The daily union., 1846-10-23

covered with p,hoo and cedar, To the lefl, al ons
or Two miles distant, towers wall nearly peTpen-
dieiar 200 feet high, apparently level on The top
and showing, as near as | could judge, from III,
road, an immense stratum Of red sandstone, capped
| by puddngstone and limestone. The road was
red with the disintegrated sandstone. We turned
fiom the road TO the creek where there were few
ranchos, 10 encamp, at which place ~e passed an
uncomfortable night the water being hard to reach
and the grazing very bad.
August l7h. The picket-guard, stationed on the
road, captured the son of Saiza, who, il is said is
10 play the part in this country that mcaraguay
did in Spain. The son at San Miguel yes,er-
day, and heard, from concealed place. the general s
harangue. IL Is supposed, at this time, he was ex-
amining the position, strength, &c. OF army,
report il to his father.
A rumor has reached camp that 1000 Mexicans
assembled in the eahon, have qusrrelled amongst
themselves that Armijo, taking advantage Of the
dlssensions, fed with his Dragons and artillery to
the south. He was long suspected of wishing an
excuse TO ny. II was known that he was averse to
battle; but some Of his people threatened his life
" he failed 10 fight He has been, for some days,
more In fear Of his own people than the American
army. He sees what they have failed to see-the
hopelessness Of resistance. Every assurance has
been given him by the general If he quietly suren-
dered, he would proiect him in his person aud prop
ery; bat Il IS quite evident he fears the penalty Of
his long misgoyernment.
As we approached the ruins of the ancient town
OF Pecos, large fat fellow towards US at full
swing, and extending his hand to the general, con-
graduated him on the arrival of himself and army
He said, with Of laughter, "Armijo and his
troops have gone to hell and the cahon is all clear!
This was the alcalde Of the settlement, two miles
up the Pecos from the ruins, where we encamped-
l3i niles from our Last camp, and miles from the
road.
Pecos, once a fortified town, is built ON n pro-
n ~. IL. l.
Here burned, until within the last seven wears, the
eternal hre OF Montezuma and the remains of the
architecture exhibit, In a pointed manner the en-
graftment OF the Catholic church upon the ancient
religion OF the country. At one end Of the short
spire forming the terminus Of the promontory, are
the remains OF the sfd with all It's parts distinct
Al the other, are the remains Of the Catholic church
Both showing the distinctive marks and emblems
peculiar 10 the two religious. The fires from the
suha burned and sent lis incense through the same
affairs from which preached the religion of
Ohrist Two religions so utterly different in the
ory' were here, as IN all Mexico, blended in har-
monious practice, until, about century since, the
town was sacked by the Nayahoe band Of Indians
Amidst all the havoc Of plundering the city, the
faithful Astek managed TO keep his fire going in the
stuffa, and Il was continued until few years since
the band became almost extinct. Their devotions
rapidly diminished their numbers, until they be-
came 30 few as 20 be unable TO keep going thei i'm.
mense stuffs, forty feet in diameter when they
abandoned the place, and joined tribe OF the orig
lnal montezuma race, over the mountains, about
sixty mics south There TO this day, il Is said,
they keep their fire, which has never yet been eY.
tingushed. ... ..
The labor and waichfulness, and exposure To
heat required, rs fast diminishing this remnant Of
The Monezuma race; and few years will see the
end OF this interesting people
Inc sketches will give much more accurate des-
criPuon than can be written Of the remains OF
the modern church, with its crosses its cells It's
dark mysterious corners and inches where
many maid sighed out her confessions. The ar
chitecture Of the modern church differs but little from
those OF he present day in New Mexico that of the
worthy Of notice. r4.
Both are constructed of the same materials: the
walls Of sun-dred brick, the rafters of well-hewn
umoer, which could never have been hewn by the
miserable liule axes now used by the Mexieans,
whieh resemble, IN shape, and size, the wedges
used by our farmers for splitting rails. The corners
and drops of the architecture in the modern church.
are elabarately carved with a knife.
tonight we found excellent grass on the Rio
Pecos, abreast Of the ruins. Here is situated the
modern village of Pccos with very inconsiderable
population. Tonight there is fandnngo, mile
and half from camp; but anxious as am TO see
THIS dance, the threatening appearance of rain de-
TERED me from gong.
august 1S.--We are this morning % miles from
different sources, reached camp yesterday, and the
day before, that dissensions had arisen in Armijos
camp, and that his army dispersed, and himself
hed TO the south, carrying with him his artillery
and l00 dragoons. Not hostile rife or arrow
was now between the army and Santa Fe, the capital
OF New Mexico; and the general determined To
make the march in day. and raise the United
States flag over the palace before sun down.
New horses ard mules were ordered for the artil-
iery, end everything was braced up for forced
march. The distance was not great, but the road
was bad, and the horses on their last legs.
small detachment sent ahead at day break
and at the army followed. Four or Eve miles
from old Pecos the road leads into a cafion, with
hills on each side from 1000 to ZOO feet above the
ROAD, and IN all cases within cannon, and in many
cases, point blank musket shot, which continues
until within IL or Is miles of Santa Fe.
The scenery is wild, but the geological formation
is much the same as before described, until you
begin to fall towards the Del Norte, when the pr-
miuve rocks, granite, &c, are to be seen in great
abundance, on the road. Cedar, pifion, and large
growth oflong-leafed pine, are densely crowded
wherever the rock affords crcvicc. Fiftesn miles
from Santa Fe, we came upon the position deserted
by Armijo. The typographical sketch will give q
much more accurate idea Of il than a written des-
crption. II Is gateway, which, in the hands Of a
skfu enemy and 100 resolute men, would be per-
fectly impregnablc
Had the position been defended with any decency,
u
branches to the south, six miles from Pecos, by the
way of Gulisteo.
Armjo's arrangements for defence were very de-
fective. His abattis was placed behind the gorge,
some 100 yards, by which it is evident he intend
ed that the gorge should be passed before his fires
were opened. This done, his batteries would have
been carried without difficulty
Before we reached the cation, the noon halt was
made, in valley covered with the native potato II
was in full bloom The fruit was not quite SO large
as wren's egg: As we approached the town, a few
struggling Mexicans came out, all opening their eyes
wide, in search for the general, who, with his staff
was clad so plainly, that they passed us. Another
officer and myself were sent down to explore the
by-road, for short distance, by which Armiio fled
On our return to the main road we saw two Mexi
cans, one the acting secretary Of state in search Of
the general. They had allowed him 10 pass unob-
served; =: When we pointed the way they broke off
in full rum their hands and feet keeping time to the
pace of their nags. We followed, in sharp trot,
and, as we thought at respectable distance. Our
Z, astonlshment was great, to find as they wound
through the ravine, and through the open we'll
grown pine tree forest, that they did not leave us
percepubly Certainly they are in full run, and
as certainly. are OnIv in frof hoti, -