Death Of Ouray, Chief Of The Utes

In tho death of Ouray one of the historical diameters of Colorado passes away. He has ttgured for many years as the greatest ludían of his time, and during hls life has figürted quite as prominently before the country as has any white man in the Rocky Mountains. It is therefore meet and proper that on the occasion of his death his life should be remejiibered. The record of his deeds ise of simple parts, vet hu has proved himself elevated sofarabave other men of his race and time that hh acts stand out in bold relief. Ouray was j in many respects - indeed, we may say j in all respects- a remarkable Indian; a Í man of pure instincts, of keen perception ! and apparently possessesd very proper ideas of justice and right - the friend of the white man and the protector of the ! Indian, ever standing up and boldly j asserting the rights of his tribe, and as continually doing all in his power to oréate favor for the white man with the Indians. Ouray, in telling the story of his life, says that he was born in Taos Valley, New Mexico, near the Pueblo village of that name. His tribe of Utes were in the habit of spending much of their time in the Taos Valley and San Louis Park, and along the Sangre de Christo Mountains. Down in this región they i were accustomed to meet the Apaches, who carne upfromthonorth. Itis avery common thing for the women of a tribe of Iudians to m irry out of their tribe. Ouray's father married an Apache wumen; henee the epithet which is so often sneoringly applied to Ouray by thosc of the Indians who disliked him of being an "Apache papoose." The Indians became so accustomed to associating with the Mexicans that some of them began to adopt the customs of this pcople, and when Ouray's father and moth;r came to the conclusión that thcy wantod to be marï'icd, they (juietl)' marcheil up to the little adobe churoh whieh stands on the hill, in the villaje at lied River crossing, and had the priest perform the ceremony, just as aay good Catholi03 would. And when üuray was boni, they took him to the s.im adobe building and had him baptizedinto the Catholic Church - the only instance on record of th ; kind. üaray had three brothers and two sisters, but he snrvired all of his bj-othors, while both of his sisters still live, one of them near the home of the chief, on the Uneompahgre, and the other is Susan, the wife of Cliief Johnson, of the White River tribo, who so signally ditinguished herself in her kindneas to the Meeker women and Mrs. Price, while they were captives amonofthe tribe. Ouray had long been a ohicf among the Utes, but s mure renowned for his wisdom than his bravery. During his 37oung manhooíl, however, he was accustomed to lead the Uto brave3 to battle, and was a very brave as well as successful fighter. He generally planned well and fotight bravely. Durïng these times the Utes were engaged in a deadly eneounter with the Arapahoes, Cheyennes and Sioux. It #as a war bet ween the phüns lndians and the mountain tribes, betvvoen Highlanders and Lowlanders. Ouray eötefed into the spirit whieh chanuterized his race with a will, and soon became a renowned warrior. He soon was famed for wisdom, and his counsel was sought by the Utes far and near. When the white men first began to settle what is now Colorado, they found Ouray ohief of the Tabequache and Uneompahgro tribe, the largest band of the tribe, and in great favor with the members of other bands, so that, while he was not head chief, he was a man of the greatest inHuence and power among his people. He was a'.so disposed to be friendly tóward the white settlers, and soon became known as a mediator betweun the two races. He continued increasing his airthority and Influence among his people until, as he expressed it, "the year after Lincoln's death," he was recognized as head Chief by the lndians. In 187. he acted as interpreter between the Indiana and Commissioner Brunot, in the conference looking to eession to the Governw il! of the San Juan country, uid inreuognition of his services at' 'th:.i time and in the past, the Government setücd an annuity of one thousand dollars upon liim, whiek ho has since continued to draw regularly. He made his first trip to Washington durino: the same year that lie was made head chief. Ouray has lived at bis presont home ou the Uncompahgre and in that viciuty during the past twenty-threè years, having resided, pTBVitfUH to establïahing himself at that point, in New Mexico? Chapeta, his present vvife, ia hisseoond, liis iirst haviitg been the motlier of his boy and also of a girl child, now dead. Ouray hves in gooi style. He owns a farm, whioh is a real garden spot, of three hundred au-es. Of this he eultivates about one hundred acres, raising all kinds of coreáis and vegetables. He lives in a neatly-built and commodious adote house, built for him by the Government and neatly fnrnishèd and carpeted. He owns great numbers of norses and a good many cattle and sheep, and when he goei out, rides in a carriagj which was a present from ex-Governor MoCook. He hires laborei-s from the Mexicans and Indians, and also expects his wife to do her share of the farm work. Ouray' s present wife, Chopata, is kind-hearted and very much üke Ouray in her nature. belng kind and well disposed toward the whites. The Chief had become very much attachod to his present manner of living, and it is said was disposed tü remaiu on his farm and surrender the reins of government to some younger man. Speaking before the Conimission, of whieh he was a member, recently in session at Los Pinos, on the 16th of November of the past year, ho said: " I do not want to be chief. I grow old and am tottering. Let some yonng man with the fire of youth in lus veins take my place. I have my farm. which I would rather cultívate and watoh the seod plantod by me grow up to maturity than to be head chief. ïhey all come to me with their troublos. I know everything and have all their burdens to bear. Washington no want me to give up my position; wants me to stay aud govern Utes. I want, only to be known as Ouray, thefrieml of the white man." Soferas the lato difïiculty, resiilting in tho White River mas-sacre 'and the Milk Creek tight, was coiieernod, üuray continuad from ürst to last friendly to the whites and an advocate of peace. As soou as he learned of the Thoinburg figlit he sent runners to White River ordering that hostilitiescease. He also did everythino; in his power to secure the surrender of the captive women, and wlien tliere was a prospect of the Southern Utes breaking out, he sent timely warning to the white settlers noar. He puvsued a straig-htforward and rnanly course and deserved the honor which the (iovernment conferred upon hito in making him a member oí the Commissiou to settle the trouble.-