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LIFE AMONG the PIUTES: Their Wrongs and Claims. by SARAH

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LIFE AMONG the PIUTES: Their Wrongs and Claims. by SARAH some of the fervid eloquence which her extraordinary colloquial command of the LIFE AMONG THE PIUTES: English language enables her to utter, but I am confident that no one would desire that Their Wrongs and Claims. her own original words should be altered. It is the first outbreak of the American BY Indian in human literature, and has a single aim – to tell the truth as it lies in the heart and mind of a true patriot, and one SARAH WINNEMUCCA HOPKINS. whose knowledge of the two races gives her an opportunity of comparing them EDITED BY justly. At this moment, when the United MRS. HORACE MANN, States seem waking up to their duty to the AND original possessors of our immense PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. territory, it is of the first importance to hear what only an Indian and an Indian BOSTON: woman can tell. To tell it was her own FOR SALE BY CUPPLES, UPHAM & deep impulse, and the dying charge given CO. her by her father, the truly parental chief 283 WASHINGTON STREET; of his beloved tribe. G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, NEW YORK; AND BY THE AUTHOR. M. M. 1883. CONTENTS. Copyright, by SARAH WINNEMUCCA HOPKINS. 1882. CHAPTER PAGE FIRST MEETING OF ELECTROTYPED. I. PIUTES AND 2 BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, WHITES 4 PEARL STREET. DOMESTIC AND II. SOCIAL 20 MORALITIES WARS AND THEIR III. 25 EDITOR'S PREFACE. CAUSES CAPTAIN IV. 28 MY editing has consisted in copying the TRUCKEE'S DEATH original manuscript in correct orthography RESERVATION OF and punctuation, with occasional V. PYRAMID AND 32 emendations by the author, of a book MUDDY LAKES which is an heroic act on the part of the THE MALHEUR writer. Mrs. Hopkins came to the East VI. 45 from the Pacific coast with the courageous AGENCY purpose of telling in detail to the mass of THE BANNOCK VII. 60 our people, "extenuating nothing and WAR setting down naught in malice," the story THE YAKIMA VIII. 90 of her people's trials. Finding that in AFFAIR extemporaneous speech she could only APPENDIX 111 speak at one time of a few points, she determined to write out the most important part of what she wished to say. In fighting with her literary deficiencies she loses LIFE AMONG THE PIUTES 2 LIFE AMONG THE PIUTES. I can imagine his feelings, for I have drank deeply from the same cup. When I think of CHAPTER I. my past life, and the bitter trials I have endured, I can scarcely believe I live, and FIRST MEETING OF PIUTES AND yet I do; and, with the help of Him who WHITES. notes the sparrow's fall, I mean to fight for my down-trodden race while life lasts. I WAS born somewhere near 1844, but am not sure of the precise time. I was a very Seeing they would not trust him, my small child when the first white people grandfather left them, saying, "Perhaps came into our country. They came like a they will come again next year." Then he lion, yes, like a roaring lion, and have summoned his whole people, and told continued so ever since, and I have never them this tradition:– forgotten their first coming. My people were scattered at that time over nearly all "In the beginning of the world there were the territory now known as Nevada. My only four, two girls and two boys. Our grandfather was chief of the entire Piute forefather and mother were only two, and nation, and was camped near Humboldt we are their children. You all know that a Lake, with a small portion of his tribe, great while ago there was a happy family when a party travelling eastward from in this world. One girl and one boy were California was seen coming. When the dark and the others were white. For a time news was brought to my grandfather, he they got along together without asked what they looked like? When told quarrelling, but soon they disagreed, and that they had hair on their faces, and were there was trouble. They were cross to one white, he jumped up and clasped his hands another and fought, and our parents were together, and cried aloud, – very much grieved. They prayed that their children might learn better, but it did not "My white brothers, – my long-looked for do any good; and afterwards the whole white brothers have come at last!" household was made so unhappy that the father and mother saw that they must He immediately gathered some of his separate their children; and then our father leading men, and went to the place where took the dark boy and girl, and the white the party had gone into camp. Arriving boy and girl, and asked them, Why are you near them, he was commanded to halt in a so cruel to each other? 'They hung down manner that was readily understood their heads, and would not speak. They without an interpreter. Grandpa at once were ashamed. He said to them, 'Have I made signs of friendship by throwing not been kind to you all, and given you down his robe and throwing up his arms to everything your hearts wished for? You do show them he had no weapons; but in not have to hunt and kill your own game to vain, – they kept him at a distance. He live upon. You see, my dear children, I knew not what to do. He had expected so have power to call whatsoever kind of much pleasure in welcoming his white game we want to eat; and I also have the brothers to the best in the land, that after power to separate my dear children, if they looking at them sorrowfully for a little are not good to each other.' So he while, he came away quite unhappy. But separated his children by a word. He said, he would not give them up so easily. He 'Depart from each other, you cruel took some of his most trustworthy men children; – go across the mighty ocean and and followed them day after day, camping do not seek each other's lives.' near them at night, and travelling in sight of them by day, hoping in this way to gain "So the light girl and boy disappeared by their confidence. But he was disappointed, that one word, and their parents saw them poor dear old soul! no more, and they were grieved, although they knew their children were happy. And by-and-by the dark children grew into a LIFE AMONG THE PIUTES 3 large nation; and we believe it is the one it looked like a man; it had legs and hands we belong to, and that the nation that and a head, but the head had quit burning, sprung from the white children will some and it was left quite black. There was the time send some one to meet us and heal all greatest excitement among my people the old trouble. Now, the white people we everywhere about the men in a blazing saw a few days ago must certainly be our fire. They were excited because they did white brothers, and I want to welcome not know there were any people in the them. I want to love them as I love all of world but the two, – that is, the Indians you. But they would not let me; they were and the whites; they thought that was all of afraid. But they will come again, and I us in the beginning of the world, and, of want you one and all to promise that, course, we did not know where the others should I not live to welcome them myself, had come from, and we don't know yet. you will not hurt a hair on their heads, but Ha! ha! oh, what a laughable thing that welcome them as I tried to do." was! It was two negroes wearing red shirts! How good of him to try and heal the wound, and how vain were his efforts! My The third year more emigrants came, and people had never seen a white man, and that summer Captain Fremont, who is now yet they existed, and were a strong race. General Fremont. The people promised as he wished, and they all went back to their work. My grandfather met him, and they were soon friends. They met just where the The next year came a great emigration, railroad crosses Truckee River, now called and camped near Humboldt Lake. The Wadsworth, Nevada. Captain Fremont name of the man in charge of the trains gave my grandfather the name of Captain was Captain Johnson, and they stayed Truckee, and he also called the river after three days to rest their horses, as they had him. Truckee is an Indian word, it a long journey before them without water. means all right, or very well. A party of During their stay my grandfather and some twelve of my people went to California of his people called upon them, and they with Captain Fremont. I do not know just all shook hands, and when our white how long they were gone. brothers were going away they gave my grandfather a white tin plate. Oh, what a During the time my grandfather was away time they had over that beautiful gift, – it in California, where he staid till after the was so bright! They say that after they left, Mexican war, there was a girl-baby born my grandfather called for all his people to in our family.
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