204 ISLETA, NEW MEXICO [eth. ann. 47 



guez or Gallegos expedition. The settlement on the west bank 

 which the expedition called Taxumulco and described as ha\ang 123 

 houses ot two and three stories was probably Isleta.* Of interest as 

 bearing upon the question of early Spanish-Mexican influence among 

 the southern Tanoans is the fact that the two sm'\-i\'ing friars of the 

 expedition, together with the Mexican Indian servants, stayed on at 

 old Sandia (Puaray°). The friars were soon killed. What became 

 of the Mexican Indians? In 1629 Bena^•ides reports that there are 

 two monasteries, very costly and interesting, one at San Francisco 

 de Sandia"* and one at San Antonio de la Isleta." 



After the great rebellion, in 1681, Otermin took southwest with 

 him from Isleta 519 captives, of whom 115 afterwards escaped, and 

 others settled at Isleta del Sur. Then those left in Isleta abandoned 

 the town and are said to have gone to the Hopi country, not returning 

 until 1718.'^ Reminiscent of this visit may be the name of the 

 suburb Orai'bi, and the legend of the origin of the Eagle people." 

 As usual in Pueblo circles, the historical memory is short and there 

 is no specific tradition about the Hopi visit. 



Isleta exhibits the interpueblo relationships usual in other pueblos — 

 the receiving and paying of friendly visits, particularly at times of 

 fiesta, or the entertainment of delegates on some aft'air of importance, 

 now and again an interman-iage, and always an underlying degree of 

 suspicion of witchcraft practice by alien townsman (or tribesman). 

 In my account of Jemez I have referred to a letter wiitten by a 

 notable of Isleta — the White Corn chief — to his compadre in Jemez 

 inviting him to visit dui'ing the pinitu dance. Recently the White 

 Corn chief and his wealthy brother-in-law have been regular visitors 

 to Zuni dm-ing the Shalako ceremony. Later we shall hear how 

 Zuni sent a delegation to Isleta in the autumn of 1925 asking for 

 aid against some sickness prevailing in the town, and how, the better 

 to preserve certain cultural standards, aid was refused. During the 

 Great War influenza, of which I was told the germs were sent out 

 into the world by the Kaiser, the population of Sandia, already 

 meager, was so reduced that the townspeople feared extinction. 

 Consequently a delegation from Sandia came to Isleta and deeded 

 to Isleta all the Sandia lands. Isleta still holds the deeds. Three 

 Isletan men are married into Sandia '* where there are to-day but 24 

 male heads of families. A generation ago two Isletan brothers 

 visited Taos. One recalls his visit by the race he won there against 



* Hammond and Rey, 350, n. 80, citing Mecham. 



» Ibid., 361, n. 83, citing Mecham; also 356, 359. 



'0 The first church at Sandia was in existence in 1614. (Bandelier, 220, n. 2.) 



n Benavides, 19. 



1' Bandelier, 233-234. 



» See p. 362. 



" Napihun, Sandians; Napipiena, .Sandia Mountain. 



