Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-01

Hs4SH318x~ of California. On my
arrival in Hermosillo,
Mexico. I was SO fortunate as to meet
George Flavell, a native of Philadelphia,
Pa, one Of the surviving members of Rob-
inson's party Of four, who visited the IT.
brron Island for the purpose Of writing
about this interesting tribe Of Indians.
give Mr.. Flavell's statement of the affair
and that Of Gen. Torres, who sent an Off
Ger and fifty men with Flavell to inves-
tigate the matter. and leave the reader to
draw his own conclsions.
Flavells story is as follows: about noon
on the 2oth day of May we cast anchor off
the shore of Tiburon Island, and going
ashore were met by the chief of the tribe.
Pedro Robes who received in a most
friendly manner at the same time proudly
Sic wing paper, stating that he was Off
cially appointed governor of the island by
the governor of Sonora, Mexico. This docu-
Ment he constantly carries in a bucksk:n
cover tied around his neck, which he guards
nest jealousy. The friendly reception al
layed any suspicion we may have had of
hostility or treachery. We returned to our
beat for the night, and early in the MORN
ing of the 26th Robinso on and James Logan
went ashore to hunt for deer, which were
reported to abound on the island. They had
been gone about two hours when / heard
rapid firing In the direction they had gone,
as many as sixty shots being fired, and
terror the cry Of oh, George! Then all
was as still as death. Myself and one COM
panion were on board the boat, fully eX-
pecting an attack from a group OF nine or
ten Indians on the shore. and many more
who came running toward us from the d.
rection of the firing, gesticulating In wild
manner and giving vent to blood-curdiinS
yells.
I'VE were not able TO cope with such
formidable body, raised the anchor and sail
ed to Guaymas. and from there by rail to
Hermosillo, and reported the case TO Gen.
Torres, who at once sent an onlcer ana
fifty men by steamer, and six scouts frI..n
Hermosillo. 1 returned to Guaymas, and
with our boat l Joined the soldiers at the
island. Upon Landing the troops on the
18th Of June there was not an Indian to
be seen. We went where my companions
were supposed to have been killed, but
could not find their bodies or any trace of
them. The troops first landed at Ell En-
fiernillo Island ard marched up the beach
about twenty-five miles to camp on Fresh
water bay: from there we re-embarked on
board the boat During the march We pass
ed several deserted Indian villages. saw
many fresh signs Of Indians. but none of
the trails were followed. During the
search more ingenuity was exercised by
the officers and men to avoid finding the
supposed murderers of Robinson and Logan
than to follow the well-dehnei trails often
met with. The movement was but pre-
tense on the part Of the officer in COM
mand to hunt down and bring to justice
the murderers Of my two companions"
: A Fruitless Search.
After my interview with Flavell l called
upon Gen. Torres. to whom 1 repeated the
substance of Flaveirs statement, and asked
a statement from him. The general speaks
English very well. and the task was not
difficult. He said that when the reported
killing of Robinson and Logan was brought
to his notice he detailed an officer and
fifty men, who went by steamer to the is
inStrlptinnS n rrh
fully for the bodies or some trace of them
and to find the murderers, If possible. The
troops were guided by Flavell to the spot
where the shots were fired, where the men
were deployed in skirmish line to cover
the ground, with instructions to look care
fully for the bodies, or any trace of a strug-
gle having been made. AS no trace could
be found on this line, the men were march,
ed to the right flank, and again by the left
flank in the same manner. In this way
the ground was thoroughly inspected with
in hailing distance from the point where
the Examiner was anchored at the time of
the supposed killing, and from where Flaw
ell says he heard a voice cry out, 'Oh,
George The soldiers remained on the
island for ten days and then returned with
the above report. The general expresses
much doubt as to the death of Robinson
and Logan by the Serbs Indians as re-
ported by his two surviving companions.
We are quite sure that Flavell is honest
in his statements and firmly believes them
both dead. 1t Is truly mysterious case.
We copied from Robinson's note book the
last entry he made, which Is as follows:
IF Edward Bellamy we're here he could
see his commercial theory carried out to the
letter by the original sons of the islands
or aboriginal. whichever is proper; every
thing that Is mine Is yours, and that yours
is mine, is a theory they cid not fail to put
into practice today when they came on
board the sloop. They have the same pen
chant that belongs to other Indians, and
when they went on shore they left nothing
lying around loose. What we did not give
them they simply took. Some of them re-
member the visit of the Narragansett and
with that exception. we are the only white
men who ever came here. The Mexicans
afraid to come anywhere near and well
they may be. for the Indians bear them no
good will. and have shown it on many occa-
sions when lead and arrows flew thick and
fast. The natives seemed to be all armed,
and when on shore today / saw six rifles of
good quality. which they got from the va
quis. with whom they affiliate. They also
carry knives with long, keen blades and
bows and arrows pointed with polished
steel. In the matter of dress, they go much
as nature made them. The babies and the
old people are clothed In the evening, when
the cool winds come off the water. with the
skins of the brown pelican sewed together
with sinews. The others wear a kind of
cloth made of rushes, and all the males
hats Of the same material
The Closing Words.
I'm features they are different from any
Indians i nave ever seen. The men are OF
medium size. 1.-the and muscular, keen Of
eye and feature and look as If they were
above the average in Intelligence. They all
wear boards. which is another exception to
the general rule applying to the Indian Of
the west. The women are smaller and
featured much the same-in fact, some of
them are very good looking. Their hair,
while II is perfectly black, is very fine, and
both men and women wear 1t in long plaits
hanging down to their shoulders. In my
opinion, they are the unmixed descendants
of one of the lower branches of the Aztecs,
and in that manner the radical difference
between them and other tribes may be &C
counted for. When / am better acquainted
with them / will give a more extended &C
count of their customs. So goodbye old
log. and If / never get back from my hunt
tomorrow. may you live long and prosper"
The last sentence may con tain solution
to this mystery II, has been stated by a
few that Robinson is in hiding among these
Indians for the purpose of creating a sensa-
ton. OF this i am not able TO arrive at any
definite conclusion. OF one thing we are
quite sure. If he is still alive and among
those Indians, it is with his own free will
tr;L