THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 169 



origin, and that they crossed over from Asia by- 

 way of Behring Strait which, according to geolo- 

 gists, was then dry land. Yet from a scientific 

 standpoint this opinion was not intended to be con- 

 clusive any more than the Englishman's supposed 

 discovery is novel or original. The Mongolian cast 

 of countenance may often be observed, however, 

 both in New and Old Mexico. It is further deemed 

 probable that the mound builders were later driven 

 by some more barbaric race from the Mississippi 

 Valley to Central America, and it is very sure that 

 they were a methodical and orderly people, employ- 

 ing slave labor and possessing a form of govern- 

 ment. 



But history, especially that of his own romantic 

 land, fails to interest the average reader, so here 

 the line must be drawn, fascinating though the story 

 of New Mexico be to the few. It may, neverthe- 

 less, be mentioned that the two oldest Missions in 

 the United States, although unfortunately in partial 

 or total ruin, are to be found in New Mexico, on 

 the sites of ancient cities or pueblos which are yield- 

 ing much of interest to archeologists. These Mis- 

 sions are at the very least one hundred and fifty 

 years older than any of the California Missions. 



As the Tenderfoot extricates herself to some ex- 

 tent from the web of tiresome circumstance and 

 daily happenings, she surveys with mingled indig- 

 nation and amazement the stout and strong and 

 presumably intelligent visitor who, with means at 

 his command, idles away his time within our bor- 

 ders, abusing the "uninteresting" — Heaven be 



