72 
CA VE AND CLIFF D WELLERS. 
enda, all that is necessary being to send 
out the butcher, who kills whatever is 
wanted from the abundant supply on the 
range, for in that clear, rare atmosphere 
meat is preserved until used. 
There is another feature of large ha¬ 
ciendas like this that may prove interest¬ 
ing. I refer to the store, which usually 
occupies one corner of the building. At 
this store is found every kind of merchan¬ 
dise that is wanted, and here is doled out 
to the Indian population in exchange for 
their work certain quantities of flour or 
sugar,—you can be sure the amount is 
always very small,—and in time the simple 
people draw much more than is due them 
for work, as they are always allowed 
credit. Then it is they become peons or 
slaves, for they rarely get out of debt, but 
increase it until they are virtually owned 
