Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-03-14
MORE EARLY HISTORY.
Conflicts of Pimas and IApa-
ches. Predatory Inroads
by the Hill Indians.
Advent of the Jesuits and Their
Influence on the Indian
= Mind.
Continued from Tuesday,.

l. Continued from Tuesday,. :
After the first fierce fight between the
Plmas with the Apsches at foot of the
Superstitious mountains, they returned
to the river with their prisonere, Gre
mated everyt ne, and threw their hes il
to the Gila river. The Pima or river 10
dians bad then Learned for the irst time
that they had bold and savage foe liv-
Ing IN the mountains north Of them.
The Plmss after month Of mourning
for their murdered people, gathered for
q grand council to consider what wer.
the most desirable buildings to erect.
and they reached the conclusion that
the hemisphere shaped house (knowD
now as wickup) was the most suitable.
pending the cessation of the rainy sea
con which had commenced, so it was
agreed to defer the rebuilding of their
clay or adobe houses till later. They
did not then expec: that their now, un-
merclful and unforglvlng fee, the Apa-
che, would continue to murder, annoy
and barrsss them for centuries and new
or again allow them to build up the
cities which they, the Apaches, had so
wantonly destroyed. The only building
left standing out Of thousands was the
now known ruin Wake, the Casa Gran
de OF today. That building was saved
from the fire brand for the reason il
was filled with mesquit beans and all
kinds OF seed, it also contained many
large jugs of sahuaro syrup. All of
| which the Apache had taken a fancy to-
expecting to return at more convenient
time and supply bis wants from the
store house or those whom be had des-
troyed.
But when the Apache did return, be
always found brave and determined
people to greet him, and drive him, and
keep him for Centuries 10 his mountains
fasUness. But the Apache did finally &C
| com plish hls object, the destruction of
Wake which will be related further on.
My blind centeDsrian continued tell
ing from his notched stick how his peo-
pie had suffered from Apache raids and
how they bad had to guard their fields
| OF corn and wheat, by night and by day.
and how one year, at harvest time, be-
fore they had CLEANED the wheat, the
Apache came down from the mountains
and Set fire to the ripeniDg grain and
destroyed mostly all of their crop, how,
In after years the PImas always left
space OF 60 PAGES betW cen their planted
fields to prevent ole field catching fire
from another.
so the old blind historian continued
from notch to notch and period to period
all OF which would be OF little interest
up TO the coming of the jesuit fathers.
at which point again pick up the thread
of the story. But before going furt ,er
L Wish To draw your attention to the
wheat and corn which the old Indian
me- toned, b ing saved and harvested
by his people. At that time | did not
believe this part of the story, but in af-
ter years. while digging lie some of the
old ruins on the GIls river, away down
and close to the floors. l and John d.
Walker found carbonized corn cobs, and
wheat, n at one point alone, L :. at
three different places, and several u es
apart. Then it dawned on my mind that
the old blind Indian wac correct.
Finally the jesuit came, but before
his arrival on the Gila river, he and his
followers had bern heard Of for months
and waited with awe, 4 r the Indians an
ticipated that il would be an extraordi-
nary event, and at last he made his ap
pesrspce with his followers. Tney were
mostly all rid pg animals With q great
many animals packed with food aud
clothing. The animals looked the color
OF deer. but he people called them voU-
LoEs, (Spani- b burro, English ass)
After welcome greeting the P,mas
lead their newly made friends dlrectl,
along the trail to Wake, casa Grande),
the only building which the PIpas had
still standing, good enough for div-
nifty, which the Door lndiau supposed
their visitor to be. The only animal
there other than the ass, which the Jesuit
company had 10 their possessions were a
few long haired dogs. A contrast to
their own Dog Kox, a partially wild
brute, few of which are in existence
today.
When the Jesuits came into close
proximity to the grand building, which
they saw looming up before th NJ, they
all fell on their knees and commenced
to sing, and gave praise, after short
time they arose again from their knees
and with great emotion went forward
until all their hands re-tea against the
building. AT this point the Jesuit chief
raised a cross and nailed it with wooden |
spikes against the wall, and later ip the |
day placed a cross, by permission OF the
Indian chief, on top OF the building. The |
strange white chief than made quite a |
big talk, none Of which my people under |
stood, but the words or sounds coming |
from the mouth were uttered With |
emphasis.
The strangers then went into camp at |
small lake situated about 200 pace
from and in front of the building, and
for two days following nothing u dch |
was said or done, excep that
Indians. from all portions of the sur
rounding couT try, came pouering into
Wake to see and admire the strangers.
On the third day six strange men not
yellow, bat having skin colored, like
our own. came into camp. One only
spoke our language. He was big
powerful man Of rather fair complec-
ton. He said he was born, not many
days travel towards the Nox HUI (sign
OF the scorpion), but WAS taken when a
boy by the HE Alta QUA-ATUMS (the
name OF the Indians who were at one
time numerous aud lived on the desert /
what is now as Gun Sight and |
Yuma. There are yet about twenty |
families Of them living. They speak the
Puma language. but the name signafies-I
Eaters OF Ground Nuts. Thew wear their
hair long after the albion OF the
Pimas.) When the Plmas found they
could converse with the strangers
an interpreter there was much
Joy in camp. ISAAC ID. SMITH.
M.nDrn Moroh Tha |