Aug 27, 1879
Handsome as can be found in America except the colors
I could hardly believe I was visiting the Indian race. They
were the hardiest laboring men I Ever was acquainted with
they had one field of corn East of their city runing up & down
the river 10 miles long 1 mile wide & could not find a weed
in 100 acres it was cultivated in the highest order they
had 21 grape vineyards bordering upon their city
containing 1000 vines to each vineyard these 21000 vines
were cultivated & pruned to Perfection and while I was there
they were loaded with much Lucious ripe fruit as well
as fine Apple Pear & Peach orchards all the grape vines
in the fall of the year are pruned and then covered with
Earth in the form of a sugar loaf which is an immens
amount of Labor. This old Patriarch gave us a room
facing the public square and furnished us with and fruit
during our stay He said the Americans had called them
wild men He said if they were they were virtuous He
said among them for generations had been Death
to any man who committed adultery, or seduced
a wife or Daughter among them and it was vary
seldom ever Done But when the Americans came they
bring Christian Civilization with them and whordom
& corruption and now if a man was put to death for
seduction the Christian would call it murder and hang us
for it. Their Annual feast comes off tomorrow in their
village Hence People of all the Surrounding country for many
miles are coming into town to day By Every conveyance in
carriages, waggons with Horses, Oxen, Mules, & asses and on foot
Aug 27, 1879
Handsome as can be found in America except the colors
I could hardly believe I was visiting the Indian race. They
were the hardiest laboring men I Ever was acquainted with
they had one field of corn East of their city runing up & down
the river 10 miles long 1 mile wide & could not find a weed
in 100 acres it was cultivated in the highest order they
had 21 grape vineyards bordering upon their city
containing 1000 vines to each vineyard these 21000 vines
were cultivated & pruned to Perfection and while I was there
they were loaded with much Lucious ripe fruit as well
as fine Apple Pear & Peach orchards all the grape vines
in the fall of the year are pruned and then covered with
Earth in the form of a sugar loaf which is an immens
amount of Labor. This old Patriarch gave us a room
facing the public square and furnished us with and fruit
during our stay He said the Americans had called them
wild men He said if they were they were virtuous He
said among them for generations had been Death
to any man who committed adultery, or seduced
a wife or Daughter among them and it was vary
seldom ever Done But when the Americans came they
bring Christian Civilization with them and whordom
& corruption and now if a man was put to death for
seduction the Christian would call it murder and hang us
for it. Their Annual feast comes off tomorrow in their
village Hence People of all the Surrounding country for many
miles are coming into town to day By Every conveyance in
carriages, waggons with Horses, Oxen, Mules, & asses and on foot
"Journal (January 1, 1873 – February 7, 1880)," August 27, 1879, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed April 20, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/PZGW