The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-08-31

confess, and justify Whatever outrages
they have committed, and walk OUT
calmly to the scene of their execution.
They accept the fortune of war with
impassive faces, possibly preferring
immediate death to rotting on a ba-
mana plantation of Yucatan.
A witness of one of the executions,
in a recent newspaper article, describ-
ed it as follows:
with an escort of Mexican troops,
he was passing from the city of Quay
mas to mining point in the interior
They camped at water hole the sec
ond night of the journey, and a party
of vaqueros brought in three captur-
ed Yaquis. They were all boys, none
of them over IS, and were as stoical
as Apaches, though they know they
would shortly be killed, without even
the semblance of a trial. A CONVERSE
ton took place as to whether the pri-
soners would be shot or hanged. The
youthful Yaquis, though they heard
this conversation and understood it,
betrayed not the least interest. 1t was
decided to shoot them.
"They were marched few rods
from the camp, half a dozen troops
lined up in front of them, there was a
sharp word of command, and the next
instant the Yaquis fell over dead, pier
ced by Mauser bullets. The troopers
and the vaqueros returned to supper,
leaving the bodies where they had
fallen
THE COUNTRY OF THE YAQUIS.
The country of the Yaquis lies in
Northwest Mexico, close to the Arizona
line. They belong to the same racial
tribe as the Pimas, Yumas, Papagoes
and Maritopaz, of Southern Arizona;
the Hualapais, of Northern Arizona,
and the Dieguenos, of Southern Cali
fornia.
Prior to the accession of Porfirio
Diaz to the presidency of the repub-
| lie the rights of the Yaquis to levy
tribute on the commerce of the Yaqui
River was recognized by the govern
ment of Mexico.
The Yaquis are a hardy people, OF
medium height, 1.-the and sinewy, but
muscular. They are much darker than
the Mexicans, with straight, coarse
hair. They are morose and do not
talk much, even among themselves.
AS long-distance runners they have
excelled for hundreds of years. While
carrying mail to the distant mining
camps the young men used as rum
ners covered eight miles an hour at
a stretch.
The Yaqui is a good worker. But
he works to acquire weapons and am
munition rather than for the sake OF
money. Until within few years ago
the mines of Sonora were largely
manned by Yaqui labor, and even to-
day many Yaquis may be found work
ing there. The towns, too, were full
of Yaquis, doing manual labor. They
were employed as porters, day laborers
} and ranch hands. Now you may &C
to Ures, Arispe and Hermosilla and
see scarcely any of them. They have
either been deported to the southern
states or, fearing it, have ed to the
foothills and become outlaws.
There is no doubt that the tame
Yaquis serve as a fence for those OF
the warpath. The latter drop into
town under cover of night and are Civ
en- supplies of food and ammunition b!
those who are able to buy them in ex
change for their work A few reneg
ade Mexicans are also in alliance will
them to furnish information and rifle
at a good profit. The Yaqui system o
espionage is so good that the OUTLAY
3 Yaqui can Turk within a dozen mile
! of a large town and commit depreda
tons without being captured. A tam
q Yaqui detected or suspected Of givin
) aid of any kind to fellow-tribesmal
in the field is shot or hanged just as
4 he were himself hostile. Naturally, h
e chooses to throw in his lot with hi
@ friends rather than with the equall
T insistent enemies.
y YAQUIS NOT ALWAYS WARLIKE
r The Yaqui is not, like the Apache,
8. fighter by nature. Until forced int
e battle he Is a lover of peace, a farme
t a stockman, a manufacturer of rug
y and serapes. In the valleys whicl