RL'SSELL] CONTACT WITH SPANIARDS. 29 



of opportunities for etlinological observation while among the Pimas." 



From this time forward until the American occupancy of the Gadsden 

 Purchase in 1853 the Spanish and Mexican population of Tucson 

 varied from 500 to 2,000, and there was more or less trade with the 

 Pimas either at the post or tlirougli small trailing parties that went 

 from Tucson to the Gila villages. 



a Pfefferkorn, who published his Beschreibung der Landschaft Sonora in 17&4-95, gives a ver>* full 

 account of the southern Vima-speaking tribes, but dismisses the "unconverted Pimas" in the follow- 

 ing words: 



"Uieraiif folgen den Gila hinunter die noch unbekehrten Pimas, welche sich auf beyden Seiten des 

 Flusses ausbri'iten. Dieses Volk ist in drey zahlreiche Gemeindcn getheilet: woven die starkeste ein 

 anmiithiges mit Baumen wohl liesetzes Land von 14 Meilcn bewohnet; welchesdurch Wasserleitungen, 

 die sich wegen dera ebenen Boden mit geringer MUhe aus dem Flusse auf das uniliegcnde Land fiihren 

 lassen, Ijt-feuchtet, und fruchtliargemacht werden kann." (Vol. i. p. (1.) 



Padre Pedro Font, who accompanied Garc^s in 1775, wrote an extended diary of the journey, in which 

 he devotes a few pages to the I'imas. Following is a translation from a copy of the original manuscript, 

 pages 4S-52: 



■' First of November: Wednesday. — I said mass, which was attended by some Gilefios Indians who 

 happened to be there and whogaveevidence of consideral^le attention, gr»od behaviour, and silence. They 

 sought to imitate the Christians in crossing theniselves, which they did awkwardly enough, and in 

 other things. We left the Laguna (Lagoon i at half-past nine in the morning, and at one o'clock in the 

 afternoon we reached the town of San Juan Capistrano de Uturituc, after having travelled four leagues 

 towards the west-northwest. This town consists of small lodges of the kind that the Gilenos use. We 

 were received by the Indians, whom I estimated to be about a thousand in numlier. They were drawn 

 up in two rows, the men on one side and the women on the other. After we had dismounted they all 

 came in turn to salute us and offered their hand to the Commander and the three Fathers, men and 

 women, children and adults. Indeed they all gave token of much satisfaction at seeing us, touching 

 their breast with their hand, naming God. and using many other expressions of benevolence. In short, 

 their salutation was most lengthy, foralmost every one of them bowed to us, saying: "Diosatom' busi- 

 boy," as do the Pimas Christians of Pimeria alta, which signifies "May God aid us." We, on our part, 

 must needs return their salutations. They lodged us in a large hut, which they constructed to that end, 

 and in front of it they placed a large cross. Pagans though they were. The river being somewhat dis- 

 tant, the Governor ordered his \\ives to bring water, which they straightway carried to his lodge for 

 the people. These Pimas Gilenos are gentle and kind-hearted Indians. In order to fete our arrival 

 they sought pennission of the Commander to dance, and soon the women were moving from mess to 

 mess, dancing after their fashion with hands clasped. In short, the whole people gave token of great 

 pleasure at seeing us in their country, and some of them even offered us their little ones to be l>aptized. 

 This we did not do, being desirous of proceeding with circumspection, although we sought to comfort 

 them with good hopes. In the afternoon I went to the town with Father Garc^s and the Governor, 

 Papago de Cojat, to see the fields. These milpas are enclosed by stakes, cultivatpd in sections, with 

 five canals or draws, and are excessively clean. They are close by the town on the banks of the river, 

 which is large only in the season of the Ireshets. At that time its water was so low that an Indian who 

 entered and crossed it had the water but halfway up his leg. P'rom what they have told me, this is the 

 reason thej' had not yet made their sowing, for inasmuch as the river was so low the water could not 

 enter the canals. They alsotoldraethat to remedy this need they were all anxious to come together for a 

 council, and had already thought of sinking many stakes and branches into the river to raise the water 

 80 that it might enter the drains; this industry on their part is a proof of their devotion to toil and 

 shows that they are not restless and nomad like other races, for to maintain themselves in their towns 

 with their fields they themselves have contrived to hold and control the river. I also saw how they 

 wove cloaks of cotton, a product which they sew and spin; and the greater number of them know 

 how to weave. They own some large-sized sheep whose wool is good, and also Castilian fowl. These 

 Indians are somewhat heavy in build, very ugly and dark, the women much more so than the men. 

 Moreover, perchance on account of their excessive eating of pechita, which is the husk of the crushed 

 mesquite made into a gruel, of screw bean, grass seed, and other coarse foods, a very foul odor may be 

 noticed when they are gathered in groups. This evening the Commander presented them all with 

 tobacco, beads, and glass trinkets, where\vith they were highly plejised. The distribution of these 

 things lasted until night. 



2nd Day: Thursday.— We began to aay mass very early in the morning, and with the sacred vestments 

 I carried with me and with those which Father Garc^s brought from Tubac to use in Colorado river, 

 wo erected two altars. It being ,Vll-Souls day, we three Religious said nine masses. It was, moreover, 

 a most notable and unheard of thing that in the river Gila so many masses should be .said. They were 

 attended by a goodly number of Indians, who preser\-ed the utmost decorum and silence. We left the 

 town of Uturituc at eleven o'clock in the morning, and about three in the afternoon we hailed on the 



