The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-06-19
THE INDUSTRIOUS YAQUls.
Hos.i,c Now TO Whites. but Once They
We're Good Sec:ion Hands.

Hottie Now TO Whites. but Once They
Were Good Section Hands.
In the wears Immediately following
the building of the Sonora railroad,
which connects Benson. ;iriz.. with
Guavmas on the Gulf of California. the
traveller. after crossing the Mexican
border. saw that tie section men ea-
ploved on the track We're small, dark.
active men. clad in blue dungaree
jumpers and trousers and broad
hrimmed straw hats They were bare
footed or shod in sandals. and they
worked steadily and industrially, and
exhibited an alertness and intelligence
in striking contrast to the impassive-
ness of the average Mexican laborer.
They were Yaqui Indians, who came
from their town of Torin or other
places along the lower Yaqui river.
1.-The best workers 1 ever saw said
the late T. J. Seely, the first superin-
tendent of the road. There's only one
trouble with them. Everything may
be going along all right oaa you've got
a good track and plenty of good labor
ers. But there comes word to your men
from their chief at home that they're
needed in the Yaqui country to repel
the Mexican troops or to take part in
domestic warfare. Almost on the in
slant they all start for their homes.
and you wake up the next morning
to find that you haven't any laborers.
They are very resourceful and self-re-
liant. remember once that the sup
ply train failed to come as ordered. SO
that our Yaqui laborers were left tenn
porarilv without provisions. Instead
of grumblinc or striking, they at once
scattered and went to hunting roots to
eat. and there was no complaint by
them or failure to perform duty while
waiting for the DELAYED supplies
Up to 1856. in their country along the
lower Yaqui river. within the terra
caliente,' or hot belt. the Yaouis were
always able to beat Mexican troops
who were sent in repeated expeditions
to reduce them They were not at
that time marauding Indians. but
lived independently in their OWL coun-
try, repelling all intruders and not mo-
Testing the whites except those who
tried to enter their domains. They
made their own gunpowder. and were
patriotic and invincible fighters.
Banded together against the outside
world, within their own borders they
had factions, and sometimes conspir-
acies and assassinations.
The legitimate heir to the chieftain-
cy Of all the Yaquis was living in
Guaymas when there came deputa-
ton to inform him that the throne was
vacantand that the popular voice called
him to Torin to rule over the Iaquis.
He declined the honor and waived his
royal rights, preferring to remain in
Guaymas in safety to taking the throne
with an almost certainty thac sooner
or later he would be assassinated in
trying to maintain himself in his peril
Gus elevation. Cajeme. "the Jaguar,"
who so long ruled the Yaqu:s and led
them against the Mexican troops, be-
came king by assassinating his pre-
deces:or.
Since the Mexicans in their victori-
Gus campaigns Of nine years ago drove
those who would not submit from the
lower river with its fertile fields into
the mountains. the fugitive Yaquis
have become fercer and more preda-
tory and wage al aggressive war upon
all whites. They still roam at large
in the mountain fastnesse,, unsubdued
and formida ble.-N. Y. Sun.