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A Newly-discovered Nation

A Newly-discovered Nation image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
August
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Frorn the Chicago Tribune. '■ The catupaign of Gen. Crook against the Apaches last year opened to research i tract of land 200 miles square, which is rich in relies of our country's unknown past. It jontains a ehain of anoient sities in ruins, and a coterie of ancient towns still inhabited by a race which liolds itself aloof froni Indian and Mexiean and Amerioan, prides itself on its desoent from the ancient inhabitants of the country, and maintains a religión and a governruent, both of which are peculiar to itself. We are indebted to Oapt. W. Manning, of the regular army, tor the facts in our possession concerning this newly discovered race. Capt. Manning, who was with Gen. Crook during the whole campaign, and was recommended for promotion by the latter on account of gallantry in the field explored in the intervals of fighting. He visited the inhabited towns, talked with their rulers and informed himself concerning their cu8toms. The largest settlement is in New Mexico, about 30 miles south of the border line. It is a type of the rest. A strong wall surrounds it. Withia are houses for about 4,000 people. The population has dwin.dled, however, to about 1,800. The place was inentioned by a Spanish Jesuit who published, in 1559, a description of his wanderings in America. About 1535 another Jesuit wrote a minute account of it. This account is trae in nearly every detail to-day. The language resembles the Chinese. So an ardent archaeologist, who visited the city a year ago, says some of the minor customs correspond to those of the Chinese. The womeu are of the true Celestial type - almond eyes, protuberant bodies, little feet, etc. They dress theirhair and theniselves in Chinese fashion. Their religión is barbarously magnificent. Montezuma is their deity. His coming is looked for at sunrise eaoh day. Immortality is part of their creed. The priests have heavily embroidered robes which have been used for unnumbered years. The ceremonies of worship are formal and pompous. The morality of this strange people, so far at least as"foreigners are concerned, is irreproachable. It is probable that they keep a reoord of eveuls by means of tying peculiar knots in long cords. This, if true, seems to establish some kinship or remote acquaintanceship between them and the Aztecs. Their government is a conservativo republic. Power is vested in a council of 13 caciques. Six of them are selected for lite. Old men are generally chosen, in order that their terms of office may not be inordinately long. The remaining seven are elected from time to time. One of them is the executive. Another is a sort of vice president. There is a war chief, a chief ot pólice, etc. These seven caciques are usually young men. They serve but a few moaths. Suffrage is universal. It is scarcely necessary to supplement these facts with the statement that tnese dwellers in towns are quite far ad vaneed in civiiization. On this point one fact speaks volumes. Woman is not a beast ot' burden among them, as sho is with. all Indian tribes. She is held in high respect. Her taska are confined to those of housekeeping. The written rocords which we have mentioned show that this isolated community has maintained its traditions unbroken for at least three and a half centuries. lts history, carefully studied, may prove a olue to the problem of the aboriginal Amerioans. The mound-builders of the North and the city-builders of the South may be represented in the town-dwellers of New Mexico and Arizona.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus