Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-16
SOME MOIAvE CHILDREN.
INDIAN ToTs ABE NOT npouGnr
VI LIKE OTHER CHILDREN.
They Are Taught to Hun, but That
T. About Aii-Nc Soap 4. wasted
on Them. but They Are healthy
and bright and Pretty.

once be horror stricken at what abe saw.
Tho Mojayes are an indolent tribe who
| live In the southern part Of California and
the western part OF Arizona Themcn and
women are alike stoutly averso to any.
thing like manual labor, and thcy gather
about the towns and 1.-Two In a miserable
way of the proceeds from the sale Of curl-
Gus bits of pottery which they fashion from
red clay and beads. The MoiAye women
ago rapidly Their faces wrinkle and wien
before they are 80 years old.
The Mojaye baby IS prcoooious crca-
turc' IL oomprehends u great deal at a very
carly age. 1t is usually on It's feet at tho
nse of months, and II male ia capable
OF running smart foot race at years.
Almost without exception Mojaye babies
are attractive, Their dusky faces nro al
ways plump. Their coal black eyes shine
like beads and stare fcarlessly at the
stranger, brimful OF frank INQUIRY and
wonderment. The Indian baby never
smiles, but ms soon az IL is strong enough
to raise It's dlmplcd fists It will clutch
vigorously at the finger OF person n pro-
sented and try TO got Il into its mouth.
Notwithstanding the apparent careless.
ness of tho Mojavc mother regarding the
diet of her offspring, her. children arr al.
ways healthy in appearance and an Infant
death rarely occurs. Tho only nourish.
ment offered the children Is what they arc
able to draw from the maternal breast,
and upon this natural spstonAnoe they
thrive. Tho children arc nirtcd until they
have cut all their teeth, md many OF them
are not wcaned until they are upward OF
years old
But little attention is paid to the clean
Illness Of tho ohilren. There arc no reau-
lar ablutions, and 10 IS very doubtful
whether such thing as aoap was evor ap.
piled to tho body OF Mojavc infant A
fcw years ago woman who was travel.
Ing west by rail saw crowd OF Mojaves
at one Of the Arizona stations, and, posi-,
bly, with tho idea OF sowing eoed that
would develop into great good, presented
ono Of tho Indian women with a oako Of
pcrfumed soap, The article addressed Il.
self TO the nostrils of tho woman iRvora.
bly,, and, thinking that 10 WAS choice
edible she sunk her teeth into t. Tho
effect was instantaneous and pronounced
The squaw spat out the mouthful that she
had taken and threw the remainder Of tho
cake at the woman who gave II to hor.
Occasionally in hot weather the mothers
batho their children. The nannorin which
they do IL Is most amusing They 70 to
body of water, strip tho child ind, plac.
ing strip OF cloth under It's arms, hold
the ends In hand and swing the child over
tho water, sousing II vigorously for two
or three minutes OF course the child
stranglcs, coughs, kicks and struggles TO
get Its breath, but IL never cries when
the mother Is satisfied that the condition
Of the child Is sufficiently improved, she
drops II on the ground and allows It TO
roll around In tho sun until its skin IA
dry. This treatment is given the child
more with the view OF keeping IL comfort
ably cool than respectfully clean,
Tho babies before they are nblc TO walk
aru carried around In their mothcrs' arms
lying ON boards. These boards arc about
feet long and is inches wldo nt tho
broad end. They taper 20 narrow width
nj the opposite end. over those boards arc
loops OF leather that are there for the pur.
pose OF holding the child OH tho board rig
idly. Wrapped In thin cloth, the child il
laid on It's back and thrust under these
loops. Another loop or strap Is fastened
across IT., chest. Thus strapped down, It
sleeps and lies for the most OF tho time
whom awake. 1t is never allowed to lie
Nat ON the floor or ground when out OF the
mothers arms. Tho cradles arc loft stand
ing at a sharp anglo ngnins, the side OF
the house or u rock or trcu
Over the head Of this peculiar cradle IL
o covering, Several pieces Of pllablo wood
nru nrched over tho board, and over these
bows piece OF bright oolored calico Is
thrown, with n curtain In front that In al
ways lowered when the child is sleeping
Tho hoiave women arc very nficctlonato
mothers They carry their Infants In their
arms almost constantly, and when seated
they are always swaying 10 and fro and
grooming weirdly and softly their peculiar
lullaby, whether the child Is asleep or
awake. When the mother has an infant
In arms, the father performs nil the duties
OF tho household He provides food for the
family and cooks 1t until the child is inA
degree capable Of taking care Of itself
1t is tho height Of ambition with the |
Mojaye youngster to DO swift runner,
and ns soon as he gets beyond the toddling I
gait his parents turn their attention 10
the development OF his proollyities Ms u |
Splinter. He is engaged IN tho business OF [
foot racing from the ago OF years until |
his limbs arc stifened with rheumatism
or by old age.
The Moiave parents are capable Of CIV. |
ing their educated nclghbors valuable les
sons in the matter OF child punishment /
This IS o thing with which the father has |
nothing to do IL Is left entirely with the 4
mother, who, in tho performance Of that
duty, resorts TO no weapon more formidable
than her hand.
Tho only method Of pnnifhment Of chill
drcn among these Indians Is what the odu-
Gated mother terms spanking and when
there is n demand for this sort OF correo'
ton it Ia applied with force that cannot
but leave a deep Impression upon tho mind
Of tho child. When II Is taken into con.
sideratlon that the Mojayo mother works
a good deal in the mixing md molding OF
clay, lives almost continually IN the open
air, has muscles firm and strong by inner
itance and rarely soitens her hands by
anything like snmcrslon In warm water,
It At oncc becomes apparent that she cun
: spank, when warmed up by a snvAge
sense Of duty, with on emphasis entirely
unknown 70 the civilized or educated
mother The object Of this punishment IA
never in any degree protected from Il by
tho Intervention Of cotton or wooden fab
RIGS He Il obliged to stand and take II
with the full vim Of IL rosoundlng force.
Painful as this punishment must be, u
rarely brings tear TO the ehild's oy0s, but
there Is always cessation Of tho kicking
and prancing that manifested his light
ness OF heart before the punishment, and