The bewildering sight naturally astonished him as it
does every beholder. Think of a fissure in the earth over a mile
deep! But the Grand Canon of Arizona is more that a simple
fissure in the earth. It is composed of many canons which form a
seemingly endless labyrinth of winding aisles and majestic
avenues--fit promenades for the Gods.
The land of the Moquinos is full of surprises and, although they
are not all as startling as the Grand Canon, they are
sufficiently striking to make Arizona a wonderland that is second
to none on the continent.
The Moquis live in seven towns or pueblos which are built upon
three rocky mesas that are many miles apart. The mesas are about
seven thousand feet above sea level and from six to eight hundred
feet higher than the surrounding plain. Upon the first or
eastern mesa are located the three towns of Te-wa, Si-chom-ovi
and Wal-pi. Tewa is the newest of the three towns and was built
by the Tehuan allies who came as refugees from the Rio Grande
after the great rebellion of 1680. They were granted permission
to build on the spot by agreeing to defend the Gap, where the
trail leaves the mesa, against all intruders.
Upon the second or middle mesa are the towns of Mi-shong-novi,
Shi-pauli-ovi and Shong-o-pavi; and on the third mesa is
O-rai-bi, which is the largest of the Moqui villages, and equal
to the other six in size and population.
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