COPPER MINES. 301 
they passed through this country a few years before. 
I explained to him the war between the United States 
and Mexico, and its results, all of which he pretty well 
understood already. I told him that we had now come 
out to see this country; and mark the line that sepa- 
rated the territory of Mexico from that acquired by the 
United States; that all the Indians who lived on our 
side of the border, would have our protection as long 
as they conducted themselves properly and committed 
no thefts or murders; but that if they stole any mules 
or cattle belonging to the Americans, we should pursue 
and punish them; and by our treaty with Mexico, we 
were bound to extend to her people the same protee- 
tion. Our protection of the Mexicans he did not seem 
to relish; and could not comprehend why we should 
aid them in any way after we had conquered them, or 
what business it was to the Americans if the Apaches 
chose to steal their mules, as they had always done, or 
to make wives of their Mexican women, or prisoners 
of their children. I told them the Americans were 
bound to do so and could not break their word; and if 
they (the Apaches) committed any farther depreda- 
tions on Mexico, we should not shield them from the 
Consequences. Mangus Colorado denied that he had 
ever injured the Americans; and when I told him I 
had learned that some of his people had lately attacked 
@ party of our countrymen on their way to California, 
and killed one man, he pretended to know nothing 
about it On a subsequent interview I brought this 
affair again to his notice, when it appeared that he was 
acquainted with it, but said it was done by some bad 
People living in a certain mountain range, over whom 
