its were the best that
they could find. Farther to the east, where the buffalo wandered during
part of the year and where there are some forests, the food was better,
the shelters were more effective, and, in general, the standard of
living was higher, although racially the two groups of people were
alike. In this case, as in others, the people whose condition was lowest
were apparently as competent as those whose material conditions were
much better. Today, although the Ute Indians, like most of their race,
are rather slow, some tribes, such as the Payutes, are described as
not only "peaceful and moral," but also "industrious." They are highly
commended for their good qualities by those who have had the best
opportunities for judging. While not as bright in intellect as some of
the prairie tribes whom we shall soon consider, they appear to possess
more solidity of character. By their willingness and efficiency as
workers they have made themselves necessary to the white farmers
and have thus supplied themselves with good clothing and many of the
comforts of life. They have resisted, too, many of the evils coming from
the advance of civilization, so that one agent speaks of these Indians
as presenting the singular anomaly of improving by contact with the
whites. Apparently their extremely low condition in former times was due
merely to that same handicap of environment which kept back the Indians
of California.

Compare these backward but not wholly ungifted Utes with the Hopi who
belonged to the same stock. The relatively high social organization of
the latter people and the intricacy and significance of their religious
ceremonials are well known. Mentally the Hopi seem to be the equal
of any tribe, but it is doubtful whether they have much more innate
capacity than many of their more backward neighbors. Nevertheless they
made much more progress before the days of the white man, as can easily
be seen in their artistic development. Every one who has crossed the
continent by the Santa Fe route knows how interesting and beautiful
are their pottery, basketry, and weaving. Not only in art but also
in government the Hopi are highly advanced. Their governing body is
a council of hereditary elders together with the chiefs of religious
fraternities. Among these officials there is a speaker chief and a war
chief, but there seems never to have been any supreme chief of all the
Hopi. Each pueblo has an hereditary chief who directs