The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-02
BRAVE YAQUI INDIANS.
A SezGRe1iaMt 'Eribc in yEexire-~
Their Remark able hief.

S~
Their Remark able hicf
Referring to trouble growing ont of
the encroachmcnt of would be settlers on
the territory of the Yaaui Indians in the
State of Sonora, Mexico, a correspondent
of the New York Star, says: The dis
turbance brings into notice an aboriginal
tribe well worthy of descent from the
people whom the Montezumas ruled ,cul-
sailed or wronged, but rivaing the
Beers in fighting qualities whom aroused
and led by chief who combines the
dignity Of Toussaint L'Overturc with the
martial aggressivcness cf Sitting Bull.
Mr. A. NJ. Womble, of this city, hav-
ing long been identified with railroad
having dwell and travelled in Sonora, i
acquainted with the tribe and the story
of its collision with the Mexican authori-
ties: The Yaqui tribe occupies fertil9
territory CT more than 10000 square
miles on both banks of the Rio laqui
The domain has always ben jealously
guarded, aud every attempt to co!onize or
seize 1t has been vigorously repulsed.
The Yaquis number about Il, 900, of
whom fully 4, 900 are available for service
- oiAS iiNiee " AiIH uCI1uut. lcV
are the most civilized Of the surviving
aboriginal races, having been converted
and IN structed in agriculture as we'll as
various simple arts and manufacture; by
the early missionaries. They are said to
be very strict in their religious observ-
ances, and their civil government is
of the patriarchal type
The present ruler of the Iaou;s is
m of
| fuil-bIooded Indian, po sesses q liberal
education, which he acquired in the City
OF Guaymas. Tue chiefs n me is
kehamy. HIS military skill is said to b.;
remarkable, and his frmness and integ-
rega dcd as safe IS bond. Apart f ON
their right Of original possess on, the
1ndilns ella IN to hold title, given by
one of the old Spanish kings, which an
tedates any deed or parchment the Mex
lean ranchers can produce. Finding it
| impossible to bar out boomers and set
tiers by verbal remonstrance and threats.
! Kehamy drove them out forcibl1 and
thereby incurred the wiath Of the pre-
! feet of Guaymas.
When the Indians first took to the war
| path IN defense of their homes and field s
| General Pesquerias led force against
them and was amused to see the ''sav-
ages" use blankets as shield against
his soldiers bullets. Holding up a
blanket at both ends, so that the edge
just touched the ground, the indian rifle
men marched boldly toward him behind
the apparently fimsy protection. The
Mexican general was soon alarmed. how
| ever, to find that his bullets did not stop
the strange advance, and the moving
| fort of blankets soon came so close to
| him and poured in such a deadly fire
| that he was fan to fly the field in confus-
| ion and with great loss The Yaquis
had become acquainted with the simple
! fact that while a bullet will pass through
! twenty blankets strained over frame OF
laid against firm surface, it will not
! penetrate single one if mostened and
| hung up so as to swing clear Of the
ground. The bullets which General
Pesquerias imagined were thinning the
| ranks of the savages were falling harm
lessly on the outside of the wooden ban-
kets.
So, when the next unpleasantness
arose, the Indian project organized con
| spiracy on the part of renegade Indians
to either kidnap or kill Kehamy. 1t was
a dismal failure for the Yaqui chief scat
tered the renegades like chaif, capturing
many of them and seizing their boats.
He then sent word to Guaymas that I'M
less specified ransom were promptly
forthcoming he would burn the Eoats
and execute the prisoners. The ranso II
not coming, Kehamy fulfilled his word.
Prior to that he had been formally cited
to appear at Guaymas, and his reply
was
ats no further from Guaymas to
Yaqui than from Yaqui to Guaymas.
The project is welcome to come in quest
of an explanation"
Some time ago the Mormon elders,
casting around for a new FL Dorado, fixed
covetous eyes on the fruitful land along
the Rio Yaqui, and sent trusted dele
gates to spy out the country. Brigham
Young, Jr., proceeded to Cuaymas and
interviewed the governor with view to
getting official sanction to prospect the
Yaqui country. Young soon found that
if he was to explore the Rio YaGui he
should do so without Mexican assistance,
moral or physical. Young then, it is
said, tried his Establishments On the ed
ucated chief of the Yaquis, and requested
the favor of an interview with that de-
tcrmined and diplomatic parsonage.
Kehamy was thoroughly conversant with
the Mormon QUESTION and the tenets of
Young's church. and having no admira-
tion for them declined to meet the Nor
mon apostle. He appointed delegate
however, to meet the Mormon outside
Yaqui territory and the result of the
negotiations was that Young concluded
that the Rio Yaqui was not just then the
the most inviting Ell Dorado to which the
advocates of polygamy could fly from the
rigors of United States law.