Trans. N. Y. Ac. Sez. "122 Feb. 20, 
The fate of the Mound-Builders was for the most part extermination 
by incursions of the more warlike northern nomadic Indians, who had 
occupied the whole country at the advent of the whites; but it is 
probabJe that in the Mandans and Natchez some remnant of the 
Mound-Builders continued to exist after the occupation of Amer- 
ica by Europeans. 
(Il.) 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, Zufii, 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- 
meuts. f 
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 
