Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-02-07
A "TRIP 70 NEW MEXICO.
CHAPTER III.
SCENERY BEAUTIFUL AND ROMANTIC
CACTUS AND PINoN DESCRIBED
SANTA FE---HIsToRIcAL INCL
DENTs-IN THE COPPER
MINES.

| Especial Correspondence to THE HERALD
rom Las Vegas to Lamy there is a
secession of beautiful scenes. Attimes
the road passes along narrow shelf on
the side of a perpendicular cliff, then
crosses some deep precipitous ravine on
massive iron bridge. Here and there
are heavily timbered slopes, but gener-
ally the bare rocks alone reflect the
rays of the sun. There are many points
of historical interest here The old
Pecos church where tradition says
Montezuma was born, and the battle
field of Glorieta are near the line of
travel.
From Lamy to Santa Fe the branch
road runs through characteristic bit
of New Mexican scenery. There are
hills and hills of sand spiked to the
earth b. cactus plants innumerable. A
few yuccas aid in retaining this shift
ing soil while an occasional spear of
grass drags out discouraged existence.
There are, too, many scattered groups
of stunted pinon adding much to
the enhancing loneliness of the pros
pect. On the whole this is a land which
a person would love-to leave.
Do you know what cactus means in
New Mexico? 1t is not succession of
of fiat, fleshy, prickly ovals growing
hither and thither without plan or con-
troll. 1t is thicket of shrubs higher
than mans head, each stalk bearing
whorls of whorl-bearing branches
armed with fierce lances set strong
against the trespasser. 1t is round
orange with n0li me ta'agere express
sion that forbids closer acquaintance.
1t is an immense mass of vegetable
tissue of the size and shape of a barrel
projection, furrowed by deep longitud-
inal grooves and each ridge crowned
with sharp recurved spines so inter-
laced and closely guarding the whole
surface that you cannot touch the body
with the tip of your little finger.
The pinon is pine tree whose seeds
are large and edible nuts, having an
oily but agreeable flavor Give the
average Mexican what red peppers and
pinon nuts he can eat and he asks moth
ing more-clothing even being no di-
sideratum.
Santa Fe, the second oldest town in
the United States, was founded by
Espejo in 1882, captured in 1880 by the
revolving Pueblo Indians but soon again
retaken by the Spaniards and finally
occupied by our troops under Kearny
in 1916. So much for its history.
l visited the city in August the last
of the rainy season. Every day we had
heavy showers which dried from the
ground almost before the rain had
ceased to fall. The SUMS rays were ex-
tremely hot, but a little shade made the
day very cool and delightful. The
Mexicans all understand this and rarely
90 out from the shadow of the build
ings.
arose early my first morning in
Sante Fe and gazed for a long time
from my window over the slumbering
city. The sun was soon to rise over
the mountains and the brilliancy of the
east was strangely contrasted by the
inky blackness of coming storm in the
west. From one window 1 looked out
over the peculiar adobe houses cluster
ed together regardless of symmetry.
All was quiet and motionless. Then
dog barked and was answered by one
of his kind, and soon whole chorus of
canine voices broke the stiffness. Now
the people began to stir. One after an
other they came from their huts, some
building fires without their doors on
which to cook their simple breakfast,
others busying themselves in their rude
gardens; a burro train, heavily loaded
with merchandise plodded through the
streets. The reveille sounded from the
government corral end stepped to the
window opposite to see the soldiers come
out from the barracks and form in line.
Here and there business man was
opening his store, and soon the whole
city was awake and the labors of the
day began.
In the center of Santa Fe is the
plaza. This contains fountain and a
monument erected to the soldiers who
fell in the Rebellion and the Indian
wars. There are plenty of shade trees
here and long benches are provided for
the comfort of the loungers, who are by
no means few in number.
San Francisco street, upon which is
! done most of the business of the city,
lies along one side of the plaza. 1t is
narrow, crooked, and unpaved with
but few treacherous patches of side
walk. The adobe stores are low and
ugly, and the few large American build
ings interspersed, only serve to make
the others look more squalid.
The typical Mexican house is built
around the four sides of an interior
court or placita 1t is one story high,
flat-roofed, and all rooms open into the
placita as well as on the street. 1t is
constructed of adobe bricks. These are
made of mud, mixed with chopped
straw and dried in the sun. In that eli
mate such houses will last for centuries
and are said to be more cool and COM
Portable than frame buildings.
The old adobe church of San Miguel,
built three hundred years ago by the
Spaniards, still remains in good condi-
ton, though the roof was once rebuilt
after its destruction by the Pueblo In
dams. 1t is the proper thing to visit
this church. Accordingly you pull a
ropes end that protrudes from the door
of the disconsolate edifice. The old
bell responds and soon a sweet-faced
little guide comes from the college OPP
posite, and first securing a quarter for
his services) admits you. He rattles of
his description in the book-agent style,
his rictureSoue EnOlsh heiphteninp the