The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-20


When old time explorers penetrated the
rnhhoWh country north of Mexico. car
rylng the faith as they expressed il
ne. passed up the ancient pueblo of
zunl, thence eastward toward the Rio
1rande river. The natursH highway, if il
may oe so called, led them directly under
re snsdoW OF towering wall. thousands
OF Ieet long and hundreds of feet hiph
ms wall, when faced from the east
presented the appearance of a wedge of
rock, out when seen from the rear it was
1ounu 10 be an immense V. the apparently
soho wall being split almost to the end
by deep canyon which left two i'm
mence cliffs of rock frown:ng at each
other across the great chasm Where +he
two walls. Joined the cliff shot nm IN
towering height. in a pinnacle of rock
winch bears a most striking resemblance
% an immense castle or fortress. 1t was
ms which gave the narie by which it was
known 10 the earliest sxplorers-El MORO.
But the present interest in this gigantic
sIuetlte does not center in the stu
pendous rock nor in the marvellous beauty
al the clif which terminates it. There is
a more human interest in it. more, even
tnan that which is aroused by the ruins
OF Two great pueDloS which look at each
other across the chasm which divides
the ridges forming the sides of the V
AZ the foot of the castle there triczles out
a little spring, the only water to be found
~ a long days ride, and this made il in
the past as it makes it now. the natural
stopping place for all travellers who pass
that way. History is neager in its de-
there are eXtant annals which give TO the
searcher for light many bits of informa-
ton that may be patched together to
make harmonious whole which tells of
the fortltude, the trials and the sufferings
of those Aeroic men who braved the dan
gers OF an unknown country and an I'M
known horde OF savages to carry their
faith TO The heather. and, incidentally. to
search for gold. These early explorers
made the base of FL MORO their resting
place and here they left for those who
a n
which endures until the present time.
TIE sandstone Of the cliff is very fine
and smooth, just such combination as
WCltd induce casual paSSer 10 1nScribe
his name thereon, and the Spanish eXplor-
ers utilized it for the double purpose of
menentor mort as well as sort of reg
ssfry OF their passage. 1t is an autograph
alDum, so valuable that il ought to be the
proud boast of the United States that it
IS within ats possessions. 1t is doubtful
however. f the authorities at Washing
ton even know of the existence of this
remarkable record of the early pioneers.
with their knives and probably their
sNc-ds the Spanish soldiers carved their
names and generally some slight allusion
10 their mission upon the smooth surface
of the wall and the result is that today
we have the legitimate autographs of the
men who opened the way 10 civilization
r the southwest two centuries before
ether white men from the east nene-
trated into that wonderful land of canon
and desert
rock and supplement them by SCRAPS of
history as found in the records OF the |
Old churches and the early records of 4
Mexico and New Mexico, what pathetic I
tale IS unfolded, what a story of marvel /
Gus endurance, perseverance and success
i told
THE OLDEST AUTOGRAPH.
Tbs Oldest identified autograph as well |
IS the most important of all among the
many noble names TO be found written /
N that quaint old Spanish of 800 years /
age, is that OF the leader. Juan de Ornate.
TIE real founder ct New Mexico, the /
builder OF the two oldest towns in the
territory, San Gabriel and Santa Fe, and
enc Of the bravest explorers that ever i
penetrated an unknown country with
handful OF men. He il was that went on
that marvellous journey in search of the
South Sea- the Pacific ocean. and il
WAS on his return from that wonderful
tramp with so men through a trackless
wilderness and desert that he encamped
x tie foot of Ell MORO ard left his mod
sst Inscription upon that eternal page.
Here is what he wrote. hundred years
setore or Saxon forefathers buiided so