The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-11-11
THE INDIANS OF THE GREAT BASIN.

MIR. d. r FRINGE, VINO mas lived 1Or the
last five years with the Indians of the Utah
Territory, furnishes the New York Tribune
with an account of those interesting tribes,
of whose habits and customs so little is
known. Mr.. Prince was engaged in geo.
graphical and mineral explorations, and was
one of the first to discover gold in Carson
Valley. Employed in his pursuit he crossed
the Sierra Nevada Mountains and followed
the course of four different rivers, beside the
Humboldt, which, like it, terminate in sinks,
but which have not yet been marked upon
any map ofthe country. The country is fer
tile and beautiful. Astounding in grass and
indigenous fruits; elk, deer, and antelope,
and numerous varieties of birds and fish. are
abundant. Those who have travelled the
usual road, along the Humboldt, according
to Mr.. p, have formed no adequate concep-
ton of the capacity of this country for civil
lized life. Coal and lead exist in various 10
ealities, and an abundance ofiron and some
gold and silver. The climate is fine-being
pure and bracing, varying like that of Cali
fornia, with the altitude of the mountains.
But it was in the primitive and unperverted
natives Of these secluded valleys and noun
tains that Mr.. Prince felt the deepest interest.
The Great Basin is occupied by three tribes
the Piotes, Shoshonees and Utahs, num-
bering not less than from sixty to seventy
five thousand. These tribes each occupy diff
ferent districts Of country, and there is dis
tinguishing difference between them. The
Piotes are somewhat superior to the Califor-
MIA Diggers, but yet variable both in physi-
cal and intellectual endowments. The Utahs
are generally fne-looking people, but as
they are in closer contact with the Mormons,
they are losing much of their primitive man
ners. The Shoshonees (the name signifies
light-of- foot) are thus described by Mr..
Prince. This tribe occupy tho centre and
principal part of the Great Basin and proba-
ably number $4,000.
have visited them several times, and
passed great portion Of three years among
them. Thousands ofthem had never seen .
white man until my sojourn with them
They are the most pure and uncorrupted alb
origines upon this continent. They are
1
the warriors, who are selected for their man
ly bearing and stature. Yet they are not q
warlike people. Having fine country, with
plenty OF game, roots, fish and fruit, they
have no incentive but for peace, and only
practice war for self-protection and to main
tain the supremacy or their laws. They arr
scrupulously clean in their persons and chastt
in their habits. Prostitution and illegitima.
cy are unknown, and while attachments or,
commonly formed when young, they are no
permitted to marry until eighteen or twent,
years old !; and so jealous is this nation O
the purity Of blood that it is a capital offens,
to marry any of another nation witto spe
cial sanction from their council and hcat
chief. They allow OF but ore wife, and al
the females, both old and young, are treate,
with consideration and respect. And such i
their uniform observance of law that it grow
with their growth; so that their youths from
the age OF fourteen or fifteen seem to requir
no parental restraint, for they become Law
to themselves. They infiict no penalties TO
minor offences, except less of character an,
disfellowship, and though whole families lv
together, of all ages and both sexes, in tn
} same tent, immortality and crime are of rar
occurrence. They have no prisons, no law
yers, nor poorhouses; for whatever one per
son needs another imparts. Neither hav
they any prevalent sickness. saw but on
cripple among them.
The men wear leggins made of deer-skins
and all Of them, even the children, wea
moccasins. The women often dress in skirt
made of entrails, dressed and scwed togeth
J err in substantial way. These are kept nea
and clean, and in winter robes of fnrs ar
worn. They do not tattoo themselves. The,
comb their hair behind their ears, shown,
chronological developments equally progress
sive with any other race of men. They ar
very ingenius in the manufacture of such ar
ticles as they use; and, considering that the
have nothing but stone hammers and fin
knives, it is truly wonderful to see the ex
quisitc finish and neatness of their nipple
ments of war and hunting, as well as thei
ear rings and waist bands, made Of an ANAL
gam of silver and lead.
They are very choice in their horses, an
will never ride any but those in the best con
dition. The horse il the only domestic eur
rency they possess. In the spring of 1854,
carried to them several kinds Of gardel
seeds, particularly beans, which they highl
appreciated.