Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 18.djvu/110

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symbol, while other parts of the day follow in sequence only and do not attract the same attention, sentiment or acknowledgment.

The Shoshonean Indians were the third family, in the extent of territory occupied, of the fifty-five that formerly inhabited the United States. The Shoshoni are one tribe of this great Shoshonean family of which the Comanche are another. The two tribes speak almost the same language, varying only in dialect; their traditions are very similar and they readily converse with and understand each other. Ethnologists consider the Comanche an offshoot of the Shoshoni. It was not many years ago, geologically considered, when they lived adjacent to each other in Southern Wyoming, from which place the Shoshoni were gradually beaten back by other Indians into the mountains, while the Comanche were forced southward. So that the first rush of miners to Pike's Peak in 1858 and what afterwards became known as Colorado, found this tribe within this territory and located especially along the Arkansas river. The country was at that time a part of Kansas. Here, also, they came in contact with the "lofty mountains upon which the morning breaks," which were quite numerous and in commanding evidence. As all the elements were present, it was no wonder that they found the expression, "Ee-dah-how," a familiar one in this new Eldorado, and the word "Idaho" was known to almost every one and was said by all who had any knowledge of it, to mean "Gem of the Mountains." The first permanent settlement made by those hardy pioneers in this new territory in 1859 was named for this Shoshoni word and called "Idaho Springs." In 1861, when Congress organized this new territory, "Idaho" was proposed as its name which should have been applied to it, but the Spanish word "Colorado," which referred to a river and country foreign to this new country and which had no application whatever, was selected instead. This selection was suggested by Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts, who was afterwards Vice-President associated with General Grant in the Presidency, and