Learn more about Rio Pecos Compound: Book Six of The Clint Mason Series
Copyright William F. Martin. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 12.
Clint headed out of Santa Fe on the trail north to Española. The rumor of a major sheep drive from the Bond ranch next spring to the railhead in Kansas was on his mind. Clint’s herd would need a major culling by then. The count could be as high as 30,000 sheep. The trail nearest the Rio Grande would work out best. It would keep him a good distance from the Johnson Ranch, as he wanted to stay clear of that place until some time had passed.
Sr. Bond was very gracious and friendly as usual. Clint knew that Bond had made good money on their last deal, so there was considerable interest in another arrangement. Sr. Bond was planning a trip to Abilene, Kansas, with a large sheep herd, and three other ranchers had already agreed to join the drive. With Clint’s 30,000 head, the total count would be close to 250,000 sheep. It would take between 120 and 130 days to make such a trip if everything went on schedule. This pace would keep the weight on the sheep and hopefully keep loss at a minimum. Sheep could be driven faster, but the costs went up quickly. Sr. Bond offered the same options as last time. This time he would pay upfront at least six cents per head or Clint and his men could just join the drive and sell their own sheep in Kansas. Either arrangement was acceptable to the Bond Ranch. The extra men and herders would provide more protection, but Sr. Bond would be pleased with more risk for the greater profit if Clint would sell his herd before the start of the drive.
And then Sr. Bond offered another option. One of the ranches that wanted to join the drive was up the Santa Fe Trail north of Las Vegas. If Clint would drive his herd north and join with that herd, then the two could pass through the Raton Pass and join the other three herds north of it. Then all five herds could travel due east to the railheads and stockyards in Abilene.
Sr. Bond was planning on taking his flock along with one other herd from Española up the Rio Grande Valley to join a third group near Taos, then they would cross over the high ridge to the plateau just north of Raton Pass.
The rancher who was north of Las Vegas was planning on making the trip north through the Raton Pass alone. But he had experienced a number of raids, so he was selling out all his sheep. If Clint would join his drive, he knew it would make it a lot safer for all.
Previously, Sr. Bond had been quite impressed with Clint’s Mexican guards. He wondered if they were still available. Clint thought that that arrangement would have to be worked out with the guards directly.
Sr. Bond told Clint about the barn fire at the Johnson Ranch over south east of him. The report was that it had not been determined if it was arson. Sr. Bond did not like Claude Johnson, but barn fires disturbed everyone. It seems Mr. Johnson had acquired his ranch under mysterious circumstances. The previous owner, with his only son, had traveled to St. Louis to visit relatives and they never came back. A few months later, Johnson showed up with deed transfer documents that were signed and witnessed in St. Louis. The previous owner did not have any living relatives left in the area, so the deal was not questioned. But Sr. Bond had been fairly close to the original owner, so the sale really surprised him. The rancher and Sr. Bond had even talked about some joint ventures to expand their holdings. Over the years, they had worked hard together to improve their herds and protect their land. The owner had expressed that his son would marry, have children and carry on their ranch into the future. The two old land holders had spent many fun hours over good wine discussing the future for both of them. In contrast, Mr. Johnson was not much of a rancher. His buildings were getting run down, his flock was not well tended nor was there any attempt to cull the herd for improvement. Mr. Johnson spent most of his time in Santa Fe partying, and while he kept a lot of gunmen on his payroll, there were not many ranch hands or herders.
Clint decided he would send a message back to Sr. Bond as to which option his people wanted to take. A lot depended on the choices of the Mexican guards. Without their extra guns, Clint would not want to take the route north to Raton Pass.
The trip back to Santa Fe would pass take him through two or three of the Indian areas. Sr. Bond had suggested that he stop and visit with a Juan Cruz in the San Juan Pueblo. The Cruz family had done a lot of adobe building for the Bond Ranch. Sr. Bond had heard that the Cruz family was on the outs with the current Indian leaders and was looking for work somewhere else. Apparently one of the Cruz girls had married a buck from the San Ildenfonso Pueblo against the San Juan tribal leader’s advice. An arranged marriage had been planned between the tribal leader’s son and Juan Cruz’s daughter. The young bride was having a hard time with her new mother-in-law and the village people in general.
To show the family how much the San Juan tribal leaders disapproved, Juan Cruz was prohibited from participating in the annual community dances. This was very hurtful and shameful for Juan and his family.
Clint had mentioned to Sr. Bond his need for a good adobe mason. Bond thought Juan Cruz and his extended family might take the job for a few years to let things cool down in his own village. Cruz and his family were excellent masons. Cruz’s mother, wife, and at least one daughter were also outstanding potters.
The ride into the San Juan Pueblo was a little eerie. Clint was riding a large and beautiful horse outfitted with top quality saddle and gear and he was also well armed as everyone could see. His first few questions in Spanish as to the whereabouts of the Cruz family were answered with local language and were no help. Clint finally spotted a young boy mixing mud for adobe bricks. A few questions about making brick cleared the air. The young boy’s Spanish was very good and he easily gave Clint directions to Juan Cruz’s house.
Clint’s greeting at the house included the fact that Sr. Bond had suggested he come to see Juan. Clint was invited into the house and Juan introduced himself. After a brief review of what Sr. Bond had told him, Clint said that his village needed some good adobe masons to build several homes and community buildings. When Clint identified the Rio Pecos Compound as the village, Juan’s eyes gave a brief flicker and a slight smile. Juan had heard the stories about Rio Pecos. He had also met many of the Rio Pecos traders at the Santa Fe market square. Their Rio Pecos blankets were known to be some of the best in the region.
Juan Cruz then retold a story that he had heard from his father and grandfather. Many generations ago his tribe used to mine special clays on the banks of the Rio Pecos. These clays were said to be the best that could be found for making pottery. His ancestors had made a name for themselves by producing clay pots from these special clays. His grandfather had told many stories of his family mining these clays and bringing them back to their pueblo for sale and trade.
The Spaniards drove the Indians out of the Rio Pecos Valley almost 200 years ago. A large adobe house was built in the valley to house the Spanish soldiers. There was a well nearby that his grandfather said the Indians had dug to work the clays. Later the Mexican Army prohibited the Indians from leaving their designated lands. This had cut off any access to the clay mines years and years ago. While Juan was sure of these stories, very few other people in his village had even heard them. If his grandfather had not continued the tales, Juan would not be aware of this history. He then showed Clint a pot that was claimed to have been made of the Rio Pecos clays. It was beautiful and graceful and had endured the usage these many years. The seal on the bottom was his family’s mark as far back as anyone could trace these things.
Juan Cruz said that his family would discuss these things and get word to Clint at the Santa Fe Market square sometime soon. Clint joined in a meal with the family before he headed back to Santa Fe. During his ride he enjoyed a feeling of accomplishment. If he could in some small way open up the path for the Cruz family to rediscover their past, that would feel good.
It would be a great step forward for his village if the Cruz family would bring their adobe building skills to the Rio Pecos Compound. Clint had been very disappointed that his people had not been able to build durable structures and their new buildings were nowhere near the quality of his old ranch house.
If Cruz’s family ancestors had been among the building crews of his ranch house, then the buildings of Rio Pecos compound might stand long into the future. The Spaniards had conscripted many of the Indians in the area to build Spanish churches and missions, and many of these structures were still in use.
Clint’s daydreaming was getting ahead of him, but it was fun to think of good times rather than today’s lawless world. Riding into the dark back streets of Santa Fe had a way of bringing Clint back to reality and danger. He dismounted his horse at the end of the alley and cautiously worked his way up to his rear gate, checked to see that his locking system was intact, then led his horses into their stalls. He did not feel safe until he was inside and inspected the little traps that he always left for unwanted intruders. All was well, so he settled down for a good night’s rest in his own shack. It wasn’t much of a place, but it was his.
Clint would hang around Santa Fe for a few days to make sure the title challenge didn’t raise its head again. This would give Juan Cruz a chance to get word to him of their decision. This type of major decision could take the Cruz family weeks or months. Since Clint would move on to the Rio Pecos ranch in a few days, he would alert his people to keep an ear open for the Cruz family decision during their regular trading trips.
Clint had also brought with him a small piece of clay that Juan Cruz thought had come from those old Rio Pecos clay mines. If he could match this clay piece with any clay deposits on his ranch, then he could get the word back to Juan. Better yet he could deliver a load of the clay to Juan’s house in San Juan Pueblo. This thought made Clint anxious to get back to his ranch. He was wondering if the clay chips he had spotted for making adobe bricks were the same as this clay chip Juan had given him. It sure did look and feel the same.
Clint was making his rounds of the market square the next day when he saw the two mothers and five children of the Kansas settlers. These families had joined the preacher in his move to Santa Fe. It looked like they were begging for food. They looked both downtrodden and lost. Clint kept his distance, but he had to find out what was going on with these followers of the preacher. When they had left his ranch, they had enough supplies and money for a few months. Clint watched for a time, then followed them out of town to the traders’ camp. There he saw one wagon and the two families gathered around a small cook fire. The preacher and the other wagons and horses were nowhere to be seen. These people needed help again. Clint went back to town and picked up some food and his other horses. The return trip to the camp was done casually as though he was just passing through. After the normal greetings, it soon came out that the preacher had gone on a mission trip to Durango and the gold fields. He had talked two of their teenage sons into going with him on his God-inspired venture. Shortly after they had left, their food stuff had been stolen and their wagons vandalized. Both families wanted to return to Rio Pecos. Clint would take them back in, but what about their sons and the preacher? These two families had experienced some reality and were ready to settle down and work for a living. Their sons would have to learn the hard way. Their prayers would be with them. The preacher had had much more influence on the two boys than their parents. Until the boys matured a little, it would be useless for the parents to give advice.
Clint shared the extra food with them and loaned them two horses. The saddle horses were not used to pulling a wagon, so someone would have to ride on them. The one wagon loaded with people and little else headed out toward the Rio Pecos Compound. The older children and adults took turns walking and riding the horses. It looked like a defeated and retreating army. Their spirits were broken. Their missionary zeal was gone. They were broke again and returning to their friends with the knowledge that everyone would know that they had failed on the missionary quest. However, the return of the two families was met with open arms and offers of support. Even one of the Navajo ladies brought over several loaves of freshly baked bread that had just come out of the oven. Clint was pleased to see signs of a developing community among this diverse collection of people.