The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-21
BENJAMIN D. MOORE, U. s. D."
NEW MEXICo-THE DESTINATION OF
GEN. KEARNEY'S EXPEDITION.
From The Matamoras Flag, July

NEW MEXICo-THE DESTINATION OF
| GEN. KEARNEY'S EXPEDITION.
From the Matamoras Flag, July 10.
The territory of New Mexico lies north Of tn,
Goth parallel Of latitude, and its greatest length
from north to SOUTH is 700 miles; from east to west
| its boundary has never been circumscribed within
the limits Of certainty. Its geographical position is
remarkably singular; the Rio Grande passes through
It, nearly in central line, from north to south. Its
whole entire surface is a succession Of mountains
| rising in majestic splendor to that giddy height
where even the cedar and pine can retain no foot
hold their comic heads covered with the white veil
of perpetual snow. The inhabitants live in the deep
| valleys, and upon the margin of the Rio Grande.
Villages on the river are situated in its different
bends where a suficiency Of bottom lands are left
| for the purposes of agriculture. The greatest ex-
tent occupied by settlements is three hundred miles
IN length and one hundred in width; the population,
taken collectively, is about fifty thousand.
The first village in the north is e Pueblo de Taos,
which gives name to the valley in which ii is situa-
ted. The original inhabitants are Indians, and
known by the name Of Puebios. They were in pos
session Of the country when the Spaniards first vsi-
| ted Mexico, and they have remained until the pres
ent time. When the Spaniards extended their do
mnion over this Indian country, by the aid of
Gospel missionaries, they found those Pueblo In
dams friendly honest and industrious, brave and
confdng, endowed with great natural good sense
neighbors to be conciiated, but not subdued.
The Pueblo of Taos is Immediately at the foot of
the west side Of the first ridge of the Rocky noun
tains. There is a small stream that issues from
ravne, flows out into valley, and eventually mixes
its waters with the Rio Grande, which separates
the two departments. The village possesses much
singuarty, combining great strength with the bold
est conception in the architecture, enjoying the most
complete utility in its honey -comb formation. The
village is formed Of two distinct departments, the
rivuet dividing it in he centre This at first sight
ohf
ngs exactly similar. The first, or basement
story occupies a large area; upon this is reared
another story being smaller than the first by ten
feet-each successive story falling off in the same
ratio, until the pagoda becomes nine stories high.
In the basement story there no doors, the en-
trance being through round hole in the offset
which forms the roof a pole being planted in the
aperture, with ladder attached by which they as
cend and descend. The buildings resemble pyra-
mids, with the exception of their being square.
In the formation Of the village, an equal number
of the heads of families divided themselves off and
upon them two equal structures. What field was
here for emulation what barriers TO assailing
enemy As their generation grew up, the youth
from both sides would meet and, in manly sports,
endeavor to excel. The great patron Saint Of the
village is Jerome they having adopted the Catholic
aries from Old Spain. The day of St. Jerome is
celebrated by selecting thirty of the choicest youths
from each side of the stream, to compete with one
another in manly sports. A race course is cleared
out in front of the village, four hundred yards in
length, and wide enough for two to run abreast
An equal number of the old of each village are
chosen to prepare the lists and marshal the COMPETE
tors. Nothing can be animang and soul-stir-
ring to the beholder as to view those sixty cham
pions, in all the pride of nature adorned with the
simplest arts, and yet so appropriate. In making
selections for the lists, the pride and boast of the
villages brought out; all chieftians of the
greatest note. The honor of their ancient houses
staked upon them; their own fair fame is ntrustcd
to the race, and their eats viewed by the STAIR
est of the fair" The houses present vast pyra-
mid of human bengs-all the women from the adj
joining villages coming TO witness this annual fes-
tiyal. About eleven o'clock the signal is given, and
the commences. At each end of the track stand
thirty runners, fifteen on a side as one starts from
one end, another from the opposite party starts from
the other and the first thirty that run through are
considered as having gained the aurels of the day.
They then form in grand procession, and in wild
chorus of song surround the buildings, from which,
in great profusion is showered upon them varieties
of fruits and cakes the crowd Of spectators mixing
in joyful scramble. The morning feats having
passed off, the evenings interlude commences. Be-
tween these two heaven-reared towers stands tall
slender pole Of native pine, the bark peeled off and
the polished surface creased. On the top of the
poleis framed cross, upon which are hung baskets
cakes, flowers, and mathematical devices pictured
with silver dollars suspended by wires; and to
crown the rich offering, upon the very top Of the
pole stands aged and respectable RAM fast pinion
cd to the place. A large crowd has gathered round
to witness the rustic scene, which is announced by
the merry peals Of music, and the loud piercing
screams of the scaling squadrons, as they come
rushing to the trial The pole is to be scaled
the treasure is TO be loweredthe lists are open--the
world may enter. Here, then, may be seen the re-
sources and ingenuity of natures children. The
prize would seem totally beyond their reach, yet
their minds once bent upon the attainment Of the OBJ
ect, they make Of their bodies ladders, hoops,
chains, leaning pyramids until at last some daring
spirit reaches the suspended treasure. As the eve
ming shades prevail, the festivty commences within
doors, where the vctors Of the day are rewarded by
the msidens Of their choice. The sole object Of the
separate villagers is to excel in all they undertake in
common. In their agricultural pursuits, the same
emulation exists; when they go into battle, what
desperate feats Of bravery will they not attempt to