116 ANTIQUITY OF SANTA FE. 



out of my immediate track, and 



sm 



historian 



tlie department of the regular 



The province of New Mexico, of which 

 Santa Fe, the capital, was one of the first 

 estabhshments, dates among the earliest 

 settlements made in America. By some 

 traditions it is related that a small band of 

 adventurers proceeded thus far north shortly 

 after the capture of the city of Mexico by 

 Hernan Cortes. The historian Mariana 

 speaks of some atten]pts havmg been made, 

 during the career of this renowned chieftain 

 in America, to conquer and take possession of 

 these regions. This, however, is somewhat 

 doubtful; for it is hardly probable that the 

 Spaniards, with all their mania for gold, would 

 e pushed their conquests two thousand 



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miles into the interior at so early a day 

 versing the settlements of hostile savages, and 

 leaving unexplored intermediate regions, not 

 only more beautiful, but far more productive 

 of the precious metals. 



Herrera, writing of the events of 1550, 

 mentions New Mexico as a known province 

 lying north of New Gahcia, though as yet only 

 inhabited by the aborigines. It was probably 

 called New Mexico from the resemblance of 

 its inhabitants to those of the city of Mexico 

 and its environs. They appear to have assi- 

 milated in their habits, their agriculture, tlieir 

 manufactures and their houses ; wliile those 

 of the intermediate country (the Chichimecos, 

 &c.) were in a much ruder state, leading a 



