124 SIEGE OF SANTA FE. 



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the most imminent clanger, the government 

 buildings were converted into a fortification. 

 By this time two friendly Indians who had 

 been dispatched in the direction of Galisteo, 

 came in with the inteUigence that 500 war- 

 riors of the tribe called Tagnos,* were march- 



towards the city, being even then only 

 about a league distant. By conversing with 

 the enemy the spies had been able to ascer- 

 tain then- temper and tlieir projects. They 

 seemed confident of success — " for the God 

 of the Christians is dead," said they, *' but our 

 god, which is the sun, never dies;" adding 

 that they were only waiting the arrival of the 

 Teguas,} Taosas and Apaches, in order to 

 finish their work of extermination. 



I^ext morning the savages were seen ap- 

 proaching from the south. On their arrival 

 they took up their quarters in the deserted 

 houses of the suburbs, with the view of wait- 

 ing for their expected alUes, before they laid 

 siege to the city. A parley was soon after- 

 wards held with the chief leaders, who told 

 the Spaniards that they had brought two 

 crosses, of which they might have their choice : 

 one was red, denoting war, the other was 

 white and professed peace, on the condition 

 of their immediately evacuating the province. 

 The governor strove to conciliate them by of- 

 fering to pardon aU the crimes they had com- 



* ?'^^ Z^'^^* ^""^ several other populous Pueblos to the soutb- 

 ■wardof Santa Fe were Tagms. 



'■ ^hese embraced nearly aU the Pueblos between Santa Fe and 



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