The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-10
State Of Montana.

massacred. though the children and a
few of the women were saved.
DIR. Fewkes made up his mind 40 dig
into the Mound of Death. If there was
any truth in the legend, he ought to
find evidence. He persuaded an aged
Indian, who seemed to be well ac-
quainted with all the traditions of the
tribe. to accompany him to the ruins
of Awatobi and point out the approx
mate location of the 'kiva," or cere-
monial chamber. referred to in the
story. There, with the assistance of a
force of natives, digging was begun.
To remove the debris and superincum-
bent sand of the mound was a big Job,
but the labor was well rewarded, for
the excavation at length disclosed the
walls OF the kiva. It was a room of
large size, and at the bottom were
found quantities of human bones, evil
IDENTIFY representing scores of individ-
uals. Many of the bones had been
charred by fire.
In short, 1t was demonstrated that
the legend was no idle tale. Here,
caught like so many rats in a trap,
perhaps nearly 100 men had met their
fate under conditions the most horrible
that could well be imagined. Not far
away, near the gate of the town, DIR.
Fewkes found evidence of another mas
Sacre. immense numbers of human
bones forming a CHASTITY accumulation.
In this place, as in the ceremonial
chamber, the bones were mixed up
higgledy- piggledy in such a manner as
to preclude the notion of mere burial.
1T was a case of promiscuous slaugh-
ter, bloodthirsty and ruthless. Among
the Moquis the dead are buried ordin-
arily with the utmost respect and even
reverence, being laid in the grave with
ceremonies as elaborate as those which
prevail among Christians.
DIR. Fewkes obtained complete
story of the massacre from an old wo-
man of the village of Walpi, whose
maternal ancestor was one of the few
that escaped destruction on that fatal
night. She said that Awatobi was
quite a large town. In fact. according
to the Spanish mission records IL had
500 inhabitants. The chief, whose name
was Tarpola, was not at peace with
his people. Consequently. little rain
came. Now, the Awatobi men were
Sorcerers. Incidentally, they practiced
all sorts of wickedness. If they could
catch a solitary worker in the fields
belonging to one of the other villages,
they killed him. If they overlook
woman of another town, they ravished
her. Sometimes bands of them way
laid hunting parties and took away
their game after beating and killing
the hunters.
Finally, the chiefs of all the other
seven villages met for consultation at
Walpi. Tarpola addressed them and
declared that his people had become
wizards and hence should all be de-
stroyed. OF course, to be a sorcerer is
the worst of crimes. After the people
have prayed all night for rain, a wiz
ard may blow away the clouds with
Gin cr1a - at 1,
are always due to the malice of sor-
cerers. Consequently, persons suspect
ed of such offenses are commonly made
away with in secret, being tortured
sometimes until they confess. This is
done to the present day among the
Moquis and zunis, though the govern
ment has tried to stop it. Thus no
hesitation was felt in acting upon the
advice of Tarpola, and 1T was agreed
that on the fourth night large bands
from all the other villages would as
semble at a spring near Awatobi. Tar
pola promised ITO open the east gate of
the town and admit them before day.
break.
This plan was carried out. The bands
of warriors assembled at the spring.
each man carrying besides his weap-
ons. a torch and bundle of greasewood.
The torches were not lighted. Before
dawn they marched silently up the
mesa and going to the east end of the
village entered the gate, which opened
as they approached. The warriors of
the town-or at all events a large part
of them-were in the subterranean XII
va, engaged in rites of sorcery. The
assailants made for this place and,
plucking up the ladder, which is the
only means of exit from the under
ground chamber, shot down arrows
among the entrapped occupants In
many places about the town fires were
kept up through the night and at these
the invaders lighted their torches of
cedar bark. These they threw down
into the kiva, together with lighted
bundles of greasewood. which they had
brought with them. Red peppers, for
which the village was famous hung in
thick clusters outside of the houses
These the assailants crushed In their
hands and flung them in the fire in the
kiva, to further torment the burning
men.
Meanwhile the remaining inhabitants
of the town had either been killed or
made captives. After some discussion
ii was decided that the children should
be spared and divided up among the
captors. 1t was also determined that
those of the women who knew and
were willing to teach the song prayers
by whlcn corn is made TO grow and
rain to fall. should be permitted to
survive. All of the rest of the prison
ers were tortured and finally dismem-
bered. This last massacre was proba-
bly, accomplished at the place where
DR.. Fewkes found such an accumula-
ton of bones. near the gate of the
town. He had some trouble with the
digging, because the Indians are afraid
of human bones. Every time they open
a grave they make an Offering of sa-
cred meal to the god of death to avert
evil consequences.