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PREFACE.
American writers, who are considered the best authority on
the subject, generally concur in the opinion, we believe, that
the North American continent has been peopled, at different
periods, by three distinct races of the Red Men, who, issuing,
apparently, from some remote point in the North-east, spread
themselves over the temperate regions of the present territory of
the United States, formed populous and powerful nations, and
then, after unknown intervals of time, passed successively
away towards the tropical climes of Mexico and Central
America.
Of the first of these three races — the time of its coming,
the length of its continuance here and its departure, scarce a
shadow of tradition is now anywhere to be found. The pall
of oblivion has closed over them, and they can have no place
in the history of the human race. But the existence of such a
race here, at some remote period, is abundantly proved by the
memorials or monuments which it has left behind and which
unmistakably mark it as a peculiar race, and entirely distinct
from the one that, after a time, succeeded. These memorials
or relics, have been excavated from considerable depths
beneath the surface of the earth in various parts of the valley
of the Mississippi, where all these different races of the Aborigines
appear to have centered. But the most remarkable
specimens of this kind were brought to light in the State of
Here, nineteen feet below the surface, were discovered regularly
moulded bricks, laid in domestic hearths, on which were
found the coals of the last fires that had been kindled on them.
Cooking utensils of metal and stone, well wrought specimens
of pottery, copper tools, medals, silver swords, and even some
implements of iron were also discovered in the same vicinity;
while palpable traces of walls of systematic stone masonry, and
wells that had been as systematically stoned up, added still
further to the wonder of the discovery. From all these it is to be
inferred that this early, and probably pioneer race in this country,
had become far advanced in the arts of civilized life. But
at what period this semi-civilized, and perhaps more than semi-civilized
race, flourished here, how long they remained, what
led to their voluntary or compulsory departure and whither
they went, is now, as already intimated, only a matter of speculation.
It is probable, however, that coming from the eastern
part of Asia, like the two succeeding races, they found their
way into the rich valley of the Mississippi considerably more
than a thousand years ago; and, after flourishing there many
centuries made a gradual exodus to the South, and became the
Toltec nation, which is known to have preceded the Mexicans,
and which is believed to have fulfilled their destiny in Central
America, having been the builders of those wondrous fabrics,
whose ruins have recently been brought to light by Stephens
and others.
The second race of the Red Men that made their appearance
in that great highway of succeeding nations, evidently became
established there at a much later period. And for that reason,
and on account of the different national customs and peculiar
characteristics, have left behind them far more palpable and
general traces of their existence. There can be little doubt but
this race were the mound builders; and that to them are to be
attributed those innumerable earth-works or mounds which
from the great lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. The greatest proportion
of these mounds however are found between the
southern borders of those lakes and the Ohio river. But they
are found, at intervals, on both sides of the Mississippi to its
mouth, and even beyond, along the Gulf of Mexico to the city
of Mexico itself, thus constituting a sort of connected chain by
which the sojourn and passage south of the race in question to
the valley of Anahuac can, with a great degree of certainty, be
traced. From this, were there no other evidence in the case,
would arise the natural conclusion that this race were no other
than the Aztecs, the subsequent founders of the old Mexican
Empire, which reached the zenith of its greatness and glory
under Montezuma, and fell with that unfortunate monarch.
But there is other evidence to confirm the theory that this race
were the Aztecs, or the originals of the ancient Mexicans. All
the traditions of the old Mexicans concur, with wonderful
unanimity, in declaring that their people once resided far to the
North, where they were a strong and flourishing people — that
they inhabited the pleasant land which they called Azatlan,
from which they were finally driven by a stronger people
issuing from some place still farther north — that they left
Azatlan about the year 1160, and after various delays and
intermediate sojourns, occupying between one and two hundred
years, they at length entered the valley of Anahuac, when soon
finding, on a rock in a lake, the “Eagle on the prickly pear,”
to which they had been prophetically pointed as indicating the
spot for the foundation of their future capital, they assembled
among the marshes, and built the town which eventually became
the proud city of Mexico, whose civilization, wealth and
splendor, as brought to light by the bloody conquest of Cortez,
so amazed the old world.
The next question to be discussed in connection with our
tale, is whereabouts in the North was this land of Azatlan
ancient mounds or earthworks are found in the upper portion
of the valley of the Mississippi, between Lake Superior and
the Ohio. They are mainly found on the east of the Mississippi,
and, at first, extend but a few hundred miles to the eastward,
but gradually expand, in going southward, so as to become
based on nearly the whole length of the Ohio river. But
though scattered over this whole extent, yet nowhere, perhaps,
are their traces so palpably marked as in the valley of the
Ouisconsin, or the present Wisconsin river, which seems to have
been the great central line of these wondrous relics of the
mysterious past. For these reasons, there is every probability
that the heart of the ancient Azatlan was the valley of the
Wisconsin, though its borders might have extended far to the
west, east and south of that river.
The theory involved in our tale, therefore, is, that the Aztecs,
were originally the inhabitants of the Mississippi valley — that
they were the mound builders, and that the seat of their empire,
their ancient Azatlan, centered in, and around the valley
of the Wisconsin river. And hence the scene of our tale is
laid in one of the lower portions of that valley.
Of the third race of the three first enumerated, as our tale
will have nothing especially to do with them, it will be sufficient
to remark, that they are held to be the Indians found here on
the advent of the white men, and still scattered in remnants
through the Western territories of the United States.
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