not such a country as we would suppose a people to
choose for a place to settle in, only that they knew not where else to
go.

It is also considered settled that all the inhabited pueblos, as well as
those in ruins near the inhabited ones, were built by the descendants
of these people whose houses we have described. This is proven by the
similarity of pottery. Though some styles of ancient corrugated ware are
found in the San Juan section not found near the inhabited pueblos,
yet vast quantities of ware, similar to that now found in the inhabited
pueblos, can be picked up all over the ruins to the north. Again, their
religion must have been the same, as ruined estufas are common, in
all respects similar to those now in use. In the modern pueblos we are
struck with the small cell-like rooms, yet they are but little smaller
than the ordinary single houses plentifully found over the entire field
of ruins. All the Pueblo tribes are agricultural, so were these old
people. In fact, all evidence confirms the conclusion that the remnants
of the Pueblo people that we have already described, are also the
descendants of the people driven by hostile bands from north of the San
Juan.

This statement may give false impressions, however. The traditions of
the Pueblo Indians, of New Mexico, are to the effect that they came from
the north, and also that their ancestors formerly lived in the small
houses we have described. But we do not mean to say that all the small
houses and pueblos in Arizona and New Mexico are later in date than the
cliff-houses. The pressure has always been from the north to the south.
Neither would we be understood as saying that all the sedentary tribes,
both ancient and modern, belong to the same stock of people. There are
several different stocks of people even among the present Pueblos.<25>

In the valley of the Rio Chaco, about midway between the Rio Grande and
the San Juan, we meet a group of ruined pueblos whose style of masonry
is thought to indicate a greater antiquity than the inhabited pueblo
towns; these probably indicate another settlement of these people. As
these are really remarkable ruins, we must briefly describe them. In the
Chaco Canyon, as indicated on the map, within the space of ten miles
are the ruins of eight larger pueblos. Another is located at the very
beginning of the canyon, and two more on the edge of the mesas just
outside of the canyon. These are large communal houses of regu