The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-09-29


localities destined by their inhospltable
environment to continue practically
unknown save to the plainsman and
pioneer. Papagueria-"theL Land of
the Papago'-is one of those uninvit-
ing spots that hold out no inducements
to settlers, and are seldom visited save
by the explorer and the ethnologist.
The name conveys no sense of locality
to the mind of the general reader, to
whom it is terra incognita. It is
term bestowed by the priestly pioneers
of Mexican colonization upon the arid
regions beyond the Sierra Madre
Mountains, district south of the ella
river, in what is now the territory of
Arizona and Sonora, bounded on the
southwest by the Gulf of California and
on the south by that ill-defined region
known as Seriland It has an extent
of over $4,000 square miles, or about
the area of New York or Iowa. The
larger part of the district lies in Mex
leo, though most of the aboriginal
population Is gathered in the northern
portion, above the southern boundary
of Arizona
Papagueria is, perhaps, the most arid
region on the continent. The surface
slopes to the southwest from the Sierra
Madre, and as the vapor-laden air
drifts from the Pacific and the gulf
over the sun-parched land it is heated
to dryness. Consequently the average
rainfall in Papagueria falls short of
ho ~ +1,a
district is practically desert, though
animal and vegetable life maintain
feeble existence. The high Sierra is
scantily clothed with pines; at lower
levels thorny thickets of oak and
chaparral occur sparingly. In the vail
leys the deep-rooted mesquite dots the
surface, while cacti are abundant
among the foothills. The distribution
OF life, In Short conforms to the dis
tr1butlon of water, and the struggle of
animal and vegetable life against in
organic nature and alien organisms is
severe and continuous. s-
The Papago Indians, who inhabit
this tract, in distinctiveness and per-
sistence of character if not in popu-
lation, are the leading branch of the
Piman family and claim relationship
to the Manhattan of Mexico, the great
family of the Montezumas. Though
the Piman family includes several
tribes, the Papagos alone remain dis
tinct, and though small number are
domiciled in the San Xavier reserva-
ton near Tucson, the greater part of
the tribe, which, according to the cen
sus of 1890, then numbered 5,163 in
diViduals, retain their independence
and essential autonomy.
In the August number of the Ma
tional Geographic Magazine w. G. Nc
Gee, of the Bureau of American
Ethnology, and associate editor of the
magazine, gives an exhaustive and
valuable, as well as very entertaining
account of these children of the desert.
showing how remarkably they have ad
1usted their habits, food, clothing. in
dustries and social organization to a
peculiar and extremely unfavorable as
semblage Of conditions
Three centuries ago, according to
Mr.. MCGEE, Spanish explorers came in
contact with the Papago Indians, find
ing them fearless and dignifed, yet
kindly and hospitable-a character
they still maintain. The Spaniards and
the Papagos acquired from the invad
ers burros, goats, cattle, sheep and
dogs, some garden and field plants. the,
costume Of civilization, the adobe
architecture and few of the cere-
monials of the Catholic religion. But
they utterly refused to attach them
selves to Spanish households, to inter
marry with whites. to submit to any
form Of bondage, or to surrender their
primitive philosophy. They have main
tanned, almost without exception. the
purity of their blood. They are indus
trious and virtuous; brave, going out
to meet their chief foe, the Apache.
even in greatly superior numbers, and
have protected their fatherland against
all marauders. They are known in
Mexico for their stubborn avoidance
OF peonage, to which neighboring
tribes are subject. The tribe is char
acterized by exceptional force and sta
bility of character, yet it is said of
them that their habits and modes of
thought are little changed since the
white man came. .<
There is every reason, says Mr.. Nc
Gee, for considering the Papagos de-
scendants from a people Of superior
aboriginal culture. Throughout much
of Papagueria. there are abundant rel
les of prehistoric population and ag-
riculture. These relics comprise ruin
ed houses and villages, extensive ace
quias and other irrigation works, cor
rails containing reservoirs, and frag-
ments Of finer pottery than now made
by the Papagos, with well-shaped stone
axes, pestles. mortars, etc. The an
clent villages are much more numer-
Gus and extensive than the modern
Indian, Mexican and American villages
together; and the ancient acequias
were much larger than the modern
ditches-that n Arivaca valley, in
Arizona, the chief prehistoric acequia,
being $50 feet wide, raised 80 as to