The Evening News. November 8, 1916

32. Chaboya And The Indian Horse Thieves

In the early 40's the Missions of Carmel, Soledad, San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, as well as the ranches owned by the Chaboyas, The Galindos, the Valencias and the Bernals, lost six hundred horses. It was early to locate the guilty ones. Three hundred Indians of the tribe of Juan de Jesus at Laguna Tachi were the thieves. They drove the horses over the mountains through the Tehachapi Pass. The Indians went very rapidly. They shot all disabled or slow horses.

The ranchers came together in self defense. They formed a party to pursue the Indians. The leader of the company was Canuto Beronda of Monterey County. The others in the company were Augustin Bruno Bernal of Santa Teresa Rancho, Francisco Sanchez of the Mission de Dolores, Jose Cornelio Hernandez, interpreter of the Santa Clara Mission, Canuto and Usebio Beronda of Monterey County, Usebio Galindo of Contra Costa County, Balentin Higuerra of Mission San Jose, Jose Sanchez of San Bruno, Manual Larios of San Juan, Angel Castro of San Pablo, Ramos Anser of San Juan, Bisento Abila of Las Aromas, Indian Jose Barbereno of Mission Santa Clara, Quentin Ortega, Julian Cantua, John Cameron Gilroy of San Ysidro, Carlos Espinosa of Del Pajaro, Indian Junipero and Cristofo Galindo of Santa Clara Mission, Antonio Chaboya of San Jose Mission, Jarbsio Chaboya, Cruz Chaboya, Anastacio Chaboya of Pala Rancho, Jose Berryessa of Rancho San Vicente, Mariano Castro of Rancho del la Breia, Isidro Sanchez of Yerba Buena, Julian El Manzo of San Jose, Estevan de la Torre of Monterey Mission, Juan Jose Castro of Rancho San Ysidro, Secundido Robles of Costa de Miranmontes, Gabriel Espinosa of Natividad Rancho, Nazaio Galindo of Contra Costa, Choto Robles of Sonora, Mexico, Felipe Arzio of Mexico City, Sevastian Peralta of Santa Clara Mission, Andres Soto of Monte Diable, Juan Martinez of Contra Costa , Maximo Martinez of Palo Colorado, Juan Gutrion of San Leandro, Jose Bernal, Joaquin Castro, Faustino German and Justo Larios of San Jose, Antonio Lineras of San Francisco, Augustine Narvaez of Rancho Abra.

These 50 ranchers took their swiftest horses, their short barreled guns, and set out in a band to hunt down the thieves. They followed them through the Tehachapi Pass, but always the Indians kept a little ahead.

Finally when the ranchers' own horses were exhausted the Spaniards came in sight of the Indians, who had camped at the Laguna Tachi, where the wild geese and duck mate. It is a lake just over the summit of the mountains. The red men of this country were always fond of swimming and bathing. In security they were swimming in the lake. Their arrows were stacked, their horses grazing.

Don Canuto Beronda of Monterey was a great horseman and one of the keenest sportsmen of his part of the country. The expedition was in his charge. When Beronda looked down upon the Indians from the mountain top he shivered.

"Let's go back to San Jose," said Beronda. The Indians have horses, ours are exhausted. They have a great stack of arrows, we have only short barreled guns. They'll kill us all."

Don Pedro Chaboya was indignant, "What are we? Cowards? Have we come all this distance to leave our horses with the Indians? Follow me. Let's go and take our horses away from the Indians.

Very slight is the dividing line between success and failure. In this case it is a will of one man. Because Don Pedro Chaboya said that the thing could be done, already it was accomplished. After the horses had rested Don Pedro lined up the men and gave them a little talk. "Cinch your horses tight." They did. "Each man must be ready to shoot. But first burn that stack of Indian arrows." Two men were detailed to burn the arrows. "Don't forget to burn the arrows or we are all dead. It's only a few rods. Ride for your lives" Then Don Pedro gave the final word, "One! Two! Three!"

Like evil spirits the Spaniards rushed upon the Indians. The white men were too quick for the red. Before the Indians realized what was happening they saw their arrows burn. Then there was panic. The red men jumped into the tules and hid. Don Pedro's party began to shoot. Several Indians were killed. The chief Juan de Jesus, was wounded.

Juan de Jesus was a commanding looking man, painted and decorated with all the insignia of rank. Quickly he dragged himself along and hid behind two rocks that protected him on three sides. Through a crevice he could see the Spaniards, but they could not see him. "Come kill me" he moaned.

Don Pedro Chaboya knew the ways of Indians There were more subtle than Spaniards. Joaquin Samaqueca, the interpreter, went toward the chief. "Don't go near him," warned Don Pedro. "He is playing dead." The interpreter did not heed Don Pedro.

Transcribed by Kitty LaFavor, for the Santa Clara Co. CAGenWeb Project. 2008