Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-05-17

ing and very warm-the month being May-and the lazy Pimas seemed somewhat overcome as the result of their exertions in making the pre- cipitous ascent. They sat down i'll circle surrounding, as l was able to determine, the accused witch. For half an hour they made no movement, when the chief medicine man arose and started a little fire, which put forth little flame but a heavy volume of smoke. After the smoke arose ln sufficient quantities, he began flaming it in different direction by means of a blanket, breaking foFth in a weird, monotonous chant, the refrain of which was taken up by all the Indians pres ent. On the side of the peak which l was facing arose sheer precipice fully 200 feet high from which at a distance of about forty feet from the top ledge of rocks, perhaps twenty feet in width, projected. As the song reached it's height, two Pimas stepped to the edge of the precipice and be- gan hurling rocks upon the ledge be- low, and could also see that others were doing something with the prls- oner. In few minutes the unfor- tunate victim walked firmly to the precipice, standing as erect as soldier on dress parade and giving no evidence of trepidation or dismay. He was entirely stripped of his clothing and was beautiful specimen of physical manhood who, to my horror, l mo mentarily expected to see hurled from the mighty bluff into eternity. My surprise, however, was greatly excited when I saw him seat himself on the edge of the precipice and swing gently into the air, being suspended by stout rope which was attached to straps around the breast, under the arms and over the shoulders, all fast ened together at the shoulder-blades, where it would be impossible for him to reach the knot with his free hands Several more rocks were hurled down upon the rocky ledge and then all was silent. While I awaited subse- quent developments in painful sus- pense in order to determine the object of the strange actions of the Indians, the unfortunate wretch was being slowly and carefully lowered to his fate, and when but few feet from the projecting rocks heard sound re- sembling escaping steam from a dis tant engine Fixing my glasses upon the place where he would soon step, l noticed that the little rocky shelf seemed to be in motion. Great heav- ensl Such awful depravity of human nature, such sickenilg and horrible atrocity I could not witness, and l turned my head away from the re- volting sight The poor Indian was being lowered into den of thousands of loathsome, writhing, venomous rat tlesnakes, made blindly mad by the rocks thrown upon them and were waiting for revenge to strike his naked body when 1t came within reach-and the hissing sounds I heard, 300 yards away, were their signals of warning. The poor recourse of seeking a prefer able death by plunging over the cliff was denied the wretch, for the six stalwart bucks who held the rope above would never give it play enough to permit of such action.
 There is an indefinable attraction about a scene of horror which few can resist, and just as the Indians feet touched the ledge of rock my glasses were again fastened on him. Then ensued the most exciting, though dis gusting and unequal contest l ever witnessed in my life The young fel- low was as nimble as cat, and brush ing away the angry serpents with his feet, SO as to be able to stand on the rock, he moved with wonderful dex- terity, born of desperation. Hun dreds Of Fattlers he grabbed in his hands and threw over the cliff without seeming injury to himself, and l be- gan to hope that he would at last be able to clear a spot where he would be safe from their attacks. For two or three seconds his arm shot out like flashes of light, and he appeared to be able to look in all directions at one time, as he caught the reptiles in hi; hands and flung them from him. Sud
 dently cry of derisiop arose from the group of savages on the peak, and al
 the gladiator arose I saw that an i'm
 mense rattler had fastened to the back
 of his neck. Still he went on with hi'
 futile work ot self-preservation, bu
 his movements grew slower and slow
 CT. In minute from the time hi
 feet touched the F4ttlesnakaa' den hi
 staggered and fell and when the In
 dians began hauling him up to th' top of the precipice I could see tha fully a dozen of the poisonous reptile had fastened their fangs in his flesh il
 manner so as to be unable to ex
 tract them. He was then in the con yulsions of death, and I hurriedly re turned to my horse and rode home being anxious to leave the sport wher I had unfortunately witnessed sucl horrible barbarity, and to proven , which was totally powerless.
 I Juan afterward told me that if tn
 condemned witch had succeeded il , celaning place around him where h could have lived for half an hour with out being bitten by a snake his If
 would have been spared and the med . cine men would have been the one | to suffer I fancy, however, that be ing beaten to death by squaws is pro Q ierable to being bitten to death b I rattlesnakes, and that ban of the ur
 fortunates who fall under the face ( Q witchcraft law of Pima superstitio Q ever resort to an appeal to the highe
 supreme court.
 The Phenix Mine.
 d From the N. Y Engineering an 0 Mining Journal of May 3, we taks tn I fo1lnrr,i,, rn,no,rk nr, thiS .rnro1aarI u