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diff --git a/16183.txt b/16183.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9701169 --- /dev/null +++ b/16183.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13773 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In Indian Mexico (1908), by Frederick Starr + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In Indian Mexico (1908) + +Author: Frederick Starr + +Release Date: July 2, 2005 [EBook #16183] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN INDIAN MEXICO (1908) *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + +[Illustration: THE MUSIC AT CANCUC] + +IN INDIAN MEXICO + +A NARRATIVE OF TRAVEL AND LABOR + +BY + +FREDERICK STARR + +CHICAGO FORBES & COMPANY + +Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data + +Starr, Frederick, 1858-1933. In Indian Mexico. + + +Reprint of the ed. published by Forbes, Chicago. 1. Indians of Mexico. +2. Mexico--Description and travel. 3. Starr, Frederick, 1858-1933. I. +Title. F1220.S78 1978 972'.004'97 74-9025 ISBN 0-404-11903-4 + +First AMS edition published in 1978. + +Reprinted from the edition of 1908, Chicago. [Trim size of the original +has been slightly altered in this edition. Original trim size: 15.5 x +23.7 cm. Text area of the original has been maintained in this edition.] + +IN INDIAN MEXICO IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO A.A. ROBINSON TO WHOM +ALL MY WORK IN MEXICO IS DUE AND WHOSE INTEREST HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS AND +UNFAILING + + + + +PREFACE + + +The reading public may well ask, Why another travel book on Mexico? +Few countries have been so frequently written up by the traveler. +Many books, good, bad, and indifferent, but chiefly bad, have been +perpetrated. Most of these books, however, cover the same ground, +and ground which has been traversed by many people. Indian Mexico is +practically unknown. The only travel-book regarding it, in English, is +Lumholtz's "Unknown Mexico." The indians among whom Lumholtz worked +lived in northwestern Mexico; those among whom I have studied are in +southern Mexico. The only district where his work and mine overlap is +the Tarascan area. In fact, then, I write upon an almost unknown and +untouched subject. Lumholtz studied life and customs; my study has been +the physical type of south Mexican indians. Within the area covered by +Lumholtz, the physical characteristics of the tribes have been +studied by Hrdlicka. His studies and my own are practically the only +investigations within the field. + +There are two Mexicos. Northern Mexico to the latitude of the capital +city is a _mestizo_ country; the indians of pure blood within that area +occupy limited and circumscribed regions. Southern Mexico is indian +country; there are large regions, where the _mestizos_, not the indians, +are the exception. From the time of my first contact with Mexican +indians, I was impressed with the notable differences between tribes, +and desired to make a serious study of their types. In 1895, the +accidental meeting with a priest from Guatemala led to my making a +journey to Central America. It was on that journey that I saw how the +work in question might be done. While the government of Mexico is +modeled upon the same pattern as our own, it is far more paternal in its +nature. The Republic is a confederation of sovereign states, each of +which has its elected governor. The states are subdivided into districts +somewhat corresponding to our counties, over each of which is a _jefe +politico_ appointed by the governor; he has no responsibility to those +below him, but is directly responsible to the man who names him, and +who can at will remove him; he is not expected to trouble the state +government unnecessarily, and as long as he turns over the taxes which +are due the state he is given a free hand. Within the districts are +the cities and towns, each with its local, independent, elected town +government. + +The work I planned to do among these indian towns was threefold: 1. The +measurement of one hundred men and twenty-five women in each population, +fourteen measurements being taken upon each subject; 2. The making +of pictures,--portraits, dress, occupations, customs, buildings, and +landscapes; 3. The making of plaster busts of five individuals in each +tribe. To do such work, of course, involved difficulty, as the Indians +of Mexico are ignorant, timid, and suspicious. Much time would be +necessary, in each village, if one depended upon establishing friendly +and personal relations with the people. But with government assistance, +all might be done promptly and easily. Such assistance was readily +secured. Before starting upon any given journey, I secured letters from +the Department of Fomento, one of the Executive Departments of the +Federal Government. These letters were directed to the governors of the +states; they were courteously worded introductions. From the governors, +I received letters of a more vigorous character to the _jefes_ of the +districts to be visited. From the _jefes_, I received stringent orders +upon the local governments; these orders entered into no detail, but +stated that I had come, recommended by the superior authorities, for +scientific investigations; that the local authorities should furnish the +necessaries of life at just prices, and that they should supply such +help as was necessary for my investigations. In addition to the orders +from the _jefes_ to the town authorities, I carried a general letter +from the governor of the state to officials of every grade within its +limits. This was done in case I should at any time reach towns in +districts where I had been unable to see the _jefe politico_. It was +desirable, when possible, that the _jefe_ should be seen before serious +work was undertaken. As Governor Gonzales of Oaxaca once remarked, +when furnishing me a general letter: "You should always see the _jefe +politico_ of the district first. These Indians know nothing of me, and +often will not recognize my name; but the _jefe_ of their district they +know, and his orders they will obey." In using these official orders, I +adopted whatever methods were best calculated to gain my ends; success +depended largely on my taking matters into my own hands. Each official +practically unloaded me upon the next below him, with the expectation +that I should gain my ends, if possible, but at the same time he felt, +and I knew, that his responsibility had ended. In case of serious +difficulty, I could not actually count upon the backing of any one above +the official with whom I then was dealing. + +Upon the Guatemala expedition, which took place in January-March, 1896, +my only companion was Mr. Ernst Lux, whose knowledge of the language, +the country, and the people was of the utmost value. As the result of +that journey, my vacations through a period of four years were devoted +to this field of research. The first field expedition covered the +period from November, 1897, to the end of March, 1898; the plan of work +included the visiting of a dozen or more tribes, with interpreter, +photographer, and plaster-worker; the success of the plan depended upon +others. Dr. W.D. Powell was to serve as interpreter, Mr. Bedros +Tatarian as photographer; at the last moment the plans regarding the +plaster-worker failed; arrived in the field, Dr. Powell was unable to +carry out his contract; the photographic work disintegrated, and failure +stared us in the face. Reorganization took place. Rev. D.A. Wilson was +secured as interpreter, two Mexican plaster-workers, Anselmo Pacheco of +Puebla and Ramon Godinez of Guadalajara, were discovered, and work was +actually carried through upon four tribes. The second field expedition +covered the period of January-March, 1899; eight tribes were visited, +and a most successful season's work was done; Charles B. Lang was +photographer, Anselmo Pacheco plaster-worker, and Manuel Gonzales +general helper. The third field season, January-March, 1900, was in +every way successful, six populations being visited; my force consisted +of Louis Grabic photographer, Ramon Godinez plaster-worker, and Manuel +Gonzales general assistant. The work was brought to a conclusion in +January-March, 1901, during which period six tribes were visited; the +party was the same as the preceding year. + +"In Indian Mexico" claims to be only a narrative of travel and of work. +It is intended for the general public. The scientific results of our +expeditions have been published under the following titles: + +1. The Indians of Southern Mexico: an Ethnographic Album. Chicago, 1899. +Cloth; oblong 4to; pp. 32. 141 full-page plates. + +2. Notes upon the Ethnography of Southern Mexico. 1900. 8vo, pp. 98. 72 +cuts, maps, etc. Proc. Dav. Acad. Nat. Sci., Vol. VIII. + +3. Notes on the Ethnography of Southern Mexico, Part II. 1902. 8vo, pp. +109. 52 cuts, map, etc. Proc. Dav. Acad. Nat. Sci., Vol. IX. + +4. The Physical Characters of the Indians of Southern Mexico. 4to, +59 pp. Sketch map, color diagram, and 30 double cuts. Decennial +Publications, University of Chicago, 1902. + +5. The Mapa de Cuauhtlantzinco or Codice Campos. 1898. 8vo, pp. 38. 46 +engravings. University of Chicago Press. + +6. Recent Mexican Study of the Native Languages of Mexico. 1900. 8vo, +pp. 19. 7 portraits. + +7. Picture of Otomi woman beating bark paper. Printed on sheet of the +original paper; mounted. + +8. The Mapa of Huilotepec. Reproduction; single sheet, mounted. + +9. The Mapa of Huauhtla. Reproduction; single sheet, mounted. + +10. Survivals of Paganism in Mexico. The Open Court. 1899. + +11. Mexican Paper. American Antiquarian. 1900. + +12. The Sacral Spot in Maya Indians. Science. 1903. + +Naturally, in a work of such extent we have been under obligation +to many parties. It is impossible to acknowledge, in detail, such +obligations. We must, however, express our indebtedness, for assistance +rendered, to the Mexican Central Railroad, the Mexican Railway, the +Mexican National Railroad, the Tehuantepec Railroad, the Mexican +Southern Railroad, and the Interoceanic Railroad; also to the Ward +Line of steamers. Among individuals, it is no unfair discrimination to +express especial thanks to Mr. A.A. Robinson and Mr. A.L. Van Antwerp. +President Diaz has ever shown a friendly interest in my plans of work +and the results obtained. Senor Manuel Fernandez Leal, Minister of the +Department of Fomento, more than any other official, lent us every aid +and assistance in his power; his successor, Senor Leandro Fernandez, +continued the kindness shown by Minister Leal. And to all the governors +of the states and to the _jefes_ of the districts we are under many +obligations, and express to each and all our appreciation of their +kind assistance. Those personal friends who have been helpful in this +specific work in Indian Mexico are mentioned in the appropriate places +in the text. To those companions and assistants who accompanied us upon +the journeys a large part of the results of this work are due. + +CHICAGO, January, 1908. + + + CONTENTS + + CHAPTER Page + + I. PRIESTLY ARCHAEOLOGY 1 + + II. WE START FOR GUATEMALA 13 + + III. THE LAND OF THE MIXES 22 + + IV. THROUGH CHIAPAS 39 + + V. AT HUIXQUILUCAN 56 + + VI. LAKE PATZCUARO 68 + + VII. TO URUAPAN BEFORE THE RAILROAD 76 + + VIII. TLAXCALA 85 + + IX. ZAMORA AND THE ONCE PUEBLOS 95 + + X. THE BOY WITH THE SMILE 108 + + XI. IN THE MIXTECA ALTA 112 + + XII. THE MIXES REVISITED 142 + + XIII. ABOUT TEHUANTEPEC 161 + + XIV. ON THE MAIN HIGH-ROAD 173 + + XV. CUICATLAN 181 + + XVI. IN TLAXCALAN TOWNS 188 + + XVII. IN THE CHINANTLA 198 + + XVIII. TO COIXTLAHUACA 216 + + XIX. HUAUHTLA AND THE MAZATECS 228 + + XX. TEPEHUAS AND TOTONACS 239 + + XXI. IN THE HUAXTECA 274 + + XXII. IN MAYA LAND 293 + + XXIII. OX-CART EXPERIENCES 328 + + XXIV. AT TUXTLA GUTIERREZ 351 + + XXV. TZOTZILS AND TZENDALS 360 + + XXVI. CHOLS 381 + + XXVII. CONCLUSION 395 + + GLOSSARY 399 + + APPENDIX 405 + + + +IN INDIAN MEXICO + + + + +CHAPTER I + +PRIESTLY ARCHAEOLOGY + +(1895) + + +While we stood in the Puebla station, waiting for the train to be made +ready, we noticed a priest, who was buying his ticket at the office. On +boarding the train, we saw nothing of him, as he had entered another +car. Soon after we started, Herman made his usual trip of inspection +through the train, and on his return told me that a learned priest was +in the second-class coach, and that I ought to know him. As I paid no +great attention to his suggestion, he soon deserted me for his priestly +friend, but presently returned and renewed his advice. He told me this +priest was no common man; that he was an ardent archaeologist; that he +not only collected relics, but made full notes and diagrams of all his +investigations; that he cared for live Indians also, and had made a +great collection of dress, weapons, and tools, among Guatemalan tribes. +When I even yet showed no intention of hurrying in to visit his new +acquaintance, the boy said: "You must come in to see him, for I promised +him you would, and you ought not to prove me to be a liar." + +This appeal proved effectual and I soon called upon the priestly +archaeologist in the other car. He was an interesting man. By birth +a German, he spoke excellent English; born of Protestant parents and +reared in their faith, in early manhood be became a Catholic; renounced +by his parents and left without support, he was befriended by Jesuits +and determined to become a priest. Entering the ministry at twenty-nine +years of age, he was sent as mission priest to foreign lands. He had +lived in California, Utah, and Nevada; he had labored in Ecuador, +Panama, and Guatemala. His interest in archaeology, kindled in the +Southwest, continued in his later fields of labor. Waxing confidential +he said: "I am a priest first, because I must live, but it does not +interfere much with my archaeology." For years past the padre has lived +in Guatemala, where he had charge of one of the largest parishes in that +Republic, with some eighteen thousand full-blood indians in his charge. +Like most Germans a linguist, the padre spoke German, French, Spanish, +English, and Quiche, the most important indian speech of Guatemala. In +his parish, he so arranged his work as to leave most of his time free +for investigation. Twice a week he had baptisms, on Thursday and Sunday; +these duties on Thursday took but a couple of hours, leaving the rest of +the day free; Sundays, of course, were lost, but not completely, for the +indians often then told him of new localities, where diggings might be +undertaken. Always when digging into ancient mounds and graves, he had +his horse near by ready for mounting, and his oil and other necessaries +at hand, in case he should be summoned to the bedside of the dying. As +the indians always knew where to look for him, no time was lost. + +Not only was the padre an archaeologist: he also gathered plants, birds, +and insects. When he was leaving Germany, his nephew, the ten-year-old +child of his sister, wished to accompany him. The parents refused their +permission, but the uncle gave the boy some money, and they met each +other in Frankfort and started on their journey. They have been together +ever since. The padre depends completely on the younger man, whom he has +fashioned to his mind. The plants, birdskins, and insects have supplied +a steady income. The plants cost labor; insects were easier to get. All +the indian boys in the parish were supplied with poison-bottles and set +to work; a stock of prints of saints, beads, medals, and crucifixes was +doled out to the little collectors, according to the value of their +trophies. To allay the suspicions of his parishioners, the padre +announced that he used the insects in making medicines. One Sunday a +pious old indian woman brought to church a great beetle, which she had +caught in her corn field four days before; during that time it had been +tied by a string to her bed's leg; she received a medal. One day a man +brought a bag containing some five hundred living insects; on opening +it, they all escaped into the house, causing a lively time for their +recapture. + +The nephew, Ernst, had made a collection of eleven hundred skins of +Guatemalan birds. The padre and he have supplied specimens to many of +the great museums of the world, but the choicest things have never been +permitted to leave their hands. + +The padre is a great success at getting into trouble. He fled from +Ecuador on account of political difficulties; his stay in Guatemala is +the longest he has ever made in one place. During his eight years there +he was successful; but he finally antagonized the government, was +arrested, and thrown into jail. He succeeded in escaping, fled to +Salvador, and from there made his way to the United States, where, for a +little time, he worked, unhappily, at San Antonio, Texas. A short +time since, the Archbishop of Oaxaca was in Texas, met the padre, and +promised him an appointment in his diocese. The padre was now on his way +to Oaxaca to see the prelate and receive his charge. + +He was full of hope for a happy future. When he learned that we were +bound for the ruins of Mitla, he was fired with a desire to accompany +us. At Oaxaca we separated, going to different hotels. My party was +counting upon the company of Mr. Lucius Smith, as interpreter and +companion, to the ruins, but we were behind our appointment and he had +gone upon another expedition. This delighted the padre, who saw a new +light upon the path of duty. The archbishop had received him cordially, +and had given him a parish, although less than a day had passed since +his arrival. When the padre knew of our disappointment, he hastened to +his prelate, told him that an eminent American archaeologist, with a +party of four, wished to visit Mitla, but had no interpreter; might he +not accompany these worthy gentlemen, in some way serving mother church +by doing so? So strong was his appeal, that he was deputed to say mass +at Mitla Sunday, starting for his new parish of Chila on the Monday +following. + +In the heavy, lumbering coach we left next morning, Saturday, for Mitla. +The road, usually deep with dust, was in fair condition on account of +recent rains. We arrived in the early afternoon and at once betook +ourselves to the ruins. At the curacy, we presented the archbishop's +letter to the indian cura, who turned it over once or twice, then asked +the padre to read it, as his eyes were bad. While the reading proceeded, +the old man listened with wonder, and then exclaimed, "What a learned +man you are to read like that!" As we left, the padre expressed his +feelings at the comeliness of the old priest's indian housekeeper, at +the number of her children, at the suspicious wideness of his bed, and +at his ignorance, in wearing a ring, for all the world just like a +bishop's. But he soon forgot his pious irritation amid those marvelous +ruins of past grandeur. In our early ramble he lost no opportunity to +tell the indians that he would repeat mass on the morrow at seven, and +that they should make a special effort to be present. + +[Illustration: WITH THE PADRE IN MITLA RUINS] + +[Illustration: THE PADRE, ERNST AND THE DOGS] + +But as we wandered from one to another of the ancient buildings, the +thought of the morrow's duty lost its sweetness. He several times +remarked that it was a great pity to lose any of our precious morning +hours in saying mass, when there were ruins of such interest to be seen. +These complaints gained in force and frequency as evening approached, +until finally, as we sat at supper, he announced his decision to say +mass before daybreak; he would call me at five o'clock, we would go +directly to the church, we would be through service before six, would +take our morning's coffee immediately after, and then would have quite a +piece of the morning left for the ruins, before the coach should leave +for Oaxaca. + +The plan was carried out in detail. At five we were called from our beds +by the anxious padre. Herman and I were the only members of the party +who were sufficiently devout to care to hear mass so early. With the +padre, we stumbled in the darkness up to the church, where we roused the +old woman who kept the key and the boy who rang the bell. The vestments +were produced, the padre hastily robed, and the bell rung; the padre was +evidently irritated at the absence of a congregation, as he showed by +the rapid and careless way in which he repeated the first part of the +service. When, however, at the _Credo_, he turned and saw that several +poor indians had quietly crept in, a change came over him; his tone +became fuller, his manner more dignified, and the service itself more +impressive and decorous. Still, we were through long before six, and +throwing off his vestments, which he left the boy to put away, the padre +seized me by the arm, and we hastened down the hill to our morning's +coffee. On the way we met a number of indians on their way to mass, +whom the padre sternly rebuked for their laziness and want of devotion. +Immediately after coffee, we were among the ruins. + +The padre had kindly arranged for my presentation to his Grace, +Archbishop Gillow. Reaching Oaxaca late on Sunday afternoon, we called +at the Palace. His Grace is a man of good presence, with a face of some +strength and a courteous and gracious manner. He appeared to be about +fifty-five years of age. After the padre had knelt and kissed the ring, +the archbishop invited us to be seated, expressed an interest in our +trip to Mitla, hoping that it had proved successful. He then spoke at +some length in regard to his diocese. He emphasized its diversity in +climate and productions, the wide range of its plant life, the great +number of indian tribes which occupied it, the Babel of tongues within +it, its vast mineral wealth. A Mexican by birth, the archbishop is, in +part, of English blood and was educated, as a boy, in England. He speaks +English easily and well. He showed us many curious and interesting +things. Among these was a cylindrical, box-like figure of a rain-god, +which was found by a priest upon his arrival at the Mixe Indian village +of Mixistlan.[A] It was in the village church, at the high altar where +it shared worship with the virgin and the crucifix. The archbishop +himself, in his description of the incident, used the word _latria_. +We were also shown a little cross, which stood upon the archbishop's +writing-table, made in part from a fragment of that miraculous cross, +which was found by Sir Francis Drake, upon the west coast. That +"terrible fanatic" tried to destroy it, according to a well-known story. +The cross was found standing when the Spaniards first arrived and is +commonly attributed to St. Thomas. Sir Francis upon seeing this emblem +of a hated faith, first gave orders to hew it down with axes; but axes +were not sharp enough to harm it. Fires were then kindled to burn it, +but had no effect. Ropes were attached to it and many men were set to +drag it from the sand; but all their efforts could not move it. So it +was left standing, and from that time became an object of especial +veneration. Time, however, destroys all things. People were constantly +breaking off bits of the sacred emblem for relics until so little was +left of the trunk near the ground that it was deemed necessary to remove +the cross. The diggers were surprised to find that it had never set more +than a foot into the sand. This shows the greatness of the miracle. + +[A] Survivals of Paganism in Mexico. The Open Court. 1899. + +The padre had been assigned to the parish of Chila, a great indian town, +near Tehuacan. Early the next morning he left for his new home. + + + +Not only did the padre, while in Oaxaca, urge us to call upon him in +his new parish; after he was settled, he renewed his invitation. So we +started for Chila. We had been in the _tierra caliente_, at Cordoba. +From there we went by rail to Esperanza, from which uninteresting town +we took a street-car line, forty-two miles long, to Tehuacan. This saved +us time, distance, and money, and gave us a brand-new experience. There +were three coaches on our train, first-, second-, and third-class. When +buying tickets we struck acquaintance with a Syrian peddler. Three of +these were travelling together; one of them spoke a little English, +being proficient in profanity. He likes the United States, _per se_, and +does not like Mexico; but he says the latter is the better for trade. +"In the United States, you sell maybe fifteen, twenty-five, fifty cents +a day; here ten, fifteen, twenty-five dollars." The trip lasted three +hours and involved three changes of mules at stations, where we found +all the excitement and bustle of a true railroad station. + +The country was, at first, rolling, with a sparse growth of yuccas, many +of which were exceptionally large and fine. On the hills were occasional +_haciendas_. This broken district was succeeded by a genuine desert, +covered with fine dust, which rose, as we rode, in suffocating clouds. +Here the valley began to close in upon us and its slopes were sprinkled +with great cushion cactuses in strange and grotesque forms. After this +desert gorge, we came out into a more open and more fertile district +extending to Tehuacan. Even this, however, was dry and sunburned. + +Our party numbered four. We had written and telegraphed to the padre +and expected that he, or Ernst, would meet us in Tehuacan. Neither was +there. No one seemed to know just how far it was to Chila. Replies to +our inquiries ranged from five to ten leagues.[B] Looking for some mode +of conveyance, we refused a coach, offered at fifteen pesos, as the +price seemed high. Hunting horses, we found four, which with a foot +_mozo_ to bring them back, would cost twenty pesos. Telling the owner +that we were not buying horses, but merely renting, we returned to the +proprietor of the coach and stated that we would take it, though his +price was high, and that he should send it without delay to the railroad +station, where our companions were waiting. Upon this the owner of the +coach pretended that he had not understood that there were four of us +(though we had plainly so informed him); his price was for two. If we +were four, he must have forty pesos. A fair price here might be eight +pesos for the coach, or four for horses. So we told the coach owner +that we would walk to Chila, rather than submit to such extortion. +This amused him greatly and he made some facetious observations, which +determined me to actually perform the trip on foot. Returning to the +railroad station, where two of the party were waiting, I announced my +intention of walking to Chila; as the way was long and the sand heavy +and the padre's silence and non-appearance boded no great hospitality in +welcome, I directed the rest to remain comfortably at Tehuacan until my +return on the next day. Herman, however, refused the proposition; my +scheme was dangerous; for me to go alone, at night, over a strange road, +to Chila was foolhardy; he should accompany me to protect me. Consenting +that he should accompany, we began to seek a _mozo_, as guide to +Chila. With difficulty, and some loss of time, one was found who would +undertake the business for two pesos. In vain a Jew peddler standing by +and the station agent remonstrated with the man; two pesos was a full +week's wages; it was ridiculous to demand such a price for guiding two +foot travellers to Chila. He admitted that two pesos might be a week's +wages; but he did not have to go to Chila and if we wanted him to do so +we must pay his price. We capitulated, the station agent loaned us a +revolver, we left our friends behind us and started on our journey. It +was now dark. In a mysterious voice, our guide said we must go first to +his house; there he secured his _serape_ and a heavy club. As we left +his house he feared we must be hungry and indicated a bread-shop; we +purchased and all three ate as we walked; a moment later he suggested +that we would need _cigarros_ of course, and a stock of these were +added, at our expense. Then, at last, we came down to business. + +[B] The Mexican league is 2.7 miles. + +Plainly our guide did not enjoy his task. Shortly after we started, the +moon rose and, from its shining full on the light sand, it was almost +as bright as day. We were in single file, our guide, Herman, and I. At +sight of every bush or indistinct object, our guide clutched his club +and crossed himself, as he mumbled a prayer. When we met anyone, we +kept strictly to our side of the road, they to theirs, and, in passing, +barely exchanged a word of greeting. The timidity and terror of our +guide increased as we advanced, until I concluded to be prepared for any +emergency and carried the revolver in my hand, instead of in my pocket. +Mile after mile we trudged along through the heavy sand, into which we +sunk so far that our low shoes repeatedly became filled and we had to +stop to take them off and empty them. We passed through San Pablo, left +the Hacienda of San Andres to one hand, and, finally, at 10:10 found +ourselves in the great indian town of San Gabriel de Chila. It was much +larger than we had anticipated and almost purely indian. We walked +through a considerable portion of the town before we reached the plaza, +the church, and the _curato_. Our journey had probably been one of +fifteen miles. All was dark at the _curato_; an indian was sleeping in +the corridor, but he was a traveller and gave us no information on being +awakened. At our third or fourth pounding upon the door, Ernst appeared +at the window; on learning who we were he hastened to let us in. He +reported trouble in the camp; the padre had gone hastily to Oaxaca to +see the archbishop; our telegram had not been received; our letter came +that morning. We found that things were packed ready for removal. A good +supper was soon ready, but while it was being prepared we took a cool +bath, by moonlight, in the trough bath-tub out in the _patio_. + +In the morning we heard the full story. Formerly there was here a +priest, who devoted his whole life to this parish, growing old in its +service; in his old age he was pensioned, with sixty pesos monthly from +the parish receipts. The priest who succeeded him, coming something +over three years ago, was a much younger man. During his three years of +service, he was continually grumbling; the work was hard, his health was +bad at Chila, the heat was intolerable; he wished another parish. The +archbishop finally took him at his word; without warning he transferred +him to another parish, and sent our friend, the archaeologist here, in +his place. This did not suit the man relieved; Chila itself was much to +his liking; what he really wanted was to be relieved from the support +of his superannuated predecessor. No sooner was he transferred than he +began to look with longing on his former charge and to make a vigorous +effort to regain it. Accusations were hurried to Oaxaca; the new priest +was pursuing agriculture as a means of profit; he had not paid the dues +to the aged priest; he had himself admitted to parishioners that his +object in coming to Chila was more to study antiquities and natural +history than to preach the gospel. It is claimed that, immediately on +receiving this communication, the archbishop sent a peremptory letter to +the padre demanding an explanation; this letter, Ernst said, never was +delivered, hence no explanation was sent. The prelate acted promptly; +orders were sent to our friend to give up the parish to the former +priest, who appeared on the scene to receive his charge. Then, and then +only, it is said the delayed letter came to light. The padre had left, +at once, for Oaxaca and his archbishop. From there he sent messages +by telegraph: "Pack up, and come to Tehuacan;" "Wait until you hear +further." A third came the morning we were there: "Pack up; meet me at +Tehuacan, ready to go to a new parish." + +It was really sad to look about the new home, to which he had come with +such buoyant hopes and of which he had been so soon dispossessed. When +he arrived, the place was neglected and filthy; two whole days were +necessary to clean it. It had contained practically no furniture; he +had made it look like a place in which to live. He had improved and +beautified its surroundings. He had planted a little corn and set out +some young banana trees; he had gathered many species of cactus from the +neighboring hills and had built up a fine bed of the strange plants +in his _patio_. Passionately fond of pets, he had two magnificent +greyhounds and a pug--all brought from Guatemala--a black collie, doves, +hens and turkeys on the place. And now, he was again without a home and +his time, money, and labor were lost. + +Ernst accompanied us to Tehuacan. We rented three horses and a man on +foot went with us to bring them back to the village. And for the whole +we paid the regular price of eighty-seven centavos--twenty-five each for +the animals, and twelve centavos for the man--something less than the +twenty pesos demanded the day before at Tehuacan. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +WE START FOR GUATEMALA + +(1896) + + +The evening we were at Mitla, Senor Quiero came hurrying to our room and +urged us to step out to the corridor before the house to see some +Mixes. It was our first glimpse of representatives of this little known +mountain people. Some thirty of them, men and women, loaded with fruit, +coffee, and charcoal, were on their way to the great fair and market, +at Tlacolula. They had now stopped for the night and had piled their +burdens against the wall. Wrapping themselves in their tattered and +dirty blankets, they laid themselves down on the stone floor, so close +together that they reminded me of sardines in a box. With a blazing +splinter of fat pine for torch, we made our inspection. Their broad dark +faces, wide flat noses, thick lips and projecting jaws, their coarse +clothing, their filthiness, their harsh and guttural speech, profoundly +impressed me and I resolved to penetrate into their country and see them +in their homes, at the first opportunity. + +Our friend the padre never tired of telling how much more interesting +Guatemala was than Mexico; he could not understand why any man of sense +should waste his time in Mexico, a land so large that a dozen students +could not begin to solve its problems, while Guatemala, full of +interesting ruins and crowded with attractive Indians, was of such size +that one man's lifetime could count for something. His tales of indian +towns, life, dress, customs, kindled enthusiasm; but it was only after +thinking over the Mixes, that I decided to make a journey to Guatemala. +The padre, himself, could not accompany me, being a political refugee, +but he had told me Ernst should go with me. After three months' +consideration my plan was made. We would start from Oaxaca overland via +the Mixes country; we would everywhere keep in the mountains; in Chiapas +we would completely avoid the usual highway, hot and dusty, near the +coast; in Guatemala itself, we would go by Nenton, Huehuetenango and +Nibaj. This did not suit the padre: he had had in mind a journey all +rail and steamer; and friends, long resident in Mexico, shook their +heads and spoke of fatigues and dangers. But I was adamant; the Mixes +drew me; we would go overland, on horse, or not at all. + +When the Padre left Chila, he took a letter of recommendation from the +Archbishop of Oaxaca to the Bishop of Vera Cruz at Jalapa. By him, +the padre was located at Medellin, a few miles from Vera Cruz itself. +Thither I journeyed to join Ernst and make the final preparations for +the journey. Ernst met me at the station at 6:30 in the evening and we +stayed the night in the hot, mosquito-tortured, plague-stricken city. +Leaving at eight o'clock in the morning we were at Medellin in an hour. +Our journey was through low, swampy ground on which the chief growth was +of palm. The padre, whom we had not seen since we parted at Oaxaca, met +us at the station and took us at once to his house. The town is small, +the population a miserable mixture of black, white, and indian elements. +Few of the couples living there have been legally married. The parish is +one of the worst in the whole diocese. The bishop warned the padre that +it was an undesirable field, but it was the only one then unoccupied. +But the padre was working wonders and the church was then undergoing +repairs and decorations. The actual _curato_ was long ago seized by +the government and is now used as a schoolhouse. The priest lived in a +rented house close by the river bank. The house is a double one and the +priest occupied but half of it; those in the other half were hostile to +him and he was anxious to rent the whole place. His neighbors, however, +did not care to leave and threatened vengeance; they were behind a mass +of accusations filed against him with the bishop. His friends rallied to +his support, sent in a strong endorsement, and he remained. The padre +had been industrious while here. Behind his house is the little river, +with a bath-house built over it; crossing in a dugout canoe we found his +garden flourishing, filled with fresh vegetables. The family of pets had +grown; Baldur, Freia, Votan, Doxil--the dogs--were here as at Chila, but +he also had fantail and capuchin pigeons, hens and chicks, ducks +and geese, canary birds, and native birds in cages. Here also were +archaeological relics, plants, beetles and birds for gathering. And here +too, for the first time, I had the opportunity of examining his great +collection of Ecuadorean humming-birds and a magnificent lot of +Guatemalan quetzal skins, among them probably the finest ever collected. + +[Illustration: THE PADRE'S HOUSE; MEDELLIN] + +[Illustration: THE CHURCH; MEDELLIN] + +We left Medellin on January 8th; went by rail to Puebla, then to Oaxaca. +Here we found our friend Doctor Hyde, of Silao, who was nursing Lucius +Smith, in what proved to be a final illness. He aided us in finding +animals and completing preparations for our journey. We secured a large +bay horse for myself, a roan for Ernst, a little mule for baggage. For +my own part, I dislike mules; Ernst and the doctor, however, were loud +in their praise of such a beast; both asserted that a good mule should +sell for double its cost on our arrival at Guatemala City. When, +finally, after inspecting a variety of animals we found one lively, +young one, the doctor was delighted. Taking me to one side, he informed +me that such an opportunity was unlikely to occur again. I yielded and +the little mule was ours. We named the three animals Mixe, Zapotec, and +Chontal, from three tribes through whose country we expected to pass. + +The doctor's helpfulness was not confined to advice regarding mules. He +insisted upon our buying various supplies, such as boxes of sardines, +sago, coffee, etc., the utility of which appeared neither at the time +nor later. Also at his suggestion a quart of whiskey was purchased and +carefully divided into two flasks, one for each saddlebag. Most useful +of all the doctor's suggestions, and one for which we had reason many +times to thank him, was the securing from the governor of a letter to +all local authorities in the state, directing them to supply us with the +necessities of life, at just prices. + +We had hoped to start from Oaxaca in the early morning, but it was well +on in the afternoon before all arrangements were completed. The doctor +and his Mexican friend rode with us to Tule to see us well started. It +was out over the old road to Mitla. The afternoon was hot, dust was +deep, and a heavy wind blew it up into our faces in clouds. The sun was +already setting when we rode into Santa Maria Tule, and we went at once +to see the famous cypress tree, which no one in the party, save myself, +had seen. It seems now to be a single tree, but was perhaps, originally, +three; at present it displays a single, vast trunk, buttressed with +heavy irregular projecting columns. So irregular is this enormous mass +that no two persons taking its girth exactly agree. We measured it four +feet above the ground and made the circumference one hundred and sixty +feet. The mass of delicate green foliage above was compact, vigorous, +and beautiful. Many years ago Humboldt cut a rectangular piece of bark +from the old trunk and on the smooth surface thus exposed carved an +inscription with his name. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +Bark has since grown over the sides and corners of this tablet, but much +of the inscription may still be read. Since Humboldt's visit many lesser +men have gashed the old tree to leave their mark. + +As it was now darkening we hurried to the _meson_ of the village. The +old lady in charge received us with suspicion; she could not feed us and +refused to receive us into the house for the night; she would permit +us to sleep outside, in the corridor--which we might have done without +asking permission. At this moment, the doctor's friend remembered that +he knew a man here and went out to reconnoitre; he soon returned and led +us to his friend's house, where we were well received. A supper of eggs, +_tortillas_, and chocolate was soon served. Before we had finished the +moon had risen and by its light the doctor and his friend started +on their return to town. We slept on beds, made of boards laid upon +sawhorses, in a grain store-room, where rats were running around all +night long. + +The next day, we were again at Mitla. It was a festival day, that of the +Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. In the evening there were rockets, +the band played, and a company of drummers and _chirimiya_ blowers went +through the town. Senor Quiero had fires of blazing pine knots at the +door. When the procession passed we noted its elements. In front was the +band of ten boys; men with curious standards mounted on poles followed. +The first of these standards was a figure, in strips of white and pink +tissue paper, of a long-legged, long-necked, long-billed bird, perhaps a +heron; next stars of colored paper, with lights inside; then were large +globes, also illuminated, three of white paper and three in the national +colors--red, white, and green. Grandest of all, however, was a globular +banner of cloth on which was painted a startling picture of the saint's +conversion. All of these were carried high in the air and kept rotating. +Behind the standard bearers came a drummer and the player on the shrill +pipe or _pito--chirimiya_. The procession stopped at Senor Quiero's +_tienda_, and the old man opened both his heart and his bottles; spirits +flowed freely to all who could crowd into the little shop and bottles +and packs of _cigarros_ were sent out to the standard-bearers. As a +result we were given a vigorous explosion of rockets, and several pieces +by the band, the drummer, and the _pitero_. + +Beyond Mitla the valley narrows and the road rises onto a gently sloping +terrace; when it strikes the mountains it soon becomes a bridle-path +zigzagging up the cliffside. As we mounted by it, the valley behind +expanded magnificently under our view. We passed through a belt of +little oak trees, the foliage of which was purple-red, like the autumnal +coloring of our own forests. Higher up we reached the pine timber. As +soon as we reached the summit, the lovely valley view was lost and we +plunged downward, even more abruptly than we had mounted, along the side +of a rapidly deepening gorge. At the very mouth of this, on a pretty +terrace, we came abruptly on the little town of San Lorenzo with +palm-thatched huts of brush or cane and well grown hedges of _organo_ +cactus. Here we ate _tortillas_ and fried-eggs with chili. Immediately +on setting out from here we rode over hills, the rock of which was +deeply stained with rust and streaked with veins of quartz, up to a +crest of limestone covered with a crust of stalagmite. + +[Illustration: THE START FROM OAXACA] + +[Illustration: THE CELEBRATION AT MITLA] + +The road up to this summit was not good, but that down the other side +was _bad_. The irregular, great blocks of limestone, covered with the +smooth, dry, slippery coating, caused constant stumbling to our poor +animals. From this valley we rose onto a yet grander range. Here we had +our first Mixe experience. At the very summit, where the road became +for a little time level, before plunging down into the profound valley +beyond, we met two Indians, plainly Mixes. Both were bareheaded, and +both wore the usual dirty garments--a cotton shirt over a pair of cotton +trousers, the legs of which were rolled up to the knees or higher. The +younger of the men bore a double load, as he had relieved his companion. +The old man's face was scratched and torn, his hands were smeared with +blood and blood stained his shirt. We cried an "_adios_" and the old man +kissed my hand, while the younger, pointing to his friend said "_Sangre, +Senor, sangre_" (Blood, sir, blood.) Vigorously they told the story of +the old man's misfortune, but in incomprehensible Spanish. While they +spoke three others like them, each bent under his burden came up onto +the ridge. These kissed my hand and then, excitedly pointing to the old +man, all talking at once, tried to tell his story. Having expressed our +sympathy, we left the five looking after us, the old man, with his torn +and bleeding face, being well in the foreground. + +Down in the valley, across a little stream, we struck into a pleasant +meadow road leading to the Hacienda of San Bartolo. Suddenly, before us, +in the road, we saw a man lying. We thought he was dead. He was a young +man, an indian in the usual dress, apparently a Zapotec. His face was +bloody and his shirt was soaked in front with blood, which had trickled +down upon the ground forming a pool in which he lay. We could see no +deep wound, but, as he lay upon his side, there may have been such. Near +him in the road there lay a knife, the blade covered with blood. The man +lay perfectly still, but we fancied we could see a slight movement of +the chest. In Mexico, it is best not to investigate too closely, because +the last to touch a murdered man may be held responsible for his death. +So we hurried on toward the _hacienda_ but, before reaching it, met two +girls about nineteen years of age and a little lad all Zapotecs. We told +them what we had seen and bade them notify the authorities. One of +the girls cried, "_Si, Senor, es mi hermano_" ("Yes, sir, it is my +brother"), and they ran down the road. As for us, we hurried onward, +without stopping at the _hacienda_, in order not to be delayed or held +as witnesses. + +There is no love between the Zapotecs and Mixes. We never learned +the actual story, but imagined it somewhat as follows. The old Mixe, +carrying his burden, had probably encountered the young Zapotec and +had words with him. Probably there had been blows, and the old man was +having the worst of it when his companions came along and turned the +tide of battle. + +The road, after passing the _hacienda_, ascended almost constantly for +many miles. We passed clumps of yuccas. As we mounted we faced a strong +and cutting wind, and were glad when any turn in the road gave us a +moment's relief. The final ascent was sharp and difficult, up a hill of +red or purple slate, which splintered into bits that were both slippery +and sharp to the feet of our poor animals. Just as the sun was +setting and dusk fell, we reached the miserable pueblo of Santa Maria +Albarradas. It was situated on a terrace or shelf, and its little houses +were made of red or purple adobe bricks, and thatched with grass. Little +garden patches and groups of cultivated trees surrounded the houses. The +church was little larger than the dwellings, and was constructed of the +same clay, thatched with the same grass. Near it was the town-house. We +summoned the _presidente_, and while we waited for him, the men, women, +and children of the town thronged around us and watched our every +movement, commenting the while on our actions and words. When the +_presidente_ came, we made known our wants and soon had supper for +ourselves, food for our animals, a shelter for the night, and a _mozo_ +as guide for the morrow. The town-house was put at our disposition; it +was sadly in need of repairs, and consisted of two rooms, one larger +than the other. In the larger room there was a long and heavy table, a +bench or two, and some wooden chairs. We slept upon the ground, and +long before we rolled ourselves up in our blankets the wind was blowing +squarely from the north. The sky was half covered with a heavy black +cloud; as the night advanced, it became colder and colder, the wind +cutting like a knife, and while we shivered in our blankets, it seemed +as if we had been born to freeze there in the tropics. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE LAND OF THE MIXES + +(1896) + + +Santa Maria was the last Zapotec town; we were on the border of the +country of the Mixes. Starting at seven next morning, we followed a +dizzy trail up the mountain side to the summit. Beyond that the road +went down and up many a slope. A norther was on; cold wind swept over +the crest, penetrating and piercing; cloud masses hung upon the higher +summits; and now and again sheets of fine, thin mist were swept down +upon us by the wind; this mist was too thin to darken the air, but on +the surface of the driving sheets rainbows floated. The ridge, which for +a time we followed, was covered with a thicket of purple-leaved oaks, +which were completely overgrown with bromelias and other air-plants. +From here, we passed into a mountain country that beggars description. +I know and love the Carolina mountains--their graceful forms, their +sparkling streams and springs, the lovely sky stretched above them; but +the millionaires are welcome to their "land of the sky"; we have our +land of the Mixes, and to it they will never come. The mountains here +are like those of Carolina, but far grander and bolder; here the sky is +more amply extended. There, the slopes are clad with rhododendrons and +azaleas, with the flowering shrub, with strawberries gleaming amid +grass; here we have rhododendrons also, in clusters that scent the air +with the odor of cloves, and display sheets of pink and purple bloom; +here we have magnificent tree-ferns, with trunks that rise twenty feet +into the air and unroll from their summits fronds ten feet in length; +fifty kinds of delicate terrestrial ferns display themselves in a single +morning ride; here are palms with graceful foliage; here are orchids +stretching forth sprays--three or four feet long--toward the hand for +plucking; here are pine-trees covering slopes with fragrant fallen +needles. A striking feature is the different flora on the different +slopes of a single ridge. Here, too, are bubbling springs, purling +brooks, dashing cascades, the equals of any in the world. And hither the +tourist, with his destroying touch, will never come. + +We had thought to find our wild Mixes living in miserable huts among the +rocks, dressed in scanty native garb, leading half wild lives. We found +good clearings on the hillside; fair fields of maize and peas, gourds +and calabashes; cattle grazed in the meadows; fowls and turkeys were +kept; the homes were log-houses, substantially built, in good condition, +in neat enclosures; men and women, the latter in European dress, were +busied with the duties of their little farms. Clearing after clearing +in the forest told the same story of industry, thrift, and moderate +comfort. + +After more than five hours of hard travel we reached the Mixe town of +Ayutla, and rode at once to the _curato_. The priest was not at home. It +was market-day, and people were in town from all the country round. The +men, surprised at sight of strangers, crowded about us; some gazed at us +with angry glances, others eyed us with dark suspicion, some examined us +with curious and even friendly interest. Many of them spoke little or no +Spanish. Thronging about us they felt our clothing, touched our skins, +saddles, baggage, and exhibited childish curiosity. The women at the +_curato_ spoke Spanish, of course; we told them we should stay there +for a day or two, and sent out for the _presidente_. On his coming, we +explained to him our business and asked leave to occupy the _curato_ in +the absence of the priest. + +Ayutla is situated on a high terrace, before which opens a lovely valley +and behind which rises a fine mountain slope. The village church, while +large, is roofless; the town-house lies below the village, and by it +are two jails for men and women. The houses of the village are small, +rectangular structures of a red-brown-ochre adobe brick; the roofs slope +from in front backward, and are covered with red tiles they project in +front so as to cover a little space before the house. + +By evening most of the indians in the town were drunk. At sunset a +miserable procession started from the church, passed through the +village, and then returned to the church; composed mostly of women, it +was preceded by a band of music and the men who carried the _santito_. +Later, we heard most disconsolate strains, and, on examination, found +four musicians playing in front of the old church; three of them had +curious, extremely long, old-fashioned horns of brass, while the fourth +had a drum or _tambour_. The _tambour_ was continuously played, while +the other instruments were alternated in the most curious fashion. The +music was strange and weird, unlike any that we had ever heard before. +However, we became thoroughly familiar with it before we had traversed +the whole Mixe country, as we heard it twice daily, at sunrise and after +sunset. It was the music of the Candelaria, played during the nine days +preceding February 2d. As we sat listening to the music the _presidente_ +of the town appeared. His Spanish, at no time adequate, was now at its +worst, as he was sadly intoxicated. We tried to carry on a conversation +with him, but soon seeing that naught but disaster could be expected, if +we continued, we discreetly withdrew to our room. + +[Illustration: A STREET IN SAN LORENZO] + +[Illustration: AYUTLA] + +There we found the _fiscal_, and I have rarely seen so drunk an +official. When drunk, he is violent and abusive, and it was plain that +the women at the _curato_ were afraid of him. More than one hundred and +fifty years ago Padre Quintana, who was the mission priest at Juquila, +translated the _Doctrina_ into Mixe and wrote a _Gramatica_ of the +language, both of which were then printed. We wished to secure copies of +these old and rare books, and asked the _fiscal_ if there were any here. +He promptly replied that he had one at his house, and invited us to go +there with him to see it. We at once started, and on our way had to pass +the drunken _presidente_ and the musicians. As we drew near them the +_presidente_, with drunken dignity, rose and said: "Where are you going, +Senores?" The _fiscal_ was for going directly onward without giving +answer; we hesitated and began a reply. Our delay was fatal; staggering +up to us, his Honor said: "I shall not permit you to go; this man is +drunk; he will be dangerous. I am responsible for your safety." The +_fiscal_, standing at a little distance, cried: "Senores! shall we go?" +We started toward him; the _presidente_ interfered: "No, Senores, +you shall not go to-night; the man is drunk; return to your house." +"_Vamonos_," (Let us go) hiccoughed the _fiscal. "Manana_," (to-morrow) +hiccoughed the _presidente_. The _fiscal_ stormed; the _presidente_ +threatened him with jail, ordered him home, and with a body-guard +for our protection led us to our room. Scarcely able to totter, the +_presidente_ assured us that drunken men were dangerous and ought not +to be trusted; at the same time he produced his bottle and offered us +a drop to warm us. It required tact and time to get rid of him and +his corps of protectors. Early the next morning both of these worthy +officials, _presidente_ and _fiscal_, still drunk, called upon us with +the book--a _Doctrina_ of 1729. With the _presidente_ were two stalwart +fellows, intended, as he whispered to us audibly, to handle the +_fiscal_ in case he became dangerous. The audience ended, and the party +dismissed, the _presidente_ stood in the road until the _fiscal_ had +started for home, when he left for the town-house. The _fiscal's_ +home-going, however, was mere pretense. No sooner was the _presidente_ +gone than he came staggering into the _patio_ of the _curato_. The women +ran into our room, in terror: "The _fiscal_ comes; bar the door; do +not let him in." A moment later a feeble rap at the door, a call and +a mournful request for admission; the barricaded door gave no +encouragement. At intervals through the morning there came the flying +maids: "He comes! don't let him in." Again and again the barricade; +again and again, the vain appeal for entrance. We left Ayutla at noon. +We had scarcely well started when we heard some one calling behind us. +Turning, we saw the _fiscal_, running unsteadily toward us. We waited; +he came up out of breath. "_Ya se va_?" (Now you are leaving?) "_Si, +senor_," (Yes, sir.) With a look of despair he removed his hat, and +fumbling in its depths produced two cigarettes; presenting one to each +of us, he waved his hand as we rode away and cried: "_Adios! senores_." + +For some distance our road led up a canon. Reaching its head, we gained +the pass at two o'clock. A wonderful sight here presented itself. Above +us was a brilliant blue sky--cloudless; every detail of the rock crest +upon which we stood was clear. Forested to its summit, the ridge formed +the half of a magnificent amphitheatre, whose slopes had been vertically +furrowed at a hundred points by torrents; to the left a spur projected, +the crest of which sloped gently downward, forming an enclosing wall +upon that side. Before us, beyond the valley, was a boundary line of +mountain masses, sharply outlined against the sky. Lower ridges, nearer +to us, paralleled this distant rampart. The only apparent outlet from +this valley was around the spur to our left. Looking down upon this +magnificent valley, we saw it occupied by a sea of clouds, the level +surface of which looked like a lake of water flecked here and there with +whitecaps. The higher hills within the valley rose like islands from the +water; to the left a mighty river seemed to flow around the spur, out +into a boundless sea of cloud beyond. The level surface of this lake, +river, and sea of clouds was hundreds of feet below us. + +From this summit, our trail plunged downward into this sea of mists. +When we reached its upper surface, which was plainly defined, little +wisps of mist or cloud were streaming up along the furrowed channels of +the mountain walls. As we entered the lake of cloud the sunlight became +fainter, uprushes of cold mists struck us, gloom settled, denser and +denser grew the fog, drops of condensed vapor dripped from the trees +under which we passed. At the bottom of the valley, we could scarcely +see a dozen yards in any direction. We were passing along meadows, like +those of New England, with brakes, sunflowers, and huckleberries; here +and there were little fields of wheat or peas. The fog was too dense for +us to know whether we lost fine scenery. We saw nothing of the little +villages through which we passed. On and on we plunged along the trail, +until it began an ascent of a ridge, almost like a knife-edge, with +steep slopes on both sides. When we had reached the summit of this +ridge, we found the trail level, through a growth of oak trees which +were loaded with bromelias and orchids. Though still dim, the light had +brightened as we rose to higher levels. Graceful ferns and sprays of +terrestrial orchids overhung our trail at every cutting or slope. One +spray, which I plucked as I rode under it, was more than a yard in +length, and its curiously colored brown and yellow flowers were +strangely like insects in form. At one level summit of our ridge, we +came upon a little whitewashed building of adobe, dome-topped, with no +windows and but one little door. Pushing this open, I entered through +a doorway so narrow that I had to remove my hat, and so low that I was +forced to bend, and found myself in a little shrine with a cross and +pictures of two or three saints, before which were plain vases filled +with fresh flowers, the offerings of travelers. We added our spray of +orchids before we resumed our journey. + +For three hours, during which no distant view had delighted our eyes, we +had traveled in the mists; we had almost forgotten that the sun could +shine. At the end of a long, narrow ridge, where it joined the greater +mountain mass, we found a rest-house. Here the trail turned abruptly +onto the larger ridge, mounted sharply through a dugway, and then to our +complete surprise emerged into the fair sunlight. The clear, blue sky +was over us, and directly below us, at our horses' feet, was the flat +top of the sea of clouds. A moment more and we rose to a point of view +from which the grandest view of a lifetime burst upon our vision. +Opposite, the evening sun was nearing the horizon, before and below us +lay the valley; we were upon the very edge of a great mountain slope. To +our right lay the cloud mass, which was all in movement, precipitating +itself down the slope into the profound valley. It was a river of +vapors, more than two miles, perhaps, in width, plunging, perhaps, two +thousand feet into the abyss. Niagara, which I have often seen, is a +pigmy cataract in comparison. The cloud mass tossed and heaved, whirled +and poured in one enormous sheet over the precipice, breaking into spray +as it struck against projecting rock masses. Every movement of whirling +and plunging water was there; the rapid above the fall, the plunge, the +whirlpool, the wild rush of whirlpool rapids, all were there, but all +silent, fearfully and impressively silent. We could have stood there +gazing for hours, but night was coming and a stretch of unknown road +still lay before us. At the other end of the valley, in the dusk of +early evening, we saw a second cataract pouring in. From both ends the +cloud rivers were rushing in to fill the valley, along the edge of which +we crept. And presently we plunged down again into the mists; night +fell; our trail was barely visible, and we had to trust to our horses to +find it; the air was cold and penetrating. Long after dark, we rode into +Juquila. + +[Illustration: CLOUD CATARACT; NEAR JUQUILA] + +[Illustration: DANCERS IN THE DANZA DE LA CONQUISTA; JUQUILA] + +The _cura_ had gone to bed; the _meson_ had no room for us and no food +for our horses; our case seemed desperate. We heard, however, noisy +laughter and the loud voices of men drinking. So I begged Ernst to +seek the _presidente_ and tell him our needs while I looked after the +animals. The official was at the _tienda_, drinking with his friends. +Ernst made known our wishes, producing our letter from the governor. At +this, the _presidente_ became furious: "Who is this with orders from the +governor? Let me kill him," and with that he drew his _machete_ and +made at Ernst. Some of his less-intoxicated friends restrained him, and +Ernst, concluding that the moment was not propitious, returned to me. +After other fruitless efforts to get food for ourselves and animals we +resigned ourselves to our fate, and lay down upon the stone floor of +the corridor outside the _meson_, with a crowd of sleeping indians as +companions. + +Very early in the morning, all the town officials, except the +_presidente_, came to apologize for the occurrence of the night. They +announced that the _presidente_, realizing what he had done, had taken +to the mountains, and asked what they could do for us. We ordered fodder +for our hungry beasts, food for ourselves, and a place of shelter. The +town-house was offered to us, and we were moved into those quarters with +due ceremony. + +Although we stayed several days at Juquila, the _presidente_ did not +return, during our presence, to resume his duties of office. We were, +however, well treated. The _cura_ aided us with advice, information, and +helpers. While we were in the village the _danza de la Conquista_ took +place. It is a popular play, with much dancing and music, and little +action or dialogue, which celebrates the Conquest of Mexico by Cortez. +It was rendered in the shade of a great tree near the church. In the +first act, nine men and two girls took part; in the second act, there +were many others. The nine men and two girls represented Indians; they +wore crowns with plumes of snow-white down; in their hands they carried +a rattle, made from the fruit of a tree and a wand of white down, with +which they beat time. One man, representing Montezuma, had a crown of +brilliantly colored plumes. The other eight men were warriors; the two +girls were "_Malinches_." The first act consisted of a series of dances, +including a very pretty maypole dance. The play lasted about +three hours, and represented the life of the indians before the +Conquest--Montezuma in his court, with the amusements celebrated for his +entertainment. Hearing of the arrival of the Spaniards, he is filled +with sad forebodings, which the amusements fail to dispel. In the second +act, Hernando Cortez appears, with soldiers. While the costumes of the +indians were gay, and more or less attractive, those of these European +warriors were ludicrously mongrel and unbecoming. The new-comers +demanded that Montezuma acknowledge the authority of the King of Spain +and the cross of Christ. Conversations, demands, replies, tableaus, +sword-dances, etc., ensued. Finally, Montezuma and his warriors yielded, +and kissed the crucifix. + +[Illustration: ROAD APPROACHING QUEZALTEPEC] + +While this drama was being enacted under the shade-tree, another +amusement, in connection with the _fiesta of_ _San Marcos_, was in +progress in front of the church. The musicians with the long horns made +doleful music; a dozen gayly-costumed dancers took part. They wore dark +trousers slitted up the sides; bright kerchiefs, with the point hanging +down in front, were tied about the waists; crowns of plumes were on +the heads; red vests and kerchiefs, crossed at the neck, completed the +costume. One player, who seemed to be a leader, carried a tri-colored +flag; another represented a man on horseback, by creeping into a frame +of sticks, covered with cloth, in the shape of a horse. They danced in +the full sunlight for hours; their movements were varied and pretty, +quite different, too, from the figures in the _danza de la Conquista_. +Two outside characters played the clown. One of these was a little lad +dressed in a garment representing a tiger-skin, while over his face he +wore a heavy, old wooden mask, imitating an animal's head. The other +was older, dressed in a leather suit, with a wooden mask like a +vacant-looking human face. These two were very popular, and indulged +in many acts that bordered on the obscene. We got no satisfactory +explanation of this whole performance. The _cura_ said that it +represented the conflict between Christ and the Jews; this we greatly +doubted. + +Mixe roads avoid no mountains, and usually go straight up one slope and +down the other. The Mixe villages are set upon the very crests, or upon +little terraces a few hundred feet below the crest, or the summit of +some spur that juts out from the great mountain mass, of a long and +narrow ridge. The road from Juquila, by Ocotopec to Quezaltepec was +beautiful and typical. The ascent, just before Quezaltepec, was +magnificent. We had a letter of introduction from the _cura_ at Juquila +to the schoolteacher at Quezaltepec, and therefore rode directly to the +school. The four boys who were in attendance were promptly dismissed and +the _maestro_ was at our disposition. He was a _mestizo_, and possessed +the art of lying in a fine degree, like so many of his kind. This man +set us an excellent supper, having asked us beforehand what we would +like. We replied that we would be glad to have fresh meat, if there was +any to be had. He replied, "There is always fresh meat here; someone +kills every day." It really appeared in the dinner, but, as we ate it, +our host remarked--"Gentlemen, it is indeed lucky that you arrived here +just now, because to-night we have fresh meat, and like enough a month +will pass before anyone in town kills again." Our teacher friend fully +appreciated his opportunity, and we paid a large price for our meal, +with its fresh meat, our beds on the school benches, and the fodder +supplied our horses. The next day being Saturday, the _maestro_ offered +to accompany us to Ixcuintepec, where his half-brother, the local +teacher, would welcome our coming and arrange for our entertainment. + +Passing Camotlan, we entered a magnificent gorge, along one side of +which we climbed, passing in front of lovely cascades and having +magnificent outlooks. While we were on this trail, we encountered the +_maestro_ from Ixcuintepec, who was on his way to Quezaltepec to spend +his holiday. A whispered word with his half-brother, our companion, +quickly changed his plan, and he accompanied us. Upon this trail we +found our first swinging foot-bridges made of _lianas_, or vines, +hanging from trees. These are, of course, only suitable for +foot-travellers, but are a great convenience, where streams are likely +to be swollen. Two or three long and slender vines, laid side by side +and lashed together, form the footway, which is swung from one tree to +another; other _lianas_ are stretched across as side rails, smaller +vines being twined in between and around them to hold them in place; +long vines, pendant from the high branches of the supporting trees, are +fastened to the upper rails to steady and anchor these frail bridges, +which swing and yield with every weight. + +[Illustration: TREE FERN IN TROPICAL FOREST; QUEZALTEPEC] + +[Illustration: CASCADE, NEAR QUEZALTEPEC] + +Ixcuintepec is upon one of the most abrupt ridges of this whole +district. We went first to the schoolhouse, where our animals were to +be guarded in a little open space before it; then we walked over to +the _curato_ which was being prepared for us. We had ordered _zacate_ +(fodder) for our animals and had divided it suitably between them. We +ate our own meal, took a turn around the town, and were about to go to +our quarters for the night, when Ernst noticed that the fodder, for +which we had paid an outrageous price, had completely disappeared from +before the two horses, although the pile before the mule had diminished +but little. No doubt the two school teachers could have explained this +mysterious disappearance; we could not, however, tax them with theft, +but we made so much fuss over the matter that the officials brought a +new supply. While I went to our room to write up my notes, Ernst sat in +the gathering darkness watching the animals, as they ate, to prevent +further robbery. I was busily writing, listening now and then to the +fierce gusts of a gale that was blowing without, when the door burst +open and Ernst, greatly excited, called me to follow, and we hastened +to the place where our animals were tied. There we found that the great +tree under which Chontal, the little mule, had been feeding, had been +torn by the tempest and half of it had fallen upon the animal, bearing +it to the ground. The crash had come without a moment's warning. +Fortunately, the mule was unhurt, though it could not move until the +branches which had crushed it to the earth had been cut away with axes. +When we had released the beast and were retiring to our quarters, we +saw a sight never to be forgotten. Looking down from our crest into the +valley and across upon the other ridges and mountains beyond, we saw +that the camp-fires of charcoal-burners and wayfarers had been fanned +by the winds and spread into the forest until a dozen great lines of +blazing trees lit up the landscape in every direction. + +Our leaving Ixcuintepec in the early morning was not agreeable. The +teachers were irritated over the affair of the _zacate_; the town +authorities were dissatisfied with our refusal to pay for two lots of +it. There was grumbling, and many dark looks followed us. We were rather +glad to get away from the town without a serious outbreak. We were now +on the road to the last of the Mixe towns we should visit, Coatlan. The +road seemed endless, the ascent interminable; the town itself impressed +us as exceptionally mean and squalid, and we stopped only long enough +to eat a miserable dinner of eggs with chili and _tortillas_. The women +here wore native dress. Several were clad as the Zapotec women from here +to Tehuantepec, but a few were dressed in striking _huipilis_ of native +weaving, with embroidered patterns, and had their black hair done up in +great rings around their heads, bright strips of cloth or ribbon being +intermingled in the braiding. Literally and figuratively shaking the +dust of the Mixe towns from our feet, we now descended into the Zapotec +country. We were oppressed by a cramped, smothered feeling as we +descended from the land of forested mountains and beautiful streams. At +evening we reached San Miguel, the first Zapotec settlement, a little +group of houses amid coffee plantings. + +[Illustration: FIESTA OF SAN MARCOS; JUQUILA] + +[Illustration: BRIDGE OF VINES, NEAR IXCUINTEPEC] + +At the first indian house, we asked if we might have shelter for the +night. The owner cordially answered, "_Como no? senores_," (Why not? +sirs). He explained, however, that there was nought to eat. After eating +elsewhere, we made our way back to our lodging-place, a typical Zapotec +hut, a single room, with dirt-floor, walls of canes or poles, and thatch +of grass. The house contained a hammock and two beds of poles, comforts +we had not known for days. I threw myself into the hammock; Ernst lay +down upon one of the beds; the man and woman, squatting, were husking +corn for our horses; a little girl was feeding a fire of pine splints, +built upon the floor, which served for light. As they worked and +we rested the man asked that question which ever seems of supreme +importance to Mexican indians, "_Como se llama Ud. senor_?" (What is +your name, sir?). "Ernst," replied our spokesman, to whom the question +was addressed. "_Y el otro_?" (And the other?), pointing to me. I +replied for myself, "_Federico_." The man seemed not to catch the word +and badly repeated it after me. "_No, no_," said the much quicker +woman, "_Federico! Federico! si, senor, nosotros tenemos un Federico, +tambien_," (Yes, sir, and we have a Frederick, also). "Ah, and where is +he?" "He will come, sir; we have four boys, Luca and Pedrito, Castolo +and Federico; Federico is the baby; the little girl, here, is between +him and Castolo; they are working in the coffee-field, but they will +soon be here." At nine o'clock the little fellows appeared. They lined +up in the order of age, placed their hands behind them, and waited to be +addressed. Castolo, then about ten years of age, most pleased me, and +I asked him, among other things, whether he could read and write. His +father answered for him, that he could not read or write; that the +opportunities were not good; but that he believed Castolo _could_ learn, +that he had a good mind. At this point the mother spoke to her husband +in Zapotec. Some argument ensued, in which at last she triumphed. +Turning to me, the man said: "She says you may have Castolo; you may +take him to your country and there he can learn to read and write and +whatever else you wish." It was not altogether easy to refuse this gift; +finally I replied that we had a long journey ahead and that Castolo +would weary on the road; that he had better wait until some later time. + +It was now time for the family to dispose of itself for the night. I was +already in the hammock and Ernst had one of the pole-beds; the man, his +wife, and little Federico occupied the other bed; the little girl and +the three older boys climbed, by a notched log, up to a loft constructed +of poles or canes on which they laid themselves down. After all were +located, the woman barred the door and we were soon asleep. + +All rose early. Not only did we wish to make an early start, but the +boys, too, were to make a journey. Our friends had agreed to make us +some coffee and _tortillas_. We had made our preparations for starting +and were waiting for our breakfast, when a shriveled and wrinkled +old woman tottered up to beg the strangers to visit her sick son and +prescribe some _remedio_. On our consenting to go with her, she caught +up a stick of fat pine, lighted it in the fire, and with this blazing +torch to light the way, preceded us to her house. Her son had been a +strong and robust young man, but four months of lying upon his pole-bed +had sadly reduced him. He was thin and pale, coughed sadly, and suffered +with fever, chills, and dreadful headaches. He was taking medicines +brought from Tehuantepec, but these seemed to have no effect and we were +begged to suggest treatment. We advised continuance of the remedy she +had been using, but also prescribed hot water taken in the morning and +at night, hot water applications for the headaches, quinine for the +chills and fever, and a digestive for the stomach trouble, and furnished +these remedies from our own supplies. Having lighted us back to our +lodging-place the old lady asked our charge. When we refused to receive +payment from the poor creature, we noted an increased activity on the +part of our host and hostess; a bit of cheese was promptly found and +added to the waiting coffee and _tortillas_, and when we called for our +own reckoning, we received the hearty response--"_Nada, senor, nada_;" +(nothing, sir, nothing) "and when you come this way again, come straight +to us, our door is always open to you." + +[Illustration: SANTIAGO GUEVEA] + +We were now ready and found that the three boys, Luca, Pedrito, and +Castolo, were waiting to accompany us as far as our roads were the same. +They were to go on foot, five leagues, into the mountains to bring back +some mules from a camp; they expected to reach their destination that +day, to sleep on the mountain, and to bring in the animals the next day. +The little fellows, from thirteen to nine or ten years old, seemed to +find nothing extraordinary in their undertaking; each carried his little +carrying-net, with food, drinking-gourd, and an extra garment for the +chilly night, upon his back; Pedrito buckled to his belt the great +_machete_, which men here regularly carry for clearing the path, cutting +firewood, or protection against animals. They were very happy at +accompanying us for a distance. We soon rose from the low, malarial, +coffee _fincas_ onto a fine mountain, which was the last of its kind +that we saw for many days; it was like the mountains of the Mixes, +with its abundant vegetation of ferns, begonias, and trees loaded with +bromelias and orchids. Our bodyguard kept up with us bravely until we +had made one-half of the ascent, where they fell behind and we saw them +no more. Reaching the summit, we saw before us a distant line of blue, +interrupted here and there by some hill or mountain,--the great Pacific. +From here on, the beauty of the road disappeared. We descended and then +mounted along dry slopes to Santiago Guevea, then hot and dusty. Our +friends of San Miguel really live in Guevea and are at San Miguel only +when the coffee needs attention. From Guevea the road was hard and dry +and dusty to Santa Maria. The mountain mass over which we passed was +a peak, the summit of which was covered with masses of chalcedony of +brilliant colors, which broke into innumerable splinters, which were +lovely to see but hard upon the feet of horses; the surface of this part +also gave out a glare or reflection that was almost intolerable. We +descended over granite which presented typical spheroidal weathering. +We went onward, up and down many little hills, reaching Santa Maria at +noonday. The village sweltered; the air scorched and blistered; there +was no sign of life, save a few naked children playing in the shade or +rolling upon the hot sand. It was so hot and dusty that we hated to +resume our journey and tarried so long that we had to ride after +nightfall before we reached the _rancho_ of Los Cocos, where we lay in +the corridor and all night long heard the grinding of sugar-cane at the +mill close by. + +We had just such another hard, hot, and dusty ride the next day, +on through Auyuga and Tlacotepec, where we stopped for noon, until +Tehuantepec, where we arrived at evening. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THROUGH CHIAPAS + +(1896) + + +Tehuantepec is meanly built; it is hot and dusty, and the almost +constant winds drive the dust in clouds through the streets. But its +picturesque market is a redeeming feature. Every morning it is crowded +and presents a brilliant and lively spectacle. All the trade is in the +hands of women, and the Tehuantepec women have the reputation of being +the handsomest in the world. They are large, finely-built, and in their +movements exhibit an indescribable freedom and grace. Their natural +attractions are set off by a characteristic and becoming costume. The +_huipilili_ is a little sleeveless waist, loose at the neck and arms, +and so short that it rarely reaches to the waist-line, to which, of +course, it is supposed to extend; it is of bright cotton--red, brown, +purple, with stripes or spots of white--and is stitched at the neck with +yellow silk. The _enagua_, or skirt, is a strip of heavy cotton cloth, +less than a yard wide, which is simply wrapped around the figure and +hangs from the waist, being held in place by a brightly colored belt or +girdle. The _enagua_ is usually a rich red, but it is sometimes a fine +violet purple. It reaches but little below the knees. It generally fails +to meet the _huipilili_ above, so that a broader or narrower band of +fine, dark brown separates the two garments. Nothing is worn on the +feet, which are exposed, as are also the finely shaped and beautifully +developed arms. But the most striking article in the Tehuantepec +woman's costume is her _huipil_, which travellers usually describe as +a head-dress, although it is nothing of the kind. It is in reality a +waist-garment with sleeves. It is made of lace or cotton, or linen, and +is bordered at the neck, the sleeves, and the lower margin with broad +ruffs of pleated lace. Only at church or on some important or ceremonial +occasion is the _huipil_ worn as it was meant to be. Usually at church +the wearer draws the garment over her upper body, but does not put her +arms into the sleeves, nor her head through the neck-opening, simply +fitting her face into this in such a way that it appears to be framed in +a broad, oval, well-starched border of pleated lace. Usually, however, +the garment is not even worn in this manner, but is turned upside down +and carelessly hung upon the head so that the broad lower fringe of lace +falls back upon the hair, while the upper part of the garment, with the +sleeves, the collar, and cuff-ruffs, hangs down upon the back. The whole +effect is that of a fine crest rising from the head, coursing down the +back, and moving with the breeze as the woman walks. These Zapotec women +are fond of decoration, but particularly prize gold coins. In the past, +when Tehuantepec was more important than now, it was no uncommon thing +to see a woman in this market with several hundred dollars in gold coins +hanging to her neck chain. In these later days of little trade and +harder times, these once prized decorations have been spent, and it +is rare to see any woman wearing more than twenty to fifty dollars as +display. + +[Illustration: READY FOR CHURCH; TEHUANTEPEC] + +[Illustration: THE WIDE ROAD; TEHUANTEPEC TO JUCHITAN] + +Resuming our journey, we struck out upon the highway which parallels +the coast. Almost immediately, the road changed from a fair country +cart-road to a road remarkable at once for its straightness, breadth and +levelness. It was, however, dreadfully hot and dusty, and was +bordered on both sides with a tiresome and monotonous growth of low, +thorn-bearing trees, with occasional clumps of palms. We ate dinner at +Juchitan, in a little eating-house conducted by a _Japanese_! A little +beyond that important indian centre, we saw a puma pace forth from the +thicket; with indescribably graceful and slow tread it crossed the dusty +road and disappeared in the thicket. In the morning we had startled +flocks of parrots, which rose with harsh cries, hovered while we passed, +and then resettled on the same trees where they had been before. In the +evening we saw pairs of macaws flying high, and as they flew over our +heads they looked like black crosses sharp against the evening sky. At +evening we reached Guvino, a dreadful town, in the population of which +there seems to be a negro strain. We stopped with the _presidente_, in +whose veins flowed Spanish, indian, and negro blood. In his one-roomed +house besides ourselves there slept the owner, his wife, two daughters, +one with a six-weeks baby, a son, and two young men--friends of the +family. + +Turning north the next day, onto the Niltepec road, we wandered from our +trail, losing five leagues of space and more than three hours of time. +The country through which we passed was terribly dry; there were +no running streams. We crossed the bed of one dried river after +another--streaks of sand and pebbles. The people in the villages near +these dried river-beds dug holes a foot or two deep into this sand and +gravel and thus got water. At the place where we camped for the night, +Suspiro Ranch, a new house was being palm-thatched. All the men and boys +of the neighborhood were helping; the labor was carefully divided; some +were bringing in great bundles of the palm leaves; others pitched these +up to the thatchers, who were skilfully fitting them under and over the +poles of the roof framework and then beating them firmly home. Many of +the helpers had come considerable distances and spent the night, so that +we shared our room with quite a dozen men and boys, while the women and +children slept in another house. + +Passing through Zanatepec, we stopped for Sunday at Tanatepec. Here we +found ourselves again upon the low coast road. It was, however, our last +point of low altitude, as from there we struck inland over a higher, +cooler, and more interesting mountain road. At Zanatepec we first saw +the _marimba_ played. This musical instrument, unquestionably African +in name and origin, is hardly found north of Chiapas, but is extremely +common through Central America. It consists of a wooden frame supporting +keys made of wood and metal, each of which gives forth its own note when +struck with small hammers. Below the keys of lowest tone are hung tubes, +pipes, or gourds, as sounding boxes to increase the sound produced by +striking the key. Usually four players perform at one time, each using +two or more little hammers. The music is rapid and brilliant, somewhat +resembling that of the piano. The instrument usually has some fanciful +name, which is painted upon it. The one at Tanatepec was _La Azteca_ +(The Aztec Lady), while our next one was _La reina de las flores_ (The +queen of the flowers). At Zanatepec, _La Azteca_ was an advertising +part of a traveling circus. The troupe consisted of three men and +three women, the latter of whom seemed to be mulattos. The men were +ridiculously garbed and painted to represent wild indians. The real, +live indians, who followed these clowns in delighted crowds, enjoyed +thrills of terror at their whoops, fierce glances, and wild antics, +and assured us that these actors were, if not the real thing, at least +wonderfully accurate impersonations of the natives of the _Estados +unidos_ (United States)--the land of the "Apaches." + +From Tanatepec we were in Chiapas, the southernmost state of the +republic. We struck out over a fine mountain road, _passable for carts_ +all the way to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of the state. Our first +ascent was over a magnificent mountain mass of syenite, which at some +places seemed to be as fine as our own Quincy stone. The road, with many +short zigzags, made a remarkably abrupt ascent, and, having reached the +crest, wound like a vast serpent along the summit. As we descended into +the following valley, we encountered a beautiful deer, which stood in +the middle of the road, eyeing us with curiosity, until we were almost +upon it, when it dashed into the thicket and then stopped to again eye +us. Upon attaining the second summit we were amid pines. All day we had +had a wind in our faces, cold and so strong as to almost blow us from +the narrow ridge, yet the sky was cloudless. Looking back from our +summit, a magnificent view to the ocean was spread before us. Below us +were the mountains over which we had come, then a valley broken with +mountains of a lesser size; beyond, was the dry, coastal plain, and yet +beyond it, the sea. The dark green pines, the blue sky, the brown hills, +the gray plain, the stretch of blue-green waters, made a wonderful color +combination. + +The next two days were most uninteresting. We were often reminded of +the recent threat of war between Mexico and Guatemala, the disputed +border-line between which we were now nearing. We met marching bands of +soldiers who were returning to Juchitan. Officers were on horses, +common soldiers on foot, pack-mules were laden with luggage, the women +(accompanying their husbands) were weighed down with coffee-pots, +bundles of clothes, and babies, all strapped on their backs together. +They were a motley crew. At Jiquipilas a company was encamped in the +plaza. Our mule, Chontal, took particular delight in running into such +bands of marching soldiers as we encountered, causing no end of trouble. +On one occasion, as a group approached us, he ran forward at a +lively pace into their midst and tangled himself up with a party of +prisoners,--apparently soldiers in disgrace,--who, tied together with +ropes, were under guard. As we rode up to capture him, I felt a hand at +that coat pocket which contained our money-bag and, turning suddenly, +found one of the guard trying to draw the bag of money from my pocket. I +struck at him with my whip and he slunk away. + +The last day of travel before reaching Tuxtla Gutierrez, we passed one +of the few pretty places on this dreary road, Agua Bendita. At this +point the road makes a great curve, almost like a horseshoe; at the +middle of this curve there rises to the right of the road a wall of +limestone rock the plainly defined strata of which are thrown into a +gentle anticlinal fold. The upper layers of this arch were covered with +shrubs, clinging to its face, while the lower layers were tapestried +with a curtain of delicate ferns, which hung down over the open arch +below, under which the road passed. Water trickled through this +limestone mass and dripped and collected in little basins, which had +been excavated in the ledge close by the roadside. Some grateful passer +had set up little crosses by the water pools, and they were gay that day +with purple orchids plucked from a near-by tree. In this tree, amid the +brilliant clumps of yet unplucked blossoms of the orchids, were a number +of toucans with their enormous, brightly colored bills--the _picos de +canoa_ (canoe beaks) of the people. + +Tuxtla Gutierrez is a town of some thousands population, with a central +plaza where the local band plays almost every evening, and a market +place of exceptional interest. Here, as nowhere else, we saw crowds of +the purest indians in native dress. Chiapas is the home of at least +thirteen tribes, each with its own language. Among the most interesting +indians we saw in the market were the Tzotzils, from Chamula, who wore +heavy, black woolen garments. The indians of the town and its immediate +vicinity are Zoques. + +Few Mexican governors possess the breadth of view and the intelligent +enterprise of Governor Leon, whom we encountered here. A man of middle +age, of fair stature though slight in build, with dark complexion, +iron-gray hair, beard and whiskers carefully trimmed after the French +fashion, his appearance creates a favorable impression. He did +everything in his power for our comfort and assistance, and supplied us +with letters to the _jefes politicos_ of the districts through which we +were to pass. We congratulated him upon the cart-road over which we +had come from Zanatepec, an important public work for this part of the +world; he told us he began it three years ago with a force of but nine +men; that it would be extended to San Cristobal and San Bartolome; that +he was no engineer, but that he could tell quite well when a road was +passable for a cart. We found him greatly interested in a congress +which he had called of persons interested in labor questions. Among the +questions which he hoped to see considered was the abolition of the +system of _peonage,_ which still exists in full development in the +state. + +Less than three leagues from Tuxtla Gutierrez is Chiapa, famous for the +brightly painted gourds and calabash vessels there manufactured and +sent out to all parts of the republic. Toys, rattles, cups, and great +bowl-basins are among the forms produced. We visited a house where five +women were making pretty rattles from little crook-necked gourds. The +workers sat upon the floor, with their materials and tools before them. +The first one rubbed the body of the dry gourds over with an oil paint. +These paints are bought in bulk and mixed upon a flat slab, with a +fine-grained, smooth, hard pebble as a grinder, with _aje_ and a white +earth dug near the road between Chiapa and Tuxtla Gutierrez. The _aje_ +is a yellow, putty-like mass which gives a brilliant, lacquer-like +lustre; the white earth causes the color to adhere to the surface to +which it is applied. The second woman rubbed the neck of the gourd with +green paint; the third painted the line of junction of the two colors +with white, using a brush; the fourth brought out the lustre of the +before dull object by rubbing it upon a pad of cotton cloth upon +her knee, giving a final touch by careful rubbing with a tuft of +cotton-wool; with a brush, the final worker rapidly painted on the +lustrous surface delicate floral or geometric decoration. Though +representing so much delicate and ingenious labor, these pretty toys +were sold at the price of two for a _medio_ (three cents in United +States currency). + +The _aje_ which gives the brilliant lustre to this work deserves more +than a passing notice. It is made chiefly at San Bartolome and is +secured from an insect, a sort of plant-louse, which lives upon the +blackthorn and related trees. The insect is found only in the wet +season, is small, though growing rapidly, and is of a fiery-red color, +though it coats itself over with a white secretion. It lives in swarms, +which form conspicuous masses. These are gathered in vessels, washed +to remove the white secretion, boiled, crushed, and strained through a +cloth; an oily matter, mixed with blood (?) and water passes out, which +is boiled to drive off the water and to concentrate the oily mass. This +is then washed in trays, to rid it of the blood, and made up into balls, +which are sold at ten or twelve _centavos_ (five or six cents) a pound. +It is a putty-like substance, with a handsome yellow color. We have +already stated that it is ground up with dry paints to be rubbed on +the object which is to be adorned, and that the brilliant lustre is +developed by gentle and rapid friction. + +[Illustration: ZAPOTEC WOMAN; SAN BLAS] + +[Illustration: CASE OF WHITE PINTO; TUXITA GUTIERREZ] + +_Pinto_, a spotting or discoloring of the skin, is a common disease in +many parts of Mexico. Three varieties are recognized--white, red, and +blue or purple. The disease is particularly frequent in the states +of Guerrero and Chiapas, and we had heard that it was very common +in Chiapa. Perhaps twenty per cent of the population really has the +disease; at San Bartolome perhaps seventy-five per cent are affected; in +some towns an even larger proportion is reported. The white form appears +the commonest. One subject examined at Tuxtla Gutierrez was a woman some +sixty years of age. At birth she showed no symptom of the trouble, but +spots began to appear when she was seven or eight years old. She was +naturally dark, and the white spots were in notable contrast to her +normal color; the spots increased in number and in size until her face +and arms looked as if they had been white and become brown-spotted, +instead of _vice versa_. After she was forty years of age her spots +varied but little. The cause of this disease is still obscure, although +several treatises have been written upon it. Authorities do not even +agree as to the sequence of the forms of the disease, if there be such +sequence. Some assert that the white form is the early stage and that +the disease may never progress beyond it; others assert that the white +spots are merely the permanent scars, left after the disappearance +of the disease itself. Maps of distribution seem to show a distinct +relation of the disease to altitude and character of water-supply. The +common herd attribute it to an insect sting, to drinking of certain +water, or to bathing in certain pools. Usually, there is no pain or +danger connected with the trouble, except in the red form, but if the +person affected changes residence, itching and some discomfort may +temporarily ensue. The _presidente_ at Chiapa took us to the jail, where +the prisoners were filed before us and made to hold out hands and feet +for our inspection. Such cases of _pinto_ as were found were somewhat +carefully examined. All we encountered there were of the white variety. +Later, at private houses, we saw some dreadful cases of the purple form. +Very often, those whose faces were purple-blotched had white-spotted +hands and feet. + +We had not planned to stop at Acala, but after a hard ride over a dreary +road and a ferrying across a wide and deep river in a great dugout canoe +thirty feet or more in length--our animals swimming alongside--we found +our beasts too tired for further progress. And it was a sad town. How +strange, that beautifully clear and sparkling mountain water often +produces actual misery among an ignorant population! Scarcely had we +dismounted at our lodging place, when a man of forty, an idiot and +goitrous, came to the door and with sadly imperfectly co-ordinated +movements, gestured a message which he could not speak. Almost as soon +as he had gone a deaf-mute boy passed. As we sat at our doorway, we saw +a half-witted child at play before the next house. Goitre, deaf-mutism, +and imbecility, all are fearfully common, and all are relatedly due to +the drinking water. + +To us, sitting at the door near dusk, a song was borne upon the evening +breeze. Nearer and nearer it came, until we saw a group of twelve or +fifteen persons, women in front, men and children behind, who sang as +they walked. Some aided themselves with long staves; all carried burdens +of clothing, food, utensils; all were wearied and footsore with the long +journey, but full of joy and enthusiasm, as they were nearing their +destination--a famous shrine. Passing us, they journeyed onward to an +open space at the end of town, where, with many others who had reached +there sooner, they camped for the night. The next day we constantly +passed such parties of pilgrims; coming or going to this shrine which +lay a little off the road between Acala and San Bartolome. In one group, +we counted ninety pilgrims. + +[Illustration: RIVER BETWEEN CHIAPA AND ACALA] + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT AT SAN BARTOLOME] + +We had been told that San Bartolome was full of goitre, and we really +found no lack of cases. It is said that forty years ago it was far more +common than now, and that the decrease has followed the selection of a +new water source and the careful piping of the water to the town. In the +population of two thousand, it was estimated that there might be two +hundred cases, fifty of which were notable. None, however, was so +extraordinary as that of which several told us, the late _secretario_ of +the town, who had a goitre of such size that, when he sat at the table +to write, he had to lift the swelling with both hands and place it on +the table before he began work. The former prevalence of the disease is +abundantly suggested by the frequency of deaf-mutes, a score or more +of whom live here--all children of goitrous parents. Bad as was San +Bartolome, it seemed to us surpassed by San Antonio, where we found +the disease in an aggravated form, while at Nenton, our first point in +Guatemala, every one appeared affected, although we saw no dreadful +cases. + +San Bartolome is an almost purely indian town, where for the first time +our attention was called to the two sets of town officials--indian and +_ladino_. The indian town government consisted of four Indians of pure +blood, who wore the native costume. This, here, is characteristic, both +for men and women. The men wore wide-legged trousers of native woven +cotton, and an upper jacket-shirt, square at the bottom, made of the +same stuff, with designs--rosettes, flowers, geometrical figures, birds, +animals, or men--wrought in them in red, green, or yellow wools; about +the waist was a handsome brilliant native belt, while a bright kerchief +was twisted about the head. The men were well-built, but the _alcalde_ +was a white _pinto_. Women wore _huipilis_, waist-garments, sometimes +thick and heavy, at others thin and open, in texture, but in both cases +decorated with lines of brightly colored designs. Their _enaguas_, +skirts, were of heavy indigo-blue stuff or of plain white cotton, of two +narrow pieces sewed together and quite plain except for a line of bright +stitching along the line of juncture. As among other indian tribes, this +cloth was simply wrapped around the figure and held in place by a belt. +The town is famous for its weaving and dyeing; the loom is the simple, +primitive device used all through Mexico long before the Conquest. +We were surprised to find that the designs in colored wools are not +embroidered upon the finished fabric, but are worked in with bits of +worsted during the weaving. + +From San Bartolome to Comitan, the road passes over a curious lime +deposit, apparently formed by ancient hot waters; it is a porous tufa +which gave back a hollow sound under the hoofs of our horses. It +contains moss, leaves, and branches, crusted with lime, and often forms +basin terraces, which, while beautiful to see, were peculiarly harsh and +rough for our animals. But the hard, and far more ancient, limestone, +onto which we then passed, was quite as bad. At the very summit of +one hill of this we found a cave close by the road; entering it, we +penetrated to a distance of perhaps seventy-five feet, finding the roof +hung with stalactites and the walls sheeted with stalagmite. Just after +leaving this cave, we met a tramp on foot, ragged, weary, and dusty, and +with a little bundle slung upon a stick over his shoulder. He accosted +me in Spanish, asking whence we had come; on my reply, probably catching +my foreign accent, he winked and said in plain English,--"Yes? And where +are you going, pard?" + +After a hard day's ride, over a shut-in road, destitute of fine views, +we reached the crest overlooking Comitan. The descent was almost +precipitous. The town, better built and more compact than most, was +situated near the foot of the hill; near it, on a terrace, was the +cemetery. On the level road, stretching to a long distance from the +town, we saw lines of hundreds of pack-mules, dwarfed by distance. South +from the town stretched a grassy plain, bordered here and there with +pine trees. Back of this plain rose round-topped hills, and beyond +them were again the blue mountains; far in the distance, behind these, +towered the mighty crests of the Guatemalan Sierra Madre. + +The town was crowded, as the annual _feria_ (fair) was in progress, and +it was with difficulty that we found a room to sleep in, going for our +meals to one of the many temporary eating-places in the plaza. Comitan +is the last town of consequence in Mexico, and has wide fame on account +of its spirits, known at _comiteco_. This drink, of enormous strength, +distilled from coarse, brown sugar (_panela,_) is a favorite in +Guatemala, and its smuggling across the border, though risky, is a +lucrative business. There are scores of little distilleries in the town, +many of them belonging to and conducted by women. + +Mexican paper money is useless between Tuxtla Gutierrez and Comitan. At +the latter city it may be exchanged for silver, but with difficulty. +From here on we found no copper in circulation, and before reaching +Comitan we had begun to receive Guatemalan silver in our change. Fully +thirty leagues from the border we ceased to receive Mexican silver from +anyone. This notable displacement of Mexican currency seems curious, +because Guatemalan money is at a heavy discount in comparison with it. +At San Bartolome we sent a soldier-police to buy _zacate_, giving him +Mexican money. He brought back two Guatemalan pieces in change, and on +our objecting to receive it, assured me, not only that the money was +good, but also that here the people were Guatemalans. "Here," said he, +"not Mexico: here we are all Carrera's people." This, of course, was +sheer treason. Carrera, the pure-blood indian who in the stirring days +of 1839 seized the power in Guatemala, a strange and wild being who had +a real love for his country, has left a profound impression. At times an +exile, he had lived at Comitan, where his name was familiar to all the +indians around. His coins are much prized by the indians for necklaces +and earrings, and even at Tehuantepec we had seen women wearing his +little gold pieces in their ears. + +It should have been an easy matter to go from Comitan to Nenton (in +Guatemala) in a single day. As it was, we made it with great difficulty +in two, our mule Chontal apparently being completely worn out. We +crossed the _llano_, passed through patches of pines, and then came out +upon a terrible country of limestone hills. In our last day's journey we +had to coax, threaten, beat, drag, and push that mule until our voices +were gone and our arms were tired. Immediately on passing the line into +Guatemala, we found the telegraph wires cut and poles down, a result of +the late unpleasantness with Mexico. The mountain mass before us, which +had been in view for two days past, loomed up frightfully before us. +Would our little mule be able to pass it? We remembered what an American +tramp, whom we had met at Tuxtla Gutierrez and who had walked on foot +from Guatemala City, had said: "Between Nenton and Huehuetenango you +will pass over a mountain that will make your heart sick; may God help +you." Just at dusk we looked down upon Nenton in a little valley, with a +fine stream crossed by a pretty bridge, where mountains rose steeply on +every side. Having been registered by the custom officials, we slept +that night, our first in the new republic, in the municipal house. + +Next morning we started bravely, the whole town having assembled to +see us off. We safely reached the foot of the mountain, where the mule +stopped and braced himself. We spoke kindly, coaxed, dragged, but all +to no effect. Finally he started, but three times within the next few +minutes, he and we went through the same procedure. Patience had ceased +to be a virtue; we held a serious consultation. Ernst asserted that by +placing the rope over the nostrils of the animal and then leading, he +must move. We tried the experiment. The beast gave a snort, a groan, +lurched, fell over, kicked convulsively, closed his eyes, and lay to all +appearance dead. The town below, which had been watching progress, came +running up. We removed the halter; the animal lay quiet. The pity of +the by-standers was maddening; their remarks exasperating. "Poor little +mule, he dies;" they pointed to his rubbed sides,--"Ah, poor creature! +What a heavy load! How thin he is." It is certain that the best mule in +the town was in far worse condition, and as for food, Chontal had eaten +more the night before than our two horses put together. Having exhausted +their vocabulary of sympathy, our friends left us, as the "poor little +animal" showed signs of coming to. We concluded to engage a man on foot +to carry the burden across the mountains and to lead Chontal. After +some delay a man was found, who readily agreed to carry the burden and +pack-saddle, but when he found he was to lead the mule besides, he +defied the town authorities and refused to go. Unfortunately, he was a +carpenter and, by law, could not be made to go against his will. Hours +passed, while another carrier was sought. Declaring that I would not +return to town, I waited on the road with the mule, while Ernst rode +back and forth. As soon as he had left, the beast began to mend; he +coughed, raised his head, and, opening one eye, gravely winked. Taking +his halter and encouraging him to rise, I led him a few yards up +the hill, when he again braced himself and I desisted. There he ate +_zacate_. Presently we took another turn, mounted a little higher up the +hill, where he stopped again. A little later we made another journey, +and again halted. Just then I heard an indian boy of fourteen years +calling from the cliff above me in great excitement, "_Senor, un +animal_" (An animal, sir). Clambering over rocks, I came up to the boy, +with his _machete_ in his hand, standing at the foot of a tree upon the +leafless branches of which was a fine iguana (lizard) two feet or more +in length. Visions of iguana steak, which I had long desired to try, +rose in fancy. The boy was disgusted when he found I had no pistol +with which to shoot his animal, but grunted, "If we but had a cord." I +directed him where to find a cord among our luggage and on his return +he made a slip-noose, cut a long and slender pole to which he tied his +snare, then handing me his _machete_ he raised his pole and tried to +slip the noose over the lizard's head. The iguana gave a leap, and as it +shot by me I struck at it with the _machete_, which hit it and threw it +on the rocks below. However, before we could reach it, it had made good +its escape. + +Returning to the mule I found it eating grass contentedly by the +roadside. It was three o'clock in the afternoon when our human beast of +burden finally arrived, took up his burden and was ready to start. Then, +suddenly, I took a new resolve. Before us rose the appalling mass of the +Sierra Madre; to get that mule across it would wear us out in mind +and body; I regretted that he had not died, and determined to have no +further trouble with him. Quickly, we sent back word to Nenton that a +mule and saddle were for sale; the crowd gathered. We demanded fifteen +dollars for the mule, ten for the saddle; and were offered ten and five +respectively. But we declared we would kill the mule and burn the saddle +before we would take less; we triumphed. Our account stood: + + Cost of mule $45.00 + Cost of saddle 6.00 + ------ + 51.00 + + Selling price of mule 15.00 + Selling price of saddle 10.00 + ------ + $25.00 + ------ + Loss--paid for experience in mules $26.00 + + + +CHAPTER V + +AT HUIXQUILUCAN + +(1897) + + +Our serious work was to begin with one of the most conservative and +reserved of Mexican indian populations. If we could do what we planned +to do with the Otomis, we were likely to have but little greater trouble +with any tribe. In ancient times the name of Otomi was synonymous with +stupidity. When an Aztec was particularly stupid or clumsy, his fellows +in derision called him an Otomi. They still are ignorant, suspicious, +and unprogressive. + +Huixquilucan, which we had chosen as our field for labor, is situated +on a high ridge within sight of the National Railroad, at a distance +of perhaps a mile and a half from the station of Dos Rios. A crowd of +indian women and children are always at the station when trains pass, to +sell _tortillas, chalupas_, and _pulque_ to passengers; few travellers +from the United States, passing over this road, have failed to notice +the dark and ugly faces of these sellers, and have received their first +impression of the indians of Mexico from seeing them. Our party, three +in number, reached Dos Rios in the morning and began work at the station +with the women who were selling there. Dr. Powell, as our interpreter, +undertook the personal dealings, and our material, as was to be +expected, was chiefly women. When we came to record the names of +our subjects, we found that every woman's first name was Maria, the +differentiation between them being first found in the middle name. They +were little creatures, scarcely larger than well grown girls of eleven +or twelve among ourselves. Some old women, with grey hair and wrinkled +faces who piously kissed our hands when they met us, were among the +smallest. Now and then some young woman or girl was attractive, but +usually their faces were suspicious, sad, and old before their time. The +skin was a rich brown; the eyebrows heavily haired, often meeting above +the nose; the hair grew low upon the forehead, and in young women the +forehead itself was covered with a fine downy black growth. The nose +was flat, broad, and depressed at the roots, while its tip was flat and +wide. The eyes were dark brown and the hair was black and coarse. If we +were to judge the population by the women only, we might call the +Otomis true pygmies. The average stature of 28 subjects was 1,435 +millimeters--while Sir William Flower's limit for pygmy peoples is 1,500 +millimeters. + +[Illustration: OTOMI INDIAN GIRLS; HUIXQUILUCAN] + +[Illustration: THE MOON-STONE, AT DOS RIOS STATION] + +Many of the women whom we measured and photographed carried babies; the +disposition of the children while the mothers were being examined was +something of a problem. When given to another woman they usually cried +lustily, and so conducted themselves as to distract the attention of +their mothers and interfere seriously with our work. In the crowd of +lookers-on there chanced to be a little girl, surely not more than ten +years old, who seemed to be a born caretaker. Upon her back, supported +by her _ayate_, she carried her own baby brother. We quickly found that +really refractory babies were best committed to her charge. No matter +how loudly they might have been crying beforehand, when transferred to +the arms of this little creature they became instantly quiet. The poor +little thing was kept busily employed the greater part of the afternoon +with the two babies, one upon her back, the other in her arms. + +Almost all the women wear the ancient costume, which consists of the +_huipil, enagua, faja_, and _ayate_. The _huipil_ is a cotton blanket, +with a slit through which the head passes. On each side of the slit are +bands of patterns embroidered in bright colors. Much of the remaining +surface of the garment may be similarly decorated; sometimes it becomes +one mass of designs. The patterns are usually geometrical figures, but +may be representations of animals, birds, or human beings. They may be +regularly arranged, or jumbled together haphazard. The _enagua_, skirt, +consists of two strips of cloth of different kinds and colors, sewn +together side by side and then wrapped horizontally about the body. The +strips of cloth are native spun, native dyed, and native woven. +The favorite colors are dark blue, brownish purple, or indian red, +horizontally banded with narrow black stripes. The two strips are +usually joined by a line of colored stitching. The _enagua_ is simply +wrapped about the body, sometimes thrown into pleatings in front, and +held in place by a broad cotton belt of bright color, into which are +woven birds, animals, human figures, and geometrical forms. These +belts are called by the Spanish name, _faja_. Both men and women carry +_ayates_. These are square or rectangular blankets made of _ixtli_, the +strong fibre of the maguey. Like the _enaguas_, they usually consist of +two pieces, side by side, stitched together with some bright color. The +fibre, which is gotten from the leaves partly by maceration, partly by +beating, is spun in a primitive fashion. Almost every woman one meets +upon the road, no matter what burden of babies or goods she carries, +has a hank of the fibre thrown over her shoulder, and keeps her little +spindle whirling, spinning the strong thread as she walks. Her spindle +consists of a slender stick thrust through a whorl of baked pottery. +Such whorls are no longer made, but the ancient ones, called by the +Aztec name _malacates_, are picked up in the fields and reapplied to +their old use. Usually the _ixtli_ thread is left of its original grey +or white color, but sometimes the fibre is dyed, a fine shade of orange +being favored. The _ixtli_ thread is woven into _ayates_, which are used +for carrying burdens. Vegetables, charcoal, babies--anything--are put +into them. Two ends are tied together to hold the burden in place, and +the other two are passed across the breast and tied in front. These +blankets are astonishingly strong and unyielding. + +At evening, after a fair day's work, we made our way on foot across the +valley and up the long slope to the summit of the ridge on which lay +Huixquilucan, the official centre of a municipality of 11,000 persons. +Of these, 3,000 live in the village, while the remainder are clustered +together in hamlets like San Bartolito, San Francisco, Agua Bendita, or +are scattered in single-house settlements over the mountains. Of the +11,000 persons, more than three-fourths claim to be full Otomis. There +are no truly poor in the whole town. Every family has its field, its +house, its bit of woodland. All the people still speak the native +tongue, and many speak no other. The town is picturesquely situated upon +the crest and flank of a long, narrow ridge, which is enclosed by a +grand sweeping curve of lofty mountains. The flanks of the enclosed +ridge and the whole slope of the surrounding mountains are occupied by +the little fields of the indians, long narrow patches separated by lines +of _maguey_ or century-plants. The houses are built of adobe bricks with +thick and solid walls, which are usually plastered on the outside and +tinted white or pink. The roofs are pitched, but with a gentle slope. +They consist of frameworks of poles upon which long narrow shingles are +laid, and pegged in place with wooden pegs which project both above and +below for several inches in a formidable, bristling way. Sometimes the +shingles, instead of being pegged in place, are held by stones, which +in some cases weigh several pounds, and are laid in regular horizontal +lines. + +When we were there, great stacks of corn-husks were to be seen in +almost every yard; these were placed on floorings, raised by posts some +distance above the ground to keep them from animals. A long ladder +usually leaned against one side of the stack and a light cross of sticks +stuck into the top of the stack kept off evil influences. Sometimes this +cross was cut in relief on the smooth, carefully trimmed end of the +stack itself. More striking than these stacks, and quite characteristic +of the Otomi country, were the queer corn-bins or granaries called by +the Aztec name _cincalote_. They rose in all directions like great +square columns. The floor of boards was slightly raised from the ground +by stones, and measured some 4 or 5 feet on a side; from its corners +rose 4 poles, sometimes to the height of 20 feet; these were connected +at the top and held firm by ropes. The sides of the bin were built up +of a cobwork of slender staves laid horizontally. The vertical bin thus +formed was filled with ears of corn roofed about with a light thatch or +shingled roof. Later in the season, as the corn was taken from these +bins, the sides would have been removed piecemeal to keep progress with +the diminishing hoard. When the time of planting should be near, the +whole structure but the floor and upright poles would have disappeared. + +Next to maize the chief culture among the Otomis is _maguey_. This forms +division lines between the corn-fields and the village yards, and is +sometimes, though not commonly here, planted in fields. The _maguey_ is +an agave very close to the century-plant. Manifold are its uses, but to +the Otomi its value is chiefly in two directions. It furnishes _ixtli_ +fibre for _ayates_, and it yields _pulque_. For a dozen years +the _maguey_ plant stores away starchy food in its long, thick, +sharp-pointed leaves. It is the intended nourishment for a great shaft +of flowers. Finally, the flower-bud forms amid the cluster of leaves. +Left to itself the plant now sends all its reserve of food into this +bud, and the great flower-stalk shoots upward at the rate of several +inches daily; then the great pyramid of flowers develops. But man +interferes. The flower-bud is cut out, and a neat, deep cup is fashioned +amid the bases of the cluster of leaves. The sap which should produce +that wonderful growth is poured into this cup. The _pulque_ gatherer, +with his long gourd collecting-tube, and skin carrying-bottle, goes from +plant to plant and gathers the _agua miel_--honey-water. Fermented, it +becomes the whitish, dirty, ropy, sour-tasting, bad-smelling stuff +so dear to the indians. And the Otomi are fond of _pulque_. We were +compelled to do our work in the mornings; in the afternoons everyone was +drunk and limp and useless in the operator's hands. + +We slept and ate at the house of the _presidente_, an old _mestizo_ +of rather forbidding manners but kindly spirit. Our cases came rather +slowly and a deal of coaxing, argument, and bribes were necessary to +secure them. Here we gave a trifle, a few _centavos_, to each subject. +The policy was bad, and we abandoned it with reference to all subsequent +populations. Naturally the natives were hostile to our work. They +thought that we were measuring them for their coffins; that they would +be forced into the army; that disease would result; that an uncanny +influence was laid upon them; that witchcraft might be worked against +them. After having had a lot of trouble with many of our subjects, we +were surprised one day to have the oldest man of the village, Antonio +Calistro, born in 1813, still so hale and hearty that he works his own +fields, come in for measurement and photographing. He still wears the +old style of dress: a loose jacket with wide sleeves made of dark blue +woolen cloth, gathered around the waist by a closely-woven cotton belt; +short, wide-legged trousers of buckskin. He is the only man left in the +village who wears his hair after the old fashion; that on top of his +head in front was combed together and braided into a little tail, while +that on the sides and back of the head was made into a longer braid. +When we asked him how it was that he was not afraid to undergo our +measurement and photographing, we learned that someone had told him that +the purport of the work was to send information to the Pope in Rome as +to how his Otomi children looked, and from respect for the Holy Father +the old man of eighty years had walked in from his distant farm to be +measured and photographed. + +A curious fact in respect to the Otomis resulted from our study. The +men, apparently of pure blood, presented two quite different types. +There are many who are as little as the women; these present almost the +type already given as that of the women, but are a little lighter in +color. The second type is tall, sometimes over 1,700 millimeters. It is +lighter in color, presenting at times a light brownish-yellow shade. +Some indians of this large type have white skins, blotched with +disagreeable red or purple. The eyes of these large men are usually +widely-spaced, and the face appears rounder than in their smaller +brethren. All the Otomis of both types, men and women, have +astonishingly big heads, and many dwarfish individuals would require a +7-1/4 hat. + +[Illustration: THE CHURCH; HUIXQUILUCAN] + +[Illustration: OTOMI INDIAN; HUIXQUILUCAN] + +One night during our stay we had a grand illumination. It was St. +Martin's Eve. During the afternoon the men and boys planted dead trees +in the plaza and streets, and filled the branches with bunches of dry +brush. At dusk we walked up to the crest before the church. All through +the valley the men and boys had been busy, and as darkness settled down, +blaze after blaze sprung forth until every hillside was dotted with +flaming heaps. On every church and farm-house of large size, straight +lines of little bonfires were built along the edges of the roof. There +must have been many hundreds of fires in sight at once. Meanwhile, +all the churches of the little hamlets around clanged their bells +discordantly. Then the church close by us burst into illumination, +and its bells joined in the clangor as we started down the hill. The +villagers were putting torches to the piles, and children were dancing +in the glare, shooting off their little rockets and adding their full +share to the general confusion. + +In the olden time Huixquilucan had a bad reputation for highway +robberies. A great hill overlooking the town is called the hill of +crosses, and here a cross by the wayside usually signifies a place of +murder. Many a traveller in the not distant past found his way from here +as best he could to the capital city minus burden and money, minus hat +and shoes, and sometimes minus clothing. They used to say that from +Toluca to the city a man was robbed three times; the first time they +took his money, the second his watch and valuables, the third, his +clothes. We were told that the church here, the chief church of our +Otomi friends, is called "the church of the thieves," and that it was +even lately a favorite resort of _ladrones_, who prayed for blessing +upon their thieving expeditions and for release in case they should +be taken captive. And not so long ago, among the little silver votive +offerings,--eyes, legs, arms, hands,--all given in fulfillment of +promises for the cure of ailing members,--one might see little chains +and manacles, visible evidence that saint or Virgin had kindly released +some fellow, taken in his misdeeds, from a well deserved punishment, in +answer to his pious prayers. + +Below the station of Dos Rios a little ravine borders the main valley. +There, within sight of the track on one side of the ravine lies the +stone which long ago "fell from the moon." It is a great boulder, with +flat lower surface, and round upper surface, sufficiently large for a +considerable party to camp on. The earth is washed away somewhat from +below it, and on its under side are rude figures painted in imitation +of suns and circles and symbolic designs. It is said that the indians +throughout the country around respect this rock, making prayers and +offerings to it. + +One of Huixquilucan's pretty hamlets is Agua Bendita,--blessed +water,--near the upper, narrowing end of the valley. A dozen or so +houses compose the settlement. Near it, upon a little side gorge, two +lovely springs burst forth from the rock. From them a babbling stream +of sparkling water flows, in which, in the bright sunshine, women wash +clothes, and lay them out on bushes or grassy banks to dry; little naked +children play about while the mothers labor; hither dusky maidens come +to perform their toilets; here women fill their _ollas_ with water; here +_pulque_-gatherers wash and scrape their skin bottles. In the little +tank below, where the water lies so clear that everything is +visible upon its bottom, one may see axolotls creeping. They are +water-salamanders, but they have a strange history. Like frogs, they +pass through a series of changes, and the larval is very different from +the adult form. In some Mexican lakes of genial temperature, the little +creature goes through its full history from the larva to the adult; but +in cold mountain lakes, the adult form is never attained, and the larva +(elsewhere immature) lays eggs that hatch its like. + +Our last evening at Huixquilucan, I went out to purchase native +garments. We rode from house to house, and were quite away from the town +in a district where houses were few and far between. It was nearly dusk +and our search must end. We were at the last house on a slope near the +bottom of a valley, on whose opposite slope were but a few houses. The +people were primitive in appearance, dress and language. They could not +understand all we said, but were anxious to please the "_padrecito_," +whose hand they kissed. Having no clothing to sell us, they tried to +help us procure some. Orders were given to a shy and wild girl, with +deep-set, shining jet-black eyes, raven hair and dark brown skin, +dressed in rags. Stepping to a little out-jutting mass of rock, she +gave a wild cry, looking across the valley to the nearest house on the +opposite slope, fully half a mile away. We could see the people of +the house turn out to hear. Then, in a high, clear voice, strangely +penetrating, but without harshness or a break or pause for breath, +with rising and falling intonation, she cried her message. There was a +moment's pause, and then we saw the answering crier take her place, and +in the same clear, penetrating, unbroken, up-and-down voice, came back +the reply. It was not favorable, and the old man apologized for the +failure, as he kissed the _padrecito's_ hand in parting. + + + +Some weeks later we were again at Huixquilucan, this time to secure some +busts. Having reached the house of the _presidente_, we sent out our +drunken friend Augustin, who had been useful to us during our measuring +experiences, to find subjects. He finally appeared with a man who agreed +to submit to the operation for one _peso_. Everything went well until +the moulds were removed; it is true that in the removal a good deal of +hair was pulled out, but no serious damage was done. When the _peso_ +agreed upon was offered, the subject indignantly refused to receive it, +demanding five. I replied that he well understood our agreement: there +was his _peso_; if he cared to take it, good; if not, I would keep it; +but that to pay five _pesos_ was out of the question. He thereupon +grew angry and boisterously demanded the increased sum. Several of his +friends gathered and backed him in his demand. The noise they made +attracted a still greater crowd until at last we were surrounded by +forty or fifty angry Indians. The man continued to demand his five +_pesos_, the other crying, "Pay him five _pesos_." I was firm, declaring +that the man should receive no more than had been promised. Again the +_peso_ was offered, again to be rejected. At that moment some brilliant +genius cried, "If you do not pay five _pesos_ we will break your +moulds." And the cry was caught up by the angry crowd: "Yes, we will +break the moulds unless you pay five _pesos_." At this threat I told my +two companions to stand back out of the way, and then, speaking to him +who had suggested the breaking of the moulds, said, pointing to them, +"Yes, break the moulds." His ardor cooled. Turning to another, I said +to him, "Come, break the moulds." He began to back away. Turning to the +cause of the disturbance, who had joined in the cry about destroying the +moulds, I said to him, "Come, come, we are waiting for you to break the +moulds." No one made a move toward destroying our plaster-work, so I +said, "No, you know quite well you will not break the moulds; if you +did, you know what would happen; I should take you all as prisoners to +Toluca." At that moment, catching sight of the old _presidente_ who was +passing on the road, I clapped my hands and beckoned him. When the old +man came I laid the matter fairly before him, telling him the agreement +that had been made, the time taken for the work, and the fact I had +offered the man the _peso_ promised; that he now demanded five _pesos_, +refusing to take the proffered money. The old man looked a moment at me, +then at the angry indian; then at me, and again at the indian; then, +stepping up to him, he patted him on the back as a father might a +spoiled child, saying, "Come, come, son; don't be a fool; three good +days' wages for an hour's time; take your _peso_ and be gone." We had +feared the incident would cast a damper on our work and hinder other +subjects. Far from it. We were supplied as rapidly as our men could work +at the same price we paid our first subject. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +LAKE PATZCUARO + +(1897) + + +Mexico has few large lakes, the largest, Chapala, having an area of +only 1,685 square kilometers. Patzcuaro is much smaller, but far more +picturesque. The form is something like a fat horseshoe; fine hills rise +around it on all sides, behind which are mountain heights, with jagged +outlines; pretty islands dot its waters, and twenty-two villages or +towns of Tarascan indians are situated on its borders. The indians of +these villages rarely use the land roads in going from town to town, +commonly journeying by canoes, of a somewhat peculiar type. These are +"dug outs," made from single tree trunks, and range in size from those +intended for a single hunter to those which will carry ten or twelve +persons. At the stern they are cut almost squarely across; at the bow +they are trimmed to a slope; they are flat-bottomed and considerably +wider at the bottom than above; they are dug out in such fashion that +the walls are thin and almost vertical on the inner side. Buttressing +pieces are left at the bottom, at two or three places, extending across +the canoe and no doubt strengthening the sides; they also serve as +squatting places for the passengers. The prow narrows as well as slopes +upward, and a buttressing piece left in it serves as a foot-rest for the +steersman, who sits in the bow, instead of in the stern. He steers by +means of a long-handled paddle thrust through a loop of wood fastened +to one side of the canoe. The paddles used for propulsion have handles +three or four feet long, with round blades. The paddlers sometimes make +their stroke on but one side of the canoe, sometimes on both. When they +paddle over one side only, the stroke of the oar through the water is +oblique, maintaining a steady course. + +[Illustration: SANTA FE DE LA LAGUNA] + +In such canoes the Tarascans of the lake villages go from place to +place; in such a canoe, we started one morning before six o'clock, for +Santa Fe de la Laguna. Our force consisted of three persons, an old man +named Felipe, his wife, and a young man. All three had paddles, but only +two really paddled, the third one steering. The sun rose shortly after +we started, and the light effects of early morning on the water and +surrounding mountains were fine. Though we had made an early start, many +had started earlier, and in the first part of our journey we met scores +of canoes, the paddlers of which were on their way to Patzcuaro. It +was a beautiful sight to see six or eight paddlers in some great canoe +keeping exact time in their movements, singing as they went. Sometimes +two canoes were raced, and laughter and excited cries accompanied +the contest. Here and there along the shores we saw little huts of +fishermen, with nets hung out to dry, or groups of men seining or +dropping dip-nets; upon many slopes were little terrace garden spots, +where modest crops were cultivated; here and there were mats lately +finished or heaps of fresh-cut rushes for their fabrication. Five hours +of good paddling brought us to Santa Fe de la Laguna, just opposite the +far more famous Tzintzuntzan, and but a little distance from the much +larger town, Quiroga. Santa Fe is quite a town, stretching for a +considerable distance along a terrace, but little elevated above the +water level. The houses are built of rather large, dark-brown, adobe +bricks; the walls are usually white plastered; the roofs of all the +houses are tiled, and the supporting rafters of the roof extend out far +beyond the front wall of the house, so that the passer on the footpath +is sheltered against rain and the noonday sun. The outer ends of these +rafters are cut to give an ornamental effect. All the houses are +surrounded by fruit trees--orange, lemon, lime, _ahuacate_ and +_chirimoya_. Each little property is surrounded by a stone wall of some +height; the gate-way through this, giving entrance to the yard, is +surmounted by a pretty little double-pitched roofing of thatch. + +A crowd of pure indians had gathered at the landing, by the time we were +unloaded. Forty or fifty men and women of medium stature, dark-brown +skin and broad, expressionless faces, watched our every movement with +curiosity, but none was ready to assist us in carrying our luggage to +the _curato_. Taking it ourselves, as best we could, we found a boy to +direct us and made our way to the house. The _cura_, had gone to Quiroga +and his suspicious household would not receive us until his return, +although permitting us to leave our goods. Going to the _plaza_, we +succeeded in getting bread and cheese at a _tienda_, and after eating +loitered until, at half-past-two, the Padre Ponce made his appearance. +We showed him our letters and asked his interest and aid. He at +once made us at home in his house, summoned the officials, read the +governor's letter aloud to them, and told them it was their duty to +assist us in every way. We at once began our work, and before nightfall +had measured and photographed a number of cases. + +The next morning, Saturday, all started merrily. After breakfast, +however, Padre Ponce left us, going to Quiroga for celebrating +Christmas. The moment he was gone, work slackened, and it was with +difficulty that we could procure subjects. Early the next morning the +_padre_ appeared to say mass, after which he stirred up the people and +we were again at work. But as soon as he left for Quiroga, once more, +the interest diminished. Finally, as no one came and the officials had +disappeared, we started out upon a tour of investigation. We found the +whole town drunk; the _juez_, the chief of police, the _mayores_, all +were too drunk for measurement. We experimented upon two or three +subjects, but soon gave up in despair. + +[Illustration: LOS VIEJOS; SANTA FE DE LA LAGUNA] + +Padre Ponce need not have gone to Quiroga for Christmas celebrations; we +had them also. For example, we had _Los Viejos_. One afternoon, we saw a +band of half-a-dozen persons singing in the street. All but one of them +were men or boys dressed in long robes of brilliant red, purple or +green, which were buttoned down the front; their heads were covered with +white cloth, over which were fitted little masks of clay. The last one +in the company was a woman, dressed quite in the usual fashion, but +barefoot and with her _rebozo_ covering her face and a man's _sombrero_ +on her head. Two of the party had guitars of local manufacture. This +company strolled through the streets, singing and dancing; some of the +dancing was clog-dance, some the _jarabe_, a man and woman taking part. +Having noticed this group, we saw that the whole town seemed in movement +toward the _corral_ connected with the shrine behind the church. +Following with the crowd, we found the _corral_ already filled with +people. The men were seated on benches or squatting against the walls; +women and children were sitting on the ground. We noticed that all the +women brought burdens, which proved to be pots full of hot _atole_, +bundles of large _tortillas_, trays heaped high with _tamales_, or sacks +full of little cups. Various bands of dancers made their way around, +delighting the crowd with their performances. The group we had already +seen was the least interesting. Those that really represented _los +viejos_ (the old men) were the best. These wore large, comic, wooden +masks, many of which showed signs of long-continued use; one represented +a long, warty, bearded face and was painted purple; others were painted +red or brown, but most of them were of the natural color of the wood; +great wigs of corn-husk or of matting were worn over the back of the +head; the clothing was ragged and dirty, and in some cases was really +of ancient style; some wore roughly made garments of the skin of the +_tigre_. Each band had its leader, and each tried to outdo the others in +the oddity of performance, vigor of dancing and coarseness of jest. Much +fun and laughter were caused by their antics. Meantime, boys and young +women were busied as waiters. Cups of steaming _atole_, delicious +_tortillas_, hot _tamales_ were distributed until everyone, including +the strangers, were supplied. No one ate until the whole company had +been served, when the town officials set the example and all fell to +feasting. Dancing, music, laughter and fun followed, and were kept up +until some time after nightfall. + +On the second day after Christmas a strolling band of _pastores_, from +San Geronimo, passed from house to house singing their Christmas songs. +The company consisted of two or three musicians, a carrier--who was an +indian boy about fifteen years old--and half a dozen other youngsters, +wearing new palm hats and carrying long staves ending above in a loop +from which streamed strips of brilliantly colored tissue paper. The +carrier bore a cushion, upon which was stretched a figure of the infant +Christ. At each house, he passed before the spectators, allowing them +to kiss the figure and to deposit gifts of flowers or of money for the +little church at San Geronimo; the music then struck up, the leader +began to sing, and the little shepherds (_pastores_) marched around and +around singing in chorus. + +We lost quite two days on account of the drunkenness of the town. When +it was past, by a vigorous indulgence in wheedling and threatening, +we got the work again under way, and were just finishing with our +one-hundredth man, when Padre Ponce returned for good and all. We had +nearly starved during his absence; his old housekeeper had done her best +with the poor materials which we were able to secure, but the best was +bad. With Padre Ponce came another priest, Padre Torres of Patzcuaro, +who used to be located at Santa Fe and was much loved by the natives. +With the assistance of the two Padres we were able to secure and deal +with our female subjects in less than a day, and were ready to bid adieu +to the _padrecitos_ and leave for Tzintzuntzan. + +[Illustration: CHURCHYARD AND BELLS; TZINTZUNTZAN] + +[Illustration: VIEW AT JANICHO; LAKE PATZCUARO] + +All the tourist world that goes to Patzcuaro visits Tzintzuntzan to see +the Titian. Padre Ponce was anxious to have us see the famous picture +and photograph it. It was late when we reached the town, which consists +in large part of _mestizos_ and indians who speak little but native +Tarascan. We found the _cura_ was not in town, but were taken to the +_curato_; arrived there, we discovered that the good man had taken his +keys with him. We arranged, with some difficulty, for something to eat, +and, after supper, were shown into an open room, with an unfinished +roof, without a door, and with no hint of bed. Here we shared a lumber +pile with two or three young men and suffered frightfully from cold all +night. We were up early, as sleep was impossible, and filled our time as +best we could, until it was light enough to photograph the picture. + +We had our letter from Padre Ponce to the _cura_, in which he +recommended the priest to have us photograph the painting. This letter +and the governor's letter we had shown the town officials the night +before, telling them that we should make the picture. They replied that +they could not give permission to do so during the _padre's_ absence. +After we had breakfasted, and the light had become sufficient, we made +our way to the old church, in front of which are some beautifully +gnarled and irregular ancient olive trees, amid which the old bells are +quaintly hung. Entering the church, we soon found the Titian, a descent +from the cross. The figures are boldly painted and skillfully grouped; +the action and lighting concentrate upon the figure of the Christ. Padre +Ponce had told us that the proper place from which to photograph was the +pulpit, and he was right. The sacristan was looking on with doubt: when +he saw us making preparations for the picture, he hurried to us and said +it was against all rule for anyone to take a photograph when the _cura_ +was not present. We told him our time was short; that we must return +to Patzcuaro that day to arrange our farther journey; we showed the +governor's order and Padre Ponce's letter, but all in vain. We must wait +until the _cura_ came. With this I put some _centavos_ in his hand and +told him I was certain his duties called him outside the church and that +we would not detain him; that we should stay awhile to gaze upon +the picture, which deserved close and pious examination. He at once +withdrew, locking the door behind him. The instrument was quickly placed +in the pulpit and the picture taken. Curiously, the sacristal duties +ended just as we were ready to leave the church and the door opened as +if we had said "Open sesame." + +By ten-thirty we had secured a canoe and boatmen, two young and vigorous +pure-blood indians. Though a wind was blowing squarely against us, +we made good time. We stopped at the picturesque fishing-village of +Janicho, on its rock island. Its houses cluster on a little terrace near +the bottom of the hill, which rises behind it as a fine background. +Steps of rock lead up the stony slope from the water's edge to the +houses. In every yard mattings are laid, upon which little white fish +are drying. As they walk through the streets or stand talking together, +the men are ever tatting at nets; long lines of net-cord are reeled out +for many yards along the wayside; hundreds of feet of seines are hung +out in the sun to dry. The houses, with their pretty red tiling, are +irregularly clustered along narrow winding streets. The people are +purely indian, and wear the characteristic dress. + +[Illustration: TARASCAN FISHERMEN; JANICHO] + +No town in all the region makes so much use of the _tsupakua_, or +spear-thrower, a wooden stick cut to fit the hand and support the shaft +of a spear or long dart, the end of which rests against a peg near the +tip of the thrower. By means of this instrument, the long, light, darts +of cane with iron points are thrown more directly and forcibly than by +the hand alone. These spears are used in hunting ducks. Anciently a +spear-throwing stick was widely used through Mexico; to-day it lingers +in few places, the best known of which is here on Lake Patzcuaro. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +TO URUAPAN BEFORE THE RAILROAD + +(1898) + + +We easily arranged at Patzcuaro to leave for Uruapan the next morning. +Although delayed beyond our proposed hour of starting, we were off at +six. It was early enough, indeed, for the morning air was cold; heavy +frost coated the leaves and grass and lay upon the soil; in spite of our +heavy blankets, wrapped closely about us, we shivered as we rode along +upon our horses. + +The ride, however, was a lovely one. At first we seemed to leave the +lake behind us; mounting for some time we reached a summit from which it +again broke upon our view; descending, we constantly caught glimpses +of it, with its sinuous shores, its lovely mountain backgrounds, its +islands, and its pretty indian towns. Finally, we again left it and rose +into a magnificent mountain region, covered chiefly with pines. Passing +through Ajuno, which lies upon a steep slope, we overtook a party of +police, mounted on horses, taking a group of prisoners to Uruapan. +At Escondidas, itself a miserable village, we were impressed by the +mercantile spirit of these indians. In all these villages the houses are +constructed of heavy logs or timbers, closely and neatly joined; the +roofs are shingled with long and narrow shingles, and are abruptly +four-sloped. At every house there was something for sale--food, drink, +or _cigarros_. All these houses were built close to the edge of the +road, and in the middle of the front was a little square window, in +which the goods were shown. When no trade was solicited, these windows +were closed with solid wooden shutters. Not only, however, was every +house a store, but on the highway between towns, we passed many places +where, beneath brush shelters, women offered fruit, food, or drink for +sale. Usually several such shelters would be near together, and the +venders had gay times, chatting, laughing and singing. Such houses and +roadside-selling are common through the whole Tarascan region. + +[Illustration: TARASCAN WOMEN; JANICHO] + +Soon after passing Escondidas, we began a descent, which seemed +absolutely endless. Time after time we thought we had reached the +bottom, only to find that we were on a terrace from which another +drop led us still further down. On and on into this bottomless pit we +descended to Ziracuaretaro, a striking town. Banana plantings surrounded +the houses; orange-trees covered with their golden spheres reared +themselves to the unusual height of thirty feet or more; _mameys_, with +their strange nut-brown fruits, and coffee-trees, loaded to breaking, +were abundant. Amid this luxuriant mass of tropical vegetation, +houses were almost invisible until we were directly in front of them. +Notwithstanding the enormous descent we had made, it appeared to us, +when we crossed the stream and began the ascent, that we had not really +been to the bottom of the great valley. For a long distance we mounted +through a district of sugar-canes; then passed a little settlement +of rude huts spread out over a reddish space; then, by a gentle but +circuitous ascent, to a rugged trail which brought us to the summit +and the edge of the great slope to Uruapan. At the further side of the +valley and to our left, in a mass of green, we saw smoke rising from the +factories of Uruapan. Crossing one of the characteristic bridges of the +district, with a pretty shingled roof--four-sloped like those of the +houses--over it, and with benches at the sides, where passers can +sit and rest, while looking at the dashing, gurgling, foaming, water +below,--we followed a level road between blackberries, wild roses, and +other shrubs, to Uruapan. + +No town in Mexico is more beautiful. Perpetual spring reigns. Although +several thousand feet above sea level, it is so situated, with reference +to mountain slopes and funnel valleys, that it has a genial climate, +where plants nourish which are usually found only at lower altitudes. +Its fruits and "the finest coffee in the world" have rendered the town +long famous. The houses, bowered in dense groves of green, are of the +picturesque Tarascan type. The four-sloped roofs, now covered with long, +narrow shingles, now with the dull red tiles, suggest the prettiest +pictures in Japanese towns. The streets are clean. Through the centre +of the town dashes a mountain stream of clearest water, with the hue of +sapphire. This pretty stream furnishes power for mills, factories and +lighting-plant, and is crossed several times by picturesque, roofed +bridges, in the shelter of which one may spend hours in watching the +dashing water, foaming cascades, curious potholes worn in the rocky +banks, and the passing Indians. Most Mexican towns are contented with +one _plaza_; this one has three, following each other closely, separated +only by single lines of narrow buildings. They are neatly planted, and +supplied with bandstand and monuments. The town is electric-lighted and +several hotels had been lately put in readiness to receive the crowd of +visitors expected with the completion of the railroad, a matter of a few +months later. + +The _prefecto_ of Uruapan and _jefe politico_ of the district is the +son-in-law of Governor Mercado, and to him we bore a special letter from +his father-in-law. The old gentleman had been insistent that we should +return by Capacuaro and Cheran, indian towns. He said that at the former +we should find a _mogote_ (mound or heap of stones and dirt) which every +traveler should see, while at the latter Lumholtz had secured some +skulls of exceptional interest, and that we should do the same. As our +time was short, we asked the _prefecto_ to send a messenger to Cheran +with orders to dig some skulls and have them ready against the time of +our arrival. That official expressed delight in doing our bidding, and +we saw the messenger summoned and the order placed in his hands, with +full direction as to its delivery. + +[Illustration: INDIAN SPEAR-THROWER; LAKE PATZCUARO] + +Meantime, there were objects of interest for us in Uruapan itself. The +town is famous for its lacquer work, made with _aje_, like that of +Chiapa. Gourds are ornamented, fruit-forms are colored after nature, +bowls made from fruit shells are elaborately decorated, all quite like +the Chiapa work. What is characteristic of Uruapan are the placques and +table-tops of wood, decorated with floral designs in brilliant colors, +upon a background of dark-green, pink, blue, yellow, or black. This art +is in the hands of a few persons, some pure indians. Visiting them, we +found the wooden placques and table-tops are brought from one of the +mountain villages of the Tarascans; they are first covered thickly with +the background color; upon this the pattern is pencilled and then cut +out in the lacquered surface; the color, mixed with oil and _aje_, as +with other substances, is then applied with the finger-tips to fill the +cut patterns; the lustre is then brought out by careful rubbing. The +work is striking, and is prized throughout the Republic. + +In the same quarter of the town, where this local industry is carried +on, are many goitrous persons. The disease seems to be confined to the +one district, but there perhaps one-half the people have it, most of +them to but a slight degree. Occasionally the swelling is notable, and +in the families affected we find, as usual, deaf-mutism. + +On the morning of New Year's day, we left for Capacuaro and Cheran. As +we rode out from the city, we were more than ever impressed with +its verdant beauty and picturesqueness. The road to Capacuaro was +unexpectedly level and good, and we reached the town, which is purely +indian, by nine o'clock. Women, almost without exception, wore the +native dress. Goitres were common, and some, among the men, were really +enormous. Riding through the long town, we drew up before the house +of the _jefe de policia_ (chief of police), and summoned the village +officials. On their appearance we found that all but the _jefe_ himself, +were drunk, the _secretario_ in particular being almost useless. When we +handed him the letter from the _prefecto_ he was quite unable to make +aught of its grandiloquence. Having looked it through in a dazed way, he +declared that we were "gringos," "like the one who was here last year" +(presumably Lumholtz). With some severity, I told him he did wrong to +call visitors to the town by the opprobrious name of _gringos_, and +ordered him to read the letter and make known its contents to the +_jefe_. He made another effort and then helplessly said--"Who can make +anything of such a letter? It is in their _idioma_." Sternly pointing to +the signature I said--"The letter is from your _prefecto_ and written +in his _idioma_; you see the _firma_." Helplessly shaking his head, he +said, "Oh, yes, the _firma_ is that of Silvano Martinez, but the letter +is in your _idioma_." Seeing that he was of no earthly use, I took the +letter from him, and, turning to the crowd which had gathered, rebuked +them for their drunkenness, asserting that it was disgraceful for a +whole town government to be intoxicated at the same time; that some one +ought always to be sober enough to attend to business; that we had been +insulted by being called _gringos_, and that our order had not been read +to them because the _secretario_ was too drunk to do his business; that +there were two ways of dealing with such town governments, and that, +unless something was done promptly, we would see how they would like +to go back with us to Uruapan, whence we had come. The _jefe_, who was +really not drunk, thereupon begged to know what we desired, and the +drunken _secretario_ was somewhat frightened; the remainder of the +official body expressed a wish to do only what we wanted. I then read +the _prefecto's_ letter in my best manner and added that we had come to +Capacuaro only at the desire of the governor himself, to visit their +_mogote_, and that we ought to wait no longer for guidance. At once all +was commotion and bustle. Bidding the disgraced _secretario_ go to his +house and stay there, the _jefe de policia_ summoned the rest of his +company about him, seized his staff of office, buckled on his great +_machete_, and took the lead; three policemen, with their _machetes_, +followed; two others, unarmed, followed, and, with this escort, we +started to hunt our ruins on the mountain. They proved to be two heaps +of rubbish, from constructions of stone. Had we had time for serious +investigation they might have proved of interest; as it was, we spent +but a few minutes in their inspection, and then, bidding our drunken +escort good-bye, we continued our journey. We had planned to go first to +Nehuatzen, thence to Parracho, and, after visiting Cheran, back again to +Nehuatzen. At the _mogote_, however, we were already near the Parracho +highway and at once struck into it. Our journey led through forests, +chiefly of pine, with open glades, at intervals; on many of the trees +we saw great bunches of a parasite that bore honeysuckle-like, yellow +flowers. Parracho we found lying at the base of mountains at the very +end of a long stretch of level. It is an unattractive town, our only +reason for visiting which was to see something of the manufacture of its +famous _rebozos_, which differ from others in the wide border of white +and azure blue silk, which is attached to a netted foundation to form +decorative patterns, representing birds and animals, or geometric +figures. The work is curious, and I am inclined to see in it a surviving +imitation of the ancient feather-work for which the ancient Tarascans +were famous. From Parracho our road led through Aranza to Cheran. Just +beyond Aranza we passed over the astonishing wash from some summer +torrent. During the wet season a single rain may fill the gorges, sheet +the mountain slopes with water, tear great trees from their hold, break +off mighty rock fragments and carry them onward, like wooden blocks, +with hundreds of tons of finer gravel. At this season there was not a +sign of water; not a trickling thread was visible in any of the gorges; +but from their now dried mouths there spread fan-shaped deposits many +rods in length and breadth, containing quantities of blocks of rock that +measured from four to ten feet in diameter, trunks of trees up to +two feet in thickness, all in the greatest confusion and at places +completely covering our road to a depth of several feet. We could trace +the tailing out of the fans of deposit, from their thicker, heavier part +at the base of the torrent, to their margin on the plain; from heavy +rock masses weighing tons, through smaller masses, into sand and gravel. + +[Illustration: HOUSES AT URUAPAN] + +The way to Cheran seemed endless, but at last we reached that +interesting, great indian town, when the afternoon was nearly spent. +It was the New Year, and the street celebration of _los negritos_ (the +negroes--or the little negroes) was in progress. As we rode through the +streets, however, we attracted much attention and the performance was +neglected. We rode directly to the town-house, entered and asked for the +_presidente_. He was slow in appearing and long before he arrived scores +of people were crowding around the doors and windows to see us and know +our business. When he arrived, we greeted him in a most friendly way and +told him that we had come for the skulls. He looked aghast. "The skulls, +what skulls, sir?" "The skulls the _prefecto_ ordered you to dig for +us." By this time, the crowd outside, which had increased with every +minute, showed uneasiness. The _presidente_ declared he knew nothing of +any skulls. After we had explained the matter more fully, he assured us +that no messenger had come from the _prefecto_; this, which at first we +thought to be a lie, was no doubt true. He was plainly scared. He begged +us to be careful lest the people, who were ignorant, should overhear us. +He told us that a year before Don Carlos (Lumholtz) had been there; that +he, too, had wanted skulls, and that the town officials had given him +permission to dig some from the graveyard; that this caused so much +excitement and so many threats that the permission had to be revoked. He +feared the people had already heard our wishes and were even then in an +ugly mood--a thing which seemed likely from an inspection of the faces +in the doorway and windows. He said, however, that Don Carlos afterward +secured some skulls from an ancient burial-place not distant from the +village, and, if we pleased to wait in Cheran through the morrow, as it +was now too late, five in the evening, to do aught, he would gladly show +us the burial place of the ancients, where no doubt abundant skulls +could be secured. Not yet certain that the man was telling truth, we +spoke to him severely, saying that we should report him to the governor +for not having obeyed the order of the _prefecto_. At the same time we +demanded an official document signed by himself as _presidente_, and by +the _secretario_, and duly sealed, stating that no messenger had come +to him from the _prefecto_. To our surprise this document was promptly +furnished, good evidence that the _prefecto_ had played us false, only +pretending to despatch the messenger whom we had seen started. + +With profuse apologies and expressions of regret from the officials, we +left Cheran, hurrying on to Nehuatzen for the night. Our chief reason +for doing so was that everyone who knew of our intention to visit Cheran +had shaken their heads, remarking "Ah! there the nights are always +cold." Certainly, if it is colder there than at Nehuatzen, we would +prefer the frigid zone outright. Nehuatzen is famous as the town where +the canoes for Lake Patzcuaro are made. We had difficulty in securing +food and a place to sleep. The room in which we were expected to slumber +was hung with an extensive wardrobe of female garments. These we added +to the blankets we carried with us, but suffered all night long from the +penetrating cold. The two indian boys, who accompanied us as guides and +carriers, slept in the corridor outside our door and when day broke +they were so cramped and numbed and stiff with cold, that they lighted +matches and thrust their cold hands into the flames, before they could +move their finger-joints. We had planned to leave at five, but it was +too cold to ride until the sun should be an hour high, so finally +we left at seven. There was heavy frost on everything; curved frost +crystals protruded from the soil, and we broke ice a half inch thick in +water-troughs, unfinished canoes, by the roadside. + +For ten hours we rode, without even stopping for lunch, through Sabina +and Pichataro, San Juan Tumbio and Ajuno, back to comfortable Patzcuaro. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +TLAXCALA + +(1898) + + +We have always loved the State of Tlaxcala and its quaint little capital +city of the same name. For more than a dozen years its governor has been +Prospero Cahuantzi, a pure-blood indian, whose native language is Aztec. +He is a large, well built man, with full face and little black eyes that +are sunken deeply into the flesh. He is a man of some force and energy. +The population of his little state, the most densely populated in the +Republic, is almost entirely indian, and it at once fears, hates, and +respects him. Having made several previous visits to the city, and +having always been graciously received by Don Prospero, we thought it +hardly necessary to carry with us our usual letters of recommendation +from the Federal authorities. + +Just before we were ready to visit Tlaxcala, while we were in the City +of Mexico, we learned that Governor Cahuantzi was there, on business. +We thought it best to call upon him, explaining our proposed work and +asking his interest. So to the Hotel Sanz, where he always stops when in +the Capital, we went. We called twice without finding him and our third +call appeared to be as unsuccessful, but just as we were leaving, +resolved not to try again, we met the governor alighting from his +carriage at the door. Intercepting him, we asked a moment's interview, +which was granted, though with ill grace. It was plain that he was sadly +out of humor. Apologizing to him for our intrusion at so late an hour +and so immediately after his return to his hotel, we told him of our +projected visit, described the measurements, photographs and other data +we were gathering, reminding him that two years earlier he had heard our +plans and promised his assistance. In a somewhat gentler mood, he told +us we might visit Tlaxcala and that he would aid us, but he must have a +little time "for preparing the soil;" that all his people were indians, +and that our work would necessarily be considered with suspicion. Upon +our asking him how much time would be needed "to prepare the soil," we +received no definite reply. He, himself, planned to leave for home the +following morning, Friday; so we suggested that we would go first to +Puebla, and reach his capital on Monday. He plainly considered this +somewhat hasty, but grunted his assent, and we left him, somewhat +surprised at his unusual gruffness and lack of interest. + +Early Monday morning, we appeared upon the scene. After breakfast we +betook ourselves to the state palace; the governor was already in +his reception room, but, instead of being ushered promptly into his +presence, as had always happened in our previous visits, we were left +to sit two hours in the outer office. Finally, on our displaying some +impatience, a message was again taken to his Excellency, and a few +minutes later, the _jefe politico_ of the district bustled past us into +the carefully guarded reception chamber. He did not long remain there, +and, on coming out into the office where we were waiting, brusquely +asked, "Are you the persons who want to measure heads? Well, they are +waiting for you out there in the corridor; why don't you go to work?" +Seizing our instruments, blanks and camera, we hurried to the corridor +and began operations. Three or four were measured in quick succession; +then, when I cried, "_Otro_" (another), the _jefe's_ eyes began +to bulge. That one measured, and another called for, he seemed +half-distracted; desperation seized him; as he faintly repeated "_Otro_" +he looked wildly around in search of subjects and it was plain that +he had not begun to realize what demands we planned to make upon him. +Before the noonday rest, we had measured fourteen subjects, but the +_jefe's_ personal interest had ceased, and he had completely disappeared +from the scene of action. When we returned at three o'clock to resume +work, only the guards were there to help us. One and another subject, +invited to be measured, showed no interest in advancing science. So, Mr. +Wilson went to see the _jefe_ in his office; the old man was furious and +actually ran out, with the statement that he had plenty of his own work +to do. When this scene had been reported, it in no wise increased the +readiness of subjects to undergo the operation. Finding that we were +accomplishing nothing, we decided upon desperate measures. Going to the +office of the governor's private secretary, we insisted on his telling +the chief executive that we were losing time, that no one was assisting +us, that subjects were obdurate and stubborn, and that something must +be promptly done. We waited but a few minutes. The fiat went forth; the +_jefe politico_ appeared, puffing and blowing, and wildly excited. He +was closeted a moment with the governor. On his reappearance, we greeted +him cordially, and told him that the people present would not be +measured and indicated one particularly stubborn subject, who was dealt +with, promptly, and without gloves. The _jefe_ remained long enough to +reestablish order, though, under his breath, he muttered curses and +threats, and expressed his feeling to any official, who chanced to pass. +He said the business was driving him clean crazy; that he was doing what +he did, not for love of us, but from respect to the orders of his chief. +Having set the ball to rolling, he left us and there were no more +delays. + +When the labor of the day was over, we stopped at the _jefe's_ office +to inform him that we should continue work the following day, and +emphasized the fact that we wished one hundred cases, and, as yet, had +less than half that number. We suggested that systematic arrangements +would not only facilitate _our_ labor, but would lessen his own task. +The result was evident; on the following day delegations, ordered by the +_jefe_, and consisting of from six to a dozen persons each, began to +come in from the outlying villages. This made our work easy, indeed. In +one respect, Tlaxcala differs from all the other Mexican states with +which we are acquainted. Most of the people live in very little towns, +which cluster around the larger places. Thus, around the capital city, +Tlaxcala, there are some seventeen of these small pueblos. + +Working at the palace, we had secured almost no women for measurement. +Asking the advice of the _cura_, in the matter, he recommended that we +should go to some one of the neighboring indian villages; that he would +give us a letter to the _juez_ and that, thus, we would secure our +subjects easily. He suggested San Estevan and wrote the promised letter +to the _juez_ of that village. San Estevan is a pretty village, near the +summit of some low gray hills of tufa, behind which rises a background +of higher hills of the same material. The slope is terraced for the +houses, which are all built of adobe bricks and have flat roofs. The +"three part house," of the ancient Aztec type--god-house, kitchen, and +granary--is better shown in this state than almost any other part of the +Republic. The granary, or _cuezcomate_, is particularly characteristic. +It is built of clay, in the form of a great vase or urn, open at the +top, above which is built a little thatch to shed rain and to protect +the contents. The _cuezcomate_ is often ten feet high. One or more of +them is found in connection with every house. + +[Illustration: HOUSE AND CUEZCOMATE; LOS REYES] + +The _juez_ lived in a comfortable house of two rooms, half of which is +used at present for the boy's school, of which his son is teacher. He +received us graciously, and was pleased to receive a letter from the +_padre_, though he stated it was not a government order and carried no +actual authority; that if the women cared to be measured, well and good, +but if not, no force could be employed. The appearance of the camera, +however, interested him; plainly, he desired to have a family group +photographed; he hinted at this so broadly that, taking him to one side, +I whispered that it was, of course, impossible to take family groups +for everyone, but if we secured the twenty-five women without delay, +notwithstanding the fact that we had no more authoritative document than +a _cura's_ letter, the group should be taken. The effect was immediate. +The police were summoned and sent through the village to bring in women +for measurement and naught was said about their right of refusal. + +When, toward evening, we returned from San Estevan, tired but quite +satisfied with the day's work, we found a delegation of more than a +dozen men waiting for us in the _plaza_. We did not need so large a +number to complete our work, and it was nearly dark; we would gladly +have dismissed them and run our chances of securing others the next +day. But neither they nor the _jefe politico_ were to be bluffed. So we +marched into the corridor, lighted candles and got to work. When those +lacking to make our full hundred had been measured, we proposed to let +the others go, but they were not to be thus got rid of, and insisted +on being measured as such were the orders of the governor. We were not +through until long after dark, and we were ravenously hungry. + +This delegation was one of the most attractive, clean, and intelligent +with whom we had dealt. It was from Los Reyes, a little town at a +distance of about half a league. It was headed by the village _juez_. +After we had completed the measuring, they stood, shifting their +_sombreros_ from hand to hand and plainly wishing to say something +further; finally, mustering courage, the _juez_ and _secretario_ +advanced and stated that it was the town's desire to have a picture +taken of the church, with the saint and people of the village before +the door. Would it be possible for us to make the picture and on what +conditions? We replied that time was precious and that the trip, if it +involved a loss of time, was quite impossible; but if they supplied +carriers to take the instruments to and from their village, and had all +ready before seven in the morning, we would make it. Delighted, the +officials then inquired what we would wish for breakfast; we answered +French bread and red wine. When we looked out of our window, a little +before seven, we saw our party ready and waiting. The _juez_, the +_secretario_, and two others made the company. A basket, carefully +carried by one, was suspected to contain our breakfast. The burdens were +shouldered, and we started out in the cool, fresh morning air, for the +village, where we arrived in about half an hour. It is a town of less +than one hundred people, situated upon a little mountain, hidden, to one +looking from Tlaxcala, by intervening hills. We were received in the +town-house, which is a portion of the old church building; mass was in +progress, and we told those who received us, that we had no wish to +interfere with their religious duties; that those who wished, might go +to service. Most went, but two or three were left as a committee of +entertainment. They took us to a view-point from which there was a +magnificent valley to be seen. And, here, we found one of the finest +echoes possible. Rockets were exploded and the noise was echoed +from hill to hill around the great amphitheatre; it was like a long +reverberation of thunder, but it sank and swelled, sank and swelled, +repeatedly, until it seemed that it would never stop. Service over, the +procession formed, and the _santito_ was brought out before the church. +The townspeople were arranged and the view taken. We were then invited +in to breakfast, which was fine. There were plenty of French rolls and +the red wine brought from town, and a great heap of _enchiladas_, fresh +lettuce and eggs. After eating, we expressed a wish to hear the village +drum, a great _huehuetl_. This musical instrument is a reminder of the +olden times; it is not found everywhere, but a number of indian towns +possess one, which is kept to be played on festal occasions. The one as +Los Reyes was some three feet or so in height, a hollow cylinder of wood +with a membrane stretched across the upper end; it was painted blue. +A chair of state was placed for me in the little _patio_. After I was +seated the three musicians took their places,--one played the great +_huehuetl_, a second beat the _tambour_ or ordinary drum, the third +performed upon the _chirimiya_, a shrill wooden pipe. It was the first +time we had really heard a _huehuetl_. The player used two sticks with +padded heads, beating with great force in excellent time. The booming of +the instruments was audible to a great distance. The whole village had +gathered, and in a momentary lull in the music, I told the people of the +ancient use of the _huehuetl_; that Bernal Diaz, in his history of the +Conquest of Mexico, tells us what feelings filled the hearts of the +Spaniards, when they heard the great _huehuetl_, in the temple of the +ancient city of Tenochtitlan; then it was chiefly beaten when human +victims were being sacrificed to the gods, and the soldiers knew that +some fellow-countryman, or a Tlaxcalan ally, was dying. Never have I +given a public lecture, that was listened to with more attention or +greater appreciation. + +[Illustration: THE VILLAGE AND ITS SAINT; LOS REYES] + +[Illustration: CUEZCOMATE, OR GRANARY; SAN NICOLAS PANOTLA] + +The day we measured women at San Estevan, we found an indian mason +there at work, whom we had measured at Tlaxcala, and with whom, on one +occasion, we had some conversation. He was disgusted at the conduct of +the women while undergoing measurement, and at evening said, "Sir, it is +a pity for you to waste your time in a town like this; these people are +little better than animals; in my town there is great enthusiasm over +your work, and by going there you might do your will and find people +with minds, not beasts." There was really no work left to be done, but +we desired to see a town where there was great enthusiasm over our +investigations. Hence, we arranged with Ignacio Cempoalteca to visit his +pueblo of San Nicolas Panotla. Accordingly, on the afternoon of the day +when we visited Los Reyes, we went across the valley to Panotla, Ignacio +and an older brother, Jose, met us at the hotel, where--excusing +himself on account of the mason-work at San Estevan, which could not +wait--Ignacio left us, assuring us that Jose would do everything for us. +This was quite true, and we found Panotla all that it had been painted. + +Jose led us directly to their home. The walls were well built of stone +set in adobe mortar; they were smoothly coated with a snowy plaster; the +supporting walls of the little terrace on which the house was built were +also well constructed and it was with some pride that Jose told us that +the work had all been done by himself and Ignacio. Jose is married and +has a wife and three children; Ignacio is a bachelor; a younger +brother, Carmen, is also unmarried--he has taught himself free-hand and +architectural drawing and showed us examples of his work. The old father +and mother own the home and received us hospitably. Jose guided us +through the village, where we photographed whatever took our fancy, +entered houses, examined all that interested us, and really found +enthusiasm for our work everywhere. Before the churchyard stands a +quaint old cross of stone, dated 1728, upon which are represented all +the symbols of Christ's passion; a long inscription in Aztec is cut into +the base. Close by the church, we visited the boy's school, where +we found some forty dark-skinned, black-eyed, youngsters, whose +mother-speech is Aztec. We proposed to photograph them, so they were +grouped outside the schoolhouse, but not until a pair of national flags +and the portrait of the governor, Prospero Cahuantzi, were fixed upon +the background wall. + +[Illustration: THE ANCIENT DRUM--HUEHUETL; LOS REYES] + +[Illustration: FIESTA AT CHOLULA; DAY OF SAN ANTONIO ABAD] + +After the picture had been taken, we told the _maestro_ we would like +to hear the boys sing. It was plain he did not consider singing their +strong forte, but our wishes were met. One boy, standing, wielded the +baton, beating time. When the singing was done with, the _maestro_ +said he would like us to see the class in arithmetic, if we had time. +Accordingly fourteen or fifteen boys, from ten to fourteen years of +age, stepped out upon the dirt floor; we were told that they could +work examples in percentage, interest, bonds and mortgages, discount, +alligation--which did we prefer? Truth to say, it was so long since we +had studied alligation, that we had really forgotten what it was, and +so expressed a preference for it. "Very good, sir," said the _maestro_. +"Will you not propound a problem?" From this quandary we escaped +by stating that we could not think of doing so; that we had every +confidence in his fairness and that he had better give it, as the boys +were more accustomed to him. We have visited many classes of the same +grade and age in the United States and have never seen one that would +surpass them in quickness, accuracy, and clearness of explanation. After +our trip through San Nicolas Panotla, Jose took us back to his house, +where, meantime, a, dinner had been made ready. + + + +Weeks later, we learned the probable reason of the governor's gruffness, +which was in such marked contrast to his previous treatment, that it +puzzled us considerably. At about the time of our visit, a number of +wealthy _hacienderos,_ of the State of Tlaxcala, had been arrested for +counterfeiting silver money. They were men whose _maguey_ fields brought +them enormous incomes; one would suppose their legitimate sources of +wealth would have contented them! But such was not the case, and they +had gone into wholesale counterfeiting. The fraudulent coin had long +been known and diligent efforts were made to find the criminals, efforts +at last crowned with success. The guilt was fixed without a doubt, the +parties were arrested, tried, and sentenced. Every attempt was made to +secure their pardon, in vain. Governor Cahuantzi is an old friend of +President Diaz, believed to have great influence with him. Men of +wealth, interested in the release and pardon of the criminals, promised +Cahuantzi ten thousand dollars in case of his successful intercession +with the President in the matter. These details, not generally known, we +received from a source respectable and trustworthy, and we believe them +true. Anxious to gain the reward, and probably feeling certain of his +influence with Diaz, the old man made the journey to Mexico. It was the +very time when we called upon him. When we had our interview, he had +just seen the President, and it is hinted that, not only did Don +Porfirio refuse to pardon the counterfeiters, but showed a dangerous +inclination to investigate the reason of the indian governor's +intervention. No wonder that the old man was gruff and surly to his +visitors, after the loss of ten thousand dollars which he had looked +upon as certain, and with uncertainty as to the final outcome of his +unlucky business. + +[Illustration: TLAXCALAN SCHOOLBOYS; SAN NICOLAS PANOTLA] + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ZAMORA AND THE ONCE PUEBLOS + +(1898) + + +The morning train from Guadalajara brought us to Negrete at about two +in the afternoon, and we had soon mounted to the top of the clumsy old +coach, which was dragged by six horses. The road to Zamora runs through +a rich farming district. For the greater part of the distance the road +is level and passes amidst great _haciendas_. The corn crop had been +abundant and carts were constantly coming and going from and to the +fields. These carts were rectangular, with side walls some four or five +feet in height, made of corn-stalks set close together and upright. +All were drawn by oxen. Most of the carts had a light cross, made of +corn-stalks, set at the front end, to protect the load from adverse +influences. Great numbers of men, dressed in leather trousers drawn over +their cotton drawers, in single file lined past us, with great +baskets full of corn strapped on their backs. Here and there, in the +corn-fields, groups of such men were cutting the ripened ears from the +plants. + +We now and then met groups of men bringing great timbers from the +mountains fifty or sixty miles away. These timbers were many feet in +length and trimmed to a foot square; from four to six made a load. The +cart upon which they were carried consisted of a pair of wheels and an +axle; one end of the timbers was attached to this, and the other was +fastened to the yoke of oxen. It was rare that we met with a single +timber cart, as four or five usually went together. The drivers who were +in charge of them were pure Tarascans. + +For a considerable distance a fine slope rose to our left, strewn +with loose rock masses, and covered with a growth which was chiefly +_pitahaya_, some of the plants attaining the size of grown trees. Many +of them presented an appearance which we had not seen elsewhere--the +tips and upper part of the upright branches being as white as if +intentionally whitewashed; the simple explanation of this strange +appearance was that the branches in question had served as buzzards' +roosts. Our journey of twenty-five miles was made with two relays of +horses. After perhaps three hours' riding, we reached the Zamora River, +which we followed for some distance. From the time when we began to +follow this stream, our road was almost a dead level. At many places +along the river, we saw a peculiar style of irrigation machine, a great +wooden scoop or spoon with long handle swung between supporting poles. +The instrument was worked by a single man and scooped up water from the +river, throwing it upon the higher land and into canals which carried it +through the fields. Sometimes two of these scoops were supported side by +side upon a single frame, and were worked in unison by two persons. At +the only town of any consequence upon the road, we found numbers of +interesting hot springs which might really be called geysers. They were +scattered at intervals over the flat mud plain for a distance of a half +mile or more. We could see jets of steam of more or less vigor rising +from a score or so at a time. At some of these the water really boiled, +and we saw it bubbling and tossing to a height of a foot or so above the +margin of the spring. Groups of women, laughing and talking or singing +snatches of songs, were washing clothes at several of these hot springs, +and the garments were spread out over the bushes and trees to dry. At +one little geyser, bubbling up in the very middle of the road, as we +passed we saw a boy pelting the water with stones and mud in order to +make it mad and see it spout. The plain was sprinkled here and there +with thickets of acacia and mesquite. In the early evening the breeze +came loaded with the fragrance of the golden balls of the acacia. There +was bright moonlight, and we could see the country, even after sunset. +The latter portion of the journey was through low swampy ground, much of +the time over causeways. + +There are few towns in central Mexico, not on a railroad, to be compared +with Zamora. It is large, clean, well built, and presents an air of +unusual comfort. The main _plaza_ is large, and finely planted with +palms, orange-trees, roses and flowering shrubs. The orange-trees +were in full bloom and the air was heavy with their odor. The town is +electric-lighted and has a good system of waterworks. The great church, +with two slender towers, fills up the whole of one side of the _plaza_, +while the other three are occupied with business houses. The amount of +life in the town at night surprised us. Even after ten o'clock, many +were on the streets, and the _dulce_ stands, _cafe_ tables and _loto_ +hall were doing a large business. Few towns in Mexico are so completely +under priestly influence, but few again appear as prosperous, +progressive, and well-behaved. Two distinct types of houses +predominate, the older and the newer. The old style house is such as +is characteristic of many other Tarascan towns, but is here more +picturesquely developed than in most places. The low-sloped, +heavily-tiled roof projects far over the street and is supported below +by projecting timbers, which are trimmed at the end to give a pleasing +finish. So far do these roofs project over the sidewalk that the water +is thrown into the middle of the street and the footpath below is well +sheltered. The new style of house, which is required by the recent laws, +has an almost flat roof which ends squarely at the sidewalk, and from +which long tin pipes project to throw the water into the streets. Here, +as so frequently, the old fashion is at once more comfortable and more +artistic. + +We spent the morning in efforts to secure horses, but finally secured a +man, Don Nabor, who agreed to accompany us with five animals. The party +consisted of myself, my interpreter, my plaster-worker, and Don Nabor. +Each of us was mounted, and a fifth horse carried the plaster and other +luggage. Leaving at noon, we took the long road past Jacona, a little +town famous for its fruit. Having passed there, after a long journey, we +looked down from the height almost directly upon the place whence we +had started. The scene was of unusual beauty--the wide-spreading, flat +valley, with its fields of wheat and clustered trees, presented a mass +of rich green coloring, in the midst of which stood the pretty +city. After a long climb, we descended into a valley in which lies +Tangancicuaro, a large town with a _plaza_ full of fine, great trees, +where we ate at a quaint little _meson_. From here we pushed on to +Chilchota, the head town of the Once Pueblos. From the crest, just above +the town, we looked down upon a level valley, green with new wheat. +Entering the town a little after five, we rode up to the _meson_ of +San Francisco, near the little _plaza_. It was with difficulty that we +secured a room containing a single bed, with mattress, and two mats. +There was nothing at all to eat at the _meson_, but on strolling out to +the _plaza_ we found some Indian women selling _atole_ and bread. +With this we were compelled to be content until morning, paying seven +_centavos_ for our four suppers. Hunting up the _presidente_ of the +town, we found him sitting, with his court, on benches in the _plaza_. +He was a pleasant, rather dressy young man, but at once took interest in +our work, and told us that Huancito was the best town for our bust work, +as the population there is primitive and purely indian. + +The Once Pueblos--eleven towns--are famous through this portion of +the Republic. Several of them are purely indian; Chilchota is largely +_mestizo_. The towns lie in a long line on the side of the little +valley, at the foot of the bordering hills. Between some, spaces of +considerable extent intervene; others are so close together that, in +riding through them, one sees no line of separation. All consist of +adobe houses, of a rich brown color, roofed with tiles. Some of the +churches are of considerable size, but are also built of brown adobe. +The Once Pueblos are famous for their pottery, and in some of them +almost every house has its little kiln or oven. Fruit is cultivated, +and the houses are frequently embowered in trees; in many yards are +bee-hives. The valley is abundantly watered with little streams of +perfect clearness. + +The _presidente_ had insisted that the school teacher at Huancito would +prove invaluable. He gave us a letter of introduction to him, and an +order upon the authorities. We were at once given possession of the +schoolhouse for our work, and I started out to find a subject. Almost +the first person encountered was a young man of twenty-three years, who +presented the pure Tarascan type. I at once told him that he was the +very man we wanted; that we planned to make a picture of him in plaster; +at the same time, I described the method of work, and while talking, +holding him by the arm, drew him over toward the schoolhouse. Almost +before he realized it, we were ready for the task. As he removed his +shirt and prepared for the operation of oiling and the application of +the plaster, he looked somewhat sombre. After seeing the work well +begun, I stepped outside and sat in the portico until it should be +done. The first piece of plaster had been applied, the subject had been +turned, and was lying ready for the second application. At this moment, +an indian maiden, with dishevelled hair, came rapidly running across +the _plaza_ toward the schoolhouse. Rushing past me, she entered the +school-room, and seeing the subject lying on the floor clasped her hands +and cried, "Florencito! My Florencito, why wait here? Stay not with +these cruel men; flee with me!" Seizing him by the hand, they dislodged +the plaster from his shoulders and started for the door, but catching +sight of me, cast a glance around, saw the open window, and leaping +through it, dashed off home. Up to this time the local authorities had +shown an interest in our work and a willingness to aid. Calling the +chief of police, I bade him and the teacher seek our subject and bring +him back for the completion of the operation. "But, sir," said the chief +of police, "suppose he does not wish to come?" "Why are you chief of +police?" was my reply. The teacher, who is himself a _mestizo_ and +despises the poor indians in his charge, was loud in his complaints. He +vigorously declared that what these people needed was a second Cortez, +that they had never been properly conquered, and, with the chief of +police, he started out for the new conquest. After an hour or more of +waiting, we saw them reappear with Florencito. But humanity is ever +loath to admit defeat. As he passed us, he grumbled that he saw no good +reason for such a fuss, as he had simply gone to eat his breakfast. + +Having completed the work with this subject, we suggested that others +should be brought, but met with a prompt refusal. The judge and the +chief of police both declared that the people did not wish to have busts +made, and that they would bring no more. In vain I suggested that a +meeting of the townspeople should be called together in order that +we might address them and explain the purpose of our visit. It was +impossible to move the officials. Finally I told the judge that I should +send a mounted messenger, who had accompanied us from the _presidente_, +to Chilchota to report the failure of the town officials to do their +duty. He promptly declared that he was going to Chilchota himself to +see the _presidente_ in the matter. Sure enough, when my messenger was +ready, he had made his preparations, and the two departed together to +present the different sides of the question. Neither returned until +we were through for the day. During the afternoon we secured two more +subjects, and by nightfall had three good busts as the result of the +day's labor. Then we faced new difficulties. Carriers could not be had +for love nor money. What was wanted were three men, one to carry each +bust back to Chilchota, where we planned to spend the night. Finally, +after loss of time and temper, each of us shouldered a bust and rode +back on horseback with our trophies. + +We soon discovered that the eleven towns were in a ferment of +excitement. Most dreadful tales were rife with regard to us and our +work. Some asserted that we cut off heads and hung them up to dry; that +in drying, they turned white. Others reported that with knives, made for +the purpose, we sliced off the ears of unfortunate indians, close to +their heads. Still others reported that we had a frightful instrument +which was fitted into the nose, and by means of which we tore strips +of flesh and skin from the face of the subject. It was said, and quite +likely truly, that they were arming in all the houses; that _machetes_, +guns, pistols, and clubs were laid convenient to hand. + +The next day was Sunday, and we made no attempt to continue work. It was +market-day, and indians from all the pueblos had gathered in the _plaza_ +to buy and sell. All were pure in blood and spoke Tarascan. Fruits, +sugar-cane, corn, _tortillas, atole_, coffee, were the chief staples. +Stocks of pottery were attractively displayed. Two characteristic wares +are both pretty. Most typical, perhaps, is the black and green ware +which is made into bowls, plates, mugs, and pitchers. The clay of which +it is baked is local and dark brown in color; a white earth applied to +this, on baking, gives rise to a rich metallic green glaze. Designs are +painted upon this in black. This black and green ware goes far and +wide, and everywhere is recognized as coming from the Once Pueblos. At +Huancito and some other pueblos, they make little _canteras_ with a red +ground and decorative designs in black and white. One thing, offered in +the market, was new to us, dishes full of _ucuares_--long, irregular, +swollen, dry, brown objects that looked like stewed worms with thick and +fleshy skins. One _centavo_ bought far more than any person would be +likely to eat; even after having been stewed in sugar, they were bitter, +and had a foul smell that was most unpleasant; they appeared to be roots +or tubers of some plant. + +Naturally, our work had attracted much attention in Chilchota. No one +of the many dozen visitors who came to see us at the _meson_ was so +profoundly impressed as a boy of fourteen, named Ignacio. Appearing +early in the morning, he remained with us almost all the hours of the +twenty-four. Thinking that the effect on the villagers might be good, +I decided to ride in the afternoon through the pueblos. When the +_presidente_ discovered my intention, he insisted upon supplying a +mounted and armed escort, and at the same time gave me a general letter +to the eleven towns, in which strict orders were given that my wishes +should be respected, and dire threats made in case any one should show +me aught but the greatest consideration. Ignacio accompanied me. Riding +through the towns, we passed far enough beyond Huancito to see the most +remote of the eleven pueblos. They are separated somewhat from the rest, +and lie rather higher up in a bend of the valley. Everywhere I took some +pains to talk with the people, to visit their houses, to examine their +pottery, their bees and their growing crops, as I felt that such an +interest would help us in our work. On our return, Ignacio told me that +he should stay to dinner with us, as he much preferred to do so to going +home. He also told me that it would be a great pity to lose the theatre, +which was to take place that evening. Accordingly, after dinner was +over, we went to see the play. I expected that at that season of the +year it would be a _pastorela_--and in fact it had been so announced. +It was, however, a true drama, and one of the +funniest--unintentionally--imaginable. The stage was set in the middle +of the _patio_ of a large house. The boy insisted that we would be late, +and so we went at 7:15, although the bill announced the hour as 8. The +spectators brought their own chairs with them. Except a few youngsters, +no one arrived before 9, and the curtain at last rose at a quarter +before eleven. Among the last to arrive was the _presidente_ and his +party. He was resplendent in a cape of crimson velvet with brilliant +yellow facings. Hardly was his party seated, when we were politely +invited to sit with them. Three acts were rendered, and while waiting +for the fourth, one of the party declared that there would be eleven +more. This gave the _presidente_ an opportunity to relate an experience +of his own. On one occasion, after watching a play from seven in the +evening until four in the morning, the stage broke down; the management +appeared and apologized regarding the accident, particularly, since some +twenty acts were still to have been rendered. Our play, however, turned +out to have had but eight acts, and one of these was omitted. When it +should have been given, the whole troupe appeared upon the platform; +the manager announced the reason why the act would not be given, but +promised that on the following Sunday, in another play, an extra act +should be inserted, in order that all might receive the full value of +their money. Our play ended at one, when the audience dispersed. + +Needing but two more subjects, we looked about Chilchota the next day, +hoping to find indians from the more remote villages, who might permit +their busts to be made. Two excellent cases were found. The last was a +man from Carapan, the most remote of the eleven towns. He was a man of +forty years, whose father accompanied him, and both were for a long time +dubious about the operation. Finally, however, consent was given and the +bust was made. As he arose and dressed to go, I said, "Did I tell you +the truth? Did the operation hurt you, or did it not? Was there a reason +why you should not have your bust made?" He promptly answered, "Sir, you +told me truth; the operation did not hurt me and there surely is no harm +in it; but, sir, you can hardly believe what an excitement this work has +caused in our town. Yesterday, in the market-place at Chilchota, there +were more than twenty men from Carapan who carried weapons in their +clothing. We had selected leaders and arranged signals, and at the first +sign of an attack from your party, we were prepared to sell our lives +dearly." + +It was a work of time to fill the moulds and pack the busts. Before +we were ready to start upon our journey, it was half-past four in the +afternoon. True wisdom would have suggested waiting until morning. +Time, however, was precious, and I hoped to make Cheran that night; +consequently, though against the advice of many, we started out, with +eight leagues to go, over a road with a bad reputation, and at some +points difficult to traverse. For a little distance, we followed the +familiar trail down through the pueblos, but at Tanaquillo we turned +up into the mountain. The ascent was steady until we reached the pass, +through which an icy wind drove down upon us. We could hope to make the +distance in six hours. At first we met many persons, all of whom warned +us that we would be late in arriving, and recommended that we should +stop at Rancho Seco. We had no intention of so doing, but knew that +we must turn at that point into a new road. Between sunset and bright +moonlight, there was an interval of darkness, and in that interval we +must have passed the turning which led to Rancho Seco. At all events, +we presently found ourselves entirely at a loss, wandering over a rocky +hill covered with brush, amid which the trail had entirely disappeared. +Retracing, as well as we could, our road, we finally found ourselves +upon another trail which we followed until 9:30, when we met a little +band of indians, the first whom we had seen for a long time. From them +we found that we were not upon the road for Cheran, but at the edge of +a slope at the bottom of which was a little indian town, Tanaco. +Descending to it, we found a house where they agreed to shelter us for +the night, and in the _tienda_ near by we bought hard bread and old +cheese. We were sheltered in a substantially built room, into which the +cold air did not penetrate. The indians with whom we were staying were +unusually intelligent; a number of books, including a large dictionary, +lay upon the table, and the men, who crowded in upon us, were anxious to +learn the English words for common things. This was an experience which +rarely happened to us in indian Mexico. The people, however, were not +quite sure of our intentions, and Nabor said that when he went to water +the horses, a committee of village folk waited upon him, asking whether +we were the party of white men who had been skinning live indians over +in the Once Pueblos. + +There were four leagues between us and Cheran, and many more beyond it +to Patzcuaro, where we hoped to arrive the next night. Accordingly, we +made an early start. Our host agreed to pilot us over the indistinct and +tortuous bridle-path to the high-road. Many little mountains, almost +artificially regular, arose in the otherwise plain country. As we rode +along the trail we saw the church of Parracho far behind us in the +distance. The latter part of the road, after Cheran was once in sight, +seemed hopelessly long, but a little before ten o'clock we pulled up at +the _meson_. We at once made arangements for food for ourselves and the +horses, and determined to rest until noon. Our reputation had preceded +us. I asked a child at the _meson_ to bring me a mug of water. When he +brought it, I noticed that the mug was of the characteristic black and +green ware of the Once Pueblos, but asked the boy where it was made. +With a cunning look, he answered, "O yes, that comes from where you +people have been,--up at the Once Pueblos." And yet we had not come over +the road from the Once Pueblos, but by the main highway from Parracho. + +Rested and refreshed, we started at 12:30 for the long fourteen leagues +of journey. We passed Pichataro, where the round paddles for Patzcuaro +canoes are made, and where the applewood, so prized as material for +spear-throwers, is procured. We passed Sabina, where the canoes +themselves are hollowed out, miles from their launching place, to which +they must be carried over mountains. Each town we passed made me more +and more uneasy, as I knew that Nabor contemplated revolt. He did not +like the idea of too long a journey for his horses. He wished to stop +long before the goal that I had fixed. When we left the last of the +important towns behind us, I felt for the first time secure. It was now +dark, and we found the roads far worse than we remembered them. They +were worn into deep gullies, into which our horses fell and over which +they stumbled. Long before reaching Ajuno I felt convinced that we had +missed the road, but we floundered on, and never was sight more welcome +than the light of fires shining through the cane walls of the wretched +huts of that miserable town. Here there was a final council regarding +resting for the night. The whole party, except myself, considered Ajuno +as a capital resting-place. All yielded, however, and we continued on +our way. It was almost midnight when we rode up to the hotel, upon the +_plaza_ in quaint old Patzcuaro. All were cross and tired; neither +crossness nor weariness were helped when we were told that there was no +room for us at the inn. We made such vigorous representations, however, +that the doors were finally thrown open. An old store-house was cleaned +out and supplied with decent beds, and a good supper was served. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE BOY WITH THE SMILE + +(1898) + + +It is doubtful whether the common people of any country are so rarely +surprised, or taken unaware, as those of Mexico. At a moment's notice, +the commonest indian, who may have scarcely been outside of his own +town in all his life, may start to go across the country. Astonishing +incidents appear to create no more surprise in their minds than the +ordinary affairs of every day. In January, 1898, we revisited Cholula. +As we alighted from the street-car we noticed a boy, some fourteen years +old, whose most striking characteristic was his smile. He wished to +serve as guide, to show us the pyramid, the convents, the chapel of the +natives. On assuring him that we knew far more about the lions of his +town than he, he was in no wise abashed, but joined himself to us for +the remainder of the day. He accompanied us to see the blessing of the +animals in the great churchyard. He displayed an interesting knowledge +of English, answering "yes" quite perfectly to every sort of question, +and repeating the two words, which are well known the whole world over +as American-English, on all conceivable occasions. When at evening he +saw us safely on the street-car he left us with the same smile with +which he had received us. On our next visit to Cholula much the same +thing happened, but learning that we planned to stop at Cuauhtlantzinco +on our way to Puebla, he stole a ride upon the car, for the sake of +accompanying us. He was a rather handy boy, good-natured and anxious to +please, so that, later in our journey, we hired him for several days and +let him do what he could to help us. + +Much later, when at home planning the details of our next extensive +journey, the thought struck us that it might be well to make the boy +with the smile a member of our party. It seemed as if, in going into +districts rarely visited by strangers, it would be well to have the +party as largely Mexican as possible. If, however, the boy were to +accompany us, it was necessary that he should first learn something of +our work and needs, and perhaps of English. Accordingly, I decided to go +to Cholula and bring the boy up to the States. + +The resolution was so hastily taken that there was no time to send word +to the boy himself. Going straight to Cholula, I had some difficulty in +finding his abode. I knew that the boy had no father, that his widowed +mother had but one other child, a girl younger than the boy himself. I +had once seen the mother and the little sister; I also knew the street +on which they lived. Arriving at the street, however, no one apparently +had ever heard of the boy. One and another through the whole length of +the street was questioned, but none knew his name or recognized his +description. Excepting that I knew that trait of Mexican character which +assists acquaintances to seclusion, when they are sought by strangers, I +should have despaired. As it was, I kept on asking, and finally, from a +child who could hardly speak on account of youth, I discovered the house +which I sought. It was a little hut set back behind a yard of growing +corn. I had inquired at the houses on either side and at the house +across the road, as also of a man working in the corn in the yard +itself. But everyone had been profoundly ignorant of the boy's +existence. Walking up to the house, I found the door open, and the +mother and the little girl within. The moment the woman saw me, she +said, "_Que milagro, Senor_!" (What a miracle, sir!) and rising, gave me +a warm embrace. The little girl did the same. "And where is Manuel?" I +inquired. "Ah, sir, he has gone to Puebla on an errand for a gentleman; +but he will be back on the street-car at half-past ten. Pray wait, sir, +till he comes." + +The house consisted, like most of its class, of a single room. The walls +were built of sun-dried bricks of adobe. Entrance was by a single door. +There were no windows. The floor was clay. The flat roof was scarcely +six feet above the floor. The furniture, though ample, was scanty. A +little earthen brazier for heating and cooking, a stone _metate_, a +rubbing-stone for grinding corn-meal, a table heaped with bundles and +boxes containing the family clothing, and a chair were all. There were +no beds, not even the mats which so frequently, among the poor of +Mexico, take their place. Several pictures of saints and of the virgin +were pinned against the wall, and there were signs of tapers which had +been burned before them. A bird or two in wooden cages, a rooster and a +little dog lived in the house with the family. + +After answering various questions from the good woman and the little +girl, I finally stated that I proposed to take Manuel with me to my +country. He would stay with me there for six months, after which he +would come back and accompany me for three months longer on a journey +into southern Mexico. "If I have your consent," I said, "we leave +to-day." Immediately the woman answered, "Sir, it is for you to say." +Just then, however, the little girl, Dolores, began to cry. "Tut, tut, +Dolores," said I, "I am sure you want Manuel to go away and visit a +strange country and have a fine time; and think of the pictures that +he can bring you to show what he has seen. And more than that, it is +already half-past ten, and you shall go down tothe street-car to meet +him, and tell him that he must come straight home, for fear that he will +loiter on the way; but do not tell him I am here, nor say anything about +his going away, for we wish to surprise him." Drying her eyes, and +smiling almost as the boy himself, Dolores started to run to the +street-car line, and presently fetched Manuel home in triumph. As he +entered and saw me, he said, "_Que milagro, Senor_" and kissed my hand. +Having asked, as Mexican politeness requires, a variety of questions +about his welfare, I finally said, "Well, Manuel, how would you like to +go to Puebla with me for the day?" "Sir, it is for you to say." "Very +good," said I. "And if I should conclude that it was best to take you to +Mexico for a few days, what would you say to that?" "I am entirely in +your hands, sir," he replied, "to do your orders." "Well," said I, +"suppose I took you to my own country and kept you there for six +months?" and the boy replied, "Sir, you are my owner; it is for you +to command." "Very well," said I, "get ready, and we will go on the +street-car, at twelve o'clock, to Puebla." + +[Illustration: THE CROSS; SAN NICOLAS PANOTLA] + +[Illustration: THE BOY WITH THE SMILE] + +Telling his mother that she should put together the few articles of +which there might be need, we started for the noonday car. As we left, +I suggested that she and the little girl come to the city, during the +afternoon or evening, to bid the boy good-bye, as we should leave on an +early train the following morning. They came at nightfall. She had his +small possessions tied up in a carrying cloth, and her mind was stored +with bits of excellent advice and admonition as to his conduct and +behaviour in his new surroundings. After Dolores and her brother had +given each other a, farewell embrace, the mother said a few words to the +boy, who knelt upon the floor of the room and crossed his hands upon +his breast. The mother then gave him her parting blessing, and sent him +forth into the outside world. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +IN THE MIXTECA ALTA + +(1898) + + +Of all railroad cities in the Republic, Oaxaca is the most completely +indian. It is the capital of a state the population of which is +nine-tenths of native blood. Fifteen native languages are spoken in the +state to-day. While some of these are related to each other, they are +distinct languages, not dialects, even those which are related being as +unlike as the French, Italian, and Spanish. The indians commonly seen on +the city streets are Zapotecs or Mixtecs, but at times Mixes come from +their distant mountain homes with burdens on their backs, or parties +of Tehuantepecanas attract attention, by their fine forms and striking +dress, as they walk through the streets. The market is crowded, even +late in the day; ox-carts from the indian towns for miles around are +constantly seen in the streets. Most of the sellers in the market are +indians; they bring fruits and vegetables, dried fish from the Pacific, +_jicaras_ and strainers of gourds, beautifully painted and polished +gourds from Ocotopec, honey, sugar--both the crude brown and the refined +yellow cakes--and pottery. The indian pottery here sold is famous. Three +kinds of wares are well known--a dull plain red, an unglazed but highly +polished black, and a brilliant glazed green. The black ware is made +into useful vessels, and also into a variety of toys, chiefly whistles +and bells. Pottery would seem to be one of the least suitable materials +for bells. Here, however, bells of pottery in many shapes are +found--little bells, with handles like the upper part of a human figure; +larger bells, with curious flat handles set transversely; others, still +larger, like cow-bells in size and tone, and curious cross-shaped bells, +really a group of four united. Among the whistles some are made into the +shape of animals and birds and curious human figures; among the latter, +some closely resemble ancient whistles from the prehistoric graves. This +black ware is made at Coyotepec, and when the objects are first taken +from the kiln they are almost white; before they are cold, they +are exposed to dense smoke, and thus assume their black color. The +brilliantly glazed green ware is the most attractive. Vessels made from +it are thin, and, in the parts which are unglazed, resemble common +flower-pot ware. The larger portion of their surfaces, however, is +covered with a rich, thick, emerald-green glaze. Cups, bowls, saucers, +plates, sugar-bowls, tea-pots, flasks, and censers are among the forms +commonly made in this ware. The shapes are often graceful and the +prices low. Most beautiful, however, and relatively expensive, are the +miniature vessels made in this ware--scarcely an inch in height, but +formed with the greatest care, and in such variety of dainty forms that +one may seek some time to duplicate a piece which he has found; these +little pieces are completely covered with the rich green glaze both +outside and inside. + +Our plan of journey for the year was first to make an expedition from +Oaxaca to the north-west, into the Mixteca Alta; returning to Oaxaca, +to strike eastward by way of Mitla, and the land of the Mixes, to +Tehuantepec, from which place we should make a brief trip to the Juaves; +returning to Tehuantepec, we should take the high road, by way of San +Carlos, back to Oaxaca. Our first duty in the city of Oaxaca was to +procure letters and orders from the governor. No governor in Mexico more +completely realizes his importance and dignity than Governor Gonzales of +Oaxaca. It is ever difficult to secure an audience with him; appointment +after appointment is made, only to be broken when the inquiring visitor +presents himself, and has been kept waiting an undue length of time. We +had been through the experience before, and therefore were not surprised +that it required four visits, each of them appointed by the governor +himself, before we really had our interview. Governor Gonzales, is, +however, an excellent officer. While we were waiting for our letters, +after having explained to him our errand and plan of procedure, we had +the opportunity to see a somewhat unusual and interesting sight. Like +all public buildings and better-grade houses in Mexican cities, the +governor's palace is built about _patios_, or inner courts. A wide +balcony surrounds the court at the level of the second story and upon +it the rooms of that story open. Having given orders that our letters +should be prepared, the governor excused himself for a few moments, as +he said that certain of his local authorities were ordered to meet him. +We were seated where we could watch the reception. As we had entered the +palace we had been impressed by the great number of indians, carrying +official staves, who were waiting near the door. We now found that they +were official delegates from the different towns, and that they had been +sent from their homes to give the governor New Year's greetings. Having +carefully arrayed himself for the meeting, the governor took his +position in the wide balcony already referred to, with two officials of +the palace stationed near, one on either side. The Indians represented +perhaps twenty-five different towns, the delegation from each town +varying from three or four to fifteen or twenty persons. All were +dressed in their cleanest garments, and all carried their long staves of +office, most of which had ribbons of bright colors streaming from them. +The secretary of the governor arranged these delegations in their order, +and they were presented one by one to the chief executive. As each +delegation was presented, its members scraped and bowed, and the +_presidente_ and _secretario_ kissed the governor's hand. A word or two +of greeting having been exchanged, the spokesman from the village made a +speech, sometimes read from a written copy, after which he presented +a bouquet of flowers, real or artificial. The governor received the +bouquet with a bow, placed the flowers on a little table near by, or, if +the gift were a large bouquet of real flowers, handed it to one of the +attendants standing near, and then made a polite speech of response, +emphasizing it with vigorous gestures and plainly expressive of much +interest and earnestness. The delegation then took its leave, always +bowing reverently, and each man kissing the governor's hand as he passed +out. As he received this mark of respect, the governor would make a +playful remark, or pat the persons on the head, or otherwise treat +them as a father might his little children. Instantly the flowers were +cleared away, the next delegation ushered in, and the same ceremony +gone through with. Finally, all was ready for our leaving. The party +consisted of five persons--myself, as leader, Mr. Lang, my American +photographer, Don Anselmo, my Mexican plaster-worker, Manuel, and the +_mozo_. All but the _mozo_ were mounted on horses, more or less good or +bad. The _mozo_, Mariano, a Mixtec indian, went on foot, carrying the +photographic outfit on his back, and our measuring-rod in his hand. +It was well on in the afternoon before we started, and hardly were we +outside the town, before Mr. Lang's horse showed signs of sickness. His +suffering was plain, and every person we met volunteered the information +that unless something was done promptly, we should have a dead horse on +our hands. Going to a little shop on the roadside, where strong drinks +were sold, we stopped, and after preparing a remedy with the help of a +passing Indian, threw the horse down, wedged his mouth open, and gave +him what seemed to be an unsavory draught. More than an hour was lost +out of our already short afternoon by this veterinary practice, and long +before we reached Etla, where we were compelled to pass the night, it +was dark. + +Leaving Etla in the morning, looking down as we passed out from the city +upon a wonderful group of mounds, we passed rather slowly through the +town of Huitzo. Don Anselmo and I loitered, as we found the whole +country to be rich in ancient relics, examples of which were to be found +in almost every house. As the afternoon passed, we found that we were +likely to be completely left by our companions, and were forced to +hasten on. The latter part of the daylight ride was up a continuous, and +at times steep, ascent. As the sun neared setting, we reached the summit +and found ourselves close by the station of Las Sedas, the highest point +upon the Mexican Southern Railway. We had there expected to overtake +the others of our party, but found that they had hurried on. It was a +serious question whether we should try to overtake them. It had been +wisdom to have stayed the night where we were. In this uncertainty, +we met an indian boy driving mules toward Oaxaca, who volunteered the +information that he had met our companions, who were just ahead, and +that we would soon overtake them. This decided us, and we started down +the trail. A heavy wind was blowing, and the night air was cold and +penetrating. In a few minutes we met a half-breed Mexican, who, +accosting us at once, urged us to go no further. His manner was somewhat +sinister and disagreeable. He warned us that, if we attempted to make +the descent in the darkness, we would at least lame our animals. He +asserted that our comrades were fully three leagues ahead when he had +met them, and that we would never overtake them. He also hinted darkly +as to other dangers of the road, if we should succeed in making the +descent without breaking the legs of our horses. Refusing his invitation +to stop with him for the night, we pressed onward, and as we did so, he +called out derisively after us. + +The descent would not have been an easy one, even in the daytime, and +in the gathering darkness there was really an element of danger in the +journey. We left the following of the trail almost entirely to our +animals. We were finally down the worst of the descent before night had +actually set in. From here on, although the road varied but little from +a level trail, we were obliged to go slowly, and it was with a feeling +of true relief that, after floundering for a while in a brook in which +our road seemed to lose itself, we heard ourselves called by name, from +an indian hut situated a little way up the bank. As usual, the house +consisted of a single room, of no great size, and was lightly built +of cane. Two men, three women, a boy, and three little girls were the +occupants. Our companions were already resting; their horses were +unsaddled and were eating contentedly, and we were told that supper +was being prepared for us. Entering the house, we found the women busy +making _tortillas_, and fresh goat's meat, hanging from the rafters, +gave promise of a substantial meal. When all was ready, we sat down to +the finest of corn-cakes, beans, eggs, and tender kidmeat. We spread our +blankets under a little shelter which stood in front of one side of the +house. None of us slept well. It was very cold; dogs barked all night +long; now and then a sudden outbreak of their barking, and curious +signals and whistles, which were repeated in various parts of the +mountain, gave us some uneasiness. At three o'clock in the morning, just +as we were napping, Don Anselmo startled us by the statement that our +mule was dead. In a moment, all was excitement. Mariano examined the +animal and reiterated the statement. As for us, we were in the mood to +care but little whether the mule was living or dead. Half frozen and +very weary, our frame of mind was not a cheerful one. Just before +daybreak we could stand the cold no longer, and gathering some dry wood, +we started a fire and crowded around it. The report about the mule +proved to be false, and when morning came, there was no sign that +anything was the matter with him. + +It was nine o'clock before we started on our journey in the morning. We +had three long hours of clambering up and down heavy slopes, and, much +of the way, through a stream the bed of which was filled with slippery +boulders and pebbles, over which the horses slipped and stumbled +frightfully. Our horses slid down small cascades, but, when we came to +larger ones, we had to mount the banks by ugly bits of road, descending +below the falls. After much labor and weariness, we reached El Parian at +noon. Having rested through the hotter portion of the day, we took the +road again at two. We followed up the brook-bed to the point where +another stream entered it, at an acute angle. Up this stream we turned, +and after following it a little, struck suddenly up a steep hill, and +then climbed on and on over a good road, cut in the limestone rock, up +and up, until we reached the very summit. The vegetation here was a +curious assemblage,--palms, cedars, oaks, and a mimosa-like tree, formed +the chief types. The limestone rock upon the summit was curiously +eroded, as if by rain rills. The masses presented all the appearance +and detail of erosion shown by the great mountain mass of the country +itself; looking at one of these little models, only a few feet across, +and then gazing out upon the great tangle of mountain peaks around us, +one could almost imagine that the one was the intentional reproduction +of the other, in miniature. For a long time we followed the almost +level summit; then a little climb and a slight descent brought us to +Huaclilla. At the _meson_ we found real rooms and true beds, and decided +to stay for the night. The supper was less attractive. A brief walk +about the village brought to light two cases of small-pox, and, on +returning to the _meson_, we were charmed to find a third one in the +building itself. Still, we slept well, and were up betimes next morning. +The country through which we were passing was Mariano's _pais_ (native +land). Assuming that his knowledge was adequate, we left our _meson_ +early, with the intention of breakfasting at San Pedrito, where we were +assured that everything was lovely; we were also told that it was but +a short distance. The road thither was through a high open country, +planted to wheat and oats and with some _maguey_. The road was +discouragingly long, but after at least three hours of constant riding, +we reached precious San Pedrito, chiefly notable for the amount of +_pulque_ drunk there. It was with the greatest difficulty that we +succeeded in getting anything to eat; the breakfast was certainly worse +than the supper of the preceding night. With the prevalence of _maguey_ +as a cultivated plant, the appearance of the houses and other +buildings changed, as all of them were thatched with the broad, long, +sharp-pointed leaves of the famous plant. Everyone in the district +carries _tinajas_, or little sacks woven from splints of palm. Here, for +the first time, we noticed that many of these had decorated patterns +worked in black splints on the lighter ground. The blackness of +these splints is given by exposure to the smoke of burning pine. +Carrying-straps, also made of palm, are used for adjusting these +_tinajas_ to the back. + +From San Pedrito the road is over a soft rock, which produces, when +worn, a white glaring trail. The country through which we passed was +fertile. Everywhere were fields of grain, wheat, oats, and, as we were +descending into the lower land, corn. The little watch-houses for +guarding the newly-sown fields are a striking feature of the landscape. +In the higher districts they were small, conical or dome-shaped +structures, made of the leaves of the _maguey_, and hardly large enough +for a man to lie down in. Lower down, these were replaced by little +rectangular huts, only a few feet across, with thatched roofs, the whole +construction being raised on poles ten or twelve feet above the ground. +It was scarcely more than noonday when we reached Nochixtlan, where +the _jefe_ of the district lives. Telling him that we desired to visit +Yodocono and Tilantongo, he wrote orders for us, and charged some +indians of Tidaa to show us the road, so far as they were going. The +country through which we passed was a continuation of that preceding +Nochixtlan. The road was nearly level, with but slight ups and downs, +until a little before we reached our destination, when we had an abrupt +up-turn to Yodocono, a pretty town on the border of a little lake, which +has but recently appeared, and which covers an area which a few years +ago was occupied by cultivated fields. Our letter from the _jefe_ +introduced us to Don Macario Espinola, a _mestizo_, owner of the chief +store in the village, who showed us gracious hospitality. We were guests +of honor. The parlor was surrendered to our use; the chairs were placed +in such a way that, when supplied with mattress, sheets, and blankets, +they made capital beds. Our meals were good. Don Macario, on hearing +the purpose of our visit, placed himself entirely at our disposition. +Unfortunately, he gained the idea that the people whom we wanted for +measurement and photography were old folk, and the most astonishing +collection of aged men and women was summoned from every part of the +village and surrounding neighborhood, and all had to be measured, +although the measurements were afterwards discarded. + +[Illustration: YODOCONO] + +Leaving Yodocono at ten the following morning, we rode to Tilantongo. +Though assured that the road was over a district as level as a floor, +we found a good deal of up-hill riding. Tilantongo itself, with 2,266 +inhabitants, is located upon the further slope of a hill, and but few +houses were in sight until we were actually in the town. The public +buildings surrounded a small open space, in the centre of which is a +stone sun-dial. One side of this little _plaza_ is occupied by the +schoolhouse; the town-house and jail occupy the rear. The town is built +upon a horseshoe-shaped, sloping ridge, and the church is at the edge +of the town, at one of the very ends of the horseshoe. Riding to the +town-house, we presented our documents to the _presidente_, and ordered +dinner for ourselves and food for the horses. We had letters to the +priest, but he was not in town. The schoolhouse was placed at our +disposal, and we moved two long benches close to each other, side by +side; rush mats were brought, and these we laid upon the benches, and +upon the teacher's table, for beds. Mr. Lang and Don Anselmo took the +table, Manuel and I the benches, and Mariano had the floor. The cold was +so intense that none of us slept much. We were astonished, in the middle +of the night, and at intervals in the early morning, say at two or four +o'clock, to hear snatches of songs. At first, we imagined it might be +some religious festival, but on inquiring, we found that it was nothing +but bands of drunken indians making night hideous. + +We waited some time in the morning before beginning work, hoping that +the _cura_ might come and assist us with his influence. Finally, +wearying of delay, we explained to the _presidente_ the work we planned +to do. We told him we must have subjects for measurement, photographing +and modeling. He showed no great enthusiasm in the matter. One and +another came to be measured, if they chose, but a number entirely +refused. It was plain that something must be done. Quitting my work, I +sent orders for the _presidente_ to appear, and, after an intolerable +delay, he presented himself. I told him that we were losing time; that +subjects were not presenting themselves; that some of those who did +present themselves refused to be measured; that I wished a _mozo_ at +once to carry a report from me to the _jefe_ that my wishes were not +regarded by the authorities, and that his orders had no influence; that +the _mozo_ must be ready at once, as there was no time to lose, and we +should shortly leave his town without accomplishing our work. The effect +was instantaneous. The official air of arrogance disappeared; he replied +quiet humbly that subjects should be at once supplied, as rapidly as +they could be brought in. I replied, "Here are two persons now who have +refused; why wait while others shall be brought?" The fiat went forth, +the two obdurate and not good-humored victims were marched up. As I +measured them, they whispered to me that the _presidente_ himself +had not been measured, and begged that he be ordered to undergo the +operation. The request was reasonable, and when they were through, they +waited to see what would happen. Great was their delight when, turning +to the chief man of the town, I said, "It is best for you to be measured +next. It will set a good example to the rest," and without a word, +although I knew that he had stated that he would not be measured, he +stepped under the rod. From then on there was no lack of material. Our +subjects were measured, photographed and modeled as rapidly as we could +do the work. At noon the priest had come. As he passed where we were +working, he gave us an extremely distant greeting and rode on up to the +_curato_. From his castle he sent immediate complaint because our horses +had been put into his stable without his permission. I went to the good +man's house and found him hearing confessions. Leaving with him the +letters from the archbishop and the _jefe_, I returned to my work, +leaving word that the horses would have to stay where they were, as +there was no other suitable place for their keeping. After a hard day's +work, the night started very cold, and we hurried to bed early. All were +sleeping, but myself, when a rap came at the door. It was a message from +the _cura_, begging us to come to the _curato_, where we would be more +comfortable. Sending back a word of thanks, I stated that we would be +there for the following night. + +[Illustration: MIXTEC HOUSES; TILANTONGO] + +The _cura_ had been away from home for several days. The result was +that, on his return, his parishioners turned out in force to greet him, +and hardly was he housed, when a procession bearing gifts marched to the +_curato_. In front went one bearing flowers. Those who followed carried +some kind of food,--great pieces of meat, fowls, eggs, corn, chilis, +and other supplies. The following morning we were awakened by a great +explosion of fire-crackers and rockets, and by pealing bells, announcing +the early mass. After his religious duties were performed, the _padre_ +came down to the _plaza_ to watch our work and use his influence in our +behalf. When it was dinner-time, he invited us to go with him to that +meal. We had thought that the donation party we had witnessed was a +generous one; after that dinner, we had no doubt of the matter. Hardly +had we disposed of the many good things on the table when the _padre_ +took us to a large room, the parish schoolhouse, and showed us the +arrangements he had made for our comfort. Four beds, descending in grade +of comfort from the one for myself to the one for Manuel, were shown us. +Never was a party happier to move from one set of quarters to another. + +Called away the next morning by his religious duties, the priest left +us in charge of house and household. The work went merrily on in the +_plaza_. We quickly found, however, that the town was getting into a +condition of intoxication, and long before noon every person in +the place was drunk. At noon we were waited upon by a committee, +representing the town, who informed us that they appreciated the lofty +honor which was conferred on the place by our presence, and stated that, +realizing that we had brought with us letters from the President of the +Republic and from the Archbishop of the diocese, they desired not to be +lacking in the respect due to such distinguished visitors. Accordingly, +they said, they had arranged for the brass band to discourse sweet music +for us, while we ate our dinner. No sooner was the statement made, than +preparations were begun. The band stood around us in a semi-circle, +chiefly notable for its unsteadiness on its legs, and regaled us with a +series of most doleful pieces. When word came that dinner was ready +at the _curato_, the band accompanied us to our stopping-place. The +bandmaster announced his intention of personally serving us at the +table. At the same time orders were given that the musicians, standing +without, should continue to play pieces throughout the repast. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + +The last day of our stay at Tilantongo, the _padre_ stated that it must +be interesting to see the way in which a parish priest, returning from a +visit to a neighboring town, is received by his parish. Accordingly, he +planned that a picture should be taken of himself on horseback, with all +the people gathered around welcoming him. Telling us that he would +be ready when we should have made our own preparations for this +photographic effort, he waited for our summons. We quickly found, +however, that the proposition, although hailed at first with joy, did +not create great enthusiasm. We recommended to the people that they +should get ready; told the musicians that the band should be prepared, +and that soon we should send for the _padre_ to be welcomed. When we +finally succeeded in getting the matter under way, and were seriously +thinking of summoning the reverend gentleman, it was reported that +an old woman had been found dead in her lonely hut that morning, and +arrangements were at once started for her funeral. In vain we suggested +that they should wait until the picture had been made. Musicians and +parishioners alike disappeared, going down to the house where the dead +body lay. The afternoon was passing. It would soon be quite too dark for +a picture. Meantime, the _cura_, having become anxious in the matter, +hastened from his house on foot, to ask why he had not been sent for. On +our explaining that a funeral was in progress, he was greatly outraged. +We pointed out the house in front of which the funeral procession was +now forming. He stood watching, as the line of mourners approached. The +person who had died was an aged woman named Hilaria. The body was borne +upon a stretcher, as coffins are not much used among these people. The +procession came winding up the high-road, where we stood. The band in +front was playing mournfully; next came the bearers, two of whom, at +least, were sadly drunk. The corpse was clad in the daily garments of +the woman, and the body sagged down through gaps in the stretcher; a +motley crowd of mourners, chiefly women, some with babies in their arms, +followed. One man, walking with the band in front, carried a book in his +hand and seemed to read the service, as they slowly passed along. When +the procession had come near us and was about to pass, the _padre_ +stopped it; expressing his dissatisfaction at the failure to arrange for +the photograph which he had ordered, he told the bearers to take the +corpse out behind the house and leave it there. They did so, returned, +and were arranged in a group with the _padre_ in their midst, and +photographed, after which the body was picked up again, the procession +was reformed, and proceeded as if nothing had happened. + +The following morning at six o'clock we were again upon the road. We +first descended into the valley, passing the miserable hut from whence +the dead woman had been borne. In all the yards we noticed peach-trees +loaded with their pink blossoms. From the deep and narrow valley, we +began to climb steadily upward. We passed along the side of a gorge, +the bed of which had all the appearance of a giant stairway. Higher and +higher we mounted, leaving San Juan Diusi on our right. Great masses of +gray clouds hung upon the summits of the highest mountain, their lower +line coming very nearly to our level. The wind beginning to blow, the +gray mass soon was whirled and spread down like a great veil around us. +We were indeed glad when we began to descend and have a little shelter +behind us, against the wind, and dry skies instead of damp clouds above +us. Making a sudden descent, we found ourselves in a cleared district, +where the only trees left on the high summits were palms, which bore +little round dates with round seeds; these were quite sweet and good. +Small ranches were scattered, here and there, along the road. After +another descent and ascent, we found ourselves in an extensive forest of +great gnarled oaks, thickly covered with tufts of air-plants and with +orchids. Many of the latter were in full bloom, forming masses of +brilliant color. In making the descent from here, we found the slope +composed of slippery limestone, with sharp, rain-channeled surfaces, +where our horses with great difficulty kept their footing. Soon after we +were down, we reached San Bartolo. + +This purely Mixtec town was a delightful spot. It is large, and strung +along two or three long straight streets. + +[Illustration: THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THEIR PADRE; TILANTONGO] + +The houses were in yards completely filled with fruit +trees--_chirimoyas, limas, granadas de China, ahuacates_ and oranges. +Garden-beds of spinach, lettuce, and onions were frequent. The houses +were of poles set upright, with thick thatchings of palms. Bee-hives in +quantity were seen at almost every house. At Tilantongo we had seen but +few women in native dress. Here almost every woman was clad in native +garments, many of which were beautifully decorated. The men wore +brilliant sashes, woven in the town. When we reached the town-house we +found the doorway decorated with flowers,--stars and rosettes made of +palm. We were well received, and a capital dinner was soon served, after +which we were escorted around the town by the authorities, who arranged +for photographing everything that seemed to us of interest. But, at +three o'clock, we left this pretty spot. Again, we climbed much of the +way over limestone roads. Santo Domingo, past which we journeyed, is a +mean little town, with houses much like those of Tilantongo, but of a +gray color instead of reddish-brown. From here we plunged downward, and +when we ascended again, followed along the side of a rock-walled canon +with pretty cascades and magnificent masses of fallen rock. The last +part of our journey was made by moonlight, along a brook-side over +a road which seemed quite endless. With some trouble, we found the +dilapidated old church and the municipal house; we took possession of +the school, and after a miserable supper, thoroughly tired, lay down to +rest upon the benches. + +The town--Magdalena de los Comales--is so named from the _comales_, or +earthenware griddles, made there. Besides this characteristic product, +the town makes a good deal of unglazed but polished red pottery. The +forms are chiefly candle-sticks, censers and toys. Much weaving of palm +is here done, and the hats of the place are rather famous. Famous, +too, are the _mantas_, or women's dresses, of black wool, made in long +rectangular pieces. The common grade sells for $6.00, and in using it, +it is, like indian dresses generally, simply wrapped about the figure +and held in place by a sash or belt. + +Nowhere in our journey in southern Mexico had we met with the kind of +scenery which we encountered between Magdalena and Tlaxiaco; its whole +character was like that of New Mexico. Directly behind the town was +a fine cart-road, worn in red sand pumice; before the town rose a +magnificent cliff, which had been a landmark in our journey of the day +before. The road running up the mountain, over gray and red pumice +strata, was deeply worn, just like the road back of Cochiti, New Mexico. +Here, too, were the same noble pines for forest. It was a full hour's +climb to the summit, where we found a pretty brook tumbling over ledge +after ledge into deep round basins of purest water. A long and rather +gentle slope downward led to a valley filled with neat farm-houses and +cleared patches. Our last ascent brought us to a mass of rounded hills, +composed of brilliant clays--yellow, brown, pink, red and white. From +among these hillocks Tlaxiaco, a magnificent picture, burst into view. +It is compactly built; the flat-topped houses are white or blue-tinted; +trees are sprinkled through the town; the old convent, with the two +towers of its church, dominates the whole place; a pretty stream flows +along its border; and a magnificent range of encircling mountains hems +it in on all sides. The descent was rapid, and we reached Tlaxiaco with +the morning but half gone. + +[Illustration: MIXTEC HOUSES WITH BEEHIVES; SAN BARTOLO] + +The _jefes_ of the districts of Mexico are frequently men of ability and +force. Rarely, however, have we encountered one so prompt and energetic +as Javier Cordova, then _jefe_ of the district of Tlaxiaco. When he took +possession of this district, not long before, deeds of robbery along +the high-road were common. In many portions of the district, acts of +violence were quite the rule. Perhaps the largest agricultural district +in the Republic, it possessed few of the conveniences of modern life. +Under Cordova's administration, vast improvements have been made. The +roads are secure, deeds of violence are rare, the advantages of the +district are being rapidly developed, telephone and telegraph have been +introduced, and a railroad is talked of. Although we had no letter +from the governor addressed to Senor Cordova, when we showed him the +communications for other _jefes_, we were received with the greatest +courtesy and everything was done to facilitate our work. We told him +that we planned to visit the Triquis at Chicahuastla. He at once wrote +letters to the town authorities and to Don Guillermo Murcio, living at +that village. The plaster for our bust-making had not yet been received, +but Senor Cordova promised, in case it came, to forward it after us +promptly, and, in case it did not come, to send twenty miles into the +mountains for the raw plaster, which he would have prepared and sent on +to Chicahuastla. It was late in the afternoon, before we started for +Cuquila, where we planned to pass the night. It was a mistake to make so +late a start. For a time, the road was fairly level, but at last we went +up a brisk ascent, reaching the summit near sunset. The road down would +have been a bad one, even in the daytime. As it was, if we had not had a +good moon, we could hardly have made the descent. From the depth of the +canon we ascended to Cuquila, thoroughly tired, somewhat before seven. +It was with the greatest difficulty that we could find anyone of whom to +ask our way to the town-house. Our voices were sufficient to plunge any +house into instant darkness and silence. After a long search, we found +a man who agreed to seek the _presidente_. He and the rest of the town +officials finally met us on the road, and, after reading our order, took +us to the town-house. It was with difficulty that we got fodder for our +horses. It was only after persistent and dire threats, that we secured +food for ourselves, and firewood to make the room, in which we were to +sleep, endurable. It was long past eleven before we were through our +troubles and lay down on mats to sleep. + +Though we had warned the town officials that we should leave at seven, +and must have breakfast before we left, when we arose, we found no steps +whatever taken for our accommodation. Yet the town officials had been +up long enough to be thoroughly affected by their early morning drinks. +Feeling that patience had ceased to be a virtue, we summoned the +authorities, and told the _presidente_ that he had paid no attention +whatever to his _jefe's_ order; that we had had far too much difficulty +in securing the bad accommodations we had been furnished; that their +promise to prepare a suitable breakfast had been completely disregarded. +We told them that our duty was to send immediate complaint to Tlaxiaco; +that we would, however, give them one more chance. We should not stop +for breakfast, but would proceed upon our journey hungry; if, however, +we sent him further orders regarding our return journey, we should +expect them obeyed to the very letter. With this we mounted. + +In vain the _presidente_ and officials begged us to wait, promising that +everything should be prepared. Time was too precious, and away we rode. + +Soon after leaving Cuquila we struck a fifty-minute mountain, the summit +of which we made at nine o'clock exactly. Here we sat in the shade and +lunched on bread and pineapples, bought the day before in Tlaxiaco. From +the summit, there was a slow and gentle descent around that ridge, and +then a slow incline along an endless ravine, until at last we came +out upon a crest, from which we looked down upon one of the grandest +mountain scenes of the world. A valley of impressive size, surrounded by +magnificent mountain masses, lay below us, and just to the right, at our +feet, was Chicahuastla. Few people in Mexico are so little known as the +Triquis. Orozco y Berra, usually a good authority, locates them near +Tehuantepec, in the low country. The towns which he calls Triqui are +Chontal; the five true Triqui towns are in the high Mixteca. The largest +is the town which we were now approaching. The Triquis are people of +small stature, dark-brown color, black eyes, aquiline, but low and +rather broad nose; they are among the most conservative, suspicious and +superstitious of Mexican indians. Most of them dress in native clothing, +and all speak the Triqui and not the Spanish language. As a people they +are sadly degraded, through being exceptionally addicted to drink. + +Don Guillermo Murcio is a character. He and his family are almost the +only _mestizos_ in the place. He is a hale and hearty blacksmith, and +has lived for fifteen years in this purely indian town, where he has +gained almost unbounded influence among the simple natives. His word is +law, and the town-government trembles before his gaze. He is impetuous +in manner, quick-tempered, and on the slightest suggestion of disregard +of his commands, freely threatens jail or other punishment. He received +us cordially, and we lived at his house, where we were treated to the +best that was available. + +We have already referred to the beautiful location of Chicahuastla. Its +appearance is most picturesque. Unlike the indian towns in the Mixteca +which we had so far visited, it has many houses of circular form with +conical roof. It is possible that this style of construction is the +result of African influence. At Chicahuastla we were on the very summit +of the great water-shed, and from it, when the air is clear, one may +look down, over a sea of lesser summits and mountain ranges, to the +waters of the Pacific. Along the Pacific coast, in the state of +Guerrero, are whole towns of Africans, descendants of slaves, who build +their houses after the circular pattern, so common throughout the dark +continent. We did not find in the Triquis any admixture of African +blood, but it is possible the mode of house-building may have been +influenced by negro example. + +Our first glimpse of the town suggested a veritable paradise. At eleven +the sky was clear, the sun almost tropical, the whole country smiled +under its warm beams; but at two there came a change. Fogs, so dense as +to shut out the view of what was across the road, drifted down from the +summit on which we had seen cloud masses forming. Deeper and deeper, +wetter and wetter, colder and colder grew the mist. All, wrapped in +their thickest blankets, were shivering, crouched upon the ground, +trying in vain to keep themselves warm. At first we thought this might +be a rare occasion, but were assured that it is an every-day occurrence, +and from our own experience of four or five days, we can easily believe +the statement to be true. How any people can live in such a spot, +suffering keenly twenty hours in the day, simply for the four hours of +clear sunshine and warmth is inexplicable; and the nights were torments! +Don Guillermo's house is well built of logs and plaster, but no house +could keep out that bitter cold night air which chilled us, as we lay in +bed, until we could hardly move. + +[Illustration: DON GUILLERMO AND HIS FAMILY; CHICAHUASTLA] + +[Illustration: GROUP OF TRIQUIS; CHICAHUASTLA] + +We have already stated that the people of Chicahuastla are conservative +and superstitious. Our operations of measuring, photographing and +bust-making filled the town with alarm and concern. It was hard enough +to get our male subjects; the women were yet more difficult. At first +we failed to secure any, but after we had several times told the town +officials that twenty-five women must be forthcoming for measurement, +and Don Guillermo had stormed and threatened, the town-government began +to plan a mode of carrying out our wishes. Close by Don Guillermo's +house was the miserable little village _plaza_, where the women of the +town assembled with corn-cakes and other articles for trade. There, they +met the travelling peddlers coming from Tlaxiaco, from Cuquila and the +coast, and drove their bargains, mostly a matter of trade, not purchase, +with them. Waiting at the place where we were working, until one or two +women were to be seen in the _plaza_, the town officials separated, +going in two directions. In a few minutes an anxious watcher, from our +point of view, might have seen a gradually contracting circle of men +surrounding the _plaza_. Usually at the same time that this circle was +evident to the watcher, it became also evident to the women. With cries +of terror, the poor creatures would start off as fast as their legs +would carry them, over the mountain trails, with the whole town +government, sixteen strong, in pursuit, with yells and screams. It was +like nothing but the chase of deer by hounds. Usually, the women, given +strength by terror, escaped; but once out of three times, perhaps, the +officials returned in triumph with their prisoner in their midst, who +was at once measured and then, if need be, photographed. In course of +time these hunts supplied the twenty-five victims desired. + +It might not be uninteresting to describe the events of a single +afternoon in a Triqui town. On one occasion, having eaten dinner, we had +scarcely begun our work when we heard a great uproar and din upon the +road toward Santo Domingo. Looking in that direction, we saw a crowd of +men and boys struggling toward us. As they came nearer, we saw that +six or eight of the party were carrying some awkward and inconvenient +burden. It was a man, sprawling face downward; two or more held his +arms, an equal number his legs; about his waist a belt, knotted behind, +was tied, and then through the knot was thrust a strong pole, which was +being carried by two men, one on either side. Struggling against those +who carried him, raising his face and snarling and gnashing at the +crowd, the prisoner presented a fearful spectacle. It seemed that, being +drunk, he had quarreled with his friend, whom he had nearly murdered +with his _machete_. About the middle of the afternoon we heard a loud +crying in the other direction, toward the church and jail, and, on +looking, saw coming toward us a man, whose head was broken open and from +it was streaming blood, his head and face were covered, and his white +shirt, to the waist and even below, was soaked with the red fluid. He +was wringing his hands and crying in a piteous manner. When he came to +where we stood, he told his tale of woe. He was the majordomo in charge +of the church property. He had expected that the priest would make his +visit to the pueblo on that day, and had so announced it to the people; +the pious parishioners looked forward, with interest, to the coming of +the _padre_. When the day passed, however, and the priest failed to +appear, one of the more religious felt so outraged that he had +broken open the head of the majordomo with a club, on account of his +disappointment. We told the poor fellow to go home and let his wife +clean him up and change his clothing, promising that, if he died, his +assailant should be punished. That evening there was a little moonlight +at Chicuhuastla, the only time during our stay. As we sat eating supper, +we heard an outcry in the direction of the church and jail. Asking Don +Guillermo what might be the cause, he replied that there was probably +some trouble at the jail. We insisted on going to see what might be +happening. Don Guillermo, the plaster-worker, Mariano, Manuel and I, +seizing whatever weapons were convenient at hand, started for the jail. +We found an excited crowd gathered around the doorway. On a log before +the door there sat a creature crazy-drunk. I have never seen a case more +horrible. He screamed, yelled, gnashed his teeth, struck and snapped +at everyone around. The whole village stood in terror. I addressed the +policemen, who seemed quite helpless. "Why not thrust him into the jail? +Quick! Seize him! In with him!" Encouraged by our words, they seized +him, the door was quickly opened, and he was cast into the little room, +which already contained more than thirty persons, the harvest of a +single afternoon. When the door was locked, we saw for the first time +why the policemen had been so timid. One of them came limping up to us, +crying, and showed his leg. From its fleshy part a good mouthful of +flesh had been cleanly bitten by the madman. The wound was bleeding +profusely, and the poor fellow wrung his hands and cried with pain. + +[Illustration: VIEW AT CHICAHUASTLA] + +We had finished our measurements and photographs, but there had been no +sign as yet of the plaster; concluding that Senor Cordova had forgotten +his promise, we were prepared to leave town early the next morning. +After dark two men came from Tlaxiaco, one of whom brought sufficient +plaster for making two good busts. This plaster had been brought, in +a crude state, twenty miles from the mountains to Tlaxiaco; had been +calcined and ground there, by prisoners in the jail, and then sent +fifteen miles to us over the mountains. We were interested in the men +who brought it. One of them was a prisoner from the Tlaxiaco jail. He +had been sentenced to ten days for drinking, and it was he who carried +the plaster. The other proudly informed us that he was a policeman, and +had come to make sure that the prisoner returned. Thoroughly delighted +at their coming, we broke our custom and gave the men a trifle. Alas, +the day! That very night both men, policeman and prisoner, were thrust +into the local jail, helplessly drunk. + +One evening, during our stay at Chicahuastla, Don Guillermo begged me +to go into the kitchen to examine a baby, upon whom he was thinking +of performing a surgical operation. The creature was a boy some three +months old, pure indian. We had heard him crying at night ever since +we had come, but had not seen him. A tumor, or some growth, was on his +neck, below the chin. Don Guillermo handed me the razor, in order that +I might remove the swelling, but I refused the task. The story of the +child is sad. It is the son of a young indian boy and girl, not married. +That would not be a serious matter among the Triquis. For some reason, +however, the mother did not like the child, and scarcely was it born, +when she went with it into the forest; there in a lonely place she +choked it, as she thought, to death, and buried it in the ground. The +town authorities, suspecting something of her purpose, had followed her +and were watching at the moment. No sooner had she left the spot than +they dug up the child, found it still alive, and brought it to Don +Guillermo, who had kept it at the town's charge. + +The last night of our stay at Chicahuastla, just after supper, +a cavalcade came to the door. It was the _jefe_ of the next +district--Juxtlahuaca--with a guard of six mounted men. Apparently a +pleasant fellow, he was at the moment excited over a recent disturbance +in his district. In an attempt which he had made to adjust a certain +difficulty, he and his guard had been fired on and stones thrown +from the height above them, by the people of the pueblo. One of his +companions died from the effect of the attack. The officer plainly +feared an outbreak or uprising, and was nervous and uneasy, though Don +Guillermo assured him that in his house there was absolutely no danger. +Finally, we quieted down and all went to bed, we with the intention of +an early start the next morning. + +[Illustration: AT WORK; MEASURING] + +[Illustration: AT WORK; BUST MAKING] + +After an uneasy night, I awoke about five o'clock. Just as I was +thinking of calling my companions, I felt a faint trembling, which +rapidly increased to a heavy shaking, of the house in which we slept. +There was a moment's pause, and then a second shaking, which began +stronger than the other, but which lasted about the same time. It was +the most serious earthquake shock we ever experienced in Mexico. Had the +house been made of brick and plaster, considerable damage might have +been done. Everyone was wide awake in an instant. The whole town was in +excitement. The church-bell was rung and the people flocked out into the +street. The shock passed at exactly 5:20, and, in other towns, notably +in Oaxaca, it did considerable damage. + +Two days before, we had sent word to the authorities at Cuquila, that we +should breakfast with them on our way back to Tlaxiaco, and ordered them +to be ready for our coming. This was the opportunity which had been +promised them for redeeming themselves and avoiding complaint to their +_jefe_. Arriving at the town at 9:40, we were met at the roadside by +some of the officials, who led us at once to the town-house. Here the +whole town government was gathered to greet us; politely each one, +stepping forward, removed his hat and kissed my hand; they then invited +us to sit down at the table and breakfast,--whereupon eggs, chicken, +_tortillas_ and _frijoles_--the best the town could supply--were set +before us. The whole government sat by, looking on as we ate. + +Immediately after breakfast, in accordance with our order previously +sent, we were taken to see a potter at work. Cuquila is famous for two +lines of manufacture, pottery and woolen garments. The pottery here made +is skillfully shaped into wonderfully large vessels of different forms. +The product goes throughout this whole district, and even down to the +Pacific coast, a hundred miles distant. Along the roads it is a common +thing to meet parties of three or four men carrying great loads of +water-jars, large bowls, etc., for sale or trade. While we were +inspecting the potter's work, a slight shock of earthquake, almost too +gentle to be noticed, passed through the place. + +At Cuquila, we found that we should not meet Senor Cordova at Tlaxiaco. +He had passed through the town the night before, on his way to +Juxtlahuaca, with a band of soldiers to assist his neighboring _jefe_ in +maintaining order. + +Leaving our Cuquila reprobates in friendly and gentle mood, we started +for Tlaxiaco, where we arrived at half-past two. Something after four +o'clock, we heard a violent ringing of the church-bell and saw the +people flocking out onto the streets; looking up at the church-tower, +although we did not feel the shock, we saw that the whole church was +being violently shaken, and that the ringing bells, which we had heard, +were not moved by human hands. This third shock of the day was more +strongly felt in other districts, than with us. In the City of Mexico, +three hundred miles away, it was the most severe of the day. + +The whole town was in commotion; people threw themselves upon their +knees in the streets and prayed to the Virgin for protection. Later +in the day, we saw a priest and a saint's figure passing through the +streets, and as they passed the people paid reverence. Surely the little +procession, illegal though it was, must have been successful, for there +were no further shocks. We found here a most interesting superstition, +which we had not met before, but which we heard several times later, in +other districts. We were assured that the earthquake was but one of many +signs that the world was coming to an end. We discovered that thousands +of the people expected the ending of the world in 1900, and when we +asked why, were reminded that this was the last year of the century. +This is certainly a survival of ancient superstition. The old Mexicans +did not count their years by hundreds or centuries, as we do, but by +cycles of 52 years each. It was believed that the world would come to an +end at the close of a cycle, and important ceremonies were conducted +to avert such a catastrophe. It is clear that the old idea, of the +destruction of the world at the close of a cycle, has been transferred +to the new mode of reckoning time. + +[Illustration: VIEW AT CHICAHUASTLA] + +From Tlaxiaco to Teposcolula, there was a cart-road, though it was +possible that no _carreta_ ever passed over it. It presented little good +scenery. We passed the pueblos of San Martin Jilmeca, San Felipe, and +San Miguel. Just before reaching the first of these towns, the road +passes over a coarse rock mass, which weathers into spheroidal shells. +At Jilmeca and some other points along the day's route the rock over +which we passed was a white tufaceous material loaded with streaks of +black flint. Sometimes this black flint passes into chert and chalcedony +of blue and purple tints. Here and there, along the mountain sides, +we caught glimpses of rock exposures, which looked snow-white in the +distance. Between Jilmeca and San Felipe there was a pretty brook, with +fine cypresses along the banks, and a suspension bridge of great logs. +Having passed through San Felipe and San Miguel, a pleasant road, +through a gorge, brought us to the valley in which Teposcolula lies. The +great convent church, historically interesting, is striking in size and +architecture. The priest, an excellent man, is a pure-blooded Mixtec +indian, talking the language as his mother tongue. With great pride +he showed us about the building, which was once a grand Dominican +monastery. The old carved wooden cupboard for gold and silver articles, +used in the church service, is fine work. The gold and silver articles +for which it was built have long since disappeared. In the _patio_ are +many old paintings, most of which are badly damaged, and some of which +have been repaired with pieces cut from other pictures, not at all like +the missing piece. Among these pictures is a series of scenes from the +life of Santo Domingo. Of the figures in the church, two are fairly +good; one, which is famous, represents Our Lady of the Rosary. In a +little chapel are buried the remains of the old friars; here also is a +beautiful old carved confessional. In front of the old church is a great +court surrounded by a stone wall, which is surmounted here and there +with little, pointed, square pillars. To the right of the church is a +mass of masonry, in reddish-brown freestone, consisting of a series of +arches, now more or less in ruins. When the convent was at the height +of its splendor, the crowd of worshippers was too large for the church +itself, and these beautiful arches were erected to receive the overflow. +In the church itself, the plaster in the domes of the towers and the +coloring on the walls and domes had chipped and fallen, on account of +the earthquake, the day before. In the ruins of the upper rooms of the +convent proper, stone and mortar, dislodged from the decaying walls by +the same shocks, lay in little heaps on the floor. + +The _cura_ had ten churches in his charge. He says there are 2,000 +people in Teposcolula, few of whom are indians. In his ten churches, +he has 12,000 parishioners. He seemed a devout man, and emphasized the +importance of his preaching to his congregation in their native tongue +and his. So convinced is he that the native idiom of the people is the +shortest road to their heart and understanding, that he has prepared a +catechism and Christian doctrine in the modern Mixtec, which has been +printed. The town itself is desolate; the _plaza_ is much too large, +and dwarfs the buildings which surround it, and signs of desolation +and decay mark everything. With the fondness which Mexicans show for +high-sounding and pious inscriptions, the municipality has painted, +upon the side of the town-house, in full sight for a long distance, the +words, "Nations to be great and free must be educated." From here to +Nochixtlan there was nothing of special interest. For some four leagues +the road was through a gorge; from this valley we mounted to the height, +just before reaching the town of Tiltepec, from which we caught an +extensive view down over the great valley in which Nochixtlan and this +town lie. From Tiltepec we had a rather tiresome, hot, and painful ride, +passing San Juan Tillo and Santiago Tillo. By half past one we were +again in the city of Nochixtlan. + +[Illustration: TRIQUI CHILDREN; CHICAHUASTLA] + +[Illustration: MIXTEC POTTER; CUQUILA] + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE MIXES REVISITED + +(1899) + + +After resting at Oaxaca, from our trip into the high Mixteca, we made +preparations for our new journey, leaving at three o'clock in the +afternoon for the land of the Zapotecs and Mixes. Our late start +compelled stopping at Tule for the night. In the morning we went on to +Tlacolula, where we nooned, in order to see the _jefe_ in regard to our +work. He is a competent man, showed great interest in our plan, and gave +valuable advice, in addition to the orders to his officials. He warned +us that we might meet some difficulty at Milta, where we were planning +to make our study of the Zapotecs, on account of the _fiesta_ then in +progress. He told us to notify him at once in case matters did not go +well there. + +The _fiesta_ at Milta should have been a three days' affair. This year, +however, it began on Sunday with the result that it filled four days. +Reaching there in the afternoon of Monday, we found the whole town in +great excitement and dissipation. The _plaza_ had been enclosed with a +fencing of poles, and _toros_ were the amusement of the afternoon. The +country sports with bulls are different from the regular bull-fights of +the cities. Any one takes part who pleases, and while there is little of +trained skill, there is often much of fun, frolic, and daring. The bull +is led into the ring from outside by a lasso. It is then lassoed from +behind and dragged up to a post or tree, to which it is firmly tied to +prevent its moving. A rope is then tightly cinched about its middle and +a man mounts upon the back of the beast, fixing his feet firmly in the +rope below, between it and the animal, and winding his hands into it +above. The ropes which hold the bull are then withdrawn so as to set +it loose. Dozens of men and big boys, with jackets and _serapes_, then +torment the beast, which, plunging and dashing at them, scatters them in +every direction. Sometimes the angry animal attempts to break through +the fence, causing excitement and consternation among the crowds who +have been hanging to it and looking over. When, as sometimes happens, he +does break through, there is great scattering before him, and closing +in behind him, until he is again captured. The man riding on the bull's +back clings as long as he can, in spite of the plunging and other +frantic efforts of the animal to unseat him; comparatively few stay long +in their uncomfortable position, and when they are thrown, much agility +is required to escape from the furious animal. + +[Illustration: IN TLACOLULA] + +[Illustration: TYPICAL ZAPOTEC HOUSE; TLACOLULA] + +As we rode into town these sports were in full blast; everyone, save the +bull-fighters, was drunk. Now and then a tube of iron filled with powder +was exploded. A band in front of the municipal house was supplying +music. A little group of men with _pitos_ and _tambours_ strolled from +place to place, playing. Much selling was in progress in the booths, the +chief articles offered being intoxicating drinks. A cluster of drunken +vocalists, sitting flat upon the ground, but almost unable to hold +themselves upright, were singing horribly to untuned guitars. In front +of the town-house a bench had been dragged out by the authorities for +the benefit of the _cura_, who, seated thereon, was watching the sports +with maudlin gravity. The _presidente_ and other officials were standing +by the _padre_, and all were drinking at frequent intervals. Thinking +the moment opportune, I approached the party and handed them my +documents; but both _presidente_ and priest were far too drunk to +realize my needs. Surveying the drunken town, I felt that it was +necessary to act promptly and firmly if we were to accomplish anything +before the _fiesta_ ended. The only member of the government who was not +extremely drunk that afternoon was the _sindico_. Calling him to me, I +addressed him, scorning both priest and _presidente_. I refused to drink +with them, saying that they were already too drunk to know their duties, +and that both should be ashamed of their condition. At this time the +_cura_ asked me if I were a clergyman. On my replying no, he remarked +that I looked like one. I told him yes, that I was frequently mistaken +for one; that a priest in the Mixteca had even thought that I was a +bishop. He then drunkenly inquired whether I were married, and on my +replying no, made the astonishing observation that then, it was certain +that I could not be a priest,--that every priest had one wife, bishops +two, and archbishops three. This drunken priest had just been making +certain observations to the _presidente_ calculated to interfere with my +work, and I felt that I now had my opportunity. So, turning upon him, I +gravely reproved him for his remark. I told him that, in his language +and his drunkenness, he was setting a bad example to his parish; that he +should go at once to the _curato_, and not venture forth during the time +that we remained in the town. Half-sobered by my order, he arose without +a word, went to his house, and did not again appear for four days. +Having gotten him out of the way, I turned to the drunken officials and +told them that, early the next morning, I should begin my work, and +that they must make the needful preparations; that I wished to measure, +photograph, and make busts of the population. I told them that at +present they were too drunk to aid me, but that the following morning +things must be different; that enough at least to attend to my orders +must be sober. After supper, attracted by the noise and hubbub, we set +out to see the _plaza_. Torches were flaring in every direction, and +considerable business was being done at all the booths. Crowds of +drunken people were squatting on the ground in all directions; at the +town-house the band of music was playing the _jarabe_, and 40 or 50 +persons were dancing this lively dance. Old and young, men and women, +boys and girls, all were taking part; no one paid attention to any other +person, but each seemed to be trying to prove himself the most agile of +the party. All were drunk, some astonishingly so. Occasionally a +dancer would bump against such an one, who would fall head over heels. +Immediately picking himself up, he would go at it again, with even +greater vigor; sometimes one fell, of himself, in a helpless heap, +and lay where he fell, until kicked out of the way or until the music +stopped. All around was pandemonium; yelling, singing, cursing, fighting +were in progress; the jail was crowded, but every now and then a new +case was dragged up; for an instant the door was opened, and against the +crowd, pushing from within, the new prisoner would be crowded into the +cell. At one time in the evening a cry arose that a murder was being +committed in the jail. The door was opened, the policemen crowded in, +and the two men who had clinched and were battling were torn apart. One +was dragged outside and thrown into the woman's jail, and for a time the +air was blue with the most insulting cries. Convinced that no work +could be done in the afternoons, we labored with the greatest possible +diligence each morning. The first morning, going to the town-house, +we ordered subjects to be brought. The _presidente_ was drunk; the +_sindico_ also; still, some of the town officials were found in +a condition able to do our bidding. Having measured a few of the +officials, we proposed to take such prisoners as still remained in the +jail, from the batch of the preceding day. There were eighteen of these, +and with them we made a good beginning. Among the prisoners we found our +first subject for modelling. Oiling him, we began to make the moulds. +The back-piece had been applied; the second piece, covering the lower +part of the face and upper chest, was hardening, and we were busily +engaged in putting on the final application over the upper part of the +face. At this moment the _presidente_ staggered into the jail. When +his eyes fell upon our subject, he stopped aghast; for a moment he was +unable to speak; then he groaned out the words, "O horrible spectacle! +To think of seeing a son of this town in such a position!" As I was +beginning to laugh and ridicule him, the old mother of the young man +came bursting into the jail, weeping and trembling, to see what fate had +overtaken her son. Wringing her hands, the tears rolled down her face, +and her voice was choked with sobs, as she asked pitifully whether he +must die; she told me that he was her only support, and that, without +him, she was absolutely alone. Taking the old woman outside, while the +mask should be completed, I chatted with her, and as soon as the pieces +of the mould were removed, delivered her precious son, unharmed, into +her hands. + +Just as we were ready for a new subject, a young fellow, better dressed +than most, passed by. We called him to come in and be measured, but with +a somewhat insolent manner, he walked by, paying no attention to our +words. Sending the policemen for him, they soon returned with the +report, "_No quiere_" (He does not care to come). To allow a first +refusal was not to be thought of, so we ordered his return. Again the +policemen came back with no result. Thereupon I declared that no more +work should be done until he came; that time would be lost thereby, and +the _jefe's_ order would be disregarded, but that it was not our fault. +Upon this the _presidente_ informed us that the order was not explicit; +it did not state that people must be measured; he would consult the +civil code to see whether anyone but criminals must be measured. "Very +good," said I, "do as you like; but unless that young man is brought in +we shall send complaint to the _jefe_; send for a messenger at once to +carry my report." At this stage, the policemen returned, telling me that +the young man wanted did not belong to this town; that he could not be +found, and probably had gone home. We told them that we did not believe +them, but that we would proceed with our work; however, I said, that, +if he really were a stranger but appeared again, I should order his +immediate arrest and jailing. To this they all agreed; and we continued +work until the town was again too drunk for anything to be done. + +[Illustration: ORGANO CACTUS; TLACOLULA] + +[Illustration: WHERE TREE FERNS GROW] + +About the middle of the afternoon, when the bull-fighting was at its +height, the young man wanted appeared in the ring as the chief fighter +and attraction of the day. Stepping at once to the policemen I told +them that he must be brought immediately to the town-house,--that +the bull-fight must cease while our matters were arranged. With much +grumbling and complaint they obeyed. The young man dismounted from his +bull and was brought by the policeman before us. Here we asked the +_sindico_ the name and residence of the young man; and, as we supposed, +he belonged in Mitla. Asking him why he had not come to be measured +when he was told to do so, he replied that we had already measured him. +Telling him that lying would not save him, I commanded him to appear the +following morning for measurement,--that otherwise he would be sent a +prisoner to Oaxaca. In the morning he did not appear until officials +were sent to bring him. After he had gone through the ordeal of +measurement he swore eternal friendship to me, and at no time afterward +was I able to pass him, on the street or in the square, without his +begging me to drink _tepache_ with him. + +Mitla is famous for its weaving; fine _mantas_ of wool are made there +in two chief styles--one a long strip of black or blue-black cloth, the +other a rich red, sometimes banded or striped with black. These Mitla +_mantas_ are widely sold to Zapotecs, in all the district around, and +form the characteristic women's dress. The Zapotecs of this district +wear something on their feet that more nearly resembles true shoes than +the footgear of any other Indians in southern Mexico. The sandal of the +man has a projecting heel-flap which is bound around the ankles by means +of thongs, and forms a good protection to the hind part of the foot. The +women have not only such a flap, even higher than that used by the men, +but also a broad strip of leather over the forward part of the foot, +leaving the toes peeping out in front; between the heel flap and the toe +covering, the foot is quite as well enclosed, excepting for the toes, as +in a white man's shoe. + +It was quite impossible, with the amount of work we had to do, and the +difficulties under which we labored, to give the least attention to +the ruins. We arranged, however, to make a photograph of the town +authorities standing in the great court of one of the fine old +buildings--a court the walls of which are covered with beautiful mosaic +decorations, betraying taste and skill. The motley crew of half-drunk +officials, miserably dressed, degraded, poor, in this scene of past +magnificence, called up thoughts of the contrast between the government +of old Mitla and the present,--of past magnificence and modern squalor. + +[Illustration: THE CONTRAST; PAST AND PRESENT--MITLA] + +Having accomplished all we wished at Mitla, we again struck eastward +toward the land of the Mixes. Late in starting, we made no attempt to go +further than San Lorenzo that afternoon. The old road was familiar, +and from there on, through the following day, everything came back +to memory. Even individual trees, projecting rock masses, and little +streams, were precisely as we remembered them from our journey of three +years earlier. We reached Ayutla in the evening a little before sunset. +Riding directly to the municipal house we summoned the town government. +We had not provided ourselves with orders from the _jefe_ of the +district, as Villa Alta, the _jefatura_, lay far out of our course. We +planned to use our general letter from the governor. When the officials +assembled we presented our order and explained it; we told them what we +needed for the night, and arrangements were at once made for supplying +us; we then told the _presidente_ of the work we had before us, and +informed him that, because his town was small, we should ask for only +thirty-five men for measurement, and that these must be ready, early in +the morning, with no trouble to us. + +The _presidente_ demurred; he doubted whether the people would come to +be measured; we told him that they would not come, of course, unless he +sent for them. When morning came, although everything had been done for +our comfort, there was no sign of subjects. That no time might be lost, +we took the _presidente_ and three or four other officials, who were +waiting around the house; then, with firmness, we ordered that he should +bring other subjects. The officials were gone for upwards of an hour, +and when they returned, had some ten or twelve men with them. "Ah," said +I, "you have brought these, then, for measurement?" "On the contrary, +sir," said the _presidente_, "this is a committee of the principal men +of the town who have come to tell you that the people do not wish to be +measured." "Ah," said I, "so you are a committee, are you, come to tell +me that you do not wish to be measured?" "Yes." Waiting a moment, I +turned to the officials and asked, "And which one particularly does +not wish to be measured of this committee?" Immediately, a most +conservative-looking individual was pointed out. Addressing him, I said, +"And so you do not wish to be measured?" "No sir," said he, "I will not +be measured." "Very good," said I. "What is your name?" He told us. +I marked it down upon my blank, and wrote out the description of his +person. Then, seizing my measuring rod, I said to him quite sharply, +"Well, well! Take off your hat and sandals. We must lose no time!" +And before he really realized what we were doing, I had taken his +measurements. Having finished with him, I turned again to the +_presidente_. "And what other member of the committee particularly +objects to being measured?" As I spoke, another man was indicated. +Turning to him, I said, "Let us lose no time. Take off your hat and +sandals while I measure you." In an instant the thing was done. The +operation was carried through. Before I had finished with the second +case, the others began to smile and snicker, and when I was ready for +my third subject I simply asked, "Who next?" and they came one after +another without complaint. Having measured all the members of the +committee, I soberly addressed them. "Now, if there is any harm in this +that I have done, you are all as badly off as can be. If I were you, I +would try to get as many other people in the same position as I could; +go out and bring in others." Before noon the work was done, and we were +ready to go on to Juquila. + +We rested, however, the balance of the day, and spent a second night at +Ayutla. The day had been given to drinking, throughout the town. It will +be remembered that the village proper lies on a terrace, upon a slope +above the town-house. As we sat before the house, in the afternoon +and evening, we heard from time to time yells and cries above. Some +policemen, who were standing up there to keep order, would then appear +upon the edge of the slope, and, waving their hands, would loudly cry +for help; then the policemen from the town-house would run to their +assistance, and in a little time the party would return, dragging one +or more victims to the jail. This operation continued from early in the +afternoon until late at night; fully fifteen or twenty persons were +brought down from the village to the jail during that time. + +We had hoped to find the valley of clouds, and the great cloud cataract, +on the road to Juquila, but were doomed to disappointment. When we stood +upon the summit, looking down into what before had been the sea of mist, +the whole place was clear, and everything, to the very bottom of the +valley, was visible. The further journey seemed more tedious than +before, and the latter part of the road seemed truly endless. There was +not a breath of air; the sun poured its hot rays down mercilessly. Long +before we reached Juquila I felt, for the first time in Mexico, that I +was suffering from fever. After seven and a half hours on the road, +we reached the town at 1:30 in the afternoon, and went at once to the +town-house, where we were well received, and arrangements were made +for our comfort. When they saw that I was suffering, they brought out +hammocks, of which I made no use. Making myself a bed of blankets upon +the floor, I lay down in my misery and covered myself from the world, a +blanket over my head. After some hours, I felt that we were losing +time, and that we must, at least, make arrangements for the work of the +following day. It was now dusk. I sent for the officials, and when they +appeared, told them that, notwithstanding my suffering, I could not +lose time, and that early in the morning they must bring persons for +measurement. There was a good deal of discussion over the matter. The +officials were dissatisfied that my order was not signed by the _jefe_ +of their district and dated from San Carlos. They suggested that we send +a messenger to San Carlos to inquire whether the order was all right. I +replied that four days would be consumed in going and coming; that time +was precious, and that it was impossible for us to wait. Seeing that +they were likely to refuse to do what I wished, I made a little speech, +in which I told them they had better do what I asked, and that promptly. +No one so far had recognized me as having been there before. I told them +that they had never had better friend that I; that this was not the +first time I had visited Juquila; that when I came before I had had +difficulty; that my companion, presenting an order from the governor, +had been badly received by their _presidente_, who tried to do him +violence; that if I had reported this incident, they knew well what +would have happened; that, however, being their good friend, I had never +reported it. Having jogged their memory regarding the past, I suggested +to them that a report of the previous occurrence, with their present +disregard of orders, might be serious. I told them that they knew what I +desired; that they might at once inform me whether it would be done or +not; if they decided in the negative, the _secretario_ and my _mozo_ +must start at once on foot to Oaxaca, carrying my complaint to the +governor; that, as for me, having started them upon their journey, I +should leave early the following morning going to some town where the +people knew what obedience to the law meant. They at once promised that +no time should be lost, and that, the following morning, I should have +the subjects for whom I asked, viz., thirty-five men and twenty-five +women. Nor was it simply promises; having told them that I would begin +early in the morning whether I were well or ill, and that I wanted no +delay, we found our thirty-five men waiting, at seven o'clock. + +[Illustration: THE LAND OF THE MIXES] + +At Juquila the system of public crying from the _plaza_ is fully +developed. The town lies in a valley, and most of the houses are on +slopes surrounding the little plain or terrace upon which the _plaza_ is +situated on which the government house is built. When aid was needed +by the town authorities, whether _zacate_ for our horses, food for +ourselves, objects for inspection, or what not, one of the officers, +whose business it seemed to be, stepped out upon the _plaza_, and, +raising his voice would cry out what was needed by the authorities. +Whoever had the things desired, coming out before their houses, would +cry back the amount, description and variety of the articles they could +supply. This we found to be the constant practice. + +Notwithstanding the clearness of the preceding day, our day of working +was cold, damp, and foggy. The sea of cloud and cataract of mists must +have been in full operation. Where we were, a heavy wind was blowing +and, before night, rain falling. We had not thought of the possibility +of heavy storms or damaged roads at this time of the year, but, before +night came, the people of the village expressed surprise that we should +talk of leaving the next morning. They assured us that at Quezaltepec +and Ixcuintepec it was surely raining heavily, and that the roads would +be wet, slippery and impassable. Long before we went to bed, a gale was +blowing and we felt doubts regarding further progress. In the morning +it was still wet and chilly; all told of terrible roads and risks in +proceeding; we delayed. Finally, we decided to press on at least to +Ocotopec. We had tried to send the _mozos_ forward with our baggage, but +it was plain they would not move until we did. Finally, somewhat after +nine, we started. It was still heavy and chilly; we found the road much +better than we feared; at some points it was slippery, but not for +long distances. Until we were on the final descent to Ocotopec we were +sheltered from the cold wind. To be sure, here and there, where the road +passed little funnel openings along the crest, we felt fully the cold +wind loaded with mist. + +We noticed, what on the other trip escaped my attention, the profound +difference in vegetation between the two sides of the hill upon the +crest of which we were travelling. The one slope, cold and damp, was +densely forested with trees, loaded with air-plants and orchids. The +other slope, warmer and drier, was far less heavily grown, and in large +part, with pines. Among the plants noticed by the roadside was a species +of pinguicula which was very common on damp clay-cuttings. Its leaves +form a close, flat rosette upon the ground, from which a slender stalk +rises, with a a single crimson flower. When we reached the final descent +to the town, we caught the full force of the cold, mist-laden wind, +which struck our faces and made us shiver. Yet it was on this very +slope, so frequently cold and wet, that the oaks, covered with +air-plants and blooming orchids, were at their finest. Ferns in +astonishing variety, from the most delicate, through giant herbaceous +forms, to magnificent tree-ferns; lycopods of several species, and +selaginellas, in tufts, covered the slopes; and great banks of begonias, +in fine bloom, showed themselves. Before we reached the village we were +forced to dismount, on account of the slippery condition of the road, +and entered town on foot. + +In our other journey Ocotopec made no impression on us. It is really one +of the most picturesque and interesting of the Mixe towns. It is built +upon a slope, which is cut and built into a series of little terraced +gardens; clusters or groups of houses stand on the terraces. The houses +are rectangular, built of adobe brick and heavy thatch, with a thick +comb of thatch riding the ridge. Unlike most Mixe churches, the church +at Ocotopec is entire, and in good condition. It is built of stone. The +town is purely Indian, and the type is the best we had seen. Had there +been light for photographing, we should have stopped there and done our +work, instead of passing on to Ixcuintepec. As it was, we spent the +night, and were well treated. Leaving early in the morning, we +hurried to Quezaltepec for dinner, the road being better than we had +anticipated. The town is prettily distributed upon a curved crest; the +houses are neat, built of adobe or of poles daubed with mud. Much fruit +is grown here, and coffee is an important crop. In almost every yard +mats were spread out, on which coffee was drying, or being sorted by +people squatting on the ground. Considerable cotton is woven at this +point. + +Leaving at 3:40, the evening ride through the forest was magnificent. +The flora was such as we have before described. As we rode through the +higher forests, we constantly heard birds, notable among which were the +_clarins_, with their fine clear notes. It was dark before we reached +Camotlan. Nowhere had we been better treated. We were shown at once into +a clean room, and were soon surrounded by bustle and preparation for our +comfort. There are but 143 inhabitants, of whom six--four men and two +women--have goitres. We had been previously informed that the whole town +was goitrous. There were three deaf-mutes, but no idiots, in the town. +Inquiring for books printed in the Mixe tongue, we were informed that +the choir-master had one. On expressing my desire to see it, they sent +to bring him. We were astonished at his appearance. The messengers who +brought him carried him in their arms, and set him down upon the floor, +when we saw that he had been born without legs, and with sadly deformed +arms and hands. Yet, when once placed upon the floor, he moved about +easily, and had a cheery face and sunny temper. He was delighted to show +us his book and took the greatest pride in reading from it. It is truly +remarkable that he can do this. The book was written in the dialect of +Juquila of more than 170 years ago. The dialect of Juquila was no doubt +then different from that of Camotlan, and during the 170 years there +have been great changes, even in that town itself. As I watched the +man read from his book, I noticed that he pronounced parts of words +differently from the way in which they were spelled; how he had worked +out for himself, unaided, the proper meaning and purport of the words +was a mystery. I had intended to purchase the book, but found him so +attached to it that I gave up the plan. Had he been a normal man, I +should have insisted; but then, if he had been a normal man, he would +not have had the book nor known how to read it. + +From Camotlan we rode steadily for five hours to reach Ixcuintepec. +There were considerable stretches of slippery road to be passed. The two +gorge rides, the bridges of vines, and the houses along the way, were +beautiful as ever, but the magnificent mountain forests were left +entirely behind us. The old church at Ixcuintepec is visible on the high +crest for a considerable distance. As we made the final climb, the boys +noticed in the trees structures one and a half feet or two feet in +diameter, and somewhat dome-shaped. I should have taken them for wasps' +nests, but the party insisted that they saw parrots come out of them, +and that no doubt young parrots were in the nests. Immediately there was +great excitement, for Manuel had all along wanted to capture a parrot to +take home with him. The party stopped, and stones were thrown to drive +out the birds, but with no result. Finally Mariano climbed the tree, +creeping out along the branches almost to the nest; just at that moment +an unusually well-aimed stone struck the nest, but instead of parrots, +out streamed a great cloud of wasps, which flew straight towards the +_mozo_, who lost no time in getting down from his precarious position. + +[Illustration: VIEW IN QUEZALTEPEC] + +We found Ixcuintepec almost deserted; hardly any of the town officials +were there. Almost everyone was off, working in the coffee _fincas_. +We quickly saw that we had made a great mistake in waiting for our +remaining subjects until this town. Not only were men conspicuous by +their absence, but the women were extremely hostile. They objected to +our photographing their houses or themselves. They drove the messenger +whom I had sent to measure a house, for the purpose of making a +miniature reproduction, off the premises with clubs. The _mozos_, who +had accompanied us thus far, had no intention of going farther, and the +problem of getting carriers--which had troubled us ever since we had +left Mitla--assumed serious proportions. It was with great difficulty +and much bluster that we secured the food we needed and the _mozos_. +When the _mozos_ came, three out of the four whom it was necessary +for us to employ, were mere boys, the heartiest and best of whom was +scarcely ten years old. In vain we declared that it was impossible for +such little fellows to carry the burdens that needed transportation. It +was plain that they were our only resource. Starting the three boys +upon a short cut to San Miguel, the oldest _mozo_ and ourselves went by +another road to Coatlan. It was fortunate for us that the school-teacher +at this town was interested in our work. We took possession of the +schoolhouse, showed our orders to the officials, and, after much +difficulty, obtained our wishes. The town was almost as deserted as had +been Ixcuintepec, but after infinite difficulty, we succeeded in getting +sufficient subjects to complete our work. + +We had thought ourselves unfortunate at Ixcuintepec and Coatlan; the +worst lay before us. We found San Miguel deserted. Our three _mozos_ who +had been paid, and ordered to go simply to that village, and there to +leave our things, had left before we arrived. The man who had come with +us, we had dismissed before we realized conditions. The coffee had +been gathered for the season; the chief man of the place was in the +mountains; there was no town government; neither prayers, threats, nor +bribes produced food for ourselves and our horses; two or three men +around the place would not be hired as _mozos_. We finally were forced +to leave our busts, plaster, photographic outfit and plates on a bench +under an open shed, and go on alone to Santiago Guevea. It was a bitter +disappointment, because our previous experience at San Miguel had been +so pleasant and interesting. + +When we left Coatlan that morning, it had been through clouds and +drizzling rain. When we passed through San Miguel, conditions were but +little better. From there, we went through a gorge road, everywhere +passing little plantations of coffee, bananas, and tobacco. Finally, we +began our last mountain or forest climb. The wind with the rain became +colder and more penetrating. At the summit, we found a typical norther +raging, and at points our animals and ourselves were almost blown from +the crest. In good weather the road is long, but through this it was +dreadful. Few towns compare in beauty of location, and appearance from +a distance, with Santiago Guevea. It was nearly five when we drew up in +front of the crowded town-house. It will be remembered that this town is +Zapotec, Coatlan being the last Mixe town. The school-teacher interested +himself in our welfare, securing for us a real sleeping-room with cots, +putting our horses into the corridor of the schoolhouse, and arranging +for our meals. Chocolate and bread were at once furnished, and at eight +o'clock a good supper was sent to our room. In the _plaza_ outside, the +wind was blowing a hurricane and the cold cut like a knife; but the +house in which we slept was tight and warm. In the morning, we found the +wild weather still continuing. It had been out of the question to send +_mozos_ to San Miguel the night before, and it seemed wicked to start +them out in such a storm of wind, fog, rain and cold. Still, our time +was precious, and we ordered men sent to the place where our stuff had +been left, to fetch it; meanwhile, we decided to wait until they should +appear. Our animals had had nothing to eat the previous day, except a +little corn we had brought with us from Coatlan. We therefore ordered +_zacate_ brought for them. The night before, I had inquired regarding +the acquaintances we had made at San Miguel in our previous trip. I +learned that the man had died less than a month before, but that the +widow, the four boys and the little girl, having finished their work at +the coffee _finca_ at San Miguel, were in town. Accordingly we called +at the house. The woman immediately recognized me, and asked after Don +Ernesto. The boys were sleeping, bedded on piles of coffee, but were +routed from their slumber to greet us. At first, none of them remembered +me, but the little girl did, and soon Castolo also. Their house was +comfortable, and piles of corn, coffee, and bananas were stacked up in +the place. They invited us to stop with them, but we were already well +housed by the authorities. As we left, the woman went to the corner, +and, from a pile of similar objects, took two things neatly wrapped in +corn-husks. On opening them, we found that they were eggs, which are +frequently wrapped in this way for storage, in all the indian towns. +Although we had ordered food for the horses, at seven o'clock it had +not appeared. We called at the town-house several times, but still no +_zacate_. Our dinner came, and the afternoon passed, but still no fodder +for the horses was produced, and the poor animals had eaten nothing, +practically, for two whole days, although subjected to hard work and the +pelting storm. We anxiously watched for the coming of the _mozos_ with +our equipment. The storm, though still raging, was abating, and we could +see well down the road. When, at half past three in the afternoon, there +was no sign of either men or fodder, we called the town authorities to +account. We told them that we would wait no longer in a town where our +animals could only starve; that they must forward our boxes, plaster and +busts promptly to Tehuantepec; that we should hold them responsible for +loss or delay, and that all should be delivered at the office of the +_jefe_. Paying no attention to their entreaties that we should wait a +little longer for the fodder, which they promised, as they had so many +times before, would come soon, we saddled our animals, and at 4:20 left +the town. Just as we started, little Castolo appeared with two bunches +of _zacate_ sent by his mother, as a present to Don Federico. + +Certainly, there must be a new and better road from Guevea to Santa +Maria than the one we traversed in our other journey, and which again, +following from memory, we used. It was a fearful trail, neglected and +ruined, over slippery rock and rough, sharp-splintered stone. Still we +pressed on rapidly, making even better time than we had been assured at +the town that we might expect to make. Never were we more happy than in +reaching Santa Maria, lovely in the moonlight, with its great church, +fine municipal-house, cocoa-nut trees and thatched huts. Here was no +sign either of the norther or the rain. The next day's journey was over +the hot dusty road with glimpses now and then of the distant Pacific and +Tlacotepec for destination. The following morning we pressed on toward +Tehuantepec, through the dust and heat, reaching the city at noonday. To +our great surprise, we found the _mozos_, with the plaster, the busts, +and the boxes of plates, waiting for us since four o'clock in the +morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +ABOUT TEHUANTEPEC (1899) + + +Since our former visit to Tehuantepec, that hot and dusty city had +suffered terrible misfortune. Through a period of several months it was +subject to frequent shocks of earthquakes; for a time these were of +daily occurrence, and on one occasion there were seventeen in a single +day. The town still showed the destruction produced by these earthquake +shocks, although for some months past there had been none. Houses, +stores, churches, all presented great cracks and bare spots from which +plaster had fallen. Many of the people had left the city permanently; +those who remained were completely discouraged and unwilling to spend +trouble and money in the repair of their houses. Tehuantepec is, of +course, a city of considerable size; situated on a railroad, it has +lost its importance since that thoroughfare was constructed. It was, +formerly, the natural point through which all the produce of the +surrounding country passed; the railroad has given similar opportunity +to other places, to the loss of Tehuantepec. Between earthquakes, the +damage resulting from the railroad, and the location of the military +forces at Juchitan, not far distant, the town is declining. It is still, +however, the _cabecera_, and the _jefe_ is a man of some force and +vigor. Shortly after our arrival, I visited his office, delivered the +governor's letter, and stated our purpose in visiting his city. He +seemed interested, and at once stated that there would be no difficulty +in carrying out my plans; that I would find plenty of women for +measurement in Tehuantepec itself; that the 100 men had better be +secured at San Blas, which, although independent in government, adjoins +Tehuantepec. I suggested that it would be well to measure the women in +the court-yard of his palace; he, however, replied, "By no means; it +will be much better to go directly to the market, where the women are +gathered in great numbers; a _regidor_ will accompany you to arrange the +matter with your subjects." + +Although convinced that his plan was bad, we arranged to begin work the +following morning; with instruments and _regidor_ we presented ourselves +in the market, picking out a suitable spot and preparing for work. Then +I told the _regidor_ to bring a subject. The market-place was crowded, +probably two or three hundred women being there gathered. Approaching +the nearest of them, the _regidor_ politely asked her to step up and +be measured. We were not, however, dealing with Triquis. The women of +Tehuantepec are certainly the heads of their houses; the men occupy +but an inferior position. Possibly, they are really larger than their +husbands, but, whether that be true or not, they give that impression to +the spectator. The lady indicated lost no time in assuring the +_regidor_ that she had no intention of being measured, and he returned +crest-fallen to report results. He met with no sympathy. I told him he +had been sent to bring the women, that my business was simply to measure +them; that if he would do his duty, I would do mine. He made two other +efforts, equally futile, and finally returning, said he thought an order +would be necessary. I told him, if he had not already an order I did not +know what an order was; that the _jefe_ had distinctly told me what he +was to do; that he was not doing it. He then said he had better go to +the palace a moment; would I kindly wait. I waited. He soon reappeared, +and started in bravely with a new subject, but was again repulsed. +Returning, he said that we had better go up to the palace and interview +the _jefe_ again. I replied that I had no time to spare; that we had +already lost two hours at the palace, waiting for the _jefe_ to appear, +and that I did not propose to lose more time; that he knew what I +expected, and must either do it, or I would return to my hotel. He +helplessly remarked that we had better see the _jefe_, whereupon +I picked up my instruments and departed to the hotel. Leaving my +instruments at the hotel, I decided, while matters were adjusting +themselves--for I had no thought of bothering myself further--to call +upon the bishop. Sallying from the hotel, I met upon the street the +_regidor_ and two other town officials, who were awaiting me. "Sir," +said he, "will you not measure the women?" "No," said I, "I am going to +call upon the bishop. I have no time to waste. We went once to measure +the women, but you had no power; your _jefe_ plainly is a man without +authority." "No, sir," cried he, "the _jefe_ has issued a strict order +that the women must be measured." "No matter," I replied, "I have no +time to waste. I shall make my call." With this I entered the bishop's +palace, and had an interesting visit with that prelate. When leaving +the palace, I found the _regidor_ and four town officials, awaiting +my appearance. He at once demanded whether it was not my intention to +measure the women. He said that he had been to see the _jefe_, and that +the _jefe_ said my wishes must be obeyed. I asked him where it was +proposed to measure the women, and he replied that it should be wherever +I pleased. "Very good," said I. "We will measure them in the court-yard +of the _jefe's_ palace; have subjects brought there at once, and send a +man to my hotel for my instruments." + +To the palace we went, and thither shortly four policemen brought a +woman from the market. With bad grace, she submitted to be measured, +after which the four policemen went again to the market, and soon +after reappeared with a second subject. So the work went on, with four +policemen to each woman, until our full number was finally secured and +the work completed. + +Three years ago, on my return from Guatemala, I met in this city an +English doctor named Castle, who has lived here for many years--a man +of scientific tastes and interests, who has employed his leisure in +studying the botany, zoology, and indians of the district. He is +well-informed, and one of the few persons acquainted with the Juaves. I +counted on his help in approaching that curious and little-known tribe. +The doctor's house is full of pets; eight different kinds of parrots, +a red and yellow macaw, a brilliant-billed, dark-plumaged toucan, an +angora goat, a raccoon, dogs and cats, are a part of the happy family +that prowls at large in his house. A little creature, an indian, no more +than eight years old, has adopted the doctor for her father. She +had come to him as a patient for a trouble by no means uncommon +here--night-blindness; in caring for her, he gained the little +creature's heart, and she will hardly hear of leaving him to return +home. The doctor accompanied us on our first visit to San Blas, and told +us many things, not only of the Juaves, but of the Zapotecs and other +indians of the region. + +From the hotel, in the heart of Tehuantepec, to the town-house of San +Blas, is a walk of only twenty minutes. Here for three days we did +our work, returning to our hotel for meals and lodging. The work went +easily, the men presenting little or no objection to our operations; +measurements, busts, portraits--all were taken. On the whole, the +Tehuantepecanos do not present a simple, pure indian type. The women +seemed to be purer than the men. The _secretario_ at San Blas has been +to school. He is one of the few indians of the district who has taken an +interest in the study of his native tongue. He has already published a +grammar of the Zapotec, as spoken in his village. He has also printed a +little tract for lovers, in which high-sounding phrases are translated +from the Spanish into Zapotec. He has also prepared, and holds in +manuscript, a dictionary of the dialect containing some 4,000 words. + +The visit to the Juaves we considered one of the most important and +interesting of our journey. These people are conservative, and among +the least known of the native populations of Mexico. There are but four +towns, with a total population of probably less than three thousand +persons. These towns are situated at a few leagues' distance from +Tehuantepec, near the Pacific, upon narrow tongues of land, washed by +salt lagoons. The nearest, largest, and according to Dr. Castle, the +most conservative of the four towns, is San Mateo del Mar. We had hoped +that Dr. Castle might accompany us on our journey. This, however, was +impossible, but he suggested that he would go with us part of the way. +To avoid the great heat, we travelled by night, as there was moonlight. +Hiring a _carretero_ at San Blas, we loaded our materials and +instruments into the cart, and started it upon its way. At about four +o'clock in the afternoon, we rode from Tehuantepec, taking a roundabout +road in order to see the hill which gives name to the town. It was +Sunday, and many women and girls had been visiting the cemetery, +carrying bowls filled with flowers to put upon the graves of friends. We +saw numbers of young fellows sitting by the roadside, and learned that +they were the lovers of the young women, awaiting their return from the +cemetery. + +The name Tehuantepec means the mountain of man-eaters. These man-eaters +were not men, but tigers, or ocelots. The story runs that long ago this +mountain was infested with wild beasts who destroyed the people of the +neighboring villages. Fearing extermination, the people of the town +decided to consult the Juaves, who were famous for their _naguales_, or +witches. The oldest and most skilled _nagual_ of the tribe was employed. +Having performed his incantations, he told them they might expect +immediate deliverance; that he had conjured a deliverer from the sea. +Soon there came forth from the water a gigantic turtle, who made his way +slowly inland, until he reached the bottom of the hill, which was the +home of the tigers. The dangerous animals were just descending from +the mountain in a double line, but the moment they caught sight of the +mammoth sea-monster, their bodies froze with terror and they were turned +to stone. Terrified at the power of the creature he had conjured, the +old _nagual_ quickly made use of his most powerful incantation, with the +result that the turtle also was transformed into stone. The proof of the +truth of the story we saw in the lines of stone tigers on the mountain +side and the stone turtle at the foot of the hill, as we rode by. + +The doctor suggested that it would be well to take a guide with us from +San Blas as far as Huilotepec, as there were many side-roads before +we reached that town, and that, from there, we would need no help. We +followed his suggestion. The road was almost level. It passed through a +district covered with a dense growth of brush and thorny trees, except +where the land had been plowed for planting corn. In the early evening +we saw many birds. Flocks of parrots rose from the trees as we passed +by; at one point Manuel shot a little eagle, which fell wounded to the +ground. Our guide concluded to carry it on alive. All went well for some +time, but at last, with no warning, the bird made a vicious dash, and +with its claws tore through the trousers of the guide, making a great +gash in his leg. The man promptly decided it was better, on the whole, +to carry it further dead than living. + +The doctor turned back at sunset. We reached Huilotepec something before +eight, and found it a large pueblo with houses built of bamboo or cane. +Here we had a good supper, and dismissing our guide started out, by +brilliant moonlight, for the last part of our journey. Shortly beyond +the town, the road turned, for a moment, into the river, and after +passing for a few rods in the river-bed, struck up again onto the bank. +At this place we made a fatal blunder. When the road went down into the +river, supposing that we were about to ford, we kept straight across the +stream. Finding a road upon the other side we had no suspicion but what +we were going well and travelled onward. For a long time we found trails +of varying degree of badness. Sometimes the branches formed a complete +tangle which, even in the daytime, would have required careful watching. +As it was, the faces of the party were well scratched with thorns. +Sometimes, we seemed to be on a good road; at others, we had hardly +found a trail. At one place we passed a ranch--Corral de San Diego. A +host of barking dogs announced our coming, and we cried out to the old +man living there to tell us the road. His directions were not clear, but +in attempting to follow them, we retraced our trail, and then struck +into another road. Keeping to it until we really could not follow +it further for the tangle, we retraced our steps until we came to a +cart-road crossing that on which we were. We started first to the right +upon this; then, concluding we were wrong, turned about and went the +other way. We soon found ourselves off the road again, and travelling +blindly through the brush. Coming to a round patch of clear sand, to +which the trail on which we were seemed to have led us, we could find no +way out. Convinced that we were hopelessly lost, we camped out upon the +sand for the night. Fortunately we had a little corn with us which we +gave to the horses, after which we tied them to the trees. As we lay +upon the sand in the bright moonlight, we could hear the dashing of the +sea waves not far away. The heat was intolerable and the mosquitoes +venomous. We secured no rest, and, at the first signs of day, were ready +for our start. The two boys went out to hunt a rabbit, but returned +with most discouraging reports. While they were absent, Don Anselmo and +myself were left in camp. Suddenly he cried out that our horses +were running away; such was really the case. The last one was just +disappearing in the brush and Anselmo started after them, leaving me +to keep the camp. When the other two returned, they, too, started in +pursuit. After a hard chase, the animals were captured and brought back. +By seven we had mounted and were on our way. We retraced our trail of +the night before, going back to the cart-road. A little before eight we +came upon a ranch, the Ranchito del Boca del Rio. Here we asked our way, +and found that we were still as far from San Mateo, as when we left +Huilotepec the night before. Eating a light breakfast, we secured a +guide who took us, by the shortest way across the river, back to the +main trail for San Mateo, where he left us. The road was long and hot +and sandy. Our horses could hardly keep up a decent walk. It seemed that +we would never reach the town. More than an hour before we arrived at +the town, we encountered little ranches belonging to it. Everywhere we +saw flocks of sheep, cows and horses. Curiously, the Juaves have always +had herds, since our first records of them, but they eat no meat. The +country was more tropical than any through which we had passed. Clumps +of palm trees were to be seen here and there. Pools of standing water, +where horses and cattle stood cooling themselves, were frequent. The +people whom we met wore little clothing. Men frequently had nothing but +the breech-clout and hat. Women wore a skirt, but no upper garment. +Children up to ten and twelve years of age ran naked. Reaching San Mateo +at twelve o'clock, we found the village excited at our non-appearance. +Our _carretero_ had arrived long before with our luggage. He had told +the _presidente_ of our intended coming, and men from the town had been +sent through the by-roads to seek for us. The town lies on a level +stretch of sand, and the houses are built of canes and thatched with +palm. Most of the trees in the village are palms; some, cocoa palms. The +_plaza_ is a large open space. On one side of it is the church, of stone +and brick; on another side is the town-building made of brick, covered +with plaster, and consisting of three portions,--the _presidencia, +curato_, and jail. A brick-paved corridor, roofed above, runs before +the whole building. We were given the jail and _presidencia_ with the +corridor. Here hammocks and a bed of palm stalks were prepared for us, +and orders issued that eggs and _tortillas_ should be brought us. The +Juaves raise no crops. They are fishermen, and their food and living +come from the sea. Their dried fish and shrimps, and the salt, which +they make from the brine-soaked bottoms of dried lagoons, go far and +wide through the country, and for these they get in trade the corn, +coffee, chocolate, and raw cotton which they need. We have already +spoken of their cattle, which is a source of income, though, as stated +before, the Juaves rarely eat meat food. + +[Illustration: JUAVE INDIANS; SAN MATEO DEL MAR] + +[Illustration: JUAVE FISHERMAN: SAN MATEO DEL MAR] + +The Juaves present a well-defined physical type. They are of medium +stature or tall. Their noses are the largest and most prominent in +indian Mexico, and are boldly aquiline. The men are rarely idle; even +as they walk, they carry with them their netting, or spindle with which +they spin cord for making nets. It seems to be law, and is certainly +custom, that persons coming to the _plaza_ are expected to be more fully +dressed than when travelling on the road or when in their homes. Usually +white cotton drawers and shirt are worn in the _plaza_; outside, +practically nothing but the breech-clout. + +There is an interesting commerce carried on in Juave towns by Zapotec +traders from Juchitan. As might be expected, this is entirely in the +hands of women. Some women make two journeys weekly between the two +towns. They come in ox-carts, with loads of corn, fodder, coffee, +chocolate, cotton and the like. These they trade or sell. When they +return to Juchitan, they carry with them a lot of salted and dried +fish, shrimps, salt and eggs. Upon these expeditions the whole family +accompanies the woman; the traveling is done almost entirely by night. +These Zapotec women are shrewd at bargaining. They must be doing a +paying business. It was interesting to see the primitive devices for +weighing. The scales consisted of two tin pans of equal size and weight +hung from a balance beam. The only weight was a stone weighing a pound. +In case a Juave woman wished to buy a quarter-of-a-pound of cotton, the +procedure was as follows: The weight was put into one pan of the scales +and a pound of cotton weighed out into the other; the weight was then +removed and the cotton divided, so as to balance in the two pans; one of +the pans was then emptied, and the remaining cotton again divided, with +the result that a quarter-of-a-pound of cotton had been weighed. + +One curious feature, which we had not seen elsewhere, but which Dr. +Castle had warned us we should find, was the nightly guard set upon us. +As we lay upon our beds at night, looking out upon the white sand in +front of us, we could see, by the moonlight, at some little distance, +a circle of eight or ten men who spent the night sleeping within call. +Another striking feature was the music which we heard in the late +evening and early morning. In the early morning, five o'clock or +earlier, and at sunset, there was service in the church. Later on, at +eight, there was again singing in the churchyard, lasting until quite +a late hour. One evening, on investigating, we found eight or ten men +kneeling on the sand before the church door, singing in the moonlight. +They were practicing for the procession and special service of the +second Friday of Lent. + +The water-life of the Juaves is at once picturesque and curiously tame. +The men spend much of their time on or in the water. They make great +dugout canoes from large tree trunks. There are usually no paddles, but +poles are used to propel the craft sluggishly over the waters of the +lagoon. Few of the men can swim. The fish are chiefly caught with nets, +and both seines and throw nets are used. The lagoons are said to abound +in alligators, and the men, when fishing, generally carry with them +spears with long iron points which are said to be used for protection +against attacks of these reptiles. Great respect is shown the alligator, +and curious superstitions prevail regarding it. + +Between San Mateo and the nearest of the great lagoons, the country +ceases to be level and is covered with sand dunes. On these dunes there +are great numbers of hares of a species peculiar to the locality. They +make excellent eating, and Manuel kept our larder supplied with fresh +meat, which was welcome, and which we could not otherwise have had among +these non-meat-eating folk. An old Zapotec woman, seventy years of age, +with snowy hair and gentle face, was deputed by the town authorities to +do our cooking. Her relatives live in Juchitan, and why she had chosen +to live among these people I do not know. She took a motherly interest +in all our party. Nothing was too good for us. She spent her whole time +in hunting supplies and cooking and serving food. Not only did she +insist on all our purchases being supplied at cheapest rates, but her +own charge for help and service was ridiculously small. From early +morning until late at night the poor old soul was busy in our behalf. On +our leaving, she took my hands between her own, and kissing them, begged +that we would send her a picture as a remembrance. + +The road to Tehuantepec at night was one of no adventure. We were +impressed with the great number of families travelling in ox-carts over +these roads in the cool night air. It was a custom and habit of which we +had before no realization. It lacked but ten minutes of one o'clock when +finally we rode up to the hotel in Tehuantepec. From the hostler we +learned that every room was full,--five persons in some cases sleeping +in a single room. So we were compelled to lie down upon the porch +outside until the morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +ON THE MAIN HIGH-ROAD + +(1899) + + +After a day or two of rest, we started from Tehuantepec upon our return +to Oaxaca. For the first time, we were to follow the usually travelled +high-road. Our hearts failed us, as we thought of thus neglecting the +lovely land of the Mixes, but it was on our program to see the Chontals. +Starting at seven, we lost a little time in having a photograph of our +party taken as we left the city, so that it was really 8:15 before we +were on our way. Our plaster had been sent by _carreta_ to Xalapa. We +had a hot, hot, hot ride over a heavy, difficult sand road. At least +half a dozen times we forded the Tehuantepec river, and everywhere at +places which would have justified the name, Xalapa, "the sandy water." +Finally, arriving at Xalapa at four o'clock, we found it a large +town, of the usual hot, dusty Zapotec kind. The authorities bestirred +themselves vigorously to locate us in comfortable quarters, with an old +lady of regal appearance and dignity. From the start, we feared that +this royal appearance and dignity would be paid for, but the opportunity +for comfort was not to be neglected. One of the houses of her royal +domain was vacated for our use, and two good cots and a hammock were put +at our disposal. The supper was abundant, and capital in quality, and +there was plenty of food for the horses. Strolling down to the river +after supper we found it broad but very shallow; it did not reach our +knees at any point, when we waded across it; the bottom was, as we +imagined it would be from the name, moving sand. After a bath in the +much too shallow stream for swimming, we returned refreshed to our +comfortable beds. As anticipated, we found the bill, when presented in +the morning, truly regal; after some demur, our queenly hostess reduced +it slightly, but, even so, we were reminded of the summer-resorts of our +own country. + +Tequixistlan, perhaps the largest of the Chontal towns, we found without +an official head. While we were in Tehuantepec the _jefe_ received +notice of his father's death. This notice had been duly sent to all +the villages and towns within the district, and, on a certain day, the +_presidente_ and other chief officers of the different pueblos gathered +at Tehuantepec to express their sympathy by speeches and to present +flowers to the official. It was for this errand that the _presidente_ of +Tequixistlan had gone to the _cabecera_. Had he been at home, perhaps +we would have had no difficulty, but as it was we found the government +disjointed and nerveless. Constant nagging and harrying were necessary +in carrying out our wishes. The town itself was not bad. It stands upon +a sort of terrace, at a little height above the neighboring river. The +town-house is a long building, occupying the whole upper end of the +large rectangular _plaza_; at the lower end is the fine church and +_curato_. Along the sides were _tiendas_, school, etc., well built +adobes and plastered over with tinted plaster. Behind the church beyond +the river rises a handsome background of mountains. The long corridor in +front of the municipal-house was fine and broad, with a high roof and +brick pavement. Oleanders bloomed before this corridor. The view from +it was fine, and the air cool there even in the middle of the day. We +accordingly took possession of it, working and sleeping there. So far +as personal comfort was concerned, we were well cared for. We had good +meals, comfortable cots, plenty of food for the horses, but, as we have +said, the work lagged, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that +we could accomplish it. + +There is little distinctive about the Chontals, as we saw them. The +women dress much like the Zapotec women in the neighboring towns. The +men present nothing notable in dress. Outside the _plaza_, the houses +were built of light materials, and resembled the ordinary cane-walled, +thatched huts of the Zapotecs. The people appeared to be badly mixed, +and this not only with white, but also with negro blood. Nevertheless, +as we worked upon subject after subject, a fairly defined type seemed +to grow upon us. We could see that the Chontals are tall, with rather +well-shaped faces, though somewhat high cheek-bones, with light +complexions, and with wavy or curly hair. When the work was finished, +we had great difficulty in securing carriers to bear our burdens to San +Bartolo. Enormous prices were demanded, and at last, angry over the +attempted extortion, we threatened to leave all our stuff behind us, and +hold the town responsible, reporting them to the authorities when we +should reach Oaxaca, demanding that damages should be collected. These +threats had the desired effect. The _secretario_, who had been the only +member of the town government displaying energy in our behalf, promised +by all that was sacred that our goods should be delivered promptly at +San Bartolo; that if they were not already there on our arrival, +we might safely arrange for further transportation from that town, +convinced that the goods would come before we left. + +That we might not be too much delayed by this palaver regarding +carriers, I had started the balance of the party ahead, and rode on +alone after them. They had left at 10:15, and we all had a hot, dry, +dusty, thirsty mountain ride until five o'clock in the afternoon, when +we reached the ranch, Las Vacas. It consisted of a dozen houses. We +rode to the last one in the place, which consisted of brush and leafy +branches, and had an enclosed _corral_ adjoining it, where we asked +for lodging. The owner was a young Zapotec, who, with his wife, was +strikingly neat and clean. A little girl of seven was the only other +member of the family. The house had but a single room, but there was a +_coro_, or cane platform, and loft. Having fed our horses and eaten our +own supper, I mounted to the loft, despite the advice of all the members +of the party, who predicted smoke, heat, mosquitoes, fleas and other +trials. They stayed below. There is no question that they fared worse +from all the sources mentioned than myself. The woman worked until +midnight, making _tortillas_ and cooking chicken for us to carry as +luncheon on the road. We had started by four in the morning, and +pushed along over a mountain road. The first portion of the road was +well-watered, but afterward it became hot, dry, and stony. Having gained +the pass looking down upon the valley, we could see, at its further +side, lying on a terrace, the pueblo of San Bartolo, stretching out in +a long line near the front of a mighty mountain, upon which plainly our +way would pass. It was almost noon when we reached the municipal-house, +and found that our carriers had already arrived, and left the luggage. +Here things were really quite as bad as at Tequixistlan, but here +fortunately we had no work to do. The town was Zapotec. One might +suppose, from its being upon the main high-road, that they would be +accustomed to see strangers. We have hardly found a population at once +so stupid and timid. It was with great difficulty that we found food +to eat. Here we had to pay for beds (made of sticks tied together), +belonging to the municipality, a thing which we had never done at any +other town in Mexico. + +[Illustration: VIEW FROM OUR CORRIDOR; SAN BARTOLO] + +The people wear curious and characteristic garments. + +All the stuff used for clothing is woven in the town, and not only the +women's _camisas_, but the men's _camisas_ and trousers, are decorated +with elaborate designs--birds, animals, and geometrical figures--worked +in various colors. Even in purchasing examples of these clothes, we were +compelled to make a vigorous display of our civil and religious orders. +After some bickering, we arranged for carriers to San Carlos, which is +the _cabecera_ of the district. Starting by moonlight, at two o'clock in +the morning, we struck out over the enormous mountain mass to which we +have already referred. Roads in the Zapotec country do not go directly +up the hillside, as in the land of the Mixes, but zigzag by gentle +diagonals up the slopes. The road was largely composed of jagged rock; +two hours and fifteen minutes were necessary for the ascent; the descent +was bad enough, but a distinct improvement. At one place, however, +we wandered from the main-travelled road, and found ourselves in an +abandoned portion of the road, full of great holes which were filled +with drifted fallen leaves, so that their presence was not betrayed +until our horses fell into them. The latter part of this descent was +slippery, being over hard stone, which was worn almost to a glassy +smoothness by the passage of many hoofs. A little before reaching +Manteca, as we looked down from the height, we saw an immense train of +pack-mules coming. In the good old days, before there were railroads, +such trains as this were frequent. From Manteca the road penetrated into +contracting valleys, until finally it might, with propriety, be called a +canon road. At half past eight we reached San Carlos, a mean town with +no _meson_ or other regular stopping-place. We left the horses under +the shady trees with the old farrier. While we rested and waited for +breakfast, I called upon the _jefe politico_, who had received several +communications from me, and had become interested in my work. Our +luggage was all at his office, and he promptly made arrangements for its +further transportation. At breakfast, we received the cheerful news +that Mr. Lang's horse had the lockjaw and showed signs of dying. On +inspection, this proved to be quite true; the poor animal was in great +pain, and could eat nothing, though making every effort to do so. Our +first thought was a shot in the head to put it out of misery, but the +old farrier wished to try a _remedio_. He did his best, and it looked as +if the animal might recover; it was plain, however, that he could not be +used again that afternoon. Accordingly, an extra horse was rented for +Mr. Lang's use. The remainder of the party was started on the road at +1:50, while I waited to give the _remedio_ a chance to operate and the +beast an opportunity to rest. At three I started, leading the sick +horse. We had a fine ride in the cool of the evening, over a mountain +road past the little ranch El Quemado, beyond which we found an immense +ascent. When we reached the summit, it was fast darkening, and I +pressed on as rapidly as the led horse would permit. Finally, I reached +Escondido at seven. Several large parties of packers, with their trains +of mules, had already settled for the night; camp-fires were burning. +Here and there drinking had been going on, and there was noise of loud +laughter, singing and dancing. Our party was already eating supper when +I arrived, and my own meal had been ordered. Shelter was supplied +us adjoining the house, where we spread our blankets and spent a +comfortable night. We were late in starting, and were not upon the road +until seven in the morning. We found the high-road most uninteresting. +For long distances we descended, passing a ranch and emerging finally +into a deep, hot gorge. By the time we reached Pichones we were tired, +hot and thirsty. There, however, we could get no water, for man or +beast, for love or money; suffering with thirst, the road seemed long to +the river near Totolapa, where we refreshed ourselves with water, but a +heavier road than ever had to be traversed. Much of the way we followed +the stream-bed, fording repeatedly; the remainder was through deep sand +and over rolling pebbles. Passing Juanico, on a high bank overlooking +the river, at noonday, we were delighted to strike upon a rock road, +high on the river bank. Keeping to this trail, passing from plantations +of bananas lying at the river level below us and catching many pretty +views of valley and of mountain, we at last reached Totolapa, completely +worn out with the journey and the heat. Here we rested until the heat of +the day should be past. + +[Illustration: OUR PARTY LEAVING TEHUANTEPEC] + +[Illustration: ZAPOTEC WOMEN AND GIRLS, TLACOLULA] + +We had expected at this town to secure a muleteer, as the one we hired +from San Carlos had agreed to come only to this town. Here, too, we had +expected to rent a new horse for Mr. Lang. Our muleteer, however, was +much taken with the party, and declared that he should hire himself to +continue with us to Tlacolula. We quickly arranged with him, and at four +o'clock prepared to leave. The sick horse was then at its worst; it had +lain down, and for a time we believed it was really dead; it was out of +the question for it to go further; so, calling one of the villagers, I +told him that he might have the horse, and if there was any possibility +of curing, it, he should do what might be necessary. + +From four to seven it was a tiresome climb, largely through stream-beds +to Carvajal. It is a large _rancho_, but we stopped at the first house +we came to, a miserable place, where, however, we got coffee, bread, +beans and eggs, and some mats for beds, which we laid out upon the +ground, under the open sky. Taking early coffee and _tortillas_, we were +again mounted at four and on our way. It was the last ascent. The moon +was shining brightly, and we could see that the road followed the edge +of a fine gorge. When we once reached the summit, there was no further +descent to make. We were on the high, flat, table-land of Oaxaca, and +from here to the capital city of the state, the road is level, and +passes through a rich agricultural district. Passing San Dionisio at +seven, we pressed on as rapidly as possible to Tlacolula, where we +arrived before noon, ready for the good meals and comfortable quarters +which we well knew awaited us there. + +Tlacolula is a large town, in the midst of a dusty valley. Its houses +are large, rectangular constructions, well built of poles, with fine +thatched roofs. They stand in yards, which are enclosed by fences of +organ-pipe cactus. The people dress well, and at almost every house they +own an ox-cart and a yoke of animals. While photographing there that +afternoon, we suggested that we wanted a group of girls and women in +native dress. "Very well; I will take you to the house, where you can +get one." Arrived there, the policeman at once led out five women and +four children, whom he placed in line. After the picture was taken, we +expressed our satisfaction and surprise that so good a group had been so +readily secured at a single house. "Oh, sir," he replied, "we struck a +lucky time; there is a funeral going on there." + +[Illustration: IN THE HOT VALLEY; CUICATLAN] + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CUICATLAN + +(1899) + + +Between Tehuacan and Oaxaca the railroad passes through a low, deep +valley which is ever hot. Few people on the train pass through this +valley without feeling its depressing influence. It would seem that +travelers would hardly stop at stations within its limits, unless +impelled by actual necessity. The most important of the towns in this +valley is Cuicatlan. Little of it is to be seen from the railroad, but +in reality it is a notably picturesque village. + +It is the _cabecera_ of a district in which dwell three most interesting +tribes--the Cuicatecs, Chinantecs, and Mazatecs. We had time to visit +only the nearest of the Cuicatec towns. Cuicatlan itself is situated +near one side of a valley, through which runs a considerable stream. The +distant bank rises in two magnificent mountain masses. The nearer bank, +at the very base of which the town nestles on a series of little hills, +rises into almost sheer precipices of purple conglomerate. These cliffs +are hundreds of feet high, and are, apparently, due to a gigantic +landslide. The mass which fell must have measured fully two miles in +length, and still lies, broken and heaped up, at the base of the cliffs. +The face of the cliffs, and the fallen masses of rock at its base, are +cut into narrow gullies and gaps by water. The town consists of several +clusters of houses, scaled along the slopes of little hillocks and +settled into the spaces between them. Gigantic cactuses surround the +town, and cocoa palms rise to great heights within it. + +It is customary for travelers to emphasize the slowness of the Mexicans. +Either we have been exceptionally fortunate, or the reputation is +largely undeserved. We have been rarely delayed by sluggish action. +Here, however, we found a _jefe_ who would surely satisfy the most +complaining. He was mild in manner, gentle in speech, fond of brilliant +plans and schemes, all of which, however, were to be put in operation +to-morrow and not to-day. It was with difficulty that we impressed upon +him our necessity. We told him that we wanted animals to carry us to +Papalo. In reply, he told us that Papalo was but a poor town, and he +outlined a journey the traveling alone in which would occupy some +eight or ten days. When we assured him that we had no time for such an +enterprise, he said that it would be much better for the towns to come +to us in Cuicatlan. He proposed sending to-morrow to those towns, and +assured us that, at the end of a week's time, we would have all the +subjects we needed. So, when we suggested that this, too, was loss of +time, he had other brilliant plans, all quite as useless. With the +utmost difficulty we finally succeeded in getting him to arrange for +animals to go to Papalo. From the very start, the road was up-hill. +Passing first through a section covered with a magnificent growth of +tree cactuses of two species, in fine fruit and flower, we found the +vegetation varied as we mounted, and at last came up among the pines. +There was a great variety of landscape and geological formation. +Purple-red conglomerate, with horizontal layers weathered into massive +forms; granitic schistose rocks, over which we later passed, gave their +peculiar scenic outlines. We climbed steadily for fully four hours, +and then looked down, along a gently sloping hill trail, to our town, +perched upon a slightly lower hill. Just at the edge of the town, we +passed a gang of men and boys at work, making a level platform for the +new _plaza_ and town-house. We congratulated ourselves that we should +have no difficulty, here, in finding subjects. The town claimed three +thousand population. Many of them were certainly away upon their fields +and ranches, scattered through the mountains, and working _fincas_ for +wealthy landowners. The town itself is picturesque in the extreme. +Notable among its features is the ruined church, the roof of which has +fallen in; the walls still stand, bare and broken, but the decorations, +some richly carved and gilded, are still unmoved within the +demolished edifice. The damage was recent, and represented a double +catastrophe--lightning and earthquake. + +[Illustration: CACTUS; CUICATLAN] + +We could not begin work until the _mozo_ came with the instruments. +Finally, at four o'clock in the afternoon, we began measuring with no +great difficulty. Before night, fifteen subjects had passed through our +hands and one bust had been made. Even when we arrived, at midday, it +was too cold for us to stay with comfort in the town-house, though it +was hot enough outside in the sunshine. When night came, it was bitter +cold, and we went to bed early in hope of keeping warm, a hope without +foundation. Early the next morning, we were ready for our work. Every +one had disappeared, except those whom we had measured the night before. +We requested the town authorities to bring in subjects. A few stragglers +were dragged in and measured, and some pictures taken. Notwithstanding +the poor way in which they had done their work, the policemen struck, +declaring that they would not bring others until they had been paid. It +was plain the town needed a lesson. We promptly paid the demand made +upon us, and, then, calling the _presidente_ and the _secretario_, +we told them that we must have a receipt for the payment to show the +_jefe_. We said that such a thing was unheard of; that, for town +officials to demand pay, before they would agree to obey the order +of their chief, was mutiny. At first they flatly refused to give the +receipt, but after a little consultation were anxious to return the +money, and threats were freely made to throw the whole police-force into +jail. We said that this was not our desire; we were surprised at the +demand, but, having met it, we insisted upon having our receipt. A +meeting of the town authorities being held to consider the matter, our +request was again refused, but attention was called to the fact that +some subjects were waiting outside to be measured and photographed. I +thereupon refused to measure or photograph any person until my demand +had been met. I showed them, clearly, the position in which they had +placed themselves; I stated that when they had done a wrong, and a +stranger demanded an official statement of the case, their duty was +simple and clear. By this time my own party was in arms; photographer, +plaster-worker, Manuel, all were scared. They insisted that our throats +would be cut that night. They called attention to the ugly manner and +black looks of the town authorities. They declared that we had better +flee, while yet there was opportunity; they insisted that they had not +left comfortable homes to be murdered in cold blood; they begged that I +would, at least, retreat from the position taken, and consent to measure +the subjects who were waiting. I assured them that it was far more +important to teach the town a lesson regarding their duty to their +higher officials, than to measure a few indians. Finally, after hours +of uncertainty, black looks, mutterings, and refusals, the town +capitulated, and the receipt was in my possession. Having gained my +point, I called the attention of the town officials to the bearings of +the case. I emphasized their duty to the _jefe_. They knew, quite well, +that it was out of place to demand money for obeying his order; I stated +that I appreciated whatever work the policemen might have done, and +that, in due season, I might have recognized it by a gift, but that +demands were quite another thing. I showed them how important it was, +that, when trouble rose between them and a stranger, they should furnish +any statement of the case he might, in justice, ask. Having stated the +matter fully, I consented to receive back the money, and tore up the +receipt much to their relief. + +[Illustration:] + +Still the work went slowly. No one was left in town but the officials +and some women. The latter locked and barred their doors, at the +approach of any of the town authorities, and neither threats to burn +their houses above their heads nor bribes would bring them forth. It was +only after three days of hard work that eighty men and twenty-five women +were secured. By that time, it was plain that the other men were safely +out of reach, and we concluded that naught remained but to return to +Cuicatlan, to complete our work with representatives from other towns. +This we did, although we found our _jefe_ still gentle, mild, and slow. + +Once in the hot valley, we concluded that we might as well see more of +it. Leaving Cuicatlan at noon, a few minutes' ride brought us to the +station at Tecomavaca, perhaps the hottest of the hot valley towns. +Within it are ruins which have been strangely neglected by all tourists +and investigators. Probably, the great heat has killed whatever little +enthusiasm may have been kindled in those who have seen aught of these +ruins. When we reached the station, in the hottest portion of the day, +the valley seemed to glow; all looked hot and desolate. There were no +_mozos_ to help in carrying baggage, though the town was fully half a +mile from the station, behind bare, hot, sandy hills. It is one of the +poorest and meanest of the Mexican towns. A dreary _plaza_ is surrounded +by miserable adobe, or adobe-plastered, buildings. The only edifices +that looked clean and neat were the school, jail, and town-house. We +found shelter at a sort of a _meson_, where we could get no supper until +nine, or possibly till ten. Rather than go inside the rooms, we took +possession of the corridor, and there, with two cots, a table, and the +floor, lay down to rest. But not to sleep! The town, small as it was, +had twenty cases of _la grippe_. The woman of the house where we were +stopping was one of these. Her husband, who came back from the mountains +long after dark, appeared to have an affection and solicitude regarding +her, which, under other circumstances, might have been quite touching, +but which, then, was thoroughly exasperating. While he cooked his own +supper, made chocolate for her, and heated hot water for her use, he +kept passing back and forth, between the kitchen and the sick chamber, +until later than two o'clock in the morning. The noise which he made, +and these repeated movements, kept us all awake the whole night long. +The night was hot and close, and new and unknown insects troubled +us extremely. We were glad to be dressed and mounted, the following +morning. Riding across the river, we made the ascent to the summit, on +which were the ruins of Tecomavaca Viejo. The ascent was so abrupt that +our horses were repeatedly compelled to stop for breath. The trail +passed through cactuses, and spiny shrubs and trees, which tore our +clothes more than all we had endured during weeks of travel. The ruins +are unquestionably old. The hilly slope presents a succession of +terraced platforms, one behind the other, at different heights. The +rock walls between these are banked up and faced with rock, coated with +plaster and mud; there are many pyramids and mounds; there are also +curious subterranean, stone-faced, graves. Many curious disks of stone +were found, a foot or eighteen inches in diameter, and three or four +inches thick; these were all reddish grit, and had plainly been piled +one upon another to form pillars. Along the forward edge of some of the +terraced platforms, we found the lower discs of some columns still in +place. While the amount of work, represented in these cut terraces, +banked rocks, and subterranean constructions, impressed us greatly, it +was difficult to get a clear idea of the relationship of the parts. + +[Illustration: CACTUS NEAR CUICATLAN] + +[Illustration: VIEW IN A TLAXCALAN BARRANCA] + +When, however, we found ourselves at the station, waiting for the train, +we looked back across the river to our three ruin-crowned hills. Then, +for the first time, having visited the spot, we could clearly make out +the relations. Three natural mountains or hills, the greater, central +one flanked on both sides by lesser, had been utilized by the old +builders; the natural rock masses had been cut and walled, until they +practically formed masses of construction, rising terrace behind +terrace, to the very summit. When the terraces were entire, with their +temple-crowned pyramids, and with embankments and walls in full repair, +these vast constructions must have been indeed impressive. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +IN TLAXCALAN TOWNS + +(1900) + + +A street-car line, running for most of the distance down hill, connects +Santa Ana with Tlaxcala, the towns being separated by seven miles. When +making this little journey to Tlaxcala in January, 1897, we noticed +in the car with us, a stout, purely indian man, who seemed anxious +to engage us in conversation. Knowing a few words of English, he was +particularly anxious to practice them. He called our attention to the +various villages, streams, and mountains in the country through which +we were passing, and took delight in analyzing the native names and +explaining their meanings. When we were returning in the afternoon, we +met a gentleman who had been in the same car with us in the morning, and +we inquired regarding our indian acquaintance. He told us that he was +a full-blooded indian, whose native tongue was Aztec, and who lived in +Santa Ana. Being the child of poor parents, the state had assisted in +his education; he was now studying law in the city of Puebla. He was +also a musician, and on this occasion had been upon his way to a public +appointment, where he was to sing. + +Later, in Puebla, we called upon this gentleman, whose name we found was +Quechol, meaning a bird with a crooked neck, perhaps a flamingo. He was +interested in our study, and said we ought some time to visit the indian +towns of his people upon the slopes of Malintzi. In January, 1900, +having been delayed in our plans, we decided to spend a few days in +Tlaxcala, and secured his company. Our preparations were made at Santa +Ana; at the home of his parents we were hospitably welcomed, and +chocolate and bread were furnished, before we started on our journey. +While this refreshment was preparing, we visited the old church, in +front of which stood an aged cypress tree, hung with gray moss and +blazing with red flowers. We also entered some of the houses, where, +on domestic looms, the _serapes_ for which the town is famous are +manufactured. We visited also a private school for girls, established by +a Senor Barela, who is noted as the first to introduce the industry of +weaving wool into this community. While the memory of this gentleman +is held in high esteem by this people, that of his wife is by no means +savory. It seems that she was an avaricious, vain and selfish woman, +with no sympathy for his schemes for the betterment of the people. Her +feeling was well known, and she died heartily hated by all. When the +time came for her burial, the grave was prepared, and her body placed +within it. But the earth twice refused to receive the corpse. It was +then carried to to the Sawapa, near by, and thrown into its waters. The +stream overflowed its banks, and tossed the body upon the ground; again +the effort was made to thus dispose of it, but again it was thrown upon +the shore. It was then suggested that it be carried to "the Cuezcomate," +an extinct geyser-crater, famous through all the country, and popularly +believed to be the mouth of hell; when the body was thrown into this +opening, it is said the devils were seen to swarm upward to receive it. + +It was almost noon as our little party started on foot in the direction +of Malintzi. Our indian friend, his brother, a white friend, our +photographer, our Mexican boy and ourself, made up the party, and we +were followed by three _mozos_ on foot carrying supplies of food. We +struck out over a sandy plain, where the foot sunk deep into dry sand, +until we finally reached a well-built wall of stone, considered in the +district a notable piece of engineering. It was constructed to turn the +course of a little stream which, in times of flood, has frequently done +damage to the town. From here, our trail led us on through the sandy +pine-scrub, broken now and then by narrow gullies, called _barrancas_, +with almost vertical sides. In every case, we were obliged to descend +into these gullies and climb out upon the other side. After one and a +half hours of walking we reached the village of San Pedro, where we +stopped for dinner. The two Americans accompanying us lay down upon the +ground, completely tired out, and were fast asleep within five minutes. +Manuel assisted the local cook in preparing dinner, while we talked with +visitors until the meal was ready. The houses of San Pedro are well +constructed of stone, set in adobe, and have well-thatched roofs. The +granaries, or _cuezcomates_, are of unusual size and well built. They +range from six or eight feet in height to twelve or more, and are shaped +like great urns, open at the top, which is protected by a thatch, +generally two-pitched. The _temascals_ were also unusually well built of +stone, and frequently were neatly covered with white plaster. Soon +after leaving San Pedro, in the afternoon, we came upon two indian boys +digging in the ground. Inquiring what they were doing, we learned that +they were hunting honey-ants, and in a moment our whole party was +engaged in the same operation. These ants were found some inches below +the surface, either singly, or in roundish holes containing half a dozen +or more; the abdomen was swelled until it was as round as a pea and as +large as a fair-sized currant, and was filled with honey. To get the +sweet liquid, one takes the insect by the head or forward body and +pressing the honey bag sucks out the contents. It is sweet and rich, +with a little twang, as if fermented, and people in the district call +it honey-wine. Three quarters of an hour brought us to San Francisco, +though we had to go down and up two large _barrancas_ before we reached +the town. It was almost sunset when we arrived. Sitting down before +the town-house, we sent for the _agente_. Soon after our arrival the +church-bell rang furiously, and the din and clangor was kept up a long +time. While waiting for the official, supper was prepared, though we had +had some difficulty in arranging for it, and were in doubt as to where +we were to spend the night. Before supper was ready, a motley crowd +poured into the room in which we sat. One large fellow carried a great +sword strapped at his side, another bore a short sword, another a knife, +another a large and ancient gun. Probably there were other weapons not +in sight. This group of indians was the _agente_ and his _guardia_. We +were objects of suspicion, and much argument, and an abundant supply of +_huitzatl_--strong drink--were necessary, before we secured permission +to spend the night at the house where we were to have supper. No sooner +had this company withdrawn and supper been eaten, than we prepared for +bed. One wooden bed, with a mat of rushes, served for Senor Quechol and +myself. A second mat, laid on the floor, formed the bed for our four +companions. In the morning, we took a walk to Akxotla, where we wished +to see an ancient painting. Here we encountered greater suspicion than +before, and, after wasting the greater part of the day, accomplished +nothing. It is true an indian made a _camalpa_ for us. This is a +stringed musical instrument; though the name is Aztec, it is unlikely +that it was known before the coming of the Spaniards. Quechol says the +word means mouth-harp, coming from the Aztec _cam_, mouth, and the +Spanish _harpa,_ harp. We returned to San Francisco for our dinner, and +at four o'clock again started on our journey. + +It was after five before we reached San Bartolome. As we drew near the +village, we saw a magnificent double rainbow, brilliantly displayed +upon the eastern sky against a cloud of almost inky blackness. Looking +westward, as we entered the village, we saw the sun setting in a sea of +gold, between Popocatapetl and Ixtaccihuatl. Watching this magnificent +sunset, we sat down before the old church, and almost instantly a +crowd gathered to see what the strangers might want. Don Romualdo, in +wandering through the village, found a _temascal_ in use, and hurrying +to us, led us to see the method of its use. It is a dome-shaped +structure, with an entrance so low that one must crawl upon his hands +and knees in entering; it is a sweat-bath, used for cleanliness and +health. A quick fire, built inside, heats it thoroughly, after which +water is thrown upon the hot stones to produce steam. Four persons, of +both sexes, were in the one in question, taking a sweat-bath. When we +returned to our companions, sitting before the church, an indian of the +village, accosting Don Romualdo, claimed to know him; he also claimed my +acquaintance, and reminded me that he had been one of the subjects I had +measured two years before in Tlaxcala. A score or more of natives had +gathered, in the moonlight, around our party. Having heard some indians +singing, we tried to get these to sing some native songs. Only after +Louis and Frank had sung some English songs, which were well received, +were we able to hear Aztec songs in exchange. After a long delay, we +were taken to the schoolhouse for supper and the night, and spent the +balance of the evening in taking down a native song, _The Tlaxcalteca_, +and witnessing a dance which accompanied it. A bed was made up for the +party by putting various benches and tables together. + +[Illustration: TLAXCALAN HOUSE WITH TEMASCAL.] + +[Illustration: THE MAPAHO IN USE; SAN JUAN ZAUTLA] + +Most of the following day was spent in visiting in the village, +purchasing idols and in making notes on life and customs; at four +o'clock in the afternoon, we set out for Ixcotla. Near sunset we reached +the house of Quechol's uncle, old Isidro. Almost eighty years of age, he +was straight and lithe as a man of thirty. His house and all the lesser +buildings of his place were excellent and in fine condition. A flight +of steps led to the flat roof, from which we watched the sunset. In the +yard, were half a dozen hives for bees, made from the stocks of the +_maguey_. The old man was rich, and owned other houses, but he lives +alone, his wife being dead and his daughters married. He is a master of +the Aztec, and uses it in its most poetical and figurative style. He +does not speak like common men, but his conversation abounds in metaphor +and flowers of speech. When once one spoke to him of his lonely and +solitary life, he said, "Alone and solitary! No, we are three! There are +here myself, my good angel, and my bad angel. I am never alone." Isidro +knows all the boundaries of the fields, and can trace all the titles, +and is frequently appealed to in land disputes, and even in law cases, +is summoned to give testimony. He received us heartily, offered +cigarettes and ordered supper. To refresh us, he broke fresh leaves from +the orange-tree and steeped them in hot water, sweetening with sugar. +After supper, good beds were made upon the floor, with plenty of mats +and blankets. + +We had hardly risen in the morning, when the village was thrown into +great excitement by the appearance of a band of soldiers. They had come +to arrest a young man supposed to be a leader in the local opposition to +Governor Cahuantzi. This opposition was just at fever heat; the election +was approaching, and a fierce effort was being made to oust the +governor. Forty-four towns were in open rebellion, among them, all of +those which we had visited. There had been new laws passed regarding +land and taxes; these had been resisted. The governor had threatened +to send engineers to make new surveys, and to bring land-titles into +question. The suspicion and distrust which we had met were doubtless, in +large part, due to these measures, and the fear that we were government +spies. So great was the discontent, and so openly expressed, that it was +said that on the Saturday preceding, in the Plaza of Tlaxcala itself, +there was a riot, with cries of derision and contempt, and firing of +guns upon the palace. We were told that the nearest _haciendero_, who +was friendly to the governor, was marked for assassination and would be +killed within the next few days. + +Leaving at ten next morning, we skirted Santa Ana, and, having passed +through San Pablo, came out upon the banks of the Sawapa. This pretty +stream has reputed remedial power, and in May hundreds of people bathe +in its waters, to protect themselves against small-pox. As we crossed +the great stone bridge, we met a drunken indian who attached himself to +our party. Between him and the Mexican members of our party, there arose +hostility and an exchange of angry words. To us, personally, he was +maudlinly affectionate and respectful. Finally, shaking him off, after +climbing a considerable height, we stopped at Belen for a noonday rest +and lunch. Dinner having been ordered, we seated ourselves in the shade, +when our drunken friend again appeared upon the scene, and in great +excitement, begged me to move, as it was certain death for a heated and +perspiring person to sit in the shadow of a Peru tree. So persistent was +he, that Quehcol and Manuel lost all patience, and ordered the local +officials to arrest him. + +About the middle of the afternoon we were again upon the road; having +passed the bare, fortress-like church of San Mateo, and descended a long +hill, toward evening we crossed a fine bridge over a gorge of black +basaltic rock, and shortly reached Santa Maria Atlihuitzia, where we +planned to spend the night. Here is a fine old church, with a facade +absolutely covered with elaborate carving; a square tower rises at one +corner. The great altar is a magnificent piece of carving and gold +work; the windows are set with thin slabs of onyx. Within, near the +church-door, are two paintings representing the scene of mayrtrdom for +which the town is famous. These pictures are ancient, and represent some +interesting details of indian life at the time of the Conquest. The +head-dress and mantle of feathers worn by the old chieftain, the dress +and hair-dressing of his wife, war weapons and buildings are all shown. +Here, in 1527, the boy Cristoval, child of the great chief Acxotecatl +and his wife Apalxitzin, was killed by his father because he would not +renounce Christianity. The little lad was only thirteen years of age, +and had been trained by Spanish priests. He was the proto-martyr of +the new world, and the story of his martyrdom and the early church in +Tlaxcala, have been charmingly narrated by Mendieta. Close by the church +stand the ruined walls of the monastery, impressive for their massive +construction and the enormous space which was enclosed. It was dark +before we finished the examination of these quaint and interesting +old buildings, and we were glad enough to go to the house of the +_secretario_, where we found good beds and elaborate furniture. In the +room where we were to sleep there was a _nacimiento_, made in connection +with the Christmas season. The table was covered with little landscapes, +scattered over which were figures of many kinds, including a group of +San Jose, Maria, and the infant Christ. + +Santa Maria is purely _mestizo_. In the morning, finding breakfast +somewhat slow, we started for a walk, and passing by the old church, +came shortly to the spot where the boy martyr was killed. From here we +descended, over a long slope of gray tufa, to a pretty stream flowing +through black basalt. The rock is hard and shiny with cells or +air-bubbles scattered through its mass. Close by the water's edge we +were shown some curious impressions, on the nearly level surface of the +rock, which were said to be the imprints of the knees of the Holy Virgin +as she knelt here to wash clothes in the brook; there are also grooves +made by the Virgin's fingers as she scrubbed the clothing on the rock; +by the side of these impressions are two hollows, marking the spot where +the Holy Child sat with its mother as she worked. On the rock behind +is the impression of a mule's foot. Formerly there were two of these +impressions, but in 1888 a tornado broke away the mass of rock, on which +was the other impression. Just below this place the stream leaps in a +pretty cascade which, with its white foam, contrasts strikingly with the +black rock. The trail followed by Cortez on his way from Vera Cruz to +Tlaxcala was pointed out to us and we were told that Atlihuitzia in +those days was an important city, numbering five thousand _solteros_ +(unmarried men). On the way back to the village, we visited the _arbol +huerfano_--orphan tree--a cypress, so called because it is the only tree +of its kind in this district. Quechol says that a long line of such +trees, at a distance of several leagues apart, was planted by the +Spaniards, and he and the villagers mentioned a number of them in +different places. Passing once more by the spot of martyrdom, a white +_capulin_ was pointed out, as being the very tree represented in the +picture of the killing. + +It was now almost ten o'clock and we found breakfast waiting. At +Quechol's request, it was a purely Mexican meal, consisting of +Aztec dishes. We had _tamales_, _atole_, and, for the first time, +_champurado_. The latter is _atole_--corn gruel--mixed with chocolate, +and is really an excellent dish. After breakfast, we left our friends of +Atlihuitzia and hastened back over the same road past San Mateo, Belen, +San Pablo, and Santa Ana. The way was long and the sun was hot, but the +road was beguiled with many stories regarding the places that we passed, +for the whole state of Tlaxcala abounds in legend. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +IN THE CHINANTLA + +(1900) + + +Once more we found ourselves in picturesque Cuicatlan. Walking up the +familiar street, we again found lodging with Dona Serafina. Having +settled, and taken a look out over the beautiful landscape visible +through our windows, we interviewed the _jefe politico_, whom we we +found the same nerveless, well-meaning individual as ever. After +grumbling, and insisting that it was impossible to fit us out on such +short notice, he finally promised that all should be ready the next +morning. It was a sorry outfit that we found; one medium-sized mule for +myself, and four small _burros_ for the other members of the party. A +boy from the jail was sent with us as _mozo_ to carry our instruments. +It was still early when we started through the hot, sandy, flat land, +covered with gigantic cactus trees, which swarmed with little birds of +many beautiful kinds. We soon began to climb the great, red rock cliffs, +up, and up, and up, endlessly. We had forgotten how long the road was; +but it was longer than ever on account of the beasts we rode. Long +before we reached Papalo, Manuel and Louis were on foot, rather than +longer submit to the torture of riding their little _burros_. As we +neared the town, we were surprised to find a cloud effect almost as fine +as that near Juquila in the Mixe country. Had it had clearly defined +banks on both sides, its resemblance to a cataract would have been +complete. As it was, there was no boundary back of the side towards us, +and the clouds plunged over and downward as well as in the direction of +the flow of the main mass. No one in the town recognized us. Supper and +a night's lodging were readily supplied, but when we wished to secure +new animals for the onward journey, there was difficulty. They were +promised, indeed, for seven o'clock, but it was long after eight before +we saw any signs of their appearance. Remonstrating, we were told that +there was other business to attend to, and that the town officials could +not devote themselves to us. With great difficulty, by 10 o'clock all +preparations were made, and we started on the journey. The animals were +not bad, but we had been told that there were eight leagues of hard road +between us and Tepanapa, and six more from there to San Juan Zautla, our +destination; we were told that we should spend the night at Tepanapa, +reaching Zautla the second day. As we left the town we overtook a +funeral procession on its way to the little hill-crest cemetery which we +passed soon after. At first the road was good, gradually ascending. It +led us up a rising pine-covered crest, with a little hollow of deciduous +trees in the midst. We were again getting into a region where the great +hills presented two differing slopes, one dry, pine-clad; the other +moist and covered with the dense tropical forest. We soon found +ourselves upon the damp slope in a forest, almost the counterpart of +those with which we were familiar in the land of the Mixes. Great oaks +were loaded with bromelias and dotted with orchids; ferns of many +beautiful kinds grew along the roadside. Unlike the forest of the Mixes, +the trees here were hung with masses of golden-yellow moss, presenting +a curious and mysterious aspect. From here, the trail descended rapidly +over surfaces of slippery stone and patches of mud; the air was heavier +and heavier with moisture. Ferns abounded, and presently great tree +ferns were to be seen, here and there, in all directions. Shortly, our +road was through a true gorge, where the footing for the horses was +precarious. Great masses of lycopods of several species covered the +rocks and little round tufts of a dark green plant with feathery foliage +dotted the decaying tree trunks. The descent seemed endless, and for +more than two hours we descended deeper and deeper into the dampness and +darkness. It was six o'clock when we came out upon a slope where the +trail was easier and almost level, and it was after dark before we +reached the first hut of the miserable _ranchito_ of Tepanapa. Checking +our horses, we called, but received no answer. Sending our _mozo_ to the +house, we asked for food and shelter, but were refused everything, as +they said that they were in bed. A little lad, however, agreed to show +us to the next hut, and we followed him as well as we could in the +darkness and over the slippery road, some rods further. We found there +two empty huts within an enclosure, and, taking possession of one, +brought in our things out of the mist, and soon had a fire built and a +candle lighted. In vain we urged our _mozo_ to hunt for food. He said +that all the houses were empty, and, if perchance one were occupied, no +one would turn out so late to supply us. All were extremely hungry, as +we had eaten nothing since morning except a _tortilla_ or two with some +eggs as we rode along. Manuel, Louis and Frank slept in the loft, Ramon +and I upon the floor below. The two _mozos_ with the saddles slept in +the other hut. The night was cold and the damp air penetrating. We arose +early to go upon our way, but unfortunately yielded to the request of +Louis and Ramon, permitting them to go in search of food. Two full hours +passed before they returned with a few _tortillas_ and two eggs; so that +it was half-past-eight when finally we started. + +[Illustration: SAN JUAN ZAUTLA] + +The road was slippery and muddy, descending constantly; a large portion +of the way was through woods: at the bottom of the slope we found +ourselves by a fine brook, which we forded. Then began an ascent as +precipitous, slippery and unpleasant. The trail followed the bank of the +stream. Passing through a dense jungle of vegetation, where the air was +hot and wet, the flora was characteristic. Trees with large, coarse, +broad pods enclosing two or three great seeds, trees with acorn-shaped +red fruits, quantities of sensitive plants covered with pink flowers, +occasional orchids bearing flowers of brilliant flame color, and vines +with lovely blue pea-flowers made up the bulk of the tangled growth +through which we passed. At two places we crossed pretty streams, with +cascades and narrow gorges, opening on to the gorge along the sides of +which we were travelling; where these streams crossed our trail there +were great masses of caladiums with their leaves of green velvet. We +passed two little coffee plantations, the first of which was sadly +neglected and overgrown with weeds, the second neatly kept. From this we +rose again, and having gained the summit, looked down upon the village +of San Juan Zautla. + +Riding to the town-house, we met the _presidente_ and _secretario_, the +latter an intelligent fellow, who told us that the town was dwindling, +numbering at present but 80 _contribuentes_. He ordered a capital dinner +for us of chicken, fried bananas, eggs, _frijoles, tortillas_ and +coffee. Though the _secretario_ was intelligent, the _presidente_ was +otherwise. He was good-natured, but a fool. With pride he frequently +remarked, "_yo soy presidente_" (I am president). Then he whispered +and mumbled, kissed my hand, assumed an air of great intelligence, and +walked off with a peculiar tottering movement. These performances +took place not once or twice, but every time the official made his +appearance. Having fed us, the _secretario_ disappeared, and did no more +for us. While waiting for him, our attention was attracted by a curious +drumming noise. It was due to women who were beating cotton. At the +first house we visited we found three women all busily occupied. An old +woman sitting in the doorway was spinning thread; a second, somewhat +younger woman with a baby in a blanket on her back, sitting on the +ground, was weaving cloth; a third woman sat, with a great cushion of +moss in a bag of matting on the ground before her, over which was spread +a deer-skin on which was laid raw cotton, which she briskly beat with +beaters made of five or six divergent sticks fastened together at one +end. Such beating sticks are called _mapaho_; one is held in each hand, +and the beating is briskly done, alternately with one and the other; the +beating is intended to spread the raw cotton into a thin and even sheet +before it is spun into thread. Returning to the town-house, we began our +work, but were soon interrupted. The town is situated on a slope over +which the houses are scattered. From the porch of the municipal house +where we sat, we could see several huts upon the slope above. Groups of +women and children gathered on the little terraces before the houses to +look down upon us at our work. The _presidente_ and other officials had +gone to bring us subjects, when we heard an outcry upon one of these +terraces. A man cried out to the officials; struggled, apparently with +a woman, then fell. The police rushed up the path. A moment later a +surging crowd of a dozen persons were struggling together with cries and +shouts. In spite of the commands of the _segundo secretario_, we started +for the scene of the disturbance, but long before we reached the spot, +met a big _topil_ with his head cut open and blood streaming down his +face, soaking his garments. His arm was thrown around another man's +neck, whose wrist he held, dragging him thus a prisoner toward the jail. +Two others followed, holding a bad-looking little man between them. The +two had fought, and when the _topil_ tried to take them, the little man, +seizing a rock, split open his head. The two persons were thrust into +the jail and a guard set. Great effort was made to find the stone with +which the blow was dealt, in order that it might be used as evidence. +The _secretario_ told the _topil_ not to staunch nor wash the wound. +With natural curiosity, the _presidente_ and other men were clustered +around the jail, looking in at the prisoners, when the _segundo +secretario_ ordered them from the door. + +This man is a strange one. He is a Cuicatec, who married a Chinatec +wife. He is little, but important. He ever carries a queer old sword. +When he first appeared before us, he impressively said, "_No tengas +cuidado_" (Have no care.) He told us that our comfort and our orders +should be cared for, even though we were in a pueblo of mere brutes, +unreasoning beings; he should charge himself and the officials with our +needs. There were scarce three hours of daylight in the afternoon, and +night set in chilly and damp. Meantime, the _secretario_, the _segundo_, +the _presidente_ and the _topils_, all had disappeared. In vain we urged +that arrangements should be made for fuel, for beds, and for a _mozo_, +whom we had ordered should be supplied to accompany the man from Papalo +back to that town with the horses. It was now dark and late, with no +sign of attention to our wishes. Through the darkness, we picked our way +over a muddy road, slippery and soaked with water, to the _secretario's_ +house, where we forcibly made known our wishes, and said that attention +must be paid to them. Before we got back to the town-house our shoes +were soaked with water and heavy with mud, while our clothing was soaked +through with moisture from the air filled with mist and drizzling rain; +and this in the midst of the dry season! + +During the afternoon, we had seen a curious-looking indian, dressed in +a red flannel shirt, white drawers and a cap, but with the regular red +Chinantec neck-cloth. He was a Mixtec from San Francisco Huitzo, who is +in charge of the well-kept little coffee _finca_ which we passed upon +the road. He showed us a bottle of coffee essence of his manufacture. It +was a heavy, oily, clear liquid which I understood he had distilled from +a weaker and darker coffee extract. It was exceedingly strong, and was +supposed to be used for making coffee, a small quantity of the essence +being put into a cup with hot water and sugar. He desired us to test +this, but a look at it was quite sufficient. He was a handy fellow, and +did much to hasten the fulfillment of our orders. Under his direction, +sleeping mats were brought, and he, himself, served our supper, when +finally it was ready. We were so tired that directly after supper we +laid down upon the mats spread on the damp earthen floor. We had hoped +to start our man from Papalo back with our horses early; the officials +had promised that the _mozo_ to accompany him should be ready; but, of +course, neither breakfast nor _mozo_ was to be seen. So we again started +for the _secretario's_ house. The _secretario_ himself was lying drunk +in bed, and the _segundo_ was almost as bad. In vigorous words I made +known my dissatisfaction. The _segundo_, with his sword in one hand +and _tortillas_ in the other, almost too drunk to walk, led us to the +town-house and summoned the people before him. He thundered forth his +orders: "You dogs, children of a degraded race! Wretched brutes! What +do you mean? Why are you not bringing in breakfast for these gentlemen? +Eggs, _tortillas, frijoles_, chicken? Why are you not supplying them? +Obey his order. Fulfill your duty. You hear? If you do not fulfill your +duty, you shall be punished. Hear and obey at once." Under this impulse +the men started and breakfast was soon disposed of. + +Work being slack, the boys went bird-hunting. Manuel fetched in a _rara +avis_, a little old man of 95 years, who had an extra thumb on his right +hand. Notwithstanding the small population of the town, there were three +cases of extra digits. In addition to this old man with his extra thumb, +two persons in the town each had an extra toe upon one foot. We have +already stated that the _presidente_ of the village was a fool. He had +plenty of companions. One of the men, who made himself quite useful to +us was an imbecile; he crossed himself, kissed our hands, nodded his +head, and told us the most surprising things in regard to the subjects +whom he brought before us. In connection with each case he cried and +carried on at a great rate, and finally insisted that he was going to +bring me a raw egg as an offering of friendship, which he did. One of +his subjects was his cousin, who was both idiotic and a deaf-mute. My +impression was that there were several cases of deaf-mutism in the +village. One man, whenever any of our party spoke to him, or in any way +turned our attention to him, piously and vigorously crossed himself, +grimaced and gesticulated as if in a fit. One man, who seemed +exceptionally intelligent, after he had seen us make a plaster bust of +one of his townfellows, stated with great delight, that it was an idol, +representing Jesus Christ, and that we were going to use it in the +church. Unlike any other indian town we have visited, there is not even +the pretence of an open school in this place. Nowhere else have women +and children showed so great a fear of us and our work. From the moment +that I showed an interest in the _mapaho_, the beating of cotton ceased, +and the village was quiet. At no time during our stay did women or +children come to the town-house. Shortly after sending back our horses +to Papalo, we found that there were no animals for riding in San Juan +Zautla. Fortunately, our next point, San Pedro, was but two leagues +distant, and rather than wait until animals could be brought from +Cuicatlan, we decided to walk. The night before we were to leave, we +made arrangements for our carriers. The _secretario_ had set the price +at two _reales_ a man; four were ordered, and an early hour set for the +departure. When the time came, our men were in open rebellion. They +refused to go upon the journey. We told the town officials that, if +these men failed us, they themselves must do the work. The men were +really scared, and stated that the people of San Pedro had threatened to +kill us all, if we came to their town. In vain we argued--they were sure +that the whole party were going to their doom. For such a paltry sum +no man would risk his life. At last, however, the officials decreed +obedience, and our party started. At first we led the company and the +carriers came behind. The road led straight down the mountain-side to a +brook, and then up the opposite side to the summit, just beyond which +lay our goal. As we started, he who had recognized the bust of Jesus +insisted upon accompanying us a way for friendship, and on the journey +made various wise remarks regarding the busts. Hardly had we started +when our men again rebelled; they would not make the journey for the +price agreed upon, the risk was too great; they must be paid more, +if they went at all. I felt that patience had ceased to be a virtue. +Telling them that we would no longer go ahead, we ordered them to take +up their burdens and precede us, at the same time threatening to shoot +them, if they stopped without permission. After marching along in this +new order for a time, they indicated a desire to parley. They would +carry their burdens to the foot of the hill, where they would leave them +by the brook-side. We could then go on to the village of San Pedro +and send back carriers to bring them. To this proposition we gave no +encouragement. The descent was abrupt. At the bottom was a fine brook, +with a hanging bridge of vines swinging from tree to tree across it. +Here we stopped to drink the fresh cool water, cut some sugar-canes, +catch butterflies, and take views. One of the trees from which the vines +hung was a perfect mass of ferns, orchids and bromelias of many kinds. +On the great slope back of us, toward the gap through which the brook +had broken, were great cliffs of massive rock; otherwise the whole +mountain slope was a sheet of richest green. The ascent was long and +difficult, and the party went slowly, with many rests. It was amusing, +how, even at this distance, as we mounted the slope, we could hear the +constant beating of the _mapaho_ in the village behind us, as if in +rejoicing at our departure. As we neared the summit, our carriers again +made signals of a desire to converse. They would fulfill their whole +duty, and would carry their burdens to the town-house in San Pedro, but +would we have the kindness, from here on, to take the lead? Oh, yes, we +answered, we would take the lead, and they should see that nothing would +happen. No one would harm us; we were not about to die. + +To make a favorable impression, we asked for a drink of water at the +first house we came to, and passed a greeting with the few men, women +and children whom we met on our way into town. The greater part of the +population was at church, where we found a service in progress, and we +were obliged to wait until it was over before we saw the town +officials. I told the _secretario_ to summon the town government to the +municipal-house, which was a small affair, no more than 15 or 18 by 20 +feet, with walls of lashed poles and a palm roof. A narrow bench ran +around the four sides, and two tables, one long and one short one, set +at right angles, occupied the greater portion of the open space. A long +wide bench was placed alongside of the larger. At one end there was a +_santo_, in a little shrine decorated with flowers and leaves. A little +fire was built upon the floor, over which wax was melting, in which +candles were being dipped. + +The _secretario_ chanced to be a man whom I had met at Cuicatlan the +year before. He recalled our work, and taking us to his own house, we +soon had an excellent dinner. He seemed to be well-to-do, and had +two houses built of slabs lashed vertically together. Nets full of +_jicaras_, great stacks of corn neatly laid out, good tableware in +quantity, and a kerosene-lamp, all were evidences of his wealth. We +ate at a good table, in the house, where the corn was stored. The most +astonishing thing, however, in the house was an old-fashioned piano, +long beyond use. How it was ever brought over the mountains to this +village is a wonder. When we asked him, what we were to pay for the +dinner, he replied, nothing; that we would begin to pay later. The +impression made upon us by San Pedro was more agreeable than that +produced by Zautla. The town government is large and vigorous, +comprising a dozen well-built young fellows. On account of the church +festival, plenty of subjects had been brought together. We did not +understand what the _secretario_ expected, and therefore took up our +quarters at the town-house. We paid dearly for our misunderstanding. We +waited long for supper, but none came. The _presidente_ and the older +men were at church. The _secretario_ was nowhere to be found. While we +were waiting, the young fellows who were making candles, and a crowd of +boys, crouched about the fire and watched the work. Presently they lay +down a couple of _serapes_ on the floor, and the whole group, eighteen +or twenty in number, dropped down upon them, a perfect mass of humanity, +packed close together in the most curiously twisted attitudes, and were +fast asleep in no time. They had no covering, but seemed to keep each +other warm. After they were fast asleep, some of the other men appeared, +and we urged the bringing in of supper. A handful of _tortillas_ and two +fried eggs were not a hearty meal for six hungry persons, nor were our +sleeping accommodations satisfactory. With difficulty we got some mats, +and I lay down upon the smaller table, Frank on the larger, Louis and +Manuel rolled up on the ground below the latter, and Ramon and the +_mozo_ on the long bench. Half a dozen of the older men remained sitting +about the fire. It can be understood that the room was fairly full. The +men made no pretense of sleeping until past ten o'clock, and two or +three times during the night they broke out into loud conversation. + +[Illustration: CHINANTEC GIRL SPINNING; SAN JUAN ZAUTLA] + +[Illustration: CHINANTEC WEAVING; SAN JUAN ZAUTLA] + +Just outside the town-house, under a thatched shelter, a group of old +women were cooking _atole_ in great _ollas_ until a late hour. This +gruel they ladled out to those men and boys who had been working, and +doled out to them drinks from black bottles. The men and boys, with +their red head-cloths or neck-cloths, went forth from time to time in +groups upon some public errand. Towards evening, eight or ten little +fellows came from the forest with bundles of firewood upon their heads +and great _machetes_ hanging at their sides. In the morning, the same +group of youngsters came in loaded with bunches of green leaves and +holly to be used in decorating the church. At eight o'clock there was a +procession in the churchyard; the saint, dressed in flowing garments, +was carried about, accompanied by banners and a band of music. During +the festival, everyone drank; even the little boys of eight or nine +years, who brought in their loads of wood, received their spirits, which +they drank like old topers. There was no evidence of bad temper as a +result of this drinking, but an increasing stupidity. When, in the +morning, we found our breakfast to consist of nothing but coffee, we +realized our mistake of the night before, and promptly betook ourselves +to the house of the _secretario_, where we spent the following day. The +demands of the church during the day were so heavy that we did little +work. The day itself was dark and dismal. In the late morning the +boys brought in great loads of poinsettia, from which they fashioned +brilliant rosettes and garlands for the church. At night, a wooden +platform was brought in for a bed, upon which Louis, Manuel and I slept, +while the others made a bed of broad boards upon the floor. Being behind +with his developing, Louis set to work as soon as the lights were out, +and kept at it until half-past-one. Scarcely had he come to bed and +promptly fallen asleep, when there was a pounding at the door, which was +almost immediately after broken in. Rising, I called out to see what was +wanted, and four or five indians, all very drunk, came staggering in. +The oldest of the party carried a great _machete_, and one of them +closely hugged a bottle full of spirits. After begging pardon for +disturbing us, they built a smoky fire, near the drying negatives. +Fearing that their drunken movements and the smoke would work disaster, +I made them change their place of rest and fire, moving them to the +other end of the room. There they built another fire, and, before +morning, they had consumed three bottles of spirits. What with the +firelight and smoke, the noisy laughter, the loud talking and constant +movement, it was impossible for me to sleep. Only for a single hour, +when they fell back upon the floor in drunken slumber, and their fire +burned down, did I get a bit of rest. If seems that they were an +official guard put to watch the town store of grain which was kept in +the building, and which was subject to the depredations of animals. +During the following day we completed our work upon Chinantecs. The type +is one of the best marked. In the child, the nose is wide, flat at +the tip, with a straight or even concave bridge; the eyes are widely +separated and often oblique; the mouth is large, the lips thick and the +upper lip projects notably beyond the lower; the face is wide, and +flat at the cheek-bones. With age, this type changes, the nose becomes +aquiline, and of moderate breadth, the upper lip becomes less prominent, +the skin lightens. + +For two days more, days of darkness, rain and cold that penetrated to +the marrow, we remained prisoners in the village, waiting for the horses +for which we had sent the day of our arrival. It was impossible to make +photographs, nor was it feasible to look around the town, or into the +adjoining country. The _secretario_, indeed, showed us the way in which +spirits are distilled from the sap of sugar-cane, and we had ample +opportunity to examine the dress of the people and the mode of weaving. +All the women dress in garments of home-woven cotton, and the red +head-cloths, so characteristic a feature of the dress of men and boys, +are woven here from thread already dyed, bought in other places. The +little figures of animals or birds or geometrical designs worked in +them in green or yellow worsted are woven in, at the time of making the +cloths, with bright bits of wool. + +At last our animals appeared. They had been sent from Papalo, and we +made arrangements, as we supposed, for using them through to Cuicatlan. +The animals arrived at 9:30 in the morning and the _mozo_ with them +reported that the roads were bad from the constant rains of the past +several days. We decided to leave that afternoon, stopping at Zautla for +the night, and then, making an early start, to push through in a single +day. The _presidente, alcalde_, and other town officials accompanied us +to the border of the village, where they bade us adieu, begging for +a _real_ for drink. As we left, the sky was clear and the mists were +rising from the valleys. For the first time we gained some idea of the +beauty of the country all around us. The houses of the town are well +built, with walls of poles or narrow slabs neatly corded together in a +vertical position. The roofs are thatched with palm; they pitch +sharply from a central ridge and the ends pitch also from the ridge in +independent slopes. The top is crested with a comb of thatch, neatly +applied. Off to the right from the village lay a magnificent valley, +with massive rock walls clad with green forest. The low masses of clouds +and great banks of mist but emphasized the impression made by those +parts of the scene that were visible. Soon we had passed the ridge and +looked down again into the Zautla valley. The road was not as bad as +we had anticipated. As we made our upward climb, we found that the +flame-colored orchids, few when we last passed that way, were out in +quantity. They are a terrestrial species, and the colors are a beautiful +combination of flame-red with chrome-yellow. The other day only the +outer and lower flowers of the racemes were blown, but on this occasion +the whole cluster was in bloom. We noticed strikingly, what had before +suggested itself to us, that through this district flowers of certain +colors mass themselves together. Thus, on this slope, the hundreds of +bunches of flame-colored orchids were rivalled by clusters of a tubular +flower perhaps an inch in length, of almost the same hues. Along the +glen-road near Tepanapa all sorts of flowers seemed to be pink or +flesh-colored, while along the jungle-bank, near the coffee plantation, +everything was blue or purple. When we reached Zautla, neither the +_presidente_, the _secretario_ nor the _segundo_ was in town. The big +_topil_, whose head was healing, did the honors of the place. We had +intended to make an early start, but it was half past six before we +mounted and were on our way. Going back over the old road, we soon +reached the little coffee _finca_ in charge of our Mixtec friend, and +here we left the familiar trail, for what our guide insisted was a +better one. We struck up and up and up the slope to avoid little ravines +which he assured us were very bad. At last, when it was certain that he +had completely lost his way, we started down into the forest. For a time +we followed a bad and disused trail, but soon even this disappeared, and +we tore our way through the tropical vegetation as best we could. Often +the men had to cut the way with their _machetes_; sometimes we slid for +yards over the wet mud; frequently our heads were caught by hanging +vines, and faces and hands were scratched with brambles. When at last +we came out upon a cleared space, we found ourselves at the Chinantec +village of Santa Maria. Perhaps there were four houses in the village. +Our appearance caused great excitement. Our pack-animals bade fair to +destroy the maize and other plantings in the field. In the trail were +oxen, which had to be gotten out of our way for fear of being driven to +frenzy by our mere passing. They assured us that we were on the road to +Tepanapa, so we completed the descent to the brooklet and started up a +trail which at any time would have been steep, stony, slippery, all at +once. We were compelled, finally, to dismount and lead our animals; +Frank, before he did so, tumbled his horse three times down the bank. At +one place two of the horses fell together in a struggling mass, and for +a moment things looked serious. All the animals but my own fell, at +least once, before we reached the summit. From there, it was an easy +ride over a level district until we were in sight of Tepanapa, which, by +sunlight, presented a most attractive appearance. The houses are spread +over a gentle slope, to the very edge of a little _barranca_. Each had +a little enclosure, with a group of banana plants. Butterflies of +brilliant hues lazily flew about, and a few birds uttered their +characteristic cries. We could not, however, delay. Before us lay a +tremendous ascent; the first part, which we had passed after dusk, we +found rougher than we realized; rock masses here were covered with a +thick cushion of brilliant crimson moss, a kind of sphagnum. The gully +trail had not been improved by the recent rains, and it taxed our +animals severely to reach the summit. Arrived in the district of the +trees loaded with beards of golden-yellow moss, we caught a magnificent +view back over the valley. With one sweep of the eyes, we could almost +follow our whole round of wandering. The ridges on which lay San Juan +Zautla and San Pedro Soochiapan both were in sight, as were the valleys +in which Santa Maria and Tepanapa lay. But the only actual feature which +we could see and recognize was the little coffee _finca_ this side of +Zautla. The combination of green mountains, blue ridges and bare rock +cliffs was grand. Here our road forked, and at this point we had a +moment's excitement. We met an old indian man with a baby tied upon his +back, and his old wife, carrying a burden, followed after. Before them a +black bull was calmly walking. The moment the old man saw us, he waved +his arms and cried out, in great excitement, "_Toro, muy bravo_!" (Bull, +very fierce!) and hastened forward to catch the lasso wound round the +horns of the beast to lead him out of our way. Just then the bull took +matters into his own control, and, with a snort and plunge, started +wildly away, dragging the old fellow at a wild run down the trail, +finally whirling him and the baby into a heap by the roadside, while he +himself took up the mountain-side. It was after dark before we reached +Papalo. + +After much grumbling, supper was prepared and a solemn promise given +that we should leave at seven in the morning. When we were ready, no +animals were to be seen. The _presidente_ asserted that the price which +we had paid was only to that point, and that if we wanted animals for +Cuicatlan we must make a new arrangement. This was sheer blackmail, +because there had been no misunderstanding in the matter, and a liberal +price had been paid. After wrangling for an hour, we shook the dust +of Papalo literally from our feet, and started to walk to Cuicatlan, +telling the town authorities that our burdens must be taken by _mozos_ +to the _cabecera_ before three o'clock, and that we should pay nothing +for the service. Probably we should not have been so ready to take this +heroic action if we had not remembered that the road was down hill all +the way, and good walking. Still, fifteen miles is fifteen miles, and +the sun was hot, and though we left at 8:30, it was two o'clock before +we entered Cuicatlan. We had no adventures by the way, except the +killing of a coral snake which lay in the middle of the road. At three +the _mozos_ with their burdens arrived, and felt it very hard that we +kept our promise of paying nothing for their service. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +TO COIXTLAHUACA + +(1900) + + +For a day we rested at Cuicatlan to make arrangements for a trip to +the land of the Chochos. We complained bitterly to the _jefe politico_ +regarding the miserable animals which had been supplied us for our last +journey, and demanded something better. + +Frank had had enough of practical anthropology, and left us, so there +were but four to be provided. At eight o'clock the following morning, +four decent horses and two pack animals were waiting at our door. A +mounted _arriero_ was in charge, to accompany us. Although he had been +inefficient on the preceding journey, the same jail-bird was sent with +us, as _mozo_, whom we had had before. At 8:30 our party of six persons +started; passing the river, which we forded, an excellent road took us, +for a league, over the sandy plain, which was fairly grown with trees, +supplying a little shade. The great _pitahayas_ were in bloom, and their +white flowers looked well against the ugly, stiff green branches. The +roadside was bordered with _acacias_ which, in full bloom, presented +masses of golden balls and perfumed the air with their delicate odor. +Passing a considerable sugar _hacienda_, the trail struck into the +mountains, and for three hours we made a steady ascent. The road itself +was excellent but the sun beat down with fearful force, and the heat +was reflected from the bare road and the rock cliffs along which we +travelled. At one place the vegetation consisted of a curious mixture of +gigantic cactuses, rising as single stalks as high as telegraph poles +but larger in diameter, and palms. Arriving at the crest, we saw a long +plain stretching before us, presenting a mingled growth of palms and +pines. At the very border of the ridge stood a hut of poles, where we +stopped to drink _tepache_ and to eat broiled chicken which we had +brought with us. We found the old woman, an indian--neither Cuicatec, +Chinantec, Mixtec, nor Zapotec, as we might expect--but a full Aztec +from Cordoba. She was bright and shrewd, and, as we chatted with her, +we noticed a little chicken a few days old awkwardly running about with +curiously deformed feet. Upon my noticing it, the old lady remarked that +the moon made it so. I inquired what she meant. She said, "Yes, we +know it is the moon which shapes the bodies of all young animals." We +followed the road a long distance over the hot plain, passing San Pedro +Jocotepec to our left, and shortly after, struck up the mountain side +and had another long and steady climb, until, at last, we reached the +crest of all the district. Here and there, we encountered bits of +limestone, which always, in this southern country, makes the worst +roads for travel. The rain erodes it into the oddest of forms, leaving +projecting ridges almost as sharp as knife-edges, with irregular hollows +pitting the surface, so that it forms a most insecure and unpleasant +foot-hold for the animals. Not only so, but the surface, rough as it is, +is frequently as polished as glass, and, whether wet or dry, is slippery +to the tread. Walking over these jagged surfaces of limestone is +destructive to any shoes. A single afternoon of this will do more wear +than a month of ordinary use. Troublesome as these limestones are, as +roads, they are ever interesting, because the masses by the roadside +present the most astonishing and beautiful forms of waterwear; upon a +mass eight or ten feet across, there will be worn a system of ridges +and intervening channels, which, in miniature, seems to reproduce the +orographic features of the whole country. + +[Illustration: WOMEN WITH BABIES; SAN JUAN ZAUTLA] + +[Illustration: CAIRN, ON ROAD TO COIXTLAHUACA] + +While we were passing over one of these limestone stretches, a little +before reaching the summit, we found a spot of unusual difficulty. The +two pack animals were together, one tied to the tail of the other; the +second had several times acted badly, but in passing over this bit of +road, he jumped and plunged, so that his pack loosened and slid to one +side. Plunging, kicking, and falling, he dragged down the unfortunate +beast to whose tail he was tied; the old rope tugged and creaked, and, +for a moment, we expected to see the very tail of the forward animal +pulled out, and both packs destroyed by the struggling beasts. +Fortunately, at this moment, the rope itself broke. The forward +animal was loosened and quickly quieted; but the other one kicked and +struggled, with our load of plates and developing trays under him. +Quickly cutting the ropes that held the burden, we tried to release the +animal, but it lay exhausted, and, for a moment, we thought it dead. +Really, however, it was not hurt at all, and the loads themselves +appeared undamaged. The burdens having been repacked, we again started +on the journey. At several places on this road, we had noticed cairns, +or heaps of pebbles. On inquiring from Don Manuel--the funny little +man, who had the animals in charge--we learned that every Chocho indian +passing the place adds a pebble to the heap, to secure good luck and +insure his safe return home. At the summit, we found one of these piles +of stone surmounted by a cross, and learned that when the Chochos reach +this spot, they always stop, repeat a prayer, and dance for good health +and fortune before the cross. It was now almost dark. Soon we saw the +downward slope, at the foot of which Huauhtla lay. We hastened down +the slope, passing through a grove of oak trees, heavily loaded with +bromelias; at the foot of the slope, we crossed a stream of clearest +water, bordered with handsome cypress trees, and passing several houses, +came to the one where we planned to stop for the night. It was now dark. +There was no opportunity for sleeping in the hut, and so we prepared +to lie down outside. The people in the house prepared _tortillas_ and +beans, and, after eating, we rolled up in our blankets and lay down on +some dried corn-husks on the ground. It was a night of suffering; the +cold was so great that our blankets furnished no protection, and the +place swarmed with fleas innumerable. At last, at four o'clock, two +hours before sunrise, we started on our journey in the hope of getting +warm. The air was damp and heavy, and, until the sun rose, we had +a desolate journey. We were again upon a limestone district, with +interesting features of scenery, and with few difficulties in the road. +We passed many oblong hills of limestone, the horizontal layers of which +upon the slopes present tiers of steps, one behind the other. These +hills were astonishingly overgrown with trees, and formed masses of +the darkest green. There was a great deal of subterranean water, and +sink-holes produced by caving over such streams were frequent. The soil +generally was a residual red or brownish clay. Flocks of gray pigeons +were startled from their roosts by our passing; and little doves were +plentiful; great hawks and small eagles were seen in pairs, hovering +high in the air. We passed several little ranches, to one of which the +name of El Zapato is given from a foot-print which is said to be painted +on the rocks at that point. Finally, we saw before us the hill behind +which, Don Manuel assured us, lay Coixtlahuaca. To mount and drop down +behind it seemed a simple thing, but we had to traverse the whole length +of the rather irregular ridge, which seemed interminable. The road which +led up to it was called the Rio Blanca--white river--an appropriate +name, as it was broad and deeply worn into the soft rock of which the +ridge consisted. When we reached the crest, we found the ridge extending +as a flat plain of light, buff-colored tufa, with many trails worn +deeply into it, and giving out, under the bright sunshine, a frightful +reflection of light and heat. Long before we reached the end of this +dreary stretch, we saw Coixtlahuaca and its adjoining indian villages, +Nativitas and San Cristobal. As we drew nearer, the view was striking. +The town is broad, but of little depth; its streets are laid out with +regularity; its great church, with masses of ruin on either side, is +conspicuous; the _plaza_ is large for the size of the town. To one side +of it are the _portales_ and the town-house and _jefatura_. To the +right of the town and behind it is a large, walled cemetery with many +gravestones. Back of all, rise hills of tufa, such as we had just +traversed. The houses, similar to those at Huautla, and in the country +between there and here, appear to be constructed with a view to cold. +At least, two houses usually occur in one inclosure; the one, more +important, corresponds to the god-house of the Aztecs and the other +to the cook-house. The former is better built, and has low, carefully +constructed walls, and a high abruptly four-pitched, heavily thatched +roof. Going to the _jefatura_, the young clerk there was much impressed +by the documents we presented, and asked us if we would accompany him to +the _jefe's_ house, as thus no time would be lost. Upon arriving at the +house of the _jefe_, we found that a wedding was about to be celebrated +in the church. The _jefe_ received us with magnificent promises; we +should room at the palace, arrangements should be made for boarding at +a private house, beds and other proper furniture should be brought +immediately, and the following day we should journey on horseback +through all the indian towns of the vicinity. This was all very fine, +but we told him that meantime we were hungry--we had eaten nothing since +the night before and then had fared badly--and that we must unload our +animals, which we had left with the rest of our company, standing in +front of the palace. The unloading was done at once and we were given +the schoolhouse for our quarters, at the rear of the _patio_ of the +palace. At this moment, however, everything else was neglected for the +wedding. This we all attended, and it was, indeed, an occasion. The +bride in white, with veil and orange-blossoms, was accompanied by her +mother, god-mother, and other female friends. She was really a pretty +and wholesome indian girl, and the groom was a decent young _mestizo_, +with gray wool sombrero, and linen jacket, cloth trousers, etc. He +and his god-father were bustling about attending to all sorts of +preliminaries. In the solemn procession which took place to the church, +the company of ladies preceded; the _jefe_ and myself led the line of +male friends, and, when we filed into the church, the building was +fairly filled. The special friends, including our party, moved in +procession to the high altar, where the ceremony was performed. The +bridal company knelt with candles in their hands. Other candles, some of +enormous size, were burning in various parts of the church. The priest, +with much ceremony, gave the sacrament of the communion to the couple, +and then fastened two golden chains, crossing, about both their necks. +A scarf of satin was placed upon them so as to cover both, passing over +the head of the woman, and the shoulders of the man. From the church, +our procession, dwindled to the particular friends and guests of honor, +walked through the village to the justice-court, where the civil +ceremony was performed. The matter having been accomplished with full +respect to the requirements of the law, we thought again of dinner. The +_jefe_ told us that to-morrow we should go to our boarding-place, but +that to-day we were to dine together in state. Time passed, hour after +hour lagged by, until the _mozo_ and _arriero_ struck for money, with +which to buy themselves something to eat. Meantime, we waited. Finally, +at three o'clock in the afternoon, we were summoned, and the _jefe_, +myself, and our companions, started down the hot, dusty, main street. +On and on we walked, until, at last, the _jefe_ himself impatiently +demanded of our guide how far we had to go. At last, we heard the +strains of music, and, shortly, found ourselves in a yard crowded with +people, among whom two bands of music were present, one with stringed +instruments and the other with brass. It was the house of the bride, and +after a moment's waiting in the yard, we were ushered, by the _jefe's_ +clerk, into the building. It had been cleared of all its contents and a +long table, set in the middle, ran lengthwise of the place. Benches were +placed beside it. A line of vases, filled with bouquets, occupied the +middle of the table and between these were bottles of wine, _catalan, +mescal, pulque, tepache_, beer, etc. The ladies were already seated; we +took the remaining seats. The company consisted of the bride and groom, +their parents, god-parents, families, and particular friends. And then, +we had a dinner which amply compensated for the thirty-six hours through +which we had been fasting--good bread, soup, stews, broiled meat, _mole, +mole prieto_, chicken, beans, sweetmeats, coffee, with the beverages +before mentioned. Dishes, when they came in, were politely passed across +the table to the ladies opposite; no one ate till all were served, and +when we were through, the place was cleared, and another room full of +friends sat down to the bountiful repast. And then a third, and then +a fourth, till everyone had feasted, even to the commonest, and the +musicians, to whom abundance was carried after those invited in had +eaten. Through all this lengthy feasting the bands of music alternated +with each other. When all had eaten, the women quickly cleared the +house, the tables were moved, and all the chairs of the neighborhood +were set stiffly around the walls, after which dancing began, continuing +through the night. + +[Illustration] + +After having eaten, we stepped outside to visit with the crowd. Among +them, several drunken men showed special friendliness. One of these +insisted upon showing us an idol, which, from his description, should +have been a rather beautiful piece. It turned out to be a very +crudely-made head, wrought in coarse, cellular lava. Considering the +material, the work was really fine; nor was it a fragment broken from +the body, as there had never been more than what we saw. From here, a +yet more drunken _dulcero_ insisted on our going to his _dulceria_ and +bake-shop, where he told us that he had a much finer piece. We found +he really had an enormous head, made of coarse, but rather bright, red +stone; it was another example of the same type of separate head, a type +which must be characteristic of the district. + +Notwithstanding the fine promises, we found no beds or other furniture +when we returned to our room. This was not, perhaps, surprising, in view +of the excitement over the wedding, which might drive lesser matters out +of the mind of the great official. With difficulty, we secured some mats +from the chief of police, and made our beds with these upon the desks +and benches of the school room. But, though we remained in Coixtlahuaca +several days, no beds were forthcoming, though we referred to them often +enough; nor did the private boarding-house materialize. We, however, +found a little place in the village where we got plenty of good food +cheaply. Nor did the ride on horseback through the neighboring villages, +which had been so pleasantly suggested by the _jefe_, materialize. +However, each day of our stay we were assured that all arrangements had +been made for it to take place on the morrow. + +We have already mentioned the _plaza_ as large in proportion to the size +of the town. On Sunday it was crowded, and while many things were bought +and sold, the trade in _sombreros_ surpassed all others. This is a +specialty of all the district; throughout the Chocho towns, they make an +excellent grade of palm-hats and everyone engages in the making. Both +men and women braid palm, and in every yard there is excavated in the +soft, tufaceous rock, a _cueva_, or cave, in which they work. Here +the palm is left between times, and here two persons generally work +together, each braiding at a hat, while a little cross, cut in the +rock-wall, looks down upon the work, for good luck. These caves have a +narrow opening upward and are scarcely large enough to admit the two +persons who sit at their work. The object of the cave is to keep the +work moist, as the plaiting cannot be well done, if the palm dries out. + +The Monday we were there, the victory of February 5th was celebrated. +The day began with music by the brass-band, from the roof of the +_presidencia_. The band, a large one, consisted almost entirely of boys +about fifteen years of age. Only the director and one among the players +were men grown. At sunrise the national flag was raised, and at seven +the church-bells were rung. Through the afternoon, games of ball and +cock-fights furnished amusement. Among the crowd, at the house of the +bride, we had met a little, stout man of about twenty-five or thirty +years, who considered himself superior to the other people, and who +variously attempted to make himself familiar. At several times during +our measuring and bust-making, he had hung around, making smart remarks, +but we had never invited him to submit to measure, as he did not seem to +be a really full-blood indian. He had made a nuisance of himself, but, +finally, one day, when he was standing in the crowd, which was looking +on, he called my attention to a friend of his, remarking that here was +a good subject. On calling this young man to be measured, we met with +unexpected resistance. He was purely indian, short, well-dressed, and +well-mannered, but he refused to be measured. We had had some little +trouble with our subjects that afternoon, and therefore insisted that he +should undergo the operation. He refused. Of course, the officials were +on our side, and the police led him off to jail. When he saw that there +was no escape, he consented to be measured, and they brought him back, +under guard, until the operation was performed. So much feeling had been +raised by the matter, that his foolish friend, to whose jocularity he +owed the unpleasant experience, thought best himself to be measured. +Accordingly measures were taken, although it was after dark, and a +candle had to be used in reading. As our day's work was done, we +returned to our room, making ready to go to supper. The crowd had +departed. To our surprise, we found these foolish fellows at our door +awaiting us. "Sir," they said, "we would speak with you a moment." Going +aside with them, I asked their wishes. They then launched out, with +weeping and groans and much wringing of hands, into a dreary tale. They +were young teachers waiting for appointment; one of them had a little +family; it would be a dreadful thing for them to be taken away and +forced into the army. It was impossible to convince them that there was +no harm in the matter. After long discussion and elaborate explanations, +they cheered up somewhat, but insisted that I must go to the house of +one of them, the one who had given trouble, to take _pulque_. We +went, three abreast, each one of them taking one of my _brazitos +queridos_--"beloved little arms;" as we went, they alternately indulged +in admiring exclamations--"Ah, Severo, what a _maestro_! how fine a +gentleman! how amiable! Say Manuelito, was there ever such a one." At +the house, which was neat and clean, I met the mother and two little +ones, who would be left behind in case Severo were forced to go into the +army. Then the _pulque_ was brought in and sampled. As I was leaving to +go to supper, they said, no, I must go to my room; they would accompany +me. In vain I reminded them that my companions were waiting for me at +the eating-place; I must be seen back to my very door, then I might go +where I pleased; but with them I had gone forth, and until they saw me +home again, they would be responsible for my person. + +Coixtlahuaca itself is largely a _mestizo_ town. But immediately in its +neighborhood, and on its outskirts, are indian villages. All Chochos +know Spanish, and but few talk their own language. There is little of +interest in their life and nothing characteristic in their dress, which +is that of _mestizos_ in general. But the physical type is well defined. +The stature is small; the face is short and broad; the nose is wide and +flat, with a fat, flattened tip; the hair is somewhat inclined to curl, +especially on top behind. + +Despairing of the promised trip through the villages, we issued orders +for our animals to be ready early one morning. Only after vigorous +complaints and threats were they actually ready. The owner of the beast +which I, myself, mounted went with us on foot, and a _mozo_ was supplied +for carrying instruments. In spite of fair promises that we would +leave at three, it was 4:40 before we started, though we had risen at +half-past-two. Our _arriero_ was the best we ever had; far from +sparing his good horse and grumbling at our speed, he was continually +complaining at our slowness. "Why don't the boys want to go fast?" he +would say. "Don't you want to get there at a good hour? Why do you go +so slowly?" And then, striking the horse, he trotted along at wonderful +speed. We reached Huautla at half-past-eight, stopping an hour to feed +our horses and to eat beans and _tortillas_. We then pushed on down the +slope, and out over the long ridge, passing the hut of our Cordoban +Aztec woman. It was the hottest hour of the day when we descended the +broad road, over the hot rocks, and saw Cuicatlan in the distance. +Thanks to our _arriero_, we drew up at Dona Serafina's when it was but +3:40 in the afternoon, having been upon the road eleven hours. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +HUAUHTLA AND THE MAZATECS + +(1900) + + +A short ride upon the train, through the hot and dusty valley, brought +us to the miserable station of San Antonio, from which, we had been +assured, a coach ran daily to Teotitlan del Camino; arrived at the +station, no stage was in sight, and we were told that it sometimes came +and sometimes not. Accordingly, leaving my companions at the station in +care of the baggage, I walked to the village, half a mile away, to see +what arrangements could be made for transportation. It was hot, and it +seemed difficult to arouse interest on the part of the town authorities. +Neither conveyance nor animals were to be had. Accordingly, a foot +messenger was sent to Teotitlan, which is a _cabecera_, asking that some +arrangement be made for transporting us. As there was no hurry, and it +would be some time before we could receive an answer, I sat under the +thatched roof in front of the town-house, resting and enjoying the +little breeze which had sprung up. Suddenly the belated coach, itself, +came into sight, bound for the station. Starting to mount, the driver +told me it was better for me to remain sitting comfortably in the shade, +and that he would pick up my companions, of whom, I told him, there +were three, and that I could join the company, as they passed. As +arrangements had already been made regarding the transportation of the +baggage by mules, the advice seemed good, and I remained where I was. A +long time passed, and when, at last, the coach arrived, it contained but +one passenger, a dignified _licenciado_. When I asked the driver where +my companions were, he answered that they had refused to come because +I had sent no written order to that effect. I suggested that we should +turn back and get them, but to this proposition he gave refusal. Not +only so, but the _licenciado_ expressed vexation at the delay which he +was suffering, and demanded that we should go on at once. Argument, +persuasions, threats were all of no avail, and, as it was necessary that +I should see the _jefe_ at the earliest possible moment, I was forced +to mount the coach and leave my unfortunate and obedient companions to +their fate. For an hour and a half the coach lumbered slowly over a hot +and dusty road, which passed between small, bare, gray or brown rock +hills, rising to a higher level only a little before we reached +Teotitlan itself. + +Hastening to the _jefatura_, I discovered that the _jefe_ had gone to +Mexico, leaving the _presidente_ of the town as his lieutenant. This man +was neither willing, interested, nor efficient. He had little authority, +even with his own policemen and townsmen. I requested that the first +thing should be to send for my companions and bring them to town within +the briefest time. Orders were sent by the policemen to the driver +of the coach, that he should return at once to the station; to these +orders, he sent the false reply that his coach had broken down, one +wheel being completely ruined. After some wrangling and delay, the +_presidente_ sent a foot-messenger to San Antonio with orders to the +authorities of that village to supply three animals for the travellers. +The messenger left at five in the evening. Meantime, we arranged with +difficulty for beasts for our further journey. Although we were assured +that no animals from the town could accompany us further than the first +_ranchito_ in the mountains, named San Bernardino, they assured us that +fresh animals could be obtained there for the remainder of the journey. +Going to the regular hotel in the village, we found the prices higher +than in Oaxaca or Puebla, and equal to those of a first-class hotel in +Mexico itself. As the landlady seemed to have no disposition to do aught +for us, we decided to look elsewhere. At a second so-called hotel we +found a single bed. At this point, a bystander suggested that Don Pedro +Barrios would probably supply us lodging; hastening to his house, I +secured a capital room, opening by one door directly onto the main road, +and by another, opposite, onto the large _patio_ of his place. The room +was large and clean, and four good cots were soon in place. Having +ordered supper at a little eating-house, for four persons, to be ready +at seven o'clock, I spent a little time in looking at relics found +in the neighborhood. Pottery figures and heads are quite common and +frequently painted brilliantly; small heads and ornaments of green-stone +are not uncommon; curious clubs of stone for beating bark-paper are also +found; objects of gold and silver have been found in ancient graves, +near the foot of the mountains, on the outskirts of the village. These +were of curious forms and excellent workmanship, and included large +ornaments for the ears and pendants for the neck, made of thin sheets of +gold; turtles and human skulls cast in a single piece; and most curious +of all, odd pieces of filigree where the gold-wire was coiled into +strange human heads. One of these was made half of gold and half of +silver wire. + +At seven, no sign of my companions had appeared. A policeman went to +tell the keeper of the eating-house that we would eat at eight, and, +putting my chair outside the open door, I sat in the cool air and +watched the people passing in the moonlight. Eight o'clock came, and no +companions. The supper hour was postponed to nine. Between nine and ten, +Don Pedro and I talked over various matters, and at last, yielding to +his solicitation, I went to supper, he promising to send my comrades in +case they should arrive during my absence. I had just finished supper, +at half-past ten, when my three hungry companions arrived, with big +appetites for their own meals, and it was after eleven before the party +was through its supper. + +[Illustration] + +They, themselves, had by no means spent a dull afternoon. The station +agent and his lady wife had indulged in a vigorous battle. Both were +drunk, shot revolvers recklessly, bit one another, tore hair, and +clubbed most vigorously. The man finally took $6,000 in money out of the +company's safe and left the station, vowing that he would never be seen +again. Though the authorities at San Antonio had received the order to +supply animals at six o'clock, it was after nine before they had the +beasts ready for the travellers. + +After an excellent night's rest we started our pack-animals, and +were ourselves ready for the journey at nine, when we found that no +arrangements had been made for a foot _mozo_ to carry our instruments. +This again caused delay and trouble, but at last we were upon the road, +and started out through the little village towards the mountains. My +animal appeared a beast of vigor and spirit, and my hope ran high. The +moment, however, that we struck the climb, matters changed. He then +stopped every few yards, breathing as if it were his last gasp. This he +kept up for the whole ascent, and there seemed doubt whether he would +ever reach the summit. For a long distance, the road followed the side +of a gorge in which a fine brook plunged and dashed. We passed and +repassed picturesque groups of Mazatec indians with their burdens. The +women wore _enaguas_, the lower part of which was brown, the upper +white. Their _huipilis_ are among the most striking we have seen, being +made of native cotton, decorated with elaborate embroidered patterns of +large size, in pink or red. The favorite design is the eagle. Men wore +_cotones_ of black or dark blue wool. We had been riding steadily for +two hours before we reached San Bernardino, where the _mozos_ and pack +animals were changed, and where we rested for a few minutes. We then +rode for a long time, gently ascending through forests of pine or oak. +Here and there the air-plants on the oak trees were notable. Finally, we +mounted to a road along a narrow ridge, like a knife's edge, and from +here on had one of the most remarkable roads that I have ever travelled. +Keeping continuously upon the crest, we had upon the one side the dry +slope, with the pine forest, and on the other the damp slope, densely +grown with low oaks, heavily clad with orchids and bromelias and +weighted with great bunches of gray moss. The road passed up and down +gentle and abrupt slopes separated by level spaces. When we first caught +sight of Huauhtla it looked so near, and the road to be traversed was so +plain, that we expected to reach the town before three o'clock; but the +trail proved drearily long. True, the scenery was magnificent. The great +mass of mountains; curious ridges extending out from their flanks; the +multitude of horizontal, parallel long roads following these; the little +towns, San Geronimo, San Lucas--all were attractive. From the great +slope opposite Huauhtla, the view of the town was most impressive. +Before us opened a narrow valley, the depth of which we only realized +after we had traversed it. An hour and a half was necessary for making +the descent and the up-climb. From the point whence we were looking, the +church, town-house, and clustered houses of the village were above us. +Below stretched a line of _nublina_, and beneath it the whole great +mountain flank was checkered with the irregular brown and green fields +belonging to the villagers. It was already five o'clock when we began +the descent from this fine view-point, and, on our way down the slope +and up the opposite slope to the village, we met great numbers of +drunken indians,--as it was Sunday,--usually a man and woman together. +Two of the men we met had been fighting, and were covered with blood; +the face of one of them was livid with the blows which he had received. +Many of the parties were noisy and quarrelsome, and some of them showed +a tendency to meddle with us, as we passed. + +[Illustration] + +The greater portion of the journey had been over fine, dry roads; after +we reached the knife-edge ridge, however, whenever there was a descent +or ascent, we found the road of clay, moist and slippery; in the rainy +season these bits would be bad enough. At this time of year they are due +to the _nublina_, great masses of which we saw from the time we reached +the crest-road, and, at times, we passed through great sheets of it +which cut off all view and which soaked our clothing. Upon our last +descent and ascent, we were almost discouraged, and the last half-hour +of our journey was made by the light of the moon, struggling through +_nublina_. Though it was dark, when we reached the village, we were +impressed with the fineness of the municipal-house, the best constructed +we have seen in an indian town. Its location, near the edge of the +mountain slope, giving a magnificent outlook over the great valley, is +very fine. The houses of the Mazatecs are picturesque. The walls are +built of mud, or slabs or posts daubed with mud, while the roofs are +thatched with palm. The ridge pole extends, at both ends, in projections +which themselves are thatched, forming curious and striking horns. This +same mode of thatch, picturesque in the extreme, is also used above the +little granaries which are raised, on poles, several feet above the +ground, in order to keep the contents from the attacks of animals. +Huauhtla is a large town. The village and its immediate dependencies +have a population of 7000. Until lately the town was jealous of visits +from outside, and little inclined to hospitality towards travellers. If +this were formerly true, it has ceased to be so. We were received most +heartily; the large and enthusiastic town government, after learning our +errand, expressed their willingness to aid us in every way. They at once +cleared a fine large room in the town-house for our occupancy, prepared +four beds of boards covered with _petates_, and brought from the +priest's house, hard by, blankets, sheets, and pillows for my own use. +Arrangements were also made for our eating with the priest, Padre +Manzano, with whom we fared in truly regal fashion. In the days we +stayed at Huauhtla, there were no delays in our work and everything went +in orderly fashion. It is true, our subjects for busts were an awkward +and trying lot. The first subject broke the back-piece of the mould +to fragments, and, when the plaster was being applied to his face, +he opened his mouth and talked, opened his eyes, and drew out his +nose-tubes, with the result that eyes, nose and mouth were all filled +with the soft mixture, and it was all that we could do to clean him +without damage. As for trying to take his bust again, that was quite +out of the question. The second subject was all right, until the last +application had been made, when he turned in the partly hardened mould +with truly disastrous results. The third one acted so awkwardly that a +piece of mould, which should have come off singly, was taken off in ten +fragments. + +The dress of the Mazatec women is elaborate and striking, both _enagua_ +and _huipil_ being made from the cotton woven by themselves. At the +base of the _enagua_ is a broad and heavy band of wool, embroidered in +geometrical patterns, the color being cochineal. Above these bands, +there are embroideries in the same colored wool, animal and human +figures, and geometrical designs. Unfortunately, cochineal, while +brilliant, is by no means permanent, a single washing of the garment +spreading the color through the white texture. The _huipilis_ are +ornamented frequently with red, purple and crimson ribbons, bought in +stores in the town, which are sewed to the garment in such a fashion as +to divide it into rectangular spaces. These, in turn, are occupied with +the elaborate large patterns in pink representing the eagle and other +designs already described. It is uncommon among Mexican indians to +find a native use of silk. Here, however, silk-worms are reared and +carry-cloths, kerchiefs and belts are woven from their product. These +are worn by both men and women. The mode of wearing the hair among the +Mazatec women is in two broad, flat braids hanging down the back. The +women made no demur whatever to being measured, but everyone, who +presented herself for the operation, came dressed in her best clothing, +with her hair elaborately braided, and showed serious disappointment and +dissatisfaction if not invited to be photographed. + +[Illustration: MAZATEC WOMEN; HUAUHTLA] + +[Illustration: HEAVY BRAIDS; MAZATEC WOMEN; HUAUHTLA] + +The town has a most curious reputation, as devoted to commerce, and not +to manual labor. In fact, it is considered disgraceful for a man of +Huauhtla to indulge in work. The people of San Lucas, the nearest town, +and a dependency, are, on the other hand, notably industrious, and it +is they who carry burdens and do menial work for the lordly Huauhtla +people. Mrs. de Butrie told us that she tried in vain to get a cook in +the village. The woman was satisfied to cook and found no fault with the +wages offered, but refused the job because it involved the carrying of +water, and she feared lest she might be seen at such ignoble labor. Mr. +de Butrie a while ago bought a set of shelves from a man who had them in +his house. As they were dirty, he suggested that they must be cleaned +before he would receive them. The seller said, very well, he would send +for a man of San Lucas to clean them. It was only lately that they +condescended to carry stuff to Teotitlan to sell. In the town-house they +cherish two much-prized possessions, the _titulo_ and _mapa_ of the +town. The former is the grant made by the Spanish government to this +village, in the year 1763. It is an excellently preserved document in +parchment and the old writing is but little faded. As for the _mapa_, it +is a strip of native, coarse cotton cloth, seven feet by three feet nine +inches in size, with a landscape map of the surrounding country painted +upon it in red, yellow, black and brown. It is a quaint piece of +painting, with mountains valleys, streams, caves, trees, houses, +churches and villages represented on it with fair exactness. It was +probably painted at the same time that the _titulo_ was given to the +village. + +The morning after our arrival, we witnessed a quadruple indian wedding +in the church at seven. The brides were magnificent in the brilliant +_huipilis_, and the godmothers were almost as much so, with their fine +embroideries. The ceremony was much like that at Coixtlahuaca, already +described. The bride put a silver ring upon the groom's finger, and +he did the same by her; the priest put money into the man's hands, he +transferred this to the woman, and she to the priest; single chains +were hung about the neck of each of the party, both men and women; the +covering sheet or scarf was stretched over all four couples at once, +covering the heads of the women and the shoulders of the men. + +Near the town-house, along the main street, is a series of sheds or +shacks used as shops, altogether numerically disproportionate to the +population. Great was our surprise to find that one of these was kept +by a Frenchman, who spoke excellent English, and who is married to an +English lady. They were the only white people living in this great +indian town. Monsieur de Butrie has a coffee plantation in the valley a +few miles away, at Chichotla, but he finds the climate bad for himself +and lady. Accordingly, they had moved up onto the high land, and it is +easy for him, when he must give attention to his _finca_, to go to it +for the necessary time. They have some pretty children and are doing +well. We called at their house, quite like the others of the town, and +were hospitably received with chocolate and sweet English cakes. During +our stay, this gentleman and his wife did their utmost for our comfort, +and gave us many interesting bits of information regarding the people, +their customs and their superstitions. We have elsewhere described in +detail their witchcraft practices, their belief in transformation into +tigers, and their ideas regarding the destiny and condition of persons +after death. + +[Illustration] [MAZATEC FROM SAN LUCAS] + +[Illustration] [MAZATEC FROM SAN LUCAS] + +Just across the way from the town-house, was a large house of the usual +fashion, which we quickly learned was the rendezvous and practice-place +of the town band. This consisted entirely of boys, none of them more +than twenty years of age, and numbered upwards of thirty pieces. The +leader was a man of forty, a capital trainer. The daily practice began +at 4:30 in the morning, and was kept up until noon; then ensued an +hour's rest. At one, they were again practicing, and no break occurred +until long after dark. During the days that we were there, a single +piece only was being practiced. It was our alarm clock in the morning, +beat time for our work throughout the day, and lulled us to sleep when +we retired for the night. Senor de Butrie insists that during the year +and more than he has lived in the village, several boys have blown +themselves, through consumption, into early graves. Our pleasant stay +at Huauhtla came to an equally pleasant termination. Having stated the +number of animals and human carriers necessary, and the hour at which +we wished to start, we found every preparation made on awaking in the +morning, and at 6:25, after an excellent breakfast with Padre Manzano, +we sallied forth. Six human carriers bore our busts and baggage, and +four capital horses carried us rapidly over the good road. It was a +magnificent morning, but later in the day, as the sun rose, it became +hot. We arrived at three in the afternoon with our carriers close +behind. The following morning we forgave the crabbed _cochero_ at +Teotitlan sufficiently to take his stage coach for San Antonio, where +we arrived in fifty minutes, having two hours to wait before the +north-bound train took us towards Puebla. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +TEPEHUAS AND TOTONACS + +(1900) + + +Leaving Puebla on the early morning train, and taking the Pachuca branch +at Ometusco, we changed cars at Tepa onto the narrow-gauge Hidalgo +road for Tulancingo, which took us by a winding course through a great +_maguey_ country. After two hours of riding, in the latter part of which +we were within sight of a pretty lakelet, we reached Tulancingo. Broad +avenues, bordered with handsome trees, connected the station with the +town, in the _plaza_ of which we shortly found ourselves. This _plaza_ +consists of a large square, planted with trees, with an open space +before it, and is surrounded by various shops and the great church. +It is pretentious, but desolate. In front of the treed space, were +temporary booths erected for the carnival, in which _dulces, aguas +frescas_, and _cascarones_ were offered for sale. Hawkers on the streets +were selling _cascarones_, some of which were quite elaborate. The +simplest were egg-shells, dyed and stained in brilliant colors, and +filled with bits of cut paper; these were broken upon the heads of +persons as they passed, setting loose the bits of paper which became +entangled in the hair and scattered over the clothing. Some had, pasted +over the open ends, little conical caps of colored tissue-paper. Others +consisted of a lyre-shaped frame, with an eggshell in the center of the +open part. Some had white birds, single or in pairs, hovering over the +upper end. The carnival was on in full force, and we saw frequent bands +of maskers. They went in companies of a dozen or so, dressed like +clowns, with their clothing spotted and striped with red. Their faces +were concealed by cloth. They walked rapidly, almost ran, through the +streets. They spoke to no one, and did nothing except to keep up a loud +and constant trilling of the most ridiculous kind. Packs of youngsters +chased behind and crowded upon them; they also pelted them with stones, +and the head of one of the maskers was bleeding quite profusely, but he +still kept up his headlong run and trilling. We had counted upon the +assistance of the _jefe_, but found him too dignified to receive us +outside of office hours, and therefore we arranged the matter of +our transportation to Huachinango. The price was high, the coach +inconvenient, and the _cochero_ unaccommodating. In vain we tried to +have all of our plaster taken in the load with us; only one-half could +go, the balance must follow the succeeding day. Finally, at about ten in +the morning, we lumbered heavily away, and were soon out of the town, +passing through a brown, hilly district, at first devoted to _pulque_ +plantations, but further along becoming fine pastureland. Neat fields, +separated by bands of yellow, unplowed stubble, and true farm-houses of +good size, were striking features. We passed through quantities of pine +groves, and everywhere a cold wind blew strongly in our faces. At one +place, we were obliged to dismount and walk, on account of the sharp +descent, and found ourselves upon an ugly piece of limestone or +sandstone rock, which soon, to our surprise, we found replaced by a +solid mass of obsidian. The _cochero_, says that the place is known +as _itzlis_--the obsidians, the knives. It was 2:30 when we reached +Aguazotepec, where we called upon the _presidente_, and engaged a +_mozo_, for a _peso_, to convey our instruments the balance of the +journey, as we were completely tired out with carrying them upon our +knees. We also arranged with that official to forward the balance of +our stuff to Huachinango the following day. We also arranged to pay +for horses from Aguazotepec to Huachinango. Having eaten an excellent +dinner, when ready for resuming our journey, we discovered, with +surprise, that the stage was still our conveyance to Venta Colorado, +only a league from Huachinango. There we were to secure the animals +for which we had paid, though we were warned that only three could be +supplied. Manuel and Louis at once tossed coins to see which should +ride first. Although we had paid the full cost of the coach, two other +passengers were crowded in upon us, and the man, for whom we had paid +the _peso_ to carry our instruments, ran alongside the coach on foot, +throwing stones at the mules, while we had again the pleasure of +carrying the instruments and boxes on our knees. The country through +which we rode was much as before. For some time we passed through a fine +pine forest; then we made a deep descent into a valley, at the bottom of +which flowed a large stream, which was bridged by a grand old structure +of stone and cement. This descent, and the opposite ascent, we were +obliged to make on foot, as the approaches were bad. We have been +impressed strongly with the fact that everywhere in Mexico the worst +bits of road are those which, in old Spanish days, were handsomely +and well paved; and which, during the disturbed period of the early +Republic, were neglected and allowed to go to decay. It is depressing to +see so many evidences of past magnificence and present poverty. It was +almost dusk when, after skirting the edge of a deep gorge, we reached a +piece of bad road, where the coach with difficulty made its way, with +frightful jolts and pitchings, till we drew up at Venta Colorado. Here +the coach was finally abandoned. Our animals were packed and mounted, +and after fussing and quarreling with our ugly _cochero_ as to whether +he or we should carry the bulk of our baggage, we started. The distance +was not great. It was down hill, and we had to pick our way with great +care over the rough road, filled with loosened and separated blocks of +ancient paving. + +This district, in one respect, reminded us of the Tarascan country. +Every house along the road was a sales-place, where drinks, cigarettes, +fruit and bread were offered, and each had the little boarded window, +open when sales were solicited, and closed when business stopped. The +houses, too, were log structures with shingled four-pitched roofs, and +the houses in the town were well built, cement-walled, with low-sloped, +far projecting tile roofs supported on trimmed beams. One might as well +have been in Patzcuaro, Uruapan, or Chilchota. Again the _cochero_; we +had told him that the stuff should go to the _jefatura_, and not to the +hotel; he told us with great insolence that the _jefatura_ was closed, +and that it would be impossible to see the _jefe_ and that the stuff +would remain at the hotel; he followed us, when we went to the _jefe's_ +house, and great was his surprise when he found our order efficacious. +We had a long talk with the _jefe_, who told us that few indians lived +in the town, and that none of them were Totonacs; he assured us that, +though there were no Totonacs in Huachinango, we could find them in +abundance at Pahuatlan, to which he recommended us to go. The nearest +indian town to Huachinango is Chiconcuauhtla, but it is Aztec. The next +day was spent in town, waiting for our other baggage, and for the _jefe_ +to arrange our orders and lay out our journey. My day of fever was on, +and I spent it mostly in bed. There were many indians in the market, +most of whom were Aztecs, though a few were Otomis. The men wore dark +brown or black _cotones_; the _enaguas_ of the women were wool and were +dark blue or black. Many carried on their shoulders carry-pouches, +consisting of two rectangular frames of sticks, corded together along +the lower side, and kept from opening too widely, above, by a net of +cords at the ends. The indians of Chiconcuauhtla are easily recognized +by their little flat, round caps. Late in the afternoon the bands of +maskers, here called the _huehuetes_, were out. There were a dozen of +them, dressed in absurd costumes; a bewhiskered Englishman in loud +clothing, a gentleman, a clown, a lady, etc. These all went, by twos, +on horseback; a clown and a devil and a boy with a prod, on foot, +accompanied them. The duty of the latter, who remotely resembled death, +was to prod the unhappy devil. They were accompanied by noisy crowds the +several times they made the rounds of the town, keeping up the peculiar +trilling, which we had noticed at Tulancingo. At dusk, these maskers +dismounted and promenaded in couples about the _plaza_. + +Nowhere, as in this region, have we had so much difficulty with regard +to animals. The demands were so exorbitant that we insisted upon the +_jefe_ making the arrangements. He received us in anything but a +pleasant mood, but acceded, and finally we secured four horses and four +mules, for which we were to pay for two full days, and a foot _mozo_ to +whom we also were to pay two full days' wages. As the _jefe_ himself +had made this arrangement, we consented to it, but the man who was +outfitting us then demanded pay for the _mozo_ who went to bring back +the horses and for the fodder of the animals. At this, even the _jefe_ +balked, declaring that he was not in favor of really robbing the +gentlemen. Paying him the seventeen dollars and twenty-five cents, in +order that there might be no further discussion, we started. Just as we +left, the man who supplied the animals decided that our loads, which +before had been so large, were really not too large for three mules, +which number was actually sent with us, though we had paid for four. +We were ready for starting at seven, but it was ten before we left. +Meantime, clouds had gathered, and just as we started, rain began. There +were first several separate showers, and then a steady downpour, which +lasted almost till we reached Pahuatlan. All the blankets had been +packed away, and we rode through the rain until our clothes were +drenched through and through. For three hours this continued, and it +was impossible to see anything of the country through which we passed. +Finally, however, as we reached a great crest, and looked down into the +valley beyond, the sky was clear and we could see something of the scene +about us. The descent we were to make, and the slope in front, were +covered with sugar-cane, broken here and there by great patches of +pineapples. With each plantation of sugar-cane there was a little +shelter of poles under which was a sap-trough or boiling-tank, while at +the side of and behind the shelter was a rude mill, the power for which +was furnished by a yoke of oxen. Boys fed the fresh cane between the +crushing rollers, and the sap, as it ran out, was carried in little +troughs to vats. Not at all these little shelters was sugar-making in +progress, as we passed, but over both slopes many columns of smoke +indicated places where the work was going on. The fire in the vat kept +the sap boiling, and a man standing near with a great ladle, pierced +with holes, kept dipping up and pouring out the hot sap. When we started +up the great ascent we had no hint of Pahuatlan, and, when we reached +the summit, could see nothing of it. But hardly had we begun the descent +before we saw the large and handsome town below, but still with a long +slope and a sharp ascent to be passed, before we could reach it. From +the brook-side, at the bottom of the valley, almost to the village +itself, we passed through a dense growth of bananas, which seemed to +have suffered some damage, as many were dry and yellow, and individual +leaves were curiously tattered and jagged. Among them grew other plants, +coffee, orange-trees, peaches, and cane. When we reached the town, my +heart sank; a church with handsome dome and modern tower, a planted +_plaza_ with central fountain, buildings, of two stories with gaudy +fronts and _portales_, surrounding three sides of the square, augured +better for comfort while we were in the place, than for work +on Totonacs. We rode up to the _municipio_, where we found the +_presidente_, a rather stylish young fellow, who was interested in our +work and helpful. The town controls fourteen thousand persons, and its +name is derived from that of a large _ahuacate_, the Aztec name of which +is _pahuatl_. The _presidente_ assured us that there was no Totonac +town, properly speaking, within the limits of the _municipio_. For all +this district, Orozco y Berra makes many errors. Atla, which he lists as +Totonac, is really Aztec. The _presidente_, upon a local map, showed us +the interesting way in which natural barriers limit idioms. Two +little streams, coming together at an acute angle, may divide three +languages--one being spoken in the angle and one on either side. +In Tlaxco, a small village in this _municipio_, four idioms are +spoken--Aztec, Otomi, Totonac and Tepehua. + +Two years before, just as my work was ending, we were in the great Otomi +town of Huixquilucan, in the state of Mexico. While resting at midday, I +noticed a neatly-dressed and clean young indian, plainly not Otomi, with +whom I conversed. He was an Aztec, and much interested in the work we +were doing. In our conversation, he told me that I would find much of +interest in the state of Hidalgo, and particularly called my attention +to the making of paper from bark, which he had observed in the town of +San Gregorio, two years before. This particularly interested me, and I +then made notes regarding the method of getting to San Gregorio. I was +advised by him, in case of going to that place, to talk with Don Pablo +Leyra, of Huehuetla, who was himself an Indian and a man of consequence +in the district--a sort of _cacique_ among his people. Several years +ago, I had first learned from Senor Eurosa, a Mexican Protestant +clergyman, that in the little town of Tlacuilotepec, there still survive +interesting pagan practices. In planning our present journey, I had +arranged to visit San Gregorio and Tlacuilotepec for the purpose of +investigating this manufacture of paper and these pagan customs. +Inquiring of the _presidente_ of Pahuatlan about his indians, I asked +regarding paper-beating, and discovered that it was done at the nearest +indian village of San Pablito, Otomi. We were told that bark of several +species of trees was used--_jonote_, dragon, and mulberry; that the +paper is usually made secretly and in-doors; that the passing traveller +can hear the sound of light and rapid pounding as he passes through the +village; that it is made in every house, and the proper season is when +the sap runs, April to June; San Pablito is the only village in the +_municipio_ where it is made. It is used in _brujeria_ (witchcraft); +other paper can be bought much cheaper, but only this kind is +serviceable. It is cut into _munecos_; representing human beings and +horses and other animals, and these are used to work injury to human +beings and beasts, being buried in front of the house or in the +_corral_. The judge, who was sitting by, told us that a prisoner brought +before him for trial was found to carry such a paper figure, which was +sewed through the body with thread and had its lips sewed also; he +learned that this figure represented himself, and that the lips were +sewed to prevent him from pronouncing judgment on the prisoner. They +assured me that the nearest point for finding Totonacs or Tepehuas, in +sufficient numbers for my purpose, was in the district of Tenango del +Doria, where, at Huehuetla, we would find the largest Tepehua town, and +that in Pantepec, which is in the district of Huachinango, and near +Huehuetla, we would find Totonacs. We had had such ill success in +locating Totonacs so far, that, at our suggestion, they telephoned to +the _jefe_ at Tenango inquiring regarding the populations of Huehuetla +and Pantepec, with the result that we decided to visit those towns. + +At Tulancingo, we had been snubbed by the _jefe_, who would not treat +with us outside of office hours. When the _presidente_ of Pahuatlan took +us to the house where arrangements had been made for our accommodation, +we found a garrulous, simple-minded, individual who was set to clear +our room and make our beds. To myself, as leader of the company, he +was attentive and ceremonious in the highest degree, and on several +occasions he took my companions to task for their ignorance regarding +the proper deference to display toward me. He inquired whether we were +acquainted with Senor Arroyo, _jefe politico_ of Tulancingo, and then +informed us, with pride that that gentleman was his "Senor Padre." +"If so, Senors, you may well ask why you see me thus dressed in +_calzoncillos_. For two reasons: first, I am not a legitimate son, no, +Senors, my lady mother, who bore me was an Otomi indian, but I am the +acknowledged illegitimate son of my honored Senor Padre. Second, I had +the misfortune to be involved in trouble in the district of Del Doria, +which forced me to flee from that district to escape the _jefe_. But, +sir, my Senor Padre said to me, 'son, I am the _jefe politico_ of +Tulancingo and the governor of the State is Pedro L. Rodriguez; I am his +intimate friend, and we shall succeed in ousting that _jefe_ in Tenango +del Doria who has ordered your arrest.'" He also told us of one time, +when his Senor Padre and an inspector visited that unfortunate district +as an investigating committee, and found the _jefe_ guilty and put him +in jail _incomunicado_. He also told us of the band of Pahuatlan, justly +famous, which made so great an impression in one town it visited, +that it determined to go to Tulancingo to serenade the _jefe_ of that +district, his honored Senor Padre. "And I was invited, sir, not that I +am a musician or know one note from another, but because I am of +the family of the gentleman who was to be honored, and as a mark of +distinguished favor to both members of the family. The band played so +beautifully, that it was not allowed to stop until half-past-eleven at +night, when it retired in great triumph." All this was very interesting, +the first time it was told us, but the natural son remained while we ate +supper, and afterwards, following us to our sleeping-room, kept up the +repetition until two were already in bed and asleep and the others +wished to be, when, finally, we turned him out and locked the door upon +him for the night. We have stated that we paid for four animals to bring +our baggage hither, while but three were actually employed; the animals, +both pack and passenger, started on their journey for Huachinango at +half-past-four in the afternoon, though we had paid both beast and man +two full days' wages. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +Tlacuilotepec is a dependency of Pahuatlan. We started for our day's +trip thither on a good lot of animals, at eight o'clock in the morning, +with two foot _mozos_ for carriers. The journey was delightful. For a +little, we followed a trail down the left-hand bank of a fine ravine. +Nearly at the foot we struck to the left, through a little cut, and were +surprised to find ourselves upon the right-hand slope of another gulf of +immense depth. A few minutes later, we reached the point where the two +streams united. And from there on, for a long time, we followed the +bottom of a great gorge. The rock walls were bold and often sheer, and +the upper line of mountain horizon was graceful and varied. The cliffs +were mostly limestone, and presented remarkable examples of folding and +dislocation. The long roots of trees, following exposed rock surfaces +downward for yards, and twisting and bending to find lodgment in the +crevices, were curious. Great tufts of a plant with long, narrow, +light-green leaves hung down along vertical rock faces. In little +caverns, at the foot of cliffs, were damp spots filled with ferns and +broad-leaved caladiums, and brilliant clusters of begonias in bloom. +At several places, the water of springs or underground streams gushed +forth, in natural rock-basins, or from under projecting ledges. At one +spot, there was a dainty basin of limestone into which a pretty veil of +spring water fell gracefully. We crossed and recrossed the stream many +times. Everywhere we were within sound of the creaking sugar-mills, and +in sight of the ladling of boiled sap; everywhere we met _arrieros_ +driving animals loaded with little loaves of native sugar; everywhere +the forest was broken with little patches of sugar-cane, growing on the +slopes. Here and there, we saw cables slung across the streams, for +passing cargoes at high water. At one place was a fine display of +basaltic columns, the position of which was horizontal, the flow having +come up as a sheet injected from below, and not as a surface out-flow, +where the jointage would have been vertical. Finally, leaving this +beautiful ravine, we made a rapid ascent, passing a little village +consisting almost wholly of a school, noisy with study, and a church, +with a separate square tower. Shortly after reaching the summit, and +dipping slightly, we found Tlacuilotepec. It is not a large town. At its +center _mestizo,_ it has charge of several indian villages. We had +been referred for information concerning surviving paganism to a Senor +Martinez. We were interested in finding that the _presidente_ of the +town was a brother of this gentleman, and that both were Protestants. We +were received with great cordiality, not only on account of our official +introduction, but also because we brought an unofficial introduction +from Protestant friends. Two charming beds were arranged in the little +meeting-place in Senor Martinez's own house, and two others, almost as +good, were secured for the others of the party, in the little _meson_ +of the village. As we chatted, we were refreshed with a delicious +orange-wine, which is made here, and during our days spent with Don +Quirino, we had meals fit for a king. The indians under his charge are +Otomis, and in one little village, Santa Maria, Totonac. When we came +to inquire regarding the pagan practice for which we were searching, +we learned that it was peculiar to the Otomis, and formed their annual +_costumbre_--custom. They believe that Montezuma is to come again. +Meantime, from him come health, crops, and all good things. Their +_costumbre_ is a feast given in his honor, of which he is believed to +partake. A _jacal_--hut--is prepared in a retired spot; a table is +constructed full length of the house within, and upon this a feast is +spread of which all partake. + +Upon this table they place many _munecos_ of paper; formerly these were +made of the bark paper, but they are now made of ordinary paper bought +in the stores. There may be so many of these that they cover the table +an inch or two thick. The feasters shove money, usually small pieces +of silver, beneath these figures. They then kill turkeys and hens and +chickens, and sprinkle the blood from the headless bodies over the +_munecos_. This they do that Montezuma may be propitiated, and give them +what they desire; the money and the _munecos_, sprinkled with blood, are +left upon the table after the feast, the former being stolen by passing +_mestizos_. + +The _presidente_ stated that, at the _pueblito_ of Santa Maria, where we +should go upon the morrow to see some Totonacs, they had just celebrated +their annual _costumbre_. He said that it might be somewhat similar, +as they had sent him a headless turkey, as a gift. In the morning, we +visited this village accompanied by the two brothers. A half hour's ride +brought us to the spot, from which one gets one of the most lovely views +in all this picturesque country. Standing on the end of a little spur +upon which the village lies, one sees the handsome river below, which +separates this _municipio_ from that of Villa Juarez. To the left, rise +magnificent mountains covered with brilliant green vegetation, broken +here and there by bare rock faces, from the base of which gentle slopes, +extending down to the river, are covered with little corn-fields. +Cuauhtepec, a Totonac pueblo, where all are said to dress in white, lies +upon this stream, and immediately back from it the cultivated fields +of the village stretch up to the very crest. To the right, is seen +the little ranch Tanchitla, with its fields, a strip of green forest +separating these from the fields of the next village, Tlapajualla. The +stream abounds in fish of various kinds, which form an important food +supply. They are, however, rapidly being destroyed by the practice of +exploding dynamite cartridges in the water, by which not only the adult +fish, but the young, of all ages, are killed. Unless the practice soon +ceases, and there are rigid laws against it, there will soon be no fish +left in any of the streams of this whole region. This particular stream +bears different names in different portions of its course--thus it is +called Tanchitla, Pahuatlan, San Marcos, Caxones, Xico, etc. + +Having noticed that here, as at Pahuatlan, the banana trees were badly +injured, we learned that this havoc was the result of two recent +hail-storms, which were felt over a wide area, and which were of almost +unexampled severity. By the time we had enjoyed the outlook, and learned +a little of the village, the messenger who had been sent to call the +people together had performed his duty, and a picturesque group of our +long-sought Totonacs were at hand. The women wear _quichiquemils_ of +native cotton cloth, the neck opening of which is over-hemmed with +black wool. Lines of crosses, rosettes, birds, etc., are worked in +various-colored wools upon them. Many of them have a broad line of +color, in geometrical combinations, running vertically up the middle. +The men wear _cotones_ of black and white. + +Twenty-five or thirty of the more important men of the village were now +taken to the schoolhouse, where the _presidente_ inquired, for me, in +regard to the _costumbre_. At first a little hesitancy was shown, but +soon all were interested and talked freely. The _costumbre_ comes at +about the same time each year, though not upon a fixed date. Its purpose +is to secure health, good weather and crops for the coming year, though +it may be held on the occasion of pestilence. Everyone, even widows and +old maids, brings something for the feast. The celebration is held in +some large house, and lasts through two days; floral decorations are +arranged in the four corners of the room, candles are lighted, and +_copal_ is burned. The first day, each person brings a handful of earth +from his field, which is placed in a heap upon the floor. Fowls and +animals are slaughtered for the occasion; their heads are cut off and +their blood is sprinkled upon the earth. After feasting and drinking, a +dance follows, the dancers wearing crowns and necklaces of yellow arnica +flowers, and carry in their hands wands made of pine-splints wrapped +with corn-husks, and with a flower of arnica tied to each end. The +second day, corn on the ear and beans are brought instead of earth, and +these are sprinkled with blood. On both days, blood-sprinkled material +is carried home, and the seed and earth are later put into the field. In +the feasting-room, two paper lanterns are hung from the ceiling; these +are stuck over with gilt and colored paper disks and stars. They +represent the sun and stars. Upon these lanterns a cross of blood is +made, at the time when the earth and seed are sprinkled. After the dance +ends on the second day, children shoot at the lanterns with small arrows +and try to break them. Disappointed that no mention had been made of +bark paper in connection with this ceremonial, we asked whether they +ever used it. They answered promptly in the affirmative. For what? To +wrap _ocotes_. With this, the man who told me hastened out and came back +with a little parcel in his hand. This consisted of twelve little sticks +of pine about three inches long; they were tied together with a band of +thread or bark fibre, and were stained with blood; these were wrapped in +a piece of green banana leaf, the upper face of the leaf being placed +inside and the base of the leaf kept downward. When it had been thus +carefully folded, it was carried to the field and buried in a hole, +carefully dug, so that the top of the package was close to the surface +of the ground, and the face of the leaf wrapping was directed toward the +rising sun. To anyone who has studied American indian religions, these +two _costumbres_ suggest much of interest. + +The young man who had been most interested in our proper understanding +of the _costumbre_ was anxious that we should see the village idols. +These are kept concealed, apparently in a cave, though it is possible +that they are buried in the ground. At all events, they exist, and in +considerable number. A lively discussion ensued as to whether it would +be proper to show them to us, and it was decided that nothing ought to +be done until the old woman, who is at the head of the pagan practices +of the village, should be present. It seems that in the _costumbre_, +already described, there are four priests or leaders. One of these is +the old woman just mentioned, and the other three are men. She was sent +for, and while we waited, we were told that, if we desired to see +the lanterns that were used in the last _costumbre_, they were still +preserved in the _santocalli. Santocalli_ is a mongrel word--from +Spanish _santo_, saint, and the Aztec _calli_, house. It was a little +structure of adobe and canes, close to the schoolhouse, and fronting +with it upon the little _plaza_ of the village. It had a two-pitched +thatched roof and a single door in the front. After some demur, it was +opened, and we entered. It consisted of a single plain room with two +benches made of beams along the wall. At the back was a terrible Christ +and Virgin, and, to the right and behind, another Virgin. These Virgin +figures were both small and unattractive, and both wore _quichiquemils_. +In front of the Christ and larger Virgin was a simple altar built +against the wall. In the floor, directly in front of it, were four small +hollows. To the right of the altar, a flat stone was set into the floor. +In front of the altar stood a small table on which were censers and +candle-sticks. Underneath this table, the space between the four +legs was occupied by a heap of ashes; in front and behind this were +ill-defined basin hollows. To beams in front of these were hung the +almost globular paper lanterns already mentioned. When we had seen these +lanterns, and were about to leave, the old _bruja_ appeared, with her +female acolyte. She was furious over the desecration of strangers +entering the _santocalli_, without her presence. She was a striking +figure; very small, with a wrinkled, shrewd and serious, but not unkind, +face; her white hair was almost concealed by her _rebozo_, which was +folded square and laid upon her head with a portion flowing behind. +The most striking thing was her great devotion, and complete unconcern +regarding all around her. Entering, she hastened to the altar, +knelt,--touched her forehead to the edge--and in a clear but not loud +voice crooned an impassioned cry to Christ, to San Jose and to the +Virgin. Imperiously turning to her acolyte, she seized the censer filled +with copal, and, having lighted it, incensed the figures. Turning to the +_presidente_, she asked whether he were going to placate the saint for +invasion by giving _aguardiente_ and candles, both of which appeared, as +if by magic, when she was given money. Pouring _aguardiente_ from the +bottle into a glass, she poured into the four basins in the ground +before the altar, before the Virgin, before and behind the heaps of +ashes under the table, and then placed it to the lips of the Virgin and +Christ, lovingly requesting them to partake. She then compelled each of +the three men priests to make the same libation. Taking the unlighted +candles, she made passes with them, over and across the figures, first +to one side and then to the other, brushing the wicks against them. +This, too, had to be done by the three assistants, after which the old +lady began to make vigorous personal use of the bottle of spirits, +though she was not at all selfish, urging, not only her acolytes, but +the _presidente_, his brother, and the chief guest, to partake. It was +too late to suggest a visit to the idols, but the curious scene we +had witnessed gave sufficient food for thought. Hurrying back to +Tlacuilotepec, we ate a last excellent dinner, which had been long +waiting, and at three left for Pahuatlan. Our host, who had been +unremitting in his attention, refused all money. At certain indian +houses which we passed upon our homeward way, we saw curious pouches +made of armadillo-shells, hanging upon posts or on the house walls. We +learned that they were used at planting-time for holding seed-corn. +When the shell is freshly removed from the animal, it is bent into the +required shape, and then packed full with wet ashes, to make it retain +its form in drying. Though it was half-past three when we left, the way +was so cool and delightful that we made the journey in three hours. + +During our day at Pahuatlan, with a guide furnished by the _presidente_, +I made the journey on foot to Atla, an Aztec town, famous for the little +cotton sacks with red wool patterns, which are almost universally +carried by men throughout this district. White _cotones_, with narrow, +dark stripes and a transverse band of red decoration at each end, and +white _quichiquemils_, decorated with brilliant designs in red wool, are +also made here. Our object was not so much to see the village and the +garments, as to visit a famous witch's cave, situated in the noble +pinnacle of rock, plainly visible from Pahuatlan. The whole party +started out from Pahuatlan, but at the bottom of the great slope, I left +my companions to swim, while the guide and I, crossing a pretty +covered bridge, scarcely high enough for a man of my height wearing a +_sombrero_, went on. It was a long climb to the village, but, when +we reached there, my _mozo_ with great glee called my attention to +_bruheria_ directly at the side of the church. In front of the building, +to the right of the door as one enters, is a hole in the ground, into +which a few large stones have been clumsily thrown or laid. Here +chickens, flowers, eggs, etc., are buried, in order to secure good luck +or to restore health. Carefully removing some of the stones, we saw +ample evidences of such offerings, in bones, bits of egg-shells, and +dried flowers. From here, the climb was easy to the crest overlooking +the village, and to the curious tower-like mass projecting conspicuously +from it. The cave is situated in this mass of rock and faces almost +east; it is a shallow cavern, well-sheltered and dry, perhaps fifty feet +wide along the cliff's front, though only the eastern third, which is +the more completely worn out, is used for ceremonies; it is, perhaps, +no more than eight or ten feet deep, and has greater height than depth. +Within the cave itself we found a little table, a small chair, and two +blocks for seats. On either side of the table, a pole was set obliquely +against the wall. The upper end of the left-hand pole was tied with a +strip of palm which was looped through a hole in the rock wall. At two +or three other places, strips of palm had been slipped through natural +holes in the wall, behind bars of stone, and then tied. To the left, +were a censer and two candle-sticks, behind which, lying obliquely +against the wall, were twenty-five or thirty dance-wands. These were +sticks wrapped with corn-husks and tufted with clusters of flowers tied +about the middle and at each end. The flowers used were mostly the +yellow death-flower and purple ever-lastings. Two or three of them were +made with the yellow death-flower--_cempoalxochil_--alone. A few were +made of _xocopa_ leaves. While only twenty-five or thirty were in +position, hundreds of old ones lay on the bank to the left. Three small +crosses of wood were placed near the wands; much white paper, clipped +and cut into decorated designs, was lying about, as also wads of cotton, +colored wools, long strings of yarn, and bits of half-beaten bark fibre. +Near the front edge of the cave was a hole with large stones; here, with +a little scratching, we found feathers and bits of bone of turkeys and +hens, that had been sacrificed, as well as splints of pine tied together +with bark string. Wooden spoons, probably used in the banquets of the +witches, were stowed away in crevices of the rock. Chains of the yellow +death-flower were looped up against the wall. It is said that the people +of the town never enter here, but only _brujas_. Nor is it the exclusive +property of the witches of Atla, of whom there are but two or three, but +those of several pueblos make their rendezvous in this cave. In fact, +from the crest, we could see two other little towns that are interested +in this cave, though located in another valley. + +[Illustration: THE PAGAN PRIESTESS AND HER ACOLYTE; SANTA MARIA] + +[Illustration: THE WITCH'S CAVE AT ATLA] + +Don Antonio, at whose house we stayed, told us that San Pablito is worse +for _bruheria_ than Atla. He says the people of that town make use of +_munecos_ of wood, of various sizes. For these he makes many little +shoes, for which he charges five or six _reales_ a pair; at that time he +had orders for three pairs, and showed us the little forms or lasts he +employs, and the special leather; they are particular about this, using +black for shoes for males and red for females. He says they also +use little hats, _serapes, enaguas_ and _quichiquemils_, for their +_munecos_. Some of these dolls they place on the altar in the church, +and consider them as sacred, though they remove them when they expect +the priest. Others they take to a lake in the district of Tenango, near +San Pablo el Grande, and leave them there as offerings. They also throw +money and other offerings into the lake. + +We started at eight o'clock the following morning, bound for Tenango +del Doria. For a little time, after leaving Pahuatlan, we mounted, soon +finding ourselves at the top of a magnificent crest. From here the +descent was rapid and profound; in front of it rose an equally abrupt +slope to an even greater height; toward the left this presented a +wonderful knife-edge crest, jagged and toothed astonishingly, and on +this great slope, below the level where we were, we saw San Pablito, +prettily located. As it was Sunday, most of the people were on their +way to market, and we saw many Otomis, whose dark color and broad faces +reminded us of those in the state of Mexico, though they did not present +so marked a type. The _enaguas_ of the women consisted of an upper white +strip and a lower striped one, the colors in the latter being blue and +white, or white with a broad band of purplish blue, in which were woven +white designs. Their _quichiquemil_ was usually rather plain; white with +a broad band of red, magenta or purple, parallel to the edge. It might, +however, be decorated with a number of very small geometrical, floral, +and animal figures, worked in brown, purple and blue, which were never +so crowded as to destroy the white background. At 9:30 we reached the +schoolhouse and called out the teacher, to whom we delivered a letter +which the _presidente_ of Pahuatlan had given us for him. He summoned +the town authorities and we made known our wish to see some of the bark +paper. At first there was some hesitancy, but, at last, an old woman +produced two sheets which, she said, she made the day before. At our +wish she then brought out the _tabla_, or board of wood on which the +beating is done, and the stone for beating. The latter was smaller than +the ancient beating-stone, and not grooved upon the beating surfaces; it +had, however, the side notches for convenient holding in the hand. The +board on which the beating is done is smooth, and is constantly cleaned +and soaped. Two kinds of bark are used, _moral_ and _xalama_, the former +giving white, the latter a purplish paper. The bark is thoroughly washed +with lye-water taken from soaked maize; it is then washed with fresh +water and thoroughly boiled; it is split into thin strips which are +carefully arranged upon the board. First the border is laid out the size +of the sheet to be made; then, within this, strips are laid lengthwise, +side by side. All of this is then beaten with the stone until the sheet +of paper results. The paper when finished, presents two sides quite +different from each other; one, smooth and finished, is the surface that +was below in the beating, while the other, rougher, is the one that was +beaten with the stone. The sheets are dried in the sun, carefully folded +into convenient size, and done up in packages of a dozen, which are sold +to the indians in all the country round about. We secured seventeen +dozen sheets of this paper, and samples of the bark, and the board and +stone used in the beating. + +While arrangements were being made for showing us these details +regarding paper-making, we visited the village church, which was very +mean and bare; we were disappointed to find nothing suspicious in the +way of _munecos_. It was suggested that we should visit the _oratorio_, +where we found more. Here they held their _costumbre_ in June, or +thereabouts. Saints were arranged in the back of the room on a raised +altar; in front of this, running through the middle of the room, was a +table on which stood censers and small candle-sticks of rude pottery. +Upon the wall, over the saints, were decorations of rushes. Here the +whole village feast and dance. There were no _munecos_ present, but we +found plenty of cut paper, most of which was probably decorative; the +most curious was cut into groups of human figures, some of which had +crowns and horns, or tufts of hair, upon the top of their heads. These +were said to be decorations for Montezuma, in whose honor the feast was +given. Leaving San Pablo at eleven, we rapidly made what remained of the +great ascent. As we neared the jagged crest of rock, it appeared more +irregularly gashed and pinnacled than ever. At the crest, leaving the +old road, which passed directly through the fantastic mass of rocks, +we reached San Nicolas, from which, on looking backward, we gained a +magnificent view of the valley and a fine waterfall, which shone like a +sheet of polished metal, far up the mountain side. From here our road +descended gently, but winding, in and out, through a series of narrow +valleys, lying between parallel ridges. As we passed the crest, we saw a +level field of green corn, which looked as if we must reach it in a few +minutes. But the curves of the road proved frightfully long. It was +after two o'clock before we reached the green field, and, just below it, +Tenango del Doria, and made our way to the _jefatura_. + +When the _jefe_ came, we found, to our surprise, that he was the Don +Pablo Leyra of whom Xochihua had told us two years before. He is a pure +indian, tall, smooth-faced, of gentlemanly manner, and with all the +reserve characteristic of his race. He has lived at Huehuetla since +boyhood, forty-four years, till just now, and has but recently come to +take the position of _jefe politico_. He has not yet moved his family +from Huehuetla, and occupies a single room in his office-building. He +secured us a pleasant room, with good beds for the older, and good +mattresses for the younger, members of our party, in a house near-by +upon the hill. The _jefatura_ fills one side of the little _plaza_; +around the other side are _tiendas_, with high-pitched single roofs, and +private houses. The town suffers much from _nublina_, and is cold most +of the time. + +[Illustration: INDIANS FISHING IN STREAM] + +[Illustration: PAGANISM AND CHRISTIANITY] + +We asked Don Pablo about the lake, concerning which we had heard. He +says it is not as much visited as formerly. While used by Otomis, and +others of this district, it is most favored by the Huaxtecs, parties of +whom go there from long distances. They visit it when there is drought, +for fear that the siren, who lives in it, is annoyed at their neglecting +to make gifts; when there is too copious rain, they visit it to beg her +to desist from sending more, and, when crops have been destroyed, to +placate her anger. Sometimes two or three hundred indians are in these +companies. They bring _munecos_ of wood, cloth, clay, or even metal; +such are shod, clad and hatted. They leave these upon the shore. They +also bring seeds and strew them in the water, and some throw money in. +They also make offerings of turkeys and hens. Sometimes these bands +spend several days on the shore, dancing and eating. + +We found that Don Pablo had arranged all our plans. We were to leave +at nine, dine at twelve at San Bartolo, leave there at one, and reach +Huehuetla between five and six. It was really only a quarter-past-nine +when we did start, and the _jefe_, himself, saw us on our way. The +journey was uneventful; the descents were gradual; we saw San Bartolo +long before we reached it; and, between it and us, there lay a valley, +like a narrow gash, down which we had to go, and up the other side of +which we had to climb. We passed Santa Maria, an insignificant town, +just before reaching the edge of this gully. From there we saw, in the +mountain ahead, above and behind San Bartolo, a great cavern which we +believe must belong to witches. Arriving at San Bartolo, we found +the market in full progress, and had ample opportunity to see the +characteristic dress of the women, with the little black, red and purple +designs embroidered upon the white ground. We were impressively received +at the town-house, for Don Pablo had telephoned them to be ready. Still, +we waited a long time for the promised dinner, but at half-past-one +climbed up a steep hill, in the rear of the town-house, to the home +of the _presidente's_ father, where a very elaborate meal had been +prepared, with wine and luxuries. All payment was refused, and, after we +had rested and refreshed ourselves, we left at half-past-two. The road +was long; it followed the side of a great gorge, into which it descended +abruptly; in this gorge we saw magnificent vegetation. The trees were +heavily hung with long vines and ferns; parasitic fig trees, hugging +victims whose life sap they were stealing, were abundant. The country +was of limestone. On the whole, the road was good, but, here and there, +were patches where we traveled over sharp and jagged out-croppings of +rock, and near Huehuetla we were forced to make some stiff climbs up the +cliff sides. Flocks of parrots were numerous, especially toward evening. +The stream was a handsome one, with clear, deep water; we crossed +and recrossed many times. The foot-paths rarely crossed, being cut +sometimes, as a narrow trail, in the rock of the cliff. Noticeable were +numerous silvery lines of water falling over the cliff, several of which +must have been hundreds of feet in height; these little threads of water +were impregnated with lime, and deposited material in a sheet upon the +bank over which they flowed, so that trails of brown tufa marked their +location; the lower ends of these deposits expanded into fan-like masses +of tufa, over which the water trickled, dripped or fell. Where there was +not sufficient water to produce a stream and fall, but enough to keep +the tufa moist, the growth of ferns, and other delicate vegetation, was +brilliant and striking. We passed a number of coffee and sugar ranches +on the road. It was dark long before we reached Huehuetla, and had it +not been for the moonlight struggling through the clouds, we should have +had difficulty in traveling the last portion of the road. At 7:35 we +arrived, and went at once to the large and handsome house of Don Pablo +himself, where we were expected, and where an elaborate supper was being +made ready. The largest room in the house was put at our disposal and +good beds and cots, beautifully clean and carefully made, were ready. +Formerly, Don Pablo was the _presidente_ of the town. His successor was +at the house to meet us, within five minutes after our arrival, and took +supper with us. It is needless to say that in this town we met with no +delays in our work. To our surprise, we found a fellow countryman, a +civil engineer named Culin, from Philadelphia, who has done and is doing +much work for the pueblos of this region. + +Huehuetla is a large town, occupying a long valley hemmed in between +mountains and bordering a stream. The streets are regular, and the view +from the hills about, looking down upon the well-built houses and the +intersecting streets, is very pretty. The houses have substantial walls +of stone and mud, and many of them are white-plastered outside; all have +a thick and heavy thatch. The _plaza_ lies before the house where +we stopped, and, to the right, the large church stands on a terrace +somewhat above the town. A large school building, finer than many of the +best in some large cities, was just being finished; its construction was +due to Don Pablo's influence, and it was soon to be occupied. Meantime, +the children were given instruction in the church, and at noon and +evening, when their lessons were closed, they marched in double file, +down the flight of steps in front of the church and across the _plaza_, +where they separated and made their way home. During the time that we +were working at this town, when the school children filed past, they +always removed their hats in the most respectful manner. While there are +many _mestizos_ in the town, it may truly be called an indian town, the +largest of those belonging to the Tepehuas. According to Orozco y Berra, +Tepehua is not related to any other language in Mexico. We have not +studied it sufficiently to be sure that he is right; it is, however, +certain that the language has been much affected by the Totonac, if it +is not related to it, and many words in the two languages are the same. +The people of this tribe have a great reputation, more or less deserved, +for cleanliness; probably it is comparative, contrasting with the +neighboring Otomis, rather than positive. However that may be, both men +and women are usually dressed in clean white clothing. The _enaguas_ +of the women are plain white; their belts have a foundation of white +cotton, but raised designs of black wool are so thickly worked upon them +that the white is quite inconspicuous. + +The _camisas_ and _quichiquemils_ are generally white, with a vertical +band of red, and with a few animal figures. Women wear many necklaces of +bright beads, and braid their hair into two braids, which end with tapes +of various colors,--brown, red, green, maroon, and black. These braids +are brought together over the head and knotted in place. We secured no +women for measure until we had practically completed the work with men, +when they came with a rush, the whole twenty-five at once, dressed in +their best clothing, and insisted that the work must be done inside +the schoolhouse, out of sight, instead of on the street, where we had +operated on the men. We had no opportunity to see any of the popular +_danzas_, in some of which, we were told, songs were sung in the Tepehua +language, but we did see examples of the little _teponastls_, or drums, +used on these occasions; they are made from a round block, perhaps ten +inches long and three inches in diameter; these are hollowed out below, +so that two thin lips only are left above, which, when struck, give out +far more musical tones than one might expect. The two nights that we +were at Huehuetla, we saw men and women fishing in the stream; carrying +blazing torches in their left hands, they waded out into the water and +watched to see the dark bodies of the fish against the pebbly bottom of +the stream; in the right hand they carried a _machete_, about a foot in +length, with which they stabbed the fish, rarely missing. + +We were now ready for the last tribe of the season, the Totonacs of +Pantepec. Pantepec is in the district of Huachinango, and we had no +order from the _jefe_; Don Valentino, the _presidente_ of Huehuetla, +said, however, that the _presidente_ of Pantepec was his friend, and +that he would give us a letter of introduction, which would serve all +purposes. As we were to return by Huehuetla, we left the busts which we +had made, and all but our most necessary baggage, at Don Pablo's house. +Though we started at ten, we took the journey slowly, photographing and +hunting birds. The road was a trail in a ravine, with all the beautiful +scenery with which we now were so familiar. At one point we saw a +curious phenomenon. The cliff rose vertically from the water's edge, at +a place where the stream made a right angle; this cliff consisted of +almost horizontal strata of varying hardness, so that some of the layers +were worn a little more than others, leaving these projecting. In the +space between these projecting layers, round river-pebbles, from the +size of hen's eggs up to the size of a man's fist, were firmly wedged, +so that it was with difficulty that they could be dislodged. Not a few, +but hundreds of the pebbles, were thus wedged, so regularly and firmly +that we could not believe the work to be that of nature, but suspected +human hands. We learned, however, that nature really had done the work, +on the occasion of a flood, the result of a cloud-burst, which swept +into the valley two or three years before. At several places in this +stream, we saw groups of from two or three to ten or twelve Totonac +indians, who were fishing with little nets. Our trail led back and forth +across this stream many times, and before we reached Pantepec we had +made thirty-nine crossings. From our last crossing, we climbed a steep +ascent, passing the little village of Tenasco, and found ourselves at +Pantepec. We rode at once to the town-house, and were told that the +_presidente_ was sleeping; we went then to his house, where we were +informed that he could not be disturbed. We left word that we must see +him as soon as possible, and that he would find us at the _municipio_. +Nearly three hours passed before he put in his appearance. Inasmuch +as we had seen this man's _jefe_, and he knew our errand, we told +the _secretario_ to send a message for us to him at Huachinango. We +carefully wrote out the message for forwarding, in which we told the +_jefe_, that we had waited three hours for attention from the town +officials, and asked how much longer we should put up with delay. We +never heard his answer, but in less than ten minutes, the _presidente_, +covered with perspiration, was waiting for our orders and every +policeman or the force was ready for our bidding. The message he +received from the _jefe_ must have been vigorous, for not only was +everything done for our comfort, but work was rushed. During the next +day we measured ninety-eight men, photographed twelve subjects, and made +moulds for all our five busts--an unparalleled day's labor. We were +fortunate in one respect--that the men had been summoned that day for +public labor. So far as men were concerned, they gave no difficulty as +subjects. With the women it was different, and full half a day was taken +in getting together our twenty-five types; not but what there were +plenty of them, for our second day at Pantepec was market-day, and the +_plaza_ was gay with women, but they did not wish to be measured, and +the whole town force, from _presidente_ to the meanest _topil_, was +afraid to meddle with them; at first, too, we had none but the most +wretched cases, women broken down and worn out with years of labor. When +nearly half our number had passed through our hands, and all presented +this same unsatisfactory type, we were forced to make a sharp +remonstrance, and only so did we get fair samples of young and +middle-aged women. + +At Pantepec the centre of the town is _mestizo_; the Indians consist of +Otomis, of whom there are thirty households, and Totonacs forming the +bulk of the population. It is easy to distinguish the women of the two +tribes by the difference in dress. The _quichiquemils_ are particularly +picturesque. Both are more heavily loaded with embroidery than any +Indian garments we had ever seen, but the styles of the two decorations +are completely different. The _quichiquemils_ of the Otomis are smaller +and completely covered with red and black embroidery; those of the +Totonacs are much larger, and portions of the white foundations +may still be seen, notwithstanding the heavy patterns in brilliant +colors--red, green, yellow and blue. Mothers put babies onto one side, +with their little legs astride a hip, and then tie them firmly in place +with an _ayate_, or carry-cloth, of cotton, thus leaving their hands +free for work or other burdens. If we had difficulty measuring the +Totonac women, we had still greater difficulty in photographing +satisfactory groups of them. Neither pleadings nor bribes on our part, +orders nor threats on the part of the officials, had much influence. + +Pantepec is a large town, situated near the edge of the great mountain +mass, and looking across a valley, which is backed by what appears to be +a flat-topped, straight-edged, table mountain. The houses of the town +are scattered over a considerable area upon the slope. The walls are of +poles, heavily daubed with mud which is neatly and smoothly laid on. The +corners of this mud covering are rounded, instead of angular, as usual +elsewhere. The thatch is heavy and firm, and squarely cut along its +lower edge, where it projects far beyond the walls. The _plaza_ is above +the town-house, and is extremely ugly; a kiosk, which certainly can +lay no claim to beauty, stands in the centre; ugly shacks, used as +_tiendas_, border a part of it along the main road. Striking, at this +time, in the village were the _colorin_ trees, some of which occurred +in almost every enclosure; they were in bloom, and had long, slender, +flaming-red, cigarette-shaped flowers, which appeared before the leaves, +from trunks that were gnarled and brown and almost branchless. Many +popular _danzas_ are celebrated here, but none was taking place during +our stay. San Gregorio, the town of paper-making, is not far from +Pantepec, and large quantities of the bark paper are beaten in the +little village of Ixcoyotla, which belongs to this _municipio_. Asking +an old Otomi whether he knew about this paper, he answered us, with +great cunning, that we probably knew as much of it as he did. He finally +condescended to state that the _munecos_ of it were used in curing +disease; that anyone who has a disease secures one of these _munecos_ +and applies it to the diseased part. The _presidente_ insisted that this +paper was not made from _jonote_, but from _uli_, and that formerly it +was much used in making strong and durable belts. + +[Illustration] + +In starting back the next morning, we went down a different slope from +the one by which we had come, with the result that we had to cross +the stream five times more than before, making the full forty-four +crossings, of which we had been warned by Culin while we were at +Huehuetla. We made our way leisurely, stopped when we pleased, and at +one point noticed a cave, which we had not seen before, just across the +stream, at a point where it was at its deepest. The cave was so near the +water's edge, that it could only be approached from the stream. The boys +swam across and entered it to see if perchance they might find some of +the paper figures used in _bruheria_. They found little of interest +within; the walls and rocks were marked with crosses, and on the floor +were hundreds of little sticks cut to various lengths. We were glad, +indeed, to reach Don Pablo's house, to eat his good supper, and to +occupy his good beds. Before we went to bed, Dona Panchita suggested +that we ought to see certain _munecos_ kept by a man named Diego, and +used as idols by the village. Accordingly, she sent orders that the man +should bring his _munecos_ to the house for us to see. To this request, +he returned the proper reply, that he would not do so; that they would +be offended; that they were not toys to be carried about at the nod and +beck of everyone. This greatly increased our interest, and we arranged +for a trip to his house. We first sent a messenger forward, with word +that we were coming, and ordered him to stay there to see that Diego +did not run away or hide the idols. After supper, Dona Panchita, our +company, Mr. and Mrs. Culin, and one or two others, picked our way by +moonlight across the stepping-stones and foot-bridge, up a trail by +coffee groves along a purling brook-side. We were soon at the house, and +after some hesitation, Diego led us to the Holy of Holies. The _munecos_ +were kept in a little house, which contained an altar built of boards, +with fresh flowers for decoration. At the back of the altar, against the +wall, were prints of Christian saints; on the altar were censers and an +open bundle of _copal_. Two wooden boxes were at the right end of the +altar, against the wall. These contained _munecos_ which, for some +time, Diego hesitated to produce. Finally he took out an idol of rather +fine-grained, brownish-gray stone; the head was large and infantile, +with the Mongolian cast of countenance; its badly shaped and scrawny +arms were raised so as to bring the hands together on the chest; the +body was shapeless. This figure was clad in a suit of unbleached cotton, +much too long and slender for it, and the arms of the _camisa_, and the +legs of the _calzones_ hung limp. When we had duly admired this figure, +a second was produced--a pottery female-head, fairly shaped, with no +body to speak of; this had glass earrings fastened in the ears. Next, a +small headless figure was brought out; it was old, though probably made +after the Conquest, and we agreed that it represented a _padre_. Next +was a simple pottery head. Last was a figure, with small head and +pointed cap, made apparently of pottery; the body had been pieced out to +disproportionate length with wood, and ended in a pair of wooden feet; +this was dressed in black velvet, and wore a black hat. These, Diego +asserted, were all he had. After having expressed our delight with them, +and our regret that we had not known what we were to see, that we might +have brought with us some fine white _copal_ as incense for these gods, +we set them up in a straight line on the edge of the altar to make a +flashlight picture. As we left, we gave Diego two _reales_ to spend for +the benefit of his gods. After we left, we were assured that he had +finer ones of black stone, which he dresses in red, but we were content +with the ones we had seen. These figures are particularly used on +September 16th, San Miguel's day. They are also used at sowing-time, at +harvest, and at the first cutting of sugar-cane. On these occasions, +incense and candles are burned, the idols are taken in the hands, and to +the sound of music, worshippers move the figures, causing them to dance. +Pleased with this, they give good rains to the faithful worshippers. +When there is too much rain, they go in procession to the river, playing +music and dancing dolls; when arrived, they peg down many _ayates_ and +sacks, made for the purpose, into the water against the flow. These are +dams, to stay the flood. On the other hand, when there is drought, a +procession carries the idols to a cave, where a feast is given and a +dance, with wands of flowers carried in the hands, indulged in. + +Though the price for animals from Huehuetla to Las Tortugas was +exorbitant, we had agreed to pay it--but told the man that, if he left +later than six, it should be cut two dollars. It was long after eight +before they appeared, and then it was only our own animals that were +ready. We were forced to leave the packing to be done by the man himself +without direction; we ourselves hurried along the trail, hardly stopping +at San Bartolo on the way, arriving at Tenango at 4:15. Our animals +were fagged, and we were soaked to the skin, having travelled through +_nublina_ most of the afternoon. Don Pablo received us with his usual +courtesy, and had arranged for us to sleep at the same house, where we +had been before. At bed-time, our man with the mules had not appeared, +and we had received most contradictory and discouraging statements +regarding him. He had started at nine with two mules and left half our +stuff for another day; he had been seen at the river near San Bartolo +with two mules heavily loaded, unable to proceed; he had concluded to +stop at San Bartolo for the night, to push on to Tenango the next day, +and reach Las Tortugas on the third. Dissatisfied and uncertain, we went +to bed; still, we determined to leave at five, and so gave orders to +our _mozo_. We rose at 4:15 and the horses were ready before five. +Contradictory stories were again told us regarding our animals. Some +said the man had passed with them at five o'clock; others that he had +not yet come; others that he had spent the night at Santa Maria. Our +foot _mozo_ did not come, and sending the rest ahead, I waited for him. +Hardly had they started, when Ramon galloped back to announce that the +man was in town, that he had three animals and was nearly ready to +leave. As he, himself, had told us that he must leave Tenango at three +in order to reach Las Tortugas in time for the train, this was not +reassuring. Ramon hastened on with the party. At six the _mozo_ appeared +and started at once. In a few minutes we passed our _arriero_ who was +packing, but not ready to start. I urged him to hasten, but did not +wait. Mist had settled during the night, but it was now rising, and we +could see the scenery, which, in wildness and beauty, was almost the +equal of anything in Mexico, though with a character quite its own. Our +trail ran along the side of a precipice; to our left rose great cliffs +presenting almost vertical faces of smooth rock; the summits were +jagged, and suggested that the mass consisted of stratified rocks tilted +up on end. Just as we left town, two narrow and lofty parallel rocks +suggested a gate-way. Further down, a mass was worn out into a sharp +column, a little separated from the rock mass behind. On the right, was +the precipice, ever abrupt, and sometimes the almost vertical bank of a +yawning chasm. After an hour and a half over the fairly good road, we +came to a grand ascent. It was magnificent, though difficult. In some +spots the road was muddy, and at others it was a series of rough stone +steps; at still others, it was the unmodified bed of a mountain torrent. +As we followed up this gorge, side-gorges joined it, in which we +glimpsed pretty cascades, pits worn by little falls, trees, the trunks +of which were covered with thick sheets of green moss, quantities of +tree-ferns blighted by the late frost, cliffs, and wild forms of rock, +in wonderful variety. At last I reached the summit and overtook Manuel, +whose horse was completely fagged, and who had been forced to drop +behind; for some time we saw the others before us, but somewhere they +took a different trail, and we saw them no more. After a considerable +descent, we made our final but easy rise. From here we were on a level +road, which constantly improved until near Mepetec, while beyond it, we +came to a true cart-road. From here a fine view presented itself, over +a forest of pine trees to the clean brown plain so typical of Hidalgo, +swept, as we soon found, by the equally typical Hidalgo wind. We rode +rapidly from the _herreria_ of the Trinidad to Metepec, and then to Las +Tortugas, where we arrived at 11:40, having been five hours and a half +upon the road. To our surprise, Louis and Ramon were not there. Having +waited some time, as it was almost the hour for the train, we ordered +dinner for two, but before we had begun to eat the others appeared. +They had taken a short road, which did not go by Metepec, and travelled +slowly that we might overtake them. After a good meal, we waited for +our man with the pack animals. Meantime the train was preparing, and we +watched it, realizing that if we missed it, we had a day of dust and +scorching sun and heavy wind before us. The train's crew made all ready, +the cry of "_Vamonos_" was given, and we settled down in desperation to +await our tardy man. An hour after the train left, he arrived, received +his fee less the two dollars, and started homeward. Twenty-three hours +later we took the train, and our season's work was done. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +IN THE HUAXTECA + +(1901) + + +The scenery on the Tampico branch was at its best, as there had been +recent rains, and everything was fresh and green. At Tampico, we +resisted the attractions of the hotels "where Americans always stop," +and went to the unpretentious Pan Cardo. Here we were comfortably +located, and early the next morning tried to define our plans. We were +in uncertainty as to what towns we should visit in order to examine +the Huaxtecs. The ancient Huaxtecs were among the most interesting of +Mexican tribes. They are a northern offshoot of that great family, of +which the Maya of Yucatan is the type. The linguistic relationship is +evident upon the most careless comparison. The ancient area occupied +by the Huaxtecs was near the Gulf of Mexico, and on both sides of the +Panuco River, near the mouth of which some of their important centres +were located. To-day Mexicans divide the Huaxteca into two parts,--the +Huaxteca Veracruzana and the Huaxteca Potosina--the former in the state +of Vera Cruz, the latter in the state of San Luis Potosi. At first, +we thought to visit the latter, but the difficulty of reaching it was +presented so forcibly, and the ease of reaching the Huaxteca Veracruzana +so emphasized, that we determined upon the latter, and selected the town +of Ozuluama for our central point. We could go by canoes across the +river to Pueblo Viejo, where we could secure horses for the further +journey. We were led to believe that it would be easy to make the trip +in a single day. We had arranged for a canoe over night. It belonged in +Pueblo Viejo, and it was to come over early in the morning; we were at +the wharf at six, ready to start, but no canoe was in sight. Not only +so, but a norther was blowing, and comforters, lounging on the wharf +assured us that no canoe would come from Pueblo Viejo until the storm +ceased, which would not be for twenty-four hours. We were loath to +believe this information, and brought all our baggage from the various +storing-places, where we had left it, out onto the wharf. Time passed; +the norther continued, and no canoe from Pueblo Viejo came. Thinking +that it might be possible to secure a canoe from here to Pueblo Viejo, +we dickered with a boatman at the wharf. We had agreed to pay for the +canoe ordered $1.00 for the journey, which was something more than the +regular price. The man with whom we now were talking declared that he +would not take us across for less than $3.50. We were on the point of +yielding to necessity, when a rival appeared and offered to do the work +for $2.50. Such is human perversity that we now insisted that he must +go for $2.00, which he finally agreed to do. Hurrying away to get his +canoe, he soon appeared, and our hearts sank. The man who had demanded +$3.50 had a large, well-built boat, which should stand any wind and +water. The man whom we had engaged had a canoe so narrow, low, and small +that we doubted his ability to perform his contract; however, he assured +us that all would be well, and showed himself so skilful in packing our +stuff into his boat, that we ourselves embarked, and started down the +little lagoon in his canoe. So long as we remained in this narrow, +sheltered stream, all was well; but when he poled from its mouth out to +the open river, we found it a different matter. More than this, we saw +two or three canoes dancing over the white caps, and managed with great +difficulty, although not loaded. The courage of our boatman was a little +dashed; he suggested that we leave Ramon, Louis, and Manuel on an old +scow standing on the bank and fast going to ruin, while he poled myself +and the luggage over, after which he would return for my companions. +This seemed good sense, and the boys were left behind. It was +interesting to see the skill with which the man handled our rather +awkward craft, loaded at it was almost to the water's edge. He had no +motive power but his long pole. We did not ship a single drop of water, +and at last entered the quiet, broad, canal-like lagoon on the other +side of the river. A moment more, and we were unloading our luggage onto +the shore. To do this, we were forced to wade through mud up to the +knees. But at last all was safe, and with his empty canoe, our boatman +started merrily back for his other passengers. When they arrived, only +a few minutes were necessary for reloading the canoe, and we started up +the lagoon. Little side lagoons opened frequently into the one through +which we passed. At their mouths were V-shaped weirs of stakes, driven +into the bottom and wattled together with flexible twigs. These were +open at the mouth, and in the openings were set dip-nets, which could +be lowered into the water. Just now, with the heavy norther blowing, +thousands of _camaron_ (shrimps) were driven into the nets, and at each +one we saw fishermen busily occupied. The lagoon abounded in water-birds +of many kinds, and hardly had we entered it, when Louis shot a pretty, +small white heron. + +Believing that the owner of animals to whom we had been referred was +demanding too high a price for his horses and mules, we decided to see +what the town authorities would do for us, and went to the _municipio_. +The _presidente_ told us, with delight, that the _jefe politico_ of +Ozuluama was there with his family, rusticating, and at once summoned +him to meet us. He was a gentlemanly fellow, who told us that the price +demanded was regular, but advised us to travel in a different way. +"Here," he said, "you can get a large canoe; starting now, you can +travel all night; reaching La Llave in the early morning, you can get +horses and go the seven leagues remaining comfortably. Take a little +something to eat before you start, and carry something for the way." +This seemed an opportunity for a new experience, and, though the price +was little, if any, less than we were asked to pay for animals, we +decided to try it. Arrangements were begun at once, breakfast ordered, +and a light lunch prepared for carrying. Meantime, the _jefe_ told us +that there were few Indians in Ozuluama, but that in Citlaltepec we +would find abundance. He gave us orders to his _secretario_, who +represented him during his absence, and bade us god-speed. We left at +one o'clock, in a great canoe, a heavy, timber-framed boat, propelled +by long poles, by oars in quiet and deep water, and by a clumsy sail. A +framework of poles, covered with matting, roofed over the middle of the +boat, and a piece of matting was spread upon the floor. Hanging blankets +to shelter ourselves from the heavy wind yet blowing, we busied +ourselves variously, the boys skinning birds which they had shot, and I +making up my various notes. The lagoon which we now entered was a large +stretch of open water. We raised our sail, and made easy work. Having +crossed the large lagoon, we entered the mouth of what probably would be +considered a fair-sized river, which at first was closely bordered by a +tangle of trees and vines, and presented a truly tropical appearance. +Palms were abundant, and, here and there, one of unusual size towered +high above the rest. The other trees were densely hung with long gray +moss. Now and then, we disturbed alligators along the banks, and we were +told that snakes were abundant in the grass. The quantity of water-birds +was astonishing--great and small white herons, large blue herons, little +blue herons, the curious, dark wry-necks, and ducks by thousands. The +positions and attitudes of these long-necked and long-legged birds, in +the water and on the trees, were curious and striking. The boys kept +busy shooting and skinning birds all the afternoon. In the evening, the +men built a fire with charcoal in a tin-lined box in the end of the +canoe, and toasted _tortillas_ and made coffee. The awning was scarcely +large enough to cover the whole party comfortably, when we lay down +to sleep, but we wrapped up in blankets and spread mats for beds. We +suffered intensely with the cold, sleeping little. At five o'clock our +boat came to a stop along the bank, and at six it was light enough to +disembark and explore. Climbing up a little bank of clay, we found +ourselves on a flat meadow, covered with grass and weeds, through which +narrow trails ran to a few scattered palm-thatched huts. With a letter +from the _jefe_, we called at Senora Mora's house. This lady was a +widow, whose husband had but lately died; she was well to do, and +promised to supply us with animals after we should have had our +breakfast. This was long preparing, but at last good coffee, fine +_enchiladas_ and cheese were served, and, after eating heartily, we +found six animals ready for us. When we asked for our account, the good +lady replied that the bill was $2.00. It was plain that she had made no +charge for either breakfast or animals, but only something for the +boys whom she sent along to bring back the beasts. At about eleven, we +started on what was called seven leagues, but what was certainly the +longest nine leagues we had travelled for a long time. We had excellent +horses that kept up a steady jog. Still, it was after five when we +reached Ozuluama. The journey was for the most part over a _llano_, +thicket-covered and sprinkled, here and there, with groves of palm; +the soil was dark clay, which in spots, wet by recent rains, was hard +travelling for the animals. We caught sight of the town, prettily +located upon a hill-slope, about an hour before we reached it. From it, +we looked out over an extensive stretch of dark green plains, broken, +here and there, by little wooded hillocks, none of them so large as that +upon which Ozuluama itself is situated. Riding to the town-house, +the _secretario_ was at once sent for. He ordered supper, and put a +comfortable room, behind the office, at our disposal. On the back porch, +just at our door, was chained a tiger-cat. It belonged to the _jefe_, +and was a favorite with his little children, but since they had been +gone, it had been teased until it had developed an ugly disposition. It +was a beautiful little creature, graceful in form and elegantly spotted. +But it snarled and strove to get at everyone who came near it. The +_secretario_ at once told us that Citlaltepec was not the point we ought +to aim for, as it was purely Aztec; our best plan was to go to Tamalin, +where we would find one congregation of Huaxtecs. From there, if we +needed further subjects, we might go to Tancoco, although it did not +belong to this district, but to that of Tuxpan. In the course of our +conversation, I was reminded that Ozuluama is the home of Alejandro +Marcelo, a full-blooded Huaxtec, who once published a book upon the +Huaxtec language. Expressing an interest in meeting this man, he was +sent for. He is far older than I had realized, celebrating his 74th +birthday that very week. He was a man of unusual intelligence and most +gentle manner. At nine o'clock next morning, supplied with new animals, +we started for Tamalin, said to be thirteen leagues distant. We were +well mounted, and the journey was much like that of the preceding day. +For three hours we were impressed with the loneliness of the road; no +people were to be seen anywhere. Here and there, set far back from the +road, were country houses. The road itself was an extremely wide one, +cut through a woods, which consisted for the most part of low and +scrubby trees, with scattered clumps of palm trees here and there. +Usually the trail was single, but where we came on mud patches, many +little trails were distributed over the whole breadth of the road. Here +and there, where there were particularly bad spots, into which our +horses would have sunk knee-deep, we were forced to take trails back +among the trees. While the earlier part of the journey was through +rolling country, we came at noon into a true plain, though wooded. We +found many cross roads, broad and straight, cut through the woods, and +were impressed by the great number of dry _barrancas_ into which we +had to descend, and out of which we had to climb. Most of these were +actually dry, but many of them contained a dirty pool of stagnant water. +At many places, the road was bordered with plants, the leaves of which +somewhat resembled those of the pineapple. They were light green in +color, narrow and long-pointed at the upper end, and spiny along the +sides. This plant, named _guamara_, bears spikes of yellow fruits which +are pointed at the upper end, but in color, size, texture, structure and +taste reminded us of podophyllum, though it leaves a prickly sensation +in the mouth, much like that produced by fresh pineapples. There were +also many trees bearing little limes or lemons, of which we gathered +abundance for making lemonade. At two o'clock our man pointed out a +ranch-house near the road, in front of which two men sat eating, and +told us we could procure food and drink there if we wished, and that we +had plenty of time for stopping. We found the men at the table to be the +parish priest of Tantima and his servant. The priest informed us that +Tamalin was three and three-fourths leagues away, while Tantima was +four. The road for the greater part of the distance to the two places +was the same. We had an interesting conversation with the good priest, +and for the first time we met the curious prejudice, which exists +throughout this portion of the Huaxteca, against the Huaxtecs, and in +favor of the Aztecs. We were kept waiting some little time for our +dinner, but by three o'clock were again upon our way. Just as we +started, we crossed the first true stream which we had met, but during +the balance of the journey we crossed one or two others. Soon, leaving +the main road, we bore off to the left, and found several bad spots of +stiff black mud, into which our poor animals sank frightfully. After +five o'clock we saw, from the slope on which we were, for we had left +the _llano_ and were again in rolling country, a little village, and +higher and further to the left, a second. The first of these was +Gutierrez Zamora, which is Huaxtec, with a few Mexican families living +at one side; the second was our destination, Tamalin. We passed through +Gutierrez at six, and reached Tamalin at seven. + +The _alcalde_ of the village was not there; in fact, we suspect that +he but rarely is. The _secretario_, likewise, was absent. We finally +prevailed upon his brother to help us to find an indian girl to cook our +meals, and a room in the _secretario's_ house. In this room there was +but a single bed and our helper thought me very particular in demanding +that _petates_ should be brought as beds for my companions. He assured +us that, when he traveled, he slept upon the floor, without _petates_. +It was long after 10 o'clock before we had supper and secured a +resting-place. We had planned to push out from here the following +morning; no sign, however, of our baggage had appeared, and we were +forced to spend two days at Tamalin waiting for its coming. Here, too, +we found that there were no Huaxtecs, the town being, so far as it was +indian, purely Aztec. We decided, therefore, to try Tancoco, returning, +if need be, to Gutierrez. Both Gutierrez and Tancoco were in the +district of Tuxpan. Fortunately, we still carried our last year's letter +from the governor of Vera Cruz to serve us with the local authorities, +as it would be most inconvenient to go to Tuxpan for orders. Seeing +that it was impossible to leave that day, I walked in the afternoon to +Tantima to visit the priest. Between the two towns rises a fine, high +rock hill. The ascent from Tamalin was in three slopes, with short +levels between; the crest was but a few yards wide; the descent to +Tantima was abrupt and short. From the summit we looked down upon the +pretty, level, enclosed valley occupied by a rather regular town, built +about a large plaza which, the day being a market day, was gay with +booths and people. I met almost the whole population of Tamalin on my +way over, as they returned from market. All the men were drunk; some +were so helpless that they sprawled upon the road, while others were +being helped by their more sober comrades. I reached the plaza just +thirty-seven minutes after leaving Tamalin, and at once telegraphed to +Ozuluama about the baggage. When I inquired for the priest's house, the +telegraph operator informed me that the _padre_ had told him all about +us and our errand and that he would accompany me to the _curato_. +Crossing the square, we found the _padre_ living in a comfortable place, +close by the great, pretentious, stone church. We were warmly welcomed, +and orders were at once given for coffee. The Aztec servant hastened to +bring some, piping hot, and was quite abashed at being sharply reproved +for offering it directly to me. No, indeed, a gentlemen so distinguished +was not to be thus served; the table was moved up before my chair, a +clean cloth spread, sweet cakes were sent for, a glass of fresh milk +placed, and then the coffee was set upon the table. Thus, in solitary +grandeur, I sat and ate and drank, while the priest and operator took +their cups of coffee in their hands. Though we had ordered horses for +the following morning, the baggage had not come, and we waited all the +day. Strolling around the village, we found it a pretty place, through +which ran a fine stream, separating the houses into groups or clusters. +It is a true Aztec town, and the houses are well-constructed. Several +houses are set irregularly within a single enclosure; the walls are +built of poles set upright, but these are so heavily daubed with a +mixture of mud and chopped straw that they are strong and durable. In +applying this daub, the hand is used, and a simple block of wood of +rectangular form, with a projecting edge extending midway of the upper +side, is used as a trowel for spreading it, and giving it a smooth +finish. The thatchings are thick, and project far beyond the walls; they +are of palm, and neatly cut at the edges; a cresting, thin, but evenly +placed and firmly pegged down, projects over the ridge, down either +slope, and its edges form the only break in the smooth surface. Many of +the houses had _temascals_, differing considerably from those of Puebla +and Tlaxcala. They are rectangular; the walls are built of poles, +set upright, close together, and strengthened by being lashed to a +horizontal timber set midway of their height. The roof is a round vault +or arch of poles set lengthwise. The whole is neatly plastered over with +a mixture of mud and chopped straw, and in the front a cross is worked +in the clay mixture, to insure good fortune. The women here wove cotton +in the usual indian fashion, but few wore the old dress, and those few +were mostly aged. We noticed quantities of pottery here, and throughout +the Huaxteca, but none of it is local in manufacture. Most of it has +come from the two towns, Huejutla, an Aztec town, and Panuco. We were +forced to spend a third night at Tamalin. The _secretario_ had been at +home for two days and had fairly done his duty; still, our animals were +late when we were ready to start the following morning, and we were not +off until 9:30. It was a steady climb, over a long series of ascents, +until we reached a crest from which Tancoco could be seen. We made +a long descent and then a little upward climb to the town, which is +notable for its cleanliness and the industry and cleanness of its +inhabitants. The town is situated upon a little hill, from which one +looks out on a sea of green forests, with little rocky hillocks covered +with trees rising from it, here and there, like wooded islands. Between +us and Tamalin rose a semi-circle of ridges, sweeping from us off to the +left and forward in the distance. In front, near the top of this curve +of ridges, two leagues distant, lay Amatlan, clear and impressive, from +this point. Riding up to the little town-house, which had a portico +enclosed by a neat railing and supplied with pine benches, we +dismounted, and, with some doubt as to its reception, presented our old +letter. The _secretario_ was an intelligent _mestizo_ from Tuxpan. He +sent at once for the _alcalde_, who was a good-natured, little Huaxtec, +of pure blood, thoroughly dependent upon his subordinate officer. We +were promised everything. The schoolhouse, remarkably clean, was put +at our disposal, and a messenger was sent to notify an old woman named +Guadelupe that she was to prepare our meals. Before four o'clock, work +was under way, and during the two days that we remained, there were no +difficulties. The houses of the town are somewhat like those of Tamalin, +but less well built. The single industry is the weaving of hats from +palm. On the house-roofs, and on the ground before the houses, palm was +drying. Some of the work was extremely delicate, and the four grades of +hats sell for from four pesos upward. Men, women and children are all +occupied in the manufacture, and as they sit in their houses or at the +door of an evening, or as they walk through the village on errands, +their hands are ever busily occupied with the plaiting. There is +absolutely nothing characteristic in dress, both men and women dressing +like _mestizos_ in the important cities of the Republic. Almost every +one wears shoes; women, those with high French heels. A resident tailor +makes the bulk of the clothing for the more particular men of the +town. In our school-room we were supplied with good kerosene lamps, an +experience almost unique. Few, if any, of the houses in the village +were without the same mode of light. Many, if not all, of the women had +sewing-machines. + +[Illustration: VIEW AT TANCOCO] + +We were more than ever impressed with the anomalous condition of these +people in their own land. They were the cleanest, most industrious, best +dressed and most progressive indians whom we had seen in any part of +Mexico; but in the Huaxteca, the land which bears their name, they are +being crowded by the less progressive Aztecs. _Mestizos_ and Aztecs both +speak of them with contempt, and treat them like dogs. As for their +language, it is neglected and despised; while many of them know both +Spanish and Aztec, neither _mestizo_ nor Aztec considers it worth while +to know a word of Huaxtec. While we had no trouble with the men, we +began to feel that the women would fail us. It was after five o'clock, +the last day of our stay, before a single one appeared. Then they came +in a body, accompanied by the full town force, and each with her husband +as a guard, to our quarters. They were dressed in their best calico, +muslin, silk and satin, with laces and artificial flowers, earrings, +necklaces, and with shoes the heels of which measured from thirty to +thirty-five millimeters. They were perfumed; their hair was heavily +oiled with odorous greases. Each shook hands with our whole party, +greeted us politely, and sat down on the long school-benches, waiting +for her turn for measurement. Notwithstanding this rather oppressively +lady-like mode of procedure, we were assured by old Guadelupe that our +errand and work in the town had caused much terror and doubt, the women +particularly feeling sure that it boded ill. It was said that they +recalled the fact that years ago certain of their old men predicted that +strangers would eventually come to the village, who would bewitch the +people and destroy the town. It was commonly believed that we were now +fulfilling this prediction. + +The physical type of the Huaxtecs seems to be well marked. A peculiar +gray tint underlies the brown color of the skin. The head is short, +broad, and curiously compressed behind; the eyes are wide apart, and +frequently oblique; the mouth is large, with thick but not projecting +lips. + +We had planned to leave about the middle of the afternoon, and at 3:50 +the best animals we have ever had were ready for our use. A magnificent +horse, the special pride of the _alcalde_ himself, was put at my +disposal. When we came to settle for the animals, all payment was +refused, their use being the voluntary offering of the town officials. +The animals made nothing of the journey, and within an hour and a half +we had again reached Tamalin. + +We found that Aztec town as disagreeable as ever. Solemn promises had +been made that various _danzas_ should be ready for us, and that there +should be no delay regarding animals. Of course, we found nothing doing. +The only satisfactory memory connected with the town is our cook, +Porfiria. She was a master hand, and with training, should make a +reputation and a fortune. A pure indian, we would rather eat at her +table than at that of any half-breed cook in all that section. She +always had quantities of food, and no two meals were alike. Unless we +expressly ordered something we had had before, it is doubtful whether +she would have repeated a single dish. Her _enchiladas_, seasoned with +cheese and onions, were the best we ever had, and after the first +experience, we insisted on having them at every meal. Her masterpieces +were in simple maize. Her _tortillas_ were good, but _tortillas_ one +finds everywhere; she served _cocoles, chavacanes_, and _pemol. Cocoles_ +are round, flat biscuits or cakes of maize, a couple of inches across +and half an inch in diameter; they contain shortening, and when served +hot, are delicious. _Chavacanes_ are thin, flat square crackers of +corn-meal with shortening and eggs; they are good even when cold, but +are best when hot from the griddle. _Pemol_ is a corn-cake, crumbly, +sweet, and baked; it contains sugar and shortening, and is made up into +the form of rather large cakes, shaped like horse-collars. + +As the result of vigorous remonstrance, the _secretario_ really had the +_danza_ of _los Negros_ at his house that night. Music was furnished by +_pito_ and _huehuetl_. The two performers, one representing a Spaniard +and the other a negro, were masked. The action was lively, and the +dialogue vociferous--both players frequently talking at once. The dance +was kept up until nearly ten o'clock, after which, as we planned an +early start, we were soon in bed. Just as we were dropping off to sleep, +we heard the whistling and roaring of the norther outside, and the cold +air found its way through every crack into our room. From our house the +musicians and the dancers had gone to the _syndico's_, where they stayed +some time; but, between one and two in the morning, they came back to +our house and played in the room next to ours, with the door wide open. +Our interest was not great enough to lead us forth again. Finally they +left, but at four o'clock the musicians, now quite drunk, appeared +again, and for a long time the _secretario_, his lady, and the +school-master, danced in lonely grandeur up and down the room. + +[Illustration: OUR CANOE FOR SIXTY HOURS; THE LAGOONS] + +[Illustration: MANGROVE ROOTS] + +Don Leandro, the _secretario_, had promised to accompany us the +following morning as far as San Geronimo. We had decided to go on +horseback to Paso Real, a little distance beyond San Geronimo, and there +take boat for Tampico. When morning came, we expressed surprise over Don +Leandro's charging rent, in addition to the rather large price which we +had already paid for beds. This seemed to hurt his sensitive feelings, +with the result that we started without his company. The ride was +monotonous, over a road which made few ascents or descents, and +presented little of variety or interest. Little green hills bordered +the road on either side, and on many of them were ranch-houses, some of +rather good construction. In a little stream over which we passed, we +saw a great idol's head, of stone, a foot or more across, and well +made. San Geronimo we found to be the comfortable country-house of the +_alcalde_ of Tamalin and all the ranches among which we had made our +journey. It was a fine old place, with high airy rooms, good verandas, +and an old-fashioned tile roof. Our journey had been hot, and we found a +fine breeze blowing through the house. The _alcalde_ knew all about +our errand and was ready to be helpful. He was a tall, slender, +mild-mannered and polite _mestizo_. After we had eaten, he rode with us +to Paso Real to arrange about a boat and point out various objects of +interest on the way. _Chapapote_, from which chewing gum is made, is an +important product here, and among those interested in it as a business +is an American dentist. We saw many birds, among which doves were +conspicuous; the _alcalde_ says that six or eight species occur here, +the different kinds singing at different seasons; one of them had a +peculiarly sad and mournful song, and is heard in the early morning. +Another bird, the _primavera_, seems to be like our mockingbird, +imitating the notes and cries of many other birds and animals. At two +places we passed black lines of foraging ants, and he told us that +insects, frogs, toads, and even snakes, encountered by these lines, are +helpless, being promptly overcome and devoured. Arrived at Paso Real, +the _alcalde_ arranged for our boat. He told us that loaded boats +require three days for making the journey to Tampico, but that ours, +being empty, would probably go through in twenty-four hours. The boat he +arranged for had been partly loaded, but its owner had agreed to unload +in order to receive us. As a favor to him, we consented to permit five +or six not large boxes to go along. Having ordered supper for us at the +house upon the summit from which the road descended to Paso Real, the +_alcalde_ left us. Supper was slow, but at last was over. Our baggage +had already been carried to the boat, and we strolled down to take our +passage. Less room was left for us than we had expected the boxes would +leave, but it was dark and we raised no question. We waited an impatient +hour for our canoemen to take their supper, being almost devoured by +mosquitoes, but at last were off at nine o'clock. Our force consisted +of two men and a little lad. It was with difficulty that two could +be accommodated beneath the awning, and Manuel and I took our places +outside. For my own part, sleep was impossible. Now that we were in +motion, the mosquitoes ceased to trouble us. The stream was narrow, and +on account of the curves, we were forced to move slowly. We floated out +under and beneath bamboos, which hung far over the water and outlined +themselves like lace-work against the sky. At first, there was +moonlight. Later, the moon set, but the stars were brilliant. The early +morning was cold, and a heavy dew dampened everything outside the +awning. During the day our men stopped on every pretext to rest and +sleep, and whenever we came to a considerable stretch of water, any sign +of storm or cloud was heralded. Just before daybreak, we had reached the +beginning of the first large lagoon. Here our sail was hoisted, though +it was of little use, while we poled along near shore, following all the +long curves. Our first stop, on account of a norther, was exciting; from +the anxiety of the men, we expected to be instantly upset. We ran +into the mouth of a little stream and lay to, and the men were almost +instantly asleep. Our party went out exploring; our landing place was a +heap of shells, whether artificial or natural I am not sure; the place +was a favorite spot with hunters of caimans, or alligators, and we found +numbers of almost complete skeletons and skulls lying on the banks. The +boys picked up quantities of scales and teeth, and it was interesting to +see how the new conical teeth grow up under the hollows of the old ones. +We killed a duck or two for supper. One or two large caimans were seen, +as we strolled along. Finally, I insisted upon the men starting again. +We were traversing a system of great lagoons which opened one into +another. Poling was our only mode of progress. That night Manuel and I +occupied the shelter. When we rose, we found the great lagoon, through +which we were then passing, quite different in its character from those +preceding it. Thickets of mangroves bordered the shore; the display +of aerial roots was interesting, and here we were able to examine the +curious smooth tips of the roots which are to penetrate the soft mud +bottom. We landed at one place to get wood and to catch a glimpse of +the sea, whose roaring we had for hours heard. We left our boat in the +lagoon, and walked a short distance over sand dunes, thickly grown with +trees, to the beach, which only appeared in sight when we reached the +top of the last dune. It was a gently sloping sandy stretch, upon which +a fine surf was beating. There were no pebbles save bits of water-worn +coral and shell. Quantities of sea-gulls were flying about and flocks of +little snipe ran down over the retreating surf, catching food, turning +and running rapidly in before the coming wave. A single shot into the +flock killed thirty-one of the little creatures, which later in the day +supplied us an excellent meal. From this lagoon of mangroves, we finally +entered the great lagoon of La Riviera, which pretty town we passed a +little before three o'clock. From here we knew that, by hiring horses, +we could reach Tampico in two hours; had we really known what lay before +us, we would have done so. Having passed La Riviera, we entered a narrow +canal, bordered for the most part with tall, flat rushes and a great +grass much like our wild rice. Here again we saw large herons and great +kingfishers; the boys had repeatedly tried to shoot one of the latter +birds, but with no success; finally, one was seen standing on the branch +of a tree hanging over the stream; this one was shot, and when we picked +it up, we found it to be curiously distorted, the breast being strangely +swollen. When skinned, this swelling proved to be due to a fish which +the bird had eaten, and which was almost as large as itself. Weighted +with this heavy burden, it is no wonder that the bird had been shot so +easily. At dusk we found ourselves at a landing-place, where we left the +boxes, which turned out to be eight in number, each of which weighed one +hundred and twenty-five pounds. They contained _chapapote_. Our men had +talked much of _the_ canal, to which, for some time, we had been looking +forward. At this landing, arrangements were made for helping us through +the canal, a little canoe being despatched after us, to help unload us. +When we reached the canal, narrow, shallow and straight, cut for the +most part through the solid rock, the moon was shining brightly. Our +great canoe was soon aground, and whole party, seven in number, climbed +out into the water to push and pull. We dislodged it soon, but shortly +came to a complete standstill. Here for the first time, we realized the +cargo which we carried, which before had been carefully covered so that +we really were in ignorance of it. Eighty half-dozen cakes of sugar were +unloaded into the little canoe, which paddled away. We waited, noting +with regret that the falling water, probably due to tide, was fixing our +canoe more and more firmly in the mud. Finally, the little canoe came +back, taking another eighty half-dozen cakes of sugar on board. Our +canoe having been thus lightened, we made another effort to move it, +and, after many struggles and groans, finally found ourselves in deeper +water, embarked, and poled off. Having reached the place upon the bank +where the canoe loads had been left, we stopped to freight again. To our +surprise, we found here once more the eight boxes of _chapapote_, which, +apparently, had been carted across. We were now able to calculate the +load which our "empty" canoe, hired at thirty pesos, in order to take us +quickly through to Tampico, was carrying: + + 120 dozen cakes of _panela_, of 2 lbs 2,880 lbs. + 8 boxes _chapapote_, of 125 lbs 1,000 lbs. + 6 sacks of beans, of 100 lbs 600 lbs. + + Total 4,480 lbs. + +In other words, we had been crowded and delayed by more than two tons of +cargo. Perhaps, had we been actually alone in the boat, it might have +made its journey in the twenty-four hours promised, instead of the sixty +of accomplishment. It was nine o'clock when we were again aboard, and we +made the boatman travel all night long. At the stroke of half-past-three +we heard the bells of Tampico, and drew up along the waterside-landing +of that city. For two full hours we lay there, listening to the buyers +bartering with the boatmen for their load of maize, _frijol_ and +_panela_ until daylight, when we gave orders to unload. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +IN MAYA LAND + +(1901) + + +We had planned to go from Tampico to Chiapas, and from there to Yucatan, +where we were to finish our work for the season. We found, however, that +there was no certainty in regard to a boat for Coatzacoalcos, while the +Benito Juarez was about to sail for Progreso the next day. Not to lose +time, we decided to do our Yucatan work first, and to let Chiapas wait +until later. We were busy that day making arrangements for departure, +and in the afternoon hired a canoe to take our stuff from the wharf to +the boat, which was standing out in the river, beyond Dona Cecilia. +There was a brisk wind against us, and we almost arrived too late to +have our luggage taken aboard. The next morning, we took the first train +to Dona Cecilia, and were on board the boat at nine o'clock. We had been +told that the sailing would take place at ten, but, on arrival, found +that they were waiting for cattle which were being brought across +country. One hundred and twenty head were to make our chief cargo, and +they were expected at six a.m. Nothing, however, was to be seen of them +in any direction. We had taken breakfast, and it was almost twelve +o'clock before the first signs of the animals were to be seen. Meantime, +at eleven, a norther appeared, and we were informed that it would be +impossible to leave short of twenty-four hours. Besides our company, +there were three first-class passengers--a sort of German-Austrian baron +and his lady, and a contractor, who was taking a force of hands to +Yucatan for farm labor. Eighty-three of these hands were our third-class +passengers; they had been picked up all along the line of the Tampico +Branch of the Central Railway, and few of them realized the hardships +and trials which lay before them. We were assured that more than half of +them would surely die before the end of their first year in Yucatan. As +we could not leave until the norther passed, it was decided not to take +the cattle on board until next day. Thus we spent a day as prisoners +on the boat, standing in the river. In the morning the water was still +rough and the wind heavy, but at 9:30 the loading of the animals began. +They were brought out on a barge, about one-half of the whole number to +a load; tackle was rigged and the creatures were lifted by ropes looped +around their horns. The first few were lifted singly, but after that, +two at once. While it sounds brutal, it is really a most convenient +method, and the animals, though startled, do not seem to be injured in +the least, nor indulge in much kicking. By 11:40 all were loaded and +we were ready for our start. We had to wait until the customs-house +inspector should come on board to discharge us, and this was not done +until half-past one. We sailed out, between the jetties, at two o'clock, +and found the Gulf rough, and a high wind, which continued through most +of our voyage. The smell from the cattle was disagreeable, and between +it and the roughness, all were seasick before the first afternoon was +over. + +Captain Irvine is the youngest captain of the Ward Line, being but +twenty-six years of age. He has followed the sea since he was thirteen +years old. A Nova Scotian by birth, he has sailed this coast for some +little time, and is a competent official, doing his utmost for the +pleasure and convenience of his passengers. The journey was uneventful. +There was some excitement among the third-class passengers, many of +whom were drunk and quarrelsome. The first evening, two of them were +fighting, with the result that the head of one was split open and had to +be dressed by the captain. When we had been some forty-eight or fifty +hours at sea, we found ourselves off the Campeche banks, in quieter +water. Those who had suffered from sickness were again quite themselves. +It was 4:30 Sunday morning, February 3, after we had been almost three +days and three nights at sea, and four days on the boat, that the +Progreso light was sighted, and not long after we came to anchor. We +waited from six o'clock until almost ten for lighters and the doctor. +After he had made his inspection, we piled off with all our baggage +onto a little steamer, which charged three dollars, each passenger, for +taking us to the pier, which was close by, and to which our own boat +could easily have run. This, however, was but the beginning of Yucatecan +troubles. When we found ourselves on the wharf, the customs officials +insisted upon our going to the general office for inspection, on account +of the character and amount of our luggage. Arrived there, we found that +we had no clearing papers for our stuff, and forty dollars duty was +required for material which had already paid duty in entering Mexico, +and which had only gone from one Mexican port to another, as baggage. In +vain we argued and attempted to explain matters. The officials advised +us to bring the American consul and have him straighten matters; but his +office was shut, as it was Sunday. Meantime, we saw the train, which we +had expected to take at 11:30, leave for Merida, and at twelve o'clock +the customs-house offices were closed, and we were forced to leave the +business for another day. Fortunately, there are two railroads from +Progreso to Merida, and we were able to take an afternoon train over the +narrow-gauge line for the capital city. The station was an enormous, +wooden, barn-like structure; the cars were weather-beaten and +dilapidated to a degree--except the first-class car, which was in fair +condition. Passengers were gathering, but no particular signs of the +starting of a train were evident. Boys at the station were selling slabs +of pudding, squares of sponge cake soaked with red liquor, pieces of +_papaya_, cups of sweetened boiled rice, and oranges. The oranges were +unexpectedly high in price, two selling for a _medio_; the seller pares +off the yellow skins and cuts them squarely in two before selling; the +buyer eats merely the pulp, throwing the white skin away. As train-time +neared, interesting incidents occurred. The ticket-agent was drunk and +picked a quarrel with a decent, harmless-looking indian; the conductor +dressed in the waiting-room, putting on a clean shirt and taking off his +old one, at the same time talking to us about our baggage-checks. A fine +horse, frisky and active, was loaded into the same baggage-freight car +with our goods. The bells were rung as signals, and the station locked; +the whole management--ticket-agent, conductor and baggagemen--then got +upon the train and we were off. At one of the stations the ticket-agent +took his horse out from the car, and riding off into the country, we saw +no more of him. + +[Illustration: LOADING CATTLE; DONA CECILIA] + +[Illustration: MAYAS, RETURNING FROM WORK; SANTA MARIA] + +The country through which we were running was just as I had imagined it. +Though it was supposed to be the cold season, the day was frightfully +hot, and everyone was suffering. The country was level and covered with +a growth of scrub. There was, however, more color in the gray landscape +than I had expected. Besides the grays of many shades--dusty trees, +foliage, bark and branches--there were greens and yellows, both of +foliage and flowers, and here and there, a little red. But everywhere +there was the flat land, the gray limestone, the low scrub, the dust +and dryness, and the blazing sun. There were many palm trees--chiefly +cocoa-nut--on the country-places, and there were fields of hennequin, +though neither so extensive nor well-kept as I had anticipated. It +resembles the maguey, though the leaves are not so broad, nor do +they grow from the ground; the hennequin leaves are long, narrow, +sharp-pointed, and rather thickly set upon a woody stalk that grows +upright to a height of several feet. The leaves are trimmed off, from +season to season, leaving the bare stalk, showing the leaf-scar. The +upper leaves continue to grow. In places we noticed a curious mode of +protecting trees by rings of limestone rock built around them; many of +these trees appear to grow from an elevated, circular earth mass. At +Conkal, the great stone church magnificently represented the olden time, +but it bore two lightning rods and was accompanied by two wind-mills of +American manufacture. Everywhere, in fact, the American wind-mill is +in evidence. One can but wish that the poor users of the old _cenotes_ +might come to life, and, for a little time, enjoy the work of the winds +in their behalf. Everywhere we saw plenty of Maya indians and heard +something of the old language. All travellers to Yucatan comment on the +universal cleanness of the population; notable in the indians, this +marks equally well the _mestizos_, whites and negroes. They are not +only clean, but all are well dressed. Men wear low, round-crowned, +broad-brimmed palm hats; trousers are rarely of the tight-fitting +Mexican kind; indians who work at heavy labor protect their clean white +shirts and drawers with a strip of stuff, like ticking, wrapped about +them. Women wear two white garments, both ample, hanging from the neck, +bordered with black or colored bands. They generally wear long necklaces +or rosaries, the beads of which are spaced with gold coins, and a cross +of gold or a medal of the same material hangs at the bottom. Women of +middle age are usually stout, and march with quite a stately tread. + +Merida itself is much larger and better built than we had expected. Many +of the houses, especially on the outskirts, are elliptical in section, +and have walls of small stones closely set in mud plaster. In the center +of the town the houses are covered with painted plaster and are in the +usual Latin-American style. Great numbers of quaint little coaches, with +a single horse, were waiting at the station. As we walked up to the +center of the town, we found but few places open, practically nothing +but barber-shops and drug-stores. Of both of these, however, there were +a surprising number. + +Having been directed to the Hotel Concordia, we were disappointed when +the old lady in charge stated that she had no rooms, and directed us +across the way to the Hotel de Mexico. As we had arranged for the +delivery of our stuff, we did not care to look elsewhere, and therefore +inspected the rooms in this hotel. To reach them, we went through a +barber-shop into a narrow _patio_, and, mounting some rickety stairs, +found our quarters, which were filthy, vile-smelling, hot and uncared +for. Yet for these choice quarters, with two beds in each of two rooms, +leaving no space practically between, we were expected to pay four +dollars. Upon remonstrating with the proprietor at the price demanded, +he cooly said, "Oh, yes, everything here costs high; but there is money +to pay it with." This really stated the fact. Conditions in Merida are +the most abnormal of any place which I have visited. Owing to the war in +the Philippines, and interference with the trade in hemp, the fiber +of the hennequin is in great demand, and money is plentiful. At good +restaurants each plate costs thirty cents, instead of ten or twelve, as +in the City of Mexico itself. No coach will cross the street for less +than fifty cents; for a cooling drink, such as in the capital city would +cost three cents, one here pays twelve. The shortest street-car line +charges ten cents; and everything else is in proportion. What the +hotel-keeper said, about there being money to pay these frightful +prices, was equally true. We paid _cargadors_ four times, draymen three +times, more than we have ever done in any other part of Mexico. In the +restaurants we saw _cargadors_ calling for plates at thirty cents, +boot-blacks eating ices at one _real_, newsboys riding in coaches, and +other astonishing sights. In the plaza, good music is played on Sunday +nights, and every one is out in all his finery; fruits, sweetmeats, +refreshing drinks, are hawked everywhere, and are much indulged in; +under the corridors are little tables, where ices, iced milk and drinks +are served. At the hotel we passed a night of horror, suffering from the +heat, dust, ill-placed lights, mosquitoes and other insects. Leaving my +companions I went the following morning to Progreso to attend to the +unlucky baggage. For variety, I took the broad-gauge road, but found +little difference in the country through which we passed. The number of +wind-mills was astonishing, and most of them were Chicago aeromotors. At +one station a great crowd of pure indians got off and on the train. The +American consul at Progreso is too much interested in archaeology to be +found at his office, but his Mexican vice-consul was present. To him +our difficulty was explained, and on his advice we deposited the forty +dollars demanded for duty, and signed various documents of remonstrance, +upon which we paid almost four dollars more for stamps. We were then +permitted to take out enough plates for immediate use, leaving the +balance in Progreso until we should be ready for our return journey. + +Acting on the advice of the vice-consul, we changed quarters in Merida +from the Hotel de Mexico, to the Moromuzo, kept by an American who had +been many years in the country, and where, though we paid even more for +rooms, we had some comfort. By industrious search, we found a Chinese +restaurant, where prices were not high and service quite as good as in +the aristocratic place where we had dined before. The day before we +called at the palace, hoping to see the governor, though it was Sunday. +He was out of town, and we were asked to call the following day. +Accordingly, in the afternoon, after returning from Progreso, I repeated +my call but was told that the governor had gone out of town again and +that I should come the following day. The third day, again presenting +myself at the office, I learned that it was a holiday and that the +governor would not be at the palace; the secretary recommended that I +try to see him at his house. To his house I went, and sending in my card +and my letters from the Federal authorities was surprised, after having +been kept waiting in the corridor, to be informed that the governor +would not see me, and that I should call at the palace, the next day, in +the afternoon, at two o'clock. Sending back a polite message that we had +waited three whole days to see his excellency, and that our time was +limited, my surprise was still greater at receiving the tart reply that +he had stated when he would see me. We spent the balance of day and all +the morning of the next, looking about the town. + +Having failed in my visit to Governor Canton, I took a street-car to +Itzimna to see the bishop, to ask him for a letter to his clergy. The +well-known Bishop Ancona had lately died, and the new incumbent was +a young man from the interior of Mexico, who had been here but a few +months. He had been ill through the whole period of his residence, and +seemed frail and weak. He received me in the kindest way, and after +reading the letters I presented, asked whether I had not been in Puebla +at a certain time two years before; on my replying in the affirmative, +he remarked that he had met me at the palace of the bishop of Puebla and +had then learned of my work and studies. He gave me an excellent letter +to his clergy, and as I left, with much feeling, he urged me to be +careful of my health and that of my companions while we were in the +country. When he came from Puebla, only a few months before, he brought +three companions with him, all of whom had died of yellow fever. He told +me that, though this was not the season for that dread disease, cases of +it had already broken out in the city; at the same time he stated that +more than eight hundred cases of small-pox were reported in Merida, +and that many of them were of the most virulent. Sunday we had walked +through dust ankle-deep upon the roads; Tuesday and Wednesday it was +with difficulty that we could cross the streets, which were filled with +mud, and, part of the time, with muddy water a foot and more in depth. +This is a frequent occurrence, and foot-passengers who desire to cross +the street are often forced to hire a coach for that purpose. As one +walks the street, he runs constant risk of being splashed with mud and +water from passing vehicles and street-cars. During the four days we +spent in Merida we met several persons interested in literary lines, and +visited a number of institutions, among which the most interesting was +the Museo Yucateco, of which Senor Gamboa Guzman is in charge. It is by +no means what it should be, or what, with but small outlay, it might be. +But it contains interesting things in archaeology, in local history, and +in zoology. It is of special interest to Americans because Le Plongeon +was interested in its foundation and early development. + +An old gentleman, clerk in the diocesan offices, advised us to visit +Tekax and Peto for our study. The governor had set the hour of two for +our reception. Merely to see when he would come, we seated ourselves +in the garden of the plaza, so that we could watch the entrance to +the palace. Two came, but no governor. At 2:30 several gentlemen were +waiting near the office door. At three no governor had arrived. At five +minutes past three, we noticed that hum of excitement and expectation +which usually heralds some great event, and looking down the street, saw +the governor pompously approaching. As he passed, hats were removed and +profound salutations given. Waiting until he had entered the office, we +walked up to the reception room, where we found ten or twelve gentlemen +waiting audience. The great man himself had disappeared into an office +which opened onto this reception-room, but the door of which was not +closed. All waited patiently; from time to time the usher-secretary +crept noiselessly to the office door and peeked through the key-hole +to see whether the executive was ready. Finally, at 3:35 the word was +given, and the privilege of the first audience was granted to myself. +During these days of waiting--something which has never occurred with +any of the many governors of states in Mexico upon whom I have called--I +had expressed my surprise to a gentleman of wealth and prominence in the +city, at the governor's compelling me to wait for audience. With some +feeling, this gentleman replied, "But, sir, you are fortunate; you are +a stranger, and bring letters from cabinet officials; many of the best +gentlemen in this city have been kept waiting months in order to see +Governor Canton in regard to business of the highest consequence to +themselves and to the public." I will do the governor justice by saying +that he listened with apparent interest to my statement, and that he +gave orders that the letters which I wished, to local authorities, +should be prepared without delay. Thanking him, I withdrew, and by five +o'clock the secretary handed me the desired documents; we had lost four +days. Early the following morning, as no _cargadors_ were at hand, our +little company resolved itself into a band of carriers and we took our +baggage and equipment to the Peto station. The securing of tickets and +the checking of baggage was quite an undertaking, and if the train had +started at the time announced, we should have missed it; however, we +were in good season, and left something less than an hour late. The +country through which we passed was an improvement upon what we had seen +before. The trees were greener, and many flowers were in bloom. From the +train, we saw a group of pyramids at one point, and an isolated pyramid +at another. Some of the indian towns through which we passed, with +curious Maya names, were interesting. So, too, were the vendors at +the station. Hot tamales, "_pura masa_" (pure dough), as Manuel said, +slippery and soapy in feeling and consistency, done up in banana leaves +and carefully tied, seemed to be the favorite goods; far better were +split _tortillas_ with beans inside and cheese outside; beautiful red +bananas and plump smooth yellow ones were offered in quantity. We lost +an hour at the station where trains met, reaching Tekax at eleven. We +walked up to the hot _plaza_, where we found the town offices closed, +and had difficulty in even leaving our stuff with the police. At a +restaurant we had a fair breakfast, for which we paid a peso each +person. As there were no signs of the town officials, we dropped into +the _curato_ to see the priest, to whom we presented the bishop's +letter. He was a Spaniard, who had been in this country only a few +months, and despises it heartily. He was sitting at table with two young +men, who had accompanied him from Spain, and who love Yucatan no better +than he. He greeted us most heartily, and was interested in our plan of +work. He sent at once for the judge of the _registro civil_, who could +tell us many curious things about the indians, and, as soon as the old +man came, the good priest ordered chocolate to be served. We chatted for +some time, when, seeing that the _jefe's_ office was open, I suggested +that I had better go to present my letters. The _cura_ and the judge at +once began to abuse that official roundly for his sins of commission, +and particularly for those of omission, and told me that I should have +him summoned; that it was much better than to trouble myself by going +to his office, where I had already been twice in vain; it was but right +that he should attend to business; he ought to be in his office when +visitors came to see him. Accordingly a messenger was sent and the +_jefe_ summoned. + +He seemed a rather nice young fellow, and was much impressed by the +letter from his governor; he expressed himself as ready and anxious to +serve us in every way, and made arrangements for us to begin work in +the town-house, where, before dark, we had taken fifteen sets of +measurements. This was a capital beginning, but the next two days our +work fell flat. It was necessary to keep constantly at the _jefe_, +and it soon became plain that he was making no great effort to secure +subjects for us, on the assumption that we had better wait until Sunday, +when there would be plenty of people without trouble to the police. + +It was useless to urge effort, and we spent the time talking with the +old judge in regard to the habits and superstitions of the indians and +in walking with the judge of _primera instancia_ up to the ridge which +overlooked the town, and which was crowned by a little _hermita_. The +population of Yucatan is still, for the most part, pure indian of Maya +blood and speech. The former importance of this people is well known; +they had made the greatest progress of any North American population, +and the ruins of their old towns have often been described. They +built temples and public buildings of stone and with elaborate carved +decorations; they ornamented walls with stucco, often worked into +remarkable figures; they cast copper and gold; they hived bees, and used +both wax and honey in religious ceremonial. They spun and wove cotton, +which they dyed with brilliant colors; they had a system of writing +which, while largely pictorial, contained some phonetic elements. They +are still a vital people, more than holding their own in the present +population, and forcing their native language upon the white invaders. +Nominally good Catholics, a great deal of old superstition still +survives, and they have many interesting practices and beliefs. The cura +presented me a _ke'esh_ of gold, which he took from the church, where +it had been left by a worshipper. It is a little votive figure crudely +made, commonly of silver; the word means "exchange," and such figures +are given by the indians to their saint or to the Virgin in exchange for +themselves, after some sickness or danger. + +The ridge overlooking the town is of limestone, and is covered with a +handsome growth of trees and grass. The terrace on which the _hermita_ +is built is flat and cleared; it is reached by a gently graded ascent, +with a flight of wide and easy steps, now much neglected. The little +building is dismantled, though there is some talk of reconstructing it. +Behind it is a well of vile and stagnant water, which is reputed to cure +disease. From the ridge a pretty view of Tekax is to be had, bedded in +a green sheet of trees. The town is regularly laid out, and presents +little of interest, though the two-storied _portales_ and the odd +three-storied house of Senor Duarte attract attention. There are also +many high, square, ventilated shafts, or towers, of distilleries. From +the terrace where we stood, in the days of the last great insurrection, +the indians swept down upon the town and are said to have killed 2,500 +of the people, including men, women and children. + +The school-teacher of the town is a man of varied attainments, being +also a photographer, watch-maker, medical-adviser, chemist, and so +forth. His house is full of scientific instruments--a really good +camera, a fine aneroid barometer, several thermometers, including +self-registering maximum and minimum, etc., etc. All seem excellent in +quality, but I could not learn that he makes any use of them, except +the camera. The _cura_, and the judge deride his possession of the +instruments, doubting whether he knows how to use them. They assert that +he has an apparatus for projection, for which he paid 1,000 pesos, which +has never yet been unpacked. When we called on him he showed us, by his +hygrometer, that the air was very humid, though the temperature was at +86 deg. Fahr., and told us, what probably is true, that in this heavy, hot +weather, every wound and bruise, however trifling, is likely to become +serious. In illustration of this fact, the _cura_ mentioned that his +Spanish carpenter, who merely bruised his leg against the table, has +suffered frightfully for three months, having now an ugly sore several +inches across, that makes walking difficult. Great care is necessary +with any injury that breaks or bruises the skin. We ourselves had +already experienced the fact that insect-bites became ugly open sores +that showed no signs of healing; as a fact, none of us succeeded in +curing such for several weeks after leaving Yucatan. In the afternoon, +the priest, the judge of _primera instancia_ and myself took a coach +to ride out to a neighboring _hacienda_, where there was a great +sugar-mill, Louis accompanying us on horseback. Our road ran alongside +the ridge and consisted of red limestone-clay. It was fairly good, +though dry and dusty, and closely bordered with the usual Yucatecan +scrub. The ridge, along which we were coursing, is the single elevation +in the peninsula; beginning in northeastern Yucatan, it runs diagonally +toward the southwest, ending near Campeche. It is generally covered with +a dense growth of forest, unless artificial clearings have been made. +Covies of birds, like quail, were seen here and there, along the road, +and at one point a handsome green snake, a yard or more in length, +glided across the way. Snakes are said to be common, and among them +several are venomous--the rattlesnake, the coral-snake, and most dreaded +of all, a little dark serpent a foot or so in length, with an enormous +head, whose bite is said to be immediately fatal. There are also many +tree-snakes, as thick as a man's arm. In the forest, mountain-lions are +rare, but "tigers" are common. We found Santa Maria to be an extensive +_hacienda_, and the sugar-mill was a large structure, well supplied with +modern machinery, and turning out a large amount of product. We saw +a few of the indian hands, went through the factory, and were shown +through the owner's house, which has beautiful running water and baths, +though there is little furniture, and nothing of what we would consider +decoration. It was after dark before we started to town, and when we got +there we found two wedding parties waiting for the padre's services. + +The promised crowd filled the market Sunday, and our work went finely. +Between the town officials and the priest, subjects were constantly +supplied. Among the indians who presented themselves for measurement was +old Manuel, sacristan from Xaya; he is a _h'men_, and we had hoped that +he would show us the method of using the _sastun_, or divining crystal. +He is a full-blood, and neither in face nor manner shows the least +emotion. Automatic in movement, he is quiet and phlegmatic in manner; +having assumed the usual indian pose for rest, a squat position in +which no part of the body except the feet rests upon the ground, or any +support, he sat quietly, with the movement of scarcely a muscle, for +hours at a time. He sang for us the invocation to the winds of the four +quarters, which they use in the ceremony of planting time. Though he is +frequently employed to say the "milpa mass" and to conjure, he claims +that he never learned how to use the _sastun_, but told us that another +_h'men_ in his village knew it well. + +One of the _padre's_ companions has been ill ever since he came to +Yucatan; Sunday he suffered so greatly that a doctor was sent for +in haste. Nothing was told us as to what his trouble might be, but +personally I suspected that he had the small-pox. In connection with his +illness, we learned for the first time that another companion of the +priest, brought from Spain, died in the room I was occupying, less +than two weeks before, from yellow fever. We had known that one of his +companions had died of yellow fever, but supposed it was some months +earlier. Toward evening the priest was sent for by a neighbor, who +needed the last service. On the _padre's_ return, we learned that this +person was believed to be dying from _vomito_. For a moment we were in +doubt what was best to do, especially as the police had told us that the +_padre_ had permitted no fumigation of his premises after his comrade's +death, simply sprinkling holy water about the place. That night the +young man in the next room suffered greatly, and I could not help but +wonder what ailed him. However, I decided that what danger there might +be from the disease we had already risked, and as we expected to remain +but one or two more days, it seemed hardly worth while to make a change. +Monday we planned a visit to San Juan and Xaya. The horses had been +ordered for five o'clock, but mass had been said, chocolate taken, and +all was ready, long before they appeared. Six, seven, eight all passed, +and at last, at nine, only three animals appeared. This decided us to +leave Ramon behind to pack the busts which we had made, while the others +of the party, with the _padre_, mounted on his own horse, should make +the journey. A foot _mozo_ carried the camera. The road was of the usual +kind, and was marked at every quarter league with a little cross of wood +set into a pile of stones and bearing the words, De Tekax----L. As we +passed La Trinidad we noticed great tanks of water for irrigation before +the house, and tall trees with their bare, gray roots running over and +enveloping the piles of stones on which they had been planted. There +were no other plantations or villages until just before the ninth +cross--two and a quarter leagues--we came to the hennequin plantation of +San Juan. The mayor domo was delighted to see the _padre_ and greeted us +warmly, taking us at once to the great house. We rode between long lines +of orange trees, loaded with sweet and juicy fruits, and were soon +sitting in the cool and delightful hallway. It is impossible to say how +many dozens of those oranges four of us ate, but we were urged to make +away with all we could, as the daily gathering is something more than +five thousand. Soon an elaborate breakfast was ready for us, but before +we ate we took a drink of fresh milk from cocoanuts cut expressly for +us. We had salmon, eggs, meat-stew, beans, tortillas, and wine. But the +mayor domo expressed his regret that he did not know we were coming, as +he would gladly have killed a little pig for us. As dessert a great dish +of fresh _papaya_ cut up into squares and soaking in its own juice, +was served. Sitting in the cool corridor, after a good breakfast, +and looking out over a beautiful country, with promises that all the +subjects necessary for measurement should be supplied, the idea of +riding on to Xaya lost attractiveness, and we sent a foot-messenger with +an order to the town authorities to send the _h'men_ with his _sastuns_ +without delay to see us. + +[Illustration: MAYA DANCE; SAN JUAN] + +[Illustration: THE H'MEN WITH HIS SASTUN; SAN JUAN] + +This was our first opportunity to see the industry of hennequin, which +is the chief product of this _hacienda_. The leaves, after cutting, are +brought from the field tied up in bundles. These are opened, and the +leaves are fed into a revolving, endless double chain, which carries +them on iron arms upward and dumps them onto a table, where three men +receive them and feed them into the stripper. This consists of a round +table, into the inner, excavated, circular face of which a round knife +with dull edge fits closely, though at only one place at once; the +leaves, fed between the table and knife, are held firmly by them at +about one-third their length. The projecting two-thirds of the leaves +hang downward; as the table revolves the leaves thus held are carried to +a vertical revolving rasp which strips out the flesh, leaving the fibre +masses hanging. These taken out from between the table and the knife are +fed again to a second revolving table which holds the masses of fibre, +leaving the unstripped portion of the leaves exposed to a second rasp, +which strips it. The hanks of fibre are dropped from the second table +onto a horizontal wooden bar, where they are rapidly sorted over by +a man who throws inferior and spotted bunches to one side. The whole +operation is rapid and beautiful. The fresh fibre is then hung over +bars, in the southern wind, to dry, after which it is baled in presses +for shipment. + +[Illustration: MAYA HOUSE; SAN JUAN] + +We had no trouble in completing the measurement of subjects from the +indian hands on the place, and made portraits and photographs of native +dancers. In the afternoon the _h'men_ appeared. He was an extremely +clean and neat indian of forty-five, and carried at his side a little +sack, within which, carefully wrapped up in a handkerchief, were his +_sastuns_. There were five in all; three were small round balls of +glass, broken from the stoppers of perfume bottles; one was somewhat +barrel-shaped and of bluish color, while the other, the largest of all, +was rather long, fancifully formed, and with facets ground out upon it; +it was yellowish in tint. The two latter were apparently from toilet +bottles. Telling him that I was anxious to learn about something which +had been stolen from me, I asked what was necessary in the way of +preparation. He demanded a candle and _aguardiente_. A great taper of +yellow wax and a bottle of spirits were supplied. Taking these in his +hand, he entered the little chapel of the _hacienda_, considering it a +good place for conjuring. He piously kissed the altar tables and the +bases of the crucifixes and saints; then picking out a dark corner he +opened his cloth, took out his glasses, lighted the candle and squatted +for his operation. Taking one of the crystal balls between his fingers, +he held it between the flame and his eye and looked intently into it, +as if seeking something. One after another, the five crystals were +carefully examined. Finally, laying the last aside, he shook his head. +He could see nothing, nothing whatever, that interested the gentleman, +unless indeed sickness; this he pointed out in one of the little balls; +redness, fever. Being urged to try again, after an interval he got down +to real business; he took the _aguardiente_, dipped the crystals into +the liquor, repeating formulas as he did so, and again made the test, +but with no better result. He could see nothing, absolutely nothing, of +stolen property; there was nothing in the crystal of interest to the +gentleman, except fever; that there was, he was certain. This practice +of divining by means of crystals is a survival from the old pagan days. +It is probable that there is no indian town of any size in Yucatan where +some _h'men_ does not make use of it. + +We had now finished our work with Maya Indians, except the measurement +of a few women and the making of a single bust. Upon rather strong +representation to the _jefe_, a desperate effort was made by the +policemen and the women were secured. Among the village police-force, +one man had attracted our particular attention, as representing a +type of face, quite common among the Mayas, which we have called the +serpent-face. It is round and broad, with retreating chin and receding +forehead, and with curious, widely-separated, expressionless eyes. We +had already measured and photographed the subject, but, because he was +a policeman and had been useful, we thought we would not subject him to +the operation of bust-making. Seeing, however, that no other equally +good subject had presented itself, we decided to make his bust, and told +him so. To our surprise he refused. The _jefe_, for once, acted promptly +and without hesitation issued an absolute order that the man's bust +should be made. The order had no effect. The officials scolded, +threatened, but Modesto Kan was immovable. The _jefe_ ordered that he +should be thrown into jail, which order was promptly obeyed, but all to +no purpose. Our subject said we might whip him, fine him, keep him in +jail, or kill him, but he would not have his bust made. Hours passed, +and neither remonstrance nor threats on the part of the _jefe_ or +ourselves were of the least avail. On my last interview with him, I +found him lying on a mat with so high a fever that I dared not urge the +matter further, and we desisted from our efforts to secure him. It was +the only subject among 3,000 Indians, with whom we failed to carry out +our work. + +A story which the old judge had told us had its influence in my +permitting this subject to escape. These Mayas often die for spite, or +because they have made up their mind to do so. Don Manuel at one time +was summoned by a rich indian with whom he was well acquainted. The man +was not old, and had land, good houses, many head of cattle, much maize, +and many fowls. He had three children, and owned the houses near his own +in which they lived. Everything was prospering with him. Yet the message +to the judge was that he should come at once to hear this indian's last +words. With a companion he hastened to the house, and found the man in +his hammock, dressed in his best clothes, waiting for them. He seemed +in perfect health. When they accosted him, he told them he was about +to make his will, and say his last words. They told him that a man in +health had a perfect right to make his will, but remonstrated with him +for saying that he was about to speak his last words. He insisted, +however, that he was about to die. In vain they argued with him; he had +had his dream. He gave to one child, house, animals, corn, poultry; to +the second, similar gifts; to the third, the same. Then, having bidden +them all farewell, he lay down in his hammock, took no food or drink, +spoke to no one, and in six days was dead. Such cases are not uncommon +among Maya indians of pure blood. + +When we reached home that night we found Ramon unwell. Next day, the +last of our stay at Tekax he was suffering with fever. He had done +no work while we were absent the day before, and all the packing and +doing-up of plaster fell upon the others of the party. As for him, he +collapsed so completely that it scared me. The ordinary _mestizo_ has +no power of resistance; no matter how trifling the disease, he suffers +frightfully and looks for momentary dissolution. It was plain from the +first moment that Ramon believed that he had the yellow fever; instead +of trying to keep at work or occupying himself with something which +would distract his attention, he withdrew into the least-aired corner of +a hot room and threw himself onto heap of rugs and blankets, in which +he almost smothered himself, cut off from every breath of fresh air. In +vain we urged him to exert himself; in the middle of the afternoon we +took him to the doctor, who assured us that the case was in no way +serious--at the worst nothing more than a light attack of malaria. In +the afternoon the _jefe_, neglecting the _padre_, invited the judge of +_primera instancia_ and myself to accompany him upon a little expedition +to the neighboring Cave of the Fifth of May. We went in a coach, taking +Louis, who sat with the driver, as photographer; on the way, we visited +the town cemetery, which we found a dreary place, with no effort at +adornment and with an air of general neglect. We passed a number of +places where they were boiling sugar, and at one we stopped to see the +mode of dipping calabashes for _dulces_; the fruits are gourd-like, but +have considerable soft pulp within the thin, hard crust; several holes +are bored through the external shell and the calabashes, slung by +strings into groups at the end of a pole, are dipped into the boiling +sap or syrup; the dipping is done two or even three times, and the +clusters are removed and allowed to drip and dry between dips. The loose +flesh is soaked through with the syrup, making a rich, sweet mass, much +used for desserts. Finally, we turned into another place where sugar was +being made, and found it the cleanest and neatest of its kind. Here we +sampled little cakes of clean brown sugar, and were treated with similar +cakes in which peanuts and squash-pips were embedded, making a delicious +confection. We were here supplied with a clean, fresh _jicara_ cup, and, +walking along the path a few rods, ascended slightly to the mouth of the +cave, which was far handsomer than we had expected. The limestone of +Yucatan abounds in caves and subterranean water-courses, especially near +the base of the ridge already mentioned. The mouth of the cavern was +fringed with ferns and other vegetation. A flight of rustic steps led +down to the nearly level floor of red cave-earth. The light from outside +entered sufficiently to show the greater portion of the cave. The rock +walls, opposite the opening, were brilliantly green with some minute +growth; from the floor rose a heap of stone upon the top of which was +set an _olla_ of large size to catch the water dripping from the roof; +it was full of most beautifully clear, cool water, which we dipped out +with our _jicara_ and drank. At two or three other places on the floor, +and on projections from the side walls of the cave, were other _ollas_, +or broken water-troughs of stone, for catching water. Lighting our +candles we went behind a pendant veil of thick stalagmite. At some spots +hummocks of snow-white crystalline matter, with a reticulated surface, +had been deposited by dripping water. A few great masses of stalagmite +rose from the floor, and there were some columns of the same material. +On returning from the cavern, nothing would do but we must breakfast +with the _jefe_, which we did, in state, though at our usual +boarding-house. + +[Illustration: FRESHLY-DIPPED CALABASHES, NEAR TEKAX] + +[Illustration: THE COACH THAT CARRIED US TO THE STATION; TEKAX] + +The three great industries about Tekax are sugar, hennequin, and liquor. +Father Juan insisted that we should visit one of the local distilleries, +of which there are fourteen in Tekax. Sugar, ground with water into a +thick syrup, is drawn off from the mill into great vats, where it is +permitted to ferment; it is then taken into the still, where it is +heated and vaporized, and the vapor carried up into high towers +for condensation. These three-storied, square, wooden towers, with +ventilator-shafts, are one of the characteristic features of the town. + +Padre Juan insisted on supplying a coach for our leaving, in the +morning. This coach, like those at Merida, was an extremely small +affair, for a single horse. Under any circumstances it would scarcely +carry three persons, without luggage, besides the driver. When it is +remembered that our party, (consisting of four), the stout _padre_, four +satchels, measuring-rod, tin pan and blankets, made up the load, it can +be easily appreciated that the little coach was full. We rode slowly, +and the poor, creaking vehicle threatened to fall to pieces every +moment, but we reached the station safely. It was scarcely ten when we +arrived at Merida and took our old quarters at the Moromuzo. Our invalid +at once lay down, and neither threats nor bribes would move him; he +looked as if he suffered, but he insisted on doing so; going to the +nearest drug store we described his symptoms to the apothecary, who +assured us that the case could not be serious, and supplied a remedy +which was rapid and energetic in its action, though our sick man +insisted that he was not improved. + +We were now but waiting for notice of a vessel sailing from Progreso for +Coatzacoalcos. Writing, errands, visits, filled up the time, but it was +dreary waiting. The muddy streets, the heavy, moist, fetid air, the +outrageous prices, the mosquitoes--all combined to make a disagreeable +experience. We worried through three days, and still no announcement of +a boat. In a visit made to the bishop, to tell him of our kind reception +in Tekax and to make inquiry regarding books printed in the Maya, we +were again warned by the prelate to be most careful of our health; that +day, he told us, two of our countrymen, working at the electric-light +plant, had been stricken with yellow fever and would surely die. The +second day we were in town the boys met Don Poncio, one of the Spanish +comrades of the _padre_ at Tekax, who, with another of the household, +had run away, leaving the good priest alone, as the young fellow who had +been ill in the room next ours developed a full case of yellow fever the +day we left, and was dead before night. + +One day we went to a _cenote_ for a bath. Passing through a house into a +rather pretty garden, we came to a stairway, partly natural and partly +cut in the solid rock, which we descended; we found ourselves in a +natural cave, with a pool of blue, transparent water. A paved platform +surrounded one side of the cave, and near its rear edge was a bench of +masonry, which was continued along the side of the pool by a similar +bench, cut partly from the living rock. The water was so clear that we +could see, by the light coming from above, to its very bottom, and +could detect little black fishes, like bull-heads, against the sand and +pebbles. The pool was irregular in shape, so that a portion of it was +out of sight behind the rock-wall, beyond which we found that there was +a paved floor and benching similar to that in the portion which we had +entered. We had a delightful and refreshing swim in this underground +pool, but it was noticeable that, after we came out into the air, there +was no evaporation of water from the body, and towels were absolutely +necessary for drying. Such _cenotes_ are found in many parts of Yucatan, +and form the regular bathing-places, and are often the only natural +supplies of drinking-water. Of streams above ground there are +practically none in the whole peninsula. + +The last day of our stay in Merida we saw the _xtoles_. These are bands +of indian dancers who go from house to house during the carnival season; +they are dressed in costumes which reproduce some features of the +ancient indian dress. In the little company which we saw were fifteen +dancers, including the standard-bearer; all were males, but half of them +were dressed like females and took the part of such. The male dancers +wore the usual white _camisa_ and drawers, but these had a red stripe +down the side of the leg; jingling hawk-bells of tin or brass were +attached to various parts of their dress; a red belt encircled the +waist; all wore sandals. The "female" dancers wore white dresses of the +usual sort, with decorated borders at the arm and neck; also necklaces +of gold beads and gold chains with pendants. Two of the dancers were +little children, but the rest appeared to be young men up to about +thirty-five years of age. All wore crowns upon the head; these +consisted of a circlet of tin, from which rose two curved strips, which +intersected over the middle of the head; from the circlet rose four +feathers--either natural or made of tin. Two of the crowns of special +size, with real feathers, marked the king and queen. Under the crowns, +covering the top of the head and hanging down from the shoulders, were +gay handkerchiefs of red or blue. All the dancers were masked. The men +wore bandoliers of cotton, worked with bright designs representing +animals, birds and geometrical forms; the square ends of these were hung +with marine shells. In their hands, the dancers carried curious rattles +and fans, which they used in making graceful movements as they danced. +The handle of the fan consisted of the leg and foot of a turkey, while +the body was composed of the brilliant and beautifully spotted feathers +of the ocellated turkey, a bird peculiar to Yucatan and the adjacent +country. There were two musicians, one with a long _pito_, or fife, and +the other with a _huehuetl_ or drum, which he struck with his hand. +Hanging to the side of the drum near the top was a turtle-shell, upon +which the drummer beat, from time to time, with a deer's horn. A +standard was carried by the company, which bore a representation of the +sun, with dancers and a serpent; the pole by which it was carried was +surmounted with a tin disk representing the sun's face. The music was +apparently of indian origin and the words of the song were Maya. The +dancing itself was graceful and accompanied by many curious movements. +Mr. Thompson, our American consul to Yucatan, believes this dance is +ancient, and thinks he has found representations of it painted on the +walls of ancient ruins at Chichen Itza. + +[Illustration: THE XTOLES; Merida] + +[Illustration: THE XTOLES; Merida] + +Merida prides itself upon its carnival, which, it claims, ranks +third,--Venice and New Orleans alone surpassing it. It was admitted that +the celebration of this year was far below that of others. The cause of +this dullness was generally stated to be the great amount of sickness +prevalent in the city. However that may be, it certainly was a tame +affair. On the 15th two processions took place, one in the morning, +the other in the afternoon; these were arranged by two clubs of young +people, and each desired to surpass the other. We saw that of the +afternoon, and found it not particularly interesting. A number of +private carriages, drawn up in line, passed through the streets; within +were gentlemen, ladies and children, but few of them wore masks, or +were otherwise notable; besides these, in the procession, were five +allegorical cars. One represented a gilded boat containing pretty girls; +it was arranged to seem to rise and fall upon a billowy sea. A second +float represented the well-known ancient statue, the Chacmool; an +indian, in the attitude of the figure mentioned, held an _olla_ upon his +breast, while one or two others stood near him as guards or companions. +The most attractive float was loaded with the products of Yucatan, and +a group of figures symbolizing its industries and interests. Upon the +fourth, a female figure stood erect in a chariot drawn by lions. The +fifth was comic, and represented marriage in public and private--a +vulgar couple indulging in affectionate display before a partition, +and in a conjugal quarrel behind it. These floats were scattered at +intervals through the procession, which was of no great length. + +By this time Ramon had suffered violent agonies, and had become so weak +that assistance was needed when he walked. The second day in Merida we +had sent for a competent physician, who assured us that nothing was the +matter excepting an unimportant attack of bilious fever, and that with a +day or two of treatment he should be entirely recovered. On his second +visit he was much irritated, as the young man had not made the promised +improvement, and assured us that there was no cause for his collapse. +During our first visit to Merida, in hunting through the city for +Protestants--a practice in which he invariably indulged whenever we +reached a town of consequence--Ramon had happened on an interesting +little man who represents the American Bible Society in this district. +By name Fernandez, this gentleman was born in Argentina, educated in +Spain, and has served as colporteur in the states of Chiapas, Tabasco +and Yucatan for upwards of a dozen years. He was stout, active, and +vivacious; he claimed to have been in every town in Chiapas, and gave +us much advice regarding our journey to that state; he called upon us +several times during our stay, and shared the general disgust over our +sick man, who, he assured us, had nothing serious the matter, and only +needed to arouse himself to throw off the bilious attack from which he +suffered. On the streets we met the baron who had been with us on our +voyage from Tampico. He told us that after one day in Merida, he and +his lady decided that they preferred Progreso, and were stopping there, +going down upon the day-train when they wished to visit Merida. He also +warned us that we need never expect to see the forty dollars which we +had advanced through the vice-consul, as whatever disposition should be +made of our complaint regarding customs charges by the government, no +such money was ever known to leave his hands. Following events entirely +confirmed this gentleman's dire prophecy; neither Mr. Thompson nor Senor +Solis have paid the least attention to communications regarding the +matter sent after our return to our own country. It is little likely +that the Mexican government refused to refund the payment; but we shall +probably never know. + +The remarks of the baron suggested a new line of action. Why longer +wait in Merida for our boat? Progreso is cleaner, cooler, enjoys a sea +breeze, and gives as good living for less than half the price we were +paying. For comfort, for the benefit of our sick man, for the advantage +of our pocket, we would be better off at Progreso than in Merida. While +there were cases of small-pox in the little seaport, there were none of +yellow fever. In every way it looked attractive, and on Monday morning +we left, and found ourselves, before noon, comfortably located in the +curious little hotel, La Estrella de Oro, in Progreso. To be sure, +our rooms were mere stalls, being separated from each other by board +partitions scarcely eight feet in height, and without ceiling, so that +it was impossible to escape the conversation in neighboring rooms at +night. The table, however, was excellent, and the price, compared with +what we had been paying, economy itself. Having seen my companions +comfortably located, I returned to Merida, where there was still some +business demanding attention. This time I found a room in the Hotel +Concordia, which was the most comfortable I enjoyed in Merida, although +the price of $4 for the mere room was high. The day before, we had seen +the Battle of Flowers of the carnival. No flowers figured in it; it +consisted of a long procession of carriages, mostly private and mostly +good; they were filled with well-dressed young people, of whom few were +masked; all were supplied with confetti, which was thrown in handfuls +by those in the carriages upon those in carriages going in the other +direction, for the procession was double. Usually, girls and ladies +threw at men and boys, who reciprocated the compliment; the ladies had +their hair loose and flowing, and wore no hats; so that in a little time +it was filled with the brilliant bits of paper. Everyone, also, had long +strips of colored paper, rolled up like ribbons, which were now and then +launched, either with no direct aim or at some person; as these strips +unrolled they trailed prettily in the air, and everyone caught at the +trailing streamers. Crowds of poor children chased along, beside and +behind the carriages, catching at the showers of bits of paper, and at +the long streamers, which they kept, or, in turn, hurled at passers. The +balconies of all the better houses were filled with people, as were the +seats and raised platform fronting the town-house, and those in +the balconies and on the seats rained down paper upon those in the +carriages. Many children in the balconies were masked, and wore +grotesque costumes, but few grown persons were so decked out. While +pretty and characteristic, the Battle of Flowers disappointed us, +lacking the life and "abandon" which one usually associates with +the idea of carnival. It was all reserved, and respectable, and +unenthusiastic. The only persons who really seemed to enjoy it were the +poor children, with their loads of bright paper and long streamers. +Monday afternoon, the most striking function of the carnival, so far +seen, took place. This was an enormous procession of vehicles; private +carriages, with elaborate equipment, were filled with finely-dressed +gentlemen and ladies; common rented coaches were in line, and some of +them were loaded to their full capacity with common people--four, five, +or even six, in one; in one were four brawny, young _cargadors_; in +another an old grandmother, her two daughters, and some grandchildren, +pure indians, rode complacently, enjoying the admiration which they knew +their best clothes must attract; in some of the fine private coaches, no +one but indian nurses or favored servants rode. Even here, few of the +parties were really dashing, lively or beautiful. The whole thing was +constrained, artificial and sedate. An occasional group seemed to really +enjoy the occasion. One bony horse dragged an ancient buggy or cart, +which might well be that of some country doctor, and in it was the +gentleman himself, commonly dressed, but with a whole family of little +people, who were bubbling over with enjoyment. Another happy party was +that of a common carter, who had his own dray in the line, with his +children, neatly but commonly dressed, as its only occupants; in two or +three carriages were maskers, though none of them appeared funny; +one drayman's cart had been hired by a crowd of loud and boisterous +youngsters, who performed all kinds of pranks and bawled nonsensical +remarks to the crowd. + +[Illustration: CARNIVAL AT PROGRESO] + +[Illustration: CARNIVAL AT PROGRESO] + +My chief errand was to see the leader of the _xtoles_, to purchase from +him some of the objects which they had used in their dance. Just as I +was starting, at evening, for the address he had given me, I met Senor +Fernandez in the plaza, and he agreed to accompany me to the place. We +went some little distance on the street-car, and, dismounting at the +corner of a narrow lane, were about to start through it, when someone +touched my companion on the arm, and greeted him. He recognized the +owner of the little shop before which we stood. Heartily invited to +enter the _tienda_, we did so and stated the object of our quest. The +shopkeeper at once said that we must have a lantern, as the road was +dark, and ordered his clerk to accompany us with one, for which we were +truly thankful. We came, finally, to the house where Don Gregorio, +the leader of the dancers, lived. Fernandez was friendly and voluble, +greeting every company of girls and women that we met, or who were at +the house, as "_lindas_," and passing compliments. He was, however, +uneasy, continually glancing around and asking repeatedly when Don +Gregorio would appear. The dancers were still absent, but expected +every moment; in fact, we could hear their music in the distance. When, +finally, they did appear, their leader, who was very drunk, insisted +that he could not treat in the matter until after the next day, which +would be the culmination of the carnival, and their chief day for +dancing. The instant that we received this answer, Fernandez seized +the lantern, which the clerk had left, and, grasping me by the arm, we +started off at breakneck pace. As we almost rushed down the stony road, +he looked furtively to right and left, and told me that there were, no +doubt, persons in the neighborhood who had recognized him, and said +that, more than once, in this very neighborhood, he had been stoned +when selling bibles, and that any moment we ran our chances of a night +attack. Apparently, however, people were too much excited over carnival +to waste their time in baiting Protestants, and we heard no whizzing +missiles, and soon, reaching the corner shop, left the lantern, and went +home. There had been doubt as to whether trains would run the following +day, Tuesday, on account of carnival. I found, however, that the train +on which I had counted, leaving at seven in the morning, went as usual, +though it was the only train of the day for Progreso. My companions +were delighted to see me, and I found our sick man sure that death was +imminent; to tell the truth, he was constantly spitting black blood, +which oozed from his gums, and which gave me more concern than any of +his previous symptoms. We found the carnival at Progreso more natural +and unpretentious, but also far more lively and amusing, than anything +in Merida. To be sure, some of the performances bordered on the +indecent, but on the whole, it was jolly, and scarcely gave cause for +Manuel's pious ejaculation that there were many _abusos_. Groups of men +and boys went through the streets decked with ribbons and flowers, and +with their faces painted or daubed; many carried handfuls of flour, +or of blue paint, which they dashed into the faces or over the clean +clothes of those they met; bands of maskers danced through the streets; +companies of almost naked boys, daubed with colors, played _toro_ with +one who was inside a frame of wood. One man, completely naked, painted +grotesquely, pranced through the streets on all fours; young fellows, +dressed in women's clothes, with faces masked or painted, wandered about +singly, addressing persons on the street in a high falsetto voice with +all sorts of woeful stories or absurd questions. Very pretty was a +company of trained dancers,--with a standard, leader, music, and fancy +costume,--each of whom carried two staves in his hands; these performed +a variety of graceful movements, and sung a song in Spanish; this was +interestingly like the song of the _xtoles_, and the movements were +almost precisely theirs. In the evening, we attended the _baile de los +mestizos_--dance of the _mestizos_, where the elite of the little city +was gathered, and the place was crowded. Very little of it was +enough, for while the music and dancing were all right, the heat, the +tobacco-smoke, and the perfume, were overpowering. + +To our joy, on Wednesday, the "Hidalgo" appeared, bound for +Coatzacoalcos. All day Thursday we waited for it to unload its cargo, +and on Friday morning, we loaded into a little sail-boat at the wharf, +which we hired for a price far below what the regular steamer would +have charged to take us to our vessel. The luggage had been weighed and +valued, and an imposing bill of lading, and an official document, had +been made out, to prevent our paying duty a third time when we should +reach our port. At 10:30 we were on the "Hidalgo," ready for leaving. It +is the crankiest steamer on the Ward Line, and dirty in the extreme. +The table is incomparably bad. The one redeeming feature is that the +first-class cabins are good, and on the upper deck, where they receive +abundance of fresh air; there were plenty of seats for everyone to sit +upon the deck, a thing which was not true of the "Benito Juarez." +Of other first-class passengers, there were two harmless Yucatecan +gentlemen--one of whom was seasick all the voyage,--and two Americans, +brothers, one from St. Louis, Mo., and the other from Springfield, Ill. +The captain of our vessel was a Norwegian, the first officer was a +Mexican, the chief engineer an American, the purser a low-German, the +chief steward an Oaxaca indian, and the cook a Filipino. Never was I so +glad to reach a resting-place, never so relieved, as when we got our +baggage and our sick man safely on board. As to the latter, he at once +lay down, and, practically, was not on his feet during the voyage. We +had expected to make the run in thirty hours, but were hindered by rough +weather, catching portions of two northers; the second was so bad that, +when almost in sight of our destination, we were forced to put to sea +again, and lost many hours of time and miles of distance. On the morning +of the third day, however, we had dropped anchor, and on looking from +the cabins at five, caught sight of Coatzacoalcos; but it was not the +Coatzacoalcos of 1896. Prodigious changes had taken place. The Pearson +Company, having taken possession of the railroad, had made great +improvements; their pretentious general-offices, located at the wharf, +had recently been completed; the railroad station had been improved; +the old shack, where we slept in 1896, had been torn down, and a +construction track occupied its place; on the little rise behind, a +pretty and large hotel had been erected; on the higher land, to +the right, a line of well-built houses, making some pretension to +architectural effect, had been constructed. It was only after landing, +and walking through the older portions of the town, that any familiar +scenes were recognized. Though we were ready to land at five, and wished +to catch the train at seven, we were forced to wait for the official +inspection, and saw the longed-for train--and there would be no other +for two days--pull out before our eyes. Finally, at nine o'clock, we +were permitted to land. To my surprise, my shipping document was called +for, but, being produced, we were subjected to no difficulty. The +balance of the day was spent in wandering about the village, meeting +former acquaintances, attending to odds and ends of shipment, and +strolling on the familiar beach, which was still covered with scurrying +crabs and sprinkled with white "sand dollars." During the night, a +terrific norther blew, and the next day, cold, dull gray, rainy, kept us +in-doors. By this time, the purser of the "Hidalgo," who had himself had +yellow fever, and said he was familiar with it, had convinced us that +Ramon really had had a slight touch of that dread disease, but having +passed his tenth day of sickness, was destined to recover, and would be +no serious menace to other people. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +OX-CART EXPERIENCES + +(1901) + + +On the following morning, at seven, we took the railroad train, and at +five at night had reached Tehuantepec, and were pleasantly located in +our old hotel, the Europa. On February 28, we visited the market, called +at the house of the _jefe politico_ for a letter to the town authorities +of Huilotepec, and visited Dr. Castle, whom we found much the same as +ever. We failed to find the _jefe_ at his office, though we went there +several times, but found him sitting in a _tienda_ much the worse for +drinking. He was charmed to see us, embraced us warmly, and told us that +his thoughts had frequently been with us since our former sojourn in +his district. New supplies of wine, and, on the appearance of certain +ladies, of champagne, were ordered in witness of his satisfaction. In +regard to our desires, he was delighted to learn that Louis was shooting +birds, declaring that we were just in time; that he had a damnable order +from Mexico to send on skins of all the birds of his district for the +National Museum, and that he had not known what to do in the matter; +we must prepare them; if we did so, willingly, we should be handsomely +paid; but if not, he would be compelled to force us. The jail was +ready, and men die easily in Southern Mexico. With this, he made some +suggestions that it was easy for a person to be officially reported as +accidentally killed, or dead from _vomito_. He insisted that we should +not go alone to Huilotepec, but that he himself would accompany us and +make sure that everything was done according to our wishes. All these +dire threats and great promises were completely forgotten on the +following day, when we sallied forth alone. + +[Illustration: MANUEL AND AN IGUANA; TEHUANTEPEC] + +[Illustration: MARKET WOMEN; SAN BLAS] + +In the _jefe's_ office we learned that during the past year not only +Coatzacoalcos, but Tehuantepec, had suffered frightfully from yellow +fever. Of course, the disease is no rarity on the Gulf coast, though it +was never worse than in the last season; but in Tehuantepec, and on the +Pacific coast, it is a thing so rare as to be almost unknown. So true is +this, that, when it was first reported from this district, the federal +government did not believe the story, and sent a commission to +investigate. We learned that the commission arrived at evening, and, +finding two persons dead in their black vomit on the street, made no +further investigation, but started for Mexico on the following train. +The spread of the disease to the west coast is generally attributed, and +no doubt correctly, to the railroad. The disease was particularly fatal, +in both places, to Americans and Englishmen, and it was whispered that +90 per cent of the employes of the new railroad management succumbed. +The chief clerk in the _jefe's_ office told us that, while many cases +occurred here, no pure indians were taken, and that none of the +_mestizos_ who were affected died--the mortality being confined to the +foreigners. + +Dr. Castle had moved, but his place was as interesting as ever. For +pets, he had three hairless dogs, a _mapachtl_, two macaws, two parrots, +and a lot of doves, one of which he had taught tricks. He was much +interested in cactuses, and had established a garden in which he planned +to have all the species of the district. We had purchased some iguanas +in the market, and Louis had been skinning them. The Doctor said that +there were three species of iguanas in the district, the largest being +green, changing to orange or gray, and its flesh not being eaten, as it +is too sweet; the second species is of medium size, and gray or black in +color; the third is rarer, smaller, and is striped lengthwise; it lives +among the rocks near the coast. The two last species are both eaten, +and are often sold in market. Here we learned, by a casual remark which +Manuel dropped on seeing the ugliest of the hairless dogs, that these +are believed, not only here, but in Puebla, and no doubt elsewhere +through the Republic, to cure rheumatism. In order to effect a cure, the +dog must sleep for three nights with the patient, and the uglier the dog +the more certain the cure. Through Dr. Castle, we also learned that the +Zapotec Indians hereabouts, have many songs, of which the _sandunga_ is +a great favorite. Questioning an indian friend of mine, we afterwards +learned that there are many of these pieces of music which are held +to be truly indian. The words are largely Zapotec; Spanish words are +scattered through the song, and the sentiment is largely borrowed. +Most of the songs are love-songs, and they abound in metaphorical +expressions. Our little trip to Huilotepec was for the purpose of +photographing the curious and interesting _mapa_ belonging to the +village. We rode out over the hot and dusty river-bed road, arriving at +noon. Sending for the _agente_ and _secretario_, we ordered breakfast +and made known our errand. Though it plainly was not to their taste, the +_mapa_ was brought out for our inspection. It is painted on a piece of +coarse cotton cloth, of native weaving, in three colors--blue, red and +black. The places around Huilotepec are indicated by their ancient +hieroglyphs. Several personages of the ancient time are represented in +the conventional manner commonly used in Zapotec writings before the +Conquest. After eating, we placed the _mapa_ against the wall, wrote out +a description of it, and photographed it. Dismay now filled the soul of +the _agente_, and the one _principal_ whom he had summoned for advice. +They talked long and earnestly with me about the _mapa_, and begged me +to assure the _jefe_ that it was no good; that it was not _autorizado_; +that it was _mudo_. To quiet their fears, I was compelled to write a +letter to that effect to be delivered to the _jefe_; if it ever came to +hand, he certainly found it incomprehensible. Mrs. Seler, in her book, +describes the trouble that they had in seeing this _mapa_, and the +interest which their examination of it aroused. Dr. Castle told us +that, several years ago, he accompanied a Mr. Werner and a priest to +Huilotepec to see the _mapa_, and, if possible, to secure a picture of +it. For a long time they were unable to secure a glimpse of the old +document, and it was only when the priest assured the indians that the +doctor was an American engineer, who had been commissioned to survey +the line in dispute between the village and the Juaves, that they were +allowed to see it. Before permission was then given, a general meeting +of the _principales_ was held, and none of the guests were permitted to +touch the document. Mr. Werner made an exposure, which he sent to the +States for development; it was lost or destroyed. It is thus possible +that ours is the only picture of it in existence. + +We had been told that a coach went regularly from San Geronimo to Tuxtla +Gutierrez, making the journey in two days. This seemed too good to be +true, and no one at Tehuantepec knew anything of such an arrangement, +but we took the train the following morning for San Geronimo, hoping to +get off without delay. All that the traveller sees upon descending from +the train is the station, the place of Senor Espindola, and the little +Hotel Europa. To our surprise, we found that our baggage had not yet +come from Coatzacoalcos, although we had seen it loaded on the train +ourselves. Still worse, we were informed that frequently fifteen days +were consumed in transportation of freight from that point hither, and +that we had no right to expect it so promptly. Inquiry regarding the +coach revealed the fact that no such vehicle existed. Six hard days of +horseback riding would be necessary for the journey, and, though +Ramon admitted himself to be much better, he was too weak for such an +undertaking. This had had its influence in determining us to go by +coach in the first place. When in doubt as to what we should do, Senor +Espindola suggested that the journey could be made by ox-cart in ten or +eleven days. Though this seemed slow, it was better than to run risks +with our invalid, and we determined to journey in that fashion as soon +as our luggage should appear. + +The station is situated on a somewhat elevated plain, constantly swept +by heavy winds. While we were there, this wind was hot, and loaded with +dust. In the afternoon, we walked through the indian town, which extends +over a considerable area. The houses are rectangular, with adobe walls, +mostly whitewashed, and with steep, pitched roofs. We met a funeral +procession in the road, with the usual band in front. The coffin open, +so as to show the child, was carried on the shoulders of several men. +The mother, in contortions of real or simulated grief, was supported by +two women, and the mourners brought up the rear, wailing now and then. +Among the mourners was a woman who suffered from black _pinto_, notably +developed. The principal industry of the town is pottery. The clay, +which is of a greyish-black color, is stiff and hard, and is first +broken up with a mallet. When worked into a stiff paste, it is built +by hand into great _ollas_ and plates, one and a half or two feet in +diameter. These _ollas_ we saw at many houses, and sometimes they were +lashed to carts, plainly for bringing water from the stream. A single +_olla_ thus lashed, practically filled a fair-sized cart. + +[Illustration: DRYING POTTERY; SAN GERONIMO] + +[Illustration: CART AND OLLA; SAN GERONIMO] + +The little hotel at the station is a new venture, and deserves complete +success. At few places in Mexico have we found meals so good and cheap. +In the evening, more from curiosity than expectation, we watched the +train come from the east, and to our surprise and satisfaction, found +our luggage. We had really made up our minds that we must spend some +days in waiting; on the whole, the quiet and comfort of the little +tavern would not have been unpleasant; but we hastened at once to Senor +Espindola, and urged him to make instant arrangements for our leaving in +the morning. To this he replied that no _carretero_ would be likely to +start on Sunday, and that we would have to wait until the following +day. Matters turned out better than anticipated, and before nine, the +following morning, our arrangements had been made. Two _carretas_ were +hired, at twenty-eight pesos each, to make the journey; our driver +agreed that, without counting that day, he could get us to Tuxtla in +eight days; in order to encourage him, we promised to pay five pesos +extra for each _carreta_, in case we reached the city of Tuxtla on +Monday the 11th. His name was Eustasio; he was a good-natured little +Zapotec, from Juchitan originally, but living now at Guvino, Union +Hidalgo. He warned us that, for the first day, we would have to put up +with some discomfort, but that, upon reaching his home, he would fit us +out magnificently. He promised to start at four that afternoon, and we +were ready; of course, he was not, nor was he at five; so we went back +to the hotel for a last good supper, and finally at 5:50 started. There +were four teams and carts in the company, loaded with freight for +Hidalgo. The night was clear, with a fine moon. The road was over heavy +sand. Sometimes we walked in the moonlight, passing Ixtaltepec at 8:30, +and reaching Espinal at ten, where we lost three-quarters of an hour in +loading freight. From there all went well, until a-quarter-of-two in +the morning, when we were passing through a country covered with scrub +timber. Here we constantly met many carts heavily loaded; the road was +narrow, and several times collisions, due to the falling asleep of one +or other of the _carreteros_, were narrowly escaped. Finally, one really +did take place, between our second cart and a heavily loaded one going +in the other direction. The axle of our cart was broken, and the vehicle +totally disabled. Two hours and a quarter were consumed in making +repairs and in reloading. Here, for the first time, we were impressed +with two characteristics in our driver: first, his ability to swear, +surpassing anything that we had ever heard; second, his astonishing +skill and ingenuity in repairing any accident or break, which happened +on the road. Before our journey was over, we learned that both these +qualities are common to his profession. It was four o'clock in the +morning before we were again upon our way. All hope of reaching Union +Hidalgo at the promised hour disappeared. Before sunrise, we had turned +into the hot, dusty, broad, straight high-road, which, after my journey +of 1896, I had devoutly hoped never to see again. Just as the sun +rose, we took quite a walk, killing some parrots, _calandrias_, and +_chacalaccas_ as we walked. They said that _javali_--peccaries,--were +common there. The day was blisteringly hot, long before we reached Union +Hidalgo; hot, hungry and sleepy, we reached our carter's home, a little +before ten in the morning. The _carreta_ in which we were travelling was +here far ahead, and after we had rested half-an-hour or more, Manuel, +hot and perspiring, appeared, and reported that the disabled cart had +broken down again, and that the other two were delayed by a sick animal. +All came straggling in later. We had planned to leave here toward +evening, travelling all Monday night; but hardly had we rested a little, +and eaten dinner, when Eustasio announced that we should spend the night +here, and not leave until the following afternoon. He said the animals +were hot and tired from travelling in the daytime, and that to push on +would defeat our plans. He swore that, unless God decreed otherwise, we +should reach Tuxtla Gutierrez by the promised date. There was nothing +for it but submission, though we would gladly have chosen a more +interesting town than Union Hidalgo for a stay of almost two days. When +evening came, I took my bed of poles out into the open air, into the +space between two houses; Ramon lay down upon a loaded _carreta_, also +out of doors, while Louis and Manuel took possession of hammocks in one +of the houses. It was a cloudless night, with brilliant moon. The air +soon grew cool. After midnight, I was aroused by the most frightful +yelling, and opening my eyes, I saw a barefooted, bareheaded Indian +yelling out the most frightful imprecations and oaths. At first I +thought that he was insulting some one in the house, but both the houses +were fast closed. Ramon, completely wrapped in his blanket, could +attract no notice, and I did not believe that I had been observed, nor +that I was addressed. For quite ten minutes the crazy drunkard stood +there in the moonlight, bawling out a frightful torrent of abuse, +invective, and profanity, with an occasional "_Viva Mexico! Muere +Guatemala_!" patriotically thrown in. + +[Illustration: THE DRUNKARD'S EXCHANGE; UNION HIDALGO] + +[Illustration: BEFORE REACHING UNION HIDALGO] + +At last he disappeared, but for a long time could be heard howling, +as he went from house to house. Believing that it might be well to be +prepared for intruders, I arose and pulled a stake from one of the +carts, and laid it at my side, upon the bed. But I was soon fast asleep +again. Awaking at five, I found myself so cold, and the dew so heavy, +that I dressed, and wrapped my blanket around me, and sat up, waiting +for daylight. At 5:30 our drunken friend passed again, somewhat less +voluble, but still vociferous. He was absolutely crazed with drink, and +through the day several times made his appearance, and always with a +torrent of abuse and profanity which made one's blood run cold. Before +the day was well begun, a second person, almost as drunk, but far more +quiet, a nice-looking old man, began making similar visits about the +village. The two drunkards, differing in age and build, differed also in +dress, but on the occasion of one of their visits, they were taken with +the crazy notion of exchanging clothes, and proceeded to undress, making +the exchange, and re-clothing themselves in garments ridiculously +non-fitting--all with the utmost gravity and unsteadiness. During +the day, our _carretas_ were being prepared. Apologizing for the +inconvenience of the preceding day, Eustasio proposed to fix our cart +"as fine as a church." He put a decent cover over it, and laid our sacks +of plaster on the floor. Upon this, he spread a layer of corn-stalks, +and over them, a new and clean _petate_. To be sure, the space left +above was low for comfort, and we were horrified when we saw him loading +up the second one, not only with the balance of our luggage, but high +with maize, fodder, and great nets of ears of corn, to feed the animals. +We had supposed that two persons and part of the luggage would go in +each of the carts, and never thought of carrying food enough to last +four oxen eight days. Crowding four people into our _carreta_ made it +impossible to lie down in comfort. Still, such is the custom of the +country, and we submitted. During the day we heard a woman crying in +a house. Upon investigating, we found that she was the wife of a +_carretero_ who had been injured on the road, and for whom a _carreta_ +had been sent. Shortly afterward, they brought the poor fellow into +town, amid weeping and lamenting. When they took him from the _carreta_ +in which he had been brought, he was supported by two men and helped +into the house, where he was laid upon a hammock. He groaned with pain, +and a crowd of curious villagers pressed into the room. + +It was easy to locate four broken ribs behind, and he complained of +great internal bleeding. It seemed that he had started to climb up onto +his moving cart in the usual way, and the stake which he had seized +broke, letting him fall to the ground under the wheel of the +heavily-loaded cart, which passed over his body. + +Finally, all was ready, and at about five in the evening we started. +Packed like sardines in a box, we were most uncomfortable. Personally, I +did not try to sleep, neither lying down, nor closing my eyes. Shortly +after leaving town, we crossed a running stream, and from the other side +went over a piece of corduroy, upon which we jounced and jolted. Soon +after, we descended into a little gully, from which our team had +difficulty in drawing us. The baggage-cart had a more serious time; the +team made several attempts to drag it up the slope, but failed, even +though our whole company, by pushing and bracing, encouraging and +howling, aided. There was a real element of danger in such help, the +slipping animals and the back-sliding cart constantly threatening to +fall upon the pushers. Finally, the cart was propped upon the slope, and +its own team removed; our team, which was heavier and stronger, was then +hitched on, but it was only with a hard tug, and with heavy pushing, +that success was gained, and the cart reached the summit of the slope. +We crossed a fine marsh of salt water, quite like the lagoon at San +Mateo del Mar, and were told that we were not far from the Juave town +of San Dionisio. From here, the country, was, for a distance, an open +plain. With the moonlight, the night was almost as bright as day; cold +winds swept sheets of sand and dust over us. At one o'clock, we happened +upon a cluster of six or eight carts, drawn up for rest, and the company +of travellers were warming themselves at little fires, or cooking a late +supper. We learned that this gypsy-like group was a _compania comica_, +a comic theatre troupe, who had been playing at Tuxtla, and were now on +their way to Juchitan. We never before realized that such travelling of +ox-carts as we were now experiencing was a regular matter, and that the +carter's trade is a real business. At two o'clock, we stopped to repack +our loads, but were shortly on the way again. After the sun rose, we +were in misery; the road was deep with dust, and we were grimy, hot, and +choking. When the cross that marks the beginning of the land belonging +to Ixhuatlan was pointed out, we were delighted, but it was still a long +ride before we crossed the little stream and rode into the village. + +Ixhuatlan is like all the Zapotec towns of this district, but less +clean, on account of its lying in the midst of dust, instead of sand. +Our carts drew up in a little grove, a regular resting-place for carting +companies, where more than fifteen were already taking their daytime +rest. Having ordered breakfast, we hastened to the stream, where all +enjoyed a bath and cleansing. Coffee, bread, _tortillas_, eggs, and +brandied peaches, made a good impression, and we ordered our buxom young +Zapotec cook, who was a hustler, to have an equally good dinner ready at +2:30. We set this hour, believing that she would be late, but she was +more than prompt, and called us at two to a chicken dinner. It was +interesting to watch the _carreteros_ in the grove. The scenes of +starting and arriving, packing and unpacking, chaffing and quarreling, +were all interesting. In the lagoons of Vera Cruz, our boatmen applied +the term _jornada_ to a straight stretch across a lagoon made at one +poling; here among the _carreteros_, the word _jornada_ means the run +made from resting-place to resting-place. In neither case is strict +attention paid to the original meaning of the word, a day's journey. +Ixhuatlan is a made town; a paternal government, disturbed over the no +progress of the pure Juaves in their seaside towns, set aside the ground +on which this town now rests, and moved a village of Juaves to the +spot. High hopes were expressed for the success of the experiment; now, +however, the town is not a Juave town. It is true, that a few families +of that people still remain, but for the most part, the Juaves have +drifted back to the shore, and resumed their fishing, shrimp-catching +and salt-making, while the expansive Zapotecs have crowded in, and +practically make up the population of the place. Between dinner and +our starting, we wandered about the village, dropping into the various +houses in search of relics. As elsewhere, we were impressed with the +independent bearing and freeness of the Zapotec woman. She talks with +everyone, on any subject, shrewdly. She loves to chaff, and is willing +to take sarcasm, as freely as she gives it. In one house we had a +specially interesting time, being shown a lot of things. The woman had +some broken pottery figures of ancient times, but also produced some +interesting crude affairs of modern make from Juchitan. These were +figures of men and women--the latter generally carrying babies in indian +fashion--of horses and other animals. As works of art, they make no +pretension, but they are stained with native colors, and are used as +gifts at New Year's by the common people. Here we saw the making of +baked _tortillas_, and sampled some hot from the oven. Such _tortillas_ +are called _tortillas del horno_--oven _tortillas_. Flat _tortillas_, +about the size of a fruit-plate, are fashioned in the usual way; a great +_olla_ is sunk in the ground until its mouth is level with the surface. +This is kept covered by a _comal_, or a smaller _olla_, and a good hot +fire of coals is kept burning within. When the _tortillas_ have been +shaped, they are stuck on the hot _olla_, being pressed against the +sides, to which they adhere, and are left to bake. In baking, the edges +curl up so that the cake, instead of being flat, is saucer-shaped. They +are crisp and good. Leaving at four, we continued on the hot, deep, +dusty road, but saw interesting plants and animals along the way. +There were fine displays of the parasitic fig, from examples where the +parasite was just beginning to embrace its victim, through cases where +it had surrounded the tree with a fine network of its own material, to +those where the original tree-trunk was entirely imbedded in the great +continuous gray investing trunk of the parasite, now larger than its +host. Some trees bore bunches of pale-purple flowers of tubular form, +which fell easily from the calyx, and dotted the ground along the +roadside. Other trees appeared as if covered with veils of little +purplish-red flowers hung over them. Others were a mass of golden bloom, +the flowers being about the size of cherry blossoms. A few trees, yet +leafless, showed large, brilliant white flowers at the tips of rather +slender branches. At Ixhuatlan, we saw the first monkey's comb of the +trip. This orange-yellow flower, growing in clusters so curiously shaped +as to suggest the name, is among the most characteristic, from this +point on through Chiapas into Guatemala. There were but few birds, but +among them were macaws and toucans. Eustasio said that in the season, +when certain berry-bearing trees are in full fruit, the latter may be +seen by hundreds. + +When night had really fallen, I unwisely sat in front with the driver, +to prevent his sleeping, and to keep the animals moving. Both drivers +had a way of dozing off, utterly regardless of the movements of the +animals or the dangers of the road. Carts going in opposite directions +must often depend absolutely upon the oxen for their chance of escaping +collisions or being thrown over precipices. Frequently the animals +themselves stop, and the whole company is at a standstill until the +driver wakes up. In this _jornada_, we had planned to reach La Frontera, +the border of the state of Chiapas, at which place we had been promised +we should arrive at 8:30 in the morning. Everything had gone well, and +we were just about to reach the place, where it was planned to repack +for the last time; it was just daylight, and Eustasio was congratulating +us upon our prompt arrival; we drove to the brink of a dry stream, on +the other side of which was our resting-place; just at that instant, +we heard the other driver cry out; we stopped, and found that the +baggage-cart was overturned. This dashed all hopes. There was +unhitching, unloading, the making of a new axle, and reloading. It was +plain that we could not reach La Frontera. While the men were putting +things to rights, we strolled up the dry stream-bed to a shanty, where +Eustasio told us we could breakfast. There was a well there, with fresh +water, and the shanty, for the refreshment of travellers, consisted of +nothing but a little shelter of poles. Here, however, we found baked +_tortillas, atole_, and hard meat; the breakfast for four persons, cost +twenty-five centavos, equal to ten cents American money. Through the +day, birds were hunted and skinned, reading and writing carried on, +until at half-past-three in the afternoon we were again ready for +movement. The road was now sandy, and not dusty, the sand being produced +by the decomposition of crystalline rocks. Mounting to a high _llano_, +we shot a pair of curious birds, which looked like water-birds, but were +living in a dry place and were able to run with great speed. They were +of the size of a hen, and had a long beak, long legs and four flat +though not webbed toes. At the end of this high _llano_, we passed the +Hacienda of Agua Blanca, a property belonging to the _jefe_ of Juchitan. +From here, we descended rapidly over a poor road, coming out at nine +onto the straight road from Tapanatepec, at this point four leagues +behind us. From here on, the whole road was familiar to me. La Frontera +was just ahead, and, arriving there at 10 o'clock, we spent an hour. +Before us rose a massive mountain, the ascent of which seemed appalling. +We could see a white line of road zigzagging up its side, and well +remembered Governor Leon's pride in having constructed a cart-road +against great natural difficulties. Thirty or forty ox-teams had +gathered here, either ready to make the ascent, or resting, after having +come down the mountain. Having gotten breath and courage, we started at +about eleven. The road had suffered during the five years since I last +passed over it, but was still an excellent work of engineering. As we +mounted, zigzagging constantly, the magnificent view over the valley +widened; each new turn increased its beauty. My companions were asleep, +and had had so little rest recently, that I hated to disturb them for +the view. When, however, we were two-thirds up the slope, they awakened, +and were as delighted as myself. We all got out, and walked for a +considerable distance. An astonishing number of little streams and pools +of fresh water burst forth from the rocks, and cut across the road or +flowed along its sides. Finally, we reached the summit, and began the +descent. This had made no impression on me when I went over it on +horseback, but travelling in an ox-cart was a different matter, and I +shall never again forget it. It was less abrupt than the ascent--less of +vertical zigzag, and more of long steady windings. It also was excavated +in the solid rock. It was badly neglected, and the cart jolted, and +threatened every instant to upset us, or leap into the gulf. Coming +out into a more level district, we passed Paraje and Dolores, reaching +Carizal at five, where we stopped for the day. This is a regular resting +place for _carreteros_, and there were plenty of carts there for the +day. + +As soon as the oxen were unyoked, I turned out my companions and lay +down in the cart, trying to get an hour's sleep before the sun should +rise, as I had not closed my eyes since leaving Union Hidalgo two days +before. I was asleep at once, but in less than an hour was awakened +by the assaults of swarms of minute black-flies, whose stings were +dreadful. The rest of the company suffered in the same way, so we all +got up and went to work. A group of _carreteros_ breakfasting, invited +me to eat with them--hard _tortillas, atole_ and salted meat, formed a +much better breakfast than we got, a little later, at the house upon the +hill where travellers eat their meals. At this house they had a little +parrot which was very tame, and also a _chacalacca_, which had been +hatched by a domestic hen from a captured egg. This bird is more slender +and graceful than a hen, but our landlord informed us that its eggs are +much larger than those of the common fowl, and much used for food. Both +this bird and the little parrot regularly fly off with flocks of their +wild fellows, but always come back afterward to the house. This was a +most interesting example of an intermediate stage between true wildness +and domestication. There was little doing throughout the day. Heat, +black-flies, and sunlight all made it impossible to sleep; but we took a +bath in the running brook, and skinned some birds, and tasted _posole_ +for the first time. _Posole_ is a mixture of pounded or ground corn and +sugar, of a yellow or brownish color, much like grape-nuts. It may be +eaten dry, but is much more commonly mixed with water. The indian dips +up a _jicara_ full of clear spring water, and then, taking a handful of +_posole_ from his pouch, kneads it up until a rather thick, light-yellow +liquid results, which is drunk, and is refreshing and satisfying. + +Almost all the _carreteros_ at this camp were Juchitecos. They were +great, strong fellows, and almost all of them wore the old-fashioned +indian breech-clout of red cotton under their drawers or trousers. +When they were working at their carts, greasing the wheels, or making +repairs, they were apt to lay by all their clothing but this simple +piece of cloth, and their dark-brown bodies, finely muscled, hard and +tough, presented handsome pictures. The little fellows who accompanied +them, up to the age of twelve, usually ran about with no article of +clothing save their little breech-clouts and white cotton shirts. In the +early afternoon, serious work began, and everywhere we saw these men +patching coverings, greasing wheels, readjusting cargoes, feeding and +watering their animals, harnessing, and making other preparations for +leaving. During the idle portion of the day, dice were in evidence, +and Eustasio was fascinated with the game. The stakes, of course, were +small, but he kept at it persistently until he had lost five pesos, +when, with forcible words, he gave up. I am sure the dice were loaded, +but I am equally sure, from all I know of Eustasio, that the next time +he makes that journey, he will have some loaded dice himself. Setting +out at 3:30, we were at the head of a long line of cars, and were soon +making another steady zigzag to ever greater heights than those before +climbed. According to the official _itinerario_, the distance from +Dolores to San Miguel is five leagues; we had left Dolores a league +behind in arriving at Carizal, and we naturally assumed that four +leagues would bring us to San Miguel. Eustasio, however, who never +under-estimated, claimed that it would take constant travelling until +eight in the morning to reach Los Pinos, which is still this side of San +Miguel. This is a fair example of the inaccuracy of figures published by +the government. As I looked behind at the long line of carts, some of +which were empty, and able to journey at good speed, the desire took +possession of me to hire one, at least for a short distance, in the hope +of getting a little sleep. Looking over the line, to make my choice, I +had just selected one, and was about to broach my plan, when its driver +ran the vehicle into the branches of a tree, which projected over +the road, and tore away his awning. The idea was unaffected by this +accident, however, and picking out a cart, which had a thick layer of +corn-husks piled in it, promising a comfortable bed, I arranged my +bargain with the owner, and deserted my party, betaking myself to my +private car. Having no load, we pushed ahead and, stretching myself at +full length upon the heap of corn-husks, I was soon asleep. It was my +purpose to disembark at Los Pinos, but we had passed that place long +before I awoke, and were in sight of San Miguel when I opened my +eyes. It was too early for breakfast, so I concluded to ride along to +Macuilapa, where my carter turned off into another road. It was just +eight when we arrived, and I thought of my companions as probably just +reaching Los Pinos. Starting from there at three in the afternoon, they +should overtake me at seven. So I took possession of the great country +house, sitting in the corridor all day long. The house is a long, large, +single-storied building, with heavy tiled-roof; the store-houses, sheds +and other out-houses, with the adobe huts belonging to the workmen, +surround a somewhat regular area. The view, however, in front of the +house is uninterrupted, and looks off into a narrow valley, bounded +prettily by hills. The house has a wide brick-paved corridor. Near +it was an interesting ancient stone carving. The rock was coarsely +crystalline, and gray, or olive-gray in color. It had been battered into +the bold, simple outline of a frog, crouched for leaping; the head had +an almost human face, with a single central tooth projecting from the +lower jaw. The work was in low relief, and looked as if the ancient +workman had taken a natural boulder, and beaten with his hammer-stone +only sufficiently to bring out the details. The stone measured perhaps +four feet in length, three feet in breadth, and two feet in thickness. +It was found in the mountains near, and, from the marks upon it, seems +to have been embedded in the soil half way up the legs. Probably, when +first made, it was placed so that the feet were even with the ground +surface, but the accumulation of vegetable soil since has been +considerable. The Hacienda of Macuilapa manufactures sugar and raises +indigo, quantities of the seed of which were being cleaned when I was +there. The owner of the place is a man of means, but the meals served +were of a mean and frugal kind. Everyone made dire prophecies about the +time of possible arrival of my companions, and the period necessary +for our further journey to Tuxtla Gutierrez. I had not expected my +companions before seven, and after these dismal forebodings, gave up +that expectation. To my surprise, they appeared, in good health and +spirits, at five o'clock, though with exciting tales of peril and +suffering. After a meal together, we again mounted in the old fashion, +and were on our way. The air was fresh and cool, and at 9:30 the moon +rose, giving perfect light. The road was high and sandy, with occasional +small ascents and descents. At eleven we stopped to rest, I agreeing +to wake them all at midnight; at one o'clock I was awakened by our +_carretero_ raising the tongue of the wagon! We passed La Razon at +three. As one of the oxen, which had been somewhat lame, was now in bad +condition, we all dismounted, half-a-league before we reached Zapote, +and walked the rest of the way. The Hacienda of Zapote is really almost +a town. There are two _fincas_, belonging to two brothers. Their fine +large houses, the out-buildings, and the clusters of adobe huts for the +workmen, make an imposing appearance. We stopped at the first group of +buildings, which stands a little lower than the other. Arriving at six, +we spent the whole day at this place; the meals at the great house were +excellent and cheap. In the afternoon we heard marimba-playing; the +instrument was called _la golondrina_ and cost the owner forty-three +pesos. + +[Illustration: A DAY REST; THE CARIZAL] + +[Illustration: MARIMBA-PLAYING; HACIENDA DE ZAPOTE] + +The players were carefully trained, being four brothers. The youngest of +them was not more than fourteen years old, but he put much expression +and spirit into his playing. It was the first time that any of the +party, but myself, had heard this instrument, and all were delighted +at its brilliant, quick, and pleasing music. We left at 3:45 in the +afternoon, but our ailing animal was worse than ever, and Eustasio ran +ahead, trying to secure others at different ranches. He had had no +success when, after a rough ride of several hours, we drew up at +Jiquipilas, where we waited until the morning. We planned to secure new +animals, to leave at dawn, and to reach Tuxtla after a twenty-four hour +ride. We laid down and slept, waking at five, but finding no sign of +animals. We breakfasted at seven, and a little later the new oxen +appeared. There were two yokes of rather light animals. Leaving our sick +beast, and driving the other three along with us, the new animals were +put to the loads, and at eight o'clock we started. I failed to recognize +Rancho Disengano, but having passed it, we found ourselves at the bottom +of the much-dreaded, last important climb of the journey. The little +team dragging the passenger cart was inefficient and unruly; tiring +of them, I dismounted and went ahead on foot. For a time I drove the +unyoked cattle, but a stubborn one wandering into the brush, I gave up +the job, and left poor Louis, who had just overtaken me, to chase him. +He had hard work, through tangled brush, here and there, up and down, +until at last the animal was once more upon the road. The boy was hot, +tired, and loaded with _pinolillos_. These insects had been in evidence +for a long time back. They are exceedingly small ticks, which fix their +claws firmly in the flesh, and cause intolerable itching. Keeping in the +road, the traveller is little likely to be troubled by them; but walking +through grass, or among leafy plants, is dangerous. Having climbed a +portion of our great ascent, we found ourselves at Agua Bendita. It was +not as beautiful as on the occasion of my other visit; the projecting +ledge of rock had little water dripping, and in the round catch-basins, +which formerly were filled with fresh, clear water, there was scarcely +any; on account of the unusual dryness, the ferns were wilted, and there +was little of that beauty and freshness which so delighted me before. +Eustasio said that he had never seen the spot so dry in all his many +journeys. Nor were there orchids blooming on the great tree near; nor +any of the little toucans which had been so attractive in 1896. As we +stood, seeking for these well-remembered things, we heard curious cries +rising from the valley. At first, I thought it was indians wailing for +the dead; then, that it was a band of pilgrims singing. But it turned +out to be a company of cowboys, bringing cattle up for shipment to +Tabasco. Some rode ahead, and, with loud but not unmusical cries, +invited and urged the animals and their drivers to follow. The beasts +were divided into three bands, thirty or forty in a band, each of which +had its mounted drivers. The animals were lively, and we were warned +that they were _muy bravo_. Manuel had taken the task of driving our +loose cattle, and was fearful that he would be overtaken, asserting that +the cowboys had said that he must keep on, as they could not pass him +with their animals. When he came up to where we were, we put a quick +end to his folly, driving our three oxen to the outer edge of the road, +where Louis and he stood guard over them, while I crept up on the cliff +to avoid scaring the animals that were coming. It took much driving, +urging, and coaxing on the part of the cowboys to get the first two or +three to pass us, but after they had led the way, the others followed +with a rush. + +[Illustration: AGUA BENDITA] + +[Illustration: MOVING THE GREAT STONE; AGUA BENDITA] + +Presently our passenger-cart came along, with both teams of oxen hitched +to it; the new animals had proved too light to drag their proper loads, +so the freight-cart had been left behind, and the full force employed in +dragging the first cart up the hill. Just beyond this spot, we found a +gang of indians, under a superintendent, prying off an immense rock mass +that had fallen from the cliff above onto the road, with the intention +of dumping it over the wall into the abyss. It would have been a sight +to have seen it plunge, but we had no time to wait, so simply stopped +a few minutes to see the method of moving the immense mass with pole +pries. Our cart had gone ahead, so we finished the ascent on foot, and +having gained the summit, walked a short distance on the high plateau to +Petapa, where the cart and _carretero_, Manuel and Ramon, were waiting. +Before we arrived, we met our men going back with the four oxen for +the freight-cart. We had supper at the ranch, and waited, until at six +o'clock everything was ready. Here we sent back the two yokes of animals +which we had brought from Jiquipilas, and secured a fine, strong beast +to make up our number, and started. We did not stop to grease the +wheels, for lack of time. It was dark, and the first part of the journey +was uncertain and difficult; coming out on to the Llano Grande, we found +things easy, though here and there were stony places, where we jolted +fearfully. At 10:30, we had passed La Cienega, and our ungreased wheels +were not only an annoyance, but, Eustasio suggested, a source of danger, +as they might take fire. So, at 11:30, we stopped to grease them. As the +axles and wheels were then too hot for grease to be safely applied, we +lay down while they should cool. Probably in less than five minutes, we +were all asleep, and no one moved until, waking with a start and looking +at my watch, I found it two in the morning. We hastily applied grease, +without removing the wheels, and hurried onward, passing Sabino Perez, +Yerba Santa, and Sabinal. Here, the errors in our _itinerario_, and in +our driver's guessing at distances, were curiously emphasized. We had a +rather heavy descent, for some distance, over a limestone hill called +Santo Domingo. Nowhere do I know of any road which, under the best +of circumstances, seems as long as the last stretch before Tuxtla +Gutierrez. This we had noticed on our earlier journey, when we were +mounted on horseback. Present conditions were not likely to diminish the +impression. At last, at 11:30 in the morning of March 12, we reached the +capital city of the State of Chiapas, and were taken by our _carretero_ +to the little old Hotel Mexico, kept by Paco, where we met a hearty +welcome and, for several days, made up for the hardships of our journey +in the way of eating. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +AT TUXTLA GUTIERREZ + +(1901) + + +We knew that Governor Pimentel was not at home, having met him in +Coalzacoalcos, where we had presented our official letters, and had +received from him a communication to his Lieutenant-Governor, Lopez. +Having spent the afternoon in settling and cleaning, I called in the +evening upon Governor Lopez and explained my needs. After chatting a +little time together, he inquired whether I had not made the steamboat +journey from Coalzacoalcos to Vera Cruz in March, 1896, and, upon my +answering in the affirmative, told me that we had been fellow-travellers +on that occasion. He promised that there should be no delay, and made +an appointment with me for the morning. I then called on Don Conrado +Palacios, who lived directly opposite our little tavern, and who claimed +that he recognized me the moment I dismounted from our cart this +morning. He is still photographer, but for three years of the time since +last we met has been living in the State of Vera Cruz, and but lately +returned to Tuxtla. In the morning, Governor Lopez supplied the letters +for my further journey, and summoned the _jefe politico_ and the +_presidente_ of the city and gave them personal orders that they were to +assist, in every way, my work at Tuxtla, among the Zoques. The _jefe_ +himself took charge of my arrangements, put his office at my disposition +for a workshop, and the work began at once. Contrary to my usual +experience, we had less difficulty in securing female subjects here +than male. The male indians of Tuxtla are, in large part, employed in +contract labor on _fincas_ at a distance from the town. According to +their contract, they are not subject to the order of local authorities, +and may not be summoned without permission of their employers, or a +pecuniary settlement with them. The first day, more than half the women +were measured, and the second day, the rest. As is well known the women +of Tehuantepec are famous for their beauty. It is not so well known that +rivalry exists between them and the women of Tuxtla in this matter. This +rivalry had been called to our attention on our preceding visit, and we +found that it had in no wise abated. Personally, we saw no comparison +between the two sets of women, the Tehuantepecanas being far superior. +Eustasio, however, ungallantly and unpatriotically declared that he +thought the women of Tuxtla the handsomer; however, we suspect that +Eustasio would find the women of any town he might be in, the champions +in beauty for the time being. Their dress is picturesque. The _enagua_ +is made of two strips of dark blue cloth, sewed together, side by side, +with a fancy stitching of colored silks. The free borders are also +decorated with similar stitching, and the ends of the strip, which is +usually more than two yards in length, sewn together with similarly +decorative needlework. In fastening this garment about the body, no belt +is used. The open bag is gathered in about the waist, the surplus is +folded into pleats in front and the overlap, at the upper edge, is so +tucked in as to hold the garment tightly in place, and at the same time +form a pouch, or pocket, in which small articles are carried. The little +_huipil_, worn upon the upper body, is of thin, white cotton cloth, +native-woven, but a neat and pretty stuff; there are no sleeves, and the +neck-opening and arm-slits are bordered with pleated strips of cotton, +worked with black embroidery. A larger _huipil_ is regularly carried, +but we never saw it in use; practically, it never is worn. If put in +place, it would form a garment for the body, with the neck-opening and +sleeves bordered with lace, and the lower edge reaching to the knees. +The woman carries this garment with her, folding it into a sort of pad, +which she places on her head, letting it hang down upon the back and +shoulders. Upon this cushion, the woman carries a great bowl, made from +the rind of a sort of squash or pumpkin, in which she brings her stuff +to market. These vessels are a specialty of the neighborhood, being made +at Chiapa; they are richly decorated with a lacquer finish, of bright +color. In carrying a baby, the child is placed against one side of the +body, with its little legs astride, one in front and one behind, and +then lashed in place by a strip of cloth, which is knotted over the +woman's opposite shoulder. Almost every Zoque woman is asymmetrical, +from this mode of carrying babies, one shoulder being much higher than +the other. Among the subjects measured, was a woman notable in several +ways. She was the fattest indian woman we had ever seen; she was the +richest of her kind, and not only were her garments beautiful in work +and decoration, but she was gorgeous with necklaces, bristling with gold +coins and crosses; more than this, she was a capital case of purple +_pinta_. The disease is common among the indians of the town, and, while +both the red and white forms are found, purple seems to be the common +type. Sometimes the face looks as if powder-burned, the purple blotch +appearing as if in scattered specks; at other times, the purple spots +are continuous, and the skin seems raised and pitted. + +[Illustration: ZOQUE MODE OF CARRYING BABIES; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +[Illustration: FAT, RICH, AND PIXTA; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +It appears that the adjusting of family quarrels and disputes between +friends are among the duties of the _jefe_. In the office that day, a +quarrel was settled involving two young men related by blood and by +comradeship; a woman and a man of middle age were also interested; +the quarrel had been a serious one, involving assaults, ambushes, and +shootings. The _jefe_ first summoned each of the four persons singly, +going over the whole matter with each one; the more intelligent of the +two combatants was first to be reasoned with; then the woman was called +in and he and she were left together in the office. For a long time, +they would not even speak to each other. Finding this condition, the +_jefe_ reasoned with them, and warned them that they must come to some +conclusion, after which he left them to themselves again. At first +they would not speak, but finally held a conversation, and came to an +understanding; the old man was then called in and made to talk the +matter over with the two, who had already been in conference. Lastly, +the more belligerent youth was summoned, the _jefe_ remaining in the +room with the whole party. At first he would not speak, but finally his +pride and anger gave way, and he shook hands with his cousin, and the +whole party left, after promising the _jefe_ that the past should be +forgotten. + +The first afternoon that we were working, a curious couple came to the +_jefe's_ office. The woman was not unattractive, though rather bold +and hard in bearing. She was dark, pretentiously made-up, and rather +elegantly dressed. The gentleman was a quiet, handsome fellow, dressed +in sober black. When they sailed in, I supposed they were the _jefe's_ +personal friends. Sitting down, they showed interest in my work, and the +lady in a rather strident voice, but with much composure, addressed +us in English. Her knowledge of our language, however, proved to be +extremely limited, being confined to such expressions as "How are you, +sir?" "I am very well," "Yes, sir," "No, sir," and "I know New York." +She was a mystery to the town, where she was commonly called "the +Turkish lady." + +[Illustration: ZOQUE WOMEN; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN ALCALDES; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +This nickname, her limited knowledge of English, and her boasted +acquaintance with New York, aroused the question, in my mind, whether +she might not have been an oriental dancer. She, herself, told us that +she was born in South America, and referred to Caracas, as if it were a +place with which she was familiar. The _jefe_ was extremely polite in +his dealings with these people, and, as soon as they were seated, rang +his bell for glasses, and we all drank the lady's health in cognac. The +fact was, that these two persons were prisoners; they had come here +within a few days, and had the city for a prison; as they had made no +effort to leave the town, their movements were not interfered with, but +if they had attempted to step outside the city limits, they would have +been shot without a word of warning. The _jefe_ himself did not know who +they were, nor what crime they had committed; nor did he know how long +they would remain in his custody; they had come a weary journey, as he +put it, "along the Cordillera;" they had been passed from hand to hand, +from one _jefe_ to another; when the order came, he was to start them on +their journey to the _jefe_ of the next district. Of the many stories +told regarding them, a few will serve as samples. She was said to be the +wife of a wealthy merchant of Campeche, from whom she had eloped with +her companion, carrying away $150,000. According to another view, they +were connected with an important band of forgers and robbers, who had +been carrying on extensive operations. The most minutely detailed story, +however, was that she had been the mistress and favorite of Francisco +Canton, Governor of the State of Yucatan; that, pleased with a younger +and handsomer man, she had stolen $7,000 from His Excellency, and +attempted an elopement; that, captured, they were being sent as +prisoners, nominally to Mexico. Whether any of these stories had a basis +of fact, we cannot say, but from remarks the prisoners themselves made +to us, we feel sure that the centre of their trouble was Merida, and +that, in some way, they had offended the pompous governor. At all +events, it is likely that, long before these words are written, both +have met their death upon the road. It is a common thing for prisoners, +passing along the Cordillera, to be shot "while attempting to escape +from their guard." + +The _jefe politico_ of this district is a man of education, and +professional ability; he is a physician, trained in the City of Mexico; +he is ingenious in mechanics, and has devised a number of instruments +and inventions of a scientific kind. He had been but a short time in +this district, having come from Tonala, where he has a _finca_. He +entertained us at his house, while we were there, and showed us every +assistance. It is plain, however, that he found us a white elephant upon +his hands. Not that his willingness was lacking, but where should +he find one hundred indian men? We pestered him almost to death for +subjects, when at last his _secretario_ suggested the district jail. +This was a veritable inspiration. There they were sure we would have no +difficulty in finding the remainder of our hundred. To the jail we went, +but out of seventy-five prisoners fully half were Tzotzils from Chamula +and not Zoques. More than half of the remainder were not indian, but +_mestizos_. In fact, out of the total number, only a baker's dozen +served our purpose. When we again presented ourselves, the following +morning, for subjects, the poor man was in genuine desperation. But +again his assistant made a shrewd suggestion. Yesterday we were at the +jail; to-day we should go to the _cuartel_, and measure the soldiers. +There were two hundred there, and this would more than see us through. +The _jefe_ himself accompanied us to the barracks and introduced us to +the colonel, leaving orders that we should be supplied with every aid, +and went off happy, in the sense of a bad job well done. But out of the +two hundred soldiers in the barracks, just ten turned out to be Zoques +of pure blood. And long before the day was over, we were again clamoring +at the _jefe's_ house for thirty-six more subjects. To tell the truth, +we doubted his ability to secure them, and, in order to lose no time, +started our goods and plaster by _carreta_ for San Cristobal. Still, +while it was plain that he did not know where to look for help, the good +man assured us that we should have our thirty-six subjects the next +morning. Meantime, he sent officials with us to visit certain indian +houses which we desired to examine, and arranged that we should see a +certain characteristic indian dance at his house, at four o'clock that +afternoon. + +Tuxtla Gutierrez is a capital city. It is also a busy commercial centre. +Of course, the population is for the most part _mestizo_, and not +indian. We had been surprised at finding so many indians in the city as +there were. We were yet more surprised to find to what extent the +houses of the city, though admirably built, were truly indian in style, +presenting many points of interest. The walls of the "god-house" were +heavy and substantial, smoothly daubed with mud, neatly plastered and +often adorned with colored decorations. The "cook-house," slighter and +less well-built, was made of poles daubed with mud, and rough with heavy +thatching. The granary was elevated above the ground, and sheltered with +its own neat thatching. + +In the afternoon, at four o'clock, we betook ourselves to the _jefe's_ +house to see the dance. At Tuxtla, there are two town governments, +that of the _mestizos_ and that of the indians. The indian +officials--"_alcaldes indios_"--are recognizable by their dress, which +is a survival of the ancient indian dress of the district. Their +_camisa_, broad hat, and leather breeches, are characteristic. Around +the head, under the hat, they wear a red cloth, and those who have +served as indian _alcaldes_ continue to wear this head-cloth after their +official service ends. These indian officials had been commissioned to +bring together the dancers, and make all necessary arrangements. The +colonel, the prisoners of state, and one or two other guests were +present. The leader of the dance was gaily dressed, in a pair of wide +drawers with lace about the legs below the knee, a pair of overdrawers +made of bright-colored handkerchiefs, and a helmet or cap of bright-red +stuff from which rose a crest of macaw feathers, tipped with tufts of +cotton. On his back, he bore a kind of pouch, the upper edge of which +was bordered with a line of macaw feathers. In his hand, he carried a +wooden war-axe. A pretty little girl, dressed in a Guatemaltec _enagua_, +wore a fancy head-dress, and, in her hand, bore a _jicara_, which was +filled with pink carnival flowers. These two dancers faced each other +and in dancing moved slowly back and forth, and from one foot to the +other; the only other dancers were two men, one of whom was dressed as, +and took the part of a woman. This couple danced in much the same way, +but with greater freedom than the chief persons, and at times circled +around them. The music consisted of a violin and native _pito_ or pipe, +and a drum of the _huehuetl_ type,--cut from a single cylindrical block, +but with skin stretched over both ends instead of one. + +I was surprised the following morning when thirty-six subjects were +produced; we knew that, for the moment, the building operations of the +government palace were discontinued, and we suspected that all the work +done by indians in Tuxtla was likewise temporarily ceased. When the last +one had passed under the instruments, the _jefe_ heaved a sigh, rang his +bell for glasses, and the event was celebrated by a final draught of +cognac. + +[Illustration: ZOQUE DANCERS; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +[Illustration: TZENDALS FROM TENEJAPA; COLD HANDS] + +The man with whom we had expected to arrange for animals had promised to +come to the hotel at seven. He came not then, nor at half-past, nor at +eight, nor at nine. When we sent an inquiry, he made the cool reply, +that it was now too late to arrange matters; that he would see us at +eight the following morning. Furious at his failure, we ourselves went +with the boy from the hotel at ten o'clock to his house, but could not +get him even to open the door. "To-morrow! To-morrow!" was his cry. +Desperate, we went, although it was now almost midnight, to another +_arriero_, who, after some dickering, agreed to leave at eight the +following morning, charging a price something more than fifty per cent +above the usual rate. Of course he was behindhand, but we actually set +out at nine. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +TZOTZILS AND TZENDALS + +(1901) + + +We started out over the hot and dusty road, passing here and there +through cuts of the white earth, which is used by the women of Chiapa in +their lacquer-work. We soon reached the river, and, leaving our animals +behind, to cool before swimming them across, embarked with a dozen other +passengers, and all our baggage, in one of the great canoes, which we +by no means filled. Landing on the other side, with an hour to wait, we +walked down stream, and took a fine bath in the fresh cold, clear, deep +water. Just below where we were bathing, some indians had exploded a +dynamite cartridge, killing a quantity of fish, and the surface was +immediately spotted with their white, upturned bellies. A canoe-load of +four men put out to gather the fish, as soon as the shot was fired. Just +as they reached the spot, and were leaning over the boat to catch them, +the canoe overturned, and all the men were floundering in the water, up +to their necks, and the canoe was rapidly drifting down the stream. The +fish they get here are quite large, and seem to be a kind of cat-fish. +Strolling back to our landing-place, we were interested in the lively +scenes there being enacted. Under little arbors of leafy boughs, women +were washing clothing; crowds of children, of both sexes, were playing +on the sand or splashing in the water; half-a-dozen great canoes were +dragged up on the bank, and amid these a group of little brown fellows, +from ten to fourteen years of age, were swimming; here and there, a man +or woman squatted in the shallow water, dipped water over their bare +bodies with _jicaras_. Now and then the great ferry-boat, loaded with +passengers and with animals swimming alongside, made its crossing. +Presently our seven animals were swum across, and, after a moment's +drying, were repacked and saddled, and we were ready for our forward +movement. + +[Illustration: ZOQUE COMPADRES GREETING; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ] + +[Illustration: OUR FERRY-BOAT; CHIAPA] + +Chiapa was formerly the great town of the Chiapanecs, an Indian tribe to +whom tradition assigns past splendor, but who, to-day, are represented +in three villages, Chiapa, Suchiapa, and Acala. They are much mixed with +Spanish blood, and have largely forgotten their ancient language. It is, +however, from them, that the modern state, Chiapas, received its name. +Chiapa, itself, is a city of some size, situated on a terrace a little +way from the river, with a ridge of hills rising behind it. The _plaza_ +is large, and in it stands a market-building. Near by is a picturesque +old gothic fountain, built of brick. Market was almost over, but we were +interested in seeing the quantities of pineapples and cacao beans there +offered. To lose no time waiting for dinner, we bought bread and one or +two large pineapples, which we ate under the shade of the trees in the +_plaza_. The pineapples were delicious, being tender and exceedingly +sweet; our _arriero_ refused to eat any of them, asserting that they +were barely fit to eat, lacking sweetness, and being prickly to the +taste. The pineapples of Simojovel were to his liking; they are +sugar-sweet, leaving no prickly sensation, and anyone can eat three +whole ones at a sitting. After luncheon, we looked about for examples of +lacquer-work. In one house, we found some small objects and wooden trays +of indifferent workmanship. An old crone, badly affected with _pinto_, +the mother of the young woman artist, showed us the wares. With her was +the older sister of the lady-worker, who, after we had bought two of +the trays, asked whence we came. Upon our telling her that Manuel was a +native of Cordoba, and that I had come from the United States, without a +word of warning she raised her hands, turned her eyes upward, and gave +vent to a torrent of shrill, impassioned, apostrophe to her absent, +artistic sister: "_A dios, hermana mia_, Anastasia Torres, to think that +your art-products should penetrate to those distant lands, to those +remote portions of the world, to be the wonder and admiration of foreign +eyes. _A dios, hermana mia_, Anastasia Torres!" This she repeated +several times, in a voice high enough to be heard a block or two away. +Leaving her to continue her exclamations of joy and admiration over the +fate of her sister's workmanship, we returned to the _plaza_, where, +in a house near by, we found a considerable stock of better work, +consisting of decorated bowls, cups, toy _jicaras_, gourd-rattles, etc. +This brilliant work, characteristic of the town, is carried hundreds +of miles into the States of Oaxaca, Tabasco, Vera Cruz, and into the +Republic of Guatemala. At two o'clock we hurried from the town in the +midst of terrific heat. As we rode out, over the dry and sandy road, we +were impressed by the display of death; not only was there one cemetery, +with its whitened walls and monuments, but at least three other burial +places capped the little hillocks at the border of the town. One, +particularly attracted attention, as it resembled an ancient terraced +pyramid, with a flight of steps up one side. + +From the foothills, we struck up the flank of the great mountain mass +itself. Mounting higher and higher, a great panorama presented itself +behind and below us, including the Chiapa valley, with the hills beyond +it. It was, however, merely extensive, and not particularly beautiful +or picturesque. As we followed the slope towards the crest, into the +narrowing valley, the scene became bolder, until we were at the very +edge of a mighty chasm, which yawned sheer at our side. Following it, we +saw the gorge suddenly shallow hundreds of feet by a vast precipice of +limestone rock rising from its bottom. Having passed this, we journeyed +on up the canon, lessened in grandeur, but still presenting pretty bits +of scenery. Up to this point, limestone had prevailed, but from here on, +we passed over various formations--heavy beds of sand or clay, lying +upon conglomerates and shales. The road wound astonishingly, and at one +point, coming out upon a hog's-back ridge, we found that we had actually +made a loop, and stood directly above where we had been some time +before. Near sunset, we reached the summit, and looked down upon the +little town of Ixtapa, upon a high _llano_ below, and seeming to be a +half-hour's ride distant. Descending on to the _llano_, we found it +intersected by deep and narrow gorges; following along the level, narrow +ridge, surrounded by ravines on every side, except the one from which we +had approached, we presently descended, along its flank, the bank of the +deepest of these _barrancas_. The sun had set long before we reached +the bottom, and through the darkness, we had to climb up over the steep +dugway in the sandy clay to the village, which we reached at seven. The +little room supplied us for a sleeping-place was clean and neat, the +floor was strewn with fresh and fragrant pine-needles, and the wooden +beds were supplied with _petates_. Leaving before eight, the following +morning, we travelled through a beautiful canon, with an abundant stream +of whitish-blue water, tumbling in fine cascades among the rocks, and +dashing now and then into deep pools of inky blackness. Having passed +through it, our bridle-trail plunged abruptly downward. From it, we +looked upon a neighboring slope, cut at three different levels, one +above the other, for the cart-road. Passing next through a small canon +of little beauty, but where the air was heavy with an odor like vanilla, +coming from sheets of pale-purple or violet flowers, on trees of eight +or ten feet in height, we reached San Sebastian, where we found our +_carretero_, whom we supposed to have reached San Cristobal the day +before. Rating him soundly, and threatening dire consequences from his +delay, we resumed our journey. We were also worried over our _mozo_, +who started from Chiapa at noon, the day before, with our photographic +instruments, and whom we had not seen since, although there were several +places where we would gladly have taken views. From here, for a long +distance, the road was a hard, steep climb, over limestone in great +variety--solid limestone, tufaceous stuff, concretionary coatings, satin +spar, and calcite crystals. Having passed a small pueblo, or large +_finca_, lying in a little plain below us, we looked down upon +Zinacantan. The descent was quickly made, and passing through the +village, without stopping, we made a long, slow, ascent before catching +sight of our destination, San Cristobal. It made a fine appearance, +lying on a little terrace at the base of hills, at the very end of the +valley. Its churches and public buildings are so situated as to make +the most impression; on account of its length and narrowness, the town +appears much larger than it really is. We entered at one end, and then, +practically, paralleled our trail through it to the centre, where we +stopped at the Hotel Progreso, at 3:30 in the afternoon. We went to the +palace, and made arrangements so promptly that we could have begun work +immediately, if the _carretero_ and _mozo_ had not been behind. As it +was, we waited until next day, and were warned by the _secretario_ at +the _jefatura_ that there would not be enough light for work before nine +o'clock. In the evening, we called on Padre Sanchez, well known for his +study of the native languages, and the works he had written regarding +them. He is a large man, well-built, of attractive appearance, and of +genial manner. He has been _cura_ in various indian towns among the +Chamulas, and he loves the indians, and is regarded as a friend by them. +We were prepared for a cold night, and had it, though no heavy frost +formed, as had done the night before. In one day's journey, the +traveller finds towns, in this neighborhood, with totally different +climates. Here woolen garments are necessary, and in towns like Chamula +and Cancuc the indians find the heaviest ones comfortable. Our rating of +the _carretero_ had an effect both prompt and dire; when we left him, +he hastened to hire carriers to bring in the more important part of our +load; these, he insisted, should travel all night, and at eight o'clock +we found them at the hotel. In the darkness they had stumbled, and our +loads had fallen. Whole boxes of unused plates were wrecked, and, still +worse, many of our choicest negatives were broken. At nine o'clock the +missing _mozo_ appeared with the instruments; it is customary for our +carrier to keep up with the company, as we have frequent need of taking +views upon the journey; this was almost the only instance, in the +hundreds of leagues that we have travelled on horseback, over mountain +roads, where our carrier had failed to keep alongside of the animals, or +make the same time in journeying that we mounted travellers did. + +[Illustration: THE JAIL; SAN CRISTOBAL] + +[Illustration: TZOTZIL MUSICIANS IN SAN CRISTOBAL JAIL] + +Though there had been an early mist, there was no lack of sunshine, even +before seven. Still, we did not go to the palace until nine o'clock, the +hour set. San Cristobal was formerly the capital of the state, and its +public buildings are more pretentious than usual in _cabeceras_. The +place in which we did our work was a building of two stories, filling +one side of the plaza. We worked in the broad corridor of the second +story, outside of the _secretario's_ office, from which our subjects, +mostly indians who had come to pay school-taxes, were sent to us for +measurement. The market-place of San Cristobal is characteristically +indian. Not only do the two chief tribes which frequent it--Tzotzils and +Tzendals--differ in dress, but even the different villages of each wear +characteristic garments. The Tzotzil of Chamula differs from his brother +of Huixtan and San Bartolome; the Tzendal women of Tenejapa, Cancuc and +San Andres may be quickly recognized by difference in dress. + +Most interesting are the Tzotzils of Chamula. Though looked upon by the +_mestizos_ of San Cristobal as mere brutes and savages, they are notably +industrious. They weave heavy, woolen blankets and _chamaras_; they +are skilled carpenters, making plain furniture of every kind; they are +musicians, and manufacture quantities of harps, guitars, and +violins; they braid straw, and make hats of palm; they are excellent +leather-dressers, and give a black stain and polish to heavy leather, +which is unequalled by the work of their white neighbors. Men wear lower +garments of cotton, and heavy black woolen over-garments, which are +gathered at the waist with woolen girdles. They wear broad-brimmed, +low-crowned hats, of their own braiding, which they adorn with long, +streaming, red and green ribbons. Their sandals are supplied with +heel-guards of black leather, the height of which indicates the wealth +or consequence of the wearer. These indians of Chamula have a love of +liberty and desire for independence. The most serious outbreak of recent +times was theirs in 1868, when, under the influence of the young woman, +Checheb, they attempted to restore the native government, the indian +life, and the old-time religion. Temples were erected to the ancient +gods, whose inspired priestess the young woman claimed to be; but three +hundred years of Christianity had accustomed them to the idea of a +Christ crucified; an indian Christ was necessary, not one from the hated +invading race; accordingly, a little indian lad, the nephew of the +priestess, was crucified, to become a saviour for their race. Their +plans involved the killing of every white and _mestizo_ in all the +country; in reality, more than one hundred men, women, and children, +in the _fincas_ and little towns, were killed; San Cristobal, then the +capital city, suffered a veritable panic, and it took the entire force +of the whole state to restore order. + +[Illustration: TZOTZILS; HUIXTAN] + +[Illustration: TZOTZIL WOMAN; CHAMULA] + +The Tzendals of Tenejapa are picturesque in the extreme. Their dark +skin, their long black hair, completely covering and concealing the +ears, their coarse features, and the black and white striped _chamaras_ +of wool--which they buy from the weavers of Chamula--form a striking +combination. They do but little weaving, their chief industry being the +raising and selling of fruits. Most of the men carry a little sack, +netted from strong fibre, slung at one side. Among other trifling +possessions in it, is generally a little gourd filled with a green +powder, which they call _mai_, or _pelico_. It consists chiefly of +tobacco, with a mixture of lime and chili, and is chewed, no doubt, for +stimulating properties--to remove the weariness of the road, and "to +strengthen the teeth," as some say. + +When we had exhausted the stock of those who came to pay their taxes, +it was suggested that we would find good subjects in the jail. This +occupied what was once a fine old convent, built around a large +open court, and connected with the church, which, judging from its +elaborately carved facade, must have been beautiful. On presenting our +credentials to the officials, an order was given, and all the pure-blood +indians, one hundred at least, were lined up before us for inspection. +There were Tzotzils from Chamula, and Tzendals from Tenejapa, and among +them many excellent faces, showing the pure types, finely developed. +Having made our inspection, and indicated those whom we should use, we +looked about the prison. The prisoners were housed in the old rooms of +the monastery, each of which was large enough for six or eight persons. +In these rooms, each prisoner had his personal possessions--good +clothing, tools, cherished articles, instruments of music. Those who +cared to do so, were permitted to work at such things as they could do, +and the product of their labor was sold for their benefit. Some braided +palm into long strips, to make up into hats; others plaited straw into +elaborate, decorative cords or bands for hats; some wove _pita_ into +pouches; some dressed leather. Almost all were busily employed. Freedom +of conversation and visiting was permitted, and there was no particular +hardship in the matter of imprisonment, except the inability to go +outside. We were impressed with the fact that, in appearance and manner, +few, if any, of these indian prisoners, particularly the Chamulas, +showed any signs of criminal tendencies. In fact, they were as clean, +as frank, as docile, as intelligent, as any persons we might find in +Mexico. A little curious to know the charges on which they had been +committed, we inquired, and discovered that some had fifteen or twenty +points against them, among which were such trifling charges as murder, +manslaughter, arson, rape, and highway robbery. We thought best not to +inquire too closely, but it is doubtful, whether any of the subjects +here incarcerated under these long and dreadful lists of charges, are +guilty of anything except insurrection--a final struggle for freedom. + +[Illustration: POSITION OF REST; TZENDALS, TENEJAPA] + +[Illustration: TZOTZILS FROM HUIXTAN] + +There were various signs of the approach of Holy Week, and the landlady +at our hotel, and her various helpers, were busy manufacturing incense +for that occasion. This was made in sticks, as thick as the thumb, and +six or eight inches in length, of a black color. Besides copal, leaves +and other materials from various kinds of odorous plants were employed +in its fabrication; the incense thus made is really fragrant, and it +would be interesting to know whether it is, in part at least, of indian +origin. In three days we had completed our examination of the men, but +not a woman had been produced for examination. On the fourth day, we +reiterated our demands to the authorities, and Don Murcio, the janitor +or messenger, who had been put subject to our order, was almost frantic. +He declared that to secure the women we needed would tax every power of +the government; that they refused to come; that his mere appearance in +the market caused a scattering. Finally, we told him, that if he would +provide twenty-five Chamula women, we would get the Tzendals in their +villages, as we passed through them. Encouraged, by having one-half of +our demand abated, he made another visit to the market. Soon we heard +excited voices, and a moment later Don Murcio came rushing up the stairs +with both arms filled with black _chamaras_. It is the custom of the +indian women, when they come to market, and settle down with wares to +sell, to fold their heavier garments and lay them on the ground beside +them. Don Murcio had gathered up the first of these he came to, and fled +with them to the government palace, while the crowd of angry women, +chasing along behind, expressed their feelings vigorously. Putting the +garments out of reach, the women were told by the officials, that each +would receive back her property as soon as the strangers made their +desired measurements. While we were dealing with the first cluster, Don +Murcio sallied forth, and returned once more with garments and women. In +this way, the work proceeded, until the final lot were in our hands. +Not to unnecessarily increase their terrors, we had refrained from +photographing, until the final company had been secured. We had told the +officials of our plan, and as these later ones were measured, they were +told that they must wait for their garments until the last one was +measured, and until the gentleman had done some other work. When all had +been measured, it was explained to the six of seven in the group, that +they were to go down into the _patio_, where a picture would be taken of +the company. That they might be properly prepared for the picture, their +garments were returned. Suspecting no treachery, Don Murcio led the +way, and one of two police officers accompanied the forward part of the +procession, while Louis brought up the rear, in expectation of making +the portrait. All went well until the first two or three had entered the +_patio_, when the rest suddenly balked, and started to run out onto the +street. Hearing the confusion, I started down and caught one of the +women as she neared the doorway, while Louis held another, and each of +the police officers, and Don Murcio, seized a prisoner. So violent, +however, were the struggles, and so loud the outcries of the woman whom +I held, that I released her, which was the unintended signal for each of +the other guards to do the same, and our group vanished and all thought +of gathering a second was given up in desperation. + +[Illustration: TZOTZIL BROTHERS; CHAMULA] + +[Illustration: TZENDAL FATHER AND SON; TENEJAPA] + +The morning had thus passed; animals for the further journey had been +ordered for ten o'clock, and were really ready a little before three. +For once, however, _we_ were not prepared. It was our custom to pack the +busts in petroleum boxes; these boxes, each holding a five-gallon can of +oil, are of just the size to take a single bust, and they are so thin +and light, yet at the same time, so well constructed, that they served +our purpose admirably. In small indian towns, they are frequently +unobtainable, but in the places where _mestizos_ live, it had been +always easy to procure them, at prices varying from ten to twenty-five +cents each. In a town the size of San Cristobal, it should be easy to +get them; to our surprise, we found that they had been in such demand, +for carrying purposes by public workmen, that the supply was small and +the price outrageous. We had left the securing of the boxes and the +packing of the busts to our plaster-worker, and, though we knew he had +had difficulty, imagined that he had secured all needed, and that the +busts would be all ready. Diligent search, however, had secured but two +boxes, and ridiculous prices had been demanded for those. All of us took +to the streets, visiting stores and private houses, and at last five +boxes were secured, though they were a dilapidated lot, with bad covers. +For these we paid an average of sixty-two cents each. Realizing the time +and labor necessary for securing boxes, stuff for packing, and for the +work of putting up the busts, we dismissed our horsemen, and arranged +for leaving the next morning. In fact, night had fallen before our work +was done. Leaving a little before eight, we had a magnificent mountain +ride. For a league or more, we rose steadily over a cart-road; keeping +at a high altitude, and, with but little of ups and downs, we journeyed +through fine pine forests, with oaks mingled, here and there, among the +pines. We met quantities of Chamula and Tenejapa indians on their way to +market. The Chamulas carried chairs, loads of well-tanned skins, and +sacks full of little, round wooden boxes, well and neatly made, while +the Tenejapes were loaded with nets of oranges, _limas_, and +_ahuacates_. We were sorry to leave the village of Chamula to one side, +but lack of time forbade our visiting it. It was amusing to note the +terror of our _arriero_ on the road. Until we passed Cancuc, he was +constantly expecting attack from the dreadful indians of Chamula, +Tenejapa, and Cancuc, telling us that such attacks might be expected at +any time, but particularly in the early morning and in the dusk of +evening. What indians we met were most gentle, and answered our +salutations with apparent kindness. After a long journey on the high, +smooth road, we finally began descending into a pretty valley, and soon +saw the great town of Tenejapa, below us, on a space almost as level as +a floor, neatly laid out, and still decked with the arches erected for a +recent fiesta. The _agente_ of the town had been warned of our coming, +by telephone from the _jefatura_, and received us warmly, a little +before one o'clock, giving us a large and comfortable room in the +municipal building, supplied with chairs and benches, and a table, +though without beds or mats. We were here delayed by the slowness of the +old man, who had been furnished at San Cristobal for carrying our +instruments. By three o'clock, all was ready, and the twenty-five women +were summoned. They gave no kind of trouble, and by six o'clock the work +was done. Women here braid their hair in two braids, which are wrapped +about closely with cords, making them look like red ropes; these are +then wound around the head and picturesquely fastened. The _huipils_ of +cotton are short, and decorated with scattered designs, worked in color, +and loosely arranged in transverse bands. Belts are of wool, red in +color, and broad, but not long. Over their shoulders the women wear, +particularly in cool weather, a red and blue striped cotton shawl or +wrap. The red worn--whether in belts, wraps, or hair-strings--is all of +one shade, a dull crimson-red. As night fell, dozens of little bonfires +were lighted in the plaza, made from cobwork piles of fat-pine. People +were already gathering from other pueblos for market, and many of them +slept through the night in the open market-place. The band played a +mournful piece, repeatedly, during the evening, and some rockets were +fired--no doubt, the tailing-off of the late fiesta. + +[Illustration: CLOSE OF MARKET, TENEJAPA] + +Market had begun in the morning, as we prepared to leave, but the +great plaza was not more than half-full, and there was little that was +characteristic. Noteworthy, however, were the great loaves of salt made +at Ixtapa; about the size of old-fashioned sugar-loaves, they were +shaped in rush-mats, and showed the marks of the matting on their +surface; saws were used to cut off pieces for purchasers. The _agente_ +said that it was not good, being mixed with earth or sand. He, himself, +came from the neighborhood of Tapachula, where quantities of salt are +made from the lagoon water. The salt-water and the salt-soaked earth +from the bottom of the lagoon are put into vats and leached, and the +resulting saline is boiled in ovens, each of which contains an _olla_. +The industry is conducted by _ladinos_, as well as indians, but the salt +is poor. + +It was 8:45 when we started, and almost immediately we began a hard +climb over limestone, giving a severe test to our poor animals. At the +summit we found a group of indian carriers, who, as usual, stopped +at the pass to rest and look upon the landscape. The view was really +beautiful, the little town lying in a curious, level valley, which was +encircled by an abrupt slope, and which had been excavated from an +almost level plateau. For some time, we followed this high level, but +finally plunged down into a deep gully, where our road passed away +to the left in a dry gorge, while to the right, the valley deepened +abruptly by a great vertical wall. When we reached the point of sudden +deepening, in the gorge below, we saw water, bursting in volume from the +cliff's base. Dismounting from our horses, and climbing down, we found +a magnificent arch of limestone over the emerging stream, the water of +which was fresh and cold, and clear as crystal. The shallow portion of +the valley marks the ancient level of the stream. In some past time, the +stream had sunk, cutting a subterranean channel under its old bed, which +was left high and dry. The deep part of the valley may be due to the +falling of the roof of rock above the subterranean stream. Following up +the ancient valley, we presently turned into one of its old tributary +gorges, coming out into a country well-wooded with pines and oaks. The +whole country hereabouts is composed of monoclines, all the crests +presenting one long, gentle slope, with rocks dipping with the slope, +and one abrupt short slope, cutting the strata. The roads, for the most +part, follow along the edge of these monoclines, making them unusually +long, though easy. The rocks over which we passed were an olive +shaly-sandstone, with notable concentric weathering, limestone, and here +and there, red sandstone, abundantly green-spotted. Indians, everywhere, +were burning over fields, preparatory to planting, while the day was +clear, the smoke rose in clouds, and at many places we suffered from +these field fires. Twice we passed a point just as the flames leaped +from one side of the road to the other, and rode between two lines of +blaze. The fire, burning green branches and stalks, caused thousands of +loud explosions, like the rattle of musketry. + +Long before we were near it, we caught sight of Cancuc, the beautiful, +perched upon its lofty crest. In San Cristobal, our journey had +been matter of conversation among the _mestizos_ and many and dire +predictions had been made. "Ah, yes, it is easy for these gentlemen to +do this work here in the _cabecera_, but let them get to Tenejapa, and +Cancuc--there it will be another matter; they will be killed upon the +journey; if they reach Cancuc, they will never leave the town alive." +The town is built on the edge of a ridge, which drops in both +directions, leaving barely room for the placing of houses. From it, we +looked out in every direction over a magnificent landscape. Cancuc is +famous for the insurrection of 1712. Curiously, like the outbreak at +Chamula in 1868, it was due to the visions and religious influence of a +girl. Maria Candaleria was the centre and impulse of the whole movement. +Dr. Brinton has thrown the incident, which abounded in picturesque +details, and which caused the Spanish government great difficulty, into +a little drama, which bears the name of the inspired priestess. + +[Illustration: TZENDAL MAN AND WIFE; TENEJAPA] + +[Illustration: TZENDALS; TENEJAPA] + +We were now within the district of my friend Valencia. Two years ago, +when we passed through the country of the Mixes, he was the _jefe +politico_ of the District of Yautepec; he had been transferred to this +state and this district, with his _cabecera_ at Ocosingo. That town lay +far from our course, and we had written Senor Valencia, that we planned +to pass through his district, but had not time to visit the _cabecera_. +We named the towns through which we planned to pass, and begged him to +send orders directly to the local authorities, instead of trying to +communicate with us. This he had done promptly, and during our stay in +his district, everything was done for us without delay. The _agente_ +at Cancuc is a new official, but a man of sense, and sympathy for the +indians, among whom he lives. We arrived at half-past three and had our +_mozo_ been on time, might have done some work. The _agente_ showed +us the historic picture in the old church; it is the portrait of a +clergyman, whose influence did much to quell the insurrection in 1713. +More interesting to us than the old picture, were groups of indians, +kneeling and praying. When they knelt, they touched their foreheads and +faces to the ground, which they saluted with a kiss. Having assumed +the attitude of prayer, they were oblivious to all around them, and, +curiously, their prayers were in the native language. The town-house was +placed at the disposition of our party, but the _agente's_ bed, in his +own house, was given to me. As I sat writing at the table in his room, +the whole town government--a dozen or so in number--stalked in. Most of +them wore the heavy black _chamaras_ made by the Chamula indians. These +were so long that they almost swept the ground. The faces of the men +were dark and wild, and their hair hung in great black shocks down upon +their shoulders and backs. In their hands they held their long official +staves. Advancing to the table where I sat, in the order of their rank, +they saluted me, kissing my hand; arranging themselves in a half-circle +before my table, the _presidente_ placed before me a bowl filled with +eggs, each wrapped in corn-husks, while the first _alcalde_ deposited a +cloth filled with a high pile of hot _tortillas_; a speech was made in +Tzendal, which was translated by the second official, in which they told +me that they appreciated our visit; it gave them pleasure that such +important persons should come from such a distance to investigate the +life and manners of their humble town; they trusted that our errand +might be entirely to our wishes, and that, in leaving, we might bear +with us a pleasant memory. They begged us to accept the poor presents +they had brought, while they assured us that, in them, we had our +thousand most obedient servants. And this in Cancuc--the town where +we were to have met our death! At night, the fires on a hundred hills +around us made a magnificent display, forming all sorts of fantastic +combinations and outlines. In the evening, the son of the _agente_, who +had been to Tenango with a friend, came home in great excitement. He was +a lively young fellow of eighteen years. At the river-crossing, where +they arrived at five in the evening, a black cow, standing in the river, +scared their horses so that they could not make them cross; the boy +emptied his revolver at the animal, but with no effect; it was clearly +a _vaca bruja_--witch cow; an hour and a half was lost before they +succeeded in getting their horses past with a rush. + +[Illustration: THE TOWN GOVERNMENT; CANCUC] + +The morning was spent in making pictures. While still in Yucatan, we +heard about the music of Cancuc, and among our views was one of the +musicians. These are three in number, and they head processions at +fiestas; the drum, like that we saw at Tuxtla, is cylindrical, with two +heads; the _pito_ is the usual reed whistle; the _tortuga_, a large +turtle-shell, was brought from Palenque; it is hung by a belt to the +player, and is beaten on the lower side with two leg-bones of a deer. +The Cancuc dress is simple. Men wear the breech-clout, and, when they +carry burdens, little else; at other times, they wear short, cotton +trousers which hardly reach the knees. The chief garment is a _camisa_, +of native cotton, with a colored stitching at the neck and along the +seam where the two edges join; this _camisa_ is of such length that, +when girded, it hangs just to, or a little below, the lower edge of the +trouser leg. The belts are home-woven, but are made of cotton which is +bought already dyed a brilliant red or yellow. Women wear woolen belts +made by Chamulas; their _enaguas_ are plain, dull blue in color; their +_huipils_ are a dirty white, with a minimum of colored stitching. The +chief industry at Cancuc is raising pigs for market. + +At 1:15 we started from the town, and rode down the crest of long, +gently-sloping ridges, which seemed interminable. The rock over which we +passed was red sandstone, mottled and streaked with green, red shale, +and occasional patches of conglomerate. Crossing a little stream by a +pretty bridge, we made an abrupt ascent, and soon saw the little town, +Cuaquitepec, at the base of the opposite hill. + +We met many indians carrying great ovoidal jars which were made at +Tenango, and which are chiefly used for carrying _chicha_. This is a +fermented drink, made from the sap of sugar-cane, and is much used +throughout this state and the adjoining parts of Central America. We +inquired of a girl who carried such a vessel, what she had, and asked +to try it. She gave us a sip in a wee gourd-vessel, holding less than a +wine-glass. Knowing nothing of the price of _chicha_, we gave her six +centavos, with which she seemed well satisfied. A little later, deciding +to test the drink again, we stopped a man, who had a vessel of it, and +again were given the little cup. On stating that we wished a centavo's +worth, we were much surprised to have him fill a great _jicara_ for +the price mentioned. It seems the little vessel is carried only for +sampling, and that a sale is made only after the purchaser has approved +the quality. + +Reaching Cuaquitepec at five, we rode up to the town-house, that the +authorities might know that we had passed. The place is small and +dwindling; there are relatively many _ladinos_, and few indians. They +were expecting us, and seemed disappointed at our refusal to stop. +The shell of the old church, almost ready to fall, suggested past +magnificence. The little modern structure, at its side, is suited to the +present needs. We were vexed at the wanton sacrifice of a great +tree, which had stood near the town-house, but whose giant trunk was +prostrate, and stripped of its branches. A man on foot showed us the +road beyond the town, and it was moonlight before we reached Citala, +where we planned to sleep. Of the town itself, we know nothing. The old +church is decaying, but in its best days must have been magnificent. The +_presidente_ was absent, but his wife, an active, bustling intelligent +_ladino_, expected us, and did everything possible for our comfort. +Eggs, beans, _tortillas_ and coffee made up the supper. A room, +containing a bed for me, and _petates_ on the floor for my companions, +was waiting. When a light was struck more than a dozen great cockroaches +were seen running over the wall, none of them less than two inches and a +half in length, and of the most brilliant orange and dark brown. In the +morning, a fine chicken breakfast was promptly ready, and the woman had +summoned a _cargador_ to be ready for our starting. She said that in +this town there is a considerable indian population, and that these +Tzendals are tall and strongly-built, in comparison with those of +Cuaquitepec, and other neighboring towns. She regretted that we could +not wait until her husband came, as she had sent him word of our +arrival, and was expecting him. We assured her that she had done +everything which he could possibly have done, had he been present, and +that we should, with pleasure, report our satisfaction to the _jefe_. + +[Illustration: INDIAN CARRIERS RESTING] + +[Illustration: DRIVING PIGS, NEAR CANCUC] + +The _cargador_ whom she supplied, was a comfort, after the wretched +sluggards whom we had lately had. With our instruments upon his +shoulders, he trotted, like a faithful dog, directly at our side, from +start to finish, never showing the least weariness or sense of burden. +Both foot _mozos_ and _arrieros_ through this district carry a mass of +_posole_ with them on a journey. Unlike that which Eustasio and his +Zapotec companions carried, the mass here is pure corn, white and moist, +being kept wrapped in fresh banana leaves; at every brook-side, a +_jicara_ of fresh water is dipped, and a handful of _posole_ is squeezed +up in it till thoroughly mixed, when it is drunk. It tastes a little +sour, and is refreshing. At 11:15, we passed the bridge over the stream +on which Chilon is built, and a moment later drew up at the town-house. +Here we regretted that our serious work with the Tzendals was done. +We were received royally, and told that our house was ready. This was +really so, a pretty little house of three good rooms having been cleaned +and prepared for our use. We lay down and napped until the good dinner, +which had been started when we had first been seen upon the road, and +some time before we reached the village, was ready. Sitting on the porch +of our little house, and looking out over bushes, full of roses, in the +garden before us, we rested until the greatest heat of the day was past, +when we started, and pushed on over the three leagues that lay between +us and Yajalon, where we arrived at near sunset. The town is large, and, +in great part, indian. The women dressed more gaily than in any other +Tzendal town which we have seen; their _huipils_ were decorated with a +mass of bright designs, worked in colored wools or silk. Here we saw our +first Chol, a carrier, passing through the village with his load; in +order to make a start upon our final tribe, we had him halted, to take +his measurements and picture. At this town, we stopped at a sort of +boarding-house, or traveller's-rest, close by the town-house, kept by +a widow with several children. We impressed upon this good woman the +necessity of having breakfast without fail at five o'clock, as we wished +to make an early start, stopping at Hidalgo for work during the hotter +portion of the day, and pressing on to Tumbala at night. The poor +creature kept me awake all night, making her preparations for the meal, +which was to be a masterpiece of culinary art, and at four o'clock +routed us all out with the report that breakfast was waiting on the +table. It was a turkey-breakfast, too. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +CHOLS + +(1901) + + +Of course, after such a start, we were delayed in getting the animals +ready for the journey, and the sun had been up full half an hour when we +left. It was a short ride to Hidalgo, which lies prettily in a small, +flat valley, on a good-sized stream. We were doubtful about our +reception, for Yajalon was the last town in Valencia's district, and we +had no documents to present to the town officials, until we should reach +El Salto, the _cabecera_, except our general letter from Governor +Lopez. It is true that the _presidente_ of Yajalon, at our request, had +telephoned Hidalgo that we came highly recommended, and that everything +possible must be done for our assistance. The _agente_ was an old man, +suffering from headache, who showed but listless interest in our work. +In a general way, he gave us his endorsement, and we, therefore, took +the management into our own hands. He had kept the people in town, +so that we had subjects, though fewer than we had hoped. We measured +twenty-seven men, and there were really no more in the town, the rest +being away on _fincas_. The men gave us no trouble, but the women were +another matter. Several times we issued orders that they be brought to +the town-house for measurement, and each time, after an effort to obey +our orders, we were told that they would not come. "Very good," said I, +"if they will not come, it is plain that we must go and measure them in +their houses." Accompanied by the town government, we started on our +rounds. The first house was tightly closed, and no reply was made to our +demands for entrance. The second was the same; one might imagine that +it had been deserted for weeks. At the third, the door was opened, and +within, an aged woman, ugly, bent, decrepit. Here we measured. The next +house, and the next, and the next, were shut. And then another open +house contained another veritable hag. Passing several other houses, +tightly closed, we found a third old woman, and I saw that we were +destined to secure nothing but decrepit hags, as representatives of +the fair sex. At the next closed house, I stopped, and turning to an +official, who spoke Spanish, said, "I am tired of these closed houses; +who owns this house?" His name was given, and I wrote it down. "Very +well," said I, "I shall recommend to the _jefe_ of the district, when I +reach El Salto, that he be made to pay a fine of five pesos." At this, +the town officials gasped, but we walked to the next house, which was +also closed. "Who owns this house?" And down went a second name. By +the time I had three names of owners of closed houses on my paper, the +officials held a hasty whispered consultation; then coming to me, +they begged me to excuse them for a moment, as the _secretario_ would +accompany me upon my round, and they would soon rejoin us. With this, +they disappeared, and we entered another old woman's house. When we +emerged, a wonderful change had taken place; every house in the village +had its door wide open, and in the doorway were to be seen anywhere from +one to three or four ladies of all ages. From this time on, there was no +lack of women, and the twenty-five were promptly measured. + +We had picked out our subjects for modeling before we started on our +rounds to measure women; and had left Ramon in charge of that part of +our work, staying only long enough to see him make the mould of the +first subject. This was an indian, named Juan, the first _alcalde_ of +the village. We had carefully explained the operation to our subjects; +we had described in detail the sensations and emotions connected with +the thing, and thought we had the subjects well prepared. When Juan +began, he seemed to have good courage, but we told a young fellow, who +sat near and understood Spanish, that he should tell the man certain +encouraging things which we repeated to him. The translation was +promptly done, and we were therefore much surprised to see our subject's +confidence gradually give way to terror. While we were applying the +first mould, he began to sob and cry like a child; this was, however, +nothing compared with the abject terror and sorrow which he displayed +while we were making the face-mould. The tears flowed from his eyes; he +sobbed, cried aloud, and we could see the thumping of his heart against +his chest. We had never had a subject who took the matter so hardly. +When the operation was completed, we learned the cause of all this +trouble. Our interpreter turned out to be a joker, and, while we were +telling him encouraging remarks, with which to soothe the subject, he +was saying, "Now you will die; pretty soon you will not be able to +breathe any more; you will be dead and buried before to-morrow; your +poor widow will no doubt feel badly, but probably she will find another +quite as good as you." We had always realized the possibility of such +misinterpretations, but, so far as we know, this was the only time that +our interpreter ever played us false. + +On our return from measuring the women, we found that Ramon had made +no progress. The three subjects, whom we had selected and left in his +charge, under strenuous orders, had taken fright at Juan's experience +and fled. We lost two hours in hunting them and bringing them in; and we +should not have succeeded then, had it not been for Juan's assistance. +He seemed to feel that, having undergone the operation, it might ease +his position, and decrease possible danger, if he had companions in +misery. Finally, at 4:30, long after the hour we had set, we left for +Tumbala. We secured six _cargadors_--one each for the four moulds, +one for the instruments, and one for the remaining plaster,--as our +pack-animals had long since passed. Five of them were left to follow +at their leisure, on condition that they reach Tumbala early the next +morning, but the sixth, a wee old man, who had helped us woman-hunting, +went with us, by his own request, to carry the instruments. He was so +small that we did not believe he could carry the burden, but he made no +sort of trouble about it, trotting along most happily. We had been told +that the road was _pura subida_--pure ascent--and so we found it. We +were soon in the tropical forest of the Chinantla, and the land of the +Mixes, with begonias, tree-ferns, bromelias, and orchids. Here and +there, were bad bits of road, deep mud, slippery stones, irregular +limestone masses. It was dark before we reached Tumbala, and although +there was a moon, the mists were so dense that it did little good. +Arriving at 6:45, we found the town a wretched place, with a worthless +and nerveless _agente_. This was once the largest of the Chol towns, +and we had thought to do the bulk of our work there. It is fortunate, +indeed, that we stopped at Hidalgo, because Tumbala is now completely +ruined by the contract-labor system, which has sent its men all through +the country onto _fincas_. The _agente_ would probably have done nothing +for us, but his little daughter, much impressed by our letter from the +governor, took an active interest in our welfare, promised to prepare a +dinner, and decided him to give us sleeping-quarters in a store-room +in the building. He thawed a little after we had eaten, but spoke +discouragingly regarding the possibility of working there. He said we +would do well to go to El Triunfo; that it would take two days to find +indians and bring them to the town; that there were no animals, nothing +to eat, no conveniences in Tumbala, in all of which he probably was +quite correct. Our _arrieros_ had contracted only to this point from San +Cristobal. We urged them to make the further journey, and offered them +a price much above the regular, but they wanted to be back in San +Cristobal for Holy Week, and assured us that the roads ahead were the +worst that could be imagined, and that they ran the risk of killing all +their animals if they went with us. + +[Illustration: THE TORO; FRAME AND BEARER; EL TRIUNFO] + +[Illustration: PLAYING TORO; EL TRIUNFO] + +As we were on the road, a little before we reached Tumbala, we found a +company of indian boys making camp for the night. Calling to us, they +said that Don Enrique had told them if they saw us on the road, to say +that we should keep straight on to El Triunfo, as he had a message for +us. We had never heard of Don Enrique, and thought there was some error, +but after supper, the _agente_ handed us a letter which had come that +afternoon from the gentleman in question. In it we read: "Sir: Mr. +Ellsworth, of the Rio Michol Rubber Co., Salto, asked me by telephone to +tell you that he will be waiting for you the 4th of April in La Cruzada, +and hopes that you will kindly accompany Mrs. Ellsworth as far as +Mexico, and that, in case she would not find a steamer in Frontera, he +is going to charter one. Hoping to see you here in Triunfo, and waiting +for an answer to La Cruzada, I remain, Yours truly, H. Rau." This was +a gleam of light amid our dark affairs. There we were, with all +our baggage and instruments, but without carriers, deserted by our +_arrieros_, and with no opportunity in Tumbala to secure new animals +or helpers; it was like the voice of a friend, to receive this English +letter from El Triunfo, and we felt that, if worst came to worst, Don +Enrique might help us out. + +The room in which we slept was filled with stored stuff and two tables. +On one of these I made my bed, while my companions spread a large +_petate_ on the floor, and our little indian carrier put down a small +one for himself, as he declared he should not leave us until morning. He +had a good supper, and in a fit of generosity, presented Louis with what +was left of his package of _posole_. With much enthusiasm, he told us of +an "animal" which he had seen and tried to catch upon the road. From his +description, it appeared to be an armadillo. Before he lay down on his +_petate_, he kissed my hand, wished me a good night's rest, and asked my +good-night blessing. He was happy in possession of a _real's_ worth of +_aguardiente_, from which, at intervals during the night, he drank. +Early in the morning, he opened the door, and, looking out, crossed +himself, and repeated his morning prayer. He then came to _Tatita_ +(little father) to receive his morning's blessing, and hoped that I had +passed a good night in slumber. He then brought me a _jicara_ of cool, +fresh water, after which he urged me to take a sip from his dear bottle. +Going outside a little time, he returned with two roses, heavy with dew +and very fragrant, and gave them to me as if they were a gift for kings. +Very soon, however, his potations got the better of him, and bidding us +a fond farewell, he started for Hidalgo. + +It was my day of fever, and I spent the greater portion of the morning +on my hard bed, getting up from time to time to try to move the _agente_ +to procure an animal, on which I might make the journey to El Triunfo. +Finally, in despair, after difficulty in securing a foot-messenger, I +sent a letter to Don Enrique, asking him to send an animal for my use. +During the afternoon, a fine mule and a letter came from El Triunfo. +"Sir: The boy brought me your letter, and I send you a good mule for +yourself, so we shall talk all the rest when you shall get here. If you +need more pack-mules I will send them afterwards, as soon as you tell +me how many you need. Hoping to see you this afternoon, I remain, Yours +very truly, Henry Rau." The road was down hill, and there were but two +or three bad spots. I rode through tropical forests, the whole distance, +with high trees, bound together with a mass of vines, and loaded with +parasitic or aerial plants. Here and there, rose the largest tree-ferns +I have ever seen. I was not in the best mood, however, for enjoying the +journey, and the hour-and-a-quarter seemed like much more. The great +coffee _finca_ of El Triunfo occupied an irregular valley, the slopes +of which were covered with thousands of coffee-trees, with their +magnificent dark green leaves and sweet-scented, white flowers. Three +hundred and fifty thousand trees made up the plantation, which was one +of two owned and managed by Senor Rau. The house was large, and rather +pretentious, two stories in height, with buildings for cleaning, packing +and storing coffee on the same terrace, and with a veritable village of +houses for the indian workmen down below. I received a warm reception +from the Senor and his household, who have established here a veritable +bit of Germany in tropical America. Not only was I myself cared for, but +I was urged to make no haste in going further, as no steamer would go +from La Cruzada before the 4th, and it would be easy to reach that +place in twenty-four hours. So, for several days the hospitable +plantation-house was my home. Great lines of mules were constantly going +from here, through to El Salto and La Cruzada, with loads of coffee, +and coming back with provisions, and the many supplies necessary for an +establishment of this importance. When the next _mulada_ should appear, +animals would be sent to Tumbala for my companions and the luggage. +Curiously, none came for two whole days--a very unusual occurrence--and +the boys remained prisoners in that dreary town for all that time. For +my own part, I was thankful to reach a place where a comfortable bed and +certain meals were to be counted on. My fever left me, but the following +morning I found myself suffering from swollen jaws; every tooth was +loose and sore, and it was difficult to chew even the flesh of bananas; +this difficulty I had lately suffered, whenever in the moist mountain +district of Pennsylvania, and I feared that there would be no relief +until I was permanently out of the district of forest-grown mountains. +Nor was I mistaken, for ten days passed, and we had reached the dry +central table-land of Mexico, before my suffering ended. One day, while +we were on the _finca_, considerable excitement was caused by one of the +Indians working in the field being bitten by a poisonous serpent. The +man was brought at once to the house, and remedies were applied which +prevented serious results, although his leg swelled badly. The serpent +was killed, and measured about five feet in length, having much the +general appearance of a rattlesnake, but with no rattles. Don Enrique +says that the most dangerous snake in this district is a little creature +more brightly colored, with a smaller head, which is less markedly flat, +and with smaller fangs; he showed us one of these, not more than a foot +in length, from whose bite a man on the plantation, a year before, +had died. In telling us of this event, he gave us a suggestion of the +working of the contract-labor system; the man who died owed one hundred +and forty pesos of work--almost three years of labor; the _jefe_, +indeed, had sent the son to work out the debt, but the young man soon +ran away, and the most diligent effort to recapture him had failed. + +[Illustration: CHOL WOMEN; LA TRINIDAD] + +Perhaps two hundred persons lived as workmen on the _finca_ of El +Triunfo. They were, of course, all indians, and were about evenly +divided between Tzendals and Chols; it was impossible to gather them for +measurement till Sunday, when they all came to the house and the store. +It was a day of amusement and recreation for the laborers, a day when +all of them--men, women, children--drank quantities of liquor. It was +interesting to watch them as they came up to the store to make their +little purchases for the week. All were in their best clothing, and +family groups presented many interesting scenes. On Sundays and fiestas, +they play _toro_--one man creeping into a framework of light canes +covered with leather, meant to represent a bull, while others play the +part of bull-fighters. The Chols present a well-marked type. They are +short, broad-headed and dark-skinned; their noses are among the +most aquiline in Mexico. Men, especially those of Tumbala, have a +characteristic mode of cropping the hair; that on the back of the head +is cut close, leaving the hair of the forward third of the head longer. +The men are almost immediately recognized, wherever met, by the +characteristic _camisa_, made of white cotton, vertically striped with +narrow lines of pink, which is woven in the Chol towns, and does not +appear to be used by other Indians. + +The doors of the hospitable home at El Triunfo are ever open, and a day +rarely passes without some traveller seeking shelter and entertainment. +Spaniards, Mexicans, Germans, Englishmen, Americans, all are welcome, +and during the few days of our stay, the house was never free of other +visitors. Among these was Stanton Morrison, famous in Yale's football +team in '92; he now lives in this district, and has a coffee _finca_ +four hours' ride away. + +Finally, at 10:10 Tuesday morning, April 2d, having completed all our +work, we started from El Triunfo for our last ride of the season. We +could easily have gone, starting in the early morning, to El Salto +before night; as it was, Don Enrique planned a different method. We had +good animals, which he had loaned us, or for which he had arranged for +us with the muleteers. At two o'clock we reached La Trinidad, where he +had promised that we should eat the finest meal in the State of Chiapas. +We found a complete surprise. Trinidad is little more than a _finca_, +or _rancho_, but it has an _agente_, and quite a population of Chol +indians. The _agente_ was a decent-looking fellow, active and ambitious; +he talks a little English, and is something of an amateur photographer. +His house of poles and mud presented no notable external features, but +within, it was supplied with furniture so varied and abundant as is rare +in any part of Mexico. Chairs, rockers, tables, cupboards, washstands, +all were there; and beds, real beds, which for cleanness were marvels. +As soon as we entered the house, fresh water and clean towels were +brought. On the tables were vases of fresh-gathered flowers, in +quantities, and beautifully arranged. The visible service for all this +elegance, and for the meals, were two little indian girls not more than +six or eight years old, neatly dressed, and an indian boy of the same +size and cleanness. The invisible helpers were buxom indian girls, +well-dressed and clean, but who never came into the room where we were, +leaving all carrying, setting of tables, and serving, in the hands of +these three little servants. There was, indeed, one other person in the +household--a beautiful girl, slender and refined, whose relation to +the master I do not know, but who was treated by him as if she were +a veritable queen, or some lovely flower in the wilderness. Here we +rested, ate and slept in comfort, and here, when morning came, we paid +a bill which ordinarily would have seemed large; however, if one finds +beautiful flowers in the wilderness, he must expect to pay. It was worth +while paying to enjoy the best sleep, in the best bed, that one had had +for months. + +[Illustration: A CHOL FAMILY; LA TRINIDAD] + +[Illustration: CHOLS; LA TRINIDAD] + +The _agente_ rode with us in the morning quite a league upon our road, +to a place which he was clearing for a _milpa_. We had heard so much +of the horrors of the road to El Salto, that we were prepared for the +worst. It was not an abrupt descent, as we had expected, but for the +most part level, over black mud. There were a few ups and downs, and +there was one limestone hill with tree-ferns and begonias, and all that +that implies. Much of the way we had a drizzling rain, and everywhere +the air was hot and heavy. After four hours' riding, we stopped at ten +to eat a breakfast which we had brought with us, and then rode through +to El Salto, where we arrived at 12:30. This is the _cabecera_ of the +district, and the _jefe_ could not understand why we should continue on +our journey, as the steamer would not leave until the following day. +Don Enrique, however, had urged us not to stop at El Salto, where he +insisted the risk from yellow fever was great. He advised us to go on to +La Cruzada, where he had a house and an agent, and where, he told us, +we could arrange for sleeping and eating as comfortably, and far more +safely, than in the town. The distance was short, but the place, in +truth, was dreary. The landing was at the bottom of a little slope, at +the upper edge of which stood Don Enrique's place, the store-house of +the steamship company, the house and barnyard of the manager of the mule +trains, and one or two unattractive huts. When we arrived, we found that +the mayor domo had that day resigned, and left the place, going to El +Salto; before he left, he quarreled with the cook, and she had gone off +in high dudgeon. Two young employes, left behind, advised us to return +to El Salto until the time of embarkation. We, however, had left El +Salto behind us, and had our luggage with us, and were little inclined +to retrace our steps. After some grumbling, we were supplied with beds, +but told that the food problem was impossible. After much wheedling, +coaxing, bribing, and threatening, a woman in one of the huts promised +to cook something for us, and we had nothing more to do but wait, until +the steamer should be ready. The chief excitement of the day was when +the mule trains were driven in, towards evening. With them came a swarm +of mosquitoes, which absolutely darkened the air. Fortunately they did +not stay, but after an hour and a half of troubling, disappeared as +suddenly as they arrived. The river had fallen to that degree that it +was impossible for our steamer, the Mariscal, to come up to La Cruzada, +and we learned that it was anchored about a league down the river. A +flatboat, poled by indians, came up to the landing, ready to receive +cargo and passengers, and to transfer them to the steamer. In the +morning, the loading of the flatboat and the getting ready for +departure, took all our thought. At ten o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth, +with their baby and two servants, appeared in small canoes, which had +been poled by indians from the plantation, several hours' journey up the +Michol River. At the last moment, Mr. Ellsworth had decided to accompany +his party to the city. When everything was loaded, quite promptly, +at twelve o'clock, the flatboat pushed out from its moorings. Mr. +Ellsworth's little launch was standing at the landing, and he invited me +to ride in it, with him and Mrs. Ellsworth and the baby, to the steamer. +We started off right proudly in the Miriam, but, alas, pride goes before +destruction, and we had hardly left the heavy flatboat a little behind +us, when our machinery broke down, and we had to wait until the clumsy +scow overtook us, when we became common passengers again, and drifted +down the stream to the Mariscal, passing the Lumeha plantation, an +American enterprise. + +[Illustration: CHOLS RESTING, LA TRINIDAD] + +The Mariscal itself was a little steamer, too small for the passengers +and freight it had to carry. It had no beds nor cabin; it was dirty and +crowded; it had not food enough to feed the first-class passengers, who +paid twenty-five pesos each for their short journey. There was, indeed, +no other class of passengers, only one grade of tickets being sold. +When complaints were made of the accommodations, or lack of all +accommodations, the _agente_, who was on the vessel with us, expressed +surprise, and seemed profoundly hurt. The stream is full of curves and +bends, is broad, and notably uniform in breadth; it has considerable +current, and is bordered closely by the tropical forest, except where +little clearings have been made for _fincas_. Formerly, caimans, or +alligators, were common, but they have become rare, through the diligent +hunting to which they have been subjected for supplying skins. Two days +are usually taken in the journey to Frontera, though it is not a fifteen +hours' run. Mr. Ellsworth arranged for our going directly through, so +that, except one stop at a midway station, we made a continuous journey, +and drew up at Frontera at 9:50 in the morning. + +It is a mean little town, but far cleaner than Coatzacoalcos. Real grass +grows there, and the little plaza is almost a lawn. Last year, when +yellow fever was so terrible at Coatzacoalcos, and when, even at El +Salto, there were forty cases, there were none here. The town is hot, +and during the two days we spent there, our chief effort was to keep +cool. The steamer, Mexico, appeared upon the 6th, planning to leave the +same day. A norther came, however, and rendered the bar impassable. In +the morning, Easter Sunday, the wind had fallen somewhat. We saw the +little celebration at the church, and, learning that the boat was likely +to leave at noon, went aboard. At one we started. Sailing down the +river, we soon found ourselves between the piers, and the moment of +test had come. At the first thump of the keel upon the sand, we doubted +whether we should pass the bar; still we kept along with steam full on +and the bow headed seaward; nine times we struck the sandy bottom, but +then found ourselves in deeper water, and were again upon the Gulf. The +Mexico was just as dirty, the food was just as bad, and the crew just as +unaccommodating, as in 1896, when we had our first experience of her. +Rather than lie in the stuffy cabin, I took my blanket out on deck, and +rolled up there for the night. Room was plenty, as there were only a +score of passengers. When we woke, the boat was standing in the harbor +of Coatzacoalcos, and we landed to eat a breakfast at the hotel. Through +the day, we wandered about town, but were again upon the vessel at four +o'clock. We now numbered about a hundred passengers, and everything was +crowded. In the company was a comic theatre troupe. The day before, +a number of the passengers had been seasick; on this occasion, +three-fourths were suffering, and the decks were a disgusting spectacle. +Still, fresh air was there, and again I made my bed on deck. In the +middle of the night, having moved slightly, I felt a sharp and sudden +pain in my right temple, exactly as if I had rolled upon a sharp, hot +tack. I had my jacket for a pillow, and thought at first that there +really was a tack in one of the pockets, and sought, but in vain, to +find it. Lying down to sleep again, I presently moved my hand over the +blanket on the deck, and suddenly, again, I felt the sharp, burning +prick, this time in my thumb. Certain that it could not be a tack this +time, I brought my hand down forcibly, and, rising, saw by the moonlight +that I had killed a large, black scorpion. For two hours the stings felt +like fire, but by morning had ceased to pain me; then I found two or +three of the other passengers suffering from similar stings, and reached +the conclusion that the Mexico was swarming with the creatures. At dawn, +we sighted Vera Cruz, and were soon in the harbor, standing at anchor; +at eight o'clock, we stood upon the wharf, and our journeys in Indian +Mexico were ended. + +[Illustration: INDIAN HUT; SANTA ANITA] + +[Illustration: GUADALUPE; DECEMBER 12] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +CONCLUSION + + +But it was not necessary to go to distant Oaxaca and Chiapas to find +Mexican indians. On the border of the capital city lie Santa Anita, +Iztacalco, Mexicalcingo, Ixtapalapa, and a quantity of other villages +and towns, where one may still find Aztec indians of pure blood, +sometimes speaking the old language, sometimes wearing characteristic +dress, and maintaining, to the present, many ancient practices and +customs. At Santa Anita, for example, one may eat _juiles_ and +_tamales_, catch a glimpse of indian weddings, and delight his eyes with +the fresh beauty of the _chinampas_,--wonderful spots of verdure and +flowers--the floating gardens of the ancient Aztecs. Half an hour, or +less, in the tram-car takes the traveller to Guadalupe, which may be +called the heart of Indian Mexico. There, on the rock of Tepeyac, the +Virgin appeared to Juan Diego; there, in the churches, dedicated in +honor of that apparition, thousands of indians, from leagues around, +gather yearly. On December 12, in the crowded streets of Guadalupe, +groups, fantastically garbed as indians, dance in the Virgin's honor, +and in their songs and dances, modern though they be, can be found +suggestions of the olden time. Now and then, one may witness, what I +saw in December, 1895--a group of indian pilgrims from a distant town, +singing and dancing to the Virgin, within the great church itself. And +near the high altar, where thick glass plates are set into the floor, +letting a dim light into the crypts below, one may see crowds of indians +rubbing the smooth surface with their diseased parts to effect a cure. +On the streets of the capital city, one daily sees bands of pure Otomis +in rags and filth, bringing their loads of charcoal and of corn to +market. Their ugly dark faces, their strange native dress, their harsh +language, make on the stranger an impression not easily forgotten. + +Reliable figures are wanting as to the number of pure Mexican Indians. +If the population of the Republic be estimated at fifteen millions, it +should be safe to say that five millions of this number are indians +of pure blood, speaking their old language, keeping alive much of the +ancient life and thought. In some parts of Mexico, it almost seems as if +what white-blood once existed is now breeding out. The indian of Mexico +is conservative; he does not want contact with a larger world; his +village suffices for his needs; he is ready to pay taxes for the sake of +being let alone, to live in peace, after the way his fathers lived. In +his bosom there is still hatred of the white man and the _mestizo_, and +distrust of every stranger. The Chamula outbreak in 1868, and the Maya +war just ended, are examples of this smouldering hatred. Mexico has a +serious problem in its Indians; the solution of the problem has been +attempted in various ways, according to whether the population dealt +with was Totonac, Yaqui, Maya: it is no small task, to build a nation +out of an indian population. + +Soon after the publication of my "Indians of Southern Mexico," I had +the pleasure of presenting a copy of the book to President Diaz, and of +looking through its pictures with him. When we came to the general view +of Yodocono, and its little lake, tears stood in the old man's eyes as +he said, "Sir, that was my mother's birthplace, and in her honor I have +established, at my own expense, two schools, one for boys, and one for +girls." Looking at the round huts of Chicahuastla, he shivered, and +remarked: "Ah, sir, but it is cold in Chicahuastla." I replied, "Your +Excellency, I see that you have been in Chicahuastla." When he saw the +Zapotec types, from the District of Tehuantepec, he said: "They are fine +large fellows; they make good soldiers; when I was Governor of Oaxaca, I +had a body-guard of them." He then told me of the six orphan boys who, +in memory of his body-guard, he had adopted and educated; he told me +with pride of the success which the five who still live had made, and +of the positions they were filling. When he reached the portrait of the +little Mixtec, carrying a sack of corn, who, with pride, had told me, in +answer to my question, that his name was Porfirio Diaz, the President +of the Republic looked long and earnestly at the picture, and I noticed +that, when we turned the pages, his finger marked the spot where the +likeness of his name-sake was, and, when the book was finished, before +closing it, he turned back again, and looked at the little fellow's +face. At the first Otomi portrait, he had said: "Ah, sir, but my schools +will change the Otomis." + +It would be pleasant to have faith in President Diaz' solution of the +Otomi problem, but to me it seems doubtful. Of course, I recall with +pleasure my visit to the boys' school at San Nicolas Panotla. It was +interesting to see those little Tlaxcalan fellows solve problems in +alligation and percentage, in bonds and mortgages; but it is doubtful +whether any of them, in actual life, will have to deal with blending +coffees, or with selling bonds, and cutting coupons. Still, from such +indian towns great men have come in the past, and great men will come in +the future. Benito Juarez, who laid the foundations on which Diaz has +so magnificently built, was a pure-blood Zapotec. From the Aztecs, the +Tlaxcalans, Mixtecs, Zapotecs and Mayas, we may hope much in the future. +They were races of achievement in the past, and the monuments of their +achievement still remain. But that the Otomi, the Triqui, or the Mixe, +should be made over by the schools is doubtful. Personally, I feel that +the prosperity of Mexico rests more upon the indian blood than on any +other element of national power. That schools will do much to train the +more gifted tribes perhaps is true. But there are indians, and indians, +in Mexico. + + + + GLOSSARY OF SPANISH AND INDIAN WORDS + + abusos. abuses, disturbances. + adios. adieu, good-bye. + agente. agent. + agua. water. + agua bendita. blessed water. + agua miel. lit. honey water, the unfermented juice of the maguey. + aguardiente. a spirituous liquor. + aguas frescas. refreshing drinks. + ahuacate. a fruit, the alligator pear. + aje, or axe. an insect; a greasy mass, yielding a lacquer-like lustre. + alcalde. a town judge. + arbol. tree. + arriero. a convoyer of loaded mules or horses. + atole. a corn gruel. + autorizada. authorized, having authority. + axolotl. a water salamander, with peculiar life-history. + ayatl, or ayate. a carry-cloth. + barranca. a gorge, or gully. + bruja. witch. + brujeria. witchcraft. + burro. ass. + cabecera. the head-town of a district. + cafe. coffee. + caiman. a reptile much like an alligator. + camaron. shrimp. + camisa. shirt. + cantera, cantero. a water-jar, or pitcher. + cargador. carrier. + carreta. cart. + carretero. a carter. + cascaron. an eggshell filled with bits of cut paper. + catalan. a wine, named from a Spanish town. + cenote. a cave with water. + centavo. a coin, the one-hundredth part of a peso; a cent. + chac mool. a stone figure, found at Chichen Itza, Yucatan. + chalupa. a boat-shaped crust with meat or vegetables in it. + chamara. a blanket for wearing. + champurrado. a mixture, as of atole and chocolate. + chapapote. chewing-gum. + chicha. an intoxicant made from sugar-cane. + chicle. chewing-gum. + chinampa. "floating garden," a garden patch. + chirimiya. a shrill musical instrument, somewhat + like a fife or flageolet. + chirimoya. the custard-apple. + cigarro. cigarette. + cincalotl, cincalote. granary. + clarin. a bird, with clear note. + cochero. coachman. + colorin. a tree. + comiteco. a spirits made at Comitan. + Conquista. Conquest. + copal. a gum, much used as incense. + coro. loft. + corral. an enclosure for animals. + costumbre. custom. + coton, cotones. a man's upper garment, a sort of poncho. + cuartel. barracks. + cuezcomatl, cuezcomate. granary. + cura. parish priest. + curato. parish house. + danza. dance. + doctrina. doctrine, catechism. + don. Mr., used only when the Christian name of a person is spoken. + dulce. sweet, sweetmeat. + dulcero. maker or seller of sweets. + dulceria. sweetmeat factory. + enagua. woman's skirt. + enchilada. a fried tortilla with chili and cheese. + feria. fair. + fiesta. festival. + finca. farm, plantation. + firma. signature. + fiscal. fiscal officer, + frijol, frijoles. bean, beans, + golondrina. swallow, + gramatica. grammar. + gringo. somewhat derisive term applied to foreigners, + especially Americans. + guardia. guard. + hacienda. a country-place. + haciendado, haciendero. the owner of an hacienda. + hennequin. a plant producing fibre, sisal hemp. + hermita. a retired shrine. + herreria. smithy, forge, ironworks. + h'men. conjuror. + huehuetes. the old ones. + huehuetl, huehuete. the ancient upright drum. + huerfano. orphan. + huipil, huipili. a woman's waist garment. + huipilili. a woman's waist garment, worn under the huipil. + idioma. idiom, language. + incomunicado. solitary, not allowed communication. + itinerario. itinerary. + itztli. obsidian. + ixtli. fibre from the maguey and cactus. + jacal. a hut. + jarabe. a popular dance. + jicara. a gourd-cup, or vessel. + jonote. a tree. + Jornada. a day's march. + juez. judge. + ke'esh. a votive figure. + ladino. a mestizo, a person not Indian. + ladron, ladrones. thief, thieves. + liana. vine. + licenciado. lawyer. + lima. a fruit, somewhat like an insipid orange. + lindas. pretty (girls). + llano. a grassy plain. + machete. a large knife. + maestro. teacher, a master in any trade. + maguey. a plant, the century plant or agave, yielding pulque. + mai, pelico. tobacco, mixed with chili and lime. + malacatl, malacate. spindle-whorl. + malinche. malinche. + mamey. a fruit, orange flesh and brown exterior. + manta. cotton-cloth, a woman's dress. + manana. to-morrow. + mapachtl. a small animal, perhaps the raccoon or badger. + mapaho. beating-sticks, for cleaning cotton. + mayores. chiefs, village elders, police. + medio. six centavos. + meson. a house for travellers. + mescal. a spirits, made from an agave. + mestizo. a person of mixed blood. + metate. stone upon which corn is ground. + milagro. miracle. + milpa. cornfield. + mogote. a mound or tumulus. + mole. a stew, highly seasoned with chili. + mole prieto. black mole. + moral. a tree, mulberry. + mozo. a young man, a servant. + mudo. mute, dumb. + mulada. a mule train. + muneco. doll, figure. + municipio. town, town-government, town-house. + nacimiento. an arrangement of figures and grotto-work, + made at Christmastide. + nada. nothing. + nagual. conjuror. + negrito. (diminutive) negro. + nublina. mist, fog. + ocote. pine-tree, splinter of pine. + otro. other. + padre. father, priest. + padrecito. priest. + pais. country, esp. one's native town. + panela. sugar in cake or loaf. + papaya. a fruit. + pastorela. a drama relative to the Nativity. + pastores. shepherds. + patio. inside court of house. + pelico, mai. tobacco, with chili and lime. + peso. a money denomination, one hundred centavos, one dollar. + petate. mat. + pinolillo. a species of tick. + pinto. a disease, spotted skin. + pita. a fibre. + pitero. a fifer. + pito. fife. + plaza. town square. + portales. a building with corridor in front. + posol, posole. corn prepared to carry on journey, for mixing with +water. + prefecto. prefect. + presidente. president. + principales. principal men, councillors. + pueblito. small pueblo, village. + pulque. an intoxicant, made from maguey sap. + quichiquemil. a woman's upper garment. + rancho. a country-place. + ranchito. a small ranch. + rebozo. a woman's garment, a wrap or light shawl. + regidor. alderman. + remedio. remedy. + sangre. blood. + santo, santito. saint. + senor. sir, gentleman. + senora. madam, lady. + senorita. Miss, young woman. + serape. a blanket, for wearing. + sindico. recorder. + soltero. an unmarried man. + sombrero. hat. + subida. ascent. + tabla. board. + tamales. dumplings of corn-meal. + tambour. drum. + tatita. papa. + tepache. a fermented drink. + teponastl, teponaste. the ancient horizontal drum. + tienda. store, shop. + tierra caliente. hot country. + tigre. tiger, jaguar. + tinaja. water-jar. + topil. a messenger or police. + toro. bull. + tortillas. corn-cakes, cooked on a griddle. + tortuga. turtle. + tsupakwa. dart-thrower. + ule. rubber. + vaca. cow. + vamonos. come on, we are going. + viejos. old. + vomito. yellow fever. + xalama. a tree. + xtol, xtoles. a dancer, or dancers (see Merida, narrative). + zacate, sacate. hay, fodder. + + + + +ITINERARY + + +The expedition of 1896 was preliminary. We went by rail from the City +of Mexico to Oaxaca, capital of the state of the same name. Thence, we +journeyed by horse through the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, to the city +of Guatemala, entering the Republic of Guatemala at Nenton. The return +journey was made by rail to the Pacific port of San Jose, steamer to +Salina Cruz, rail to Coatzacoalcos, steamer to Vera Cruz, and rail to +the City of Mexico. Only the portion of this journey between Oaxaca and +Nenton is here described, the rest not lying in Indian Mexico. The City +of Mexico was headquarters for the work in 1897-98. A trip was made by +rail from there to Dos Rios, to measure and photograph the Otomis of +Huixquilucan, in the state of Mexico. Thence we went to Patzcuaro by +rail, and studied the Tarascans in the villages about Lake Patzcuaro, +visiting these by canoe-trips. We then made a trip on horseback to +Uruapan (then without rail connection), returning by some important +indian towns. After returning to Mexico, we visited the states of +Tlaxcala and Puebla. In and around the City of Tlaxcala, we secured +our Tlaxcalan subjects. At Cuauhtlantzinco, we worked upon Aztecs. Our +experiences at this large town of Puebla are not described, as Bandelier +has already rendered the place familiar, and we ourselves have written +of it elsewhere. With these two peoples, we made our first essays +at bust-making. After returning to Mexico, we went by rail, on the +Guadalajara branch of the Mexican Central, to Negrete. From there, by +coach (there being then no railroad) to Zamora. Thence, we struck, on +horseback, through the Tarascan territory, across to Patzcuaro. On the +way, we secured our full series of Tarascan busts, at the Once Pueblos. +By rail, we went from Patzcuaro to Dos Rios, to secure our lacking busts +of Otomis at Huixquilucan. In the second field expedition, January to +March 1899, we worked entirely in the state of Oaxaca. At first a trip +was made, by horse, from Oaxaca into the Mixteca Alta, where Mixtecs and +Triquis were studied. Again starting from Oaxaca, we traveled over our +old trails of 1896, through the mountains to Tehuantepec, returning +by the high-road in common use. Zapotecs were studied at Mitla and +Tehuantepec, and the Mixes, Juaves, and Chontals in various towns and +villages. The season's work closed by our study, at and near Cuicatlan, +of the Cuicatecs. At this town, too, we began to work upon Chinantecs. +In the third field expedition, during the early months of 1900, we +visited seven populations, making our regular study upon six of them. To +fill a week that would otherwise have been lost, we made a pedestrian +trip through the interesting indian towns on the slopes of Malintzi. +Then, from Cuicatlan as a center, we made two journeys--one to San Juan +Zautla and San Pedro Soochiapan, to examine Chinantecs; the other to +Coixtlahuaca, for seeing Chochos. From Cuicatlan, we struck north by +rail to San Antonio, and, by coach to Teotitlan del Camino and by horse +beyond, penetrated to the great Mazatec town of Huauhtla. Chinantecs, +Chochos, and Mazatecs are tribes of Oaxaca. Leaving that state, we +traveled by rail to Tulancingo. From there, by coach and on horseback, +we visited Otomi, Aztec, Tepehua and Totonac towns in the states of +Puebla and Hidalgo. With the field season of 1901, our work in Indian +Mexico ended. It was pursued in three separated areas. From the City of +Mexico, we went by rail to Tampico. From that point, a journey by canoe +and horse enabled us to see the Huaxtecs of the state of Vera Cruz. +Returning to Tampico, a trip by steamer across the gulf brought us to +Yucatan. Progreso and Merida were visited, and our work was done upon +the Mayas living near the town of Tekax. A second trip on the gulf +brought us to Coatzacoalcos, whence the railroad was used to Tehuantepec +and San Geronimo. From the latter point, an ox-cart journey of ten +nights, across the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, brought us to Tuxtla +Gutierrez. By horse we continued through Chiapas to El Salto, where we +took steamer for Frontera. From there, by steamer to Vera Cruz and then +by rail, we traveled to the City of Mexico. Zoques, Tzotzils, Tzendals, +and Chols were studied in this portion of the journey. + + + + +APPENDIX + +STARR IN OLD MEXICO + + +Oaxaca, Mexico, March 1.--Prof. Frederick Starr, of the University +of Chicago, is deep in the midst of his savages. He is manipulating +primitive town governments, wielding the authority of federal and state +governments, county police, and that of the clergy as well. He is +threatening, cajoling, clapping in jail, when necessary, and in general +conquering his series of strange nations. I found him doing all this, +and more, in a little native village fifty miles from the city of +Oaxaca, Feb. 2nd. The fat little man was complete master of the Zapotec +town of Mitla, far distant from the end of the last of the railroads, +a town famous for its ruins. He bustled about like a captain in a war +haste, dressed in a massive Indian sombrero, from which a white string +floated picturesquely behind, a necktie of slim, dusty black, which +seemed not to have been unknotted for many a day, a shirt less +immaculate than the one he may wear at the entertainment shortly to +be given him in London, and no coat. The professor's trousers are not +Indian. They are farm trousers, of an original type, with double seat +for the saddle. + +The professor's blood was up. A grand native feast--in which drunken +dances, bull-fights, and a state of accumulated irresponsibility are the +rule--had delayed him three days. The Indians could no more be measured +and "busted"--as the professor calls the making of plaster casts--than +could the liquor they had drunk. After three days of pleading, +threatening, and berating, in which orders from every government and +church official in the country, from lowest to highest, had failed, +Prof. Starr seized the black-bearded and wiry president of the town +council, the chief potentate of the reeling set, called him a drunken +scoundrel, threatened in deep seriousness to imprison every man in the +town, and finally won his point--but not until the feast was done. When +feasts are over, the people are kindly, suave, gracious. + +Then the professor corralled those he wanted. He was to measure for +scientific purposes 100 of the Indians, in the order in which they +chanced to present themselves. After such wheedling as it must have +taken infinite practice to acquire--pattings of the Zapotec +back, hugging of the men, chucking the children, with elaborate +explanations--the thing "took" and the people fell into the spirit of +it. The jail was the only accessible building, and was strangely empty. +It was of adobe, a jail of one room, with a dirt floor. There were no +windows, only the single barred door. + +From every cane-walled, thatched, tropical hut that helps to make the +irregular cluster around the central plaza and its adjoining bull ring +they came, if not to be measured, to see. They were driven by the +highest of the town authorities--for every element of the population +waited on the bidding of the little sugar-tongued professor from the +north--one by one into the jail, and the rest curiously watched. The +measuring was done without undressing, but the "busting" was the point +of chief interest. Five representative specimens had been carefully +selected for this purpose. They were won slowly, by the glitter of 75 +cents of Mexican silver. In some towns, only 50 cents was required, and +in others, $1. The smirking Indian, with his wildness hidden away, or +only peeping from his eye, entered. He disrobed with no shame. He was +put flat on the floor, face down, on a little piece of matting. At +this stage some objected. Then the Anglo-Saxon was down on the floor, +wheedling, talking such sweetness as can be spoken without silliness +only in the Spanish tongue. + +The victim finally consents. Then the Mexican plaster worker, who has +followed the caravan from its start, goes to work. He makes a cast of +the back of the head and shoulders, and the Indian is turned over, +face up. Another cast of the breast and neck and chin is made, and yet +another of the front half of the head and the face, with little tubes +for breathing sticking through it. The Indian has grunted, snorted, +laughed and squirmed, but he has been made to understand that he must +be still. That great 75 cents is held always over him, and the thing is +accomplished. + +During all the process, the crowd of Indians about and in the jail was +eager-eyed and astonished. The women wear odd woolen, blanket-like +skirts of red or black, folded in two great plaits down the front. The +dress does not reach the ankles, and the feet are bare. They carry the +baby on the back, wound in the rebozo, with its bare legs straddling +her and sticking out. The men wear a sandal quite different from the +ordinary Mexican footgear. + +Of the 100 that were to be measured, Jose was one. Jose was of a better +family, a character in the town, and proud. He rebelled. This breach of +the professor's authority could not be allowed. Jose was summoned by the +president of the town, the honeyed, affable "Senor Presidente," the same +who had been called the drunken scoundrel, now accommodating, a true and +emotional friend. Jose sent a thousand excuses, and finally defiance. + +"That man," cried the professor, showing his writ of authority from the +_jefe politico_ of the district, "I order to be arrested." + +Jose did not flee. He was found next morning in the bull ring riding a +bull. He was arrested by the Chicagoan's orders, and taken to jail. He +was peremptorily ordered by the professor to appear for the measurement. +He escaped, and again defied the powers. He was again caught, and it was +explained to him by the president that this man of might from the beyond +had sworn to drag Jose with him all the way across this wild country +slowly to Tehuantepec, thence back to the city of Oaxaca, where the +state authorities would deal most painfully with him. And this, indeed, +in mighty manner and impressively, had the "man from the beyond" sworn +to do. Jose came and was measured, and I afterward saw him calling to +the professor to come and take a jolly drink out of the gourd he was +shaking at him, in the manner of a comrade. + +In the afternoon, the work being done, the civilities and sugared +conduct must be continued, with a view to future visits. The professor +wanted to enter the church, which, though modern, stands in the +middle of one of the mysterious ruins. The church was locked, and the +mayor-domo not to be found. + +"But I must photograph a strange picture you have in there." + +"The mayor-domo is drunk, at your service, my most excellent friend," +replied the president, sympathetically. "I am sorry, but he got under +the influence three days ago at the beginning of the feast, and he has +slept ever since. Ah, the mayor-domo is sleeping now, my excellent +friend, and he has the keys." + +"You shall send a boy into the tower to ring the bell and wake the +mayor-domo," cried the professor. + +The crowd sat on the stone steps, the bell was pealed, and at last the +church was opened, and the picture photographed. + +The procession then moved to the top of an ancient pyramid, in which +tombs have been opened, and bones and gold ornaments found. The +professor dashed through all the tunnels, with the government after +him, before mounting to the top. On top a strange conversation was held +between the professor and the president and secretary. They appealed to +this northern man, who seemed to have all earthly authority back of him, +to grant them one longed-for boon. Would he not please speak, when he +returned to the capital, to the minister of encouragement, that he send +them a brass band! They wanted to welcome northern visitors to the ruins +with modern music. + +"You have great power. You need but to ask of those in Mexico and the +band will come. Most beloved friend, oh, most excellent professor from +the far north, give to us a brass band!" And the professor promised to +speak to Minister Leal about it. Then, too, the beastly state government +was dragging some of their precious ruins away to put in a museum. Would +the professor please have the kindness to stop this? The professor +promised to do what he could, and he was hugged and blessed and patted +by the simple people. + +Prof. Starr began his ethnological studies to westward of Oaxaca. Mitla +is eastward. In the west, he visited two tribes--the Mixtecas and the +Triquis. The latter are a branch of the former, but much different, +living in round bamboo huts, surprisingly like those of some African +tribes. He secured two excellent casts of the Triquis, and three of the +Mixtecas. He intended to take five of each tribe he visited, but his +plaster failed to arrive. He studies the languages, also, as he goes, +and finds many varying dialects, from each of which he secures a +test vocabulary of 200 words. He is now approaching the Mixes, the +"cannibals." All the City of Mexico papers laugh at the idea of his +encountering the slightest danger, and the professor himself scoffs at +it. He believes some of the Mixes have, within forty years, eaten human +flesh, but he says he is certain they are harmless now. + +CHARLES F. EMBREE. [From _The Chicago Record_: March 24, 1899.] + + + + +THE PURPLE SPOT ON MAYA BABIES + + +When I was in Yucatan in 1901 the parish priest of Texax told me that it +was said that every pure blood Maya Indian has a violet or purple spot +on his back, in the sacral region. He stated that this spot was called +by the native name, uits, "bread," and that it was vulgar or insulting +to make reference to it. I at once examined three Mayas of pure blood--a +boy of ten years and two adult males--but found no trace of such a +spot. I concluded that the presence of the spot might be an infantile +character, as it is among the Japanese, but at that time I had no +opportunity to examine Maya babies. + +Dr. Baelz, a German physician, who has spent many years in Japan, long +ago called attention to the existence of such spots on Japanese infants. +The spots described by him were of a blue or purple color, were located +upon the back (especially in the sacral region), and were variable in +form and size. They were temporary, disappearing at from two to eight +years of age. The occurrence of these infantile color blotches was so +common in Japan as to be almost characteristic of the race. + +In time, other students reported similar spots on other Asiatic babies, +and on non-Asiatic babies of Mongolian or Mongoloid peoples. Chinese, +Annamese, Coreans, Greenland Eskimos, and some Malays are now known to +have such spots. Sacral spots have also been reported among Samoans and +Hawaiians. + +Practically, all these people belong to the great yellow race, as +defined by De Quatrefages, and are, if not pure representatives of that +race, mixed bloods, in part, of it. Baelz and some other writers have, +therefore, gone so far as to consider the purple sacral spot a mark +peculiar to that race, and to believe its occurrence proof of Mongolian +origin. They have asked whether the spot occurs among American Indians, +and would consider its occurrence evidence of an Asiatic origin for +our native tribes. Satisfactory observations had not been made. Baelz +himself found two cases among Vancouver Island Indians. + +In my recent trip to Mexico I planned to look for this spot among +several Indian tribes. Out of six populations that I expected to visit I +really saw but two--the Aztecs and the Mayas. I do not believe that +the sacral spot exists among Aztecs. I made no search, because +Aztec friends, who would be sure to know, all agreed in denying its +occurrence. Among the Mayas, the case is different. In the little Maya +town of Palenque I examined all the pure blood babies. The back of the +first little creature bared for my inspection bore a clearly defined, +dark blue-purple spot, just where it might be expected. The spot was +almost two inches wide and nearly three-fourths of an inch high. The +child was a boy of eight months. A brother, two years old, showed no +trace of the spot, but the mother says it was formerly well defined. + +Every one of the seven pure Maya babies, below ten months old, in the +town was purple-spotted. A pair of boy twins, two months old, were +marked in precisely the same place with pale blue-purple spots, of the +same size and form. In one boy of ten months the spot seemed to be +disappearing and was represented by three ill-defined and separated +blotches. In the village, there were three babies of suitable age, but +of mixed--Spanish-Maya--blood; no one of these showed any trace of the +colored spot. We may say, then, that in Palenque every Maya baby below +ten months of age was sacral spotted, and that no Mestizo baby was. + +Does this prove that the Mayas are Asiatics by ancestry? The daily press +asserts that I make that claim; it is mistaken. I am free to say I don't +know what to do with my spotted Maya babies. I presume that Baelz will +cousin them with his little Japanese. + +FREDERICK STARR. From _The Chicago Tribune_: January 11, 1903. + + + + INDEX + + abandoned river course, 374. + acacia, 97, 216. + Acala, 48, 361. + Agua Bendita (Chiapa), 44, 348. + Agua Bendita (Mex.), 64. + agua miel, 61. + aguardiente, 255. + Aguazotepec, 240. + aje, 45: insect, 46; 79. + Ajuno, 76, 84, 107. + Akxotla, 191. + alcaldes indios, 357. + alligators, 277, 290. + Ancona, Bishop, 300. + antiquities, 116, 223, 230, 239, 288, 345. + ant--foraging, 289; + --honey, 190. + apparition of the Virgin, 395. + Aranza, 82. + arbol huerfano, 196. + arriero--tardy, 271; + --unreliable, 358; + --abandons us, 385. + Arroyo--Jefe, 247. + Atla, 245; + carry-sacks, 256; + costume, 256; + witchcraft, 256. + Atlihuitzia--Santa Maria, 195. + axolotl, 64. + ayate, 58, 267, 271. + Ayutla, 23, 149. + Aztec, 242, 279, 281, 283, 285, 397; + breakfast, 196. + + babies--carrying, 267; + --care of, 57. + bamboo, 289. + band--Huauhtla, 237; + --honors us, 124. + bandolier, 318. + Barela, Sr. and Sra., 189. + bark-paper, 245, 246, 268. + Baron, 293, 320. + barranca, 190,191, 214, 280, 363. + Barrios--Pedro, 230. + basalt, 196, 249. + battle of flowers, 321. + begonia, 246. + Belen, 194. + bells--pottery, 112. + Benito Juarez--steamer, 293. + Bernal Diaz, 91. + bishop--Merida, 300. + blackflies, 343. + Blanco--Juan, 303, 316. + blessing--a mother's, 111. + bloom--trees, 340, 364. + Boca del Rio--rancho, 168. + books--Mixe, 155; + --Mixtec, 141; + Zapotec, 165. + bowls--calabash, 353. + boxes--scarce, 370. + boy--work of, 35, 37; + --and iguana, 54. + breech-clout, 344. + bridge--covered, 77; + --of vines, 32, 207. + Brinton, 374. + bromelias, 22, 27, 126, 154, 199, 207, 219, 232. + bruheria, 246, 256, 376. + bull met, 214. + burning fields, 374, 376. + bust-making, 65, 99, 104, 146, 234, 382. + de Butrie--M. and Mme., 235, 236, 237. + + cactus, 8, 11, 181, 182, 217, 329; + --pitahaya, 96. + Cahuantzi--Gov. Prospero, 85, 94, 193. + caimans, 290. + cairn, 218. + calabashes, 314. + caladium, 201, 249. + calandria, 334. + Calistro--Antonio, 61. + camalpa, 191. + camaron, 276. + Camotlan, 32, 155. + camp--traveller's, 178. + Campeche, 306, 355; + --banks, 295. + canal, 291. + Cancuc, 365, 366, 371, 374; + --outbreak, 374; + --reception, 375; + --music, 376; + --dress, 377. + Candaleria--Maria, 374. + canoes, 275, 289, 360; + --Tarascan, 68; + --travel, 277; + --empty, 292. + Canton--Gov. Francisco, 300, 301, 355. + Capacuaro, 78, 80. + Carapan, 104. + Carizal, 342. + carnival, 239, 317, 318, 321, 324. + Carrera, 52. + carretero, 333, 334, 342, 343; + --camping, 338. + carriers, 53, 54. + --small, but devoted, 384,386; + --trouble, 206. + carry-frame, 243. + carts, 95, 333. + cart-road, 45, 48, 139, 342. + Carvajal, 179. + cascades, 262. + cascarones, 239. + Castle, Dr., 164, 165, 170, 328, 329. + Castolo--Zapotec boy, 35, 159. + cattle, among Juaves, 168; + --loading, 294; + driving, 348. + cave, near Comitan, 50; + --witch's, near Atla, 256; + --near Pantepec, 269; + near Tekax, 313, 314. + cave formations, 315. + cave--hat-makers, 224. + celebration--St. Martin's eve, 62. + cemetery--visits to, 165. + Cempoalteca--family, 92. + cempoalxochil, 257. + cenotes, 297, 316. + chacalacca, 334, 343. + chacmool, 319. + chalcedony, 38, 139. + chamara, 366, 367. + champurado, 196. + Chamula, 45, 365, 366, 367, 371; + --outbreak, 366, 396. + chapapote, 288, 291, 292. + chavacanes, 287. + Checheb, 366. + Cheran, 78, 82, 106. + chert, 129. + Chiapa, 45, 353, 360, 361, 364; + --lacquer, 45. + Chiapanecs, 361. + Chiapas, 293, 340; + --Indians, 44. + Chicago Record, 405; + --Tribune, 411. + Chicahuastla, 131, 396; + --an afternoon in, 133. + chicha, 377. + Chichen-Itza, 318. + Chila, 7, 10. + Chilchota, 98. + child--deserted, 136; + --grateful, 164. + Chilon, 379. + chinampas, 395. + Chinantecs, 210; + --land of, 212. + chirimiya--Mitla, 18; + --Los Reyes, 91. + Chochos, 218, 226; + hats, 224. + Chols, 380, 389; + --dress, 389; + --laborers, 384; + --type, 389. + Cholula, 108. + Chontals, 173; + --type, 175. + Christmas celebration, 71. + church of the thieves, 63. + la Cienega, 349. + cincalote, 60. + circus, 42. + Citala, 378. + Citlaltepec, 277, 279. + clays, 128. + cleanliness of person, 297. + climate--results, 306. + cloud-effects, 196; + --lake, 26; + --cataract, 28. + coach--unreliable, 228, 229; + --well-loaded, 315; + --fictitious, 331. + Coatlan, 34, 157. + Coatzacoalcos, 293, 325, 326, 331, 351, 393. + cochero--troublesome, 242. + cockroaches, 378. + cocoa palms, 169, 181. + cocoles, 287. + coffee, 155; + --plantation, 387; + --essence, 204. + Coixtlahuaca, 220, 224, 226; + --hat-making, 224; + --celebration, 224. + color-massing of flowers, 212. + colorin tree, 268. + comales, 127. + Comitan, 51. + comiteco, 51. + condolence--visit, 174. + conglomerate, 181, 182, 377. + Conkal, 297. + contract-labor system, 384, 388. + convent-church, 140. + cook-house, 88. + cooking, 339. + copal, 252. + Cordoba woman, 217, 227. + Cordova--Javier, 128, 135. + corpse rejected, 189. + Cortez' trail, 196. + cosmopolitan group, 325. + costumbre-annual,--Otomi, 250; + --Totonac, 252. + costume, 242; + --Juave, 169; + --Mazateco, 221; + --Mixtec, 127; + --Otomi, 58, 258; + --Totonac, 252; + --Tzotzil, 49; + --Zapotec, 40, 177. + cotones--see costume. + cotton--beating, 202. + counterfeiters in Tlaxcala, 94. + couple--mysterious, 354. + Coyotepec, 113. + crabs, 326. + Cristobal martyr boy, 195. + crosses, 269. + crucified child, 366. + la Cruzada, 387, 391; + --unsettled conditions, 391. + Cuaquitepec, 377, 378. + Cuauhtepec, 251. + cuezcomate, 88, 190. + Cuezcomate--the, 189. + Cuicatlan, 181, 198, 215, 227. + Culin--Mr., 263, 269. + Cuquila, 129, 137. + customs-house, 295. + cycle superstition, 139. + cypress, 139. + + dance wands, 257. + dancers, 317, 325. + danza, 265, 268; + --de la Conquista, 30; + --de los Negros, 287; + --de los mestizos, 325. + date palm, 126. + deaf-mutism, 48, 49, 79, 205. + December, 12, 395. + deer, 43. + deformity, 155. + Diaz--President Porfirio, ix, 396, 397. + Diego--Juan, 395. + disaster to plates, 365. + distance marks, 309. + distilleries, 51, 315. + disturbance--village, 202. + Dona Cecilia, 293. + Dos Rios, 56. + doves, 219, 288. + dragon-tree, 246. + drinking, 207. + drunken officials, 24, 25, 29, 71, 72, 80, 144, 201; + --visitor, 335. + ducks, 278. + dulces, 314. + dynamiting streams, 251, 360. + + eagle, 166, 219. + earthquake, 137, 138; + --Tehuantepec, 161; + Papalo, 183. + echo, 90. + eggs, 159. + Ellsworth Mr., 385, 392. + Embree Mr., 410. + enagua, see costume. + enchiladas, 286. + Esperanza mule-line, 7. + Espindola, Sr., 331, 332, 333. + Espinola--Macario, 120. + Etla, 116. + Expeditions, vii. + Eurosa--Sr., 246. + Eustasio, our carretero, 333, 334, 336, 340, 341, 344, 347, 348, + 349, 352, 379. + excitement--political, 191, 193. + exorbitant charges, 8, 9; + --Ixcuintepec, 33; + --Xalapa, 174; + --Tequixistlan, 175; + --Tulancingo, etc., 241; + --Huachinango, 243; + --Huehuetla, 271. + + faja--see costume. + fans used in dance, 318. + feather-work, 82. + Feb. 5, celebration, 224. + female beauty, 352. + feria at Comitan, 51. + ferns, 23, 27, 44, 154, 199, 207, 249. + Fernandez--Leandro, x. + Fernandez--Sr., 320, 323. + fever, 151, 387. + fiesta--San Marcos, 31. + fishes, 317. + fishing--night, 265; + --handnets, 266; + dynamite, 360. + flight of the Virgin, 196. + floats in procession, 319. + flora, 201, 249, 262, 296; + --contrast on two slopes, 23, 154, 199, 232; + --curious assemblage, 118; + --land of Mixes, 22; + --tropical, 387. + flowering shrubs, 22. + fog, 27, 126, 132. + forest fire, 34. + Frank, 189, 192, 200, 209, 213, 216. + Frontera, 393. + frost, 245, 251. + fugitive Jefe, 136. + funeral--an interrupted, 125; + --timely, 180; + --procession, 199, 332. + + Gillow--Archbishop Eulogio, 3, 6 + glossary, 399. + god-house, 88. + Godinez--Ramon, viii, 200, 209, 272, 273, 276, 308, 313, 319, + 324, 332, 335, 349, 382, 383. + goitre, 48, 49, 79, 155. + gold coins worn, 40, 52, 353. + Gonzales--Manuel, viii, 108-111, 115, 156, 166, 171, 184, 189, + 194, 198, 200, 209, 210, 241, 273, 276, 289, 290, 324, 330, 334, + 348, 349. + Gonzales--Gov. Martin, vii, 114. + Grabic--Louis, viii, 189, 192, 198, 200, 209, 210, 241, 273, 276, + 306, 313, 318, 329, 348. + granary, 60, 88, 190. + granite, 38. + greetings--New Year, 114. + grippe, 186. + Guadalupe, 395. + Guadalupe, our cook at Tancoco, 284, 286. + guamara, 280. + Guatemala, 43, 52, 340; + --money, 51. + Gutierrez Zamora, 281. + Guvino, 41, 333. + Guzman--Gamboa, 301. + + hairless dog, 330. + hares, 171. + hats, 127, 224, 284. + hauling timber, 95. + hennequin, 296; + --treatment, 309. + Herman, 1, 5, 9. + herons, 278, 291. + Hidalgo--steamer, 325. + high-road, 40, 173. + h'men, 307, 310. + honey-wine, 191. + horse falls, 218; + --ill, 115, 178, 179. + hot springs, 96. + houses--Aztec, 283; + --Huaxtec, 284; + --Tarascan, 97; + --Totonac, 268. + Hrdlicka--his work, v. + Huachinango, 242. + Huaclilla, 119. + Huancito, 99. + Huauhtla--view, 232; + --town, 233; + --trade, 235; + --labor ideas, 235. + Huautla, 218. + Huaxteca verucruzana, 274; + --potosina, 274. + Huaxtecs, 261, 274, 279, 281; + --character, 285; + --type, 286. + huehuetes=los viejos, 243. + huehuetl, 91; + --(wrongly so-called), 287, 318, 358, 376. + Huehuetla, 247, 261, 263. + Huejutla, 283. + Huilotepec, 166, 328, 330, 331. + huipil, huipili, see costume. + huitzatl, 191. + Huixquilucan, 56, 59, 245; + --thieves, 63. + Huixtan, 366. + Humboldt--Alexander, at Tule, 16. + husband--devoted, 186. + husk-stacks, 60. + Hyde, Dr. George B., 15. + + idols, 253. + Ignacio--boy at Chilchota, 102. + iguana, 54, 327. + imbecility, 48, 205. + incense, 368. + indian government, 49, 357. + Indian Mexico, v. 396. + injured carter, 336. + interpreter--false, 383. + irrigation, 96. + Irvine, Captain, 294. + Isidro--uncle, 193. + Itztlis, 240. + Ixcotla, 193. + Ixcoyotla (bark paper), 268. + Ixcuintepec, 33, 156, 157. + Ixhuatlan, 338, 340. + Ixtaltepec, 333. + Ixtapa, 363, 373. + ixtli, 58, 59. + Ixtacalco, 395. + Ixtapalapa, 395. + + Jacona, 98. + jail--San Cristobal, 367. + Janicho, 74. + Japanese, 41. + javali, 334. + jefe politico--drunk, 328; + --inefficient, 182, 185, 198, 216; + --his relation to his people, vii; + --as peacemaker, 353; + --of Tuxtla Gutierrez, 356; + --of Tulancingo--natural son of, 247. + Jiquipilas, 43, 349. + jonote, 246, 269. + Jornada, 338. + Juanico, 179. + Juarez--President Benito, 397. + Juaves, 164, 165, 168, 331, 337, 338; + --type, 169; + --night-watch, 170; + --singing, 171. + Juchitan, 41, 161, 333, 338, 343; + --trader, 170. + juiles, 395. + Juquila (Mixe), 29, 151. + Juxtlahuaca--Jefe of, 136. + + Kan--Modesto, 312. + ke'esh, 305. + kingfisher, 291. + + labor congress, 45. + laborers for Yucatan, 294. + lacquer--Chiapa, 45, 361; + --Uruapang. + lagoons, 276, 277, 290, 336. + Lake Chapala, 68; + --Patzcuaro, 68, 76. + landslide, 181. + Lang,--Charles B., viii, 115, 179, 184. + leaf-water, 193. + Leal--Manuel, Fernandez, ix. + Leandro, secretario Tamalin, 287. + Leon--Governor Francisco, 45, 342. + Leyra--Pablo, 246, 260, 263, 271. + libation, 255. + lightning, 183. + limestone, 18, 44, 50, 52, 126, 217, 249, 262, 296, 306, 314, 363, + 364, 373; + --erosion, 118; + --hills, 219. + llano, 278, 281, 341, 363. + la Llave, 277, 278. + Lopez--Lieut.-Governor, 351, 381. + lost at night, 167. + Lumholtz--Charles, v., 79, 80, 83. + Lux--Ernst, vii, 3, 10, 14, 159. + lycopods, 154, 199. + + macaws, 4, 340. + Macuilapa, 345. + Magdalena de los comales, 127. + maguey, 60, 119. + mai, 367. + malacates, 59. + Malintzi, 188, 189. + mangroves, 290. + mantas, 128, 148. + Manuel, our arriero, 218, 219. + mapa, 236, 330. + mapachtli, 329. + mapaho, 202, 207. + Marcelo--Alejandro, 279. + Maria as a female name, 56. + marimba, 42, 346. + Mariano, our mozo, 115, 119, 156. + market--Tehuantepec, 162; + --Oaxaca, 112. + Martinez--Quirino, 249. + Martinez--Silvano, 78, 80, 83. + maskers, 71, 240, 243. + Mayas, 297, 304, 396, 397; + --stubbornness, 312. + Mazatecs--costume, 234; + --houses, 233. + measuring--Mitla, 146; + --Ayutla, 149. + Medellin, 14. + medical practice, 36. + Mendieta, 195. + Mercado--Governor Aristeo, 78. + Merida, 295, 297, 301, 315, 355; + --expensive living, 298; + --carnival, 318, 321. + mesquite, 97. + Mexicalcingo, 395. + Mexico--steamer, 393, 394. + miraculous cross, 6. + mist, 22, 27. + Mitla--ruins, 4; + --Mixes seen at, 13; + --festival, 17; + --fiesta, 142; + --work at, 144; + --ruins, 148. + Mixes, 112, 398; + --first veiw of, 13; + --tragedy, 18; + --land of, 22; + --life, 23; + --roads, 31. + Mixtec, 115, 139; + --boy, 397; + --language, 140; + --planter, 204. + mogote, 78, 81. + mole, 222. + money--Guatemalan, 51. + monkey's comb, 340. + Montezuma, 250, 260. + moon influences young, 217. + moonstone, 64. + Mora--Senora, 278. + moral=mulberry, 246, 259. + Morrison--Stanton, 389. + mosquitoes, 289. + moss, 273; + --crimson, 214; + --gray, 232, 277; + yellow, 199, 214. + mounds, 116. + moving stone, 349. + mulada, 387. + mule--purchase, 15; + --accident, 33; + --trouble by, 44; + --trouble with, 52; + --gives out, 53; + --reported dead, 117. + muleteer--affectionate, 179. + munecos, 246, 250, 258, 261, 268, 269. + Murcio--Don, 369. + Murcio--Guillermo, 129, 131, 136. + Museo Yucateco, 301. + music--of the Candelaria, 24; + --at Los Reyes, 91. + + Nabor--Don, 98. + nacimiento, 195. + nagual, 166. + names of one river, 251. + Negrete, 95. + los negritos, 82. + Nehuatzen, 84. + Nenton, 49, 52. + New Year--celebration, 82; + --gifts, 339. + night-blindness, 164. + night-travel, 172. + night-watch, 170. + Nochixtlan, 120. + norther, 21, 22, 33, 158, 294, 326, 327, 393. + nublina, 232, 233, 261, 272. + + Oaxaca, 4, 6, 15, 112. + obsidian, 240. + ocellated turkey, 318. + Ocosingo, 375. + Ocotopec (Mixe), 153, 154, + --(Mixtec), 112. + oleander, 174. + + Once Pueblos, 98; + --ride through, 102. + operation proposed, 136. + orchids, 23, 27, 44, 126, 154, 199, 201, 207, 212, 232, 248. + organo cactus, 18. + Orozco y Berra, 131, 245, 264. + Otomis, 56, 242, 261, 397, 398; + --female type, 57: + --costume, 58; + --male types, 62. + ox-cart--travel, 334, 336, 337, 338, 340; + --accident, 341. + ox played out, 347. + Ozuluama, 274, 278; + --Jefe, of 276. + + Pacheco--Anselmo, viii, 115, 168, 184. + Pacific, 37, 43, 112, 132, 160, 165; + --coast--yellow fever, 329. + Padre--the, his story, 1; + --at Chila, 10; + --at Medellin, 14. + paganism surviving, 254, 269, 305, 307. + pahuatl, 245. + Pahuatlan, 242, 244. + Pahuatlan River, 242. + Palacios--Conrado, 351. + Palenque, 377. + palms, 277, 278, 296. + Pantepec, 247, 265; + costume, 267; + --houses, 268; + --women, 267. + Panuco, 283. + Panuco River, 274. + Papalo, 182, 198, 214. + papaya, 309. + parasitic fig, 340. + el Parian, 118. + Parracho, 81. + parrots, 41, 166, 262, 334. + Paso Real, 288, 289. + pastores, 72. + Patzcuaro, 84, 107. + pea-flower, 201. + Pearson Company, 326. + pebbles wedged by torrent, 266. + pelico, 367. + pemol, 287. + peonage, 45. + Peru tree--belief, 194. + piano, 208. + Pichataro, 84, 106. + pigeons, 219. + pigs, 377. + pilgrimage, 48. + Pimentel--Governor, 351. + pineapples, 361. + pines, 128, 182, 371. + pinguicula, 154. + pinolillos, 347. + los Pinos, 344, 345. + pinto, 47, 332, 353, 361. + pitahaya (cactus), 96, 216. + pito, 287, 358, 377. + plaster prepared, 135. + le Plongeon--Dr. A., 301. + polydactyly, 205. + Ponce; Padre, 70, 71, 72, 73. + population of Mexico, v. + Porfiria, Aztec cook, 286. + posole, 343, 379. + pottery, 102, 112, 127, 137, 332, 339. + pouch--netted, 367. + Powell--William D., viii, 56. + predictions dire, 374. + presidente--sleepy, 267; + --Zautla, 201. + priest--drunken, 145; + --ignorant, 4; + active, 234; + --gifts to, 123; + --reception of, 124. + priestess--pagan, 254. + prisoners, 368; + --of state, 354. + private cart, 345. + Progress, 295, 299, 320, 324. + Puebla, 283, 300, 330. + Pueblo Viejo, 274, 275. + pulque, 61, 119; + --country, 240. + puma, 41. + pumice, 128. + pygmy statue, 57. + pyramid, 303, 362. + + quail, 306. + quarrel adjusted, 354. + quartz, 18. + Quechol--Romualdo, 188, 189, 191, 192, 194, 196. + Quezaltepec, 31, 155 + quichiquemil, see costume. + Quiero--Senor, 13, 17. + Quiroga, 69, 70. + + railroad--Yucatecan, 296, 303. + rain ceremonials, 271. + rain-god, 6. + rattle, 318. + Rau--Enrique, 385, 386, 390. + rebozos (Parracho), 81. + regidor perplexed, 162. + resting at summit, 373. + los Reyes, 90. + rheumatism cure, 330. + rhododendron, 22. + ridge in Yucatan, 306. + la Riviera, 291. + road ("rio blanca"), 219; + --dilapidated, 241. + roads--mixe, 156; + Zapotec, 177. + Robinson, A.A., ix. + robbery, 63. + rock-impressions, 196. + Rodriguez; Governor Pedro L., 247. + round houses, 131. + ruins (Tecomavaca), 186. + + Sabina, 84, 106. + sacrifice, 252, 254. + salt, 373. + el Salto, 381, 389, 391. + San Antonio, 49. + San Antonio, 228; + --excitement at, 231. + San Bartolo (Hacienda), 19. + San Bartolo (Hidalgo), 261, 271; + --market, 262. + San Bartolo (Mixtec), 126. + San Bartolo (Zapotec), 176; + --costume, 177. + San Bartolome (Tzotzil), 49, 366. + San Bernardino, 232. + San Blas, 164. + San Carlos, 152, 177. + San Cristobal (Chiapas), 364, 365, 385. + San Estevan, 88. + San Francisco, 191. + San Geronimo (Mazatec), 232. + San Geronimo (Huaxtec), 288. + San Geronimo (Zapotec), 331, 332. + San Gregorio, 245, 268. + San Juan (Yucatan), 308, 309. + San Lorenzo; 14, 18. + San Lucas, 232, 235. + San Mateo del Mar, 168, 334. + San Miguel, 34, 157. + San Miguel (Chiapas), 344, 345. + San Nicolas, 260. + San Nicolas Panotla, 92, 397. + San Pablito, 246, 259; + --witchcraft, 257; + --paper, 259. + San Pablo el grande, 258, 261. + San Pedrito, 119. + San Pedro, 190. + San Pedro Soochiapan, 207; + --town-house, 208; + --public service, 209; + houses, 212. + San Sebastian, 364. + Sanchez--Padre, 364. + sandstone, 374, 377. + sand dollars, 327. + sandunga (song), 330. + Santa Ana, 188. + Santa Anita, 395. + Santa Fe de la Laguna, 69. + Santa Maria, 38, 160. + Santa Maria (Totonac), 250. + Santa Maria (Yucatan), 307. + Santa Maria Albarradas, 20. + Santa Maria Atlihuitzia, 195. + Santiago Guevea, 37, 158. + santocalli, 254. + Santo Domingo (Chiapas), 350. + Santo Domingo (Mixtec), 127. + sastun, 307, 310. + Sawapa, 89, 194. + schistose rock, 182. + school-teachers, 224. + scientific results of work, viii. + school at San Nicolas Panotla, 93. + scorpion, 394. + sea gulls, 290. + las Sedas, 116. + segundo of Zautla, 203, 204. + selaginella, 154. + Seler--Mrs., 331. + semi-domestication, 343. + sensitive plants, 201. + September 16, San Miguel's Day, 271. + shales, 377. + shaly-sandstone, 374. + silk, 235. + singing, 171, 192. + sister--loyal, 361. + slate, 20. + small-pox, 119, 194, 301, 321. + Smith--Lucius, 4, 15. + smuggling, 51. + snakes, 277, 307, 358. + snipe, 290. + soldiers, 43. + songs--Aztec, 192; + --Zapotec, 330. + spear-thrower, 75. + spinning, 58, 202. + spot-sacral--on Maya babies, 411. + stalagmite, 315. + Starr in Old Mexico, 405. + stations--railroad, 303. + stream-beds dry, 41. + stubbornness, 312. + subterranean streams, 373. + Suchiapa, 361. + sugar-making, 244, 249, 314, + --mill, 307 + sunset, 192. + surviving paganism, 6, 395. + syenite, 43. + Syrian peddlers, 7. + + Tamalin, 279, 281. + Tampico, 274. + Tanaquillo=Tanaco, 104, 105. + Tanatepec, 42. + Tanchitla, 251. + Tancoco, 281, 284; + --hats, 284; + --houses, 284. + Tangancicuaro, 98. + Tantima, 280, 282; + houses, 283, 286. + Tapachula, 373. + Tarascans, 68; + --trading, 85. + Tatarian--Bedros, viii. + Tecomavaca, 185. + Tecomavaca Viejo, 186. + Tehuacan, 8. + Tehuantepec, 39, 161, 328; + --name story, 165; + --yellow fever, 329. + Tehuantepec River, 173. + Tehuantepec women, 112; + --beauty, 39; + --versus Tuxtla Gutierrez, 352; + --dress, 40. + Tekax, 303, 305; + --hermita, 304; + --Jefe of, 304. + temascal, 191, 192, 283. + Tenango (Chiapas), 376; + --pottery, 377. + Tenango del Doria, 247, 260, 271. + Tenejapa, 366, 367, 371; + market, 372. + Teotitlan del Camino, 228, 229. + tepache, 148, 217. + Tepanapa, 200, 213. + Tepehuas, 247, 267; + --costume, 264. + Tepeyac, 395. + teponastl, 265. + Teposcolula, 139. + Tequixistlan, 174. + thatching, 41. + theatre, 103. + tiger=jaguar, or ocelotl, 307. + tiger-cat, 279. + Thompson--Edward, 318, 320. + three-part house, 88. + Tilantongo, 121. + tinajas, 119. + Titian--the, 73, 74. + titulo, 236. + Tlacolula, 142, 180. + Tlacotepec, 38, 160. + Tlacuilotepec, 246, 248, 249. + Tlaxcala, 85, 188, 192, 283. + Tlaxcalans, 397. + Tlaxcalteca (song), 192. + Tlaxco, 245. + Tlaxiaco, 128. + toro play, 324, 384. + toros, 142. + torrent-wash, 82. + Torres--Anastasia, 362. + Torres--Padre, 72. + tortillas, 339. + tortuga, 318, 377. + las Tortugas, 272. + Totolapa, 179. + Totonacs, 242, 247, 251, 265, 396; + --fishing, 266. + toucan, 44, 340, 348. + trade, 170, 235, 236. + tramp--American, 50, 52. + tree-ferns, 22, 54, 199, 273, 387. + trees protected, 297, 309. + la Trinidad, 390. + Triquis, 131, 398. + el Triunfo, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389. + tropical forest, 22, 37, 387. + troupe--comedy, 337. + tsupakwa, 75. + tufa, 50. + tufaceous deposits, 119, 139, 263. + Tulancingo, 239. + Tule, 17, 142; + --great tree at, 16. + Tumbala, 380, 384, 385, 389; + --boys delayed at, 388. + Tuxtla Gutierrez, 44, 331, 333, 335, 338, 346, 347, 350, 351 et, 357, +376. + Tzendals, 366, 367, 378; + --dress, 372, 380; + --hair-dressing, 372. + Tzintzuntzan, 69, 73. + Tzotzils, 45, 366, 367; + --dress, 366; + --industrious, 366. + + ucuares, 102. + ule, 269. + Union Hidalgo=Guvino, 333, 334, 335, 343. + United States--ideas regarding, 42. + Uruapan, 78; + --lacquer, 79; + --goitre, 79. + + Valencia--Jefe, 178, 375. + Valley hot, 181. + Van Antwerp--A.L., ix. + Venta Colorado, 241. + Vera Cruz, 394. + Vice-consul (Solis), 299, 320. + los Viejos, 71. + view-extended, 362. + village crying, 65, 153. + + wasp nests, 156. + watch-houses in fields, 120. + water birds, 277; + --doubtful, 341. + wayside selling, 76, 242. + wayside shrine, 28. + weaving, 50, 127, 138, 202, 211, 366. + wedding, 221, 236. + weighing, 170. + Werner, Mr., 331. + wheels--hot, 349. + whistles--pottery, 112. + Wilson, David A., viii. + wind-mills, 297. + witchcraft, 246, 256, 376; + --cave, 256. + women difficult subjects, 89, 132, 157, 162, 185, 268, 369, 381; + --easy subjects, 235, 265, 285; + --of Tuxtla Gutierrez beautiful, 352; + --Zapotec, 339. + wool, 138. + work--nature of, vi; + --views regarding, 235; + --methods and difficulties, 61, 86, 122, + 132, 144, 149, 183, 234, 312, 356. + wry-necks, 278. + + xalama, 259. + Xalapa, 173. + Xaya, 307, 308, 309. + Xochihua, Sr., 245, 260. + xtoles, 317, 323. + Yajalon, 379, 381. + Yaqui, 396. + Yautepec, 375. + yellow fever, 301, 308, 316, 327, 328, 329, 393. + Yodocono, 120, 396. + Yucatan, 293, 294; + --aspect of, 296; + --dress, 297. + + Zamora, 97. + Zanatepec, 42. + el Zapato, 219. + Zapote (hacienda), 346. + Zapotecs, 112, 338, 379, 397; + --wounded, 19; + --woman's dress, 34; + --family, 34; + --traders, 170; + --cook, 171; + --family, 176; + --songs, 330; + --painting, 330; + --expansion, 339. + Zautla--San Juan, 201. + Zinacantan, 364. + Ziracuaretaro, 77. + Zoques, 45, 351; + --beauty of women, 352; + --dress, 352; + --baby-carrying, 353; + --houses, 357. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's In Indian Mexico (1908), by Frederick Starr + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN INDIAN MEXICO (1908) *** + +***** This file should be named 16183.txt or 16183.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/1/8/16183/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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