In the Moqui Country [pp. 243-256]

In thle Moqui Country.
one: a nice rabbit stew,piki (bread made
of corn-meal), with green corn, green
beans, muskmelons, watermelons, and
peaches. Piki is made by mixing the
meal into a thin mush, and spreading it
over the surface of a smooth stone that
has been previously heated. The sheet,
after being baked, is not more than onefourth the thickness of an ordinary window glass. It is then, while hot, doubled
over and over, until three or four inches
wide, then rolled up the other way into
a little loaf that is really delicious.
The Moqui method of preparing green
corn might well be adopted by the most
aristocratic chef de citisinle of San Francisco. The corn, cut from the cob, is
rubbed between two stones until reduced
to a pulp, seasoned with salt and chopped
red peppers, wrapped in small quantities
in the inner and lighter husks, and then,
in one of their clay ovens, nicely baked.
Seated upon sheepskins, our food on
a rug upon the floor, we made a very
hearty dinner in the hospitable house of
Anniwita, a much more hearty dinner
than we should have eaten had we known
what was in store for us, for many times
that afternoon were we called upon to
repeat it.
After rising from our repast, the Doctor said: "Come with me; we will return the calls now, for it is expected."
We visited every house in the village,
and I think shook hands with every one
of the inhabitants. In each place, after
the host had assured us that he was
glad that we had come, sheepskin rugs
were spread for us, and melons and
peaches offered, and we ate, of course,
some part of each, until had the village
been any larger the Doctor would certainly have had two patients.
As we were returning, about dark,
from our last call, we found most of the
inhabitants of the village congregated
in an open square, while from a housetop a chief was delivering a harangue.
"The chief of the hunt proclaims a
rabbit hunt for tomorrow," explained the
Doctor, "and all the able-bodied men,
and boys above a certain age, must
go.
In these hunts the Moquis usually
drive some part of the plain to the south
and east of the villages, where the little
"cotton-tails" are very plentiful, and
where they also find a good many of the
large jack rabbits.
Leaving all their fire-arms at home,
powder and lead are too scarce and valuable to be used on rabbits, -they go
forth armed, some with bows and blunt
arrows, but most of them only with
pieces of wood shaped quite like a Turkish cimeter, the blade about twenty
inches long, two inches wide, and onequarter of an inch thick.
From fifty to one hundred Indians
surround a large tract, and gradually
converge, driving the game before them.
When near the center the rabbits attempt to escape through the lines, they
are knocked over by arrows, or the
crooked sticks thrown by the hunters
with wonderful skill. The hunts sometimes yield a marvelous number of cot..
ton-tails, if the hunters can be believed.
Shortly after reaching the Doctor's
quarters a young Indian came in, and
invited us to attend a tiininina, or social
dance, given by the young braves of
Walpi.
We made our way through the intricate windings of the narrow streets to
nearly the opposite side of the village,
where we found about forty men assembled in a long, low, and narrow hall. As
only one very poor dip was burning, and
as the only opening through wall or roof
was a very low and narrow dloor near
one end, it is safe to say that the lighting and ventilating of their ball-room
was not first class.
The dancers had removed all superfluous clothing, and it was extremely
ludicrous to see an Indian come in, and
after quietly greeting those present,
with great dignity take off his shirt and
hang it up, just as a white man under
1889.]
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