Our Explorations--Arrival at Phoenix--We push Forward on our
Journey--Camp Among Thieves--A Meeting held with Indians--Its Good
Results.
We visited a few days with the Moquis, who received us very kindly.
After taking into consideration our instructions to visit Salt River
valley, we tried to hire an Indian to pilot us across the country to
the Little Colorado river, wishing to strike it at the nearest point.
We were told that there was no water on the route. No one seemed to
want the job to guide us. Finally an Indian was found who said he
would go for a certain number of silver dollars. We agreed to give him
his price. We packed up, filled our water kegs and started out in the
afternoon. The guide was to come on in the morning and overtake us.
We traveled a few miles and camped. Next morning the guide came up,
but demanded more pay. Finally we consented. We had traveled but a
short distance when he demanded another advance. This we did not feel
inclined to make, so Brother Tenney told him we could get along without
him. He then turned back. There was no trail. We took a southerly
direction trusting to our own judgment to get through.
After traveling a few hours we approached near some hills where the
country looked like there might be water. We turned off from our
direction, went up into the hills and found a spring of good, fresh
water. We re-filled our kegs and watered our stock. It was somewhat
difficult as the banks were steep and the water was a foot or more
below the surface.
All our stock drank except a little Mexican burro that would not
approach the spring. We all got around him and pushed him up to the
brink several times but he would slip away from us. We knew he was
thirsty, but, donkey-like, he would not drink. At length we grabbed
hold of him, lifted him clear from the ground and put him in the middle
of the spring, where he stood quite still but would not drink; so he
beat us after all. We named the spring Tussle Jack. I doubt if anyone
has been there since.
On leaving this place we were forced by the formation of the country
to bear in a westerly direction. Soon we struck dim trails. Following
along we came to some water holes in a ravine but passed on. The trails
soon giving out we again turned south. At night we made a dry camp;
traveled next morning about two miles; still no trail. We found some
water, but it was barely sufficient to water our animals. We continued
traveling all day without a trail. Towards night we came to a large,
dry wash with cotton woods growing along it. Having heard that the
Little Colorado was subject to drying up, we thought this was perhaps
the dry bed of the river. If so, we were in a bad fix for there was no
knowing when we would reach water. Brother Ivins having a good horse
rode out on a high hill to look for signs of the river ahead. The
sun was just setting. He helloed back that he could see the river a
few miles further on. This news was received with a shout of joy. We
started on, traveling with the stars for guides. The country became
quite rough and broken, and it was with much difficulty that we finally
descended from the bluffs to the river bottom. We had to travel some
time before getting to water.
We struck the bottom at a bend of the river where the direction of the
stream was the same as our direction of travel. At length we got to
water where grass and wood were plentiful. All felt happy, for here we
knew by information that we would soon strike the main road leading to
Prescott, Arizona. We had a map of this road and country. We had been
traveling for some time through a strange country, but little known,
some of it, even to the natives. We now felt as though we could get
along with less anxiety. We remained a few days looking at the country
further up the river so as to be able to report to President Young,
which we did as soon as we found a chance to mail our letters. We now
took the wagon road leading from the Rio Grande to Prescott, followed a
westerly direction and soon reached the Mogollon mountains. The first
night out from the Little Colorado we camped at a mail station which
had two men in charge. They gave us considerable information about the
country. Next day we reached Pine Station, a place then deserted. Here
we met two men from Phoenix, Salt River valley, a Dr. Wharton and a Mr.
McNulty. They had come out to meet their families, who were moving into
Arizona. The night was cold and stormy. Next day was the same, so we
laid over and had a good visit with these gentlemen. They were two of
the most prominent men in Phoenix. McNulty was county clerk for several
years. They both still live in the country. They were always kind and
friendly to our people and never forgot our first friendly acquaintance
in the lonely camp on the wild mountain road.
We left our letter at the first mail station. We got the direction from
these gentleman as to the shortest and best road to Salt river, and as
there were no natives to visit or country suitable for settling before
reaching Phoenix, we concluded to take the shortest route. We were now
traveling through a country that was considered somewhat dangerous,
more from outlaws than Indians. The Apaches having been driven from
their former haunts were now occupying the reservations at Bowie, San
Carlos and Camp Apache, where they had recently been located by the
management of General Crook. While crossing the Mogollon mountains the
weather was quite cold. As we descended toward the lower valley the
temperature changed very rapidly, instead of overcoats we soon hunted
shade trees.
We were much surprised on entering Salt River valley. We had traveled
through deserts and mountains (with the exception of the Little
Colorado valley, a place which we did not particularly admire) for a
long ways. Now there opened before us a sight truly lovely. A fertile
looking soil and miles of level plain. In the distance the green cotton
wood trees; and what made the country look more real, was the thrifty
little settlement of Phoenix, with its streets already planted with
shade trees, for miles. Strange as it may seem, at the time we started,
in September, 1875, the valley of Salt River was not known even to
Brigham Young.
Our animals were beginning to fail, as they had lived on grass since
leaving Kanab. We bought corn at four cents a pound and commenced
feeding them a little. Although Salt River valley is naturally fertile,
owing to the dryness of the climate, there is no grass except a little
coarse stuff called sacaton.
We camped on the north side of the river. On making inquiry, we learned
that Tempe, or Hayden's Mill, seven miles further up the river, would
be a better place to stop for a few days than Phoenix. C. T. Hayden
being one of the oldest and most enterprising settlers of the country,
had built a grist mill, started ranches, opened a store, blacksmith,
wagon shop, etc.
As we were passing through Phoenix, we met a few Indians, Maricopas
and Pimas. I called one of them to me, and asked him if he understood
Mexican. He said he did. I told him who we were and that our mission
was to talk to the natives, that we wished to get the Pimas and
Maricopas together, over on the Gila, and talk to them. He said, "All
right, how much will you pay me to go and notify them?"
I replied, "We will pay you nothing. We are not traveling for money; we
are here more for the good of your people than for our own. You can go
and tell them or not, just as you please."
He said that he understood who we were, and would go and tell the
Indians about us. On arriving at Hayden's place, we found the owner
an agreeable, intelligent gentlemen, who was much interested in the
settlement and development of the country, as well as friendly toward
the Mormons, he being a pioneer in reality, having been for many years
in the west, and could fully sympathize with the Mormon people in
settling the deserts. He gave us much true and useful information about
the country and natives. Here we traded off some of our pack mules and
surplus provisions. We had already traded for a light spring wagon,
finding that the country before us could be traveled with wagons.
We remained here a few days, camping at the ranch of Mr. Winchester
Miller. His barley was up several inches high, but he allowed us to
turn our animals into his fields, and treated us in a kind, hospitable
manner. The friendly acquaintance made at this time, has always been
kept up. Mr. Miller was an energetic man, and manifested a great desire
to have the Mormons come there and settle. He had already noticed the
place where the Jonesville ditch is now located. He told me about it,
saying it was the best ditchsite on the river. What he said has proved
true. We wrote to President Young describing the country.
After resting a few days we started for the Gila, striking it at
Morgan's station. This was near the lower villages of the Pimas. The
Indians had heard of us and wanted to hear us talk. We did not say much
at this place, but told the Indians we would stop at Sacaton, the upper
settlement, and have a good long talk with the people; that there we
hoped to meet all the leading men of the tribe. Next day we traveled up
along the north side of the river Gila, passing a number of the Pima
villages, talking a few words and giving out our appointment. Most of
the way there was no road, and sometimes it was rather difficult to get
along with our carriage.
We arrived that night at Twin Buttes or Hayden's trading station.
Here quite a number of Indians came to see us, and we had a pleasant
talk with them. It was here I met for the first time an Indian named
Francisco Chico, who spoke Spanish quite well. This man will appear
again in this history.
Next day early we arrived at Sacaton. There was no feed, except a
little grass among the thorny brush on the river bottom. There was a
trader here, doing quite a business. I went to his store and asked him
if he had any hay or fodder for sale. He looked at me in surprise and
said, "Mister, that is something the country don't produce."
"Then what are travelers to do that wish to stop over here for a few
days?" I asked.
"There are no travelers with any sense that want to stop over here. You
had better pack up and go on. You can get fodder up at Juan Largos'
near Florence, but there is none here."
I answered, "Well we want to stop, and will have to put up with what
there is. I see there is a little grass among the brush. We will have
to feed all the more grain. We can get plenty of that, I suppose."
"You had better not stay." He said, "If you turn your stock out they
will be stolen from you. I have lived here ten years; am friendly with
the Indians, but they are the biggest thieves you ever saw. I tell you
not to trust them. There are some poor people now in camp down there,
two men and a woman. The d--d thieves have stolen their stock and will
not fetch it back unless they pay them five dollars a head, and as they
have not got the money they are in a bad fix. The Indians will serve
you the same way."
We concluded that here was a chance to commence to work and do some
good. We made camp in an opening among the brush. Soon quite a number
of Indians collected around camp. I told some of them to take our
animals and watch them until night, then bring them in for their corn.
We put a bell on one of the animals. I told the Indians not to take
them so far we could not hear the bell. We went back to the trader's
for some grain. I told him what we had done. He said I was like other
"smart Alecks" that had just come among the Indians; but that we would
be in the same fix as the party was who had lost their stock. I told
him we would not lose one of our animals; but that I believed I could
induce the Indians to return those they had stolen from the poor
people. He said, "You must be either crazy, or in colusion with the
Indians."
I told him we were neither. At feeding time all the animals were
brought in. After feeding them they were again turned over to the
Indians. Next morning all were brought in. This being the day appointed
for the meeting, about ten o'clock the Indians commenced gathering. We
found an excellent interpreter in Francisco Capulla. He seemed quite
intelligent and ready to comprehend what we told him. We talked quite
a while with the interpreter before requesting the people to listen to
us. Finally there gathered between three and four hundred.
We were told that all the captains had arrived and were ready to listen
to what we had to say. I told the interpreter to explain to them what
we had been telling him. He talked quite a while in the Pima tongue, in
an earnest, spirited manner. When he got through, a few remarks were
made by some of the old men. The interpreter told us they were much
interested in what they had heard and wished me to talk more, and tell
them about their forefathers. Said they knew nothing about them, but
that they always understood that sometime there would be those coming
among them who knew all about these things.
I now felt it was my time to get the animals which had been stolen
from the poor travelers. These people were sitting in sight, looking
very much disheartened. I pointed to them and told the Indians it made
me feel sorrowful to see those poor people there, and that it weighed
on my heart so that I could not talk; and that I wished some of the
young men would go and hunt their stock up. I never hinted that I
thought they had stolen them away. After this there was some little
side-talk among the Indians. The interpreter asked me to go on and talk
to the people. The Indians got very much interested when I commenced
to explain to them the Book of Mormon. (I will here say that in all
my labors among the Indians I have never known of one failing to be
interested when the Book of Mormon was introduced.) These Pimas were
intelligent and capable of understanding all we said to them. I then
again referred to the disagreeable subject, telling them that I still
felt grieved. One of the chiefs spoke up, asking me to go on, as the
stock had been found and were being brought to the owners. I now felt
free to talk and gave them much instruction.
Brother Tenney being a good interpreter, having had much experience
among the natives of Lower California, explained with much clearness
the gospel of repentance to these people. A good spirit prevailed and
the Indians manifested a desire to be instructed, acknowledged their
degraded condition, and said they wished the Mormons would come to
their country to live and teach them how to do. We all felt well paid
for the hardships we had gone through, for we could see here was a
chance for a good work to be done.
We were in no way annoyed. Our animals were watched and brought in
regularly to feed. When we got ready to start on everything was in good
shape. We bade the Indians good-bye, promising that the Mormons would
visit them again and some of them would probably come and live in their
country.
The trader never knew how to account for our way of doing with the
Pimas. From here we went a day's travel farther up the Gila to Juan
Largos' villages.
Juan, a Papago Indian, presided over quite a settlement of his people.
His son was educated so as to read. We gave him a copy of our book.
These extracts from the Book of Mormon we had been presenting to a
few of the Indians, and some of the Mexicans, on our road. Many years
afterwards, the Indians showed me these books. They prize them highly.
At Juan Largos's the people came together and we taught them the same
as we had the Pimas. Francisco Capulla went to this village with us.
He became much interested in our teachings. His home was in Sonora; he
was here only on a visit. I have often heard of but have never seen him
since. We found that many of the older Indians on the Gila, remembered
the Mormon Battalion that passed through their country in 1846.