The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-08-13
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By JOHN A. SPRING.


but by successive thick layers of mortar
which bound together the cubes of wet
earth solidly packed into boxes with
slides. which could be removed. CThis
is called in Mexico the "ca ION boNI pro-
cess.) The walls were then plastered so
well that most of the flastefing remains
to this day, although it must have been
exposed to the weather for many years
The roof and the different ceilings have
long since fallen, and only short pieces of
timber remain in the walls to indicate the
place where the .rafters were inserted.
These rafters are of pine wood, and since
there is no kind of pine growing now with
i'm less than 80 miles of the CaSaS
Grandes, this house must either have been
built at time when pine timber conld
be procured near the building site. or else
the builders must have had facilities to
transport heavy logs over long distances.
1t is certain that the house was built be-
fore the Pimas knew the use of iron. for
many stone hatchets have been found in
the ruins. and the ends of the lintels over
doors and windows show by their hacked
appearance that only blunt tools were
used. 1t also appears that the builders
were without trOwels. for the marks OF
the fingers of the workmen or women are
plainly visible both in the plastering and
on the walls where the former has fallen
off The rooms were about SIX feet Ill
hight the doors are very narrow and only
four feet high; round holes, about eight
inches in diameter. are used for windows
| Only one entrance from the outside was
| left by the builders. and some of the outer
rooms even had no communication with
| the rooms in the center. There are no
| stairs. and it is believed that the Plmas
entered the house from above by means
of ladders, as the Zuni Indians still do.
The walls are perfectly true and all angles
| square.
| A GOLDEN AGE.
| The empire of King Si-va-no became so
populous after while that some of its
inhabitants found it necessary to emiSrate.
One of the sons of the King, with nu-
merous followers, went, therefore, to the
Salt River Valley, and there established a
new empire, which in course of time be-
came very prosperous Indeed, the inhab-
itants became so wealthy that they wore
jewelry and precious stones upon their
persons, and finally erected n beautiful
throne for the use of their monarch. This
throne was manufactured entirely OF
large blue stones probably silver or cop
per ore).
In course of time woman ascendet
this throne. She was very beautiful, anC
many of the warriors adored her. but She
TtluSGu VI StthiS'
to be fond of no one except 4 pet eagle
which lived in her house. The rejected
suitors. jealous of the eagle, determined
to kill him, but he, a wise bird, discovered
their intentions, said farewell to his mis-
tress. and flew away towards the rising
sun. threatening destruction to those who
had contemplated taking his life.
At the death of the Queen, who had
married after the departure Of the eagle
the government of the nation fell to heI
son, who was but child in years, weak
and incapable.
THE SPANISH INVASION.
During the reign of this boy the eagle
returned, conducting the Spaniards to his
former home. These came, well armed
and some mounted on horses, which be-
fore this time had been unknown to the
| Pimas.
The Spaniards approached in three
strong columns; one marched down the
ella River, one came from the north, and
the third from the south. These armies
of strange white men terrified the Pimas,
who, without competent leaders and good
arms, were soon defeated. The enemy
| devastated the whole country. killed most
of the inhabitants, and leveled their fine
buildings to the ground. The throne of
| the King was broken into small pieces, and
the birds of the air came and swallowed
the small blue stones, which, afterward,
they spit out wherever they happened to
be. This, say the Pimas, accounts for the
fact that these blue stones are found but
rarely and in very different localities
now. Stones of this kind are highly
priced by the Pimas, and worn as charms.
A few of the Pimas escaped the general
massacre, and hid themselves in the
neighboring mountains, whence they re-