The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1883-07-27
The Cliff jewellers.


New Mexico is a rich field for study
for the antiquarian. In all parts of the
territory ruins of ancient dwellings
abound and no point is utterly devoid
of objects connected with centuries
past. Relics Of the previous claimants
lie about and although not so plentiful
as formerly they are as yet by no means
scarce. The distinct evidences of three
separate and distinct peoples having
i'll turn been disposSessed of this terri.
tory by the right of might show plainly
the means by which the Indian gained
title to this property, and justities the
white man in acquiring it by the same
process. The soil is evidently stolen
goods at best and the whites simply
compelled thieves to disgorge when they
took the red mans lands. Judging the
future BY the past the time will come
when we will be given like need of jus
tice by a stronger people who will push
us into the same oblivion that we have
prepared for the Indian, and that he
dealt out to his predecessor.
Probably no point in these United
States is more prolific in It's evidences
of previous human occupation than the
Black range. The frail tepees of tile
savage Apache still remain at their IA
vorite camping places, the undimmed
trails in many instances yet serve the
purposes Of the present occupants of
the land and even the previous proprie-
tors themselves sometimes threaten to
visit their previous homes to warm up
the skins of their conquerors. Water
jugs deftly plated of split willow twigs
and covered with pitch from the pine,
flint arrow heads and government cart
ridge shells, bones of adventurous pros
pectors and rash U. s. soldiers, with an
occasional cache of auburn female hair
and baby clothes, are the momentoes
left by this murderous people that they
were here. Preceding the Apaches it
is popularity supposed that the Pueblo
Indian held possession of the land, as
the evidences of a people Of like habits
and employments are extremely mum.
erous. On the top of nearly every foot
hill on either side of the range the
rock foundations of their houses can be
traced with an abundance of pottery
ware scattered about. Metates, being
stones on which corn and wheat were
ground by hand,are and go tC
show that these valleys once produced
crops for the sustenance Of a numerous
people. Stone hammers and other rel
les have been dug from their houses al
though but little in the way Of explora
ton has yet been done.
But the most curious and mysterious
of the previous occupants of this lane
are the Clitf-dwellers whose h~abitatlon'
are found in nearly every inaccessible
place on the western side of the terri
tory and adjacent portions of Arizona
OF the other ruins there can be found
traditions regarding the builders among
the last possessing savages but of the cliff
people there is no recordin song or story
They have passed from earth complete
ly with only the ruins of their resi-
dences and the scattered specimens OF
their handiwork to let the race now on
the stage of life's action know of theil
having been. The ruins of these houses
as found in the north part of New
Mexico have been repeatedly visited
by scientific men and many specula
lions regarding who and what they
were have beeu advanced by those who
have made the subject a study, but
these theories though guided by the
fullest possible light are yet specula
tions after all, and therefore to bt
taken on trial.
On the headwaters of the ella river
on the western slope of the Black range
and the eastern side of the Mogollor
mountains, these Clitf-dwellers' house;
are numerous. Many of them are il
perfect preservation but the majority
have had all the woodwork about then
burned; possibly by the conquerors
The houses are built in natural caverns
followed out of the face of solid, per
pendicular rocks. To reach any Of
them necssitates a tedious climb from