MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



145 



the traditions of this people that some key to the problems might be discovered by exploring ruins 

 far to the southwest of the Zuiii villages, where the people of Zufii averred their ancestors once 

 dwelled. We can not enter into a detailed account of these perplexing questions, nor can we relate 

 how or why the explorer considers that he has solved them. It must be left for him to explain 

 these matters fully at some future time. 



EXPLORATIONS IN THE SALADO VALLEY. 



It was not until the year 1S8G that he found the pecuniary means to conduct the desired 

 explorations, these being amply supplied by Mrs. Mary EEemenway, of Boston. Mr. Gushing set 

 out with a party of assistants, to which others were afterwards added, and, in February, 1887, 

 arrived in the neighborhood of the town of Tempe, in the valley of the Salado or Salt River, a 

 tributary of the Gila, in the Territory of Arizona. Here he began by excavating some stone ruins 

 on the rocky uplands, without any extraordinary results, While thus engaged his attention was 

 attracted to certain earthen mounds situated on the level flood-plain of the Salado, and in particular 

 to one of large size about 8 or 9 miles by road from Tempo. He proceeded to examine this mound 

 and its vicinity. 



SALT RIVER VALLEY. 

 ARIZONA 



Flu. 3. Map showing a part of tho Salt Kiver Valley, Maricopa County, Arizona, with modern towns, &amp;lt; anuls, and locutions of oucicnt cities. 



This mound seemed at first to be little more than a rude pile of earth. It had an irregular 

 rectangular form, and had some appearance of being terraced. The surrounding level plain, cov 

 ered with an abundant growth of that leguminous shrub or small tree, the mesquite (/ n&amp;gt;.so/;i .v 

 jitlijlora D, C.), which is so common in the arid lands along our southwestern borders, piesented 

 to the untrained eye no remains of human habitation; but from fragments of pottery and other 

 objects strewn over the ground, the explorer was led to believe that something of importance was 

 hidden under the surface. He caused a trench to be dug and soon brought to light the founda 

 tions of earthen walls. Without delay he established his camp at this place and pursued his 

 excavations with energy. The result was the discovery of an extensive collection of habitations a 

 city it might be called some miles in length and from half a mile to a mile in width. The mound 

 proved to be the di brix of a great earthen house, of many stories and many chambers and analo 

 gous in structure to tho still standing Casa (irande before referred to, which is distant from the 

 mound to the southeast less than 35 miles in a direct line. In the course of excavation at this 

 place so many skeletons were found under tin- doors of the houses that Mr. Gushing devised for it 

 the Spanish name of Pueblo de los Muertos, or, briefly, Los Muertos, the town of the dead; and 

 this name was retained for it, although he subsequently found other ruined cities in the vicinity 

 where skeletons were as common as here. 

 S. Mis. Hiit 10 



