stone edifices were inhabited when
the country was conquered by the Spaniards. The remains present every
where the same characteristics. They represent a people who built always
in the same way, with some variations in the forms of their structures,
and had substantially the same condition of life; but the ruins are not
all of the same age. Their character can be sufficiently shown by
describing a few of them.

In New Mexico, west of the Rio Grande, between the head waters of the
San Jose and Zuni rivers, a bluff or ridge rises in a valley two hundred
feet high. The Spaniards named it "El Moro." One side of this bluff is
vertical, and shows yellowish-white sandstone rock, on the face of which
are inscriptions; "Spanish inscriptions and Indian hieroglyphics." It
was carefully described in 1849 by Lieutenant Simpson, and was explored
again four or five years later by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, who
described it in his report to the government, published in the third
volume of "Explorations and Surveys for a Railroad Route to the
Pacific." On the summit of this height, which Lieutenant Simpson named
"Inscription Rock," are the ruins of an extensive Pueblo edifice built
of stone. The walls were built "with considerable skill." In some places
they are still "perfect to the height of six or eight feet, vertical,
straight, and smooth; and the masonry is well executed, the stones being
of uniform size--about fourteen inches long and six wide." The layers
are horizontal, each successive layer breaking joints with that below
it. Remains of cedar beams were discovered, and also obsidian
arrow-heads, painted pottery, and other relics. Another ruin was seen on
a height across the gorge. It was found to be similar to this, both in
character and condition of decay.

Lieutenant Whipple went westward along the thirty-fifth parallel. We can
not do better than follow the report of what he saw.

[Illustration: Fig. 20.--Pueblo Ruin at Pecos.]

His next stopping-place, after leaving "El Moro," was in the beautiful
valley of Ojo Pescado. Here, close by a spring that showed artificial
stone-work of ancient date, were two old Pueblo buildings in ruins, "so
ancient that the traditions of present races do not reach them." Not far
away is a deserted town of later date. The two ancient structures were
circular in form and equal in size, each being about eight hundred feet
in circumference. They were built of stone, but the walls have crumbled
an