Telegram-herald., 1889-06-03
ANNUAL SlN-CLEANING.
an Astonishing Ceremony Wit
Esssed Ia Northern Mexico.
a fsazs ssrsas~F sssarssd s4ta Cactus
splkss-R R.k1h FIAT sasszfas Ps1lteEts
xhroGxh Grsat TsFtuxs-Atsas-
1-sas tsr t4s slzs "a MAJ.


"AHy oas ~ha aas ever been On the cat
te tr-ii IA Texas or Nes Asxico n4s seea
Elaag illi4sLFza-ols II lie profound fear aaa
rsllsis4s aiEh of the As4eaa eow oogs,
49, L. +. Esrten. proprietor Of the LoGP4s
castle r4aeA "a New Aez.co. % : AesE 3rx
s4a reporter. The AlcsraEion Of tnesr
rrsA Eith th0rny cactus IA time of Danger
"a tcs1b-s. "a a psasGcs Tor taslr SIS, = =
coDal0a at .lleaz tae.E. @ld I41y . tne
hero II e4tt-e thas has suffered eloruo4s
loss taro1ga lfAl.ass Ia charge of them az
t4e1la : ul1re iE4psFL.allcs - tlslr D4rpargils
al1uel1elt for pass wlcke1less tn4sn they
al ~ the cattle IL tlelr custody. 4 Oncs
aaea . herd ~ :, 30 cattle % DC st.mpeted
l. = thunder Storm because the Aex-cans
wao were Lr4.llg them were AFRAID Of
Jaander and EgDEnlng, and threw tneM-
selves from their aoFses, stripped them
selves, and LAshed their n4ked oodles With
Cactus as a pfop.Ji4lon OF the elements,
wli-e the herd rushed wildly away ii al
directions 2nd hundreds were lost
'Itls not aR uncommon thing for Mexican
cos boys q stop 0n shs trail % punish them
selves Tor their sins Frequently their
cries while xiyiAg themselves the thorny
r4@ellation cause disastrous stampede OF
tae cattle they have been entrusted with
have many = time seen these Mexcans
Wa4s oaref9oted for rods over patches Of
cactus spikes, walle a companion followed
aud lashed their naked backs with ths
same thoruy plant-the Formidable cane
cactus Once l was IN atowu IN Northern
Mexico aud witnessed an astonishing exni-
blt-ou.
Il had a friend down there who WAS look
ing after the interests OF a mining com
.pany, and as 1 had beeo asked 20 60 into the
e0cceru, l went down 70 look the ground
over arrived ia the place On Friday-just
= year ago last Good Friday
you're just IN time exclaimed my
friend when we met. They're going 10 give
this community its annual sln-c.eaning by
lashlng a greaser TIL you Gan tell him
from a side OF dressed beef, and we II go
see en- % tt
He then explained % me- that on every
Good Friday al least one Mexican in the
parish had 70 submit 20 public fiagellation
with cane cactus, as = penaacc not only
for his sins FOR the year past, but for those
OF the community in general. accompanied
by friend % see how al Official ffasellation
Was conducted
I'VE wen. first 20 the church, which was
an ancient one. IN the altar stood young
Mcxican stripped 20 the waist. The priest
was saying prayers over him, and all the
people were kneelins and telling their
beads.
That's q chap they call Bad Lopez,
whispered my friend He has evidently
beaten the record for wickedness this year,
and viii get the ticker.
The ceremonies at the church were soon
over. Then Bad Lopez took up a heavy
cross that lay near tho altar. threw il across
his shOulGer, and followed the priest out OF
the church The cross was made of timber
eight inches square. 1t was not less than
eigat feet long, with cross arms in proper
tiOn. Lopez bsnt under its weight. The
people IN the church followed Lopez. The
procession marched nearly half a mile, and
thsMexican couldn't have carried that heavy
cross another rod. But the destination had
been reached. A cross had been raised on
the spot, aad around this Lopez walked
once and laid his cross on the ground. The
crowd surrounded the standing cross. Two
stout Mexicans stepped forward. Each had
IN his hand a stalk Of cane cactus. A stalk
OF cane cactus j. about four feet long A
man can just nicely reach around its butt
and get q firm hold oft. The stalk tapers 10 a
point, and has numerous branches, four or
five inches long. Stalk and branches are
covered with thousands OF needle-like
th0rns. These are an inch long and as
poisonous a. d 5ee-stinger. Every wound
made BY one OF these spikes is bound 10
swell and tester and i.ch worse than nettles.
''It was with one Of these encouraging g
weapons that each OF Lopez scourgcrs was
armed. They were apparently anxious TO
purify that parish without delay, for they
did not hesitate a moment when they
stepped from the crowd, but started right
in % threshing tho young Mexican's baro
back a II they We're SIMPLY ratfing out a
h0Or OF grain. Around and around that
cross Lopez marched. his fiagcliatOrs a. his
heels. aud welding their friEhtful weapons
with vig0r and regularity, while tho spec
titors chantcd . weird and discordant
hvrrn At the frst blow ~ the cactus the
Mexi=au's back was lace~a-ed a. II il had
been cut bv lanccs. and the blood ran down
in streams A visible tremor shook his
frame, and he drew himself down convul-
s;veiy under the pain o., the first blow. bat
not sound escaped his lips. The poison
spikes were Sc-aacd into his flesh as long
ns there wore any branches "a the cactus
stalk By the time the terrible scOurgers
were worn ont there was not a spot OF
whole sNs or uutor0 nesh rom the Mexi-
cans shoulders 20 his waist. Scores Of tho
thorns had broken OF IN the flesh. and pro-
.rudcd from the lacerated mass Ike porcu-
pine qua.s.
AS soon "a the uerciiess beating was
over. Lopez was marched back again to tho
church At The church door smooth bar
o. voci vas passed over his man Z,cd back
from the shoulders down. % remove such
OF the spikes and adheriux sections of the
cactus "a would come # v.th the scrlrirr e.
Those. with other hits q cactus that the
spectators had picked up around the cross.
We're thrown on the ground l frost Of The
crl~rh door. ard over these Lopez walked
I'm his bare feet. 20 ard fro several TIRES.
Then he sacrifice was over. The Mex ran
haze stoned Tor a whole parish's siu- and hi IA
friends tooS m home 4 don know
whether he ever got wel or not, ogt was
t,'d that it was a commoa thing for the vie-
tins 0f these hagelati0ns % bs s-x months
recovering from the effects of the punish
nent and that once iu awhile one died