Milford chronicle., 1893-05-26

i've naDluarlons, row their rude boats or
canoes, and engage In their customary Cc-
equations, such as weaving pottery, chip
ping flint, building canoes, dressing skins
and grinding corn. If one IS interested in
the American Indian-and who IS notf-
he may pass many an interested and we'll
spent hour IN the Indian school which viii
be in operation near by.
New York contributes to this ethno
graphical display a council house and long
bark lodge Of the famous Iroquois, and a
number Of typical hoases used by the va
rious tribes which formed the powerful
Iroquois confederation. The Indians are
here, too, living in the houses, reproducing
their ceremonies and padding about IN
their canoes Never before was such q
good opportunity afforded for the study Of
the habits Of the aboriginal dwellers in
our own land. If one wishes to see the
more modern Indian in his war paint, rid
ing his pony in battle or chase, he has but
to visit Buffalo Bill s show without the exs,
position grounds.
One Of the most picturesque displays
here Is that Of the ruins Of Yucatan The
structure which seems to show the queer
architecture and decorations Of these an
cient people was skillfully built, and its
facades and carvings are made
from plaster casts taken by Consul
Thompson amid the ruins Of Labna
and Uxmal. The structures rep
resented are the Serpent house, the House
Of Nuns, and the so-called Governors
house. There are also moulds, columns
and monoliths from the prehistoric city Of
Capan. Tropical plants from Central
America have been brought here and clev-
erIyarranged over and abOutthe ruins. All
that is needed to complete the illusion Is
the presence Of few snakes basking IN
the sun OF running to hide themselves in
the grass.
A few rods from the Yucatan ruins are
the picturesque homes of the clif-dwellers.
With consummate art the builders imi-
tated rocks with framework covered DER
with sheet iron, tin and paper-maohe, with
Just enough natural rock scattered about
to perfect the illusion. There are habita-
tions within the mass of rock, and speci-
mems Of the ancient Pueblos or Aztecs to
live in them. There are also mountain
sheep and the little burros used by the
cliff-dwellers as beasts Of burden. From
the ruins Of Yucatan and the cliff-dwell-
ings of Mexico and our own southwestern
borders to the ice-bound habitations Of the
Esouinaux is a long way, but they are all
mere Dlb EnOLEa u AlC AN4As "a HuAu "a
halfway house is afforded by the village
Of Vancouver islanders, with their boats
made by following out logs with fire and
primitive tools, and their hideous wooden
idols or totem poles, standing thirty or
forty feet high on the banks Of the lagoon.
Two hundred yards away, on the other
side Of the pond, are the headquarters Of
the gondoliers; and the Venetians in their
gay costumes Of two or three centuries ago
add a dashing bit Of color to the strange
scene.
In this extraordinary commingling Of
tribes and races historic and prehistoric
one may see Indians from British Guiana,
standing before their thatched huts,
Navajos weaving rugs, Tuscaroras and
Onondagas making baskets, Winnebagos
and Omahas coloring skins, few Flat
heads with the boards tied upon the crania
Of hechildren, Esquimaux in their kyaks,
LaplaDders with their reindeersi and in
the ths@2g V;hick Z res about to see these
- ssse..-s. - ssgssl 2 q Iazons from Da-
honey, japanese shSass 80, ~ ~
hammered native Of Cavi04S..
China, Moors, Egyptian4 ana
representatives Of all the nations 81 tha
earth WALTER WELLMAN. 2