THEIR CHARACTER. 165 



111 such an arid, woodless plain as this, ex- 

 cept the proximity of some valuable mine, it 

 IS difficult to imagine. From tlie pecuhar char- 

 acter of the place and the remains of the cis- 

 terns stiU existing, the object of pursuit in this 

 case would seem to have been a placer, a name 

 applied to mines of gold-dust intermixed with 

 the earth. However, other mines have 



no 



doubt been worked in the adjacent mountains, 

 as many spacious pits are found, such as are 

 usually dug ui pursuit of ores of silver, etc. ; 

 and it is stated that in several places heaps of 

 scoria are still to be seen. 



-By some persons these ruins have been 

 supposed to be the remains of an ancient Pue- 

 blo or aboriginal city. That is not probable, 

 however ; for though the reUcs of aboridnal 



temples might possibly be mistaken for those 

 01 Cathohc churches; yet it is not to be pre- 

 sumed that the Spanish coat of arms would 

 be found sculptured and painted upon their 

 ta^ades, as is the case in more than one ui- 

 siance. The most rational accounts represent 

 mis to have been a wealthy Spanish city be- 

 fore the general massacre of 1680, in which 

 calamity the inhabitants perished— all except 

 ^^^1 as the story goes; and that their im- 

 mense treasures were buried in the ruins, 

 ►-ome credulous adventurers have l^i^lj \is- 

 ited the spot in search of these long lost cof- 

 lers, but as yet none have been found.* 



• T.I 



cliani t T,^^"^^ Vicinity there are some other niins of a similar 

 of AK 't^^^^*^ ^^^^ extensive ; the principal of which are those 

 »Jhi J /^g^q^e and Chilili. The last of these is now beinff 

 rwettled by the Mexicans. 



lb 



