The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-25

1
For the last two or three centuries the
Quincas have dwelt in peace. They have
Won the favor and protection OF the gov
erEnent by meeting promptly every Ne
| quest for gold dust thai has been made
| upon them, and when they are visited by
| a bandit or q revolutionist who DOS not
| overawe or offer 10 injure them they give
| him a handful of sold dust and set foot
| before him. II he T,rolongs his stay long
er than three days they give him another
| handful Of dust and the priest informs
| him that the God OF the Quincas desires
| him 10 depart. Ii would De useless for the
/ outlaw 10 ask for more or make threats.
! for if he should burn the whole town aud
put every man and woman TO death not
| another grain would he obtain. They
/ have a large house in their village that
is furnished especially fo- the accOmmo-
dation Of travellers. and every one who
| accepts their hospitality Is invited cor
! daily to remain three days. At the end
Of that period the chief, often accompa-
MED by one or more priests Of the tribe,
1 visit the stranger. and he Is informed
/ that the great God OF the Quincas desires
! that he should pursue his journey in
! peace. IF the traveller should complain OF
] being sick OF tootsore, he is invited u
remain three days longer. and an old
woman of the tribe whom they believe 10
/ be skilled in the art OF healing the sick
is sent to offer To him her services. When
/ the traveller is ready 10 depart two young
men are appointed To accompany him 4
! short distance as a courtesy. Before the
start young girl. whose entire costume
| is made of the plumage OF birds, ap-
proaches. bearing a small dish, upon
which there are few Mexican coins. and
the chief asks the astounded traveller to
take some or all of the money. saying:
You may need il 70 buy food or drink 10
sustain you on your journey among
strangers. and our God desires that You
shall ever carry in your heart good
| image of the Quincas"
| With such an irrevoca5le custom Of hos
| pitality it is fortunate for these peculiar
people that they dwell far away from
/ civilized communities and in land
| where a wheeled vehicle never has been
seen. The narrow trail which crosses
| the clop-capped. snow-covered Sierra
Madres at this point Is practicable only
/
| consequently it is seldom that a traveller
takes this route. II the trail We're. great
| highway the Quincas would have 10
change their icustoms or the whole pop
ulation would have 10 devote every hour
of their time 10 mining gold.
| The strangest OF al their posses ious.
and ore that distinguished them as pc
culiar people, are countless h0cks OF tame
| birds and aquatic fowls. In the evening.
when their swarm Of pigeons begin 10
| flock 10 the village 70 roost. the scene
reminds one of the stories that the old
| pioneers used to tell about the clouds Of
wild pigeons that frequently pass over
the western states in the early years Of
| the century The fopdness Of this tribe
for birds is not limited 20 pigeons. for
| the town is simply one vast open air
! aviary. Every house is fun OF birds Of
! every color. while the trees in the streets
| and the plaza fairly simmer with plum
age of variegated hues, ana the air is
| laden with the melody of song. II is a
| serious offense in Guinea Ma 20 kill or
MAIN a bird Of any kind except for food.
and even then the priest has 10 be con-
| suited. The birds-or at least certain
| species of them-are regarded as aacred
| messengers. They have some idea OF the
| old theory of TRANSPORTATION OF souls,
and they either believe that the spirits
| Of the departed assume the form OF birds,
or they regard them as watchers inspired
| by angels. The beautiful quezal, Of royal
! plumage. regarded by the old Aztecs as
sacred, makes It's home under the porches
of the Temple OF the sun. An orintholo-
gist could find no better place on earth
to gain information that the plaza and
streets Of Guinea Ma.
The people are as fond Of flowers as they
are Of birds. and every little yard and
garden seems to DC a crowded flower led.
No woman appears in the public street
without her headdrcss of flowers. while
the young girls and children always wear
great garlands OF roses about their uecHs.
Every unmarried girls whole costume IS
made Of the piumage Of birds They are
skilled in the manufacture Of mats ard
cloth from feathers. and some q the
robes are wonderful. These extraordin-
airy garments are not made in a day. In
some Instances f. has required many
years Of patient labor 20 complete a sin
gle article % apparel. Many costly robes
and mats in the Temple II the Sun we're
collected from the sacred quezal az the
birds shed their feathers. through long
years OF patient watching. ans the last
delicate touches are made 10 the beautl-
ful fabric nearly a haif century after the
work IS begun
But there is a skeleton IN their trihai
closet A horrible charge has been pre-
fe-red against them. though % has never
been proven. There BE- one question
which they fail 70 answer sstisiaetYrl-
Why IS IL that they DO nos Increase Ia
numbers
we are not a prolfdc people" is the
reply Il the priest - tire sun "Oar vs-
men never bear more than two calldreu-''
This sounds str8uge. and Sc hae been more
than limited that they zacria1e uaay 81
tie aa1es 90 their god. and they haFs
relGa5ors wb5 Gr1ulg believe that they a.
u1uca worse than this Trey have been
accused q oelug caruiaaIs % the eEteaf.
a. coast - eating the3- own ca. 1reE.
The people have aftrsctsz Ettlf atfsu-
tian. 5gt la9ae writer xbo have c41slf-
cred hem worthy ~ ngt.e sluDlF 70
marx that g. lz strange tacre srs alwayv
as7gt 1910 - ths-n-s-efer n-grc ~ lass
They were e sulsli tr1 u-H 1lee4ef-e1
csn1 * Cgrfaz u.srr.e5a $3.50
5-ate-s nearly sec y-sn ago. aa3 teT
are yer small f~iae tsszh tneT are a
aeaftay paape. usl.z IS -alaa-ie4s Gle 4
-ate - tae rhsTrs e. t-se. t-sT have
guarded ths sert as vel 81 -aeT heve /
tae nass.ery ~ saz asr1s % taelr ap- 4