Manuelito, a
grand-looking chief, rode into camp on the finest Indian pony I had
ever seen. It was beautifully caparisoned; the saddle, bridle, and
trappings were covered with silver mountings. This was by far the
most gorgeously dressed Navajo I had ever met. He wore tight-fitting
knickerbockers of jet-black buckskin, which resembled velvet, with a
double row of silver buttons, set as close as possible on the outward
seams, from top to bottom. On his legs from knee to ankle he wore
homespun woolen stockings and his feet were covered by beaded
moccasins of yellow, smoke-tanned buckskin. His bright red calico
shirt was literally covered with silver ornaments and his ears were
pierced with heavy silver rings, at least three inches in diameter.
His wrists and arms were heavy with massive silver bracelets and
others, carved from a stone, which resembled jade. About his neck he
wore strings of wampum and glass beads, garnets, and bits of
turquoise. The turquoise and garnet is found here in places known
only to these Indians. His fingers were encircled by many rings, but
the finest ornament he possessed was his body belt of great disks of
silver, the size of tea saucers. All this jewelry was of a fair
workmanship, such as is made by Navajo silversmiths out of coin
silver.
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