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Show A CHOICE OF EVILS. 383 of those persons; and considering that, as the proverb hath it ( segun la voz comun), " mas vale malo conocido que bueno por conozer" 18 and that 1 still had in the preceding pueblo my friends the Yabipais, I determined to retrace my short journey, which altogether had been thus far three leagues, 19 after giving my mule a chance 18 Like most pithy and sententious sayings, this is difficult to translate literally, though the sense is obvious. The nearest English I can construct is: " More is a bad acquaintance worth than a good ( one) to be known," i. e., " better a known evil than an unknown good." It reminds us that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Perhaps the best translation may be found in Hamlet's soliloquy, where the Prince of Denmark would " . . . rather bear those ills we have, Than fly to others that we know not of." Garces knew how bad the Mokis of Oraibi were, and would take no chances of finding those of the other pueblos any better; so he preferred to return. This reminds me of an incident that happened to me in the Sweetgrass hills of Montana in 1874. I sent a hunter out for meat, giving him a mule to ride and pack in his game. He shot a mountain sheep, and was preparing to put the carcass on the mule, when the latter objected strenuously, broke away, and ran to camp, leaving him afoot. When he came in I told him to take another mule and go out again next day. " Oh, no, doctor! I know how bad that mule can be, and am taking no chances on any other one." There is a parallel Spanish proverb which says: " Mas vale ajuste malo que pleito bueno "- a bad settlement is better than a good lawsuit. And again: " Mas vale mala composicion que buen pleito "- a bad compromise is better than good litigation. •" Garc€ s went down the Oraibi bluff in a mile or so, and kept on eastward with some southing across the valley which inter- |