Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-07-10

80 ANS"'h'y etutttu WIN OIL S6COtt OI On0 nun.
dred men for California. Before his departure,
ne gave orders to Col. Doniphsn 10 make a ca m !.
pa'gn against the Navajo Indians. living IN the
Rocky Mountains, between Del Nor,e end the
Pac'fic Ocean, and taen to repor, totsen. Wool.
at tChihuahua, where il was understood General
Wool would be before Col Doniphan cosld sesch
there. The second regiment Of Missouri vol.
unteers having arrived in New Mexico on the
2e,h of Oct, Col Doniphsn commenced his cam,
paign sgain.t the Navalos.
The Navajos werea large tribe Of lndiuns
who had been at war with the Mexicans for two
hundred and 6f,y years. and lived entirely upon
plunder taken from that people. At the earnest
solicitation Of the Mexicans, Gen, Kesrney or
dered the expedition Of our troops gsinst them.
Col. Doniphan divided his command into three
columns, one Of which entered the Navajo conn.
try, about two hundred miles north Of Ssnto Fe,
under the command Of M.jor Eilpin, the other
two columns entering it in the ives: and south.
west. under the commands of Col. Doniphan and
Lieut.. Col. Jackson. ..
The column under Major G;lpin marched to
the source Of the Cbsnss, and crossing the 81.
ezra Msdre, deecended to the waters of the San
Juan, one Of the branches Of the Colorado Of the
west, marked down the river in the direction of
the Pacific. and crossing the mountaine seain,
formed junction with Col Doniphsn's com.
msnd at the Ojoso, having performed march Of
over six hundred miles, over mountains covered
with snow. Major G'lpin brought with him {.
great number Of chiefs, ali Of whom professed
great friendship Tor the American nation. Al
the Ojoso. Col. Doniphan met the principal
chiefs Of the tribe and great warriors, probably
five hundred in number, and there made trea.
~ s'ipu,ating entire friendship between The Ma.
vajos, end Americans, and Mexicans.
The march performed by Major Gilpm was
one Of the most arduous in the campaign. The
country throagA which he travelled, did rr& per.
nit the way for . baggage tram. and his stores
had 10 to be carirr: upon me backs Of few
mules He was continually surrounded BY
snow and storah snong snoun,ain pases never
before threaded by the hns ~ man. There viii
be thrilling interes, in narrative of ttst jorr.
rey not to be snet with in the most highly
wrought fiction.
Extraordinary character of the NavaIos-Su.
mai lndisns--their -Sngularty OF
their City-White lndans-their Govern.
H,ent
The Navajo Indians ere a warlike people,
have no towns or houses, or lodges, they live
in the open air or on horseback, and are remark
bly, wealthy, having immense herds of horses,
cattle and sheep. They ore celebrated for their
intelligence and good order. They ues, their
women with great attention. consider them e.
qusis, and relieve them from their drudgery oI
menisi work. They ore handsome, well made
and in every respect a highly civilized people,
being as a nation of higher order of beings
than the mass OF their neighbors, the Mexicans
About the time Colonel Doniphon made his ,rpa
,y, q division Of his commsnd was entirely ou,
Of provisiouss the Nsvajos supplied i,s wants
with Iiberality. A portion Of the command re.
turned to Cuvaro; Major Gilpin's command to-
ge,her with Col Doniphan went TO the city oi
the Sums Indians, on the Rio Piscow, which
is supposed to be branch OF the Geyls, made a
treaty Of peace between the Sumai and Nsva.
Jos, and then returned to the Rio Del Norte.
These Sumai. unlike the Navsjos. live In a
city containing probably 60OO inhs bitsnts, who
support themselves entirely by agriculture.
The city is one Of the most extrsordi mary in
tho world. 1t is divided into four solid squares,
having but two streets crossing i,s centre at
right angles. All the buildings are two stories
high, composed of sunburn, brick. The first
story presents o solid wall to the street, snd is
90 constructed, that each house joins, until one.
fourth of the city may be said to be one building.
The second stories rise from this vast solid
structure, so as 10 designate each house, leaving
room to walk upon the roof Of the first story be.
tween each building. The Inhabitants of Su-
mai enter the second story of Of their buildings
by ladders which they draw up At night, - de-
fence against any enemy that might be Prow-
ling sbout. Ia this city was seen some thirty
Albino Indians, who have. no doubt, given rise
to the story that there is living in the Rocky
Mountains q tribe Of white aborignea The
discovery Of this city o. the Sumsi will afford
the most curious speculatons among those who
have so long searched in vain for city Of indi-
ans. who possessed the manners and habits OF the
Aziecs. No doubt we have here race living
as did that people when Cortes entered Mexi'
co. Itis a remarkable fact, that the Sdmaians