Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-05-08
The Papago Country.

Xavier lr d nhtaii tract ol laHu W hp4I1
 inadequate to sustain so large tribe Of Indians, consequently We find
 them scattered over all of Arizona
 west 0i the Santa Cruz rIver and south
 of the Gila, and all of northwestern
 Sonora. They are well disposed to-
 wards the white man, and, for In- dians, frugal and industrious. The
 country they inhabit is not prolific In
 resources tor Indian life; it Is poorly
 wateTed, and to those who are not
 thoroughly cOnversant with the
 country It IS dangerous ground 10 en-
 ter upon during the dry season. Hav-
 ing recently visited the PapagO coun-
 try, l thought it possible some of the
 readers Of the CITIZEN be interested
 in learning something of the outlook
 down there. Leaving Tucson, we
 passed ont on the Altar road for dis
 lance of 21 miles, and then took
 the right hand road, winch is not
 much travelled, tO CayOte springs,
 fOrly-twy miles, which Is the first wa
 ter after leaving the Santa Cruz.
 These springs, which are situated at
 the north end of the main range Of
 the BaoOquivari mountains, afford an
 abundant supply of very good water,
 with plenty of good grass and wood,
 which makes it desirable camping
 place. Passing around the base Of
 the mountain mile further we came
 to an Indian village of some twenty
 lodges or wickiups, with pOpula-
 ton of 50 or 70 souls, who lead a life
 fraught with many difficulties. They
 carry water from mountain anring.
 about a mile above the village, in
 0llas, which they sell to travellers at the rate of twenty-five cents each,
 but fl requested, they will carry water six OF seven miles for the same prIce,
 and seem well satisfied with the amount received. Ten miles further,
 around the base of the mountain, we come Co another Indian village simi-
 Jar In size, which goes by the name of Canyon Springs These villages have numerous bands of horses, but
 could discover no cattle. Pass Ing out on the broad valley east of BaboqIivarI mountains distance of fifteen miles we came to ChOlla, an Indian village at the base of low range of hills, where, during the rainy season, the mountain streams spread out over the plain, forming a kind of reservoir which Is utilized by the Indians in irrigating the adjacent ground, which they have enclosed in small fields of two or three acres each. The soil is very rich, and judging from the looks of the stubs ani corn cobs scattered around, corn Is the principal crop.
 This village contains a number of substantial, wcll-built houses or
 wickiups which are large and com mOdious; they are built in the form rf circle about eight feet high by sixteen Tn diameter ant covered with earth, having the usual little round hole in one side which serves as a door. There being uO water here at this season of the year the village is deserted; tine doors, winch are of ,hatchJd grass, are fitted in and barri- cadrd wIth mesquite logs, which would indicate that they had left some of their vdluabics behind, and that they intended tU return when the rainy season renewed d supply of water.
 On the top of one of tine houses noticed Humbrrs of wooden blows, made pf iur6ed mesquite trees, which were new, and evidently designed to be used in blowing up the ground for the next crop. Water Is scarce all | trough this section Of the country, though there are many places it could toe obtained by digging; but, | unfortunately, these poor Indians do not possess sufficient Knowledge to dig wells, nor have they the tools tO di them with if they did.
 After travelling some fifty miles southwest in Sonora, leaving BObO- | Quivari Peak far in the rear, We passed over several ranges of low mountains and finally reached our destination, at point as yet without a name. fifty miles north of the Gulf i of California. Here once more We could smell salt water and inhale the ! fresh ca breeze from of the Gulf of ] OallAplHlA NJ NUlGu llSCc dbpui y p tloOh l m the morning and continues till late l in the afternoon. There are numer- | ous mining locations in this region of the country, some of which are very l promising, but they will require | further development before anything l like a true estimate of their value can 1 be arrived at. There is little land | suitable for agriculture, but there are | many tracts of fine grazing land, l which may be made valuable il water | can be found There gre but few white | men, either on this side of the line | or in .,onura, Ou the route we travelled, ! but 1 am of the opinion that before long It will become a popular country l for prlspectoTs, miners and stock l men Tn Sonora the PapagOs have | turned their attention to raising cat 1 tie with success, and large bands of cattle and horses are Co be found l wherever water exists. am informed that those villages which have horses 1 exchange them with others for cattle, | and that they also work for the PImas during seeding and harvest time, taking wheat for pay. POLAND.