Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-09


southeast. through the canons, down |
through the valley Of Oaxaca, where |
Cortez obtained grant OF Il large |
tract of land and laid out plantations |
for the crown. The estate was soon
so prosperous that its value was more |
than 10000 ounces OF gold Reports
give detailed descriptions of large and
beautiful edifices, and some of them
the most elaborate specimens of In
dian architecture in the province of
Oaxaca. This princely domain com.
pretended more than 90 large towns
and villages and $4,000 vassals. or
these 90 large towns and villages Nit
la was one. and another was Oaxaca.
On his return 10 Spain Cortez was,
b. decree of Charles ". dated July
6, 1929. created Marquis of the Valley
OF 0axaca. title by which ne was
known In those days even more tnan
by his own name. To speak of the
Marquis" meant Cortez. The decree
granting the estates OF the Valley was
signed in the same month, July, of
that year.
The route that the little band of
Velasquez marched over was down
through canons where now runs the
Mexican Southern railroad, to the
mouth of the great river Coatzacoal-
COS, the eastern terminus of the To-
huantepec railroad.
Oaxaca was a city. tnen, before the
Spaniards came, and the date of its
original foundation is as obscure as
that of the ruins of Militia, though its
Spanish occupation and building com
menced very early in the sixteenth
century and therefore 1t is one of the
| oldest foundations in the land, and
one of the prettiest of all its cities.
The approach of the railroad is
down through lovely valley The
towers may be seen, above the trees.
while the train is yet some miles
away and when it stops 1t is under
the shadow of a high hill
Enronte to the Militia ruins 1t is
| necessary to spend the night In OAK
| aca. Leaving Oaxaca At 7 in the
morning one should easily reach Nit
la by noon, permitting a short stop
at the Big Tree, and two or three
other points. But there must be
| stop at Tule. The village is in a
| grove of trees and turn TO the right
| is through an avenue OF tropical ver-
| dure that all but shuts out the sun.
light. 1t is scarcely half a mile from
| the main road to the big trees. The
popnlace will come out to greet You,
in kindly way, and from the purest
curiosity follow YOU about.
The big tree of Tulc is In the church
yard of Santa Maria del Tule. A
| greatgrandfatner of trees, that must
have been still a great tree long be-
| fore the Spaniards came or even
while the builders were at the tenn.
inches round the trunk six feet from
the ground. and as native says, "it
| takes two looks to see the top" To
| give better idea Of its immense size.
| If 2s people with outstretched arms,
touching each others finger tips,
stood around the trunk, they could
| barely complete the circuit
On the east side of this giant of the
| forest is a wooden tablet, with an in
scriptlon signed by Humboldt the
| great German traveller. and probably
| placed there by him. or by his order.
1t has been there 50 long that the
| bark has grown over 1t. almost com
| pletely embodying it IN the tree and
| partly obscurlng the inscription so
that the beginning and ending of the
| Tines cannot he read The tree is an
| ahuehuetl, a species of cypress.
II is FIVE minutes walk from the
| hacienda to the ruins. through strag-
| Cling village of matched nuts. and
narrow streets hedged with cacti.
across little rio. mp a rocky nlll,
and you stand within the craven walls
of temple that may he older than
| Soiomons
| This may have been one temple. or
four. There are four walled courts
facing about an open patio lying ex-
actly at the four points OF the com
pass. with their walls on lines true
to the needle. On the southern court
only three of its walls are standing.
Under 1t Is passage that may ex-
tend to the other courts. a subter-
ranean gallery running the entire
length of the court. east and west.
with short extension due north.
The east court mas only one of its
walls standing and two columns that
are not thrown down. Others. and
the heavy cornice stones and cap
pieces. lie ut the base of the wall.
The north court is in the finest
state of preservation and gives ample
evidence of the magnificent handl.
work of the men of a buried and for.
gotten race. whose civilization Is at.
tested In the intricate carvings here;
IN the shaping of these stones: In the
lifting of them from their qnarries.
and setting them in their places. as
with mason's tact. that all the
earth's tremblings hayo not shaken.
nor have the warning elements efraced
their cravings. The north court is
bnilt ON the same plan with the 9th.
ers. and its walls are I'm a most com.
plcte state. The entrances to all the