The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-16
A DEAD GHOST.


in a four mule amDuluDce or covered
spring wagon. / had Foley along and in
side with me while the interpreter rode
with the driver We.had started early for
IL was June and the terrible dry dessert
heat was on. Thermometer about liz. de
grees Fab. I'm the coolest place TO be
found.
The sand road over which we travelled
wound through the mesquite thickets OF
the Colorado bottom lands passing many
clearings with Indian houses and garden
patches with many dogs and naked child
rer about each house. The houses were
all built in the usual Mojave style; IA
heavy low frame work OF mesquite timbers
with wattled sides and mud roof. About
o o'clock we drew up in "A small clearing
near the river and tho interpreter indi-
Gated a house few yards distant as that
OF the man / was seeking. Tho inter
prefer also told me tnat the spirit doctor
could speak English Having conveyed
this information to me he hung discreetly
in my rear.
Him talk white man $ talk plenty good
to know WAS what Jim mad said when
ade inquiry OF him. Jim added further
"Him heap bad when him no like you.
Him try kill me- and he swept his hand
suggestvely down over the scar on his
face.
My mother she witch, " said Jim (I had
seen her often and she looked it). and
she say he Yo-pah-to know more witch
things than all the Mojave witches" "
The interpreter had also told mo that
the spirit doctor Yo-pah-ta, was very
great magician. though, OF course, not in
those words; said he knew everything
that was going on at the post, although
he slept in his house nearly all the time
and rarely went beyond the narrow limits
OF his own little garden patch.
had, therefore. n good deal OF curiosity
about the personality OF the man.
had no fear of him at all had always
found the Molayes of "A kindly disposi-
tion;. they respected the uniform. and l
had never carried a weapon among them
under any circumstances. Fcley had his
rifle OF course, for lie would not have
known how To go anywhere without IL
unless specifically told To leave it behind.
/ sprang from the mhulance and
knocked upon the back door with my lit
tie switch cane without any delay or hesi-
tation. The response WAS so INN adiate
that the occupant must have anticipated
the summons and stood with lis hama on
the door. lie stepped outside tho door
at once, closing 1t behind him, and
turned toward me. i had expected TO see
a man Of some size aud dignity, and |
was not disappointed.
Tall beyond tho usual he light Of his
people, and they are large. the man he
fore me was majestic figure He was
old: just how old l could not tell. for IL
lS very IhTu tO JlluRb Oh bnc ago ol an IN
dian. His hair was white, n very unus-
ual thing, and very long, but his form
was we'll rounded and erect His face
WAS u handsome ono, the most intellectual
and powerful | had ever seen upon man
OF bis rae. but, somehow. the whole ef-
iect OF mis- countenance was evil. He
was naked save for the usual loin cloth
Of his people, made from the beaten and
plated inner bark Of the willow. In his
hand was "A gnarled and twisted stall Of
black mesquite wood, which must have
been very heavy. lie fixed his eyes upon
mo without word, and stood leaning
lightly upon his stnfi.
''Ih,T.Ho .pah tar
He nodded an assent.
You low English"
He noL~d again without any change Of
oountenance.
then told him that wanted 10 know
from him something concerning the
Moinve legend of the creation. and of
their separation into families and tribes
by the Deity, according To the traits most
prominent in Zach tribo or family.
OF course. this took mo longer to OK
PLAIN than 10 has here for l tried to put
IL in very simple words, and my task
was not made easier by the manner OF
Yu-pah-ta, who gnzed at mo steadily
without change Of expression.
Wien / had finished he drew himself TO
his full height, resting one hand lightly
on his staff, and tcgsn % speak in low,
sep voice, in the Mojayo language.
- far Us i could JgGge from attitude,
tone, gesture and fluenoy, tho speech was
an eloquent ono AS he w riuod up with
his subject, his uratorical efforts, Judging
by pautom,ne and Tho infection ana
management cf his Voice were magnifi
cent. As he continued tO speak he became
carried away by the passion Of his ow n
ciscourso, and bis look and manner be-
came threatening. Working himself up
20 tinal outburst the splendid looking
old savage whirled his staff over his head,
and it really looked rs II he meant to
brain mo where | stood, indeed | think
he so intended, ana was on the alert to
avoid the blow, when l heard behind me
the double click Of q Springfield brought
TO full cock.
"Dhrop that sthick. Wan Two -
from the same direction. and Io pahta
tucued his attention FROM mo to the
black muzzlo of the rifle over my shoulder
anu the cold eye OF the faithful Foley
gllncing along the barrel. He brought
his staff tothe ground and leaned upon
it again; made few more romarks In "a
mutlering undertone; glared upon mo In
n most malignant manner and then, with
n dipniicd wave " the hand, re-entcrcd
his house and closed tie door.
| turned about toward my party. The
stulid driver was trying to flick horsCiiy
from the mock on his oil leader. The
interJ rUter presented frightened
iacc from behind tree Foley stood at
ease with the barrel OF his rifle resting
in the hollow of his left elbow thumb Of
hls right hand upon the head OF the
hammer. eyes on the door.
Thank you, Foley, said |. Well
go home now"
I'm tell ye Lieutenant, that Is n had
man" said FoieY ana added roiloctivoly as
he lroughr the hammer OF his rifle to the
safety notch. II misdoubt but had bet
ter have shot him. -
Never mind that now said "he will
do US no HARM" and we got into the
ambulance and started home.
questioned tho interpreter rs 20 tho
substance OF No-pah-to's TRADE Hc did
not like TO tell me but wormed most of
Ia out Of him by adroit questioning. The
substance Of the speech was that the white
mon represented usually aud prominently
by soldier cniefs" had invaded all the
Aojaves' rights; that nothing was too
sacred for them To tamper with; that so
far he, their high priest, had heen left
unmolested In his possession ~ the higher
secrets OF their religion; thai my request
was the final elimination of outrageous