The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-10-25
CAUSED BY A HORSEBACK
How a Fierce Battle with Indians
waa Brought About
An Evcnt which Explains why tho MAYA
yocs 81 Fort Winrnto We're Hoatue to
the uaitad gtntoa Governments
Through the Civil War.

Don Amu0o Chavez. tho eldest son OF
the Into Col Mauuei Chavez, Now Mex.
ico's most noted Indian fighter, tellsan
interesting stery ~ the big fight with
the Navnjos NJ Tort Wingato in 1861,
which was Che cause Of the turbulencc
with that tribe during the rebellion
aud which he witnessed as a boy. Don
Amado was about twelve years old
then, says Santa Fc On. M CORE
spondcnt Ills father was commander
at Fort Wingate, where New Mexican
volunteer troops wcro stationed 20
watch the Navaj9s ard keep them
quiet. The tribe was supposed TO be
peaceablc and friendly, but IL was
deemed right TO keep an eye on them
and keep them from stealing stock, In
which art the Navajos arc past mas
terra.
The Navnios had pony that they
believed able 20 ortrun anything on
four lcga, ana they " Gro anxious toget
mp match race at the fort. The sur
geon at the post owned o Thoroughbred
race horac, and match was made be-
tween the two There WINS n general
gathering OF The tribe around the fort
fer Eeveral days before the race, and
the Indians and soldiers were on tho
best Of terms. One OF the chiefs took
n fancy TO the colonels son and made a
present to little Amado OF a pretty
buokslin pony with white tail and
name. Amado was very proud Of his
pony and rode him about the Indian
camp and made friends OF the Navajos.
on the day of the race tho Indians
and soldiers bet oil of their portable
property on the result, According TO
the Indian custom the things wagered
were tied together and piled up in
general hcap. A soldier bet five dol
lars against q Navajo blanket, the coins
were tied up ia fold Of the blanket,
tag attached showing who were tho
parties TO the transaction and the
blanket east upon the pile.
A shrewd Navajo rode the Indian
pony and q Mexican OF the name Ortiz
rode the thoroughbred horse. A one
thoEsand-yard stretch across the
prairie was hemmed in on both sidcs
by mixed crowd OF Indiana and Mozi-
can soldiers. A far start was made,
aud the pony got AWAY little in tho
lead lie was only .sprinter, how
ever, and was no match for the hoyac
when the latter rot fairly into his
stride. The Indian soon saw that tho
pony was outclasscd, and that he could
not win by fair running, apd so he re-
sorted to tricks to prevent tho horse
from passing. Whenever the horse
attempted to pass the Indian pulled
the pony over TO that side just enough
To get in the way, and Ortiz was COM
PEELED - pull up to avoid collision.
The Indian worked the trick with
go many variations that the horse was
fairly poclseted all the time bv that
crushed TO death in the fall,
AS soon as the Eavajos understood
what had happened they made rush
for Ortiz. Soldiers ralliednround tho
rider to protect him, and in half amin
ute n FREQ eight was in full blast. The
soldiers got together quickly, and
their fire was more effective than tho
scattering ilre OF tho Navajos, but tho
Indians were numerous and made an
ugly fight.
Young Amado saw his friend, the
old chief, lying on tho ground, wound
! ed, and be went 10 him. The old man
was mortally burt but he knew the
boy and asked him for water. Amado
go the water, sat down by the Indian,
raised his head ana gave him n drink.
The surgeon came riding by, looking
for the boy. and SOW him sitting be-
| side a wounded Indian. He rnatched
Amado up by the eollaf, placed him be-
hind on the horae. gallopcd back into
the fort and handed him over 10 the
colonel, who had just been aroused by
the firing, and was getting out of a
sick bed TO take charge OF things
The colonel told the boy 10 stay in
! quarters and not venture out again,
and then he went to the walls and got
| the cannon into action. But the boy
could think Of nothing but his Navajo
friend lying ont there on the plain
with ghastly wound Ia his breast,
and longing in vain for water So he
| filed M fathcr's cgniocn and stole out
through the gate and found the old
chief again. The OLD man was dying
fast, ana di3' not recognize the boy.
Amado sat down by him, raised his
head upon his knee, and held the can
teen to the blue lips. And 50 he sat
and ministerod to the Indian until the
life had gOno from the body, and then
he cried because the old man who gave
him the buelsiSiu pony was dead.
The thunder OF the cannon, the
shouts Of the cnptairs nad the yells OF
the Navajos had ccaa4d and only az
occasional .,k ~ a rifle told that
some slirn lcr ont On the prairie wa,
trying some long parting shot at tn,
enemy. Not until next day when hs
saw scores OF dead Indians gathered ~
along the race course api on The pra
ric, and buried IN long trench, iii,
the boy understand that be had beer
IN battle, and that all the tpmult hat
ragged around him when he sat by tn,
dying chiefs side was made by hi
friends the Nayajos, aud his friends
, the soldicra trying 20 kin each other
ITEMS Or iNrERE5T.
INDIANS believe that mrages are
caused by evil spirits,
MANY years ago in Scotland, capital
punishment WINS by drorains.
KNIVES and forks wora not IN GEN
oral uso until the eovontoanth century,
TO OVERCOME tho Resistance of the
atmosphere, Wild ducks aud geese
usually ny IN trianglea.
"A LVLRppoL clergyman breaches
such droway sermons that lately hi.
feet go to sleep while he = in the pull
pit,
A SPECIES Of ape, olcsoly resembling
the African gorilla, has been discov
cred on the Mosquito coqst, Mica
ragua.
RAILROADS in llollsnd are SO care
! fully msnGgcl that tAa Academia
deaths on them average only one I
year for the entire country.