The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-07-21
CLIFF JEWELLERS.
The Descendants of an Ancient
Race in Mexico.
Timid People With Homes in
Mountain ReCeSSeS.

A deep ravine cutting in at right
nngles to the Bacochic Tin chihuahua,
Mexico) closed our way to the north
Us we assembled the winding trail, and
when we had worked our way up the
steep bank some 200 or 800 feet,
favorable exit from the low, scrubby
pines gave Inc all opportunity to look
straight across this picturesque ravine,
and | was surprised to see, OH the
other bank, which seemed keven more
precipitous than the one on which l
stood, deep cave walled mp in front
nearly to the top, and evidently indi-
eating cave or ciff-dwellers. My first
thought was that the curious habita-
tion in front of ME belonged to the
era of similar buildings in Arizona
and New Mexico, which the best ALL
thority consigns to very old period.
With me, however, was q Mexican
gentleman who said that the cave was
inhabited, but as the occupants were
extremely timid, probably we would
not be able to see them without fore
ing an entrance into their strange
home. He believed that most Of them
were inside peeping at us over the
rude walls and around the very di-
lapidated animals hide that served to
close the door. The cave was not
over two hundred yards away, and,
with the aid of our field-glasses. we
could plainly make out its details.
My impression led me to the theory
that these were vagabond individuals
of the local Indian tribes who were
occupying this old cave-dwelling in
the cliffs. much as we see the cor
responding class with us occasionally
occupying dugouts, shanties built into
the side hills, and even caves around
the suburbs of towns. But one of the
Mexicans, who argued against forcible
intrusion into the homes of these
people, said that we would find
great number of them further on in
the deep reccsses of the Sierra Madre
range, and that among so many we
would have good opportunities of
seeing them to better advantage than
we possibly could here. My Mexican
friend was born and reared
in this part of Chihuahua; his
father and uncle owned one of the
largest and richest mining-districts in
that portion otfthe Sierra Madre to-
ward which our course was directed.
and to reach which he attached him
self to our party for couple of days,
when our paths separated. His busi-
ness called for almost constant travel
ing in these parts. He placed the
number of living cliff aud cave
dwcllers in this part of Mexico at
lTOll oOOO " lAJuVO pcIsoHS' VIC
afterward saw from 800 to 500 of
them, which, considering their great
timidity and the small part Of their
land travorsed by us, would give an
air of reasonablcness to the estimate
of Don Augustin Beccrra, for such
was my friends name.
Even as we stood on the edge of the
cliff opposite this singular home, we
saw an Indian in the canon far below.
He appeared to be wearing only
garment of animal skins; he carried
long Low and arrows. He looked
almost as dark as Guinea native as
he skirtcd the shadows of the canon,
and his hair was long. A rafting of
the falling chips of shale drew his at
tention to us, when he at once skulked
behind big boulder at the base of the
cliff, and we saw him no moro
Lieutenant SchWatka, in Century.