Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-03-16

That portion of the country south Of
Yuma, including small section Of Cal
ifornia, and considerable territory in
Mexico, is one Of the most fruitful
fields for the Nimrods Of this country
today. It abounds in wild game Of all
sorts, and with the help Of man large
expanse Of land could be converted into
one Of the greatest and most inviting
game preserves in the world. Mexico
offers liberal aid to such enterprises,
and it is understood that already that
government has promised to make i'm
portant concessions If American sports
men are willing to carry out the plan Of
establishing a game preserve partly in
Mexico.
The determination Of wild game in
this country and the urgent necessity
Of adopting drastic measures for the
prevention Of further ruthless slaugh-
ter, are two subjects which have long
occupied the attention of American
sportsmen. Never before have they
been so stirred up to the necessity as
within the past few months. when from
all over the country there have been de-
mands for congressional action. State
and Territorial legislation has proved
insufficient, but Federal action in re-
cent years has checked wholesale
slaughter in this and other territories
and states. However, slowly, but sure
ly, certain kinds Of wild game. such as
deer and antelope, will be extinct In
Arizona within few years, and in a
short time the mountain sheep, now
found in a few parts Of the territory,
will disappear unless early action Is
taken. It Is because Of the threatened
determination that congress will soon
be asked to make an appropriation for
creating a game preserve, or at least
for its moral support.
The Redskins Of Arizona have made
great inroads into the ranks Of deer
and antelope, leaving their reservations
frequently to engage in systematic
slaughters of those animals. The
Apaches in eastern Arizona kill only
the game they require for meat and
leather. It Is said that the Navajos Of
northern Arizona and other Indians Of
this territory, do not kill game on the
wholesale plan merely for the sport,
as Is commonly believed, but they seem
to require an inordinate amount for
ordinary use. Occasionally they leave
their reservations, where long ago all
game became too sporadic to invite the
hunter, and organize bands which go
after big game with bows and arrows
and. guns, in much the manner that
Americans organize rabbit drives. The
great piles Of hair scraped from the
hides speak Enthusiastically of the great
slaughter which attends one Of these
expeditions.
A party consisting of Prof. w. ]. Nc
Gee, Delany Gill. an artist, and others,
representing the Smithsonian institute,
recently passed through Phoenix, after
exploring the Tiburon islands, in the
Gulf of California, returning from So
nora by an old road near Tenajos Atlas.
The party went to examine the con-
dition Of the cannibalistic Ceris In
dians of Tiburon island, who murdered
R. E. L. Robinson, a newspaper man,
and a companion, six years ago, and
feasted on their bodies. On account of
the tribal friction a small body of these
savages left the island of Tiburon and
made their way to the coast Of Mexico,
subsequently travelling north and es-
tablishing a small colony near Quivo-
vac.
The Smithsonian party went among
the Indians at that place for the third
time, finding them in the same condi-
ton on each trip. They have not null
tiplied in number in the past score of
years and their manners Of living and
habits have not varied. In visiting
those Indians McGees journey took him
through the heart Of the game country,
which in time may be set aside as a
game preserve. All along his path he
discovered game in such profusion that
he made a part Of his trip the study Of
the wild animals of that region. The
Indians near Quitovac led him into
some remarkable hunting grounds,
where deer and wild hogs, large spe-
cies of peccary, tame and unfamiliar
with the white sportsman's methods,
were but little intimidated by the ap-
proach of the party. The professor re-
turns enthusiastic over the game con-
ditions of that region. Wild animals
abound as they did only a few years
ago in many parts of this country, but