AN AFFAIR OF JUSTICE

ARIZONA INDIANS B

(Continued from Page 17) Members. Later when contacts with white men brought them closer to civilization, they were quick to learn the value of horses and firearms to carry on their raids.

Those who believe the white man was always the aggressor, should study the genesis, the character, and the history of these two totally different Indian tribes. By linguistic groups and tribes of these groups, we have the Piman stock, and the Pima and Papago tribes, and within the white man's regime there was the Sobaipuri, exterminated or absorbed by the Apaches. The Shoshonean stock in this state, is represented by the Hopi and a few of the Paiute tribe. Tribes of the Yuman stock are the Maricopas, Mohaves, Yavapais and Yumas. The Athapascan group is the second largest in number of any of the linguistic groups. Tribes in Arizona that belong to this group, are the Navajo and Apache.

It is helpful in the beginning of a study of the Indians of this country, to consider that the ancestors of present day Indians were living on this continent for many centuries previous to the coming of the first white men. It is presumed that the groups with a basic language similarity, were centuries ago closely related by blood ties, and had characteristics and customs that were similar.

Changes observed since white men came, justify the conclusion that migration, war, disease, drouth, and conceivably the invasion of insects, has influenced the tribal characteristics and habitat of many of the original tribes.

In more recent years or since the development of this country, the Indian characteristics have been changed through the infusion of the blood of other races. Cortez conquered Mexico early in the 16th century, and colonists came in considerable numbers. A more or less distinctive race, combining the native Indian tribes, the Aztecs and the Mayans with the Spanish, is the present day Mexican. Spaniards also came and established colonies in the West Indies even earlier. Florida was settled in part, at an early date. French colonists in Louisana, and in the northeast, English colonists in the east and south together with the coming of the negro in the slave days, have all had an influence in an infusion of the blood of other races, reducing the purity of the original tribal blood. This, of course, has had its effect on the physical and mental characteristics and has also introduced environments that in turn have brought about changes of habits, foods, customs and religion.

Arizona Indians, because of their comparative isolation, and because of very strict tribal laws relating to marriage outside the tribe, have maintained a purity of blood not common among the Indians of other states.

parative isolation, and because of very strict tribal laws relating to marriage outside the tribe, have maintained a purity of blood not common among the Indians of other states.

The highest percentage of full blood Indians now is among the Pimas. The Navajos and Hopi also rank high. In full blood percentage, the Apaches are lowest of the Arizona Indians, with 68.2 per cent full blood. The Cherokee are only 17.8 per cent full blood, and most other middle west and south Indians are less than 40 per cent full blood. The Cherokee show the result of their early contacts with the negro and white in their original habitat in the southern Alleghenies, from whence they were driven about 1838. Later they were located in Indian Territory which became Oklahoma, and now with only 17.8 per cent full blood it is easy to see that (Continued on Page 33) ONE HOT afternoon up in Hardrock, which is, strictly speaking a jerkwater town, I happened to be sitting in the Gold Leaf Bar passing a few hours by imbibing some not too good whiskey. The paper had sent me to get a decent yarn out of a murder trial and all I had to do was to maybe uncover some dizzy angle that would make it good reading. But that isn't important. Just as I was getting started on number four-that's the one that makes me think bad whiskey isn't so bad after all -a dusty looking old codger comes hobbling up and puts the tap on me for a beer. Well, I figured as long as the bartender didn't seem in a talkative mood, maybe this old guy wouldn't mind passing the time of day. So I bought him a beer and dragged him over to a table. That was when I took my fifth one, which makes me want someone to talk to, or just maybe somebody to listen to.The old party said he'd been around there for about sixty years and used to do a little placer mining until his joints

By CHARLES SMITH, JR.

started creaking in the wrong places. Now, he said, people around this Hardrock just sort of took care of him. Well, we sat there and chewed the fat about one thing and another. After about three more beers old man Carter that's what he said his name was started getting a little looser with his tongue. Seemed to be remembering a lot of stuff that used to happen when Hardrock was, as he put it, "tougher'n tar and twice as nasty." So I got in a word or two about what I was up there for-figured he might be able to tell me why this dame knocked off her old man and two kids, but he didn't know much about that.It touched him off, though, on the subject of justice in general. He called it "jestice." The old boy didn't have much stock in the present day brand.

"Why, son," he said, "all they got nowadays is jest a bunch o' crooks and grafters. Why anybody could cut off their own grandmaw's neck with an axe fer two-bits an' give a shyster lawyer twenty-four cents of it and go free."

I thought to myself," I don't know but what you're right." I whistled and the bartender brought another round, but old man Carter decided he'd rather have whiskey, too, So I told the guy to bring him whiskey. After six beers I get that way myself-start wanting whiskey or something, don't you?

Well, after he'd given the modern system a good cussing, he said, "We used to have a justice of the peace that really knew how to handle things. Couldn't nobody break the law around here in them days-nobody."

He downed his drink without batting an eye or clearing his throat and went on.

"One night a couple of deputies was walkin' down Silver Gulch-that's up the canyon a piece. It was the rough part of town in them days an' officers allers went twos. It was late and dark when these fellers run on to a miner layin' in the dust an' he was dead. They asked until April 1, but the deer ought to be taken in the fall while they are still fat and before their necks swell, and their flesh becomes rank.

<< Deer for the Smart Hunter >>

"In severe cold and deep snows the hunter has his best chance after the first hard storm, for the bucks then are concentrated on the winter range, and, hence, easier to find. Just after a good storm has chased the wary bucks off the mountain tops, the cedar breaks of the Kaibab plateau are a head-hunter's dream.

"Where the country is not too rough and water is available most Western hunters like to go after mule deer on horseback. When they do they favor the rough semi-open country filled with draws and canyons. Horseback hunters can cover much more territory than they could afoot, and they always have transportation for their bucks. Yet they cannot cover likely looking spots so thoroughly or shoot so quickly.

"Yet for all their intelligence mule deer do have holes in their defense. Otherwise they could not be taken. For one thing, except in places where they are hunted hard, they are lazy. Often, even after their wonderful ears warn them that some one is approaching, they apparently hope he will pass without seeing them. I have watched big bucks, which have seen hunters, wait till their noses confirmed the danger. Perhaps their most serious lack-which is fortunate for the hunter is the fact that they seldom look above them, and do not smell things at a higher level. Like bighorn sheep, they often become confused when shot at from above, and mill about, seemingly unable to locate the danger. Many of them, especially the young bucks, will stop for one last look just before going over a ridge to safety.

"The much-sought old fellows seem to lack this curiosity, but hundreds of youngsters have lost their lives this way. Then, too, in regions where they can be shot during the nutting season, a noise often attracts rather than repels them.

"As mule deer are usually shot at rather long range, I think the sportsman who hunts them should use a rifle that shoots a medium-weight bullet at fairly high velocity. The 30-30, long time a favorite all over the West, lacks punch at ranges greater than 150 yards, and most of the West's real deer hunters are turning to the .30-06 with the 150 and 180-grain bullets. The 70 Winchester is, perhaps, a shade better than the .30-06 on mule deer, and many of the Southwest's best game shots use the 7mm. Mauser. Every one who has tried the.257 Roberts on mule deer seems to like it.

"But, of all cartridges for Western hunting, it seems to me that the new .348 Winchester is destined to be one of the most popular and most effective. What's more, the action of the rifle made to shoot it is lightning fast, is flat and easy to carry in a boot under the leg, and Westerners are fond of the lever-action anyway. The 348 should come into its

(Continued on page 34)