New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-24

pedTcG among Lbe me0 grOup<u buC coAbp lures
| Of the FL Psso and Fort Yuma wasoD-rosd cOmns
sions. then eamped in the valley OF the San Pedro,
| ard attracted their attention By few plantve
| words in her native tongue. tattered blanket
hung gracefully about limbs that were as eymmetri
cal those of q Wild awn in spite Of attenuation
| produced by Der weary wandenngs IN the noun
| tans for FIVE days without food, while 10 search Of
| the train of the commission
| Her smple story was soon told. She had been
taken captive about a year flnce by the Apaches,
and carried by them 10 their stronghold IN the Pima
leiian Mountains. Here she suffered many priva-
tons and was subject to many sdgnires till finally
| she learned from some Indian spies that there
white men III the valley, and she resolved To escape
co. taking advantage of an absence of the warriors
of the tribe on stealing expedition to Sonora, she
ran away, and eventually arrived at the camp Of
| the commission. She told U.s. also, of the fate of
| some emigI ants who were taken prisoners while
| LOOMING at the Dragon Springs. The men, four in
| number were first hung, and then burned in an
immense fire, while the three women were ravlshed
| to death.
There are in this colony about three hundred
Apaches. but the whole number scattered through
the serras of the Territory amount to three or four
thousand.
To the southwest on the banks of the ella, lie
the villages of the hafciyilzed PimO and MarcOpas
Indians, extending many miles Of its length The
houses OF these Indians constructed of sun-dred
feet, and 50 situated as 10 form compact town.
Tie dwelling Of the Prince is, however, an excep.
tion being an adobe house Of some pretens0ns, and
furnished in a style suitable 10 bis dignity. They
raise immense numbers of chickens, and before each
door may be seen platform on which the ieathered
tribe placed at night 10 guard against the attacks
of the coyOtas and wolves. Beyond their villages
are their wel-cultvated and irrigated fields produc
ing surprising crops Of all kinds of grain. Their
costume consists of mere breech- clOut with
siOnaly blanket over their shoulders, their bows
ard arrows being carried in the hand. Their faces
are frequently smeared with plumbago and red
lead and their hair coated with quantity of clay
making picture of uginess rarely exceeded The
women seldom disfgure themselves in this manner
and although almost nude, act with becoming mod
esty-any fall from virtue being punished by expul-
sion from the tribe. They are gOod-hearted, as
we'll as good-natured, and the Prince, we'll as his
followers, have shown uniform kindness to all
strangers.
While here, curious ceremony took place over
the body of warrior who had been wounded in a
battle with the Yumas, from which he had died.
His friends assembled round the dwelling of the
dead, and tearing il to pieces with anything but
mOuIniul movements, erected funeral pyre OF the
materials, on which they placed the body of the
dead warrior, with his shield and spear broken.
His horse was then slaughtered, and those present
formed themselves in ring round the remains,
with lighted emb,r, ignited the combustible ma
terials, and then returned to his place. mourn.
full chant and slow dances were commenced. and
gradually as the flames shot heaveDward, the song
became veler aud the dance quicker, until the one
became shrek, and the other a series Of gymnas
tic feats. Decreasing in the graduation of its in
crease the song died away, and the dances ceased
Then all rushed frantically toward the carcass Of
the horse and with cleaning knives carved pieces
of flesh, which they fixed upon scks and proceeded
to roast over the glowing embers. Then succeeded
scene of feaStDg, interspersed with harangues
by the older men, detailing the virtues of the dead,
while libatiOns were poured to his memory In fiery
mescal.
But quite different was the scene we witnessed at
the mission of San Xavier, where the Papigoes,
branch of the PimOs who have embraced Christian
ty reside A funeral was held in the church, into
which the body was borne on the shoulders OF four
Indians extended IN an open coffin with Slated
bottom, having large stone for the head to rest
on. Advancing toward the altar, they deposited it
upon the ground, and then stood on either side.
Now entered the priest, who fills both the Offices OF
shoemaker to the Tucson people and fiddler to the
fandangoes He was attired in an old brown coat
ripped in the skirt out at the elbows, and tattered
generally. With him came four boys holding can
dies who with slow steps proceeded to the chancel
Then, in sonorous voice, the burial service was
read AS / looked from the choir, the scene was
indeed impressive, the echOing walls bringing rever.
beratiOns of the mOurnf service, and the saddened
waDg of the females, who were grouped in prayer
full attitudes on the tesselated floor. As the yellow
sunlight streamed into the building, Tightening the
coors of the dim pictures the walls and painting
long .drawn shadows on the pavement sank INTO
reyerie and for the moment imagined myself listen
ing in some continental cathedral. to the chanting
of the MIserere.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the body was
removed from its easement, and roughly deposited
in grave dug within the church. The body now
Law on its back with the face uncovered, and those
assembled around eagerly seized handful Of dirt
ard pressing it to their lips threw it the ifeess
FORM fondy imagining that long life was secured to
them if it touched the body. Then the rude grave
diegers seiziDg their spades commenced hlhng up
the grave throwing the dirt the uncovered form,
ana ever and anon using their booted feet to pack
the earth closely. Daring the operation the women
continued TO weep and wall in an inturiated manner
and only ceased their MORNINGS with the rising OF
the sun on the following morning.
The Southern Wagon-ROad Commission, under
the command of Col. j. b. Leach, and Mr. N. n.
Hutton, Chief Engineer, is progressing finely The
work commenced at Franklin, Texas, aud an excel
lent route has been laid out from that point to the
mouth of the ella River, passing through Nugents
PAS. and following the San Pedro to its junction
with the ella. One portion of the Commission has
completed its duty and is about returning TO La
Mesla. 1t is confidently expected the road will be
entirely finished by the let of September.
Twelve families recently arrived at Tucson from
Sonora. being obliged to fly in consequence OF the
revolution. Pesqueirs had defeated Gaudara, and
killed three of his Generals. The GandaA party,
it will be recollected invited COL Crabb to Sonora,
in which disastrous expedition be and his party
were killed.
The weather is most delightful, everything being
in full Tpm har IF ar