Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-02

squadron dragoons wendell MS
path nearly due west TO the town. We had not proceeded
far before fifteen sachemic-ookng old Indians,
well mounted and two OF them carrying godheaded GANGS
with ,assels the emblems Of office in New Mexico.
calculations over, logged along, and, in the course oil
conversation, the acade grave and majestic old Indian,
said if casually, We shall Indians presently,
mounted and dressed for war; but they the young
my town, friends receive you, and wish YOU to
lion your not to fire upon them when they ride towards
them
'sWhen within few miles of the town. we saw cloud
of dust rapidly advancing and the air rent with
terrible yell, resembling the Florida war-whoop. The first
object that caught my eye through the column of DUST
fierce pair of buffalo horns, oveapped with long shaggy hair
As they approached the sturdy form of naked Indian
beneath the horns, with shield and lance ashing
at full speed white horse which, like his bsdy
painted all the colos of the rainbow and then by one,
his followers on, painted the eyes, their heads
and their horses covered with all the strange equipments that
the brute creation could afford in the way Of horns, skulls
tails feathers, and claws.
60 As they passed u.s. rank each side they fired
voey under horses bellies from the right and from the
left Our wetraned Dragons sat mooness their horses,
which went along without prickng showing any sign
of excitement.
CARVED in the rear the Indians crcled round, dropped
into walk TANKS until their horses recovered breath,
when off they went at full speed passing 'front.' and
when there the opposite files met and each selected his
adversary, and kept running fight with mukets, lances
and bows and Sometimes fellow would stoop al
the earth shoot under his horse belly speed
or to shield himself from impending blow. So they
tinued 10 pass and rePass all the way to the steep cliff
which overhangs the town. There they filed each side of
the road which descends through deep CANON and halted
the peaks of the cliffs Their motionless forms projected
against the clear blue sky above formed studies for
In the canon joined by the priest, fat old white
We escorted first to the padres, of for
here every where, these the intelligent and
the best to do in the world and when the good people wish
their best foot foremost the padres vines beds and touches
have TO suffer The to the portal lined with the
OF the village, all dressed alike and ranged in treble
! files they looked fat and stupid.
owe shown into his reverences paor, tapestried
with curtains stamped with the kenesss Of all the Presidents
Of the United States up this time The cushions of
spoes damask and the couch covered with white Navooe
| blanket worked in richly coored flowers.
"The air redoent with the perfume OF grapes and
ons and every crack of door and windows gsenng with the
bright eyes and Of the of the caplla Thegod
priest busy talking in the corner and little did he know
the of signs and signs carried between the young fell
lows and the fair inmates of his house. We had gayest
array OF young out to- day, and the seemed to
drop their usual subdued look and tmd Of the
lash for good hearty wrinkles and signs of unaffected and
dial welcomegns supplying the place of conversation,
neither party could speak the language OF the other This
little exchange of the artillery of eyes amusing enough
but was very glad the padre towards the table
and remove the pure white napkins from the grapes melons,
and wine We thirsty heat and dust could make
US, and we reshed the wine highly, whatever its quality
The sponge-cake reproachabe and would have done
honor to our best Northern houkeepers Indeed wherever
have been Toasted the cake has been in poson
and OF the best kind After the repa the general for
ward the portal and delivered speech TO assembled
people of the town, which first interpreted Spanish
and then into Pueblo"
They visit, on the 4th, another town, Spanish
thus described:
"The town of Bernallo is small, but one of the best
built in the territory We were here invited to the house of
wealthy man to take some reireshment We were led into
obong room furnished like that OF every Mexican in com
Portable circumstances. banquee around the room
leaving only space for the couch II Is covered with
cushions carpets and pillows upon which the vser sits or
recines The dirt floor usually covered third or half
with common looking carpet On the uncovered part the
table, feghed with grapes, spongecake and the wine of
the country The walls hung with miserable pictures of
the saints crosses innumerabe and Yankee mirrors without
number These last are suspended entirely of reach
and one wishes to shave adjust his toilet he do
without the aid of Mirror be there many the
chamber.
where invited to dine Here found another re-
freshment table, and, after waiting hours, dinner
announced. II queer tumble Of refinement and bar
blrsm the first predomnang in every thing except in the
mode Of serving, which chiefly performed by the MASTER
his Mexican guests and few female sers
'Ihe plates, forks, and spoons Of solid New Mex
can silver clumsly worked the country. The middle of
the table strewed with the finest white bread cut in
pieces, and within the reach OF every AT close inter-
walls were glass decaners, of Psburg manufacture, filled
with wine made the plantation. The dishes served
separately the first soup magre then followed roast
chicken stuffed with onions then boiled with onions
then followed various other dishes, all dressed with the
lasting onions and the whole terminated by the chile, the
glory Of New Mexico, and then iigole
"Chllc the Mexicans consider the chef-d puve of the
cuisine, and really reve in but the first mouthlu
brought the ckng down my cheeks very much to the
amusement of the spectators with their leather thoats
1t was red pepper stuffed with minced meat.
From Bernalo the valley opens but again at
Ianda, Indian town sand bank the base Of high
mountain OF the said TO contain the precious
metals
They trcadng wheat here which is done by max
ing circular corral level ground Of clay. Upon this
floor they scatter the wheat turn in dozen or more mules
and Indians who, with whoops yels and blows
keep the arghted brues constantly in notion To separate
the wheat from the chaf both Indians and Mexcans use
simple with bottom of raw bulls hide perfora
ted with holes | should suppose it take hour TO
winnow a bushel.
"Aier dining sumptuously Saudiva's we went TO our
camp in the Aemada. Here the valley is wide and well
cultivated The people Of the surrounding country locked
and sand passed the camp They frequent the
rlve and undisturbed when American levels
| his rifle"
On the 18th they return to Santa Fe whence
they again set out, on the 18th, on that extraord-
nary undertaking, their march across to the coast
Of California At first, they retread the late way
of their detachment. At one place, the following
characteristic fact is Witnessed:
4 "Beow Zandia were attracted by great noise II
proceeded from neghborng ranchea where saw eight
or ten naked fellows hammerng away in trough full Of
cornstalks had Mexicans exert themselves
before The perspiraion from their bodies rolling off