The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984, 1909-10-14

strained my feelings, and noticing
buck out by a haystack mending some
implement of husbandry, ! approached
him with the same question He was
more communicative and gave me a
long account of the way, partly in Pal
ute and partly in very bad English
from which gathered that to the
Agency it was journey Of 'sthree suns
and two shades"
stThree suns and two shades?" re-
peated, puzzled. About how far is
that in miles?" Whereupon, the half
tanned aborigine, bringing his gesticu-
lating arms into requsition to aid his
obscure Pai-ute and scarcely more in
telligible English, entered into further
derstand nothing more. However, |
thanked him very heartily for his infor-
nation, for should we not be as CRATE
full to those who make an honest effort
to serve us as we are to those who rem
der us actual assistance?
Three suns and two shades,
unused as drove on. Could he mean
journey Of three days and two nights?
No, it could not be more than fifteen
miles at the most. | gazed on the
broad valley in front. To the right,
rose a range of mountains from the
foot of which the Owyhee river came
rushing across the valley with charac-
teristic western swiftness. Then,
striking the foothills on the left, it
doubled back forming a large loop.
Willows and other trees were growing
along the banks and as / saw the yell
low, dusty, trail cutting across the loop
came to mel would pass over a
t stretch of country in the hot sun, then
would pass through the shady grove
by the river, then another sunny
stretch, then another -shade, then
another ''sun'' and then I would be at
t the Agency. Indeed, the Indians
+ method of reckoning is not SO bad, after
4 all, for is it not just as well to know
i. that long, hot, and dusty trip has
two shady places where one can rest
f and be refreshed as it is to know that
+ it can be divided into an even number
e of spaces called miles? 1 soon came to
: a large tent near a house where a
r group of Indians were lounging in the
: shade. l stopped at we'll to water
a my horse and the curious natives, see
It ing my strange looking vehicle, cam'
a crowding around for a closer view
= Evidently, they had never seen a car
If before. They handled the wheels, th'
e shafts, opened the box under the seat
IS and asked all kinds of questions. "Hov
ie much did it cost?" ''Where did
lie get it?'' 'How much would take 70
1t it?' told them could not sell as
lie had no other means of travel. One the
lie offered me two horses, saying that
ig could make pack animals of them an
of ride my own. Not favoring that mod
OF of travel and thinking that there migt
al be some restrictions concerning trah
~ with the red men, refused their offer
and drove on. Most of them talke
= very good English and all were dres.
AT ed in the garb of white men-the blu
ld overhal1s being very conspicuous. A
ev l started a well-dressed Indian roc
A. up and asked where was going. O
finding that 1 was an unofendiu
traveller and not an unscruplous trad,
es he was very courteous and explaine
ks the shortest way to the Agency, W.
a surprised to find an Indian whose dres
] language, and bearing were so mus
like those of the better class of white
~ AS went on, the dwellings were mo
Mt numerous and the population dense
eg- The houses were low, log structure
we'll adopted 10 keep out the cold
winter; but so intolerable in hot weat
er that all their occupants chose to Ii
'ue outside, either in tents or under she
TO er made of willow branches Und
cir these, the squaws piled their hous
not hold cares while the smaller fry pla
al ed along the river, murmuring al
gurgling in unison to its rippli
"a waters. 1t was the haying season a
ne. the men were engaged in mowin
md hauling, and stacking hay. pass
skv several teams and wagons coming FRI
-. the store, driven by large-armed, flu
breasted squaws, the very picture
- At..,tr