Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1910-03-17

name OF the already famous Jarbidg
gold camp should be spelled "JOhr
bitch" a fact Of which the miner
who organized it legally were vel
aware.
At that time a brief history OF th'
legends OF the tribe was related Z,
the prospectors by c. G. Winter. Wit
was at the meeting. He explained
the correct spelling as nearly as pos
sible TO convey the pronunciation Civ
en- the word by the Piutes as well al
the Shoshones.
To several OF the prospectors in at
tendance at that miners meeting
however, when the official designa
ton of the district was decided, the
correct Indian spelling did NOT appeal
favorably; they believed its inelegant
combination of letters might offend
at least a part of the public; at any
rate the ending of the word if so
spelled might seem vulgar. they
thought
The majority concluded, therefore.
that the name should be so spelled
as to convey the same meaning and
look and sound more elegant. and
as such it is likely TO pass down in
to history without rejecting any
ignorance on the part of the Jar
bidge pioneers.
The romantic story OF the name
says that the ShoshOnes regard the
gulch it represents with fear and
awe. This legend was related by
one Of the tribe-a young. inteIli-
gent. educated buck-to J. ~ Haw-
thorne and George c. Riddle NOV
one of Jarbidge's principal mer-
chantsj, who were in the Duck Val
ley country last fall:
Because Of fear. they avoid the
gulch in all their wanderings- Mr..
Riddle has also verified the Sho-
shone's story during a conversation
with a Piute, who said that "JOhr-
bitch" is not synonymous with the
English word devil, literally, but
means 70 the Indian mind a huge
giant, about thirty feet high. with
teeth so big that they can be seen
for half a mile.
On the other hand, the devil is
called. in Indian language. -Thaw-
up.
Fire was described by the Sho-
shone. and also by the Piute, Indian
with whom Messrs. Hawthorne and
Riddle talked as the particular bette
noire of the giant "JOhrbitch." who
becomes fearfuIy enraged at the
sight Of flames.
Whenever any of the Indians. many
rears ago, would build fires in that
canyon. Johrbitch" would roar so
Is to make the earth shake. and the
.ir would become thick with smoke
nd lurid with flame frequently. and
mis- giant would throw stones as
zig as mans head for as much as
lalf a mile distant.
The Indians believe also that this
monster is cannibaI. who lives by
.ating human flesh. They think he
5 very cunning. and that whenever
lie wants 10 entice Indians into the
anyon he makes a sound like the
.ooing of a dove The legend also
avs that on a certain occasion one
indian who escaped the clutches OF
his giant went into the canyon to
trip the bark Of saplings to fashion
,ow strings and tent strings. He
lighted a fire and ''Johrbitch'' saw
i'm and was wild with rage. He
Talked out on a rim OF rock about
slf a mile away. so the legend goes.
nd. consumed with anger. started
oward the thoroughly terrified In
ian. who at once put out his fire
nd ran for his life, escaping from
be canyon.
This legend is believed By all the
indians Of Duck Valley. which is
bout % miles from Jarbidge canyon.
nd the story teller said he had it
TOM the lips Of the oldest Indian d,
( his tribe when he was a boy. :
he tribes shun the spot as they
Ould a plague.
Their legend further says that
ANY Indians who entered the can >
on years ago. and built fires. never
sturned. nor were they ever heard :
ON again. It is thought a volcano "
roke forth at that time and de- L
.royed everybody in the vicinity.
,me silent testimony to which is
,und in the existence Of the old u
.ntnr or The head Of The er,lch