Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-11-23

that our blonde bril- created such q
sensation among the Zuni men that
they even followed us for a time on
their ponies to get last glimpse OF
their charmer.
On account Of the roughness OF the
roads We decided to spend the night
at Pescado, which consists Of several
houses built of stone and plastered
with mud, inhabited only when the
Zuni is cultivating his fields. The
place was deserted when we alighted
from the ambulance. After eating
our evening meal, uncheered by even
cup OF tea, we spread our blankets
on the floors of two large rooms, the
gentlemen using the outer one to pro-
tect us If necessary. Alas! They
could not guard us from the hosts OF
crawling marauders which made
night so comfortless that we were
glad to resume the journey at day
break.
Zuni came at last into view, so I'M
obtrusive and brown we hardly knew
that it was there. The houses are so
close together and piled so high that
the effect is of natural mound. The
brown background served as a fitting
setting to the gay blankets Of the In
dian weavers, who, full Of excitement
at seeing us in Mr.. Cushing's COM
pany, crowded around the ambulance
to inspect us, our clothes commanding
the women's deepest interest. We
were shown into the house OF the
cleenest woman of the pueblo, who
vacated it in our favor. She thought
herself we'll paid when upon our de-
parture she received for rent two sill
needles. The rooms were low, but
very pretty in color. The floors had
been covered with a thick paste OF
some earthly substance, which gilt
tered with specks of mica and was OF
warm mauve hue. Upon this, while
it was soft, the Indian housekeeper
had drawn with a stick patterns In
artistic waves and ridges. Our thick
shoes, sad to tell, soon spoiled the
pretty design, but the moccasin does
not injure it, and it therefore lasts
long time.
Before we had time to look about us
visitors began to pour in. All the wom-
en- Of Zuni are attractive, especially
the young ones. They are slender
and graceful, and wear a charming
dress woven by themselves; 1t is al
ways dark blue, embroidered in
broad band around the lower edge of
light blue in a kind of Kensington
stitch. They wear red sashes, and the
effect of the costume is harmonious
and pleasing to the eye. We named
one little woman, Maggie Mitchell,
after the popular actress. never saw
anything more graceful than her at
titude as she piled us with endless
questions. Singing out the almost as
tiny southerner, our lieutenants wife,
she bounded to her side and with
pretty gestures measured heights and
compared one little foot with an
other, until, her vanity satisfied, she
gave a joyous laugh and melted away
into the crowd.
We had a large following when we
went out to see the people at work.
Everything is carried on out of doors.
Pottery, made without wheel, is
painted and baked in the open air.
The latter process is very odd; the
great jars are set on the ground
and over them is built mound of
dried COW manure, which looks like
beehive through whose openings one
can see the glowing red Of the pottery
as it slowly bakes and reaches per-
lection. We saw the weaving of
blankets, the making of silver orna-
gray, blue, green and dark red, high
ments, the grinding of corn, the
kneading of bread and the feeding of
the pet eagles, which are kept in
cages built against the houses. Once
year the unfortunate birds tail
feathers are plucked to be worn op
Zuni headdresses.
We returned to our rooms for din
ner which we took by daylight. It
was already dusk indoors because the
little windows, made of squares of
gypsum, admitted scant light, and
we could not inspect our guests as
closely as we wished. The most
important one was Palowatiwa, gov
ernor Of the pueblo, handsome man
of great dignity of mien, with
profile strikingly like that of Dante
Seated fiat on the floor for dinner,
we were in full view of a number OF
spectators, among whom was the gov
errors wife-a hard-faced, shrewish
creature, whom We called Xantippe-
well-deserved name, for she scold
ed her husband in a high-pitched voice