Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-04-15
Indians and Antiquities In New Mex
leo and California.

/, IHdians and Antiquities in New mex.
) leo aud California.
7 The Literary World had letter from Mr.
Bartlett, Chief Of our Boundary Surveying
Commission, which possesses sOmo interest,"
Il vas written at San Diego, on May Goth
; We give only brief extracts
10 my journey across the continent, from the
Gulf Of Mexico TO FL Paso del Norte, and then
across to Chihuahua, and various parts Of So.
nora, TO Guaquias at the Gulf OF CALIFORNIA;
region rarely visited BY foreigners-I did not
meet with a single specimen Of antiquity be-
longing to an earlier age than the present.
The frontiers of the State mentioned abound
in ruined buildings formerly inhabited by the
Mexieans, but abandoned in consequence Of the
Indians. Depopulated towns and villages, in
most Of which are found fine old churches, are
also quite common. but no vestge of an ancient
race. 1t was, indeed, melancholy sight 10
visit the deserted towns and ranches. Some OF
the latter were very extensive, showing that
wealth anu luxury once abounded there. They
are now overgrown with grass and wood ser
pents, lizards and venomous reptiles harbor in
their decaying walls; owls and bats, in great
numbers, find resting place in their dark
chambers; and even the hungry wolf does not
hesitate to become dweller in the deserted
place. Some of the churches are in a good
state of preservation, the statutes of the saints
still adorning the inches and in order to rem
der them again ft pieces for worship, it would
only be necessary TO exterminate the bats and
swallows which, in innumerabls numbers now
occupy them.
The savage, though he would murder every
soul in the village and plumber every house,
seems TO have felt reverence for the church
es; for even the gildings and ornaments, which
would attract their attention, are left untouch-
ed. These churches are always surrounded
by extensive ranges of buildings, which were
doubtless once occupied by the very Indians
Tor ancestors) who have rendered them so des-
olate. In fact, it is generally conceded that
they we're 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 mansions,
established for converting the Indians to Chris
tianity, but more frequently into laborers and
mechanics. Hence everything around seems
to have been adapted to large household =
They were always placed in the richest valleys,
and surrounded by large orchards Of peach,
pear pomegranate, ounce and other trees
AcqujaS, or irrigating canals interSecting every
portion of the valley, rendered it extremely pro-
ductive and capable of sustaining large num-
Der of people.
The ranches or haciendas before mentioned,
are also situated in the midst of fine valleys, T
where the attention of their occupants was
chiefly directed to the raising of stock. The
deserted rancho of Babocomori, near the San /
Pedro, once had twenty thousand head of cat
tie, and there were scarcely any which did not !
possess five thousand, besides mules and hor-
ses. We found shelter from the rain 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 off 1,
their stock, enough had strayed away among
the hills and secluded spots from which there
has been a large increase. Hence wild cattle .
abound in the northern and central parts of So
nora and are obtained by all passing travellers
through that region. Colonel Cooke, in pas
sing through that country in l847, subsisted
his entire battalion of four hundred and fifty
on them for two weeks. We found them very
shy, and difficult to approach near enough to
shoot; besides, having a herd of tame cattle
aud sheep with us, we do not exert ourselves
to obtain them. I
We saw more or less of the various Indian
tribes from the Rio Grande to the Pacific
With Them all, even the most warke, we were
on the most friendly terms. With the warlke
and the now hostile Apaches | had my camp
Tor three months, and in the very centre of their
country. The chiefs and others visited me dali
ly at my table, and slept on my floor and
have often been alone with ten or fifteen of
these people in my quarters or about the door.
Among all the tribes | have seen, there is a
vast difference between the chiefs and the
masses, or those who possess no power or
" ealth. The characteristics of a tribe may be
discovered by an observer in all classes, in the
same manner that you can recognize an Eng
lishman or an Irishman, whether he belongs to
The nobility or the common laborer-or the rich
Boston merchant from down eastern of Sam
Slick stamp. You would know them both to f:
be Yankees. The Indian chiefs and their fam !
lilies are always fine specimens of the genas ho-
made, Of good height regular fea-
lures, full faces, and generally Of fairer COM
plexon than the rest This may be accounted
Tor in the same manner as you would for the
or inferiority of people in every ma
-ion, |. e., their mode of life. The Indian
chiefs are rich-they always have the best to
Eat and to wear. Their wigwams, too, are al
Ways the best. But those of inferior grade are
generally half starved, and many of them are
without wigwams or blankets, and but a scan
" covering for the body. Hence you see dis
limbs, lank bodies, shrunken skins,
md inferior muscular development.
Tx A Hare Curiosity.