Indian Traders. 153 



the means of existence, they sank lower and lower. No won- 

 der that they are shy and suspicious, especially towards the 

 masters of their country ; for whenever they are treated with 

 kindness they show that they have very kind hearts, are faith- 

 ful and loving, and are desirous of learning. 



This desire is very rarely satisfied, for the Europeans, igno- 

 rant themselves, were satisfied with using them as working 

 animals. They never looked upon them as entitled to any 

 rights, and still less as brethren, as their religion urged them 

 to do. Not even the priests who lived amongst them took 

 the trouble to educate them and to enlighten their minds ; 

 they were satisfied with teaching them the mechanical part ot 

 their religion, to make them Christians by name. 



When the conquerors spread all over the country, the In- 

 dians could not keep themselves altogether apart from them, 

 especially in the neighbourhood of cities. By this contact a 

 new kind of civilisation was created amongst them. Becom- 

 ing soon aware of the value of money, and seeing that they 

 could get some by selling their services or the products of their 

 soil to their lazy masters, they availed themselves of this oppor- 

 tunity, and we see them in Mexico everywhere engaged in all 

 kinds of inferior trades. They are indeed the purveyors of 

 Mexico, and come there from many miles to sell their fruit 

 or fowls, or other products of their little industry. 



The women work more than the men, and with their chil- 

 dren on their back, together with a heavy load, always running 

 at a short trot, they may be seen on all roads. Their dress is 

 very simple. A piece of blue cotton stuff is rolled around 

 their waist, falling down to their feet. Their shoulders and 

 breast are covered by a cotton cloth of some other colour, 

 with a hole in the centre through which passes their head. In 

 the Tyrol I have seen pieces of carpet used in a similar manner. 



The dress of the men is still more imperfect. Round the 

 waist they have fastened a leather, which they tie in such a 

 manner as to form a kind of breeches. Their shoulders are 

 covered in the same manner as those of the women, and on 

 their head they wear a straw hat. 



The women have large fine eyes, somewhat obliquely placed, 

 and are very well made ; many amongst them are pretty, but 

 amongst some of the tribes they are rather ugly. The men do 

 not look so strong as they are, to judge from the loads which 



