Ex. Doc. No. 41. \ 47 



We saw myriads of sand crane, geese, and brant. 



September 30.— Feeling no desire to go over the same ground 

 twice, I struck off on the table lands to the west, and found them 

 a succession of rolling sand hills, with obione canescens, franseria 

 acanthocarpa, yerba del sapa of the Mexicans, and- occasionally, 

 at very long intervals, with scrub cedar, about as high as the boot- 

 top. 



I saw here the hiding places of the Navajoes, who, when few in 

 numbers, wait for the night to descend upon the valley and carry 

 off the fruit, sheep, women, and children of the Mexicans. When 

 in numbers, they come in day-time and levy their dues. Their re- 

 treats and caverns are at a distance to the west, in high and inac- 

 cessible mountains, w-here troops of the United States will find 

 great difficulty in overtaking and subduing them, but where the 

 Mexicans have never thought of penetrating. The Navajoes may 



be termed thp lords nf Npw MpviVn " • 



i termed the lords of New Mexico. Few in number, disdaining 

 the cultivation of the soil, and even the rearing of cattle, they 

 draw all their supplies from the valley of the Del Norte. 



As we marched down the river to meet Ugartc and Armijo, the 

 Navajoes attacked the settlements, three miles, in our rear, killed 

 one man, crippled another, and carried off ^ large supply of sheep 

 and cattle. To-day we have a report, which appears well authen- 

 ticated, that the Mexicans taking courage at the expectations of 

 protection from the United States, had the temerity to resist a levy 

 and the consequence was, the loss of six men killed and two 

 wounded. 



They are prudent in their depredations, never taking so much 

 from one man as to ruin him. Armijo never permitted the inhabi- 

 tants to war upon these thieves. The power he had of letting these 

 people loose on the New Mexicans was the great secret of his ar-" 

 bitrary sway over a people who hated and despised him. Any 

 offender against Armijo was pretty sure to have a visit from the 

 Navajoes. 



I stopped at the little town of Isoletta, to visit my friend, the 

 alcalde, who has the reputation, Indian though he be, of being the 

 most honest man and best maker of brandy in the territory. Mr 

 btanly accompanied me, for the purpose of sketching one of the 

 women as a specimen of the race. I told the alcalde our object 

 andsoon a very beautiful Foman, made her appearance, perfectly 

 conscious of the purpose for which her presence was desired. 

 Her first position was exquisitely graceful, but the light did net 

 suit, and when Stanly changed her position, the charm of her atti- 

 tude was gone. 



We came down from the, table lands through a ravine, where 

 the lava, ma seam of about six feet, overlaid soft sand-stone. At 

 tne point of junction, the sand was but slightly colored. The lava 

 was celluUr, and the holes so large that the hawks were buiMino- 



laf\!^^i '"^^'^^^ ^^^ Navajoes descended when they made their 

 Itl 1 ^^' ^t the same moment the volunteers were ascending the 

 other slope of the hill, on their way to garrison Cibolletta. 



