OCR Text |
Show 236 COLORADO BUPEE~NTENDENCY. guns were fired, and they all returned to Poovo valley. They,are in a had condition, many of them almost entirely naked. They went to the agency to obtain food, but could not get any. They left for their own country while I was there. They have excellent ponies, and are wonderfully attached to them. There am also a few among them who talk good English. The government ought as soon ae possible assist them in some way. I went to Saltlake, and while there Saviot and Enthorof, the o.r inci.o al chiefs of the Elk mou&aio ktes, came there with about one tho~te;m,l of their tribe; they hd been on a visit up i ~t.h e Snake country. Thia bi.ille f ~erxr tedrd my expectations; they are mope intelligeut than anyT have seen west of the eastern borders of Kansas. They have generally good guns and very fine ponies; tltey were all very well clotlied for Indians. They have a very extensive range. They leave the Elkmountains ahout the first of April, and slowly make their way to the north; some come up the Grand, and den strike over on-the Bear, down this, and up north through the Laramie plains, and thence to the Snake countly; others go upon the Green, and some pass over on to the head-waters of White river, and go down this to the Green, and then strike off north to the Snake country. They generally remain there through the months of July and August, catching buffalo, deer, fish, kc. About the first of September the cold nights start them back to their country again. They usually get into tlte parks, heretofore described, about the months of November and December, and reach the Elk mount,ains about midwinter. They appear to he less destructive of their game thah other Indians. They abandon their elk and antelope country while these animals are breeding their young, and go into the buffalo country. They complain of their gante becoming very scarce; also they say: "Nute have to eat ponies; don't like it!' About the Elk mountains they represent there being a great many elk, wild turkey, mountain shee , &e I t ia said that wild wheat and oats grow there in abundance, which snfsist these mimala and fowls in winter. Occasionally they go down into the Navajo coun-try 'and trade with those Indians and the Mexicans; they get most of their guns and ammunition down there. They seldom visit the Mo~mons or their country, although I I told the Mormons use considerable exertions to attract them hither. Brigham Young, while I was there, fed Saviot and his party for two days. They complain, also, of never receiving any resents. They who have killed no white men get no presents, while other ~ni ianst,h e Sioux, who kill many white men, get presents. They seem to think that unless they kill some white persons they will never get any presents. I informed them that if they did, the Great Father would kill a21 of their women and children. They promised not to interfere with the whites, and left some days before I did to joim the balance of their tribe up noah of Fort Bridger. They claimed to have fifteen hundred lodges, making their number over six thousand persons. There are somewhere near nine or ten thousand Indians belonging to my division. There are hut very few Utes in Utah Territory. There is no timber, and very little grass in Utah; hence no game. ' There are not more than thke hundred Utes in Utah Territorv as i t now stands. The eastern a.e.e nc"y is almost deaertcd Ly the rutting o f thiu'l'rrri~or~. Saviut and erveral nndt7r-cl~iefd~r aire rhcir (;war i.':drlac,r to mnke them n farm irn thrir rourrrry, and rrxh then>, as Dr. lluut uromided to do. In my intercour~e with thrtn I was vzrv eartiall not .A to excite any geat expectations." I made them no promises whatever, but told them if they remained good Indians I would try to get them some presents next year. My only fears are from the Mormons; still I donot think they can make them hostile to the government. If I could have something to attract them this way, presents, &c., I could control them entirely, and keep them out of the Mormon country. I would recommend the eovernment to make a liberal av~ro.o riationf or the Indians as soon as possibie, and, in making purchases, buy very little, save substantial articles-clothing, blankets, and hickory shirts, food, sugar, coffee, |