St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-04-06
Correspondence.
FROM ARIZONA.
Dr. Marden Writes Interestingly About
the Indians.

SACATON, Arizona, MalSH if' N"'
ing the past year | have been reading
and studying a little in regard to the
ORIGIN OF THE INDIAN TRIBES
in North America. 1t is agreed by
authorities, that with but one exception
the various Indian tribes from Panamato
Alaska can be traced to a common
source. and that the parent race came
from Northeastern Asia. This one ex'
ception is the Pima Indians OF Arizona
The Pimas are in two divisions, the
Pima proper and the Papago, the latter
being an ofishoot OF the former Their
reservation is on the ella river, extend
ING about forty miles, while the width
is from 10 to 20 miles The Papagoes
have separate reservation, south OF
Tpcson. and are perhaps more civilized
than are the Pmas; however, both
tribes are exceedingly conservative
These Indians claim no relationship with
anv other people, and from time I'M
memorial they have been at war with all
tbc tribes around such as the Nayalo
the Apache and the Yuma. In marked
contrast to most Of the tribes in this
country. the Pimas and Papagoes have
always been firm friends OF the whites
they have been of great assistance to the
United States troops IN putting down
the bloody raids of the Southwestern
Indians. and such is their hatred tor
their neighbors, that you cannot insult
a Pima more than by calling him an
Apache. o.,
When left alone the Pimas are peaceful
and fairly industrious, but as warrior
no Indian is more uurcicnting orrevenge-
full. Nothing disgusts them so much as
the fact that the whites hnye made peace
with the Apaches on this account, they
think the Americans lack force, and 1t
was a long while before they could be
come reconced to the quiet state OF the
country: the Pimas seem to lack one
great incentive to living when they can
not fight the Apaches.
The language OF these two tribes, the
Pimas and Papagoes, is not as harsh as
any other tribe; when the words are
spoken rapidly, they have musical,
flowing sound. Linguists who have
studied the languages OF the Indians OF
America say that in no other Indian
dialect is there word similar to the
Pima words, and the Franciscan monks,
who came here 300 years ago, failed to
find any likeness whatever, either IN Ian
guage or custom, to any other race AS
for the Pimas themselves, they claim
that they have been here always; no
one vet has been able to discover legends
about their origin except taint
shadowy idea that some of the race once
lived "in the East" the morning land as
they call it. 1t follows, then, that the
Pimas are nation who have held on to
their land from prehistoric ages The
system of government among these
Indians is simple; there is head-chlel,
and his position is hereditary. There is
a captain in each village, and two or
three sub-captans who take part in the
various councils.
VILLAGE LIFE AND GOVERNMENTS.
These councils govern the villages
acting in a judicial, executive and legisla
tive capacity; there is "homerule" fol
each village and council, for the whole
tribe in matters relating to the interests
OF all, determines in regard to peace anC
war, general measures OF irrigation, etc
In case of petty crimes, such as small
thcfts, the suspected person is brough
before the council of his village, wher
the case is tried if found guilty, he il
sentenced to pay twice the value OF tn
property lost or stolen; if the prisone
cannot pay the fine, his relatives are ex
pected to do so. In murder, unless tn
family of the murdered person avenge
his death, there is no punishment,
the friends of the criminal are NOR
numerous than those of the victim, tn
matter is allowed to rest, but vengeanc
is sure to come sooner or later, for til
relatives of a murdered man think HI
soul is not at peace till the murdert
Joins him in ''the world of shadows"
this way ieuds are kept up for scores
wears.
Thc laws of descent and propert
among the Pimas are about the same {
with people in general, no one has
right to exercise control over uno
.gupicd land when a man wishes to c
large lands, all he has to do is to {
and clear off part of the desert, dig
ditch to carry the water to it from sou
main irrigating canal, and the land
his. If man leaves his wife, or he die
his property goes to her, and next to h
come the children, and then the neare
lrNlatives outside his own family.
The Pmas are village Indians; tn
raise n great deal of wheat and 9th
grain, and they are for the most pa
SELF supporting they dress much as
the Mexicans, and many of them ha
adobe houses, though few live in m
hints called "kees." These are shaped |
A large shallow bowl turned ups
down. with small opening throu
which the inmates have to creep,
door OF the "kee" is dry OK hide, or
skins OF coyotes sewed together
THE pIMAs AND MODERN UTENSILS.
Some of the Pimas own large herds
horses and cattle, and so are a.
wealthy. The government OF the Uni
States sees that no outside people Sc
on the Pima lands. Plows, wagons
all sorts of farming tools are ISSUED
the Indian agent to the Papagoes
pimas. so they do not have to use
flint-shod point fastened to croo
stick for plow, as their fathers
Last year the government put u
steam grist-mill at the agency, where
Indians have their wheat made
-four: they prize this not lightly, a
L L. ta1