We had heard many accounts of this remarkable tribe of Indians, who, for the past eight or ten centuries, have resided upon, and cultivated the same land.  High as our expectations had been raised, we were in no measure disappointed upon meeting them.  We found them friendly, and disposed to treat us with great kindness, freely furnishing such articles of food as we were in need of.

The Pimos raise fine crops of cotton, corn, wheat, melons, and vegetables.  The women weave, spin, make blankets, grind the corn, and gather mesquite-beans.  Besides doing such work, they attend to their children, and bring all the water from the river on their heads, in large earthen jars, frequently holding six or seven gallons, which they balance so perfectly that they rarely spill a drop.

The boys were much pleased with the primitive but comfortable houses, made of poles, bent at the top to a common centre, and wattled in with straw and corn-shucks.  Each house was situated in a separate enclosure, and surrounded by a small garden.

The only weapon these Indians use is a bow and arrow, with which they are very expert.

While stopping here, we were much amused by watching a party of them engaged in hunting ducks in one of the lagoons making up from the Gila.

Placing a number of gourds in the water upon the windward side of the lagoon, they were gently propelled by the wind to the opposite shore, where they were picked up, carried back, and again sent adrift.

At first the birds exhibited no little fear at these singular objects floating about among them; but eventually became so used to the sight, that they paid no attention to them.

Observing this, each Indian cut, in a large gourd, holes for his eyes, nose, and mouth, and then fitted it upon his head.  Taking with him a long bag, he entered the water, until nothing was seen but the gourd on his head.  Then the peculiar bobbing motion of the gourd was imitated so exactly, that the wily hunter easily approached near enough to the birds to seize them by the feet and drag them suddenly under the water.

Scores of them were thus captured, and securely stowed in the bags that they carried.

So nicely and naturally was this done, and so great was the admiration expressed by us all at the dexterity displayed by the hunters, that Patsey, who had been remarkably quiet since his experience with the mule, ventured to whisper to Ned, that “he’d aften hoonted dooks that way, in the ould country.”

This statement, coming to the ears of Hal, by way of a joke, he proposed that Patsey should give him a lesson in the art of gourd-hunting.  The boy at once assented to the suggestion, provided he would keep the matter a secret from all but Ned.  To this Hal agreed, at the same time taking good care that Ned should inform us of the intended sport.

After the Indians had obtained all the game they desired for themselves, and we had all left the ground, Hal borrowed one of the gourds for Patsey.  This the boy fitted to his head, and, bag in hand, boldly started into the water, just as Jerry and myself arrived upon the field of observation.