The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-17
EXPLORING IN GAVES
What the Philips Expedition
Found in the Mountains.
PECULIAR INDIAN RACE
Governor Tells Each Man
What He Shall Do Daily.

Philadelphia, April 16.-Professor o. P.
Phillips of the Biological department of
the University Of Pennsylvania, by his
excavations and researches among the
homes Of the Taos Indians and the Az
tees in Arizona and New Mexico, has
contributed much that is new TO the
archaeology Of the aborigines and the
cave-dwelelrs Of a later period. While
the expedition failed to establish that
man lived in the tertiary age, during the
lava period, implements of industry and
pottery, and personal ornaments were
found in the cliff homes, showing that
the ancient jewellers were Of high order
Of civilization.
The expedition extended over two
months, during which time extensive ex-
cavations were made in the Mancos
canon and Puye district with the object
of determining by the reported lava de-
posits-Which were said TO have covered
up human skeletons-if man lived in the
tertiary age. The party failed to I'M
earth any human remains beneath the
lava, which was characteristic of the
tertiary. period, and as a consequence the
theory was abandoned. In the Puye dis
trict in Arizona, twenty-five Indian skel-
etons were found, also q number of i'm
plements Of war and peace.
The Taos Indians, near Santa Fe, rep
resent the typical communal life as it
existed centuries ago. Here over 400 In
dams eked out an existence by cultivat-
ing the soil. Neithre civilization, nor the
march Of progress westward, has invaded
the primitive homes of these solitary
nounads. Setting aside the slight changes
which the element of association during
the past three centuries has had upon the
puebIos. there is scarcely an appreciative
variation in their distinguishing habits
and customs. The Pueblo Indians are
more diminutive and refined than the
othre tribal groups, showing the Aztec
INVASION has had great effect on their
physical and intellectual side.
In religion the Taos are intensely dem
onstrative, which is true also in their re-
lations with one another. The plane of
morality, also. is high and rigid Every
essential virtue must be observed. When
the laws of morality are broken the Of
fender is banished from the village.
The Taos Indians nave most peculiar
customs When a man becomes certain
age he can become a member of the
council. This council elects a governor
and war captain Every morning the
governor. goes on the roof of the highest
buildin ga.nd calsl out what each man is
to do each day, and woe to the man who
dares to refuse the bidding. The high
building. or state house. is over 400 years
old. having been partly demolished in
$40 by the invasion of the paniards-
The Mancos canon is in the same state
of ruin as when the Spaniards drove out
the original jewellers. The many-rooomed
houses, after much digging, revealed a
great many articles of personal adorn-
ment, pottery and implements of indus
try. which, it is believed, show high
state of development existd in this cOun-
try over three centuries ago.
The Puye district contains cliff . mile
long. honey-combed with caves Of an.
Gent jewellers. The top is the ruins of a
house an acre high. The most careful ex-
cavations were made in this district, with
the object Of establishing the fact that
man lived in the tertiary age. This idea
is based on the notes of a United States
surveyor. Captain Marrow, to the effect
that while surveying tire he found cliff
dwellings into which the lava flow had
run. No lava was found in the cliff
dwellings by the Philips expedition, how-
ever.
In the broad southwest territory, also,
is the petrifed forest. It covers several
thousand acres, and petriied trees, six
inches to six feet in diameter, are found
lying on the ground. The wood is hard
as flint and out Of it emery stones are
made