The New York herald., 1875-10-01
LIFE AMONG THE ANCIENT TRIBE.
Hospitality of the Chiefs and Curl
osity Of the People.
PECULIARITIES OF NAVAJO COSTUMES.
Industrial Enterprises Among the Most Ad-
Vanced Of the Indians.
MoQuI Towns, Arizona, August Is, 1875,


graphic kit for the Moqui Towns, situated eighty
miles TO the west; while the of the party with the
train was to forty fty miles to previous
camp on tho Rio de Chelly, the diamond fields,
there to wait for 1t had been the nten-
tion to take the whole train over to the
Moqu learned from the Indians that the distance
was much greater than had supposed, and water
very scarce, that it would have been almost an
Impossibty TO have taken fourteen animals through
the dry country in safety We proposed then TO make
side trip accomplishing the eighty miles in two days.
Taking with US therefore, Mexico and Bnkey, the
only reliable and swift pack mules in the party,
we set OF at a good round and kept it up
steadily all day. stopping only hour
to rest and take little lunch.
After leaving the train passed through
the fields which extended up the valley for
number Of miles Each farm separated from the
next by not much q mound or soil ditch, but
could tell pretty accurately where ended and
the next commenced by the position Of the huts
which stood in tho midst Of them and as we rode
through the corn the trail had TO keep our ami
mails at rapid gait to prevent their swapping at the
stalks which grew close to the trail Each hill
tanned several stalks, which grew scarcely three feet
high As we passed the wigwams
cAMK RUNNING OUT
10 see us and inquire where going Every
seemed to be busy about something, either herdng
their horses moving their goods from place to
other or engaged in some household occupation. We
observed two three OF the knitting stockings
with steel needles, and their work appeared as
and credtabe that of any old lady who had knitted
all her life. From some of these Indians
received directions regarding the trail
were to follow. Directing straight
for the end Of long gray mesa, which
bad noticed on march for several days previous,
until late the afternoon before reached
Il; but a there water here had to ride ten
Or fifteen miles beyond and at sunset camped
another Navajo settlement forty miles from where
we had left our train. The next day rode nearly
forty miles through some Of the most singular
mesa country had trip Our trail
look almost a straight line through a broad,
perfectly level valley, where railroad track
might have been laid without grading and the
either side appeared after another
Ing almost endless advanced. Their end pointed
toward the valley, and they back each way for
sra miles This the 18th of August and little
past approached the most eastern Of the
Moqui villages three Of which could for a dis
lance OF several miles, perched upon the level top
and at the extreme point OF long As
neared its foot we were first made
of the vicinity Of human beings
by observing several peach orchards growing in the
sand in the valley below the plateau and also by
respective Moqui shepherds in attendance Then we
passed through numerous patches and open gar
aens Of beans, squashes, watermeons and pumpkins.
We directed by OF the shepherds where find
for horses before ascending which proved to
be the foot Of the bluff in deep depression which had
been improved and walled up from time TO time by the
natives The water OF this spring reservoir was
soo but unpleasant to the taste and alive with small
Insects and larvae it suiced for thirsty animals
Taking the welbcaten track from here, rode
Iii approached broad, steep, smooth road, which
led to tke summit Of the Mesa This six feet
broad and could almost be used wagon road We
could
SCORES OF NUDE PAPPoosEs
standing the cliffs overhead and running like goats
along the edge or leaping across chasm from
point to another They all attracted to the edge
Of the Mesa by such an unusual spectacle as the ap-
proach Of white strangers From their positions they
could command view of the surrounding country
afteen or twenty miles, and had undoubtedly been
observed when far out upon the valley hours before
As climbed the last step the top OF the path and
dIsmounted from animals at tie entrance of the
town, advanced TO greet us-one
tho foremost, a bright fine looking young
fellow, dressed in full American costume
with cooked hat and red feather who
took on bis hat shook hands, and in broken English
lnterspersed with Spanish, bade welcome The
other older man did likewise These we discovered
afterward, father and son-the elder the "capi-
tam Governor Of the town. BY this time the tops
Of the houses and the open courts covered with
people Old men, dressed in tropical rament; women
Of every age eager 70 get glimpse Of U.s. and hun
dreds OF pappooses perched the sails around and
above us-aIl seemed to bid us welcome their beamng
faces, which turned upon Agier had shaken
hands with several Of the prominent men,
our mules we're taken from and lavishly fed with
corn and our hosts invited 70 enter the house.
Following up ladder to the root Of ne second story
and from thence the third BY oi steps,
we passed through low aperture into room this
floor Here we were hidden to be seated on a raised
platform at one side OF the room which had been
previously placed robes made or woven from rabbit
skins Behind US a maiden was grinding corn in tho
primitive manner OF the Moquis Scarcely hal
become when beautiful girl approached and set
before Us large heaped with pee-kce or bread
Al the time the chiefs placed for
broed meat 10 which finally
did ample justice but our attention directed to the
peculiar bread, which particularly palatablo and
which viii be presently described. The pretty Moqui
Princess who had waited upon sat down 10 another
part OF the room and resumed her occupation Of cut
sing corn from the cob INTO ! dish From where we
sat could gaze upon her unohserved and many an
sdInring glance vas sent . that direction She was Of
short stature ana plump but not unbecomngy Her
eyes almond shaped coal black, and possessed
avoluptuous expression, which made them extremely
fascinating Her hair arranged IN that character
istic Oriental manner, peculiar 70 her tribe which
denoted her maid 1t was parted in the centre from
tho all the way down behind and put up AZ The
sides in two large puns, which although odd 70 us
nevertheless seemed 70 enhance her beauty Her
complexion much lighter than that Of her family,
and every movement Of her head or exqustely
moulded hands and arms bare little feet was one of
fautless grace All the surroundings Of the place. our
reception and the presence Of this damsel 50 unex.
pected and novel to as,
OVERWHELMED
with mute surprise, and we could only silently cat
and look about u.s. almost believing we were acting
q dream We lad entered abruptly and awkwardy