The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-26
RED TERaoRs OF MEXICO.
The Fierce Yaqui Indians Again ON the
Warpath.
Especial Correspondence.

Warpath.
Especial Correspondence
HERMosILLo, Mexico, April IA
Many ethnologists believe that the Va
qui Indians of northern Mexico are
Identical with the Apaches, who for sc
many years set the troops Of the United
States mt defiance and made travel dan.
gerous and settlement we'll nigh impos.
slble in parts of New Mexico and Ari.
zona The Apaches, until conquered
after a quarter of n century of fighting,
had their hunting grounds in the Sierra
Madre mountains, which, from central
Colorado down to Panama, form the
backbone or great watershed of the con.
tinent. The Apache language so CLOSELY
resembles that OF the YaQuis, who occupy
the Same mountain range just to the
south, that they can communicate with
each other without using tho sign Ian
guage; but, language apart, tho appear
ance and habits Of these two blood
thirsty tribes would point to common
| origin even if they were far removed
| from each other instead of being neigh
bors
The Apaches have been conquered,
but their kinsnen, the Yauuis are as
bold, defiant and cruel today as they
We're when, $50 ago, they threw them
selves across the path of Coronado and
his mailclad explorers and taught them
that if they found an Eldorado to the
north they must mark their trail with
their OWL graves
Those parts of the states of Sonora and
Sinaloa lying along the Yaqui river,
which has its source in the spur of tho
Sierra Madrc, known as the Yaqui range,
have been again and again devastated
by these fierce Islmaelites of tho hills,
whose hands are against every man, and
who glory in tho knowledge that every
mans hand is against them.
Again and again the Yaquis have
routed the best Mexican troops under
the ablest officers. AT any time they can
bring n thousand hardy, we'll armed
warriors into the field, and when hard
pressed they retreat to the mountain
Businesses, where, If pursuit is not alb
solutely impossible, they can set it at
defiance. They pay no heed to the changes
Of government going on about them.
The white man or tho man with Il drop
of white blood in his veins is their foe,
and that is enough.
1t is said that the Yaquis hold as slaves
hundreds of men and women whom they
captured as children after Staying their
protectors and moro than once they
have carried off men high in authority
and forced the government to treat with
them for ransom. In the whole history
Of social war there is no record of a CON
test so long continued, so bitterly per-
slstent and so cruel and sanguinary as
that which the unconqucred and uncon-
querable Yaquis have waged against the
white conqueror and his descendants.
As it is year or two since there was
n YaQuis outbreak those who did not
know them well were beginning to nurse
the hope that for the future these noun
tain desperadoes would remain content
i'll their inaccessible homes in the Sierra
Madre; but, as so often before, we have
been doomed to bitter disappointment
In the hope of peace many Mexican and
American settlers have within the past
two years taken up land and established
homes along the beautiful and fertile
valley of the Yaqui river. These peace
able people were entirely unprepared for
the fierce raiders who two weeks ago
suddenly came down like mountain
wolves on the folds Of the husbandmen
and burned his ranches, murdered his
family and carried off his herds.
With spasmodic energy the governors
of the northern states of Mexico have
sent troops after tho Yaquis< ,but no one
expects they will accomplish anything.
! These red maraudcrs have perfect spy
| system. They know to man the strength
of their opponents, and where it is not
safe to fight they can always retreat
without loss.
| 1t is curious fact that while these
Indians are supposed to have no com
mmication with the white man they
are well supplied with the latest ant
best arms, and they use them as expert
ly as the best drilled soldiers in tho
world. Outside of tho awful loss of lif(
caused by these people and the wanto,
destruction of property, it is estimated
that Mexico has spent fully $50, 900, 900
in trying to eXterminate them. Yet aft
CT centuries of fighting they are today
as strong, self reliant and dangerous n.
when they first used their arrows agains
tho Spanish invader
j. r. MANNING.
| Which Is the King of Scasts?