The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-12-26

NHONTEZUMA's PIPE.



The city of Carassell, State of
Chihuahau, Republic of Mexico, was
formerly the abode of Mentezuma,
who met cruel death at the hands
Of Cortez, the conqueror of Mexico.
Then, as now, the neighboring In
dams made frequent raids on
Mexican territory, and the great
king had species of lookout or
watch tower built, with kind of
gallery around the top, whence the
movements of hostile forces could be
seen. This tower is of adobe, about
seventy feet high and not unlike a
furnace chimney in construction.
The town of Carasell is at best but
collection of huts now, for the In
dians lately raided it and killed
most of the male inhabitants, spar
ing only the Catholic priest and the
women. The entire population is
not now over a hundred souls, but
in the neighborhood are the resi-
dences of the chief men of the State
of Chihauhau and Carasell has an
alcalde or mayor with his several
clerks.
Our .townsman John O'Donnell,
whose interesting statements rela-
tive to his residence in Mexico we
published last week, has given us a
graphic account of the way in which
he came into possession of the very
curious relic spoken of in the head
of this article. He had been loca-
ting mine in the mountains, about
sixteen miles from Carasell and was
compelled to come into the town to
file his "denuncione" or caveat, a
kind of title deed. He came in with
much eclat, his chief burro entering
the town with tin cookstove, coffee
pot and fryingpan, much battered by
sundry kicks, between his legs, and
six tame little burros following with
the rest of his camp and garrison
cquipage. He found the alcalde,
saw his papers copied out, one copy
tackled to a tree and one to the
church door, like the banns of mar
riage in some New England States,
and then started to find some place
of reireshment. Mr.. O'Donnell hav-
ing visited the place just after the
raid, found Carasell chiefly inhabited
by widows, but finally came across
an old man who had escaped the
massacre and, as measure of self
preservation, had married one of the
widows They made him welcome,
showed him all over the house, and
pointing out sundry Madonna and
similar pictures, were delighted
when their visitor limited that he
too was good Catholic. Mr..
O'Donnell had pocketful of the
small coin of the country which, ju-
diciously distributed and expended
made him free of the house and on
going away the old man gave the
American ''hombre" his most cher
ished gift, one of Montezuma's own
possession. 1t had evidently been a
cigar holder; is about an inch and
a half long, curiously carved with
quSeI bbcAlCaH uS uicS, No" iHucu
worn by three centuries of years and
is of a fine clay like meerchaum.
The old man had bored hole in it,
and stopping up one end, had used
it as pipe. He gave the history Of
this interesting relic, which showed
that it had doubtless, at one time,
been the property Of Montezuma
himself. Carasell is seldom visited
by Americans, and it was only the
chance visit Of Mr.. O'Donnell to the
home Of this old man that led to
The discovery Of this peculiarly III
interesting relic ~ Mexico befbr III
9 4 g wv s,'s:l.3 e ':t & ss''5