The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-01-22
DESERT INDIAN PONY RACE.
Annual MAR mt Which the Hed men
of Arizona Have an Extra
Good Time.

The Indian, clad in war paint and
feathers, with tomahawk and spear, no
longer agures in our annals, but many
of his aboriginal customs have been
handed down to posterity- One OF the
most characteristic of these customs was
enacted on the Pima Indian reserva-
ton. near Phoenix. Ariz., few weeks
ago. 1t was the annual pony race De-
tween the Pima and Maricopa Indians
says a report from that section.
For weeks prior to the event great
preparations were being made. Each
Indian brave wished to contest Tor the
honor of his tribe The ponies were
carefully groomed and fed preparatory
to the try-out, the winner of which was
delegated to contest for the tribe. The
place of the event this year was on the
Pima reservation.
For several days previous to the race
a strange sight could be seen. MARI
copa Indians, with loads OF grain'
ponies, burros and cattle. all to De
wagered on the result, trailing along
over the desert toward the Pima hunt
ing grounds. Large bets were MADE
not in money, but in Indian luxurles'
such as grain, beads, ponies and steers
and in a few cases squaws.
No Indian will take the bet OF an
other unless the wagered article IS
produced. On this account the finish
ing point presented strange appear
ance on the day Of the race. Grain In
the sack, piled in assorted heaps; IN
dian ponies, tied head to head; steers,
roped and PROSTATE on the ground, side
by side, all wagered on the outcome OF
the contest.
On the afternoon Of the race no less
than 500 Indians were collected at the
starting point. The race, for five miles.
two and a half miles to marked spot.
which acts as turning point, is run
across the trackless desert through
cacti, sage brush and sand.
The Pima Indian, Juan, upon appear
ing, was greeted with whoops and
grunts of Indian approval by the
Pimas. He was clad in bright red. in
termingled with green; wore heavy
buckskins and huge spurs. His long
black hair, matted by lack of tom
serial attention, was tied jauntily with
blue and white beads and three red
feathers acted as his headpiece.
His opponent. Charlie. soon arrived
upon the scene mounted upon yellow
buckskin pony and gayly bedecked in
yellow and red coloIs. He wore no
shirt.
As q matter of courtesy, the Mari
copa Indian chief acted as starter
Instead of the customary pistol shot. he
let out a long. many-syllabled Indian
war-whoop, and they we're on, neck and
neck, through the cacti. The start was
even. but Charlie, the Maricopa Indian,
soon took the lead, due to the bucking
proclivities Of the Pima pony.
Excitement was intense. The
chunky sQuaws, with their calico
dress and papooses strapped to their
sides. gabbled in the Indian-lingo to
each other volumes.
The supposedly sedate and composed
Indian bucks. all dressed in their most
gladstone colors, gave frequent whoops
of anticipation.
After what seemed ages of waiting, a
gray cloud Of dust could be seen across
the desert. The crowd surged forward.
In the distance they appeared to be run
ming evenly. but on nearer approach 1t
seemed that the Pima pony, covered with
sand. sweat and spur-marts, led.
Then Juan. the hope of the Pima
tribe. drew decidedly away from his
opponent. Yells and whoops, on the
one side. were intermingled with In
dian and Mexican curse-words on the
other. The crowd parted. The hero,
Juan. the Pima. had won by more
than . length. With cries Of Joy he
was borne, above all, triumphant, to the
Pima feast Of victory.
Several of the honest" Maricopas
tried to steal back their wagered ponies.
but in vain. Sadly they departed, some
afoot for want Of ponies, for their abodes
in the southland. Hopelessly did the
sun set that night on the head of Mari.
copa Charlie. He discarded his gay
trappings. and tired rider and pony de-
parted at q walk.
With the Fimas, all was life. Swell
amounts Of struggled fre-water were
to have helped the celebration, or
drowned the defeat, but some treacher-
Gus braves had forestalled their fellows
and drank 1t up during the race. A fire
dance. however. was celebrated. led by
Juan. until finally, one by one, they
dropped from sheer exhaustion.
Uses of Radium.