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Show 200 LEADING FACTS OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY After a journey of five days Alvarado arrived at Acoma, a very strong place built upon a rock, the inhabitants of which were great ‘‘robbers’’ and much dreaded by the people of the surrounding country. The rock upon which the town stood was very high, and on three sides the ascent was perpendicular. The only means of reaching the top was by ascending a stairway cut in the solid rock. The first flight of steps numbered two hundred, which could be ascended without much difficulty, when a second flight of one hundred more commenced. These were narrower and more difficult of ascent than the first; and when surmounted there still remained about twelve feet to the top, which could only be ascended by putting the hands and feet in holes cut in the rock. On the top was a large pile of stones for the purpose of hurling down upon an enemy who should attempt the ascent of the stairway. There was space enough on top to store a great quantity of provisions and to build cisterns for the purpose of holding water and snow. The Indians came down off the mesa brandishing their bows and arrows and marched out on the plain to meet the Spaniards, and refused to receive any proposition from them whatever. Like the Moquis, they drew a mark in the sand and ordered the Spaniards San Estevan de Acoma to San Pedro; but restored and is now retained. The populat the former name was afterwards ion of the Acoma dwindled from about 1,500 in 1680 to 1,052 in 1760. In 1782 the mission was reduced to a visita of Laguna, and by the close of the century its population was more than eight hundred. only a few At present (1910) the pueblo has about five hundred and fifty inhabitants. The Acoma are agriculturists, cultivating their lands by Irrigation ; they raise corn, wheat, melons, Squashes, and hay crops of all kinds. They have quite large herds of sheep, goats, burros, and horses, and some cattle. In early historic times, and in pre-hist oric as well, they raised large flocks of domesticated turkeys. They make excellent pottery but do very little weaving. oe which tion, eas” " ‘i ‘aayMesa. 'En chanted c ce of were occupied by these people after origin in the north, were Kash-ka=2, Au-cjtTsi-a-ma, Ta-pit-si-a-ma, and Kat-si-mo, the _Katsim o is ya, the name of a very precipi tous mesa rising 430 oe es basin of Acoma and about three miles st of the present Pueblo. According to tradition its Summit was the sitenorthea of one of several prea me villages which the Acoma successively occupied during their southa eas from Shi-pa-pu. The tradition relates that during a storm ce a the rock fell and some of the inhabitants, cut off from the valley eneath, perished. to 0 anothe a r m ee T occupancy EL W., The site was observed, thenceforth abandoned, the survivors moving which : they erected the present pueblo of thus verifying the native tradition in Century Magazine, lvi, 15 May, 1898. mmis, Charles F., The Ench anted Mesa, New Mexi co David, 39, 1891. Courtesy Bureau American Ethnology Water Vessels from Cochiti |