The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-19
A NEWLY DISCOTERED NATION

The campaign of Gen. Crook against the
| Amches last year opened up to research a
| tract Of land 200 miles square, which is rich
| in relics of our country's unknown past. II
contains chain OF ancient cities in ruins, and
| coterie Of ancient towns still inhabited by a
race which holds itself aloof from Indian and
Mexican and American, prides itself on its
descent from the ancient inhabitants Of the
country, and maintains religion and gov
eminent, both of which are peculiar to itself
We are indebted to Capt. w. c. Manning OF
the regular army, for the facts in our posses
sion concerning this newly discovered race.
Capt. Manning, who was with Gen. Crook
during the whole campaign, and was recon-
mended for promotion by the latter on ac-
count of gallantry in the field, explored in the
intervals of fighting He visited the inhabited
towns talked with their rulers, and informed
himself concerning their customs.
The largest settlement is in New Mexico
about eighty miles south Of the border-line
1t is type of the rest A strong wall sur
rounds it. Within are houses for about 1000
people The population has dwindled, how
ever to about 1900. The place was men,
toned by Spanish Jesuit who published, in
1929, description of his wanderings in
America. About 1885, another Jesuit wrote a
minute account of it. This account is true
in nearly every detail. to-day. The language
resembles the Chinese So IN ardent archao-
logst who visited the city II year ago, says.
Some of the minor customs correspond to
those Of the Chinese. The women are Of the
true Celestial type almond eyes, protuberant
bodies, little feet etc. They dress their hair
and themselves in Chinese fashion. Their re-
ligion is barbarously magnificent Montezuma
is their deity. His coming is looked for at
sunrise each day. Immortality is part Of their
I. l..
robes which have been used for unnnmbered
years.
The ceremonies Of worship are formal and
pompous. The morality of this strange peo-
pie, as tilr at least foreigner are concerned,
is irreproachable 1t is probable that they
keep record Of events by means of tying pc
culiar knots in long cords. This, if true
seems to establish some kinship or remote ac-
quaintanceship between them and the Aztecs.
Their Government is Il conservative republic.
Power is vested in council 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 in
ordinately long. The remaining seven are
selected from time to time. One of them is
the Executive. Another is a sort of Vice
President There is 4 War Chief i Chief OF
Police, etc These seven caciques are usually
young men, They serve but 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
Woman is not beast of burden among them,
as she is with all Indian tribes. She is he'd
in high respect. Her tasks are confined to
those of housekeeping.
The written records which we have men
toned show hat this isolated community has
its traditions unbroken for at
least three -and-a- half centuries Its history,
carefully studied, may prove clue to the
problem of. the aboriginal Americans. The
builders of the North and the city,
builders Of the South may be represented in
the town-dwellers Of New Mexico and Ari-
iona. Chicago Tribune.