The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-01-10

albuquerque. ~. NJ, gives "h t"A.t.
inx account Of the Nava-Supais OF the
Supai canon. Some time ago he went
TO New Mexico. settling at AiDu-
querque. Being a man OF adventurous
turn OF mind he took trip up tno
canon and located the tribe In the mar
row valley-like enclosure between the
mighty walls Of the Supai canon.
Supai Is name which Mr.. Supai gave
the canon himself after having made
trip to the region.
On reaching tho nc IVun" tue
Indians In the mids mariehously
fertile valley. diminutlvo rs u is,where
all sorts of grains aud fruit grow IA
rank profusIon. where there are splen-
did climatic influence nearly the twelve
months through. and where all that
tend to build up physical powers Is at
hand. He made investigation' too, IN
10 their language. their rites ami cerc-
monies. their legends, and into all the
phases of their present and past history
nossible. and he is confirmed In the
belief that they are in no way allied TO
the Aztecs. He says. on the contrary.
that as far as can be ascertained, they
are allied 10 the Wallapai.
The tribe is most singular one.
Their valley home has on either side
great lodges of rocks running up in
benches thousands of feet. la the val
lev are groves Of cottonwood trees.
aud luxuriant vegetation Is seen on
all sides. There are about 245 or $50
in the tribe of the Supai. They live
absolutely alone. they do not inter-
marry with other tribes. neither do
they mix with the scattering white
people OF the regions round about.
When they are In need OF forage or
food outside OF that which they can get
ia their own rich valley. they sally
out. make their trades or purchases
aud return home. They are monoga-
mists. every man having one wife aud
no more. They do not live In com
munal form either. but preserve the
family in its integrity. The men are
a little above the average height they
are strong and active. and they are
noted for their skill in climbing tho
mountains, aud in bringing down the
game they need. They are very shy
and suspicious of Indians from other
tribes. and il Is only by the most care
Aul luN idAVit Unit ~ NllllO IlNH
can approach them and gain any infor-
nation AS to their life. The women
are smaller in stature. very fond of
adornment and given to fantastic dec
orations of their faces. The Supai
Indians appear to be far above many
other tribes In morale. They look
with scorn upon any one who asks
them questions as to their married re-
lations. holding that this is no ones
business but their own, and the fact
that the woman of the tribe who goes
wrong Is subjected 10 the most pro-
bounced neglect and generally Is put
out of tho way, is pretty good proof
that they are possessed OF sort OF
simple. heroic virtue.
Mr.. Whittick found eleven OF the
men totally blind. He believes this
was due TO the splitting Of the arrows
when the bows were stretched too
taut. Some OF the women who would
be seen sitting barefooted in front Of
their thatched-roof houses have the
most peculiar big toes that ever we're
seen on a human being. The toes
were notlso very large. but they were
of Abnormal width Mt the ends. In
some Gales the big toe would be an
inch and half broad at the end and
very Nat and thin. When Mr. Whit
tick andhis party entered the canon
they found the Supai very gentle aud
hospitahe in their aboriginal way. but
very retfent at the same time. Pro-
ceedinglown the canon through the
fertile Wiley. along which was slen-
der strem Of never-failing water the
purcst nd sweetest In the land. they
rcachedh magnificent waterfall. where
the silvf stream plunges over preci-
pice 251cet in height aud falling in
stream I the rarest beauty down 10
the poo below. Cottonwood trees
were fdcd. lashed together. aud a
ladder hade In sections. the whole
scventyix feet long. and down this
the exlorers climbed in their exit
from III home of these strangely in-
terestiu semi-savage folk. The beau
tifu stihm has been utilized by the
Indiansn irrigating those portions of
the valk thas were sterile. and IL APP
pears at for centuries they have
known lis method of aiding nature. -
MinnedSiis Journal.