110 
FIRST MEETING WITH COLORADO INDIANS. 
tion of a road. Stopping the train, Mr. Leronx, Mr. Stanley, and myself proceeded to recon¬ 
noitre. We rode several miles over gravelly hills, so steep as to he nearly impassable with 
wagons, till we arrived at the foot of the black ridge. Between the bluff and the river was a 
slight berme; where, with some labor, it appeared that a road might he constructed. The trail 
followed a dark ravine, where were caves recently deserted by Indians. The path beyond led 
to a cliff some twelve feet in height, by the side of which the ascent was made along a worn 
crevice, which afforded uncertain foothold even for mules. We then entered an arroyo, where, 
with little difficulty, Avagons might proceed, if once they could pass the ledge; but not having 
time nor means at hand to construct a road, we concluded to abandon all the Avagons except the 
light spring-carriage—almost indispensable for the conveyance of instruments—and proceed 
with the survey through this narrow gorge. Upon turning hack towards camp, Ave heard loud 
whoops from the high precipices which almost enclosed us. Looking up, Ave saw, standing in 
hold relief, several Indians, apparently much excited. They clapped their hands first upon their 
naked thighs, and then upon their mouths, as they shouted, producing the Avild and startling 
sound knoAvn as the war-Avhoop. After much parleying, and many signs, some came doAvn from 
the high rocks, and meeting two of us, received from our hands a present of tobacco; the rest 
looking on from the summit. This friendly act produced kind feelings at once. They spoke no 
Spanish; hut Leroux’s knoAAdedge of signs, and our recollection of a few Yuma words, enabled 
us partially to understand them. They professed to he Mojaves, hut declined our invitation to 
accompany us to camp, saying they must first go and tell their great chief, who would meet us 
to-morrow. As we turned and left them unmolested, their confidence in our good intentions 
was increased, and tAvo of them volunteered to follow us. Professing themselves “ahot’-ka 
hanac”—that is, very good —they marched along, chatting as complacently as if they supposed 
we could understand them. We could only make out that war, or some other calamity, had 
visited all the Indians of the Colorado from the Gulf upwards, viz: the Cocopas, Comoyeis, 
Cuchans, Ya-va-pais, Chem-e-hue-vis, Mac-lia-vis, Ca-hual-chitz, Mat-hat-e-vatch, and Hual- 
paich. They have suffered greatly from Avant of clothing and food, which, during the troubles, 
they had not been able to produce. The Americans themselves, they said, had been reduced to 
mule-meat. They talked much about “the Major”—gone to California, they said ; hut Avhether 
Major Heintzelman or Major Kendrick, avc could not tell, although the reference to mnle-meat 
seemed to indicate the latter. As they walked along, their muscular and well-proportioned 
limbs, without covering, showed to great advantage. They were tall and erect, with a step as 
light as a deer’s. Their faces were painted black, Avith a red streak along the nose, according to 
the custom of the Yumas on going to battle. There Avas a resemblance to the latter in other 
respects. Their black and glossy hair was similarly cropped in front, along the line of the 
eyebrows, so as just to cover the forehead. Behind it fell in a superb mass over the shoulders, 
and Avas trimmed so as to hang evenly at the girdle. 
When we came in sight of the train and camp, which had been pitched during our absence, 
our two neAv friends instantly sat down, and refused to proceed. With another small gift, tell¬ 
ing them to meet us on the morrow, we passed on, and, as Ave expected, they folloAved us again. 
One could uoav see, from the expression of the eye and lip, that they had made up their minds 
to encounter the dangers and run the risks, Avhatever they might be. They stalked into camp 
Avith the dignity of princes, hut with someAvhat of a “avIio’s afraid" air, like a schoolboy Avith 
his courage screwed up to the sticking-point. EA^eryhody treated them with distinguished 
consideration : one contributed a shirt, another a coat, a third furnished a hat; and the strangers 
Avere soon rigged out in most fanciful style, evidently to their entire satisfaction. When told 
to bring into camp Avhatever they might have to exchange for clothes, they started off, and, in 
less than half an hour, returned with maize, beans, and squashes. We have not yet seen any 
cultivated fields Avlience such a supply could be obtained. At sunset they left camp in great 
haste. About 9 o’clock another Indian Avas found by the herders, and brought to the camp¬ 
fire. He, too, Avas naked, except a ragged cloth about the loins. His face and body were 
