286 THEIR ARTS, AGRICULTURE, ETC. 



Azteques emigrated to Mexico ; and there are 

 many reasons to suppose them direct de- 

 scendants from the remnant, which remained 

 in the Norlli, of this celebrated nation of an- 

 tiquity. Although tliey mostly live in rude 

 j'acaks, somewhat resembling the wigwams 

 of the Pawnees, yet, from time immemorial, 

 they have excelled all others in their original 

 manufactures: and, as well as the Moqiiis, 

 they are still distinguished for some 



tj'les of cotton textures, and display consi- 

 derable ingenuity in embroidering with fea- 

 thers the skins of animals, according to their 

 primitive practice. They now also manufac- 

 ture a singular species of blanket, known as 

 the Sarape Navajo, which is of so close and 

 dense a texture that it will frequently hold 

 water almost equal to gum-elastic cloth. _ W 

 is therefore highly prized for protection against 

 the rains. Some of the finer quaUties are 

 often sold among the Mexicans as high as 

 fifty or sixty dollars each. , 



Notwithstanding the present predatory and 

 somewhat unsettled habits of the Navajoes, 

 they cultivate all the diiferent grains and ve- 

 getables to be found in New Mexico. They 

 also possess extensive herds of horses, rnmes, 

 cattle, sheep and goats of their own raising, 

 ■wliich are generally celebrated as being mucn 

 superior to those of the Mexicans; owing, "^ 

 dcJubt, to greater attention to tlic improvement 

 of their stocks. 



Though Baron Humboldt teUs us that some 

 missionaries were estabhshed among this trioP 



