Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-07-24
THE FORT LEWIS
INDIAN SCHOOL

Over the road from Hesperus to
Fort Lewis is a pleasant trip. whether
one takes its on horseback, bicycle,
or peacefully jogging along in a coun-
try wagon. There are some ranches
on the way. with their long rows of
produce. green and fiourishing be-
meath thesummer sun. but by far the
greater part of the road lies between
uncultiyated land, wild and beautiful
with its native trees and high bushes
that intrude upon the road in their
mxuriant growth Here and there a
mountain rises its brush covered peak
oward the sky. or a stream hurries
along under some rustic bridge and
away through the underground. sing
ing its woodland song. Sleek cows
rest by the roadside, or lazily crop the
grass. tinkling their bells to break
the PASTORAL silence. They turn their
meek brown eyes inquirinely upon the
the traveller as If they would ask the
news from the outside world. The
san is lowering toward the west,
From around turn in the road comes
the sound of hoofs. the louder tinkling
OF bells. and suddenly drove of
fine mountain horses appear in view
With startled look they inspect for
moment the solitary bicycle rider
and then. rearing and plunging. they
gallop away among the high brushes,
and up the steep mountain side. show
ing the fine stretch of their strong
muscles as they climb the heights.
The owner, deigning to take the scat
tering of his drove as joke collects
the animals with whistle and call. and
again iogs homeward peacefully
The music of nature alone breaks
the quiet of the journey, until, in lit
lie while. rider is seen ahead. Were
these the days of early settlements.
before the white men had set their
claim upon the land, the lonely travel
er might have felt little heart-quake
and peered anxiously for lurking
forms among the high bushes that al
most touch him on either side, for the
rider is an Indian, painted and blan-
keted. On nearer approach 1t is
found to he squaw, who carries on
her saddle a well filed sack of provi-
sions and an empty soap box. Two
harmless looking dogs follow at her
horses heels. Glancing anxiously
back at the white stranger, she turns
her horse into the bushes, leaving the
road, free passage.
Now white tents CLEAN here and
there through the trees. The smoke
OF camp fires curls upward the calm
sky. and voices are heard near by. We
have reached the encampment of the
Navajo Indians who are employed in
building the new reservoir at Fort
Lewis. and a pretty sight it is to see
the red men and their families living
in their native style. not for the
amusement of gaping white strangers,
as they sometimes display themselves
in cities but in simple, natural home
life. among the wilds of reservation
lands. where few white men disturb
them.
mile more of lonely country road
is traversed. where the high bushes
form an impenetrable hedge on either
side, and then the Fort Lewis farm.
with its white fences and the buildings
and residences of the government In
dian school makes bright and cheer
full picture after the silent wilderness.
We are just in time to hear the first
call for supper and to see in the dis
tance the Indian children filling their
basins from a great hogshead of water
to wash for the evening meal. They
are as active and eager as white child
ren, these copper-colored savages, and
as mischievous. too If one may judge
from the way little fellow dipped his
straw hat into the water for basin.
after hasty glance around to see If
any was watching.
1t is now vacation time. and only
one hundred, or about a third. of the
usual number OF school children re-
main on the farm. the others having
gone to their homes to spend the sum
mer months. In the evening after sup
per was over and the work done. while
some of the members of the faculty
and their families engaged in the ex-
hilarating game of tennis, the Indian
BOYS amused themselves with baseball
and other sports and the girls paced
up and down the walks in groups OF
twos and threes. bareheaded. and
chatting in true boarding school fash
ion. The boys are all dressed in uni
form suits of blush gray color, and
their thick black hair is kept short
while they attend the school. The
girls wear blue checked gingham