Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-15

Elcibi,o. Navajo Nation.
April 1. 1899.


Eleibi,o. Navajo Nation.
April 1. 1899.
To the Editor.
am nov In the heart OF the Navajo
country. surrounded by great volcanic
cruptions. There IL black lava all over
for miles around and great hills almost
impoasibic to.elirah. However rot on
top OF one OF them and 90 my rurprirc
! found graves W there. found n
large nat stone quite elevated from the
ground. resembling an altar, There
had Mt one time been IRE under II. Us
tho ashes were stili there. and on top
OF this stone were twelve crucibles
standing In line north and south. No
doubt some manner of worship had
been performed here. These vessels
were u curious workmanship and were
not common 60 the ones IN use by tho
people who now live here.
! told an Indian friend about my dis
covcfy. and he was surprised 20 think
I dared no near this place. Says he's
This II our ancient battlefield and
thousands OF people have been slain
here. Have you gone To disturb our
old cncmies2 Not one 81 ua 40 near
them. let them rest. their evil spirits
now sometimes disturb Us very much"
I apoiogiEed and agreed not To No there
any more.
Near this place lies the great war
chief co-mAh Yazey. who died a few
years nso, lie was 20 them what Gen,
Grant IL 10 the United States. lie was
buried with great pomp. u II said near
5000 worth Of beads ana silver were
buried with him besides lots Of horses,
weapons. dogs. sheep. goats. etc, ana
all his war equipments. There were four
different civilized parties. Americans,
who came 10 rob his grave aud each
found someone had been therc before
them. Yes. indeed, there are many grave
robbers In the land. This part ~ the
country In the best the. Indians own aud
the cattle picn ARE taking II from thcin,
The government has been very slack In
defining the lines Of the reservation.
Keama Canyon. Moauic Agency. April
g. 1881 visited the Indian school here
yesterday and found ~ pupils. mostly
RlrlH. ranging from 10 N years OF age.
all progressing nicely and dressed
nearly alike, They were neat and clean.
had good. clean food npd beds, COCA
lodgings, dining halls ana n number OF
school roomH according 10 grade, and
proficient class of lady teacherr. Tho
Indies ARE real proud 90 their work. and
indeed they may be, for they have done
wonders In few years for these poor
desplEed Moquiea, ! am candid In be-
licying II the government would turn
the whole Indian matter over TO the
womon the Indians would fare much
better.
The poor children Of whom l write
have not seen nor heard from their
parents since tho i2th OF December.
iSas. Whom the small pax took them
and how many fathers, mothen. sisters
or brothers viii be amongst the dead.
none ~ them have yet learned. There
no little doubt win be many u sad heart
when they get the news. Three Of these
villages have now got through and are
preparing 10 fumlgatc their houses.
Nearly all their corn. clothing and
everything that has bccd exposed will
he burned. 4 Mexican who has had
the small pox has been employed 10 do
this under the management OF the doc
tor, who N also a lady. She has worked
hard night and dnv Ia save life. How
much different few years agD when
they had the typhoid pneumonia. The
doctor let nearly all die that could not
get over II themselves. He was a man
Of no principle.
interviewed r. V. Knalns. n resident
OF this place for twenty-five years, and
u gentleman OF ability nnd learning.
He said 10 was an impoaHlblllty To get
correct numbers OF the dead. as the
Indians ARE poor on the count, but. said
he, threc-fourthH of all the Inhabitants
had the smallpox and probably 2s5
deaths We're the real loFaes. There are
seven villages ana the Orlbn. the larg-
est one, has escaped entirely 80 far.
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