Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/48

] tcoko vihâsĭk, "black vomit," as it was called, brought all the medicine-men not in the best repute under suspicion. Four were killed, and the surviving medicine-men were kept busy guarding the camps against the plague.

Gila Crossing. During the winter, when ice was on the water and snow was evenly sprinkled on the lowlands, the Apaches came to the village of Rsânûk, where one of the marauders was killed. The Apaches, accompanied by the Päsĭnâ tribe from the north, attacked the Papagos at Kihotoak (Quijotoa) in April as the mesquites were changing from bud to leaf. The Apaches advanced with drums beating and with cries like the howl of the coyote. The Papagos were few in number, so they concealed their women in a cave and sought to protect them by fighting outside, but the enemy had firearms and all the Papagos fell in the futile attempt to preserve their loved ones from slavery. There yet lives a Pima who was shot through the leg and left for dead on the field of this battle. Many Apaches were wounded but none were killed.

Gila Crossing. A party of Apaches was encamped on Mo‘hatûk mountain, and two of them came to steal corn from the fields at Gila Crossing. The theft was discovered and three Pimas lay in wait for the thieves. When they again entered the field those lying in wait sprang upon them and killed one; the other escaped.

Salt River. During the winter the Pimas went on a campaign against the Apaches, several of whom were killed. The attacks were made at night and the enemy were killed before they could defend themselves. One Pima was killed and one wounded so severely that he died after returning home.

In the spring the Apaches waylaid a party of Pimas who were returning from a mescal-gathering expedition in the mountains. Nearly all the party were killed and two girls were made prisoners. The Apaches were followed, most of them killed, and the girls rescued by a party from the villages.

Gila Crossing. Three Apaches were going toward the Papago village near Mââtcpät, or Table mountain, when a Pima, coming to the Gila river, crossed it and discovered their trail. A party went in pursuit and succeeded in killing all three. Kâʼmâl tkâk's brother was in this party of Pimas and was himself killed a few days later in an