5 ney] wovoka's revelation 771 



tion. This done, the first speaker signified by a grunt of approval 

 that it had been correctly repeated, and then proceeded with the next 

 statement, which was duly repeated in like manner. The first time 

 1 had heard two old men conversing' together in this fashion on the 

 reservation I had supposed they were reciting some sort of Indian 

 litany, and it required several such experiences and some degree of 

 patience to become used to it. 



At last he signified that he understood and was satisfied, and then 

 in answer to my questions gave an account of himself and his doc- 

 trine, a great part of the interpretation being by Dyer, with whom 

 he seemed to be on intimate terms. He said he was about 35 years 

 of age. fixing the date from a noted battle 1 between the Paiute and 

 the "whites near Pyramid lake, in L860, at which time he said he was 

 about the size of his little boy, who appeared to be of about 4 years. 

 His father, Tavibo, ■• White Man, " was not a preacher, but was a cap- 

 ita (from the Spanish capitan) or petty chief, and was a dreamer and 

 invulnerable. His own proper name from boyhood was Wovoka or 

 Wiivoka, "The Cutter," but a few years ago he had assumed the name 

 of his paternal grandfather, Kwohitsauq, or •• Big Rumbling Belly." 

 After the death of his father he had been taken into the family of a 

 white farmer, David Wilson, who had given him the name of Jack 

 W T ilson, by which he is commonly known among the whites. He thus 

 has three distinct nanus. Wovoka, Kwohitsauq, and Jack Wilson. He 

 stated positively that he was a full-blood, a statement borne out by his 

 appearance. The impression that he is a half-blood may have arisen 

 from the fact that his father's name was " White Man " and that he has 

 a white man's name. His followers, both in his own and in all other 

 tribes, commonly refer to him as ••our father.'' He has never been 

 away from Mason valley and speaks only his own Paiute language, 

 with some little knowledge of English. He is not acquainted with 

 the sign language, which is hardly known west of the mountains. 



When about 20 years of age, he married, and continued to work for 

 Mr Wilson. He had given the dance to his people about four years 

 bef< ire, but had received his great revelation about two years previously. 

 On this occasion "the sun died" (was eclipsed) and he fell asleep in the 

 daytime and was taken up to the other world. Here he saw God, with 

 all the people who had died long ago engaged in their oldtime sports 

 and occupations, all happy and forever young, it was a pleasant land 

 and full of game. After showing him all, God told him he must go 



1 This battle, probably tin- most important conflict that ever occurred bet ween the Paiute and the 

 whites, was fought in April, 1860, near tin- present agency at Pyramid late and about 8 miles from 

 Wadsworth, Nevada. Some miners having seized and forcibly detained a couple of Indian women, 

 their husbands raised a party and rescued them, without, however, inflicting any punishment on the 

 guilty ones. This was considered an " Indian outrage " and a strong body of miners collected and 

 mare lied toward Pyramid lake to wipe out the Indian camp. The Paiute, armed almost entirely with 

 hows and arrows, surprised them in a narrow pass at the spot indicated, with the result that the 

 whites were defeated and fled in disorder, leaving nearly fifty dead on the held. The whole affair in 

 its causes and results was nio^t discreditable to the whites. 



