The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-08

Bright and Pretty.
If the watchful American mother who
carefully guards her baby against the colo
and gives it a daily bath in perfurncd wa
ter could follow Mojave Indian child
through its infancy, she would more than
once be horror stricken at what she saw.
The MOjaves are an indolent tribe who
live in the southern part of California and
the western part of Arizona. The men and
women are alike stoutly averse to any
thing like manual labor, ard they gather
:about the towns and live 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 Mojave women
age rapidly. Their faces wrinkle and wien
before they are 80 years old
The Moiaye baby is a precocious crea-
ture. It comprehends a great deal at a very
early age. 1t is usually on its feet at the
age of months, and if male is capable
OF running smart loot race at 2 years.
Almost without exception Mojave babies
are attractive. Their dusky faces are al
ways plump. Their coal black eyes shine
like beads and stare fearlessly at the
stranger, brinful of frank inquiry and
wonderment. The Indian baby never
smiles, but as soon as it is strong enough
TO raise its dimpled fists it viii clutch
vigorously at the finger of a person If pre-
sented and try to get it into its mouth.
Notwithstanding the apparent careless
ness Of the Mojaye mother regarding the
diet of her offspring, her children are al
ways healthy in appearance and an infant
death rarely occurs. The only nourish-
ment offered the children is what they are
able to draw from the maternal breast,
and upon this natural sustenance they
thrive The children are nursed until they
have cut all their teeth, and many of them
are not weaned until they are upward of
+ years old.
But little attention is paid TO the clean
illness of the chilren. There are no regu-
lar additions, and it is very doubtful
whether such thing as soap was ever ap-
piled TO the body Of a Mojave infant. A
few years ago a woman who was travel
ing west by rail saw crowd of Mojaves
at one of the Arizona stations, and, posi-
bly, with the idea of sowing a seed that
would develop into great good, presented
one of the Indian women with a cake of
perfumed soap. The article addressed it
self TO the nostrils of the woman favora-
bly, and, thinking that it was a choice
effect was instantaneous and pronounced.
The squaw spat out the mouthfuI that she
had taken and threw the remainder of the
cake at the woman who gave il to her.
Occasionally in hot weather the mothers
battle their children. The manner in which
they DO it is most amusing. They go to
body of water, strip the child, and, plac-
ing a strip Of cloth under its arms, hold
the ends in hand and swing the child over
the water, sousing it vigorously for two
or three minutes. OF course the child
strangles, coughs, kicks and struggles to
get its breath, but it never cries. When
the mother is satisfied that the condition
of the child is sufficiently improved, she
drops it on the ground and allows It to
roll around in the sun until its skin is
dry. This treatment is given the child
more with the view of keeping it comfort
ably cool than respectfully clean.
The babies before they are able to walk
are carried around in their mothers arms /
lying on boards. These boards are about 1
feet long and Is inches wide at the |
broad end They taper TO d narrow width |
at the opposite end. Over these boards are 1
loops of leather that are there for the pur-
pose of holding the child on the board rig (
idly. Wrapped in thin cloth, the child is I
laid on its back and thrust under these /
loops. Another loop or strap is fastened /
across its chest. Thus strapped down, it /
sleeps and lies for the most Of the time
when awake. 1t is never allowed TO lie /
fat on the floor or ground when out of the !
mothers arms. The cradles are left stand
ing at sharp angle against the side OF
the house or a rock or tree.
Over the head Of this peculiar cradle is
h covering. Several pieces of pliable wood
are arched over the board and over these
bows n piece Of bright colored calico is
thrown, with a curtain in front that is al
ways lowered when the child is sleeping.
The Mcjave women are very affcctionate
mothers. They carry their infants in their
arms almost constantly, and when seated
they are always swaying to and fro and
grooming weirdly and softly their peculiar
lullaby, whether the child Is asleep or
awake. When the mother has an infant
I'm arms, the father performs all the duties
Df the household. He provides food for the
family and cooks it until the child is in
degree capable of taking care of itself.
1t is the height of ambition with the
Moiave youngster TO be a swift runner.
and as soon as he gets beyond the toddling
gait his parents turn their attention TO
the Development of his proclivities as a
Splinter. He Is engaged in the business of
foot racing from the age OF 3 wears until
his limbs are stiffened with rheumatism
Or by old age
The Mojave parents arc capable Of Civ
ing their educated neighbors valuable les
sons in the matter OF child punishment.
This is thing with which the father has
nothing to do. II is left entirclywith the
mother, who, in the performance of that
duty, resorts to no weapon more formidable
han her hand.
The only method of punishment of chill
lren among these Indians is what the edu-
-ated mother terms spanking, " and when
here is a demand for this sort of correc-
ion ii is applied with a force Ghar cannot {
nut leave a deep impression upon the mind {
f the child. When it is taken into con- !
liberation that the Mojave mother works
good deal in the mixing and molding Of 4
lay, lives almost continually in the open I
'ir, has muscles firm and strong by inner I
tance and rarely softens her hands by
nything like immersion in warm water
t at once becomes apparent that she can !.
spank, when warmed up by a savage
ense of duty, with an emphasis entirely !.
Unknown TO the civilized or educated
mother. The object of this punishment is
ever IN any degree protected from ii by
he intervention of cotton or wooden fab I
les He = obliged TO stand and take il ,
'ith the full vim Of its reSoundinC force :
Painful as this punishment must be, it !
arelE brings tears 10 the child's eyes, but 7
here Is always a cessation Of the kicking 2
nd prancing that manifested his light G
ess OF heart before the punishment and s
e seeks a period of solitude Harsh words {.