The daily sentinel., 1907-11-08

According to James Hawley, of
Pueblo, man who gives much of
his leisure time to the study of the
mythology of all peoples, the Utes of
Colorado possess some of the grandest
OF all myths. He tells of one in
particular which stands typical of the
best traditions to be found among
the aborigines of Colorado. The tale
Is one which the father of Ouray,
the famous chief of the Utes and the
friend to the white men, told to
Ouray and the latter handed it a.
long to his friends until finally 1t
came to the ears of party of white
men who were hunting along the
humber being Hawley. Seated one
autumn night around fire which
they had built on the banks of the
Poudre Just where it springs out of
the foothills into the plains. the
white hunters were surprised by the
entrance of Ute old and disabled.
who entered the circle and sat quiet
for time until Hawley asked him
his mission. The aged Indian began
to talk rapidly in the Ute language,
but In spite OF the fact that the par
ty was composed of frontiersmen
none Of them could understand the
language.
BY signs and gesticulations they
informed the Indian that they could
not understand him, when he arose
and went out into the hight. Some
time later toward midnight a Ute
maiden came to the fire. She too
was asked her mission and she in
formed the party in broken English
that she had come from her father
who had lately visited them to tell
them of the strange spirits which
we're visiting the land Oh that very
night. The tale which the maiden
told was the myth to which Mr..
Hawley refers as one of the grandest
of any language.
Long, long ago before the advent
of the white man in the country,
when the Utes owned all of the vast
lands lying in what is now known
as the Uncompahgre and San Luis
valleys, the tribes of the Indians
dwelt together in peace and 1t was
only liz the memory OF the Oldest
men that war had been wagei on
the Apaches, far to the south. Thus
the people lived on, the country was
rich In game and the winters were
mild. Arapahoe, Ute and Cheyenne
lived as brothers and their Leighbors
did not molest them. Then one win
ter there came messages, dim rumori
indeed. from the east and south, tha
strange people had come into th'
land and that same winter the snow
feel deep, the game left the country
and STRIFE Cdlue iuto thc s'ASS'
became scarce, brother killed brothe
and the tribe split into sections AM
became bitter enemies. One nigh
the snow fell heavily and the storm
continued for so long a time tina
all of the weak and aged In tn
camps died and of the modern Ute
there was left but handful. The
one day in the spring when all bu
three of the young men in the cam
vvere too weak from want of foo
to attempt to hunt for game tn
storm abated and the sun shon
clearly In the blue sky. On IN
second day after the storm cease
n great flock of strange birds fle'
down from the surrounding peah
and alighted about the camp OF tn
starving Utes. All of the birds wei
tilIed and furnished food sufiicieI
, for the party for two months TIM
tho hunters became strong again an
all was well.
One night when all the men an
women we're sitting about con
mon flre feasting. there came a pul
white bird in their midst, a bill