The sun., 1897-05-09
SOME VERY QUEER INDIANS
THE ArI-SUPIS, VINO LIVE IN n
DEEP CANTON
They w~rc once Great Tribe. but Almost
All Were DESTROYED nv an Earthaunke. and
tho Remnant Found Themselves In the Csn-
Son aud They Have staS ed There Ever since.


Los ANGELES, Cal, April lG--Several young
| men connected with the chronological bureau of
| the Smithsonian Institution have como into Los
| Angeles after life OF IA few weeks among the
| .iva-Supi Indians in tho extreme northeast part
| OF Arizona Territory. They were there after
| having spent several months in the Navajo and
! Moqui countries, and their purpose to OBJ
! serve the life OF the Ava.Supis and get their
tribal legends and whatever of history :hey
| have.
"Wc SO glad we went mp TO see tho Ava
Supis.' said Prof. Horace yelling Of tho party
while speaking OF these Indians while in Po-
! mona thc other day They are by long odds
the most interesting savngcs have in tho
Union, outside OF the Zunis. from an cthno-
y logical point OF view. We were told that we
| the first whites ioutsidc OF two three
| cowboys, that had been in tho Ava.Supi lo-
cality in several years. As soon they be-
| lieved in us-for the average Indian Of the
| Territories nowadays agrees with the ancient
| 1salmist in saying in his heart that all men
are liars-they were the most genial and hos
| pitablc rcd men we have ever been among, and
| that is saying a good deal. too. II any young
| American of means and taste for studying In
dian habits and observing human nature as it
was among the savagcs in the days of Cortez
| and Coronado will visit them he will find enough
| to not only interest. hut fascinatc him among
| the Ava-Supis for long summer. In heir
| tribal customs the Ava-Supis have changed
| less by contact with civilization than any ,rbc
| in tho Union. don't believe their language has
altered bit in the last two centuries. Yes. YOU
| may be sure shall 20 there again. when we
| shall be better prepared to study our hosts"
| The home of the Ava-Supi tribe Is between
| the deep defiles of Cataract Canon. y tributary
of the little Colorado River. which has its rise in
| the Bill Williams Mountains. The narrow val
| ley is from 100 to 800 yards widc with walls OF
a orr ~ ~ La url
either side to sheer height OF 1000 to 1000
! tortuous trail. W hich dcscends frCm the broad
| plateau above, winding in and out between the
towering walls and precipices. In some places
| IT Is so narrow that single person with a bur
den finds il ditilcult TO avoid pitching into the
such an inaccessible locality as u home. White
men m never 90 there unless on science bent.
Through the centre Of the little valley flows
Of the distant Bill Williams iii Pc Peak. The % Current sS
is rapid, and the power is utilized in crude
| way for grinding the grain which is one of the
principal crops of this Arcadian people, At the
lower end OF the M stream the wnteri. d, diverted
Irrigation is necessary for all crops. the rain,
clouds seldom pour their contents into the hid
is q rich black loan. debris left by ovcrfiows Of
an an adjacent Colorado in unit old seasons % 1t pro-
| peaches. grapes, mesquite beans and species
neither herds OF cattle nor horses, like many Of
their pTospcr9us neishboIs above for all their
suits sui but profitable trade is carried on with
cloths. The tribe at the present time numbers
about 800. They are carefully observant Of law
! and order us prescribed by the authorities of the
! pueblo. and are courteous and hospitable to out
sdeIf nown y this sylvan retreat & the climate
mer nor the severity of winter Is felt While
| the chill vi inds are raging overhead. this seques-
| tered glen is all abloom with flowers and green
with waving grass
The Ava.snpis practise monogamy. with the
nf he hR az ,.hi In nj tod
special dispcnsa,ion permitting him to take as
many wives as he can secure and support. Fail
| urc to provide Jusifcs wife in securing
| divorce, which is done in the simplest possible
manner. by leaving the lodge OF her husband
manner. Should there be man at the bottom
Of the domestic row. the chief has then the salts
| faction of arraigning HIM before the council.
and I, is the duty, of that august body to assess
hs hs I He of bs afeuaan asaa 70 oased nnr
! and when sum has been fixed upon II must be
instantly liquirated. or the death penalty is the
alternative. This rigid justice IL supposed to
exercise q bencticia restraint upon the hot blood
OF ,hs -. Ava.Snp!s The {overnnent s Of this
"hcf. who is elected by popular vote The office
" e aher ana The Sae ma. sGo
favor passing the hunors around, and thus main
rainint n II pnre demorracy ..,,.,. ,.,,,
| he Ayn.Supis tell concerning themselves. In
the early days. ages and ages aGn. the legend
city on he mcsas above. They were n contcntcd
and prosperous people, culiirating vast fields
and raising enormous herds OF stock. In the
course of time exalted by power and riches.
hsy oESaS and r
time they would neglect their fields and herds
while ";, thy % raided some & nearly tribe The
grew angry ai them. FOR he was the father OF
n lhS tribes alike and resolved +" send some
/ strength Of his hand. II came al monday. when
all NE I'M men n ana wGmcM wrr rr in The & eds Snd
IA great wind. followed by trembling OF the
| hp hpf hpN
the walls Of the pueblo the ground opened aud
aSs %frf the a" sn r m omr n d sks
! or those who had been left within the city walls
hcs h"rd "'9 hG sS sG""d o" the Ssgs
was no, a sign OF ha6itation left upon alI
The vide tds, mesa Nearly the whole ribs
them were saved. In one place where tho
ground Opened it had only pnrly closed again:
lower was broader han han the Upper. and. more.
over opened p & out int, into The channel % Of fu great
proach either by ascent or from their brethren
6slG At the Sof1"m life Tht be supIPGFrsd
rocky prison grew bushes and siunted trees
SaS. essd nm o h 9f SsnS s "4d n
TO be in life again. First OF ali they sought
to build & path ,h to their h imprfSonsd hro'hc
| and they had only such rude implements at
hand as nigh, be a made e r9m pe me Eh
slowly advancing upward, but each day told
upon the hungry snd an, sniierng ,ti people in he
! crs made fcvcrsh haste. Sometimes, when the
winds were still. they could hear the cries of
anguish and distress floating out upon the still
air. Then they would see the glaring eager eyes.
as the despairing creatures hung over the prcCi-
! picc and shouted for aid. At times the steady
| monotone OF the workers would bo broken by
| shrek. and, gancing upward they would see
| between them and the sun the body OF some one
Of their dcmented kindred. who had hurled him
| self into the abyss.
AT last the workers reached the summit, but
| to their horror not one Of their kinsncn was
| left. Strewed about in all manner OF shapes
he nf thpir
| friends. Their famine-stricken faces would
have told the story of their death II IL had not
| already been known. Sadly, and after the bar
barrie rights OF their people, the remains were
committed 10 their final rest, and their COM
panions returned to what seemed hopeless lives
below
| But the Ava.Supis were brave and patient.
| even in the shadow Of despair. They set about
| and gathered large quantities OF the fruits and
nuts, storing them away for the winter season.