Bisbee daily review., 1907-01-10
YAQU|s REDUCED IN NUMBER
 ID l,5OO
Once Farmers, They Are Now Robbers and MuFderers, In Their Efforts to Obtain Food and Arms.

The state of Sonora in the republic of Mexico is divided into nine dis tricts. irregular in form and bounda. ries. The Yaqui river begins under that name at a point on the boundary line of the Moctezuma and Sahuaripa districts, where the Bavispe river flows into it. Its course is thence southwest between the districts of Moctezuma, Ures, Hermosillo and Guaymas on the north and west, and Sahuaripa and Alamos on the south and east It is the only river or SO nora that reaches the sea, which IL does in the southwestern part or the Guaymas district. It is a riotous stream at times and flows through many deep, dark canyons. The noun tains of eastern Ures and Hermosillo are high and almost inaccessible. The Yauui river flows along the base of these mountains, with mountainous Sahuaripa on the east. For a distance of fifty or sixty miles westward into these frowning mountains in eastern Ures and Hermosillo and southward down the Yaqui river from about Sua, qui to Onabas, are the fastnesses of the famous Yaqui Indians, tribe that has never been conquered by white men. Here they keep thir women, chiIdrn and old men. This region may be. probably is, about fifty miles wide and seventy-flye miles long and oval circular in shape.
 -e These Indians are a hardy lot and have many characteristics of the Pt mas. They are tall. 1.-the, active and cunning as foxes. Their cheek bones are high. hair black, complexion dark and eyes black and piercing. They have the reputation of being good workers. faithful friends, and bad enc mics. They are poor horsemen, but great walkers and can and dc endure cold, heat. hunger and fatigue without A murmur. They have been accus- toned to hardship and scant fare from infancy. and constantly, almost, for ages in trouble with the Mexican au- thorities. Below the points where they are now in hiding from Mexican soldiers and down the river that bears their name they formerly had farms and rich agricultural lands and were well to do and thrifty. These lands were taken from them and they re- belled against their treatment by the Mexican government. Conditions grew worse and worse and today they are chased as a band of robbers and mur- derers and every mans hand IS against them. Mexican soldiers and authorities are hunting them and when any of them are caught they are either shot or sent to Yucatan. In their mountain fastnesses they cannot raise food or cattle and consequently, in order to preserve life, bands ol them ranging in number from four 10 twenty go out in various directions and capture food, supplies, guns, am munition and clothing. These raids are made in various directions from their rendezvoux except to the east ward of the Yaqui river; they have never been known to cross this stream in that direction. In almost every direction to the north. west and south they have made themselves terror to Mexicans. The natives are afraid of them and fee at the sound of the name.
 Some of their marauding excursions extend further than others. but the majority of their raids are not far away from their mountain retreat.
 Many ranchers along the Yaqui riv' CT have been depopulated and the in habitants dare not return to cultivate their lands. Hunger drives wolves to the clearing; it drives the Yaquis to the trails and roads to plumber; they cannot work in the mines or on the ranches; they cannot cultivate their lands or raise cattle. If captured it is death or Yucatan. Every hand IS against them and they must either rob or die of starvation.
 The tales told of them have not been in accord with the facts; they have been hugely and grotesquely ex aggerated. There is very little, fl any, danger for a careful party of white men to pass any where in the Yauui country If there were no Va quis in the country it would be un safe for a man not familiar with the country to travel alone. It is true that both white men and Mexicans have been killed in the so-called Va oui region and 1t is true, also, that there is danger for men to traye there alone or even in small parties What these Indians seek most is food clothing, guns and ammunition ant these things they take desperate chances to obtain.
 They have way of reflling cart ridges and can make their bulletl from native lead. Their number a the present does not exceed hfteeI hundred all told. Probably not mor' than three or foa- hundred men mak' up the numerous plundering bands Mexican soldiers fear them as the. fear death and refuse to follow then into the mountains: and really th, poor devils are not to be blamed TO twenty Yaquis could exterminate hundred soldiers in tke awful canyon of their rendezvous. At the presen time they have no leader and go an' ,<-..e, os huooer and neeassifv dictate