The National tribune., 1903-08-20

call prophet oil the Earln, ana llSo III
an evil spirit (Che-a-vurD. They believe
that. generally, their spirits viii pass to
another world when they die. and that
there they will meet those who have gone
before them. They say that whenever
any one dies an owl Che screech OVID car,
ries the soul of the departed away, ana
hence they fear owls (Which they never
kilD, and they consider the hootmg OF
this bird q sure omen that some one Is
about to die. They give a confused ac-
count of some priests (par-le). who, they
state, visited their country years ago. and
attempted to convert them to Christianity
These priests were French from the
Jesuit college at Queretaro Mexico then
called New Spain)l. and to this day the
Pimas call the French ''par-le-sick; plu-
raj "pa-par-le-sick." 1t does not appear
that these missionaries met with success.
The Pimas have no fear of worship what
ever, and have neither idols nor images.
They know that the Mexicans baptize
their children, and they sometimes initiate
this ceremony. This baptism is applied.
however. only as charm, and in cases OF
extreme sickness of the child. When the
ceremonies and charms of the native ply
sicians (ma-ke) fail to produce a cure,
then the sick infant is taken to some
American or Mexican. and even PapaSo,
when the latter is known to have EN-
braced the Christian faith. Generally,
WoiHeu peIIoIm tue ScleIIoHs-
IL the child RECEIVERS, it receives a Span
ish name by which it is known ever after.
but these names are so much changed
in the pronunciation that strangers would
hardly recognize them. Pedro, for in
stance, becomes Pi-va-lo; Emanuel, Ma
norl; Cristobal, Kis-to; Ignacio, I-nas;
Maria. Marie. etc.
1t is certain that their religion does
not teach them morality, nor does it point
out a certain mode of conduct. Each
Pima. if he troubles himself about his
religion at all, CONSTITUTES it to suit HIM
self. and all care little or nothing for the
life hereafter: for their creed neither
promises rewards iii the future for a life
well spent. nor does it threaten punish
ment after death to those who in this
life act evil. They have no priest to
counsel them, and the influence of their
chiefs is sufficient to restrain those who
are evilly disposed. the whole nation
lives but for to-day, never thinks of the
wants of the future, and is guided solely
by desires and passions.
These Indians believe in witches and
ghosts, and their doctors or medicine-men
(ma-ke) claim to know how to find and
destroy witches. Almost anything is be
lieved to be witch. Usually it is a
small piece of wood. to which is tied n
small piece of red flannel, cloth or calico
by means of q horse-hair. Should one
Pima huts. the inhabitants thereof would
at once abandon it and move elsewhere.
They believe that all sickness, death and
misfOrtunes are caused by witches. If,
therefore, a Pima is taken sick, or loses
his horse or COW, he sends for one of the
medicine men, whose duty it becomes to
find and destroy the evil spirit who has
caused the mischief.
The medicine-man on these occasions
masks his face and DISCUSSES himself as
much as possible. He then swiftly runs
around the spot supposed to be infested,
widening his circles as he runs, until, at
last, he processes to have found the
outer limits of the space of ground sup
posed to be under the influence of the
witch. Then he and his assistants. the
latter also masked, drive painted stakes
into the ground all about the bewitched
spot. These sticks, painted with certain
colors found in the mountains. are said to
possess the power of preventing the es-
cape of the witch. Now begins the search
for the latter: everything is looked into,
huis are examined, fences removed, bush
es cut down, until, at last, the medicine
man processes to find the witch, which
usually is the above-described stick. horse.
hair and red cloth. OF course, this So
called witch has been hidden previously to
the search by some of the assistants of
the make. 1t is burned at once and the
initiated fondly believe that, for time
at least, they will be free from the evil
influences of the witch thus destroyed
OF course, this mode of treatment seldom
produces cure of sick people; but the
Pimas know nothing whatever of medi-
cines; their medicine-men never admins
ter anything internally, and the above
ceremony is the principal attempt made
to cure the sick.
Sometimes, for instance in case of pains
In the chest or stomach, they scarify the
patients with sharp stones or place burn
Ing Goals upon the skin, and in rare in
stances the patient is placed upon the
ground. his head TO the west and then
the medicine-man gently passes brush
made of eagle feathers, from his head to
his feet; after which he runs several PAGES
shakes the brush violently, and then re-
turns to the patient to repeat. again and
again, the same manuver. They believe
that by this operation the sickness is
drawn first into the brush and thence
shaken to the winds, and bystanders keep
respectful distance, for fear of inhal.
ing the disease when it is shaken from
the brush. Some doctors pretend to de
stroy sickness by shooting painted arrows
from painted bows at imaginary evil spir.
Its supposed to be lowering in the vicinity
Of the patient.
The Pimas know many herbs. which
they use as food at times when wheat is
scarce, but they have no knowledge OF
medical properties of herbs or minerals
with the only exception of a small weed
called 'cOlondrina" by the Mexicans
which, applied as a poutice, is a certain
remedy, it is said, for the bite of rattle
snake.
This weed belongs to the family of tn,
EuphOrbiaceae; like most of them it con
tains milky juice. 1t is a creeper, witt
pretty, small white blossoms and spotted
leaves.
1t is generally believed that all effort.
to Christianize the Pimas would fail, no
because any of them would oppose suci
attempts but because they all would b,
entirely Indifferent to the new teachings
BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
The Pimas tie the bodies of their deat
with ropes, passing the latter around tn,
neck and under the knees, and then draw
Ing them tight until the body is doubled
up and forced into sitting position. The.
dig the grave from four to five feet deep
perfectly round about two feet diameter)
and then hollow out to one side of the bot
tom Of this grave n sort of vault larg
enough to contain the body Here the bod
Is deposited, the grave is filled up loosel
with the ground, and poles, trees, or piece
of timber are placed upon the grave t
protect the remains from the coyotes
Burials usually take place at night, with
mt M Il.