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Colorado, somewhere in the Hahn's Peak region, an area not generally thought of as <br />• Ute country (History of Routt (`lational Forest 1975). <br />A notable fight between Indians and trappers occurred in 1841. Henry Fraeb, <br />some trappers, and Shoshoni allies met a large party of Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Sioux <br />Indians, who promptly attacked the trappers. Jim Baker, mountain man and trapper <br />guide who was in the battle, said there ~.vere about 500 Indians armed with some <br />rifles and bows and arrows. The trappers and Snake allies sent their squaws to a <br />mountain south of the battlefield where they could be safe. The Indians made about <br />40 charges, during each of which the outnumbered trappers held their fire until the <br />Indians were within 10 or IS paces of the breastworks that the trappers had hastily <br />erected. Baker says that about 100 Indians were killed in the 12-hour battle. Of <br />the 23 trappers, 10 were killed, including Fraeb. The trappers also lost 100 horses <br />in the battle and came through with only 45 remaining. Because of this terrific <br />battle, the stream that marked the site near Slater, Colorado, was named Battle <br />Creek. A nearby mountain was called Battle Mountain, and the mountain where the <br />squaws were sheltered was named Squaw Mountain (H.R.~d.F. 1975). <br />John Wesley Powell spent a fair amount of time in Ute country. He wintered <br />• on the White River in 1868-1869, exploring the Colorado, White and Grand (Colorado) <br />Rivers on horseback prior to his river trip. There were Utes with him that winter, <br />at an area later known as Powell's Park. Powell does not mention being afraid of <br />the Ute; in fact, he seems rather charmed by them, describing their dress, customs, <br />hunting techniques, and os much of their ethnology and linguistics as he was able to <br />learn in a short Time. He was particularly enchanted by Ute mythology and sorcery: <br />Each little tribe has its Shaman, or medicine man, who is <br />historian, priest, and doctor. The lore of this Shaman is <br />composed of mythic tales of a~?cient animals. The Indians are <br />very skillful actors, and they represent the parts of beasts or <br />reptiles, wearing masks and immitating [sic] the ancient zoic <br />gods. In Temples walled with gloom of night and illumed by <br />torch fires the people gather about their Shaman, vvho tells and <br />acts the stories of creation recorded in Their traditional bible. <br />When fever prostrates one of the tribe, the Shaman gathers the <br />actors about the stricken man, and with weird dancing, wild <br />ululation, and ecstatic exhortation the evil spirit is driven from <br />the body. Then they have their ceremonies to pray for the <br />forest fruits, for abundant game, for successful hunting, and for <br />prosperity in war (Powell 1961:65). <br />. Not everyone felt quite as good about the Ute as Powell. Governor Pitkin <br />described the size of the reservation and the vast riches of the country in his <br />message to the legislature for 1879, "f~lo portion of the state is better adapted for <br />2.8-II <br />