Unknown Mexico, Volume 1 | Page 9

in the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico, with
consequent wash-outs along the railroads, interfered with my plans and
somewhat delayed my arrival at Bisbee, Arizona, a small but important
mining place from which I had decided to start my expedition. It is only
some twenty odd miles from the Mexican border, and the Copper
Queen Company maintains there well-supplied stores, where the
necessary outfit, provisions, etc., could be procured. The preparations
for the start consumed more than two weeks. Animals had to be bought,
men selected and hired, provisions purchased and packed. In the
meantime I was joined by the various scientific assistants appointed to
take part in the expedition.
The horses and mules were bought in the neighbourhood. In purchasing
animals much caution is required in that part of the country, as even
men who pose as gentlemen will try to take advantage of the situation.
One such individual not only raised his prices, but delivered unbroken
animals. Much loss of time and endless annoyance were caused, first in
the camp and later on the road, by unruly mules, that persistently threw
off their packs and had to be subdued and reloaded.
Gradually, I had succeeded in finding the necessary men; This was
another hard task to accomplish. There are always plenty of fellows,

ready for adventures, greedy to earn money, and eager to join such an
expedition. But to select the right ones among the cow-boys and miners
of the border lands is most difficult.
By what appears, furthermore, to be the compensating justice of Nature,
the treasures of the earth are always hidden in the most unattractive,
dismal, and dreary spots. At least all the mining places I ever visited
are so located, and Bisbee is no exception. To get away from the
cramped little village and its unsavoury restaurant, I established my
first camp four miles south of it on a commodious and pleasant opening,
where we could do our own cooking. But here a new annoyance, and
rather a curious one, was met with. The cattle of the region evinced a
peculiar predilection for our wearing apparel. Especially at night, the
cows would come wandering in among our tents, like the party who
goes about seeking what he may devour, and on getting hold of some
such choice morsel as a sock, shirt, or blanket, Mrs. Bossie would chew
and chew, "gradually," to quote Mark Twain, "taking it in, all the while
opening and closing her eyes in a kind of religious ecstasy, as if she
had never tasted anything quite as good as an overcoat before in her
life." It is no use arguing about tastes, not even with a cow. In spite of
this drawback, it was pleasant to be out in the country, which was
growing delightfully green after the rains, and gave us a foretaste of
what we might expect.
The last thing to do, after all other preparations had been completed,
was to get into the camp three small bags containing seven hundred and
fifty Mexican dollars, since among the Mexican country population
paper money is hardly of any use. There was some talk about a raid on
the camp by some toughs in the neighbourhood, but we made our start
unmolested, on September 9, 1890.
Thanks to my letters from the Mexican Government, I had no trouble at
the custom-house in San Pedro. I stopped a few days there, nevertheless,
to buy some Mexican pack-saddles, called aparejos, which, roughly
speaking, are leather bags stuffed with straw, to be fastened over the
mules' backs. Through the courtesy of the Mexican custom officials I
also secured two excellent and reliable Mexican packers, to take the

place of some Americans who had been fighting in the camp and
proved themselves unfit for my purpose.
As a mark of regard, one of the custom officers invited me to act as
godfather to his child. I had to support the baby's head during the
ceremony, while an elderly woman held the little body. According to
custom, I gave twenty-five cents to every member of the party, and to
the child a more adequate present. From now on I was called compadre
by most of the people in the village, and that sacred relationship was
established between myself and the baby's family, which is deemed of
so much importance in the life of the Mexicans. During ten years of
travel and ethnological activity I have never met the child again, but I
hope that he is getting on well.
How beautifully fresh the country looked as we travelled southward in
Northern Sonora! The dreary plains of Arizona gave way to a more
varied landscape, with picturesque hills studded with oaks and
mountain cedars. Along the rivers cottonwood was especially
noticeable. There was also an abundance