In the early days hundreds of people, sol-…

chunk 1076 · paragraph 1643

death. In the early days hundreds of people, sol- diers, citizens and travelers were butchered in Cook’s canyon which is only a short distance from the old post. Here was the only water obtainable for many miles on the long and tedious road to the Rio Grande, and the immi- grants were of necessity compelled to pass through the canyon of death. The Indians, from their position could view the country for miles, and were enabled to take position behind the rocks and await the coming of their uncon- scious victims. In those bloody days, a week seldom passed away without furnishing the particulars of some brutal, blood curdling massacre, and Cook’s canyon will always be referred to with a shudder by those familiar with the scenes en- acted in its dark and bloody passage. Little reck we who live in sight of this fearful locality, in these piping times of peace, of the awful scenes which occurred in that damnable gorge, yet we can drop a silent tear in memory of those brave souls who, hoping against hope for relief, yielded up their lives in that desolate spot.