Jan. 11, 2018
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from Desert Trails
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Below, in this poignant vignette, Chase evokes a
changing epocha, traditions, culture; and life and death.
Chase is suddenly transformed for the moment, and we
are with him. All external obtrusions fade off, the crux
of life emerges distinct, and finds Chase, and ourselves,
as one.
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" A cluster of decaying adobes at the foot of the mountain
marked the deserted village of the San Felipe Indians.
This small rancherio shared the fate of the Agua Caliente
village when the Warner Indians were evicted fifteen years ago.
One or two families, whose instinct for the old home was too
strong to be defeated, still live in the locality. A few miles
farther on I met a little procession of three wagons. On the seat
of the first were two Indian women: one was driving, the other
held upright a small wooden cross. In the bed of the wagon was
a child's coffin, roughly made and unpainted. The other wagons
held Indian men, women, and children, some of whom carried
withered flowers and greenery
It was the funeral of a San Felipe boy on its way to the old burying-
ground. The sad-eyed women, the lonely road, the sun, the dust,
the old universal errand, brought home to me a sense of
gratitude in our common humanity; and as I stood uncovered,
I claimed the Indian child for flesh of my flesh, spirit of my spirit,
in no empty phrase my little brother. "
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For more on desert writing, art, history, geology, culture etc, please see
Ann Japenga's web magazine California Desert Art. Current, and numerous
archived articles/illustrations are rich in desert lore. A fascinating place
to explore.
to explore.
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