Year: 1875

in dimensions, and between these, is shown in
the diagram, three larger rooms Just back
OF this immense building bubbed up the mineral
OF Aztec Springs which enclosed another house.
and the water escaped IL flowed down into the next
enclosure, and empted into gigantic wel
supplying the inmates with all necessary moisture
This second enclosure which the extensive in
the city, evidently designed fortress or at
least considering the peaceful disposition Of the peope
place OF safety for many hundreds OF persons The
whole structure is $50 by 200 feet
ranged very similarly 10 the FIRST with the
exception of the well, fifty feet in diameter
aud the surrounding square, which probably not
rooted in but formed OPEN interior yard. The par
titions OF the small could trace, at least
the north side but we could merely distinguish the di
recon of foundation the Others and it would appear
that they had been constructed OF adobe clay,
which now lay in a modnd Of dust The ruins
were almost covered with dense growth or vegeta-
ton; sage brush, coarse, tall grass and few
stunted cedars appeared from the crevces OF the mou
derng heaps OF rubbish; but the spring dry, and
its past existence was only marked by hollow sur
rounded by circle Of rocks around which denser,
greener sedge and some scrubby still fingered
Thus stood in the city of the dead awed by the
thoughts which surged through and the many conjec
which presented themselves TO our minds Could



houses peopled again with their busting inmates
for half hour, and ask them whence they came
and whittier they went the riddle might be solved; but
we could only stand and gaze on the works of their
hands and feel sadder tnge creep spirits
! the drew his rays quietly down behind Ute Noun
tans and lef alone in the dusk OF the ruined city
|


About four miles north Of Aztec Springs, near the
head of tho Mcsmo Creek (which by the way, is per-


ectly dry at prcsent stands another important and
well preserved ruin 1t the remains of tower fifty
feet in diameter whose circular walls rise twelve
feet above the rock which it is built very erro-
neous idea has been circulated by correspond
ents in regard the abundance OF tho
| broken crockery strewn tho plains and through
the canyons Many persons led 10 believe that this
may be shovelled up by the cart load in any locality
throughout this country The fact however thai IL
is only met with In spots, and sometimes may ride
for miles without observing fragment It Is usually
the vicinity Of ruined ed6ces and then only m
scattered quantities Occasionally heap OF it may DO
found but very rarely However 1t rs difTused over
great extent of territory and there Is doubt, from
all indications, that immense quantities Of It
actured, and for this purpose there must have been
many burning kns throughout the land and the greater
portion evidently made by skilled worknen and per-
/ haps by rude machinery. Is difficult to find
| a piece large enough to indicate the size
| accurate shape Of the original vessel but
times fragment may be picked up six eight inches
square From the general contour and curves Of differ
ent specimens would that the forms OF the
| original articles closely resembied culinary
chinaware; thus, that there cups,
saucers bowls pots jugs and pitchers We find among
the rubbish spous of teapots similar vessels lids OF
jars and handles OF Jugs The majority of this pottery
| ornamened with designs painted the surface,
before the glazing administered in black brown.
There singular fact TO be observed however, and
that is, that there animate objects represented
| in any of this ornamentaon the height of the art
consisting in tho production of parallel and
ntersectng lines curves squares and other geometrca
figures We find different grades and styles OF work
/, manship represented, just in the crockery OF
| our day There the plain burnt-clay
| utensils either black or brick red there
| s the thatched variety, mostly OF a clay
color, in which little scales overlap each other
| a fish; and it is perfectly evident that these
| vessels finished by hand, as each indenation
the surface perfectly retains yet the impression OF the
! makers thumb Advancing farther IN the ascending
scale of the art, TO the highly glazed
rieiy, which resembles a stone than
clay material This is exceedingly durable
much of has resisted the attacks of time probably
these four five centuries Occasionally find a
piece which has been perforated in two places
showing that it had been tied together and pa, to
further after having been broken Another fact is
noticeable in the interesting study ofthese ragmentary
remnants Wherever it is evident from the OF a
! piece that 1t has been shallow, nat vessel
the interior only has been ornamented the under
! viii not show When the original jug has been tall
and narrowing at the mouth the exterior only has been
painted but where It has been crock bowl whose
interior and exterior surfaces equally visible both
have been invariably decorated As get farther
the ruins and become familiar with forms and
varieties many other pecuiariiies of this V
doubt be discovered.


| THE SAN JUAN EVER


Our next days march will take down the dry bed
Of the McElmo and the probabilities are that we shall
have to travel forty miles at stretch as far the
San Juan River) before camp any water.
| At present camp discovered
| Indian skull and, subsequently,, in the rocks
| by, bloody Navajoe blanket cut full OF
rents There has evidently been a murder committed
here in the past few years, and the victim probably
| Navajoe Indian. The perpetrator undoubtedly
! Ute, but the circumstances will through all time be
| veed in mystery We certainly in land Of pre-
historical obscurity What might the and rocks
reveal could they speak Of the events Of the of
! the past