Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-23
WITH THE PUEBLOS.
A PEOPLE WHOSE CIVILIZATION BE-
GAN LONG AGO.
An Interesting Tribe of Indians Who Have
withstood All Sorts of Opposition and
Temptation and Have Gone on Steadily
Progressing.

OF fascinating interest is study Of the
chronological evolution of the Pueblo In
dams, who occupy the picturesque region
between the upper Rio Grande and the Rio
Colorado. When Vasquez de Coronado
and Cabeza de Vaca marched into New
Mexico in 1910, they found these people al
ready in semiculture, living in villages OF
solid edilices, three stories high and fort
like in construction. That they were able
to hold their own during almost four CEN
turtles Is the more surprising, since they
had constantly as neighbors nomadic tribes
of warriors and robbers, against whose
attacks they were Obliged to defend them
selves with their primitive weapons.
For two years they were able to with
stand the Spanish invaders In their 'casas
crandes." 1t had been reported to the
Spanish commanders that several hundred
miles to tho north lay a great empire
named Cibola, which had seven large
cities. In these there were long streets On
which only gold and silver smiths resided.
Imposing palaces lowered In the suburbs,
with doors and columns of pure turquoise.
The windows were made of precious stones,
brilliantly polished AT the sumptuou5
fcasts of the prince Of the lard enchanting
slaves served the most delicate dainties On
golden dishes. There were mountains OF
opal rising above valleys rev2ling in jew
els, with crystal streams whose bottom
consisted Of pure silver sand.
The disappointment Of the Spaniards
was great A number of large Indian vii
lagos were found whose inhabitants sub
sisted upon the fruits Of "a primitive agri-
culture. The frugality ard thrift Of the
Prcblos excited the interest Of the volup-
tuous Spaniards. The peculiar architec-
ture of the villages and houses also drew
their admiration. Taken as a whole, the
circles of houses rcsemblcd the cells Of
wasps' nest, Of which the upper stories
were reached on q crude ladder. Entrance
could be gained only through small open
ing in tho roof, not even the sides facing
the streets containing doors
Situated, as the Moqui villages and
Acoma were, on top of IN inaccessible
rock, the Spaniards despairad of conquer
ing them. The supposed Cibola not pan
ming out according to expectation, they
did not seek Reinforcement and left the
Pueblos in peace Only toward the end OF
tho sixteenth century the Pueblos had to
submit to Spanish rule, under which they
remained until 1915 when the territory
embracing New Mexico aud Arizona was
ccdcd TO the United States.
In some respects the Spanish supremacy
proved beneficial to the Indians. They
virtually maintained their independence.
Many innovations in their life and Gus
toms can be traced from this period. The
only domestic creatures in their villages
were large turkeys, whose feathers served
as head ornaments for tho warriors, but
horses, COWS, sheep, goats, dogs and, last
but not least, the Indispensable burros,
were added to their domestic stock
Tho most important change in their
communistic mode Of living dates from
the annexation of New Mexico to the
United States and the introduction Of rail
roads. Their unfriondly ncighbors the
Apachcs C0manchcs, Kiowas and Nava
ioes, were restricted to their own reserva
lions
Feeling safe under the powerful protec
ton Of the government, these poaceablo
people havo begun to rclinquish their old
mode of communistiO existence in the
strange dwellings. Until recently there
was promiscuous living together of large
families in the numerous apartments of
single house, TO which access could only be
obtained through the small aperture in the
roof. More modern cottages are being
built for largo families farming is carried
grape and fruit culture is attempted, with
good results
An the villages arc characterized by
certain industrial monopoly. In one OF
them, for instance the pottery for all tho
Puchlos is manufactured. IN others, like
the Noqui villages, all the people are en-
pluycd in the making of finely woven
goats' hair blankets, in which occupation
many are great experts, Although large
number are engaged in the sale OF blan-
kcts and Indian goods in the southwestern
part of the Union, in the gold diggings of
California in Mormon settlements, in tho
small railroad stations of Arizona, tho
average Pueblo Indian prefers a settled
life. He is domestic in his habits and loves
his family, his cattle, his farm and his
ncighbors as dearly as docs his palefaced
brother. And has he not good cause to re-
joice and be contcnted with his lot? Has
he not faithful and charming wife?
There arc some pretty girls of perfect con-
tour among the Pueblo Indians, especially
in the Tigua villages. Are not his gleeful
children, who are enjoying jolly romp on
yonder sand hill, obedient and reverential
in his presence? The impudent spirit of
young America has not yet exerted its
baleful influence here.
How scFupulously clean are the mousse
holdsl The good housewives of the Meth
crlands do not excel the Pueblo squaws in
cleanliness. Floors carefully swept, all
along the walls of tho spacious rooms seats
and couohcs covered with fine variegated
rugs, the walls tastofully decorated with
pictures and mirrors and large cupboards
filed with luxurious fruits, meats, pastry
and jellies. Thousands of white bread
winners in the large cities would envy
these Indians If they could behold their
afiluence and contented state. Nor do they
obtain all this without fatiguing toll.
The land is barren and dry, which COM
pels them to induce irrigation through
long canals from PARKWAY streams,
The Pueblo pottery of today differs but
little from that of the sixteenth century.
In the pottery villages the work is done
mostly by men, who sit on the broad shad-
ed platform and shape their immense yes
sells in imitation of human beings and ev-
cry imaginable animal shape. The gro
tesquely shaped mouth is generally in
tended for the opening through which the
water, soup or milk is poured. The squaws
are assuming more and more the occupa-
tons of the modern housewife, though
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