Sharp County record., 1880-01-29
OURAY'S HORSE RACE.
How He Caused the Whole Navajoe Tribe
to Go Into Bankruptcy.

How He Caused the Whole Navajoe Tribe
to Go Into Bankruptcy.
Five years ago, when the Utes and
Navaioes were not warning with each
other or employed in investigating the
firmness with which the white mans scalp
was attached, they devoted themselves
to horse-racing, betting blankets, ponies
and their squaws even upon the results
of the contests. Now, although there is
no horsehesh in the world that can leave
a Ute pony behind when climbing rough
and rugged mountain trails or holding
out for long journeys is concerned, they
are not fast runners on level ground.
So, however mortifying the confession
was, after a week of daily races the Utes
were obliged to acknowledge that their
horses were inferior to those of the
Navaioes; but by the time they were
convinced of this fact, the whole tribe
were nearly bankrupt. The Nayaloes
gathered up their spoils and departed for
their tents, while the Utes went to Ouray
with their tales of woe. Sapayanaro,
Shavino and COjoe were all heavy losers,
but at the council which Ouray called
could suggest no plan to retrieve their
losses, except to follow the victorious
Navaoes and by force deprive them of
their booty. To this proposition Ouray
would not assent, saying that such
deed would stain the name of their tribe,
and dismissed the council, telling the
Utes to challenge the NavajOes to anoth-
er series of races two months from that
time, September, 1874, and he would
attend to the rest Through H.F. Bond,
the agent, Ouray having raised $1,000
by the sale Of some of his stock, sent to
st. Louis and purchased Membrino
racer, bay, and had him brought to
his house. At the expiration Of the two
months the NavaiOes came down, bring
ING with them their best racer, one who
had won eight races in the former con-
test, and called Wachita by the Navajoes.
Ouray caused it to be given out that he
had brought a pony from Utahto contest
the races, and the Navajoes were on the
tip-toe of expectation rs he was brought
forth. When the blankets with which
he was covered from head to fooD were
removed, and painted all over to pre-
sent the appearance of a half starved
pony, the bay appeared, a shout OF de
rision rent the air from the throats OF
Navaioes, and they began to bet odds
(three blankets against one and the like)
against his winning. The Utes said
nothing, but, instructed by Ouray, took
every bet that was offered, even if they
risked their last blanket. The course
used by them was about three miles
LONG, level mesa Wachita was ridden
by his owner and the bay by the son of
Sapavanaro. The word was given, and
the horses started amid an anticipating
shout of victory from the Navajoes,
which quavered away into a groan as
they saw their favorite beaten by neck
as they crossed the line. But they did
not give up The close race made them
think the defeat of Wachita was due to
the bad riding of its owner. In the
twinkling of an eye he was pulled off
the horse by dozen hands, and Math-o-
kan, q sub-chief of the Navajoes, put on
the back of Wachita. This time the
betting was heavier than at first, the
Utes betting eagerly and the Navajoes
desperately, Sapavanaro's boy gave the
bay his head and he came across the line
nearly quarter of mile ahead OF
Wachita. The Navaioes were " busted"
and the Utes rich. They had not only
recovered what they had before lost, but
their tepees were filled with blankets
and buffalo robes, while each Navajoe
was the poorer by a pony. So com
pletely "broke" were they that the Utes
tell with glee how they rode to their
homes, some riding double and others
walking. This incident greatly increased
Ouray's influence over his tribe, and
caused all of them to look up to him as
wise man.-DenUer Tribune.