The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-20
rsr celia, Correspondence Of the Chicago Times]
- ~ NJ Mac S-FQr

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FoRr WlxGATg, N. NJ, May 5.-Fort
wiugaie Il the most important and TOE BEST
consiruc,ed pos, In New Mexico. IL bas a
charming situation. overlooking o Wild
valley. bounded on oil sides by high mesas
covered with a stunted growth OF pinyep,
cedsr and cacti. The Indian name Is
~Shusa.be-tow Bear Spring. There Is
uot 4 we'll In The post; all the water-supply
canning from this beautiful, bubbijng
snrine. II Is a neyer-faiiing fountain, and
supplies a small pond from which ice Is
nrocured, several fountains, and immune
rable "aceouiss." When the post was buiIt,
ali the materials, except the adobes, were
hrougbt from Leavepworth by train, ana
the undertaking was simply immense. Inc
officers quarters are built OF mouse -coioreo
adobe, made near Wingate, ana OF ! unusual
Nv fine quality. They face the paraoe. on
the right and left are the nospltaI' qua'..i
masters Office, and gusrd-bouse, ana the
barracks occupy the fourth side. Fort
Wings,e is the headquarters OF The Fifteenth
infantry. Ii ia occupied at present by two
companies OF the Fifteenth infantry and one
COMPANY OF the Ninth cavalry. In the ab.
sence Of General Buell., who IS In the hfld
among The Utes, Captain Bennett, OF the
N,n,h cavalry, has command OF the posi-.
Two wears agent OF the Navajos, be speaks
their language, and Is fairly worshipped by
them.
TIE family Of General Buell., colonel OF
the Fifteenth infantry, remain here, while
the gallant Indian.dghter whose shrewd-
has outwitted many an Indian ambush Is at
the front. Mrs. Buell. dispenses The hospi-
tslities Of The post with the ease and grace
Of an ACKNOWLEDGED leader OF society. win
music and conversation, evenings at the
Generals pass deliQ btfully, and stories OF
army life in the wiids Of Montana and Da-
kota alternate with "reminiscences OF Paris.
Mrs. Bryan and Miss Pickett, of Nash
willie, mother and cousin OF Mrs. Buell.,
are visitors at Wiugate. Miss Pick
ett's sunny face and winning man.
ners have made her deseryedly the
.sbelle Of the post" The other officers
are Major Hartz, Fifteenth infantry; Lieu
tenant Stafford, Quartermaster Fifteenth in
fsntry; Lieutenant DAM, Fifteenth IN
fautry; Lieutenant Tyler, Ninth cavalry
DIR. Turney, post surgeon. Several OF these
officers bsye their wives with them, and an
occasional hop enlivens the monetony OF
garrison life. Several times a week a fuiI
band add 10 the enjoyment by an open-alr
concert. From reyeilIe to taps the regular
military routine goes on, varied only by
news from the front aud the busy world
outside, whose nearest outpost (Santa Fe)ls
one hundred and scveDty-six miles away.
The Star line from Santa Fe to Prescott
runs through WiDgate. and the war-whoop
of the driver, as he reins up at the traders
store, is a signal for a rush TO the post
office.
WHAT A MOTLEY CR0wDl
Swartby Mexicans, with iingliDg spurs,
dash up on their fiery broDchOs, vault from
the high saddle, hight The inevitable cigar
cite, and, glancing furtiyely at the stranger
from under their broad.brlmued somDreros,
saunter along with that easy grace OF mo-
ton which cbaracterizes the Spanish race.
Texas cowboys, whose name is a synonym
for courage, fortitude, and dare-deviltry on
the frontier, press eagerly forward for let
tiers from mothers and sweethearts far
away. ThejolIy stage-drivers, resplendentin
gorgeous neck-ties and cheap iewelry, COM
pare notes on "Iast nights run" and their
load OF "tender-feet.r Meanwhile the lariuis
belonging TO their respective owners, the
bronchos, ponies, and bulrOs, have become
jnex,ricably tangled, and the plunging and
snortfng beasts effect q momentary diver
sion outside. The voice OF the protesting
burro rises above the general din, and IS
enough TO strike terror TO The stoutest
heart. The war-whoop OF the widest Indian
on the plain is mild by the side OF this
m~uch-endnring animal when he really
means business. The p~ack-mnles, with
ears modestly cast dowu, give no sign OF
that latent mesnness which only needs an
unsuitable opportunity Tor development.
Still waters run deep. Beware the PACK
mule-put no confidence in bis bind legs.
When most quiet he is merely connecting
some internal design.
THE COUNTRY AROUND
Fort Wingate has much to interest the ge-
ologist and antiquarian. According to
eminent theorists, this country must at
sope time have been covered with lnxu-
RANT vegetation. Petri6ed trees abound IN
all directions. Sometimes the stump may
be seen standing as when the primeyal
woodman swung bis axe and felled the lofty
trunk by its side. Fast flew the chips I'M
der his sturdy stroke, for there they lie to.
day rs fresh In appearance as IL hewn yester-
day-but solid stone. Several Of these in
teresting relics OF a prehistoric age have
been forwarded to the Smithsonian lusti.
tute by General Sherman. Hundreds yet
remain, and only the great difficulty Of
transportation has prevented their whole
sale expectation. These trees exhibit
the wonderful forms OF petrifactioD
and crystallization. Carefully separating
a huge trunk, the spiral crystals appear
which are set in pins and ornaments. Some
times amethysts are found on the side OF a
petri6ed limb. These are esteemed rare
curiositics. Almost all choice specimens
are ionnd near the vast deposits Of blue
clay which abound In this region. There
are agatizcd wood, snOw-wbite, closely re-
sembIing marble; opallzed wood, having a
beautiful iridescence; flints OF all colors /;
gypsuD-white and rosy red--tempt you to
incur the anatbemas OF the freighters.
Lovers Of bric-a-brac would fairly go wild
over the curious pottery obtained In this
vicinity. LAST summer Msior Stephenson
took from Zuni. New Mexico, alone for the
Smithsonian 1,400 pieces, embracing so COM
plete a collection that the poor pucblos
were obliged to immediately set TO work
making more household goods, and r~eftting
the china closet.
THESE ZUYIs
a;e undoubtedly Aztecs, descendants OF the
prsncely Montezumas. A myth is current
among them closely allied to the Jewish be-
lief In the return OF the Saviour. Accord
ing to tradition Moptezuma was carried
away upon an eagles back, some time to re-
turn In the same name TO restore the pris-
tine glories Of the race. Therefore the eagle
Is considered sacred. The Zunis, like the
ancient Pertians, are fire. w~orsLippers, and
popular tradition afirms that in their
"estuia" a sacred fire-emblem Of tue sun
II kept constantly burning, guarded by
twelve priests. to prevent the possibility OF
extinction. Pitchers and Jars may be pur-
chased At Zuni to-day In shape resembling
the funeral urus OF the Egyptians; also,
0i0a 0asP ard oDle oim;Isc ~ tho roftarv