The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-30
On Special Assignment
BY SAMUEL TRAvERS CLOVER
Author Of =.
''Paul Travers' Adventures" y -.
Copyright, Lothrop Publishing Company, 1908.
CHAPTER V.
With The Cliff-DweIlers Of Arizona.

CHAPTER v
With the Cliff Dweers of Arizona.
~ AUL had been back at his desk several weeks when
one morning the managing editor called him to his
room, and said:
good story of the Moqu snakedance which is due in
week ten days have read any number of accounts
the right ring Give US picture of the days doings
from sunrise to sunset You shall have whole page if
you can fill it, Select half dozen Of the best photo
graphs you can get for illustrations.'' 49,.
1t was an assignment Paul long had coveted, and he
made desperate haste to get out Of town. for fear Mr.
wider might change his mind. 49,. :
In the sleeper several travellers also bound
Moquiland and with of them Paul formed agree
able acquaintance that promised to add materially the
from the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, one
who had devoted many years gathering of prehs
f fre Of the abornes Long be-
mapped out plan for getting to their destination This
was to hre covered wagon, team and driver at Hol
drive north by easy stages to Keams Canyon whence
six hours ride would land them at oraib thirty miles
At Holbrook, ikey-looking native handed the pro-
lessor his card as the two stepped off the tran which
on Main street, He W v too clad to MAKE
terms for the long drive the red sands to the north
and as his prices seemed reasonable there little time
lost In pareying He agreed to have the outfit, with
driver, at their hotel at o cock next morning.
was good bargain, and one that neither regretted
But on, the red sand everywhere! Over, the horses
into the wagon, with the commssarat supplies. Clouds
resempled hvng, palPable flames; just the dull red
one sees lurking behind the urid lights Of burning
building: Here and there bunch Of greasewood, bit
OF sage-brush, patch Of prickly pear, dab of soap
weed scraggly lightning bush Not tree of any
kind in sight, not sign Of shade within circle Of
twenty miles in diameter! Over all a. turquoise sky
unmarried by the suggestion of cloud from out whose
rays with remorseess intensity.
Occasionally gray eagle swept within focus, poised
above cottonta or an unsuspecting prairedog, and
swoop! he had his dinner fast in his taons Then zip!
and lean ackraboit zgzagged past, winding in and
out among the greasewood his course marked by two
praEedog With which latter the praPe Wss
thicky populated Big red ants everywhere their crys
Pendous mining operations Talk about the desert being
depopulated!that all bosh, Paul and his companion
heartily agreed ~-, =. :.
Three more day of red DUST greasewood sagebrush
coyotes rattlers and jacks, followed with night camp
at keams Canyon eighty-ve miles north of the Santa
Fe railroad. .s... = :.
Captain Keam proved to be a gentleman of the old
school, The letter Of introduction Paul carried was an
open sesame and the polite English ex-army officer made
them feel at home instantly. His wonderful collection Of
prehistoric pottery of intense interest both and
tell Of it's finding
Leaving their host next morning with faithful prom
hours later halted at the foot of the first mesa where
district ..''~O1~N
Walp is the largest and most progressive of the viii
above the valley the 1.-the cliff jewellers
munlty FOR several centuries with bad medicine in
their hearts since they revoted from Spanish rule and
their hated opressors down the side precp
itous mesa. ~. 80
1t is at this village in odd numbered years that the
priests OF the snake order conduct their ceremonial
Dances in the vicinity sacred rock near the south
edge Of the mesa With the holding of the snakedance
at Oraibi the fuedance has precedence that ceremony
u turn going to Oraibi when the snakedance per-
formed at Walpi 4
Leaving the tFmesa of the gap they headed sraight
foot at
dusk Here they found motley crowd of visitors from
all directions camped in the plain, eagerly awaiting the
ceremonies Of the morrow which to begin at day
break Paul and the professor turned in early rolling
themselves in their blankets under the topped
wagon Hank promising to have coffee ready them
before sun-up. '-~-
Sunrise the mesa! From far the velley 700
feet below is waited upward the tnkletinkle Of bell
by the foremost of line Of the runners Of the
Hop nation each sranng every to be first on the
summit At the sound there rises satisfaction
from the waiting priests who fold their blankets