Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-06-12
Notes of Travel-Old Tucsonians
 Abroad.
lBy John A. Sprias.)


 lBy John A, Spri1r)
 Modern science has reduced the fa ugues' annoyances and delays incident
 10 travel in former days to Rn almost
 imperoeptible minimum, and the trav-
 eier who is not overburdened with ideas
 or money-grasplng sPeculations or busi-
 ness cares can fdIy enjoy the everchang-
 ing scenery, the refreshing sea-breeze.
 the sweet perfume Of the countless
 flowers which grow in that American
 Eden, called California. These pIegs-
 ures rendered by beautiful nature Co
 every one, are doubly enhanced when
 all O. sudden you come face to faoe
 with an old friend or acquaintance who
 Las for years been absent from your
 mutual home and who now goes over
 with you the old "reminiscences: hours | spent pleasantly together. dangers io,Dt. ' ly met. hopes and fears mutually enter | taIned-a long, long time ggo.
 Thus IL wBs that I had a vivid re-
 hinder of 'auld lang syne" when had
 the peasure of shaking hands with Mir
 frank Hodges, his Eamiable lady and
 thelr eleven bright oiIsprings (nine bows
 and two Rirls) ranging from 2l years doWn to the baby of about II mopths.
 The live oldest cf the boys. all sturdy.
 healthy, smart and hardvorkipg youpo-
 sters were born in Tucson, whence NIT.
 Hodges started for La Paz, on the Col
 orado river Tn 1872 After many ups
 and downs AT. Hodges finally settled
 on ranch about one mile west of the
 Colorado rlver Opposite Yuma former
 " the property of Mrs. Hodges mother.
 Wherc he erected a dwelling house and
 cattle corralS, planted shade and fruit
 trees and had inst succeeded n es;sh.
 llSlIn2 fine vegetable and flower l-lr- den when misfortune overlook hum in the shape or two successive inundgticus caused nrst by the overflow of the Giln. and next next by an unusually high rising of the Colorado river winch placed MT. Hodges premises completely under water and kept them thus for the period of two months, com polling him to move his numerous fami- | ]! bout one mile inland on the biyh ground, leaving the furniture Tn the ln- undated house, where the water stood l three feet high. The trees and garden | stuit We're partly swept away and partly | became rotten, Nothing daunted. inc | sturdy ArlzOnlar rebuilt, at considerable | cost, the tumbled down house. and con | tinued the raising of cattle, selling at The | same time mIlk which k conveyed i'm a boat 10 the people of Yuma Brt | alas, l much fear that Mir Hodges IS at the present moment ID tne mesquite woods again, for s Eew inCndauon wss threatening last week. tae water haylur arrived on Wednesday to within ;en yard- of his residence. rising at the rate of l6 inches n 2i hour. Mir. Holrss and lady desired me Co tender thair friendly complIm nts to al of tn IT friends and RcquHintAnces in this city.
 4 visit to the prisoners and to Super iatendent Ihos. Gates, fwhose puest. the Hon. Judge Barnes and lady nri Mir. Snyder, from Tucson, were a. 'he tmC) showed me that Mr. Gates enter. q upon his new duties with a fu!! under standing thereof. He kindly showed me all l desired to see, and I must F.y that l found everything in apple pie o-- der.
 Mr. Tongue. who, believe, was fle hrst justice ot the peace Of tAIs a. md b. pueblo, l found lIvlug III a pretty cottage surrounded by vines, banana trees and a muliltudlnOus variety of ornamental shrubbery, flowers and yege tables. "Old timers" he kindly remembers you all.
 The town of Yuma itself Is dull, very dull, especially m the eyes of one who has seen it twenty years ago In th. full hustle and motion produced ly tre ( F -;eaI-ls ccatiuuslly running up ari down the rIv5r, tue long line of immense . freight wagons. called prairie schooners, starting with their jingiing bell teams |, Tor all parts of Arizona and New Mexi- co; the hundred and one employees of the quartermaster and commissary departments of the U. ;. army and the ever crossing and re s crossing ferry boat. All these Are things Of the past; in sad silence the ' visitor contemplsies ihe broad dusty .-- s..- street n' the village almost devoid !, 9f ily-ng beings the greater part of the z day and turns hls steps to the office Of ' that excellent paper, the Yuma Scrtiael, where he k sure Of kindly welcome | and Is rendered the freedom Ot the ez- q changes from his home. One redeem ng feature is the pretty gardens which { have sprung up lately as it by mugic m l that so-called "arId plain Thcy ale irrigated from lErge tHuts situated Cu a q lIll opposite tine Railroad hotel Hud cl.- T ,lusively proves that Yuma ls capable oi producing everything sown ia IL 'e-l ie l. ground. The 1unEltC5 are per. r.U, A nstItied n saying: "GIvg us ITri --t.-., ,aaAis and VIC will show you plrali 9"
 During my stay at Alr. Hodges, whose v 'anch Is surrounded toy seyerai Fm. n ' 'ancherIas and habitaiiOns uf the Gu1a Indians, l had the opportunity of ,J- V 'ervIng to some extent thei- mode cf a fife, manners and habits, aud had the ,OOd fortune oi witnessing their mRnacf 8 ,f disposing of their dead. This Is dure n ,y s very iugeEi JUS process of crude ,rematIon. A hole IS dug Tn the ground ate tO the size Oi the defnuct l md about two and a Ialf feet iu depth: he sides of this squarely cnt hollow are hen lined with dry poles from bottom $ Q top taking care, however, Co leave Iu a vo opposite corners small opening Co .jmit ot the necessary drGuEht. Dry 1 O branches and twlgs gre then spread lii G ,ver the bottom Co: the excavation Iu a uyor of Bbout one foot lu thicauess; Ipon this the body ia lad stretched at uli length and covered up with pie ,f dry mesquite wood Go tGa height Ul ] bout four feet above the level ct tLe ,rOInd completely cnN-!uElIg the dc- larted ss If he were ingU oven, Every hmg being ready the personal belong : ngs of the deceased are brought fro0 | ls hut (blaukets, arms, etc., ) sud placed n top of the funeral wOod-Plle, which is ' LOW lighted n two places, below Gud ! !. middleheigh:, producing un mmense blaze and L-as which C .lmost entirely consumes the la=; ]. .estige of the human being. What li;- e Ie remains is blTied in the Uss: side 0i he spot of cremation. During the burn |. ng If the bodies the members Of the . ieceased's family keeps up an almost \ continuous noise which ] suppose Is rying, for tears fall in Profusiou from helr eyes, but the sound of their cry A ng and the contortion of their features :, .ppcar tu us rather those of Q laughing l than Cf sorroving enc. IT c be departed one was poFsessed Ot aHy lorses, at least one of them x killed l nd barred near the spot Ut cremation D with the ashes of the remains Co cary 2 i'm on his way over ihe dark TIylr, The c gst rites Of the funeral b,;rg Ccccll-