The Old Santa Fe Trail

to find language in which to convey to the reader the story of the phenomenal change. To those who are acquainted with the charming place as it is now, with its refined and cultured society, I

visited it a great many years ago, the writer of the communication

collection of mud

e a keen irony; no

ith which its Padr

th its moral chara

y Faith," is scar

ory at least. Its

hich is the first

New Mexico by its

n of about two th

the mountains, at

ch runs a mountain

the Rio Grande. It

alace and an Alame

wns have. It is t

nfenced and uncared

ace is nothing mo

wn, and the churche

aterial, and the Al

hey have in Santa

city and a Bishopri

ly two-storied shin

one public house s

g; for be it known t

Hence it is as re

it is to sell rum i

, and being lawfu

an's right, why sho

o. The Generals a

Captains gamble.

tors and the priest

ers by profession!

y, men, women and

of cards in the Pub

smallest

wn generally front o

a dozen, more or

them are kept by o

e place is conside

ing wholesale dea

y. It is supposed

be brought to this

000 worth imported

ed S

there is nothing l

rchase anything for

on ten cents the e

inally a dollar's w

in eight ten-cent

receive no change.

get but eight ten

and unkempt, and s

charm of foreign

s some portion of

if indeed it ever

le for centuries, a

sh language

e, sixty-five years ago. Fifteen years later Major W. H. E

Santa Fe is from t

s are, it is said,

Province. The hou

le, generally of o

terior of the squar

ooms open into it.

the outside, but

nvenience of the i

cool in summer a

people are provided

ss sleep on untann

ther parts of the

en in refinements

eful arts. The high

except, instead of

head, called a re

the house or abroa

men is a simple pet

cept what may chan

re

eans to do so dres

ater number, when

es, tight around th

rt and blanket tak

and

ent on the distant

day may be seen ja

s sold at two bits

re the most dimin

behind, after the f

only animal that

urhood without grea

istance of twelve,

for

ars, so that the intelligent visitor of to-day may appreciate the wonderful changes which American thrift, and that powerful civilizer, the locomotive, have wrought in a ver

se in the town." Now this "Palacio del Gobernador," as the old building was called by the Spanish, was erected at a very early day. It was the long-established seat of power

he American residents, appreciating the importance of preserving precious documents containing so much of interest to the student of history and the antiquarian, enlisted themselves enthusiastically in the good cause, and have rescued from oblivion the annals of a relatively remote civilization, which, but for their forethought, would h

as been the scene and witness of incidents the recital of which would to us to-day seem incredible. An

d the Spanish captai

om the viceroyalty

nominally accounta

yond his reach and

he people. Equally

he Mexican governo

ial, departmental, a

r assembled at the c

nned all the India

t foreign invasion

e Navajo war of 182

an of 1846, and the

as imprisoned, in

Pike, and innumera

and many a sentenc

and the accused for

of the man at the

al the government

t was such on the F

n Congress at In

aimed liberty thro

embracing it. Inde

d as the history

ico, so is the his

ory of S

other, the guard-house and prison. Fearful stories were connected with the prison. Edwards8 says that he found, on

had fallen in, allowing the elements to complete the work of destruction. On each side of the altar was the remains of fine carving, and a weather-beaten picture above gave evidence of having been a beautiful painting. Over the door was a large oblong slab of freestone, elaborately carved,

rs or steeples, in which hung four bells. The music was furnished by a violin and a triangle. The w

settlement of Santa Fe is un

tronghold before th

e importance to t

wilderness and the

wly drilling the Kn

t evolutions arou

arena and carries off the laurels. This claim of precedence for Santa Fe is based upon the statement (whether historically correct or not is a question) that when the Spaniards first entered the region from the southern portion of Mexico, about 1542, they found a very large Pueblo town on the present site of Santa Fe, and that its prior exist

uests, and some years prior to the landing of the Pilgrims, a history of New Mexico, being the journal of Geronimo de Zarate Salmaron, was published by the Church in the City of Mexico, early in 1600. Salmaron was a Franciscan monk; a most zealous and indefatigable worker. During his ei

Fe. "Villa," or village, was an honorary title, always authorized and proclaimed by th

ccupied Santa Fe and the contiguous country. It very soon, from its central position and charming climate, became the leading Spanish town, and the capital of the Province. The Spaniards, who came at first into the country as friends, and were apparently eager to obtain the good-will of the intelligent natives, shortly began

d in a rebellion that drove the Spaniards, in 1680, from the country. The large nu

artyrdom. At Zuni

and when the news of

he people dragged t

d them, and afterw

inish the work by s

appetite for crue

to carry the news

alized their arriv

missionaries who

left unburied, as

they indulged in

priest, Jesus Mor

stripped naked and

through the stree

d around. Not sat

him to carry them

s and feet, until, f

ures of sharp spur

milar chapter of

ee priests were str

d so driven throug

death. Not a Chris

of New Mexico, and

onths before wer

ves, huddled togeth

n Lor

niards had retreat

s gave themselves

he destruction of e

Europeans, their

my which had besie

took possession o

and commenced the

he monastery of th

eir contents, amid

e natives. The gor

n dragged out befor

n derision by India

speed, shouting fo

ks in the Palace

a bonfire in the c

y danced the cach

gious ceremonies

ble was done to sh

ith and their deter

memory. Those who

ole in the Rio Chiq

nfection of Christi

ed, marriages cele

ed, the very mentio

n offence, and estu

lace of ruine

ds at last entered Santa Fe, bearing the same banner which had been carried by Onate when he entered the city just a century before. The conqueror this time was Don Diego de V

important historical events, the mere outline of which I have recorded

bustling progressiveness of the average American city of to-day, yet still smacks of that ancient Spanish regime, which gives it

the shady enclosure, under a group of large cottonwoods, is a cenotaph erected to the memory of the Territory's gallant soldiers who fell in the shock of battle to save Ne

confronts the stranger; odd, foreign-looking, and flavoured with all the peculiarities which marked the era of Mexican rule. And now, where once was heard the excited shouts of the idle crowd, of "Los Americanos!" "Los Carros!" "La e

reighted wagons rolling into the town, the teamsters dust-begrimed, and the mules making the place hideous with their discordant braying as they knew that their long journey was ended and rest awaited them. The importing merchants were obliged to turn over to the custom house officials five hundred dollars for every wagon-load, great or small; and no matter what the intrinsic value of the goods might

ingle annual caravan of prairie-schooners, and now there are four railroads running through the Rio Grande Valley, and one daily freight train of the Atc

to make the time pass pleasantly for every one connected with it during their sojourn. Bailes, or fandangoes, as the dancing pa

ented herself, attired in the most costly manner, and displaying her jewelled ornaments to the best advantage. To this place of recreation and pleasure, generally a large, capacious saloon or interior court, all classes of persons were allowed

d taste. Their robes were made without bodies; a skirt only, and a long, loose, flowing scarf or reboso de

description of the waltz, and then stretch your imagination to its utmost tension, and you will perhaps have some faint conception of the Mexican fandango. Such familiarity of position as was indulged in would be repugnant to the refine

s were rarely ever prepared for those frolicsome gatherings, but there was always an abundance of confectionery, sweetmeats, and native wine. It cost very little for a man to attend one of the fandangoes in Santa Fe, but not t