Part 16 (1/2)

In obeying this command, the soldiers had not more than wheeled about, when down came the foe in full pursuit, making the very air ring with their war-whoops and unearthly shouts. So bold did these Indians become from the victory which they had achieved, that they charged so hotly and so near the soldiers that the latter were compelled, in self-defence, to turn and, in a hand to hand contest, beat them off.

After resisting a succession of these a.s.saults, the command finally gained the main road. Upon counting his men, Lieutenant Davidson found that twenty of them were killed and left behind on the battle-field; and that, out of the surviving forty, hardly one man had escaped being wounded, thereby showing, considering the numbers engaged, how bravely the fight had been maintained, and how gallantly each one had endeavored to turn the tide of affairs to a more favorable result.

The course pursued by, and even the bravery of, Lieutenant Davidson in this affair, has been unjustly a.s.sailed and questioned by some persons who have probably been misinformed on the subject. Judging from the evidence of his companions, there was not a more courageous man on that ground than the officer in command. Kit Carson refutes the accusation made against his friend in the following strain: ”I am intimately acquainted with Lieutenant Davidson and have been in engagements with him where he has taken a prominent part and can testify that he is as brave and discreet as it is possible for a man to be. Nearly every person engaged in and who survived that day's b.l.o.o.d.y battle has since told me that his commanding officer never once sought shelter, but stood manfully exposed to the aim of the Indians, encouraging his men and apparently entirely unmindful of his own life. It was, however, in the retreat they say that he acted the most gallantly, for, when everything was going badly with the soldiers, he was as cool and collected as if under the guns of his fort. The only anxiety he exhibited was for the safety of his remaining men.”

The Indians must have lost many of their warriors in this fight, but the exact number has never been ascertained. The news of the defeat was brought by the retreating soldiers themselves to the town of Taos, where on hearing it, for short time, consternation seized hold of its inhabitants; but slowly they calmed down, and a party, consisting of Americans and Mexicans with wagons, was sent out to bring in the mutilated remains of the fallen. On reaching the field, the dead were found, but they were all mutilated and stripped of all their clothing.

The Indians had left nothing which they thought might be turned to the least account. One poor fellow had escaped the rigid scrutiny of the red men by crawling to an obscure place where he had died from his wounds. On his body was found a belt that contained three hundred dollars in gold--his hard earnings that he had been saving up against a day of need. Had the savages known of this money, they would not have left it, for they are quite familiar with the use, if not with the real value of gold. A few days later, the Apaches made their appearance in a small Mexican settlement which was far distant from the scene of their success. They were dressed in portions of the uniforms and accoutrements taken from the dead dragoons; and, as they sauntered about the town, they would salute each other in military style, and otherwise mock the actions of the military men. Calling for a piece of paper, one fellow, with a bit of charcoal, pretended to write on it an order. No doubt, by so doing, he thought he was imitating something of the kind which he had seen done at a military post. After making a few scratches on the paper, he handed it to one of his red companions, and, with a smile on his rough countenance, addressed to him some directions in reference to the doc.u.ment.

Although the Mexicans were much amused at these burlesque actions of the Indians, yet they did not dare to show their mirth until the latter had departed and left them in possession of their lives.

The day following the one on which the fight had taken place, Kit Carson returned from Santa Fe and pa.s.sed near to the spot where the soldiers had been so roughly handled; but he did not see a visage of an Apache. They had, by that time, traveled to the west side of the Rio del Norte. Indeed, he antic.i.p.ated no danger to himself, as he was well aware, that the safest time to travel through any section of an Indian country, is just after the savages have been guilty of some highhanded act. They are then, instinctively, as some may say, but, as the fact appears to us, by use of their reasoning powers, well aware that active measures will be set on foot to repay them for their rascality.

The trail which, on this occasion, Kit Carson traveled over in coming from Santa Fe, is one of the most interesting routes, in safe times, that the mere traveler can select. It comprises some of the most beautiful scenery in New Mexico. The length of the trail is about seventy-five miles, and so many windings and turns does it make through mountains, forests and gorges, that every hundred yards furnishes a suitable place for an Indian ambuscade. The largest part of the country which lies between Taos and Santa Fe, is mountainous; therefore, this trail is one series of ascents and descents. The greatest pitch is near the scene of the fight in which Lieutenant Davidson and his command were engaged, where the path, in order to avoid an almost perpendicular declivity, makes a zig zag course. To accomplish the ascent of this mountain on a good riding animal, it takes, at least, two hours; therefore, the height of the mountain can be easily imagined by those accustomed to mountain climbing. On reaching some of these immense eminences, the scenery is princ.i.p.ally formed by the broken country, studded here and there with mountains, which appear as if in miniature, as well as real. Between are valleys, rivers, creeks, canons, etc., which render the views truly grand.

There is sufficient woodland, plenty of pure air, and different species of game, in great abundance, playing about, and filling up the picture with life. To use the words of romance, this does not fail to make the scenery perfect. The trail runs through hamlets and villages, which come in at the proper distances and form great auxiliaries to the traveler, when fatigued by horseback riding; for, at most of these places, the traveler can find rest for the night, always provided that he be willing to submit to a mult.i.tude of inconveniences.

The most desirable place at which to stop, on this trail, is a town nearly midway between Taos and Santa Fe. It is called Rio Arriba. In this village, the traveler can obtain many comforts which are denied him even in the larger towns. At the present time it is a very difficult matter for loaded caravans to pa.s.s direct from Santa Fe to Taos; but the United States government has taken the matter in hand and has appropriated large sums of money for making a good road between the two places; therefore, it will not be a long time before the transit will be accomplished with ease and safety. Scattered over the country adjacent to this trail now under consideration, there are many hamlets and villages which are being greatly augmented by new settlers yearly. Many of these have been seldom, if ever, visited by white men, and the minute geography of this tract of country is still in the embryo. Perhaps a new El Dorado is there in store for mankind, and that some day its resources will receive an impetus and be developed by the sudden discovery of valuable mines therein. This is no chimerical illusion; it scarcely rests upon an uncertainty; for, the mineral wealth of New Mexico, we are firmly persuaded, is still in its infancy. To use trapper language, judging from ”signs” which exist there in abundance, we shall not be surprised to hear, in time, that this territory has turned out to be a second California. Rumors of gold, and even specimens of the article itself, are frequent in many parts of the country; but the poverty of the inhabitants keeps them from searching as they ought in order to make the discovery. The Americans find a more profitable business in commerce and trade, therefore they but seldom indulge in speculations designed to develop the mineral wealth of the country; but nevertheless, they have faith that gold, in immense quant.i.ties, exists there, and believe that, in time, scientific men will disclose the fact and position. We have seen _quills_ full of gold dust which has been collected there, and we are well acquainted with men who have washed out from several streams in the northern part of the Territory, the value of two and a half dollars per diem; but, with the high prices of living, this rate of produce cannot be made to pay unless the work shall be carried on by the a.s.sistance of capital.

On this trail to Santa Fe, there are several small Pueblos which are inhabited by the descendants of the ancient Aztecs. These settlements, generally, are quite thrifty, and exhibit many external appearances of comfort. To prepare and cultivate the soil, it takes much labor in irrigating and bestowing other farming operations upon the land in order to bring crops to perfection. Hence these people, like the New Mexicans, can realize from their toil but little beyond their own subsistence. This trail, as it approaches Santa Fe, enters through groves of small pines which are many miles in extent. In such places the ground is sandy and the vegetation poor in the extreme. It has proved an exceedingly difficult problem, for more than one mind, to solve the reason why the capital of the Territory should have been located in such a barren section of the country. Perhaps it was because this was the most central spot that could be selected, although such a reason can hardly be offered in sober earnestness. The most charitable reasoning which we can offer for it, is because the Mexicans knew no better. It is true there are valuable silver mines near by; but this could only cause a town to be raised to suit the miners and not to form the attraction where the _elite_ of New Mexican society should for so many years congregate.

Santa Fe is located on a plateau of ground which is about seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. The town itself contains about five or six thousand inhabitants which includes all races. It is built of _adobes_, or sun-burnt brick, and occupies both sides of a small stream which is called the _Rio Chicito_ and which flows into the Rio Grande nearly twenty miles from the town. The site of Santa Fe is low when compared with the alt.i.tude of the surrounding country, being bounded on nearly all sides by lofty mountains. One of these mountains is quite famous. It is the loftiest of all in that section of country, and is capped during the greater part of the year with snow. As is invariably the case with the large majority of Mexican towns, there is but little regularity in the streets of Santa Fe; but yet, the plaza is easily reached by several avenues. Santa Fe forms the grand commercial emporium of the great interior continent of North America; and its trade diverges to every point of the compa.s.s. The extent of this trade can be realized when we a.s.sert the fact that with the State of Missouri alone it amounts annually to several millions of dollars. In the south it has overland communication even with the city of Mexico. If the tariff between the two countries could be arranged upon a more equitable footing than it now is, the Mexican trade would swell into an enormous sum. Every acquisition of a new territory in the far west and southwest aids in developing the commerce of Santa Fe; therefore, until steam shall cause a revolution in the course of trade, this town must necessarily increase greatly in importance.

The stores in the town are mostly owned, and the mercantile business chiefly carried on, by Americans. These American speculators are celebrated for the daring manner with which they launch out their money upon various enterprises. With them, the greater the risk when their chances appear that the gain will be large, the more eager they are in facing the hazard. They sometimes lose, but oftentimes realize large fortunes. The appearance of these stores is captivating to the fancy, and many of them would be ornaments to any of the larger cities or towns of the east. The most expensive articles of luxury and dress are to be found in them, and in these distant parts, such property commands a price which would startle and quite shake the nerves of a prince; but, when the people can obtain the money, they purchase everything which their fancy dictates. A Santa Fe senorita dashes in her rich silks which have cost hundreds of dollars with as much grace as does one of the Was.h.i.+ngton or Fifth Avenue belles, clothed in the same luxuriant style. In Santa Fe, we are sorry to say, it requires vice of the worst shade for women to support such a style of living; but the morals of the Mexicans are so loose in all cla.s.ses, that virtue is boldly parted with by both s.e.xes in a spirit which the triumphs of natural reason alone ought to prevent, and which no lover of humanity can admire or tolerate. Gambling, in this town, has long held its full sway, and many is the victim which this wretched wickedness has prematurely hurried into a vortex, from which there has been no recovery.

The palmy days of gambling, in San Francisco, have been rivaled in the little town of Santa Fe, and the boldness with which the Mexican player will part with his last dollar, shows the hardened state to which the man, and, what is perhaps worse, the woman, have been brought, by years of habitual playing for money. In olden times, the Mexicans used to travel hundreds of miles, and bring their money with them in order to squander it at their favorite game of _monte_. Not only this fact is true, but men will often sell themselves into the slavery of debt in order to satisfy their craving desire to gamble.

The town of Santa Fe is watered by azequias or small ca.n.a.ls, which are used in every section of the Territory, with which to irrigate the soil. Near the town, and on a hill adjoining, stands the ruins of Fort Marcy, which was used by the American Volunteers during the conquest of the country in the year 1846. This fort commands the town; and, for the purpose which governed its building it answered very well. There are several good boarding-houses in Santa Fe, and one hotel, which is well fitted up and well kept. It forms the rendezvous for the whole town. The commanding general of the military department which comprises the Territory of New Mexico, with his staff, makes this town his head-quarters. There is also a garrison of American soldiers stationed in the town. The governor of the territory, the judges, surveyor and all the government officials of any importance, make this place their home. The Territorial buildings, being the halls of legislation, and such other buildings as are necessary for the State and Territorial purposes, both finished and under process of erection, are located in Santa Fe. On one side of the plaza there stands a long, low building known as the Palace. No one, however, would be aware of the fact if not informed of it; for the building has more the appearance of having been intended for a rope-walk than for the a.s.semblage of _savants_ who were to discuss and arrange matters of state and public interest. Notwithstanding the small pretensions in the way of architecture which the Palace presents, nevertheless, within it, there have lived old Mexican governors who ruled their people with a rod of iron, and whose fiery impulses went forth as just and equitable law. These tyrants--for it was very seldom that the poor and ignorant New Mexicans were favored with a good, wise and just governor--governed on the principle of self aggrandizement. Being far separated from their home government, they took care to smother all evil reports, while the good, only, were allowed to circulate; and these, so far as the home government was concerned, solely by their authority, in order to have the desired effect to retain them in office. In this they were usually successful, as they generally retained their lucrative positions until cut off by death, or until they had ama.s.sed a fortune which made their tasks burdensome. Many of these men might have been envied by the richest among Americans, so far as wealth is considered. They were so envied by the wealthy men at the capital of the republic. These provinces of Mexico were the Indies where troublesome opponents were to be sent by government, to suck, like leeches, the public treasury, and thus obtain their fill to repletion. When the United States came into possession of the territory of New Mexico, affairs were somewhat tempered to the state of reason and justice; but, a people who had so long been kept down, could not at once appreciate the value of the changes; consequently, they have been slow in elevating their heads to the proper standard of men. The legislature of New Mexico, as it has been recognized under the const.i.tution of the United States, resembles other forms of territorial governments. This statement is true in theory, but not in practice; for it is impossible to collect an uneducated people, unused to self government, and allow them to steer their own bark as law-makers, without observing that they make many openings for serious mistakes to creep in, which are and should be severely criticised.

The pioneer laws, as they came from the first New Mexican legislature, were faulty in the extreme. They seemed to point out wickedness as a punishment for wickedness. If we desired to afford our readers a laugh, we should permit them to read many of these laws. The simple perusal of them would cause merriment equal to the most laughable comedy. Had it not been for the few white men, who, from time to time, have found their way into the legislature of New Mexico, the whole body would long since have lost themselves in the depth of learning which their untutored minds had undertaken to engraft upon their statute books. The members of this body, for a long time, turned their attention more to the emoluments which naturally accrued from their position, than to endeavors to steady the helm of government for the good of their country. In order to save their pay, they studied economy, which caused them to make a beggarly appearance, and, in the eyes of the white men, they were often contemptibly mean. Greatly predominating in numbers, the Mexicans of course had no difficulty in ruling the country; and they naturally preferred their own countrymen in filling the law-making department of their government. The consequence was, that they thus obtained a crowd of legislators who could hardly read. By the aid of a few schools, an enlightened press, and the examples of a few worthy Americans, they are gradually mending their ways in this respect; and the time will come in a few years, when the legislature of New Mexico will compare favorably with its sister territories; but this, not until education has made her indelible mark upon the people.

The town of Santa Fe is provided with a Roman Catholic church, which, under the judicious management of the present bishop and clergy, is doing what it can to improve the condition of the Mexican population.

Other religious denominations have not yet been fully developed; although the attempt is being made to establish churches of the Protestant faith on a sure and permanent footing; but this, although we regard it as certain, will take time, for the majority of the people lean strongly to the Roman Catholic faith. It is a very singular fact that among a population of seventy thousand souls included in the limits of the Territory of New Mexico, there have been such feeble and vain attempts made by Protestant missionaries to bring the people to their mode of thinking. The task might have been impossible when the country was under the jurisdiction of old Mexico; but, since it has changed masters, this excuse does not hold good. The Mexicans, as a body, learn readily; they easily discern between right and wrong; and, as the field for Christian enterprise to work in is large enough for all sects, it is strange that the Protestant church is not found laboring in the good cause, side by side with its Roman Catholic friend. It is true, there are a few persons struggling on under the auspices of the Protestant church; but they are so few that they are seldom met in the great expanse of the country. Santa Fe has long been celebrated as having a depraved population; but, as honest and honorable men are now working with satisfactory success for a reformation, the day cannot be far distant when this town will redeem itself. It is true that, not many years back, Santa Fe was filled with gamblers and desperadoes of all grades; but, at the present time, law and order is beginning to predominate, and it is to be hoped that the next generation will see a better state of affairs. The vices which have characterized the inhabitants have not been confined, by any means, to the Mexicans; but rather they have been exemplified in those Americans with bad characters, who have, from time to time, crept in among the people. These men, in several instances, have set examples which the most debased Mexican would hesitate to follow.

The appearance of Santa Fe, from an outside view, is anything but striking. Its houses, like most Mexican buildings, are seldom higher than one story, and, with few exceptions, they are entirely wanting in beauty. They are built after what may be styled a Mexican mode of architecture, and consist of a series of rooms which encircle an open square or court, the access to which is through a large portal. These buildings are usually huddled together towards the centre or plaza, while, in the outskirts of the town, they are greatly scattered. The arrangement of the streets appears as if they were mere matters of accident rather than matters of system or intention. The town is ornamented by few, if any, trees, while the general appearance of the adjacent country, as has been seen, is barren. The markets of the town are but sparingly supplied with a variety, and those articles which are the most common, bring, comparatively speaking, good prices. Not many miles from Santa Fe there are famous silver mines, which for many years were worked almost entirely by hand. Within a recent date machinery has been introduced by some enterprising Americans, and the precious silver ore is being brought to light in large quant.i.ties.

In point of amus.e.m.e.nt the people still cling to the pleasures of the fandango; and, as this town is much in advance of any other in the Territory, the Santa Fe b.a.l.l.s are carried on, sometimes, on quite a grand scale. The majority of them are the places of resort for the free cla.s.ses of society. The more respectable people seldom attend them, and then only when they are certain that they will find the ceremonies conducted in the spirit which administers really to pleasure and not to excess. The distance from Santa Fe to the Missouri River is in the neighborhood of nine hundred miles. The road, for the first one hundred miles towards the Santa Fe terminus, is rough and hilly; but, after that, it strikes out on the open plains, and is as level as can possibly be for such an immense distance. It is over this beautiful road that we have several times described Kit Carson as he traveled to and from the United States, though, more frequently, as has been seen, he preferred routes of his own selection, which enabled him, with his small escorts, to elude the vigilant watch of hostile Indians. The rich merchandise which finds its market in New Mexico pa.s.ses over this road; and, during the summer months, the heavily-laden caravans are continually traversing it.

CHAPTER XVI.

A fresh Campaign set on foot--Col. Cook in Command--Kit Carson goes as Guide--The Apaches and Utahs leagued together--The Roughness of the Country and the Privations to which the Command was exposed--The Indians overhauled--A running Fight--The Advantages gained--The Chase resumed--The Apaches resort to their old Tricks--Col. Cook is obliged to return to Abiquiu--A Utah taken Prisoner through Mistake--Kit Carson goes to Taos and has a Conference with the Chiefs of the Utah Nation--Cook's second Scout--He is caught in a furious Snow-storm and obliged to return to Rio Colorado--Major Brooks and Reinforcements come to the Rescue--Major Brooks on the Lookout, but fails to find the Indians--Carleton's Expedition--Kit Carson goes with it as Guide--The Adventures met with--Kit Carson's Prophecy comes true--The Muache Band of Utahs summoned by Kit Carson to a Grand Council--Troubles brewing among these Indians--The Small Pox carries off their Head Men.

To retrieve the ground lost, and also, to show the Jiccarilla Apaches that their recent victory had tended only to stimulate the movements of the Americans to a display of greater activity and energy, after a brief s.p.a.ce of time, a large body of regular troops were made ready to take the field against them. The commander of this expedition was Col.

Cook of the 2d Regiment of United States dragoons. That officer chose for his princ.i.p.al guide Kit Carson, whose peace duties as Indian Agent had been abruptly arrested by the warlike att.i.tude of some of his Indians. It was necessary, also, that Kit Carson should be on the ground in case the red men were overtaken, in order to ascertain whether, or no, the Utahs were mixed up with the operations of the Apaches. A large branch of the former tribe were part and parcel of his agency, and the two nations were known to be on very friendly terms with each other; consequently, it was surmised that they might be secretly, and under disguise, acting together in the war.

Col. Cook employed, besides the troops of the line which were under his command, some forty men selected from among the Mexican and Pueblo Indians, whose duties were to act as spies and trailers.

These Pueblos were selected for spies on account of their being familiar with Indian habits and their mode of warfare. They were taken from among the best hunters which the Pueblo villages could furnish.

They presented themselves provided with their own horses, rifles, and, in most cases, with their own ammunition, and were supplied only with their rations of food. When it was practicable, they were allowed to kill game; and, being very expert at it, they seldom returned from a hunt open-handed. Their peaceful mode of life prevented them from engaging in any deep league with the hostile Indians; but yet, there is no doubt that when the different tribes were at war with the whites, the Pueblos harbored the warlike Indians and supplied them, in many instances, with such articles as they stood most in need of.

Their policy in thus acting might have been to retain the friends.h.i.+p of these Indians and thus prevent their committing any depredations on themselves. The Pueblos may have taken advantage of the state of affairs when war existed, and doubtless frequently did, under disguise of the enemy, become guilty of crimes which could easily have been proven against them. The Mexicans have often tried to criminate the Pueblos for thus acting; but they have proceeded with such bungling policy, that it has seldom happened that anything criminal has been definitely proven against them. If a part of them have thus acted, there is not the least doubt but that the majority are guiltless. They are, as a body, loyal to the government of the United States; but, not so much from love of the Americans as from being shrewd. They know it is for self interest to keep good friends with the strongest power.

On these war scouts they rendered valuable service, and in this light, have been long regarded with favor by the whites.