Among the Pimas; online

under guard at Mount Vernon, Alabama.
They were always glad to aid the U. S.
government in every way possible. Besides
the Pimas there are other tribes of Indians
living in the western part of Arizona.

The_Maricopas, who many years ago took
refuge among the Pimas and still reside here,
speak the Yuma language. Twenty years
ago they numbered four hundred and fifty
souls. They are now reduced to but half
as many. In some respects they resemble
the Yumas. The Pimas about the same time
numbered four thousand and have not
diminished since. The Papagoes, Quatchar-
ties, and others, who speak the Pima lan-
guage, probably amount to the same number,
exclusive of those who reside outside perma-
nently in Sonora, Mexico. Most of the Papa-
goes, except a few who reside near San
Xavier, live in villages, where they cultivate
the soil when the rains are sufficient to raise



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 8 1

a crop, but are nomadic at other times. They
live on deserts, where as soon as the whites oc-
cupy all the grazing lands adjacent, it will be
impossible for them to subsist much longer.
They vvill be driven to the wall and starve to
death This is inevitable unless provision is
made for them. Should not our government
set apart a small portion of the Pan Handle
in the Indian Territory for them and other
Indians similarly situated, before they become
extinct, and provide them a home and schools,
and should not the churches provide them a
missionary ?

The Quatcharties have built long dams
across the valleys above their fields, where
they store much water in the rainy seasons, and
irrigate at pleasure.

Frequently in the summer many of the
Papagoes come to the reservation here and
help the Pimas at wheat harvest on shares,
and earn sufficient to keep the wolf from the
door the rest of the year. Others near the
Sonora line spend much of their time in
Mexico for the same purpose. Some also go
to the San Pedro valley. They travel with
burros, small mules and on ponies, carrying
household goods, cooking utensils especially,



.62 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

camping wherever night overtakes them.
I'hey build a small rude hut on short notice,
generally in a day, for a short stay. Some
speak a little mongrel Spanish, and show a
mixture of Mexican and Spanish blood.

They are fairly clean. They raise more
asses and mules than the Pimas, and formerly
more cattle and horses. Some of them, before
the railroad was built, stole stock from the
Pimas and sold it in Mexico, and the Pimas
played at the same game.

U. S. agent, Capt. Grossman, tried to
induce them to settle on the Gila in 1870 or
187 1, but their free and roving nature rebelled.
They preferred the deserts and little springs
in the mountains. A few of them make good
laborers, but the majority decline to work.
When hunger forces them out of ruts and
huts during the winter or early spring, they
come by hundreds, in a long caravan to the
Pimas whom they know to be more provident.

A small delegation is sent in advance to
advertise the Pimas that they are very hungry,
and will soon appear to give them a great
dance in exchange for something to eat.
Looking south some day, you may see a great
dust for miles along the road. As the cara-



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 8;^

van approaches, you behold Indians, squaws,
kids and papooses, some on ponies, others on
mules or asses, two or three often on one /
animal, with extra beasts to carry grain back.
They give the Pimas two or three nights'
dancing, in return for which each Pima family
is expected to give fifty or one hundred
pounds of wheat — so great is their own
estimate of the exhibition, and the generosity
of the Pimas. 'I'his wheat is collected by the
Papagoes in the various villages, as they
tarried, and by them transported to their
homes. So hungry were some of these little
Papago children, as to be delighted at find-
ing a crust of coarse bread just cast away,
which the average white child would have
spurned.

Previous to the Independence of Mexico,
/. e. in 1822-25, many of the Papagoes who
were under the influence of the Padres, wore
their hair short while among the Pimas. The
Quatcharties, and others have always worn
theirs long, thus avoiding the necessity of
any other covering for the head. A few of
them settled among the Pimas, and taught
them the art of raising whear.. At this date,
perhaps owing to their desert homes, and



84 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

Other causes, they are behind the Pimas in
wealth and civilization. With the exception
of those living in villages, they oppose schools.

The Apaches in Arizona and New Mexico,
differ from the other tribes in many respects.
Their principal mode of eking out a living
was heretofore by the chase and gathering
the mescal and by robbery. The mescal is a
plant with an enormous root, quite nourishing,
corresponding to the bread-fruit in foreign
countries.

One thing may be conceded to them — they
were the most virtuous of Indians, (if any are
chaste), although adultery was punished with
them by killing the man and cutting off the
nose of the woman. To some extent, how-
ever, they have practiced polygamy.

The natural resources of their country
were such, that they could have kept one
hundred thousand head of cattle, with little
or no work or oversight, had they been so
inclined, and many of the villages could have
produced the best of fruits and grain, had
their people been industrious, like the whites,
if they had been taught ; yet they knew so
little of the way of cultivating the soil, that
at times they were so hungry as to capture a



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 85

Coyote in a trap, cook, and eat it — a thing
that even an Indian rarely does.

The Camp — Apache Indians are probably
the most susceptible to Christianizing influ-
ences of any of the tribes in this territory.
Long ago, they asked for a missionary who
would help them and teach them how to live,
both for this world and the next. So far the
churches have not responded. There is a
probability, however, that the German Luth-
erans will soon establish a mission among
them. There is a great need of suitable
young men and women, to be educated as
teachers and missionaries, and even store-
keepers and farmers, to go and live among
such tribes as these, all over the country
where there are Indians. But they should go
married, as husband and wife. It is ques-
tionable whether two women, however conse-
crated, can succeed. A very important aim
in all our Indian mission schools, should be
first to evangelize the Indians of both sexes,
then to fit them to return and make homes
and aid the above missionaries by supple-
menting their efforts.

The statistics of the Indian tribes in this
territory as given by the commissioner of



86 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

Indian affairs, Gen. T. J. Morgan, Vol. 2,
1891, is as follows :

Colorado-rini agency, 2,891

Navajoe agency, 17,852

Pima agency,. 9.695

San Carlos agency, 4,819

There are all told under government pro-
tection, 38,481.

This brings us to the present, and shows
what has been done for the Indians on this
Pima reservation during the past two decades.

Before the advent of the S. P. R. R., the
Pimas were doubtless the best known tribe in
Arizona. The overland mail road and most
of the traffic of the territory at that time
passed through this reservation. No danger
here from Apaches or Mexicans, who for a
time made it their business to kill and plunder
between Tucson and Yuma.

It is true, a few of the " baser sort," often
drove the mules or horses of the freight teams
away, when grazing a little distance, in order
to obtain a reward for hunting them. Other-
wise, but few depredations were committed.
Twenty- five years ago, there were six trad-
ing establishments on this reservation, where
you could purchase calico or muslin at twenty



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 87

five cents per yard, a cake of soap at the
same price, sugar at fifty cents a pound and
canned goods at from seventy-five cents to a
dollar per can. The goods were brought
over-land from San Diego, Cal. Wheat
brought prices in fair proportion, one dollar
and fifty to two dollars per hundred pounds.
With the Indians, wheat was their " stock in
trade." So the early traders did all they could
to encourage them in agricultural pursuits.
The plow was of the most primitive make.
It was patterned after those made in Egypt,
3,000 or 4,000 years ago, or the one used by
Elisha, vide i Kings, 19:19. It consisted of
a beam of mesquite wood, a hook with a
handle and a pole fastened to it. The share
was simply a piece of mesquite, three inches
square and two feet long, sharpened at the
lower end and fastened ingeniously at the
upper end at an angle of fifty degrees, into
the beam. The pole was fastened to the
plow at one end, and to the ox-yoke at the
other. The yoke, instead of resting on the
neck, was fastened in a curious manner to the
horns of the oxen. This plow answered the
purpose of plow and harrow. It required
from four to six yoke of oxen to do the work



88 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

(which was but little more than scratching
the ground) for a whole village, and was
owned by two or three families.

During the past ten years this tribe has pro-
duced from sixty to seventy thousand bushels
of wheat a year, the government having lately
furnished them axes, spades and modern
plows, which they highly prize.

The first Indian day school under govern-
ment was opened among the Pimas by Mr.
Cook in 1 87 1 . This he conducted successfully
for seven years and for two years more he was
employed as trader. During this time, besides
serving the government and the Indians with
fidelty, he was preparing for a still greater
work as a missionary exclusively.

Not long after this a school was opened at
San Xavier, Gov. McCormick the delegate
to congress, and his wife, visited the school
and secured government aid for suitable build-
ings. The Ladies' Union Mission School As-
sociation in New York, at this time having
had their attention called to the needs of these
Indians by army officers, employed and sent
a lady teacher. They also very kindly sent
(and have several times since repeated the
act) a good Mason and Hamlin organ and



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 89

Other supplies for the school, all of which were
fully appreciated, as they added very efficiently
to the work. After the day school had existed
eight years' it was changed to a boarding
school. This school resembles most of the
other Indian boarding schools. There has
been a gradual growth and improvement,
becoming more apparent during the last few
years.

The girls receive good training in all lines
of housekeeping and the boys learn such trades
and modes of farming as will fit them for a
useful life, as citizens. They are frequently
drilled in military tactics, in two companies,
before school. This is done by native ser-
geants in a manner that would surprise a
West Point cadet. They perform with a celer-
ity of action and unanimity of motion that
would do honor to a company of national
guards of Arizona. It is amusing to see the
children imitate their drill-master and their
delight in the exercise. They do as well —
possibly better — under an Indian, than a
white man. In the day school they memorize
the ten commandments and other portions of
scripture with remarkable facility — especially
considering the fact that they are just begin-
ning to learn the English language.



90 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

This school, started twenty years ago with
hungry and almost naked Indians, has grown
and multiplied until at present there are about
five hundred pupils in the various schools in
this territory and in Albuquerque, New Mex-
ico. And it would require no very great
effort to place all the children under school
training. One of the best schools in the
country, for educating the Pimas and Papa-
goes, is the Indian training and industrial
school at Tucson. It was first opened in Jan-
uary, 1888, and now has one hundred and
fifty or more pupils. Rev. Howard Billman
is the efficient superintendent and is seconded
in his efforts by his estimable wife, and a corps
of faithful, earnest co-workers.

Not all Indian agents are good or wise men :
would that they were ! The injury that some
of them have done, it is difficult to estimate
and can never be repaired. Those who recom-
mend and those who have the power of
appointment, should be slow in their selection,
unless assured of their fitness for the position.
A mistake may not be corrected, until evil
has been wrought and then it is too late. Here,
however, we have had some very good men in
position. Mr. C. W. Grouse, the present



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 9 1

incumbent, has worked hard and done well in
bettering the condition of the Pimasand Papa-
goes. Besides erecting several large build
ings for school purposes and for the general
benefit of the Indians, he has erected a flour-
ing mill, capable of producing twenty-five
barrels a day of (24 hours), that will save its
cost in one year. He has utilized Indian labor
to its utmost ability, thus saving expense and
teaching them how to work at the same time ;
and they are not slow to learn.

He has built an irrigating canal over six
miles in length, in which he was assisted by
Mr. Cook, who has done a similar work for
the Indians several times in past years. In
the construction of these buildings and other
improvements, Indians were principally em-
ployed. This has given them a fair living
and the training they needed, so that at pres-
ent they require no assistance in constructing
the walls of an adobe building, painting or
plastering. The miller, who is engineer also,
has trained his assistants (Indians) so that
he needs no other help in running his engine.

Much has been said and written in regard
to the best way of elevating the Indian.
Many who are in other respects wise, yet



92 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

lacking- in knowledge of Indian character
from not having studied it on the ground,
declare that you can do nothing with the
adult Indians. Educate the young, say they,
separate them for years from all tribal in-
fluences and you may do a little for them, but
you cannot do anything for their parents.

Here is a direct and palpable refutation
of this sentiment. These friends of the
Indians forget, or ignore what the Great
Teacher commanded over t,8oo years ago :
" Go preach my gospel to every creature."
With the same means that have produced
these results here, why may not the same be
expected elsewhere? To educate the intel-
lect only, and leave the heart untouched, is
to do but little for the Indian.

The Presbyterian Church has had one
missionary here laboring under a commission
of her Board of Home Missions, for less than
twelve years. During this time he has
received over eighty members into the church,
who before knew but little or nothing of
evangelical Christianity. We have two church
edifices twelve miles apart on this reservation,
the one at Blackwater on the east seating one
hundred and fifty, this one three hundred,



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 93

and both of these are full every Sabbath and
frequently crowded.

It is expected that a third chapel will be
erected this year, thirty miles west of Sacaton,
and that two native helpers will be commis-
sioned to assist the missionary in his large
and expanding field.

Many come regularly to church a distance
of from two to twenty miles, and not a few
twenty or thirty miles. In summer, when
churches in town are closed from the intense
heat, these overflow with a multitude who are
attracted, not by the eloquence of the
preacher or by the exquisite rendering of
chants by a well trained choir, or soul-stirring
peals of the organ, but from pure love to
God and delight in the service of preaching,
prayer and praise. This influence on a people
just emerging from heathenism and breaking
up old superstitions and vices, and instead of
them, leading an industrious and virtuous life,
must far exceed that of churches in town on a
civilized people.

The Indian mind and heart is virgin soil,
never working but when properly cultivated ;
though slow in development and requiring
great patience, yet when thoroughly wrought



94 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

upon by the Holy Spirit, yields more ample
returns and sometimes more rapid, than a
gospel-hardened soil.

The Indian belongs to the great human
family. He is below his white brother in
mind, morals and heart culture, /. e., the
representative of the cultured man, but cer-
tainly not below his ancestors in the dark
ages, before the dawn of Christianity.

Formerly news of importance was given
from mouth to mouth, or by the captain of a
village, morning and evening. He stood on
the roof of his house, and proclaimed in a
voice so loud that the captain in the next
village heard and repeated, until all the vil-
lages, one after another, had heard the latest
war, or other news. Now, the young Pima
reads his newspaper or letters from friends in
distant schools, and replies with as much inter
est, as his white neighbor. It is said that
" Kid," the notorious Apache renegade, for
whom parties are now in pursuit, can read,
write and even operate the telegraph.

During the past ten years the more civilized
and christianized Pimas have built about one
hundred and twenty adobe houses, most of
them superior to the average Mexican house.



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION. 95

Not contented with this, and finding that in a
wet season, havinga flat roof of brush, and mud
they leak badly — imitating their pale-faced
brother — they have begun to put on a shin-
gled roof, of one-third pitch, and there are
three such within sight. They have cleared
new land, and if sufficient water were pro-
vided at all seasons of the year, nothing could
hinder their advancement in wealth and pros-
perity. At present there is an average of one
pony to every man, woman and child of the
tribe, and many have wagons, while some
enjoy the luxury of a carriage. Some of
them have herds of cattle ranging from ten
to three hundred. Most of the field work is
now done by ponies. They have purchased
within the past five years, about forty sewing
machines of which they are justly proud. A
lame Indian heretofore very poor, has a hand
machine, with which he earns good wages, as
a tailor, and now comes nine miles to church
in his carriage. Formerly, they were often
hungry, but now all who work have enough
to eat. The clothing of men and women is
respectable and many a young girl, especially
in summer, during vacation, comes to church
as stylish as her white sister. It speaks well



g6 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

for their school-training, when it was plainly
visible last summer that those girls who had
been at the Indian Training School at Tucson,
after being at home two months, on their
return, were if possible more neat and tidy
in their white dresses than when they came.
The Pimas have always been self-sustaining,
receiving only a few wagons and agricultural
implements from the government, to encour-
age them to help themselves, when greatly
needed.

Many of these Indians now appreciate the
value of an education. Both our govern-
ment and army officers have been the true
friends of these Indians. Unscrupulous
agents, and inspectors we have had, but they
have been " exceptions, not the rule."



CHAPTER V.

Some Account of the First Organization of the
Ladies' Union Mission School Association
AND ITS Connection with the Mission to the

PiMAS.

The Ladies' Association formed in New
York city in the month of March, 1868, to
which reference has been made in the intro-
duction to this narrative, after two years'
active service in the territories formerly
known as Spanish America, entered upon a
new and wider field of labor. The first society
which was a union of several christian denom-
inations, on the reunion of the two branches
of the Presbyterian Church in 1870, became
auxiliary to the Boards of Home and Foreign
Missions of the Presbyterian Church ; con-
sequently the " Albany Branch," which was
union in its character was re-organized as an
independent society, not auxiliary to any
church board, but at liberty to aid in sustain-
ing mission schools both among the Indians
of Arizona and in the destitute portions of
onr western territory.

The mission to the Pima Indians having
been urged upon the attention of the Albany



98 THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

society, the new organization entered heartily
upon this christian work and they were
greatly encouraged by the information re-
ceived from Gen. Townsend of the U. S. army
who addressed to them the following letter :

I am well persuaded that a plan of the nature pro-
posed by the Ladies' Association, would prove eminently
successful among the Pima Indians of Arizona. These
Indians have, for perhaps a hundred years or more,
abandoned nomadic life, and though a brave and fear-
less race, have for as many years been permanently locat-
ed upon the banks of the Gila river, relying for their sus-
tenance upon a rude culture of the soil. I passed
through their villages in 1849, and found them the
most interesting and friendly Indians I had yet en-
countered. They seemed to be gratified to have us
among them, and could scarcely do enough for us, and
for Indians, appeared already to be pretty well up in
the scale of civilization.

They have at various times since the occupation of
Arizona by our troops, furnished to the military com-
manders, large scouting parties for forays against the
Apaches, while yearly they supply the government
troops with all their surplus grain, and generally have
hitherto, in many ways, evinced their desire to cultivate
the most friendly relations with our people. I hail
with infinite satisfaction the generous efforts you have
made towards the establishment of a christian mission
among the Pimas. May God the Father of us all,
prosper your noble devotion and the great cause.
Believe me truly your friend,

FREDERICK TOWNSEND.



THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.



99



We entered into correspondence with Mr.
Cook, on learning of his employment as
teacher at the agency, and received from him
the following report of his first year's work :

School Report of Rev. C. H, Cook, Teacher.

U. S Indian Agency, Gila River Reservation, )

December 30, 1871. \









Mari-








Mari-








Pimai


copas.






Pima,


copas.




Date.




CC i CO

-S

13! 6



M

24


5

19


3
"0

62


Date.


CO



pq
12


m

5

1


CO

24


16


"3

t-l


December


1


December 13


53




4


9i..i


10


8


127


14


14


7>


21


16


58




5


15 3


11


t


|3fi


16


19


R


22


16


65




6


2210!


19


14


l65


18


15


5


17


15


52




t


6, 2


18


9


135


19


13


Hi


18


16


58




8


15 1 9


21


15


r.o


20


17


17


13


16


63




11


1913


120


14


66


21


11


6


16


14


47




12


15111


I20


17


63


22


10


10,


16


14


50



A year has nearly passed since our first endeavor to
open school here, and it is with thankfulness that we
acknowledge the aid vouchsafed by Providence, with-
out which our efforts would be but in vain.

Some of the obstacles we had to encounter have
gradually disappeared ; most of the necessary school
utensils have been supplied, and the Pima language has
been mastered to some extent.

Many of the scholars have made rapid progress in
reading, writing, arithmetic, English speaking and
singing. During the last half of the year, I have been
aided by the assistant teacher.

The Maricopa children do not understand the Pima
language ; the distance to their village (over four miles)



LofC.



lOO THE PIMA INDIAN MISSION.

has heretofore prevented their regular attendance ; it
was thought expedient to open a school here. The
school house, an Indian hut, was built by the Indians,
and serves for school, Sunday school and church. It
is, however, untenable in very cold and windy weather.
The children there, with few exceptions, and mostly
such as live farther away, attend regularly. I think
about $250 would enable us to build a suitable room
there, and the school as a branch school would cause
otherwise but little expense to the department.

The attendence at the agency has not been as large
and regular as last spring, owing partly to much sick-
ness that has prevailed, during which four scholars