Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-12-07
FL RTTO DE LOS MlMGBREs- LEGEND OF LOST. RIVER
By Clyde Earl Ely

scarcely drag him away in their retreat
and IL was with difficulty that they
forced him through one OF the two
openings into the plaza Of the pueblo.
Once within the walls the beaten MIN
brcnos could take breath. Gathered
about the kiva were the maidens "
the pueblo under the protection Of the
older women, who prevented their
charges from overwhelming the ex-
hausted warriors. Many fighting men
were missing and the anguished cries
II widows and orphans rose IN shriIl
contrast 10 the triumphant hOwls of
the victorious Apaches who were. even
then. exhibiting the gruesome scalps Of
the fallen MimbrenOs 10 the old men
who manned the walls and who had
stayed the maddened horde with
shower of arrows and stones.
The old cacique laid trembling hands
Oh Alut and led him away where he
could examine and dress his wounds.
for Bonhom was the only one Of the
surviving priests who are the surgeons
and physicians OF the pueblOs. The
wounds were painful and serious but
/ IL was under protest that the cacique
and his daughter, Platform, prevailed on
| the enraged Alut 10 submit 10 the
crude first aid of the stone age. II was
almost noon when he finally mounted
the walls for a reconnaissance of the
battlefield and TO estimate the situa-
! ton touching the future measures for
defense. A council with his men fol
lowed at which the hopclessness Of
withstanding protracted siege became
apparent The enemy had drawn Off
u considerable number of his force that
was now engaged in gathering the corn
from the field into great baskets made
Of bear grass. With the thoughtless-
ness common 10 primitive culture the
Alimbrenos had little food stored. They
could OILY hope that the Apaches
would withdraw with the booty taken
from ravaged fields
That very night the destroyers. not
content with their loot, assaulted the
pueblo 10 secure what else? Women
and revenge. There was n sharp, bit
ter battle OH the roof. groans of wound
cd warriors and the screams OF ravag
ed women. Driven TO the center of the
} plaza. the surviving Mimbrenos made
their last hopeless stand. The women
and children were crowded in the kivn
patiora and her mother were among
them, waiting in hushed despair as the
noise of battle came to them In n muf
, fled roar The good cacique stood al
the door with a stone AK ready q
p avenge the Dissertation OF the shrine hs
I loved. Alut and his faithful follow
crs sold their lives as heroically as the
l spartans at Thcrmoplye, taking dread
e full toll with the desperate frenzy OF
men who fight for all they hold dear
= wives, sweethearts, children, homes
t ana the shrine OF their fathers. 1t was
= no cheap conquest which the Apaches
would win. One by one the defenders
fell beneath the sheer weight of the
| numbers of their assailants. No quart
ers were given nor, indeed, expected
I Alut stood by Benhom at the last dy
ing he fell within the kiva. For brief
moment Benhome held the savage
, horde at la, and Patoria clasped the
PROSTATE form OF her beloved, who
: smiled family through sweat and blood
and died. From relaxed fingers Pa
tiora took the blood dyed flint knife
, and fell upon IL across the body of hin
! who was TO have been her mate Thus
through death and agoniZing bereave
: mert was love born-love that never
dies
: When Benhom fell the maddened
o savages rushed upon the covering wo
|. men and screaming children tat clunl
r certified to them. The cries OF the limo
: cents were soon stilled with bruta
blows and the women were driver
o forth into captivity common. even TO
( day, among the barbarous.
Y The tragic finale to an old-worlC
h drama had been enacted and the sof
: brilliant light of the New Mexico mooi
illuminated the smoking ruins that ha,
4 been the home of happy and prosper
Gus people, now departed and leavinl
= record difficult for the wisest OF tn
' strange white race of prophesy to read
= But the good that is In men lives OF
:. after death; the virtues they exemplif
I. may not pass away. In the three sis
; ter peaks beside FL Rito de los Min
bres dwell. as the god that rides on
. summer cloud foretold, the deathles
:, spirits Of love and faith and courag,
/, From the charred ruins Of Ultiurb
: were waited the souls of Patiora, VIII
I! loved, Alut who was courageous, an,
y Benh0m who was faithful. They dwel
= in peaceful and purified contemplate
- and look forth over the broad Mimbre
=, Valley where cities rise again amid tn
- trees, and green fields that are ono
I, more watered by the river that wa
= lost and found.
10
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