them from you, and sent them to General Conde, who will set them at liberty in their own country. We mean to show you that we cannot lie. We promised protection to the Mexicans, and we gave it to them. We promised friendship and protection to you, and we will give it to you. If we had not done so to Mexico, you could not have believed us with regard to yourselves. We cannot lie.

"Ponce:-Yes, but you took our captives from us without beforehand cautioning us. We were ignorant of this promise to restore captives. They were made prisoners in lawful warfare. They belong to us. They are our property. Our people have also been made captives by the Mexicans. If we had known of this thing, we should not have come here. We should not have placed that confidence in you.

"Commissioner:-Our brother speaks angrily, and without due reflection. Boys and women lose their temper, but men reflect and argue, and he who has reason and justice on his side, wins. I have no doubt but that you have suffered much by the Mexicans. This is a question in which it is impossible for us to tell who is right, or who is wrong. You and the Mexicans accuse each other of being the aggressors. Our duty is to fulfill our promise to both. This opportunity enables us to show to Mexico that we mean what we say, and when the time comes, we will be ready and prompt to prove the good faith of our promises to you.

"Ponce:-I am neither a boy nor a squaw. I am a man and a brave. I speak with reflection. I know what I say. I speak of the wrongs we

have suffered and those you do us now. (Very much excited). You must not speak any more. Let some one else speak (addressing himself to Mr. Cremony, the interpreter).

"Commissioner:-I want you to understand that I am the very one to speak; the only one here who can speak (peremptorily). Now do You sit down. I will hold no more talk with you, but will select a man (beckoning to Delgadito). Do you come here and speak for your nation.

"Dalgadito:-Let my brother declare the mind of his people.

"Commissioner:-I wish to explain to our Apache brethren the reasons that have actuated us in this thing. We know that you have not done this thing secretly or in the dark. You came as braves in open day, and brought your captives amongst us. We are obliged to obey the orders of our great chief in Washington as much as you warriors are obliged to obey your commanders. The great chief of our nation says: 'You must take all Mexican captives that you meet among the Apaches, and set them at liberty.' Now this you must know we cannot disobey. For this reason we have taken your captives from you.

"Dalgadito:-We do not doubt the word of our brave white brethren. The Americans are braves, we know it; and we believe a brave scorns to lie. But the owner of these captives is a poor man; he cannot lose his captives, who were obtained at the risk of his life, and purchased by the blood of his relatives. He justly demands his captives. We are his friends, and we wish

to see this demand complied with. It is just, and as justice we demand it.

"Commissioner:-I will now tell my Apache brethren what can be done for them. The captives cannot be restored. The Commissioner cannot buy them, neither can any American buy them; but there is here in our employ a Mexican who is anxious to buy them, and restore them to their homes. We have no objection that this Mexican should do so; and if he is not rich enough, we will lend him the means.

"Dalgadito:-The owner does not wish to sell; he wants his captives.

"Commissioner:-I have already told my brother that this cannot be. I speak not with two tongues. Make up your minds.

"Dalgadito:-The owner wants twenty horses

for them.

"Commissioner:-The Apache laughs at his white brother! He thinks him a squaw, and that he can play with him as with an arrow! Let the Apache say again.

"Dalgadito:-The brave who owns these captives does not wish to sell. He has had one of those (two) boys six years. He grew up under him. His heart-strings are bound around him. He is as a son to his old age. He speaks our language, and he cannot sell him. Money cannot buy affection. His heart cannot be sold. He taught him to string and shoot the bow and to wield the lance. He loves the boy, and cannot sell him.

"Commissioner:-We are sorry that this thing should be. We feel for our Apache brother, and would like to lighten his heart. But it is not

our fault.

Our brother has fixed his affections

on the child of his enemy. our duty is stern. wounds our hearts to hurt our friends; but if it were our own children, and the duty and the law said, 'Part with them,' part with them we should. Let our Apache brother reflect, and name his price.

It is very noble. But We cannot avoid it. It

"Dalgadito:-What will you give?

"Commissioner:-If my brother will come with me, I will show him.

"Here the council dissolved and repaired to the commissary's stores, attended by the Mexican purchaser, where goods to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars were laid out, which they accepted, and thus the business was concluded."

In the meantime the boys had been sent by the Mexican Commissioner to Janos, the nearest military post in Mexico, from whence they were taken to their families.

CHAPTER XIII.

TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS (Continued).

KILLING OF AN INDIAN BY JESUS LOPEZ-RESTITUTION BY THE MURDERER-APACHES STEAL STOCK DISCOVERY OF GOLD MINESAPACHES STEAL MORE STOCK-SHOOTING OF DALGADITO-HISTORY OF MANGUS COLORADO.

Another difficulty arose between the Commissioner and the Apaches upon the killing of an Apache by one of Bartlett's men, the Apaches contending with forcible logic and conclusive oratory, that the murderer should, then and there, be executed in their presence. Of this occurrence, Commissioner Bartlett gives the following account:

"About one o'clock word was brought to me, that an Indian had been shot by Jesus Lopez, the Mexican teamster to whom I have before alluded. I at once ran to my door, and saw the greatest consternation in the place. The Indians, of which there were many about us at the time, were screaming and running in all directions, as though fearful of a general rising and massacre of their people. Our own party, too, were in great alarm, and every man ran for his arms, not knowing but that the Indians, who had so often been treacherously dealt with by the whites, might at once attack us, to be revenged for the loss of their companion. Mangus Colorado, Dalgadito and Coletto Amarillo, who were in our camp, seized their arms, and, mounting animals, retreated to a small hill a few