rably known as that of superior artisans.
The collection includes plough-points, anvils, bells, hoes, chains,
locks and keys, spurs, hinges, scissors, cattle-brands, and other
articles of use in the Mission communities. There are also fine
specimens of hammered copper, showing their ability in this branch of
the craftsman's art. As there was no coal at this time in California,
these metal-workers all became charcoal-burners.

Bricks of adobe and also burned bricks and tiles were made at every
Mission, I believe, and in later years tiles were made for sale for the
houses of the more pretentious inhabitants of the pueblos. As lime and
cement were needed, the Indians were taught how to burn the lime of the
country, and the cement work then done remains to this day as solid as
when it was first put down.

Many of them became expert bricklayers and stone-masons and cutters, as
such work as that found at San Luis Rey, San Juan Capistrano, San
Carlos, Santa Ines, and other Missions most eloquently testifies.

It is claimed that much of the distemper painting upon the church walls
was done by the Indians, though surely it would be far easier to believe
that the Fathers did it than they. For with their training in natural
design, as shown in their exquisite baskets, and the work they
accomplished in leather carving, I do not hesitate to say that mural
decorations would have been far more artistic in design, more harmonious
in color, and more skilfully executed if the Indians had been left to
their own native ability.

A few became silversmiths, though none ever accomplished much in this
line. They made better sandal-makers, shoemakers, and hatters. As
horse-trainers they were speedily most efficient, the cunning of their
minds finding a natural outlet in gaining supremacy over the lower
animal. They braided their own riatas from rawhide, and soon surpassed
their teachers in the use of them. They were fearless hunters with them,
often "roping" the mountain lion and even going so far as to capture the
dangerous grizzly bears with no other "weapon," and bring them down
from the mountains for their bear and bull fights. As vaqueros, or
cowboys, they were a distinct class. As daring riders as the world has
ever seen, they instinctively knew the arts of herding cattle and sheep,
and soon had that whole field of work in their keeping. "H.H.," in
_Ramona_, has told what skilled sheep-shearers they were, and there are
Indian bands to