The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-09-03
like lLLyGE SIORY
Yuma Indians Tell of Great
Flood Like Deluge.

Los Angeles, Aug PA mission
airy who has returned from Mexico,
where he worked among the Yuma
Indians, says that there is simili-
tude between the story of the deluge
recorded in the Christian Bible and
the legend of flood dramatically
told by the Yumas, and which has
come down to them unaltered
through centuries.
Their deluge, as described by the
few who we're ,miraculuOsly saved,
was the more grandly terrible in that
it came on suddenly. From the high
lands occupied by the Indians they
saw the waves OF the sea sweep 10
upon the land and recede, only to ad-
vance. with immensely increased VOL
ume and stupendously huge breakers.
Then there came terrific storm
that seemei to blow from all direc.
| lions. The storm caused huge water
| spouts whica appeared over the wild
ocean as far as the eye could see.
The terrified people fled to the noun.
tains, but the mountains were all
soon to be submerged, with the ex.
ception OF one. This mountain,
which alone remained uncovered by
the flood, is called AveeheIlah Noun
tain OF the Moon.) Yet today It is
not avery high mountain,
| Enr xhila hafnra tha "A a.,
became submerged there was great
calm and dense foS- covered the
earth. Then suddenly a mighty boat
appearedt TO the awed view of the
Indians; 1t approached and stopped
Mt the several mountains still un,
covered by the waves, and at each
point where IL touched, as II guided
by invisible intelligence, the Indians,
rs IL obeying an unspoken but potent
command. entered the boat.
| The boat rested first at Il place
called Avee-qua-lul tMountain Peak
nov Pilot Knob, ON. the border OF
| Mexico. There was mesa ON the
top Of this mountain, though at this
day IL does not exist, and on this
mesa the Indians first celebrated
their delivery This they did by play.
ing sacred games, chanting sacred
songs, etc. On the rock at the foot
Of this peak there are .bieroglyphics
In an Unknown language, which some
OF the Indians believe were made by
those who survived the food.
Petrilied driftwood is still to be
seen two-thirds OF the distance az
the side OF Aveebeilah, which drift,
the Indians say, was deposited by
the waves OF the great Hood.
! The indians having rested for q
time on the great mountain peak,
again entered the boat and were car.
ried east ward, eventually to small
valley. Here they again rested and
then, leaving the boat, they wan
dered from one place To another, after
a time returning TO the valley. To
their surprise the boat was gone. II
could not be iioated away, for the
land was dry wherein they had left
it, the food having subsidized after a
great calm OF It's waters. The boat
could not have crumbled TO pieces,
for there had not been time for Its
decay. They could only conclude
that the mysterious boat, having ful,
tiled Its mission OF preserving few
Of their race, had disappeared as
miracalously as II had appeared.
The spot where the mysterious boat
or ark had rested was marked by th,
indians placing there huge log.
They called the place Quail Jo-para
boats resting place.. This spot IL
held sacred by the Indians, who vii
seldom point IL out 10 strangers
Not many hundred years ago, IL II
said, some Indian warriors wer,
passing the spot and one Of them, u
show his scepticism, shot an arrow
into the side OF the great 10y; I'm
mediately stream OF blood gushet
from the spot pierced and the scepti'
tell dead.