586 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Pedro Pino bade us tell the Great Father that he wanted a " per- 

 petual title to the Zuni country, which," he said, " had been Iianded 

 down to us by our forefathers, through all time." Further, he re- 

 marked : " We are peaceable, and do not make war ; if we have a title 

 to our lands from the Great Father, we can show the document, and 

 even the Mexican will respect it." The cacique, who w^as present, 

 nodded assent, but did not join in the conversation. 



The governor very cheerfully and politely accompanied us through 

 the village. As the cachina dancers came in sight, and we halted to 

 witness the ceremony, an elderly man approached and remonstrated 

 Avith the governor for allowing us to look upon this form of worship. 

 In reply to the remonstrance, Pedro Pino informed the intruder that 

 he would allow us, " but," said he, " no Mexican shall ever look upon 

 the performance of this holy and sacred rite. The Americans," he 

 continued, " have ever been our friends, and are good and excellent 

 people. I have been in Washington, and have seen such men as Mon- 

 roe and Calhoun, and have been in the halls of Congress. These men " 

 (pointing to us) " come from Washington, and I know they are good 

 men." To the last remark ice bowed assent. 



On returning with the governor, we were most cordially welcomed 

 to his house, and, entering, were very agreeably and hospitably enter- 

 tained. A pipe " all round," and Pedro Pino entered into conversa- 

 tion. He spoke of a single Mexican at Ojo de Benado, and another at 

 the Colorado Chiquito, who were a sore grievance to his people. He 

 said : " The cacique of my nation is very sorry on this account, and 

 the rain will not fall while these wicked men inhabit our territory. I 

 will deem it a special favor if you will intercede with the Great Father 

 for a title for us to our country : this will satisfy us. You men are good, 

 have seen the sacred dance of the cachina^ and we shall have rain." It 

 may be a fact of importance to the superstitious to know that it did 

 rain that evening, and most heavily, the storm lasting several hours ! 



The traditions of the Zuni are few and simple. They say their 

 people came from the northwest on their march southward ; that all 

 Pueblo Indians belong to a common race, and are all members of the 

 large families called Aztecs, or Montezumas ; that some of their fore- 

 fathers remained behind in the great migration of the nation, while 

 the large body pursued a southerly course, ultimately forming the 

 mighty empire of Mexico, as found by Cortez after its conquest ; that, 

 long before the white man came, their people inhabited the mesa south 

 of their town. They have traditions, also, of a flood ; of the founding 

 of their present pueblo ; ^ of their war with the Spaniards, and their 

 subjugation, by the latter, for a time ; of the arrival of the first Ameri- 

 can in New Mexico, and of the Mexican and Navajo War. But their 

 knowledge of these events is merely outline, they being unable to give 

 any details. 



^ Used for " town " as well as " people." 



