Show ah 10 0 q wo 7 T was in tho the sixteenth century that the spaniards first invaded what la Is now the M states of arizona and now new mexico fabulous tales ot of the the wealth and treasure of III great cities in the unknown north found eager listeners among the adventurous spaniards in the central valley of 0 mexico report followed report each more anoro lurid than the last until the viceroy of now new spain inflamed by the tales of mar ros brilliant conquest of peru or a great expedition and sent it out to discover and conquer the tar far away eldorado and bring back the treasure they so BO fondly hoped to find there the great coronado was chosen commil commander rider ln i calef and on aas ter morning ot of the year 1540 began the most lemarl ue ua journ journey a y of dl discovery a fri in america for months they traveled over the deserts mountains and plains meeting with all the vicissitudes and dangers of an unknown country until at last they reached tho the land of standing rocks the home of the cliff dwelling indiana in the present states of arizona and now new mexico mexica here they found not only wild and warlike indians but a gentler race of aberl aborigines gines much further advanced in culture than any other indians they had met since leaving central mexico they were an agricultural people dwelling in many storied stone or mud houses and their descendants to this day live in many instances on the same sites and in a few cases in the identical buildings that their ancestors occupied when the spaniards first saw them over three and a halt half centuries ago tho the old buildings called pueblos by the spaniards are the oldest continua bously inhabited structures on tb the american continent and their inhabitants are more nearly in their original condition than any other american Indi indians fins today As an example of the canyons one may bo be mentioned known to the indians as isaye the walls of which rise sheer from the sands sanda of its river bed over 1000 feet and where erosion has baa sculptured the most stupendous natural monuments in stratified sandstone in the world alternating with the canyons are mesas flat topped mounta mountains fris many of which are crowned with living indian towns such as the pueblos of the tha hopi indians in arizona and the superbly situated acoma in new mexico while others reveal the broken down walls walla of ancient cities of the stone age people among the living indian tribes that call this wondrous land home are the hopi and navajo the most interesting of all the remaining indian tribes in the united states the hapl people are town builders and live on the top of the cliffs in tho the midst of a great desert sustaining themselves by agriculture and small bands of sheep fight little rock hullt built villages are the homes of this tribe they number 2000 00 souls and they have probably lived in their fortress like cities for 1000 years they have no chiefs in the strict sense of the word but are governed by men who have shown by their lives and characters that they are good leaders they are a splendid and fearless people who represent today but a remnant of the once power ful indian nation a phase of humanity rapidly passing away before the aggressive march of western civilization the HOPI indians are experts in the art of basketry and pottery as well as in the weaving of cotton their religious life Is marked by elaborate ceremonials of at which the best known to is the snake dance they look upon rattlesnakes as aa messengers to the gods and in the snake dance formally charge them with requests and prayers the ceremony begins in an underground der ground chamber known as an and ends when the dancers k 0 naw 0 emerge carrying the serpents in their mouths the navajos cavajos are a progressive tribe of indians of linguistic stock the name of spanish derivation la Is said to signify the people with large fields in features the navajos cavajos resemble the pueblos huebl as rather than the northern tribes with which they are affiliated in language they are hardy proud and independent but shun no form of industry which offers remuneration and show much agricultural skill they thrive without subsidy from the government which provides them school houses the general culture of the navajos cavajos Is similar to that of the pueblos but there are some striking differences particularly as to dwellings instead of the peculiar storied structure of the pueblo the navajo house or hogan began la is a conical construction ot of poles stood on end and covered with earth with a low projecting entrance porch at one side and a smoke hole at the apex the navajos cavajos are highly religious with many divinities and a vast lore of myths legends songs and prayers they have also hundreds of musical compositions and a series of complex ceremonial dances known only to the medicine men socially the cavajos navajos gire are characterized by a well developed clan system with descent in the female line many of their women are possessors in their own right of large agricultural and personal wealth in government they are controlled by the older influential men who meet in informal council for the transaction of tribal business the tribe la Is best known tor for its blankets ponchos conchos pon chos rugs belts garters and saddle girths births which are woven by hand from the wool of their flocks rind which no power loom has been able to imitate they have also acquired from the spaniards the art of working silver and turn out many creditable ornaments the cavajos navajos first appear in history under the present name in 1629 and christian missionaries worked among them in the middle of the eighteenth century they were decidedly warlike at the time fighting constantly with the pueblos on tile the one hand and with the white settlers of at new mexico on the other in 1849 a united states expedition entered their coun I 1 try and forced a treaty of peace this treaty having been frequently broken col kit carson was sent against them in 1803 and took the greater part of 0 IMM WAD r R w S 11 the tribe captive to fort sumner where they were kept until 1867 when they were allowed to return to their original country in 1868 a treaty was made with them whereby in return tor for the cession at 0 their land to the government they were established on their present reservation the na bajos are remarkable in being the only y indian tribe which has increased in numbers in 1869 there were less lesa than according to the united states cell census bus for 1910 there were members comprised in nearly fifty clans |