The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-04-17
ruk cL,rr pWELkns.

probably early 10 the ChristiAu era. eirti.
ration began 10 Ameries Five distinct
uative Civilizations arr knowu 10 hayc ex'
listed one 10 Peru. one IN Yaoa,An, ouc
10 Mexico, one In New Mexico, AriEona
and Colorado. and one Ia the valleys oi
the Mississippi aud Ohio rivers. The
latter were the mound builders who
worked lhe copper miaes Of Lake super
ior aud worshpod the American eagle
The New Mexican race we call the Pae-
bios, or town builders, and toward the
close Of their career the Clitf dwelIers.
! When the whites came TO this continent
the PeruvIAns aud The civilizations OF
YucAtan aud Mexico were nourlshing
the Clin' dwelers bad nearly disappeared
and the mound builders bal been swept
away and replaced by barbarou. northern
hordes. Living in 3 moist land rich In
wood, they built OF this material, aud
most OF their works perished with them
but the New Mexican people occupied a
dry, elevated and barren country abound
iDg 10 platesus and cliffs, where az lcul-
tnre, requiring irrigation could be car
ried on only along the borders Of the few
aud widely separated streams, or where
water could be stored In reservoirs. The
region was aud Ia desert, In which set
Elements mark oases. Wherever the
Pueblos could cultivate the ground they
built towns OF stone or sun.bAked brick,
| the only materials at hand, In this nearly
woodess land. They raised cotton, corn,
pumpkins, beans and other vegetables
had domestic animals, and were quite
advanced 10 weaving, pottery making,
and other primitive arts. AT one time
then occupied every available spot In
Eastern Arizona, New Mexico, aud
Southern Colorado; but the nalual condi-
tions OF climate aud topography forbade
| that any great accumulation OF wealth
should repay the endless patience OF their
toll. A bare substance was all that
could be wrung from the desert land.
| When, therefore, the northern tribes
began to crowd down upon the scattered
settlements, those wild men OF the chase,
who, having neither property nor hIed
homes, had everything TO gain and moth
ing to lose Ia the struggle, slowly wore
out the strength OF the more civilized
race. While the services OF every man,
woman and ctfd mast have been needed
in agriculture TO secure living, q large
proportion Of the male population were
In arms resisting the increasing incur
sions OF nomads. Weakened by battle
aud famine, the gentler race, who had
treasured and developed the sacred germ
of human progress, abandoned their
cities In the valleys and took refuge In
ledges of almost inaccessible cliffs. Here
they built themselves stone houses, not
to be approached except by ladders, aud
supported themselves GU what could be
raised along streams at the foot Of the
rocks. All of this trsnspired before the
fifteenth century.
When the Spaniards first penetrated
into New Mexico they heard fabulous tales
Of the seven inhabited cities, full OF gold
aud silver, perched on the summit OF q
high rock. They vainly endeavored to
cross the deserts, separating them from
these so-called cities of Cibols. Almost
nothing was known OF them until o
United States government expedition,
overcoming great obstacles, encamped
finally at the foot of the escarped plateau
ON whose top stand the seven Moqui
towns. They found clviliz ed agricultu-
raj people. clad In cotton and wollen
goods Of their own weaving, engaged In
cultivating maize, vegetables and fruit,
warlike.
This is The only surviving remnant OF
that once powerful people, who, driven
from the valleys to the cliffs, perished at
last by The hands OF the wild tribes we
are now exterminaline.
These sayages have met in us eulii
power their lerocity Avails little; aud the
early civilizers OF this continent, the Cliff
dweIlers, who fought so long aud hope
Iessly for what they had gained OF art and
science aud religion, are now being
avenged.
IN the northwest corner Of the loan col
lection are two frames filed with photo.
graphs. Ia the center OF the western
frame is pictare OF one Of the early Ciif
dwellers houses taken by the Hayden sur
yey in Southern Colorado.
Three hundred feet above the bottom
OF cliff, whose total height Is 800 feet on
q legs sheltered by an oyerhanging rock,
stands two storied house built OF hewn
sandstone Tie outer walls are smooth,
and even The pointing OF the mortar re-
mslns although the house is not less than
Eve or six hundred years old. The in-
terror is plastered aud paneled 10 red and
white. Part OF the woodwork OF the
eoor and windows still remains. This
remarkable preservation Is due to that !
fact that no rain ever falls on the ruin,
because II fAces eastward and is protected
By the overbangiDg rock from The storms
OF that region, which are always wester-
ly.
Directly shove this photograph IL =
email picture Of some Moqni women with
strapge head-dresses. By comparing
their faces with those Of the wild Indians
whose photographs GIL the remainder Of
the case, The effect Of lheiF civilization
will be essiiy understood. They are
wrapped in blankets oitheir own mskIng