Page 223 - TheHopiIndians

MESA POLK OF HOPILAND 215

boy was dispatched to find him in his field where he
was at work.
Shortly the old chief of Shumopavi appeared in
the distance, clad in a breech-clout and with a hoe on
his shoulder. He stopped outside the camp and put
on an abbreviated cotton shirt, making himself some
what more presentable. Squatting on the sand with
hands clasped around the knees, a favorite Indian
posture, the superannuated chief helped himself to
tobacco and prepared for the argument with the
circle of interested listeners. The day was very warm
and a bank of clouds slowly coming up from the San
Francisco Mountains seemed to promise rain which
might convince the old man of the fallacy of his views.
Hence the progress of this rain storm was an object
of uncommon solicitude to the explorers. Dan, a
school boy, who had been taught English, acted as
interpreter.
After a few preliminary remarks in which the old
chief craftily laid the blame of the edict to the chief
of another town whom all the Middle Mesa people
fear, the discussion began as to whether the contact
with the white man had been beneficial or injurious
to the Hopi. Since circumstances, geographical and
governmental, have conspired to keep the Hopi away
from strong drink and other contaminations, the white
man had a better case than usual. On his side the
old chief mumbled that in the good old times the
fields were more fruitful, the country covered with