The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-07
REVENGEFUL INDIAN TRIBE
YAQCIS' DEADLY ENMITH TO
MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.



The Yaquis are pure blooded. a
strong type Of man, with great en-
durance. q first cousin TO the Apache
Indians Of North America. They have
their own language. and. like most men
h live close to nature and whose law
OF life is might, they are stoics and con
temptuous Of physical suffering. One was
bit in the wrist by a rattlesnake while at
work. He killed the snake with his ma
chete. slit il and took out its gall bag.
Pouring some water into the gourd. he
squeezed a drop Of gall into the water,
stirred it around and drank the concoction.
He then slashed his wrist TO make IN active
wound and rubbed the remainder Of the
gall into a Nlather with his blood. The
result Of the bite was a mere swelling,
winch didn't interfere with his work.
Necessity showed the Yaquis the wisdom
Of irrigation and instinct pointed the way,
says the Army and Navy Life. In the last
decade Of the nineteenth century they
numbered about 5000. They live on the
western slope OF the Sierra Madres, a con-
tinustion Of that rib Of the Rocky Noun
tain which runs down the coast. Their
territory is bounded by Soyopa, OF the
Yaqui River, and Torres. q railroad station
on the branch Of the Southern Pacific
Railroad which terminates at Guaymas
on the Pacific Coast. just north Of the point
where the Yaqui River empties itself into
the Gulf Of California.
This stretch Of country, known as the
foothills OF the Sierra Madres. covers about
100 square miles. There are rich mines in
the main range OF the Sierra Madres. most
Of them being worked by Americana Eng
lish and French s~yndicates. To get to
these mines il is necessary TO traverse the
Yaqui country, which ia the widest and
least known in Mexico. IL has a rainfall
Of about twenty inches during the year.
but the sand and silt which choke the
arroyas suck il in. The Yaquis damned
up the arroyas and localized the water
supply. In the neighborhood Of water one
finds oranges, lines, cottonwood, &c.
animal life. bird life and life on tree; there
is shooting Of quail, doves and rabbits.
But away from these GASES there is no
grass. no life Of any kind.
The troubles with the Yaquis began in
1899. Prior to that time they had been
more or less peaceable. They were pearl
fishers and miners. and being hard workers
proved very efficient in both industries.
They also provided the labor for the con
etruction Of the Mexican continuation OF
the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Mexi-
can Government made a treaty with the
Yaquis in 1sas, whereby they took over
the irrigated lands in consideration OF the
payment of 500 for every 1000 hectares
about four and a half acresD. The appro-
priation was made. but according to reliable
reports it never reached the Indians. And
then the trouble began. Thu Government
wanted the lands: the Yaquis wanted their
n,Anax Tho Naptia want into ArizOnn and
worked on the Southern Pacific. turning
their pay into rifles and cartridges. Three
years later they took to the trail against the
Mexican officials.
II is due them that record should be
made that in those days the Yaquis dis
eliminated between Mexican officials and
civilians. They did no harm TO ranchmen,
poems or prospectors. Prospectors who
came in touch with them on the Sahuaripl
trail were turned back. unframed. because
Mexican troops were in the neiRhborhood
and a clash seemed imminent. These PROS
pectors were absolutely at the mercy OF
the Yaquis, who. however. were bent on
avenging wrongs. and had no quarrel with
innocent outsiders. In the brushes with
the Mexican troops the iaduis were gen.
erallv victorious.
After five years OF intermittent warfare
the blood lust OF the Indians came TO the
front and they ceased to discriminate.
While the mulos. or pacificos-the older
Indians continued 10 eTRuRe III fllnlnR,
transportation and r~anching. the bronchos.
consisting of the younger element. whose
fighting blood had been aroused. continued
on the trail. and the original purpose
vengeance was lost sight Of in the joy of
fighting. The Mexican Government. in re-
taliation. seized the pecificos and hanged
them and deported the Yadui women and
children to Yucatan. notorious as having
the worst climate in the world. This only
added to the bronchos' rage and added TO
their ranks by driving others TO the war
path.
The Yaauis were particularly incensed
against Mexican officials. and mutilsted
them whenever opportunity offered. One
Jose Flores, a large landholder. connected
by marriage with a prominent Mexican
official was captured. the soles Of his feet
and the palms OF his hands were cut on
and he was left to die a miserable death.
This man. crawling on his knees and the
stumps OF his hands, reached a ranch on
the following day. only to die a raving
maniac. In that sandy country ants abound
In millions.
More recently. Charles Raw Watson,
popularity known as "Slim" Watson. an
American six footer. graduate OF Ann
Arbor University. was captured by a band
Of twelve Yaquis while asleep in the mail
wa gon on the Ures road. He was ordered
to the ground and to precipitate his prog
ress the Yaquis poked gun barrels in his
ears. He was ordered TO cut the mail