The Pima Indians/History/Contact with Spaniards

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Prehistoric Ruins

The Pima Indians (1908)
by Frank Russell

History

Relations with Americans

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Name - Villages - Prehistoric Ruins - Contact with Spaniards - Relations with Americans - Annals

4491686The Pima Indians — History1908Frank Russell

HISTORY

Contact with Spaniards

From the meager records of the Coronado Expedition of 1540–1542 it has been surmised that Chichilticalli was the Casa Grande, but this statement lacks verification. After traversing the entire southern and eastern part of Arizona the writer can not but believe that it is extremely improbable that Coronado saw the Casa Grande and the neighboring Pima villages. For a century and a half after that invasion no white man is known to have reached the territory of the Pimas Gileños.

The earliest as well as the most important explorer in the history of Pimería Alta was Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, who, between the years 1687 and 1710, journeyed many a dusty, thirsty league in the eager search for souls. In 1694 he reached the Casa Grande in company with native guides who had informed him of the existence of the ruin. Absolutely nothing is known about this expedition except that a mass was said within the walls of Casa Grande. However, it may be safely inferred that Kino visited the near-by Pima villages. As the Papagos were at that time also called Pimas it is sometimes difficult to determine what part the true Pimas played in the events chronicled by the padres. Yet it is probable that they are referred to in the account of the religious festival which was observed in 1698 at Remedios, in Pimería Baja. Among the visitors were "native chieftains from as far north as the Gila valley." Then as now the Pimas and Papagos were on a friendly footing, and the character and movements of the Spaniards must have been made known to the Pimas before the latter saw Kino or any other white man.

Kino diligently strove to establish missions among the many tribes that he visited, but was much hampered by lack of funds. He succeeded in interesting the authorities sufficiently to induce them to send a military expedition to the Gila in 1697 for the purpose of ascertaining the disposition of the Pimas. The party included 20 soldiers, with 3 officers. Juan Mateo Mange was sent with Kino to write the official reports of the expedition. On the upper San Pedro river 30 Sobaipuris joined the party, which followed that stream to the Gila. They reached the Pima villages on the 21st of November, visiting and for the first time describing the Casa Grande. The return was by the more direct route of the Santa Cruz valley. It was by this route also that Kino in September, 1698, again descended to the Pimas with a small party of native guides. He returned by way of Quijotoa (?) and the Gulf.

Early in 1699 Kino, in company with Mange, made his fourth journey to the Pimas by way of Sonoita and the lower Gila. The return was by way of the Santa Cruz.

A year later Kino again reached the Gila by a new route. From a point above the Bend, and hence doubtless among the Pimas, he descended to the mouth and returned to Sonora by way of Sonoita.

In 1702 he made his sixth and last journey to the Pimas, going by way of Sonoita and the lower Gila. Among the "40,000 gentiles" whom he is said to have baptized there were quite a number of Pimas, but as his sojourn among them was never of more than a few days' duration his influence could not have been very great. Nevertheless, he gave away great quantities of beads, and as the people already valued highly those of their own manufacture it is probable that they readily accepted Kino's statement that magic power resided in the new beads of glass. At any rate, the writer has found very old glass beads on all Piman shrines and has no doubt that some of them were brought by Kino. The first horses, also, to reach Pimería were brought by these expeditions. There is no record of any cattle being brought so far north, though they were generally distributed to the Papago rancherias in Kino's time.

After the death of Kino, in 1711, no Spaniard is known to have reached the Gila or even to have entered Arizona for a period of more than twenty years. In 1731 two missionaries, Father Felipe Segresser and Juan Bautista Grashoffer, took charge of the missions of San Xavier del Bac and San Miguel de Guevavi and became the first permanent Spanish residents of Arizona. In 1736–37 Padre Ignacio Javier Keller, of Suamca, made two trips to the Pima villages on the Gila, where he found "that many of the rancherias of Kino's time had been broken up."^[1] Again in 1743 Keller went up to the Pimas and endeavored to penetrate the Apache country to the northward. Communications by means of native messengers indicated a desire on the part of the Hopis to have Jesuit missionaries come to them from Sonora. The point of greatest interest to us is that any communication should have existed at all. Keller failed in his attempt on account of the hostility of the Apaches, and Sedelmair, who tried to make the journey in the following year, was unable to induce the Pimas or Maricopas to accompany him. In 1748 Sedelmair reached the Gila near the mouth of the Salt river and journeyed westward. Of his trip to the Gila in 1750 little is known.

Accounts of these earliest missionaries of course preceded them by means of Papago messengers, who doubtless made clear the distinction between the slave-hunting Spanish adventurers and the Jesuits and Franciscans. Fortunately for the Pimas they were quite beyond the reach of the former and were so remote from the Sonoran settlements that only the most devout and energetic friars ever reached them.

The first military force to be stationed in Arizona was a garrison of 50 men at Tubac, on the Santa Cruz. This presidio was moved to Tucson about 1776, and in 1780 the garrison was increased to 75 men. Even when at Tucson the influence of this small force on the Pimas could not have been very great. Between 1768 and 1776 Padre Francisco Garcés made five trips from San Xavier del Bac to the Pimas and beyond. The fifth entrada was well described in Garcés's Diary (admirably translated and edited by Elliott Coues under the title "On the Trail of a Spanish Pioneer"), though he exhibited a pitiful waste of opportunities for ethnological observation while among the Pimas.^[2] From this time forward until the American occupancy of the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 the Spanish and Mexican population of Tucson varied from 500 to 2,000, and there was more or less trade with the Pimas either at the post or through small trading parties that went from Tucson to the Gila villages.

↑ Bancroft, XVII, 362.
↑ Plefferkorn, who published his Baschreibung der Landschaft Sonora in 1794–95, gives a very full account of the southern Pima-speaking tribes, but dismisses the "unconverted Pimas" in the following words:
"Hierauf folgen den Gila hinunter die noch unbekehrten Pimas, welche sich auf beyden Seiten des Flusses ausbreiten. Dieses Volk ist in drey zahlreiche Gemeinden getheilet: wovon die stärkeste ein anmüthiges mit Bäumen wohl besetzes Land von 14 Meilen bewohnet; welches durch Wasserleitungen, die sich wegen dem ebenen Boden mit geringer Mühe aus dem Flusse auf das umliegende Land führen lassen, befeuchtet, und fruchtbar gemacht werden kann." (Vol. I, p. 6.)
Padre Pedro Font, who accompanied Garcés in 1775, wrote an extended diary of the journey, in which hs devotes a few pages to the Pimas. Following is a translation from a copy of the original manuscript, pages 48–52:
"First of November: Wednesday.—I said mass, which was attended by some Gileños Indians who happened to be there and who gave evidence of considerable attention, good behaviour, and silence. They sought to imitate the Christians in crossing themselves, which they did awkardly enough, and in other things. We left the Laguna (Lagoon) at half-past nine in the morning, and at one o'clock in the afternoon we reached the town of San Juan Capistrano de Uturituc, after having travelled four leagues towards the west-northwest. This town consists of small lodges of the kind that the Gileños use. We were received by the Indians, whom I estimated to be about a thousand in number. They were drawn up in two rows, the men on one side and the women on the other. After we had dismounted they all came in turn to salute us and offered their hand to the Commander and the three Fathers, men and women, children and adults. Indeed they all gave token of much satisfaction at seeing us, touching their breast with their hand, naming God, and using many other expression of benevolence. In short, their salutation was most lengthy, for almost every one of them bowed to us, saying: "Dios ato m' busi-boy," as do the Pimas Christians of Pimería alta, which signifies "May God aid us." We, on our part, must needs return their salutations. They lodged us in a large hut, which they constructed to that end, and in front of it they placed a large cross, Pagans though they were. The river being somewhat distant, the Governor ordered his wives to bring water, which they straightway carried to his lodge for the people. These Pimas Gileños are gentle and kind-hearted Indians. In order to fête our arrival they sought permission of the Commander to dance, and soon the women were moving from mess to mess, dancing after their fashion with hands clasped. In short, the whole people gave token of great pleasure at seeing us in their country, and some of them even offered us their little ones to be baptized. This we did not do, being desirous of proceeding with circumspection, although we sought to comfort them with good hopes. In the afternoon I went to the town with Father Garcés and the Governor, Papago de Cojat, to see the fields. These milpas are enclosed by stakes, cultivated in sections, with five canals or draws, and are excessively clean. They are close by the town on the banks of the river, which is large only in the season of the freshets. At that time its water was so low that an Indian who entered and crossed it had the water but halfway up his leg. From what they have told me, this is the reason they had not yet made their sowing, for inasmuch as the river was so low the water could not enter the canals. They also told me that to remedy this need they were all anxious to come together for a council, and had already thought of sinking many stakes and branches into the river to raise the water so that it might enter the drains; this industry on their part is a proof of their devotion to toil and shows that they are not restless and nomad like other races, for to maintain themselves in their towns with their fields they themselves have contrived to hold and control the river. I also saw how they wove cloaks of cotton, a product which they sew and spin; and the greater number of them know how to weave. They own some large-sized sheep whose wool is good, and also Castilian fowl, These Indians are somewhat heavy in build, very ugly and dark, the women much more so than the men. Moreover, perchance on account of their excessive eating of pechita, which is the husk of the crushed mesquite made into a gruel, of screw bean, grass seed, and other coarse foods, a very foul odor may be noticed when they are gathered in groups. This evening the Commander presented them all with tobacco, beads, and glass trinkets, wherewith they were highly pleased. The distribution of these things lasted until night.

2nd Day: Thursday.—We began to say mass very early in the morning, and with the sacred vestments I carried with me and with those which Father Garcés brought from Tubac to use in Colorado river, we erected two altars. It being All-Souls day, we three Religious said nine masses. It was, moreover, a most notable and unheard of thing that in the river Gila so many masses should he said. They were attended by a goodly number of Indians, who preserved the utmost decorum and silence. We left the town of Uturituc at eleven o'clock in the morning, and about three in the afternoon we halted on the banks of the river Gila near the town of the Incarnation of Sutaquison, having journeyed more than four leagues towards the west and a quarter northwest. The Indians of the town came out to receive us and saluted us with tokens of great joy. Their number I estimated to be five hundred souls. On our way we passed through two other small towns. In this limited territory lies almost all the land occupied by the tribe of the Pimas Gileños. The soil here is very poor and raises a very sticky dust, on account of which and their wretched food the Indians are very ugly, dirty, and repulsive. The river Gila was dry in this region, so they obtained their water by digging wells in the sand. It is only during the season of freshets that the river is of any service for the seed lands and fields of the Indians. The banks of the river are covered with a grove of undersized cottonwood trees. In the evening tobacco was distributed among the Indians and glass beads were promised the women for the following day. We asked the Indians why they lived so far from the river, for formerly they had their town on its banks. They replied that they had changed its site because on account of the groves and woods on its banks they could defend themselves bat ill against the Apaches, but that by living apart from the river they were able to have a clear field for pursuing and killing the Apaches when they came against their town."

[1] Bancroft, XVII, 362.

[p34-2] Plefferkorn, who published his Baschreibung der Landschaft Sonora in 1794–95, gives a very full account of the southern Pima-speaking tribes, but dismisses the "unconverted Pimas" in the following words:
"Hierauf folgen den Gila hinunter die noch unbekehrten Pimas, welche sich auf beyden Seiten des Flusses ausbreiten. Dieses Volk ist in drey zahlreiche Gemeinden getheilet: wovon die stärkeste ein anmüthiges mit Bäumen wohl besetzes Land von 14 Meilen bewohnet; welches durch Wasserleitungen, die sich wegen dem ebenen Boden mit geringer Mühe aus dem Flusse auf das umliegende Land führen lassen, befeuchtet, und fruchtbar gemacht werden kann." (Vol. I, p. 6.)
Padre Pedro Font, who accompanied Garcés in 1775, wrote an extended diary of the journey, in which hs devotes a few pages to the Pimas. Following is a translation from a copy of the original manuscript, pages 48–52:
"First of November: Wednesday.—I said mass, which was attended by some Gileños Indians who happened to be there and who gave evidence of considerable attention, good behaviour, and silence. They sought to imitate the Christians in crossing themselves, which they did awkardly enough, and in other things. We left the Laguna (Lagoon) at half-past nine in the morning, and at one o'clock in the afternoon we reached the town of San Juan Capistrano de Uturituc, after having travelled four leagues towards the west-northwest. This town consists of small lodges of the kind that the Gileños use. We were received by the Indians, whom I estimated to be about a thousand in number. They were drawn up in two rows, the men on one side and the women on the other. After we had dismounted they all came in turn to salute us and offered their hand to the Commander and the three Fathers, men and women, children and adults. Indeed they all gave token of much satisfaction at seeing us, touching their breast with their hand, naming God, and using many other expression of benevolence. In short, their salutation was most lengthy, for almost every one of them bowed to us, saying: "Dios ato m' busi-boy," as do the Pimas Christians of Pimería alta, which signifies "May God aid us." We, on our part, must needs return their salutations. They lodged us in a large hut, which they constructed to that end, and in front of it they placed a large cross, Pagans though they were. The river being somewhat distant, the Governor ordered his wives to bring water, which they straightway carried to his lodge for the people. These Pimas Gileños are gentle and kind-hearted Indians. In order to fête our arrival they sought permission of the Commander to dance, and soon the women were moving from mess to mess, dancing after their fashion with hands clasped. In short, the whole people gave token of great pleasure at seeing us in their country, and some of them even offered us their little ones to be baptized. This we did not do, being desirous of proceeding with circumspection, although we sought to comfort them with good hopes. In the afternoon I went to the town with Father Garcés and the Governor, Papago de Cojat, to see the fields. These milpas are enclosed by stakes, cultivated in sections, with five canals or draws, and are excessively clean. They are close by the town on the banks of the river, which is large only in the season of the freshets. At that time its water was so low that an Indian who entered and crossed it had the water but halfway up his leg. From what they have told me, this is the reason they had not yet made their sowing, for inasmuch as the river was so low the water could not enter the canals. They also told me that to remedy this need they were all anxious to come together for a council, and had already thought of sinking many stakes and branches into the river to raise the water so that it might enter the drains; this industry on their part is a proof of their devotion to toil and shows that they are not restless and nomad like other races, for to maintain themselves in their towns with their fields they themselves have contrived to hold and control the river. I also saw how they wove cloaks of cotton, a product which they sew and spin; and the greater number of them know how to weave. They own some large-sized sheep whose wool is good, and also Castilian fowl, These Indians are somewhat heavy in build, very ugly and dark, the women much more so than the men. Moreover, perchance on account of their excessive eating of pechita, which is the husk of the crushed mesquite made into a gruel, of screw bean, grass seed, and other coarse foods, a very foul odor may be noticed when they are gathered in groups. This evening the Commander presented them all with tobacco, beads, and glass trinkets, wherewith they were highly pleased. The distribution of these things lasted until night.

2nd Day: Thursday.—We began to say mass very early in the morning, and with the sacred vestments I carried with me and with those which Father Garcés brought from Tubac to use in Colorado river, we erected two altars. It being All-Souls day, we three Religious said nine masses. It was, moreover, a most notable and unheard of thing that in the river Gila so many masses should he said. They were attended by a goodly number of Indians, who preserved the utmost decorum and silence. We left the town of Uturituc at eleven o'clock in the morning, and about three in the afternoon we halted on the banks of the river Gila near the town of the Incarnation of Sutaquison, having journeyed more than four leagues towards the west and a quarter northwest. The Indians of the town came out to receive us and saluted us with tokens of great joy. Their number I estimated to be five hundred souls. On our way we passed through two other small towns. In this limited territory lies almost all the land occupied by the tribe of the Pimas Gileños. The soil here is very poor and raises a very sticky dust, on account of which and their wretched food the Indians are very ugly, dirty, and repulsive. The river Gila was dry in this region, so they obtained their water by digging wells in the sand. It is only during the season of freshets that the river is of any service for the seed lands and fields of the Indians. The banks of the river are covered with a grove of undersized cottonwood trees. In the evening tobacco was distributed among the Indians and glass beads were promised the women for the following day. We asked the Indians why they lived so far from the river, for formerly they had their town on its banks. They replied that they had changed its site because on account of the groves and woods on its banks they could defend themselves bat ill against the Apaches, but that by living apart from the river they were able to have a clear field for pursuing and killing the Apaches when they came against their town."

[1]

[2]