resort for these old people. This stream, rising in the La Platte
Mountains, flows through beautiful valleys to a great table-land known
as the Mesa Verde. Mr. Jackson explored this valley in 1874, and he
reports as follows: "Commencing our observation in the park-like valley
of the Mancos, between the mesa and the mountains, we find that the low
benches which border the stream upon either side bear faint vestiges
of having at some far away time been covered with dwellings, grouped
in communities apparently, but so indistinct as to present to the
eye little more than unintelligible mounds. By a little careful
investigation, however, the foundation of great square blocks of
single buildings and of circular inclosures can be made out, the
latter generally of a depressed center, showing an excavation for some
purpose."

From this description we can not quite make out whether these ruins
are great communal buildings, like the modern pueblo, or clusters of
separate houses. We incline to the latter opinion, however. The circular
depressed area was doubtless used as an Estufa, the place of religious
meetings for men alone. "The greater portion of these mounds are now
overgrown with artemisia, pinion-pine, and cedar, concealing them almost
entirely from casual observation." "We found the surest indication of
their proximity in the great quantity of broken pottery which covered
the ground in their neighborhood. The same curiously indented, painted,
and glazed ware, was found throughout New Mexico and Arizona. It was all
broken into very small pieces, none that we could find being larger
than a silver dollar." Specimens of this pottery will be figured in its
appropriate place.

"Nowhere among these open plane habitations could we discover any
vestige of stone-work, either in building material or implements. It is
very evident that the houses were all of adobe, the mound-like character
of the remains justifying that belief." In this last respect we note a
difference between these remains and those already described. The mesa
verde is one of those elevated plateaus we have so often described.
Through this the Mancos has cut a canyon nearly thirty miles in length,
and from one to two thousand feet deep. The description we have already
given is of the valley of the river before coming to the canyon.

Entering the canyon, Mr. Jackson continues: "Grouped along in clusters,
and singly, were indications of former habitations, very near