190 INDIAN EAVAGES. 



three or four cents per pound, or (as more 

 generally sold) per fleece, which will average, 

 perhapSj but little over a pound. Yet, from the 

 superiority of the pasturage and chniate, New 

 Mexico might doubtless grow the finest wool 

 in the world. In conformity with their char- 

 acteristic tardmess in improvement, however, 

 the natives have retained their original stocks, 

 which are wretchedly degenerate. They for- 

 merly sheared their flocks chiefly for their 

 health, and rarely preserved the fleece, as 

 their domestic manufactures consumed but a 

 comparatively small quantity. 



But the ^anado menor, or small beasts of 

 pasture (that is, sheep and goats in general;, 

 have of late been very much reduced m 

 quantity ; having suffered to a deplorable ex- 

 tent from the frequent inroads of the aborir 

 ginal ' lords of the soil/ who. every now and 

 then, whenever hunger or caprice prompts 

 them, attack the ranchos, murder the shep- 

 herds, and drive the sheep away in flocks oi 

 thousands. Indeed, the Indians have been 

 heard to observe, that they would long before 

 this have destroyed every sheep in the coun- 

 try, but that they prefer leaving a few behind 

 for breeding purposes, in order that their Mexij 

 can shepherds may raise them new snpphes- 



The sheep of New Mexico are exceedingly 

 small, with very coarse wool, and scarcely fi* 

 for an}^hing else than mutton, for which, in- 

 deed, they are justly celebrated. Their fle^ 

 has a peculiarly delicious flavor, and is reck- 

 oned by epicures to be far superior to our best 



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