The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-12
GOING TO FIGHT THE SERIS.
ARIZONA HUNTERS ,PRoPosE TO
AVENGE CAPT P0RTER.

they WILL Start Tor Ttburon nsiaue' Where
white Men Land Only ut the Risk OF Their
Lives-The Only Indians WINE Have spurnea
All the white MANS Overtures for Peace'
SAN DIEGO. CAL, Nov. 11.-In . few days it's
expected that all arrangements Will DO made
for the departure of the expedition, made up OF
old fighters against the Apaches, Tor Iiouron
Island. 1t Is given out at Tombstone, where tho
expedition is being organised, that the explora-
tion Of the Gulf Of California 10 the object, but
the real purpose 10 TO avenRe on the Seri Indians
the death OF Capt. Porter. who was recently shot
down by the savages while gathering curios on
Tiburon Island.
Old man Clark, Frank McGraw. and Capt.
Thomas Of Tombstone, all victorian lnolan
lighters will be in the party, which Will numoer
80 or 80 mon. II tho Serbs offcr to fight, the
tribe will be wiped out, as all the members are
dead shots with rifles.
OF curse, 1t is likely that IL this party desires
to mako things warm for the Seri Indians, the
Mexican Government will give It full permits
sion to do 80. Mexico permitted our fighters to
cross the border in pursuit Of the Apachea, and
the Mexicans have no love for the Soris, whose
hand 10 turned against all corners who have the
tcmerity to visit their island.
Tiburon Is tho largest island In the Gulf or
California, and It La separated from tho Mexican
mainland by only a narrow strait. Tho island
10 mountainous, with q coast fringe OF lowland.
The mainland Is arid. and there IN not q white
settler within scores Of miles Of the homo OF tho
Serbs. Tho Indians think this 10 just as well.
for they do not like neighbors. They don't want
to see any white men on their island or tho
neighboring mainland. which they often visit.
A few years ago a San Francisco newspaper
thought It was high time that something was
learned about the Serbs. and 30 it sent q reporter
and two or three men to Tiburon Island. Before
the reporter was able to collect any information
he was killed, and only one member of the party
escaped to tell tho tale. Death has been tho fate
Of nearly every white man who has ever
tried to land on the island. The world knows
scarcely anything of the Serbs, partly because
they studiously avoid meeting any white party
of considerable numbers, and partly because
they kill the poor wretch who ventures among
them alone or only with one or two comrades,
before he has time to sorape their acquaintance
There is reason to believe, however, that the
Serbs are really towards, and that they prefer to
run away rather than fight II confronted by q
number of determined and well-armed white
men. Two years ago our Geological Survey
sent a party to western Mexico which landed on
Tiburon Island and got away again without a
scratch. But they did not SEQ q single Seri.
They wandered around a part Of the coast
and found a number Of tho native settle
ments. which had evidently Just been
evacuated in a great hurry. Undoubtedly
while they were collecting specimens of native
handiwork, the 200 or 800 inhabitants Of the
island were watching them from the mountains
But tho explorers did not catch a glimpse o
them nor hear q sound that would indicate theil
presence on the island.
1t would probably require o rather stronl
force to bring tho Serbs to bay and settle &C
counts with them. A handful of mon can move
clear them out of the mountains that cove
the larger part Of their island; and 1
they are hard pressed it would take q con
siderable foroe to prevent them from crossing
tho channel under cover Of the night and light
ing out for tho hills of the mainland, abou
thirty miles from the coast, with which they ar
as familiar az with every feature OF Tiburol
Island.