The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-07-28
PuebIOs Racing,

The march past ended, the governor
of San Juan-for each pueblo has o
governor of it's own nomination and
electioh-gravely walked down to clear
the course. In his hand he bore as q
scepter what seemed to be bottle of
whisky, but what in reality was q
whisky bottle filed with gunpowder,
thet he distributed as largesse to the
Indians with guns, and behind him
came o company of guards in their
finest clothes, bearing green branches
and wearing--a part of them, at least -
garlands of green leaves upon their
shocks of hair. These guards he dis.
tributed, at intervals of hundred yards
or so, in couples along the course the
couples being taken, apparently, from
the opposite sides. This preliminary
being settled, q tremendous old pa
tr1arch, with waving mass of gray hair
down to his shoulders and wrinkled be-
yond all expression, stepped out midway
IN the track, bearing in his hands an
ancient drum. He was clad gayly in
yellow buckskin leggings, checked
shirt that he wore outside of them.
and a battered old straw lat, once
black, that he carried on his head as
proudly as kings in pictures wear their
crowns. With becoming dignity he
sounded long roll upon his drum, the
signal for the race to begin. Long before
he had finished two lads, the youngest
of the racers, had started out together,
and on an easy lope came down the
course, while the three or four thou
sand spectators sent up ringing veil.
AS the boys arrived at the goal, two
men started out, not together, but as far
apart as the boys were when they came
III. This was rather puzzling, but after
a little investigation the principle of
the race was clear. The two sides were
divided, each into couples, one man ol
each pair being at each end of the track.
AS n runner came in, his partner at once
started out, while the partner of the
man who lost the heat had to start Us
far in the rear as the distance by which
the heat..had been lost. The final vic
tory rested with the side whose man
came in first on the final heat,
One advantage of this arrangement,
so far as the spectators were concerned,
was that the race was going on all the
time; and as the man behind frequently
overlook and passed the man who had
started out ahead, victory constantly
trembled in the balance, and from start
to finish the excitement was kept at
fever heat. For the most part the run
ming was magnificent. the 1.-the forms
and vigorous muscles coming out
grandIy under the spur of emulation
and the encouraging shouts OF the
crowd. Indeed, the encouragement was
rather overwhelming vigorous parti-
sans breaking through the line OF guards
and coming close to the runners to
shout "Acap "Aca !" "Our side !"
" Our side" The scene along the
course, meanwhile, was as picturesque as
it well could be. Pressing close upon
each side over its entire length was the
br1ghtly-dressed crowd of Indians and
on foot and on horseback, bril-
liant scarlet blankets and white robes
giving the high lights, while softer col.
ors shone IN the shawls and wraps OF
the Mexican women, and so graded off
into the warm browns of the
ground and of the clay houses
TO the black sombreros of the men,
Higher up, along the roofs of the houses,
the same color effect was repeated against
the brilliantly clear blue sky. And down
the wide lane, traversing the crowd from
end to end, the magnificent fellows
went tearing along as hard as possible.
1t was barbaric rendering of the
Olympian games.
But human nature, even Indian human
nature, cannot stand such tough work
as the runners accomplished for long at
a time, and in trife more than an
hour the racing came to an end; but
whether it was the peace or the war
party that was victorious ever will re.
main to me mystery. That the result
was unsatisfactory to somebody is GER
tain, for after the race there was pleas
ant little impromptu fight between
Indians and Mexicans out on the plain
Philadelphia Times.