St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-02
A CITY IN THE AIR.
A Wonderful Pueblo in Western
New Mexico.

Cor. OF tho Lawrence Journal.
The pueblo Of Acoma, situated ninety
miles west of Albuquerque. is one of the
most remarkable communities in New
Mexico or the United States. To reach it
take the Atlantic and Pacific railway TO
Mccarthy station, and then transfer to an
Indian pony and ride eighteen miles south
and east. When near your journeys end
you descend almost imperceptibly into the
valley, six miles in width, in the middle OF
which stands butte, and Oh the top of this
is Acoma. Eight hundred people live there,
and they and their ancestors have gathered
the sum OF their possessions for nearly three
centuries. This butte is one of many that
are the remnants of q mess that has been
worn by the erasion of the ages, and sur
wives only in fiat-tOpped mountains here
and there. The valleys between are fer
tile, and untold generations Of men have
seen them covered with waving grain and
tiockS of sheep.
Some time in the seventeenth century the
Laguno, or Valley Indians, made war upon
the Acomas for the possession of the coun-
try, and the latter being the weaker, occu-
pied the butte as defensive position, be-
lieved to be impregnabIe. Their judg-
ment has been abundantly indicated. 1t
has proved a Gibraltar of strength and
safety. The comparison is not inappropri-
ate, and in approaching it from the north
/ was struck with the resemblance to the
pictures l have seen of that grim fortress
that frowns over the straits to the Medi-
terranean. The height above the valley is
nearly 400 feet, and the walls in several
places very perpendicular. There are two
means of ascent, one by flight of steps
cut into the face of the wall and rising at
an angle OF 45 degrees, and the other by a
fissure in the rocks leading up into the heart
of the mountain. Both ways have been
trodden by human feet until the steps are
followed out like shallow troughs. Either
one is exceedingly difficult, and neither is
tolerably safe. We chose the one along
the fissure. One has TO stride over the
fiSsure, one foot on the right-hand side and
the other one on the left, and at the same
time press the hands alternately against the
rocks for support. An Indian will throw
a live sheep around his neck and go up
quite rapidly without touching either hand
to the rocks; but l am satisfied l could
never do ii.
They told us of pathetic incident that
occurred on the outer stairway several gen
erationS ago. Several men started up, each
with a sheep on his back. When nearly to
the top the sheep carried by the foremost
man became restless, and the shepherd. in
trying to hold it fast, lost his footing, and
in falling, swept his companions over the
precipice, and they all fell on the rock at
the foot in a lifeleSs heap. The Indians
have carved representation OF the acct
dent on rock near where it occurred, which
scarcely serves to steady the nerves of those
who go by that route.
The top of the elevation is level, and con-
| a, IF or
side stands the pueblo, blunt pyramid of
adobe and stone. honeycombed with rooms;
at the other the church and graveyard, and
near the center a pond of pure water thirty
feet in depth and several rods in extent.
The priest was made acquainted with the
object of our visit. and the ringing of the
church bell brought the inhabitants of the
village around us. When they understood
that the title to their land was in question.
and we had come to take testimony, they
showed great interest, and discussed the
various points involved with remarkable in
telligence, considering their limited oppOr-
tunities for a knowledge of law. As night
fall came on a number OF the men who had
been at work in the valley came up. bring
ing delicious peaches and grapes, which we
were glad to accept in view of the meageI
preparations for supper.
our Navajo blankets, and never felt more
secure or happier in our lives. When tho
gray dawn peeped through the little mica
window-panes it revealed great roof beams
more than a foot in diameter and 30 or 4(
feet long. and through the open tower {
bell that was cast in ITO. How these i'm
meGse timbers and this bell were brought
up to the top of this cliff no one living
knows. The Indians shake their head.
and the priest shakes his, but no one ven
lures an opinion. The timberS are there
however, as witnesses, and morning anC
night, as the seasons come and go and gen
erations pass away, the bell speaks for it
self in the silvery tones that pleased il
founder in the far-off Spain when Kin,
George was on the throne. The adobes-
or earth of which they were made-wer
brought up from the valley also, for tn,
top of the butte was bald rock in the be
- ginning. And the earth for the grave
came the same way, requiring forty years
the priest said, to complete the graveyard
1t is the only completed graveyard hav
; ever seen, The old priest seemed yer
> happy in the charge of his flock and hi
p flock seemed happy in the possession G
p him.
: When the time for our departure cam
. there was Misunderstanding and era
+ cious blessing from the old man, an
q message TO Father DeFouri, and W
climbed down from the city in the air an
c rode back in silence TO the railroad.