Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-12-02
llisfrllanfuns.
INDIAN TRADITIONS.
The story of the DeIuge, ON this Com
ttneut.


From the Detroit Postl
The following rather singular tradition
which exists among the Papago Indians r.
specting Montezuma, their founder, and
the deluge, has, we believe, never yet ap-
peared in print; at least not in its present
shape. 1t was related By Captain Cou Gu.
an. an aged and intelligent member of the
tribs, and was taken down from his lips by
an interpreter for Judge Henry T. Backus,
of Arizona Territory. and formerly of this
city. Judge Backus has visited many OF
the places mentioned in the legend, and
has been an eve witness of the quadrennlal
feast still celebrated at the cave. He rep
resents the PaI lgoes as being nominally
Catholics, vet elinging to their national
traditions with great tenac.ty, and cherish
ing the memory of hOrteZuma with even
more than sanity veneratiOn.
This tradition OF the deluge Is interest
ing in its relation TO the origin Of the In
dians Of this country, and especially the
ancient tribes who lived in the twilight of
civilization. until the Spanish Christians
annihilated them. Did they bring this
tradition with them from the Asiatic Con-
tinent? Orwas there distinct deluge upon
this continent Or did they come in con-
tact with the people of the old world, ante
cedent to any historical evidence of
that fact, from whom they derived this
tradition
These are inquiries naturally suggested
by the following narrative, Montezuma, it
will be understood. Is not the monarch of
that name whom Cortez dethroned- 1t is
the generic term OF their rulers, like Phar-
oah, Cesar, etc.
Before the flood men lived to great age,
so that they lost their teeth and creptabout
like children. After time they would get
new teeth, and walk upright again like men
In the crime OF life. Then il was that the
Great Spirit created the mountain and peo-
pied the earth on all sides. Then. too, ami
mails talked ike men, and were the first to
tell of the approaching flood. About this
time appeared Montezuma, who collected a
large quantity of gum. from plant called
cltuchi, and with this gum. |hich is said to
be insoluble IN water, aud with other ma
terials .le built a large vessel, in which he
took refuge, closing and sealing the door
behind him. Ia like manner a 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. with fright. When tie waters
went down, Montezuma and the cayote
landed At Cerro Prietta, which mountain
some believed to be Montezuma's vessel
According to another tradition they
landed in the centre of the earth. and hav-
ing come out of their vessels, NoDtezuma
noticed he trail of beetle, which he fol-
lowed until he IOund the beetle fast in the
mud He then turned back and meeting
the cayote. they emhraced each other IN
grief Montezuma sent the cayote south
ward to find the sen, which il soon found
and returned, when it was sent on the
same errand to the northward, but returned
unsuccessful. They then lay down to
sleep. when M,ntezuma dreamed that he
should form man aud woman of clay, which
he accordingly did, making two for each
nation Meanwhile the cayOte sat behind
him also making men. but the latter were
ili-formed, so that MonteZuma ordered
them to be removed. His own people mul-
tiplied rapidly md built large city on
the north h NIX 1T n river, supposed to be
at the month of Salt River, in Arizona,
where the remains of large bitches are still
visible.
Mentezuma next travelled southwark,
followed by large number of people. In
accordance with dream ne thrust rod
into the earth, and water flowed thence,
which is the origin of he springsof Santa
Rosa and elsewhere. After q time the
Great Spirit appeared to Montezuma as an
old man, and asked TO baptiZe the people
that they might live beyond the sky after
death But MOntezuma became angry and
killed the Great Spirit. Then the latter
arose from the dead by night, and repea ted
the request, when MonteZuma grew az cry
again. declared that he would take his peo-
pie to heaven by a tower, and killed the
Great Spirit a second time, leaving him on
the ground, where he was dragged about
as plaything for four years He then re-
t'-Tu.d TO heaven, removing the sun farther
from the earth as he assembled.
After a long interval he descended again
with the same request as before. At this
time MonteZuma was living at the Casa
Blanche, or white house, close to the Pimo
villages on the Gila river. The inside of
this hol sc was overlaid with pure gold. A
third time he slew the Great Spirit, but the
latter now becoming angry, threw louse
into Spain, which led to an invasion by
the Spaniards. Twice did Montezuma
meet and repel the invaders, but before
the third engagement the golden ring flew
from the finger of his daughter to the fin
ger of the Spanish commander, and the
silver ring of the latter flew TO the finger of
the former. Thus did she become leagued
with the enemy, and when they were out
pie to throw them tOHaetes instead of ar
rows, and thus they we're fed at Montezu-
za's expense. After severe conflicts the
Spaniards were victorious, when the traitor
ess princess demanded the hand of the
Commander in marriage. He agreed to
this on condition that an eagle. which he
set free, should alight on prickly pear
tree. The eagle did so, and the Comman-
der started to celebrate the marriage at the
pear tree, being followed by large train
OF Papagoes. but under the preteot of get
ting viollns, powder, ETC.. he travelled on
and on until all tie Indians deserted him.
Henceforth. rs the story goes, Monte
yuma made no improvements, and his peo-
pie were scattered over the country. He
afterwards deposited the archives of the
Papago and Pimo nations in a cave near
Santa Rosa, and ordered that they cele-
brate feast there every fourth year, which
custom is still observed. The nation grad
ually diminished, aud Montezuma wan
dered about until the Indians have lost al
traces of him.
TEE act of grateful mother as thus 70
corded by the Boston Transcript: ga few
days ago Mrs. Buxton, Californian lady
and her little girl, were crossing the square
in front of Scollay's Building. where the
l. l. -