Chapter II: Athabascas

A family of North American Indians, comprising two large divisions, one living in the British Possessions, between Hudson's Bay and the Pacific, and the other along the southern boundary of the United States, in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, with some smaller bands along the western coast, north of Oregon.

The name of the family is derived from Lake Athabasca, a Cree word, meaning "cords of hay." They are supposed by many to be of Tartar descent, and their language has been found to be somewhat analogous to that of Thibet. Their traditions point to an emigration from the West, over a series of islands, and amid much snow and ice. The southern branch includes the nomadic Apaches, the industrious Navajos, and a small remnant of Lipans in Texas, numbering, in all, over 20,000.

1. APACHES.

One of the most numerous branches of Athabascan stock are the _Apaches_, a fierce, nomadic nation, roaming over the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona, and Sonora and Chihuahua. Always a scourge and a terror to settlers, they have held in check for many years the civilization of the country covered by their depredations. In 1831 Gregg wrote of them: "They are the most extensive and powerful, and yet the most vagrant, of all the savage nations that inhabit the interior of Northern Mexico. They are supposed to number 15,000 souls, although they are subdivided into various petty bands and are scattered over an immense tract of country. They never construct houses, but live in the ordinary wigwam or tent of skins and blankets. They manufacture nothing, cultivate nothing. They seldom resort to the chase, as their country is destitute of game, but seem to depend entirely upon pillage for the support of their immense population, at least 2,000 of which are warriors."

Steadily resisting all attempts at conversion by the missionaries, they gathered about them many of the disaffected tribes and made frequent descents upon missions and towns, ravaging, destroying, and completely depopulating many of them. Since the annexation of their territory to the United States they have caused much trouble, and an almost constant warfare has been kept up against them until quite recently. Successful military campaigns broke up their predatory habits, and since then the efforts which have been made to gather them upon reservations, where they could be cared for until capable of self-sustenance, are proving entirely successful. At the present time more than half the whole nation are on the San Carlos reservation in Arizona, where they have nearly 4,000 square miles, or over 2,500,000 acres, situated upon both sides of the Rio Gila, between the one hundred and ninth and one hundred and eleventh meridians, 400 acres of which are now under cultivation by Indian labor entirely, producing 10,000 bushels of potatoes, 2,000 bushels of corn, and large quantities of other vegetables. They draw their entire subsistence from the Government, but only in return for labor performed, and under this law are doing much good in the way of making and repairing irrigating-ditches, clearing and fencing land, &c. Are now occupying 223 comfortable houses, built for them. "When it is considered that only 2,000 of these Indians have been on the reservation two years, most of whom were participants in the outbreaks of last year (1874); that the 1,400 Ponto, Yuma, and Mohave Apaches from Verde arrived in March last; and that the 1,800 Coyoteros from White Mountain agency arrived July last, after harvest, the above figures will be found a most striking exhibit of the results of the application of a firm control and common-sense treatment for one year."

Besides the San Carlos reservation in Arizona, there are two others in New Mexico, upon which are gathered most of the rest of the Apaches, with the exception of about 650 in the Indian Territory.

The Mescalero reservation, midway between the Rio Grande and the Pecos, contains some 570,000 acres, upon which are the Mescaleros and some other smaller bands, to the number of about 1,100. But little has been done in the way of civilizing them, and they depend almost entirely upon the Government for their subsistence.

The Jicarilla reservation, intended for the sub-tribe of that name, is of about the same dimensions as that of the Mescaleros, and lies between the San Juan River and the northern boundary-line of New Mexico. The Jicarillas, who number about 1,000, have not as yet been placed upon this reserve, but roam at will over the surrounding country, spending much of their time with the southern Utes, with whom they have intermarried to a considerable extent. They draw a portion of their subsistence from the Government and depend upon their own resources for the rest.

The Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1875 subdivides and enumerates the Apaches as follows:

Apaches proper 463
Aribaipais 389
Coyoteros 1,784
Chiricahuas 475
Essa-queta 180
Gila 800
Jicarilla 950
Mescalero 1,100
Miembre 800
Mohave 588
Mogollon 400
Pinal 435
Tonto 661
Yuma 376
Miembre, Mogollon, and Coyoteros classed together 490
-----
Total 9,891

_List of illustrations._

853. ESKIMINZIN. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 8 inches; circumference of head, 22-1/4 inches;
circumference of chest, 37 inches; age, 38 years. Head chief of San
Carlos reservation and of the Pinal Apaches. His family was among
those slain at the Camp Grant massacre in 1871. Is now taking the
lead in living a civilized life, having taken up a farm on the San
Carlos River.

854. ESKIMINZIN AND WIFE. PINAL.

855. CASSADORA. _A hunter._ PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 8-1/2 inches; circumference of head, 23 inches;
circumference of chest, 40 inches. Petty chief; was one of the most
lawless and intractable of the tribe. Took part in the assault on a
wagon-train in the Canyon Dolores in 1872.

856. CASSADORA AND WIFE. PINAL.

857. ESKINILAY. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 2 inches; circumference of head, 22 inches;
circumference of chest, 35 inches. A captain of the reservation
police.

858. ESKINILAY AND WIFE. PINAL.

860. CHIQUITO. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 3/4 inches; circumference of head, 23 inches;
circumference of chest, 36 inches. A petty chief.

861. CHIQUITO AND WIFE. PINAL.

862. SAYGULLY. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 7-1/4 inches; circumference of head, 22-1/4 inches;
circumference of chest, 36 inches.

863. ESKAYELAH. COYOTERO.

Height, 5 feet 11 inches; circumference of head, 23 inches;
circumference of chest, 36-1/2 inches. An hereditary head chief of
the Coyotero Apaches.

864. SKELLEGUNNEY. COYOTERO.

Height, 5 feet 8-1/2 inches; circumference of head, 22-1/2 inches;
circumference of chest, 36-1/2 inches. Is looked upon as being a
hard case, and has the reputation of being a great horse-stealer.

865. CULLAH. CHIRICAHUA.

Height, 5 feet 6-1/4 inches; circumference of head, 22 inches;
circumference of chest, 35-1/2 inches.

866. HAUTUSHNEHAY. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 9 inches; circumference of head, 23 inches;
circumference of chest, 36-1/2 inches. One of the reservation
policemen appointed by the agent.

867. NAPASHGINGUSH. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 6-1/2 inches; circumference of head, 21-1/2 inches;
circumference of chest, 34-1/2 inches.

868. CUSHSHASHADO. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 3-1/4 inches; circumference of head, 22 inches;
circumference of chest, 33 inches. A clerk in the trader's store on
the San Carlos reservation; speaks English fluently.

869. PINAL. COYOTERO.

Height, 5 feet 3-1/4 inches; circumference of head, 21-3/4 inches;
circumference of chest, 37 inches. A sub-chief.

870. PASSALAH. PINAL.

Height, 5 feet 11-1/2 inches; circumference of head, 23 inches;
circumference of chest, 37-1/2 inches. A reservation policeman.

871. MARIJILDO GRIJALVA.

Interpreter. A native of Sonora, Mexico. Was captured when quite
young by the Coyotero Apaches, and held by them in captivity until
looked upon as one of the tribe.

1. ESKEL-TA-SALA. (Front.) COYOTERO.

2. ESKEL-TA-SALA. (Side.) COYOTERO.

3. SANTO. (Front.) COYOTERO.

4. SANTO. (Side.) COYOTERO.

5. TA-HO. _Equestrian._ (Front.) ESSA-QUETA.

6. TA-HO. _Equestrian._ (Side.) ESSA-QUETA.

A sub-chief of his band. Age, about 50 years; height, 5 feet, 11
inches; circumference of head, 23 inches; chest, 45 inches.

7. GRAY EAGLE. (Front.) ESSA-QUETA.

8. GRAY EAGLE. (Side.) ESSA-QUETA.

9. CAPITAN. (Front.) ESSA-QUETA.

10. CAPITAN. (Side.) ESSA-QUETA.

Age, about 56 years; height, 5 feet 8 inches; circumference of head,
24 inches; chest, 37 inches.

11. PACER. (Front.) ESSA-QUETA.

12. PACER. (Side.) ESSA-QUETA.

Was the acknowledged leader of the Apaches in the Indian Territory,
and at the same time friendly to the whites. He and his squaw are
now both dead.

13. PACER'S SQUAW. (Front.) ESSA-QUETA.

14. PACER'S SQUAW. (Side.) ESSA-QUETA.

451. KLE-ZHEH. JICARILLA.

449. GUACHINITO. _One who Dresses in Indian Clothes._ JICARILLA.

753, 442. GUERITO. _The Man with Yellow Hair._ JICARILLA.

A young chief of the Jicarilla Apaches, and a son of old Guero,
their principal chief. This tribe is intermarried with the Utes, and
has always been on friendly terms with them. Young Guerito was sent
to Washington in 1873, joining the Ute delegation, for the purpose
of effecting some treaty whereby these Apaches might have set apart
for them a piece of land of their own to cultivate, as now they roam
on Ute land and have no home they can call their own. He is a
relative of Ouray, the great chief of the Utes, and through the
latter's influence some such arrangement was effected. Guerito is a
quiet and peaceable young man, a representative of his tribe, who
prefer farming, and shrink from all wars against either Indians or
white men.

444. SON OF GUERITO. JICARILLA.

443, 5, 6, 8. YOUNG BRAVES. JICARILLA.

447. Pah-yeh, or _Hosea Martin_. JICARILLA.

18. SON OF VICENTI. JICARILLA.

125. PEDRO SCRADILICTO. (Front.) COYOTERO.

126. PEDRO SCRADILICTO. (Side.) COYOTERO.

127. ES-CHA-PA. _The One-eyed._ (Front.) COYOTERO.

652. ES-CHA-PA. _The One-eyed._ (Side.) COYOTERO.

414. JOSE POCATI. (Front.) YUMA.

415. JOSE POCATI. (Side.) YUMA.

749. CHARLIE ARRIWAWA. (Front.) MOHAVE.

750. CHARLIE ARRIWAWA. (Side.) MOHAVE.

872-3. GROUPS comprising all the above included within the
Nos. 853-871.

2. NAVAJOS.

A very numerous band of the Apache Nation inhabiting the mountains and plateaus of Arizona and New Mexico, between the San Juan and Little Colorado Rivers, ever since our first knowledge of them. The Spaniards early recognized their relation to the Apaches, although they differ totally from them in their industrious habits, being by far the most civilized of any tribe of Athabascan descent. They have evidently been quick to take advantage of their contact with the semi-civilized Pueblos and Moquis, and from them have acquired many useful arts--chiefly in learning to spin and weave. Their blankets, woven in looms, are of great excellence, and frequently bring from $25 to $100. They cultivate the soil extensively, raising large quantities of corn, squashes, melons, &c. Colonel Baker, in 1859, estimated their farms at 20,000 acres, evidently too large an estimate, as their agent's report for 1875 places the cultivated lands at only 6,000 acres. Their principal wealth, however, is in horses, sheep, and goats, having acquired them at an early day and fostered their growth, so that they now count their horses by the thousand, and their sheep by hundreds of thousands. Notwithstanding the excellence of their manufactures, their houses are rude affairs, called by the Spaniards _jackals_, and by themselves _hogans_--small conical huts of poles, covered with branches, and in winter with earth. Like the Apaches, they have made incessant war on the Mexicans, who have made many unsuccessful attempts to subjugate them. The expeditions against them on the part of the United States by Doniphan in 1846, Wilkes in 1847, Newby in 1848, and Washington in 1849, were practically failures. Colonel Sumner established Fort Defiance in 1851, but was forced to retreat, and all other attempts to subdue them were defeated until the winter campaign in 1863, when Colonel Carson compelled them to remove to the Bosque Redondo, on the Pecos River, where 7,000 were held prisoners by the Government for several years. In 1868 a treaty was made with them under which they were removed to Fort Wingate, and the following year back to their old home around Fort Defiance and the canyon De Chelly, where a reservation of 5,200 square miles was assigned them. The latest count puts their number at 11,768--3,000 of whom are said to come directly under the civilizing influences of the agency. Schools are not well established yet, but few of their children attending, and then very irregularly. Although they produce largely, yet they are dependent upon the Government for two-thirds of their subsistence. They dress well, chiefly in materials of their own make, and covering the whole body.

_List of illustrations._

1027. MANULITO.

The great war-chief of the Navajos. Has been engaged in many
combats, and his breast shows the scars of a number of wounds
received in battle; was in command of the Indians during their siege
of Fort Defiance.

1028. JUANITA.

The favorite one of five wives of Manulito, the chief.

1029. MANULITO SEGUNDO.

Son of Manulito and Juanita.

1030. CAYATANITA.

A brother of Manulito's, and captain of a band of warriors.

1031. BARBAS HUERO. _Light Beard._

Chief councillor of the tribe, and an earnest advocate of a settled
peace policy.

1032. CABRA NEGRA.

A captain, and a sub-chief.

1033. NARBONA PRIMERO.

A sub-chief, noted as being a consistent total abstinence advocate,
and who exerts himself to save his tribe from the curse of
intemperance.

1034. CARNERO MUCHO. A captain of a band.

{ GRANADA MUCHO. A captain of a band.
1035. { TIENE-SU-SE. Third war-chief.
{ MARIANA. Second war-chief.

1038. JUANITA AND GOV. ARNY. Showing Navajo blanket and weaving
implements.

1036. GROUP of the preceding, members of a delegation to Washington
in 1874.

786. BARBAN CITO. _Little Beard._

452-5. Miscellaneous men and boys.