The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-07
The Moqui Indians and
Their Queer Snake Dance.

eral masses of meteoric iron have been
found. Weighing from a few ounces 20
several hundred pounds. So many
pieces have been found as to lead TO the
belief that huge meteor exploded near
here at some time or a meteoric shower
has unloaded them. We secured TWO
of these celestial visitors.
Tfty-eiGht miles brought us to Hol-
brook latitude 5,C1E), the end of our
railroad journey. Here we chartered q
covered wagon with spring seats. and
having loaded our camp equipage ana
Photographic outfit we started north
for Keams Canyon and the Moqui IN
dians. 100 miles from Pueblo.
Our road leads Us through a country
nearly barren of Vegetation or oi ami
NAL life. Here and there We noticed
remains of petrified trees. fragments
81 which of a light glay color are scat
tered over the ground like chips in an
Ea astern farmers wood yard.
We soon came into a strange country
where volcanic action had evidently
rent the earth in most unusual man"
ncr. All about as far as the eye could
reach were great .huttes rising above
the level plain, $50 TO POO feet high.
They varied in size and height, as the
numerous rock formations differed which
composed them. In some instances the
der.ard the softer portion wasting more
rapidly. leave projecting tables which
in time fall and cover the Sloping sides,
and all in time are disintesrated by ma
lures forces. Having returned To dust,
they start on their journey to the plain
and ocean depths. Here may he seen
most plainly how the earth surface is
being leveled off and the different min
erals are being dissolved and carried
away by wind and rain, the great lev
cling forces of nature.
IN UNINVITrNG LAND.
Scarcely any vegetable life is Seen on
these huttes. Many strange forms give
a picturesque appearance to the land
scape. The different colors of the dis
integrating strata oc rock and earth.
varying from white To red and black.
minslinc as they do in sliding down the
slopes to the level OF the plain, cause
q shading very pleasing to the eye
In wandering among them / felt sure
that the creator had not got this coun-
try ready for settlement and that what
I saw was the raw material in the
hands of the Creator.
The clearness of the atmosphere, the
absence of timber and vegetation, the
strange shapes of the buttcs, and
, wonderful beauty of the clouds: the
/ perfect stiffness, where there was moth
| ing to make a noise, made up the most
restful conditions which dWeller IN
1 the city can imagine.
Scarce any animal life is seen. One
! lone coyote, a few jack rabbits and
ground squirrels, one lone rattlesnake
and a few lizards make up the list of
all the wild animal life upon the entire
! trip. About twenty miles over fairly
good trail we reached dry run, where
! we found well and rested our team,
| lunched and pushed on hoping TO reach
another we'll in early evening. About
p. m. we overlook some teamsters who
! had camped for the night. but the
| darkness forbade our finding the spring
SO we made q dry camp, lunched and
! slept upon the warm earth as soundly
! as at home Early next morning we
made a hasty breakfast and pushed on.
| Before noon we reached the next water.
NAVAJO HOGANS.
Under the shadow Of one of these
great buttes a small spring OF good
i water induced several families of the
nomadic Navajos to build their hogans.
or kuts. and make ii home for q season
| They still roam over the country, pay
ing little attention to the reservation
lines, if, indeed, they know where they
are. The Navajo leads his flock to the
best pasturage and water, and If he
finds little mint land will plant a
| little corn, as in this case. Here we
called and spent an hour pleasantly; we
secured a picture of q hogan and the
family.
The hut is built by setting poles into
the earth in circular form, bringing the
tops together in the form of Sibley
tent. Next they are covered with bark
or brush, and then coat OF earth.
When the lodge is waterproof and
, ready for occupancy, an opening look
ing toward the eastern sunshine hav-
ing been left, blanket or sheep skin
answers for door when needed.
Within may be found a met
ate. or mealing stone, the most
primitive ard simple of all means for
pulverising food for man; a water bot.
tie of basketry, smeared within and
without with pitch. contains what
water is needed. Fresh and dressed
mutton hangs from the roof. a fire burns
upon the earth in the middle of the
lodge, and the nomad knows no want.
The family sit upon sheep skins and eat
when hungry from the family mess OF
pottage, regardless of mealtimes, knives
and forks or plates.
FINE WEAVING.
The weaving beam tspoken Of in the
Bible as the spear staff of the giant
LahmD hangs from the roof with a
partly woven blanket, indicating ther
home industry. Two years ago having
received q rare Swedish blanket l0l
years old, / sent 1t to Captain keams
who knows the Navajos well, request
ing him to have it copied. The curious
patterns pleased the Indians, being
much like their own, and l received d
| In la nj in SWtl
ish pattern. most carefully copied by
"Charle the Weaver" I was pleased
to meet him at the dance, and he was
pleased to know me and allow us t.
take his picture. He ranks first among
the Navajo weavers: pleasant fellow
we'll dressed in Navajo costume richly
decorated with native silver ornaments
The Navajos and Moquis alike plant
their corn i'm hills about four feet apart
and grow about one dozen stalks III
hill by level cultivation. The corr
leaves and ears come out close to the
| ground, and each hill looks more like 9
bunch of coarse grass than like eastern
corn stalks. The kernel Is generally
black or dark blue and the ear from
four to six inches long, sound and good
Rarely will the traveller find more
. interesting group of nomads. illustrat-
. ing fully the manners and customs ol
. people VINO Know almost nothihs vi
. our civilization, and from whom We
may gather many of the customs oi
, | the prehistoric races.
: PRIMITIVE QUARTERS.
a few miles farther we reached BE.
de Hooche," which signifies lin Nava.
jo) RED Rock" forty miles from Hol
. brook. Bede Hooche is the name giver
!, to one Of these grand buttes. under
, the shadow of which a pioneer trader
has built the only house in sight be-
tween Holbrook and Keam's Canyon
, a distance Of seventy-five miles. The
house is a very simple affair of stone:
r laid in mud, with roof of poles. brush
, and earth, and floor of boards. Here
. the trader lives alone in one room
| abo,lt Is by 90 feet, He had a comfort