The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-24
object Of Expedition of
. Professor Libby.
The Inaccessible City Is on a
High Rock in Mexico.
Terrible Tradition Connected With
It-Kites to Be Used.

Santa Fe, n. NJ, June "a When Prof.
| William Libby of Princeton University
reaches New Mexico early in July, he
| will enter upon researches In the Acoma
country that are likely TO prove of absorb
| ing interest to students of archaeology
the world over. Romance, song and
| story have clustered about this spot Tor
more than two centuries.
Near the center of tho plains or Acoma
| "A vast expanse Of wild prairie lanu,
| situated west by south OF Albuquerque
| some 20 miles-rises rectangular rock OF
| rod and gray sandstone, shaped like the
| figure 8 with perpendicular sides IOO feet
high This rock is called MESA Encan-
| taua '--enchanted mesa. Tho outcrop-
pings of stone project from the lace OF
the walls at the top, making the suminit
wholly inaccessible. The top OF this eio-
waited table land or mesa covers an area
of some 40 acres. Here there flourished,
according TO tradition, in the sixteenth
century thrifty community OF "pueblo
or village Indians. the Acomas, who then
numbered about 1900 souls. They culti-
waited their corn. chilli and bean patches
in the valley near the foot of the rock,
pastured their stock thereabouts, ana
made their homes on the table land, their
only means of ascent and descent Deing
narrow steps cut in the stone on the east
side and reaching an elevation or about
300 feet, whence, through landing the
entrance of which WAS arched like that
of some great cathedral. the way Is sup
posed To lead into the rock and up
another flight of steps, or, perhaps,
series of them, TO the top, where were
located their rude yet weii-kept ana
frugal homes, constructed VI stone ana
sun n-dried ADOBE bricks.
One day, tho story goes. an awfui
calamity came to this community OF red
men. While the younger men of the VII
lage. the women and children were en-
gagged In their fields below, terrific storm
came on, and bolt OF lightning struck
tine projecting rock in which the steps
were cut, completely demolishing IL. anc
eifacing all trace OF their improvsed stair
way from the ground up 3C0 feet To the
cathedral like entrance. The aged men
and women and the infant children who
had been left in the homes on the mesn,
were forever cut off from their kinsmen
below, and those, In turn, were unable To
ascend TO their homes. 10 add to their
distress, the falling stone had crushed
to death u score uf more OF those who had
taken shelter from the storm at the base
of the rock. Many sorrowful days ana
nights ran into weeks, until finally no
sad face peered over the jagged edge of
the rocks above 10 greet tine wistful
watchers from below, and they knew that
all their people at home had succuinbe bed at
last to their fearful fate. and perished
from hunger and thirst.
Then tho sorrowing Acomas gathered
together their scanty effects, and carrying
their wounded on crude litters woven
from the spnes of the amole plant, wan
dered away into the desert in search Of u
new home.
They founded their second village two
miles distant on top of Il MESA rock almost
the counterpart of their previous home,
sIN "A "a D. kxs rhs.n lf,l !nnf
and there they built of stone and mud and
hewD timbers. transported on their backs
up "a rocky declivity nearly 60 foet high.
their village as cit stands today. an I'M
prognable fortress In time of danger, tho
wonder and admiration of hundreds of
American tourists. who visit the place.
particularly in September, when their
feasts are in progress
In the calamity which betell the "en-
chanted mesa it IL said 300 souls per-
ished. In tho revolt of l6SU against Span
ish rule the Spanish Catholic missionary
stationed Oh the enchanted mesa with
the Acomas was the only priest who es-
capped the wrath of the Pueblo Indians
and was not killed. When tho Spaniards
bCsieQed the base of the rock the Indian
women sacked the village church and
were on the verge Of stoning the friar To
death, but he made his escape and jumped
from the top of the mesa, landing unin-
iured 200 feet below. That no made the
leap in safety is ascribed to the fact that
his outer garment was large sarape-a
heavy blanket having an opening In its
center which fits over the head and brings
the blanket down over tho shoulders
which In his flight served the purpose of
a parachute This priest was afterward
captured by the Acoma warriors. who
after council of war; decided that he
must surely ho either saint or devil TO
have successfully made so miraculous "a
leap ana upon his consenting To renounce
his religion he was taken to their home
and became one of them. Subsequently,
he married one of the bellies of the village
and his descendants are today among tho
sturdiest sons and daughters of the
Pueblo of Acoma.
That Prof. Libby, should he carry out
his expressed intention OF scaling tho
walls of "Mcsa Encantada' and reach
ing tho table land, will find in tho ruins
there rich and valuable assortn ent of
prehistoric treasures Is scarcely TO ba
questioned. About the base Of tho rock
are To bo found at this dato many frag-
ments OF beautiful pottery the rich color
ing of which centuries of exposure 20 the
oeme nts has not eifaced, and since this
Aoomas have always been noted for the
superiority OF their earthen wares as well
as their expertness I'm the production or
gold and silver ornaments, lewClTy, etc,
no doubt tho explorers will Le abund-
antly rewarded for their undertaking.
Prof. Libby's plan for throwing line
over this table land by the use of tandem
kites Is believed % bo perfectly feasible,
since strong southwest breeze usually
prevails I'm that locality i'm July. In
making the ascent 1t is probable that the
explorers will not DO required To scale
the rocks To the very ton, but Will find
their task one of comparative ease after
going aloft 300 feet to tho opening In the
side OF tho blan.