of the Ancient Mexicans. ' 123 



the population, and cultivate the soil in a higher degree than 

 the civilized descendants of the Spaniards themselves. They 

 number about 12,000, without including the Moquis, who 

 have preserved their independence since the year 1680. 



Their houses are constructed in a most singular manner, 

 being of two, three, and even five stories, without doors, or 

 other external communication than by a trap-door in the 

 azotea or flat roof, which is reached by means of ladders. 

 One wall surrounds the different dwellings, and the entire 

 village is contained in one of these buildings, and under one 

 roof. 



Of similar construction appear to have been the houses on 

 the Gila and elsewhere, which are supposed to have been 

 built by the ancient Mexicans in their migrations to the 

 south. 



In physical conformation, these Indians vary but in a slight 

 degree from the Prairie tribes, being perhaps a little more 

 inclined to corpulency, with the muscles of the arms and legs 

 more strongly developed, owing to the severer labour which 

 the former are engaged in. Indeed the physical organisa- 

 tion of the Indians, from the lakes of the north to Patagonia, 

 differs so little as to exhibit but a modification of physical 

 feature, apparently caused by climate and localisation. 



The dress of the Pueblos is a mixture of the ancient cos- 

 tume with that introduced by the Spaniards. A tilma, or 

 small blanket coat, without sleeves, is worn over the shoulder, 

 and their legs and feet are protected by leggings and mocas- 

 sins of deerskin or woollen stuff. 



Their heads are uncovered, and their hair long and uncon- 

 fined, save the centre or chivalrous scalp lock, which is usually 

 bound with gay coloured ribbon. 



The women's dress is the same as that of the wild Indians 

 of the Prairies, being a robe of finely-dressed doeskin, ge- 

 nerally covered with a bright-coloured blanket, or mantle of 

 cloth. 



It has been said before that the Pueblo Indians refuse to 

 celebrate their ancient religious ceremonies in the presence 

 of strangers, and that ostensibly they conform to the Roman 

 Catholic Church. It is not, however, the less certain that 



