.
tqnt among 1.-The Indians, who. wher
;. spoken TO respecting them reply, IAN
ulue," Antique" THa doors of til,
bOuses weEs generally. closed ewil
rocks, showikg the abaEdonment Of lh
city having been preConcerted: move
nent; but whether this.was caused b,
civil wars, fears of savage fo,s or earth
Y qnakes,. is mere conjecture.
Gen. Lyon will makes thorough ex
,, ploralion of The Me ataloyuca country
and hIs report will be received wit
rare interest. As the letters receise
! al the capital state facts. the lost Cit
will cause a. commo:ion in the 4ilerar
world. as its development must lhro,
light upon the history of the lost race
of America. The Spanish party VIII
visited it in October say the ruins bea
/ lItle resemblance to those of Yucaiar
or any other portion of Spanish Amer
+ ca, aud their paintings and seulptut
show, them TO have absen fully us "a
edvanced in The arts and sciences as th
/ most enlightened European nation o
{ their own day..