Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1914-07-03

enemies overwhelm them and blot
them out! u seems quite possible.
according To DR.. Fcwkcs. that their
coming and going covered n period
of nnnunbcred years and that the
many conditions determined III.
abandonment of the cities of the
plains.
\ very attractive theory. found in
the legends of the Pueblo Indians.
declares that their ancestors moved
from place Ia place IN search of tn
center of the world. where their gods
decread they should live. More like.
" II Is, however, that the gradual
decrease in the rainfall of this region
determined migration aud they de
parted To more favored sections.
where gravity irrigation could be-
practired. That these people did ir-
rigaie with the limited surface water
supply of the Mimbres Valley is
certain. because their ancient dykes
and bitches still remain. Gradually.
however. the Mimbrcs river lost itself
IN the sand and the population of the
valley vanished.
The Aztec legends tell of the com
ing of the people by way of Bellring
strait. the wandering of the tribes
through the Southwest and the final
building al the ancient city which is
now til" capital of the Mexican state.
The extensive ruins in the Casas
tirandrs region south of Arizona
probably marks n former colony of
he Aztec nation. though the out
layin" remains de- not show the ad-
vanrrd civilization of the parent city.
This has been accounted for by the
isolation of the colonies and the alb
sencc of any reliable methods Of com.
munirailon. DR.. Fcwkcs remarked
on the likeness of the pottery found
here I" that NJ Casas Grandes.
II i probable that when the savage
Aparhrs swept down from the north.
the prehistoric, scdeniary people
found themselves unable to cope with
the firece intruders aud were on
many occasions forced to take TO the
mountains. or were slaughtered and
their cities destroyed. This has been
the fate Of n number of Pueblo vii
laecs within the last 300 wears.
Communal dwellings are often
abandoned for superstiiious reasons,
but il is not likely that this would
account for the complete dcpopula-
ton of the Mimbrcs Valley.
Thus il will be- seen that the story
n the vanished race is still untold
though scientists have long studied
aud slecuatcd on the mystery. What
II systematic and scientific rcstora-
ton will do here remains To be- seen.
Certain il is that the work will some
time be- done.
DR.. Fewkes visited the sites of an
cicnt cities near Old Town. Black
Mountain, the Little Flordas (therc
are several sites here), Byron ranch.
the farm of f. ID. Osborne. south of
Deming and Cooks Peak.
The scientist found these ruins in
more decayed condition than is
usual in the Southwest where many
of the dwellings, especially in the
cliffs. often appear rs if the owners
were but off for u few hours III the
| fields or in the chase. The buildings
were not typically communal. another
I striking difference from the houses
of thousands of rooms found IN New
/ Mexico aud Arizona. The scattered
foundations of stone are practically
all that remain. The superstrur-
iure was Of logs daubed with adobe
aud sometimes plnstered Oh the insld"
with the same material. They had
probably not morc than two Store
which marks them rs unlike the RUNS
which show several stories and y
pyramid form. Stone laid in mud
is also u material frequently found
The pottery found is of superior
quality as compared with that made
by other ancient peoples. There are
n few painted with the usual geomet-
rical designs still used by the Pueblos'
but a far greater proportion bear re-
productions of insects, antelope,
mountain lions, frogs, and human fig
ures. These are well drawn, con-
sidcred in a comparative way. THIS
broken pottery is found in profusion
over the ancient sites and in great
quantities. almost intact, in the bury
ing grounds.
The primitive people had no iden
Of working metal. save native copper
for ornaments. Small copper bells,
with pebbles inside, is all the metal
so far unearthed. These probably