St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-24
ARABS OF AMERICA.
They Are the Ishmaelites OF
the Southwest Hated by
Every Race.
They Are Dangerous Ambush
ers, but Never Face a Foe
Openly
Mutilation of the Most HoP-
rible Manner PPacticed
Upon Vic inns.
How They We're Subdued--A
Scout Who Killed a Hun
dred Of Them.
San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Chronicle.
Arizona. since 1850, and even before.
has been looked upon as the center OF
Indian warfare, and not altogether I'M
iustlv so. Some of the most revolving
atrocities of the Apaches-the Arabs or
the American deSert-were committed
within its borders, and the tale that has
been tcld of it since, whether based
upon the deeds of the NavajOes or the
Apaehes, has only served to increase
rather than diminish its reputation as a
field for Indian devastation.
The NavajOes, about $4,000 strong, ln-
habit the northeastern portion. about
the Colorado and Utah line, and, as they
have kind of civilization OF their own,
they have murdered less for pillage
than for what they esteemed an IN
fringement on their rights of territory.
Scarcely hunter or prOspector ever re-
turned from their domain, and when the
white men learned of this they seldom
invaded the reservation, consequently
the killing ceased, and until within re-
cent years the Indians have not been
the aggreSSOrS.
L
nOmads of the sandy wastes west OF the
Rio Grande and south of the grand
CANYONS of the Colorado, have been the
tormentorS of the whites. AS has been
said of other wild animals, Arizona has
been their breeding place, and dearly
has she paid for the distinction.
Beginning with the destruction Of the
Oatmal1 family in 1851. followed the
Verde and Walnut Grove maSsacreS In
the eariv COS, and from that time on, for
fully twenty years, the pioneers, such
as had the good fortune to escape a gen.
eral onslaught. numbered the fatal raids
in rapid succession.
There is nothing else like Apache
warfare. 1t has been said by one who
knew THAT the American Indians fight
like no other barbarianS on the face OF
the earth" And it is true. At the
same time the ApacheS fight like no
other American Indians, and as the con-
test of $50 years has about closed with
the determination Of the tribe that has
wrought so much mischief, it is inter
esting TO review their tactics, if such is
a proper name for the means by which
thew brought about the death of SO
many, not only whites, but their own
race as well. Since the mission fathers
first came into the country, and even as
far pack as the legends Of the surround
ing tribes run, they have been the lsh-
maelites of the wOrld-their hands
against every man and every mans
hand against them.
They rOamed the sandy wastes of the
Southwest, became Injured to the hard
ships and privationS of the desert, SO
that they could make journeys without
suffering the terrible pangs of thirst to
which other people so often Succumb.
They adopt all the tiendishness that d
savage who hated all the world could
conceive Of, and their victims were hor-
ribly mutilated and their captiVes put to
the most eXcruciating torture.
There is but one exception to the as
sertiOn that every " estern tribe has a
redeeming feature, and that exception
is the Apache. The Sioux is blood
thirsty, but he will respect friendship,
and if he once accepts You in that spirit
he will protect you. The COmanches,
that villalhous tribe of Texas that was
almost annihilated by the rangers, were
acquainted with many of the arts OF
desert warfare, but they would neither
lie in ambush nor follow their flying
foes into cover.
The Apache might always be expect
ed to pounce upon you from some hidden
canyon or to spring up like quail about
some water hole. Though they hgh1
we'll enough when hemmed in by SUI
perior forces, and die, neither asking
nor expecting mercy, their fav0rlte tao
| ties are those of ambush. 1t seems thai
| savages as they are, they have Away:
( recognized the great odds against them
] w a 6nnlf
| see the certainty of lOOSing man.
While picking his way up some can
| yon where no vegetation other than thu
cactus ever grew, where water nevel
| ran, and slabs and columns of lava ant
basalt reflect the burning rays of thu
! sun, the prospectOr or traveller meet
but does not see the Apache. A LITTLE
puff of smoke from some crevice in thu
rock high up in the mountain side. ant
he falls dead. If he has companion
all he can do is to throw himself behinC
some protection and remain there while
his water lasts. for. though there are
hundred indians, not one OF them vii
come in sight until the bowling of tn
coyoterS or the gathering of the Vulture
proclaim the death of their victim
Then they stealthiiy creep down tn
mountain, take the scalp, clothing AM
ammunition of the dead man, and leav
as silently as they came.
If, instead of awaiting death b.
thirst, the beleaguered one attempts t
escape, the moment his head is visibl
from behind the rocks he hears the pat
ter of a score of balls from as man
hidden rifles, and before he can make
dozen stems or discover one Of his foe
he will be pierced through and through
When one or half a dozen men are al
tackled by Apacnes. escape depend
upon a bold fight or outside suecor.
the fight the Indians have ali the ad
vantage, and it is seldom that anythin
else but superior numbers will effect a
escape.
The Apaches are natural trailerS: jus
as much as any breed of dogs. For gel
Grafton after generation they have bee
berdito t,and in the hot and dry countr
| where they live they succeed far bette