The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-23
MADAM TWo.CENTURIEs

Or nearly so. Rarely does one hear of
such an instance of longevity as the story
of Watsuma, an ancient Indian woman,
presents. The account comes to the
! public from tke journal of a gentleman
who, anxious to become acquainted with
the manners and customs of some of the
red men of the forest, went among the
MOquis Indians, giving special attention
to the WakOyaS, a band of them who are
not wandering, tent-dwelling people.
| Very conservative are these WaEoyaS,
who, while keeping aloOf from others of
their kin, give earnest attention to agri-
culture, and such other industrial pur-
suits as naturally fall into line with home
needs, according to their ideas of house
hold and social comfort aud happiness.
A well-shielded valley on the banks of
one of the many lovely streams tributary
to the Colorado river secures to these
supplemented busy Indians a secluded
position in sympathy with their natural
ly reticent quality of mind
To some extent the Wakoyas have
learned the use of common implements
essential in farming and gardening, and
it appears from the travellers Observa-
ton that growing desire has been ex-
pressed for better acquaintance with i'm
proved methods.
These Wakoyas hold in great respect
ton of less than two hundred souls the
stranger met fifteen centenarians, Wat
suma, the eldest, claiming to be very
well on to her two-hundredth year.
AS was learned by the stranger, this
tribe have from time immemOrial kept
an effaceless record of birthdays. At
the close of each year Il smoothly polish
ed horn receives punch; these horns,
duly marked, are kept with vigilant
care, and in a manner to be individually
recognized. AS the chief of the WakoyaS
community was conrteously presenting
points of interest, the stranger was taken
into a rudely constructed stone building,
larger than the usual village homes, and
presently through the dimness a strange
looking figure was discerned kneeling
one corner of the room, breaking up
small sticks of wood into still smaller
fagOts; this person was Watsuma, who,
although blind and deaf, still kept TO
thrifty ways. As the chief placed hand
upon her shoulder she slowly turned, re-
vealing strangely Tepulsive counte-
nance; just living breathing mummy
she seemed.
In some way known only among them
selves, she was made to understand that
a stranger was among them and desired
to see her "Ige horn" To this the an
cient, shriveled piece of humanity at
first strongly objected; after little de-
lay, and the exercise of some private
method of communication, she was, how
ever, won over, and in ''slo@, hoarse
Speech" desired that it be given into her
hands; then holding it up for inspection,
the guest was allowed to count for him
self. Though he was not allowed to pro-
fame the sacredness of this remarkable
ancient relic through personal touch, he
was able slowly and carefully to verify
the story of Watsumas great age; he
carefully counted and recounted. Yes.
there were absolutely one hundred and
e.ghty-two punched holes in her "age
horn
Having thoroughly satisfied himself,
and the number having been corrobOrat-
ed by the headmen of the village accom-
panying the guest, the wonderful record,
older than the Declaration of Independ-
ence, was returned to its hiding place, AN
inner niche in a recess of the wall, made
for such unwritten certificates. -Hdr-
per'S Bdzdr.