The weekly Arizona miner., 1873-08-09
That Mormon Failure.


 ty to establish a colony in Arizona. That said party failed in it's mission is beyond dispute that the failure was or is attributable to the nature of the country, is an assertion we cannot permit to go unchallenged But, first, let us review the account of the venture, as we find it in recent copy of the Salt Lake City News,-Brigham Young's own organ.
 The writer, Mir. Henry Holmes, states that the instructions were, "to proceed to the Little Colorado river and make settlement at the most suitable place above the falls"
 The party started from some point in Southern Utah on the first of May, and, on the 9th, arrived at the Big Colorado, near the mouth of -PGria- creek, where the river was cro.sed. The Little Colorado was reached on the 22d, and found to be almost dry. A reconnoitering party was sent out, which went as far tat least) as the Prescott and Albuquerque road, and returned with bad news of the country they had seen. It is scarcely necessary for us to state that their report gave general dissatisfaction to all fol- lowers of the prophet on the Little Colorado, who, straightway, turned their faces Utah ward, leaving behind them many useful arti- cles. They recrossed tho Big Colorado, with some little difficulty, and, no doubt, thanked the God of Mormonism as soon as they struck the "sacred soil"
 A party of Moqu Indians were met by the prospectors the leader of whom told the Mormons that long ago, Moquis had lived on the Little Colorado, but abandoned it, owing to drouth
 The chronicler of the expedition speaks of having seen several ancient ruins, and much petrified wood. Indeed, he observes, i'm mense trees were seen in this condition. Narrow, alkaline valleys were frequently met with on tho river, the water of which is denounced for its scarcity and brackishness.
 The Indians-Moquis and Naysjoes-treat- ed the party well, from which fact the "brothers" think they are ready to receive and embrace the doctrines of the Latter Day Saints. They give us this knowledge-not at all new to us--concerning the Moquis
 "Here are thousands of the Lamanites, l who have inhabited this barren region for many generations, and they have managed to obtain living and depended mostly upon the rain to water their corn, etc. The Mo qui Indians, for example, have been located at their villages for generations, and raise corn, peaches, onions, etc. When they need rain they meet together and dance and sing and supplcate the Lord to send rain. A big time of this kind has just taken place at the Oriba village, which contains about four hun dred souls. There are seven villages of the Moquis Indians, numbering in all about two thousand five hundred. They are industri- ous and intelligent, have much faith in the Lord, and their hearts are being prepared to receive the gospel. Some Navsjos have yis- ited our camp and are very friendly"
 This, then, is the gist of the report of this Mormon failure, so we will proceed with few MINER remarks.
 The party came here in the wrong year, and at the wrong season. For the past five years, all of Arizona has had very short ra- tions of snow and rain,-s drouth, in fact that would have made an irreclaimable des- ert of almost any other Territory, yet, the Mormon chronicler tells us that, although his party travelled with ox-teams, there was no suffering for water.
 Concerning the Little Colorado, its course Is through wide valleys and narrow, deep gorges. In the valleys, where the Mormons found it, it's bed is of quick sand, and little wonder is it that they saw very little water on the surface in the dryest portion of dry year. They failed in that they did not fol- low the stream far enough south, towards its headwaters in the Mogollon and White mountains. Had they done so, they would have found fine stream of water in the river, large and rich valleys, and other inducements for settlement By leaving the river and going south, they would have discovered as fine grazing country as eye of man need wish to see; forests of pine, pihon, cedar, oak, and OtheT timber, beautiful springs and rvulets abundance of fish, bear, deer, ante lope, turkey, etc. But, they turned back too soon, and, perhaps, for the best, as, in our opinion, they were not such people as our citizens would care to have in Arizona
 They saw the San Francisco range of mountains, and believed that they could have found homes. A fact. But, their |" "instruc. tons forbade them from going there, and certain alluson to Apaches, warrants us in surmising that they were afraid of these say. ages, which fear is not shared by the "valor- ous" conductors of their organ--the Salt Lake News,-which more than once, has hinted that the Apaches always were good at heart, and would have remained at peace but Dor the encroachments of bad "gentilesn
 It is hard to say whether or not another attempt will be made to establish Mormon ism in Arizona. We rather think that Brig ham will not give il up so, and thinking this way, it becomes our duty to advise the old monarch of women 10 cone himself and take aPeep at the country.
 It is said that the proposition of the Han