True Democrat. (Paulding, Miss.) 1845-18??, 1846-12-02
From the Commercial 'rimrs.
WHITE INDIANS ANCIENT MEX.
1CANS.

From the Commercial sItmrS.
WHTTE1NDIANS ANCIENT MEX
ICANS.
Among large number ofvoInmes which
have recently appeared on the subject ol
Oregon California and the nsighboring
regions called firth, II i great measure
by the interest attached 10 the recent con.
troversy with Great Britain aud The present
war with Mexico we have derived mich
decentralization an onyInolspnblicaIion
entitled Scenes ID the Rocky Mountains,
Oregon, Califorhla. New Mexico, Texas
and Grand Prarles; or notes by way Of an
excursion Of three years; with . description
Of the countries passed through" The
work Processes TO furnish the results of
personal observation, aud in most respects,
Is very full and clear transcript Of scenes
AMI events IN countries Of which lille
positively IS known, mud that little vague
and inconcIusive. The facts contained in
the book are valuable aud interesting; the
style ambitious, bonlhastic, and extremely
faulty. Fortunately, in the present instance,
the garb in which the author has chosen
TO convey his impressions is of minor con.
sequence. The public have ulily TO deal
with the material, and this, as We observed,
will abundanlly repay enrness attention
and analysis.
While sojourning in California, the an
thor had occasion to become familiar with
q race Of savages, OF which the few loose
aud imperfect accounts hitherto furnished
have inspired general desire for ample in
formation. We aIIude to the ."WIIte IN
diuns," or .Mnnchies," as they are called.
A synopsis Of the desNis given by the
writer may be interesting to our readers.
The Munchies ara a untion Of white
aborigines, actually existing in valley
among the Sierra de los Mimbros Chain,
upon one Of the PffiueniS of the river ella,
in the extreme Northwestern part Of tie
province ofSonorn. They number about
eight hundred in all. Their features ARE
ofthe Caucasian type, withafir complex
ion aud graceful form. They ara p 'triar-
chal in their habits, peaceful il their char
actor aud possessed Of many Of the arts and
comforts OF civilized life. They spin aud
weave, suhsist by agriculture, raIse cattle,
horses and sheep. Their laws are few aud
simple They are ruled by the seniors Of
The tribe, whose government is mild, aud
rather suaSivs titan cOeIclve. In morals
Ihev are represented as honest aud viriu-
ous. la religion they are said 10 differ hut
lille from other indians. The country
by this singular and anomalous
oeople Is difficult Of access, and enclosed |
~ lofty mountains Hence, perhap>, the
and obscurily Of all previous &C.
counts of them. Their dwellings ara spa
;ious apartments, nicely excavHled in The
liIl side, aud are frequently cut ~ the solId
.ock. THEY know llllIe or nothing ofwar,
md when, psrchance, an enemy crosses the
,ocky barrier.which surrounds them, they
eireat with all their valuables to caverns
n the mountains, aud there remain iIll tile
iauger ba Pnst.
or their origin, we are told, they have
os. ell knowledge, aud even the dim light
# tradition has failed to east a ray upon
he darkness which enshroudsihclT history.
rhe few writer's who have spuken ofIhls
ribe. arc disposed 20 conclude that the
dunchies are the progeny Of Europeans,
md must have settled IN Mexico since the
inc of the discovery Of America. SnclI
N inference, though warranted by their
olor, their geuIleless Of character, Pacitic
,ahits and comparative advanco incivili
alton, is nearly irFeconcilrabIy with their
,Iler ignorance oftlleir owItoigin, tits
IighIv improbable that colony Ct Euro.
can stock would, in lhespace Of three cen
uries. have lost all recollection Of the
riRinal country oflhsir ancestors. Their
,nTuSgs might aid in removing the doubts
nd difficulties which environ the snbjnct'
n, neither the author Of the work ia qHes-
on. nor lilo scattered notices which we
ave encountered elsewhere, uhard any
,tisfsesofy Information on this heud. That
,ev do not spring from the sonrce Which
a. givenbilthto The other lfibesof Indians
sufficiently manifest. The Munchirs
ifT.r from the latter ia every respect. Bni
~ even admitted, Tie Eilluogruplisi dnes
=, advance single step, bui Is iefl ~ tie
,npdless Geld Of Speculation and eonlec'
..;,tc,tf chart or eonffnEN