, ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁medi ator ▁between ▁his ▁people ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁near ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁in ▁present - day ▁Arizona . ▁I rat aba ▁was ▁a ▁ren owned ▁or ator ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Moh ave ▁to ▁speak ▁English , ▁a ▁skill ▁he ▁used ▁to ▁develop ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁I rat aba ▁first ▁encountered ▁European ▁Americans ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁when ▁he ▁assist ed ▁the ▁Sit gre aves ▁Ex ped ition . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁he ▁met ▁Am iel ▁Wh ipp le , ▁then ▁leading ▁an ▁expedition ▁crossing ▁the ▁Colorado . ▁Several ▁Moh ave ▁a ided ▁the ▁group , ▁and ▁I rat aba ▁agreed ▁to ▁esc ort ▁them ▁through ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁P ai ute ▁to ▁the ▁Old ▁Spanish ▁Tra il , ▁which ▁would ▁take ▁them ▁to ▁southern ▁California . ▁Not ed ▁for ▁his ▁large ▁physical ▁size ▁and ▁gentle ▁de mean or , ▁he ▁later ▁helped ▁and ▁protected ▁other ▁exped itions , ▁ear ning ▁him ▁a ▁reputation ▁among ▁whites ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁native ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁Again st ▁I rat aba ' s ▁advice , ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁Moh ave ▁war riors ▁attacked ▁the ▁first ▁em igr ant ▁w agon ▁train ▁to ▁use ▁Be ale ' s ▁W agon ▁Road ▁through ▁Moh ave ▁country . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁War ▁Department ▁sent ▁a ▁det achment ▁under ▁Colonel ▁William ▁Hoff