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Show FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. 369 to make them behave, they made a treaty and agreed to quit stealing and allow these troops to be stationed in their country and live in peace. This Colonel Chavez was a great gambler and horse racer. The Navajoes were fond of racing also. The colonel had a fine horse that he considered a " world beater." A race was gotten up with the Indians, who were willing to bet anything on their horse. So sure was Colonel Chavez of winning that he bet some five hundred head of government horses, against the same number of Indian ponies. The Indians looked upon the colonel as owner of these horses. When the race came off, the Indians won. The Colonel was in a scrape. He refused to give up the horses, so the Indians took them. I don't remember whether a fight ensued immedi-ately, or not, but I believe there did. At any rate the report was circulated that the Indians had declared war, and had run off all the soldier's horses. A war of extermination was declared against these Indians, and troops were sent into their country. Their ranches, farms, and stock were destroyed, and many of them were killed. The remainder were stripped of everything. They were taken prisoners and put upon a: reservation in the eastern portion of New Mexico. Here they remained in poverty for some years. I do not know whether the facts were ever known by the government or not, but I beleive they were. After a time the Indians were allowed to go back to their old country, a reservation set apart for them and some stock was given them to make a start. Being indus-trious and thrifty, they soon began to pick up. They made blankets and traded them for ponies. Many of them about the years 1874- 75 came into 23 |