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
There are many towns and villages that retain the old Indian names.
Towns that were there when the Spaniards first came into the
country have come under Catholic rule. Cathedrals were built and
a few Spaniards settled among the people, mixing with them. (In
some settlements most of the mixed blood claim relationship to the
_padres_.) In this way Spanish civilization somewhat modified the
habits of the people, but did not do away with them entirely, for in
most of these towns pure Tarumaries inhabit districts, retaining all
their ancient customs and language.
This race of people are much respected throughout the state of
Chihuahua, and it is considered rather an honor to be related to them.
We concluded to make their country our next stopping place.
Bidding good-bye to our friends in Chihuahua, and particularly to our
good old honest governor Antonio Ochoa, we started west. Our route led
through a country that was very sparsely settled, owing to the lack
of water for irrigation. The city of Chihuahua is located in a rough,
barren country, which continues for some thirty-five miles going west.
For several days' travel there is nothing very inviting to the eye.
But on reaching the higher country toward the head waters of the Aras
river, a tributary of the Yaqui, the country became more inviting. We
continued our journey, passing settlements and ranches daily, leaving
with each a few books and talking a little with the people near where
we camped.
Nothing of importance occurred on the road except the mending of one
of our horse's hoofs with rawhide. The hoof had been badly cracked
for some time. As we were descending a rough, rocky hill the horse
stumbled and struck his foot against a boulder so hard that the hoof
split clear open up to the hair. We had much difficulty in getting him
into the settlement a few miles ahead. We offered to sell the horse but
could get only one dollar offered for him. We could not well leave him
neither had we money to spare to buy another.
Mexicans are great people to use rawhide, and I had learned from them
to use it in many emergencies.
As we were going to bed Brother Pratt remarked: "Brother Jones why
can't you use rawhide on John, (the horse) or does this case beat you?"
The question put me to thinking. So in the morning I obtained a
suitable piece of rawhide from a Mexican, took the horse to a
blacksmith who put some tallow and burnt horn into the opening of the
hoof, then seared it with a hot iron. I then took the rawhide and
fitted it nicely over the whole hoof, lacing it behind and underneath.
The blacksmith fitted a shoe and nailed it on, driving the nails
through the rawhide which now formed the outer crust of the hoof. We
let the horse stand in a dry place until the next morning when the
nails were tightly clinched.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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