42 THE PIMA INDIANS [eth. ann. 26 



1843-44 



Salt River. In the spring the Maricopas, Pimas, and Cocopas went 

 on a campaign against the Apaches. They were scouting through 

 the Verde valley west of the Four Peaks one afternoon when they 

 saw a small l)and of the enemy. They were unable to overtake the 

 Apaches, who kept sending up signal smokes. The next morning 

 the numljer of Apaches had increased and formed a circular line, 

 which attacked the allies, who lost two men, father and son. 



Four days later a woman went with her daughter to gather cactus 

 fi-uit for drying. She was accom])ani(Hl by her husband, who went 

 as a guard. While she was busy gathering the spiny cactus, she heard 

 a step and, turning, saw an Apache. She screamed for help and told 

 her daugliter to run to the village antl give the alarm. The husband 

 was hunting near at hand, but was too far away to rescue his wife. 

 The little girl brought the men of the village, but they cimld tind no 

 trace of the enemy. 



A few tlays later the Apaches killed a party of Pimas who had gone 

 to the mountains to gather mescal. The Pimas had planned to go 

 to the Kwahadk' camp, but changed their minds and camped oppo- 

 site them. The Apaches sent down scouts from the hills to see liow 

 many there were at the place where the smoke from the mescal pits 

 was seen. It was a night attack and many Pimas never wakened 

 to see another day; only one escaped to tell the Kwahadk s of the 

 massacre. They followed the trail of the Apaches but did not over- 

 take them. The dead were buried thei'e bj' the Kwahadk's, who Ivuew 

 the Pinuxs well. 



In the summer, when the watermelons were ripe, a large force of 

 Yiunas came to attack the Pimas and Maricopas. Their coming was 

 heralded by messengers, who saitl they were advancing in great 

 numbers as gaily as for a dance. The Maricopas were ready to meet 

 them, but the Pimas were not. The Maricopas went out to engage 

 the enemy and check their advance while the women got out of the 

 way. The Yumas were driven })acl\, but the Maricopas lost two of 

 their bravest warriors. 



Salt River. The next year the Yumas and Mohaves came to attack 

 the Maricopa village. The fight was undecided, but the enemy re- 

 treated. One Pima and several Maricopas were killed. 

 • Gila Crossing, Salt River. A plague swept tlirough all the tribes 

 1 durmg this year. Those stricken with it usually died within twenty- 

 four hours, but if they recovered they were well again in three days. 

 Froni 4 to 10 died each day. The people of Akutciny came to the 

 Gila and the Gila villagers fled into the desert. The [cholera or] 



