ey had reached a place of safety. My companions became
vexed to think any man could perpetrate such a story on travelers, who
considered they knew a thing or two, and commenced quizzing the old
gentleman by asking him what the Indians knew of Satan; but the old
Mexican evaded the answer by taking down the little wooden cross which
hung on the wall of the room and expressed the desire to confirm the
truth of his story by swearing to it; this, of course, was said to be
entirely unnecessary. From it, we had learned the lesson never to try
to impress on the minds of the ignorant too weighty matters. This is
true with the Indian also; for, he is incredulous of anything beyond
the grasp of his own mind; which fact is illustrated by the following
incident. An American had some business to transact with a certain
band of Indians, who were celebrated as being very treacherous. Being
a bold man, he thought he would beard the lions in their den, and
accordingly, traveled alone to where the band was located; but,
instead of being received with open arms, as he expected, he was made
a prisoner, and so held until it could be decided what was to be done
with him. At last, a council was formed, before which he was to be
tried. The first question asked by the head chief was, "How do your
white people get gunpowder?" The reply was instantaneous: "We sow it
in a peculiar soil and it grows up like wheat." This was responded to
by a grunt from the examiner. A pause ensued, when the chief looked
the captive full in the eyes, and thus addressed him: "Know you, young
man, that the Great Spirit came into our camp this morning, and after
resting a short time he took yonder large hill and placed it on the
top of its fellow, and after leaving it there two hours, he returned
it to its former site. He then bid his Indian children good bye. Young
man, your tongue is split: one fork is for telling lies, and the other
is for telling truths." This was enough to convince the white man that
he had made a mistake, and, that if he had attempted to presume on too
much knowledge, his scalp might soon be dangling on some lodge-pole.
The Indians admired the brave and manly course he had pursued in
coming to them single-handed, and this, with the importance of the
business he came on, saved his life.

The California Mexicans were so remote from their capital, that,
although they acknowledged their allegiance to the general government,
yet they were accustomed, i