Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23

tending away out like butterfly wings The
Cuzco Indians sport the largest have yet see q,
shaped exactly like q star with four points and
covered with tinseL Not long ago the govern
ment ordered that none of these tribal monte
ras or hats. be worn in market Il also COM
pels the Indians who are employed on the rail-
road or other government works to have their
long hair cut off.
THE woMEN's PRIDE.
No matter how ragged and dirty an Indian
woman may be, she takes great pride in the
topa or pin that holds her shawl together. 1t
is Of silver, brass or copper, five or six inches
long the head always shaped like q spoon and
she uses 1t for feeding her child and some
times herself. In the inca dsys the head of the
topa was round to represent the sum- which
they worshiped, but the Spaniards. desiring to
do away entirely with that religion. passed
law forbidding their use unless the head were
SNAPPED like spoon. In making long Journeys
the women spin as they walk, with revolving
oooblns called mismacs, pnlling the fleece as
required from their llamas In this way they
make ropes, sings, sacks and the material for
ali their clothing. They weave by planting
four i short sticks in the ground for frame,
winding the warp over cross pieces and throw
ing the shuttles in and out by hand.
RELIGION.
Though outwardly Roman Catholic the re-
hgion Of these people is strangely mixed with
many dark superstitions of their ancestors
which they never reveal and nobody of the
white race understands. There has never been a
Protestant missionary among them and the
priests are few for the vast extent of country.
Inc church, however. is very rich, it's income
being chiefly derived from the large farms in
form of rent, because the Spanish crown dur
ing lts dominion gave nearly all the lands to
the clergy. who still retain a hold upon them,
through the religious sentiments Of the people,
II no longer by law. Sometimes a single
nvYn dc ,Aal
into sub-parishes, each with its chapel and
cure, the priest who has charge of all not get
ting around himself oftener than once or twice
year am sorry to say that the local depu-
ties generally half-breeds) are sometimes a
disgrace to the church and community. Being
revered by the simple Indians they live upon
the fat Of the land and have things all their
own way. They levy baptismal, funeral and
marriage fees to suit themselves and will not
even bury the dead without pay III advance.
poor creatures have to offer where there is no
money to be had
PATRON SAINTS AND FEAST DAYS
Each city has its patron saint and feast DAYS,
the latter generally degenersting into drunken
orgies; and it is positive fact that mos. of the
Indians pray to the image itself, believing it to
possess supernatural powers, although they
have just seen a nail driven into its head to
fasten crown on. In Callamarea. Bolivia
there are two graveyards, one on hill, the
other in dark ravine. 1t is popularity be-
lieved that the good lie on the hill top and will
60 to heaven, while those who are buried in
the ravine remain in purgatory. 1t is said that
the local priest carefully inculcates in the
minds of his people doctrine something like
this: ''All flesh is grass and you are liable to
die at any moment. BY all means make
preparation for eternity. Pay me now, before
hand. the price of mass (from $50 to 5000,
even dollar by dollar as you can save it. and [
will bury you on the hill top, whence you will
go to eternal glory. If you don't do 1t, will
bury you in the ravine and you may shift for
yourself" FANNIE Il WIpD