Nuwuvi : a southern Paiute history

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30 Nuwuvi: A Southern Paiute History valleys [of Salt Lake, Utah and Sevier], not only for furs, but to traffic in Indian slaves." 35 The 1813 Arze-Garcia trading expedition is the first recorded instance of slave trading, although the practice undoubtedly predated it. Spanish officials restricted trade with the Indians on what was then the frontier of Spanish-claimed land, but slavery itself was not specifically prohibited until 1812. The law was largely ignored, and "for the next fifty years pelts and Indian slaves were to continue as the chief objects of barter with the Utes, in the same pattern as had existed during the preceding half century." M The practice was not even affected by changes of political jurisdiction. It went on in turn under the regimes of Spain, of Mexico and of the United States. Arze and Garcia were arrested upon returning from their expedition. The testimonies given by them at their trial in New Mexico are of doubtful credibility. They pleaded that the Utes had so much as forced them into trading for human slaves. The two traders testified that upon arriving at Utah Lake to trade, the Utes "would trade nothing but Indian slaves 'as they had done on other occasions'." 37 The Spaniards claimed they had refused to trade for people. The Utes, testified Arze and Garcia, then began killing their horses. The Spaniards left hurriedly, traveling southward to the Sevier River where they met a Sanpete Ute who led them further south to "where they could trade with a tribe of Yutes as yet unknown to them." ! These Indians, probably the Pahvants, were hostile toward the Spaniards. Once again the Spaniards stole away, traveling on to the Colorado River and the "rancheria" of Wasatch who was waiting to trade with them "as was his custom." Meeting circumstances similar to those at Utah Lake, the Spanish traded for slaves "in order not to receive another injury like the first one." 39 The Spaniards returned to New Mexico with twelve Indian slaves. Although these may or may not have been Nuwuvi, the pattern is typical. As the Spaniards testified, this was an established form of commerce. After the 1776 Escalante-Dominguez exploration, the Spanish sent no other official expeditions into the area. Though the establishment of missions was recommended and Escalante promised the Utah Lake Utes and the Nuwuvi in the Paria River Valley that missionaries would come among them, these plans never materialized.