The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-12-27
She Aleu- Aorth'1fest.
sArrRDAY, DECEMBER q. 1873.
tW,h,cn 'ci the NE~ N"srm.wEsr.i
Nl-AK.A.WAY,
4 "Reminiscences Of Pioneer Life In Cali
forniA.

the Indians between Kern river aud the
MERGED, and the most subtle enemy that
the whites had to deal with in the settle.
ment Of Southern California.
We werc working on q small tributary ~
the Fresh" when, one morning about day.
light, We received the following note by =
trusty Indian boy:
tn. Indian. have killed fIoiugs Americ III Mare at
,hc picket aud are dancing and painting: We are In
danger: Come quick. JAMES SAVAGE.
In live minutes We were scudding over
hills toward the place from whence the note
came, and Ut 10 o'clock We were at the Store
and Corral on the Fresno. in the edge IT tl'c
valley. A. We went into the corral the In.
dams came around and laughed and jab-
lsercd At us, but made y" attack. In the
Corral all was confusion. 4 pack-train Of
sixty mules, Will, goods for the Store, had
arrived from Stockton and were kept close
for fear If the Indians. The goods lay on
the ground as they were thrown from the
mules.
We went to work putting things in shape
for defence and passed q watclIfnl night.
expecting an attack. In the morning Nj
akaway came Oh the little hill overlooking
our position and hailed IN. We answered
him, when he tod Us "he had three hum
sircd bows Seeming satisfied with giving
us this information. he went hack to his
camp. and We passed the day and night on
guard, without farther molcstaticn; but
next morning he came and told us rs be-
fore, and ~ an the third morning he came
bows and was turning I" 90 back when we
hailed, and told him We wanted to talk.
Confident Of the strength Of his tribe and
Of his own cunning, he came down We
opened the gate and he came in.
lie gave us q cunning lcer as he came
among IN, a. much as to say LA! la! my
fine rats, have run you to your hole and
sl,all smoke or pancl, you out at my pleas
ue." He asked what We wanted and was
told "wc wanted the men that killed BOl-
iug's mare" lie said We could not have
them. We then told him "tl,c gate that
let him in would only let him out Ivy bring
ing in those men and making peace with
the whites" At this he started, looked .
moment, and then broke for the gate. But
q short look down the muzzlcs If two
Colts dragons in the hands Of Starkey
and Bishop, convinced him We meant bust
ness and hs said swell, I'm q fool -
and squatted down In corner Of the store
room, prisoner.
In short time Niakaway said he wanted
10 talk with O.lO-Se.l,O (the second chief o.
licutenant). OrosehO came down at our
call, hut was shy. A little Of Colts per-
suasion with Niakaway in the store room,
th,esls venng rntm n tnty Yatied Il have
t,.oss men Drought in We should keep them
and punish them in their l,lacc. When tie
Indians found out VIZ had cntrapped their
chiefs, their rage knew no bounds. They
yelled, jumped and throwed ti,c-brands in
the air and fairly howled with fury. Tl,ree
times they charged on our position, but the
ready Colts presented ut the heads of the
chiefs, made them call Justify to 70 hack
and not commence the fight. And No thu,
far we were masters Of the situation, and
thus matters stOUh for three days, with the
exception If one Indian killed in the night,
while trying tO burn US out. We were too
weak to enforce our demand in open fight,
and still MT daring to let 1t 60 uncnl0rccd.
On the seventh day, We Raw q long, dark
line coming over the plain toward III, and
on nearer approach II proved to In about
lN Indians ii another tribe, coming to ION
Niakaway. This looked dark for us. We
were hut seventeen men, surrounded BY ut
least 40 hostile Indians. but we had no
alternative. We knew it would be dealt,
TO us IL leave our position without enforcing
eur demand and making peace. The chief
Ut the newcomers came boldly up and said
he had heard the Indians and wanted to
hear IN. We told him, and he said: You
are right am ut peace with you. Give
me something to eat and some little pres
ents for my people, aud will not join them
but camp by myself until the quarrel is
over" The presents were given, and he
kept his word with us.
At last Niakaway, weary Of captivity,
and perhaps fearing for his own personal
safety II lie held out longer, sent out orders
70 have the culprits brought in. It was
done. We told them il they were whites
We would kill them, but VIC wanted to be
sssSssss"s ~" w wvssu " suCVJ t11IS tIuuIc
and kill them IL they did ~ again. When
tive whipping was over, Niakaway seemed
well pleased that they had got of No cheap
y, and said he would make peace with liz
and have q great peace dance. It was done,
and the dance lasted three days and nights.
We oil changed our clothes, taking new
ones from the store and giving our dirty
ones to the Indians who hoped around
and grimaced most in the dance.
Thus eudeth this chapter. We had gain
esl an almost bloodless victory and made q
peace which none Of us expected would
last longer than until the Indians got a
good opportunity to break It.
About three months after our horses,
which were hcsyled at the Store, we've ali
stolen and run of into the mountains,
and We were literally set a-foot. We de-
ter'nined to follow aud punish the thieves.
Starkey, moro bravo than prudent, took the
trail alone and got far In advance Of his
comradeA when the Indians surrounded
and cut him Oh. He fought with GOODNESS
and desperation seldom equalled, killing
three with his firearms and one with his
knife before he FELL but before No could
come 70 bis help the Indians had done their
work and 6ed.
We gave him such burial ~ the mountain
Wscu SaU BVo-6 &OuIs0 WI0O S1g0o0 MS
requiem among the LOFTY pines, and II there
were no tea1 sl,ed there was . stern sd
ness In the faces around that mountain
grave. Like the finger u Death pointing
70 his murderer, We biased tree aud wrute
his epitaph, and with ono last sad farewell
% ts,se and brave companion, and one
lAst, lingering look 70 the place whore We
I'm him, No followed the trail Of the Indi.
dams.
=
Five years after was At the camp Of
Niaksway. Il was on little mound over.
looking the valley Of tho San JOAQUIN.
down ths Monte Rcdun,la toward Pscheco's
Pas, II ~ Coast Range and far - the eye
could - the spane se1tlemouts we've indi.
Gated By spots of yellow grain, ripe Tor the
harvest. E#sO
This was The lard Niakaway had loved.
Hersin in Tie rainy season, - had nan Wild
hossss into tho mud and cut their ham.
stsi1gs By The dozen; had chased tie count.
lees herds Of elk and antelope over the
plain 70 bis hearts content; and In the
ausnnos 0OnthS - ha1 6oas1od a the II.
mon, stnrgs0n and WATERFOWL along the
rvef. But now, Ill that had made e Lsau.