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Show 172 INDIANS OE NEW MEXICO. They are understood to cultivate the soil to a very limited extent, and, like the Mescaleros and Utahs, have no permanent places of abode. From the best information within my reach, the Gila Apaches are subdivided into four separatebands, vie: Coyoteros, Mogogones, Ton-tos, -and the Miembrenos, each having its separate chiefs, without acknowledging any common head. There are some other bands of Apaches within this Territory, such as the Garroteros, &c., &c., re-siding between the Gila and Colorado rivers, of which little is known; but from the best information I can obtain, their manners, habits, and condition are similar to those of the Gila Apaches: The whole of the Apache tribe of Indians residing within the limits of New Mexico are supposed to number from seven to ten thousand souls. The Navajoes are another powerful tribe of Indians, residing'oh the tributaries of the river San Juan, west of the Rio Grande, and east of the Colorado, and between the thirty-fifth and thirty-seventh parallels of north latitude. . They probably number eight thousand souls, and occupy and claim a country equal to twenty-five thousand square miles, which would give, say three square miles to each Indian. The Navajo country is represented to be one of the finest agricultural regions within New Mexico; and they certainly are veraar in advance of any other wild tribe of Indians of this Territory in agriculture and manufactures. With very rude and primitive implements of their own construction, the Navajoes manage to raise an abundance of corn and wheat for their own subsistence. They 'have numerous herds of horses and sheep, and some horned cattle and mules, and, on the whole, live in adegree of comfort and plenty unknown to the other wild Indians of this sec-tion of the Union. They manufacture their own clothes principally from the wool of their sheep, and it is a rare thing to see a Navajo uncomfortably clothed. In the manufacturing of blankets they are believed to surpass any other Indians on this continent, an' these blankets will compare favorably with any other manufactured by a civilized people. Those made for ordinary use are warm, strong, and durable; but occasionally fine ones are made with brilliant and dura-ble colors handsomely blended, which will readily command in this market from twenty-five to fifty dollars each. When it is recollected that these articles are manufactured, and their farms cultivated! by the hands of Indians, with implements of their own construction, this people can but challenge our admiration. Favorable as this picture is, it also has its dark side; and I am sorry that truth compels me to say, that the people of this Territory have many wrongs to charge to the account of the Navajoes. The bright side of the picture which I have drawn does not equally apply to all of this tribe; they have bad men among them, who cannot and will not be restrained. Such men pay but little regard to the eighth commandment, .which,enjoins upon us not to steal; on the contrary, they have heretofore often stolen the stock and cattle of their more civilized neighbors. But, under the judicious management of agent Dodge, who has taken up his abode among these Indians, we have had but little cause to complain of them during the present year. There is one band of Navajoes who have separated themselves from the remainder of the tribe, and removed eastvard to the neighborhood |
