Trans. N. Y. Ac. Set. 122 Feb. 20, 



The fate of the Mound-Builders was for the mcst part extermination 

 by incursions of the more warhke northern nomadic Indians, who had 

 occupied the whole country at the advent of the whites; but it is 

 probable that in the Mandans and Natchez some remnant of the 

 Mound-Builders continued to exist after the occupation of Amer- 

 ica by Europeans. 



(II.) The table-lands of North America, from Salt Lake to the 

 Isthmus, are thickly set with the remains of a civilization much more 

 advanced than that of the Mound-Builders. These are the works of a 

 people at one time far more numerous than at present, though still 

 represented by scattered colonies in our southwestern territories, and 

 found in the occupation of Mexico by Cortez. They were character- 

 istically workers in stone, and have everywhere left monuments of their 

 skill in constructive masonry, which inspire respect and often admira- 

 tion. The structures raised by this people are mostly communal 

 houses and compactly built towns, but they are often citadels and 

 watch-towers. Many of these are erected with special reference to 

 defence — their exterior walls being unbroken to the height of 15 or 20 

 feet, and the interior accessible only by ladders. In many instances 

 the towns and houses are located on high and almost inaccessible 

 rocks, evidently with a view to defence. A few of the towns within 

 our own territory, peculiarly well defended by their natural positions, 

 continue to be occupied to the present day — such as the Moqui villages, 

 Acoma, Zuiii, etc. — but most of the area where once a dense population 

 existed has been entirely abandoned. Every available inch of arable 

 land seems to have been cultivated by them, hill-sides terraced, and 

 water for irrigation and drinking brought many miles in canals, and 

 stored in well-built stone cisterns. In the northern provinces of the 

 country inhabited by this people metals seem to have been unknown, 

 and all wood and stonework was accomplished with stone imple- 

 ments. 



The modern representatives of these ancient people are peaceful, in- 

 dustrious, ingenious, temperate and moral ; they cultivate the soil with 

 great care, and are well clad in softly dressed skins of sheep and deer, 

 or in woolen garments woven by hand, but often very tastefully orna- 

 mented and serviceable. They excelled in the manufacture of pottery, 

 which is often graceful in form, and elaborately ornamented with col- 

 ored designs. 



The metropolitan population of Mexico was, however, further ad- 

 vanced in the arts, having well-built and paved towns, good roads, 

 with relay stations for couriers, parks, fountains, courts of justice and 

 police. They also had a written language and picture writing, both on 

 paper, with elementary and professional schools. They employed a 



