The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-06
PRIMITIVE MINI n AMERICA.
FASCINATING HUNT FOR TINE PLACE
Of MAS saklM.
several Distinct Races and Cultures
Represented ~ Ruins. ImDae.
menfs and Bone.-A Possible Orr.
gtn I'm Asta-Jesup Expedition.

Many Interesting questions In regard TO
the carries; human inhabitants Of Ameri-
ca are revived by the departure from this
city, a few days ago, OF TWO scientific ex-
petitions, one going to the vicinity OF Ber-
ing strait and the other TO Mexico. bota
OF them being provided FOR by the nber-
atty Of Morris X. Jesup, president OF the
American Museum OF Natural History.
AT least six different centres OF civiliza-
ton IN North America and four in South
America were mentioned in lecture given
a few months ago by DR. Daniel @. Brin-
ton, on THE Culture Status Of the Ansri-
can indian az the Period OF His Dsscoy-
cry" In the Ohio and Upper Mississippi
valleys. for instance. fully 1000 years ago.
there were the mound builders. race
skilled in the arts OF the weaver, stone
dresser and potter. and given TO erecting
over the graves of their heroes massive
tumuls, often seventy, eighty and even
ninety feet in height.
In the Southwestern part Of the United
States were the elin-dwelers. who either
excavated living apartments in the vertical
sides OF the canyons, where the rock was
soft enough. or built their houses {of stone
and mortar) on projecting lodges in similar
situations, These people left graceful cups
and jars implements Of bone aud stone.
window shades and other evidences of In
dustrial advancement. Near the cliff
or towns. and built their houses and larger
structures of adobe, or unburned brick
In one of the, settlements, Casas Grandes
which had been left in ruins long before
the Spaniards explored the region, in 1860.
there was one edifice 500 feet long and 80
feet wide.
This particular town lay 40 miles south
of what Is now the boundary of the United
States. But there We're a number of them
further north. IN New Mexico and Ari-
zona. The Zunis, of whom Frank Gushing
told SO much a few years ago. belong to
this racial stock. the various tribes of
which were associated into what was
called the Tusayan Confederacy. Some OF
their ruined towns. in the country OF the
Hopi Indians. in Arizona, were explored
in 1855 by ]. Walter Fewes under the aus
pices OF the Smithsonian Institution. He
found many dwellings that had been ex-
cavated from the sides OF rocky cliffs by
the ancestors of the Hopis, and refers to
those ancient residents OF the upper G:la
valley as aboriginal troglodytes" Oraibi,
another Tusayan village, or pueblo, was
visited last year by George A. Dorsey, OF
the Field Columbian Museum, In Chicago.
and he brought home valuable lot OF
plaster casts OF Ewing representatives of
this ancient people.
Two parties OF scientists visited New
Mexico last year, with the intention of as
cending, IL possible the lofty plateau of
katzimo, also known as 1.-The enchanted
mesa" which rises from the plain near the
village of Acomas, I'm Western Central
New Mexico. This pueblo. by the way. is
said TO be the oldest settlement, occupied
continuously to the present day anywhere
in this country. One OF the visiting par
ties. led by DR.. +. w. Hodge, of the Smith
sonian Institution. found interesting relics
of the former occupants of that long -aban-
doneJ place OF residence. In the old DAVIS
the mesas were favorite sites for nreblos
Piateaus which were inaccessible except by
ladders or handholes cut In the rock az
forded admirable refuge against hostile
invaders OF the plains below.
STU further south. on the great plateau
of Mexico. Cortez discovered confeder-
acy OF Aztec tribes, whose culture aston
ished him beyond measure. And yet a
dozen miles from Montezumas home Law
the ruined and desolate remains of a much
older civilization. of which one Of the most
striking monuments was pyramid great
er than that of Cheops. AT Oaxaca. IN Mex-
leo, one may see another architectural
wonder. whose origin Is a puzzle to the
wisest Investigators. The sepulchral pal
ace of Militia is built OF stone decorated by
the insertion of smaller pieces of stone
wrought into remarkable variety OF pat
terms. Some of the granite blocks compos-
Ing this palace are twenty feet long.
The Maya stock.
Let us turn says DR.. Brinton, ''to the
great Maya stock OF Yucatan. Tabasco and
Guatemala. the most cultured of all the
American race. and seek I'm them to meas
ure the march OF progress. But at once
we are checked for in their own authentic
traditions they acknowledge that their
glory had departed and their golden age
closed with the destruction OF the fedora
ton and the fan Of their capital. Maya
par, about 1872. IL we wish confirmation
OF this. We have it In the undisputed fact
that their glorious city of Palenqne was
an untenanted ruin In l522.'
OF the four cenfers OF civilization In
South America discussed by this eminent
e,hnologist. at least three existed in Peru
The other one was in the northwest corner
OF what Ia now the Argentine Republic.
Colossal stone eoifce> sculpture equaling
or surprising that OF Egypt. and vast ir-
rgation works We're among the expressions
Of these ancient South American types OF
culture.
Mention should be made here OF certain
other discoveries. representing much
lover degree OF advancement in art found
within the last few years in the Delaware
valley. near Trenton. Numerous arrow
heads. kindred implements and the rough
chips which were left while making stone
weapons have been found tn beds OF clay
and gravel about whose antiquity there
has been much controversy. In certain
quarters there Is disposition to believe
that these geological deposits belong TO the
glacial epoch. when Arctic animals roaBled
through that region. Those who accept
this theory look upon the makers Of chips
and arrow heads OF the Trenton gravel as
men OF an exceedingly low stage OF civil
cation. who lived thirty thousand, fifty
thousand. perhaps several hundred thou
sand years ago. Commenting upon this
superstition The American Arehaeologis;"
recently remarked
AT no point on this continent hu. in that
limited area of the Delaware valley have
undoueted traces OF glacial man been Yet
discovered. Let us suppose, however. that
similar evidences have been. or may In the
future be. discovered elsewhere. This ad-
ditional evidence VIII but strengthen the
inference that the glacial and preglacIai
American was. In culture status. but little
Z any. superior 10 some OF the higher an
tAroNosi apes OF the Old World coase-
ouentiy an 'autoehthon, created or
eVo4ved from some lower animal found in
his region HIS hasf In 9r,,-