The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1860-12-01
KILLED By INDIANS.

KILLED By INDIANS.
On Wsdnelglay letters were rscsirst
IN this city BY President Brigham lonaE
and Mr. Geo a Smith, from Iron Conn
I'll y, giving details Of the barbarous muir
/ der Of George Albert Smith, Jun, BY I'll,
NAVAJO Indians, on the End ultimo, two
days march southeast Of the Colorado,
about $50 miles from the settlements III
Il this Territory; Sincerely sympathizing
I. with the parents and relatives Of The de.
/. ceased, We tender 10 them our OondoIeneO
IN their aiilictioB, and from what welearn
esery where id the city our sentiments
shared by thecomniunity at large. I.
The sincere respect entertained for the
family Of Mr., Geo. A. Smith, and The
Numerous inquiries that are being made,
and will BIO made throughout the Terri
tory, concerning the circumstances lead
ling 70 the melancholy fate OF the young
man, prompt US to give our readers q
summary Of the Information that has been
teceiyed on the sad affair.
For some time back there daa been
considerable Interest manifested by some
lof the citizens of Washington and Iron
Counties about exploring the Colorado
with the view OF making q more direct
route 10 the Eastern States, through the
northern portion Of New Mexico, between
the 37th2and 3Sth degrees OF north lati.
5tude. The Colorado River is formed by
the Junction OF the Grand and Green
Rivers, 10 the southeast Of Fillmore City,
and flows from the Territory in ., south
westerly direction through New Mexico,
forming the boundary liue Of California
and Arizona, End running Into tho Gull
Of California. ss'g., - .;.ls Z.
Up to.the present time, The Eastern
trail has been made by detour Of up
Mardsof a hundred miles, on account OF
the river being nnapptoachable from the
abrupt and almost perpendicular noun
tains, Of several hundred feet in height,
Through which the Colorado flows Some
Of our citizen explorers eonjectured that
| this detonr conld be avoided, and with
the view 81 making this new passa &c over
the Colorado, also for the purpose Of sx.
| ploring for more arabic land, q party Of
ten yoluntcers,- under the lead Of Mr..
Jacob HAmblin, LIFT the ,EocquerEilIe set
Element on the 18th Of October. Moth.
| ing further was heard Of them till the
news OF the murder Of one Of the number
trenched here as above stated. .:s u
Ii seems that the party was unsuccesa.
/ fnlih crossing the Colorado at the place
/ they expected, tho broken, rugged char.
aetef Of the country preventing them from
Igettiag their boat TO tue riEcr---alltl under
such circumstances utterly impracticabIe
asa ronte OF travel Z. :.
/ Not being aware Of the war now being
carried on tiy the u. s.. troops against
| the NaSajoes, and little expecting TO
end them so far north, the explorers
tpaSSed over the Colorado at the ordi.
/ nary crossing, the Utah trail, and found
1themselHes III desert through which
they had TO travel two days and = night
without other water than that taken in.
their cRnteeHs. When The party was
within q few miles of water, . few Indians
endesEored to persuade them againlt pro,
eeeding further, AZ SOC Navajo braves
were eamped at the water, terribly en-
I:aspcrated from the loss, as they reported,
EOf thousand of their old men. women
Ennd children who had been killed by, the
tsE s. soldiers. To attempt to recross
| the desert without water was deemsd by
| the party impossible, and in meeting the
tIBdtanG they ran no greater chance or
l losing their lives; accordingly, they ad.
Naneed, hoping BY what aid they could
receive from The friendly indians, and
what presents they might make, to turn
OF the declared vengeance oil the braves
against the whites r., r.. =.
When they came mp to the water, the.
warriors tmportnRed them to trade; but
being unprovided with goods for that
purpose, the exploring party had 10 cede
u portion Of their outfit for few blan-
ketS, rather than increase the luminosity
of the red skins by direct refusal, or to
give them With tho appearance OF fear.
The party cnmped near tho wash on q
bench, apart IRON the lndfans, keeping
their horses behind them, while the In.
dlalfs occupied the opposite bank. Dur
ling the entire night the Indians kept go,
| lug and coming some prOfessedly friendly,
others mad because they thought some
OF the party looked like some Of tile cap
IamsWho had driven them, stolen their
horses, cattle, and killed their relatives.
Early in the morning the Indiana, with
their ehiUfs and principle men, gathered
around the camp of the small party. and
urgently demanded trade, and got what
eonid be spared. About noon young
George Ar and Thales Haskell took the
horses 10 the watering place, about 400
Yards from camp, and while there the