The morning call., 1893-05-21

into which the ore is poured after having
been broken into small pieces completes
the main mechanical appliances for further
reduction of the quartz preparatory to its
final separation.
The natives are among the most indolent
of the Mexican people. There ara in the
Madres much rich quartz. and there are
found many old workings, which give in
disputable evidence of greater energy and
activity among the natives of distant years
than is 10 be found at the close of the
century as the inheritance of their de-
seendants. A little maize is about all the
Topics require in the way of food. and as
for clothing many of them still strictly ad-
here to the breezy garb obtaining in the
Garden of Eden previous TO the adoption
of the ig-leaf costume.
But it is as discoverer of long-de-
serted towns buried in the midst of
the Madre solitudes that Mr.. Smiths ad-
ventures and operations are chiefly inter
eSting, and his observations of the habits
and traditions of the Indians that inhabit
the little-known region of the province of
Ieplc attach an unusual flavor to his oper-
ationS in Mexico.
Mining was evidently carried on by the
natives of TeDlc many centuries ago, as Is
evidenced by the character and quantity
OF ornaments found among the Indians.
And aside from these trinkets, many of
which have evidence of great age, there
are buildings in the province of Tepic
which lead to the conclusion that at some
time long gone better civilization existed
In old Mexico. and that the aboriginps
have progressed backward rather than
otherwise.
The natives are queer mixture of
superstition. credulity, cupidity, conf
dence and shrewdness. They are indo-
lent to the verge of starvation and have
no more respect for the truth than the
average Digge of California. In various
sections are to be found churches of great
antiquity. Within six miles of Plata
mores is church over whose portals is
cut In deep characters the year of its COM
pletion-1694. 1t is structure 1856 feet in
depth and thirty-six feet in width.
When 1t was built, or at some time
closely following it, a bell, made OF copper,
silver and small percentage OF lead. was
hammered cut of virgin ores and hung
directly above the structure of the church.
1t is an immense signal, anu its tone, pure
and mellow, can be heard for many miles
the country round. Its shape is not
exactly true, but an examination shows
I'll at IL was literally welded together by the
millions of blows delivered by the native
artisans and builders with stone hammers
BY careful measurement Mr.. Smith esti-
mates that the weight of the bell cannot
be short of 1000 pounds, and that the silver
In ii is worth a very resrectabe fortune.
although its general age is attested by its
weatheT-beaten appearances. so well was it
put together that thousand centuries will
find 1t still standing. mute monument of a
race OF people whose traditions and anti
guilty have resisted the search Of the his
torian.
In this church and at its rear is elevated
Il figure of the Virgin. The figure is heroic
in Size and is made of some material which
has successfully deied the ravages of time
On the breast may be seen cross of
pure gold. l. is eight inches in length.
with arms five inches in length. The
body OF the cross is an inch broad and
bali an inch thick, while the arms are a
little loss. Nor is this all. The cross is
set with gems of the greatest briiliancy
and value. Upon either arm blaZes a large
diamond. and there are three other stones
ruby in the center. q beryl at the base
and an emerald at the crown or top of the
cross. The value of these stones must be
very great. for they are large and perfect
| When the stones on the gold cross were
| put In place there is no means of finding
| ont.
But the tradition of the Indians leads to
the belief that they have gllttered in the
cross OF gold among the haIf-savage natives
| lot centuries unmolested, unobstrUcted,
apparently as secure from vanGal hand or
| theft as il they were hidden away in the
strongest vaults of any bank.
| The natives of Topic are not bowed down
with m0Gesty. The weather for the most
part In that country is very warm. and
| from the day of their advent into the world
there is observed a startlingly plain and
frugal effort at decoration. Whatever
clothes are worn are made Of long and
| plant sort of grass.
| This is plackpd at certain season.
buried In the earth-which must be kep
mOist-for given time and then soaked in
water. This treatment whitens the material
nd apparently ioughens it. so that 1T an
swers every purpose. 1t makes the
strongest cord. Plated fat in strip a