The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-02-24
The American Cliff Dwellers.
DISCOVERY or A WONDERFUL OLD RUINED
CITY IN NEW MEXICo.

The Pueblo or village Indians ar,
scattered over an area in New Mexico
and Arizona stretching from Taos. OF
the Rio Grande, south to Ysleta of +
Paso, distance of about so miles
and in width about 400 miles
Within this area there are now about
thirty-iour inhabited villages. Their,
are also the ruins of thousands of vii
lagos and towns situated in the valleys
of the streams, on the SUBMITS of the
Mesas, and many high up in the sides Of
the cliffs and the walls of canons, being
carved out like swallows nests. The
ruins already known are sufficient in
number and extent to furnish homes for
at least half million persons, and were
probably occupied by twice that number.
One roted instance of carved out city
is described by Mr.. Stevenson which
must have been the abode of at least
100000 souls, and which these explora
tons are believed to have first brought
to the knowledge of the civilized world.
Mr. Stevenson first heard of it from an
Indian chief with whom he sat chatting
in Spanish one evening. The old man
was apparently somewhat disinclined to
be communicative, but finally, as if to
put off further inquiry, said
"You wish to find old houses, do you!
Well | will show you some. They are
about twelve miles from here"
Mounted upon mules, the two started
out and made their way toward range
of distant hills, from behind which tow
cred an extinct volcano. As they ap-
preached the foothills, Mr.. Stevenson
saw large numbers of black spots in
rows, resembling swallows nests, upon
the face of cliff. He asked his com.
panion what they were
"Houses," was the reply.
mo, not those on the top" said Mr.
Stevenson. 81 mean the black spots on
the cliff"
"Houses!" rejoined the old chief ;
''houses, tell you; very old houses"
The old man told the truth. For
sixty miles along the face of the cliff,
except where the elements had cut them
away, these apcient cave dwellings ex.
tended two, three, four, and sometimes
five rows one upon another. Mr.. Stew
enson examined this deserted city during
several days, personally visiting portions
distant forty-five miles from each other,
and discovering with his glass that the
excavations extended fifteen or twenty
miles further on. BY far the greater
number are inaccessible, but many Of
the old paths, worn many inches deep
by the feet of the ancents who dwelt
there, are intact, and by them the ex-
plorer mounted to the old dwellings.
Upon the top of the mesa, or table
land above these caves, there were
found large circular structures, now in
idins, but with walls to the height of
ten or twelve feet still standing. They
were evidently places of worship. They
were built of square stones of nearly
uniform size, about twenty inches in
length by six inches in width and four
in thickness, cut from the cliff. Meas
urements were made of two of these
structures, one of which was 100 and
the other POO feet in diameter, and
might have held from 1000 to 1000
people. The inference that these were
places of worship is drawn from the
fact that the Pueblos of the present day
who are fire and sun worshippers, have
similar temples.
The great age of this city is proved by
the vast accumulation of debris from the
upper portion of the cliff. which covers
its base. In places where mountain
brooks have cut their way through, the
existence of one and sometimes two
rows of cave dwellings below the sur
face of the debris is disclosed. Mr..
Stevenson thinks that several centuries
have passed since this dead city was in
its prime. Tribune.