Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-30
THEY COULD DANCE.
walkers Indian Braves Give White
Folks a Lesson.
LATTER DANCED LIKE sQUAws,
80 the Indian sald-preyeniing a Raid
in soulhrrn California
Ancient COint.
LATTER DANCED LIKE sQuAws,

wan, Walker came with his band one
Sunday about meeting time and was in-
yiled with Ammon 10 the stand. He
spoke while in Utah dialect, which
Ammon, his brother, interpreted, but at
the close he made a very strange re-
quest, almost as command. He said
he had heard the Mormons could dance
very well, and he wanted TO see it. And
as he was going away soon he wanted
the congregation to go outside and
dance Tor his men, and to go at once.
As it was thought best to humor him
the meeting soon closed and all went
outside, selected level place on the
sandy ground and danced several
coiilions. 1t was hot summer day, the
ground was very dusty, clouds of dust
arose, which, as it settled on perspiring
faces and hands. was anything but or
namental As Walker and his men did
not seem much impressed, our dancers
redoubled their agility and displayed
their best steps. Suddenly Walker
stopped it; said we were like papooses
and did not know how to dance. and
that those who had told him the Nor.
mons could do SO had lied. He would
show US how TO dance.
As we stepped to one side crestialen
and disgraced, about sixty warriors
formed perfectly accurate circle facing
inwards, aud couple OF old men began
clapping their hands and singing"A yah!
a.yahl ayahl a.yah" in a monotonous
chant in which all the dancers Joined,
singing and stepping with the most per
feet union, AT first they circled slowly
to the left for few minutes; then at
given signal all circled in the other di-
rection, changing thus time after time
for about hall sn hour; and all without
the slightest jar or break in the time.
Having ceased he said 10 us, Don't
dance like little children any more; you
have seen how men dance; learn to
dance like Utahs and then you will not
be ashamed" In truth we were filed
with amazement at the perfection OF
movement and time in their dancing. IL
seemed the movement of machine
rather than that OF sixty separate indi-
viduals, with perfect unity OF motion
which have never seen equalled.
Some years later, Walker. with party
OF his band, lay near Parowan awaiting
the return from southern California OF
a war party he had sent to steal horses.
His men at length arrived, but with only
about three hundred horses. They said
they had taken about twelve hundred
head; had travelled with them three days
and nights without stopping to camp,
and then, thinking they were safe from
pursuit had stopped to rest themselves
aud their horses. Suddenly they found
their Mexican pursuers upon them, and
in the fight and confusion which ensued
tue Mexicans recaptured most oil their
animals, the Utes escaping with difficulty
with the few they retained,
Words would ieebly express Walkers
fury. His whole frame shook and his
eyes fairly shot fire. He called the un.
lucky raiders squaws-not men--not
warrlors--only papoosesl He would
take away their guns-they should have
only bows and arrows and go with the
little boysl To be overtakeI at all was
disgrace, but TO be caught asleep!
They all ought to be shot Didn't
know enough to steal horses and get
away with theml He himself would go
and show them how to steal horses, but
he would take men with him, not boysl
They should remain with the squaws,
Old men and proposes until he got
back!
With great difficulty and alter many
hours OF persuasion. Col. w. II. Dame
finally dissuaded HIM from his purpose,
but Walker felt that the professional
honor OF his tribe had suffered greatly
Thus, although southern Caliiornans
never knew il, the Mormons in Utah
saved them from heavy loss OF stock and
perhaps life.
One Thing more relative 10 this famous
chief Upon his return once from raid
upon tine Colorado river Indians met
him one day in Parowan. and being well
known to him he stopped me in the
street and showed me two pieces OF met
al, asking me il they were money: add
ing that II they were, he knew where
there was plenty more. He had found
them in cave near the Colorado river
examined them very carefully being
yluch astonished at what / saw. One
weighed, as thought, little more than
an ounce; the other about hall as much.
They were unmistakably metallic,
though discolored by time, and resem-
bled bronze, but when took my knife
10 scrape and expo their true color he
would not permit lie, and hastily and
carefully put them away. They were
covered with clearly formed hierogyph-
les, not cut into the surface, but stand
ing up in bold relief, all things indicat-
ing that the metal had been melted and
cast in mould.
| believed then and do now that they
were money OF the ancient Nephites,
carried into the cave where they were
found by some hunted Nephite who fled
there for refuge at the time Of their last
mourniul and tragic retreat northwsrd
before their Lamantish foes, a retreat
which ended only at the hill Cumorah.
Many times since then have wished
that lhad realized more fully the worth
OF those ancient works OF art; for even
il not old coins they were OF great value
as osities-mementoes OF an ancient
race whose remains today puzzle the
antiquaries OF all the Gentle world.
n MApTTNEAIt