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Ex. Doc. No. 41. 457 



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principal forks of the "Rio de Taos," and 4 or 5 miles from the 

 western base of the Rocky n^ountain range. Like most of the New 

 Mexican towns it consis'ts of a collection of mud houses, built around > 

 a miserable square or plaza. It contains a mixed population of 

 700 or 800 souls, and, besides being the capital of the northeastern 

 department, possesses little to interest the traveller. 



Three miles to the southeast is another town, of .about equal pre- 

 tensions, called the "Rancho de Taosj" whilst at about the same 

 distance to the northeast is the celebrated "Pueblo de Taos." This 

 village, interesting in itself as a curious relic of the Aztecan age, 

 is rendered still more so by the recent tragic scenes that have beea 

 enacted within its walls. One of the northern forks of the Taos 

 Tiverj on issuing from the mountains, forms a delightful nook, which^ 

 the Indians early selected as a permanent residence. By gradual 

 improvement, from year to year, it has finally become one of the 

 most formidable of the artifieial strongholds of New Mexico. On 

 ■each side of the little mountain stream is one of those inamense 

 "adobe" structures, which rises by successive steps until an irregu- 

 lar f»yramidal building, sevtn stories high, presents an almost 

 impregnable tower. These, with the church and some few scatter- 

 ing houses, make up the village. The whole is surrounded by an 

 adobe wall, strengthened in some places by rough palisades, the 

 different parts so arranged, for mutual defence, as_ to have elicited 



j^lJ L V-llQ 



mucn admiration lor me skiii oi me uui<ii 



It was to this hitherto impregnable position that the insurgents 

 of January 7, 1847, retreated: after the skirmishes of Canada and 

 Embuda; and here made a final stand against the American forces. 

 The history of the bloody siege, lengthened resistance, and final 

 capture of the place, furnishes sufficient evidence of its strength. 

 For weeks in succession they had, in former days, resisted the 

 attack of overwhelming numbers of their wild prairie enemies, and 

 never had the place been reduced by their Spanish conquerors. 

 Built of "adobes," a material almost impenetrable by shot, having 

 BO external entrance except through the roof, which must be 

 ' reached by moveable ladders, each story smaller than the one 

 telow, irregular in its plan, and the whole judiciously pierced with 

 loop-holes lor defence, the combination presents a system of for- 

 tification peculiarly "sui generis." , 



These three towns constitute the principal settlements in tHe 

 valley, though there are some scattering houses along the water 

 -courses. The valley may be eight or nine miles in length from 

 east to west, and some seven or eight miles in width from north to 

 south, embracing about sixfy square miles. Only a .^mall portion 

 of this is under cultivation, or indeed ever can be, as no '".ai"^^''^ 

 here except during the wet season. It is necessary to ^''f.'g^;^ ;" 

 the cultivated land, and the small supply of water fixes a [''^fl'}' 

 that a very narrow one, to all the tillable land In point of soi^ 

 the valley of Taos compares favorably with other P<>;t'""« ^^ ^^^^ 

 Mexico; and though snow is to be seen in every ^^l'\^'^^\J'l'^ 

 on the neighborini mountains, wheat and corn npen ^^H^ J^^^^^ 

 the plains These" last are the staple productions of the country. 



