Daily Honolulu press., 1885-12-25
Ancient Ruins Of the Pocos.
(p,4ttss ,sy Tie Daily p,sss.)

Fifty miles southwest Of Los Vegas, New
Mexico, near the line Of the A. +. & S. F. r. |
R., are located the ruins of the ancient and
once populous city Of Cicuse. History tells
ms that about three hundred and fifty years
ago, Francisco de Caranado, at that time Gov
enor Of some portion Of Mexico, organized an
expedition for the purpose Of discovering, i'll
possible, the "seven cities Of Cibola." After
a long journey Of trials, hardships and many
sad disappointments, we are informed that he
reached strongly fortified city Of houses four
stories high, built in narrow valleyin the midst
ofmountains covered with pine, and iraverscd
by stream Of water, from which they caught
several fine specimens Of trout. All surround
ing evidences point to the fact that this "city
Of houses" was no more nor less than what is
now known as the ruins Of The Pecos, and con-
sequently one Of the seven cities in question:
1t would be a difficult task to give anything
like an accurate description Of these ruins in
short newspaper article; however, will try
and give.your readers few points that may
serve to convey an idea Of Cicuse, as found
II buta short time ago, when personally
miles east OF Buh's station, nestled close to
the eastern slope of rugged pine-covered noun
tains that skirt the western edge of the Pecos
valley. AS we follow the windings Of narrow
trail through an underground of pines and
cedhrs, we soon discover the impressive ruins
OF the old church, as II stands in grim silence,
looking down upon collection of ancient
dwellings Of the Aztecs. The walls are over
five feet thick, and although fast crumbling
awty, enough is left to show its vast dimen-
siois of one hundred and fifty feet in length
by sixty feet wide. This crumbling pueblo
was formerly surrounded by huge walls, por-
tiors Of which still remain. The houses
are built on the inside and against these
walls, leaving space of some 200 feet in the
center, which forms sort Of an amphitheater.
The buildings are three, and in places four
stories high, built entirely of adobe, dried
mud pressed into squares. The first and
lowest story is Of course wider than the others
to- The second story or tier Of dwellings
is constructed on top of the first and few
feet back, so as to leave sort of promenade,
which also contains openings, by means Of
which an entrance is gained to the next tier
of rooms through the roof. Each succeeding
story is built little further back Of the one
directly under it, the whole resembling a
high stairway A little further on we find a
similar group Of dwellings, built in a semi
circle instead Of lengthwise along the outer
walls. All told, there are perhaps one thou
sand separate rooms, many of which are still
in good state Of preservation. The en-
trance TO these rooms is very small, many Of
them being hardly large enough for an average
prison bird to crawl out OF. dofed my coat
and entered a number of the apartments
having the larger openings, and found them
neat and clean, with dimensions of about
9xIo feet. About hundred yards distant,
inside the outer walls are two large water
lorginal depths would be hard to determine,
as they are nearly filled with rocks, chunks
of wood and other debris. Running from one
OF these reservoirs is large pipe or aqueduct
leading perhaps to some point under the
dwellings. Its inside diameter is ten feet.
1t is of peculiar construction, being composed
of balls of cement or adobe, varying in size
from an orange to good big squash. These
are laid together like bricks and covered with
cement.
| 1t was here that the sacred fire was dedi-
Gated to Montezuma and kept BURNING,
according to tradition, until sometime during
the first part Of the present century. Upon
his removal south into old Mexico, Montezuma
commanded his people to keep the fire burn
ing, and that he would surely return to them
through its smoke and flames. Warriors by
turns watched this fire and kept it burning
day and night until wars, old age and disease
disseminated their ranks, when the three re-
naming warriors took up the last brand and
carried it 10 the mountains, where Montezuma
himself, true to his promise, appeared and
received it. Such, in brief, are the. character
istic features Of the traditional birthplace OF
Montczuma. J. f. b.