Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-09-26
MOQUI TRIBE.
How They Live and Where
Dwell.
SNAKE DANCE a FARCE.
The " War" in their Country
Likewise Exaggerated.
Their Curious Home on a BluR-The
Women Eandsome-The Men
Industrious.

For the past four months the Moqui
Indians have been prominently before
the whole country, from the war talk
regarding them, but far more FROM their
famous snake dance. This snake dance
has been reported from one end of the
world to the other, and the reports have
lacked for nothing but veracity.
One of the reporters-from Boston
toldiL. d. Chillson of this city that it
was great farce, and lasted only twenty
minutes. There really was q snake
dance, but it was a small affair. Nine
teen men took part in it, and ninety
snakes-all prepared for the occasion
The snakes, according to the Boston
reporter, had their fangs removed
and he tried to buy one, Offering two
dollars for it, but was refused. He
then seized one from the mass, but it
was Immediately taken from him. Re-
porters for the occasion were present
from Los Angeles, San Francisco, BOs-
ton and Chicago.
The Indians seem to have no hard
feelings over tho late war" The mat
ter was much exaggerated. Troops were
sent but there was little further trouble.
MIR. Chillson says that the corner stakes
the source of the trouble-were un-
disturbed.
The Moquis are an intelligent people
and unlike the usual class of Indians
will sit in their homes and converse in
an Intelligent fashion. They are well
formed and the women are positively
handsome. Their chief town is peculiar,
being really one great building, general
iy three stories high, and situated on
great bluff, a tongue OF land ranging IN
width from ten feet to two hundred
yards and unapproachable from any
side, except from scaling the bluff. The
houses, or house, better, covers several
acres, and some of the homes which Mr..
Chillson entered were tidy and we'll
kept. The first story is used for winter
quarters, and hole in a corner of the
ground floor rooms Is receptacle for the.
sweepings. The second floor is the pro-
vision store house and is only approach
ed by ladders on the outside, which can
be removed in case of danger from en-
emies. In these rooms can be seen
great quantities of corn neatly corded.
Two or three years ago, owing to long
absence of rains, the ground became
dried cut, and no corn could Do raised
and suffering ensued. Since then the
Indians have become more provident,
and now save enough corn to leave no
fears for another dry year. The third
floor is summer quarters and its height
from the ground Is no more than the
second floor Of the houses of the civil
zed.
The choosing of such airy situation
for a home is a Measure Of defense
against the ancient enemy OF the Mo-
quis, the Navajoes. 1t is only gained
by two or three paths, and in one place
only burros and goats make ascent.
Youthful Moquis wrestle and play dang
erously near the bluffs edge, where an
other roll or two or three steps would
send them mercilessly to the rocks two
hundred feet down. But they never
fall. The Indians say that such &C.
cidents never happen.
by the women. Near the water are cor
rails where fiocks of goats are kept.
Mr.. Chillson has some excellent
photographs of scenes in the village,
among them an Indian woman weaving.
He bought the loom, simple affair,
and with it the pattern which is true
Indian and odd and beautiful. The
Indian women formerly raised, dyed
and spun their own wool for weaving,
but now the approach Of civilization
tells on even this remote people, and
they purchase the more evenly colored |
and spun woods of eastern manufacture. |
a real Indian blanket-Indlan through |
QUITS already a rarity.
They farm, raising gI eat fields of corn |
and have also large orchards, peaches |
predominatIng. The land does not re-
quire irrigation though little rain falls. |
1T is full of moisture, and on one occa- |
sion when water was needed by the |
party it was found six feet |
below surface. One corn field through |
which Mr.. Chillson passed was three |
quarters of mile across. Twenty or |
thirty stalks grow in a hill, with at |
least one ear on each stalk. OF melons
these Indians also raise great quantities. |