If they have nothing to eat, they cannot watch, pray, and fast in honour of Those Above! So the Shiuana and the Kopishtai become dissatisfied with us, and withdraw their protection from their children; and we become lost through suffering those to starve who are most useful." But he omitted altogether the important fact that there was still waste land in the gorge, and that it was far preferable to redeem such tracts than to create dissension.
Still it must be acknowledged that the clearing of timbered expanses, such as those on the eastern end of the valley mostly were, opposed great difficulties to the Indian.

At the time when the Rito was settled, the native had only stone implements.

To cut down trees, to clear brush even, was a tedious and protracted undertaking when it had to be performed with stone axes and hatchets.

Fire was the most effective agent, but fire in such proximity to the dwellings was a dangerous servant.

On the western end there was no tillable land beyond the patches of the Water clan.