The marvellous country, or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico.: Containing an authentic history of this wonderful country and its ancient civilization ... together with a full and complete history of the Apache tribe of Indians .../ By Samuel Woodworth Cozzens. Illustrated by more than one hundred engravings.

342 RELIGIOUS BELIEF OF THE ZUNIS.
learned that they were entirely of a religious character, and
that one of them was supposed to be instrumental in averting
dire calamity, like that which befell the people in 1852,
when nearly half the entire population perished from the
ravages of the small-pox.
The people of Zuni cling most devotedly to the old
customs and traditions, as well as to the religious rites of
TENAJA TAKEN FROM THE RUINS OF OLD ZUNI.
their ancestors, notwithstanding the fact that they permit a
Catholic church to exist among them.
Indeed, they attributed by far the greater portion of all
their temporal prosperity, and the immunity of their country
from severe droughts, to these observances; consequently,
there are but few apostates among the Zunis.
They firmly believe in one Great Spirit, and that Montezuma is his son, who, at some future time, will come and
lead them, as he has most faithfully promised.