Introductory Facts—Ruins of Yucatan and other parts of Mexico—Ruins of North America—Mississippi and Missouri—Look-Out Mountain—Ohio River—Mount Joliet and others—Indian Races—Ledyard—Bradford—Dr. Morton—Diversity of Opinions—Pyramids of Egypt—Speculations—Vassalage—Comparison—Traditions—Embalming—Priesthood—Siamese—Japanese—Astronomy and Mythology.
There are three questions which will very naturally occur to those of my readers who have done me the honor to follow me through the preceding details and statistics:—1st. By whom were these ruins built? 2d. When were they built? And 3d. For what purpose? Before answering the first question it is proper to state, that all the ruins of which mention has been made in the preceding pages, and by Mr. Stephens and by Waldeck, are not a tithe of those still remaining uninvestigated on the American continent, and, perhaps I may add, in the single province of Yucatan. Mounds, tumuli, pyramidal structures, and ruins of cities, have been seen from the southern extremity of South America even to the western side of the Rocky mountains—from Florida to the western lakes. There is every reason to presume that the interior of Yucatan, and other portions of Mexico, contain remains of even a more striking character than those it has been my province to describe. The Ohio valley and its vicinage are supposed to have been covered with more than five thousand villages, the largest of which stood near the junction of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.[[10]] Regular and scientifically constructed works of a defensive character, between the Ohio river and the great lakes, are still to be traced; some of which occupied, it is thought, more than one hundred acres of ground.
Look-Out Mountain, which stands a thousand feet above the surrounding country, between the Tennessee and Coos rivers, is one of the Alleghanies. Although the top is nearly level, it gives rise to a river which, after winding some distance, plunges abruptly over a precipice. Immediately below this fall, on each side, are bluffs two hundred feet high; one of which, by the turn of the stream, forms a kind of isolated peninsula. On the summit of this are the remains of a fortification, that follows the curve of the river below for more than thirty-seven rods, and extends to the very brow of the rock. The only descent and access is by a kind of fissure, which reaches to the shore beneath. Thirty feet from the top, intersecting this passage, is a ledge or platform ninety feet long by two to five wide. At this landing are five rooms, cut out of the solid rock. The entrance is small; but within they communicate with each other by doors or apertures. This wonderful excavation has the appearance of being intended as
a place of the last resort for the inmates. From its peculiar position, twenty resolute men might successfully contend against the assault of a numerous army, as not more than one at a time can approach, and the slightest push would hurl an assailant over a precipice of a hundred and fifty feet to certain and instant death. That this is a remnant of antiquity there can be little doubt; and that it has escaped the attention of the curious, is owing, probably, to its retired and almost unknown situation.
On the Ohio river, twenty miles below the mouth of the Wabash, is a remarkable cave, consisting of two rooms, one immediately over the other. The uppermost is accessible by a square opening; and the lowest is twelve rods in length and five in breadth. The interior walls are smooth. The floor is level through the centre, but the sides rise in stony grades, resembling the seats in the pit of a theatre; and leaving little doubt that it had been so arranged to accommodate an audience attending performances or deliberations of some nature. The engravings and hieroglyphics upon the walls are numerous and well executed. Many animals are represented, among which are eight that are now unknown.
There are conical mounds in Ohio of various altitudes and dimensions, some being only four or five feet, and ten or twelve in diameter at the base; while others, farther south, rise even to a hundred feet, and cover many acres of ground. They are generally in the form of a cone. These structures seem to have been built at various periods; and it would be no matter of surprise if some of them were in existence during the deluge. The materials which compose them appear to be suited to their locations. In those positions where stone was not to be had, they are formed of earth.
At Mount Joliet, near the town of Juliet, on the Illinois river, is probably the largest mound within the limits of the United States. It is raised on a horizontal limestone stratum of the secondary formation, and is sixty feet high; and measures, at the summit, eighty-four rods in length and fourteen in width; and, at the base, it is much larger. In the neighborhood of Rock river (Illinois) the mounds are numerous, and give evidence that there once existed in that vicinity a dense population.
Southeast of the city of Cuernavaca, on the west declivity of Anahuac, there is an isolated hill, upon the top of which is a pyramid. The whole height is upwards of six hundred feet, and it is five times as large as the tower of Babel. It has five terraces, each of nearly sixty feet in height, covered with solid masonry, upon the top of which rest the artificial works; and the whole is surrounded with a broad deep ditch.
In Peru, on the Cordilleras, at a surprising height, are works still more considerable. From a general resemblance of these structures throughout the whole American continent in their apparent purpose, age, and style of architecture, it is generally presumed that the architects belonged to the same races of native Indians. I say races, for there are reasons for believing that the American continent has witnessed the growth and extinction of more than one race of men which had advanced to a high state of civilization.
Wirt’s impressions are, that three distinct races of men have occupied this country previous to the arrival of the existing white settlers. The monuments of the first or primitive race are regular stone walls, brick hearths, (found in digging the Louisville canal,) medals of copper, silver swords, and implements of iron. These relics, he thinks, belonged to a race of civilized men who must have disappeared many centuries ago. To them he attributes the hieroglyphic characters found on the limestone bluffs; the remains of cities and fortifications of Florida; the regular banks of ancient live oaks near them; and the hard and regular bricks found at Louisville, that were longer in proportion to the width than those of the present day.