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Show The Indians who claimed that part of the country had gone south into Sevier Valley for winter, where less snow fell and where game-was more plentiful, such as deer rabbits, ducks, geese, etc. Beaver otter and mink were in the river and small streams. In th spring of 1850, the Indians returned and camped south west of the colonists, Arrapene was their chief, they were friendly towards the whites. At the death of Arrapene, Sowiette became chief of the tribe, which numbered several hundred. The author herded in Sevier Valley, at Willow Creek ( now Axtel) during the winter of 1860. More than three years prior to settling the valley, our number consisted of George Wilson, David Wilson, Eli Openshaw, Samuel Allen and myself we had ' the Mount Pleasant dry stock and a bunch of sheep to care for. The Indians came out from Manti to winter as usual, to hunt and trap, there were about forty or fifty lodges with from four to ten Indians, young and old to each lodge. Their tents were made mostly of smoked buckskins, the smoking prevented them from becoming hard after being wet, and they were very strong and durable. Their sewing thread consisted of sinew taken from the back of deer, which is the strong ligaments that lays near the skin, extending from the hip to shoulder, it could be stripped apart in as fine threads as desired and was very strong and durable, their bow strings were made of the same material and they glued a covering of sinew on the back, or outside of their bows to give them strength and spring. As a rule they were better marks-men with their bows than with guns. The squaws enjoyed target prac-tice, but were not strong enough to pull the arrow back as the bucks did, consequently they would lay on their back, place the middle of of the bow against the soles of their moccasins, placing the arrow between their feet and with both hands pull the arrow back its full length, with a good bow they could send an arrow four hundred yards or more. Their best bows were made of mountain sheep " horns. Their tent poles were about twelve feet long and about two inches in dia-meter, with holes through the small, or top ends to tie them together when traveling, they dragged about five on either side of a horse and fastened a small stick across behind the horse and loaded them with blankets, provisions and pappooses. A squaw would generally ride, hunched on the horse between the ends of the tent poles. The tents, or wicki- ups were open at the top to let out the smoke and the poles weer spread out at he lower ends to hold out the tent. There was a flap to fasten over the entrance at night and to keep out storms. They generally pitched camp in a sheltered place, I never heard of their wickiups blowing down. The squaws tanned the buckskins and hides, their tanning mate-rial was the brains of animals, they laid the hides over a small tree, cut down, laying on a slope and do the working with hands, sticks and rib bones, and rocks. They sewed their moccasins and clothing with sinew, they also made blankets or robes by tearing rabbit skins in strips and twisting them in long rolls with the fur out, sewing them together as a white woman would a braided rug, their robes were very soft and warm. Peter Gottfredson. |