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Show BY PATH AND TEAIL. 61 all the tribes of Sonora and Chihuahua, including the Yaquis, were Christianized. " They were among the first to be converted by the Jesuits. Originally extremely warlike, on being con verted to Christianity, their savage nature was com pletely subdued and they became the most docile and tractable of people. They are invariably honest, faith ful and industrious. They are also the fishermen and famous pearl- divers of the Gulf of California. " After the Yaquis became Christians they continued to hold to their tribal unity, while many of the other tribes were merged in the older Indian population, known as i Indios Mansos. ' They yet retain their tribal laws and clanship, and it is their loyalty to these laws that has led to much of the trouble between them and our government. ' ' " Does the Eepublic of Mexico recognize their status as an independent body or an imperium in imperial" I asked. " You have touched the crux of the whole question," he replied. " The Mexican government has made many treaties with the Yaquis, thus acknowledging in a meas ure their separate political entity, if not independence. But, when a Yaqui violates a Mexican law, the Republic demands his surrender that he may be tried and pun ished by its own courts, while on the other hand, if a Mexican commits an outrage on a Yaqui, our govern ment will not admit the right of the Yaquis to try him and punish him." " ButAvill your government punish him?" " If it catches him, and his crime be proved, yes ; that is if he be a nobody, but if he has money or influential |