Rufus Merrill

“ There being no proof to the contrary, the judge was about dismissing the parties, when the Indian cried out,—"The horse is mine, and I'll prove it!" He immediately [Pg 23] took off his mantle, and with it instantly covered the head of the animal; then addressing the judge,—"Since this man," said he, "affirms that he has raised the horse from a colt, command him to tell of which eye he is blind." The Spaniard, who would not seem to hesitate, instantly answered, "Of the right eye." "He is neither blind of the right eye," replied the Indian, "nor of the left." ”

“ The thief I know is a little man, by his having made a pile of stones in order to reach the venison from the height I hung it standing on the ground; that he is an old man, I know by his short steps, which I have traced over the dead leaves in the woods; that he is a white man, I know by his turning out his toes when he walks, which an Indian never does; his gun I know to be short by the mark which the muzzle made by rubbing the bark of the tree on which it leaned ”

“ A Spanish traveller met an Indian in the desert; they were both on horseback. The Spaniard, fearing that his horse, which was none of the best, would not hold out till the end of his journey, asked the Indian, whose horse was young, strong, and spirited, to exchange with him. This the Indian refused. The Spaniard therefore began a quarrel with him. From words they proceeded to blows. The aggressor being well armed, proved [Pg 22] too powerful for the native. He seized his horse, mounted him, and pursued his journey. ”