Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-21
Pedro Pino.

Washington correspondence HArtfcrd PosLl I have been greatly interested in the old Zuni chief, who is about 90 years old. His fifth son is over 90. The old gentleman (who by every instinct is true gentleman)-
 Pedro Pino is the greatest man the Zunis
 have ever produced, and has been for years faYorably known, both to Americans and Mexicans who have gone to Arizona and New Mexico. He has held every place of honor among his own people, and although not now holding any office on account of his age, he is always consulted about every affair of i'm portance. He has been highly delighted with the attention shown him here, as many ladies
 and gentlemen of high position have called upon him, and he has often been invited to spend the evening with others. Senator Lo- ,gan's daughter, Mrs. Tucker, gave him 8 sil- yer bangle, which he wears constantly. He
 speaks of Senator Logan as the ''casique D (the Zuni word for councilman or law maker) with a big black nous | tache," and has asked if he is not by birth an Indian who was taken from the tribe when very young. Pedro Pino is quite courier, and has beer careful when ever in the company of ladies to say that he thought all the American ladies beautiful He said more than once to middle aged ladies and gentlemen ''You are my mother" or tmy
 father" as the case may be, but was quick to add, Not that you are old enough to be so,
 but you are so much wiser than I am that
 learn from you" He speaks Spanish as well as two Indian dialects.
 For over two weeks Pedro Pino was the guest of Professor and Mrs. Stevenson and
 ate regularly at table with them, using his
 knife and fork properly. and. as I have men, toned before, he insisted, after seeing the
 others use a finger-bowl and napkin, on hay
 ing those also and proved that he understood
 their use. He constantly spoke of being very
 happy in their house. He Is very observant and quick to learn the habits approved by
 those about him. He while there never
 smoked without having spittoon between
 his feet, and invariably used it when expec- torating, and if he chanced to be in a room where there was none went in search of one when he had need of it. He has also learned
 to use handkerchief and keeps one always about him ready for use. He made a visit lately to the government printing office, which greatly delighted him, and he gives graphic descriptions in words as well as by unmistakable gestures, of what he saw there and how so many women sewed paper together to make books, and of what | he saw others doing. He denies that the other Zunis went to Boston to perform religious rites at the ocean | He says they wanted to get shells. but did not come SO far only for that purpose Those who know their customs and beliefs thor | oughly say that the Zunis always go through with religious ceremonies when they ses 8 body of water, even the ponds and little | creeks which they have in their own country. | They pray that the water may rise to the | skies in clouds and descend in rain upon | Zuni to make their crops grow. They so | often need rain in their country that they
 naturally look upon water as @ source of life. | They are, however, worshipers Of the sun ' They will take water from the Potomac back | with them as well as water from the Atlantic. | They ha never before seen any large bodies
 of water, and it is the size they respect, be- | cause they think 1t can make more rain than small streams
 By invitation Pedro Pine spent an evening | with Representatives Carlisle, Tucker and
 Willis and their wives and some of their l friends, and was greatly pleased with Miss 1 Gertie Fuckers singing and with the dancing | of some of the young girls present. who l danced especially for his benefit. Pedro al-
 ways sings when urged to do so very pretty | little Spanish legend about Montezuma and Saint Guadalupe. He has very sweet, clear voice for so old person.
 ! He had never seen the style of dancing in | vogue hereibefore and was greatly pleased | with the motion of the feet, and said that | Americans knew how to use their feet won-
 derfully. He is daily more impressed with
 the general knowledge of the Americans and
 constantly expresses his conviction that they know everything.