The Wilmingtonian., 1888-01-14
| THE TARASCAN EMPIRE.
A NATION WHO WERE NEVER CON.
ouERED BY THE AzTEcs,

ouERED BY THE AzTEcs.
An IndomitabIs Nation of Warrior.
Which Existed In Mexico at tn,
Time Of the Spanish Conquest-Hov
They Planned Their Campaigns.
The Indians living around Lake Patzcuaro
we're an independent nation when the Span.
iards invaded Mexico, nearly 400 years ago.
They had come from the north, and had
never been conquered by the Aztecs, who
who lived in and controlled the country
south and east of here. They lived in towns
and cities, and they had laws. Their capital
city was on the border Of the lake They
called 1t TzintzuntEan, in imitation of the
SOUND made by the humming birds, which
are very numerous They had king, who
uesigneted his successor. They were divided
into four provinces, and at the head of each
was a cecique, or chief. There was, accord
ing to Cubas, the Mexican ethnoiogist, a
great variety Of subordinate officials in in.
Tarascan empire. There were tribute gath.
erers who collected from the rich and an.
other set who saw that the poor contributed
70 the government, There was head game
Keeper, and chief falconer who looked
after the birds. There was a chief for the
nshermen who hshed with nets, and another
Tor the hshermen who used hooks and lines
Every industry had its representative in the
government. These Indians raised cotton
manufactured domestics, quairied and carved
stone, cultivated sugar cane, fermented yins
from the maguey, made leather garments
and did great many other things. all undar
the supervision of the sub-delegates, as Cubas
calls the representatives Of the government
There was a chief woodsman. The princi-
pad feather worker directed the artists in that
branch. The Curinguri had charge of the
making Of drums. The carpenters had their
master. A treasurer general kept in hi.
safe untold quantities of gold and silver or.
naments, while the grain collected for the
crown was housed in great granaries under
chsrgs OF store keeper.
A PArERHAL GOVERNMENT.
II was strong paternal form of govern
ment which raised and made all that its p.,,-
pie had any use for, which directed and con-
trolled great variety of industries in sucn 4
manner that there was little export or I'm
port, no overproduction and plenty Of time
TO go to war, The painters, potters, earthen-
= ware makers, sweepers, flower makers, shop
keepers, and even the doctors, had their
masters. And all this was before Christie
pher Columbus discovered America.
But the TarascanS were more interesting
az warriors They were simply indomitable,
IL does not appear that il was their policy to
extend the boundaries Of the Tarascan am.
pire by conquest, They fought battles,
whipped surrounding nations, settled imnle-
diately with the conquered on a cash basis
and returned TO Lake Patzcusro to enjoy tho
fruits of victory. There are 200 600 Tarns-
cans now, and they were probably more n,I-
merous before the Spanish invasion.
When war was declared against another
nation the chiefs OF the provinces commenced
mobilizing the fighting material without a
days delay. The whole army was COM
manded by captain general called the
Eazonci He was magnihcently accoutered
4 plume OF green feathers nodded above his
head. A silver shield was slung over his
shoulder. His quiver was Of tiger skin. He
had ear rings and bracelets of gold. A doub-
let of scarlet cotton clothed his hips and
thighs. Leggings Of tiger skin completed his
dress
The war spirit was very strong in the ma
tion. Tarascans did not wait for invasion.
They marched to their frontier and there
gave battle While they were ON the road
the people came to them fed them and
cheered them on. One branch Of the service
"ns an organization Of war spies under COM
mand OF chief, The yazanoti had trained
corps of eouriers and messengers
THE PLAN OF BATTLE.
When the army reached the locality in
which battle was to be fought the spies
had already been over the ground, and the
oouliers he'd conveyed description Of IL TO
the commander. Tho plan OF action had
been determined upon, and the legions took
up the positions assigned them without any
delay. This preparation of tho plan of ac-
tion was very complete, and it was what en-
abled the Tarascsns to be so uniformly victo-
rious Their commander had been informed
of the character Of the ground so thorough
ly that he was not only able to assign his
forces advantageously, but he carried on
with wonderful rspidity pretended repulses,
made apparently unsuccessful advances and
retreated until he had drawn the enemy into
just the place he wanted. Then his legions
fell upon the opposing army from all sides
and snnihilated it. This was so often done
that the Tala4cans, although a small nation
compared with the Aztecs, maintained their
independence.
In battle The Tarascan legions carried mag
nihcent standards Of plumes In some of
the engagements more than 800 of these stand |
ards of white heron feathers glistened in the
sun, Each warrior wore plume of eagle |
feathers A column of smoke upon a hilltop
was often the signal that the enemy had been |
drawn into the desired position, and that the |
time had come to uncover the ambuscades |
and make general charge. Then the bugles |
and drums sounded The long lines of waving |
plumes seemed to spring up from the ground |
and to come from front, fianks and rear
Even hossted Aztec prowess could not stand |
before such an onset. The Tarascans repeat |
edly destroyed the armies sent against them |
and retired to the lake with great numbers |
OF prisoners, or the younger they made
slaves. The older they sacrificed to their
gods. Human sacrifice was the blot on |
farascan civilization.
1t was honor to die in battle and the |
widows and orphans of dead warriors were
libeIally pensioned by the government
Globe-DeRIocrat.