The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-02
PEACEFUL INDIANS.
Two Interesting Tribes Found BY Lieuten.
ant Gushing I'm Arizona.

Two Interesting Tribes Found BY Lieuten.
ant Gushing i'm Arizona.
ST will tell you about big tribe of
Indians of whom you have never heard
the Pimas and Maricopas- they
dwell in the Egypt of North America"
This was spoken by Lieutenant Cush-
ing, who sat in the cent? of semi-cir-
Gle around the Leland's fireplace. Other
army officers were there, and they
begged Lieutenant Cushing to tell of
his recent explorations in Arizona.
"Above Phoenix and below the mouth
of the Verde in the Aztecan Valley of
the Salt river" said the Lieutenant, sis
a settlement Of some five hundred Pimas
and Maricopas Indians. Unlike the
other tribes, they are as peaceful as
grangers. Their arrows are even made
without the usual flint head and are fit
for killing only small game. Their
reservation is irrigated from an old canal
supposed to have been dug by the Aztecs
and reopened by these Indians You
know that recent psychologists have es-
tablished that the Salt River Valley is
the Egypt of North America. During
my late expedition I made researches
that would show that this valley had a
population at one time of 100000. Many
of the old sites are traceable by the
naked eye. Some lead out into the mesa
for miles; others were crossed in cutting
bitches of modern irrigation systems"
The little audience in the hotel ro-
tunda not only heard for the first time
of these Indians but also learned of an
Egypt in Arizona.
''The Pimas and Maricopas," contin-
ued Lieutenant Cushing, ''have their
land divided into small plats bounded
by little bitches, which carry stream
of clear water. Here are raised
crops of wheat, corn, barley, mel
ons and pumpkins. Wooden plows
are used in the tillage, and the
work is shared alike by the men and
women, the former doing the heavier
work. These Indians have always been
self-supporting, selling enough to buy
what few clothes are needed in that
climate. They possess great skill in
making decorated baskets, so woven
that they will hold water. They also
make pretty pottery, which is invalu-
able in that climate. 1t is the big I'M
glazed water jars in the shape of pear
These are known to the West ONLY to
the Mexican name OLA These vessels
allow slow percolation of water, and
in that dry climate so great is the evap-
grafton in their wet water service that
it keeps the water at temperature be-
low seventy degrees. Most of the men
speak English, and all talk Spanish"
"How about the women?' asked Colo
mel Catherwood.
''The Pima maiden paints a narrow
band of blue from each corner of her
mouth across her chin. The Maricopas
wear short hair and use red paint"
''Do they have any trouble with the
white men?"
''Not very often. Their lands are ex-
cellent and are much coveted by the
settlers in the valley. Some years ago
a company of squatters tried to steal
some of the Indians land. The Pimas
told the white men to go away from the
reservation. we are for peace, but you
must go away. The white man has
plenty; we have but little was the
message sent by the chief. The squat
tiers, knowing well the peaceful DISPOSE
ton of the red men refused to move.
One night powwow was held and the
next morning the tribe seized the squat
tiers and drove them beyond the limits
of the reservation. They were as care
full as shepherd of his flock and not
one white man was injured in the least.
That there are no good Indians but the
dead does not apply in the case of the
Pimas and the Maricopas. Chicago
Tribune.