Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-10-17
YARNS BY PIONEER.
Recalls Raid Made BY Navajo Chief
In Commanchs Country.
TRIBES AVOwtD ENEMIES.

sonal valor were of more or less an
every day occurrence. remember
away back in the sixties there was a
Navajo, known by the name of Pedro,
who went alone into tne Comanche
country and made a raid upon the
camp of his avowed enemies. This
Navajo selected ten of the best horses
from the Comanche drove and sue
ceeded in bringing them across the
plain and mountain to his native
heath. The distance covered was
| about four hundred miles and this no.
markable feat was performed single
handed by the redoubtable Navajo.
But while Pedro was hailed with all
| acclaim and accorded every mark Of
distinction known among the Indians
because of the exhibition OF his Prov
ess. he was not alone among the brave
members of his tribe. There was an
other Navajo chef named Manuelto.
, who possessed probably greater in
/ fuence over his tribesmen than any
other Manuelito was an orator born.
His power over the Nayajos was one
of the remarkable features of Indian
life IN his time Tall and majestic
with the eloqueuce of a Clay or Web
ster. he could command the attention
OF a council, then sway the people ut
WILL His popularity was unbounded
and his position In disputes, either
/ among the people of his tribe or with
outsiders was always that OF the advo-
10 10 nd gls.N IA
He was shrewd nan. and carried his
points well. II there was dispute
with an agent or the government rep.
resentatives of the reservation the
! persuasive eloquence of Manuelito was
not exercised In vain for he generally
got what he wanted. Manuelito had
nine wives. but OF course, that was
only another evidence Of how favor.
ably he was regarded by the Nayajoes
and especially the squaws
/ And speaking OF this, reminds me
/ that while the Indian Is generally re-
garded as stoioal he Is just about as
j susceptible To the tender passions as
IL the rest of mankind. There Is an
endless record of daring feats that
have been performed by the earnest
wooer that he alone might have the
favor of the dusky maiden he would
we'd Nor were daring feats of skill
and valor used to find favor. but fire.
quently a formidable rival was quietly
disposed of and no one was the wiser.
But in some instances the pangs of
unrequitted love drove the discarded
suitor to take his own life and Il Is
within my memory that an indian
desperate and disheartened by the re-
fusal OF his Offer leapea from per.
pendicular cliff OF more than two hun.
dred feet In height, and was dashed to
pieces.
But speaking of the Navajos briEgs
to mind some OF the peculiar and most
mysterious operations that were charg
ed to the government agents OF the
Navajo agency some thirty or more
years ago. IL was just after General
Sherman ha,' ordered the removal OF
the captive Nayejos from Fort Sum.
ner TO thier former homes on the Pc
cos river, which had been made a res.
ervation. Old Fort Defiance again be.
came scene OF activity and the
gathering place for the Indians. Here
the Navajos came to receive their ra.
tions of beef and corn and also their
annuity to the value OF about $40, 900,
which was always paid to them in
goods for which they had no earthly
use. What use could the average In.
dian. thirty years ago, make OF a
threshlng machine, or pillow or a
harrow or reaper, or any other OF
the implements that the farmer finds
essential. but for which the idle and
evil disposed red skin found no 9th.
er pace than as a medium of ex.
change for whiskey. guns and cart.
ridges In his tradings with the white
, and shrew,' ..eighbor. This is why the
average settler found TO mis- advan-
tage to wait until Indian pay day
: came. Then 1t was that a gallon o.
whiskey. good supply OF powder or
few pounds OF lead would gain for
him most any of the needed articles,
, and for which the listless but bell.
, cose redskin had no use or course,
/ the agent was not sittting idly by all
this time, and II what one heard is to
be credited. ficticious and fraudulent
averages were the rule when cattle
> or sheep were delivered at the agency
by the enterprislng contractor, who,
too, was well awake 20 his own inter-
ests. Then it was said that cash dona-
lions so kindly sent by the well mean
ing. but ignorant philanthrophists
: from way back east did not always
. find their true missions and the Chris.
tianizing influences for the native
: were forced TO give way to the enliv-
ening of little social game" or de-
voted to increasing the honest trad.
er's' earnings.
Then were the days when men
took the law into their own hands. |
recall that on one occasion a band of
rowing Navajos held up a freighter
AID robbed him OF his team and six
mules. The ireighter appealed In vain
to the agent and even pointed out his
property TO him, but that was all he
Q got for his trouble. Finally the freight
ed decided to act for himself Six
mules were missing from the round ur
OF agency and Indian animals the DAY