OCR Text |
Show ished of late years by the cruelty practised towards them by the Utahs, in stealing'their squaws and children and selling them as slaves to other tribes, as. well as to the Mexican people. I noticed but very few Indians on the Rio Virgin river, in fact the barren and unproductive nature of the soil, as well as the waters of the river, which are strongly impregnated with alkali and totally unfit for the use of man or beast, preventing any settlement thereon,, At the foot of Rio Virgin mountain distant thrity miles from the Muddy river, I was met by the chief of those Indians accompanied by his band, who had heard by some Indians that I was camped at the foot of the mountains. I found them in about the same condition as those on the Santa Clara, naked and very destitute, although their prospect was better for immediate relief, as they brought some wheat into camp which was nearly ripe, the growth of the present season. Like those on the Santa Clara, they depend in great measure on their little farms ar patches for subsistence; there being no game of consequence, and but few fish. I presented them some clothing, farming implements, garden seeds, tobacco, etc. The chief Tsing-guh-kah remarked to me, that he had heard of the great chief of the American people sending presents to the Utah Indians, and he often wondered why he and his band were overlooked, they having never before received any presents, nor having been visited by any of his chiefs until the present; although the white people |