The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-07-14
.YAQU| INDIANS !.
RESUME WAR PATH
Prove More Than Match For
Mexican Soldiers of De
Facto Government
Trick Troops, Raid Towns and
Garry Off Girls and Cattle
As Booty


3D. Correspondence of The Associated
Press)- Reports from outlying districts
Indicate renewed activity on the part
Of the Yaqui Indians. This has been
Anticipated by those familiar with con
ditions in Sonora because the campaign
inauRufated by the de faeto govern
meut in January for the purpose of
Kidding the country ofrthe Yaquis has
not as yet beer success, .....-.
Approximately seven Thousand troops
were mobilized under General Dieguez
to drive the Indians from their strong
holds 10 the Bacatetebe Mountains, but
the soldiers were poorly equipped for
the undertaking. They lacked disci,
pine, organization and spirit, and al
though the Mexican government may
have desired an aggressive campaign
the local leaders and men had no inten-
ton of taking the offensive against the
saVages, whose fighting ability is well
known throughout the Republic. Like
the Apache tribes of Arizona, the va
1uis have committed the most fiendish
atrocities. For this reason the troops
fear to operate against the warriors.
Indian strength UnknoWn
The strength of the Indians is not
accurately known, but is estimated as
being about ten thousand, of which ap.
proximately four thousand are well
armed fighting men! This force gener'
ally operates in bands of fifty to one
hundred or more, which make swift and
unexpected raids upon outlying ranches
and villages during the harvest season
and at other times if their food supply
happens to run low, as is the case at
the present time. Spies are maintained
throughout the farming districts who
keep the tribe well Informed and assist
in the raids. 49,
The Indians dress as do the poems
with shirt and trousers of faded blue
denim or khaki, usually the latter, as
il Is more easily procurable, for many
Yaquis have served in ,the revolutions
AIRY armies. A large straw hat, not un!
like that worn by northern farmers,
from the sun and conceals their idcn.
tity when necessary; and their feet are
protected from the rough country by
leather sandals-gunrachos, as they are
called.
11Qu1S TICK ldc1lCEnS
= This similarity 81 'garb makes it 'dif,
fcult even for Mexicans to distinguish
parties of Indian from troops of the de
factO government, and as a result bands
have been able to enter towns before
their identity was discovered. For ex-
ample, the town of Sauz, Sonora, was
raided last year. The inhabitants saw
the mounted body approaching with
trumpets hourishing and drums ruff
fling, but il was thought that an unex4
pected detachment of troops was arTiv1
ing. Not until the Indians were aei
tually in the town was it realized what
had happened. Men. women and chill
dren were forced out of their homes
and driven to the town plaza where all
we're stripped. Terrified and helpless
they stood while the savages packed
the clothing, looted the houses, gathe5
cred in the horses and mules, and rode
off unmolested with four of the young
girls.
Captives Are Released
The Mexican wife and family Of IN
American. John Lchr. were carried OF
by the Indians during a raid upon the
town of Suaque Grandc during NOvem-
DER OF lhH year hIIer tne seventeen L
year-Old son had been killed, but these
raptiVcs were released last month when
the Indians were forced to abu ndOn one
of their many water holes upon the M
expected approach of vastly superior
fore" of Mexican troops.
Want Of food and clothing causes the
Indians to make their fOrays, and for
This reason the productive lands of the
american settlement south of the va,
Qui river have been sub Jected to many
costly incursi"Rs which have laid waste
most Of that region and forced the ma.
Jointly of the settlers to abandon~their
farms and return. in many eases PENN
i"ss. to the United States
Late information indicates that the
Indians are now operating to the north.
ward in the vicinity of Ortiz, small
town on the Southern Pacific railroad,
thirty miles north Of Guuymas.
rarrYr -. I've