The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-02
Rules over a Tribe That Is Centuries BE
hind the Times.


AS is well known to all who have
looked into the matter carefully-for
instance. sue men as LumhOltZ, starr
and S~oville-therc are in remote parts
Of Mexico to-day to be ound portions
Of tribes Of ndian who are practical
ly as much given to idolatry, supersti-
ton and withCraft as were their for
bears I'm the vanished years when the
cleaning banner of CASTLE and Aragon
glanced amid the peaks and valleys OF
Mexico, announcing the advent of "A
stronger race and more victorious faith.
The other day, while making "A little
trip over the lnteroceanic, that runs
through So many picturesque Indian
towns. I happened To meet in n OF
these villages a very intelligent Indian,
who told me the following. Whether
IL is true or not I do not know tell
the tale as twas told to me- He said
that on the northern slope of Popo-
~catapetl. near the foot, there is a large
cave almost unknown to the outside
world. In this cave lives an old white
haired Indian who is the oracle OF a
small tribe of Indians i'm that vicinity,
whose language Is unlike that of any
of the neighboring towns.
This little tribe has never been con-
quered either by the Spaniards or by
the church or by the modern govern
ment OF the republic. The Indians have
preserved all their old customs and
traditions until this day, n are prac-
tically as they were 400 years ago. one
Of the very curious institutions among
them is hat of the oracle, or seer,
who dwells in the q mentioned
cav all alone He is always the old
est M wisest man Of the tribe. He
is looked upon with the same supersti-
tious reverence az were the oraClcs Of
Dodona and Delphos in the boyhood Of
the world. In that cave are preserved
rare gems of curiously carved emer-
aids. such as the great "Malinche" sent
home to Spain: idols of gold n silver
and copper and stone, pearl necklaces
from the far-off Gulf of California, and
TRANCE robes Of feather work, of which
but very few examples are known to-
day outside the pages of Sabagun,
Prescott Or Clavigero.
There are also ranged I'm fitting or
der the ancient gods of this strange
people. OF whom this old man is the
high priest. once a month a commits
sion of the oldest men of the tribe Wis
its the cave and takes with IL. i'm the
name of the people, offerings Of fruit
and flowers and eatables and incense in
honor Of the gods and their oracle.
Upon all affairs Of importance to the
tribe this old man is consulted. and his
judgments are az those of n Modes
and the Persians.
asked whether Il would be possible
To visit him or not and was told no
one, not even members of the same
tribe. outside the aforementioned
commission had eve seen the inside
of that strange and mysterious cave.
My informant told me hat at "A GER
tain point all persons are stopped by a
guard and told that they a proceed
no further upon pain Of death. And
This Is not a tale of 400 years ago, but
of to-day.
The tribe and the ave are at the
north side OF Po~poCatepetl and every
Saturday in AtliNco abe Of This
tribe are at the market to buy and
sell their simple n~eCessar.es of life. II
Is enough To see them To realize at
once the great difference between them
and the other Mexican Indians VIII
are to be seen there at that time. Net
only Is their style Of clothing very
different. but also their language. -
Two Republics.