The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-07

attached TO the Commission, In the very midst Of
eur camp, and when moro than fifty Of their people
were amongst US They seized their lsucss, bows
ready for an attack. But with little parIey ing
wo induced them to come into the fort, and there
convinced them that there WAS no design our
part to kill or harm them, and that the killing of
their man was wholly matter between the dc ,essed
and the Mexican gave the vito and family Of
the deceased some blankets, CLOTH corn, and other
articles, and Furthermore, agreeing TO give them
monthly the wages que the Mt Xican 0ryier0, all
amicaby settled. also took from these same peo-
pie two Mexican boys, who had long been among
I them AS captives. This came near being serious
matter, but it, too, was amicsbly settled ! men,
ti0n these facts to show that the Indians, however
wild and savage they may be, are conquered by
reasonable ana pacific measures. These .Apaohes
had for msny years been at war with the Mexicans,
and, in fact, with all around them, other Indian
tribes included They had stolen property 20 q
large amount from the American settlement Is in
New Mexico, and had been tue terror Of all who
mines, that post had been taken possession of by
United States troops, and war co mmenced pa
per which have just read says, +" in an interview
between the United States troops and the Indians,
the latter were very iIsolent, when nine Of them
were sbotr' The Indians then retsliated by laying
in ambush and shooting several soldiers, after
which, they stole all the United States cattle.
u 1t makes my blood run cold TO listen to the rela
tions Of erueties p1actsed by the whites upon the
Indians-tte latter then etsliate, when an open
war Of piuuder FIRE, and determination is at once
CaIfleO On against tneu, nave maze ulugenL an
quiries in Chihuahua, Sonora, New Mexico, and in
California, as to the cause Of the Indian doprcda-
tions, and tho war between them and the whites,
the result OF which has been that in every instance
the whites were the aggressors Even the Mex leans
acknowledge this In California, this is clearly the
case. A Ilorc happy and QUOT race Of Indians
not to be found than those of California, until the
Amel!eals got possession Of the country. Now, so
ayarcous nave the latter become, that not content
with the egons that furnish gold, they are seizing
upon oil the forest lands OF the Countrywide only
places where the natives can earn subhstence-and
are unwilling that any land shall be reserved for
them, which the Anne orleans can turn to account.
could fill many sheets with the accounts of the cru
elites and aggressions Of the Whites but this is not
my object.
dans alluded to, have obtained full vOcabularies Of
their languages My vocabulary is the same as that
formed by cur late venerable friend, Mr. Gallatin,
Der two hundred. These will, therefore, DO the full
est vocahularies collected and will be Of great
to philologlsts 10 studying the analogy between
the lnoian languages. lhavo now obtained vocabu-
laries Of nineteen different languages west of the Rio
Grande, most Of them taken down by myself, and
tested in such manner to satisfy me of their cor
Iectness Most Of these are new, not having previ-
In my unfortunate journey to Sonora, to procure
provisions for the parties the ella, and where
was confined nearly three months by the fever Of
Cubillas cent to Tanori distinguished chief of the
Opate tribes, living sixty or eighty miles oil, to
| come to Ures, where then was. He came, and
| got from him q vocabulary Of his language. | OBJ
tribes the latter has never been taken down before
| They are the most hostile Indians in Sonora and
live on the island Of Tiburon, in the Gulf Of Cali
fornia, ard its adjacent shores was go fortunate
as to find one of these people domestioated near the
| city of Hermosilo, very intelligent man, from
whom obtained the information required. Such
particulars as could gather in my short intercourse
with the various trioes, relative to their manners
and customs, were duly noted.
! Vocabulares of languages, however, will only be
interesting to the learned. therefore sought other
matters Of more pleasing and popular character,
such as would illustrate the manners and customs
of the r6ians. and present to the world their cha
racterisic features. / have thus collected fine
series Of portraits Of the size Of life, OF the principal
tribes, always selecting such as believed would be
chara eeristsc and no account of the beauty of
the individual. But in all the tribes / have
seen there is vast difference between the
chief and the masses those who possess power
or wealth The characteristics Of tribe may bo
discovered by observer in all classes, in the same
manner that you can recognise an Epgishna IN or
lrishman, whether hc belongs to the nobility or to
the common laborer--or tue rich Boston merchant
from downeaster Of the sam Slick stamp. You
would know them both to be Yankees Toe Indian
chiefs and their families always fue specimens of
the genus homo we'll made, OF good height, regu-
lar features full faces, and generally OF fa!rer COM
ple1on than the rest. This may be accounted for
in the manner as would for che superiority
in;erioIity Of PEOPLE in every nation, G. their
modes Of lie Ihc Indian chiefs are rich-ihey
always have tho best TO eat and to wear Their
wjgwams, too sre always the best. Bat those OF
Inferior grace are generally half statvedImany are
without wigwams or blankets and with bur SCAN
ty covering for the body Hence you dishevelled
limbs lark bodies, shrunken SIX ns, and inferior mus
cuiEr deseiopement.
My portraits are generally Of the chiefs. they
arc prominent men in position, well as in intelii-
gence, Many have figured in treaty negoti-
atoms and hence possess an historic interest.
l have in my journeyings fond three classes OF
First-The wild tribes liyitg by the chsse or by
punosr, Ike the Apaches, without villages or fixed
places OF abode.
Second--The semi ci silized tribes Or those which
cultivate the soil after their own manner. raise cat
tie. and spin ard weave the Pnos, Coco Nari-
copss. and Na'ijos. or Navhoes
TkiId--Those trhes which reside among, or near,
the Mexicans and Caliorniuns, who are. or haVe
been under the influence Of missionaries, ana have
imbibea many of the customs Of the whites. This
class embraces certain tribes in Msxi,o, and all
those in California south of San Francisco, along
tho coast, about ton miles back, which is as a,
M tho missions extended.
The secon d class have not received their knowledge
from foreign somces, but it has grown up with
them.
In addition to the portraits ramed have quite
number OF drawings, illustrative Of their manneri
ard customs arts. &c groups about their villages
interior Of their wig vans religious scenes SEC also
their bows, arrows, iances, dresses, specimens Of
pottery, basket work, blankets, and variety oil
other articles of their mapuf acture. But the manu-.
featuring tribes are very few and as theiI
wants few, there but little variety in their pro
ductions. hopo, hoHever if no accident unfore-
seen obstacle presents, that shall be able to pre-
sent to the government Mt Washington such a col
lection may DO creditable to tho com mission,
obtained too, az little expense.
II was my desire, on coming out with the com
mission, to bring With me small corps Of natural
lists, in order to investigate and make collections in
the departments Of geology, mineraogy, botany
and zoology; but Congress refused tao appropria
tion asked for, AID l have therefore been com
PEELED to do the best could without their assist
nnce. Fortunately for me, 10 the organisation o
the commission, | selected two gentlemen wei
veIsed in tho departments Of botany and mineralo
gy, who, when not engaged in other duties, have
devoted themselves assiduousy to these branches Of
science, ard have made very good collections Zoo
loey, too, hss not been forgotten, though was mol
provided with the necessary means for preserving