Page:Life Among the Piutes.djvu/64

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60
Life Among the Piutes.

that Indians had killed John McMullen. They were asked how they knew that Indians had killed him, and they answered,—

“We know, because it was done with arrows.”

That same afternoon thirty men went to get the dead bodies of the two men. They brought them in, and the arrows too. Of course everybody said it was the Indians that killed them. My brother, Natchez, and our cousin, who was called young Winnemucca, and one hundred others were sent for. In two days’ time they came. My brother was then peace-chief. Major Ormsbey asked if he knew what tribe of Indians those arrows belonged to. My cousin told his white brothers the arrows belonged to the Washoes. So our good father Major Ormsbey said to my brother,—

“Will you help us to get the Washoe chief to come in and give up the men who killed the two white men?” My brothers said they would help to find the men that killed poor John McMullen. So that evening my people had what they call a war-dance, the first one I had ever seen. A great many white men and women came to see them, and Lizzie Ormsbey kept saying, “Where is Natchez?” He was dressed up so we did not know him. The white people staid until it was all over, and when it was all over the Major called his men and said,—

“We will sing the Star-spangled Banner.”

It was not a bit like the way my grandfather used to sing it, and that was the first time I had heard it sung by the white people.

My cousin was the war-chief. He sent five men to bring in the Washoe chief. The next morning they came in with about ten Washoes. As soon as they came in the white men gathered round them. Major Ormsbey showed the arrows, and asked them if they knew them. The Washoe