Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the nativesJones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
History
Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the natives
Jones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); Indians of North America; Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Biography
To the reader, who is not acquainted with those days, it will be
necessary to say that there were friendly Indians in and around the
settlements who took no part in this war, but would not inform on the
hostiles when they came in, in a peaceable manner, to visit them. I had
often heard of this Indian--Ancatowats--being one of Black Hawk's most
active raiders. When I called him by name he said he did not know me.
I told him how I felt towards the Indians. Soon I got his confidence
and we had a long talk. He told me all about the hostiles and others of
the Uintahs who were not actively at war. He said the Indians wished
they could get some of my saddles. (I had sold them a great many in
former years.) Said their saddles were all gone or broken up, so that
their horses all had bruised backs. He bought three saddles of me at
the time. He also told me that there was a new agent in town from
Washington whom he thought was a good man; that he talked good and that
he also wanted a saddle.
This Indian said to me that he thought maybe I could go out with the
agent and make saddles for the Indians if I wanted to, and that, as
I was an old friend and had never been out to fight them, he did not
think they would want to kill me. I went and talked with George A.
Smith, giving him a full understanding of my feelings, also telling of
the proposition of the Indian. Brother Smith agreed with me that if
someone could get among the Indians and talk to them in a proper spirit
it would do more good than fighting them, and said, "If you have faith
to try it you shall have my faith and blessing in the effort."
I laid before him some of my plans, which he approved of, advising me
to say nothing to anyone else about the business, but to use prudence
and the best judgment possible. He warned me that I would have a hard
job and hoped that I would not get discouraged.
I managed to see the agent and mentioned to him my desire to visit the
agency, telling him that I was an interpreter. He said if I could bring
a testimonial from some responsible party he would employ me, as he
wished someone, who really understood the Indians and was friendly with
them, to act as interpreter. I furnished the necessary paper and asked
the privilege of taking my tools and some material under an agreeable
arrangement. This was allowed. I closed up my business and went, in
company with the agent, to Uintah.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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