The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-02-06
NINE SCORE YEARS.
VERY AGED INDIANS LIVING IN AN
ARIZONA VALLEY.
An Astounding Story That Leads One to
Think Adam and Eve May BE Alive
H-Interviewins the An
cient Aborigines.

lSan Francisco Chroniclel
DR.. Levi E. George was interviewed the
other day concerning the Moqui Indians OF
Arizona, whom he recently visited Said
he: 81 viii describe the particular triba of
the Moquis in which discovered the most
remarkable cases of long life They ara
called the Wakoyas and comprise about $50
people males and females. OF thes. Their,
are only about 10 children, about 60 middle
aged persons, and the rest include at least Is
centenarians. They do not interminrIa with
tho rowing bands OF sayages, preferring a
fixed habitation in their little VILLAGE in the
valley of the Chausaka river, one of the
hundreds Of small streams tributary TO the
Colorado. They Sweil in stone houses or
huts, engage in agricultural pursuits to a
limited extent and enjoy many of the arts OF
civilization. They are, nevertheless, Very
secluded IN their little punch bowl of a
valley.
Cur visit TO the place was made aboutsix
weeks ago. Tho chief proved y be of an
obiigmS disposition aud showed us all about
the village, We We're followed by a crowd
of young Wakoyas and were preceded by
the chief, while around us barkel and
howled number Of dogs, with Which the
village abounded After proceeding short
distance We paused before the door of a low
81 lie hut, covered with a skin roof, til,
cracks in the walls being filed with brown
adobe. Cur leader entered without going
through tie ceremony of knocking 'Muskes
Mu keel we heard him shout repeatedly
from within. but Muskee was evi.
IDENTIFY not at hom' and the chief
came back with Il disappointed look on
his dark face. We met tho object of ouI
search ebout twenty yards from his door,
and We're presented to him in Indian fashion
He appeared to marvel at our unexpected
appearance, but his establishment was moth
nc compared to ours as we gazad at hi.
strange aud unnatural form. His shoulders
AMI limbs were clothed with deerskin robes
and his face, which seemed to be barren OF
flesh, was covered with dry, wrin6lei skin;
his fingers were extremely long and his
palms and wrists were withered and
ahrunken, while his whole body. which was
much attenuated, was bent over unSil his
back assumed the shape Of half-circle
had never seen such a specimen Of aged
humanity before"
Did you discover his age'' Inquired The
inte,viewer
"Gur Nuqui guide, who spoke Fuglis{
almost perfectly AMI whose vaY.g rit,- wa ba,
t9.tel on lTyyiuu ogea~ions, tdll u, afta
making til necessary inquiry that tn.
man We IL YEAR, Old. ana have not Tia,
slightest t,U T., nor would any one have
a..nr --.us Ma aBaieat Wdkuya. that sn,h
aa mjc"; n- age After looking at rs fol
...,. lew moments, daring which h rosie
D.. ruiu heavily upon the la,., saair which Il.
rUt.ne1 Wi h av, O, his driei-dp hands, b,
u.ulDU,ei a.y, words in answer 10 question
Ia1 b, ttacl.t and our iu+erTr,-er. an.
L-'u t-ing u,s Pa a; an. stretching GA; hH
u..n. axe sumaa',l oT ;o1ari his hu, al
tI.r. big mari pace fora naG rs year.
Oh
"Hut q, -rratcst surprise was vet IL come
We were u,a.rau into Il rude.y-colst-g.cta.
SION, bJibua- Of greater dimensions than
those before visited in the village. Il wa
almost dark inside ami the room was i'll
smelling and close. When our eyes becam
accustomed to tae dim light we saw skin
cllt figure knrcliag III one corner OF th
| room and engaged ia breaking light stuck
OF wood into sdiaii iaGgots We were tol,
that il WINS u woman whom the chief ha
brought as TO sce, and that size had no
noticed our oIpruaeh, being blind and deaf
The chief p!a-cl his hand on ner shoulder
and she slowly turned around. 1 could no
see quite plainly, and was at once struc
with feeling Of repulsiveness almost ali
to the horror one feels toward visions see
in a nightmare when hor hide0u5 face an
blank -uGIs.n eyas Tnnt nv ,r1y, ITar fa.