Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-06-21
Prehistoric Indians.


A Washington correspondent of the
Philadelphia Times writes: The arch
aologic and uthnologic researches
which have been prosecuted during the
past four or five years, SAYS Capt. Steven
son, OF the geological survey bureau,
IN different localities on our continent,
especially in our southwestern territor
les, have thrown much light and infor
nation not only upon the history of the
present aboriginal inhabitants, but also
upon their predecessors, or the prehis-
tOric races that inhabited that portion
OF our country. As each years explora-
tons are prosecuted, with the additional
experience of the previous year, the web
OF information is broadened and more
comprehensive and definite knowledge
OF these people is obtained. The bureau
extended its researches into more remote
and less known localities during the
past season with most gratifying results
One locality visited and explored by a
party under the direction of Prof. Powell
last summer is worthy of special men,
ton. Near Flagstaff, in Arizona, is
mountain called San Francisco noun
tain. This mountain is of volcanic
origin, and around it, extending for
many miles, in all directions, are prom
inent volcanic cinder cones ranging
from five hundred to two thousand feet
in height. The outer crusts of these
cones are quite hard; while beneath this
crust is compact body of cinders or
tufa. The party visited a number of
these cones, on which they found a
series of ancient cave-houses artiticially
excavated by tools of rude character,
which was evinced by the implements
and domestic utensils left in these caves.
One of the most conspicuous of these
villages was found to occupy large
area, from the top far down the side of
one of these mountains. The cave
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 de-
sends fifteen feet to the bottom. Along
side of the entrance shaft is a groove
about one foot in depth, which serves as
chimney. The dwellings, were with
out windows and the occupants must
have learned to grope their way through
the dwelling in the dark. In many in
stances there are. side shafts, which lead
into connecting chambers eXcavated in
to the side of the dwelling, which were
used to store away corn and other food
stuffS.
I'm one cave, which was plastered,
small niche was discovered which had
been Theoretically sealed up and which
contained several small objects or clay
stands, in which were stuck fragments
of a finely-woven cotton fabric SO nice
ly twisted up as to show that they were
carefully arranged and placed in this
niche and sealed up for some sacred
purpose; quantities of corn-cobs and
other objects of a vegetable character,
also many stone implements of large
and small size, some weighing two hun
bred 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 most primitive habitations on this
continent. Notwithstanding this fact,
he feels confident from the evidences
presented by these caves that the occu-
pants were the direct ancestors of some
of the mesa dwelling tribes now inbabit-
ing portions of Arizona and New Mexi-
co, and he also feels assured that the
future researches will clearly reveal the
history and relationship between these
tribes that have passed away and those
now living in that region.