178 UTAH INDIANS. 



inculcation of good morals in^^^minds of their children ; and, in portraying 

 the pernicious effects of evil^Buig, frequently admonish thorn in a quaint 

 and expressive manner, — " It ^Ri do thus and so, you will become as bad 

 as a Spaniard r — This seems t^.onstitute, in their opinion, the grand cli- 

 max of everything vile and degi^Mig. 



They are represented as hum^P and brave, and strictly honest and up- 

 right in their dealings. Their \«(ien too are chaste and virtuous, and in 

 this respect present a very favorapre contrast to their fairer and more beau- 

 tiful sisters of Spanish extractioiii^' 



A small party from a trading e^rolishment on the waters of Green river, 

 who had visited Taos for the procurement of a fresh supply of goods, were 

 about to return, and I availed myself of the occasion to make one of their 

 number. ^ _. 



On the 7th of October we w^ere und^flBfer. Our party consisted of three 

 Frenchmen and five Spaniards, undei^^H&rection of a man named Roubi- 

 deau, formerly from St. Louis, Mo. ilKie eight pack-mules, laden at the 

 rate of two hundred and fifty pounds each, conveyed a quantity of goods ; — 

 these headed by a guide followed in Indian file, and the remainder of the 

 company mounted on horseback brought up the rear. 



Crossing the del Norte, we soon after struck into a large trail bearing 

 a westerly course ; following which, on the 1 3th inst. we crossed the main 

 ridge of the Rocky Mountains by a feasible pass at the southern extremity 

 of the Sierra de Anahuac range, and found ourselves upon the waters of 

 the Pacific. 



Six days subsequent, we reached Roubideau's Fort, at the forks of the 

 Uintah, having passed several large streams in our course, as well as the 

 two principal branches which unite to form the Colorado. This being the 

 point of destination, our journey here came to a temporary close. 



The intermediate country, from Taos to the Uintah, is generally very 

 rough and diversified with rich valleys, beautiful plateaux, (tierras templa- 

 das.) arid prairies, sterile plains, (llanos,) and denuded mountains. 



VVe usually found a sufficiency of timber upon the streams, as well as 

 among the hills, where frequent groves of pinion, cedar, and pine lent an 

 agreeable diversity to the scene. Game appeared in great abundance 

 nearly the whole route, — especially antelope and deer. 



The prevailing rock consisted of several specimens of sandstone, pudding- 

 stone, and granite, with limestone, (fossiliferous, bituminous and argilla- 

 ceous,) and basalt. 



This territory is owned by the Utahs and Navijo Indians. 



The former of these tribes includes four or five divisions, and inhabits the 

 country laying between the Rio del Norte, the Great Salt Lake, and the 

 vast desert to the southward of it. These different fractions are known as 

 the Taos, Pa-utah, Digger, and Lake Utahs, numbering in all a popula- 

 tion of fifieen thousand or more, and exhibiting many peculiarities of 

 character and habits distinct from each other. 



Tlie Taos Utahs are a brave and warlike people, located upon the del 

 Norte a short distance to the northwest of Taos. These subsist principally 

 by hunting, but raise large numbers of horses. They are generally treach- 



