24
Arizona Br took the
carriage around the bottom and Br and
myself took the riding horse Button throough theHe was quite
sick with the Distemper we took the Indian trail and
went onto the Mountain to the village of containing
400 Indian stands on the top of a Mountain, the village is
in a compacted form it is 470 yards around the village
we led our horse up the steep trail and stone stepts 500
feet they have to carry all their wood water corn and all
supplies up this stone cliff, they and their forefathers
have lived in this way for Generations for safety in times
of war. The country is vary rough & broaken all around it
.
in the valley below but vary sandy. We called the people together
and I spoke to them a short time and Brother interpeted
they were quite Ignorant and difficult to get them to
understand we then left the descended to the vally
and went to another village 500 feet high on the rocks
called A small village of about 200 souls
we saw one white child a girl much whiter than our
children it was covered with fine white hair it was
one of the Albinos Both Parents were white dark like
the rest of the Indians we called the People together in this
village I spoke a short time to them. We then went 600
Yards to another village called this
village contains some 800 People, and stands on the
top of the rocks we called them to gether and I spoke
to them and they did not seem capable of comprehending
what was said, they said they could not understand
much. There was one boy here with 3/4 of his hair as black
as a coal and 1/4 vary white mixed all through his black
hair, they brought in Melons and blue indiam
Meal Bread as thin as wafer the Mellons were more like
squashes than Mellons, they Eat them green. One vary
remarkable feature of that people was the great amount of children
they far out numbered the grown children people we left
this people and descended 500 feet to the valley below
it was the steepest place I Ever lead a horse down. I sent a
Note to by the chief of the place An aged man I infor
med Br Smith that we should cross the valley to the 3 last villages
around on the East side Brother Hatch and myself crossed
the valley 7 miles to the three last villages standing on a barren
rock some 1500 feet from the valley beneath these rocks stand
almost perpendicular. These can ownly be approached
in two places one on the East side & one on the west by a vary
steep Narrow winding trail and stone stepts the country
bordering upon the foot of this mountain is composed of ridges
& gorges with Peach orchards standing on the sides of the
steep hills and in the vallies But invariably Planted in the sand
the name of thes thee [three] villages are Hano or on the North
300 people 200 yard South stands 100 people
On the South End of the rock stands , 800 people.
[FIGURE] sheep 1000 feet On the East side of this rock there is
a projection 200 yards long 12 feet wide
with a trail to it and at night the
drive their sheep & goats into it for safety
from an Enemy there is a frail stone wall
built on the out Edge to keep the sheep & goats from falling off it
is ownly 2 feet high, the projection is 200 feet from the top of the rocks
and from the pan to the grond 1000 feet, so if a goat or sh^e^ep got
crouded off they do not strike ground for 1000 feet which spoils
them Either for wool or Mutton. These villiages stand upon
a desolate Barren coars sand stone rock abot a mile in length
from 100 yards to 12 feet wide, about 1500 feet perpendicular there
is not a spoonful of Earth or drop of water upon it ownly
what is brought up on the Backs of Man & woman A trail is
made several inches Deep in the solid rock with bear
feet and Moccasin in going from one village to another for
many generations when we came to the foot of this trail
it was near sunset. We watered our horse by leading him
down a 30 foot wall vary steep we then had to asscend
this steep trail to get to the top of the rock in order to get our
Horse up with us Br took the Bridle to lead & I Behind to
drive in several places we had to go 20 or 30 stone steps at
a time like going up a pair of stairs it was with great diff-
iculty that our hors or oursels got up all being weary
with our days work we saw many women carrying
water in Judgs [jugs] rolled in Blankets straped across their
heads we arived at the top of the rock at Dark all tiered
out we called at the first village I found here
the chief of the village The father of
that I became acquainted with at
Brother was camped by a spring in a peach
orchard on the East side of the rock And as I was to
weary to go down to him having climbed 3000 feet &
travelled 10 miles during the day and visited several villiages
I proposed to Br Hatch to take the Horse & descend the East side
of the Mountain to Lot Smith camp and leave me with the
for the night. The chief brought me a green Mell[on]
half squash to eat. I eat vary little of it He then walked
with me to the I there found a man by the name
He was called Si for short he could talk
fair English but Better spanish I was vary glad to meet
with him, as I could convers with him without
an interpeter, and I concluded to stay with him for the
night And quite a number gathered into his house
to see me and hear me talk vary soon Si's had
her supper cooked and I was asked to Eat with them
which I attempted to do but it was hard work. I could
not tell what I was Eating for they were on the filthy order
of cooking & Eating. I Eat some however but the food
was vary unpalitable. Soon Brother returned
and Brought me a custard pie and Baked chicken which
I relished much. He also brought me blankets to sleep
on and staid & slept with me over night After I got
supper I talked to the people of the who had gathered and
Br Hatch interpeted. There was to be a dance of the young
People of the and , Br Hatch & myself went
to see it, but it did not Begin untill 9 oclok we saw them
perform one dance some 20 young men and half a
dozen young women with their hair horns on each side
of their [head]. They danced with great animation keeping
stept with the music & sining [singing]. The girls seemed vary
shy and modest we returned to our room and bed
which closed the labors of this vary interesting day, having
visited six Indian villages & spoken in most of
them, travelled 10 miles besides climing up 3000 feet of
Mountain stepts I felt weary but well satisfied with the days labor 10 M[iles]
