A Harvest of Reluctant Souls: Fray Alonso de Benavides's History of New Mexico, 1630

10. The Pecos Nation

• 19 Some four leagues onward in the same northerly direction, you will come to the pueblo of Pecos, which has over two thousand souls. Here there is an elegant rectory and temple, of particularly fine and distinct architecture and construction, into which a priest put extraordinary work and care. 10. ThePecosNation Mission church at Pecos. Photo by Baker H. Morrow. 20 • Chapter 10 Priest’s garden at Pecos. Photo by Baker H. Morrow. Pecos town wall and ridge. Photo by Baker H. Morrow. The Pecos Nation • 21 And although these Indians are part of the Jémez1 nation, they are considered to be a people apart due to their isolation and the fact that they are cut off from the Jémez territory proper, even though they speak the same language. This is an incredibly cold land and not very fertile, although with a great deal of seeding they do produce the corn their people need. These Indians are very well taught in all the trades, and they have schools of reading, writing, singing, and the playing of musical instruments , as in the other pueblos. ...