This transcription was created by the Harvard-Diggins Library
from original document held by MHS (#SC 1274)

( ) Original page numbers
Edited for readability

Keams Canon, Arizona
Dec 14, 1897

My own true loving little wife,

I arrived here yesterday afternoon, had a nice ride. The Indian didn’t show up, so a Mexican brought me. Mr. Keam was awfully glad to see me. He and Uncle Ed are great friends. They were in the war together. The place where he lives as a beautiful place right in a canyon. He is a bachelor but his clerk in his store is married and they keep house for him. He is an Englishman and just as nice as he can be. He has running water in the house and his house is just as neat as a pin. I stayed with him last night and you ought to see the beautiful (2) baskets I bought from him awfully cheap. I got some 40 of them and he gave me some beautiful Moqui pottery. I also bought some from him which are so beautiful in design. This morning he hitched up his team and brought me to where the Moqui Indians live, 11 miles from his home.

The country is exactly like the picture of the Mesa in that magazine I had sent you. The Moqui live on top of a table xxxx flat land, called a mesa, which is a solid rock 700 ft. high and the way to get up there is the most picturesque. The path which is narrow, winds around rocks as big as a house, and little donkeys carry wood & provisions up there & the Indians carry water up in beautiful jars, I bought one

POSSIBLE MISSING PAGE

(3) which there are several of and it was the queerest place a sort of social gathering for the older xxxxx. They were all spinning yarn & smoking. Each one of them got up and welcomed me, shook hands, etc.. They had a fire(?) down there. They are getting ready for a dance just before Xmas, which takes place down there. It takes place the day the sun crosses the line and the dance is for the under or xxxxx Gods. I am invited to go. They have an Indian now watching, all the time, to see when the sun crosses the line and he gives the warning.

It is the most interesting place I ever was in, in my life and it is hard to believe one is in America. They are the people who give the Snake Dance once a year.

I have got one of these beautiful Moqui squaws engaged to sit for me. She (4) comes tomorrow.

I am living right at the base of the Mesa a few minutes walk to the top. I’ve rented a stone house of an Indian to sleep and work in. Mr. Keams is to furnish me bed clothing & I get my meals with a German who cooks for himself, but he is away a good deal of the time, so I cook myself.

I am going to get some great subjects here and the most saleable ever have as yet painted. The Indians, the men, are going to paint up for me in Snake Dance costume. These Indians make the queerest little figures (Kachinas), they cut (carve) them out of wood and are all painted up. They use them in dances, etc. I bought 4 of them up there.

We went in their houses and they treated us fine, shook hands, etc. They are the most cordial Indians have as yet seen. What a collection (4) of Indian things I will have for a studio.

I received two letters from you & will answer them at another time. I saw some Moqui kittie up there running around. I must close now & go to bed as it is late. Good night darling. Your own true loving husband.

Lots of love, hugs & kisses,

Elbridge

The mail come & goes from here once a week. A Moqui Indian carries the mail to Keams canyon.
P.S. Enclosed I send you bread the Moqui make. It is black & thin as tissue paper. Saw them making it by spreading the thin dough on top of a black stone that had a fire under it.

Address Keams Canyon, Arizona, Navajo County, care of Mr. Raush.