Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-27


RELICS OF A CURIOUS PRoPLE-THE ANCIENT
CILFF-BUILDERS AND THEIR DEsCENDANTS-IN-
DIAN CERAMICS AND "FRENCH FLAT TENEMENT
HOUSES-INDIAN SUBSTITUTE FOR NIGHT-KEY-
AWKWARD SITUATION FOR INDIAN BUCKS OUT
LATE AT NIGHT.
1t is thought that within two months the new
National Museum building will be finished; out
an appropriation must then be obtain ID for
cases and interior fittings and before everything
Is arranged, and the great show is ready for Its
prospective crowds Of visitors, another year will
doubtless be upon us Meanwhile the spect-
mems which are to nli it lodge where they can.
Nine thousand and thirty eight cubic feet Of
fishery exhibit have gone to the Berlin EXPOSE
ton. Other articles have taken refuge in dark
corners of the Smithsonian building; but the
main haven for wandering and homeless exhi-
bits is the Armory, This building is the ugly
cocoon from which products Of butterfly bril-
n hd, to the eyes Of those who can appreciate
mems from China and Siam sufficient to I'LL
room equal in size to the chronological Hall, on
languish here in boxes. All the chronological
specimens will fill three rooms of that size. The
latest important addition TO these exhibits is
valuable collection OF articles illustrating the
arts, manufactures, games, religious and social
practices Of
THE PUEBLos. OR VILLAGE INDIANS.
who are scattered in thirty settlements through
New Mexico, Arizona, Southern U tab and South
ern Colorado. So little, comparatively, is known
OF these strange tribes that Information con-
corning them such as is derived from the study
OF their products has all the novel interest Of a
new page added to popular history. This col
lection is the result Of three months field work,
terminating last autumn, by an exploring party
pices of the Smithsonian Institution. The
party consisted of Mr.. James Stevenson, in
charge, to whose energy the large and varied
collection of specimens is to be credited; Mr.. F.
Ii. Gushing, ethnOlOgiSt; and Mr.. +. X. Killers,
photographer. Mr.. Cushing is still among the
Zunis, one of the Pueblo tribes, studying their
inner life, habits and customs, their social, re-
ligious and political organization. The copous
notes which he is making will be Illustrated by
colored sketches of the people and their dances,
the interior OF their houses, their eagle cages
to e enIighien the publle in ''I regard 'e to
some Of the most curious and inter-
esting people who 1nhabit our continent.
few facts OF interest concerning them may be
mentioned to advantage, preliminary TO any
description of the specimens that have been OBJ
tanned. OF the thirty Pueblo villages, some are
located on the banks Of the Rio Grande, some on
the Rio JemeZ, branch OF the Colorado, while
others are situated at various points in the in
terror wherever sufficient water was to be found.
The Zuni village, which Is the most extensive,
located on Zuni river, about forty miles south
west Of Fort Wingate, in New Mexico. The
Zunis display high degree of both mechanical
and artistic skill: They speak distinct dialect,
and mingle but little with other people or tribes
They are prosperous, each family owning do
nestle animals, such as horses, sheep or goats,
small farm and peach orchard The Zunis,
unlike many OF the other natives Of that region,
claim relationship to
THE EXTINCT PEOPLE KNOWN AS CLIFF JEWELLERS
relics Of whom are so abundantly scattered
through the valleys Of the Rio San Juan Rio
Chaco, Canon De Chiefly and other localities.
The IDEA prevails among many Of the Indians
that the extinct races above mentioned, were
destroyed by some disaster permitted to visit
them by the Great Spirit. For this reason, it is
thought, the tribes other than the ZuniS, dis
own their unfortunate kindred, either fearing
that the fate Of their ancestors may establish q
precedent IN the case Of acknowledged descend
ants, or merely exemplify1ng, unconsciously,
the moderA tendency to snub ones poor rala-
lions: But the Zunis, with uncivilized magnani-
nifty, concede that the Cliff jewellers were their
immediate ancestors. Some OF the tribe have
no theory as to the causes which led to the ex-
tnction of their predecessors; others claim that
they were destroyed in great flood, from which
the Zun1s escaped by fleeing to the summit OF
the present town, and by the sacrifice Of
two of their number when the waters
Of the deluge had risen to the top OF the mesa
and were about to cover them; After the sacri;
flee. continues the tradition, the waters receded
and the valley OF Zuni was left dry and inhabi.
table. Two large points close to the side Of the
mesa, which have the appearance of human
the Great Spirit in memory of the sacrifice made
by the Zunis Coming down from the mesa the
tribe established village at Its foot; and this
fication since the remains Of the settlement are
still quite conspicuous. Thence The tribe moved
few miles south and constructed town Oh
the top OF knoll In the center of the valley,
where they now dwell. The Zuni village
IS HUMAN ANT-HILL
half mile long and quarter OF mile wide
The houses, made OF adobe and stone, are built
in terraces, one on top Of the other, each sue
ceeding house receding sufficiently to leave the
top OF the house Immediately below to serve as
trout yard. For the sake Of protection from
enemies the community editice was built with
few or no openings on the ground floor or in the
walls, ana The Zunis are only gradually adopt
ing modern means Of access by doors. One
climbs rude ladder and enters his dwelling
through hatchway in the roof The houses
are built one above the other to the number of
six or eight. There are numberleSs streets and
alley ways passing under and between houses
hOney-combing this curfOuSly complicated city,
There are also plazas or courts used as dancing
or play grounds.
Two Or three thousand people live happily
under this French Hats system. NotwithStand-
ing the roof Of ones house is the front yard Of
his next-door neighbor Qf the expression may
be allowed when neither really owns such a
young Zun1 comes home late at night from a
club-meeting he must climb over several houses
to get to bed II he lives above Notwithstanding
these and other occasions OF ill-temper easily
Imaginable under the circumstances the Zunis
live peaceably. They are ruled by governor
who Is elected every two years. The same gov
ernor may, however, serve a third term or any
number OF terms. Their religious organization
is presided over by cacique, who is held to be
lnfallible. He Is sometimes consulted In mat
tiers of state when the emergency is such as to
cause the aid of his supposed supernatural
knowledge to be deemed necessary. The woman
are Industrious and attend to all Housekeeping
duties, and to them exclusively belong the arts
of weaving, making pottery and gardening,
And these are the arts OF the products or imple-
ments of which the collection In question is
mainly composed.
The specimens are crowded on shelves and In
cases and on tables, In one corner of an upper
floor OF the armory. About a quarter of them
are relics of the extinct races, taken from
ruins. The remainder are modern. There are
Two carved wooden images, angels or saints
with enamelled faces, credited to the Spaniards.
Gut OF
SEVERAL THOUSAND ARTICLES,
many OF which have a general resemblance,
there are no two which do not differ either in
ornamentation, shape or size. The most con-
spicuous specimens are the water jars, which
are not unlike those used by the ancient Egyp-
tians. AS the women Of Zuni. dressed In their
peculiar garments, walk in line to the great
well, each with one Of these ornamented jars,
holding several gallons, on her head, the scene
is picturesque and suggests the East, The well
itself is Egyptian In character. It Is nifty feet
1xyaf aaf IN nnfa