the grand canyon of arizona-第25部分

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What　a　marvelous　art　is　that　of　weaving；　and　how　much　the　human　race　of　today　owes　to　the　patient　endeavors　of　the　〃little　brown　woman〃　of　the　past　for　the　perfection　to　which　she　brought　this；one　of　the　most　primitive　of　the　arts。

Blanketry　was　a　necessary　outcome　of　basketry。　The　use　of　flexible　twigs　for　baskets　readily　suggested　the　use　of　pliable　fibres　for　textiles；　and　there　is　little　question　that　almost　simultaneously　with　the　first　rude　baskets　the　first　textile　fabrics　made　their　appearance。

Whence　the　art　had　its　origin　we　do　not　know。　But　it　is　a　matter　of　record　that　in　this　country；　three　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　when　the　Spanish　first　came　into　what　is　now　United　States　territory；　they　found　the　art　of　weaving　in　a　well　advanced　stage　among　the　domestic　and　sedentary　Pueblo　Indians；　and　the　wild　and　nomadic　Navahos。　Scientists　who　have　given　the　question　careful　study；　hold　that　the　cotton　of　these　blankets　was　grown　by　these　Arizona　Indians　from　time　immemorial；　and　they　also　used　the　tough　fibres　of　the　yucca　and　agave　leaves　and　the　hairs　of　various　wild　animals；　either　separately　or　with　the　cotton。　Their　processes　of　weaving　were　exactly　the　same　then　as　they　are　today；　there　being　but　slight　difference　between　the　methods　followed　before　the　advent　of　the　whites　and　afterward。　Hence；　in　a　study　of　the　Indian　blanket；　as　it　is　made　today；　we　are　approximately　nearly　to　the　pure　aboriginal　method　of　pre…Columbian　times。

Archeologists　and　ethnologists　generally　assume　that　the　art　of　weaving　on　the　loom　was　learned　by　the　Navahos　from　their　Pueblo　neighbors。　All　the　facts　in　the　case　seem　to　bear　out　this　supposition。　Yet；　as　is　well　known；　the　Navahos　are　a　part　of　the　great　Athabascan　family；　which　has　scattered；　by　separate　migrations；　from　Alaska　into　California；　Arizona　and　New　Mexico。　Many　of　the　Alaskans　are　good　weavers；　and　according　to　Navaho　traditions；　their　ancestors；　when　they　came　into　the　country；　wore　blankets　that　were　made　of　cedar　bark　and　yucca　fibre。　Even　in　the　Alaska　（Thlinket）　blankets；　made　today　of　the　wool　of　the　white　mountain　goat；　cedar　bark　is　twisted　in　with　the　wool　of　the　warp。　Why；　then；　should　not　the　Navaho　woman　have　brought　the　art　of　weaving；　possibly　in　a　very　primitive　stage；　from　her　original　Alaskan　home？　That　her　art；　however；　has　been　improved　by　her　contact　with　the　Pueblo　and　other　Indians；　there　can　be　no　question；　and；　if　she　had　a　crude　loom；　it　was　speedily　replaced　by　the　one　so　long　used　by　the　Pueblo。　Where　the　Pueblo　weaver　gained　her　loom　we　do　not　know；　whether　from　the　tribes　of　the　South　or　by　her　own　invention。　But　in　all　practical　ways　the　primitive　loom　was　as　complete　and　perfect　at　the　time　of　the　Spanish　conquest　as　it　is　today。

Any　loom；　to　be　complete；　must　possess　certain　qualifications。　As　Dr。　Mason　has　well　said：　〃In　any　style　of　mechanical　weaving；　however　simple　or　complex；　even　in　darning；　the　following　operations　are　performed：　First；　raising　and　lowering　alternately　different　sets　of　warp　filaments　to　form　the　'sheds'；　second；　throwing　the　shuttle；　or　performing　some　operation　that　amounts　to　the　same　thing；　third；　after　inserting　the　weft　thread；　driving　it　home；　and　adjusting　it　by　means　of　the　batten；　be　it　the　needle；　the　finger；　the　shuttle　or　a　separate　device。〃

Indian　looms　are　made　of　four　poles　cut　from　trees　that　line　the　nearest　stream　or　grow　in　the　mountain　forests。　Two　of　these　poles　are　forked　for　uprights；　and　the　cross　beams　are　lashed　to　them　above　and　below。　Sometimes　the　lower　beam　is　dispensed　with　and　wooden　pegs　driven　into　the　earth　instead。　The　warp　is　then　arranged　on　beams　lashed　to　the　top　and　bottom　of　the　frame　by　means　of　a　rawhide　or　horse…hair　riata。　Our　Western　word　lariat　is　merely　a　corruption　of　lariata。　Thus　the　warp　is　made　tight　and　is　ready　for　the　nimble　fingers　of　the　weaver。　Her　shuttles　are　pieces　of　smooth；　round　sticks　upon　the　ends　of　which　she　winds　yarn。　Small　balls　of　yarn　are　frequently　made　to　serve　this　purpose。　By　her　side　is　a　crude　wooden　comb　with　which　she　strikes　a　few　stitches　into　place。　When　she　wishes　to　wedge　the　yarn　for　a　complete　rowfrom　side　to　sideshe　uses　a　flat　broad　stick；　one　edge　of　which　is　sharpened　almost　to　knife…like　keenness。　This　is　called　the　〃batten。〃　With　the　design　in　her　brain　her　busy　and　skilful　fingers　produce　the　pattern　as　she　desires　it；　there　being　no　sketch　from　which　she　may　copy。　In　weaving　a　blanket　of　intricate　pattern　and　many　colors　the　weaver　finds　it　easier　to　open　the　few　warp　threads　needed　with　her　fingers　and　then　thrust　between　them　the　small　balls　of　yarn；　rather　than　bother　with　a　shuttle；　no　matter　how　simple。

Before　blankets　can　be　made　the　wool　must　be　cut　from　the　sheep；　cleaned；　carded；　spun　and　dyed。　It　is　one　of　the　interesting　sights　of　the　southwest　region　to　see　a　flock　of　sheep　and　goats　running　together；　watched　over；　perhaps；　by　a　lad　of　ten　or　a　dozen　years；　or　by　a　woman　who　is　ultimately　to　weave　the　fleeces　they　carry　into　substantial　blankets。　After　the　fleece　has　been　sheared；　the　Navaho　woman　proceeds　to　wash　it。　Then　it　is　combed　with　hand　cards；small　flat　implements　with　wire　teeth；　purchased　from　the　traders。　（These　and　the　shears　are　the　only　modern　implements　used。）　The　dyeing　is　often　done　before　the　spinning　but　generally　after。　The　spindle　used　is　merely　a　slender　stick　thrust　through　a　circular　disc　of　wood。　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　the　Navahos　have　seen　the　spinning　wheels　in　use　by　the　Mexicans　and　Mormons；　they　have　never　cared　either　to　make　or　adopt　them。　Their　conservatism　preserves　the　ancient；　slow　and　laborious　method。　The　Navahos　live　on　a　reservation　which　covers　several　hundred　square　miles；　extending　along　the　northern　borders　of　New　Mexico　and　Arizona　where　few　travelers　go。　They　do　not　live　in　villages　or　settlements　and　their　homes　are　so　scattered　that　one　may　travel　a　whole　day　without　finding　a　woman　at　work　with　her　loom。　Day　after　day；　however；　one　may　see　the　carding；　spinning　and　weaving　processes　in　the　Hopi　House　at　El　Tovar；　where　a　little　colony　of　Navahos　is　maintained。

Holding　the　spindle　in　the　right　hand；　the　point　of　the　short　end　below　the　balancing　disc　resting　on　the　ground　and　the　long　end　on　her　knee；　the　spinner　attaches　the　end　of　her　staple　close　to　the　disc　and　then　gives　the　spindle　a　rapid　twirl。　As　it　revolves　she　holds　the　yarn　out　so　that　it　twists。　As　it　tightens　sufficiently　she　allows　it　to　wrap　on　the　spindle　and　repeats　the　operation　until　the　spindle　is　full。　The　spinning　is　done　loosely　or　tightly；　according　to　the　fineness　of　the　weave　required　in　the　blanket。

The　quality　and　value　of　a　Navaho　blanket　is　governed　largely　by　the　fineness　of　the　weave。　The　yarn　in　some　of　the　cheaper　qualities　now　made　is　often　coarse　and　loosely　spun；　and　the　warp；　or　chain；　which　has　much　to　do　with　the　life　of　a　blanket；　may　be　improperly　spun　and　of　uneven　strength。　A　blanket　of　a　given　size　may　be　made　in　two　weeks；　or　in　four；　or　in　two　months；　according　to　the　quality　of　the　work　and　the　skill　of　the　weaver。　Next　in　importance　to　the　fineness　of　the　weave　is　the　proper　blending　of　colors。　Though　a　woman　may　have　the　highest　skill　in　her　primitive　art；　she　must　take　time　to　study　out　the　color　scheme　for　her　blanket。　These　are　the　principal　factors；　but　there　are　others　which　enter　into　the　making　of　a　blanket；　and　the　finer　the　product　of　the　loom　the　more　difficult　the　work　becomes。

There　are　still　a　limited　number　of　very　fine　blankets　made。　The　number　is　governed　largely　by　the　demand。

In　the　original　or　natural　colors　there　are　white；　brown；　gray　and　black；　the　latter　rather　a　grayish　black；　or　better　salt；　as　Mathews　describes　it；　〃rusty。〃　Many　of　the　best　blankets　now　produced　are　of　these　natural　colors；　with　sometimes　a　touch　of　red。

There　are　certain　Navaho　blankets　much　sought　after　by　the　collector；　especially　those　rare　old　specimens　made　of　purely　native　dye；　the　colors　of　which　have　softened　into　harmonious　tones。　These　have　not　been　made　for　many　years　past　and　most　of　the　specimens　in　perfect　state　of　preservation　that　are　in　existence　were　obtained　from　Mexican　families　where　they　had　been　handed　down　from　generation　to　generation　as　heirlooms。　Often　in　these　old　specimens　the　red　figures　were　made　of　bayeta。　As　Mason　says：　〃The　word　'bayeta'　is　nothing　but　the　simple　Spanish　for　the　English　'baize'　and　is　spelled　'bayeta'　and　not　'ballets'　or　'valets。'〃　Formerly　bayeta　was　a　regular　article　of　commerce。　It　was　generally　sold　by　the　rod　and　not　by　the　pound。　Now；　however；　the　duty　is　so　high　that　its　importation　is　practically　prohibited。

This　bayeta　or　baize　was　unravelled　and　the　Indian　woman　often　retwisted　the　warp　to　make　it　firmer。　She　then　rewove　it　into　her　incomparable　blankets。

From　the　earliest　days　the　Navahos　have　been　expert　dyers；　their　colors　being　black；　brick…red；　russet；　blue；　yellow；　and　a　greenish　yellow　akin　to　an　old　gold　shade。

There　is　abundant　evidence　that　they　formerly　had　a　blue　dye；　but　indigo；　originally　introduced　probably　by　the　Mexicans；　has　superceded　this。　If　in　former　days　they　had　a　native　blue　or　yellow　they　must　of　necessity　have　had　a　green。　They　now　make　green　of　their　native　yellow　and　indigo；　the　latter　being　the　only　imported　dye　stuff　in　use　among　them。

To　make　the　black　dye　three　ingredients　were　used：　yellow　ochre；　pinion　gum　and　the　leaves　and　twigs　of　the　aromatic　sumac　（thus　aromatics）。　The　ochre　is　pulverized　and　roasted　until　it　becomes　a　light　brown；　when　it　is　removed　from　the　fire　and　mixed　with　an　equal　quantity　of　pinion　gum。　This　mixture　is　then　placed　on　the　fire　and　as　the　roasting　continues　it　first　becomes　mushy；　then　darker　as　it　dries　until　nothing　but　a　fine　black　powder　remains。　This　powder　is　called　〃keyh…batch。〃　In　the　meantime　the　sumac　leaves　and　twigs　are　being　boiled。　Five　or　six　hours　are　required　to　fully　extract　the　juices。　When　both　are　cooled　they　are　mixed　and　immediately　a　rich；　bluish…black　fluid　called　〃ele…gee…batch〃　is　formed。

For　yellow　dye　the　tops　of　a　flowering　weed　（Bigelovia　graveolens）　are　boiled　for　hours　until　the　liquid　assumes　a　deep　yellow　color。　As　soon　as　the　extraction　of　color　juices　is　complete　the　dy