The New York herald., 1879-10-03


the general starting point. There is fair trail
easily passable at this time Of tho year. from
Rawlins to the White River Agency. 1t was along
not only progression but everything else. From
these complaints, followed or accompanied by
the determination of game and the burning OF
forests, was let to believe the White River
Utes were hostile"
HOW THE UTEs ARE DIVIDED.
3Do you think the whole Ute nation is in tho
uprisingp
l"No, sir 1 do not The nation is divided into
three tribes, commonly known as the north
or White River Otes, of whom Douglass
is chief; of the Uncompahgres, OF
whom Ouray is chief, and the Southern
Utes, located at Pagosa Springs. which
will keep Ignatos band in check. lgnato has
been unfriendly and his band was generally
considered so in years past, but now that tho
military is quartered among them and they are
too remote from the Northern Agency appre-
hend no danger from them. The Uncompahgres
have been friendly for years, and Ouray, the
chief, has been tho stanchest friend OF the
whites of all the Indians. Captains Billy and
Sam and majority of the other chiefs Of this
band are also friendly. Sapayanaro, however,
who is second only to Ouray in this tribe,
has always been considered unfriendly.
and l understood weeks ago that he
had gone to the White River Agency. It is
very probable that he and his followers arc en-
gagged in this attack All the other Uncom-
pahgre Utes regard as friendly, but if they
should turn hostile they could commit great
depreciation at Ouray and the neighboring
camps"
THE NUMBER OF UTEs.
GLOW many Utes are there in the three
tribesP
"There are little over three thousand In
dians in the nation and over one thousand men
who are able to bear arms. At an estimate
should judge these fighting Indians to be
divided about as follows:-
White River Utes-. 25O
UncompahgreUtes. .-...-.-.......-----.-.- 800
Southern Utcs. 200
Total. ..--.."--..-..-.-.--.l,OO 200
According to this estimate, and think it
will be found nearly correct, If Saparanaro and
the Douglass tribe have joined hands in the up
rising, they have about three hundred armed
Indians, the band of the former chief number
ing, it is thought, 1OO."
THE HosTILEs WELL PREPARED.
GLOW well prepared are the Utcs for war"
sThey are all armed with Winchester rifles
and the whole nation owns from eight to ten
thousand ponies. The government has per-
mitted them to raise and sell ponies and sheep,
and the proceeds of this business have been
used in purchasing small arms and ammunition,
80 they are as well armed as any band of In
dams in the world"
"If a war is impending, who will have charge
Of the Indian forcesw
douglass will control the councils and prob
ably lead the Indians. He is an able chief and
the brightest of all the White River Utes. He
was appointed chief twelve years ago and
has risen to first place by superior ability"
WHITES AT THE AGENCY.
elbow many white people do you think were
at the agency"
Eight or ten white men and probably five
or six white women
"From what the Indians have so far said and
DONE and from the agents position among
them, do you entertain any theory as to the
fate of the white peoplci"
"In all probability Agent Meelscr has been
killed. He had no means of escape, because
the troops were attacked on the only road by
which he could have escaped and the ambush
was but twenty-five miles from the agency only.
If his life is spared il is because Douglass did not
join the assault and may protect Mceker to pre-
vent the destruction of the tribe by the govern
mont"