The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-11-16

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Dr. Mary Pradt Harper, Of the Indian
mission 81 Jewett, this county. and who
was one OF the census enumerators
among the Nayaios. gives some Of her ex-
periencos. She says.
The fret few days my work was about
Fort Defiance, 90 wes able TO got in
every night to comfortable quarters at
the agency. Then it was necessary to
take longer trips and with a school boy
interpreter ] set out one Monday morn
ing That night I camped In a Navajo
hogan. or rather kin, which means
house MY hostess invited me to Join
the family at the evening meal This
consisted OF a stew Of mutton. served ia
a granite utoneil Of kind not usually
seen; native boead and coffee My pOr
tion of the stew was served 20 me in a
saucer; the rest Of the family sat
around, each dipping his or her spoon
into the utensil until it Was empty. The
house was OF stone, containing one room
about l5xlS The two windows we're not
made TO open. so when bedtime came
and dozen natives camped down on
their sheepskins the air was rather
thick as they persisted 10 keeping the
door closed
In the morning the old squaw was up
early, and after performing her ahlu-
iions in the frying pan proceeded to
wash up the dishes from the night be
fore and finally to fry the mutton for
breakfast in the same pan. Ny appetite
was rather poor that morning. This
family is considered very well to do,
and its stone house is a mansion com
pared With the ordinary brush or mud
hogan or hut OF the natives, II 10 as
scantily furnished az one can imagine,
there being nither beds, chairs, tables,
cook stove nor any Of the articles. con-
sidored necessary to the porest house
hold A few sheepskins and blankets a
very meager supply Of cooking uten.
sils and dishes, few articles Of cloth
ing hanging over pole supended FROM
q rafter, composed the household goods
The fireplace, although rude, is quite a
luxury, ,as the natives usually make the
FIRE on the earth floor, and the smoke
escapes through the hole in the roof left
for that purpose.
Next we we're located at the house Of
halt blood, Henry Dodge, or "Chee,"
probably the best known and most in
Auential member o. the tribe. After q
few days in the vicinity I moved my
supplies to Moore's trading post. From
NuNH nUlMN 4 was QUAAhN4 w k0 HAAA A0AB
distances that it was economy Of time
to camp out. ] had engaged a guide for
this part OF my work--a regular savage,
one Who knew the country and every
trail through the mountains de was
blind in one eye, and could never have
boasted Of a large amount Of beauty at
any time; his grizzled hair was tied 10
q knot with cotton twice; ABOUT his
head he wore a black rag, the remains
Of q silk handkerchief; his shirt was Of
gaudy calico; his neither garments we're
Cheap trousers ol American make, and
hisfeet were incaeed 10 the usual buck
eliin moccaHina. Ny cavalier aYantes
rods ahead occaaiorallY loolgipG back
ii2pyas. ulf q, 5lla -nssQeuo
tot fet1lurinR smile
From sunries until sunset we rode
through mountain trailes hunting for
sheep camps, as Id summer the Na7ajos
drive their sheep up out Of the heated
valleys into the cool mountain benches,
where water is plentiful. / found my
gentle savage most helpful; by daylight
the horses were run in and fed, the fire
made and my coffee boiling before had
emerged from my blankets. / carried
my own cohee and some light provi
BiOns, but usually managed TO strike a
hogan at noon and get some native
bread and mutton stewed or broiled on
the Goals. Sometimes slept under the
stars. sometimes under rude shelter
of brush and poles at sheep camp II
ia not altogether pleasant to sleep with
in few feet Of a flock of sheep and
goats huddled close to the fire, kept
burning in front OF the shelter to scare
away the bears and wolves. Frequent
lY my guide pointed out bears. II is not
exactly agreebable to feel sheep ticks
travelling across your head, and sleeping
ia ones clothes becomes mOnotonous;
but Une realises how very few our real
necessities are.
had intended spending the last night
as Little Water School, as my work was
in that direction at the last. But night
overlook Us in the mountains, and we
were Obliged to camp at a sheep camp,
where we found an old man and two
young girls; they pointed out a hogan
for as TO sleep 10. it was q beautiful
hogan. built Of peeled legs Of aniiOrm
size; was pentagonal in shape and Nm
usually large and high It was evil
IDENTIFY a medicine lodge Lifting the
blanket which did duty as a door, dis
covered a small FIRE burning in the CEN
ter Of the hogan and near it an old man
foclined on a abeepskin. Ny guide soon
Feplenished the fire and put on the COT
fee pot. The old man who owned the
sheep brought as some native bread in
basket Of Navajo make, and with
some canned meat our bill of fare was
complete. Presently another native ap-
pearod, a visitor. One Of the girls
brought in several sheepskins for my
bed. lrolled myself 10 a blanket and
soon slept. Old man number one, the
visitor and my guide ell slept 10 the
began also.
Almost before daylight my gentle
savage was up aud ont after the horses
aud before sunrise had my coffee ready
lie brought me a highly decorated bowl
such aa the natives use. full of clear
water, and I made a slight toilet. The
native "WhOle wheat bread was rather
hard. but by soaking it in the coffee il
was possible 10 eat. Reserving two
OF three Of the fat cakes for our dinner
I'VE returned the basket to the owner
aud, learning that the trail to LttlC
Water WAS rocky and steep and the dis
tance considerable, 4 concluded to work
along by Fort Defiance and pet 10 there
by night We found the trails 80 bac
that it was often necessary 10 get doWE
and lead the horses. Sometimes the
trial Waaa mere Shelf a clin above,
george below q slip, a STUMBLE and an
eacidont D Inevitable
Eg neon We we're rioing along th,
bank Cl a deep arroyo, with a stream
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