Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-03-17

RUINS OF A GREAT CITY IN ARIZONA.

Colonel Roberts led a party OF adven-
turers and explorers, last season, into the
desert and unexplored regions of north
eastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and
southwestern Colorado. For miles on
miles further than the eye could reach,
barren wastes stretch away in q continu-
Gus succession Of desert table lands and
yawning chasms. 1t is wild, dreary, In
hospitable, boundless waste, q vexy en-
bodiment of desolation. For fourteen
days the party lost their trail in the desert.
and nerly perished with thirst and hunger.
at one time going thirty-six hours without
water.
One day, while travelling in one Of the
impossible gorges, seeking place where
they could scale its craggy sides, Roberts
discovered the ruins of what was once
emerging on the top of a mesa, he was
amazed at finding himself among the ex-
tended ruins OF great city, untrodden BY
foot Of man for centuries, and spreading
out miles before him it covered an area OF
about three square miles, and inclosed by
wall of sandstone, neatly Quarried and
dressed, ten or twelve feet thick, and
which, judging by the debris. was 6fteen
or twenty feet high before its fall. In
most places it had crnmbled away and
fallen, and was covered with sand, but In
many places it was still standing six or
eight feet above the sand banks which had
drifted around it. The entire area inside
of this had at one time been covered with
houses, built Of solid sandstone, Ehich
showed excellent masonry in their con-
struction.
This ancient city is situated in Arizona,
about ninety miles from the boundary
line between Utah and Arizona, and the
same distance from the western Colorado
line. 1t has the appearance Of being an
old Aztec city that had been deserted fog
hundreds of years and fallen to ruins. It
is entirely Of stone, and not q stick OF
worked timber is to be seen among the
ruins. Nothing but the walls are stand
ing, and none OF them are now left more
than eight or ten feet deep. Colonel Rob
erts Is confident from the appearance Of
the walls that many of the houses were
two or three stories high, but there was
not enough of them left standing to ena-
bic him to judge accurately of the style Of
architecture adopted by the ancient build
ers Of this city. Colonel Roberts estimates
that there were at least 10000 houses in
the city 1t was laid out in plazas, with
paths or small streets from one to the 9TH
er. There was evidently one main high
way extending through the centre of the
city. This has been cut down by the win
ter torrents into yawning chasm, 600 or
800 feet deep, and 800 feet wide.
| 1t is evident that this chasm has been
washed out since the city was built, be-
cause the walls of many of the houses are
now overhanging the brink. and it Is not
reasonable to suppose that city would
have been built on each side Of such
chasm. The walls still bear the traces of
many hieroglyphics. cut deep into them,
showing various Indian costumes and su-
perstitions. There are also the ruins Of
stately monuments, built Of square block
sandstone, well quarried, and showing
good masonry, which are worked with
notches, and crosses cut into them at reg
ular intervals. The ruins are covered
with send, which Colonel Roberts says he
is confident has blown there from the des-
ert, a short distance to the south, since
the city was deserted. He thinks this was
a fertile tract of country when the city
was built, and that the inhabitants were
forced to desert it on account OF the high
winds which blew the sand in there after
the waters, with which it is believed the
desert was once covered, receded.
This sand has become packed and solid
flied by the rains. and is almost as hard as
the sandstone, There is a large ditch.
now partly filled up running from the city
away back in the hills. ten to- fourteen
miles from the city, and it is believed this
was made for the purpose OF irrigating the
ground and for other purposes. The wallG
of the houses are rough aud worn by the
storms of centuries, which have worn into
the soft places in the sandstone, even in
the walls overhanging the precipice. The
sandstone does not bear any marks of fire.
and Col. Roberts is confident that the sand
storms which have nearly buried the city
rendered it uninhabitable, and compelled
,,its ancient inhabitants to desert it.
!, No bones, implements, or relics OF any
kind We're found, with the exception Of
some pieces OF pottery of dry color.
These were ,emhe lished with paintings OF
.f,owers and ornamental figures in blue
3colors. The coloring matter is of u blue
mineral substance of some Kind, which
the chemist at Sante Fe, to WHOM some
of the property was shown, could not
clearly define. 1t is perfectly indelible.
! and pieces of the pottery which have been
exposed to storms which have worn away
Q the solid masonry of the walls of the city,
q show the colors fresh and bright, to all sp-
) pearances, as when new. The pottery it
+; self has been found 10 be perfectly fire.
proof. upon trial. in crucibles and furnaces.
/. and if the secret Of its manufacture could
he discovered it would be worth millions
of dollars to the possessor and the mater.
ial would be invaluable for the lining OF
sofas and similar purposes.