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Show PUEBLO REBELLION AND INDEPENDENCE tribute in the products of their labor and personal service. 359 The first attempt to unite all the pueblos in a common league against the Spaniards was made by the Taos Indians. Their method of com- — municating intelligence to their brethren was simple but effective. They obtained two deer-skins upon which they made drawings representing the manner of the proposed conspiracy, and its object. These skins were sent to all the pueblos, with an invitation to join in the attempt which would be made. The Moqui pueblos refused to join in the revolt and for this reason it was abandoned for the time being. The second attempt to free themselves from the yoke of the invaders was inaugurated by Popé, a native of great ability and one who exercised a great influence among THE PUEBLO LEADERS, POPE, the Indians. He traveled over the CATITI, TUPATU, AND JACA country in every direction, picturing the wrongs they were suffering, and arousing a spirit of hatred against the friars and the Spaniards. in their later gathering of testimony ignored this element of secular oppression, if, as can hardly be doubted, it existed, and represented the revolt to be founded exclusively, as it was indeed largely, on religious grounds. The New Mexicans seem to have been more strongly attached than most American tribes to their aboriginal faith, and they had secretly continued so far as possible the practice of the old forms of worship. The friars had worked zealously to stamp out every vestige of the native rites; and the authorities had enforced the strictest compliance with Christian regulations, not hesitating to punish the slightest neglect, unbelief, relapse into paganism, so-called witchcraft, or chafing under missionary rule, with flogging, imprisonment, slavery, or even death. During the past thirty years large numbers of natives had been hanged for alleged sorcery, or communion with the devil, though generally accused also of projected rebellion or plotting with the Apaches. The influence of the native old men, or priests — sorcerers, the Spaniards called them — was still potent; the very superiority of the pueblo organization gave the patriotic conspirators an advantage; past failures had taught caution; and so skilfully was the movement managed that the premature outbreak a few days before the time agreed upon was hardly less successful and deadly than would have been the revolt as planned. ’? Upon the return of the Spaniards everything was done that was possible to ascertain the causes which brought about the rebellion. Depositions of natives were taken during the ensuing fifteen years, all of which are recorded. The evidence shows a general agreement as to these causes, whether it comes from Secular or ecclesiastical sources. The friars do not seem to have made any charges against the governor and his officers; everyone attributed the revolt to demoniac influences brought to bear upon a superstitious and idolatrous people. Vetancurt, Six years in Who said it friars were the coming Cronica, 103-4, ibid, Menologio, 119, says the revolt was prophesied advance by a girl who had been miraculously raised from the dead, was to be due to lack of respect for the friars. All suits against the then dropped, but it was too late. A friar abroad also foretold storm. |