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Show 183 maybe forty years ago, they passed a resolution in Congress permitting them to use the country between their line -- the Arizona line and the San Juan river, on account of being scarce of water. They moved in there. In fact, they claim that country. " Q. So since that time their journey has been from the reservation to the nearest trading post, and then back? " A. Yes sir. " Q. When you first arrived there didn't some of those Indians go down the river at times in their canoes? " A. Well, I didn't know of it if they did. They would cross and do their trading and go right back home; they may have towed a boat upstream for a short distance so as to get the benefit of the current, something like that; I never know of them using the river to go up and down." R. 417- 418. There was some trapping on the San Juan River and he recalls the name of one trapper, Peter Shurts. He didn't have any cabin; just a tent and it was located at the mouth of Montezuma wash fifteen to eighteen miles east of Bluff. He doesn't believe he come down the river after Bluff was established. He moved on up. R. 418. He doesn't remember any trappers down the river from Bluff and there were very few fur bearing animals. The fur bearing animals were mostly up above Bluff, He believes the trappers had their boats but when they came down to Bluff he believes they would take their Burros and come that way. Above Bluff the country is very level and the river has very little fall. The river is not now more or less confined above Bluff. R. 419. above Bluff. R. 419. |