Missouri to Texas, from
Sonora to Honduras, from Bogota to Chili, &c. being often on high
grounds and mountains, table lands and valleys, seldom in the low
plains.

Such are the most interesting by number and extensive spreading
locations. Yet there are among them various ages and styles, the
Floridan or North American, the Mexican or Anahuac, the Guatimalan or
Tulan, the Peruvian or Inca--Series, are all somewhat different, mingled
with others of earlier or various ages--in Peru the _Pucaras_ or oldest
fortified cities in a stellate form are of earliest ages, the ruins of
Tiahuanaco with sculptures of a remote period, the ruins of Chimu of
another style yet, all different from the style of the Incas. In central
America, the Cave-temples--the fortified cities and Palaces--and the
_Teocalis_ or Pyramids and Towers, offer as many eras and styles.

In North America we have also at least three great Eras and styles of
monuments, the first or most rude, somewhat similar to that of the
Antilles; excavations, small houses &c. and this, although so rude, is
found to have lasted till very lately, as our log-house style is lasting
with us along with large stone buildings. 2. A primitive style using
earth and wood or rough stones for large and fine structures, temples,
_&_c. 3. The most refined employing cut stones and ornaments, &c., rare in
the North, but becoming more common towards Mexico.

We may assert in ultimate result that America had no Monuments of
Grecian or Roman structures, except such as belong to primitive Italy
and Greece, ascribed to their ancestors as a different race the Pelagic,
Curetes, Hyantes, Taulantes, Aones, and other similar old tribes or
nations, long previous to Roman power and Grecian refinement, above all
no colonnades and no baked bricks. None of our monuments were like the
best Celtic structures, but rather similar to the earliest or ruder
Celtic style, if not perhaps previous, such as standing or rocking
stones, rough pillars and pilasters, tumuli and mounds, circular and
angular areas and temples. None were like the Egyptian temples and
pyramids, our American pyramids being rather in stages, as iu[TN-12]
Ethiopia, Assyria, India, &c., or in huge platforms bearing temples and
palaces, as in Balbec and Persepolis, but by no means so ornamented, nor
with such huge stones. None were like the Tyrinthian or Titanic style,
but rather a modification of it. None like the slender pillars and round
towe