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 _naguál_ 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 _naguál_ 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.