The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-02


often- Many Of the Yaquis, too, are
fond OF MOWERS and other natural beau
ties They are good parents and stanch
friends.
But they are human and self-inter-
ested as are all other men, and there is
a natural antipathy between them and
the Mexicans. All Mexicans. therefore,
together with the white men who as
soclate with and employ them, are to
the Yaquis objects of suspicion. AS I
said, 1 believe that they would be far
more ready to attack a party partially
composed OF MeXicans than even one
white man alone.
"A Yaqui is usually a silent indi-
vidual. Always respectful, he will work
all day or drive with you without
speaking, responding to a pleasant salu-
tation only by vague smile or relaxa-
ton of the features. But he is a deep
thinker and far from ungrateful, none
the less
Il have known many instances of
Yaqui good nature and gratitude" saws
w. Penberthy, a Chicago mining en-
gineer who was seated in Mr.. Renos
Office. Mr. Penberthy has spent much
time in the last twelve years in the
Sonora region, and knows much of the
Indians recently attaining such I'M
pleasant notoriety Il. too have known
the Yaquis well and long and have only
the kindest feelings for them. have
found them uniformly kind and hu-
name. / cannot but deprecate the stern
and unjust judgment meted out to the
entire tribe because of the evil actions
Of few.
Harm Done by a Few
Hundreds Of respectable, self-re-
speeding Yaquis may live and go about
their business quietly for years with
out attracting attention. But fifty bad
Indians can do more harm for the race
than the hundreds of good ones can do
good in a year. /. like Mr.. Reno, find it
difficult to believe that they would at
tack a party provided with government
escort. An unescorted party would be
less safe In some cases. But usually for
white people the Yaquis entertain feel
ings of respect almost approaching
generation. There is little, in their
opinion, that white man cannot do.
Once, a couple of years ago, I was
aroused from sleep in a Sonora camp
by some eager Yaquis, who demanded
that / come with them to visit an old
woman supposed to be dying. am not
physician, but mining life teaches
many things, and I happened to be the
only one or the party provided with a
medicine chest. II a doctor is a mem
Der of prospecting party We all defer
TO his opinion in such cases Of sick
ness. If Motive have books and we do
the best We can by and for ourselves
and each other. The Indians had in
some manner learned that 1 could han
die medicines, and they wanted my help
for the old woman.
L found her very sick, pulse run
ming to 15O-and so on. did not know
what ! could do. but was willing to
make an effort. 1 went back to camp,
prepared some simple medicine, ad-
ministered 1t, with instructions as to
treatment, and again returned to camp.
Next morning they came to tell me that
the old woman vas eating, and they
were deeply grateful. After that, as
long as l remained in the place, that
old woman brought me tribute of two
eggs day.
Il could cite numbers of similar in
stances to prove that the Yaqui Indians
are not the cruel savages Chicago peo-
pie are now ready to believe them.
But in a wild country proper precau-
tons must be observed IN the cause OF
safety. To travel with the government
escort Is best, when the country Is at
all rough or suspicious, although have
been all over that country with and
without escort, and have come to no
harm"
Escort in Wild Country
1.-The government escort, as I have
said, acts much like a policeman in its
effect and influence upon the Mexican
and Indians alike" further explains Mr..
Reno. But, nevertheless, the men
composing it are brave fellows. On
this last expedition of mine, over about
the same ground as that taken by the
MacKenzie-Coy party, 1 had an exam
pie of this. Two of the men serving as
my escort led the way, four brought up
the rear. We had a Yaqui for driver.
Suddenly one evening, just as we got to
a bad bit OF country, riding along a
sort of elevation, not far from the un-
canny place where the twelve bodies
were exposed, we noticed the Yaqui
craning his neck and bending over to
see something in the hollow below. We
were all on the alert in an instant, but
we white men could see nothing. The
guards. however. were quicker sighted.
Signals arc quietly conducted in that
region; nobody shouts. But the two
guides ahead beckoned to those in the
rear to join them, and the party halted
while they, too, peered down into the
dusky ravine. Suddenly. without u
word of warning, all four dashed down
the side of the ravine and into the bad
looking shadows below. The Yaqui,
still earnestly gazing, sat on the wagon
seat as calm and immovable as a
statue. But We were all more or less
curious as to the occasion for the sally.
We thought, of course, that antagonis-
tic Indians were down in the valley,
pushing ahead to intercept US at the
worse bit of road ahead.
Government ls Strong
THE cause of the excitement proved
TO be an innocent red COW, wandering
along in the hollow. But the courage
and the value of the government escort
was proved in that moment. They
were more than ready to run into dan
ger TO protect their party.
'Their-recOrds and achievements in
this direction are well known, and 1t
would be a brave party Of Yaqui In
dams or any other fighters who would
attack such an escort - composed Of
picked shooters. And, too, the moral
influence Of the government position
and official stands for a great deal.
The Yaquis are not race of fight
ers, nor are they especially vengeful or
foolhardy, but, like all other races, they
number good and bad among them. /
would not be afraid to trust my life
among them at any time, unescorted,
nor would disdain government. advice
and protection, should this be deemed
best by the authorities who should
know whereof they speak"
Mr.. Penberthy compares the position
and attitude of the Yaqui Indians Of
today with that of the Sierra Indians,
inhabitants of the Island of Tiburon,
Gulf OF California. These people,
friendly toward and willing to trade
with white mon Inafh Qll0Iv