The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-04-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the San Francisco Herald.
A STANCE RACE IN CALIFORNIA.

J. 1ulOuSil tHO FCI y CcHLeI VI lUt urea
q Basin. runs the Rio Colorado, Chiquitoo Of
! Little Red River. Ittakes its rise in the
i mountains that skirt the right bank OF the
= Rio Grande flows almost due west, anc
!, emples into the Colorado. at point on
:, the same parallel OF latitude with Wal.
q ker's Pass. About 100 miles north ofths
+ and running parallel with it is the river
San Juan. Each othese streams are abou!
$50 miles long. Between them stretches
an immense table land, broken occasion.
7 ally by Sierras Of no great length, which
| shoot up above the general elevation
About half way in the wilderness between
the Colorado and the Rio Grande, is the
country Of Moquis. From the midst of
the plain rises abruptly ON all sides a
7 Butte Of considerable elevation. the top
of which is as fiat as if some great power
had sliced off the summit.
Away up here the Moquis have built
three large villages, where they rest at
night perfectly secuLe from the attacks OF
the fierce tribes who live north and east
OF them. The sides of this table are
almost perpendicular cliffs, and the tor
can only be reached up flight of steps
cut in the solid rock. Around its base is
plain of arabic land which the MoquS
cultivate with great assiduity. Here they
raise all kinds of grain, melons and other
vegetables. They have also a number of
orchards filled with may kinds Of fruit
trees. The peaches they raise, Capt
Walker says are particularly fine. They
have large docks Of sheep and goats, bul
very few beasts of burden or cattle. They
are harmless inofiensive race--kind
and hospitable 10 strangers, and make
very little resistance when attackedS The
warlike Navaoes who dwell in tn Nnoun
tains to the northeast Of them are in the
habit of sweeping down upon them every
Two or three years, and driving of their
stock.
At such times they gather up all that is
movable from their farms, and fly for
refuge to their mountain stronghold
Here The enemy dare not follow them
When stranger approaches they appear
on the top OF the rocks and houses,
watching his movements. One Of their
villages at which Capt. Walker stayed
for several days is five or six hundred
yards long. The houses are generally
built Of stone and mortar some OF adobe.
They are very snug and comfortable, and
many of them ate two and three stories
high. The inhabitants are considerably
advanced in some OF the arts, and manu-
iacture excellent woolen clothing, blan.
ketS, leather, basket work and pottery:
Unlike most of the Indian tribes of this
country, women work within door, the t
men performing all the farm and out door t
labor. ,
As race, they are lighter in color than i
the Digger Indians of California. In I
deed the women are tolerably fair, in {
consequence OF not being exposed to the |
sun. Among them Capt. Walker saw I
three perfectly white, with white hair and ,
yellow eyes. lie saw two others at the t
Zuni villages, near the Rio Grande.- |
They were no doubt Albinos and probably
gave rise TO the rumors which have pre-.
vailed of the existence of white Indians |
in the Basin. C
The Moquis have probably assisted ma q
ture in levelling the top OF The mountain il
as site for their villages. They have o
cut down the rocks in many places, and C
have excavated out of the rocks num- {
ber Of large rooms for manufacturing 1
wooen cloth. Their only arms are bows n
and arrows, although they never war with Ii
any other tribe. The Navajoes carry off II
heir stock without any opposition. But II
mike almost every other party Of lndi. /
ms on The continent, they are sCrupul-
,usly honest. Capt Walker says the til
most attractive and valuable articles may n
,e left exposed and they will not touch oI
hem. tn
Many of the women are beautiful with 81
orms of symmetry. They are very neat ol
nd clean, and dress in quite plctureSqe ei
ostume of their own manufacture. They la
year dark robe with a red border, tn
raoefully draped, so as to leave their
rm and shoulder bare. They have most
eautifu hair, which they arrange with III
real care. The condition of female Dc
lay be known by the manner Of dressing OF
ne hair. The virgins part their hair in 10
10 middle behind, and twist each parcel ST
round hoop six or eight inches in di- ty
meter. This is nicely smoothed and 70
lied, and fastened on each side OF the or
cad like a large roselte. The effect is he
cry striking, The married women wear N
leir hair twisted into a club behind. of
The Moquis farm in the plain by day IN
nd retire to their village on the noun.
ksaat night. They irrigate their lands
zasalee small streams running pa
Cor,a | =