Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-07
copyright. by Joseph Il. BowlesJ

copyright. by Joseph Il. BowlesJ
Twenty years ago Zuni was almost
unknown except to the rare Traveller
or to the Catholic priest. who once or
twice a year visited the pueblo and
christened score Or more OF daik'
skinned infants. whose parents priced
The Spanish name then bestowed upon
each child, but knew nothing of any
other meaning to the ceremony. IL
WAS therefore an unexpected pleasure
To the writer when good fortune gave
her the opportunity OF seeing this
famous but little known spot.
An epidemic Of smallpox had ragged
for some time among the Indians or
New Mexico. The mortality was enor'
nous. AS they were wholly unprotect-
ed and most unhygienic in their mode
OF life 1t occurred to the post sur
geon that as Zuni was as yet un-
touched here was his chance to do
benevolent d eed He laid in supply
Of vaccine virus. obtained a snort
leave Of absence and invited few
congenial spirits to accompany him
on his journey and take glance at
an Indian city.
Zuni is about As miles from Fort
Wingate. The road runs over hill
and through dale, over heights wood
I'd with pinon, juniper and magnificent
pines and through giades whose only
verdure is wiry grass and low bushes
of a dull green-an odd and pictur-
esque landscape. Our party consisted
OF the surgeon and his wife. young
girl, a lieutenant Of infantry and his
wife and our most important and in
dispensable companion, Frank Hamil-
ton Gushing, without whose know
ledge, tact and intimacy with the In.
dams We would have had common
place visit instead Of most interest
ing one Mr. Cushing was then a
youth Of % years; he had been living
for some time In Zuni as an Indian
among Indians. He wore their dress.
spoke their language f1uently and had
wound his way into their Utmost
hearts by his desire to know their
lEdulllONS ilS oVSP AHN>'N'>
their myths and by his power OF in
teresting them in the strange things
which he in turn could tell Of his own
people.
AS we started one bright summer
morning in an ambulance drawn by
four mules Mr. Gushing rode gayly
beside US on q diminutive pony which
ne managed like cOnsummate horse
man. When he walked. as he did
sometimes to ease his horse. his
movements were full of elastic grace.
1t was due to his Indian training that
he leaped so lightly from rock to
rock in the deep canyons or sprung SO
alertly up the mountain sides. never
out of breath or showing the least
sign of exertion, ever ready to point
out the beauty that encompassed us,
The road was rough. and the clum'
sy old ambulance was not a bed OF
down. SO We were glad at luncheon
time to stop beside an adobe house at
Nutria. This was used by some OF
the Zunis as a summer home. where
they lived while planting and raising
their corn. This corn IS amazing to
the American accustomed to great
stalks six feet or more in height. 1t
grows about two feet high and often
hears ears of beautiful colors. pink,
" prized by the Indians who. liking
the CAV tints. never minds that his
bread is Of every hue. Moreover. he
has religious uses for the part!colo-ed
corn. This dwarf variety by deep
nIantiug requires no irrigation, but
draws Its needed water In some mys'
ferrous way from the arid soil.
We found seven or eight men and
one woman in the house when We &C
cepted Mr. Cushing's invitation to
enter. They gazed at us long and curl,
ousIy. asking Mr.. Gushing. whom they
called Tenatsali (the medicine flow
err, innumerable questions about us
all. Finally the woman, who. unlike
the usually small and gentle Zuni
maiden, was q huge. masculine-look
ing creature. rose from her seat and
with every appearance of intense an
ger and outraged dignity left the
room, flirting her scanty skirts in dis,
dam as she passed US.
Mr. Cushing told US that our young
girl had unwittingly reused her jeai
ousy: for all the Indian men presen;
were te.liag Mr.. Gushing how they
would like just such a pinkcheeked
yellow haired maid for a wife. This
Indian woman. in spite Of her curiosi
~ to know more about ms. never re-
turned to take another look: her feel
iuss had been too deeply outraged to
forgive us easily. We knew her bet
ter later on and became quite friendly
with her.