Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-08-28
Newly discovered Nation.

The campaign of Gen. Crook against the
Apaches last year opened to research a
tract of land two hundred miles square,
which IL rich In relics of our country's I'M
known past. 1t contains a chain of ancient
cities in ruins, and a coterie of ancient
towns still inhabited by a race which holds
itself aloof from Indian and Mexican and
American, prdes itself on its descent from
the ancient inhabitants of the country, and
maintains n religion and a government,
both of which are peculiar to itself. We
are indebted to Capt. w. c. Manning of the
regular army for the facts in our possession
concerning the newly discovered race.
Capt. Manning, who vas with Gen. Crook
during the whole campaign, and was re-
commended for promotion by the latter on
account of gallantry in the field, explored,
in the intervals Of lighting. He visited the
inhabited towns, talked with their rulers,
and informed himself concerning their Gus
toms.
The largest settlement is in New Mexico,
about thirty miles south of tho border line.
1t is a type of the rest. A strong wall sur
rounds it. Within are houses for about
1000 people. The population has dwn-
died, however, to about 1900 The place
was mentioned by Spanish Jesuit, who
published in 1920 description of his wan
derings in America. About 1885 another
Jesuit wrote a minute account Of ii. This
account is true, in nearly every detail, to-
day. The language resembles the Chinese (;
so an ardent archRologist, who visited the
| city a year ago says. Some Of the minor
| customs corr espond to those of the Chinese.
| The women arc Of the true Celestial type
almond eyees, protuberant bodies, little
| feet, etc. They dress their hair and them
selves in the Chinese fashion. Their le-
| ligion is barbarously magnificent. Monte
yuma is their deity. His coming is looked
for at sunrise each day. Immortality is
| part of their creed. The priests have
| heavily embroidered robes which have
been used Cor unnumbored years. The
ceremonies of worship are formal and POM
pous,
The morality of this strange people, as
far mt least as foreigners are concerned, is
irreproachable. 1t is probable that they
keep record Of events by tying peculiar
knots in long cords. This, If true, seems
to establish some kinship or remote &C,
quaintanceship between them and the
Aztecs. Their government is a conserva
tive republic. Power is vested in a con n,
ell of thirteen caciques. Six of them are
selected for life. Old men are generally
chosen, in order that their terms OF offic,
may not be inOrdinately long. The re
naming seven are elected from time /,
time. One of them is the executive. An
other is a sort of ice president. There is
war chief, chief of police, etc. These sever
caciques are usually young meh. The,
serve but few months. Suffrage Is uni
versal. II is scarcely necessary to supple
ment these facts with the sta tement tha
these dwelers in town are quite far advanc
ed in civilization. On this point one fac
speaks volumes. Woman Is not a beast G
burden among them as she is with all In
dian tribes. She Is held in high respect
Her tasks are confined TO those of house
keeping.
The written records which we have men
toned show that this isolated communit
, has maintained its traditions unbroken 70
at least three and half centuries. Its his
tory, carefully studied, may prove a clu
= 10 the problem of the original Americans
, The mound-builders of the North and tn
city-builders of the South may be repre-
scented in the town-dwellers of New Mex
t co and Arizona.-ChiedJO Tribune.