National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-16

great trouble to keep In order, and IN q
mound Of pansies a cradle was imbedded,
while above IL lowered an angel (suspended
by invisible wire), holding in her arms
waxen baby. The whole was illuminated
by hundred tapers and ornamented with
bushels Of cut flowers, and band OF skilled
musicians, hidden behind a group OF
feathery palme, discussed appropriate
strains.
After all had beon sufficiently admired,
the resident priest, a fat little fellow, who
had once been monk, with shaven crown
and black robes which displayed his "bow
Window to disadvantage, wobbled for
ward, kneeling several times as nimbly as his
rotundity would allow while mumbling an
Ave Maria and bonedictus, and finally took
the child from the angels arms and laid IL
in the cradle. This climax was hailed with
bursts Of joyful music-even with tears by
some Of the more susceptible females; and
the nacimiento being now concluded to
everybody's satisfaction, all adjourned to
the dining hall and danced TO the wee sma'
hours-the fat little priest spinning around
like n top and outdolng many Of the
younger gallants in the intricacies Of the
Mexican "ma2y.n
In many village churches, especially
among the Indians of the interior, the
Christmas performances are as grotesque as
indecent; for example, the accouchement OF
the Virgin, assisted by a retinue of priests,
is too infinitely represented to bear de-
scription.
In strong contrast TO the above festivities
was the scene we were called next morning
to witness. A sound of weeping and wall
ing hastily summoned the family from the
casa to the cottage Of one OF the tenantry,
where the grim reaper came in the twilight
Of the morning and had smitten the first
born. The victim was lusty, handsome
young fellow, who had been among the most
indefntigable dancers the previous evening,
and now, invested with the strange dignity
Of death, he looked like an Apollo In bronze.
Gazing In his calm face thought Goods
fingers touched him and he slept,n but later
from more prosaic cause, viz, from eating
too many mosquitoes eggs.
A STRANGE DIET.
A kind Of griddle cakes, called fortilas,
made from the eggs Of a marsh fly, are con-
sidered the greatest Of dellcacles by these
descendants of the Montezumas. No doubt
II is an inherited taste-a relic Of the days
when their vagrant ancestors prowled
around the margins Of the salt lakes that
once filed the valley Of Mexico, subslsting
upon flies, grasshoppers, frogs, tadpoles,
and salamanders. Spanish history speaks of
bread made by the early Mexicans from the
the same that is sold to-day In the markets.
Thomas Gage, q jolly monk, who visited
this country In 1925, writes about 1t as fol-
lows: "The Indians gathered much OF these
eggs, and kept them in heapes, and made
thereof cakes, like unto brickbats. - u
And they did eat this meals with as good
stomach rs we eat cheese; yea, and they
hold opinion that this scum Of fairness Of
the waters is the cause that such a number
m tn ha lya In tba
winter season is inflnite.n
The Indians have systematic method Of
collecting this peculiarly Mexican product,
which is found in greatest profusion upon
the five now shallow lakes near the City of
Mexico. They plant bundles. Of reeds, a
few feet apart, with their tops sticking out
Of the water Here the insects deposit their
eggs in incredible quantities, SO that the
rushes are soon loaded with them, cling
ing together I'm great balls, heaped one
above another. Then the punches Of reeds
are carefully removed from the water,
shaken over q sheet, and deposited as be-
fore to collect fresh supply. The eggs
are compressed into paste, sometimes
mixed with little cornmeal or the eggs of
fowls, and form staple article of Indian
diet, particularly during Lent. We are told
that the Conquistadores found them exceed
ingly palatable, but were obliged to par
take sparingly because Of their "swellingn
properties-a danger not discovered till
several doughty crusaders turned up their
toes to the daisies from this ignoble cause
Yellowish worms called paxi-the Larvae
OF the axayacatl--are also eagerly sought as
tidbits, and prepared for the table In vari-
Gus ways. The insects are about the size
OF horseny, and their eggs resemble fine
fish roe Frequently the flies themselves
are pounded into paste, or boiled In corn
lusks, and thus eaten Roth this mixture
and the cakes find ready sale, and look as
tempting as many Of the messcs one en-
counters here, but as 10 their flavor can
not testify from experimental knowledge.
The word aXayaeatl signifies waterfall, -
and is the symbol of the sixth king of
Mexico, who reigned here exactly 42i years
ago.
A hideous water lizard abounds in the
flshless salt lake, Texcoco, and is still as
eagerly sought for food as in the days when
Cortez was obliged to subsist his army
upon 1t. 1t is called axolotl pronounced
ah-ho-lotl), and is a batrachian OF the amply
stoma type of salamander, resembling a
fish with webbed feet and fiat tail. 1t is
about ten inches long, spotted, black and
white In color, with broad tongue, and sim
gular gills that resemble feathers-three on
each side Of the head. Its flesh is white,
like that Of an eel, and is said to be savory
and wholesome. The Indians boil them in
corn husks-of course without taking the
trouble to wash or clean them-and are
forever offering them for sale on the streets,
or thrusting them between the bars Of your
window. Many times have Betsy and
bought them, being determined while In
Rome to "do as the Romans but when II
came to eating them, one look has always
sheen sufficient to unscrew our courage from
"the sticking point"