South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-10-05
FROM NEW MEXICO.
Speeia, Correspondence.
SANTA FB, n. d., Scrt.. 9


nous, the country presenting about
the same aspect and characteristics as
that already spoken of. There are
few points OF interest on the route.
San Miguel, 80 miles from Las Vegas.
Is fair sample of many towns to be
found in new country where mush-
room growth for few years, the re.
suit OF an unsubstantial boom, gives
place to s,asnatlon and decay The
place once had 7 900 inhabitants and
was quite business point; to day it
has scarcely 1,5oo and its business
prosperity has vanished. The only
really interesting feature along the
way Is the famous Pecos cathedral
30 miles out from Santa Fe-one Of
the most famous ruins in this country.
From the railroad only passing
Slylnpse of its red and crumblng
walls can be obtained, as it is three
miles distant, b the pleasure travel.
er will be suiciertly interested to stop
and look il over at leisure. It is the
site Of what was once large and po.
pulons Aztec village. Tradition has
it-and here let M say that New
Mexico lie country Of traditions
that Monteznma was born at Pecos,
and that when he went away he told
his people TO keep the sacred fire in
the cathedral burning until his return.
But he never came. Warriors watch.
ed the fires and remained on duty for
two days and nights without food or
rest, or, as some say, until exhausted
or dead and many that came out a.
live died soon after. The Spanish
MeXicans used to believe that tie DO.
dies were given TO an enormous ser.
pent to dcvour.
Whatever the cause, tie town OF
Pecos declined. Once, about the mid.
die of the last century, Indians sack-
ed the town, but many escaped. In
1887, the tribe was reduced to As
persons, Of whom butt were warriors.
All this time they had kept the sacs
red fife burning, but they could do it
10 longer, rs the" were too few, and
tradition says that three warriors
went into the woods with the fire and
that Montezuma himself appeared and
relieved them OF it. Then they ;l<cd
their goods and went to join their
brothers at the Jamez Pueblo, west OF
the Rio Grande. They were of coarse
sun worshippers, and they looked at
the rising sun every morning expect
ing to see Montozama return. Near
by are some b0ulders having in them
distinct inprints Of hannah feet, ms
plain as if they were in soft clay. and
the tradition is that these are the
prints o! Monteznma's feet when he
left. The cathedral wa built by the
franciscan friars in 1923. 1t ia of a .
dobe brick, in the form Of cross, and
its dimensions are: Nave, loo feet
long by 81 wide; chancel, 10 feet
deep aud the came in width, exc ept
the rear, which is II feet. Thus the
total length of the structure was us
feet. There is nothing in the ruin
now save some odd pieces of pottery.
The ruins of the old ttown are
yet quite visible. Pecos, means
b londe, light Completed aud freck-
led The town was abandoned, some
say, because the Comanches attacked
1t aud 81 reduced it that it could no
longer continue, but another tradition
has il that a sacred serpent was kept
i'll the council house where the fire
was burning that TO it was fed eve.
~ day n child, and that reduced the
Pueblo finally to point where the
few remaining could not hold out a
lone.
Perhaps i should have mentioned
one other point along the route Just
Travelled Bcrnal, about % miles from
Las Vegas. 1t is place of no spe-
cial Importance, but near It is Bcrnal
Peak, from which the N4veio Indians,
fighting on the side Of tie United
a descent upon the place and, routing
the mcxicans, drove rs Of them to the
top Of the peal: The Indians mum.
bcred about four hundred, and for the
McXicans to attack them was sure
death. There was but ono way up
the mountain side and the &c, ike
the famous defenders OF the Pass at
ThermOpylac. could defend il against