USA > Arizona > The marvellous country : or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico, the Apaches' home > Part 19
USA > New Mexico > The marvellous country : or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico, the Apaches' home > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
If this latter assertion be the truth or not, it is certainly a fact that the distinguishing traits and characteristics of the three nations are most admirably and truthfully por- trayed. in the legend, and to this day arc most plainly and perceptibly noticeable in the habits and customs of the different tribes.
If a Navajoe sees an object that pleases his eye or strikes his fancy, he will make any sacrifice to obtain it; although it may have no intrinsic value, or be of the least possible use. On the other hand, a Zuni or Pueblo cannot be induced to purchase anything that is not of use or has not a specific value.
Again, the Navajoes have never had a fixed residence, but wander at will over the country with their flocks and herds, without any local habitation or chief, save that the wealthiest men of the tribe are generally regarded as leaders or chicfs; each one having his own set of adherents and retainers. In this particular, they are not unlike the old feudal chiefs of the Scottish Highlands.
The Pueblos have governments of their own; the people live in well-constructed houses; all cultivate the carth to a greater or less extent, and are in some degree skilled in
-
358
TEMPUS FUGIT.
the art of manufacturing; while nearly all of them are the possessors of flocks and herds.
Athough I do not regard the truthfulness of the above legend to be established beyond all question, still I had been so pleasantly entertained by the narration, and so lulled and soothed by the low, crooning tone in which it had been told, that I had quite forgotten the flight of time, and was unaware how perceptibly the shadows had lengthened while I had been listening to it, nor was I roused from the reverie into which I had almost unconsciously drifted, until Don Rafael exclaimed, with decided emphasis, "Ugh! Vamose !"
Starting to my feet, I saw at once that it was full time for us to commence our descent of the steep and precipi- tous path that led to the plain beneath, if we would reach it before nightfall.
The sun was fast sinking to his rest behind the high table-lands, volcanic peaks, and rugged, broken country of the vast western waste lying between us and the blue waters of the Pacific; and the soft, purplish haze that so beautifully heralds the approach of an August twilight was already enshrouding the plain below us, lending an inde- scribably uncertain appearance to objects that an hour before had been clearly visible, but the outlines of which were now scarcely traceable through the delicate veil that
359
TWILIGHT
scemed to have been thrown over the valley. Taking a last, lingering look at the magnificent panorama, now so gradually fading from our sight, we commenced the tedious descent, reluctantly bidding adicu to old Zuni, and its many untold beauties.
.
CHAPTER XXIV.
E accomplished the descent without accident, although I never in my life remember to have paid closer attention to any command of Scripture than I did during our journey, to the warning of the Apostle, when he says, "Let him who thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."
The least misstep would have precipitated us a thousand feet down the perpendicular side of the mesa to the plain below, in a manner much less agreeable than the slow, labori- ous descent we were now making, and which common pru- dence seemed to demand for our safety.
It was quite late when we reached camp, though not so dark but that we were able to distinguish two dusky forms moving hastily away as we approached, with the evident intention of escaping our notice.
Don Rafael immediately started to overtake them, while the doctor and myself proceeded directly to camp, to find
(360)
361
JIMMY'S GENEROSITY.
Jimmy busily engaged in preparing our supper, and whis- tling "The girl I left behind me."
Don Rafael shortly made his appearance in company with the blue-eyed maiden of the rosary and cross, and her mother, a well-preserved old lady of about fifty years; each of whom was well laden with sugar, tea, coffee, flour, candles, calico, jewelry, and a bottle of our precious whiskey, together with the only remaining box of "Albert biscuit."
I was thoroughly indignant at sight of them and their possessions, and somewhat peremptorily ordered them to put everything down,- an order that they did not seem in the least disposed to obey.
At this juncture Jimmy put in an appearance, and com- prchending how matters stood, came to the relief of his friends, by remarking :-
"Please, sur, make out the bill, an' I'm riddy to sittle it. now."
I said, "What does this mean, Jimmy; what are these. women doing with those bundles ?"
"Thim's the artycles, sur, wid which I've purchased mi fradom."
"Purchased what! What do you mean ?"
"Why, sur, as ye've obleged me to brake mi ingagement wid the gurl, I've given her ricompinse, sur."
"Ilow came she in camp, any way, Jimmy ?"
46
362
HIE RISES TO EXPLAIN:
"Faith, sur, she warked in, I suppose, wid her mother, to git the partin' gifts."
Ilere Don Rafael, speaking to me in Spanish, remarked that he presumed that both the girl and her mother supposed them to be wedding presents, as it was always customary among the Zunis for the groom to make, not only the bride herself presents, but her family also, just before the cere- mony; indeed, that was about all there was to the marriage.
This information caused me to ask Jimmy if the girl fully understood that they were "partin' gifts."
"Indade, sur, I told her so misilf, wid mi own finghers."
I then tried to explain to Jimmy that the articles taken were worth, at least, fifty dollars, which would be the amount of two months' wages; and that, undoubtedly, instead of their being regarded as "partin' gifts," they were considered wedding presents; therefore, under no consider- ation, could they be permitted to take them away, as, should they do so, the cacique would have no option in the matter, but to force him to marry the girl, in which case we should be obliged to leave him behind us when we returned, and with- out doubt he would share the fate of the Welsh miners, black Esteva, and many hundred others who had fallen vic- tims to laws, as unalterable as those of the Medes and Per- sians.
That part of my speech referring to the Medes and Per- sians evidently startled Jimmy, who, turning to Dr. Parker,
363
AND RECANTS.
desired to know if "thim fellers lived in the town over there ?" pointing to the pueblo.
Upon being most gravely assured that they not only lived there, but that their entire occupation consisted in acting the part of executioners to the unfortunate victims of Zuni ma- levolence, he approached me in a very subdued manner, and remarked, in a loud whisper :-
"I guess we'd better take the things, an' sind the gurls back widout 'em." 5
I told him that I would do so, although I very much doubted my ability to prevent the catastrophe which we all so much feared, especially if a knowledge of the transaction should reach the ears of the two executioners before men- tioned; and that if I should fail in my attempts to avert the calamity that seemed hovering over him, he could reflect, as he was led out to execution, that his untimely end had been caused solely by a wilful and persistent disobedience of orders, - a statement which Jimmy admitted was "thrue," and, he added, "the thaught of it will be a warnin' to me all the rist ov mi life, whin it happens."
Ordering Jimmy to immediately finish the preparations for our supper, we sent the women back to town empty-handed, a course of procedure which, as their manner indicated, was anything but agrecable to them.
Quite early the next morning we received a visit from the cacique, who seemed anxious to know the impression made
-
364
OUAHNOKAITIN.
upon our minds by the sight of old Zuni, as well as to learn if the guide he furnished us the day before had performed his duty in an acceptable manner.
Returning him many thanks for his kindness, and assuring him of our admiration of the beauties of his country, as well as surprise at the many strange sights we had witnessed in it, the old man, in an ill-disguised tone of pride, related many facts concerning it, which were indeed most marvellous.
Among other things, he told us of a remarkable spring situated in the Moquis country, about four days' journey to the west of Zuni, which he said he had once visited. This spring is named by the Zunis, "Ouahnokaitin." I have since learned that it has been called by those Americans who have visited it, "Jacob's Well."
The old man described it as a large hole in the plain, ' shaped precisely like a funnel. It is six hundred feet in diameter at the top, and one hundred and sixty feet deep.
At the bottom of this hole is a spring of remarkably pure cold water, which bubbles up to the height of nearly four fect, like a boiling spring, - an underground passage carrying off the surplus water.
This spring is reached by a spiral staircase cut in the rock and earth, which, though evidently of great antiquity, is well-preserved, and still used by travellers.
By whom this marvellous staircase was constructed, or
365
LEGEND REGARDING IT.
how long it has existed in this desert, we have nothing authoritative, save Indian legend.
The Moquis claim to have known it for many hundred years, and have always regarded it as one of the marvels of their country, looking upon it with that kind of awe and veneration which the Indian mind intuitively attaches to whatever borders on the strange and mysterious.
The Zuni legend of the spring is as follows. ,
After the waters had abated from the face of the earth, the Great Spirit saw that the vast plain which extended far away towards the place where the sun sets, and over which his children must travel if they would reach the great water beyond, had become very dry and parched, and that the springs and rivers he had created upon its surface were dried up by the heat of the sun and the warmth of the winds that continually swept over them; that those of his children who were obliged to make this tedious journey suffered terribly from thirst, and often perished with their animals.
One night a large number of them were encamped near this spot; for days they had been suffering greatly for the want of water, not a drop of which could they find on the plain; they had finally given up the search in despair; their animals lay dying around them, and with swollen tongues and parched throats they called in whispered tones upon the Great Spirit to send them water.
The Great Spirit heard their whispered prayers, and, call-
366
THE WORK OF WIIOSE HANDS.
ing to his assistance the afreets, in a single night they con- structed this wonderful well. In the morning the weary and almost famishing travellers descended by this marvellous staircase, and quaffed their fill of the cool, delicious water that bubbled up so refreshingly at its foot.
The Great Spirit has watched over it ever since. No sun reaches it, no heat warms it, but it is always cool, spark- ling, and refreshing; and as the traveller pauses upon its brink, its murmurs fall melodiously upon his ear, inviting him to descend and partake of its delicious coolness, always reminding him of the beneficence and wisdom of the Great Spirit. Therefore they call it "Ouahnokaitin," or, Blessing of the Desert, by which name it is known to this day.
At first I was inclined to doubt the actual existence of so singular a phenomenon, especially as the cacique assured me there was nothing to indicate that a settlement had ever existed near it; but I have since met with two Americans who have visited the well, and speak of it as one of the greatest marvels of this most marvellous country ; nor does their description of it differ materially from that of the cacique.
The Abbé Domenech, in his work on "The Deserts of North America," mentions its existence, although he does nut claim to have ever visited it.
Without doubt, the spring itself is one of those curious formations of Nature so frequently found here; and some
367
BURIAL RITES ..
now extinct nation sought to utilize the water by constructing the staircase that enables the thirsty and travel-worn way- farer to slake his burning thirst with its refreshing coolness.
About eleven o'clock in the morning, the cacique, after having spent several hours in relating many wonderful facts concerning the country and its people, announced himself obliged to return to the pueblo, as one of the old men who had died the night previous was to be buried that day at meridian.
Upon my suggesting that I should be pleased to attend the funeral ceremonies, the old man cordially invited the doctor and myself to accompany him and witness the rites, - an invitation which we were pleased to accept. In a short time we reached the plaza, just as the funeral proces- sion was entering it.
Four men, bearing upon their shoulders the corpse, dressed in its usual garb, its hair gayly ornamented with rib- bons, preceded the mourners, who slowly and reverentially followed. Upon reaching the shallow grave, the body · was placed therein without a covering of any kind to pro- tect it from the earth.
In solemn silence each of the mourners approached, and taking up a handful of earth, cast it upon the body; then a number of women appeared, their hair flowing loosely down their backs, and each bearing upon her shoulders a lenaja filled with water.
368
THE DEATH CRY.
The first one now approached, and as she stooped over the grave, her hair falling loosely about her face and body, gave to her a singularly weird and picturesque appearance.
Slowly removing the tenaja from her shoulders, and hold- ing it for a moment suspended in the air, she deliberately
BURIAL SCENE.
turned its contents over the body in the grave, at the same time giving utterance to the death-cry, a low, plaintive, wailing moan, which seemed to cause my very flesh to creep, so terribly distinct was it in unearthly penetration.
The women approached separately, and, as they emptied
369
JIMMY ANXIOUS.
the contents of their tenajas into the grave, joined in the cry, until, as their numbers increased, their voices growing louder and louder, the sad, wailing cries seemed to fill the entire air, almost paralyzing the senses with their unearthly tones. Long after they had disappeared from our sight, and distance had somewhat softened the shrill plaintiveness, it was borne to our ears on the noontide breeze, sounding like the wail of some poor soul, bereft of all hope.
We were some way on our return towards camp when I remembered that I had promised Jimmy before leaving, that while in the pueblo I would endeavor to explain his case to the caeique so satisfactorily that he would understand it, and not allow the friends or relatives of the girl to prejudice his mind, if they should make complaint to him of Jim- my's conduct; for, situated as we were, it really seemed important that no difficulties should arise between ourselves and the Zunis.
Jimmy, seeing us approach, came out to meet us, exceed- ingly anxious to know if we'd "fixed it all right wid the bazaque," as he styled the governor ; and his disappointment was so apparent, when I informed him that I had neglected to speak to him on the subject, that Dr. Parker remarked to me, "At last .we've got Jimmy scared, and we need antici- pate no more trouble with him on account of the women while he's here, that's very evident." Scarcely had we reached camp ere Jimmy again appealed to me, urging me
47
370
ABSENT FROM CAMP.
to have "matthers fixed wid the bazaque;" and so earnest was he in preferring his request, that, after consulting with the doctor, I concluded to dispatch Jimmy to the pueblo at once, and have him bring the two women into camp, hoping by this means to satisfy any demands they might think he had incurred by his flirtations with the daughter.
After supper, upon calling Jimmy to dispatch him on the errand to the pueblo, we found, to our great surprise, that he had most mysteriously disappeared, and was nowhere to be seen. .
We waited for him until nearly ten o'clock, and he did not make his appearance; so we smoked our last pipe, and "turned in," in no very enviable frame of mind, quite determined to bring matters to a crisis on the morrow as far as Jimmy was concerned, to say the least.
It was a beautiful night; and after retiring to my blankets, I lay for a long time watching the stars, and tracing the constellations visible in the heavens, quite unable to com- pose myself to sleep. Finally the moon rose, gilding the tops of the high terraced houses with its silvery beams; the mournful cry of the whip-poor-will sounded on the night air, causing a feeling of sadness to steal over my senses, which I in vain attempted to dispel, by trying to devise some plan that would keep Jimmy away from the pueblo, where I had no doubt he was then sojourning, enjoying the glorious moonlight from the terrace of his
371
A PRESENTIMENT.
blue-eyed maiden's casa, and, shall I say it, rather envying him the situation, when I finally fell asleep.
How long I slept, I could not tell. I awoke with a start, and a strong presentiment that there was something wrong.
What had awakened me so suddenly, or the cause of the presentiment, I did not know. As I lay for a moment, endeavoring to account for this singular impression, I dis- tinctly heard the sharp, quick ring of a rifle-shot apparently on the other side of the pueblo. There was nothing alarm- ing in the sound itself, but the feeling I had experienced on first awakening still oppressed me, and I anxiously listened for a repetition of the cause of my alarm. Nothing, how- ever, disturbed the stillness of the glorious night, save the whip-poor-will's cry, or the occasional croak of a frog near the little stream that ran quietly by our camp.
Suddenly I heard the sound of five or six shots in quick succession, apparently coming from the direction of the pueblo; and as I knew that scarcely one in thirty of the Zunis possessed fire-arms, I was confident that whatever the occasion, there must, in any event, be a large number gath- ered together.
I sprang to my feet just in time. to see Don Rafael appear from the other side of the wagon, rifle in hand, and to notice the dangerous glitter of his wicked black eyes. He saw me, placed his finger upon his lips, and said, "Hist! Navajoes."
372
ATTACKED BY NAVAJOES.
Instantly rousing Dr. Parker, who was a very sound sleeper, we at once prepared to give the Indians a warm reception, should they favor our camp with a visit, though Don Rafael seemed to think we had nothing to fear from them. Telling him to call Jimmy, I learned, much to my annoyance, that he had not yet returned to camp, although . it was now nearly two o'clock in the morning.
What could have become of him? I was exceedingly vexed, and somewhat anxious at his absence from camp at this particular time.
An examination of our fire-arms revealed the fact that we had twenty-one shots, without reloading or counting upon the condition of Jimmy's fowling-piece, which, experience had shown us, we were as likely to find with the powder on top of the bullets, as the bullets on top of the powder. We were quite satisfied, however, that we could successfully · cope with any number of Indians that might attack us.
At this moment the Navajoe war-whoop rang out, filling the still air with its terrific sound, and in spite of our best efforts, almost curdling the blood in our veins, sending a thrill of terror to the very soul as nothing else can. An occasional desultory shot; again the war-whoop rings out, shouting its defiance to our ear; and just then Don Rafael's quick eye catches sight of a dozen or more dusky forms visible upon the plain before us. "Carraho, they're comin' this way," said he; "we'd better git behind the wagon."
373
I AM WOUNDED.
No sooner said than done; we hastily sought shelter behind it, and waited, revolvers in hand, the coming of the foe.
We saw them approaching as rapidly as their splendid horses could bear them, each second bringing them more plainly and distinctly into view; when suddenly the fore- most one, who was bestriding a magnificent gray horse, . disappeared from our view like a flash, and then another and another.
"It's them pits," said Don Rafael, as he slowly raised his rifle to his shoulder. At this moment they again uttered their terrible war-whoop, completely drowning, not only Don Rafael's voice, but the sound of his rifle, as well as that of my own, and causing me, I am quite sure, to send my first shot directly into the face of the moon, that was look- ing so calmly down upon us, instead of into the faces of the Navajoes, for whom it was intended.
They were so near now that we could plainly hear the zip of their arrows as they flew around us on all sides; in return for which we gave them, chamber after chamber, the con- tents of our revolvers, to which compliment they replied by terrific yells and a perfect shower of arrows.
I felt for an instant a sharp, burning sensation in my left arm, just above the elbow; and, glancing down, discovered an arrow sticking in my shirt-sleeve, which I pulled out and threw upon the ground, never dreaming that I had been wounded.
374
NAVAJOE TACTICS.
The Navajoes kept riding round as though following a circle, each turn bringing them nearer to us. When directly opposite the camp, they would discharge their arrows at us, and then gallop to a place of safety, out of the range of our revolvers, - returning in a moment, and bending low in their saddles, to send another volley at us.
These tactics were kept up some time, probably as much for the purpose of ascertaining our strength, as to draw our fire; but under Don Rafael's directions, our fire was a most judicious one, and so well calculated to deceive them, that they fairly concluded our numerical force to be much larger than it really was, therefore beat a retreat, leaving us masters of the situation. I took particular notice that after we had ascertained this to be the case beyond all question, neither of us manifested any desire to follow them.
Indeed, I am confident that if the doctor or Don Rafael had made a suggestion to that effect, I should not have assented to it; but later in the day I had the satisfaction of knowing that there was not the least danger of such a proposition emanating from either of them, for they assured me that had I made it, they would have considered it both unwise and improper.
Once satisfied that our midnight visitors had departed, we began an inquiry into the result of the attack. Briefly, this was the situation:
A FIGHT WITH THE NAVAJOES.
375
RESULT OF THE FIGHT.
The doctor and Don Rafael had come off without a scratch. I had a slight, though troublesome wound in my arm; Jimmy was missing; our wagon-cover had received a dozen or more arrows; but we knew our stock to be all safe in a corral in the pueblo.
No one from the pueblo had come to our assistance, although we were confident that they must have heard and known of the attack. Not a Zuni had we seen; nor could we understand the reason of it, because we knew that the Zunis and the Navajoes had many unsettled feuds, which were rarely permitted to go unnoticed, if an oppor- tunity occurred for redress.
As the doctor was dressing my arm, I remarked to him that it would be a great relief to me to know that Jimmy had been captured by the rascals, for I was thoroughly incensed at his absence at such a time; and having made up my mind to no longer endure his persistent disobe- dience of orders, I would as lief have the matter settled in that way as any other.
The doctor's reply, that neither Navajoes, Apaches, nor devils would ever capture him, as his never-failing good luck would bring him safely through, proved true; for just at that moment Don Rafael exclaimed, "See Jimmy comin,' quick!" at the same time pointing to the plain.
We looked, and saw coming through the bright moonlight, the coatless, hatless, terrified, flying figure of a man; now
376
A SCARED MAN.
running as though borne on the wings of fear, then disap- pearing for a second, as he fell headlong to the ground, again seemingly on "all fours," to again straighten up with a bound that would have done credit to a "jack-ass rab- bit," each moment, however, managing, in spite of his fre- quent falls, to get nearer the camp, when, with a tremendous burst of speed, splashing the water of the creek high in the air, as he emphatically "went through it," he tumbled headlong into camp over the wagon-tongue, his hair stand- ing on end, and with the whitest face I ever saw on mortal man, yelling out, in tones that were fairly screeches, "Howly murther, have they got me?" and dropped to the ground quite insensible.
Our efforts restored him to consciousness after a few moments, when, opening his eyes, and recognizing the doc- tor, he exclaimed, "Did the divil git you too? Save her, docther!" and again relapsed into insensibility.
It was not until after daylight that we were able to obtain any information relative to Jimmy's mysterious absence from our camp, and his singular return thereto.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.