New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-16
CHIHUAHUA.
eesrtey Of Lfe-Inrsads Of the Isdians.
sosYssassss u he n ma.

&c tnira and last was of the 1lth inst, snail now
Wsnow you the opposite side Of the picture gwen 10
easements concerning the immense numoer Oh MeA-
gan caPtves among the Indian tribes OF the western
sn shall try to represent the effects caused oy the
committed
Let me first begin with the general statement ina
he hoetilities well the temeny OF the ~d ihdshs
ave been The increase during the last lew years Inc
Camanshes have extended their nroads into the interior
Mexico, and in one instance evento 'he snoies Vi ,n'
raeite In the Southern States where 1ley nc'en a.
xIved before they kill the inhabitants oy hundeg
That the insecurity of life has reached degree Ddro
credible to foreigner newly arrived mere; t6ae Cne
whole country is constantly becoming more ana more
desolate, the farms in the more exposed oe'g
left without inhabitants and without an'
ing business and of is the unavoidable conse-
Suence.
Asto the insecurity of life You have only to take ride,
or even little walk in radius OF ho' npio '"al TWO
miles round this city be impressed WIFI an uneasy
feeling in case YOU should have len gun OF your re-
voyer az home A few hundred steps from the last
houses you will some pons OF men vi tne aoor
ING class guarding the herd d their master WIN gun III
hand "Why are this people armed wnle ,hey watcn
their herds IN the neigb5orhood Of the city You will
ask Dcompanon v1O less green here than you are
"Whyt Don't you this cross here on the side OF
the road, Here the Apaches killed man lew months
aro" ais IL possible, near considerable town as
Chihuahua the seat fhe government OF this State and0n
40 freouented road well sir it is only few weeks
since riding through those bushes there' suddenly
had eight or ten arrows shot at him. and was saved only
by the speed of his horse which, though WIN an arrow
in its breast carried him out of danger. am very
sorry for such state Of things then suppose must
rive up the satisfaction il would afford TO examine
the geological structure of that little rock yonderT Il
would not advise you to 90 there without having some
companions and being well armed" But nearer here.
M the neighborbood of those houses, i hope l may
ait down for half hour for the purpose OF taking
sketch of this interesting scenery" MOI WITHOUT
being very cautious and having your gun with you
yet those houses are Mhabited-hOw can people live
there at the continual risk Of fel "These people are
accustomed to being cautious The eyes and ears of
Mexican are sharp as those OF an Indian Besides,
they do their work in the fields with gun III hand, ana
late in the evening they will not leave their houses at
all" "Then the number of Apaches must be by far
greater in these mountains than have been told" They
are not very numerous but enough to make you fear
60 meet some of them whenever you are unprotected
However you have not the Apaches alone to fear here
The Indians from the Plains make their lnroads so I'M
expecedly and with such rapdity that We cannot tell
whether hundred of them will not in the course OF
quarter Of hour be at the place where We stand now
Through this gap in the hills here hundred Ca
manches once came without having been observed till
they rushed down with the rapidty of meteor. Re-
member we-in this country you have to take care OF
your life whenever you 90 hundred steps beyond the
last houses of the cities and towns!
Continuing this conversation you can walk entirely
around the city and never be in want Of some object in
view which will furnish your guide with new material
for the picture And at a distance from the city the
danger increases There on the plains, at the foot OF
the mountains the mules of Don " were driven away
by open force Yonder, from that mountain ridge the
scanty rewOOd for the wants of the city brought every
day; and you complain of the nigh price OF that article
you will hear that the part that the great proportion OF
those engaged in this perhous trade are Killed by the
Apaches makes it so high The herdsnan guarding the
cattle mules horses of his maser-he abOrer going
to cultivate the ground to bring in the cropshe driver
Of teamthe boy carrying the letter bag OF pOstOf
fee the hunter following the track OF the deer or the
anteope-the traveller on horseback with his servant-n
fact every one at certain distance from the town. has
TO be ready meet the enemy of civilized life every
where every hollow, behind every rock in every chap
aral And now ASK Would it not be against the laws
Of human nature men, used to meet danger to such
degree should be towards 1t is really not the
They generally fight well whenever they happen to be in
possession of arms and whenever the danger does not
Unexpectedly that is too late to meet it before
IL overwhelms them To their misfortune, however the
former s very rarely the latter very often the
OF all the occupations Of the labOring class of this
country guarding herd of horses, mules, or cattle is
the most dangerous because these animals are objects
which excite the cupidy of Indians more than anything
else Yet the generally expects that the poems
whom he employs that business wretchedy paid as they
for it, will defend his property at the risk of their
lives and generally is not mistaken in his expectation
remarkable instances of this kind occurred during the
past year. Gabriel Guzman, with other poems of
gentleman Of this State defended the herd of his master
during hours against sixty Camanches Had
they chosen to give up the animals entrusted to their
care, they could have saved their lives. None of them
however, fed, and they all persisted after having keda
double number Of Indians. Guzman and CaRanche /
warrior found dead together, each of them having
seized the hair of his adversary and each of them with
the knife Of the other in his BODY Before this last
struggle, Guzman had received eight balls
A few days ago l saw here another man of the same
class Of people famous for his character and reckless
courage Jesus DomiDguez was wounded several times
by the Indians, and only lately escaped with his life after
having received an arrow from behind mezquite bush
while he was pursuing number Apaches On another
occasion, he pursued with only few companions, "a
party OF these sayages, who had driven off number of
fine horses belonging to his master into the most danger
parts Of the mountains when late in the evening thew
discovered the Indians ascending HIGH mountain ridge
at distance, DOMINIQUE stripped naked painted |
himself like Camanche warrior, left his companions
behind and, proceeding foot in side direction
headed the Apaches at favorable place between the
rocks. When they arrived there he with the Canaan
che war'hoop jumped from behind rock killed two of
inc Apaches IN an instant and frightened the rest of
mem 70 euch degree that they let themselves fall down
from their horses, to take refuge behind the rocks
while Domlnguez mounted one Of the animals and sue
ceeded in driving back the whole cavalada.
such actions however, very often fail even to receive
The reward OF gratitude When on similar expedition
IN the service of former MASTER Dominique lost his
own norse' shich was killed under him BY the Indians
the MASTER whose property he had recovered at such
cost, and who said to be very rich man did not even
think himself Bound to give an equivalent for the os
incurred by the servant. '"' ''''
In stating this fact touch on what believe IN be the
great evil in the social and political state Of Mexico
the egotism OF small number of rich and.holders and
The wreched condon OF the great majority of the popu
lation who them While some of the former ara
in possession of tracts of land which in Europe would
form small Kingdoms most Of the latter are very often
entirely destitute In fact the greater part of them are