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Jacob Hamblin, a narrative of his personal experience, as a frontiersman, missionary to the Indians and explorer, [microform] disclosing interpositions of Providence, severe privations, perilous situations and remarkable escapes. Fifth book of the faith-p - Page 86 |
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Show 84 A MOQUIS RELIGIOUS TEACHER. tance from the spring to where the creek empties into the Colorado to be about eighteen miles. Through some misunderstanding, two of our Moquis friends had continued up the main canyon. We made a dry camp that night. The Moquis man who remained with us was a religious leader among his people. He became very anxious about his companions, for he said they would - find no water. He went through some religious ceremonies for their safe return. In the night they arrived in camp. They had discovered their mistake, and returned until they found our trail. We had a little water left to relieve their thirst. I should have before stated that these Moquis never send out any of their people in the public interest, without sending one of their religious teachers with them. The position of these religious men is probably a traditionary remnant of the pure priesthood held by their fathers. This man who was with us carried a small sack, in which were some consecrated meal, wool, cotton and eagle's feathers. To this sack was attached a stick, which he took out each morning, and, after looking at the sun, made a mark upon, thus keeping a memorandum of the number of days we had spent on the journey. Our route was considerably to the north of the one we had traveled when on our former trip. The day after leaving Cataract Canyon, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we came to a cross trail made by wild animals. Following it a few hundred yards into the head of a canyon, we found a pool of good water. This was the 7th of April. We traveled two days without water for our animals, and camped where we could see the water of the Little Colorado, but it was in a deep gulch, out of our reach. The next day we traveled thirteen miles up the river bank, and camped by the water. The night of the 1 1 th we were about twelve miles from a Moquis town. Our Moquis companions wished to go home ; and did so, while we camped until morning. They informed the three brethren who had remained in the Moquis towns during the winter, of our approach, and the |