History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

474
UTAH AS A TERRITORY.
in the latest fashion, and donned a cambric shirt and
a beaver hat. Over this costume he wore his gaudy
Indian trappings, and as he rode at the head of his
braves, with their gayly accoutred steeds and embroidered
saddles glittering with metal ornaments, he
might have been taken for a Soldan among the dusky
Painims of the west. 65
At first Walker received the exiled saints with
open arms, gave them information as to the nature
of the country, advised them where to establish settlements,
and guarded them from depredation. But
when he saw that they had occupied his choicest lands;
when game disappeared from the canons and mountain
sides; and when his people were shot down without
provocation, and their cattle stolen by bands of
emigrants, his friendship turned to hate, and he longed
to rid himself of the white man. On the 17th of
July, 1853, hostilities broke out, and continued with
little interruption until winter. During this year
twelve Mormons were killed and a number wounded;
about four hundred cattle and horses were stolen,
and the expense incurred in building forts and removing
settlements amounted to $200,000. 66 That the
loss was not still greater was due to the vigilance of
65 Richards and others state that even after the gold discovery Walker
made raids into California, and that on one occasion, about the year 1S49, the
people turned out en masse to capture him and his band in their lurking
place among the mountains. The chief quietly secured their horses and
trappings at dead of night and returned with them to Utah. Utah Notes,
MS., 8. Wells, Narr., MS., 17, says that Walker did not inherit the chieftainship,
but obtained it through the success of his raids into California.
When an Indian possessed cattle and horses enough to mount and feed others,
he was at once regarded as a big man among the Utahs, and thus Walker
obtained his prestige. Ora, now dead, was the head chief of the Ute nation,
and Uintah was a great chief among the Utahs.
6C (Jovernor's message, in Utah, Jour. Legist., 1853^1, 121-2. On July 17th
the Utahs made a raid on Springville, but, the inhabitants being forewarned,
no damage was done. On the 18th Alexander Keele, who was on sentry near
Payson, was shot dead by Arapeen, Walker's brother. The Indians then
moved up Peteetneet Canon, firing on the settlers as they passed. On the
19th Col Conover started from Provo with 150 men to assist the smaller settlements.
On the same day the savages attempted to surprise the settlement
at Pleasant Creek, and stole horses and cattle at Manti and Nephi. On the
20th the guard at Nephi was fired upon. On the 24th Clark Roberts and
J ohn Berry were wounded at Pleasant Creek, while on their way to Provo,
in charge of an express. On the 23d Conover sent forth a scouting party