Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
AMERICAS POMPElI.
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES MADE BY
AN ALASKAN TRAVELLER.

Relics of an Unknown Race Revealed by
an Avalanohe-The Walls of What May
Be Prehiatoric City Laid Bare-Some
Beautiful Specimens of Pottery.
One of the most interesting theories
in regard to the ancient colonization of
America is that relating to its Asiatic
origin. These theories We're supported
by tribal traditions, chiefly among the
highly civilized races of Mexico as they
were discovered by the Spaniards, from
an analysis of which it would appear
that the first settlements of this conti-
nent were Asiatic-for the time of a
high degree of cultivation, in time over
run and subjugated by more warlike and
powerful invaders, who, like themselves,
came from the north.
Archaeological discoveries in New
Mexico, Arizona and California have
tended to confirm these obscure legends,
and now correspondent of The Globe
Democrat of st. Louis presents the lat
est claims i'll the evidence of Professor
Alfred Eldrige of Montreal as to recent
discoveries made by him in Alaska.
Professor Eldrige's statements to the
correspondent were, in brief, as follows:
At the mouth of the Kuwalik river,
on the shore of Kotzebue sound, en-
cOuntered small settlement of Indians,
who were much surprised at my desire
to proceed up the stream.
1.-The chief did all in his power to
persuade me to abandon my project, ex-
planning unbearable perils galore which
l would be certain to encounter The
savages seemed to think the district
cursed by the Great Spirit, and nothing
could tempt them to set foot Oh it.
81 did not feel uneasy, however, un-
til arrived at the mouth of the Ku-
walk. AS entered the mouth of this
frozen river it seemed as though l could
read, Abandon hope, all ye who enter
here, written across its horizon, and
the vision of possible Dantean Infer
no. beyond amazed me.
"On the border of little lake where
l stopped my attention was drawn to
spot half way up steep peak, which
had evidently suffered some recent dis
turbance. On arriving at the situation
saw that great body of earth had
broken away and rolled down the noun
tain.
1.-The first thing to attract me was
the discovery of a small piece of broken
earthenware, light brown in color, with
an artistically worked trimming of
Greek design worked in black pigment.
1t was just such piece as those I had
found in New Mexico some years be-
fore, and any one can imagine my
amazement at its discovery in that
quarter
II turned quickly to scan the sides of
the earth where the avalanche had torn
1t apart, and i'll the midst of the crevicc,
not 300 yards away from where stood,
saw the protrusion of wall of dull
gray masonry, crumbling and broken.
but showing beyond all doubt, even at
that distance, that the builder was hu-
man. On making further Investigations
I found evidences of numerous other
walls at distance of 30 or more feet
apart, and some of them revealed cor
ners of masonry.
"1t soon became evident to me that
had discovered an American Pompeii
through the work of the avalanche. The
remains of houses I saw We're undoubt-
edly those of a 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 centu-
ries ago.
"All of the masonry was Of beautiful
symmetry, constructed of hewn sand
stone blocks OF an approximately even
size, laid in strong mortar beds and
with the joints broken. There were
many pieces of broken.pottery and other
articles of domestic use lying around the
ruins.
"But I sought higher game, and after
preparing wooden handle to a copper
spade which I picked up on the scene
went to digging most industriously.
Almost Immediately my antiquated
spade unearthed few more fragments
of pottery, which seemed an ominous
sign. AS l reached about six feet be-
meath the surface pots, vases, cups,
plates, jugs, pipes and numerous articles
VI uoup'Iul usc ANU tOO neaVy TO Dr1nS
away with me were uncovered with al
most every thrust of the spade The last
articles my spade revealed were mixed
sizes of arrows, spears of odd design,
scrapers, hatchets and drills.
81 dug into square room which had
no windows i'll the walls. Here I found
some of the finest specimens of pottery
l have ever seen. They were beautiful
ly decorated and finished in way
that is lost art to modern potters
There were many exquisitely shaped jars,
about feet tall and as perfectly pre-
served as the china just delivered from
the hands of our nineteenth century
potters-if anything, more artistically
proportioned.
1T does not require much thought or
study to see an undeniable connection
between the evidence of prehistoric i'll
habitation in Spanish America and
those which have unearthed in north
ern Alaska, a fact which opens an ell
tlrely new and extensive field for archa-
illogical study"