The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-08
APAcHEs IN COYOTES.
Some Reasons for the Indian Tradition
of Their Kinship.


tions of the different animals. wild or
tame, none has stronger claim to intelli-
gence, and few, if any. greater genius
and application when placed where ma
ture demands those traits to assert them
selves, than the much despised coyote
whion roams the plains and mountains,
hunted AMI hated by all other living
animals and human beings. Some
months ago, while discussing the habits,
customs, and traditions Of the Chiria-
ohua Apaches with their white chief.
Captain Jeffords, who still lives in
lonely mountain home in Arizona (his
band, the Royal Chiriachuas, being pris-
oners at Fort Sill, where they we're taken
by General Miles in 1880, made some
such statement as the above when he re-
ated the fact that the Apaches, so far
from disliking the coyotes. look upon
them as their kin. Their tradition
teaches them that, far back in their early
history, the Evil Spirit, being angry at
some of their people, turned them into
coyotes. Today this is firmly believed
by this tribe of Apaches, and for one Of
them to kill coyote would bring ruin
on the rest of the tribe. Thus the coyote
not oonaid cred an intruder, but Is a
welcome visitor in the Chiriachua In
dians' camp.
ST do not wonder at the Indians belief
in their kinship," said their white chief.
"They possess many similar characteris-
tics, aud In some of the habits peculiar
to each there exists great resemblance.
"For instance, let either q band OF
Apaches or coyotes be taken by surprise,
and they will scatter instantly, disap-
pearing in a most my sterious manner.
Not only in this secretiveness and eau
ton is their resemblance traceable, but
in many other habits; one of the most
interesting of which is the manner in
which both rid themselves Of vermin,
which is ms curious rs 1t Is clever.
"In Arizona the heat and dearth OF
water naturally breed vermin. Not only
are animals tortured with these pests.
but humanity, particularly the Indian,
whose habits are conducive to such a
OOnUlGlUu, 10 uOu CACuPos AA|s'S ~
ouently known them to walk from forty
to sixty miles for a bath, not from An
Unborn desire for cleanliness, but from
the necessity of Kidding themselves OF
these pests. The coyotes resort to SIM
liar method. On a mnonlighb night one
may see them in bands trotting toward a
river, each carrying stiff wing or tail
feather from some large fowl in its
mouth, On reaching the river they
plunge in and swim out to the deepest
water until the end of the nose with the
dry feather held between the teeth 10
alone visible. The vermin then, In pref
erence to drowning. take refuge upon the
dry fsather upon which Master Coyote
coolly drops his load of living freight into
the water, and shaking himself, walks
off with a clear conscience, and, one can
almost imagine a smile lurking on his
cunning face. And little wonder, for
clever enough he is. The Apache does
not carry feather in his mouth, but
he uses his hair for the same purpose, al
lowing 1t to float on top of the water un-
till the yermin have all left the body,
when he swins to shore, and literally
plasters his hair with wet clay until the
nests are smothered. Sometimes the clay
is left on two or three days before it is
washed off. There are numerous other
instances in which thsre exist similar
ity between the Apaches and the coy ote,
which apparently gives strong ground
or the Apaches tradition. ''-sports Afeld