The Placer herald., 1864-03-12
Arizona Territory Correspondence.
HARDY's LANDING, COLORADO RIVER,
FEBRUARY Goth. 1861.
MOJAVE INDIANS.


MoJAvE INDIANS.
MesSrS Editors.-Tbis tribe claims own
ership, and live from some distance above
this point down to the country of the Yumas,
the valley of the Colorado river They are
larged sized, we'll formed men and women,
and rely entirely upon what they can pro-
duce by their rude mode of cultivation for a
supporl-eschewing entirely the chase
Their dress is even more scant than the
historic Georgia summer riga breach clout
with. strip Of Gotten cloth some four inches
wide appended thereto before and behind
reachlug below their knees, serving the gen.
tleman; and covering of strips of bark, from
the waist all around, answering the ladies',
both summer and winter. The women, like
their civilized sisters in matters of clothing
manage to make themselves appear quite
graceful and coquetsh in this dress. Some
of the Trailer ones about the Fort have adopt-
ed skirts, much however to their own dsad
vantage in personal appearance.
The tribe has had great deal of sickness
and many deaths have occurred among them
this season-the natural result of their expo
sures and short ratons. They however Law
the misfortune to the charge of their doctors
who BY the sanction Of their laws and ruling
OF their authorities have mostly been mur-
dered as punishment. They have rule
among them to the effect, that when med-
cine man is guilty of telling ten positive and
uneonivocal lies, he has forfeited his life, and
under this law some six or seven of the pro
fesson have recently, in this vicinity, fallen
victims to the offended dignity of the Conn
monweath Of Mojavedom. One of these
murders occurred within quarter of mile
of the Fort and willis. the unsuspecting vic,
tim was sitting chatting with other Indians
about camp fire. The savage deed was
much applauded bv the tribe, the doctors
own children even conceding the Justice
thereof.
II there are any aspiring NJ. D's. n your
vicinity let them move here at once. | will
remind them, however. that they are not al
lowed to administer medicine, the mode Of
practice being to hoo doc the disease by cer'
tain onjurations and cabaIislic signs, and
that they aresreqnired to give direct answers
on visiting patient, looking mysteriously
wise won't answer. Then the prohibition on
lies, it will he seen that the practice here is
surrounded by nnumerabIe difficulties. The
prospect for them is short life but one of
immense dignity. So come along ambitious
doctors.
The chiefs among the Mojaves carry them.
selves in great state. One of them in full
dress with epauets came into camp the other
day, aud presented me with his commission,
derived by him from Captain in the 5th
regulars, stationed some time ago at Fort
Yuma, certifying that "the bearer As to-kit"
has been appointed by his own people, a
Captain, and must be obeyed as such"
Some one told him that too was Cap.
tain, at which the fellow grinned and re-
quesea some tobacco to which was mean
enough to quote on him a later order of the
department, requiring all captains to buy
their own tobacco.
The gayest fellow among them is Capt.
tan 'Sic'a,hoot" now chief in command here.
lie made his appearance in camp the other
day IN grand array, towi: an old artillery
cap, cross cannons on both sides, blue frock
coat, epaulets, an Odd Fellows scarf over
bis shoulder, and unsheatbed sword in his
hand. From his thighs up he was quite pre-
sentable, but from them down he subsidized
into the tags of his breach clout and bare
legs and feet. Mr.. CAPTAIN says Sirlalhoot
me come, you give me tobacco and flour
other Indian come, you no give him nothing,
damn rascal"
lrataba is their great chief now absent in
the East with Captain Moss. lie is man
of more than ordinary sense and judgment,
and enjoys the add tional dignity of war
chief of four or five surrounding tribes, who
are confederated against the Apaches and
others of their enemies. Altogether the
Mojaves are an improvident, beggery horde,
whose intense hatred OF the whites is only
kept in subjection by sense of their rela
! tive weakness
| My last letter was written on my arrival
at Fort Mojave, in which said but little
about the mines of the country. Since then
| have learned something of them, and will
give you the benefit of such information as
have obtained by actual observation and from
reliable information.
There are no surface diggings yet discover
ed nearer here than "Walker's," about lsO
miles from here. The placer diggggs there
are not worthy the attention of the miner,
there being but two or three claims that pay
for working and those not richly. There is
some gold there but no water to work with
The lodges there are very rich, particularly
in gold. AS to silver, they have not been
prospected sufficiently to decide upon. 1t
is represented as very fine country, abound
ing in timber, grass and game, the drawback
to settlement of the country being the hos-
tile Indians The district lies about eas: of
this.
The Rock Spring District l spoke of in
my last letter, and | have heard nothing
since to affect the favorable impression |
then had of its mineral resources. The
camp OF Rock Springs is abouty fifty miles
from this place.
The lrataba district is on the West side of
the Colorado, opposite and below the fort
The only ledge upon which work Of any con-
sequence has been done is about twenty