COPPER MINES. 
323 
brought among them ostensibly for the purpose of 
trade. He had concealed beneath some saddles and flour 
bags, a cannon heavily loaded with shot and a piece of 
chain, near which was stationed a man, pretending to 
smoke. At a signal given by Johnson, this man sud- 
denly uncovered the breech of the gun and touched it 
off, the rest of his party at the same time discharging 
their small-arms among the terrified Indians, who fell 
on every side. When the survivors had collected 
their senses, and saw the Americans preparing for 
another volley, they rallied, and being the larger 
party, put Johnson and his crew to flight. A skir- 
mish afterwards took place, in which the Indians met 
with further loss. After so base and villainous an act, 
it is not suprising that the Apaches look . upon all 
white men as their enemies, whether Mexicans or 
Americans. 
The Copper Mine Apaches occupy the country on 
both sides of the Rio Grande, and extend west to the 
country of the Goyoteros and Pinalenos^ near the 
eastern San Francisco River. This may be called their 
proper home, though their incursions extend far into 
the States of Chihuahua and Sonora, where, during 
portions of the year, they reside. A favorite place of 
resort for them is near Lake Guzman, to the west of 
El Paso. They do not extend more than four or five 
days’ journey north of the Gila. From the best infor- 
mation I can gain, their numbers have been greatly 
reduced within the last five years. Omitting those east 
of the Rio Grande, it is believed that they cannot muster 
two hundred warriors. My information is derived 
from General Conde, and from Mexicans who had long 
