Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-26
LEGEND OF THE FLOOD.
How the utes of Colorado Once Re-
lated the Story.

The following story of a Colorado
Indian legend OF the food appeared
in Twin Territories, a magazine
published at Musogee, l. r.. and writ
ten by VIII V. Tufford. well known in
Colorado and San Juan. printer who
wears ago. worked at the case in Del
Norte. Saguache. Gunnison and Mont
roes and Ouray but who is now editor
of the Clinton Age, of Clinton, Iowa
"The Utes have very pretty and
Interesting legend of the flood that
rucompassed the earth. many, many
wears ago which has been handed
down from one generation to another
with such accuracy in detail as to be
Interesting and remarkable 1t has
so many features similar to those OF
the Biblical story OF the flood in
Noah's time. that it has interest for
that reason, 1t may have been in
pint but If So then but briefly. and
not generally circulated. The open
Ing of the wonderful ruins of the cliff
dwellers, near Mancos in southwest
eru Colorado. and the fact that the
ties nhNt lnudblA'h hihA a'''ich VI
the mountain for ages, lends students
OF the people of days long past to
couple legends and researches into
pretty and sentimental stories of the
people who had no written books-the
early inhabitants of our loved Amer
lea Who were the Cliff dwellers?
When did they live there and where
did their ancestors come from? Were
they of the lost tribe of Israel? May
not our American Indians be decend-
ants OF this tribe? Many of them
today certainly show evidence that
they decended from superior race
Of people than the general American
OF copper hue physically superior il
not mentally. OF the Utes who have
this pretty legend of the flood, it can
not be said that they are educated or
more than ordinarily intelligent. This
in itself makes the legend wonderful,
for the Utes do not write or read.
their HISTORIANS are the old men, who
tell the tales their fathers told them,
that were in turn told by other gen
erations
As have gathered remnants OF the
legend. II runs that many, many
moons ago the Great spirit caused
the earth to be covered with great
waters. and all the ponies and cattle,
and deer, and all the braves and
chiefs. the old women and children
of many tribes were drowned in the
great water that over spread the land.
The wise chiefs. goodiy number of
them, had needed the warnings of
the medicine man OF the numerous
tribes. for the Red Men were then in
great numbers on the earth. These
great medicine men had made medi-
cine and had gone up into the noun
taius and told the chiefs. at great
council fire that IT was going to rain
many days, that the Canons would be
full. the mountain streams would be-
come great torrents, and that all
would perish who did not take warn
ing OF the medicine men, who had
rounseled with Great Spirit. Many
OF the chiefs believed the prophecy
of the medicine men, and caused a
great canoe To be built much larger
than any that had ever been known.
and for many moons they worked on
il. They also gathered together
birds and all living things, and these,
and the chiefs and their women, and
maidens. and children and one old
woman went into the great boat
where they remained all the time of
the great rain. floating about, they
knew not whittier. until after the rain
had ceased, and the great waters had
begun to disappear, when the boat
grounded on Mt. Palmer, where 1t re-
mained until the water had all disap-
from the mountains and there
was again dry ground. and much sun