LO UIS AKIN — A M ERIC A N AR TIS T 117 



his song he soothes the nerves of game animals with appeals to their vanity and com- 

 forts them with the assurances of the very great good and happiness they will be 

 conferring on the Hopi by their death. 



This kachina has not appeared in public for many years, and I had some difficulty 

 in getting details. He finally consented to pose for me however, but without the 

 headpiece, giving me permission to make drawings of that. It would be very sacrile- 

 gious to wear any kachina mark outside the proper ceremonial occasions. 



Not long after this I received the following: 



Zuni, New Mexico, December 11, 1912 

 Dear Warner: 



I have just settled on a fairly definite time for my return to New York — said 

 time being almost the last of January. The Museum is to hold a special Southwest 

 exhibition in February and they want to show my sketches then. I expect to stay 

 about three months — want to get back here in May if possible. 



I came in here from Hopiland ten days ago and will leave in a few days — proba- 

 bly to go to Phcenix and Grand Canon for short stays, then eastward, stopping at 

 two or three places for some photos on the way — places I haven't time to work in 

 now, but must have some knowledge and data of to finish up my sketches after I 

 get to New York. Goodnight! 



Lou 



This was indeed his goodnight letter — the last letter received from him 

 by any of his oldtime friends as far as I know; and for me the goodnight 

 to a friendship which had endured almost from infancy. 



As to the important work upon which he had recently been engaged, 

 it must be a cause of gratification to all to know that his oil studies for this 

 work were nearly completed. A friend who lived with him in Arizona during 

 the last year of his life, has written concerning these sketches as follows: 



" His work, all sketches in oil, is in my judgment complete. He brought 

 with him on his return some twenty small paintings, the Indians in their 

 dancing garb, Indian spinners and weavers, scenes in the pueblos, and one 

 or two of the desert. These were intended for his larger work, and with a 

 few exceptions are fully done, in colors." 



Mr. Akin was one of the American pioneers in organizing mountain 

 lovers for cooperative effort, and in fact gave to the greatest organization 

 of this nature in the Northwest about 1886 its name, The Mazamas. He 

 had, before the time of that organization, built for himself a small hut 

 away back in the heart of the cascades not far from the sloping glaciers 

 of Mount St. Helena, and had studied the last of the Rocky Mountain 

 white goats there. Most of his time however was spent in the Southwest. 

 After he had lived with the Hopi a year or so, he was initiated into one of 

 the secret societies of the young Hopi men, danced with them in their 

 underground lodge room, the kiva, and ran with them on their visits to 

 their neighboring villages. "Mapli," they called him. Finally received as 

 a member into the Hopi tribe, it is appropriate that his ashes should now 

 rest upon the brink of the Grand Canon, the spirit home of the Hopi. 



