The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-06-02

located is the fine character of the soil,
and the ease with which the creek can
be used for purposes Of irrigation. The
soil in the whole of the tillable part of
the canyon is exceedingly rich; and fine
corn, melons, pumpkins, squash, chiles
and peaches are grown in profusion.
That the Supais are more provident
than many Indian peoples is evidenced
by the fact that at certain places near
the summit of their lofty and prec;p.
itous walls, paintings may be seen, rep
resenting ears of corn, which upon in.
quiry I found to be connected with the
following tradition. Many, many
years ago the valley was entirely COW
cred with cotton wood and other trees
and their fourishing cornfelds, and
the tribe was prosperous and happy.
But one dreadful day cloudburst came
and washed away their ''ha-wes"
(houses), washed out their corn and
drowned large number of their men,
women and children. The survivors
were left homeless and without food.
That year was an exceedingly hard one
to them, and they barely subsisted on
the few rats, ETC., they could snare and
the roots they could dig up. AS result
the chief men of the tribe agreed in the
future to lay aside certain proportion
OF all their corn, peaches, mescal, ETC.,
and store it in one of these inaccessible
caves-that is inaccessible from above
except by ropes, and perfectly safe
from any fear of inundation from Ee-
low. The paintings of the ears of corn
denoted the location of those store.
houses.
But of late years this custom has
fallen into disrepute. Their excess CT
peaches and corn is sold to the white
people at the nearest points on the rail.
way, and now that they are beginning
to sell their produce and the baskets
they make they learn to keep the
money thus gained until ''rainy day."
At the same time corn and dried
peaches are still to be found in these
wonderful and elevated granaries. The
older men, to whom tradition appeals
more powerfully than to the rising
generation which is learning ''white
mems ways" at the school, still believe
in keeping surplus stock in reserve.
While not as accomplished basket
makers as are some other Indian WON.
en- it is most interesting to watch the
Squaws engaged in the work of basket.
making. They take the willows, strip
them and then divide them into
'skeins," with which they weave their
baskets. They are not so elaborate in
pattern, or daintily beautiful in design,
execution and color as those of some of
the California tribes, still they are we'll
made, and are generally so closely
woven that they will hold water. In
deed have bought many of them that
had to be emptied of mutton broth,
mush, batter for making their wafer
bread, ETC., before I could bring them
away. AS soon as girl is able to walk
she is taught to weave.
Most white people would find it hard
work to cook in basket, but the Supais
have been doing it for many genera
tons. They have two methods. The
simplest and most. primitive way is to
drop stones that have been heated in the
camp fire into the water, or whatever
other. liquid is to be boiled or cooked.
This, of course, requires constant at
tention, for as soon as a stone cools it
must be fshed out, placed in the fire and
,reheated before it can again be used
B The other method is to cover the
basket withsa thick layer Of clay and
sand, and then use it as an ordinary
earthenware vessel, putting it directly
over the GOALS. ~ L
According to our scientific experts it
was by the falling from the basket of
one of these clay bottoms that the art
of pottery-making was discovered.
Finding the. bowlsshaped clay basket
separated from the wicker basket, the
attention Of the primitive Indian was
directed to the possibilities Of clay as
an article for the manufacture Of q .ves-
sci that would hold water, and once the
principle was discovered it was easy to
progress rntil pottery was made of all
shapes and, sizes desired.