The morning call., 1890-06-23
PALISADE MOUNTAIN.
Discovery of a Curious Work by
Sun WOrshipers.
stone Roadway Leading to a Summit Over
Twelve Hundred Feet Above Valley
in Sonora, Mexico.

Charles J. Wimple, one of the wealthiest
miners of Mexico, is recent arrival in the
city and is stopping at the Palace. TO a
representative of THE CALL he told the fol-
lowing wonderful story last night:
"You have asked me to give an account
of the interesting mountain my friend,
Jesse d. Grant, and myself saw during our
trip through Mexico en- route to this city.
Well, that mountain is at once one of the
most gigantic exhibitions of mans handi-
work, and something almost beyond ere
dence were we not already familiar with
the works of the AZtecs.
"Just imagine valley forty by thirty
miles in area, and from its center rising
mound over 1900 feet in height Then
you can realize the first effect created upon
our minds when We came before the hill
am to describe. My foreman was wi tn us,
and had partly prepared us for the surprise.
but we had treated his story with incredu-
lous remarks, and had by no means sus-
pected he had but given modest descrip-
ton of the mound.
I'VE gazed to the top and allowed our
eyes to follow the windings of road down
to the base. We went around the base and
conjectured it was about one and half
miles in circumference. Then we started
for the summit. The roadway was built of
solid rock clear to the pinnacle and was
from 80 to 40 feet in Wild tn. A wall of solid
wall at the same time. The outer edge Of
the road was unguarded. These stones
weigh all the way up to ton each and are
not cemented. The roadway is as level as
a floor and is covered with broken pieces of
earthenware water-veSsel5.
IT II IYrrr
Half way up the mountain is an altar
cut in solid rock. in the niche is a bowlder
which must weigh at least six TONS The
bOwlder is of different stone to that used in
the walls. The rocks in tho walls are
dressed by skilled workmen, but are not
polished. We saw no Inscriptions; in fact
We had no time TO spare in making a search
ing investigation. We did look for arrow
heads OF other warlike implements to sat
isfy ourselves that the mound had not been
used for defensive or offensive purposes.
Nor was there any evidence to prove that
the roadway had been built for the purpose
of Witnessing bull-hghts and other sports
in the valley. | could only conclude the
Aztec sun-worshipers expended years of
labor on the hill in order that they might
have an appropriate place to celebrate their
imposing festivals, inasmuch as the road
way was strewn with broken earthenware,
anu those ScionS OF byg0ne and notable
race we're known to carry at sunrise large
quantities OF water IN earthenware jars to
an eminence and there pour out the liquid
and smash the vessels.
AZTEC sUN-woRsHPERs.
When we descended we brought with us
a number of small sea shells which had pet
rited, aud if you look at these on my table
you will see how they have been perforated
by the Indians. We again took long look
at the mountain and saw it was oblOng in
shape, and that the upward road COM
menced on the eastern side. | have trav-
eled on both Il les Of the mountains from
British Columbia to Central America and
on either side of the Sierra Madres where
the ciiff-dwelers have left such remarkable
meme ntos of their skill and customs, but
have never witnessed anything sc wonder
full and magnificent as the mound which
have been telling you about l never
would have believed it existed if l had not
seen it.
The valley is about 600 feet above the
sea-leyel and is about seventy miles from
the coast. 1t is situated in Sonora, between
the cities of Altar and Magdalena and near
the Magdalena River. We called the curl
osity Palisade Mountain, and it is well
named"