Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-12-07

Often TINS river docs not even ftuci
the plain. its slender stream being lost
In the sands Of Its he'd. Only In ex-
ceptionally wet" years does this an
cient wntercourse fill with rushing
stream of melted snow from the Black
Range and race past the city OF Dem
ing In turbid torrent to be lost again
In the desert ut the base Of the Flor
idn mountains twelve miles 10 the
southeast where II spreads out over Il
meadow of hardy bunch" grass. Once
II flowed past these mountains, whose
er0ded peaks are all within the valley,
ON the east side; later II changed Its
course to the west side Of these mo-
tains. sure sign Of its growing feeble
ness and degenerancy. How many CEN
turtles have elapsed since II flowed past
these mountains at all Is II problem for
biologists which they have not yet
solved. Forty miles Ia the south In the
Republic of Mexico are sweet springs
land the bitter lakes OF Palomas. there
mains Of n link in decadent drainage
system whose ultimate outlet Is UNI
known, hut which still operates under
| the ground ny II did anciently on the
surface Was II from the Little River
of the willows" as EfItito de los Min
bres IL translated, that the Mimbrenos
derived their water to irrigate their
corn and beans? biologists tell us that
IL took unnumbered years for the Fiji
10 bury this river. In its tomb Of grn-
vel. clay, calich and sand.
II has been said that the pueblos of
the Mimbres Valley were destroyed by
the incursions OF savage Apaches and
kindred tribes of Indians. The fact
that practically all of the sites show
that they have been burned over seem
10 bear out this theory. But the In
vaders from the north were burning
pneblos still when the white man came
with his horses and his guns-the CON
uuistadores of Spain and the postula'
tion does not explain from whence the
Mimbrenos derived their water supply
that enabled them to produce with
primitive methods the food for popu'
lOis community.
Tradition again speaks and says That
IL was the god Of the MimbrenoS that
not only withheld the rain from the
famished land, but took away their
river, and to make their punishment
for impiety more complete visited them
with the scourges from the north-the
wild tribes of savages who killed and
burned wherever they passed on their
mad fOrays. Thus were the chosen
people. like Adam and Eve OF old. shut
out from the pleasant valley OF Para
disc, from their homes along the banks
of the Little River Of the willows. Pes
thence added to the horrors Of the
flaming sword and the Mimbrenos who
survived fled afar and dared not re
turn 10 look upon the desolation which
has continued even to this day. There
IL not one stone left upon another
where once rose the comfortable homes
of those who TILED the fields, now bur
led deep beneath the sands that, In the
spring are flung In clouds over thu
desert waste
But there were some who could no
forget the land OF their nativity, wht
longed to return and rebuild the cities
Of the plain and to be buried beneath
the wcll-loved chambers. These PEG
plc were not nomhds and they cherish
ed their hearths where there were nj
ways frijoles In an earthen pot, corr
for tortillas, leg of venison and Low
ing hands to serve. During the grow
ing season they spent much or theli
time IN rude shelters constructed O
willows and PUSHES In the midst o
. their fields, for the climate was mil,
even as Il IL today, but In the wmte
= there were stone arrows and othe
L weapons and tools to make. and, mos
, absorbing of all. there were new pot
To mold. to decorate with intricate de
signs and fire In the estufas. IN
women enjoyed their weaving and eew
ing: the art Of pottery decoration wa
for men. who not only traced forum
geomctrical figures, but painted tn
, likenesses of heroes and depicted thei
iexplOits. episodes of war ana the chhst
and the homcly activities of domesti
; life and crop cultivation. From ther
we gain a very good idea Of what maj
i 'ner of folks were the Mimbrenos; hoy
4 they dressed their hair, what the
g wore. what arms and tools they pos
{ sessed. what they feared, and contend
: ed with and for spiritually, mental
= nnd physically. We know they hun
o cd antelopes, rabbits, birds and othc
l. wild creatures with bows and arrow
y iavelins and clubs, assisted. as me
n have always been, by faithful dog
r The llkenesses OF animals, birds, rel
n tiles and insects they drew were rea
l. istic and well executed and are easil
It recognized as those found here at u
" present time. The beautiful coloriI
Y. and graphic character of these draw
IT ings are remarkable and their equa
e are not found among al the archneol
$. gicnl treasures OF the Smithsonian Il
p stitution at Washington. Whether
NJ not these people were responsible Il
h. the hieroglyphics on the "plctur'
g. rocks OF this region is not definite
Iy known. If they were they put In
n crude writing what they Illustrated
well on their pottery. Here. perhaI
Mt some day we may read what the
nj strange people thought OF themselS'
ir the world and the world to come ~
m IDENTIFY the Mlmbrenos were enthusiast
@ hunters. but there is little to indica
Ia war.like characteristics.
ot Among those who felt the wrath
GO The god Of the Mimbrenos were
he ,.o,,ne, war chief. fAlut, and maj