El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-10

lures Of the ancients into modern
farms by means of pump irrigation
Outside World in Ignorance.
New Mexico is well known as the
. land Of romantic association so FAR as
dea dand gone civilizations are con-
cerned, and Santa Fe has been its chief
city in that light as well as in a
political sense, but so far as the out
side world is concerned, the romantic
associations have been connected with
those portions of the state in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of Santa Fe and along
the Rio Grande from near Santa Fe to
a short distance below FL Paso.
Much OF the Legendary lore regard
ing the existence Of a tabled city,
known in modern fiction as La Gran
Quivira. has been published in one
form or another, but, as intimated
above, except to the initiated in mat
tiers Of that kind, it is not generally
known that La Gran Quivira Cthe
Great Mirage) was but one OF five
great cities found by the Conquista-
dores in their quest for gold and pre-
cious stones following the conquest OF
the land Of the Montezumas by Cor
tez in the early years Of the 18th cen
fury.
Other Antiques.
THE other cities were Chilli, Ia
Jique, TOrreon, Manzano, Quarac or La
Cuarai, as it was known to the Span
iards, or Ia Punta de aqua, as IL is
now known, and Abo.
These were not the only cities or
settlements in that region, but they
were the largest or at least the best
preserved Whether the occupants OF
the old cities were an agricultural or
a pastoral people or a combination OF
both can only be surmised.
What the prehistoric tillers OF the
soil did in the way Of producing crops
can only be conjectured- It is known
that they grew a variety Of corn very
similar to the corn now grown every
where throughout the United States,
and there are abundant evidences that
they knew something about irrigation.
as there are traces Of acequias and
water holding borders over vast
acreages of land skirting the foot
hills in which their cities were built
Old Apple Orchards There.
That the ancients were growers Of
fruit is attested by the two old apple
orchards still standing, still growing,
still bearing, in the vicinity Of the
town Of ManzanO, and others not quite
so old in the vicinity Of Punta de
Aqua, the comparatively modern town
which sprung up, in the first decaoe
OF the 18th century, near the ruins
Of La Cuarai.
The origin Of these old apple or
chards is shrouded in as much mys-
terry as is the origin of the old pear
orchards OF 1sleta, Texas, famed in
song and story, and which have fur
nished food for thought for genera
tons Of antiquarians.
One OF Many Theories.
TT is supposed that the old trees
were planted in both instances by
some Of the priests accompanying tke
CCnquistadores on their excursion in
quest Of the tabled boards Of treasure
contained in the mythical Seven Cities /
OF Cibola- Why pears should have
only survived at Ysleta, Texas, and
apples at 8Ianzano and Punta de Aqua,
New Mexico, is part Of the mystery
connected with the story Of their
planting and propagation
Other objects Of Interest.
Besides the old apple orchards at !
miles west OF the modern city OF Z
Estancia, on a splendid highway over
which automobiles may be driven at a
good rate Of speed, there is much
which should be Of interest to the
tourist, and the people Of Estancia are I
oS erloolSing splendid advertisement 2
when they do not make known TO {
tourists the opportunities for seeing
some OF the ruins Of the Oldest civ
ilizatiOn on the American continent
with such ease from their city.
An Old Religious Shrine.
AT that town still remains one Of
the few colonies Of the religious sect
cross-surmOunted shrine on a high hill
overlooking the ancient village is but
one of the points OF interest
In the heart Of the little city is an
OLD stone -tOrreon,' or tower, loop
loled and otherwise fitted for defence /
against the hostile and predatory
plains indians, probably Apaches or
@ mmsnches, who were wont to raid
the villages Of the Piros and Tigua
tribes, who were pastoral peoples. and
who, soon after the settlement Of the
country by the Spaniards. were not