The marvellous country, or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico.: Containing an authentic history of this wonderful country and its ancient civilization ... together with a full and complete history of the Apache tribe of Indians .../ By Samuel Woodworth Cozzens. Illustrated by more than one hundred engravings.

HORRIBLE SIGHT.
Declaring my indisposition and utter inability to enjoy
the ceremonies, and respectfully declining the invitation, I
was informed by Cochise that it would give great offence
should I fail to attend, though I was not expected to take
any part in the festivities. Recognizing the force of his
argument, I gave a reluctant consent, and prepared to
accompany him, conscious all the while, however, that the
wish nearest my heart was to be safe at home.
We soon came to a level spot in the lowel part of the
valley, where we found Mangus Colorado in all the glory of
eagle feathers, vermilion, and grease. He was seated on al
blanket spread upon the ground. Motioning me to a seat
beside him, he extended a huge hand with finger-nails like
eagle's claws, saying, in atone of voice that was intended to
be winning and soft, "Gim me bacca." To which request I
responded by placing in his hand my last piece of navy
plug,, which he at once conveyed to his dirty mouth with a
most expressive grunt of satisfaction.
Accepting the position assigned me, 1 prepared to witness a scene which I was confident would fill me with aversion and disgust. Six braves now advanced, and with no
small display of pride planted a lance near the camp-fire,
which was burning in front of us, and over which hung a
huge camp-kettle, steaming furiously, reminding me forcibly of the witch-scene in Macbeth. From the lance hung
several objects, which, in the dim, uncertain ligbt, I took
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