Wilford Woodruff Papers Wilford Woodruff Papers
About About Wilford Woodruff Volunteer Meet the Team Partners Impact Editorial Method
2023 Conference Articles Photos Podcasts Updates Videos Newsroom

Day in the Life

Oct 24, 1879

Journal Entry

October 24, 1879 ~ Friday

24 [FIGURES] Moqui village Arizona Br Lot Smith took the
carriage around the bottom and Br Ira Hatch and
myself took the riding horse Button throough theHe was quite
sick with the Distemper we took the Indian trail and
went onto the Mountain to the village of Shemopavy containing
400 Indian stands on the top of a Mountain, the village is
in a compacted form it is 470 yards around the village
we led our horse up the steep trail and stone stepts 500
feet they have to carry all their wood water corn and all
supplies up this stone cliff, they and their forefathers
have lived in this way for Generations for safety in times
of war. The country is vary rough & broaken all around it

People

Browse people Wilford Woodruff mentioned on this day in his journal. Click on the person's name to view a short bio and other pages they are mentioned on or click on "View in Family Search" to view their FamilySearch profile.

Hatch, Ira
1835-1909
26 mentions
Smith, Lot
15 May 1830 - 21 Jun 1892
365 mentions
Missionary

Places

Browse places mentioned in Wilford Woodruff's journal entry on this day. Click on the place names to view other pages where they are mentioned.

Moquis Pueblos, Apache County, Arizona Territory
Shi-mo-pa-vi, Apache County, Arizona Territory

Related Documents

Browse other documents with this same date. These could include pages from Wilford Woodruff's autobiographies, daybooks, letters, histories, and personal papers. Click on the document titles to view the full document.

Daybook (24 October 1879 - 31 January 1881)
Oct 24, 1879 Moqui villages Arizona [FIGURES] Br Lot Smith took the carriage around on the bottom & Br Ira Hatch and myself took the riding Horse Button though He was quite sick with the Distemper. We took the Indian trail and went onto the Mountain to the village of Shomopavy containing 400 Indians. Stands on the top of the Mountain the village is in a compacted form it is 470 yards around the village we led our Horse up the steep trail & stone stepts 500 feet. They have to carry all their wood, water, corn & all supplies up this steep cliff they & their forefathers have lived in this way for Generations for safety in time of war The country is vary Broaken & rough all around it in the valley below but vary sandy, we called the people together and I spoke to them a short time and Brother Hatch interpred of [interpreted]. They were quite ignorant & difficult to get them to understand, we then left the village Deccended to the valley and went to another village 500 feet high on top of another Mountain called Supowerlou. A small village of about 200 souls we saw one white child a girl much whiter than our children it was covered with fine white hair it is one of the Albinos. Both Parents were dark like other Indians. we called the People together of this village & spoke a short time to them we then went 600 yards & visited another village called Mashonagancgbe This village contains some 800 people & stands on the top of the rocks we called them together and I spoke to them but they did not seem capable of comprehending what was said they said they could not understand much. Their was one boy here with 3/4 of his hair as Black as a coal & 1/4 vary white mixed all through his black hair They brought in Mellon and blue indian meal wafer Bread, the Mellon was More like squashes than Mellon they eat them green One vary remarkable feature of the Oriba's & there three villages were the amount of children they far out numbered the grown people, we left this people & descended 500 feet
Daybook (24 October 1879 - 31 January 1881)
into the valley below it was the steepest place I ever lead a horse down I sent a Note to Lot Smith By the Chief of the place an Aged Man I informed Br Smith we should cross the valley to the three last villages The Chief accompanied Br Smith to the Last Moque villages around on the East side while Br Hatch & Myself crossed the valley some 7 Miles to the three last villages Those 3 villages stand on a Barren Rock from 1000 to 1500 feet from the valley beneath It can ownly be approached in two places one the East & on the west. By a vary steep Narrow winding trail and stone steps the country bordering upon the foot of this Mountain is composed of ridges & gorges with peach orchards standing on the sides of the steep hills & in the vallies but invariably planted in the sand. The Name of these 3 villages are Hano or Tawa, on the North 300 people. 200 yard South stands Cheekomaovo 100 people and on the south End of the rock stands ^&^ Hope or Walpeke with 800 people These three villages stand on a Barren Desolate coarse sand stone rock from 1000 to 1500 feet almost perpendicular to the valley Below This rock upon which those 3 villiages stands in varies in widths from 75 yards to 12 feet wide and the foot path, which has Been travelled for centauries in going from one village to another has worn a trail several inches deep in the solid rock with bare feet and Mocasin. We asscended this vary high Mountain for 1000 feet up stone steps & and winding trail leading up our poor horse after us. Before we ascended we wattered our Horse at a well 30 feet deep which He had to go down on stone steps, several woman were getting water in large Earthen [dugts] Jugs which were carried in Blankets strapted across the heads we went to the first village Hano. I here found the Chief Cachaby the Father of Polakki As Br Smith was camped on the East Side of the villages by a spring in a peach orchard. As I was to weary to go down to him [having] climbed near 3000 feet of Mountain and Decended nearly the same on foot
Daybook (24 October 1879 - 31 January 1881)
besides travelling 10 Miles I prepared for Br Hatch to take his home to Br Smith camp and leave me to stop with the Indian over night I walked with to Chief Cachaby to the Middle village and thare found an Indian by the Name of Misiamtoi He was called Si for short He could talk fair English but Better Spanish. I was vary glad to meet with him as I could converse with him without an interpetor & I concluded to stay with him for the night and quite a Number gathered into his House to see me and hear me talk, vary soon Si's wife had got her supper cooked & I was asked to eat with them which I attempted to do but it was hard work I could not tell what I was eating for they were on the filthy order in cooking & eating I eat some however but the food was vary unpaletable soon Br Hatch returned Brought me a custard pie & Baked chicken which I relished much He also brought me blankets to sleep on and staid and slept with me over night after I got supper I talked to the people who had gathered & Br Hatch interpeted. Their was to be a dance of the Young people at the South village and Si Br Hatch & Myself went to see it but they did not Begin untill about 9 oclok we saw them go through one dance some 20 young Men & half a doz young women with their Hair Horns on each side of the Head they danced with great animation keeping step with the drum & singing the girls steemed vary shy and modest we returned to our room & bed which closed the Labors of this vary interesting day having visited six Indian villages & spoken in most of them travelled 10 Miles Besides climing up 3000 feet of Mountains I felt weary But well satisfied with the days labor 15 M[iles]

Oct 24, 1879