The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-10-24
TIE PUEBLO INDIANS.
Evidences of Their Identity with the
Ancient Mound Builders.
visit 10 the Pueblo OF Aeoms-
Manners aud Customs-Primi-
tive Methods OF Agriculture
-Pottery-Maktng.
IlOr. Intnr Ocean-l

lCOr Inter Oceanl
Taking midday train at Albuquerque for
the west we soon came in near view OF the
pueblo or village Of Laguna situated TO tho
right Of thu railroad aud built upon a rocky
omincnce without verdure Of any kind
few miles farther ON we reach McCarty's
station, which, like many stopping places
along a new line, has few buildings, save
those built and occupied by the railroad en-
ployes Twelve miles from McCarty's
station il tho pueblo of Acoma, one
Of the most accessible and interest
ing Ia New Mexico. Mounted upon an
Indian pony furnished by Mr.. Buds, who
lives here and Is a warm friend Of the Indian,
we gallop over hill and plain until we reach
the Acoma valley. This Is a wide canyon,
from two 10 three miles wide, the sides OF
which are almost perpendicular cliffs. with
here and there narrow deflles and trails, by
which we descended from 100 10 200 feet into
the valley Az we approached before de-
scondhtg, we look across about three miles.
whore, upon an elevated mass Of rock stand
Ing isolated in tho plain, Is built the pueblo
Of Acona IL being Of adobe, il il with diff
Guilty we could distinguish tho building from
the gray rock on which IL is built
"nh'NHh"uh' anu leild our ponies down
the difficult steep TO the plain. Just at the
base Of this cliff We find large spring OF
good water, most grateful b. the traveller In
this dry country. After watering our ponies
we renrount aud rapidly gallop across the
plain, As we draw near 10 the pueblo we
find there are several great monuments or
pillars standing isolated from the main pile
upon which the village Is built They will
nea 'uro from thirty 10 eighty feet in diane
Ger and frola 100 10 200 feet In height
These great columns, or models OF stone.
look as If they had been pushed up through
she earth's surface. They are Of sandstone.
and are fast disintegrating and wasting
away In the wind. Upon a similar eminence,
with n level top Of about two acres, is built
the pueblo. Excepting the southern side,
the walls are so nearly perpendicular as to bo
inaccessible. Here the sand drifts in large
quantities, reaches half way up the cliff.
Reaching the top we have an extended
view up and down the valley for many miles.
We look down upon tho towering monu-
ments we have just passed, which look like
sentries standing guard at the entrance OF
this strange village The original builders
we are told, selected this sight that they
might the more easily defend their homes
from their enemies. All about In the plain
we soc patches Of corn, beans, and pumpkins.
The iron age has hardly reached this people
yet, and no iron or steel pillow has yet broken
the sod for them The most primitive wooden
pillow Is still IN USE and sharp stick Is used
for planting the seed instead of the hoe.
Large fiocks Of sheep and goats are seen quietly |
grazing, carefully guarded by some Indian
boy or girl, who has no more idea OF school |
houses and books than the sheep they watch
over.
! can not here give details Of the manners
and customs OF these people. went there to
stuiy them, 10 trace, II traceable, evidences
OF these being the same people who have
built mounds Of so many forms east of tho
Mi souri, ] found them using several i'm
plementS, duplicates of which had found In
the graves Of the Mound Builders / saw
them planting corn with sharp stick and
grinding 1t TO a fine -four by rubbing 1t upon
a large stone with a smaller hand stone
saw the women spinning wool, twisting
by common stick or spindle, weighted with
O small disc or spindle wheel, exactly like
those had found in Mound Builders graves
IN Missouri The common, rough, discoidal
stone, generally supposed TO be used
In games, saw them using to |
crush pumpkin seeds for food.
was much interested 10 examine the whole
process OF making pottery. They use a soft
tone which they reduce 10 a fine powder In
he same way and with the same utensils
With which they grind their corn Adding
water they form putty or clay.
They take a mass of this in globular form.
lace 1t upon small fiat stone lying on the
DOR Then with the fingers they form the
owl or vessel, raising the walls by pressure,
moothing the sides with q small, smooth,
Fater-worn pebble, often wetting the same.
When the vessel Is formed 1t is partially
ried In the sun, then painted with mixed
olors, which they pulverize In stone mortars
nd apply with brushes made of the fiber of
he tucca. When ready TO bake the vessel Is
Of upon rock In open air and pieces Of
rfed manure are piled all around and over
!, then set on fire, and the whole mass is
Don brought 10 the color of live
oal. Then the Goals are removed
y stick the vessels rolled away from the
re TO cool, when they are ready for use.
hese vessels are made In great variety of
ornis and sizes for all purposes OF domestic
ne, some OF them nearly as large as n barrel
he water worn stones which saw them use
smoothing pottery were precisely like
theirs 1 had found In the grave of the
dound Builders, and consider IL fair TO con-
Jude they were used for the same purpose.
Avis made Of the small bone Of the leg of
DO deer j found in the Mound Builders
raves, and here saw the same thing In con-
ant use to adjust the warp and wool in
'eaving.
The raising sheep and corn, the grinding
rain by hand for food, spinning wool and
eaving the same In into blankets for cloth
g and making pottery are the principal &C.
ipation Of this people. Their implements
% few, and nearly all of perishable mater
!, 80 that IL the Mound Builders were the
me people and used the same implement,
Q could not expect to find more than we do, ,
nee In moist climate all except stone or
'tterY must soon decay.