Chap. III. ANGLO AMEBIC AN S AND MEXICANS. 229 
the case in our caravan ; and Mr. Mayer, although dissa- 
tisfied with his waggon-master, avoided any decided inter- 
ference with the command. The waggon-master, on the 
contrary, often tried to throw the responsibility of a 
decision on the proprietor. The former was an Anglo- 
American by birth ; I have never seen a more idle and 
effeminate man. Though he had made the journey several 
times, he would, towards the latter part, when we suffered 
much from the cold nights, creep forth in the morning 
from under his eight or ten blankets, whilst I had slept 
under a single pair : he had to be called at least three 
times ere he could be roused up to take the night-watch. 
There is, nevertheless, a common prejudice that only an 
Anglo-American is fitted for a waggon-master. The truth 
is, that if the crew consist of Anglo-Americans, scarcely a 
waggon-master of any other nation will know how to deal 
with them. If, on the contrary, they are Mexicans, a 
German who understands the language and his business as 
a driver will be able to take this office perfectly well. In 
a mixed body of Anglo-Americans and Mexicans discord 
will continually occur, and the latter seldom escape with- 
out maltreatment from the former, in whom the idea that 
a man of a darker complexion is thereby excluded from 
equal rights with them is with difficulty eradicated. 
" Shoot him ! " " Hang him ! " " Whip him ! " are excla- 
mations heard from the lips of his Anglo-American com- 
panions, when any small fault is committed by a Mexican ; 
and " I never killed a white man," is usually considered 
by the latter as completely clearing their character from 
any unfavourable suspicion. Amongst Anglo-Americans, 
however, who have lived in Mexico any length of time, 
this prejudice of race is often found effaced, and a more 
humane feeling has taken its place; to this the inter- 
