Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-04-26
ARIZONA INDIAN AGENCIES.
courtship and Marriage-Indiau schools
st Yuma and ,Iojayc,


st Yuma and ,Iejaye.
San Francisco chrouiclel
Several weeks ago Col. J. W. lark IT.
signed his commission as indian agent for
the Colorado river district, In which are
located the umas. Ihimehuevas'.
Mojaves. aud Hualapais' reservations
To obtain information 10 relation to the
condition and progress Of the Indians who
were under his supervision. he wa called
upon recently by reporter to whom he
said: The system Of courtship and mar
rage among the Indians who were under
my jurisdiction is peculiarly interesting.
The period Of courtship is very brief;
genenlly about three weeks, unless II is
necessary for the warriors 10 make trip
for proyender. In that case the
time occupied in winning and wooing
bride is much longer. After all the
preliminaries have been arranged. then
comes the strangest rart Of the whole al
fair-thaI Of tying the matrimonial knot
The groom rides up to place where his
intended is concealed. and after dismount'
ing and fastening the horse, Immediately
secretes himself, or, in other words, dives
into an ambush. Now comes the Indian
maiden and if she wishes to complete the
programme aud accept the buck rs her
lawful and welded husband, she viii
mount the horse. ride il TO the watering
place AMI rel" rn 10 the place where the
buck is concealed. This completes the
marriage services In many locations the
bride is compelled TO ride ten or fifteen
miles before finding a watering. place for
the horse. but the longer the bride Is gone
the more the admiration Of the bride.
groom increases. This long journey OF
the bride is often performed amogg the
Younger members OF the HualapaiS
w hat are the educational taClilies|
AT luna and Mo ave they are excel
lent At each Of these places there Is a
splendid school, where Indian youths,
ranging from TO Is years of age-they
are not admitted over lS-attend, and are
making rapid progress At Yuma the
school is located on the site Of old Fort
luma. and is presided over by two teach
ers, matron and farmer. The com.
mon rudimeuts of the English language
are taught and many Of the pupils appear
to he making rapid progress. especially in
writing ami drawing Why, some OF the
scholars write beautiful hands Their
drawings are frstclass, and so pleased
had become with many OF their pictures
that sent several 5, ecimens to Washing
ton, where they are now on exhibition.
The scholars, are well fed and clothed, re.
ceiving three suits each a year
The school ut Mojave contains forty
scholars, about the same number that at
tend at Yuma The school is governed
similarly 10 that at Yuma At this school
the little Indians appear also TO be making
rapid strides In the direction Of obtaining
a practical and business education. AT
the lualpais' and Chimehuevas' reserva-
tiUns there are no schools, but If under
the Democratic administration the agen.
cies are properly conducted schools will
soon be established at those places. The
oder Indians are rapidly learning to cul.
tivate the soil. and in many locations good
crops are raised. lut think that as long
as the Indians are aware that they are not
compelled TO labor for a living, and are
sure of receiving maintenance from the
government, they will not be successful as
farmers An ehort is being made in con.
gress for the appropriation Of Sl00. 900 TO
be expended'in constructing bitches from
the Colorado river, above Yuma. out on
the Moiave valley. These bitches could
be so constructed that the valley could be
thoroughly irrigated and in addition 10
crops Of grain and fruit, trees might le
cultivated