Chap. VIII. 
VISIT OF THE APACHES. 
309 
individual. In Texas, where the Mexicans have followed 
the same system of agriculture — in the vicinity of San 
Antonio for instance — are seen the ancient acequias of the 
times of the Spaniards, gone to ruin and decay. The 
farmers who have immigrated from the United States — 
from feelings of blind contempt for the Mexicans, and the 
accidental occurrence of a series of comparatively rainy 
years — have allowed these canals to fall to ruin ; they have, 
however, had to suffer severely for this neglect, in the sub- 
sequent years of drought. In New Mexico nature is too 
capricious, and immigration too inconsiderable, to cause 
any fear of the entire abandonment of the well-founded old 
system, which is in all probability of Indian origin. 
In our camp at Joyita I first saw face to face some 
Indians of the dreaded Apache nation. Whilst taking our 
noonday meal, two Indians came riding up, who dis- 
mounted, shook hands with us, and invited themselves 
with great naivete to partake of our repast. Th w ere 
clothed in leather, and armed with good guns, which they 
laid aside: They told us they belonged to the tribe of the 
Mescaleros, 1 and one of them pretended to be a chieftain, — - 
an assertion however which the fellow's bad manners proved 
to be false. In general, the Indian chieftains observe a 
dignified demeanour, and marked etiquette. The physi- 
ognomy of these two men, who after a short time were 
joined by a woman, nearly approached the common Chinese 
type, chiefly in the broad flat nose ; but there are also seen 
among this people very various physiognomies, and I after- 
wards saw several sharply cut profiles of noble proportions. 
1 Mescal is a kind of agave, of which 
the roots are eaten. The Californian 
Indians have treated me with a sweet 
agave-root, which, I believe, comes 
from the so-called wild species of mes- 
cal. Mescal is also the name of a kind of 
brandy prepared from the agave. The 
Apache tribe takes its name from the 
plant. The root is an essential article 
of food amongst many Indian races. 
