Jackson Gregory

“ A young man was overlord of the Seven Cities, having been elected to hold office for life. He had turned his eyes upon Yahoya, but since he had already two wives, the priests, very powerful throughout the district, had forbidden him wedding her.
In order that white men might not come into a country which nature had so cunningly hidden from them, there were stationed out through the desert, upon any of the water-trails, sentinels who signaled by fire or smoke when a man came into sight. ”

“ So if a white man had turned toward the Seven Cities, he might not come within fifty miles of the nearest of them when he was met by runners sent out to intercept him. A friendly greeting, a sharp knife from the back, and one more name stricken from the list of adventurers. Or, if men were needed in the mines, a living death. ”

“ There Tiyo came up with him, and, shooting quickly through the open window a little blue-winged arrow with poison tip, killed him. Then Tiyo came back, and even Kish-taka, who had befriended Chiwakala, said that he had been nukpana, and that Tiyo had done well for the people of the Seven Cities."
From Santa Fé, Northrup estimated roughly that he had traversed some four hundred miles in coming here. A round trip of eight hundred miles! And yet Yahoya spoke of the matter lightly, as if Tiyo had run but a little way. ”

“ She nodded.
"The other was Chiwakala, son of the old man that Strang would make head priest in the place of Inaa. Chiwakala was a friend of Kish-taka, the Hawk Man, who is overlord of the Seven Cities, and not without power himself. Between him and Tiyo there has always been rivalry and hatred. Kish-taka sought to make him head captain of the youths of the Hidden Spring. But even Kish-taka's power was less in this matter than Inaa's, and so Tiyo was elected.
"Chiwakala was bad in his heart, nukpana. People said he was a Powaka, who casts evil and sickness into men. ”

“ Generally these were the older folk, men and women, useless to the state for other purposes, who believed that thus they would be pleasing their gods, and who considered it a high honor to be chosen for so responsible a task. ”