Ellsworth American., 1874-08-13
Vol. Xxx. Whole No. 1920. No. 80.
A Newly Discovered Nation.

AhO e"uipaisn Oh General Crook
against the Apaches last wear opened
TO research tract of land 200 miles
square which is rich in relics of our
country unknown past. 1t contains a
chain OF ancient cities in ruins and a
coterIe of ancient towns still inhabited
by race which holds itself aloof from
Indian and Mexican and American,
pr:des itself on its descent from the
ancient inhabitants of the country,
ana maintains religion and govern
ment, both Of which are peculiar to
itself. We are indebted to CAPTAIN
W. Z. Manning, of the regular army,
ior the facts in our possession concern.
ing this newly discovered race. Capt
am Manning, who was with General
otooK during the whole campaign and
was recommended for promotion bv
Tue latter on account of eallantry in
the field, explored in the in tervals of
l9hting. lie visited the inhabited
towIs, talked with their rulers, and
informed himself concerning their Gus
toms. The largest settlements is in New
Mexico, about thirty miles south of the
border line. 1t is type of the rest.
a strong wall surrounds it. Withia
are houses for about 1900 people. The
population has dwlndled, however, to
about 500. The place was mentioned
oy Spanish Jesuit who published,
in log, a description of his wander
lngs IN America. About 1885 another
Il "A lf -
lhls account Is true in nearly every
detail to-day. The language resembles
the Chinese. SO an ardent archaolo-
glst, who visited the city year ago,
says. Some of the minor customs
correspond to those of the Chinese.
The women are of the true Celestial
type-allnond eyes, protuberant bod
les, little feet, &c. They dress their
halr and themselves in Chinese fash
ion. Their religion is barbarously mag
niticient. Montezuma is their deity.
His coming is looked for ut sunrise
each day. Immortality is a part of
their creed. The priests have heavily
embroidered robes which have been
used for unnumbered years. Their Ger
emonles Of worship are formal and
pompous. The morality ofthis strange
people, as far at least as foreigners
are concerned, is irreproachable. 1t is
probable that they keep Il record Of
events by means of tying peculiar
knots N long cords. This, if true,
seems to establish some klnship or re-
mote acqualntanceship between them
and tue Aztecs. Their government is
conservative republic Power is
vested IN u council of thirteen caci-
ques. six Of them are selected for
life. O,d men are generally chosen, in
Otdur that their terms of office NAV not
be inordinate!y long. The remaining
seven are elected from time to time.
One Of them is the Executive another
is a sort Vice President. There is i
seven sew n",at cacidGe4 dGe4Saf af2 2t ygS2Ies, etc These
They serve but few months. Stuff
rage is universal. 1t is scarcely neccs-
sary to supplement these facts with
the statement that these dwellers in
towns are quite far advanced in civil
zatlOn. On this point one fact speaks
volumes. Woman is not a beast Of
burden with them, as she is with all In
dian tribes. She is held in high res
pect. Her tasks are confined to those
of housekeeping. The written records
which We have mentioned show that
this isolated community has maintain
ed its traditions unbroken for at least
three and a half centuries. It's history,
carefully studied, may prove clue to
the problem Of the aboriginal Ameri-
cans. The mound-builders of the North
and the city-bnllders Of the South may
be represented in the town-dvelers Of
New Mexico and Arizona.- Chicago
Tribune.