The Placer herald., 1865-09-16
ARIZONA CORRESPONDENCE.
Odds and Ends...Inc.uding the End.

1t Will be- observed, that up and dopn, as
well AS many other relative phrases, are ap,
to become much confused in ones mind.
unless some care is observed Of the subject.
For example, when We speak Of rivers in
Arizona, il is not al all certain that we refer
to any body of wster,-we generally select
The dryest, parrhed up sandy wash in the
country, and s'rsigbtway i, becomes river,
for !hs reason that it is a very desirable
place for one. SO too, if a fellow says to
you "Oh, no, it ain, me that's had a bull,
drink Of whiskey,' YOU are pretty general,
convinced that thu fat is The other way.
| travelled docn stream, and south. until
arrived below Nickrnburg - then up the
Gila TO the Santa Cruz. which was east and
It had gone on further up the latter stream
l would have been going up south.
l have Reserved TO tins letter some account
OF the Indians along the ella They cul,
vate now that portion Of tie valley cons
nenclng at the junction Of the Gia with
lhe Salt river, tor some forty miles up. The
Mancopss are intermingled with the Pimos
until the lines Of family separation are prel
ty much lost, but su!l keep up sort of
tribe separation, orcupying the lower part Of
t'e VH'ie|. lhe Pi'nos come next, occupy
ing country giving unmislakabIe evidence
"f centuries OF cultivation. They clam to
be descendants Of The ancient founders of the
Az'ec empire; but | did not find in their
habits, or The style Of their habllgions, con
vlncing evidence of this prelrnsion
There are, in the va altys of the Ga and
SAT- rivers and on their tributaries, some
twenty 'hve runs of great houses, (wo Of
~hlrh saw and great canals with branches
Tor irrigation, with other remains, showing
country that once supported a dense popula,
ton. am told that Baron Humboldt yisi,
Ell this region in 1902, and that a Spanish
missionary did the same fifty years before
MN, and that the accounts given 10y them OF
these runs an, of the country, will answer
very we'll for this day lie dates the evsc.
ua'i"n OF The country, by the former inhah-
itanls, back IN the twelfth century, at which
time, according to Az e. history. they moved
down aud founded the city of Mexico. The
tradition ls. that one of their prophets told
their great chef that the tribe should found
IN ghty empire on the shore Of some lake
which would be Indicated to them by 4 bird
holding snak-; and ,herrupon seven OF
thelr wise men we're sent in search Of this
Promised land. Travelling south they cam.
TO the lake in the valley Of the city Of Mex.
co, and there found an eagle seated upon
prlckly'pear WI h snake in it's claw. This
they decided was the place they were looking
Tor, returned and repolled their success, wheu
the Pe"pe OF the empire, numbering nit
lions, moved down and founded the splendid
empire which the S panish fi.ibuslers, under
Cortez, discovered. lhe Pimos say tina, the
country WAS abandoned at a later period. in
obtd'encs to an "Ider from Mont+zuma, re
curing their aid in repeling the advance Of
The European invaders; that after the con.
quest OF the invaders, a very few got back to
their old homes, and that they are the de.
scendanls Of that remnant. Both Of these
accounts are probably as true and challenge
our credence AS much AS anything that will
be written Of The present American war. for
some years to come. 1t is certain thes.
RUNS are not of Spanish origin, for the Pl.
mos who were here at the advent of the Jes.
ults, have religion and an account of crea.
I'on of their own, and never suffered any
missions to be established in these valleys,
or any kind of foo,.hold to be gained among
Them 10y the Christians. Converts wele
MADE from among them, but whenever one
VI 'he Tribe he. anne convert Of the Spanish
priests, the tribe clipped his hair short, as