The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-27
The boundary comm,.sion.
Fforn The Literary LYsrld.

The boundary Commission. ~
From the Literary Verdi. .-
In the New York Historical Society, on the 9Th of
October a communication was read from MIR. JOSH
r. BARrLsrT, the head of the Mexican boundary
Commission, dated 'In Camp, near the Preside
of San Diego, California, May 90, 1852" The
scientfc interests of the expedition, il will be
from the following passages, have not been ne
elected: ~. - X -as5L
Nearly two years have elapsed since left New
( York, and my. promise has not been fulhlied, for
the reason that have not met with those objects Of
antiquarian and historical interest mentioned by
previous travellers down the ella My route was not
down the entire length Of that river, and our en-
gineerng parties only struck ii at the point where
the western line of New Mexico intersects it;
hence we passed by most of the interesting region
referred to. and only saw some inconsiderable
ruins, accompanied, though, by great quantities
of broken pottery. On my return shall endeavor
to zee more OF the ruins. ,..ss. ...,.r.. II
In nv Journey across the continent, from the
Gulf of Mexico to FL Paso del Norte, and then
across to Chihuahua, and various parts OF Sonora,
rarely visited by foreigners-I did not meet with
single specimen of antiquity belonging to an ear
lier age than the present. The frontiers OF the
States mentioned abound in ruined buildings, for.
merly inhabited by the Mexcans, but abandoned
in consequence of the incursions of the indiana.
Depopulated towns and villages, in most OF which
are found fine old churches, are also quite COM
mon, but no vestige OF an ancient race 1t was,
indeed, a melancholy sight to visit the deserted
towns and ranches. Some of the latter were very
extensive. showing that wealth and luxury once
abounded there. They are now overgrown with
grass and wood; serpents, lizards, and venomous
reptiles hnrbor in their decaying walls; owls and
bats, in great numbers, find a resting place In
their dark chambers; and even the hungry wolf
serted place. Some Of the churches are in good
state Of preservation, the statues Of the Saints still
adjoining the inches; md in order to render them
again TT places for worship i would only DC ne
which, in ianumerable numbers, now occupy
them. -... al .s..- s-- T. '.,.. .' ..s..
The savage, though be would murder every soul
in the village, and plumber every house, seems to
have felt reverence for the churches; for the
gildings and ornaments, which would attract their
attention, are left untouched. These churchesarc
always surrounded by extensive ranges of build
ings, which were doubtless once occupied by the
very Indians Tor their ancestors) who have rem.
dered them 30 desoatc. In fact, it is generally
conceded that they were the chief builders OF them,
working under the direction OF the priests or others
charged with their erection. Many of the churches
referred to were exclusively missions. established
for converting the Indians TO Christianity, but more
frequently into laborers and mechanics Hence
every thing around seems t6have been adapted to
largo household. They were always placed in
the richcst valleys. and surrounded by large or
chards of peach, pear, pomegranate, ounce, and
other trees. Acquias, or irrigating Canals inter
3
tremely productive, and capable of sustaining
large number Of people. 40.
The ranches or hnciendas, before mentioned, are
also situated in the midst of fine Valleys where the
attention of their occupants was chiefly directed to
the raising of stock. The deserted rancho Of Babo
comori, near the San Pedro, once had 1000 head
of cattle. and there was scarcely any which did not
possess s 900, besides mules and horses We found
shelter from the rain a couple of nights within the
walls Of this rancho, and here met with party OF
Sonorians engaged in hunting wild cattle; for
though the owners, when they abandoned these
places, drove of their stock, enough had strayed
away among the hills and secluded spots from
which there has been large increase. Hence wild
cattle abound in the northern and central parts Of
through that region Colonel Cooke. in passing
through this country in 1S47, subsisted his entire
battalion Of four hundred and fifty them for two
weeks We found them very shy, and difficult to
herd Of tame cattle and sheep with US, we did not
exert ourselves to obtain them
We saw more or less Of the various Indian tribes
from the Rio Grande to the Pacific. With them
all, even the most warike, we were on the most
friendly terms. With the warlike, and now hos
tile Apaches, had my camp for three months, and
in the very centre of their country. The chiefs
and others visited me daily at my table, and slept
on nv floor; and have often been alone with ten
or fifteen Of thcse people in my quarters, or about
the door. During this time events took place which
would have enraged most Indiana, and perhaps
brought on a massacre of the whites. Fret, an
Apache was killed by Mexican attached to the
~, Commission, in the very midst of our camp, and
when more than fifty of their people were among
concentrated their party, and made ready for an
attack. But, with a little parleying, we induced
them to come into the fort, and there convinced
them that there was no design on our part to kill
was wholly a matter between the deceased and
The Mexican. l gave the wife and family of
the deceased some blankets, cloth, corn, and
other articles, and furthermore agreeing to give
hlx1 tno thoM ovi~o
all was amicaby settled. also took from those
same people two Mexican boys, who had long been
among them as captives. This was near being a
serious matter, but it, too, was amcably settled.
Z mention these facts to show that the Indians,
however wild and savage they may be, are con-
quercd by reasonable and pacific measures. These
Apaches had for many years been at war with the
Mexicans, and in fact with all around them, other
Indian tribes included. They had stolen property
to large amount from the American settlement
in New Mexico, and were the terror Of all who had
passed their country. Since we left the copper
mines, that post has been taken possession Of by
. United States troops, and war commenced. pa.
per which have just read says: "ln mn interview
between the United States troops and the Indians,
were shot!' The Indians then retaIiated by lying
in ambush, and shooting several soldiers; after
which they stole all the United States cattle. 5
II makes my blood run cold to listen to the rela.
tons of cruelies practced by the whites upon the
4 Indians-the latter then retaliate, when an open
Va war of plumber, fire, and determination 10 at once
carried on against them. have made diiigent
inquiries in Chihuahua, Sonora, New Mexico, and
in California as to the cause of the Indian depre
dations and the war between them and the whites,
the result Of which has been that in every instance
i the whites were the aggressors. Even the Mexi-
\ cana acknowledge this. In California this is
4 clearly the case. A more happy and quiet race Of
Indians was not to be found than those of Caifor-
MIA until the Americans got possession Of the
\ country. Now, SO avaricious have the latter be-
come, that, not content with the regions that fur.
y nish them gold, they selling upon all the for
eat lands Of the countryside oniy place where the
natives can earn a subsistence--and are unwilling
that any land shall be reserved for them which the
Americans can turn to account. Icould fill many
sheets with the accounts Of the cruelties and ag
ressions Of the whites; but this 10 not my object
p. In my intercourse with the various tribes Of In
dams alluded to, have obtained full vocabularies
of their language My vocabulary 10 the sume as
that formed by our late venerable friend, Mr. Gal
latin with the addition Of forty words, making the
n number two hundred. These will therefore, be the
fullest vocabularies ever collected, and will be oil
great philoogists in studying the analogy be-
tween the Indian languages have now obtained
yocabularies Of nineteen different languages west
the Rio Grande, most of them taken down by my