"
"There are five large flocks of sheep in the charge of a lot of women,
some mounted and some on foot. The pony herd, which must number
several hundred, is in charge of three naked Indians--boys, I think.
There are no other persons in sight. Take a look for yourself."
Frank accepted the glass and surveyed the valley. "I can see nothing
that looks like Henry," he said. "He certainly cannot be there. Why
are those boys so ghostly white?"
"They are covered with yeso to protect them from sunburn."
"Oh yes--whitewash."
"Gypsum. The Mexicans use it for whitewash, and to preserve the
complexion."
"Well, those boys must have plastered it on thick; they look like
living statues. Not a rag on them except 'breech-clouts.' Hello, there
comes a troop around that mound to the right. Must be two hundred
men."
Taking the glass, I looked again. Coming into sight from the opposite
side of an elevation on the farther side of the valley was a party of
two hundred and fifteen Navajo warriors. They rode to each flock of
sheep in succession, stopped near the women a few moments, and then
came down to the pony herd.
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