The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-26
RELICS OF PREHISTORIC RACE
FOUND BY PROF. ALFRED ED
RIDGE IN THE UNTRACKED
NORTHERN FORESTS.
AVALANCHE UNCOVERED RUINS,
Walls of Former Habitations and
Many Domestic Utensils Laid
Bare.

previously unmarked by footprints OF
modern civilization, an American Pom
peii has been discovered by Prof. AL
fred Eldridge, of Montreal, says the
st. Louis Globe-Democrat Prof. Ell
bridge left his home in the Canadian
city to explore unknown Alaska over
four years ago, and was thought to
have been lost and destroyed by saw
ages in the great northern forests. His
friends and relatives were most agree
ably surprised when he suddenly ap-
peared about former haunts, and like
wise much interested in the remark
able tale Of long wanderings and aston
fishing discoveries in the perilous saw
age region of darkest America he told
The eminent archaeologist who
searched the long-abandoned hills end
planes of the Spanish American dis
tricts some years ago and revealed
many interesting marks of past inhab-
itation returned to his home only a
few days previous to his departure for
New York, and when seen by the writer
In the latter city had not delayed maxi
ing arrangements for his tour to ar
range his notes in proper shape.
My trip up to the time I reached
the uneXplored region was neither
especially interesting nor novel," said
Prof. Eldridge. Months Of my time
We're spent at first in travelling over a.
vast country, the characteristics Of
which have been told and retold by
explorers, and could add nothing now
TO it's description from my hurried
passage to the border Of the unknown
districts. was surprised at the num-
Der of Indian villages, having no con-
nect1on with civilization, through which
passed, however, although the exist
ence of some was well known to me.
THE END OF CIVILIZATION.
Being almost exhausted with the
rough means Of travel 1 was forced to
endure was never so pleased in my
life as when I reached the mouth of
the Kuwalik river on the shore of
Kotzebue sound. Here I encountered
small settlement Of Indians, who
were much surprised at my desire to
proceed up the stream. was informed
that there were no settlements or lfv-
ing creatures in the high forest regions
to which it led, and that no white man
had ever attempted to enter the wild
secluded territory The Indians them
selves were ignorant of the character
istics of the country.
"The chief did all in his power to
persuade me to abandon my project,
explaining unbearable periis galore
which I would be certain to encounter,
and finally, finding my determination
mistaken, when he had finished, 1 was
further acquainted with a horrible In
dian superstition regarding the seclud-
ed land
1t seems that different small tribes
OF red men have in past years migrat-
ed into the unknown region and not
returned to get provisions or shown
their existence by the usual connection
established and maintained between
Indian settlements. Others were sent
In search of them, and they never re-
turned, and SO the UNEMPLOYED country
became a terrible wilderness Of mystery
TO the red men, which they discussed
with bated breath. The savages seem
ed to think the district cursed by the
Great Spirit, and nothing could at
tempt them to set foot in it, From
their descriptive conception of the
characteristics of the region I confess
1 was much impressed with possible
dangers to be encountered.
L did not feel uneasy, however until
arrived at the mouth of the kuwalik
AS L entered the mouth Of this frozen
river it seemed as though 1 could
read, Abandon hope, all We that enter
here written across it's horizon and
the vision of possible Dantean Infer
no, beyond amazed me. But still my
determination could not be shaken, and
so on l proceeded until about 400 miles
up the stream, where 1 entered a little
lake. L was convinced that the Indians
were right in their belief that the
1fr1xT IL.
In its bounds did l see a living creature
or sign of their existence The land
was mostly mountainous, and much of
1T was covered with thickly grown
forests.
AN AVALANCHE UNCOVERED
THE RUINS.
ION the border of the little lake
where 1 stopped my attention was
drawn to spot half way up a steep
peak, which had evidently suffered
some recent disturbance. On arriving
at the situation | saw that a great BODY
of earth had broken away and rolled
down the mountain. The first thing
TO attract me was the discovery of a
small piece of broken earthenware
light brown in color, with an artisti-
cally worked trimming of Greek de-
sign worked in black pigment. 1t was
just such a piece as those I had found
IN New Mexico some years before, and
anyone can imagine my amazement at
Its discovery in that quarter
Il turned quickly to scan the sides
OF the earth where the avalanche had
torn it apart, and in the midst of the
crevice, not 300 yards away from where
L stood, l saw the protrusion of a wall
OF dull gray masonry crumbIing and
broken, but showing beyond all toubt.
even at the distance, that the builder
was human. This wall was a little
over six feet deep in the ground I
discovered on arriving at it's location
and both Of its ends were lost in the
ground about it. On making further
investigations 1 found evidences of
numerous other walls at a distance Of
thlrty or more feet apart, and some Of
them revealed corners of masonry
1T soon became evident to me that
! had discovered an American Pompeif
through the work of the avalanche The
remains OF houses l saw were undoubt-
edIy those of prehistoric city, covered
with earth and debris, which had hid
den it through some volcanic action
possibly during, but most likely long
after its desertion, centuries on CEN
turtles ago.
The first wall I discovered, the one
mostly covered, was three feet thick
and OF stone throughout, and others
close by were even five feet in width.
All VI me iHdSOufy was or beautiful
symmetry, constructed Of hewn sand
stone blocks of an approximately even
size, laid in strong mortar beds. and
with the joints broken
PIECES OF PREHISTORIC POT
Terry
There were many pieces Of broken
pottery and other articles Of domestic
use lying around the ruins. But /
sought higher game, and after prepar-
ing a wooden handle to a copper shade