128 EXPLORATION OF THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO. 
bers of rabbits into the snare, where they are shot with arrows. Most of their 
bows are made of cedar, but the best are made of the horns of mountain sheep. 
These are taken, soaked in water, until quite soft, cut into long thin strips, 
and glued together, and are then quite elastic. During the autumn, grass 
hoppers are very abundant. When cold weather sets in, these insects are 
numbed, and can be gathered by the bushel. At such a time, they dig a 
hole in the sand, heat stones in a fire near by, put some in the bottom of 
the hole, put on a layer of grasshoppers, then a layer of hot stones, and 
continue this, until they put bushels on to roast. There they are left until 
cool, when they are taken out, thoroughly dried, and ground into meal. 
Grasshopper gruel, or grasshopper cake, is a great treat. 
Their lore consists in a mass of traditions,. or mythology. It is very 
difficult to induce them to tell it to white men; but the old Spanish priests, 
in the days of the conquest of New Mexico, have spread among the Indians 
of this country many Bible stories, which the Indians are usually willing to 
tell. It is not always easy to recognize them, the Indian mind being a 
strange receptacle for such stories, and they are apt to sprout new limbs. 
May be much of their added quaintness is due to the way in which they 
were told by the " fathers." But in a confidential way, while you are alone, 
or when you are admitted to their camp fire on a winter night, you will hear 
the storied of their mythology. I believe that the greatest mark of friend 
ship, or confidence, that an Indian can give, is to tell you his religion. 
After one has so talked with me, I should ever trust him; and I feel on very 
good terms with these Indians, since our experience of the other night. 
A knowledge of the watering places, and of the trails and passes, is 
considered of great importance, and is necessary, to give standing to a chief. 
This evening, the Shi'-vwits, for whom we have sent, come in, and, after 
supper, we hold a long council. A blazing fire is built, and around this we 
sit the Indians living here, the Ski'-vwits, Jacob Hamblin, and myself. 
This man, Hamblin, speaks their language well, and has a great influence 
over all the Indians in the region round about. He is a silent, reserved man, 
and when he speaks, it is in a slow, quiet way, that inspires great awe. His 
talk is so low that they must listen attentively to hear, and they sit around 
him in deathlike silence. When he finishes a measured sentence, the chief 
