Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-01
THE RUINS OF MONTEzUMA.
Footprints of a Dead and Forgotten
Race.
HEIR SILENT, oEsoLATE HOMES
A Day in the Haunts OF the Aztccs in
New MeNico-HeIics of Their Works
of Defense-MiIes of Lava
Bcds-A Strange Race.
The Home OF the Aztecs.

The Home OF the Aztecs.
GRANTS. New Mexico, June 25.-
Especial Correspondence OF THE BEE.
Leaving Grants l rode for several
hours toward the south, crossing first a
rugged lava bed and then a long stretch
Of dry. sandy country that appeared IN
capable of supporting anything save
here and there q struggling and dwarfed
cedar or pinon tree, and a few spread
ing cacti, whose long, keen daggers l
fancied were capable OF resisting even
the elements. Directly in front, with
its massive, irregular outlines, rose n
high sandstone mesa table land that
from its peculiar situation in an open
country looked as though in ancient
ages it had been carried on the bosom
of n gigantic iceberg, which on sud-
denly dissolving left 1T "a rugged, barren
and precipitous mass of rock, sitting
there alone. Indians perhaps there are
now that could easily indulge their
superstitious fancies to such au extent
as to believe a certain watchful spirit,
who ever had an eye totheir well-being,
caused this particular mesa to spring
into its present location, in order that
it might afford u natural fort for the
safety of their ancestors. for which
purpose 1t was evidently used. From
directions received from settlers there
abouts | recognized in the giant walls
and towering cliffs the objects that in
duced "A lonely voyage, over a rough un-
inhabited country, and which, together
with other features are known here as
the ruins OF MonteZuma. After riding
around the base, the distance of about IA
mile. i" search of a trail or break by
which | could make the ascent by ami
NAL and failing to find a place where |
dared lead a horse, / dismounted and
instituted all further explorations some
times on foot, but frequently on all
tours.
Scattered around the valley, at the
base Of the mesa were numerous old
ruins, the disordered remains of large
stone structures that, yielding from the
accumulation of soil above them, long
ago tumhled into decay. Judging from
the difficulty one must experience in
reaching the more unimpregnable cit
dal on the summit, | should infer that
these lower abOdcs were occupied
either by the people during their in
tervals of peace, or that their origin
dates pOsterior to the erection of
the others. Still another theory
worthy OF acceptance regarding
them would be their utility in
sheltering such live stock as those abo-
riginal people possessed. Although UNI
acquainted with any history relative to
the origin. customs or avocations of the
Aztecs can, from practical observa-
tlnns Gl fAly DGEurnn thar,, m lnN-n hoo,
n race OF untiring energy and thrift.
Every result of their labors remaining
at the present day, even though shat
tered and rendered incomplete by the
inroads of time, bears ~indisputable evil
denCe of the vast power of physical
force necessary for the continuation of
such durable and p]retentiOus stone
buildings, while each structure remain
ing upright at the present time is IA
monument in itself to the rare mechan-
ical ingenuity possessed aud displayed
by the erectors. Each stone is SHAPED
and rounded to n nicity. The corners
OF some buildings are turned into an
almost perfect half-cirClC, while in one
instance | discovered the lower portion
Of II deep fireplace, the Cap-stonc of
which had been cut into an arch. AS
old Mexican settlers have found a num-
Der of stone hatchets among these
81 IulIS ~ ID ICDOOIliDlc W SulIDtlSt
them to be the Instruments
used in cutting or chisseltng
the rocks. The hatchcts are made from
a hard white or hight blue flint of the
same nature as we find in the ordinary
Indian arrowhead. What tools were
used in shaping these is not made very
satisfactorily apparent, but the gener-
ally accepted theory is, | believe, that
they were formed by similar pieces Of
flint, only larger, and held while in use
by the hand. Going into Il deep, rocky
canon that penetrated on an incline
into the main body of the mesa, and the
three sides of which, after entering
Hbout one hundred feet, were smooth.
impossible, perpendicular walls, | found
small spring Of water that afforded
but "A very feeble flow indeed, which
Oo2ed out Of "A small crevicc between the
bouldcrs. The liquid was quite cool and
refreshing, however though heavily inn
%pregnated with iron. About the spring
the water had formed Il soft, sandy mud,
in which were sunk II number of deer
tracks, showing, conclusively, that
those timid creatures had found this
solitary haunt, where they came. no
doubt, to enjoy its quietude and drink,
unmolested, of the water.
Retracing the canon and mounting a
steep bank over grown with n dense
unuef-Dfusn OF mesquite, sage ana
cedar, 1 came rather ABRUPTLY
against another almost perpendicular
mass of sand stone, bleachcd nearly
white from SO long facing the elements.
In the very bosom of this massive wall,
numerous indentures, following one
above the other, still remained. They
had evidently Mt one time been much
deeper, and were undoubtedly exca-
waited by human hands. BY the aid of
these uncertain foot-holds | was ana
bled TO progress higher, and further
examinations brought to light unmis-
taxable evidences of an old, well de-
fined and much used trail. Remnants
of this pathway, which of course lead
from the top, to the spring below, be-
came conspicuous at short intervals,
and the nearer the summit the better it
retained its original shape. Some of
the steps were formed by slabs of rock,
being rolled into place just sufficient
distance apart to facilitate an ordinary
stride, while others We're cut into solid
stone, A close scrutiny proved the
hollow places to be worn quite smooth,