84 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



With the exception of the chief, Antonio Llunas, who was 

 clad in cast off Mexican toggeryj the dress of the men consisted of 

 a cotton serape of domestic manufacturCj and a breech cloth. 

 Their hair was very long, and clubbed up. The women wore 

 nothing but the serape pinned about the loins, after the fashion of 

 Persico's Indian w^oman en the east side of the Capitolj though not 



quite so low. ' • 



The camp was soon filled with men, women, and children, each 

 with a basket of corn, frijoles, or meal, ^for traffic. Many t^d 

 jars of the molasses 'expressed from the fruit of the pitahaya. 

 Eeads, red clotli, white domestic, and blankets, were the articles 

 demanded in exchange. Major Swords, who had charge of the 

 trading duty, pitched a temporary awning, under which to conduct 

 the business, which had scarcely commenced before this place 

 formed a perfect menagerie, into which crowded, with eager eyes, 



M 



Aineri- 



cans. As I passed on to take a peep at the scene, naked arms, • 

 hands, and legs protruded from the awning. Inside there was no 

 room for bodies, but many heads had clustered into a very small 

 space, filled with different tongues and nations. The trade went 

 merrily on, and the conclusion of each bargain was announced by 

 a grunt and a joke, sometimes at the expense of the quartermaster, 

 but ofte ler at that of the Pimos. 



JYovemher 12. — We procured a sufficiency of corn, wheat, and 

 beans from the Pimos, but only two or three bullocks, and neither 

 horses nor mules. They have but few cattle, which are used in 

 tillage, and apparently all steers, procured from the Mexicans- 

 Their horses and mules were not plenty, and those they possessed 

 were prized extravagantly high. One dashing young fellow, with 

 ivory teeth and flowing hair, was seen coming into our camp at 

 full speed, on a wild unruly horse, that flew from side to side as he 

 approached, alarmed at the novel apparition of our people. Tlie 

 Maricopa, lor he was of that tribe, was without saddle or stir- 

 rups, and balanced himself to the right and left with such ease and 

 grace as to appear part of his horse. He succeeded in bringing 

 his fiery nag into the heart of the camp. He was immediately 

 offered a very advantageous trade by^ some young officer. He 

 stretched himself on his horse's neck, caressed it tenderly, at the 

 same time shutting his eyes, meaning thereby that no offer could 

 tempt him to part with his charger. 



. The general gave a letter to Governor Liunas, stating he was 

 good man, and directing all United States troops that might pas* 

 in his rear, to respect his excellency, his people, and their proper- 

 ty. Several broken down mules were left with him to recruit, for 

 the benefit of Cook's battalion as it passed along. 



To us it was a rare sight to be thrown in the midst of a large 

 nation of what is termed wild Indians, surpassing many of the 

 christian nations in agriculture, little behind them in the useful 

 arts, and immeasurably before them in honesty and virtue. During 



the whole of yesterday, our camp was full of men, women, and 



a 



? 



