The Native Races (Vol. 1-5). Hubert Howe Bancroft

tom. iv., p. 331; Taylor, in Cal. Farmer, Feb. 14th, 1862; Browne's Apache Country, p. 200. 'Their only means of farming are sharpened sticks.' Colyer, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1871, p. 50.

713. 'Their utensils for the purpose of grinding breadstuff, consist of two stones; one flat, with a concavity in the middle; the other round, fitting partly into the hollow of the flat stone.' Henry, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 209; Smart, in Smithsonian Rept., 1867, p. 418; Velasco, Noticias de Sonora, p. 282.

714. 'The cradle of the Navajo Indians resembles the same article made by the Western Indians. It consists of a flat board, to support the vertebral column of the infant, with a layer of blankets and soft wadding, to give ease to the position, having the edges of the frame-work ornamented with leather fringe. Around and over the head of the child, who is strapped to this plane, is an ornamented hoop, to protect the face and cranium from accident. A leather strap is attached to the vertebral shell-work, to enable the mother to sling it on her back.' Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., pp. 435–6, and plate p. 74.

715. 'The saddle is not peculiar but generally resembles that used by the Mexicans. They ride with a very short stirrup, which is placed further to the front than on a Mexican saddle. The bit of the bridle has a ring attached to it, through which the lower jaw is partly thrust, and a powerful pressure is exerted by this means when the reins are tightened.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 292. 'Sa selle est faite de deux rouleaux de paille reliés par une courroie et maintenus par une sangle de cuir.' Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 82; Tempsky's Mitla, p. 80. The Navajos have 'aus zähem Eschenholz gefertigten Sattelbogen.' Möllhausen, Flüchtling, tom. iv., p. 39.

716. 'Das Netz war weitmaschig, aus feinen, aber sehr starken Bastfäden geflochten, vier Fuss hoch, und ungefähr dreissig Fuss lang. Von vier zu vier Fuss befanden sich lange Stäbe an demselben, mittelst welcher es im Wasser, zugleich aber auch auf dem Boden und aufrecht gehalten wurde.' Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. i., p. 227; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 220.

717. 'El apache para sacar lumbre, usa … un pedazo de sosole y otro de lechuguilla bien secos. Al primero le forman una punta, lo que frotan con la segunda con cuanta velocidad pueden á la manera del ejercicio de nuestros molinillos para hacer el chocolate: luego que ambos palos se calientan con la frotacion, se encienden y producen el fuego.' Velasco, Noticias de Sonora, p. 282.

718. The Navajos 'manufacture the celebrated, and, for warmth and durability, unequaled, Navajo blanket. The Navajo blankets are a wonder of patient workmanship, and often sell as high as eighty, a hundred, or a hundred and fifty dollars.' Walker, in Ind. Aff. Rept., 1872, p. 53. 'Navajo blankets have a wide and merited reputation for beauty and excellence.' Cremony's Apaches, p. 305; Ind. Aff. Rept. Spec. Com., 1867, p. 341; Turner, in Nouvelles Annales des Voy., 1852, tom. cxxxv., p. 314; Whipple, Ewbank, and Turner's Rept., pp. 13, 32, in Pac. R. R. Rept., vol. iii.; Davis' El Gringo, p. 411; Hughes' Doniphan's Ex., p. 203; Scenes in the Rocky Mts., p. 180; Figuier's Hum. Race, p. 481; Peters' Life of Carson, p. 125; Prichard's Nat. Hist. Man, vol. ii., p. 567; Farnham's Life in Cal., pp. 373–4.

719. 'This art may have been acquired from the New Mexicans, or the Pueblo Indians.' Eaton, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 217. 'This manufacture of blankets … was originally learned from the Mexicans when the two people lived on amicable terms.' Cremony's Apaches, p. 367.

720. 'The blanket is woven by a tedious and rude process, after the manner of the Pueblo Indians. … The manner of weaving is peculiar, and is, no doubt, original with these people and the neighboring tribes.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291; Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 437.

721. 'The spinning and weaving is done … by hand. The thread is made entirely by hand, and is coarse and uneven.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291. 'The wool or cotton is first prepared by carding. It is then fastened to the spindle near its top, and is held in the left hand. The spindle is held between the thumb and the first finger of the right hand, and stands vertically in the earthen bowl. The operator now gives the spindle a twirl, as a boy turns his top, and while it is revolving, she proceeds to draw out her thread, precisely as is done by our own operatives, in using the common spinning-wheel. As soon as the thread is spun, the spindle is turned in an opposite direction, for the purpose of winding up the thread on the portion of it next to the wooden block.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436.

722. Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436. 'The colors are woven in bands and diamonds. We have never observed blankets with figures of a complicated pattern.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291.

723. 'The colors, which are given in the yarn, are red, black, and blue. The juice of certain plants is employed in dyeing, but it is asserted by recent authorities that the brightest red and blue are obtained by macerating strips of Spanish cochineal, and altamine dyed goods, which have been purchased at the towns.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 436. 'The colors are red, blue, black, and yellow; black and red being the most common. The red strands are obtained by unravelling red cloth, black by using the wool of black sheep, blue by dissolving indigo in fermented urine, and yellow is said to be by coloring with a particular flower.' Letherman, in Smithsonian Rept., 1855, p. 291. The women 'welche sich in der Wahl der Farben und der Zusammenstellung von bunten Streifen und phantastischen Figuren in dem Gewebe gegenseitig zu übertreffen suchen. Ursprünglich trugen die Decken nur die verschiedenen Farben der Schafe in breiten Streifen, doch seit die Navahoes farbige, wollene Stoffe von Neu-Mexiko beziehen können, verschaffen sie sich solche, um sie in Fäden aufzulösen, und diese dann zu ihrer eigenen Weberei zu verwenden.' Möllhausen, Reisen in die Felsengeb., tom. ii., p. 235; Ruxton's Adven. Mex., p. 195.

724. 'Ils (the Apaches) travaillent bien les cuirs, font de belles brides.' Lachapelle, Raousset-Boulbon, p. 82. 'They manufacture rough leather.' Pike's Explor. Trav., p. 335. 'Man macht Leder.' Hassel, Mex. Guat., p. 195. 'It has been represented that these tribes (the Navajos) wear leather shoes. … Inquiry from persons who have visited or been stationed in New Mexico, disaffirms this observation, showing that in all cases the Navajo shoes are skins, dressed and smoked after the Indian method.' Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. v., p. 204; Cremony's Apaches, p. 305; Gregg's Com. Prairies, vol. i., p. 286. They 'knit woolen stockings.' Davis' El Gringo, p. 411. 'They also manufacture … a coarse woolen cloth with which they clothe themselves.' Clark, in Hist. Mag., vol. viii., p. 280; Domenech's Deserts, vol. i., p. 403, vol. ii., pp. 244–5. 'The Navajoes raise no cotton.' Backus, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. iv., p. 212. 'Sie sind noch immer in einigen Baumwollengeweben ausgezeichnet.' Thümmel, Mexiko, p. 349. 'These people (the inhabitants of Arizona in 1540) had cotton, but they were not very carefull to vse the same: because there was none among them that knew the arte of weauing, and to make apparel thereof.' Alarchon, in Hakluyt's Voy., vol. iii., p. 433; Bent, in Schoolcraft's Arch., vol. i., p. 243; Ten