The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1879-12-09
THE PETTE Princess.
Traditions OF sler Tribe Relative TO
tine Origin OF tsie Whites and In


lecture at Platt's Hall last evening.
Beginning with reference to the ira
ditions of her tribe, she said: 'Long
before we ever saw the white people or
knew of their existence, we believed
that they lived. We had a tradition
that long ago there were two boys and
two girls. One boy and one girl were
large and strong and far, and the 9th
ers were small and dark The two
boys quarreled and pulled each others
hair, and the girls did likewise, and
finally their parents sent the fair chill
dren away over the water, and told
them to grow up there, so there would
be no more quarreling. This was the
origin of the white people, and the
dark children, suppose, were our
selves. That is the reason that when
the whites came my grandfather well
coined them and said they were our
brothers.. The first whites we. saw
were party going from California east
ward, and we saw them at the lower
part OF the Humboldt. My grandfather
went to greet them, but they would
not let him come near. He threw
down his>quiver and tried to show his
friendly feeling, but still they would
not let him. Then he followed them
all one day in a canse up the river, but
could not come near them. He re-
turned and called all the tribe together,
and told them he had seen their white
brothers, and
lie WAS GLAD.@
Ever since the quarrel and the sepa-
ration long ago, the Indians had had
hard time, and had to work all the
Summer to lay up food for the Winter.
Now the white brothers had got back
and good times would come again. He
made them all promise they would not
modest the white people. The next
thing some emigrants came to the Hum
boldt, aud my grandfather went to
them and they received him kindly.
Captain johnson was in command OF
them. When they went away they
gave my grandfather new, bright tin
pan, and he was just as proud OF 1T as
the San Francisco young ladies are of
their sealskins and diamond rings. The
Indians had never seen anything that
shone so beautifully. He used to get
up i'll the morning early to see the first
sunbaams reflected Oh it, and finally
bored holes i'll it and wore it for a head
dress That year we got lot of cattle
and horses that the emigrants deserted
on the plains. The next year Captain
Fremont, now General Fremont, met
my father where the railroad bridge
now crosses the Truckee. He named
my grandfather Captain Truckee and
named the river after hips He wanted
my grandfather to 90 TO California with.
him, and he and eleven others went, !
They were gone several. years. My SIS
ters husband died ON. the way home
from Mexico, where they
WENT To EIGHT FOR CAPTAIN FREMONT. /
But the rest came home with guns and
soldier clothes Oae of them could
speak some English and was very proud
,of his gun. He would pat it all day
and say, Good gun, heap shoot;
goody -goody gun ---." The sol
der clothes with brass buttons,.were
admired by all the Indians for miles
around The next year we went to
Stockton, where there were only few
cabins. 1t makes mefeel very old to
think Of it now. We stayed four years,
and then went home and found white
people settled all around. There was
Mrs. Ellis near our camp, a family by
the name Of McMullen at Dayton, and
settlement where Ragtown now is.
There was also cabin at the Sink of
the Carson,> where the mill is now. We
loved them and treated them kindly, as.
they did as. Mrs. Ellis and her son
and daughter used to come, to us and
GET fish which we caught, and we lived
SO for three years. Then settlement