The record-union., 1891-08-19
SONS OF THE SAGEBRUSH.
Some Queer Characters Among the
Visiting Piute Hop-Pickers.
Captain Sans Wonderful Memory,
Appetite for Watermelons, and
Experiences at Poker.

AT the present time and for several
Gays past large number of Piute In
olans have been seen on the streets ofSac-
ramento.
These people come from their homes
on the other side of the big snow range
to work in the hop-fields. In the party
are some noble red men, distinguished in
their tribe and well-known to the people
OF the State of Nevada. One of these is
Captain Sam. This Indian is SUBJ
Chief, having jurisdiction over that por-
ton of the tribe dwelling in the western
section Of the State, having his head
quarters in Virginia City. He has been
1mmortalized in print by Dan de guile,
and no article on Indians from the pen Of
that able writer would be complete with
out some mention of Captain Sam. He
is a thrifty individual, as cunning as the
famed sewer rodent, and an expert at In
dian poker, and it is not prophesying
very far from the inevitable result to
predict that by the time the hOp-picking
is completed he will have in his clothes
pretty near the sum total Of the money,
earned by the particular band of Indians
he has in charge.
WATERMELON HUNGIYY."
There is nothing on the earth, or in the
heavens above or in the wtaerS beneath
for which an Indian has so consuming
liking as watermelon.
Indians have great memories for faces.
The writer at one time was connected
with the press of Nevada, and Captain
Sam was frequent visitor to the sane
tum. He was on good terms with all the
newspaper men, and being one of the
most prolific liars this side Of Tophet.
could always be relied on for an interest
ing item on Indian affairs
Passing along X street the other day
the writer hereof was hailed by the Cap
tain.
It was eleven years since he had seen
the Indian, but Sam recognized him at
once and gave him grip of the hand that
would make travelling President of the
United States squirm like an eel
on 'shimbana' know or understand
me-" said the distinguished scion of Piute
nobility.
He was not remembered at first.
ME heap savee you," he said. "You
name --; you heap make 'em paper Fer
ginny City. Me Cap'n Sam; you SHIN
bana me?''
He was recognized then and the writer
proceeded to Interview him.
Me bling lnjun boy and girl pick 'em
hop" he said. ME no pick 'em; all my
InJun boy and girl pick 'em. Me heap
boss um Job-au same Johnny Mackay;
make EN- heap money; go San Flisco.
have heap good time.'
Just then Captain Sans eagle eve lit
on stack OF WaterlnelOnS displayed in a
market across the street. He has q ne
culiarity Of abStaining from affOrding in
formation without some sort of bribe,
and II he thinks you want to learn any-
thing from him the conditions are: ''NIe
heap hungly; two bit glib 'em me - or,
,Mebbeso you got EN- old pant; Captain
Sam heap cold"
Sam didn't ask it for himself; he wanted
1t Tor his partner. Pointing his finger at
one OF the party, he said: 'My pOdner:
he heap watermelon hungly; mebbeso
you catchum watermelon" 4 bystander
crossed the street and purchased a huge
watermelon, which he presented to sam,
VINO sat down on the curb and divided it
among his retinue of bucks, squaws
and papOOses-ot course reseryinC the
biggest hunk for himself
IDA AND MAGGIE.
After disposing of the melon, rind and
all, sam became communicative.
POlntIng to buXom squaw who stood
by his side, neatly dressed in a BRIGHT
calico gown, and with broad red ribbon
ct her throat, he said: This my gal. Ida:
You savee Ida and Maggie, my gals; little
gals when you see 'em; now all same
woman. Maggie she stay home take care
house, so no dam Indian hoodIum steal
'em stove; Ida she heap pick 'em hops"
These girls were baptized in the Cath
Ollie faith in Virginia City by Rev. Father
Manogue, now Bishop of this diocese.
who chrIstened them respectively Ida
and Maggie"
Captain Sam has the distinction of be-
ing the first Indian in Nevada to aban-
don the wickiup and live in a house He
To = ha -
Commissioners for lumber, basing his
claim on the fact that he was the Captain
Of that branch of the tribe making its
home in and about that county, and that
1t devOlved on him to maintain good or
der among his people. The request was
granted, and Sam constructed the cabin
with his own hands. Then he wanted
cook-stove. This was furnished by the
county. Having secured the stove he
then wanted something 10 cook on it, and
was given an order for a winters supply
OF provisions, and during the cold, hard
winters of the COmstock Captain Sam
and his family were as snug as the tradi-
tlonal bug IN rug, and lived on the fat
of the land from an Indian standpoint.
Up to the time / left Nevada, Sam al
ways got his regular winter supply of
grub from the county, and put in the in
tervaIs selling game, pinenuts and In
dian sugar on commission for the other
Indians and beating them out of the pro-
ceeds at poker. He wears q large silver
medal, with which he establishes his
identity when abroad, and which he dis
plays with great pride. 1t was presented
to him in 1861 by one Of the oldest geni-
uses ever known in that region of odd
characters, Nevada. 1t is inscribed on
one side: Presented to Captain Sam,
Chief Of the Western Nevada Piutes. by
the Territory Of Nevada, for services rem
dered in missing white men in shooting
at them in the Pyramid Lake Indian
War" (Signed) "Schimmerhorn, Lieu
tenant-Governor of the Territory of Ne
vada."
''Schimmerhorn" was the nickname
by which Lytle was known throughout
the Territory.
The reverse side of the medal reads:
The wearer of this token of merit is
good lndian-when he is asleep"
HEAP HARD TIMES.
Captain Sam mournfully bewailed the
Gecadence Of Nevada, and regretted that
the flush days are past and gone.
Johnny Mackay all same bloke,
now," he said, heap pull 'em down big
mill. Dan De guile no got 'em no more
old pant for Injun. Two-bit heap big
all same twenty-dollaT Indian no catch
um money ferginny now; come Sacra-
mentO pick 'em hop; mebbe so whita
man like come too. Him no shimbana
pick 'em hop. Too heap dam hot. Two
Dit glib 'om me-"
The coin not being forthcoming Cap
tain sam and his following cast a linger-
ing glance at the stack of watermelons
across the street and moved on.
STREET SAM
Another somewhat notable Piute en-
countered by the writer bears the soubri-
Quet variously of 'Street Sam" and
Austin Sam" The first was derived
hn fnia