^SS ^ Ex. Doc. No, 4ll 



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He told me that it was exactly like tlie buildings of 

 confirming what I had learned at Manzano. 



I now signified my determination to proceed, when this man 

 seemed extremely anxious abou| my going, and at last told me 

 that he would meet me in a cedar grove, some distance in my 

 route. In a little while I reached th^ grove, and saw him there. 

 He then told me that he had discovered the greatest mine in the 

 country, where there was an abundance of gold and silver. I 

 asked him why he did not go and get it? "Oh," said he, "you 

 cannot ha\e been long in this country not to know that we poor 

 people can keep nothing; the Ricos would seize all, but with your 

 protection I would be secured in my labors." Then, he added, 

 *'ril give you my name, write it down, it is Jose Lucero, of 

 Quarro; you can inquire in the villages through which you pass, 

 they will there tell you I am honest.". I took down Jos6 Lucero's 

 name, and proceeded on in my journey, so that if any one wishes^ ' 

 they yet can go and seek the gold of Quarra. 



Having journeyed some distance beyond this place, we suddenly- 

 heard the most horrible screechings and groans, as if one was ap- 

 proaching the portals of Erebus; and all these horrid sounds pro- 

 ceeded from the never greased wheels of some Spanish "carretas" 

 These curious structures are formed of pine, chiefly; the axle is of 

 pine, and the wheels of cotton-wood; they are made thus: A rec- 

 tangular piece of wood, about four feet long, two and a half feet- 

 wide, and one foot thick, is procured; this is diminished in thick- 

 ness, so as to leave a projection on each side, which forms the hub, 

 and its extremities are rounded. The remaining arcs of a circle, of 

 four feet,, are fastened to the first piece, with large wooden pins, so 

 as to complete the circumference of the wheel. A large hole is 

 pierced m the vicinity of the centre, to receive the spind'e of a huge 

 pine axle; aJ)ody like a hay crate, and a tongue, complete the 

 * carreta ihe oxen are attached by the means of a bar of wood, 



that IS lasned to their horns. We met five of these "carretas," 

 they were on their way to the great "Laguna Salada," to procure 



_ At sundown we reached "Abo," where I found my party com- 

 fortabiy encamped. This town is also one of the ancient onesj 

 there are most extensive ruins scattered around xa all -directions; . 

 ^11 built in the style of those at Quarra. Here, also, is a large 

 cathedral. Its ground plan is in the form of a cross; the short arm 

 IS twenty-two and a half feet wide, the long arm is thirty feet 

 wide; their axes, respectively, 27 feet and 120 feet; and at the head 

 cf the cross, there is a projection, about nine feet square- this 

 makes the total length 129 feet. The areas, intersected at a dis- 

 tance of thirty-four feet from the head of the cross, or fortv-three, 

 ancluding the projection The areas of the cross coincide with the 

 lines that pass through the cardinal points. In the east end of the 

 «hort arm, there is a fine large window, the sides of which have 



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Gothic windows. The 



wills of the church are over two feet in thickness, and beautifully 

 in.s.ed; so that no architect could improve the exact smoothne/g 



