The herald., 1893-08-20

| tribe, the lamentation and sacrifice Of
| feriug was very great, and though it hat
been many years since the departure OF
their friend, the burnt offering is yet
continued. Ind yet there are some ol
| the older men and women OF this tribe
who indulge in the belief, as do the
tribes about old Santa Fe, N. NJ, in re.
gard to Montezuma, they believe their
Sa-Cre-Ti (sacred chief, will return
with spiritual tidings from departed
friends.
Chief Tecopa, having sent runners
far and near, the Indians and q few
whites are notified and invited to at
tend the sacrifice or burnt offering. For
the past three weeks the Piutes and
Shoehonees, who were once hostile to
each other, but now united, have been
assem- bling at the chiefs headquarters
near Pahrump's ranch, in Nevada. We
here see Indians assembled from Utah,
northern Nevada, San Bernardino. The
Needles, Muddy and Ell Dorado cations.
Having been honored with an invitation
to attend, the writer was present and
witnessed the strange performance.
When standing upon sand hillock
overlooking the camping ground, as 1t
surrounds the chiefs headquarters, one
is deeply impressed with the mighty ex-
panse of superstition and its wicked and
destructive influence of old, and it's ex-
istence, probably coming as it did with
the first born babe and to take its de-
parture with the final decay Of all NOR
tality.
Comparatively this is but q diminu-
tive affair, yet large enough to freshen
ones memory OF the ancient example.
where many thousands of rams, asses
and bullocks were slaughtered and
burned on a single day. The picture as
presented of the camping about the
chiefs quarters, which is but brush
shanty, reminds one of an old-fashioned
camp meeting. There are brush arbors
and tents promiscuously set around the
chiefs abiding place, upon clean. white
sand, near q large spring OF hne water.
Strange to say, the water makes its ap.
peaiance on the top of an oval mound
20 feet above the surrounding valley.
The mound is densely covered with
wild grape vines. and claimed as the in
diyidual property Of Chief Tecopa,
though il is included in the surveyed
land of the Pahrump ranch.
THE OPENING DAY, THE SEVENTH OF
AUGUST.
The visitors from distance having
assembled, there is friendly greeting
and social mingling of old and young.
The old men and women are seen
nestled together, probably rehearsing
events of the long ago, the younger
men playing games of chance and the
little girls and boys romping and play
ing, while the young single girls are
eleefully promenading from tent to tent
around the grounds. ALI are happy.
In the afternoon at a signal call, all
are congregated and Chief Tecopa makes
long speech. And having Captain
Moss old interpreter, Jim Ozphard,
favorite Indian of the tribe, who speaks
good English, by my side. have no
doubt of the correct Interpretation of the
old mans speech made to me by Jim.
After reviewing the varied important
events that have transpired during his
reign, he took up the name of Captain
j ohm Moss, and calling the attention OF
his people to the fundamental principles
and laws az established by Moss, he said
that by close Observance of the laws
and his, Tecopa's agency, as chief, they
were permitted to live in this country,
and in peace and harmony with the
white man, and getting rs cents day
for work and their cows and horses.
they had clothes to wear and something
to eat.
In an earnest manner, the old man
pleaded with the fathers and mother of
sinall children, to teach them the name
of Moss and his good deeds and that the
same be handed down from generation
to generation. '.
In his attention to the great chief at
Washington, the president, he said, the
high chief, President Cleveland, gave
other tribes horses, blankets, flowers,
ETC.. and that it was all wrong, that 1t
made the Indians indolsnt, and that
they had but little to eat, whereas his
tribe work and earn a good living. In
conclusion he earnestly advised them to
be Industrious, honest and just.
The programme was continued to the
night OF the 9Th, having commenced the
day before, and was devoted exclusively
to dancing, which was commenced at
the setting of the sun and continued to
the rising of the same on the following
morning.
The ninth day including the night
was set apart for resting and sleep.
The tenth was devoted to social inter-
course, feasting and gambling. On the
night of the tenth day grand vocal en-
tertainment was given. Singing was
continued through the entire night. On
the day and night of the eleventh an
other peaceful rest and sleep was en-
joyed.
1t may be explained that prior to the
occasion hundreds of valuable articles,
blankets, trinkets, buckskins and wear
ing apparel had been collected for the
spiritual flames" and placed upon a
stretched rope in front of the chiefs
quarters on exhibit. and that they were
consumed by fire at the time OF the meat
conflagration.
The concluding carnival was the 18th
day of August. which was busy day.
1t is the last day of the important event,
and old and young are busy planning and
preparing for the most important
feature of the occasion and their de-
parture for their distant homes on the
morrow. Gambling is leading feature
OF the day. They play American games
with cards, and bet any and everything
they possess. The night having ap-
preached there is an unusually jubilant
spirit manifested.
The fuel for the great fire is prepared
and the ground selected upon which the
killing is to be done, and tine animals
that are to be slaughtered are tied up
near the camp, unconsciously waiting
their end of life.