The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-29
A LAND ALMOST UNKNOWN
On the Atlantic & Pacific
Railroad.
A TRIP TO THE zUNI COUNTRY

ALBUQUERQUE, ". NJ July 40.
The completion of the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad between Albuquer
que and the Needles opens trac
Of country heretofore little knowr
and difficult of access. Enormous
canons, deep craters, towering pail
sades, and widespread lava beds may
be seen from windows OF the cas-
The tourist fhould spend at leas
two days in Albuquerque. and visit
the old town about two miles iron
the depot. 1t is easily reached by
the. street cars. The old adobe
church, a veritable antique still in
dahy use, is well worth visit. a
visit to the Indian school, q mil,
further ont, viii be well repaid. The
school is supported In part by the
Government and conducted by the
Presbyterian Board. 1t numbers
about seventy pupils, aud appear;
TO be well conducted.
ADOBE COMMUNAL DWELLING.
Taking a train for the west, We
soon come in view of the pueblo o.
village of Lagpnda, TO the right Of
the railroad, and built upon a rocky
eminenee without verdure of any
kind. The adobe communal dwell
ing, two and three stories high, II
accessible by ladders. There are nc
doors upon the ground floor, Ii is
a strange sight, and the strange peo-
who swarm about the dwelling, par
tally dressed in buckskin and
blankets of their own manufacture
form a picture not soon to be for
gotten and sure TO create desire to
know more of their customs and
their ancestors.
A few miles further on we reach
McCarty's Station. The pueblo o.
Acoma is twelve miles from this sta
ton. 1t is one of the most inaccessi'
bic and interesting in New Mexico
Mounted upon an Indian pony, we
galloped over hill and plain until
we reached the Acoma valley. It's
large canon, from two TO three
miles wide. Lis sides are almost
perpendicular, with here and there
narrow defiles and trails, by which
we descend POO feet into the valley
Upon an elevated rock, standing
isolated in the plain, is built the pu-
eblo of Acoma. As 1t is built OF
adobe, it is with difficulty that il
can be distinguished from the gray
rock which it crowns. We dis
mounted and led our ponies down
TO the plain. At the base of the
cliff a large spring OF good water
awaits the thirsty traveller. After
watering the ponies we sremounted
and galloped across the plain.
Drawing near to the pueblo, we
found several great monuments, OF
pillars, isolated from the main pile
upon which the village is built
They measure from thirty to eighty
feet in diameter, and are from lO0to
200 feet hign. These great columns
are sandstone. They are fast disin-
tegrating and wasting away. Upon
a similar eminence with a level TOP
OF about two acres, is built the pu-
eblo. Excepting on the southern
side, the walls are so nearly perpen'
dicular 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 lead
ing to the top. The path is onl,
wide enough for one animal. Ii
some places steps have beer
cut in the rock TO secure a foot
hold.
From the plateau we had an ex
tended view up and down the val
ley for many miles. The towering
monuments below looked like sen
tries on guard at the entrance o
this strange village. The origina
builders, we are told, selected thi
site that they might the more easil,
defend their homes. In the plaiI
broken patches of beans, corn, anC
pumpkins were seen. The iron ag'
has not reached this people yet
The most primitive wooden plougi
is still in use, and sharp stick j
used III planting the seed. Larg
flocks of sheep and goats were qui
etly grazing there, guarded by In
dian boys and girls A few cattl
were in sight In the evening abou
100 " burros were driven up th
narrow trail and carefully carolle,
in an old adobe churchyard, bull
about 100 years ago by Romisl
priests. In a corner of the churc
our guide had a few goods stored 70
trade. We camped in the church
yard. The natives welcomed u
warmly.
Their dress and absence of dres
did not impress us fayorably, an
the prevailing fashion of bangin
the hair gave their plain, honest f.
ces an ominouc appearance. Thei
greeting was kind and courteous.
woman brought us a jar of waite
saying;
i saw YOU coming over tn
plain. Knowing that you woul
want water when you got here,
went to the pool and brought it 70
you"
When you hear that she had |
20 in the hot sun nearly half a mil
down the steep. rough rocks to reac
the pool, and that the jar held wv
gallons Of water, You can appreciat
her act.
cannot here detail the mannel
and customs of these people.
found them using several impl
ments, duplicates of which ha,
been found in the graves of Il
Mound Builders. / saw them grim
ing corn to fine flour by rubbing
upon large stone, with small,
hand stone. I saw the women spi
ming wool by twisting it with a stit
or spindle, weighted with sma
disk exactly like those that ha'
been found in Mound Builder
graves in Missouri. The commo
rough, discoidal stone quoits We
used to crush pumpkin seed {
food. In making pottery they use
soft stone, which they reduce to fiji
powder in the same way and wi
the same utensils used in grindil