▁r ift ▁between ▁his ▁group ▁and ▁those ▁who ▁stayed ▁behind ▁to ▁follow ▁Hom ose h ▁qu ah ote , ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁her edit ary ▁leader . ▁According ▁to ▁an ▁e y ew it ness ▁account ▁by ▁Ch ook sa ▁hom ar , ▁I rat aba ▁explained ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁move : ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁promised ▁ir rig ation ▁assistance ▁was ▁not ▁immediately ▁forth coming , ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁at ▁the ▁res ervation ▁brought ▁a ▁dr ought ▁that ▁made ▁it ▁necessary ▁for ▁the ▁Moh ave ▁to ▁request ▁food ▁assistance . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁I rat aba ▁and ▁the ▁Moh ave ▁began ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁ir rig ation ▁canal , ▁dig ging ▁by ▁hand ▁a ▁d itch ▁that ▁ran ▁for ▁. ▁A ▁report ▁by ▁a ▁US ▁official ▁visit ing ▁the ▁res ervation ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁recorded ▁that ▁attempts ▁by ▁the ▁Moh ave ▁at ▁agricult ural ▁cultiv ation ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁were ▁restricted ▁to ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁not ▁more ▁than ▁. ▁ ▁Later ▁years ▁ ▁I rat aba ▁continued ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁band ▁of ▁Moh ave ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁He ▁purs ued ▁peace ful ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁surrounding ▁tribes ▁and ▁co oper ated ▁act ively ▁with ▁US ▁authorities . ▁He ▁also ▁helped ▁the ▁Y av ap ai ▁and ▁Wal ap ai ▁in ▁on going ▁conflicts ▁with ▁P ai utes ▁and ▁Ch eme h ue vi . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁I rat aba ▁and