372 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
« 
“The Nabajos maintain perpetual peace with the Timpani* 
gos, but are at deadly feud with the Taos party. 
“ These Nabajos are the most civilized of all the wild Indi¬ 
ans of North America. They raise a great abundance ot 
maize or Indian corn, wheat, beans, peas, onions, squashes and 
other esculent vegetables, and an inferior kind of tobacco, 
known in New Mexico under the name of pimche. They 
have large droves of magnificent horses, many of which will 
compare with the finest horses of the States, both as to ap¬ 
pearance and value. They also breed a few mules; but usu¬ 
ally supply themselves with these animals by marauding ex¬ 
peditions into New Mexico and the Californias. These 
Indians are constantly at war with white people, and attack 
them whenever they meet them. But in the case of the Ameri¬ 
cans they have thus far found that mere animosity and Indian 
whoops form a poor defence against the rifles of our trappers. 
They are frequently making peace with the people of New 
Mexico ; but observe their pledged faith no longer than until 
vhey think their doped allies have accumulated a few sheep, 
mules and horses; when the first indication the poor herdsmen 
have of the renewal of hostilities, is the descent of a war-party 
upon their villages, killing every one who has not time to 
escape, driving off all their flocks, and committing every other 
kind of depredation. Yet so contemptible is the cowardice ol 
those New Mexicans, that they will exert themselves strenu- 
ously for a renewal of the peace, which they know the wily 
Indian will assent to, now that he has become, for the pres¬ 
ent, satiated with plunder. Indeed the experience of Ihese 
repeated acts of treachery seems to have no effect in arousing 
the courage and indignation of the New Mexicans. They c.re, 
in fact, moraWy and physically beneath even the Indian, and 
more unfit to rank among the civilized races. They are more 
treacherous, more cowardly and more despicable in every 
way. They cross themselves and adore the Virgin, at the 
same breath driving a concealed dagger to your heart; and 
pray God for the peace of your soul, while they kick you, be* 
