612 The Ancient Puéblos. [September, 
In the preceding pages of this article I have simply attempted 
to give a general idea of the main features in the ancient Puéblo 
architecture. Many other equally interesting ruins might be 
described, but it is unnecessary to pursue the subject farther at 
present. These ruins are similar to those of the Chaco cañon to 
the south, in New Mexico, which were first brought to light by 
Lieut. Simpson in 1849. In writing of these latter, Mr. W. H. 
Jackson remarks: “In all the ruined puéblos, the most remark- 
able feature was the skill with which the stone walls were built, 
and which has enabled them to withstand, for hundreds of years, 
the ravages of human hands and the slower work of the elements. 
Beginning at the foundation with a width of thirty-two inches, 
each succeeding story was built a little less in thickness, until the 
walls of the fourth floor were about eighteen inches through, 
giving them a pyramidal shape, and of such solidity that in some 
cases, although the floor has been crushed down and the cross 
walls fallen, they yet remain firm and plumb nearly forty feet in 
height. They had three methods of laying the stones: by regu- 
lar sandstone blocks of the size of two bricks, cut and ground 
uniformly; by alternate layers of these blocks with ‘very small 
anG thin pieces of sandstone, generally three courses of the thin 
_ to one of the thick; and last by laying the entire wall of these 
excessively small pieces of thin sandstone. As an example of 
this last kind, I measured off a square yard on the northern wall 
of the Puéblo of Chetho Kette, and counted the number of stones 
forming the surface. There were 450, laid so closely together 
that a knife-blade could not be pushed between, and not 
a particle of mortar of any kind appeared at the surface This 
entire wall was 400 feet long and originally fully forty feet high 
and averaged twenty-four inches thick. Imagine the industry and 
patience of such builders. Every doorway and window was 
_ framed with scrupulous exactness, and it would appear as if the 
plumb and square had been faithfully used in all their work.” 
In reviewing the above stated facts we would naturally be 
_ inclined to doubt the high antiquity of these works of art. But 
od it must be remembered that the conditions were exceedingly 
7 favorable for the indefinite preservation of mural constructions. 
> equability of the atmosphere and the aridity of the soil must 
taken into consideration. It is true that we find among these 
uins traces of timber which, under ordinary circumstances, is 
A 
