Evening star., 1902-05-24

uncultivated stretches. which occupy the
main portion OF the region. fiockS Of sheep
are gIazed and donkeys and ''hurras" and
II one OF the latter so far lorgcts himself
as to intrude on a cornned and regale
his palate with the juicy plant one OF his
ears is cut off as punishment A second
olttnSe causes the loss of the other ear,
giving the animal Srotesque look
me corn having at last ripencd under the
ELoTloHs autumnal sun Of Arizona. i'm spite
"l diouth and raven and donkey. the lat
yer snaii-paced stced is driven down TO
tpe heics and there laden with the golden
ana purple ears in bags. with which he as
cehds 10 the summit of the mesa I'm re-
SloilSe 10 the loud ''sho-o-o" Of the driver
ana an occasional punch with stick
,NAiiH q man takes "A load himself hv the
sioi . ter uall and lands it at his home with
~ dppdreht fatigue. So accustomed 10
.HlS ciimbinE up and down are they that
tiielI 5 muscles are hardened and their lungs
eS, ,Sr tioPSd uI II Is done with little effort.
All the houses have fat roofs ana on tbaso
the corn Is spread out to dry and harden
Tor storage in the rooms set aside for tbs
pII rose where the ears are not thrown I'm
heap. but are most carefully IayJ ,,, I'll
precision and regularity ' "''''
Al least a years supply IS always ken,
on hand TO guard against a failure ~ ,ro,,s
IL" CoIistguent famine. but ncvertheles
lhey usually have a good deal 10 ell
NatermclonS are also piled nm in s,or,s,a
IA me same way as the corn I'm the Sc
c@.uged @ inner rooms. and 50 Thoroughly dry
tt,. eP'Ic Is thlS wonderful air Of Arizona
tt tntt me watermelons are easily kent over
tlII the following February at leas. The
MFlteF mas seen them and eaten them IN
I lldI month, but as they were perfectly
sound II Is likely that thcv could ,nJnra
d mohjh or six weeks longer
Preparing Corn for Food.
In preparing corn for eating the Moki
mas his own method. similar. however. to
that Of other tribes in his own condition
IF c1tlt
any white man. but from his fathers ara
his grandfathers and his many times great
grandfathers. First it is reduced IA moal
lhe mills used, like those Of the gods
grind slowly, but they grind IN a fashion
that Is perfectly satisfactory 10 the Moid
A mil or metate in this region consists
of thin. fiat slab of sandstone set mn at
an angle Of about thirty-ffve degrees. sur
rounded by curb OF fiat stones or boards
10 prevent the meal from scattering Tsual-
~ there are three in row of these grind
ing slabs. back Of the higher side Of which
the operators. the young girls Of the house
hold, kneel and with a rubbing stone crush
the grain. each carrying the process one
step further till the requisite degree of
iineness is arrived at on the last stone.
ms work Is usually accompanied by
singing of a peculiar Sort-a shril high
note, varied and vibratory that suggests
the song of the pricstcsSes in the opera Of
Aida. This singing goes on and on in a
monotonous way, filling the surrounding air
WIN ilS NeFuEtSS, tul one IS half ready tC
believe himself a donizen Of another world
Then the meal Is taken IN hand by the
housewife She mikes It in large bowl
with water, adding a small quantity Of
wood ashes for leaveu. and seats herself
beside the oven whore a fire has been pre-
viously kindled This oven is composed
of long fiat smooth stone. and adjusted in
a horizontal position with one edge against
, the wall. the other resting on a second
stone. thin and on its edge and thr end
beneath chimney, 50 that a fire may be
built beneath.
Dipping her hand into the prepared bat
ter she sweeps it across the sUrflce Of the
smooth hot stone. spreading film over the
! entire top. which is Immediately baked.
Upon this two more films are usually
spread. the whole forming a thin sheet re
sombling very coarse wrapping paper Of a
soft, blush color, in size about one foot
by two or three. This IS peeled off and
1t is palatabie and nutritious. and in COM
bination with peaches or watermelon is
agreeable and refreshing.
The Moki an Epicure.
1t is doubtless equally refreshing in COM
bination with mutton stew CT rabbit stew
two favorite dishes of the Mokis The
writer cannot speak Of these combinations
from actual test. however. for the reason
that he developed an unreasonable squoam-
ishness because Of the manner Of eating the
stew.
A large bowl of stew being placed on the
floor in front of the guests with a tray of
piki peekee). or native bread. beside II.
fragment Of the latter. broken off and held
between the thumb and forefingors is
scooped, like a dragnet. through the stew
toward the operator, the object being to
capture as any of the meat particles as
possible. and 1t is then deposited well back
in the mouth in order that tne fingers re
lieved of adhering stew by the lips may
be returned clean to the attack.
when in Rome they say. do the
Romans do r1ip vii
equal philosophy be applied to the Mod
country, but the writer was not equal to it's
application and the delights of mutton stew
a la Moh were never revealed to him.
Perhaps this absurd pre- judice against a
delectable dish was intensified by the dis
covery that the Moki is not at all particular
as to how the sheep departs from the living
state, and If one dies from any cause il is
|, usually eaten without conjunction. A pen-
tiful addition Of red pepper will disguise a
rather high flavor. In fact. the Moki as
the young lady said of her dear brother, "is
quite an epicure; he'll eat anything"