Kane.] »^^'* [Jan. 19, 



most interesting crania, simple and composite. Nowhere probably in the 

 world are so great a number of healthy, full-grown youths, of known habi- 

 tat and i>edigrce, meeting with violent deaths, and leaving their bones at 

 the command of the collector. 



Over Northern Mexico, and through it, in times bygone, have passed suc- 

 cessive migrations of races, as remarkable as those which have occurred in 

 our own historical period in Asia and in Europe. 



And, alas, of the conquest of the weak by the strong, of that which j'ou 

 and I, Mr. President, if alone, must maintain to be the Survival of the Un- 

 fittest, of the conquest of peaceful, industrious and civilized races by war- 

 like ones, Mexico affords us at least two distinct and notable examples. 

 Not less than two great invasions have proceeded directly fiom Northern 

 Mexico, or passed through it. All the American conquerors of Central 

 Mexico that we know of came from the North. We can study them in 

 Northern Mexico as they existed before thej' removed South. It is an im- 

 portant point I make, that our researches in Mexico maybe conducted in a 

 strictly scientific spirit, free from the disturbing influences of partisan liter- 

 ature. — Of what nation is not the literature without force, if its tone is not 

 (regarded in a philosophical sense) — provincial and partisan? 



Again, the singularly favorable political anarc'.iy now prevailing in 

 Northern Mexico should be of the greatest service to the student. Seventy 

 years ago the Spaniards governed New Spain. Not only their militarj^ sway 

 (though, as I have intimated, it surprises the traveler every day how far 

 out into the North they carried their mllitarj^ roads, their presidios, soldiers 

 and cannon), but the dominion also of their laws prevailed, and their social 

 customs, with their language and religion. Since the removal of the forces 

 which maintained law and order, the whole of this regime has ended, oris 

 coming to an end. The mental and moral characteristics of each native 

 stock are seen to be re-asserting themselves. You can detect, with corre- 

 sponding physiological varieties of structure, what manners the several 

 species, sub species and varieties were originally prone to, what laws natu- 

 rally suited them, what religion. In truth, straight out before your face, 

 and inconveniently to the purpose if you are in their way, they disclose 

 what other species of men they are predestined to hate, and refuse most 

 ferociously to live with on terms of anuty. 



To a certain extent an invading movement from the North upon more 

 Soutiiern Mexico is going on at tiiis moment. I had a peculiarly favorable 

 opportunity for witnessing an instance of its operation on a small scale. 



I obtained an invitation at Piedras Ncgras to accompany the column of 

 Government troops which moved upon Monclova and San Buenaventura 

 in. November last, and I made the most of my good fortune. 



I had Don Pedro Valdes, the Military Governor of the district of the Rio 

 Grande, and Colonel Ferdinand Montragon, his second in commam', with 

 me all the way. As far as Monclova my mess, my tent, my ambulance 

 were theirs ; one or other of them hardly left my sight. They knew per- 

 sonally a large number of their soldiers ; whenever any one attracted my 



