The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-11
HOW THE YUKON LIVE.
Their Homes and Games-The crema-
 tion of the Dead.

 covered by black shawls which fall over their shoulders, All of them have blankets. All of them braid their back hair, so that from behind one cannot distinguish sex.
 Crossing the great iron bridge over the Colorado, says a writer in South ern Workman, you are on the Yuma Reservation. The stages leave here for Laguna, where the Government Is building the largest dam in the world, except that of the Nile
 The horse oorrals near the stage sta- tion interests the stranger They are mere stalls of poles, for in Yuma they need provide neither for rain or cold
 There are signs everywhere warning people against being on the reserva- tion without permit, and also against trading with the Indians No sign Is seen however, prohibiting photography and so we level the kodack at a wo- man. In an instant she has hidden her face under her blanket and has scurried away
 vation, where the arrow weed and the pigweed rise to the height of pampas A little further away on the reser- grass and hide vast coveys of quail, are scattered the adobe huts of the h. dians. Here, there anywhere they choose, they build their shacks, some of them miles from the nearest neigh bor and hidden from sight in the ar row weed bushes.
 The huts are square, and in front ! the roof overhangs-a mass of dried brush fastened to two poles at either ! corner. At the sides open the cage- like corrals for the horses, mere poles I set fence fashion, Dogs are every l where, as numerous as in Turkey, and they and the men and women slink J by absolutely noiseless. Even the in numerable children are quiet.
 l There Is a small church on the res 1 ervation, and at It's side, in frame an iron bell that the Catholic priest is ! ringing, It takes one back to the days 1 of the missions.
 l In consrast across the railway on thu bluffs is the modern Indian Tolse hol bluffs. is the modern Indian school The jaunt to it Is always interesting to the visitor Across the bridge you ! go in company with a faced Indlar quaws, very dark, and the darker for their gay colored warments of many hued borders. On their heads the long black hair lies uncombed, and they ] sometimes wear bags bound on the l forehead and hanging down the back; these serve as akind or ornamental top comb, and in them the supplies are carried from town to reservation. 1 Among the Yumas there is held a corn feast every September, when all the tribe gathers for a three days \ meeting. Then there are games and dancing and singing and a feast of corn and watermelon and anything else that can be purchased. The | principal game of the adults on the reservation here is hoop the pole, the 1 hoop being rolled on the flat desert ! and the pole then thrown through it.
 This the bucks will play on the hot test day, no matter how freely the per. spiration rolls from them. shinny ii another favorite game Some of tht Yumas have married according to thC rites of the Roman Catholic Church but for the most part, nuptials are ac' cording to the Indian custom.
 Burning the dead, as observed among the Yumas, is interesting. Int body is first thoroughly wrapped anC then placed on logs and brush over { hole in the ground. A bed of logs l. built at each side and at the head O the bier. which is next covered ant surrounded with dry fagots,
 The flames are applied and whilt they burn the clothing, blankets, &c, Of the deceased are added to the fire The horse of the dead man, however is not burned among the Yumas as i the custom with some Indians.
 A day or two after death the wig. wam of the deceased, if an adult i burned, the rest of the family then go ing to live with some relative Tn, Yumas make a great show of sorroy over their dead. Later they are neve mentioned at all.
 The medicine men are still largly il l control among the Yumas and tn Government makes no attempt to in terfere. Usuolly their patients groy sicker, so that they proclaim then domed to die and their prophecy vii i almost always come true.
 The Government allows it's eigh 1 hundred Yumas 4,500 acres of land--al 1 irregular tract extending fourteel miles up the river and ten down. o this 1900 acres will be irrigable whel the Laguna dam is done.
 Inasmueh as the Indians may settl where they choose on the lands, it i probable that the widely scatteret houses will then be drawn closer to gether. As it is now, Yuma itself i really the only village among them.
 Other Indian tribes receive food an, ! clothing, but the Yumas receive onl, the land. When not hunting or mend Ing their houses or attending weddin, festivities groups of Yumas living il one long wickiup, will take work ol the railroads. or on farms, or else GU and sell wood from the timber on tn l reservation.
 The Indian women are the laun dresses of Yuma. receiving a dollar day for their work. Gambling is tn