The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-07

ed view. including the pleasant home
of Captain Thomas Keams, cultured
Englishman who has lived mere !S
years-an honorable trader and real
helper to the Indians. His hospitality
was generous and fully appreciated
Nrom keGm's Canyon the tW' I've
miles passed without incident. A pat
If the road led us through the cultured
fields of the Moquis, near the foot OF the
mesa, which we reached at p. m. Here
we found the camp of Professor J. y.
Fewkes. of the Smithsonian institution
and several others who had crossed the
plains to see the dance.
IN A MOQUI VILLAGE.
Securing an Indian to herd our ami
mails until we should call for them, we
left our wagon near the home of Tom
Polaki, an influential, progressive Mo-
qui. who has come down from the mesa
To live and adopt American ways. We
secured Indians to carry our luggage
mp the steep trail by which We must
reach the top Of the mesa where the
Moqui communal dwellings are locat-
ed. COO feet above the plain. Gladly
We began the weary march, which was
accomplished in less than an hour, and
at Sunduwn we were at TeWa the first
of the three pueblos on the mesa. '.sre
we were met by several Of this friendly
people. who conducted us Il third of 4
mile to the second village. Sichumnavi.
where a room lad been reserved for us
I'm the house of lSite, the weaver lie
met us pleasantly ana showed us to our
room, which was upon the GROUND floor,
with a door. two windows, a fireplace,
a low stone bench extending the entire
length of the room. smooth earth
floor, and clean white wall (made SO
by white clay}. a small table, two
chairs, and plenty of sheep skins con-
stituted the furnishings. How we rest
ed for the night among strangers in our
"own hired house,
Many Indians came into our room
seating themselves and watching our
preparations for the night. exhibiting
the same curiosity that had prompted
us To visit them. they were kindly
and respectful until we laid our blank
cts for the night, when they silently left
us. As daylight departed the village
became quiet, no sound broke the st'l
ness save the barking Of a dog or the
brayinC of a donkey. We spread our
sheepkins upon the floor for the night.
but, preferring onen air, I took my
blankets IN to the house ton and
watched tn" stars until lost in sleep |
found by daylight I had slept quite
near where our landlord and his W fe
We're sleeping. / learned IL was com
mon custom 10 spread the sheepskins
upon the earth roof, and, wrapt in a
blanket. sleep in the open air. and !
found it a most enjoyable custom.
Before | could slear / must recall
many Of the strange scenes of the day.
| realized that was far from civiliza-
, tion, stranger among strange peo-
plo, seeking rest upon the top of a
= hllDDnn h, ,it,ti ,,,,,n ,,ocn
fNO feet above the surrounding desert
| plane, No cheerful light CLEANED from
white mans dwelling. only the light
of moon and stars looked down upon us
and here. almost alone. / was among a
heather people, who knew nothing of
us or our manner of living. Still n
feeling of perfect security was upon us.
FIRST SPANISH VISITORS.
l remember that Marco de Mia. a
Spanish friar, of Cabesa de Naco's en-
ploring expedition. of 1889, was the
first to report of the Moquis. That Don
Pedre de Tabor, an officer Of VasqueZ
de CoronadO's expedition of 1910 was
the first white man to visit the Moquis.
/ In 1888 Antonio EspeiO. with few
! Spanish soldiers, visited them and ter
/ rorized them with the first horses they
| had seen. About 1900 they noninally
accepted Christianity, and permitted
| the friar and the missionaries to live
among them until 1850, when all the
| Pueblos of New Mexico and Arizona re.
| volted and killed the Spaniaris who
Were living among them. From 1850
| to 100 the Moquis being little molested
maintained their independence. Later
| frequent efforts were made to subdue
! and convert them. In 117S a failure
of crops reduced them so much that
| Governor ANA of New Mexico thought
| it favorable time to convert them For-
| ty families went to the Navajos for re-
! lief. The men We're all slain and wo-
| men and children held as slaves. Small
| pox followed famine and in about three
| years their number was reduced from
| 800 to less than 500. From this time
! little effort has been made to convert
them. Since 1916. their territory ther
coming under United States control
they have been nlolested only by tht
Navajos In 1863 they Joined Kit Car
son in his expedition against the Nav.
ajos, thus sealing friendship with the
United States, to whom they have al.
ways been loyal. During the past S0(
years they have been visited OCCASION
ally by some in pursuit of gold. some
for Dlunder, some to convert them tC
Christianity and others from curiosity
like ourselves. None have received any.
thing but Kindness. unless they wer(
aggressors. The Moquis have steadily
refused to give up the tradition and re-
ligion of their fathers, and to adnp
white mems customs. In this consists
the delight of our visit in seeing then
living as their fathers did 300 year,
! ago.
The name preferred by the Moqui!
is HOpi, siGnilying peace The Span
iarlS changed this to "MoQui." which
in the Moqui language signifies dead.
The population Of the seven MoQul VII
lagos in 1890 was l,996-males. 999: fe
males. 99I. The population Of Tcw,
was 1Gl. males, so: females, 81. Tn,
population of Sichumnavi was l03
males. 81; females, 81 The pop
ulation Of Walpi was 232, males. III
females il5. Total of the three village
i9i. II alrs. 2;S: females, 2iS. ENidentl,
rgtU,. has arranged this population
mdnu .rient of our civilization. Th
enumeration, made By +. NJ. Zuck o
Holbrcok. is probably the most correc
which mas been made.
SURROUNDING VIEWS.
As we aWoke early in the morning
We saw all about US upon the hOuSetop
other s.eepcrs who arose, ana having
folded their blankets. their chambe
work done, they went about their va
r!ous occupations.
From the housetop We could see east
ward the trail by which we had come
Northward we could see many mile
away where this mesa began to rs
from the plain, and farther west tW,
other Tesas, and in sight upon thes
three elevations are built, the sevel
+ of I.y.f h.
ards the Province OF Tusayan."
Upon This the most eastcrly of tn
three rises from the desert plain ant
extends in q southwesterly direction
about three miles. reaching an altitud
of about 700 feet, in width varying from
ten feet to 200 feet, entirely barren o
vegetation, soil or water. a coars
sandstone. About one mile from III
extreme south end the entire mesa i
cut by q chasm fifty feet wide, it
walls perpendicular. At this point o
the eastern side CIR trail rem rhpS th