The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18
INDIANS OF THE SOUTHWEST.
Interesting Notes Upon the Navsios, Pos
cas-, Cheyennes, snd Arnpahoes.


Interesting Notes Upon the Nsv.ios. Pos
cas-, Cheyennes, and A~rapahoes.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE account given By
Mr.. Charles +. Meserve. President of Shaw Uni.
versity in Raleigh. Of his tour among the Indi.
ans of the Southwest possesses considerable In
terest. 1t Is made public by tho Indian Rights
Association, under whose instructions he acted.
He proceeded from Chicago lover the worlds
greatest railway. the Santa Fe." to Gallup, a
town of about 1000 people, which annually
sends about 300, 900 tons of bituminous coal to
the Pacific coast. He first visited the Navajos,
numbering about 10000, whose reservation
is larger than Maryland. Contrary to what
he had expected, he found them poor, and their
pinched cheeks showed that they were hungry.
They have about ] 800, 900 sheep and goats. but
there Is lack OF sustenance for them from the
short supply of rain for some years. and their
fecces only average two and one-half pounds,
while wool brings only FIVE cents O pound at
points distant from the railroad, and seven and
one-half cents near it. The Navajos often keep
their focks beyond their reservation, In the eff
fort to get good pasturage and water. The rem
edy for these evils Is irrigation, and this was be-
gun some time ago, while the present Congress
has given SG4, 900 to carry on the work. Alfalfa,
corn. oats. and wheat can then be raised.
Mr.. Meserve found enrolled at the Fort De-
fance school 100 Navajo pupils, against 90 the
year before. This is an interesting fact, because
1t was there that the troubles occurred with
Black Horse, who refused to send his children
TO the school. Tho former agent called for
troops to compel him TO submit, that being COM
pulsory education of tho most advanced sort.
But Gen. McCook refused TO employ troops for
such n purpose, and n quiet talk resulted. Last
spring Black Horse. OF his own accord, went to
Fort Defiance with his eldest boy and asked TO
have him put in school. The present Navajo
agent, 1t should be said, is Lieut.. E. H. Plummer,
Tenth Infantry. to whose wise management Mr..
Meserve largely ascribes the increased attend
ance. Miss Merritt. the Superintendent of the
boarding school, is also popular. and since Miss
Annie Thomas. q full bloodcd Pueblo. has been
assistant matron the attendance of the girls
has increased from % to 40. However. perhaps
not a tenth OF the Navajos. Of school-going age
now attend the schools and more schools should
be established; MIR: Meserve also advises the
addition OF industrial training at the Fort De-
Gov. Thornton of New Mexico in his last veor,s
report' said that the love OF drink among the
Naya1os was such that they would satisfy Il by
are plenty Of whlskey sellers near the reserva-
ion TO satisfy this craving, and they conduct
Department has been advised To appoint N few
special detectives or deputy marshals TO live
smpn n6r vh io set al the facts, and then arrest
II is clear from Mr.. Meserve's report that the
army onlcer detailed as an Indian agent does
Plpmmer is often at work In his Office until i
O'Clock IN the morning, and on one occasion, re-
turning from n trip over the reservation at o
o os SiocX IN the morning, he did not leave his
to get rid of accumulated work.
Mr.. Mleserve also visited the Ponca. Otto, Paw
ny. anu lohka"a tribes, in what used TO be the
lotmentsi Miss Helen feS Hf +. cI who 8 siy si. Sgt al,
indian The Pawnees and Tonkswas have taken
lltlT AllOtIlHnIA. nlf nnlU n n M 80 a.
have done so. The Pohcas have greatly Inn.
proved since Mr. Meserve visited them. Ave
ing, instead OF small Indian ponies, and Tho
hh9use Is the rule, with the tepee the exception. |
t az ot1s are non-progressive, and object TO |
When VIE Mr.; Meserve visited the Cheyennes and
beef was drying at every tepee, il havins b ~
cut up IN thin slices aud hung on lines They
ihnrs fIoIments, but the result of this system
The Indians still, keep in bands. CAMPING n1p and
Loaning over their combined allotments. They
iohs lot companlonship, and do not like to live
apart. capt. WoodsOn, their agent. thinks that
II would be wise TO use the million dollars, or,
credit, provided they consent. for building
houses and barns and purchasing teams and
the whites, and are troubled by having their
property stolen when they are absent from
issued at several different points, instead OF at
N order that less travel may be imposed
religious, or Pawnee, dance given by the
Indians was an interesting affair. The male
were nearly naked. and had their bodice
m streaks, typical of lightning and with
GLOW rings TO represent rsindrops, While eagle
lGatners IN their hair typihed the birds ihat ny
nseded rain for their crops. The upper haIf Of
ne race was painted red and the lower half
y sleigh bells wsre around their waists and ~
lh'ir knees. In the centre OF tile dancing
chuck, - or food, consisting IF cofre nst rrsc Inc
neal, ana iritd bread. was brought on mostly
Get io alshe r piaGed IN two rows about thirty
LL zee the food pointing arrows first TO il and
m m9 up 20 htsYSn; Then they kneit, facing the
nd Grayed for rain. As Is always sSeys0O az
ass, the men and women danced apart
nely dressed. Little Raven. ling ssGom,
aeHont prayer, and with ontstretchedhSnds
mes and retreated, while the moyements ~
a afa'' al they scurry across the sky before the
Town continually while asking the blessinr
~ mere was alto a great deal of drumming
he talk OF Lrft Hand that the form ~ d ln
non p~ractlsed was four years old and imnT1rc
~. ,fd1ti On II were t&lected. Little Raven, jr.,
"a, ana that II WAS a sacred performance rrta
Idi'r man has an organ IN his church, but the
up IA ulhercnt ways, although believing
tht bib!e, Just like denominations among
Sc the SCALP dance, the sun dance, the war
nc, ana the ghost dance, but these have been
'NtsN's 1Ah tlf ! Ah htE uNuCelE the only Cna
~ aii3hel. The Indian pniCe has also prO-
.nltsi the uleScaI dance, because the dancers
~ the mescal bean. a dangerous narootic
ne prayers and eNhprtatiOns wound mn Ixith
me remarks by the agent and Mr.. Meser~a
~ q ihe dressing brRan II was 1 $50 p NJ
40 when VIC ceased our brief talks In pas
.in'k' ana | think we We're As hungry as ~
mans ihemsslyes. The length of an indiana
esslhg y a good appetizer or tonic. hut a. itis
ims 20 ~, Mhite brothers patience"
ne "ell-knuwn ScgeT colony for teachfrg, A.
leyennes and Arapahoes farminS IA IN ,ne
nj n SSiineStinF Them was found 10 lie In sood