After two centuries, the Spaniards were still at a loss as to how to deal with the tribe. As one of them phrased the problem: “The Apaches are nothing but a constant and disastrous peril, who have never been led to Christianity.”

“Savages in their primitive form, they invade and wipe out our territory in devastating and continuous war. And we have no hope of destroying them either by means of arms or preaching.” Officialdom faced a true dilemma, it would seem. Cordero of all people understood that, but he manfully took up a quill pen and put together his small treatise.

“The Apaches,” he began, “are one of the savage nations of North America, and they have spread out in a vast space over the continent.”

This “nation” was divided into nine subtribes, and Cordero gave the name for each one in the Apache language, and then the names used by the Spaniards.

About half these groups still have at least some representatives within the state of New Mexico. Three on the Mescalero reservation that shelters the Mescalero proper, a small number of Chiricahua, and a scattering of Lipan descendants.

The Llaneros, listed by Cordero, are now absorbed by the Jicarilla Apache, who have an assigned reservation touching the Colorado border west of Chama.