Produced by Jeroen Hellingman
Unknown Mexico
A Record of Five Years' Exploration Among the Tribes of the Western
Sierra Madre; In the Tierra Caliente of Tepic and Jalisco; and Among
the Tarascos of Michoacan
By
Carl Lumholtz, M.A.
Member of the Society of Sciences of Norway; Associe Etranger de la
Societe de l'Anthropologie de Paris; Author of "Among Cannibals," Etc.
Volume I
To
Morris K. Jesup, M.A., LL.D.
President of the American Museum of Natural History of New York
The Patron and Friend of Science
This Work Is Respectfully Dedicated As a Token of Gratitude and Regard
Preface
In the course of my travels in Australia, and especially after
my arrival at Upper Herbert River in Northern Queensland, I soon
perceived that it would be impracticable for me to hunt for zoological
specimens without first securing the assistance of the natives of
the country. Thus it came about that for over a year I spent most of
my time in the company of the cannibalistic blacks of that region,
camping and hunting with them; and during this adventurous period
I became so interested in these primitive people that the study of
savage and barbaric races has since become my life's work.
I first conceived the idea of an expedition to Mexico while on a
visit to London in 1887. I had, of course, as we all have, heard of
the wonderful cliff-dwellings in the Southwest of the United States,
of entire villages built in caverns on steep mountain-sides, accessible
in many cases only with the aid of ladders. Within the territory of
the United States there were, to be sure, no survivors of the race
that had once inhabited those dwellings. But the Spaniards, when
first discovering and conquering that district, are said to have
come upon dwellings then still occupied. Might there not, possibly,
be descendants of the people yet in existence in the northwestern
part of Mexico hitherto so little explored?
I made up my mind, then and there, that I would answer this question
and that I would undertake an expedition into that part of the American
continent. But my ideas were not realised until in 1890 I visited
the United States on a lecturing tour. On broaching the subject of
such an expedition to some representative men and women, I met with a
surprisingly ready response; and interest in an undertaking of that
kind being once aroused, the difficulties and obstacles in its way
were soon overcome.
Most of the money required was raised by private subscription. The
principal part of the fund was, however, furnished by a now deceased
friend of mine, an American gentleman whose name, in deference to
his wishes, I am bound to withhold. The American Museum of Natural
History of New York and the American Geographical Society of New York
contributed, each, $1,000, and it was arranged that I should travel
under the auspices of these two learned institutions. Many scientific
societies received me most cordially.
The Government in Washington readily furnished me with the official
papers I required. The late Mr. James G. Blaine, then Secretary of
State, did everything in his power to pave my way in Mexico, even
evincing a very strong personal interest in my plans.
In the summer of 1890, preparatory to my work, I visited the Zuni,
Navajo, and Moqui Indians, and then proceeded to the City of Mexico
in order to get the necessary credentials from that Government. I
was received with the utmost courtesy by the President, General
Porfirio Diaz, who gave me an hour's audience at the Palacio Nacional,
and also by several members of his cabinet, whose appreciation of
the importance and the scientific value of my proposition was truly
gratifying. With everything granted that I wanted for the success of
my expedition--free passage for my baggage through the Custom House,
the privilege of a military escort whenever I deemed one desirable,
and numerous letters of introduction to prominent persons in Northern
Mexico who were in a position to further my plans--I hurried back to
the United States to organise the undertaking. My plan was to enter,
at some convenient point in the State of Sonora, Mexico, that great
and mysterious mountain range called the Sierra Madre, cross it to
the famous ruins of Casas Grandes in the State of Chihuahua, and then
to explore the range southward as extensively as my means would permit.
The western Sierra Madre may be considered a continuation of the
Rocky Mountains and stretches through the greater part of Mexico into
Central and South America as a link of the Cordilleras, which form a
practically uninterrupted chain from Bering Strait to Cape Horn. The
section occupying Northwestern Mexico is called Sierra Madre del
Norte, and offers a wide field for scientific exploration. To this
day it has never been surveyed.
The northernmost portion of the Sierra Madre del Norte has from time
immemorial been under the dominion of the wild Apache tribes whose hand
was against every man, and every man against them. Not until General
Crook, in 1883, reduced these dangerous nomads to submission did
it become possible to make scientific investigations there; indeed,
small bands of the "Men of the Woods" were still left, and my party
had to be strong enough to cope with any difficulty from them.
Inasmuch as my expedition was the first to take advantage of the
comparative security prevailing in that district, I thought that
I could best further the aims of Science by associating with me a
staff of scientists and students. Professor W. Libbey, of Princeton,
N. J., took part as the physical geographer, bringing with him his
laboratory man; Mr. A. M. Stephen was the archaeologist, assisted
by Mr. R. Abbott; Messrs. C. V. Hartman and C. E. Lloyd were the
botanists, Mr. F. Robinette the zooelogical collector, and Mr. H. White
the mineralogist of the expedition.
All the scientific men were provided with riding animals, while the
Mexican muleteers generally rode their own mounts. Our outfit was
as complete as it well could be, comprising all the instruments
and tools that might be required, besides tents and an adequate
allotment of provisions, etc. All this baggage had to be transported
on mule-back. We were, all in all, thirty men, counting the scientific
corps, the guides, the cooks, and the muleteers, and we had with us
nearly a hundred animals--mules, donkeys, and horses--as we crossed
the sierra.
It was a winter campaign, and from Nacori, in Sonora, to Casas
Grandes, in Chihuahua, we were to make our own trail, which we did
successfully. Ancient remains were almost as rare as in the rest of
the Sierra Madre del Norte; yet traces of ancient habitations were
found in the shape of stone terraces, which had evidently served
agricultural purposes, and at some places rude fortifications were
seen. In the eastern part we came upon a considerable number of
caves containing house Croups, the builders of which, generally,
rested in separate burial-caves. In the same locality, as well as
in the adjacent plains of San Diego, Chihuahua, we found numerous
mounds covering house groups, similar in construction to those in the
caves. From underneath their floors we unearthed about five hundred
beautifully decorated pieces of pottery.
Among the further results of the expedition may be mentioned the
gathering of large collections of plants, among them twenty-seven
species new to science; fifty-five mammals, among which the _siurus
Apache_ was new to science, and about a thousand birds. A complete
record was made of meteorological observations.
Thus far, although the question regarding surviving cliff-dwellers was
answered negatively, the field southward in the sierra was so promising
that I was eager to extend my explorations in that direction. The
funds of the expedition, however, began to run low, and in April,
1891, I had to return to the United States to obtain more money with
which to carry on a work that had opened so auspiciously. I left
my camp in San Diego in charge of one of my assistants, instructing
him to go on with the excavations during my absence. This work was
never interrupted, though the force of men was now considerably
reduced. The law prohibiting excavations without the special permit
of the Government of Mexico had not yet been promulgated.
I was so absolutely confident of the ultimate success of my efforts,
in spite of discouragements, that I twice crossed the entire continent
of North America, went down to the City of Mexico and came north
again--a journey of over 20,000 miles--seeing prominent people and
lecturing to arouse a public interest. Finally, the American Museum
of Natural History of New York decided to continue the explorations,
the funds being this time supplied mainly through the munificence
of the late Mr. Henry Villard, and toward the end of that year I was
able to return to my camp, and in January, 1892, lead the expedition
further south. My scientific assistants were now: Mr. C. V. Hartman,
botanist; Mr. C. H. Taylor, civil engineer and photographer, and
Mr. A. E. Meade, mineralogist and zoological collector.
This time we came upon Cave-Dwellers. The Tarahumare Indians of
the Sierra Madre, one of the least known among the Mexican tribes,
live in caves to such an extent that they may properly be termed
the American Cave-Dwellers of to-day. I determined to study these
interesting people, especially the so-called _gentiles_ [1] (pagans),
and as this was not practical, even with the present reduced size of
the expedition, I gradually disbanded the entire company and at last
remained alone.
By selling most of my animals, and a large part of my outfit, and
through the untiring efforts of two American ladies, whose friendship
I highly esteem, I was enabled to continue my researches alone until
August, 1893, when I took my Tarahumare and Tepehuane collections to
Chicago and exhibited them at the World's Fair. Extensive vocabularies
of the Tarahumare and Tepehuane languages, as well as a vocabulary
of the now almost extinct Tubares, were among the results of this
expedition, besides anthropological measurements, samples of hair
and osseous remains.
The great possibilities Mexico offers to ethnology proved an
irresistible incentive to new researches, and seeing the results
of my previous expeditions, the American Museum of Natural History
of New York again sent me out on what was to be my third and most
extensive Mexican expedition, which lasted from March, 1894, to
March, 1897. During these three years I again travelled alone, that
is, without any scientific assistants, at first with two or three
Mexicans. Soon, however, I found that my best companions were the
so-called civilised Indians, or even Indians in their aboriginal state,
who not only helped me by their mere presence to win the confidence
of their tribesmen but also served me as subjects of observation. As
before, I stopped for months with a tribe, discharging all alien
attendants, and roughing it with the Indians. In this way I spent
in all a year and a half among the Tarahumares, and ten months among
the Coras and Huichols. At first the natives persistently opposed me;
they are very distrustful of the white man, and no wonder, since he
has left them little yet to lose. But I managed to make my entry and
gradually to gain their confidence and friendship, mainly through my
ability to sing their native songs, and by always treating them justly.
Thus I gained a knowledge of these peoples which could have been
procured in no other way. When after five or six months of such
sojourns and travel my stock of "civilised" provisions would give out,
I subsisted on what I could procure from the Indians. Game is hard
to get in Mexico, and one's larder cannot depend on one's gun. As
in Australia, my favourite drink was hot water with honey, which,
besides being refreshing, gave a relish to a monotonous diet.
All along my route I gathered highly valuable material from the
Tarahumares, the Northern and the Southern Tepehuanes, the Coras,
the Huichols, and the Tepecanos, all of which tribes except the last
named dwell within the Sierra Madre del Norte; also from the Nahuas on
the western slopes of the sierra, as well as from those in the States
of Jalisco and Mexico; and, finally, from the Tarascos in the State
of Michoacan. Of most of these tribes little more than their names
were known, and I brought back large collections illustrating their
ethnical and anthropological status, besides extensive information
in regard to their customs, religion, traditions, and myths. I also
completed my collection of vocabularies and aboriginal melodies. On
my journey through the Tierra Caliente of the Territory of Tepic,
and the States of Jalisco and Michoacan, I also obtained a number of
archaeological objects of great historical value and importance.
In 1898 I made my last expedition to Mexico under the same auspices,
staying there for four months. On this trip I was accompanied by
Dr. Ales Hrdlicka. I revisited the Tarahumares and Huichols in order
to supplement the material in hand and to settle doubtful points that
had come up in working out my notes. Sixty melodies from these tribes
were recorded on the graphophone.
Thus from 1890 to 1898 I spent fully five years in field researches
among the natives of northwestern Mexico. The material was collected
with a view to shedding light upon the relations between the ancient
culture of the valley of Mexico and the Pueblo Indians in the southwest
of the United States; to give an insight into the ethnical status
of the Mexican Indians now and at the time of the conquest, and to
illuminate certain phases in the development of the human race.
So far the results of my expeditions to Mexico have been made public
in the following literature:
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "Explorations in Mexico," Bulletin of the American
Geographical Society, 1891.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: Letters to the American Geographical Society of
New York, "Mr. Carl Lumholtz in Mexico," Bulletin of the American
Geographical Society, Vol. III., 1893.
J. A. ALLEN: "List of Mammals and Birds Collected in Northeastern
Sonora and Northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico, on the Lumholtz
Archaeological Expedition, 1890-1892," Bulletin of the American Museum
of Natural History, Vol. V., Art. III., 1893.
B. L. ROBINSON and M. L. FERNALD: "New Plants Collected
by Mr. C. V. Hartman and Mr. C. E. Lloyd upon the Archaeological
Expedition to Northwestern Mexico under the Direction of Dr. Carl
Lumholtz," Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,
Vol. XXX., 1894.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "American Cave-Dwellers; the Tarahumares of the Sierra
Madre," Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, Vol. III., 1894.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "The Cave-Dwellers of the Sierra Madre," Proceedings
of the International Congress of Anthropology, Chicago, 1894.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: Four articles in SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE: "Explorations
in the Sierra Madre," November, 1891; "Among the Tarahumares, the
American Cave-Dwellers," July, 1894; "Tarahumare Life and Customs,"
September, 1894; "Tarahumare Dances and Plant Worship," October, 1894.
C. V. HARTMAN: "The Indians of Northwestern Mexico," Congres
International des Americanistes, Dixieme Session, Stockholm, 1894.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "Blandt Sierra Madres huleboere," Norge, Norsk Kalender,
Kristiania, 1895.
CARL LUMHOLTZ and ALES HRDLICKA: "Trephining in Mexico," American
Anthropologist, December, 1897.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "The Huichol Indians in Mexico," Bulletin of the
American Museum of Natural History, Vol. X., 1898.
TARLETON H. BEAN: "Notes on Mexican Fishes Obtained by Carl
Lumholtz." Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History,
Vol. X., 1898.
CARL LUMHOLTZ and ALES HRDLICKA: "Marked Human Bones from a Prehistoric
Tarasco Indian Burial-place in the State of Michoacan, Mexico,"
Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. X., 1898.
ALES HRDLICKA: "Description of an Ancient Anomalous Skeleton from the
Valley of Mexico, with Special Reference to Supernumerary Bicipital
Ribs in Man," Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History,
Vol. XII., 1899.
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "Symbolism of the Huichol Indians," Memoir of the
American Museum of Natural History, Vol. III., May, 1900; 228 royal
quarto pages and 3 coloured plates.
IN PREPARATION:
CARL LUMHOLTZ: "Conventionalism in Designs of the Huichol Indians,"
Memoir of the American Museum of Natural History.
The present volumes give a succinct account of my travels and
work among the remote peoples of the Sierra Madre del Norte and
the countries adjacent to the south and east as far as the City of
Mexico. Most of what I tell here refers to a part of the Republic
that is never visited by tourists and is foreign even to most
Mexicans. Primitive people are becoming scarce on the globe. On the
American continents there are still some left in their original
state. If they are studied before they, too, have lost their
individuality or been crushed under the heels of civilisation, much
light may be thrown not only upon the early people of this country
but upon the first chapters of the history of mankind.
In the present rapid development of Mexico it cannot be prevented that
these primitive people will soon disappear by fusion with the great
nation to whom they belong. The vast and magnificent virgin forests
and the mineral wealth of the mountains will not much longer remain
the exclusive property of my dusky friends; but I hope that I shall
have rendered them a service by setting them this modest monument,
and that civilised man will be the better for knowing of them.
That I have been able to accomplish what I did I owe, in the
first place, to the generosity of the people of the United States,
to their impartiality and freedom from prejudice, which enables
foreigners to work shoulder to shoulder with their own advance
guard. I wish to extend my thanks in particular to the American
Geographical Society of New York, and still more especially to
the American Museum of Natural History of New York, with whom I
have had the honour of being connected more or less closely for ten
years. To its public-spirited and whole-souled President, Mr. Morris
K. Jesup, I am under profound obligations. I also take pleasure in
acknowledging my indebtedness to Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who initiated
my Mexican ventures with a subscription of $1,000; furthermore to the
Hon. Cecil Baring, Mr. Frederick A. Constable, Mr. William E. Dodge,
Mr. James Douglass, Mrs. Joseph W. Drexel, Mr. George J. Gould, Miss
Helen Miller Gould, Mr. Archer M. Huntington, Mr. Frederick E. Hyde,
Mr. D. Willis James, Col. James K. Jones, the Duke of Loubat,
Mr. Peter Marie, Mr. Henry G. Marquand, Mr. F. O. Matthiessen,
Mr. Victor Morawetz, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, Mrs. Edwin Parsons,
Mr. Archibald Rogers, Mr. F. Augustus Schermerhorn, Mr. William
C. Schermerhorn, Mr. Charles Stewart Smith, Mr. James Speyer,
Mr. George W. Vanderbilt, Mr. William C. Whitney, of New York;
to Mr. Frederick L. Ames, Mrs. John L. Gardner, Mrs. E. Mason,
Mr. Nathaniel Thayer, Mr. Samuel D. Warren, Dr. Charles G. Weld,
of Boston; to Mr. Allison D. Armour and Mr. Franklin MacVeagh, of
Chicago; to Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, Mr. Frank G. New. lands, Mrs. Abby
M. Parrot, Mr. F. W. Sharon, of San Francisco; to Mr. Adolphus Busch,
of St. Louis; to Mr. Theo. W. Davis, of Newport; and to the late
Mr. E. L. Godkin.
Much valuable support or assistance I have also received from
Mrs. Morris K. Jesup; Mrs. Elizabeth Hobson, of Washington, D. C.;
Miss Joanna Rotch, of Milton, Mass.; Mrs. Henry Draper, of New York;
Mrs. Robert W. Chapin, of Lenox; the late Mr. E. L. Godkin; Professor
Alexander Agassiz; Professor F. W. Putnam, Curator of the American
Museum of Natural History in New York; Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, of
Philadelphia; Professor Franz Boas, Curator of the American Museum of
Natural History in New York; Dr. B. L. Robinson and Dr. M. L. Fernald,
of Harvard University; Professor J. A. Allen and Mr. L. P. Gratacap,
Curators of the American Museum of Natural History.
I am under obligation to Mr. Marshall H. Saville, Curator of the
American Museum of Natural History, especially for the placing of
the names of the ruins of Southern Mexico on one of the maps; to
Miss Alice Fletcher, of Washington, D. C., and Mr. Edwin S. Tracy for
transcribing from the graphophone three of the songs rendered in this
book, and to Mrs. George S. Bixby for aid in transcribing the native
music. Finally I desire to express my appreciation of the untiring
services of my private secretary, Mrs. H. E. Hepner.
The upper illustration on page 65 is a reproduction of a photograph
kindly furnished me by Mr. Frank H. Chapman, and the illustration in
Vol. I., pages 145-146, is made from a photograph acquired through
the late Dr. P. Lamborn. The illustration in Vol. II., pages 464-465,
I owe to the courtesy of Mr. D. Gabriel Castanos, of Guadalajara.
The coloured illustrations are represented as the objects appear when
the colours have been brought out by the application of water.
The maps do not lay claim to an accuracy which, under the
circumstances, it was impossible to obtain, but they will, I hope,
be found to be an improvement on the existing ones.
Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, who has just returned from the Hyde expedition,
informs me that in visiting the western part of Sonora he found pure
Opata spoken west of Rio de Sonora and north of Ures, _e.g_., in Tuape.
Wherever dollars and cents are given Mexican currency is meant.
In the Indian Songs II., 10 and 18, I have made an attempt at rendering
the native words in English in such a form that the translations
could be sung, without, however, deviating from the original.
In the native words "x" should be given the sound of the Greek chi.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Preparations for the Start--Our Dry Goods Relished by the
Cattle--I Become a "Compadre"--Beautiful Northern Sonora--Mexican
Muleteers Preferable in Their Own Country--Apache Stories--Signs
of Ancient Inhabitants--Arrival at Upper Yaqui River--Opata
Indians now Mexicanised--A Flourishing Medical Practice--Mexican
Manners--Rock-carvings--How Certain Cacti Propagate, Pages 1-16
CHAPTER II
A Remarkable Antique Piece--A New Species of Century Plant--Arrival
at Nacori, at the Foot of the Sierra Madre--Trincheras--A
Mammoth Tusk Secured--Climbing the Sierra Madre--A New Squirrel
Discovered--Solitude--Apache Monuments--Arrival at Upper Bavispe River,
Pages 17-40
CHAPTER III
Camping at Upper Bavispe River--Low Stone Cabins, Fortresses, and
Other Remains Indicating Former Habitation--The Animals Starve on the
Winter Grass of the Sierra and Begin to Give Out--A Deserted Apache
Camp--comfort at Last--The Giant Woodpecker--We Arrive at the Mormon
Settlements of Pacheco and Cave Valley, Pages 41-59
CHAPTER IV
A Splendid Field Prepared for Us by the Ancient Agriculturists of Cave
Valley--House Groups in Caves Along a Pretty Stream--Well-preserved
Mummies Found in Caves--More Trincheras--Our Excavations in
Caves and Mounds Confirm to the Mormons their Sacred Stories--We
Move to the Plains of San Diego--Visit to Casas Grandes and the
Watch-tower--Successful Excavations of the Mounds near San Diego,
Pages 60-98
CHAPTER V
Second Expedition--Return to the Sierra--Parrots in the
Snow--Cave-dwellings at Garabato, the most Beautiful in Northern
Mexico--A Superb View of the Sierra Madre--The Devil's Spine
Ridge--Guaynopa, the Famous Old Silver Mine--Aros River--On Old
Trails--Adventures of "El Chino"--Cure for Poison Ivy, Pages 99-117
CHAPTER VI
Fossils, and One Way of Utilising Them--Temosachic--The First
Tarahumares--Ploughs with Wooden Shares--Visit to the Southern
Pimas--Aboriginal Hat Factories--Pinos Altos--The Waterfall near
Jesus Maria--An Adventure with Ladrones, Pages 118-135
CHAPTER VII
The Uncontaminated Tarahumares--A Tarahumare Court in Session--The
Power of the Staff--Justice has its Course--Barrancas--Excursion to
the Gentiles--Tarahumare Costumes Simple and Inexpensive--Trincheras
in Use Among the Tarahumares, Pages 136-155
CHAPTER VIII
The Houses of the Tarahumares--American Cave-dwellings of
To-day--Frequent Changes of Abode by the Tarahumare--The Patio or
Dancing Place--The Original Cross of America--Tarahumare Storehouses,
Pages 156-178
CHAPTER IX
Arrival at Batopilas--Ascent from Batopilas to the Highlands of the
Sierra--A Tarahumare who had been in Chicago--An Old-timer--Flight
of Our Native Guide and its Disastrous Consequences--Indians Burn the
Grass All Over the Country--Travelling Becomes too Difficult for the
Animals--Mr. Taylor and I Go to Zapuri--Its Surroundings--The Pithaya
in Season, Pages 179-189
CHAPTER X
Nice-looking Natives--Albinos--Ancient Remains in Ohuivo--Local
Traditions, the Cocoyomes, etc.--Guachochic--Don Miguel and "The
Postmaster"--A Variety of Curious Cures--Gauchochic Becomes My
Head-quarters--The Difficulty of Getting an Honest Interpreter--False
Truffles--The Country Suffering from a Prolonged Drought--A Start
in a Northwesterly Direction--Arrival at the Pueblo of Norogachic,
Pages 190-202
CHAPTER XI
A Priest and His Family Make the Wilderness Comfortable for
Us--Ancient Remains Similar to those Seen in Sonora--The Climate of the
Sierra--Flora and Fauna--Tarahumare Agriculture--Ceremonies Connected
with the Planting of Corn--Deterioration of Domestic Animals--Native
Dogs of Mexico, Pages 203-217
CHAPTER XII
The Tarahumares Still Afraid of Me--Don Andres Madrid to the
Rescue--Mexican Robbers Among the Tarahumares--Mode of Burial in
Ancient Caves--Visit to Nonoava--The Indians Change their Minds about
Me, and Regard Me as a Rain-god--What the Tarahumares Eat--A Pretty
Church in the Wilderness--I Find at Last a Reliable Interpreter and
Proceed to Live a l'Indienne, Pages 218-234
CHAPTER XIII
The Tarahumare Physique--Bodily Movements--Not as Sensitive to Pain as
White Men--Their Phenomenal Endurance--Health--Honesty--Dexterity
and Ingenuity--Good Observers of the Celestial Bodies and
Weather-forecasters--Hunting and Shooting--Home Industries--Tesvino,
the Great National Drink of the Tribe--Other Alcoholic Drinks,
Pages 235-257
CHAPTER XIV
Politeness, and the Demands of Etiquette--The Daily Life of the
Tarahumare--The Woman's Position is High--Standard of Beauty--Women
Do the Courting--Love's Young Dream--Marriage Ceremonies, Primitive
and Civilised--Childbirth--Childhood, Pages 258-275
CHAPTER XV
Many Kinds of Games Among the Tarahumares--Betting and
Gambling--Foot-races the National Sport--The Tarahumares are the
Greatest Runners in the World--Divinations for the Race--Mountains
of Betting Stakes--Women's Races, Pages 276-294
CHAPTER XVI
Religion--Mother Moon Becomes the Virgin Mary--Myths--The Creation--The
Deluge--Folk-lore--The Crow's Story to the Parrot--Brother
Coyote--Beliefs about Animals, Pages 295-310
CHAPTER XVII
The Shamans or Wise Men of the Tribe--Healers and Priests in
One--Disease Caused by Looks and Thoughts--Everybody and Everything
has to be Cured--Nobody Feels Well without His "Doctor"--Sorcery--The
Powers of Evil are as Great as those of Good--Remarkable Cure for
Snake-bite--Trepanning Among the Ancient Tarahumares, Pages 311-329
CHAPTER XVIII
Relation of Man to Nature--Dancing as a Form of Worship Learned
from the Animals--Tarahumare Sacrifices--The Rutuburi Dance Taught
by the Turkey--The Yumari Learned from the Deer--Tarahumare Rain
Songs--Greeting the Sun--Tarahumare Oratory--The Flowing Bowl--The
National Importance of Tesvino--Homeward Bound, Pages 330-355
CHAPTER XIX
Plant-worship--Hikuli--Internal and External Effects--Hikuli both Man
and God--How the Tarahumares Obtain the Plant, and where They Keep
It--The Tarahumare Hikuli Feast--Musical Instruments--Hikuli Likes
Noise--The Dance--Hikuli's Departure in the Morning--Other Kinds of
Cacti Worshipped--"Doctor" Rubio, the Great Hikuli Expert--The Age
of Hikuli Worship, Pages 356-379
CHAPTER XX
The Tarahumare's Firm Belief in a Future Life--Causes of Death--The
Dead are Mischievous and Want Their Families to Join Them--Therefore
the Dead Have to be Kept Away by Fair Means or Foul--Three Feasts
and a Chase--Burial Customs--A Funeral Sermon, Pages 380-390
CHAPTER XXI
Three Weeks on Foot Through the Barranca--Rio Fuerte--I Get My Camera
Wet--Ancient Cave-dwellings Ascribed to the Tubar Indians--The Effect
of a Compliment--Various Devices for Catching Fish--Poisoning the
Water--A Blanket Seine, Pages 391-407
CHAPTER XXII
Resumption of the Journey Southward--_Pinus Lumholtzii_--Cooking
with Snow--Terror-stricken Indians--A Gentlemanly Highwayman and
His "Shooting-box"--The Pernicious Effect of Civilisation Upon the
Tarahumares--A Fine Specimen of the Tribe--The Last of the Tarahumares,
Pages 408-421
CHAPTER XXIII
Cerro de Muinora, the Highest Mountain in Chihuahua--The Northern
Tepehuanes--Troubles Cropping Out of the Camera--Sinister Designs
on Mexico Attributed to the Author--Maizillo--Foot-races Among the
Tepehuanes--Influence of the Mexicans Upon the Tepehunaes, and _Vice
Versa_--Profitable Liquor Traffic--Medicine Lodges--Cucuduri, the
Master of the Woods--Myth of the Pleiades, Pages 422-436
CHAPTER XXIV
On to Morelos--Wild and Broken Country--The Enormous Flower-spike of
the Amole--Subtropical Vegetation of Northwestern Mexico--Destructive
Ants--The Last of the Tubars--A Spectral Ride--Back to the United
States--An Awful Thunder-storm--Close Quarters--Zape--Antiquities--When
an "Angel" Dies--Mementos of a Reign of Terror--The Great Tepehuane
Revolution of 1616--The Fertile Plains of Durango, Pages 437-450
CHAPTER XXV
Winter in the High Sierra--Mines--Pueblo Nuevo and Its Amiable Padre--A
Ball in My Honour--_Sancta Simplicitas_--A Fatiguing Journey to
the Pueblo of Lajas and the Southern Tepehuanes--Don't Travel After
Nightfall!--Five Days Spent in Persuading People to Pose Before the
Camera--The Regime of Old Missionary Times--Strangers Carefully
Excluded--Everybody Contemplating Marriage is Arrested--Shocking
Punishments for Making Love--Bad Effects of the Severity of the Laws,
Pages 451-470
CHAPTER XXVI
Pueblo Viejo--Three Languages Spoken Here--The Aztecs--The
Musical Bow--Theories of Its Origin--Dancing Mitote--Fasting
and Abstinence--Helping President Diaz--The Importance of Tribal
Restrictions--Principles of Monogamy--Disposition of the Dead,
Pages 471-483
CHAPTER XXVII
Inexperienced Help--How to Acquire Riches from the Mountains--Sierra
del Nayarit--The Coras--Their Aversion to "Papers"--Their Part in
Mexican Politics--A Dejeuner a la Fourchette--La Danza, Pages 484-495
CHAPTER XXVIII
A Glimpse of the Pacific from the High Sierra--A Visionary Idyl--The
Coras Do Not Know Fear--An Un-Indian Indian--Pueblo of Jesus
Maria--A Nice Old Cora Shaman--A Padre Denounces Me as a Protestant
Missionary--Trouble Ensuing from His Mistake--Scorpions, Pages 496-507
CHAPTER XXIX
A Cordial Reception at San Francisco--Mexicans in the Employ of Indians
--The Morning Star, the Great God of the Coras--The Beginning of
the World--How the Rain-clouds were First Secured--The Rabbit and
the Deer--Aphorisms of a Cora Shaman--An Eventful Night--Hunting
for Skulls--My Progress Impeded by Padre's Ban--Final Start for the
Huichol Country--A Threatened Desertion, Pages 508-530
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Portrait of the Author _Frontispiece_
A Dasylirion, 1
Cottonwood, 4
_Cereus Greggii_, a small cactus with enormous root, 5
Fronteras, 7
Remarkable Ant-hill, 8
Church Bells at Opoto, 10
Also a Visitor, 11
A Mexican from Opoto, 12
Rock-carvings near Granados, 15
The Church in Bacadehuachi, 17
Aztec Vase, Found in the Church of Bacadehuachi, 18
_Agave Hartmani_, a new species of century plant, 19
Ancient Pecking on a Trachyte Boulder one foot square, 20
In the Hills of Northeastern Sonora, 24
Adios, Senor! 27
View toward the Northwest from Sierra de Huehuerachi, 29
Our Principal Guide Leaving Us, 32
A Mule with its Pack of Crates, 33
The Photographic Mule, 34
On the Crest of the Sierra, 37
Apache Monument, 39
Camp in the High Sierra, 47
Bringing in Deer, 51
The Largest Woodpecker in the World, 54
Distant View of Cupola-shaped Granary in Cave, 58
Single Wall in Cliff, 61
Ground Plan of House Groups in Granary Cave, 62
Cupola-shaped Granary in Cave, 64
Granary in Tlaxcala, 65
Bases of Granaries in Cave, 65
Ground Plan of House Groups in Cave on East Side of the
River, 66
Sandal Plaited from Yucca Leaves, 67
Heel of a Sandal, Showing Plaiting, 68
Piece of Wood Showing Drill Mark, 68
Pendant of Wood, 69
Implement for Throwing, 69
Burial Caves in Cave Valley, 70
A Mummified Body, 71
Rock Paintings in White on the Inside of a Burial Cave in
Cave Valley, 72
A Trinchera in Cave Valley, 73
Ancient Cave-dwellings in Strawberry Valley, 75
Interior View of Cave-dwellings Shown on Page 75, 76
Exterior View of Cave-dwellings in Strawberry Valley, 77
Objects Found in Mounds at Upper Piedras Verdes River, 81
Painting on Rock on Piedras Verdes River, 82
Figures on Walls of a Cave-house on Piedras Verdes River, 83
Figure on Rock on Piedras Verdes River, 83
Hunting Antelope in Disguise, 84
Casas Grandes, 85
Ceremonial Hatchet with Mountain Sheep's Head. From Casas
Grandes. Broken, 88
Earthenware Vessel in Shape of a Woman. From Casas Grandes, 89
Cerro de Montezuma and the Watch Tower Seen from the South, 91
Double Earthenware Vessel, from San Diego, with Hollow
Connection at Base, 92
Extension of Designs on Plate I., _a_, 95
The Horned Toad Jar, Seen from Above and Below. Plate I.,
_c_, 95
Extension of Designs on Plate I., _d_, 95
Extension of Designs on Plate III., _e_, 95
Extension of Designs on Plate V., _e_, 97
Black Ware, Highly Polished, 97
Extension of Design on Plate IV., _a_, 98
Extension of Design on Plate IV., _b_, 98
Extension of Designs on Plate IV., _c_, 98
Extension of Designs on Plate IV., _f_, 98
Extension of Designs on Plate V., _c_, 98
Ancient Cave-dwelling at Garabato, 101
Part of Cave-dwellings at Garabato, 103
Design in Red on Second-story Wall, 105
Piece of Matting from Garabato Cave, 107
Ancient Cave-houses and Granaries near Aros River, 111
Tarahumare, 119
Tarahumare Plough with Wooden Share, 121
Tarahumare Ploughshare Made of Oak, 122
Tarahumare Ploughshare of Stone, 122
Young Southern Pima, 123
Middle-aged Southern Pima, 124
Southern Pimas Living in a Brushwood Inclosure, 125
Pine Cone Serving as a Comb, 127
Southern Pima Arrow Release, 128
Small Crosses Placed in a Log in Front of Southern Pima
House, 128
The Waterfall of Basasiachic, 129
Tarahumare Ploughman, 133
Ancient Stone Hammer Seen in the Presidente's Yard, 134
Tarahumare Indians from Pino Gordo, 137
Tarahumare Court in Session at Cusarare, 140
Barranca de Urique, 145
Our Tarahumare Carriers and the Gobernador, 148
Tarahumare Men, 149
Tarahumare Woman, 150
Necklace of Seeds of _Coix Lachryma-Jobi_, 151
Tarahumare Ear-ornament: one seed _Coix Lachryma-Jobi_ at
top. Natural size, 151
Tarahumare Ranch near Barranca de Cobre, showing ploughed
fields supported by stone walls, 152
Tarahumare Ranch near Barranca de Cobre, showing agriculture
on terraces, 152
Tarahumare House near Barranca de Cobre, 157
Tarahumare House in the Hot Country, 158
Cappe of Sandstone Pillar, showing effect of erosion, 159
Tarahumare Family Camping under a Tree, 161
Inhabited Cave, the Home of a Tarahumare Belle, 162
The Belle of the Cave, 163
Side View of Cave on Page 165, Showing Store-houses and
Inclosure, 164
Inhabited Cave, Showing Store-houses, Inclosure, and Extended
Floor, 165
Cave with Wooden Ladder Leading to a Store-room, 169
Crosses Made from the Natural Growth of Pine-trees in Front
of Tarahumare House, 172
Crosses in Front of Tarahumare House, 173
Cross, 174
Tarahumare Store-house of Stones and Mud, 175
Caves Used as Store-houses, 176
Tarahumare Store-houses Made of Logs, 178
Cactus Flowers, 179
Making Larvae Ready for the Pot, 182
Gathering Pithaya, 188
In the Highlands of the Sierra, 194
Tarahumare Interpreters, 201
Indian Trail Cut in a Ridge of Tuff, 202
Pecking on Rock in the Neighbourhood of Norogachic, 203
Tarahumare Girl from the Neighbourhood of Norogachic, 205
Pecking on Rock in the Neighbourhood of Norogachic, 207
Winter Morning in the Sierra, 209
Dogs of Chihuahua, 216
Tarahumare Girdles, 219
Aspect of the Tarahumare Country in Humarisa, 227
Taking My Baggage Down an Indian Trail in the Barranca de
San Carlos, 231
Tarahumare Woman, 236
Tarahumare Man, 237
Usual Crouching Position of the Tarahumare, 238
Tarahumare Man, 239
Tarahumares Sunning Themselves, 240
Tarahumare Girl. The Hair Worn in Mexican Fashion, 242
Weaving a Girdle, 249
Patterns of Tarahumare Belts, 249
Woman Pottery Maker and Some Results of Her Labour, 250
Tarahumare Pottery from Panalachic, 252
Basket for Straining Tesvino, 254
Tarahumare Blanket, 259
A Tarahumare Call, 260
Tarahumare Arrow Release, 262
Tarahumare Baskets, 263
Tarahumare Girl Carrying Water, 265
Tarahumare, Showing Mode of Wearing Blanket, 268
Tarahumare Blankets, 274
Stone Disk for Playing, 277
Sticks Used by Tepehuanes for Playing, 278
Value of the Different Sides of a Knuckle-bone, 278
Tarahumares Playing Quinze, 279
Cross Marking the Track of the Foot-runners, 283
Tarahumares Racing by Torch-light, 285
Making Wagers at a Foot-race, 288
Part of Tarahumare Rattling Belt, 290
Tarahumare Foot-runners, Photographed after the Race, 291
Tarahumare Women Crossing a Stream in Their Race, 293
Fork and Wooden Ball Used in Women's Game, 294
Stick and Ring Used in Women's Game, 294
The Coyote, _Canis Latrans_, 303
Tarahumare Shaman's Rattles, 313
Rubio, the Shaman, 316
Rubio, the Shaman, and His Wife at Home in Their Cave, 319
Shaman Rubio's Cave, Seen from the Outside, 320
Rubio, the Shaman, Examining a Man Accused of Sorcery, 324
Trepanned Tarahumare Skull, Female, 328
The Beginning of the Rutuburi and the Yumari Dance, 335
Dancing Yumari, 341
Sacrificing Tesvino after a Yumari Dance, 345
Ready to Begin Eating and Drinking after a Night's Dancing
of Rutuburi, 349
_Echinocactus_, 357
Hikuli or Peyote, the principal sacred cacti, 358
Dry Hikuli, 359
Shaman's Notched Stick, 366
Ancient Notched Sticks, 366
Tarahumare Women Dancing Hikuli at Guajochic Station, 369
_Mammilaria fissurata_, 373
Shaman Rubio and His Company at a Hikuli Feast. Photographed
after a Night's Singing and Dancing, 376
Tarahumare Medicine Figure, Mexico, 378
Ancient Ritualistic Petrograph, Arizona, 378
Mourning, 380
View from the North across Barranca de San Carlos, near
Guachochic, 392
Barranca de San Carlos, in its Upper Part, 395
One of My Companions in Barranca de San Carlos, 397
The Widow Grinding Corn in Her Camp, 399
Bow and Throwing-stick for the Fish-spear, 401
The Amole, a Species of Agave, 402
Tarahumares on the Rio Fuerte Fishing with Their Blankets, 405
_Pinus Lumholtzii_, 409
Civilised Tarahumare Boy, 417
Juan Ignacio and His Son, Pagan Tarahumares, 419
A Tepehuane Family, 423
Old Log-houses near Nabogame, 424
Tepehuanes from Nabogame, 427
Tepehuane Medicine Lodge near Mesa de Milpillas, 432
A Well-known Tepehuane Shaman, 434
_Salvia elegans_, var. _sonorensis_, 438
The Flower-spike of the Amole, 439
_Cereus caespitosus_, 440
Tubar Man, 442
Tubar Women, 443
Beads of Burnt Clay, from Tubar Tombs, 444
Tepehuane Sling made from Maguey Fibre, 458
Tepehuane Pouch made from Maguey Fibre, 459
Tepehuane Store-house, near Lajas, 461
The Musical Bow of the Tepehuanes of the South, and of the
Aztecs, 475
Rattle for Ankle, made from Empty Pods of a Palm, 477
Cora Men and Women from Santa Teresa, 489
Cora Pouch, of Unusual Shape, made of Wool. Patterns represent
Flying Birds and a row of Deer, 492
Cora Indians from Mesa del Nayarit, 501
The Sacred Dancing-place of the Coras, called Towta, the
supposed residence of the great Taquat of the East of the
same name. Photographed after the Dancing was over, 517
God's Eye, made by the Cora Tribe as a Prayer for My Health
and Life, 521
COLOURED PLATES
PLATES I., II., III., IV. Pottery from San Diego _at end
of volume_
PLATE V. Pottery from San Diego and Casas Grandes _at end
of volume_
PLATE VI. A Tarahumare Beauty _facing page 266_
UNKNOWN MEXICO
Chapter I
Preparations for the Start--Our Dry Goods Relished by the
Cattle--I Become a "Compadre"--Beautiful Northern Sonora--Mexican
Muleteers Preferable in Their Own Country--Apache Stories--Signs
of Ancient Inhabitants--Arrival at Upper Yaqui River--Opata
Indians now Mexicanised--A Flourishing Medical Practice--Mexican
Manners--Rock-carvings--How Certain Cacti Propagate.
Heavy floods in the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico, with
consequent wash-outs along the railroads, interfered with my plans and
somewhat delayed my arrival at Bisbee, Arizona, a small but important
mining place from which I had decided to start my expedition. It is
only some twenty odd miles from the Mexican border, and the Copper
Queen Company maintains there well-supplied stores, where the necessary
outfit, provisions, etc., could be procured. The preparations for
the start consumed more than two weeks. Animals had to be bought, men
selected and hired, provisions purchased and packed. In the meantime
I was joined by the various scientific assistants appointed to take
part in the expedition.
The horses and mules were bought in the neighbourhood. In purchasing
animals much caution is required in that part of the country,
as even men who pose as gentlemen will try to take advantage of
the situation. One such individual not only raised his prices, but
delivered unbroken animals. Much loss of time and endless annoyance
were caused, first in the camp and later on the road, by unruly
mules, that persistently threw off their packs and had to be subdued
and reloaded.
Gradually, I had succeeded in finding the necessary men; This was
another hard task to accomplish. There are always plenty of fellows,
ready for adventures, greedy to earn money, and eager to join such
an expedition. But to select the right ones among the cow-boys and
miners of the border lands is most difficult.
By what appears, furthermore, to be the compensating justice of Nature,
the treasures of the earth are always hidden in the most unattractive,
dismal, and dreary spots. At least all the mining places I ever
visited are so located, and Bisbee is no exception. To get away from
the cramped little village and its unsavoury restaurant, I established
my first camp four miles south of it on a commodious and pleasant
opening, where we could do our own cooking. But here a new annoyance,
and rather a curious one, was met with. The cattle of the region
evinced a peculiar predilection for our wearing apparel. Especially
at night, the cows would come wandering in among our tents, like the
party who goes about seeking what he may devour, and on getting hold
of some such choice morsel as a sock, shirt, or blanket, Mrs. Bossie
would chew and chew, "gradually," to quote Mark Twain, "taking it in,
all the while opening and closing her eyes in a kind of religious
ecstasy, as if she had never tasted anything quite as good as an
overcoat before in her life." It is no use arguing about tastes, not
even with a cow. In spite of this drawback, it was pleasant to be out
in the country, which was growing delightfully green after the rains,
and gave us a foretaste of what we might expect.
The last thing to do, after all other preparations had been completed,
was to get into the camp three small bags containing seven hundred
and fifty Mexican dollars, since among the Mexican country population
paper money is hardly of any use. There was some talk about a raid on
the camp by some toughs in the neighbourhood, but we made our start
unmolested, on September 9, 1890.
Thanks to my letters from the Mexican Government, I had no trouble
at the custom-house in San Pedro. I stopped a few days there,
nevertheless, to buy some Mexican pack-saddles, called aparejos,
which, roughly speaking, are leather bags stuffed with straw, to be
fastened over the mules' backs. Through the courtesy of the Mexican
custom officials I also secured two excellent and reliable Mexican
packers, to take the place of some Americans who had been fighting
in the camp and proved themselves unfit for my purpose.
As a mark of regard, one of the custom officers invited me to act as
godfather to his child. I had to support the baby's head during the
ceremony, while an elderly woman held the little body. According to
custom, I gave twenty-five cents to every member of the party, and to
the child a more adequate present. From now on I was called compadre
by most of the people in the village, and that sacred relationship was
established between myself and the baby's family, which is deemed of
so much importance in the life of the Mexicans. During ten years of
travel and ethnological activity I have never met the child again,
but I hope that he is getting on well.
How beautifully fresh the country looked as we travelled southward
in Northern Sonora! The dreary plains of Arizona gave way to a more
varied landscape, with picturesque hills studded with oaks and mountain
cedars. Along the rivers cottonwood was especially noticeable. There
was also an abundance of wild-grape vines. Everywhere near the shady
creeks I saw the evening primrose, brilliantly yellow, while the
intense, carmine-red flowers of the lobelia peeped out from under the
shrubs. But of all the flowers on the banks of the streams, the most
remarkable was the exquisitely beautiful _Datura meteloides_, with
its gorgeous white crown, six inches long and four inches wide. We
saw one cluster of this creeper fully fifty feet in circumference. It
is well known among the Navajo Indians that the root of this plant,
when eaten, acts as a powerful stimulant; but the better class among
the tribe look upon it with disfavour, as its use often leads to
madness and death. The effect of the poison is cumulative, and the
Indians under its influence, like the Malays, run amuck and try to
kill everybody they meet.
There is also found a species of cactus, with a root which looks like
an enormous carrot. One small plant had a root four feet long. It is
used as soap.
Among the birds, doves and flycatchers were most commonly seen, one
species of the latter frequently dazzling our eyes with its brilliant
vermilion plumage.
The men I had hired before crossing the border did not work at all well
with the Mexicans. They generally considered themselves vastly superior
to the latter, whom they did not recognise as "white men." Personally,
I preferred the Mexicans, who were obedient, obliging, and less lawless
than the rough, mixed-white citizens of the American Southwest. As
an illustration of the moral status of the frontier population, I may
relate that when about sixty miles south of the border, a custom-house
official stationed in the neighbourhood insisted upon examining all my
baggage, which, of course, would have involved a lot of trouble. He
was neither worse nor better than other custom officers, who seem to
exist only to annoy people, and by the exertion of a little patience I
succeeded in settling the matter satisfactorily. But one of my foremen,
who had noticed my annoyance, came up to me and asked if I desired
"to get rid" of him; if I did, said he, he knew how he could serve
me so that nothing more would be heard from the Mexican!
I gradually weeded out this unscrupulous element among the men,
and replaced most of the American with Mexican muleteers, who are
far superior in that particular line of business. In hiring them,
only one precaution had always to be observed: never to accept one
unless he had a good recommendation from his village authorities or
some prominent man in the neighbourhood.
The first village of any importance we passed was Fronteras. It
is built on the summit and slopes of an elevated plateau and looks
extremely picturesque at a distance. Seen close, however, it turns
out to be a wretched little cluster of adobe, or sun-dried brick,
houses. Not only the town itself, but also all the ranches in the
neighbourhood are erected on elevations, a precaution from former
days against the bloodthirsty Apaches.
Not so very long ago Fronteras was quite an important place, numbering,
it is said, some 2,000 inhabitants. But the Apaches, by their incessant
attacks, made the life of the villagers so miserable that the place
became depopulated. Once it was even entirely abandoned. Many stories
of the constant fights with these savages are related by the survivors
of those struggles. Never was it safe in those days to venture outside
of the town limits. Yet the conflicts did not always end in one way,
and the Mexicans sometimes got the better of the raiders, although
it may be doubted whether the methods by which these results were
brought about would come under the rules of modern warfare.
One bright moonlight night an old man, who had himself taken part in
many an Apache fight, led me to a deep gorge where seven Apaches once
met their doom. The story he told was as follows:
A large band of warriors came threateningly into the town. They had
killed two hawks and, decorated with their feathers, were on the
warpath. As they were in such numbers the Mexicans realised that it
would be useless to attempt resistance, and therefore sued for peace,
which was granted. A peace-banquet followed, during which mescal,
the Mexican brandy, flowed freely, distributed without stint to the
warriors by their wily hosts, who were abiding their time. When the
Apaches were intoxicated the villagers fell upon them and captured
seven men; most of the band, however, managed to escape. Next day
the prisoners were taken to the ravine and speared, charges of powder
being deemed too good for them. Only el capitan, pointing to his head,
requested, as a special favour, to be shot, which was done. Their
bodies were buried in the ravine where they fell, but too long a time
had already elapsed since the event to enable me to secure for my
collections the specimens for which I had been on the lookout. Yet
I was told by the inhabitants that the ground about the town was so
full of Apache remains that I should have no difficulty in gaining
my object in places close by. A number of Apaches, men and women,
I was informed, had once been dumped into a well. I set to work at
the place indicated, and our efforts were rewarded by the exhumation
of eight skulls in perfect condition, besides many typical bones. The
last raid of the Apaches on Fronteras was in 1875.
Passing Cochuta about a hundred miles south of Bisbee, we came upon
a deposit of fossils. It was scarcely more than a mile in extent, but
many bones were said to have been taken away from it as curiosities. I
had already observed isolated fossil bones along the creeks on several
occasions during our travels, but we could find nothing here of value.
Signs that the country was in former times occupied by another race
than its present inhabitants are seen everywhere throughout the
region we traversed following the road to the south. Here they appear
frequently as remarkable groupings of stones firmly embedded in the
ground. Only the tops of the stones (the total length of which is
about one foot) are seen above the surface, much as stones are used
in parks and gardens for ornamental purposes. They are arranged in
circles or in rectangles. I saw two circles close to each other, each
six feet in diameter. One rectangle measured fifty feet in length
by half that in width. Low walls divided it into three indistinct
partitions. There was never any wall built underneath these surface
stones, nor were there any traces of charring. Among the ruins found
on top of the hills we collected a lot of broken pottery and some
flint arrowheads. In several places in this district we found gold
and coal, but not in paying quantities.
Some forty miles south of Cochuta we turned in a southerly direction,
ascending a hilly plateau 3,200 feet above sea-level. Here we observed
the first orchids, yellow in colour and deliciously fragrant, and in
the canon below we met the first palms. The rocks continued to show
volcanic and metamorphic formation.
About 130 miles south of Bisbee we caught the first glimpse of the
Sierra Madre rising above the foot-hills, some forty miles off
to the east. Its lofty mountain peaks basking in the clear blue
ether, beckoned to us inspiringly and raised our expectations of
success. This, then, was the region we were to explore! Little did I
think then that it would shelter me for several years. It looked so
near and was yet so far, and as we travelled on southward the sight
of it was soon lost again.
We gradually descended to the Bavispe River, a name here given to the
Yaqui River, in accordance with the custom which the Mexicans have
in common with people in other parts of the world of giving different
names to one river in its course through different districts. It was
a treat to catch the first sight of the magnificent sheet of water
the river forms near the town of Opoto, as it slowly wends its way
through green shrubs. It is the largest river of the west coast of
Mexico and is here about 1,400 feet above the level of the sea.
Following the river to the south, we soon passed the towns of Guasavas
and Granados. The vegetation along the river banks is in strong
contrast to the land in general. Here are fields of sugar-cane, and
in the orchards, orange, fig, and lime trees grow in abundance. The
country, though fertile, is dry, and the heat is great. Even at the
end of October the thermometer sometimes registered 100 deg. F. in the
shade. The grass had become dry and scarce, and it was difficult to
keep the animals in satisfactory condition.
This territory was once in the possession of the large tribe of
Opata Indians, who are now civilised. They have lost their language,
religion, and traditions, dress like the Mexicans, and in appearance
are in no way distinguishable from the labouring class of Mexico with
which they are thoroughly merged through frequent intermarriages.
As we passed the hamlets, our large party and outfit created quite a
sensation and aroused the people from the uneventful routine of their
daily existence. They used to surround my tent, especially mornings
and evenings, as if an auction had been going on inside. Some of
them wanted to sell things that would come in handy, such as fowls
or panoche (brown sugar). One woman offered me three chickens for one
dollar. I told her she charged too high a price, as chickens were not
worth more than twenty-five cents apiece; but she insisted that she
wanted a dollar, because she had promised that amount to the padre
for reading a mass for a man who had died in the time of Hidalgo at
the beginning of the century.
But most of the crowd flocked to my tent to consult me about their
ailments. It was useless to tell them that I was not a medical man, or
that I had not much medicine to spare, carrying only what I expected
to use for my own party. If I had given them all they wanted, our
little stock would have been exhausted on the first day; but in
order to soften my heart they would send me molasses, sugar-cane,
and similar delicacies. One poor old woman who was suffering from
cancer even offered me her donkey if I would cure her--an offer in
a way equivalent to a Wall Street magnate's millions, for the donkey
was her sole possession on earth.
They all were anxious to have me feel their pulse, whether there was
anything the matter with them or not. They firmly believed that this
mysterious touch enabled me to tell whether they were afflicted with
any kind of disease and how long they were going to live. A woman in
delicate condition wanted me to feel her pulse and to tell her from
that when her child was going to be born. I only hope that my practical
advice and the little medicine I could give them relieved some of their
backaches and sideaches, their felons, croups, and fevers and agues,
and above all, their indigestion, which is the prevailing trouble in
that section of the country. But I confess that I was nearly tired out
with these consultations. In consequence of frequent intermarriages
there are many deaf and dumb persons among them, and epilepsy and
insanity are by no means rare.
On the other hand, I was assured that such a character as a thief was
here unknown. However this might be, it was certain that the Mexicans
of Eastern Sonora were a nice class of people. They were pleasant to
deal with, very active and obedient, and I never wish for better men
than those I then had in my camp, nearly all of whom were from these
parts. The people were poor, but genuinely hospitable. Of course
they were ignorant, and might not, for instance, recognise a check
unless it was green. In each town, however, I found one or two men
comparatively rich, who knew more of the world than the others, and
who helped me out in my difficulties by going from house to house,
collecting all the available cash in town, or what coffee and sugar
could be spared to make up the deficiency. One thing is certain, I
should never have gotten on so well had it not been for the friendly
and obliging attitude of the Mexicans everywhere. As an instance, when
the great scarcity of grass began to tell seriously on the animals,
I was efficiently helped out by the courtesy of some influential
men. Without any personal letters of introduction I received many
services whenever I showed my letters of recommendation from the
Governor of the State, and had a hearty welcome.
I was so much impressed with the readiness of the people to accommodate
and serve me that my notebook contains the remark: "I find the Mexicans
more obliging than any nation I have ever come in contact with." It
has been my lot to travel for years in Mexico, and my experience with
her people only tended to deepen the pleasant impression I received
at the outset. Anyone who travels through Mexico well recommended
and conducts himself in accordance with the standard of a gentleman
is sure to be agreeably surprised by the hospitality and helpfulness
of the people, high and low, and it is not a meaningless phrase of
politeness only by which a Mexican "places his house at your disposal."
It is of the utmost importance to have as your chief packer a man
who thoroughly understands how to take care of the animals. It is not
the custom in Mexico, as it is everywhere in Australia, to wash the
backs of the animals as soon as the packs or saddles are taken off--a
precaution which is very beneficial, as it strengthens the skin and
prevents inflammation and sores. In the Southwest they do not wash
their beasts of burden until the mischief is done and they have to
allay the swelling and heal up the cuts. If not properly cared for
from the beginning, the animals will soon be ailing; some grow unfit
for service, and much time is lost mornings and evenings curing their
sores. Through the carelessness of some packers I lost several valuable
mules from such wounds. In summer the blue-bottle fly aggravates
the annoyance, as it lays its eggs in the open spaces of the skin,
and maggots develop in a very short time. Of course there are many
ways of ridding an animal of this pest, but here, as everywhere,
the proverbial ounce of prevention is better than the pound of cure.
A curious case of a man whose life was threatened by a blue-bottle
fly and its maggots came to nay notice. He was a soldier, and once in
a fight he had his nose cut off so that the nostrils became entirely
exposed. One night when he was asleep, drunk, a fly laid its eggs in
his nose, and when these were hatched it seemed as if the man was to
be eaten up alive. I gave him some relief by syringing the parts with
a solution of corrosive sublimate. Then an intelligent Mexican, who
had an extensive knowledge of the numberless native medicinal plants
(many of which, no doubt, are very valuable), treated the patient,
and in two days the poor wretch seemed to be in a fair way to be saved.
Near Granados I heard of some petroglyphs, or rock-carvings, and
sent Mr. Stephen to examine them. The Mexicans called them "Painted
Face." They were to be found only two miles and a half to the northwest
of the town, and were interesting. The designs were rudely pecked on
the moderately smooth felsite cliffs on a nearly perpendicular wall
in the foot-hills, about forty feet above the bed of the arroyo, or
gulch. All the human figures were drawn in the characteristic style
that we find farther north, the hands and feet being defined with
three radiating lines, like a bird's track. The size of the figure,
carved in something like a frame, is about twenty by twenty-four
inches, and each of the three figures in the group close below is
about eighteen inches high. Some of the drawings evidently represent
the deified dragon-fly found almost everywhere among the ruins of
Arizona and Northern Mexico. There are also the concentric circles,
the conventionalised spiral, and the meander design, so common among
the North American Indians, and still in use among the Moquis.
Our botanist, Mr. Hartman, drew my attention to an interesting cactus,
which is beautifully shaped like a candelabra, and attains a height of
three to five feet. As it grows old, the top joints of the branches
become thick and heavy and are easily broken off by the wind. The
joints, like all other parts of the plant, are beset with numerous
inch-long spines, and many of them fasten in the loose, moist soil
and strike root. In this way many new plants are formed, standing in
a circle around the mother plant. On sloping ground the young plants
form rows, some forty feet long. There was a fruit to be observed,
but very scarce in comparison with that of other species of _Cereus_
growing in the vicinity.