Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-07
THE ACoMA VALLEY.
i LAND ALMOST UNKNOWN.


a People sf pnmsase ssssess sws cs--
sem.- aasssss Psussy-ssssssns stsns
Ssupisssrs.
The completion Of the Atlantic and
Pacific railroad between Albuquerque
and the Needles opens tract Of coan-
try heretofore little known and difiicnlt
Of access. Enormous canyons. deep
cratcrs, towering palisades, and wide
spread lava-beds may be seen FROM the
windows Of the cars. The tourist.
writes an Albuquerque, N. NJ,
correspondent 10 the New York
Ssn, should spend at least two
DAYS at Albuquerque, and visit the old
town, about two miles from the depot.
II is usually reached by the street-cars.
The old adobe church, vcritable an
tique still in daily use. Is well worth
visit. A visit to the Indian school,
mile further out, will be well repaid.
The school is supported in part by the
Government and conducted by the
Presbyterian Board. II numbers about
seventy pupils, and appears to be well
conducted.
Taking a train for the West, We soon
come in view Of the pueblo or village Of
Isg,nda, TO the right Of the railroad,
and built upon rocky eminence with
out vcrdue Of any kind. The adobe
communal dwelling, two OF three stories
high, is accessible by ladders. There
are no doors upon the ground floor. 1t
is strange sight, and the strange peo-
pie who swarm about the dwelling, par
tally dressed in buckskin and blankets
of their own manufacture, form pic
ture not soon TO be forgotten and sure
10 create a desire to know more OF their
customs and their ancestors.
A few miles further on we reach Nc
Carty's station. The pueblo Of Acoma
is twelve miles from this station. 1t is
one of the most accessible and interest
ing in New Mexico. Mounted upon an
Indian pony, we galloped over hill and
plain until we reached the Acoma VAL
ley. II Is a wide canyon from two to
three miles wide. Its sides are almost
perpendicular, with here and there
narrow defiles and trails, by
which we descended two hun
bred feet into the valley. Upon
an elevated rock, standing isolated in
the plain. is built the pueblo Of Acoma.
As il is built of adobe, il is with diff
Guilty that it can be distinguished from
the gray rock which it crowns. We
dismounted and led our ponies to the
plain. At the base of the cliff large
spring of good water awaits the thirsty
traveller. After watering the ponies
we rcmounted and galloped across the
plain. Drawing near to the pueblo, we
found several great monuments, or
pillars, isolated from the main pile upon
which the village is built. They mea-
sure from thirty to eighty feet in diane
ter. and are from one hundred TO two
hundred feet high. These great col
umns are sandstone. They are fast
disintegratiDg and wasting away. Upon
a similar eminence, with level top Of
about two acres, is built the pueblo.
Excepting on the southern side, the
walls are so nearly perpendicular as to
be inaccessible. The sand drifts badly
on the southern side and reaches half
way up the cliff. Over the hot sand we
climbed until we reached narrow trail
leading to the top. The path is only
wide enough for one animal. In some
places steps have been cut in the rock
TO secure foothold.
From the plateau we had an extend
ed view up and down the valley for
many miles. The towering monuments
below looked like sentries on guard at
the entrance of this strange village.
The original builders, we are told,
selected this site that they might the
more easily defend their homes. In
the plain broken patches beans,
corn, and pumpkins were seen.
The iron age has not reached this
peopleyet. The mostprimitive wooden
pillow is still in use, and o sharp stick is
used in planting the seed. Large focks
Of sheep and goats were quietly grazing
there, guarded by Indian boys ard
girls. A few cattle were in sight. In
the evening about one hundred "bur-
ros g." were driven up the narrow trail
and corralled in an old adobe ehurck-
yard, built about one hundred years ago
by Romish priests. In corner Of the
church our guide had few goods
stored for trade. We camped in the
church-yard. The natives welcomed us
warmly.
Their dress and absence Of dress did
not impress us favorably, and the pre-
vailing fashion Of banging the hair
gave their plain, honest faces an
ominous appearance. Their greeting
was kind and courteous. A woman
brought us a jar Of water, saying II
saw you coming over the plain. Know
ing that you would want water whenyou
got here, l went to the pool and
brought it for you." When you hear
that she had to 60 in the hot sun nearly
half a mile down the steep, rough rocks
to reach the pool, and that the jar held
two gallons Of water, you can appre-
ciate her act.
CanuOt bSIc uStaii shS hiahhS' o ""N
customs Of these people. | went there
to study them, to discover, if possible,
evidence that their ancestors built the
mounds east Of the Mississippi. i
found them using several implements,
duplicates Of which have been found in
the graves Of the mound-builders.
saw them grinding corn to fine -four
by rubbing it upon a large stone
with q smaller handsome. ! saw
the women spinning wool, twist
ing with a stick or spindle, weighted
with small disk exactly like those
that have been found in meund-builders'
graves in Missouri. The common,
rough. discoidal stone quoits were used
to crush pumpkin seed for food. In
making pottery they use soft stone,
which they reduce to fine powder in the
same way and with the same utensils
used in grinding their corn. Adding
water, they form aputty or clay. They
take q mass Of this putty in globular
form and place il upon a small fiat
stone. Then, with the fingers, they
form the bowl, raising the walls by
nressnre. and smoothing the sidcs with