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.

8NAVAJOE THIEVES.
by the United States Territorial marshal, for the yeai
1850: "Between August 1st, 1846, and October 1st, 1850, the
Navajoes stole and carried away from the settlers in the Rio
Grande Valley alone, 12,887 mules, 7,050 horses, 31,581
head of horned cattle, 453,293 sheep."
In fact, the thieving operations of this tribe became so
extensive that the government sent no less than three expeditions against them, the sole object of which was to lay
waste and destroy their fields of grain and immense flocks
and herds, as starvation seemed the only way of effecting
their subjugation.
For eight years the Navajoes remained masters of the
situation, until at last, harassed on all sides, they reluctantly yielded to the superior prowess of Uncle Sam, and
accepted the overtures made by the government. For two
years a general peace prevailed, rendering it safe for both
the traveller and ranchero to sojourn within their borders.
On our arrival at the Puerco we found but little water,
and that, of an extremely poor quality. The banks of the
stream near our camp were not more than twelve or fifteen
feet high, and were composed of sand and gravel hills with
but little vegetation. This camp was at best a dreary one,
and the long, tedious hours were enlivened by til stories
of Don Rafael concerning the extraordinary qltat.y of
game which we might expect to encounter during oar n) t
282