Her Ute Lover Overtaken in His
Flight and Forced to Pay
Double for His Fair
Inamorata.
W'hen the extension of the Santa Fe
& Pacific railroad was projected a few
years ago through the Navajo Indian
country along the border line of New
Mexico and Arizona, a great council
of the Indians was called by their head
chief to consider what opposition, if
any. should be made to the work.
Among the notable chiefs who at
tended the council, Big Bull was proba
bly the most conspicuous. He came
down from his log hogan on the Chas
ca. mounted on a spirited stallion, and
swept in regal style through Canyon
Bonito, in which the council grounds
were located, followed by a dozen
noisy, red-blanketed warriors. The
weird cries of his people had scarcely
died away when Iron Kettle and Long
Mouth and Bull Elk, in rapid succes
sion, hastened after, riding through the
council grounds at full speed, followed
by retinues of dusky warriors glorying
in the barbaric splendor of their high
ly colored and silver ornamented trap
pings. After a prolonged delay the
council finally settled down to the busi
ness for which it had been convened,
and eventually very wisely decided not
to interfere with the building of the
road.
A considerable number of the war
riors in attendance at the council were
accompanied by members of their fam
ilies, and the plain at the mouth of the
canyon in which the council convened,
was speedily covered for some distance
about the opening with the temporary
hogans of these people. A number of
Cte warriors, attracted by the assem
bling of the Navajoes. also gathered at
the mouth of the canyon and estab
lished themselves in bivouacs on the
plain near the Navajo encampment.
