PUEBLO OF TAOS. 329 



These people seem to be particularly fond of having near their houses 

 birds of different kinds, and a number of hawks and eagles were observed. 

 The latter bird is looked upon as having a sacred connection with Monte- 

 zuma. 



The character of the Pueblo Indian is singularly at variance with that 

 of the other tribes of New Mexico, being affectionate and childlike, inno- 

 cent in manner and very honest, exhibiting none of that brutal and ferocious 

 element common to most of the nomadic tribes. These Indians are es- 

 sentially a pastoral and agricultural people, tilling the soil with energy and 

 industry. They claim a patch of land covering a radius of three miles 

 from the center of their town, and this portion of the Taos Valley is most 

 fertile, and a veritable garden-spot. On all sides were seen fields of corn, 

 wheat, oats, and barley, interspersed with large numbers of fruit-trees. 



Mr. Miller stated that he annually purchases of the Indians about 6,000 

 bushels of fine wheat. They claim that they desire nothing from the gen- 

 eral government but protection against squatters on their lands, and appear 

 to be abundantly able to take care of themselves. It was particularly 

 pleasing to note the great degree of affection manifested by parents for 

 their children, and also that they do not make beasts of burden of their 

 women, as do the wild Indian tribes of the plains and mountains. Their 

 laws in regard to thieving, adultery, and other crimes are severe, and 

 offenders after trial are punished with commensurate severity. 



Lieut. Charles C. Morrison, Sixth Cavalry, in his report* for the field 

 season of 1877, gives the following notice of the pueblo of Taos : 



The next point of interest is the Taos pueblo, the most important, 

 excepting perhaps Zuni, of the Indian pueblos in New Mexico. With a 

 history back to the first Spanish occupancy of the country, an existence 

 dating indefinitely long before that time, a prominent center, in whose 

 council chambers the plans of uprising took form in the first determined 

 expulsion of the Spanish from the country, it can but be regarded with 

 interest. Here they have raised their crops, herded their goats, manufac- 



* Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1878, Appendix NN. 



