Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-08


In my memory It secms as II it might be
yesterday but counted by years, It IL pretty
long time since ] went 20 Arizona. There
was no railroads or telegraph lines across the
continent then aud although wasn't moro
than twenty at tho time. believed and 80 did
othors, wiser than 1, that tho child wasn't
born that would live to soc railroad across
tho continent, but this Is a wonderful age
loft my ship to ind gold and driitod down
10 Los Angeles In Southern California. where
heard party was being formed to go 10 Arl-
zona, where IL WAS reported gold fields Of won
deful richness had been ioud1i.
Joined the party but when we reached the
land Of tho Molaycslt Is pronounced Mo
hay-oos-on tho banks Of tho Great Colorado.
] WIS down with a foyer and couldn't SO on.
My friends could not wait for mo to get we'll.
indeed, 10 use thor own expression, they
were sure was going 10 pass in my chips,
that Il die, but they left me some food my
own rino and horse, and wished mo good luck,
The Mojaye Indians were not at war with
tho whites at this time nor have they been at
any time, bat Tor some good reason they kept
away from the white gold seekers, who were
not. AZ a rule. tho best class Of mon.
WINS loft IN little bark hut noar tho
mouth OF Bill Williams Crock, wliurp thoru is
now town, though at that time thoro was
not house within two hundred miles. Ny
gold seeking friends wero hardly out OF sight,
whom two children, a boy and a girl appeared
before the entrance TO my hut.
The boy was about twelve, tho girl two
years younger Their only clothing was
strip Of fringod cottonwood bark hanging
from the waist. Thoy were the color OF new
bronze slender aud beautifully formed. Their
long and worry black hnlr hung in shimmer-
ing waves to their hips, their big black eyes.
suggested the beautiful eyes Of tho deer had
seen In Squire SHOWS park near Bangor,
Maine, and their teeth were so eyonand white
and their lips such rich dark red, that for
the moment could not believe the boy and
girl real, but thought they must have been
coniured up by tho foyor that had been de-
youring my body and upseitlng my brain.
The children were not frightened nor wore
they curious. hold out some coins 10 tempt
them, but never having Boen money. thoy were
happily ignorant Of It's value. know a little
Spanish 80 did the children, and with that
and the universal language Of signe, l soon
made myself Understood.
Thoy came In and sBt on the sandy ground,
and while they shared between them tho do.
licious remnant Of can Of condensed milk.
] learned that the boys name was frata, and
thu, the girl's--slie was his sister was Tube
spoke TO them about schools, butthoy did
not understand me- for neither had eyer seen
a book. 1Hpoke about God, but they had no
idols Of their own, and had never heard Of the
Supreme Being whom the white mon worship.
Tho children brought me fuel and water, /
paying thsin by letting them lislen 10 tho
ticking OF my watch, which puzzled and
amazed them greatly Thoy had no idea Of
It's use, and as they refused 10 touch H. thpy
thought IL was some Kind OF an
animal.
That night tho fever came on me again. md
I have not TN this day any Idea Of the hours |
or days that passed IN ! regained conscious
moss. When my reason returned, Irata and |
Tube, with their pretty swarthy faces full Of |
pity and anxiety, We're bending over me- and |
from tho deep murmur OF voices beyond, l |
know there were others near.
Il sesns that the children Ind nrst come |
upon mo when thoy were out gathering plnon |
nuts. on which az certain seasons the people |
live, and that thcy had communicated their
discovery OF solitary white man 10 their
parents and other nopibers Of the tribe.
The grandfather Of those children. frataba,
was the chief Of the tribe, he had been ON 70 |
Washington with Kit Carson and General
Bcal. aud could talk English fairly well. He
was tail, fine looking Old man. and when !
had told him my story he said; "Yon belong
to rrnsa md Tube, they win care for you