Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-29
The Ancient Population Of America

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The Ancient Population Of America
There are traces of a numerous pre-
historic population scattered over nearly
every part of the broad continent. Nc
one who has not made point of observ-
ing, would understand how numerous
these vestiges are, or understand their de-
sign or purpose yet they are here to pre-
sent their evidence, to invite our study,
and we ourselves are at fault if by COM
pairing and Analysing and attending to
their testimony we do not understand
the tale.
Let any one 90 forth into the fields and
the meadows, into the hills and valleys,
and search fer these records of the past,
phabet more striking than the hero
glyphics of Egypt. or the inscription
upon the buried palaces of the East
These works are replete with varied
story, everywhere the decaying skeletons
and the silent SKULLS remind us mourn
fully Of the death that has swept over the
land but the remains of fires, the debris
of camps, as well as the running streams
and sparkling spring from which they
drank, all remind us how recently the
living Dass away.
As WEI go through the silent earthworks,
and see all the preparations they made,
the walls and bitches for defense, the
enclosures they erected for tombs, we are
astonished at the great variety, and the
wonderful significance.
If there are modes OF life which we do
not understand, and structures which are
still mysterious In their design, yet they
are very expressive Of the strange I'M
known life, OF the mysterious religion,
wild aboriginal state. 1t may not COM
pare with our civilized condition and
modern ideas, for they are only express.
i've Of another condition tlan that to
which we are accustomed.
But the picture OF the prehistoric con-
dition cannot be excelled.
Let any one visit one OF the renowned
defenses situated so beautifully on the
lofty hill top, and commanding the dis
tant view of stream and valley, of hill
AMI forest, and then look about him and
behold the wonderful adoption for de-
tense and protection and he will appreci-
ate what were the dangers from the Sc
cret foe, and how the war-wheop must
have startled the peaceful inmates.
Let HIM visit again the quiet village
Enclosure, and see the surrounding wall,
and trace the place of palisades, or tread
the path to the unfaillng stream, and
walk over the happy hun ting grounds
and the delightful valleys, and he has q
picture of peace which nothing else can
give.
Let him then enter the cornfelds OF
the garden beds, or surmount the eievat-
| ed plat form, or enter the ancient courts
and courtyards of the agricultural people,
and he again has a view of another state
of life, which he did not know. Again,
let him enter one of the sacred enclosures
and look about him and see the affairs
and temple platforms, wherever the So
clal fires were lit and the victims of sac
rifce were offered, and even il he knows
not the worship that then prevailed, 1t is
not difficult to imagine something of the
religious customs Of the people.
The grand pageant Of the assembled
multitudes passes before HIM as they
gather at their annual feasts, or at their
religious ceremonies, OF their great
burials, Or for their war expeditions. In
imagination he sees in one place the
merry making and the dance, he hers
the music and the laughter; but at an
other he looks upon the smoke and the
slaughter and the mysterious rites.
Here he beholds the every great burn
ing" the solemn mourning, the sacred
burial; there he sees the plumed war.
riors, armed with their stone axes and
flint spears and maccs, either in fleets of
canoes navigating the waters, or in long
lines traversing the forests. Everywhere
the scene is suggestive OF a life which has
passed away. Whether one stands on
the lofty pyramids of Mexico, which once
reeked with the gore of human victims
taken in battle, and slaughtered as sacri-
| flee, or among the extensive dwellings OF
the Pueblos, where such multitudes gath
cred for defense or for residence, OF
among the sacred enclosures of the Mound
Builders, where still stranger people
once lived and toiled and worshipped-
yet each structure is suggestive of a life
which once prevailed, but which has pass
ed away, and OF the prehistoric condition
Of this continent.-Anseric1n Antiqua
rian.