Page:All the Year Round - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/479

Charles Dickens] that they over came from the north, or that they spread further northward than the Rio Grande valley and the accessible branches of the San Juan river. In these two territories—together, equal in size to France—only five small remnants of this once powerful nation remain at the present time. These are:

1. The Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande valley; population, 5866.

2. The Indians of Zuñi, situated about latitude 35 deg., longitude 108 deg. 50 min., with a population at present of 1200 souls.

3. The Indians of the seven Moqui pueblos, situated about 150 miles northwest of Zuñi; population, 2500.

4. The Pimas of the Gila valley occupy eight villages, and number 3500.

5. The Papago Indians of the region south of it, which occupy about nineteen villages, and number about 4000 in all.

The Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande valley were early converted to Christianity by the Spanish missionaries. Each pueblo has its church, built of adobe, and dedicated to its patron saint. The following table was furnished me by Mr. Ward, who made an accurate census of the inhabitants of each village. To this I have added the estimate of Lieut. Whipple, taken from Spanish sources. It may have been a tolerably fair one for the early part of this century, and if so, the decrease in population has been very great.

Most of the above villages are in the main valley. Others, such as the Pueblos de Toas, Laguna, Acoma, San Domingo, and others, occupy isolated positions on some of the tributary streams. The villages in the Rio Grande valley differ but little from those of the Mexicans, except that the houses are larger and loftier. They are usually of only one story, but each house is able to contain several families; the roofs are flat, and at different corners of the village watch-towers rise above the roofs. In the centre of the chief house in the village, a good-sized room, partly formed by excavation into the earth, is usually to be found. This is the estufa, or place of worship, where the sacred fire was always to be kept burning, and where all religious services used to be held before the Indians became Christians; now it is used in most villages only as a council chamber, but Colonel M'Leod, of Santa Fé, assures me that in some places the sacred fire is still kept burning, and that on one occasion he was permitted to visit an estufa where it still exists. Each pueblo has a separate government of its own, consisting, first, of a cacique, or governor, chosen out of the men advanced in years—the sages, in fact. The cacique holds office for life, he presides over the council, and is chosen for his wisdom. His decisions are usually adopted. Secondly, a war captain is selected from amongst the braves, who arranges all campaigns made against an enemy, and through his lieutenant—or master of the horse, as we should call him—has the management of the nahallada, or horse-herd. Third, the fiscal and his assistants regulate church matters, repair the churches, &c. The old and experienced men collectively are the law-makers, and elect all officers except the cacique, who is chosen by universal suffrage. The people of the villages do not all speak the same tongue, and they resort to the Spanish language, which they speak with tolerable facility as a common medium of communication. The Pueblos form four groups, if classed according to dialects.

1. Pueblo de Toas, de Picuries, Sandia, Isleta.

2. San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Nanibé de Pojuaque, Tezuque.

3. Cochité, San Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ava, Silla (Zia), La Laguna, Acoma.

4. Jemes.

The people of Zuñi speak a fifth dialect. Those of the Moqui pueblos speak the same as that of Jemes. The Spanish missionaries