of the Ancient Mexicans. 117 



serts round the Great Salt Lake, and the barren and incle- 

 ment regions to the north of these again, present a natural 

 obstacle to the supposition, that they could come from re- 

 moter regions than the one assigned. 



It is generally supposed that no traces of the Aztecs exist 

 northward of the river Gila ; but, in the country of the Na- 

 vajos, as well as in that of the independent Moquis, are still 

 discoverable traces of their former habitations; and, as I 

 have before remarked, the Pueblo Indians, as far north as the 

 valley of Taos, construct and inhabit villages and houses of 

 the same form as the Casas Grandes of the Aztecs, retaining 

 many of their customs and domestic arts, as they have been 

 handed down to us, and many traces of a common origin. 



In the absence of any evidence, traditionary or otherwise, 

 on which to found an hypothesis as to the probable cause of 

 the migration of the Mexicans from the north, I have sur- 

 mised that it is possible that they may have abandoned that 

 region on account of the violent volcanic convulsions, which, 

 from the testimony of persons who have visited these regions, 

 I have no doubt have, at a comparatively recent period, agi- 

 tated that portion of the country ; and from my own obser- 

 vation, the volcanic formations becom.e gradually more recent 

 as they advance to the north, along the whole table-land, 

 from the valley of Mexico to Sante Fe in New Mexico. These 

 disturbances may have led to their frequent changes of resi- 

 dence, and ultimate arrival in the south. 



If their object was to fly from such constantly-recurring 

 commotions, their course would naturally be to the south, 

 where they might expect a genial soil and climate, in a di- 

 rection in which they might avoid the numerous and war- 

 like tribes who inhabited the regions south of their aban- 

 doned country. Thus, we find the remains of the towns built, 

 in the course of their migration, in insulated spots of ferti- 

 lity, oases in the vast and barren tracts they were obliged 

 to traverse, which spread from the shores of the Great 

 Salt Lake of the north towards the valley of the Gila, and 

 still southward, along the ridges of the Cordillera, which 

 stretch far away to the southern portion of the country. 



