Year: 1866

o%S NAsos AA4Nt Vi tECGu ~ t3I UC At
call on the return. From this region of coun- |
try, which Is about two hundred miles from
east to west. and from eighty to one hundred
north and south, lying in Arizona. there go out
rowing bands of Indans, in all directions, to
murder, rob and steal, and who never fail 10
massacre helpless women and children, who are
so unfortunate as to fall into their hands, or
carry them into life of captivity and degrad-
alton worse than death itself. They hang
around aud infest the settlements, to steal
horses, mules and cattle, all of which are alike
good food for them, and quite frequently pick
of citizen or soldier who ventures alone
mile or two from camp or town Often lying
concealed along the freque1ted trails Or wagon
roads, they make sadden and unexpected
attacks upon small parties, and in such cases
generally succeed in either killing or wouuding
one or more men and animals, ard sometimes,
the nature of the place affords the Indian such
advantages, that the party is compelled TO fly
for safety, and leave their effects in the posses
sion OF the rascally redskins. They make
excursions down into Mexico, and not unfre
quently bring back large herds of cattle. They
raise, when unmoested. considerable quantities
OF wheat and corn; but, at the present time,
they are said to be "rery poor" 10 use their
own words, for the New Mexican Volunteers,
last Winter, made sad havoc among some of
them, and, during the latter part of this past
Summer, the Navajos have been foraging in
their domnions, and beating them at their own
game so badly that they have recently mani
tested desire to make treaty. Of peace.


Captain Ledyard, with twenty men of his
command and three guides, left Fort Whipple,
on the 30th of October, for the White Noun
tains, pear the head of the Little Colorado
river to bring in the chiefs who are said to
desire peace. He took with him about thirty
four days rations, expecting to be back in
thirty days. He has now dec. 14th) been
absent forty four days. and no ,idings of the
party, about whose safety much anxiety is felt.
The White Mountains are situated near the
eastern boundary of the Territory, on the north
OF the Gila river, and constitute the most
elevated portion Of the Territory, and the great
center Of the Apache tribes Never, until
military posts are established in close proximity
TO each other throughout this mountain region,
and vigorous campaign reduces them to sub
mission or determination, will the settler or
miner have any security for life or property
among them. and none but the most foolhardy
will attempt to carry out such scheme, except
against the seyerest attacks that might be
made by the combined forces Of several power
ful tribes OF as nhuman set of red devils as
ever bore the name of savages. Men who
have the nerve, love of adventure, desire to
crafty curiosity, means for the accomplishment,
and energy to carry out au undertaking of such
magnitude as the thorough exploration and
settlement of so large and dangerous a region.
are few in number, hard 10 find, and harder still
to get together in civil life without first having
the assurance that the chances are greatly 10
their favor of being finally rewarded for days,
months and years of toi. privation and suffering


The man who thinks to play the doctrine of
William Penn on these wild Apaches, will find
out. to bis cost, that human nature can be
degraded beyond his antcipations. They can
bear more of that metaphysical treatment
which Christianity calls "IIeapng Goals Of fire
on ones head" and with less gratitude, than
any set OF perverse scouudrels the bright sun
ever shone upon and warmed into ife Thieves,
robbers and murderers by nature and practice,
they are the sworn enemies of the white man,
and will never cease to crafty the atrocious
cruelties of their nature toward him, while an
opportunity remaus. A war of determination
is the only kind of war that will ever put
quietus upon their inhuman atrocities, and the
sooner it is commenced, and the more vigorously
it is carried into effect, the better it will be
for government and people


The climate Of Arizona is far from being so
delightful as that of California. The heat of
Summer along the valleys and foothills of the
San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers and their
tributaries, is delightfully."- cool and refreshing,
in comparison with the scorching atmosphere
that floats over the burning sands of these
desert wastes. In the mountain regions, the
heat is less, but the atmosphere of these upper
regions is rariied to such an extent that the
lungs are almost constantly reaching after more
breath Especially is this the case during the
Summer season, and the subject was a theme
OF frequent comment among the soldiers at this
post, from the time of my arrival, Oh the Sd of
August, till the thermometer went down to 80
degrees above zero. For the last four weeks.
the weather has been piercing cold most of the
time, the thermometer being, on several occa-
sions within degree or two of zero. At the
same time, we have generally bad clear weather,
with over foot Of snow on the ground, which
still remains except on the south sides Of the
hills. If, as it is said, the next two months
are the severest part of the Winter here am
ready to emigrate DOW, in search of moderate
Winter locality. So far as l am concerned, l
am sick and tired Of and completely disgusted