Cañon City record., 1910-04-28

platform. while riffs and crevices ex-
tending into the walls on either side
give the effect OF wings such as are
seen on the stage OF theater.
This canon is said to have been
used by the Ute Indians as favorite
spot for their councils. az 1t was se-
cure from intrusion. and the smoke
of their fires was always dissipated
in the thin air before It arose to the
tops OF the surrounding walls. If In
dian tradition be true. this stone
stage was once the scene of a bloody
drama in which the warriors OF hos
tile tribes were the actors.
THE Utes occupied the mountain
country and subsisted largely upon
the game of the hill country, while on
the plains below the present site OF
Canon City roamed the Arapahoes.
who chased the bison and the ante
lope. Between the two tribes ex-
listed the dealIest emnity, and the en-
croachment of one upon the territory
of the other was always the signal
for battle.
"On one OF the incursions on the
plains band OF Utes captured and
carried away an Arapahoe maiden.
the fairest OF her tribe. Although
the Araphoes made desperate ef-
forts TO recapture the girl. the Utes
escaped TO the mountain fastness with
their prize.
About this time the Utes were In
sore straits on account of n famine
in their country The elk and the
deer had gone far back into the hills.
and the tribe was threatened by star
walton. Then band was organized
to go to the plains and kill the
bison. which were plentiful there.
They were met by the Arapahoes and
told that they could not hunt in their
country unless the maiden was re-
turned. The captor of the girl pro-
posed that the matter be decided by a
duel to the death between himself
and her Arapahoe lover.
The challenge was accepted. a truce
declared. and Temple canon chosen
as the scene OF the conflict. Here the
utes assembled. on the appointed
day.. with the maiden and 500 OF their
warriors. Thither the Arapahoes re-
paired. with their champion. and q
similar number OF their picked men,
marching In single file over the we'll
worn trail OF their ancient foes.
The warriors arranged themselves
on the rocks and sloping ground be-
fore the stage on either side OF the
canon. The girl was seated In one
OF the wings. attended by a guard.
while the combatants met on the
stone platform below. After a brief
but bloody struggle the Ute lay dead.
pierced to the heart by a stone spear.
The attendant led forth the maiden
for presentation TO her victorious
tribesmen. But at this moment an
arrow sang through the air. and the
iifeiess form OF the girl fell at the
feet OF the champion. Whether the
arrow came from the bow OF a jeai-
Gus Arapahoe lover or from that of
revengefui Ute has not been told.
The silence of death reigned for n
moment in the cavern. then the war
whoop OF the Arapahoe resounded ms
they fell upon their hereditary enc
mics. For hours the battle ragged in
the canon and at its end the victor
ious denizens OF the plains returned
with their slain. but dangling the
scalps of more OF their enemies than
they had taken before In a genera
ton.
Later the Utes returned. gather
ed up their dead. carried them across
Grape creek. and inferred them on the
beautiful wooded slopes OF the
Greenhorn mountains. And SO today
for rod after rod along the trail may
be seen the rocky mounds that mark
the last resting places OF those war
riors Of race that has vanished.
Some claim that this story Is only
fanciful Indian legend and that
the facts are hundred Utes were
killed in a running fight with SOL
diers. trappers and Mexicans about
1854 and that their bodies were bur-
led along the old trail near which
and within the memory OF the white
they fell. But the graves are there
and within the memory of the white
man. the Utes were accustomed to
strew the mounds with green boughs.
chanting a peculiar dirge."