The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1854-11-04

IEHAMA, Oct. 81, 1884.
EDS. CouRrER:-Your woful lamentations
have fallen upon merciful % ears. Were we!
as cruel as the jealous Letona we would expect,
upon our next visit to your hilLgi city. to find
you pair of petri6ed gentlemen Niobes, seated
pcturesqnely upon some adjacent HILL In a.
" quiet country place like ours, 1T is seldom
that spark of intelligence is emitted susiiciently
bright to 'illu,nine your Sheet -
Many have heard, doubtless, of the Indian
Reservation in the neighborhooa ql this place.
and yet, we conclude from tile spascty Of mott
ces in the public journals, but few know any
thing more Of it. This reservation was laid out
by Col. Henley about twenty five miles west
of this place, between Thomes and Elder
creeks, and includes some Of the finest little val
lies that have ever seen. These yallies are
surrounded by beautiful tamuH and are Of the
most fertile character They contain from one
to five hundred acres eath and are watered by
living springs. ~ - -.
am Informed that the nodus operandi is to
place each tribe in one Of these valies, in order
to avoid those difficulties likely to occur from
difference Of language, AND what seems natu-
raj luminosity existing between the mountain
and valley tfibes..' Col. Henley gave the thing
an impetus by commencing the buildings neces
sary for those in charge purchasing grain and
gathering in some Of the Indians Of the vicinity
At last accounts from there about FIVE hundred
had come in, and they were continuing to come
The supply of grain necessary for The main
'enance of the Indians, and for seed, has opened
quite market to farmers in this vicinity 1t is
expected that there will be about two thousand
acres Of wheat and barley raised there the com
ing season. -"
1t was high time something of this sort was
done for this feeble and fast expiring people :.
Tor, aside from their natural decay they We're:
continually subject to the visits of a set of Span
ish kidnappers, who stole away the squaws and
children, realizing, it is said, handsome profits
by conveying them to the lower country and
selling them into captivity. This makes them
all the more ready to come under tile protection
of the whites.
Those connected with the management of the
reservation, seem disposed to give them the
protection they SO much needed, as will appear
| from the following account. party, among
whom We're Capt. l.. II. Ford, and Capt. Will
lians, the celebrated mountaineer, was out on
the head waters of Stone Greek endeavoring to
prevail upon some of the Indians in that vicinity
to come down, when they came upon party OF
marauders, who had succeeded in making cap
tives Of thirteen Indians. Some of the party
proposed shooting the Spaniards down. others
were in favor Of bringing them into camp The
latter method prevailed, and utter partially dis
arming them, they were ordered to about face
and march. After proceeding some distance
quietly, the party came to deep ravine, thick
ly grown with willows, where it became neces-
sary to single file. The Spaniards here
thought to make their escape, when the veteran
Williams, who rode superior horse started in
persut. When nearly upon them one of the
Spaniards shot his horse in the shoulder. Will
lialns returned the fire with better effect the
ball entering the Spaniards shoulder, dropping
him from his horse His animal was secured,
but the scoundrel dragged himself into the vii
lows and could hot be found The remainder
of the party also escaped.
The Indians were liberated, and some Of them
came TO the reservation.
There will be regular warfare carried on
against these slavers in which some Of them
will have occasion to bite the dust" Plemum
pro tcmpo1e. Respectfully, KARL.