CONTENTS '■ xiii 



CHAPTER VI. 



Sketches of the Early History of Santa Fe— First Explora- 

 tions— Why called New Mexico—Memorial of Oiiate 

 His Colony—Captain Ley va's prior Settlement — Singular 

 Stipulations of Oiiate — Incentives presented by the Crown 

 to Colonizers— Enormities of Spanish Conquerors^ — Pro- 

 gress of the new Colony— Cruel Labors of the Aborigi- 

 nes in the Mines— Revolt of the Indians in 1680— Mas- 

 sacre of the Spaniards— Santa Fe Besieged — Battles 

 Remaining Spanish Population finally evacuate the Pro- 

 vince — Paso del Norte — Iiihnnian Murder of a Spanish 

 Priest — Final Recovery of the Country — Insurrection of 

 1837 — A Prophecy — Shocking Massacre of the Governor 

 and other distinguished Characters — American Mer- 

 chants, and Neglect of our Governraent — Governor Ar- 

 mijo: his Intrigues and Success — Second Gathering of 

 Insurgents and their final Defeat, . . . 115 



CHAPTER VII. 



Geographical Position of New Mexico — Absence of naviga- 

 ble Streams — The Rio del Norte — Romantic Chasm 

 Story of a sunken River — Mr. Stanley's Excursion to a 

 famous Lake^-Sanla Fe and its Localities— El Valle de 

 Taos and its Fertility — Soil of New Mexico — The first 

 Settler at Taos and his Contract with the Indians — Salu- 

 brity and Pleasantness of the Climate of New Mexico 

 Population — State of Agriculture — Staple Productions of 

 the Country — Corn-fields and Fences — Irrigation and 

 Acequias — Tortillas and Tortillcras — Atole, Frijolcs and 

 CAi7^— Singular Custom — Culinary and Table Afiai 

 Flax and Potato indigenous — Tobacco and Punche- 

 Fruits — Peculiar Mode of cultivating the Grape — Forest 

 Growths — PifLon and Mezquite — Mountain Cottonwood 

 Palmilla or Soap-plant — Pasturage, . . 137 



CHAPTER VIII. 



The Mines of New Mexico — Supposed Concealment of them 

 by the Indians — Indian Superstition and Cozenage — Ru- 

 ins of La Gran Quivira — Old Mines — Placeres or Mines 

 of Gold Dust— Speculative Theories— Mode of Working 

 the Placeres — Manners and Customs of the Miners — Ar- 

 bitrary Restrictions of the Mexican Government upon 

 Foreigners — Persecution of a Gachupin— Disastrous Ef- 

 fect of official Interference upon the Mining Interest 

 DLsregard of American Rights and of the U. States Gov- 



2 



