The Princeton union., 1880-03-03
The Ancient Population Of America

. there are traces O1 numerous pre-
historic population scattered over nearly
every part of the broad continent. No
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 analyzing and attending to
their testimony we do not understand
the tale.
Let any one 60 forth into the fields and
the meadows, into the hills and valleys,
and search for these records Of the past,
| and he can not tail to trace out an al
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
| of camps, as we'll as the running streams
and sparkling spring from which they
| drank, all remind US how recently the
living pass away.
As we 60 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 un-
known life, of the mysterious religion,
wild aboriginal state. It may not com
pare with our civilized condition and
modern ideas, for they are only express
i've of another condition than that to
which we are accustomed.
But the picture of the prehistoric con-
dition cannot be excelled. H.
defenses situated so beautifully on the
lofty hill top, and commanding the dis
tant view of stream and valley, of hill
ana forest, and then look about him and
behold the wonderful adoption for de-
tense and protection and he will appreci-
ate what we're the dangers from the Sc
cret foe, and how the war-whoop lmust
have startled the peaceful inmates.
Let him visit again the quiet village
1nclosure, and see the surrounding wall,
and trace the place of palisades, or tread
the path to the unfaillng stream, and
walk over the happy hunting grounds
and the delightful valleys, and he has a
picture of peace which nothing else can
give.
Let him then enter the cornfelds OF
the garden beds, or surmount the elevat-
ed plat form, or enter the ancient courts
and courtyards of the agricultural people
and he again has 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 altars
and temple platforms, wherever the So
clal fires were lit and the victims of sac
, rifice were offered, and even il he knows
not the worship that then prevailed, 1t il
not difficult to imagine something Of the
/ religious customs Of the people.
| The grand pageant of the assembled
, rnultitudes passes before him as they
3 gather at their annual feasts, or at theil
: religious ceremonies, or their grea
e burials, or for their war expeditions. II
imagination he sees in one place TIN
mcrry-making and the dance, he hear
@ the music and the laughter; but at an
: other he looks upon the smoke and tn,
y slaughter and the mysterious rites
. Here he beholds the every great burn
3 ing" the solemn mourning, the sacre'
burial; there he sees the plumed wal
riors, armed with their stone axes AM
flint spears and maces, either in fleets O
canoes navigating the waters, or in Ion!
lines traversing the forests. Everywher
u the scene is suggestive Of lite which ha
" passed away. Whether one stands o.
: the lofty pyramids of Mexico, which one
. reeked with the gore Of human victim
d taken in battle, and slaughtered as sacr
= fee, or among the extensive dwellings {
- the Pueblos, where such multitudes gatf
l. cred for defense or for residence, {
l. among the sacred enclosures of the Noun
Builders, where a still stranger peop]
once lived and toiled and worshipped-
y yet each structure is suggestive of a. Lii
u u which once prevailed, but which has pas
n ed away, and OF the prehistoric conditio
e of this continent.-Americon Antiqud
- rian.
|. The Brooklyn Eagle publishes a lsttt