Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-04-07
CoIoradO'> Antiquities.

\ letter descriptive of the Hayden exp"-
diiion' explorations in southwestern Col
nra 10 tell, the following:
Aside from the interest attaching to the
ruins them selves. there are thrown about
thi- rock and is surroundings thr romin-c
and charm of legendary association. The
story rams thus rs given bv our guido:
Formerly the abort igineS inhibited Ill till-
country we have been over aS tar Wcst Ak
the headwatcrS of the san Juan, far
north a> tn, Rio Dolores, west some dis
tance into Utah, and south and southwest
throughout Arizona AMI on down into
Mexico
They had lived there from time immem-
urial- since the earth WAS Il small island.
which augmented a il inhabitants multi
piled They cultivated the valley. fash
ionel whatever utensils and tooiS they de
sired very neatly and handsomely oat of
clay. wood and stone, not knowing any Of
thc useful metals: built their houses and
kept their tiecks and herds in the fertile.
river bottoms. and wor>hipel the sun.
They were an emincntly peaceful and
prosperous people, living by agrict lturc
rather than by The chase.
About a thousand years ago, however,
they were Wis ted hv savage strangers from
the north whom they treated Hospitality.
soon these visits become more frequent
AMI amnovnr Then their troublesome
trhbpr>-ancc>:or> of the present ttr~-
BEGAN to forage upon them. and. at last,
L. massacre them and dcva>tate theiI
farms: -. to save their lives ri least. they
built houses high up n the cliffs. where
they could store food and hide away til
the raiders left
Bat one summer the invaders did not 9,
back To their mountains aS the people eN
prctcd. but brought their families viii
them and settled down. So driven from
their homes and lands. starving in THEN
little inches on the high cliffs. they coul,
ONLY steal away during the night and wan
,i,.r across the cherries uplanis. To one
who ha~ Travelled these steppes such :; tli"ll
seems terrible. and the mind hc>itatc> /,
picture il.
1t the cr>tone they halted and probably
found friends. for the rocks and caves art
lull of the nests of these human wrcn-
anl swallows Here they collected. erect
II stone fortilicltion> and watch towers
,ltIr reservoirs in the rocks TO hold Il sup
plv of water which in all cases is precari
nu> in this latitude. ami once more >ton'
At bav Their foes came. and for one Ion
month fourht and We're beaten back. an'
returned day after day to attack, as merci
les and inevitable rs the tide.
Meanwhile the families of the defenders
were rvacutting and moving south. an,
hravclv did their protectors shield them
till they were all safely a hundred mile
away. The bcsirgcrs were beaten bacl
AMI went away But the narrative tell
Us that the hollow> of the rocks were file
to the brim with the mingled blood of con
qlerur> and conquered. and red veins of
ran down into the canon.
l. was such victory rs they could no
afford to gain again, and they We're ~la
when the long fight was over to follow
their wives and little ones to The south
There. in the deserts of Arizona. on we
nigh unapproaclable isolated bluffs, the.
built new towns. and their few descend
ants. the Mnquis. live in them to this day
preserving more carefully and purely tn
: history and veneration of their forcta her
than their skill or wisdom. 1t waS frol
l oru Of their old men that this tradition:
sketch was obtained.