306 INCIDENTS AT THE 
authorized—which is hardly probable—to add to his 
party as many as he chose. This license was called 
for, but not produced, it being, as was stated, in the 
possession of the other portion of the party. They 
seemed to consider themselves fully authorized, by 
virtue of the license, to purchase any species of pro- 
perty held by the Indians, and this without any regard 
* to the manner in which the latter obtained it. They 
seemed surprised that I should question their rights 
on the strength of a treaty, the stipulations of which 
they knew nothing about. 
As respects the captive girl, who it was acknow- 
ledged was bought of the Pifial Indians, even placing 
their conduct in the most favorable light, it is quite 
apparent that she was purchased, like any other article 
of merchandise, as a matter of speculation. According 
to part of the testimony, the expedition was fitted out 
for the express purpose of buying her; while others 
declared that the purchase was an incidental matter. 
It appeared that her apprehensions at being taken by 
these men still further from her home, instead of being 
restored to her natural protectors, had been quieted 
by assurances that her purchaser was acquainted with 
relatives of hers in Santa Fé ; although his testimony 
showed, as might have been anticipated, that he had 
no such acquaintances at all. 
The girl herself was quite young, artless, and inter- 
esting in appearance, prepossessing in manners, and 
by her deportment gave evidence that she had been 
carefully brought up. The purchaser belonged to 4 
people with whom the system of peonage prevails, 
and among whom, as a general thing, females are not 
