The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930 Page: 61
344 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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An Anonymous Description of New Mexico, 1818
These civilized Indians are armed like (the militia) in the
center of the country serving with it often and like it on horse-
back. They are of a very amiable character, are the best culti-
vators of the country, and show a great deal of ingenuity and
skill in the manufacture of many of the little objects they make
in their villages, such as pottery, baskets, shields, etc. If they
were treated with less harshness and after the spirit of the laws
made in their behalf by the king of Spain, which could not be
wiser, there is no doubt that they would become a real acquisi-
tion to a country which only needs people to become important.
In the same way there could be civilized many other tribes, but
these unhappy ones (the Pueblos) embittered and discouraged by
haughtiness and bad treatment of those miserable ones estab-
lished among them to protect them are of little advantage to
the country. They will certainly become for Spain very danger-
ous auxiliaries and very valuable for a power, which, in attack-
ing these provinces, would know how to win their friendship by
promises and presents. Spain by following a policy different
from that which she pursues now, could easily make friends of
them, or better said, faithful and devoted objects. For this they
would only need to relieve them of the Alcaldes and of the quar-
tering of troops.
Non-civilized Indians. The non-civilized Indians who live in
the west of the mountains are generally known under the name
of Apaches and Yutas. But the different tribes of these two great
nations have different names and are entirely independent of one
another.
Those who live to the east of these mountains and who have some
communication with the Spaniards are the Comanches, so called
by the Spaniards, and known to the French under the name of Peles,
Aitanes or Padaux,34 who are of the same nation or tribes of the
that alcaldes did not live generally in the pueblos of the Indians, and that
the latter well knew how to complain of the least thing. Conde, writing
the viceroy, added that when the Indians' complaints had been investigated
they frequently found they had been brought in a spirit of malice. Mel-
gares to Cordero, Santa Fe 18 de Mayo de 1819, Providencias . . . para
que se fortifiquen . . Nuevo Mexico, f. 174; Conde to Venadito, Du-
rango, 19 de Junio de 1819, Providencias . . . para que se fortifiquen
. Nuevo Mexico, f. 179.
14The French has "Padaux." French accounts generally spell the name
for the Comanche either Padoucahs or Padoucas. The Spanich translation
has "Padaux" spelled as "Padases."
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930, periodical, 1930; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101090/m1/69/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.