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contrary, the Apaches have never been known to show the faintest trace of humanity or good taste, scalping and mutilating their enemies in the most frightful manner, and if they capture them alive torturing them to death by means of slow fires (p. 69) or other diabolical inventions. Their numbers have been estimated at about 15,000.

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COLORADO RIVER INDIANS.

Between the limits of the Apache country (Rio Verde) and the Colorado are the Hualpais and Yampas, two tribes few in number, and of about the lowest type of humanity (pp. 156, 157). They are at peace with the whites, but rapidly decreasing, though at one time numbering many thousands. Those in the vicinity of Fort Mojave (Mojaveves) are the most powerful of these Indians. They cultivate the bottom lands of the Colorado, and are entirely dependent on the overflow of the river. If this fails the result is generally a famine their resources from wild fruits and game being now curtailed by the spread of the white settlements and their own utter improvidence. The Cocopas near the river mouth are less dependent on the overflow, and are therefore much more comfortably situated. As a specimen of the way in which these tribes have decreased, it may be mentioned that while the Yumas—a tribe living higher up the river-numbered at the period of the American occupation 5,000 souls, they do not now number much more than 1,000. The last account I have of these people, who have little general interest, is in a letter of the late superintendent of Indian affairs for Arizona. "We found,” writes Mr. Posten, the Yumas indulging in great expectations. They are as dependent upon the overflow of the river as the inhabitants of the Nile, but have no Joseph to provide for the years of famine. The river having entirely failed to overflow its banks the previous year, they had not planted, and consequently had not reaped, they were in a literal state of starvation, and many of them absolutely died from the effects of hunger. Old Pasqual, the head chief, a friend of longstanding, with many more recent friends, came out to meet us, supposing the baggagewagon was laden with food. We gave them the usual peace-offering of the Indian weed, which, judging from their rueful countenances, only increased the goneness of the stomach, consequent on acute hunger. We had no food; there are no contractors for food in the Indian service; we had only shoddy and hardware (for presents). They asked us for bread, and we gave them a hoe; they begged for meat, and we gave them a blanket. It was unfortunate, too for the Smithsonian Institution. They had commissioned me to catch all the bugs, snakes, rats, rabbits, birds, beetles, fish, grasshoppers, and horned frogs in Arizona for their Institute, but there were none left; the Indians had eaten them all up, and hungered for more. The commander at Fort Yuma did what he could to enable them to celebrate Christmas -he managed to give them an issue of damaged hominy, which the horses had refused to eat. It was a sad adieu to leave these starving wretches, but a source of congratulation to get away from such a cannibalistic neighbourhood without loss of flesh."

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In point of civilisation these Colorado tribes form a sort of connecting link between the wild Apaches and the civilised Pueblo Indians.

CHAPTER VI.

PUEBLO INDIANS.

A STRIKING contrast to the savage, merciless, murderous, and marauding heathens lying outside of their boundary, are the semi-civilised tribes of New Mexico, who live in villages and support themselves by agriculture and trade, and are hence known as the Pueblo (or village) Indians. A brief account is necessary of these Indians, who seem to be the last descendants of the Aztecs, the highly-civilised race which the early conquerors of Mexico and Peru found inhabiting these countries. I prefer, to give it at this stage as a contrast to their immediate neighbours already described. The Pueblo Indians do not now number more than about 16,000 souls, while the wild Indians of New Mexico are estimated at about 23,000, the Americans and Mexicans bringing the total population of that rich but sadly disturbed region up to about 127,000. In all their characteristics the Pueblo Indians bear the highest reputation. Industrious, gentle, yet brave, kind and hospitable, this race of men, with their sad, mild faces, on which a smile is never seen to play, quietly cultivating their lands, and selling their onions, peaches, grapes, beans, melons, and hay to the dominant race, and while sanguine of better days, wearily ascending their housetops at sunrise, to look for the coming from the East of that Montezuma, whose steps are so laggard in travel, are of deep interest to every heart capable of kindly feeling. These semi-civilised Indians-Dr. Bell tells us are not found except in New Mexico and Arizona, south of the thirty-sixth parallel of latitude, and there is no proof to show that they ever came from the North, or spread farther northward than the Rio Grande Valley, and a few of the more accessible branches of the San Juan river. In this region, which equals the size of France, only five remnants of this once powerful nation remain at present. There are according to the traveller mentioned (1) the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande Valley, numbering 5,866; (2) the Indians of Zuñi, numbering 1,200; (3) the Indians of the seven Moqui Pueblos, situated about 150 miles N.W. of Zuñi, numbering 2,500; (4) the Pimas of the Gila Valley, occupying eight villages, and numbering 3,500; and, lastly, the Papagas of the regions south of it, occupying about nineteen villages, and numbering rather over than under 4,000 souls. Like all the Indian race, their numbers have much decreased since the first discovery and settlement of the country by the whites. All the Rio Grande Pueblo Indians are-nominally at least-Christians, the Spanish missionaries having early visited them. In each pueblo is a plain church, built of sun-dried bricks, and dedicated to its patron saint. Their houses are usually of one storey, but sufficiently large to contain several families. The roofs are flat, but at each corner of the village are watch-towers which rise above the roof. In the centre of the chief house in the village is usually found a large room, partly excavated out of the earth. Previous to the introduction of Christianity the estufa (or sacred fire) was kept alight here, and though in most cases this room is now converted into a council chamber,* yet there is little doubt so persistent are early superstitions, or so sacred religious beliefs-that in some places this sacred fire is still kept burning.

So hard is it to get at facts, and so distorted do they become when viewed through differently coloured media, that an otherwise most intelligent observer describes this sacred council chamber as a "kind of village grocery," where the old folks assemble to smoke, gossip, and possibly to talk scandal!

Each pueblo has a local government of its own, consisting of a cacique, or governor, selected from among the village sages, and who holds his office for life; a war captain, who looks to expeditions of offence or defence, and through a subordinate has charge of the cabahallada, or herd of horses-every one having to take his turn as a watcher-and various minor officers, who have charge of church matters, repairs of public buildings, &c. The laws are made by the

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old men, who elect all the officers except the cacique, or captain, who is generally elected by universal suffrage. In most cases the office is so far hereditary that all other things being equal, his successor is chosen from the family next in rank. As different dialects are spoken in each village, Spanish is now adopted as the general medium of intercommunication. Until the decay of religious establishments throughout Northern Mexico, owing to the continual intestine troubles of that unhappy country, most of the Indians could read and write, but these accomplishments are now rare. Though externally all good Roman Catholics, there

are not wanting those who declare that their Christianity is all on the outside, and that they still cling to the religion of their forefathers, and can only be induced to attend church by threats, promises, or even blows, while their own heathen rites are performed with the utmost regularity. All, however, agree in bearing testimony to the honesty and sobriety of the men,

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Some of the pueblos are in the form of strong and almost impregnable fortifications, while those in San Domingo, Candia, and other places have no doors nor windows on the outside, but are entered by ladders from the roof. The early Spanish explorers found seven-storeyed fortresses, but these are no more, though ruins are found here and there scattered through the territory, which bear witness to a greater population and many more buildings in former times than now. The fortress of Zuñi is, however, at the present day a rather remarkable one, being built on a rising ground, and at least six terraces can be counted one above the other. The

doors of the houses on the different terraces are entered by means of ladders planted against the walls. Cultivation is considerable through the Zuñi Valley, but cotton was not until lately generally grown. Water is everywhere of such importance to cultivation that it figures rather extensively in their traditions. Near Zuñi is a sacred spring at which neither man nor cattle may drink, the water being sacred to the frogs, tortoises, and snakes. "Once a year the cacique and his attendants perform certain religious rites at the spring; it is thoroughly cleaned out, water-pots are brought as an offering to the spirit of Montezuma, and are placed bottomupwards on the top of the wall of stones. Many of these have been removed, but some still remain, while the ground around is strewn with fragments of vases which have crumbled into decay from age." At Zuñi Christianity is rather weak, and the people to some extent still cling to their old rites, believing that the comparative immunity of the neighbouring country from droughts is to a great degree owing to the fidelity of the inhabitants to the religion of their forefathers. Here they believe in one great and good spirit, and in Montezuma his son, who shall some day come from the East and unite once more all the nations under his banner.* They are sharp bargainers-like all their race-but the women are virtuous and polygamy is not allowed.

The Moqui Pueblos are in the midst of an arid country and the villages, mostly composed of three-storeyed houses, are often planted on the very edge of steep mesas, or flats partly formed by volcanic peaks. They are very quiet in their manners, though much more lighthearted than the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande, are honest, frank, and hospitable, and neat in their domestic arrangements, yet wanting the manly bearing of the Zuñi Indians, having until lately lived in great fear of their warlike neighbours, the Navajos. In each village there is a water-tank, and most of their crops are raised by carefully husbanding the rainfall and using it for irrigation. Many flocks of sheep are owned by them. Since 1850 they have decreased from 6,700 to 2,500, on account of the ravages of small-pox, and deficiency of food, owing to dry seasons. In the introductory remarks regarding the origin of the Americans, I alluded (p. 3) to the supposed Welsh origin of some of the tribes. Whether from national pride or from the force of misunderstood fact, Welshmen who have lived amongst the Moquis declare that the chiefs can pronounce any Welsh word with facility, but not in the modern dialect. Such stories cannot be received without several grains of salt..

The Pima houses are only huts of interlaced willows, yet the people are skilful agriculturists and manufacturers, and, as the Apaches have more than once experienced, fearless on the "war-path." Any successes the United States have ever gained in contest with these Ishmaels of Arizona have been through the aid of the Pima warriors. Mr. Posten, at one time superintendent of Indian affairs for the territory of New Mexico, declares that they have no

* It is stated by some that the Montezuma of the Pueblo Indians is not the Montezuma who figured at the conquest of Mexico, but an agent of the Spanish Government chosen to protect the rights and interests of the Pueblos. The Indians, however, do not believe this, but declare that he originated in New Mexico. some say that he was born at the old pueblo of Picos, and others at an old pueblo near Ojo-Caliente, the ruins of which are still to be seen. It is supposed, too, that Montezuma was not the original name of this demigod, but one bestowed on him after he had proved the divinity of his mission. There is, indeed, a document extant which declares that he was born at Tognays, one of the ancient pueblos of New Mexico, in the year 1538, and this account makes him out more a prophet than anything else.

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