El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-29
HANGING FIRE

lIhlNOIl\O INL
The Yaqui Forces Are Larger Th an
Was Thought To Be the Gas e.
Mexicans Waiting For ReinfOr Ce-
ments.-The Fertile Yaqui Val
Iey.-The Yaquis Brought On tn e
Trouble.-SWift JustiCe.-RiCh h
Mines, forbidden To Outsiders.
The Indians From the Unite d
States Wanted independence e,
Too.-The Campaign Deferred.
Special Correspondence OF the HERALD.
POTAM, Aug. 23.--The Yaqui forces
larger than the Mexicans had any idea
of, and the withdrawal of troops from
the vicinity of the rebels to headquart-
ers is attributed to the reason that they
do not wish to run any risk of defeat,
but will rest on their arms until the ex-
pected reinforcements arrive, which
may not be for month or more.
The general opinion prevails that as
soon as Gen. Lorenzo E. Torres gets
into the field the Indians will be kept
on the dodge with no cessation until
either the Yaquis or the Mexicans are
wiped out
No one doubts the Yaquis's superior
skill in fighting when properly armed,
but everyone l nave met since leaving
Guaymes who has lived among them
for any time says that bis ability
and disposition to work have always
distinguished him from other Indians.
The Yaquis are far from being say
ages, and Considered the most intelli-
gent tribe of Indians in Mexico. ALI
of them can talk Spanish and quite q
mum Der can write in that language.
The Yaqui valley is very fertile.
Handled properly it could be made one
of the richest districts in Mexico. Wa
ter is plentiful in the river for eight
months of the year, and as the land is
low and as level as q billiard table but
for gentle slope to the sea, irrigation
would be easy. The land allotted to
the Indians lies along on both sides of
the river and in many places does not
require to be irrigated.
One rather disagreeable feature
about the river is that it flows through
such soft loan, which contains no
gravel or solid element. that it is con-
stantly changing It's course.
With the natural advantages of the
valley offered them, together with the
generous start they have received from
the government, the YaQui tribe ought
to be rolling in wealth. They are
healthy, strong, and active when they
want to be, and therefore the only
logical conclusion that can be reached
regarding their troubles Is that they
alone are responsible for them.
When any prisoners are caught they
are first taken to the cuartel and after
q performance called trial. they are
marched ito the rear of the cuartel,
and in q kneeling position shot by ten
soldiers.
There is said to be canyon in the
Bacateta range that contains treasure
untold. The Yaquis have known of
this for years and the gold displayed
by them is supposed to have come from
this canyon. Several white men have
gone in there, but none have never
come out.
A lieutenant that accompanied one
of the newspaper correspondents from
Medano to POtam bled him for about
80. The poor man had had so much
already to break down his spirit and
confidence In himself that he turned
his face to the wall and 'cussed" him
self cold. Then he made q break for
the cuartel and told the colonel how
one of his coyotes had robbed him.
The colonel had the fellow brought
back from Me6ano where he had gone,
and put him through a sort of court
martial, with the result the Curly
Sullivan lieutenant will be severely
right pocket again. The colonel then
tried to impress upon the lieutenant
the disadvantage of robbing cor
respondent, for the people in the states
would hear of it through the press and
think the whole army were thieves.
All these towns along the river have
Yaqui names and were located long
1T
into the valley. American prOspectors
have been at work in the Yaqui river
country since 1880, while there were a
few Mexican families living here
thirty five years ago. According to
old residents, there has always been
considerable danger in going in to the
mountains, for the Yaquis.would take
advantage every time of a man when |
they could catch him alone.
These towns resemb BILE Chihuahuita,
Ell Paso, with the difference that the |
huts here are mostly built of carrizo, a
cane that looks like bamboo. The |
people eat and live on the easiest |
stuff reached without having to get up
from the ground.
The proposition the Delaware and |
other Indians had with Mexico to i'm |
migrate here is entirely off. They came !
here some eight or ten weeks ago
what land they would like to |
buy. They said they only wanted to |
buy the land, without from the govern |
ment, outright laws or regulations;
those they would bring with them. 1t
was the same story of desire for sbso- |
lutte Independence. The government
quietly shut off;;neg
ly. This longing for home rule is the |
root and seed OF the Yaqui revolution.
The camnSiOn in the nnOntR ms will
not commence for month or more yet.
The MAJ inans slQwlu ,uhoxa 1