Mohave County miner., 1889-09-28
THE wALIAPAIs.
Stlli ut Grass Springs and mo
Danger or an Outbreak.

During the past week the citizens Of
Chloride, Mineral Park, Peach Springs,
blackberry and the Sandy have been
considerably excited over the numerous
stories told concerning the anticipated
outbreak Of the Wallapais. Saturday
last a number Of families came in from
Chloride and the Sandy for safety, and
were considerably surprised 10 find that
there was no cause for alarm and no
foundation for the numerous stories
which were told about the Indians and
their threatened destruction OF the whites.
In order 10 fully satisfy everybodys'
fears J. II. johnson and John Kolar
went to the Indians camp a Grass
Springs on Sunday and returned Tuesday
evening TO blackberry TO inform the peo-
pie Of the situation. They reached the
Indian camp at sundown Monday and
the dance was going Oh; but when the
object Of their visit was explained TO
Chief Surrum the dance was stopped and
talk was had. Surrum assured Messrs.
Johnson and Kolar that the WaIlapais
had done nothing TO excite the fears Of
the whites, and they would have held
their dance nearer the railroad il grass
and water could have been as readily
obtained, and stated that he was fully
aware Of the result Of any trouble with
the whites, and he knew that the tribe
would be totally destroyed
There are about five hundred Wallapais
attending the dance. They have built
brush fence about five feet high and en-
closing square Of about $50 feet Of
ground, which is cleared and leveled and
in which they dance. All the Indians
that can get in this space engage in dane.
ing. The dance commences at sundown
and lasts until sunrise, when all the
dancers 20 the spring and bathe. The
dancers are dressed in white. This dance
is new one for the Wallapais and the
ceremony was introduced by the medi-
cine men for the first time this year. The
medicine men claim that II the dance Ia
kept up long enough that those who par
ticipate in it will be able to see and talk
with departed relatives and friends.
There are other reasons given for the
dance, but all show The same snPersti.
ton.
The bands oi Ieve-leve and Wallapai
Charley do not believe in the dance and
will not take part in it.
In few davs the gathering will dis.
perse and the various bands return "a
their old haunts.
Surrum's band has largely decreased
in numbers during the past few years
that OF Coara being the lIrgest, while
Lehigh's is the next in number.
J. l.. Nelson, j. II. Farlce and Roberl
Frazier were delegated by the citizens o
Peach Springs to visit the Indian camp
but they only reached Patterson's Well,
when their horses gave ont, and Messrs
Patterson, Fox and Roe assured then
that the Indians were qniet and they did
not visit the camp.
W. r. Grounds, who visited the In
dams Monday OF last week, and who
lives at Clay Springs, went for the pur
pose OF satisfying himself that only Wal
lapais we're there, and found such TO b,
the case, and so stated TO the writer OF
his arrival at blackberry on "Wednesday
Of last week.
Now that the scare is over and the peo
pie have resumed their usual occupation
and all are satisfied that there was M
cause for alarm only that which spreat
J from stories without foundation, let III
profit by the experience Of the past few
weeks and instead of believing the tale
told or repeating them, in the future in
vestigate them, and the people living il
isolated portions Of the county need no
be uselessly alarmed at exaggerated re
ports.