New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-21
ARIZONA AND NEW-MEXICo.
Il, Il. BAScRorr's LATEST BOOK.


No. 40 Church-st.
In writing the history of New-Mexico and Arr
fora. Mp. Bancroft has found himself at once
helped and embarrassed by the magnitude OF the
great literary enterprise upon which he is engaged.
On the ono hand the general scheme has required
20 mary questions and subjects related more or
less directly to these countries to be deait WIN IN
other volumes that IL becomes unnecessary 10 feaO
them here otherwise than IN outlines. On bne
other hand 50 much Of interest In their history
has thus been disposed of that the local annals
never very stirring or variegated unavoidaby lose
sernething which might have hshtened ana en-
hyened them. The carly history of New-Mexlco
is obscure and the question OF the builders OF 'ne
many-storied houses, Of which the Casa Grande is
q striking example, will to oil appearance remain
bono OF controversy indefinitely, though Mr.. Ban
aroft is convinced that ell the relics and ruins IN
this region must be attributed, not TO the Aztecs
according to the old theory, but to the Pueblo
tribes. whose descendants even now occupy the
land He does not believe in the occurrence Oh
any great migration from the Northwest TO MeNieo'
AZ the readers of his Native Races are aware
aThe Montezuma myth" no observes Oh Ui,e
Pueblo communities so far ut least as the name 's
concerned IL not altogether was certainty Oh opan
ish origin. Monumental and institutional RESENT
blsnces are hardly sufficient to suggest even con-
txast with TIE Nahua nations yet such conUfas' "'
one time or another is not improbable, ana 70, III
decd indicated by the dialects OF some OF tne %ioee
Linguistic efinities. however, IKE instiCu.ohal
architsctaral rcsemblances II any exist, 90 noe IN
a,oate an Aztec base for the New-Mexican culture
NJ the beginning but rather q superstructurai eie
mani Of later introduction. offer no positive as
s.,tion that the northern advancement was lu'
dieanous or independent of the spirit tnat eHciuuo
the Mound Builders or the arcnItects oi faien9uo
Ar Uxmal; but claim that any possible conneo'ion
Ia but vaguely supported by the evidence anu nas
l.ast no regarded as antedating the period OF uf-
disional annals"
NJ Rannroffs researches have led him 10 ais
.ard many of the accepted theories aoonO inc carly
enan;sh explorations, the founding OF clues anu
colonies the names of dignitaries alleged 10 naVe
been ossociated with the Government OF Ne"-"e"-
ico. the derivation Of the name OF Arizona ',i0
;e1ends of lost mines" Of fabulous rlcnneSs' .,io
notion that the Jesuits and natives "orkeu 'n'
silver mines in old times, and Other iegenu"'S "
cjtals which have found their wey IN Oil lornsr
btssovies He gives patient, full and measnrapV
..an,lese narrative of the Spanish explorng ex-
eaition records of which have in any way survivor
ana Il ynust be said that their histories, In the
ABSENCE NJ details of personal adventures are Ior
aha most part dry, tedious and mnnotonous. Inc
storv of one is very nearly the story OF all III
tbe first place reports came in to the euect IhaV
there was country 20 the nortn lien III
minerals and thiokly populated py appAf
.rtlv ssmieiyilized races, who wove cotton, wore
.Iothss and adorned themselves with turquoises
and gold or silver ornaments. Ihese reports ca
cited two strong sentiments. Inc frlars "ere
tempted by the hope of'malung great conversions
The secular authorities were drawn oy the eAPeo-
.x1n Ntanh
tations Of wealth and land grants ana eA'enueu
authority So expeditions were orgamheu III"
when they were well under way disiliunons oegan'
Many perils and hardships had to be encountereu
Sometimes the Indians were hostile. Someumeo
the gnides were false. Sometimes disease broke
mt Sometimes supplies fell short. 1hen' ooo'
The great walled Cities with scores OF thousands
~ inhabitants, dwindled 10 scattering groups OF
bous.s mastering at the most few hundred resi-
den,s In one ease, what had been represented es
an imposing city turned out little village OF mud
nuts.
But the adventures often refused TO give up
.h.i, hight dreams. Plenty Of plausible expana-
tions were found for the discrepancies between
rcports and aetuaIties. 1t was favorite theory
that the places shown were not the right ones :
that the native guides miskd the Spaniards in
or5ey 20 ureyeut them finding out the riches oil
*be eountry; and it was concluded that II the ex-
r,arers only went far enough they must stumble
ppon treasures OF course much wrong was uohe
tire natives II they declined TO accept englon
they did not understand they were delivered over
70 the SECULAR arm, which made short WorK Vi
them Afterward O milder policy prevailed IL
was probably induced by the discovery 'hse "
tarn all the able-bodied inhabitants into guer-
rillas was not exactly conducive to the repose Oh
the Spanish priests and soldiers. Colon ION
followed in due course, and 1t Is ap-
perent that for a long time 1t must nave
bwed its survival mueh more 10 the pohcIc"'
ambition Of the Governors and other authoriUes
and the proselytizing feryor Of the franeiscahs
than TO the advantages New-Mexico offered as
Mace Of residence and business For something
Ike two hundred years the natives continued al
tpterxais 10 protest against the conquest OF theil
eonnsry by organizing revolts, and in more tnan
ane instance they drove the Spaniards out with
hssvv loss in one case holding the country agnlns
them for many years
az oourse massacre played an important part IL
,bsir revoits. and equally OF course Christianity
,rns always rejected when they occurred, and the
old eultx were revived. The friars never sue
ceeded In making sincere converts, as is proved o,
the fact that the destruction of the missions wa
invariably the signal for general relapse IL j
type that the New-Mexican fathers were not mao
Of M stern stuff as those VINO estaonsheu 'n
california missions, and that they had no terri
4orisl possessions or authority: Many were really
onIy parish priests who cared little for the har'
.rork ~ converting refractory Indians, and VIII
uxusI,y confined themselves to perfunctcry per
formsnce of their regular duty, 1t does not ap
r,ar that the Spanish occupation brought good
anv Kind to the land. The native feuds went OF
inst the same as ever. Agriculture couid max
Iittt head against the prevalent insecurity. h'iu
ard razzias were going on somewhere all One o,nie
When tho Indians were not nshtins one sn0S w
nav we're handed against the common foe. ou
"a sdverssrses. the Apaches, were as troublesom
e nsaal sThe Nayaioes were good second. IN