The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-04
THE ENCHANTED MESA.
me Tradition or an Indian City on q Rock
aeHen Hundred Feet Ilinh.
Eromt the So. Lout. Globe Democrat.

From the Sc. Louis Globe Democrat.
SANTA FE,N N. NJ, juno l5.-whcn Prof. WILL
liam Libby of Princeton Universally reaches
Now Mexico early in July he will enter upon
researches in the Acoma country that arc likely
to provo of absorbing interest to students of
archaeology tho world over. Romance. song and
story have clustered about this spot for moro
than two centuries.
Near tho contrc OF the plains of Acoma-a vast
expanso OF wild prairie land, situated west by
south Of Albuquerque some sevcnty.lvo miles
risos n rectangular rock Of red and gray sand.
stone, shaped like tho figure 8, with perpcndicu-
lar sides 700 feet high. This rock is called
Mesa Encantada "-enchanted mesa, Tho out
groupings Of stone project from tho facc of the
walls at the top .mokinR the summit wholly mac
cessible. The top of this elevated tablelando or
mesa covers an area OF somo forty acres. Hero
there nourishcd. according to tradition, in the
sixteenth century, a thrifty community OF
pueblo" or village Indians, the AGO.
mas, who then numbered about 1900
souls. They cultivated their corn. chilli. and
bean patches in tho valley near the foot OF
| the rock, pastured their stock thereabouts, and
| made their homes on the tableland, their only
means of ascent and descent being narrow steps
cut in tho stone on the east side. and reaching
an elevation of about 800 feet, whence, through
| like that OF some great cathedral, the way Is
supposed to lead into the rock and up another
ttlb,s s ioS Of W s1SsSs; we're Sf; pfi oested t & sErl rnd Or S setR Me IL
kept and frugal homes. constructed of stone and
sun-dried adobe bricks.
camc to this community of red men. While tho
younger men OF the village. the women and chill
storm camo on, and q bolt OF lightning struck
the projecting rock In which the steps were cut.
of their improvisod stairway from the ground up
800 feet to the catbedral;like entrance; The
aged sSSa h msp To snd lof wG IN tse S Sna ah on Intent tss me en,i %ere
forever cut Off from their kinsmen below. and
these. In turn; were unable to ascend to Their
had crushed TO death n score or more Of those
who had taken shelter from the storm at the
nights nigh ran into weeks. until fnaiiy no sad facs
pcercd over tho Jagged edge OF the rocks above
they knew that all their people at home had
succumbed at last to their fearful fate and
persisted IRISH from hunEsT and thirst nwss oothor.a 10.
gether their scanty. effects. and, carrying their
wounded on crude filters woven from the spines
Of the amolo plant. wandered away INTO the
They founded their second village two miles
terpart Of their previous home, though not s
high by. perhaps. $50 feet, and there they bull
on their backs up a rocky doclivity nearly COO
feet high. their village as It stands to-day, ar
d epr eRd Elimination ration Of Hundreds Of America
tourists who visit tho place. particularly in Sep
TENDER, when their feasts are In progress.
In the calamity which befell the "enchantet
mesa it is said 400 souls persisted. In the revol
OF 1880 against Spanish rule the Spanish ,Catho
!. lie missionary stationed on the ENCHANTED
who escaped the wrath OF the Pueblo Indian
and was not killed. When the Spaniards be
, sieged the base OF the rock the Indian womei
? sacked the village church and were on the verg
l Of stopinR tho friar to death. but he made hi
: escape and jumped from the top OF the mesa
2 landing uninjured 700 feet below. That h
D farf that hia nnfar garment was n lHrp
. sarape-a heavy blanket having an openin
Q in its centre which fits over the head and bring
= the blanket down over the shoulders-whichi
: his flight downward served the purpose OF
o parachute. This priest was aftcrward capture
:, by the Acoma warriors, who, otter a council. Q
n or devil to have successfully made SO mirac,
= lous a leap. and upon his consenting TO renount
. his religion he was taken to their home and p
came one OF them. subsequently, he married or
g Of the bellies of the village. and his descendan,
q are to-day among the s%turdiest sons and daugl
Z tiers Of the pueblo OF Acoma. -. 1t, .
pressed intention OF scaling the walls. Of Me:
9 Encantada" and reaching. the tableland. wi
9 find in the ruins there, a rich and valuable a
q sortment of prehistoric treasures Is scarcely
y be questioned. About the base OF the rock a
to be found at this date many fragments OF bea
!; tiful pottery. the rich coIorine OF which cent
Z and since the Aconias have always been not
h for the superiority OF their earthcnware as We
"a as their expertness In the production OF e2in a.
n plorers will be abundantly rewarded for the
ID Prof. Libby's plan for throwing, a line ov
10 believed to be perfectly feasible; since strol
southwest breeze usually prevails In that iocl
iIt ity in July: In making n the tn, Assem- Sc II rir rs pf 70 ses
10 the rocks to the very top. but will find their ia
2, ono Of comparative ease after going, aloft 8
~ feet to the opening in the side of the cliff.
40