estic
goods, the duties upon which, when introduced in the legal way,
were enormous; hence the white men engaged in this business, when
successful, met with ample rewards for their labors. The frontiers
were like the olden sea coasts. The Mexicans kept out scores of
custom-house officers to guard their frontiers, but the shrewd
foreigners, many times, were able to escape them; at others, they
were so fortunate as to find that a bribe would answer as well. An old
trick was to have a double bottom to a wagon, and, in the vacant space
thus formed, were stowed valuable shawls and such light articles as
would meet a sure and remunerative sale. Sometimes the goods were
brought near the frontiers and there hidden in the ground until a
favorable opportunity offered to steal them into the country. When
there was great danger that these secreted goods would be discovered,
the smugglers would so arrange a keg of powder with a loaded pistol
pointing at it, with strings running to the shrubbery near by, so as
to cause it to explode and kill the searchers should the bushes about
be disturbed. One old smuggler once fixed things in this manner, but
performed his task too well; for, on going to remove his property, he
came very near blowing himself up, as the mine was sprung and he was
thrown in the air, but miraculously escaped. Many of the adventures
of these men would be interesting; but they are too voluminous to be
embodied in our work. The valley of Taos is well watered by mountain
streams which flow into the Rio Grande. On one of these creeks and
near the mountains, to the east of Fernandez de Taos, is located an
Indian Pueblo which is very interesting to the traveler. Its houses
are built one on top of another until a sort of pyramid is formed. The
people enter their respective domicils through the roofs, which form
a kind of steps. At the foot of this queer building there is a church;
and around, the scenery is very picturesque, as the whole is bounded
on one side by a gap in the mountains, while on the other is the open
valley. This band of Indians at first offered great resistance and
fought with much bravery against the United States; but now they
are counted among its most faithful allies, and are great in their
admiration of Kit Carson. The farming utensils of the New Mexicans
are rude in the extreme; but the agricultural implements of the
Anglo-Saxon are slowly replacing these articles. The old plough, as
frequently used