Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-07-09
A TROUBLESOME RACE.
Interesting Information About tho
Naqui Indians


able time was in command of Mexican
troops operating against the Yaqui In
dians and who enjoys the reputation OF
being one of the best Indian fighters in
the Mexican army, is now stopping in
the City of Mexico at his residence on
Gale dc In Puente dc Lena. There he
was recently seen by Il representative
of The T'Wo Republics, to whom he gave
some important and interesting inform
alton about the Yaqui Indians, whose
fighting proclivties give The Mexican
government so much trouble.
Gen. Caamano is very decided in his
opinion that the subjugation of the
Yaquis is an absolute necessity and
that no state within state, rs the
Yaquis are endeavoring to maintain,
can be permitted. The Yaquis DO not
want to have local government,
but they absolutely refuse TO obey the
laws of Mexico and to recognize the
sovereignty of the Mexican govern
ment. This Indian tribe numbers about
$4,000 people. who live in the district
between the Yaqui and Mayo rivers.
Their territory is divided into eight
townships, of which Belem, Tiron,
Palanm. and Rebcira are the leading
ones. Each town is governed by a pa
trarch. elected for life, and these
patriarchs in turn elect generalissimo,
or chief likewise for life. The present
gcncralissimo was elected twelve years
ago. His real name is Jose Maria
Lcyvc but he is called Cajeme, as was
his father before him. Cajemc signi-
iies man who does not drink, and was
proper name for the father, but not
for the present chief of the iaquis, who
is a very hard drinker.
The chief of the Yaquis enjoys abso-
lutte power over the property and even
the life of the members of the tribe,
and his will is checked by no law. He
is entitled TO one fourth of all the crops
raised on Yaqui territory, and can take
all the land and even personal property
he may want. besides. The present
chief makes full use Of his power. He
is about 46 years old, is married, and
has one daughter. In catrlc and real
estate he is now worth about S25, 900,
but his resources are practically only
limited by the power of the Yaqui peo-
pie to fulfill his desires.
The Yaquis who live in the river val
leys are the most civilized and as n
rule quite industrious farmers. They
are rather good-looking, dress fairly
well, and take great pride in having
their women dress in Americah fashion.
They are peaceably inclined The
mountain people however, tspurn all
civilization. They 90 nearly naked.
and think of nothing but lighting. The
feeling of independence is vcky strong
among the Yaquis, who, besides, jeal-
ousy guard the purity of their race
There is n little mixing with other yrlp
dians, and even with white people in
times of peace but nobody who has
not pure YaQui blood in his veins is
ever admitted to full fellowship. No
"Yari," that is, foreigner or person
other than pure Yaqui parentagc, can
fight in the Yaqui army or hold any po-
sition of trust. and in all quarrels about
property or other matters the "Yari'
has no standing before the Taqu au-
thorities. This absolute seclusion of
the Yaquis and their tenacious resist
ance against all civilization have been
the principal causes OF the trouble they
have given to Mexico ever since the
Spanish conquest.
The fighting strength of the Yaquis
is somewhat in excess of three thousand
men. In the open field Yaqui troops
can not stand up against trained sol
diers, even if they outnumber them two
10 one, but in guerilla warfare they are
next to unconquerable. Only aboGt
fifteen hundred fire arc in the en-
tire Yaqui army. These arms have been
obtained by Yaqui farmers for Chief
Cajeme in Guaymas and other market
towns, where they sell their grain and
other produce, for some time past, and
rs consequence Cajeme has plenty of
ammunition. Most of the Yaquis are
armed with bow and arrow and toma-
hawk, most terrible weapons in their
skilled hands. They fight like devils in
carnate, and know how to take tho
slightest chance for ambush and treach-
cry. They neither give nor ask quar-
ter, and are cruel in the extreme. At
night they never fight. running away
when attacked between sunset and sun
rise. Their mode of warfare makes L.
hard for the Mexican troops to battle
with them. yet there is every prospect
that the troops now operating against
them will succeed in suppressing them.
The Yaquis are nominally Catholics,
but their rites are largely taken from
heathendom, and their fanaticism is
boundless Among themselves they