New-York tribune., 1874-11-06
INDIAN ANTIQUITIES At TIE WESI.

INDIAN dNlIQCI AHD ">~
EXPLORATIONS OF PROF. J. ". POWELL IN lo14-
DISCOVERIES IN MIDDLE AND EASTERN UTAH
ANTIQUITIES. HISTORY, AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE
INDIAN TRIBEs-THE SYSTEM OF NAMES IN
VOGUE AMONG THEM.
Prof. Powell, who has had charge of the
Second Division OF the Geological and Geographical
Survey OF the Territories has returned from the field
leaving Prof Thompson charge OF the main party to
complete the seasons work. The latter gentleman Is
expected to return about tho last OF the month.
During the past season the field force has been
divided into two parties. Toe larger. under Proi'
Thompson, has been at work in Middle ana south-
Utah along the Sewer River and the country to
the east nearly to the Colorado The other party with
Prof. Powell has been carrying forward the work In
,,Qon Of country west OF the Sanpete River in
North. tS,stern Utah.
The geographical survey has been extended by the
expansion OF !. system OF trianges from base line
preyiousy established at Gunnison making this the base
OF topographic work. Fer lypsometrc purposes Green
River City, on the Union Pacifc Railroad, Salt Lake
City, Gunnson, and Pangwitch have been USED as sta
ons baromcter the altitude of these points
had been previously determined by railroad surveys.
The assistants in the topographic work were Prof H. C'
De Motto OF the Illinois Western University and Messrs
Renshaw, Graves, Forbes. and Wheeler These gentle
men with the exception of the last two had been pre-
viously employed In the undertaking. Mr.. Howell mas
assisted Prof. Powell in the geological work.
During the season, extensive regions OF volcanic rocks
on either side the SEWER and the eastern side of
the Wasatch Aqusrus Pateaus have been surveyed
with interesting results The great system of monocnal
faults and folds extending In northery and southery
direction across the Grand Canon Of the Colorado and
north into region of this Summers work, which had
been previously discovered has been more thoroughly
studied, other groups of displacemcnts having
r,ora tar nd al.
carefully examined.
In addition to the geographical and geological work,
much has been done in othnography. especially among
the Un-tats and Seura-rts, and large collections Illus
tratng the state OF arts among them have been made
Much additional matter In relation to their language,
mythology, customs. and habits, has been obtained
An interesting of facts concerning their method
of giving names to tribes and confederaces has been
found 1t seems that each tribe primary organization
Indians rarely including more than 200 souls, is In
obedience to the tradition laws OF these people attached
to some well defined territory or district and the tribe
takes the OF such district Thus the U-in-tats
known TO white men as branch Of the Ues, belonged
to the Ulutah Valley. Ump is the name for pine; too
meap, for land country; Um-too-meap. pine land
but this has been contracted to Unah and the tribe
inhabitng the valley called U-in-tats.
The origin OF the term Ute is as follows: q is the
term sgnifyIng arrow; U-too-meap, arrow land. The
region OF country bordering on Utah Lake is called
Utoomeap because Of the great number OF reeds grow
ing there, from which their arrowshafts were made.
The tribe formerly inhabtng Utah Valley was called
Utah-as which has been corrupted into the Ute
by the white people Of the country the name U-tah-as
belonged only to small tribe living In the Vicinity of
the lake, but 1t has been extended so as to include the
greater part of the Indians of Utah aud Colorado.
For offensive and defensive purposes 1t often happens
that two OF moro tribes are united In cOnfederacy
This is usually very loose organization, and is
tha nA,,a al olfa tha
tribes recognized to greater less extent as the
chief Of the confederacy. Such o confederacy often
takes the name of the principal chief; sometimes it
takes the Of the principal tribe, or again 1t will
take the name important event which has led to
the organization Of the confederacy
Another class OF names originates in this way. A
great many tribes Utah, Nevada, and Northern Ari
iona are known to white men as Pah Utes or P Utes
The origin Of this name Is as follows. long time
az the indians express it, there tribe OF Indians
living about Utah Lake known Utsh-ats. Another
known Tm-pa-nO-gasits living on the Tlmpanogas,
cccupied their country about Utah Lake and called
themselves U-tah-ats. The defeated Indians moved
now known as the Beaver but they always claim that
they are true Pal Utahats, pal sgnifying
Thus this latter tribe has two names its proper name
Kwi-umpOos derived from the district OF country which
it now inbabs, and Pal U-tahats the name derived
from the country from which 1t driven and by the
surrounding tribes 1t is called Unfortunately by
either name
II seems that the war which resulted in this new oc
cupatiOn OF the country was somewhat general among
tho surrounding Indians and that the original Utaas
had allies several other tribes TO the south and
aud thus II happens that all Of the Indians who fought
with the Pai Utahats sometimes called by the
name general designation, though known to the
surrounding tribes by their several proper Names
the white has taken this name Pal Utahats and
extended it to many other tribes even in Northern
Arizona and Southern California, and group OF Ind
ians about Walker River and Pyramid Lake In Nevada,
whose confederate name Is Pa-rl-otoo have received
the same name, Pah-Utes.
But there are other classes Of names by which tribes
are known TO each Other-names which used by
tribes themselves referring to popularity OF
custom such the means by which they obtain
subsistence either fishing hunting; perhaps some
term II the tribes enemies Is seized upon
name. AOf the tribes speaking the Ute language call
the Indians OF the plains, Unfortunately, or
DogEaers group oftribes IN Central Nevada formerly
used stone knives made out OF white quartz aud
called TO-Sa Wates, or "White Knives By tho sur
rounding Tribes The Nayaj0s are called Pahgawates
or Reed Knives and every tribe group OF tribes may
known by several different given to them Dy
different peoples. few OF these latter names have
been learned by the white men, and corrupted |
aud extended far beyond the original signineatlon
and have become the name by which the various indian
tribes are now known to civilized men, the Indians
themselves recognizing these latter Names though each
tribe clings TO Its primitive cOgnomen rms Is but
brief outline OF this OF naming tribes and con-
federaces there are many other interesting iacts con-
cerning 10,
The ancient Inhabitants OF the valley OF the Colorado,
whose remains studied for several years by
prof Powell have also claimed his attention this year
Many other ruins have been dscoVered some OF their
ancient picture writings collected and many OF their
stone found The Professor Is now prepared
to indicate his map the position OF many scores Of
these ancient towns or hamlets now found In ruins
the side OF the Colorado, IN the valleys OF the
Yampa White Grand. San Juan, and Little Colorado;
and on tue side OF the Colorado the valleys
Of the Untah Peice. San Rafael Duty Devil Escaante
Paria and KunaD Rivers. Mr. Hlers tho phOtngrapher
Of tue expedition. has made fne series OF negatives
suite Ot landscapes along the Green another OF tho