The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-07
MEXICAN GIRLS nv THE BATH


tABiNuI sees Ihuch u Ahcinf
In Aguas Calientes some Moses OF
old smote the rock, and there gushed
from it stream of water SO warm
and altogether delightful that the
town was named after it, and the
natives bless the Father of Waters
every day of their lives. Bathing
Us the occupation of the town, and
the result is shining bodies of bronze
and as good many square inches
of skin are on exhibition in Mexico
complexion counts.
Imagine 500 natives of all ages
and both sexes calmly bathing in an
open ditch, with such privacy as the
blue heavens and the republic OF
Mexico afford. There are two Sec
tions of them, those who have some
thing on and those who have not,
and they splash around in their bath
as unconcerned as baby or ca
nary in porcelain dish. Their an
cestors bathed in the long ditch
where the water lies blue and little
puffs of steam arise, and why not
theyq What though the Mexican
| Central did lay its parallel bands OF
| steel within a stones throw of their
hereditary bathi That is the rail
roads fault, not theirs. And 80
they splash joyously in their ditch
and disport themselves along the
bank in every conceivable state OF
dishabille.
| We reached Aguas Calientes at
shutdown on Saturday, and was 80
curious TO see the place that the sun
and appeared on the streets about
the same time. Whole families ap-
peared from the direction of the
town bearing bundles of clothes on
their heads. The Mexican peon
owns only one change OF garments,
shirt and trousers of cotton, a
sash. sandals Of most primitive de-
sign and straw sombrero, and he
is abundantly clad. For extra wrap
there is the serape, and to see the
young Indians about to bathe mauip-
ulate this useful garment is lesson
in the art of draping.
They select a convenient bush,
, unmake their toilets and, sheltered
, by the friendly blanket, slide into
the water. While in the bath the
women wash their chemises and
emerge from the water and put Oh
skirts and as soon as they are dry
the freshened wardrobe. You may
see mater familias bathing hel
brood. She selects pool, and, dis
robing herself to the waist, scrubs
0 her progeny. Every head is care
fully soaped and scraped, and thu
white suds run down over the burn
sienna shoulders. The children
have water fights, and the naked
t babies, when cleansed, are laid OF
the bank to dry, where they klcl
and squirm like bronze Cupids. Ev
f. erybody washes from crown to toe
= and the girls glance coquettishly a
e you between long braids and float
" ing strands of dripping hair.
The prettiest girl / saw nigh
have been Pharaoh's daughter, 81
n beautiful and perfectly formed wa
v she. / saw her coming to the canal
n barefooted, footsore and weary, ye
with all the marks of race in he
face. and doubt not she is lineall,
descended from some of the dusk.
le kings of this fair land.
% She crept out of her white chemis
4 and calico skirt, and, with her re
ID boza about her shoulders, slid int
10 the water. There she unbraide'
l. her long hair and let it float out o.
O. the buoyant water, holding her re
Il boza before her like curtain, an
le laughing over it at me with my I'm
d potent camera. This young lady
r together with several other girls
70 performed ablutions behind a thi
se fringe of mesquite that borders tn
stone wall of the canal. They sporl
g. ed like brown Venuses just arise
from the waves, quite undisturbe
a. by the passing and repassing {
D. their own countrymen on the boz
ders of the canal. 1t was only wit
the Americans that they were COY
u and that is our own fault, dar
IN saw Still shall always remembe