THE NORTHERN MYSTERY 247 



The years that followed Kearney's suc- 

 cessful expedition, while bringing, as was 

 promised, a larger freedom to New Mexico, 

 were stained on the part of the Americans 

 with deeds of individual brutality and 

 shamelessness. White adventurers and ' bad 

 men ' from California and Texas made the 

 names of those States an ill savour in the 

 nostrils of both Mexicans and Indians ; and 

 when during the Civil War Texas lookecl 

 confidently to New Mexico to wave the 

 Southern flag, the sins of her own sons rose 

 to witness against her, and a sullen silence 

 answered her appeals. Without enthusiasm, 

 but likewise without wavering, the Territory 

 retained her grasp on the skirts of the Union, 

 and the Texan Invincibles hastened home- 

 wards, a draggled crew, adown the Valley of 

 the Rio Grande, their dreams of conquest 

 buried for ever in the desert sand. 



And now we turn to a page scarcely more 

 encouraging, the page that records the well- 

 worn tale of Governmental folly, and worse, 

 as regards the Indians, and which is scarce 

 concluded even at the present hour, though 

 dragging to its end. As late as 1883, that 



