The morning news., 1897-07-18

aboriginal tribes of America 1t would be
a great thing il we had a similar set of
t!nct"
Prof. Starr had to overcome three sorts
of prejudice in order 10 secure the masks;
hrst, the natural aversion of a tinid, re-
served people to anything strange; second
ly, the repugnance of the natives to haV-
ing a likeness taken; and lastly, the no.
ton that being incased in plaster was in
a sense uncanny, akin to death. The mere
novelty of the enterprise at first surpris-
ed the Indians, who are uncivilized and
stand, according to Prof. Starr's desig-
nation. in upper barbarism. They wanted
no intrusion and were suspicious that
every move was directed against their re-
ligion, which they prize above everything
else. 1t was only the reasoning of the
governor that finally broke wn this bar
rier.
The aversion of all savages. to having
likeness taken is well known, and IL was
one of the obstacles that Prof Starr en-
countered. The Indians believed and in
sisted that taking their likeness robbed
them of portion of their life or person.
atty and the investigator exhausted his
Spanish-all the Pueblos speak Spanish
to convince them that 1t was no more loss
to have their masks taken than 1t was TO
leave the prints of their feet in the mud
or the marks of their bodies on their
beds. But again the civic head of the
people came to the rescue, and his argu-
ment prevailed.
1t was different matter, however when
1t came to actually taking the masks. To
the savage minds there was something
awful in having the ears filed up with
cotton and the hair covered with the same
material and the skin creased and then
coated with plaster. Prof. Starr antici-
pated trouble. and hence he was especial
~ anxious to begin with the men. Un-
fortunately, however. the first subject
brought was a woman. She thought COW
ering the hair with cotton rather a TAX
ing form of decoration and seemed quite
interested in the process: she stood the
ear-plugging fairly well. and did little
more than perspire when Prof Melville
anointed her skin, When, however, she
was stretched out on her back and the
process of putting the plaster on was be-
gun she began TO tremble so violently II
was with difficulty the materials could be
kept in place Prof. Starrs attempt to
push a quill up the nostrls to furnish
means of breathing capped the climax A
convulsion cracked the half-made mask
| In dozen pieces. and the woman, with a
yell that sent terror to the hearts of those
who had consented to undergo the opera
tion, scrambled TO her feet and cried.
They're killing mel I'm deadr
1t took some time to convince her that
her end had not come In the meantime
Prof Starr had about concluded that the
taking of masks was impossible, and he
had about resolved to pack his trunk for
home or new fields, when the brave came
forward with courage enough to "show
that he wasn't a woman" and submitted
to the operation with a good deal of
quaking and finching. The natives stood
by as interested spectators, and when they
saw him emerge from the plaster with
more courage than he had when he got
on the table their bravado revived, and
the cast-making went on.
''It was just that Indians bravado that
saved the enterprise" said Prof. Starr.
IF he hadn't wanted to show off don't
believe we would have gotten a mask.
But that woman was a lost subject. She
isn't in the gallery and, what's more,
don't believe she ever will be In one. She
had enough plaster and plaster molding
experience to last her lifetime"
The casts will be finished as soon as pos
sible and will be placed on exhibition in
Walker Museum. In addition there will
be the entire life-size figure of the boy
whose pictur1 Is given in the accompany
ing illustration. Through the Influence of
the governor he at last consented to strip
and be modelled as a standing figure.
Prof. Starr considers this series Of
masks the greatest success of the trip,
barring, Of course. the undivulged disoov-
cry which is held back for further ,inves-
tigation and confirmation.
The four pueblos to be reproduced from
the measurements taken are entirely un-
like, and for that reason are important as
showing the different forms of construc-
ton employed by the people at different
times or on caprice. Cochiti is at the
base of a preclpitous cliff about fifty feet
from the bottom of the canyon. The only
means of access is up the steep sides of
the terrace on which the low, scattered
buildings of adobe are erected. San Fe-
lipe stands close to the river and behind
h1rtff nd fe q Id, Sta
to build it. Laguna is likewise compact
but is perched on a knoll Acama, ac-
cording 10 Prof. Starr's statement, is the
most magnifcently situated OF all the
pueblos. 1t stands on lonely rock whose
sides fall away precipltously 800 feet in
sheer descent. The crest OF the rock is
covered with a triple terrace. forming
series of three-story buildings,
These four villages practically exhaust
the types Of existing pueblOs, and their
selection for purposes Of measurement for
reproduction was made for that reason
Other villages differ from them In minor
details. but the variations are only tri ing.
Prof Starr believes. with the reproduction
of these four pueblos, the University of
Chicago will have the best exemplification
Of these peculiar peoples places of abode
In the world.
perhaps the most remarkable temple of
the Pueblo Indians. II was once the home
of the Cochits. and is regarded by them
as sacred. The cave and its surroundings
have for them a peculiar religious signln-
canoe. The cave is nat
ural hollow worn into the
solid rock, near the base OF preclpitous
cliff that rises vertically from the base
of the canyon. The opening is about fifty
feet from the bottom Of the gully, and Is
reached by a series Of rude steps and
inches. up which the devout Indians clam
Der as one ascends flight OF steps to an
altar.
The entire width of the cave is between
80 and GO feet and it's depth Is not now
more than 12 or 10 feet. Whether the pro-
tected front Of the cave has been worn
away since IL was first used for religious
purposes Is problematlcal. The back Of
the cavern is practically covered with
paintings that show no small degree OF
artistic skill These for years have been
exposed 10 the weather. and az the present
rate Of ob.iteration cannot last long.
Among the paintings, which are executed
solely in red, black and white are a huge
crested snake, the house OF the sun, and
a procession OF religious dancers The