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Show WILD LIFE IN ARIZONA. 267 cliff, beckoning me to follow. We passed through the first town, the whole population following in a tumultuous mass, and in the second town a hundred yards on found and were admitted to the lower part of Chino's house. He was not at home, but they let us into an extension of his dwelling, containing but one story, where we de-posited our packs. Twenty boys and women were already on the house- top, jostling each other to look through the square opening at us; as many more were crowding into the room, and about four hun-dred were outside struggling for a good place. It is not pleasant to be stared at, even by barbarians, and I was greatly relieved when a tall old fellow, with a merry twinkle in his eye, arrived, addressed me in pretty good Spanish, and intimated that he did the talking for Chino when strangers came. ' His name, which he had on a card written by some white" man, was Misiamtewah; he had visited the Mormon settlements and Santa Fe, and could speak Spanish, Moqui, Tcgna and a little English and Navajo, besides being fluent in the sign language. I cultivated his acquaintance at once. Chino soon arrived, and assured me, per Misiamtewah, that this was my town, my house, my country as long as I wanted to stay, and assigned me quarters in a very comfortable room, one they usually reserve for white visitors. We stored our baggage, sent out our animals to graze with the common herd, opened our provisions and took supper with Chino and his son. I was in pleasant quarters again, and devoted a few days to rest, study of these peculiar people, and jotting down notes on my trip through the two Territories, for all of which see next chapter. |
