TREACHEROUS CRUELTY. 287 



r 



prior to the general massacre of 1680, but few 

 attempts to christianize them have since been 

 made. They now remain in a state of primi- 

 tive paganism — and not only independent of 



the Mexicans, but their most formidable ene- 

 mies, y 



After the establishment of the national in- 

 dependence, the government of New Mexico 

 greatly embittered the disposition of the neigh- 

 boring savages, especially the Navajoes, by 

 repeated acts of cruelty and ill-faith well cal- 

 culated to provoke hostilities. On one occa- 

 sion, a party consisting of several chiefs and 

 warriors of the Navajoes assembled at the 

 Pueblo of Cochiti, by invitation of the gov- 

 ernment, to celebrate a treaty of peace; when 

 the New Mexicans, exasperated no doubt by 

 the remembrance of former outrages, fell up- 

 on them unawares and put them all to death. 

 It is also related, that about the same period, 

 three Indians from the northern mountains 

 having been brought as prisoners into Taos, 

 they were peremptorily demanded by the Ji- 

 carillas, who were their bitterest enemies; 

 when the Mexican authorities, dreading the 

 resentment of tlais tribe, quietly complied ^\ith 

 the barbarous request, suffering the prisoners 

 to be butchered in cold blood before theh 

 Very eyes ! No wonder, then, that the New 

 Mexicans are so generally warred upon by 

 their savage neighbors. 



About ftfteen years ago, the Navajoes were 

 subjected by the energy of Col. Vizcarra, who 

 succeeded in keeping them in submission for 



