The record-union., 1892-04-07

lie Befriended the -Coun.
ty Clerk Hamilton Speaks Ten
derby of the Old Chief

Ex-County Clerk Hamilton wears sad
expression these days, and it is apparent
that some uncommon sorrow has come
upon him. The kind-hearted Billy
mourns the death of one of his oldest,
truest and best of friends-old Coppa
Hembo, the Indian chief who recently
died at Chicken Flat, FL Dorado County.
A correspondent of the Georgetown
Gazette, in writing of the old chiefs
death, says HE was chief of all the
Indians of Kelsey, Irish Creek and Mos
quito. Many a white man viii regret the
death of the poor old man, who was atleast
loo years old, and many think older; as
they have no way of recording time, it is
Tor the Oldest citizens to judge. He was
. very old man when white people first
settled herein '49 and '50-and many
noble act of kindness he has rendered to
the whites when they had made the long,
tedious Journey across the plains, on mar
row trails over the mountains without
money or food. He went, without being
asked and without recompenSe, TO pilot
those unfortunate men through, taking
with him men and food, as far as he dared
go without the interference of other
tribes. Hangtown Indians and these
were always at war then.
w ncDSN6G Ills Stludu Ol 1uuiduS SOL
Unruly and showed any unlawful demon
STATIONS, he would take his stand in their
midst and call out i'll bold and brave
voice and in few moments would queil
the noise, and not word would be
spoken while they sat and listened with
wrapt attention to his speech, which
would sometimes last for hours. The In
dians would then disperse and move
quietly away to their canlpoody.
"COppa HembO was buried on Irish
Creek in an old Indian cemetery, in q
cas1et covered with black velvet and sill
yer trimmings. There was about hum
dred dollars worth of baskets and bead
ornaments. and feather crowns put in the
rave with him. 1t was a sad sight to
zee those Indians dance, sing and cry
until they were perfectly exhausted. All
he whites who had heard of his death
vent to see him buried"
Mr.. Ham lton became acquainted with
the old man many moons ago, while on
one of his hunting expeditions into the
heart of the Sierra Nevada. A strong
friendship sprang up between the red
man and the pale-face, which grew
tronger year by year until old age and
Door living carried off the former.
Old Coppa Uembo used to come to Sac
Fanento once a year to see his friend,
aud warm indeed were these meetings
between them. In the quiet shadows Of
he ellis and pines where the old Chief
was wont 70 make his home-where the
scream of the eagle by day and the roar of
lhe panther by night We're abount the
9Hiy kinds Of music that greeted his
ears-there in the summer months he
,lsed to instruct his friend Billy" in the
language OF the red man. So, whenever
old Coppa would come to town to visit
the genial County Clerk, he and his we'll
taught pupil would sit for hours and tell
bear storieS-all in pure Indian dialect.
IT is said that one of the last requests
made by the old Chief, when on his dying
couch was that he be remembered to his
old comrade and hunting partner. The
after can tell many an interesting anec-
dote about good old Coppa Hembo, whe
is now III the happy hunting grounds
where only good Indians are admitted.
tOne of the most thrilling stories that
.1r. Hamilton relates of The dead Chief is
Il recital OF an adventure IN the latters
early life by which he earned his name,
'Coppa Hemho," which means Bear
lsiller." When % years old Coppa and q
Iarty of young braves encountered a
huge grizzly bear on trail in the forest.
al the braves fled-so the story goes
except Coppa, who then had no distinct
I've title. Perhaps the otner fellows had,
and merely wished to give him fair
show TO earn a name for HIMSELF or, per-
haps, he being in the lead when the bear
was met, was in the rear when the col
1tmn OF braves turned bout face, and
thus had to make virtue of necessity.
However, to condense the story Of the
desperate and bloody struggle between
the young Indian and the bear. the
former got away with the battle, although
terribly mangled.