Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-07-28
SCIENTIFIC.
A NewIy-DiscOvered Natior

The campaign of General Crook
against the Apaches last year opened
to research a tract Of land 200 miles
square which is rich in relics of our
cOuntry's unknown past. 1t contains
a chain Of ancient cities in ruins and
a coterie Of ancient towns still in
habited by race which holds itselc
aloof from Indian and Mexican and
American, prides Itself on its descent
IRON the ancient inhabitants of the
country. and maintains a religion
and a government, both of which are
peculiar to itself. We are indebted
to Captain w. G. Manning, of the
regular army, for the facts in our
possession concerning this Newly
discovered race. captain M.nning,
who was with General Crook during
the whole campaign and was recon.
mended for promotion by the latter
on account of gallantry in the field,
explored in tie intervals of fighting.
/ He visited the Inhabited town, talked
with their rulers, and informed him
self concerning their customs. The
largest settlement is in New Mexico,
about thirty miles south of the Dor.
der line. Ii is type of the rest. a
strong wall surrounds it. Within are
houses for about 1000 people. The
population has dwindled however
to about 1900. The place was
mentioned b. Spanish Jesuit who
published. in 1929, description of
/ his wanderings in America. About
1885 another Jesuit wrote minute
account Of 1t, This account is true
in nearly every detail to-day. The
language resembles the Chinese.
So an ardent archaologist, who
visited the city yea: ago, says.
! Some of the minor customs cores
pond to those of the Chinese. The
women are Of the true Celestial type
almond eyes protuberant bodies,
little feet, &c. They press their hair
and themselves in Chinese fashion.
Their religion is barbarousIy magnif>
cent Montezuma is their deity
His coming is looked for at sunrise
each day. Immortality is part of
their creed The priests have heavi-
ly embroidered robes which have been
used for Gnnumbered years. The
cert monies of worship are formal
and pompous. The morality Of this
strange people, as far at least as for
eigners are concerned, is irreproacha-
bic. 1t is probable that they keep a
record of events by means of tying
peculiar knots in long cords. This.
if true, seems to establish some kim
ship or reIEtte acquaintance snip be-
teen them and the AZtecS. Their
Government is a conservative re
public. Power is vested in a cOun
Gil Of thirteen caciques. Six of them
are selected for life, Old men are
generally chosen, in order that their
terms of Office may not be inOrdinate-
ly long. The remaining seven are
elected from time to time. One of
them is the Executive Another is
sort of Vice~President. There is
a war>Chief, a Chief of Police. &c.
These seven caciques are usually
young men. They serve but a few
months. Suffrage is universal. 1t is
scarcely necessary to supplement
these facts with the statement that
these dwellers in towns are quite far
advanced in civilization On this
point one fact speaks volumes. Wo>
man is not beast of burden among
them, as she is with all Indian tribes.
She is held in high respect. Her
tasks are confined to those of house
keeping. The written records which |
we have mentioned show that this
isolated community has maintained |
its traditions unbroken for at lest |
three aud half centuries. Its |
history, carefully studded, may |
prove a clew to the problem of the
aboriginal Americans. The mound
builders of the North and the city
builders Of the South may be repre-
seated in the town dwellers of New
Mexico and Arizona. .--Chicdgo
Tribune july 4.