In Indian Mexico | Page 3

Van Antwerp. President Diaz has ever shown a friendly interest in my plans of work and the results obtained. Se?or 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, Se?or 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.