, 1882-01-21
TIE AuERIcAN CLIP DWELL
ERS.


DlsrsseFy sT WsnAeFfal Gid Rainea s"'
0. New Nexies.
A Washington dispatch says: ine
Pueblo or village Indians are scattered
over an area in New Mexico and Arizona
stretching from Taos, on the RIO Grande'
south to Yslera of Ell Paso, distance Oh
about 500 miles, and in width about 4p
miles. Within this area there are no"
about "a inhabited villages. There are
also the ruins of thousands of ancient
villages and towns situated IN the valleys
of the streams, on the submits OF the
Mesas, and many high up in the sides oil
the cliffs and the walls OF canyons, being
carved out like swallows nests Tie
ruins already known ae sufficient III
number and extent to furnish homes Tor
at least hall a million persons, and we're
probably occupied by twice that number
One noted instance of carved out cry
is described by Mr. Stevenson which
must have been the abode of at least
leo. 900 souls, and which these explora-
rions are believed to have brought to the
knowledge of the civilized world. Mr..
Stevenson first heard of it from an old
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, l viii show you some. They are
about twelve miles from here
Mounted upon mules, the two started
out and made their way toward a range
of iistant hills, from behind which
lowered an extinct volcano As they ap-
preached tho foothills, MIR. Stevenson
saw large numbers of black spots IN rows,
resembling swallows nests, upon the face
of a cliff. He asked his companion what
they were.
Houses" was the reply.
"No, not those On top" said Mr. Ste
senson, 81 mean the black spots on the
cliff"
Houses rejoine1 the old chief;
''houses, tell you very old houses"
The old man told the truth. For sixty
miles along the face of the winding cliff,
except where the elements had cut them
away, these ancient cave dwellings, ex-
tended two, three, four, and sometimes
five rows one upon another. Mr.. Steven
son examined this deserted city during
several days, personally visiting portions
distant forty-fve miles from each other,
and discovering with his glass that the ex-
cavations 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 ancients who dwelt there, are III
tact, and by them the explorer 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 runs, but
with walls to the height Of ten or twelve
feet still standing. They were evidently
places Ct worship. They were built of
square stones Of nearly uniform size,
about twenty inches in length bysix inches
in width and four in thickness, cut from
the cliff. Measurements were made of
two of these structures, one of which Was
LOO and TIE other 200 feet In diameter,
and might have held from 600 to 1900
people. The Inference that these were
places Of worship Is drawn from the fact
that the Puedos 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 surface of the
debris is disclosed. Mr.. Stevenson thinks
that several centuries have passed since
this dead city was in its prime.