The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912 Page: 104
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104 Texas Historical Association Quarterly
to pueblo by the swiftest runners, the chiefs of each receiving it
and passing it on to those in the next.1 In this way the message
sped through the whole province as far south as Isleta,2 only the
Piros nation being slighted. The bearers were enjoined to the
strictest secrecy, and were threatened with death if they revealed
to improper persons the significance of the cord."
evidently, for some reason not stated, this date was changed. Accord-
ingly, when Catua and Omtua reached the Tanos pueblos, finding their
chiefs opposed to the revolt, and fearing to divulge the new date, they
probably led them to believe that the 13th was still the date agreed upon,
in this way making excuse for their presence among them. Not know-
ing of their deception, therefore, the chiefs told Otermin that the date
for the revolt was the 13th. For the evidence on this subject see: Auto
of Otermfn, in Auttos tocantes, 1-2; "declaracion (del Indio Juan)," in
Autos Pertenecientes, 22; "Declarasion de Pedro naranjo de nation queres,"
in Ibid., 27.
"Declaracion (del Indio Juan)," in Autos Pertenecientes, 22; "Declara-
sion de Pedro naranjo de nation queres," in Autos Pertenecientes, 27.
2It is possible that the same cord did not pass to all the pueblos, for
it is mentioned in one place as being a leather strap (vna correa de
gamusa), and in another as being made of the fibers of plants (Un
mecate de palmilla).
'As to the full meaning of the knotted cord there is also some con-
fusion. All the testimony on this subject is plain in stating that the
number of knots signified the number of days that were to intervene be-
fore the revolt. (See: Testimony of Catua and Omtua, Auto of Otermin,
Auttos tocantes, 1-2; "declarasion del Indio Juan)," in Autos Pertene-
cientes, 22; "Declarasion de Pedro naranjo de nation queres," in Ibid.,
27.) Pedro Naranjo, however, the last Indian deponent who makes any
reference to the subject, says, further, that the cord ran through all the
pueblos of the kingdom, in order that whatever pueblo might join in it
should untie a knot in sign of obedience, and by the remaining knots
they would know the days that were lacking for the revolt. ( . .. "y
le dijeron que hiciesse Un mecate de palmilla y en el amarrasse Vnos
fiudos que era la Significacion de los dias que hauian de Tardar en
algarsse y que dho mecatte Corrio por Todos pueblos del reyno pa
aquel que Viniesse en ello desattasse Vn fiudos en sefial de obedegimiento
y por los demas fiudos Congieran los dias falttauan y estto fue con pena
de muertte a los que no vinieran en ellos" . . .) The only explana-
tion for such a statement is that the Indian confused the time element
with the way the pueblos were to signify their obedience to the order of
the allies to make the revolt general. This inference is supported, fur-
ther along, by the statement of the same Indian to the effect that all
the pueblos had been instructed to make known their intention of joining
in the treason by smoke signals. ( . . . "y en el seal de auisso
de hauer admittido la traycion Y alebossias lebantassen Vmos de lo dho
en cada Vno de por ssi" . . .) In drawing my conclusion on this sub-
ject I think, therefore, that the preponderance of evidence shows that the
knotted cord was primarily a means of notifying the pueblos of the date
determined upon, and that the sign of their obedience was not to be shown
by untying a knot, as Davis concluded. The evidence, however, does im-
ply that some knots in the cord were untied, for the Indian Juan stated
that Pope tied a number of knots in the cord, while Catua and Omtua
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912, periodical, 1912; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101056/m1/109/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.