MooNET) TAIME CAPTURED UTE FIGHT 325 



Kaiiache, or Conyatz {Kanats according to Major Powell) was the 

 head chief of the confederate Ute and Jicarilla band of Apache, and 

 on his death was succeeded by Ouray. 



The encounter is thus noted by a contemporary author : 



During the previous summer [1868] a war party of Ute left their haunts in New 

 Mexico, and after marching on foot a distance of over 500 miles fell upon a band of 

 Kiowa, completely routed them, captured a numher of ponies, took many scalps, 

 and, more calamitous than all, got jiossession of the "medicine" of the band. As 

 might he inferred, the Kiowa had a superstitious dread of the very name Ute 

 {Eeiin,S). 



The action and the grief of the Kiowa over the loss of their medi- 

 cine are further described by a writer in a contemporary Kansas news- 

 paper, who evidently speaks with exact knowledge: 



About the 10th of July [1868] the Kiowa had a battle with the Ute, in which the 

 chief Heap-of-Bears and seven other Kiow.a braves were killed. Heap-of-Bears had 

 on his j>erson the medicine of the Kiowa, which was captured by 

 the Ute, who still retain it. This medicine consists of an image 

 about 18 inches in length, carved to represent a human face, and 

 covered with the down and feathers of the eagle and other birds 

 and swathed in wrappers of diliereut materials of value. Although 

 I have been conversant with Indian habits and customs for a long 

 time, I was surprised to find the value these people attach to this 

 medicine. They begged and implored Colonel Murphy to recover 

 it for them, and promised to pay the Ute as many horses as they 

 wanted, and also to make a permanent and lasting peace, not only 

 with the Ute, but also to refrain from further depredations on the 

 Texas border, if this should be restored. Colonel Murphy promised 

 to endeavor to recover it, but I think his success in the matter will 

 be doubtful, as the Ute also attach great importance to their capture, 

 believing that while they retain it the Kiowa will be powerless to do 

 them harm (Abholl, 1). 



WINTER 1868-G9 



T(in-giu7dal EhJial-de Sai, "Winter that Tiin-guadal was 

 killed." Tiin is the name of a particular variety of head- no. i44-winter 

 dress, also of an edible root resembling a turnip; gilddal ises-es — Tan- 

 signifies red. Shortly after the removal to the Washita, ^ " " 

 a small raiding party went to Texas. In an encounter with a white 

 man and boy both parties tired simultaneously and Tiin-guadal was 

 killed. Although a young man, he was a noted warrior and the heredi- 

 tary owner of a medicine lance or zebat, shaped and adorned like an 

 arrow. The event is indicated on the Set-t'an calendar by the figure, 

 above the winter mark, of a man holding the arrow lance. On the 

 Anko calendar it is indicated by the rude figure of the medicine lance. 



This medicine lance, which was hereditary in Tan-giiudars family, 

 came originally from the Crows. The one carried by him on this occa- 

 sion, as described by Set-k'opte, who was with the party, had a Mexican- 

 made steel blade and was left sticking upright in the ground at the 

 place where they rested before the encounter, the owner not having 

 taken it into the fight. Set-t'aiiite claimed the hereditary right to this 



