The Sheet Music is titled "Apache Chief Geronimo’s Own Medicine Song” and is copyright 1907 by the publisher – Henry Grohe of San Francisco. The Music is a representation of the Medicine Song sung by Geronimo and described by him as “...an old song… a holy song and great in its power”. The words of the ancient Apache Medicine Song came from Geronimo himself and the music (which is described as ‘Drum Imitation Accompaniment”) was transcribed by Carlo Troyer, “Author of Transcriptions of Traditional Songs and Dances of the Zunia and Other Southwestern Indian Tribes”..

    This fascinating piece of original, 1917 Sheet Music measures approx. 10 1/2” by 13 3/4” and is the 1st Edition of this important Native American Medicine Song. The cover of the Sheet Music features a printed image of the exceptionally rare and highly sought after C. S. Fly portrait of Geronimo on horseback taken by Fly during the period that Geronimo was on the Warpath in 1886 and had traveled just south of the US-Mexican Border to meet with U. S. Army General George Crook in hopes of persuading the Apache Warrior to Surrender. The image is titled on the cover “Geronimo in 1886 on the Warpath”. Offered here is the entire, 6 page Sheet Music including the illustrated cover.

    The Sheet Music includes the words to the Song in both English and Apache with a key to the pronunciation of the vowels in the Indian language. The first interior page of the Sheet Music features text titled “Geronimo / The Apache Prophet” and gives both a short biography of the great Apache War Leader as well as information about this Song. Of the Song Geronimo is quoted as saying “This song I sing is an old song, so old that no one knows who made it. It has been handed down through generations and was taught to me when I was a little lad. It is now my own song and belongs to me. The song is a holy song and great in its power. As I sing it it tells how I go through the air to a holy place, where Yusun (The Supreme Being) will give me power to do wonderful things. I am surrounded by little clouds, and as I go through the air, I change becoming spirit only”.

    A footnote by Carlos Troyer reads in part “A personal friend for many years was Chief Eagle Eye who visited me several times last year and sang this song for me, as he learned it from Geronimo (Geronimo had died in 1909) – (he) has made some additions to the missing English text which was left out…”.

    This very rare and fascinating, early 20th century Illustrated Sheet Music is in very good condition - complete and intact with no evidence along the spine that it had ever been bound in a Bound Volume of Sheet Music. There is a partial split at the spine and a few small and unobtrusive scuffs to the front cover but overall the Sheet Music is well preserved and displays nicely.

    A very rare and important, 1917 Native American Chiricahua Apache War Leader Goyahkla (aka: Geronimo) subject Sheet Music featuring a photograph of great Apache Warrior on horseback taken by Tombstone, Arizona’s fame photographer C. S. Fly in 1886 and a fantastic addition to any collection!!!

    A Bit about the Fly Photos in this Series:

    In late March of 1886 army officers & renegade Apaches conferred in an isolated canyon south of the US-Mexico border in northern Sonora. General George Crook had come to Canyon de los Embudos to negotiate the surrender of Geronimo, Naiche, and their Chiracahua Apache followers. While Crook and Geronimo talked, an intense civilian scurried about setting up his camera and posing his Indian & white subjects for dramatic effect.

    According to Lt. John Bourke, “Mr. Fly, the photographer, saw his opportunity & improved it fully: he took ‘shots’ of Geronimo & the rest of the group, & with a “nerve” that would have reflected undying glory on a Chicago drummer, coolly asked Geronimo & the warriors with him to change positions & turn their heads or faces, to improve the negative. Fly was a damned fool for going into that camp that he’d never come out of.”

But he did come out.

    …and from the Tucson Daily Citizen, “Fly is an excellent artist and he was not a respecter of persons or circumstances, & even in the midst of the most serious interviews with the Indians, he would step up to an officer & say ‘just put your hat a little more on this side, General. No Geronimo, your right foot must rest on that stone’, etc., so wrapped was he in the artistic effect of his views.”

    Fly hoped to record the final surrender of Geronimo. He intended these views to be the coup that would bring him national recognition & considerable wealth. His hopes were well founded, for President Cleveland was holding the telegraph lines open to Fort Bowie for General Crook’s reports. Unfortunately, Fly missed his golden opportunity. Geronimo remained at war with the US for five more months, until they finally met with Lt. Charles Gatewood in late August.

    It is said that Fly captured the only record of renegade Indians in their own camp during hostilities. During the three days of negotiations between Gen. Crook & the Apaches, Fly made about fifteen exposures on 8” X 10” glass negatives. Intent on obtaining quality views, he entered Geronimo’s camp before the talks were fully underway & photographed Geronimo & Natches, (Naiche) on horseback, with two of Geronimo’s sons standing alongside. Fly’s caption states: “This group taken by special request of Geronimo.” The photograph on the cover of this Sheet Music was cropped from that portrait of Geronimo & Natches, (Naiche) on horseback, with two of Geronimo’s sons.

    The value of Fly’s photographic series is twofold. Individually, the photos are an unadulterated illustration of the clothing, weapons, & gear that the warriors used. Collectively, they show the last band of American Indians to live as free people, their culture & spirit as yet unconquered by an alien power.

A bit about C S Fly the Photographer, his Gallery and the “Shootout at the OK Corral”:

    Camillus "Buck" Sydney Fly - born 1849 near Santa Rosa, California, and died in Bisbee on October 12, 1901, was most noted for the many photographs he took during Tombstone, Arizona's wild and wooly days, many may not know that "Buck", who preferred to be called, was also a lawman. His photos are legendary and highly prized.

    Fly’s parents were originally from Andrew County, Missouri. Somewhere along the line, they migrated to California before Camillus was born and eventually settling in Napa County. He married Mary “Mollie” E. Goodrich on September 29, 1879 in San Francisco. Mary, who was also a photographer and Camillus soon moved to Arizona Territory, where they settled in Tombstone in December, 1879. Fly and his wife immediately set up a photographic studio in a tent before going to work on more permanent quarters.

    In July, 1880, they opened up a 12-room boarding house and a studio called the “Fly’s Gallery” in the back of the building located at 312 Fremont Street in Tombstone, "Doc" Holiday lived there for awhile. On October 26, 1881, Fly was in a unique position, as the infamous “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” actually took place just off Fremont Street between his studio and Jersey’s Livery Stable. During the shootout, Cochise County Sheriff John Behan cowered inside the studio, watching the gunplay, only to be joined by Ike Clanton who fled in terror proclaiming he was unarmed. When the smoke cleared, it was Fly, armed with a Henry rifle, who disarmed a dying Billy Clanton. For some strange reason Fly did not photograph the aftermath of the shootout, but legend has it that he was threatened by one of the Earps if he did.

    In March, 1886, Fly accompanied General George Crook to the Canyon de Los Embudos for the negotiations with Geronimo. He became most famous for the photographs he took of the negotiations, Geronimo and the other wild Apaches he took on March 25th, 26th and 27th.

    Fly had become a heavy drinker and the year after these famous photographs were taken, his wife Mary, took their child and separated from her husband. He then left Tombstone on December 17, 1887 to tour Arizona with his photographs and briefly established a studio in Phoenix in 1893. However, the following year, he returned to the area. In the meantime, Mary continued to run the studio in Tombstone during his absence. Though his drinking was becoming more and more heavy, he was elected as the Cochise County Sheriff in 1895 and served for two years.

    Fly ranched in the Chiricahua Mountains, until his death at Bisbee on October 12, 1901. Though Camillus and his wife had been separated for years, she was at his bedside when he died and made arrangements to have his body returned to Tombstone, where it was buried on Boot Hill.