they went ahead and killed their annual amount of buffalo.  This, the man could not do; for the season was so far advanced that if he delayed, and then attempted to make California, he would be certainly overtaken by snow-storms which would bury him and his property in the mountains.  In vain he used his best endeavors to impress this state of affairs on the minds of the Indians.  They would not listen to him or sanction his going on, and threatened to punish him if he undertook to disobey them.  Bidding defiance to these threats, this man started; but had only proceeded a few miles, when a band of one hundred squaws, mounted on horseback, overtook him and dashed into his herd, and with savage delight put to death one hundred and fifty of the sheep before their owner’s eyes and without his being able to stop them.  The carcasses of the slaughtered animals were left to rot on the ground, thereby showing that the Indians did not stand in need of food, but that they wished to teach the intruder a lesson which he would be apt to remember.  These women had been sent out by their husbands, who no doubt were close by in case their services should be needed, to show to the white man the contempt they had of his power.  The result was that the American was obliged to return to New Mexico from whence he came.  When he set out again, he chose what is known as the Southern Route, which runs via the Rio Gila and strikes California in its lower section.

In the Rocky Mountains, the Indian women are rather small in stature, but, from their constant exercise they are physically very strong.  They are naturally not wanting in modesty; but, being compelled to work and even engage in war, they soon become roughened and hardened.  Their dresses consist principally of deer skins, and sometimes they are very tastefully arranged.  They give birth to their children with great ease, and, as they have not become martyrs to fashions, or dress, they suffer but little inconvenience from this provision of nature.  The children learn, during their earliest years, to look out for themselves, and soon become expert at it.  The marriage ceremony amounts to little or nothing, and consists of a mere barter.  The warrior is obliged to pay so many horses to the father for the bride.  We remember, on one occasion, buying a superior pony from a trader, who said that he had obtained him from his Indian owner with great difficulty.  The facts were as follows:  This Indian was in love with a young maiden of his tribe.  The young girl wished some silver ornaments which the trader had.  The only thing the warrior had to exchange for these trinkets, was his prized pony.  An old chief stood by with the trader and saw the warrior look and sigh at his horse.  The chief gave the trader a wink, and said in a low tone of voice to him:  “That man loves his horse and he loves his affianced bride, but the bride elect will conquer.  Hold on and he will sacrifice the horse to please the girl.  His love for her is the deepest feeling.”  Sure enough this came true, and we never regretted that it was so.  The pony proved a valuable addition to our stock of animals.