or any great length of time. For all, freedom
at intervals triumphed, and the priests became the "outs;" but ever
potent, and always active, they would soon get up a new "grito" to bring
about a revolutionary change in the Government. Sanguinary scenes would
be enacted--hangings, shooting, garrottings--all the horrors of civil
war that accompany the bitterest of all spite, the ecclesiastical.

In such an uncertain state of things it was but natural that the
_militarios_ should feel themselves masters of the situation, and act
accordingly.

In the northern districts they had yet another pretext for their
unrestrained exercise of power--in none more than New Mexico. This
remote province, lying like an oasis in the midst of uninhabited wilds,
was surrounded on all sides by tribes of hostile Indians. There were
the Navajoes and Apaches on its west, the Comanche and other Apache
bands on the south and east, the Utahs on its north, and various smaller
tribes distributed around it. They were all more or less hostile at one
time or another: now on terms of an intermittent peace, secured by a
"palaver" and treaty; this anon to be broken by some act of bad faith,
leaving their "braves" at liberty once more to betake themselves to the
war-path.

Of course this condition of things gave the soldiery a fine opportunity
to maintain their ascendency over the peaceful citizens. Rabble as
these soldiers were, and poltroons as they generally proved themselves
in every encounter with the Indians, they were accustomed to boast of
being the country's protectors, for this "protection" assumed a sort of
right to despoil it at their pleasure.

Some few years preceding the American-Mexican war--which, as well known,
gave New Mexico to the United States--these belligerent swaggerers were
in the zenith of their arbitrary rule. Their special pet and protector,
Santa Anna, was in for a new spell of power, making him absolute
dictator of Mexico and disposer of the destinies of its people. At the
same time, one of his most servile tools and successful imitators was at
the head of the Provincial Government, having Santa Fe for its capital.
This man was Manuel Armijo, whose character may be ascertained, by those
curious to study it, from reading the chronicles of the times,
especially the records of the prairie merchants, known as the "Santa Fe
traders." It will there be learnt that this provincial despot was
guilty of every act that could