The Red Cloud chief., 1886-02-12
PREHISTORIC INDIANS.
Interesting Disesvertss.asAs - Astsees d
The Geological sssssy.

Interesting Disesvsrsss.asa s 10 Astssaa ~
The Geological ssssey.
The archeologic and eshnoloyic
researches which have been prosecuted
during the pas; four or Eve years"
Says Captain Stevenson. Of the Sstional
Geological Survey Bureau. in differ
en-; localities on cur continent. esq
ciai'y in our Southwestern Territories.
have thrown much light and informa-
ton. not only upon the history Of The
presen, aboriginal inhabitants. bat also
apon their predecessors, or the pre-
historic races which inhabited that poT-
ton Of our country. A. rNch year,.
exploration, are prosecuted. VITA the
additional experience II the previous
year. the web Of information - broad
ened. and n more definite and comPr.-
prchen.iye knowledge ot these p-ppl.
is obtained. The bureau extended Is
researches into more remote and
less known localities durIn. the past
season with most, CRAFTY. ing results.
One locality visited and explored By \
party under The direction II Prof Pow
ell last summer il worthy II special
mention. Near Flagstaff. in Aritona.
is \ mountain called San Francisco
Mountain. This - of vol
canic Origin, and around Il. extending
for many miles in all directions. are
prominent volcanic cinder one rang
ing from five hundred 10 two thousand
feet in height The oVAIr -rus's Of
these cones are quite ~. while be-
meath the ruS - a compact body II
cinders or iufa. The party visited a
number .! these cones OF which they
found 4 series Of ancient cave houses
artiiicially eNcavated by a post Of -
rude character. which Was evidenced
by the implements and domestic utrn-
sis left in these caves. One Il
the most conspicuous Of these
a large area, from the top
far down the side Of one of these
mountains. The ave dwellings are Of
an oval shape, about twenty-five feet
across the base, and perhaps fifteen
feet high. The entrance or doorway
consists Of = square hole cut IN the
crust. from which a shaft descends
fifteen feet To the bottom. Alongside
of the entrance shaft is n grove about
n foot in depth. which served a. a
chimney. The dwellings were without
windows and the occupants must have
learned 10 grope their way through the
dwelling in the dark. la many in
stances there are side shafts. which
lead into connecting chambers. The
party also found many small chambers
excavated into the side Of the dwelling.
which were used To store away corn
and other food stufs.
..In one cave, which was plas'ered,
a small niche was discovered which
had been Theoretically sealed up ar.'
which contained several small objects
or clay stands. in which were stuck
fragments Of n finely wOven cotton
fabric so nicely twisted up As to show
that they were carefully arranged and
placed in this niche and sealed up for
some sacred purpose; quantities oi
corn-cobs. charrcd beans aud squash
seeds and other objects Of a vegetarian
character. also many stone implements
of large and small size. GONE weighing
two hundred pounds. all of which gave
some idea Of the people who made and
used them. There are many Of these
cave villages situated on these volcanic
cones" Prof. Powell considers them
the oldest and mos: primitive habi,a-
tions on this continent. Notwithstand-
ing this fact. he feels confident from
the evidences presented by these caves
that the occupants were the direct an
cestors Of some Of the Mesa dwelling
tribes now %inhabi,ing portions Of Arr
roma and New Mexico, and he also
feels assured that future researches
will clearly reveal the history and re-
lationship between these tribes that
have passed away and those now liv-
ing in that region. Philadelphia Times.