Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-12-31

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people at the next general election. If approved by
Them your perfect the alteration and
if condemned, the act can then be rejected. An op-
portuny will thus be offered of having the question
decided by the direct action Of those most deeply
terested in the matter
A STRANGE RACE THE HEART OF CALIFORNIA
INTERESTING NARRATIVE. Through the very centre
of the Great Basin the Rio Colorado Chiquito
or Little Red River. 1t takes its rise in the
ains that skirt the right bank of the Rio Grande
flows almost due vest and emptfes into the Colora-
do at point on the parallel of latitude with
Walkers Pass. About one hundred miles north of
this and running almost parallel with it, is the river
San Juan. Each of these streams is about $50 miles
long. Between them stretches an immense table
land, broken occasionally by Sierras of no great
length which shoot up above the general elevation
About half way between the two rivers and midway
in the wilderness between the Colorado and the Rio
Grandc, is the country of the Moqus. From the
midst of the plain rises abruptly all sides Butte
of considerable elevation, the top of which is fiat
if some great power had sliced off the summit.
Away up here the Moqufs have built three large vii
lagos, where they rest at night perfectly from
the attacks of the free tribes VINO live the north
and cast of them. The sides of this table mountain
are almost perpendicular Cliffs and the top only
be reached up steep flight of steps cut in the solid
rock. Around its base is plain of arabic land,
which the MOquis cultivate with great assduity.
Here they raise all kinds of grain, melons, and veg
etables They have also number of orchards,
filled with many kinds of fruit trees The peaches
they raise, Capt. Walker says, particularly fine.
They have large focks of sheep and goats, but very
few beasts of burden cattle They are harmless
inetfcnsve race-kind and hospta5le to strangers,
and make very little resistance when attacked. The
warlike Navajocs who dwell in the mountain to the
northeast of them, in the habit of sweeping
down upon them every two or three years, and drIV
ing off their stock. At such times they gather up
all that is movable from their FARMS and fly for re-
flu &c to their mountain stronghold. Here their
mics dare not follow them. When stranger ap-
proaches, they appear on the top of the rocks and
houses watching his movements. One of their vii
lagos at which Capt Walker stayed for several days.
is or 600 yards long. The houses generally
bailttG stone and mOrtar-So;ne of adobe. They
are very snug and comfortable, and many arc two,
and even three, stories high. The inhabitants
considerably advanced in of the arts, and man.
ufacture excellent wooden clothing, blankets, leather
basket work and pottery. Unlike most of the Indian
tribes of this country, the women work within door,
the men performing all the farm and out door labor.
As a race they lighter in color than the Digger
Indians of California. Indeed the women tole-
rable fair, in consequence of not being much
posed to the sun. Among thcm Capt Walker saw
three perfectly white with white hair and yellow
eyes. He saw two others of the same kind at the
Zuni villages nearer the Rio Grande. They were
doubt Abinos, and probably gave rise to the ru-
which have prevailed of the existence of white
Indians in the Basin.
The Moquis have probably assisted nature in lev
cling the top of the mountain as site for their vii
lagos. They have cut down the rocks in many pla-
ces and have eXcavated out of the solid rock num-
Der of large rooms for manufacturing wooden cloth.
Their only arms arc bows and arrows, although
they never war with any other tribe. The Nava-
oes carry off their stock without opposition. But
unlike almost every other tribe of Indians the
continent, they are scrupulously honest Capt. !
Walker says the most attractive and valuable arti-
clcs may be left exposed and they will not touch them
Many of the are beautiful, with forms of |
faultless symmetry. They are very neat and clean,
and dress in quite picturesque costume of their
own manufacture. They wear dark robe with a
red border, gracefully draped to leave their |
right and shoulder bare. They have most |
beautiful hair which they arrange with great care.
The condition of female may be known from her |
manner of dressing the hair The virgins part their
hair in the middle behind, and twist each parcel a
round hoop six Or eight inches in diameter. This |
is nicely smoothed and Oiled and fastened to each
side of the head something like large rosette The
effect is very striking. The married women wear
their hair twisted into a club behind
The Moquis farm in the plain by day and retire to
their villages on the mountain at night. They irri-
gate their lands by means of the small streams run
ming out of the sides of the mountain. Sometimes
when it fails to snow the mountains in winter,
their crops are bad. For this reason they always
keep two three years provisions laid up, for fear
of famine. Altogether, they most eXtraordina-
ry people, far in advance of any other aborgines yet
this continent. They have never had
intercourse with the whites and of their civ
ilzation originated with themselves. What field
is here for the adventurous traveller! We have rare
ly listened to anything interesting than Capt.
Walkers plain unaffected story of his travels in the
Great Basin. San Francisco Herald.
A FnLIBUsTER AT HAVANA Among the passen- |
gers board the steamer Crescent, which stopped /
at Havana, usual on her late trip from New Orle-
ans was the distinguished fllibuster, Col. OHara,
who commanded the Kentucky regiment at the bat +
tie of Cardenas in 1850 The news of the Colonels |
arrival in port caused little excitement and many
Of the officials to crafty their curiosity, visited the
ship to take look at this audacious t56uSterO. A
price of $50 900 seton the Colonels head after
The capture of Lopez and against him their is stand
ing sentence of death.
The Wheeling Intelligencer says that twenty live
years ago the father of Mp. Ward, who killed Prof
Butler, of Louisville with difficulty restrained
from attacking teacher who had moderately chas-
Used hisason The son is now confirmed criminal Al
,harged with killing the teacher of his younger +
brother