PIMQ VILLAGES. 249 
five miles from the Salinas, and did not know the dis- 
tance to the river, we concluded to stop here. We 
accordingly hitched our mules by their long lariats to 
these bushes, on which they could feed, and stretched 
ourselves beneath their wide-spreading branches, to 
get a little rest until daylight should again appear. 
July 5th. At half-past four, without waiting for 
breakfast (for the reason that we had none to cook), we 
resumed our journey, and in two miles reached the 
Gila, or rather its bed; for it was dry here. As 
we entered the first fields of the Pimos, the sen- 
tinels in the outskirts, seeing us approach in long 
single file, mistook us for Apaches and gave the 
alarm accordingly; a very natural mistake, as no 
party of emigrants or travellers had ever entered 
their country from the north. We heard the alarm 
given, and echoed in all voices, from one tree or 
house-top to the other, until it reached their villages. 
‘‘ Apaches! Apaches!” was the cry from every mouth; 
and when it reached the first village, it was borne 
onward to every part of the community, even to their 
allies the Maricopas. The two Indian guides who 
were with us, discovered the stampede we had so unin- 
tentionally caused among their Pimo brethren, and 
seemed to enjoy the joke much. Ina few minutes we 
saw the Pimos mounted, bounding towards us in every 
direction, armed and ready for the contest; others, on 
foot with their bows and arrows, came streaming after 
them; and in a short time, the foremost horseman, 
who was doubtless striving to take the first Apache 
scalp and bear it as a trophy to his people, reigned his 
steed before us. As he and those about him, perceived 
