Cañon City record., 1903-10-29

Of an Indian so as to strike him with
the bare fists and felt almost ~ safe
without gun a. with one in day time
The Ute Indians were . treacherous,
thi-vish race, but were i,rave when
ever the occasion arose to call OUT that
trait III their character. They were
good and bad among them howe, or, rs
10 the case with Americans and
Europesus. The reason the Utes were
In the main. friendly towards the set
tiers WAS due to the fact that Ouray,
their chief. was subsidized by the
United States government. and. to per-
nit any hostile acts on the part of his
braves towards the whites meant the
cutting Oh OF his pension A prolific
source Of irritation and trouble be-
tween the Indians and the white man
was the wanton slaughter Of the game
by the latter. Had the immigrants
that crossed the plains from 1850 TO
1865 been As careful in conserving the
buffalo and the deer as the Indian.
were there would have been but slight
cause for friction between them.
The Indians frequently made com
plaint to the military commanders
shout the manner in which the whites
killed the game and left their carcasses
by thousands to ro, upon the plsins.
but deaf ear was turned to these pro-
tests and the Indians In desperation
began \ course of reprisaIs in revenge
Ny acquaintance with the red man has
not tended to exalt my original esti-
mate OF his character. although he Is
not as bad as he has been painted by
that class of frontiersmen that main
tain that the only good Indian is dend
Indian.
The Indian differs from the European
in many important psrticul-rs. but in
nothing is it more manifest than in his
ideas Of warfare, which are essentially
savage Having gone upon the war
path and been def-a,ed by his enemies
the Indian has no longer fight in him.
although he will cherish bitter hatred
70. the victors as long as he lives. and
II he can reveng- himself by stealth he
will not hesitate to do SO. That honor
MN tb'htty Whttu GhhuAoft NfRrbfrcs
Describes chsrscterizirg the Six
Nations and other tribes in New York
and other Eastern states q hundred
and t.senty five years ago never exist
ed among the Indians of the West, and,
livery much doubt whether Oooper's
Indians were anything more than
figinent of the Imagination.
knew Kit Carson. the famous hunter
and scout. very well and a more
intrepid and gallant man 1t was neve,
my good fortune to be acquainted with.
Kit Car-on was not an implusive man
presence Of danger was sometimes
mistaken for cowardice. have
known instances. when he was scouting
for the government. in which Kit
Carson was reprimanded far his
caution by the military, but invariably
he was wiser than his censors and Ia
have gone ahead without exerri-in,.
the proper prudence would have led
the soldiers into an ambush.
Many years ago l went with an ex-
pediiion to explore the Grand Canon
of the Colorado river and learn some
thing of the Zuni Indians, who live iu
holes dug in the cliffs Of that marvel
Gus gorge like sand martins In the
side Of hill. They are distinct racs
Of people and in their methods OF life
resemble the Pueblo Indians OF New
Mexico. Their origin is shrouded in
t.,& 81
try Is that they are the descendants of
Europeans who came here long anterior
to the Spanish conquest OF Mexico.
Some OF them have haxen hair and
blue eyes like the Scandanavians, but
whether they have any kinship with
thoss northern races do not know,
Mr.. Mehan has lived so long among
the Mexicans that he speaks the
Spanish with almost n much fluency
ms he does the English tongue, in fact,
his family ia half Mexican, he having
married woman of.that nationality.
He 10 an interesting old man to talk TO,
and, In spite OF his lack OF advantages.
has kept himself informed Of the pro-
gress Of things. both In this country
and Europe, and It 10 source OF
pleasure to him in his declining years. |
Although poor In this worlds goods he
10 rich In experience and the rejection
that he has never swindled his fellow
men. or been untrue 10 trust reposed |
In him 10 in part at least. compensa-
tion for the poverty which surrounds |
him In his old age.
IN Cr.nv., .na s.r,,,, ,.,.