The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-08-12

&&xA&X* EEk&~&& &@8 E~&E& @ &&%
P~@mz@efmI Navajo saasana.
The present-day Indian, II not coz
sidered a menace 10 society, Is looked
upon as a charge on the body polite,
and we frequently hear that the only
good Indian Is The dead one, yet there
are exceptions.
The tribe OF NayaJoes whose reser-
sail0n Ia New Mexico and Arizona Dor
ders on southeastern Utah and south
western Colorado. numbers nearly 4
600 souls. They are a pastoral Deo-
pie. herdinx sheep. goats and horses
over their great arid ranges and in a
snall way ~culuyaung corn and other
grains. Except when excited By FIRE
water. the are ~peaceabls and TO a de-
gree industrious. The women r not
able blanket weaYers and the men are
silyersniths Of no ability.
or late years the Navajoes have
been quite successfully employed as
section hands on western railroads, and
as fruit gatherers IN the orchards and
workers in the sugaF-beet fields they
have given great satisfaction
Like all Indians. their besetting sin
is monte" Give an Indian the price
Of bis hire and be viii quit work until
II is gambled away. They r a p0lyg-
arnous people. having no religion. and,
like ali aborigines. are supersunous.
believing In all kinds Of signs and
workings u supernatural powers.
Although the Navajo reservation ad-
joins the Mesa Verde National Park.
where 50 man clffr Dweller ruins are
found. IL Is with difficulty that q Ma
vaJo can be induced 10 act as a guide
10 the ruins. When d Is found will
ing to show the way he cannot be In
duced to remain In the immediate VI
cinify and when night ONE pm be
moves miles away
A curious tradition. and one account
ing perhaps for their adherence Of
the clin DwelIer region. Is that ages
ago, when the Gin Dwellers and their
enemies were engaged In an extermi-
mating warfare. The former were finally
driven into a mighty river and. drown
ing, the souls Of the GliR Jewellers
were transmitted into the bodies OF
fishes And from that time to this a
Navajo ann be induced 70 eat nsh-
Another legend. no less curious, re-
lates TO the Ship Rock. About 80 miles
due west from Pennington. \. NJ and
within the borders Of their reservation.
situated in the midst OF the desert,
stands a famous rock called Ship Rock.
which looms 10 the height OF 1000 feet
above the surrounding plain II rises
from the center OF an immense and
gradually sloplng mound, which gives
Il q towering appearance and its out
lines can be seen for many miles In
various directions
The rock derives its name from its
appearance when seen from q certain
direction, whence It resembles q full
rigged ship stranded and petrlded The
Indian legend is that In the dim and
misty past they had their habitation
IN a distant land beyond the great
ocean and that the rock was situated
IN their ancient country. Once upon q
time, the tribe being closely pressed by
its enemies and IN danger Of total an
Inhalation. the survivors climbed into
the cracks and crevices OF the great
rock and implored II for protection
The supplications were heard ana
shortly the rock began to move. IL
crossed innumerable wastes. gradually
reached the ocean which ii crossed
traversed more wastes and deserts and
finally arrived at It's present resting
place, when the refugees sprang from
its bosom. Thus the tribe remained
upon the face Of the earth
The ranks Of the tribe are being de-
pleted. snd before a great many years
the good ship Rock viii be obliged to !
up the people and go another
long voyage in order that b tribe OF
the Navajo may be perpetuated among
the tribes OF the earth.