The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-17
TRAITS or THE NAyAJo INDIANS
Differing in Many Ways From other Tribes
They Are an Interesting People.

OF their more fertile reservations. The
| Government has segregated for the per-
petual use OF Indian tribes immense
| tracts Of the best watered and most de-
! sirable parts OF the country in which the
tribes were originally found and when
such al portionment was made for the
Navaj Jos they gained title In zee simple
! to the whole San Juan country. when
| has for many years been looked upon
with eager eyes by the stock non al Il
would-be settlers who have fooled TO
/ that section.
About the Slou. and Apacae there
! linger traditions and with the Comanche
they divide popular regard, which IDEAL
lies the Indian Into sort Of human
eagle. free fearless fierce and uncon-
| querabl-. About the Navajo there is
] nothing sentimental. At no time has the
J tribe been given TO predatory incursions
upon tn. herds OF the whites. The COM
mercial instinct seem. 20 be the pre-
vailing one in the Navajo nation, al
/ though the tribe is capable OF resent
! ment, and when aggravated by imposi-
tions or abuses its warriors take up their
arms with - set purpose as any OF
| the tribes more commonly reputed blood
/ thirsty.
The recent disturbances about the Nav
| ajo reservation had their origin In the
thoughtless and reckless assault upon an
unoffendlns young Navajo, who was kill
ed by a white man. II seemed FOR a time
| that the nation would make reprisai
| by force and arms. but better counsels
| prevailed. and instead Of a bloody from
! tier war, with it's resultant horrors
in the way Of mutilated women and chill
! dren and slaughtered men, an amicable
! arrangement seems likely TO be made.
Although he lives In a country as
| hot. perhaps. as any under The sun.
| the Navajo is cool. Whether coid-blooded
or not has yet TO be demonstrated by
physiology. one Of the peculiaritles OF
the singular race is 10 keep the lower
extremltles from the knees down clothed
warmly at all times. A Navajo Is sell
dom seen without leggings or high stock
ings reaching 10 the knee. although as
to the rest of his wiry physique he may
be as innocent Of clothing as the ella
monsters which spot over the deserts
that surround him. Physically. the IN
dams Of that tribe are under the average
stature Of the red men, but II they lack
In height they more than make up IN
symmetry and endurance. Clothed only
I'm moccasins. stockings and n bit Of
cloth about the body they offer them
selves uncomplalnlngly 20 all the vicissi-
tudes Of weather. whether In the mild
winters OF their country or the torrid
heats OF the midsummer. and run with
out ceasing over the sands when employ
ed as couriers by the Government. Eigh
~ miles In twenty-four hours Is not con-
sidered an unusual stint for an able
bodied Navajo. and the feat Is accom-
pllshed without food. except n little
parched grain. a scrap OF jerked beef
and such water as can be found along
tho road.
The lands reserved for the Navaios
were OF such character as naturally In
duced the adoption Of pastoral mode
OF iife The finest grasses abound over
most Of the Navajo reservation. Water
IS found at convenient intervals and
I'm unfailing supplies sufficient for al pos
sible demands. The winters are never so
severe as 10 endanger the welfare Of
the cattle, horses and sheep owned in
countless herds by the NavaJOs Such
thing as loss OF stock I'm the snow is
not known. nor does the summer heat
so burn the vegetation as TO make IL
innutritious. As q consequence the Nav
ajo herds have multiplied in natural
ratio until they cover a thousand hills.
and the scarcity Of animal food which
makes tn. Indians further north mis-
shapen. because OF their gorging when
they do get meat. has no effect upon the
Navajo. who can always XIII and eat
the finest Of beef AT will. They have be-
sides their hocks and herds grain OF all
the staple sorts. wheat, corn, oats, bar
lev and buckWheat. The tribe has been
furnished with piows and farming I'm
plements Of the most approved patterns
by the Government and many Of the In
dams use them with skill equal 20 that
shown by the whites IN Arizona and
New Mexico. In remote districts the
ftf1l
some extent in vogue. Maize IN those
portions Of the reservation is still Ia
boriousiy planted kernel by kernel md
cultivated with the rude hoes formed
from tree crotches. which were used as
long ago as the days Of the Pueblo In
dams. unless the Zunis shall be proved
10 have descended in right line from the
cllT dwelers and the old pueblo builders
Money among the Navaios is now es-
teemed as II is almost everywhere else;
they have found that II is easier TO slip
into a post traders store and exchange
for the vile decoctIon known there as
"Sheepherder's Delight" a little money
than 70 carry a beef hide or n Sheep
skin or back load Of tallow and dicker
for the liquor
Whisky and tobacco are gradually less.
ening the stature Of the Navaios. Men.
women, youths. girls as well as boys.
children. even babes in arms smoke CT
garettes persstenuy and Of the vilest
tobacco. Whenever whisky or alcoholic
fluids OF any sort can be procured the
Navajo takes day of and consumes
all he can hold.
The Navajos. most OF them. live in
houses built Of adobe or rough stone.
or possibly cxcavated I'm the soil like
the dugouts Of the praires 20 the north
ward. The sale Of their horses and beef
stock and sheep brings a large annual
revenue 10 the nation, which Is not un-
wisely expended. particularly since the
rule ~ old Manucllo. n chief remarkable
for his breadth OF Intelligence. hrmness
OF character and appreciation Of civil
lized methods. They have schools. roads.
po.tofTlces and other conyeniences.
Perhaps more for the excellence rnd
beauty Of the blankets woven hy Il -
Navaios than for any other reason ire
fame Of the race has Travelled 10 all
parts OF the world. Aided only ~ the
rudest looms md appliances and VI ing
the hardest OF the woven woods they
produce blankets Of texture. figure. fin
ish and weight unequaled by any made
by the weavers I'm the great centres or
civilization. The excellence OF their blan-
kets may be known by the prices paid
for them, which range from $50 20 siV0
They are indestructible. warm and beau
tiful Old Charley Nutleigh. the most Ia
nous weaver OF the tribe. has accumu-
lated several ample fortunes. from an
Indian point Of view, by his superiority
in blanket weaving. The Navajo nation