The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-23
GttGtatelliqttrrtr:
ANINDIAN TRADIr1ON.
The story of thO DeIuEe ON this Con.
tinent.

I
tinenI.
From The Detroit EOiL
The following rather singular tradI.
tion which exists among Tue PapRRC
Indians respecting MonIezuma, iheiI
founder, and tho hslugP, has, we be.
lievs, never yet appeared In print; oil
least not In lis present shape. II was
related by Captain Con Guam, an aged
and intelligent member OF the tribe,
and was taken down from his lips by
an Interpreter Tor Judge Henry 4.
Backus, Of Arizona Territory, and for.
merly OF this city. Judge Backus has
visited many OF the places mentioned
In the legend, and has been an eye
Witness OF the qnadfennlRl feast Rlill
celebrated al The cave. He represents
The Papagoes IA being nomlnally Cath
ollcH, yet olingInG 10 their national ira
billions with great tenaclly, and cher.
iShlng the memory OF Montezuma W ith
even more than sanity generation,
The tradition OF the deluRe 10 Inter-
esllnR In lie relation 10 the origin OF the
Indians OF the country, and especially
Tue ancient tribes who lived In the twi-
light OF civilization, until the Spanish
Christians annlhllated them. Did they
bring this tradition with them from the
ASlRlic COntlnent2 Or, did they come
In contact With tho people OF The old
world, antecedent TO any historical evil
denoe OF that tact, from whom they de.
rived this tradition?
These are Inquiries naturally Bug.
gssted by the following narrative,
MontezumA, II will be understood, |,
not the monarch OF that name whom
CorteZ dethroned. It is the generic
term Of their rulers, like Pharaoh,
Caesar, 80,
Before the flood men lived 10 a great
age, 10 that they lost their teeth and
crept about like children. After q time
they would get new teeth, and walk
upright again like men In The prime OF
life. Then Il was that the Great Spirit
creat ted the mountains and peopled the
earth on all Slles.. Then, too, animals
talked like men, and we're the frst 10
tell OF the approaching flood. About
this time appeared Montezuma, who
CORRECTED large quantity OF gum from
a plant called chItchi, and with this
gum, which 10 said to be insoluble In
water, and with other materials, he
bnilt y large vessel In which he took
refuge. closing and sealing the door
behind him. Unlike manner q cayOte
or prairie dog crept into large cane
stalk and closed the ends against the
water. The flood came up TO the high.
est mountains, and reached even The
birds, which cried like men, with
fright. When the waters came down,
Montezuma and the cayote landed al
Cerro Prietta, which mountain some
believe to be MonLezuma's vessel.
According to another tradition they
landed In the centre Of the earth, and,
having come out Of their vessels, Mon
teZuma noticed the trail OF beetle.
which he followed until he found the
beetle fast 10 the mud. He then turn
ed back, and meeting the cayole, they
embraced each other In grief. Monte>
yuma sent the cAyote southwark 10 find
the sea, which Ii soon found and re-
turned, when II was sent on the same
errand TO the nOrthward, but returned
unsuccessful. They then lay down 10
sleep, when MonteZuma dreamed that
he should form men and women out
OF clay, which he accordingly did, max
Ing two for each nation. Meanwhile
the cayote sat behind him also making
men, but the latter were Ill formed, 90
that Montezuma ordered them 10 be re.
moved. HIS own people multiplied
rapidly, and built q large city on the
north bank OF river, supposed 10 be a I
the mouth Of Salt River, In Arizona,
where the remains Of large bitches are
still visible.
Montezuma next Travelled southwark,
followed by large numbers OF people,
In accordance with dream, be thrust
rod Into the earth, and water flowed
thence, which Is the origin OF the
sprlnga at Santa Rosa and elseWh here,
After a time the Great Spirit appeared
10 Monteznma AZ an old man, and ask
eu TO bapti2e people, that they might
i've beyond he sky after death, but
MonteZuma became angry and killed
the Great Spirit. Then the latter arose
rom the dead by night and repeated
the request, when Montezuma grew
angry again, declared that he would
lake bis people to heaven by q tower,
and killed the Great Spirit second
time, leaving him on the ground, where
he was dragged about as q plaything
for four years. He then returned to
NAAb bA0 bah
the earth as be ascended.
Atter q long interval he descended
again win the same request as before
AT this time Montazuma was living at
the Casa Blanco, or white house, close
TO the Plmo villages on the ella River.
The inside Of this house was overlaId
with pure gold. A third time be Rlew
the Great Spirit. but the latter now be-
coming angry, threw louise into Spain,
which led to an invasion by the Span.
lards. Twice did Montt3umA meet and
repel the invaders, but befuIe the third
engagement the E0ldsn ring tisw from
the finger Of bis daughter TO the finger
otthe Spaniel commander, and the sil~
yer ring OF the latter flew 10 the finger
OF the former. Thus did she become
leaRued with the enemy, and when they
were out Of provisions she prevailed
upon her people TO throw them toandles
Instead OF arrows, and thus they were
fed at Montezuma's expense. After
many severe conflicts the Spanlards
were victorious, when the traitoresa
Princess demanded the hand OF the
commander n marriage. He agreed u
this on condition that an eagle which
he set free should alight on prlckly
pear tree. The eagle did 90, and the
commander started to celebrate the
marriage at the pear tree, being fol.
lowed by large train Of PapaRoes; but,
under the prstext Of getting vIolius,
powder. &C., he travelled ON and on I'M.
I'll the Indians all deserted him.
Henceforth, 40 the story goes, Monte.
yuma made no improvements, and his
people were scattered over the country.
He atterward deposited the archives OF
the Papago and Plmo nations In cave
near Santa Rosa, and ordered that they
celebrate Q feast there every fourth
year, which custom Is still observed
The nation gradually diminished, and
Montezuma wandered about until the