The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1869-11-25
AN INDIAN TRADITION.
The Story of the Deluge on this Con.
tinent.

The following rather singular tradition
which exists among the Papago Indians
respecting Montezuma, their founder, aud
the deluge, has, we believe, never yet APP
peared in print at least not in its present
shape. 1t was related by Captain Con
Ouan, an aged and intelligent member of
the tribe, and was taken down from his
lips by an interpreter for Judge Henry 7,
Backus, OF Arizona territory, and former
ly Of that city. Judge Backus has visited
many of the places mentioned in the le-
gend, aud has been an eyewitness of the
quadrennial feasts still celebrated at the
cave. He represents the Papagoes as be-
ing nominally Catholics, yet clinging to
their national traditions with great tenaci-
ty, and cherishing the memory of Monte
yuma with even more than sanity venera-
tion.
The tradition of the deluge is interest
ing in its relation to the origin of the In
dians of the country, and especially the
ancient tribes who lived in the twilight of
civilization, until the Spanish Christians
annihalated them. Did they bring this
tradition with them from the Asiatic Con-
tincnt? Or, did they come in contact
with the peoule of -tha-nld world, anteGn.
dent to any historical evidence Of that
fact, from whom they derived this tradi-
ton!
These are inquiries naturally suggested
by the following narrative. Montezuma,
it will be understood, is not the monarch
of that name whom COrtes dethroned. II
is the generic term of their rulers, like
Pharoah, Caesar, etc.
Before the food men lived to a great
age, SO that they lost their teeth and crept
about like children. After time they
would get new teeth, and walk upright
again like men in the prime Of life. Then
it was that the Great Spirit created the
mountains and peopled the earth on all
sides. Then, too, animals talked like men,
and were the first to tell of the apprOach-
ing flood. About this time appeared Mon
tezuma, who collected large quantity OF
gum from plant called chuchi, and with
this gum, which is said to be insoluble in
water, and with other materials, he built
a large vessel, in which he took refuge
closing and sealing the door behind him
In like manner cayote or prairie dog
crept into large cane stalk and closed the
ends against the water. The food came
up to the highest mountains, and reached
even the birds, Which cried like men, will
fright. When the waters came down, Mon
tezuma and the cayote landed at Cerr(
Prietta, which mountain some believed tC
be Montezuma's vessel.
According to another tradition they
landed in the center of the earth, and
having come out of their vessels, Monte
yuma noticed the trail of beetle, which
he followed until he found the beetle fas
: in the mud. He then turned back, an(
meeting the cayote, they embraced eacl
other in grief Montezuma sent tht
cayote southwark to find the sea, which i
soon found and returned, when it was sen
on the same errand to the northward, bu
: returned unsuccessful. They then la,
a down to sleep, when Montezuma dreamed
that he should form men and women ou
of clay, which he accordingly did, making
/, two for each nation. Meanwhile the cayotC
sat behind him also making men, but the
latter were Informed, so that Montezum
ordered them to be removed. His owl
people multiplied rapidly, and built larg
city on the north bank of river, sup
posed to-be at the mouth of Salt river, il
Arizona, where the remains of large ditche
are still visible.
Montezuma next travelled southwark
= followed by large numbers of people. Ii
p accordance with dream, he thrust ro
into the earth, and water flowed thence
: which is the origin Of the Springs at San
y ia Rosa and elsewhere. After time tn
t Great Spirit appeared to Montezuma as a
old man, and asked to baptize the people
that they might live beyond the sky afte
death, but Montezuma became angry an
killed the Great Spirit. Then the latte
arose from the dead by night and repeate
> the request, when Montezuma grew angr
again, declared that he would take h
: people to heaven by tower, and kille
ail the Great Shirt second time. leayin