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AN ADVENTURE WITH THE INDIANS

August 4th and 5th 1875.

From My Field Notebook

August 4th. Moved 14 miles down the San Juan Valley, in the southwestern Colorado, with a few miles of our western line (109[[degree symbol]] 30[[minute symbol]]). Passed by the mouth of the Montezuma, a deep valley with a dry bed but bordered by many cottonwoods. Met an outfit of Indians consisting of four men and five squaws. The two younger fellows were impudent, devil-may-care fellows. The two older were quieter and more polite. The oldest was a tall slender man of say 50 years with a sober, composed countenance and a mouth of un-godly width. He shook hands and called me "Mi Amigo" (my friend) said also that they were Navahoes. They drove some 20 or 30 sheep and goats and indicated that their "wickiup" would be made at the junction of Montezuma and the San Juan. One of the Indians who rode by my side asked to see my rifle, which, as usual, was slung across the front of my saddle, but I declined the favor as it might have been a difficult matter to recover it in case he should be tricky. My outfit soon came up and I took them to camp four miles below the mouth of the Montezuma. Chittenden (George B), topographer, had crossed at the wagon trail ford and was making a station south of San Juan river. The Indians advised him to "piqua" (get out) up the river, but Chittenden didn't "pike". The night following was destined to be one of unusual excitement