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Show [ 23] Add to this, that Cibolleta is situated i~ a group with tbe towns oi Moquino, Poguate, Rito, Laguna, Covero an~ Acoma; in a1l, seven towns, ancl only seven; the same number wh1ch composed the an-cient kingdom of Cibolo. . . . 'The level country between QUivtra and C1bolleta, would permit the buffalo to extend their-range to ~he latter place. . Clavigero makes known a curious custom of the Indians of" Cj. bolo," which was not practised by the nations of Anahuac, but it resembles that of our prairie Indians; it is in using dogs to carry burdens. Clavigero mentions the dog of Cibolo, or dog of burden "a quadruped of the country of Cibolo similar in form to a mas~ tiff, which the Indians employ to carry burdens; several historians: mention this strong animal." Although these remarks may be looked upon as an unnecessary digression, yet they may be useful in attracting the attention of some more able investigator to this subject. I have made them as brief as possible. November 5.-This morning, when about starting, we noticed some mule tracks that-had evidently been made by animals under human guidance. They had come from the direction of Quarra~ and after approaching quite near our camp, had retraced . their steps, going back by the same route. We had been too long in the woods not to notice these things, yet we all tried in vain to rlis· cover the object of the per.sons. Towards midnight we had a se· vere shower; these tracks had been made subsequent to the shower. We had 9~i~e a heartl laugh at our guide, who had never been beyond Chihh and Tag1que, but still would not admit it. Yester· day, he· h. ad insisted that Abo was much farther off than it had prove~ to be; and now, to confirm what he sairl, he declares that there Is another Abo. We feigned an intention of going there at once, when he_ cried out, that it was a dreadful place, "no hay, agua, P.asto, Itna, gente; .Qada, nada, seiior." L:avmg th~ .wagon to proceed slowly, I went over to the old ~h~I ch o~ Abo, IS order to make a sketch of the Vf'nerable ruin. It IS •m.posst?le to get any account of these hoary monuments from t~e mhabttant~ of the neighboring towns. We frequently ques· !toned th~m With re~ar~ to such relics, but their responses were ';r~pped m the myshfyt~g langua~e of ignorance, or the very un· sa.tlsfac~ory reply of" qlllen sabe." They view our inquisitiven.ess Wtth a Jealo~s eye, for they can only account for it by suppos~ng that we are m sea rch of gold, which tradition has said is buned· beneath the altars and floors of these old churches. It is related of. an old ma_n who lived in St'tnta Fe, that after having ama~s~d q?•t~ a snug htt~ e sum of money, he induced several others to J0~n h~m .m a~ expedttion to Quarra, where he spent all his gains Jn diggi~g In th~ aisle of the old church. The hole, now half filled up,. stdl remains a monument of his fo1ly. It is also stated, that wlule engaged in this sear ch, he exh!Jmed the hones of some one who had been bu ried beneath the floor of the building. They were supposed to have belonged to some priest· and at night when the .old man thought his comrades were all ~sleep, he went and knelt . . 77 [ 23 ] . <down, and invoked the soul that had once animated these bones with most humble en treaty and most powerful arguments and promises. He told the spirit, that as it had always been here, it must know where the treasure was deposited, which if left concealed would do no one any benefit; but if it would inform him, that he vowed by all most holy, to have these bones interred in sacred ground, and would purchase masses without number; but it was a11 in vain. We had a fine road, and traveJJed on at the rate of three miles an hour. For the first five miles, we followed the stream on which Abo is situated; as we proceerled, it became perfectly dry. Its .course is nearly due west to the Rio de 1 Norte. As it goes through a narrow canon, we were obliged to follow the road, which led us through a crooked mountain gorge, whence we emerged into the great ·valley of the Del Norte. We saw a plant that bears some resemblance to the yucca and is ·oalled "palmello angosta;" also, a "mahonia,' ~ the leaves or' which are very much like ~he hoily; this the Mexicans call "palomereo." A~ we descended IIito the valley, we found a great and very perceptible change of temperature. The sun now seemed as if his in. tluence .was gaining · the ascendancy over that of the snow· capped mountams; .and when w~ r~ached the foot of the sierra, we founa some beautiful plants shll m full bloom. Continuing our journey .we! er.e long, saw a large band of antelope dash across the road~ This cucumstance gave us hope of soon finding water· and in a few ~moments more, we perceived a herd of cattle grazing 'near ~he road When we reache? them, we found_ several little ponds of water, and -encamped alongside of them; havmg made a journey of 20 miles We had sc~rce complete~ our arrangements, when a dark cloud ·came sweepmg along the Sierra, pouring down rain and hail· but it passed over us rapid I y. ' . N~vember ?.-Our road now led across a level plain, which con ·sistet of a m.Ixture _of small gravel and sand. Although a ood road at any hme, shll the shower of yesterday had rendered it ~ore c~~pa~t, and we made a rapid march, completing a journey of 18 tmt es Y noon; when we encamped at '"Casa Colorado ., a Jittl own on the bank f th R . d 1 N ' e passerl b s o e to e . orte, near a large acqueia that -e 1 W t-tween the town and the nver. We here heard that Gen-k~: w t~:~~la~ taken Chihuahua without any opposition, but we could on} hexiCans to_o well to pla~e confidenc~ i? this report, and have a ~ flope that It was true, Without permitting t.he rumor to I hny In uence on our plan of operations n t e aftern · · to ask some oo~, we ':Vent to pay our reRpects to the alcalde, an·d -found ou .q?eshons With regard to the surrounding country· but t.ures, in ~a;'lSlt very unprofitable. He had some very old' picWe asked h~e, oval _frame~, that harl once been beautifulJy gilded Were prefixe·:~i~~s~:on~ Wl;~ (regard to them, but all his answer~ North t h qUizas, perhaps.) 'Were cov~re~ !i~h~n ~ere ~re several large ponds; t4eir surfaces . uc s an geese, and long-legged cranes were • |
