Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/91

86 and of that period of the Pimas' past that it is best for them to forget.

Cattle are driven and "roped" with the lariat, but no conventional mode of calling them is in vogue. Like the horses, they are branded and run at large. Their range is almost unlimited in some directions, but the entire absence of water away from the river prevents them from straying. With horses, cattle formed a great attraction to the Apaches during the last century until peace was declared in 1879, and the Pimas suffered frequent losses, for some of which, it must be added, the marauders paid dearly. To guard against the thieves it was customary to corral all stock within the village at night. When it strayed away across the mesas during the day it was sought by tracking or by waiting at the water holes, and while so engaged the men had many encounters with the enemy, who were ever on the lookout for such an opportunity to attack.

Mules. A few mules are raised, but, like the horses, they are small and of little value.

Donkeys. While the burro has been used for some time, it is not a popular animal among the Pimas. It is too slow for traveling across the wide, waterless plains of Pimería and is not adapted for farm work.

Poultry. Until the recent introduction of large American breeds a small breed of poultry had been kept for several years. This had been obtained from the Mexicans, from whom also the manner of calling "pul," "pul," "pul" was derived. With the new breeds came the American custom of calling "peep," "peep."

Eagles and red-tailed hawks were kept for their feathers. All the inhabitants of a village assisted in catching lizards and in furnishing other suitable food for the village bird. The feathers were regularly plucked for the paraphernalia of the medicine-men.

Sonora doves were and are yet confined in log-cabin cages built up of arrowwood rods.



The Gila river carries an unusually large amount of suspended matter when in flood. As shown by the tests made during the surveys for the dam which is intended to supply Pimería with water, it carries on an average 10.5 per cent of mud, with a maximum of 20 per cent. The entire bottom land upon which the fields are located has been built of this material. It is so light that wagons cut readily into it during the dry seasons and work it into fluffy dust several