Page 245 - TheHopiIndians

MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND 239
may have a suggested answer in the home-coming of
Wupa, for he returned again to his native pueblo after
one of the most varied and remarkable series of ad
ventures that ever filled out a true story. The events
that led up to the home-coming of Wupa form not the
least interesting episodes in his history and occurred
along the old Santa Fe Trail, immortalized by
Josiah Gregg. The railroad builders had labored
across the plains, up the steep slopes of the Rockies,
following the famous trail to old Santa Fe, leaving
behind two bands of steel. Blasting, cutting, filling,
and bridging, they were advancing toward quiet Al
buquerque on the lazy Bio Grande, and the news of
these activities stirred that ancient town from center
to circumference.
The dwellers in the Southwest are brought squarely
up against the ' ' proposition, ' ' as they call it, that one
must work if he would live. The Mexicans, though
reputed lazy, are on the contrary always anxious to
work for wages, and the motley and wicked railroad
camp had a large population of the dark-skinned be
lievers in Montezuma recruited from long distances.
Wupa joined with the Albuquerque contingent.
What his duties were it is not difficult to imagine ; his
skill in "rustling" wood and water in later years
gives a good clue as to his work on the railroad. As
messenger and general utility boy where steady labor
was not required, he no doubt proved useful and
picked up sundry pieces of silver for his senora.