The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-06-23
a Curious Tribe.
THE MooUIs INDIANS OF THE coLoRADo-THE
ONLY NoN-NoMADIC TRIBE.

THE MoQUIS INDIANS OF THE CoLoHADo-THf
ONLY NoN-NoMADIC TRIBE.
The MoquiS Indians are interesting as an ex-
hibit of the degree of civilization attainable by
savage tribes, under compulson Originally q
numerous people, occupying both sides of the
Colorado River, other Indian tribes conquered
and decimated them, till in selfdefence the
remnant-about 5000 strong-ocatcd in siz
villages, capable from their position of easy de-
fence Their traditions place the camping
grounds of their ancestors along the Southwest
seacoast of the United States and Mexico, so
that possibly their progenitors may have been
akin to the Aztecs and others of that date, who
exhibited a greater capacity for civilization
than any Indians Of the present day. Their
religion cannot be called strictly idolatrous,
since the images they have are merely symbol
CAL Their deity is called "Tow-wau-e-na" or
Sun Father aud now resides in the heavens,
from thence dispensing unto His faithful and
we'll beloved the blessings of life, rain and faith
full seasons. and furnishing all others by visiting
upon them his anger Their sacred temple is
also the chief workshop of the village, and con-
tains rude stone symbol Of their deity. The
figure is adorned with costly heads feathers,
and sacred shells-relics of their forefathers.
In front Of it are wooden figures of all kinds OF
domestic fowls, painted and adorned TO initiate
nature. Corn and water are placed before the
fowls, and at their side are hung the skins OF
wild beasts, that of the fox, as more sacred than
others, predominating. In their ceremonial
worship men form in rows in front of their
image, and Shaker like, speak and sing praises,
accompanied by the music of rude instruments.
The women join with the men in only one re-
| ligious ceremony.
In the centre of the village is public square,
within which is stone altar, where sacrifices
of food are laid on holy days. Around this al
tar the men dance in rotation, and during the
ceremony the old men and women of the vii
lage sprinkle pinches of holy meal on the backs
of the dancers, and then scatter little to the
four winds of heaven. Astronomically, they
believe that the sun shines for them alone, and
rises by the little Spanish town Of Planea, and
sets by going into a hole near New-at-ki-be, the
San francisco mountain of the whites They
are good and careful agriculturists, produce
large quantities of fine peaches, and raise do
mestic animals of all kinds. They also grow
cotton, with it and wool manufacturing their
own clothing which is of very serviceable
quality.
In public work of any kind, all the able
bodied men and women join, and are directed
bv two "co-che-nas" dressed like clowns
and in complete disguise, who carry whips and
lassoes, using them upon loiterers and delln-
quents with terrible severity. Their buildings
are of stone, laid in kind of clay mortar, and
have no doors, but are entered by ascending
ladders to the roofs and then descending from
within. 4 witness describes their marriage
ceremony as follows:
''In the morning the interested parties break
tasted in the workshop to which the bridegroom
belonged, after which the manufacture OF
new pair of blankets was commenced out of the
purest white material obtainablc. The parties
ate their dinner in the second, and then supper
in the third story, of the brides fathers house:
The pair of blankets were not completed until
the second day. During this time the bride
groom and bride were put into private room,
where they were required TO bathc each other
in pure cold water, rs witness that they were
pure, healthy, and fitted for the cares and the
responsibilities of the married state. The hap
py pair occupy the new blankets on the second
night"
Their amusements are principally confined
to foot racing. The race course is foot trail
some ten or twelve miles in circuit. Another
feature is the competitive kicking of q piece of
cement and hair up certain steep and crooked
steps. One of their instruments of warfare, by
singular coincidence, is almost identical with
the "Boomerang" used by the natives of Oce-
anica With this missile strong men will break
the skull of man or the leg Of an antelope at
the distance of from one hundred and fifty to
two hundred yards When person is given
up to die, his under jaw, the back of his hands
and the upper part Of his feet are colored black,
and friends begin tomourn as though death were
already present. A corpse is dressed like the
living, blanket wrapped round the head and
shoulders and string tied round the neck. A
grave is dug several feet deep and walled with
in with stone, into which the body is placed in
sitting posture. ~ pole long enough to eX-
tend two feet above the ground is placed be-
tween the legs and around it the arms are iol,
dcd. Wrapped up in the bosom OF the dead
is a loaf of bread and bowl Of water. The
grave is securely covered with earth and the
Surface around the pole ornamented with peb--
bles They believe that the spirit of good
person goes to the Sun Father, and then travels
down the pole on its homeward way to the body
These Indians are regarded as friendly, and are
entirely self-supporting They no longer live
nomadic life but, like the patriarchs OF old.
have settled down in the midst of their tiocks
and herds. Several of Brigham 4ouns's fol-
lowers have visited them, aiming to impart a
higher degree of (Mormonic) civilization. 1t is
from the story of one of his elders who dwell
with them for three months as hostage that
we CLEAN what we have told.-Csntr CITY leg
lister.
JAUGHABLE ADVENTURE OF BALTIMORE
JrDcp An aycbanne saws: a Judge in Batl