Chap. XI. ROMANCE OF NORTH MEXICAN LIFE. 369 
nothing can exceed the friendliness and unaffected kindness, 
the good breeding and politeness of the Mexican country 
people. In almost every respect they are superior to 
our German peasants, and distinguishing the never ungrace- 
ful naivete of their natural habits from coarse indecency, 
such as I have witnessed among the former, I must say 
the Mexican ranchero, or farmer, is much the more 
refined of the two. Puritanical prudery is no rule, but this 
has nothing in common with the above comparison. Beds 
were prepared for us the first night at Don Felipe's in the 
large saloon, and I remarked to Don Guillermo that I 
was tired, and wished the family would leave us alone that 
we might betake ourselves to rest. "You may wait then 
a long time," he replied, " for they stay on purpose to see 
us undress," and actually we were obliged to go through 
this ceremony in the presence of the Senoritas, who, with 
the closest attention, yet with perfect propriety of manner, 
watched every movement and every article of our dress 
till we laid ourselves down, when they wished us good 
night. 
On Sunday evening the principal men in the village 
met in the house of our host, and, as usual, Indian 
adventures were related. One of these was so remarkably 
characteristic of the wild romance of North Mexican life 
that it greatly interested me, and I will repeat it here. 
Some years ago an Apache chief, who had received a 
christian education in the house of a priest in the State 
Sonora, made himself a terror to this neighbourhood. He 
made use of his power to read and write as any civilized 
robber chieftain would have done. He intercepted the 
post from the mining localities, opened and read the 
letters, in order to learn when goods and silver were to be 
conveyed, and thus was able to arrange his plans success- 
2 B 
