The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-25
4 Mystery Story Of the
Southwest. . 9 By a + nossnr

From Mexico on the south, into Colo
RADIO OF the north, from the shores of
the Pacific on the west, almost to the
father of waters on the east lies vast
tract of land where the rainfall will
not insure an annual crop. This is the
semi-arid region of the United States,
long supposed to be an utter desert.
AS it is now. so it was when the Euro
pean first beheld it, when the Spapiard
first penetrated to its interior, and the
present inhabitants, the red Indians,
settled upon its borders and along its
water ways. g vast, burning plain upon
whose bosom rests mighty mountains.
Here and there the white man has re-
claimed a spot and cities have sprung
up. just as, long ago, arose the seven
cities of Cibola. with glowing accounts
of which Spanish traditions are filled
Not long after the discovery of the
New World Spain found and conquered
Mexico, and the Spanish crown had
not long possessed this country when
numerous expeditions were fitted out
in the city of Mexico to travel north:
some to explore the country, some to
found missions, all to look for treasures.
These ventures were led by Vargas,
Coronado. Vasques, DeVaca and
Father Nina. The latter had made
one journey to the far north and told
glowing stories of the vast treasures he
had seen in possession of the natives.
These journyes we're more produc-
tive of hunger and suffering than of
treasures, however, but they found the
Seven Cities of the Bulls situated upon
d vast mesa / 900 feet above the level
of the sea. -Four Of these, Walpi,
Hano. Sinconovi and Minconinovi are
still occupied by the Hopi Indians.
The ruins of others can still be seen
near them They found many ruins in
Arizona, among them one of very
large building: and in New Mexico
they discovered vast pueblo Gown,
as we'll as ruined buildings. Upon
their return to Spain they gave vast
ly exaggerated account OF this big
pueblo. About 154l an expedition pene-
trated to the Canadian river on the
northeast, and at Albuquerque and
Santa Fe saw some of their country
men who had penetrated the country
by the way OF the valley of the Rio
Grande.
Searching as the Spanish soldiers
we're, always for treasures and seeing
many ornaments made of silver in pos
session of the natives they soon took
a way to find from whence the precious
metal came, and we may imagine their
establishment and delight TO be shown
a section OF the country where masses
of pure silver could be picked from the
surface OF the ground These nuggets
varied in size from those of a few
ounces in weight to one that weighed
over 5000 pounds. This treasure was
all shipped to Spain, having been
siezed by the crown. and we know that
hundreds, if not thousands, of tons of
the white metal was shipped to Spain
from Sonora, Arizona and New Mexico.
Silver was worth more then than it is
now
1t was not long before mining began
in these countries and according to
Spanish archives, hundreds of mines
were worked between the years 1890
and 1880 In the little valley of the
Santa Cruz. in Arizona, alone, two
hundred were being worked simultan,
eously according to records left. and a
string OF ruined missions extending
from Tucson, Arizona to the Mexican
border gives evidence of the great
activity that prevailed there during
the mining period; while in Mexico
millions of ounces of silver was taken
out by the aid of the enslaved natives.
They also found places of gold which
yielded great wealth. The priests were
with the explorers, more ventursome
than the boldest of them. and sought
to save the souls of the natives while