The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1885-07-24

A Great Mystery Aoi,ed at Last...rhe Mound
Builders CmimeFleni...A Dcnuttf1i
Theory speifcsi...And Part OF ssis'
terry kherne OF its Magic aud
Egeunatlc Charms.

era como ffOm Wuefo ulu tocy Bo
to ? What were the mounds built for,
and how long have they been built !?
II is right to ask questions about hat
we do not know, and about what we
wish to learn, but tbe answer to all
these questions, except their duration
is no longer left for future generations.
Who has ever lead Of the wonderful
Pyramids of Egypt who did not become
fascinated with those stupenduous
works OF human skill and ingenuity,
ani sigh for more light than tradition
and history can givo ? Who has not
eagerly devoured every book and line
and account of returning travellers
from that ancient land aud found out
that the more he hears. the less he is
satisfied because the flowing years
bring to him no certain knowledge of,
by whom, when, and for what purposes
those huge monuments of human energy
wero erected 7 The historian tells rs
that the same race of people, who built
the Pyramids, bailt these mounds that
spread all over North America. This
may be true, but no historian has ever
produced known fact to prove his as
sertion. All that history has said on
these two topics simply amounts to
this They do not know who built
the pyramids, they do not know who
built the mounds therefore the pyra-
mid and mound builders were the same
race of people. The logic is not mine.
Before / am through with these lines !
will show that the pyramid builders did
not build the mounds, that no o.ber
race Of people built them, and more,
that they were not built at all. This
may appear bold in the face of all that
has been said ard written on this in
terestiug topic. The theory is this, that
at an early period after deluge, peo-
pie Of the East emigrated with their
flocks and heros west, settled in Egypt,
and subdued its inhabitants, formed a
kingdom and reignei for long period
of time, during which they built cities
and, among other wo Ks, built the
Pyramids, made the Sphinx and did
other works which have been euti rely
lost, or are still unearthed, and that
after a long reign, they were overpower-
ed by those whom they had conquered
and driven from the land. Because
their wealth consisted ia herds and
fiocks and because they were superior
in governing, they were called shep-
herd kings, and are 10 known IN his
tory. Being banished from Egypt, they
took a northeast course across the con
tinent of Asia and in due time arrived
on the west shere Of Bebring Strait
crossed over by some means into Ameri'
ca, gradually travelled south and ni'i
mateIy spread over all of North An'sli
co, into Mexico, aud, perhaps, passed
finally into SJuth America. That q!
along this line Of march and settlement
which took ages and generations, the,
built stone walls, pyramids,and mound
of earth and in America having los
much of their former skill'And unable I
frame suitable tools, ceased TO work
much 10 stone, and hence built mourds
which we fnd spread more or less a.
over the continent. This may be tru
in part of that ancient people, and thi
NAV be the true theory of the peoplin
cf America, but it is no solution
how the mounds came about. The hii
torian h as told us who built tbes
mounds, but has failed TO tell US wb'
they were built for, or at least has fai
cd to furnish single known fact
r c,r,ohorate his assertion. True SON
say for forts, or places of refuge, som
for homes, some for retreats from hig
water. some for altars and SO OH bI
where ii known fact in connectic
with these mounds that tends 10 th
least to verify single assertion aoov
II built for fortifcatiout,' or places
refuge. WI, w.rs IL ,se people at we
with. History says the same race II
\ habited the whole of the land, and y
= y might all believe it from the sim'!iAri
, Of these mounds, and also that this pc
70 70 nle were numerous, from the counties
* r,n,hers Of these little hills, and Y
Q. might add from all appearances tna
II thew had an abundance of cheap labo
d. If built for homes, would there not
= some fonpd upon mountain sides ~
rlateans as r.,de nations usually lls
among the hills and mountains.
built as places of safety from high "
l. ter. where did the water come from a.
where did it go TO ? And would n
the water that would drive them
: these retreats be likely, sometimes,
overflow the whole surface and droV
tho whole population ? These noun
ty are usually found on planes and le'
lands and the water wonld overfi'
-. soo.a,;mas Rasi,