The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-22
WHERE INDIANS FEAR T0G0
MONEGUAyISH. TINE ENCHANTED
LAND or LOWER CALIFORNIA.
Game Is Abundant and White Hunters Have
Returned From the Place Unharmed. but
the Indians do Not Lose Their Dread
Of desperation Among the Tribes.

SAN Francisco, July i6.-The mysteries
OF witohcraft and e~nchantment lie deep In
every Indians breast. Thoy are part OF his
daily life and influence his most commonplace
actions. He believes In enohantmont as he
believes In weather signs. On the trail no
sees wild prophecies In the flight OF eagles. In
camp the howl of q coyote conveys strange
meanings. On fiesta days the writing OF .
rattlesnake and the actions OF ponies and dogs
convey their hints Of the future for his guild"
ance. Squalor, drunkenness and other vices
have robbed the Indian Of much. but not all
Of his chidlike superstition.
Among the allied tribes In southern and
Lower California and southwestern Ari8ona-
the Yumas. Dieguehos, Cocopahs and Catarinas
the belief in sorcery and witchcraft is strong.
Lower California especially. by reason OF is
scant population Of white people. Is enveloped
In tho misty lore Of Indian enchantment. The
natives have invested certain natural phenom-
ena with awe. In some localities q smattering
OF religion taught by the mission fathers years
ago curiously colors the imagination OF the
Indians who make the sign OF the cross to
appease Wild gods whose qualities are un-
dreamed OF by the whites. The belief
in a personal and enterprsing devil 10
universal. To aid him In his malignant work.
the Indians have invented q number OF lesser
fights In diabolism. most Of them having juris-
dicuon over some particular branch OF the ma
tive's life and fate. lie must placate this one
and that, or his arm will shrivel when he draws
the bow. and his pony be stung by a serpent.
Tracts OF land are set apart by the Indians
as enchanted ground. occupied by gods and
demons. This Is notably true Of the mud
volcano region near the Hardy River. which 10
so uncanny that the Indians believe It TO be
the visible link connecting the devil with the
earth. They leave IL severely alone. and betay
great fear whenever the volcanoes display
unusual activity. They tell how the ground
auakes around the volcanoes. and declare
1t 10 be the result OF the devils struggles TO
come forth. At night there are sometimes
weird lights in the vicinity. which are seen by
the natives afar of. They conjure up visions Of
| demons in the glare.
All this is easily discorned by the white man
10 be a natural superstition. based on ignorance
Of the nature of the volcanoes. 1t Is not so
easy, however. TO account for the dread and
awe entertained by the Indians for the region
called "AIon-e-guan-ish, lying in the followed
shoulders OF the san Pedro Martir range. II
is an extensive upland. with wide stretches Of
park-like groves and meadows. through which
iCe-Cold streams run In such curves OF beauty
that at FIRST glance they suggest the cunning
hand Of the landscape gardener. 1t is soon
perceived, however. that MoIeglanish Is
n It's primitive state. and that its narne meaning
enchanted land. is not misapplied. The In
diars fear il and cannot be induced TO accom-
pany the prospeotor or hunter there.
Moneguanish is surrounded by bristling hills
covered with heavy timber and gashed by
torrents. IL may be catered only by two trails.
One follows W the Canada de Tres Leones
past the lonely falls OF Las Cascadas stream,
and the other leads through a narrow pass in
the hills above Cnlentura. II is said that the
latter trail, at q point where 1t passes along the
brow of a preoipice. is deeply worn as though
the feet of natives for scores of years had passed
over it. On this report, coupled with the dis
! covery Of an old abandoned mission not far
away. toward the uuIt Of California, some ex-
plorers have argued that Moneguanlsh was az
one time tlIckly Inhabited by Indians or tiier
When / ilrst learned Of Monegusnish. from
my guides Fl Cato aud Ramon, deer-tlay ers
and runners Of the Catarrhal tribe, | thought
iaus IN their simplicity were trying TO preserve
from the whites by weaving about IL this tale
OF mystery. But when approached it, and
insisted upon their guidance to the entering
trail. | became convinced by their evident
signs Of dread that they really believed the
story. they tod; Since then have found the
belief universal among the Indians OF that
region. Not one will enter the portals Of Mon
eguanlsh, and the fact that | and other white
hunters have gone In aud returned alive and
| loaded with game does not allay their fears.
Ramon and III Cato were extremely silent
when | asked them about IL, 1T is q place Of
w!tchcraft and strnnceness, " said tho old deer
f.a' ST. Simple pt f spanl,h aI and Dc then hSi's Nth ID 10 q shS,s IN
Continued his packing OF FL Sable, his faithful
burIo;
FL Cato looked at me quickly. He saw that
I was Ia earnest. and was troubled Ramon,
more demonstrative, shuddered. He stopped
Are gave a Took toward the mysterious Mon
esuanlsh that was a condensed volume Of dread
and superstition.
All All" he nioaned. 'Tsnss cuidado,
Oddly. enough, my persistence In the purpose
Of otd vIsitias MG 'Iss Ss II as opened the bronze &c
many, deer" said he, With al! his reluctance
and dread, he was truthful. 'Calentyra and
the Canon of Three Lions have many deer, but
s sei SP 'n I VIII Il show HS%Vss Soa tie s SS : HS' 81 ss%IS;
Painted HillsI where the great porregos, ael
1t not better to kill the great horned shcept
b%!.shorSs, IN one sun. Think Of that But
Moneguanish--nol no."
Al! Az whlnel I.amon. He moved un-
easily, a.. an animal moves when earthquake
"I.ook' scGor!" said Fl Cato. in a diplomatic
attempt 10 play upon my huperStltiouS Tears,
1T is unholy therel Men say the deer are en-
chanted. Bullets go crooked. and arrows are
turned aside, from them, Many deer Of difes
and sometimes antelope and bighorn sheep
all run In one herd! Is that not against ma
ture2 Tell me that! A mist hangs over the
land, which Is poison TO men. The water IL
white aud sweet, but IL turns the brain. Do
you not remember FL Sapo, the frog, that poor
infcliz that hoped aud scared your mule at
Sangre de Crlsto2. Bienl He tasted the water
Of Las Cascadas, that comes down out OF Mon
eguanish. lie was thirsty In the long run from
Mirafiores to the rancheEia. MIIral Is he not
iocoY Does he not hop like a frog' His legs
stream OF Moneguanish."
"Nonsensel" l replied. Now I know where
to lind the latest deer. You do not want an
American to 20 there"
"How can you kill the deer3- persisted Fl
Cato. II the bullets go crooked. who bends
them? Also, lions are there, greater than the
lions OF Palomar, yet they xiii no deer. Can
you explain that1 Men say that the trail to
Mirafores "a lined with the roaring Of the lions
Of, Moneguanish, In the night. Yet the deer
pass up and down. Where do the thunders
come from. when the sky Is clearp Why does
the water turn mems brains and knit up their
you, turn from Noneguanish and go with mo
down to the desert Do not drink the poison
OF the accused land hidden from mani"
IL was against such earnest protestations as
these that / started for M~oneguanish. FL Onto
was loyal enough TO see my packs well bestowed
aud my rife oiled and cleaned. lie won't with
me part OF the way, far enough TO point out the
little red hill that stands to the left OF the Calen-
tura trail. Far beyond doomed the dark green.