Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-08-12
A Mysterious Natien

iona and Mexico was swep. through az II
never has been before, and the isolated
and peculiar civilization of the Moquis
brought into more familiar light. This
renewed acquaintance with people and
region known and written about ever
since the Europeans found the western
continents, is now being treated as reve-
lation of hereto hidden things. The Chi
cago Tribune committed itself to this
view IN a recent article (based upon a
conversation with lieutenant attached 10
Crooks command, who had made himself
quite familiar with the subjeci), in which
the people inhabiting the pueblos of that
Territory are spoken Of las a ncwly-dis-
covered race" with the evident idea that
they have not before been described since
the Spanish visited them, within a year or
so of three and half centuries ago. The
account the Tribune gives, however, ap-
pears authentic, although not new but
there are certain other stories relating to
the same section of country. that read
like wbole-cloih fabrications, depending
for their acceptance on the vagueness OF
the popular acquaintace with the facts.
These stories take shape in commune
cation recently made to the governmentby
person, whose name is not given and
who begins by remarking that he has a
knowledge Of seeming mystery which
this government has shown itself anxious
to solve, by sending John 9. Fremont on
an exploring expedition to find the coun-
try of what call the American Albinos."
This is very unlcky beginning; firstly,
because Gen. Fremont never made any
such exploration: thirdly, because there
couldn't be race Of Albinos. The writer
proceeds TO tell how, in lS45,-some
'patient waitiog" about this revelation
he was travelling eastward from the Pa
ci6c. aud struck q canon 30 miles 10
length, whence he emerged into an ain
pitheatric valley full so miles in dame
ter. There he found, about MONDAY,
three women and two children, white as
snow, posted as sentiuels. One of the
women rapidly vanished, and, about sun
down, (the traveller meanwhile, it would
seem, kindly relieving the feminine soil.
tude), three men rode up on the finest
horses he ever saw, fnily armed, though
with what weapons he does not say. They
kept him over night; the next morning
they put him on his saddled mule, and
dashed him back down that cannon In n
lively way, and, two-thirds the way out,
gave him all his arms and warned him to
make good time out, or elsc-and they
drew their knives significantly across their
threats. He obcyed. Thirty miles OF
he reached Comancte village, and the
Indians were astonished at his tale. Those
mountains, the chief said, were the abode
of the evil spirit, and no Indian who en-.
tered them ever returned, Why the'Al-
binos" made an exception in favor of this
Munchausen is among the minor incom-
personalities. The climate of this con.
cealcd land was delightful and the soil
rich, the people were intelligent aud clad
in cloth of wooden, cotton aud silk. and,
he believes, understood the arts and scien.
ces. Aud this narrator is in his 6lst
year.
The Mcquis, whose peculiarities form
the core of truth in these various stories
have been long known to Americans. Gov
Bent reported concerning them in 1916
and in Schoolcraft's History and condl
ton Of the Indians" may be found de
scriptions by Mr.. Schoolcraft himself an(
by DR.. Ten Brock Of the United State
army. They then were estimated to mum
Der about 10000, and dwelt in sevcl
towns, built on steep and almost inacces
sible bluffs in valley between the Llttl
Colrado and the San Juan rivers. Rcas
onably gsod descriptions of them, thei
abodes and their customs may be found i
E the cyclopedias. They are in every re
, spect unique among the races of America
: with religion and government entlrel
/, their own, and civilization which wa
there when the Spaniards conquered Mel
leo, and remains unchanged, to-day. The
| are not indians, and hold themselves alo'
| from oil races. In complexion, feature
: dress and some minor customs, they r.
semble the Chinese, and some Californ
visitors detect a likeness in languag
Their religion is elaborate, but there
IT no ground for the Ch,eago Tribune's stat
l. ment that their deity is Montezuma. The
d morality is high; the honor of their me
i and the chastity Of their women are u
e improbable. In respect Of their trea
y ment Of women, they equal the most CT
y ilized nations. She is regarded with Il
hiohest respect has no duty hut the ca