The New York herald., 1875-10-01

Of the ruins near the Rio de Chely we noticed Of
these sheep corrals which adjoned large ruined
building perched on a cliG in large In every
house may be several fantastic toys, or
GODS, CARVED OUT wooD
brilliantly painted in many colors and decorated
with feathers These the gods used in the great
dances OF the tribe and although they arc very highly
priced among the Moquis were fortunate enough to
obtain a couple.
At noon Of the day alter our arrival we packed up
and started across the valley a westward direction
for the other towns situated mesas from eight to
fifteen miles distant BY some misunderstanding Of
our directions passed within three miles Of oraybe,
the largest town, which afterward from high
point but as our time short did retrace
stops to it At sunset, however entered the plaza
OF Shung pah just at the entrance OF the town
we camped pcketng animals to small bush,
which the only sign vegetation the rocky top
Of the We obtained three four small pieces Of
wood from Of the inhabitants, and had to walk
mile after sufficient water to boil coffee. Wood is
so the vicinity of all the Moqui towns that it
is packed the backs of distance Of eight or ten
miles from the valley below. We cannot wonder at
this when consider how many centuries these people
have occupied this spot especially as the country
being so sandy and barren, well wooded.
Obtaining some negatives of the principal buildings
Of Shung pah-wee rode over to the next town on
return route, known as Shepau ah-wee, and were
welcomed, as had been at Tegua, by the head man
OF the place Nakwap- -she-o-ma- After partaking of
some pse-kee, dried peaches, &c, and ndulging in a
social smoke, sitting in circle on robes spread on the
floor, we passed out to the hollow square, around
which the town was built and obtained negatives Of
the principal views of the place and also of Moosha-
neh the seventh town, built high point a few hun
yaIta Tn no
to Tegua we passed close to the base of Moo-sha-
neh, but did not stop on our way down the
mesa as we had already arried longer than had in
tended. We caught glimpse however, OF some AL
binos who live here and belong TO the tribe At the
base of this mesa we stopped water mules at
fine large spring. where observed some decorations
the walls placed there by pappooses, probably in
shape of painted sticks and colored feathers which
auttered from them. Near this spring lay several
hourishng gardens fenced in BY high stone walls in
which growing luxuriantly onions beans, castor
oil beans, caulowers and some ornamental blossoms.
Returning hastily to Tegua in order to take
few more desirable views before evening
we met the agent and trader for the Moquis,
who were the only white had seen since leav-
ing the La Plata River. About dusk the whole party
repaired to Moqu to take supper with the Governor Of
that town. socable man and one who could speak o
little English. Arriving at his house bldden
to be seated blankets and robes in circle around
large basket of pee-kee and immense bowl of pre-
pared pumpkin. In the party there FIVE white
men, four five Moqui men and three Moqui women
Dipping into the dish of dried pumpkin with the first
two fingers Of the right hand alternately scooped
out pieces OF the pumpkin broke or bits of peskee
and in this primitive enjoyed the meal
heartily. We camped that night in the plaza
of
hungry mules and the eas which infested the place.
we might have passed comfortable night The full
moon poured her light around all objects, making it
light day spread our blankets out in the level
rocky Our animals fastened by long ropes
large fiat slabs Of stone one, which tied to
a ladder leading down into an underground room All
night were kept awake by the mules dragging the
stones all the place, and did we ever sink INTO
doze for moment one OF them would approach and
we would be wakened just in time to escape
BEING CRUSHED BY ONE or THESE ROCKS.
Through the whole night the sound of the -four mill
noated out the drowsy air from some dwelling and
sleep seemed TO be thing which never visited the
place Long before the sent his rays up from be-
hind the eastern horizon Of females out
the housetops with their jugs on their backs waiting
for the first ray to light them their way to the
spring All over the roofs reclining figures who had
As the sun appeared above the long line Of
tending eastward all was hustle and noise, and the
routine OF another Moqui day had commenced II was
the Sabbath but all days alike here, and the days
work proceeded usual AT daybreak startled
by crash, and discovered that the mule which had
been tied to the ladder had pulled Off the whole roof of
the house. which was preciptated to the bottom.
The Of the Moqui tribe their hair in fringe,
cut OF square just above the eyes from TO and
hanging down behind to the shoulders else gathered
up in a knot after the fashion Of the Navajoes Many
adopt the style Of the latter in the head bandage
The married females usually part their hair in the
and il in two long side paits The dress Of
both sexes very similar the Navajo costume. All
the children until ten years ofage run perfectly naked.
The Moqus possess nothing in the shape Of horses
cept very few burros jlckasses and these they
FOR packing wood from the plains riding occasionally
from one town TO another. At Shung pah-wee
passed graveyard just on the suburbs Of town It
composed Of graves marked out in squares around
which fat stones edge and the whole
much sacriacial pottery strewn and broken, pre-
cisely as we had observed in many Of the ancient
burial places connected with the ruins. We also
informed by the chief Of Tegua that their dead were
buried below the bluff in the valley. O
Unlike many other tribes Of Indians the Moquis pos
sess great affection for their offspring One old woman
whom we visited presented her three little children to
u.s. and with in her eyes told she had had two
Others which with OF the hand upward) had
gone to a better land.
There can be no doubt that the Moqu tribe is branch
oi the American race OF men, but just in the eau
casian nations further advanced and more
fined than others,
OCCUPYING A HIGHER PLACE
in the scale Of human advancement, these Moquis
are a civilized, intelligent and industrious race
than any Of Jhe pastoral American tribes The high
foreheads and full intellectual heads Of the majority Of
them would alone place them in advance Of all other
Indians. Their towns, lying they have done for
centuries the mesas Of Arizona, in longitude 110
deg to Ill deg. west, and latitude 35 deg.
TO % deg north mot on the Little Colo
RADIO and San Juan rivers as some authors
report but good two days journey from any large
stream will probably remain where they for future
ccntures for although Of late they have been Impor
tuned to leave their present abodes and relocate in
hoxva 10