1865–66
Gila Crossing, Salt River. The Pimas went on a campaign against the Apaches and one of their number was killed. His fellows burned the corpse with the bow and war gear. Dry ironwood was used in the cremation.[1]
In the same engagement another Pima was wounded and came home to die.
Gila Crossing. The Pimas soon afterwards went to the mountains north of Tempe to seek Apaches. Two of their party were killed and a third came home mortally wounded.
Blackwater. Another war party attacked an Apache camp, described as the one at which the children were playing and piling up gourds, and killed several of the enemy.
1866–67
Gila Crossing. Many died this year of a sickness characterized by shooting pains that resembled needle and knife pricks. One day the three medicine-men who were accused of having caused the disease came home drunk from the Gila Bend stage station and were set upon by their fellow-villagers. Two were killed and the other was seriously but not fatally wounded.
Gila Crossing, Salt River. This year was marked by a devastating fever at Rso’tûk and three medicine-men were killed there in the hope of stopping it.
Blackwater. A party of Pimas accompanied the soldiers to the Verde region and there killed a number of Apaches, among whom was a man with a very long foot.
1867–68
Gila Crossing. During this year a disease prevailed that from the description would seem to have been malaria. Many died, and the medicine-men were blamed, as usual, for the calamity. Two were killed before the disease abated.
Blackwater. The Pimas went raiding in the Superstition Mountain region and killed one Apache who was running away with his shield but who stumbled and fell.
1868–69
Gila Crossing. A heavy rain caused a flood which destroyed the store at Casa Blanca.[2]
This was known as the Vamati Tcoki, Snake rain.
- ↑ This custom of burning the dead is occasionally referred to in these annals, though my informants always insisted that this method was never resorted to by their people except in the case of those killed in war.
- ↑ The store was more than 2 miles south of the channel of the river, but it had been built at the foot of a little rise upon which the present village is located and was within the reach of the flood. This is but one of many instances where the white settlers of Arizona have not profited by the experience
