atted at our fire, while others were continually arriving,
some afoot, but most of them on horseback. Manuelito, a grand-looking
chief, rode into camp on the finest Indian pony I had ever seen. It was
beautifully caparisoned; the saddle, bridle, and trappings were covered
with silver mountings. This was by far the most gorgeously dressed
Navajo I had ever met. He wore tight-fitting knickerbockers of
jet-black buckskin, which resembled velvet, with a double row of silver
buttons, set as close as possible on the outward seams, from top to
bottom. On his legs from knee to ankle he wore homespun woolen
stockings and his feet were covered by beaded moccasins of yellow,
smoke-tanned buckskin. His bright red calico shirt was literally
covered with silver ornaments and his ears were pierced with heavy
silver rings, at least three inches in diameter. His wrists and arms
were heavy with massive silver bracelets and others, carved from a
stone, which resembled jade. About his neck he wore strings of wampum
and glass beads, garnets, and bits of turquoise. The turquoise and
garnet is found here in places known only to these Indians. His fingers
were encircled by many rings, but the finest ornament he possessed was
his body belt of great disks of silver, the size of tea saucers. All
this jewelry was of a fair workmanship, such as is made by Navajo
silversmiths out of coin silver. In fact, these Indians prefer silver
to gold for purposes of personal adornment. The blanket which this
Indian wore around his waist was worth at least two hundred dollars;
never have I seen its equal in beauty of pattern and texture.

The chief dismounted and withdrew with Don Juan behind a wagon for a
talk, as I presumed. They reappeared soon, and the chief mounted his
steed and cavorted around our camp as one possessed. Furiously lashing
his horse, he scattered our cooking utensils and acted in a most
provoking manner generally. I noticed then that the noble chief was
intoxicated, and when I questioned Don Juan sharply, he admitted that
he had given the Indian some whiskey, and on the day before as well. I
warned the Don to have no further dealings with these Indians and
advised him to break camp at once in order to avoid trouble. I informed
him also that he had committed a serious crime by selling liquor to
Indians and that he was liable to be arrested at any time should a
patrol from the fort happen our way. As the Mexican was frightened now,
we took to