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Some Paintings from One of the Estufas in the Indian 

 Village of Jemez, N. M. 



Albert B. Reagan. 



Soon, after 1 becamo V. S. Indian Farmer at Jamez, N. M., the Janiez 

 Indians bad a maslced dance, and as tliis dance occurred on mail day they 

 stopped the mail carrier and would not allow him to proceed on his 

 journey. This they did in accordance with their custom not to allow a 

 white man to enter or to pass through the village while they were thus 

 occupied. The stopping of the mail led to the arrest of the Indian Gover- 

 nor. Jose Romero, who. as a result of the preliminary examination, was 

 bound over to the United States grand .iury which was to meet the next 

 March, six months after the crime was committed. Taking pity on the 

 Indian. I bailed him out. and took him back to the village. From that time 

 on throughout the winter montlis the .Tamez were very friendly to me and 

 allowed me to visit their performances at will, though they did not send 

 me special invitations to do so. At the trial in IMarch the governor was 

 found guilty and lined the full extent of the law for interfering with the 

 carrying of the mail. As soon as the sentence was handed down. I went 

 to the judge, and after a great deal of argument, persuaded him to sus- 

 pend the sentence upon the promise of good behavior. So I returned to 

 the village with the governor a second time. In the evening after our 

 return the "Principals" of the place met, and as the greatest favor they 

 could bestow upon me they invited me in the name of their tribe to visit 

 any and all of their ceremonies, both open and secret, stating further 

 that they would let me know whenever they had any special ceremony. 

 This, with but one exception, they carried out to the letter. Acting upon 

 this invitation I visited each of the pjStufas at will, often being with the 

 Indians in them sometimes as high as six nights in a week. I t-lso 

 examined the "blind closets" and secret rooms in the dwellings. Thus 

 was I enabled to see many things of interest. Amou'r these are the masks 

 worn by the clown dancers in the masked dance, and the paintings on 

 the inside walls of the Estufas and of the secret rooms. Some of these 

 are here given. 



