Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/204

] Theft became a common crime with the increasing vagabondage arising from deprivation due to the whites. An extensive system of horse and cattle stealing grew up, whereby the Papagos stole in Sonora and sold to the Pimas, and the latter stole from one another and sold to the Papagos, who bought or stole to sell again in Mexico.

During the worst period of their demoralization they stole wheat from each other and sold it to buy whisky. It is to be remembered that by far the greater part of the tribe disapproved of such deeds, and the few that engaged in such enterprises had not the support of public opinion, which even in an Indian village is an autocratic power.

Thus intoxication was always regarded as reprehensible, though a distinction was made between the persons guilty of drinking the white man's whisky and those who followed the immemorial custom of getting drunk on native-brewed liquors during the saguaro harvest.

Laziness was condemned, and boys and girls were taught to spin and delve—how well may be judged from the fact that the tribe produced a large surplus crop year after year during the early period of American occupancy of the region and at the same time fought back the Apaches and aided the soldiers materially, while the Americans and Mexicans with all their soldiers and outside resources were driven into the shelter of the forts.

Cleanliness is learned by imitation. The floors of the houses are kept free of such objects as can be picked up with the hands and the yards are swept with bundles of arrow bushes or mesquite branches. Bathing was a daily practice.

Public opinion strongly condemned lying. Stinginess could not be more abhorred. The chiefs, especially, were expected to bestow liberally all gifts within their control. The present chief has had a canny sense of thrift and possesses a large bank account, which renders him much less popular than he might otherwise be.

No conventional words of greeting were in use before the introduction of the Spanish and American forms. Tciârs tam w’sahaĭn, "the god sends his regards," were the closing words of any speech. Hâʼik-lt, "good-bye," was the usual response of the listeners. Sometimes in finishing a story the narrator exclaimed atoa’tûk, "anus," at which those present said the word expressing the degree of their relationship to the speaker, or if they were not related they said na’wotc, 'friend." The same expressions are used in accepting a gift.

Hand shaking was unknown until introduced by the whites, though it is now universally practised. It is said that the custom of kissing