The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-13

Ais tribesmen, the Mohavcs of the great
Colorado, ever raised hand in anger
against the whites
II heard this story from the lips Of the
chief actors in it and us Bill Williams and
s Irataba were as truthful as they were
brave you may DO suro that tho facts arc
81 in no way exaggerated.
At the time of which speak Arizonn
was still part of New Mexico, and much
of TINT yast territory was set down on even
Ri our latest maps rs 'upexplorcd'
"a Tho Mohaves had learned the value OF
gold, and there were traditions In the tribe
that tho precious metal could DO found in
abundance along tho Littlo Colorado, par.
ticularly near the point where the smaller
river enters the mighty canyon.
o. Bill Williams was with tho NIohavcs
Y when the tribe was excited and eager to
3 search for gold to tho north of the San
,Francisco mountains. Williams, who had
been adopted into the tribo and could
speak the language even better than he did
his mother tongue, prevailed on tho chief
ito verify the traditions by an actual search
IL The whites like furs and fish and
venison, said Williams, but there is moth
ing that will so win their hearts rs gold
I, To get gold they will give up all else they
possess and even risk their lives
by If we get gold, then the white men
: twill sell us all the rifles and all the whisky
i twe want said Iratabn.
I'll Yes, replied Williams, 'and most of
iShe white mon would sell their souls for
the same metal
Neither Irataba nor any of the Mo-
haves had any clear conception Of what a
Sisoul was-indeed they were inclined to be-
tlieve that souls wcro peculiar to whito
. men, as such thinga had never been heard
sof ELL the coming of the missionaries many
years before and these missionaries did
mot long remain on the arid banks of the
great red river
81 After much discussion Bill Williams
slstarted north with 1rataba and score OF
young braves. There was still gamo in
: 1.-THE hills, SO that the little band did not
burden itself with provisions. They laugh
angly said they would reserve their strength
TO carry back gold, which they would trado
ito the whites Mt La Paz or Yuma for guns
{tand whisky and it may be for some of the
blue glass beads of which their women
Were SO fond.
1.-THE women wept when they cav the
young men leaving with their tall, hand
some chief, for they we'll knew that tho
country into which their friends were GO
q ling was the hunting ground of the fierce
mountain Apaches, at this time command.
led by Coohise,a chief destined to make his
name q terror and to set at defa. .ce all
the available forces of the United States
sThere never had been time when the
iAohayes and Apaches were not at war.
Il They wore each others scnlps even before
the coming Of the whites, and tradition as
sociateS every hill and canyon in that wild
land. with defeat or victory.
We are out for gold and not for
;scaipg' was what Bill Williams urged on
l4he young braves when they came upon
Higns that told them the Apaches had re-
GENTLY been over the same ground.
q lG was the harvest season of the Zunis
stnnd Pueblos to the east, and Mt such times
tho Apaches left the mountains and can
ycns to despoil their more industrious
neighbors. The chief and Bill Williams
drew comfort from this knowledge. One
day they came upon three Apache women
End g number of children. After the Gus
tom OF their kind the Mohaves would have
KILLED these people, but Williams, who was
+ AN orator, sayed the party.
These women said that all the warriors
were away to the east, and they confirmed
Sitfse hopes Of the prospectors by giving
then somo large nuggets of gold, which
+ the children had picked up in u canyon
near the mouth of the Little Colorado.
NJ y Much encouraged, Williams and his
Heionds resumed their journey. All an
sstierssnod the difficulties that lay before
: khern Sterile mesas and treeless noun
lls h ~ q sr the horizon. and the
~ sfz g lia,.y U e a