The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-05
[From the Chicago Tribune, July H.
A Newly DihanYared Nati0n.

The campaign Of General Crook p
the Apaches last year opened 20 -salnst
tract Of land 200 miles square research =
in relies OF our country Whieh Is llch
contains chain Of .,; .1hhowh past. IL
Inv a rae ofancient towns slill Inhabited
80 Which holds itself aloof from In,iisn
''' Mexican and American, priles itself on
lts descent from the ancient inhabitants of
the country, and maintains a religion and
government, both OF which are peculiar To-
itselt. We are indebted to Captain w. G..
1iahhihs, oi the regular army, for the facts
III our possession concerning this newly di,-
covered race. Captain Maanug, VINO WAS
with Genera! Cioo3 during the whole cam.
paleh and was recommended for promoti IA
Dy the latter on account OF gallantry in the
neio, explored in the intervals OF fighting. lie.
visited The Inhabited towns. talked with their
rulers and informed himself concerning their
customs. The largest settlement is in New
Mexico, about thirty miles south OF the bo,-
der me. IL Is type OF The rest. A strOug
wall surr'unds it, Within are houses tsr
about 1900 people. The population H.,
dwlndled, however, to about 1SO0 The
pace was mentioned by a Spanish Jesdis
who published, in 1929, Il des eripticn of his
wande!ings in America. About 1885 another
Jesuit wrote minute account OF il. This
account is true in nearly every detail TODAY.
The language resembles the Chinese. So an
ardent archeolosist, who visited the city q.
year ago, says. Some OF the minor customs
correspond to those of the Chinese. TIE
Somen are OF the true Celestial type-almond
eyes, protuberant bodies, little ieet. &c.
They dress tLeir hair and themselves in Chi
nese fashion. Their religion is barbarously
magnificent. MOnlezuma is their deity.
His coming is looked for at eunrise each day.
Immortality is part Of their creed. The
priests have heavily embroidered robes which
have been used for unnumbered years
Their ceremonies OF worship are formal and
pompous. The morality of this strange
people, as far at least as foreigners are
concerned, is irreproachable. 1t is prob
able that they keep record OF events by
means OF tying peculiar koots in long
cords. IhiS, ii true, seems TO establish sou .
klhship or remote acquainianceship betHet
them and the Aztecs. Their government IL
a Conservative republic. Power is vested ia
council OF thirtaen cacques. Six OF them
are selected for lie. Old men are generally
chosen, in order that tber terms of Office
may not be incrdiua.ely long. The rcmain-
Ing seven are elected from time to time. One
OF them IS the Executive; another is sort
Vice President. There Is n war chief "A
chief of police, etc. These seven caciquts
aIe usually young men. They serve but u
few months. Suffrage is universal. It Is
scarcely necessary TO supplement. these fats
with the statement that these dwellers ia
towns are quite iac advanced in civilzat;on.
On this point one fact speaks volumes. WoG
an Is not beast Of burden with them, rs she
is with all Indian tribes. She is held in high
respect. Her tasks are confined TO these al
housekeeping. The written records which
We have mentioned show that this Isolated
community he's maintained its traditions un-
broker for at least three aud halt centuries.
Its history, carefully studied, may prove =
clue to 1he problem Of the aboriginal Ameri-
cans. The mound-buders OF the North and
the city-builders OF tbe South may be repre-
sented in the towndwellers of New Mexico
and Arizona.