The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-01-18


 over by both tribes.
 "Finding myself about 300 miles southward of the United States bound- dary and in the neighborhood or the Seris, I decided to visit them. The Mexican authorities did not wish me to make the venture, considering 1t too risky They suggested that I might secure the escort of a troop of soldiers, but I objected to this plan, on the ground that the Indians would run away as quickly as the soldiers ap- peared, so that l would have no chance to study them. It was then proposed that I should take with me dozen or fifteen soldiers in citizens dress, but l was officially informed that three or four Papagoes would be equally ser viceable. This tribute to the bravery of Mexican soldiers amused me consid- erably. By the way, the two survivors of Robinsons expedition found their way to Guaymas, and the story they told induced the Mexican authorities to send strong force against the Seris. Part of the force had orders to go by water and attack the island of Tiburon, while the other part was to proceed by land. Instructions were given to kill every man, woman and child-for that is the Mexican way of doing things, But the soldiers finally returned with report to the effect that they had not been able to find any of the In dians. Of course, the fact was that they did not try to find them, being too much afraid of them.
 "So it came about that I went into the country of the Seris with very small party, consisting, besides myself of MT. Dinwiddie of the bureau of eth nology, a young Mexican engineer named Alvemaur-Leon, white driver and one Papago interpreter. We went to the ranche of certain Senor Encin- as, who is very remarkable man, as may be judged from the fact that he has kept stock farm in the territory of these bloodthirsty savages for many years. During that period he has maintained himself in warfare against the Seris and has finally compelled them to cease hostilities against him. At present the old man is about eighty years age and nearly blind from catar- acts in both eyes, but he is feared and respected by the Indians, while life is made a terror by the latter for all other rancheros in that part of Sonora.
 'Senor Encinas was the pioneer in that region. He found good grazing country in the territory claimed by the Seris and so established his stock farm there. He brought priest with him to convert the savages, and caught couple of the latter to educate as inter- pretors. The plan for civilizing the In- dians proved a failure. They did not care to become Christians, and they killed the senor's stock. So, finally, the senor decided to adopt a new course of procedure. He summoned the In- dians to a council, as many of them as would came. and informed them that from that time time on he and his va queros would slay an Indian for every head of cattle that was killed. At the same time he sent away the priests and engaged an additional number of va queros.
 ''rhe Indians paid no attention to the warning. A few days later they killed several head of cattle Without delay the senor and his men corfalled and killed a corresponding number of the Seris. Then there was war The say ages made ambushes, but they had only bows and arrows. and the vaqueros fought bravely with their guns Every ambush turned out disastrously for the Indians, Finally the Seris made great ambush, and there was a battle which resulted In the killing of sixty five savages. That lesson proved suffi- cient, and the Indians were glad to conclude permanent peace, agreeing that no further depredations against the senor or his property should be at tempted. From beginning to end the fighting lasted for ten years.
 After the killing of the two Ameri- cans last spring the seris were very much afraid of reprisals. For a good while they did not dare to come to the ranch of Senor Encinas. At length one old woman came for the purpose of seeing if she would be killed. She was well treated, and went away. Event ually confidence was restored, and. when 1 reached the stock farm. about sixty of the savages were visiting on the premises. I succeeded in conciliat- ing them to some extent by giving them a lump of sugar apiece, and some of them consented to sit for their photo- graphs. I paid ten cents to each male sitter and twenty cents to each woman. One man had a sick wife, and asked me to prescribe for her. I did so, but the senor told me that I had made a big If the woman got better itsI was all right But if she grew worse, or storm should come up, or anything else out of the ordinary happened, the Seris would leave in body, and I would have no further opportunity to study them. Fortunately the health of my patient improved
 "No other people in North America have so few conceptions of civilization as the Seris. They have absolutely no agriculture AS well as I could ascer- tain they never put a seed into the ground or cultivate plant. They live 1 almost wholly on fish, water fowl, and | such game as they kill on the main | land. The game includes large deer, l like our lblacktails, an exquisitely grace | ful species of dwarf deer about the size | of a three months fawn, peccaries, | wild turkeys, prairie dogs, rabbits, and | quail. They take very large green tur- | ties in the Gulf of California. Mesquite | beans they eat both cooked and raw. |