in regard to puberty, none of which have
been found among the Tarahumares.

Ignorant Mexicans, who have but a faint idea as to who is president
of their country, more than once have attributed land-grabbing
intentions to my expedition. With my three or four Mexicans and
Indians and a dozen pack mules, I have been credited with designs of
conquering Mexico for the Americans. Even here in Nabogame a Mexican
settler felt uneasy about his holdings and stirred the Indians up,
saying that if they allowed "that man to photograph them, the Devil
would carry off all of them, and it would be better to kill him." I
was to meet the people on a Sunday, and in the morning I received this
discouraging letter written by a Mexican for the Indian gobernador or
"general," who, to affirm or authenticate the letter, had put a cross,
as his mark or signature, underneath his name:

Pueblo De Nabogame, January 29, 1893.

Dear Mr. Picturemaker:

Do me the favour not to come to the pueblo to photograph, which
I know is your intention. I believe the best for you to do is
to go first to Baborigame, because, as far as this pueblo is
concerned, I do not give permission. Therefore, you will please
decide not to pass this day in this pueblo photographing.

Your obedient servant,

Jose H. Arroyos,

General.

To Mr. Picturemaker.

Taking my Mexican attendant with me, I walked over to the place
where some twenty Indians and several Mexicans had assembled. The
scheming instigator of the trouble had brought his rifle with him,
to give weight to his words; but the Mexican judge was on my side,
and after he had read my letters from the Government, he made a
speech in which he convinced the people that they must obey the
authorities. The Tepehuanes soon saw the force of his argument, and
the defeated agitator slunk away. The outcome of the dispute was that
the Indians expressed their regret that there were not more of them
present for me to photograph; if I desired, they would send for more
of their tribe to come and pose before the camera.

Around Nabogame grows a plant called _maizillo_, or _maizmillo_. It
is more slender than the ordinary corn-plant and the ears are
very small. It grows among the corn and has to be weeded out, as
it injures the good plants. However, several Mexicans assured me
that, when cultivated, the ears develop. After three years they grow
considerably larger and may be us