Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-08-30
SWIFT INDIAN RUNNERS
A CURIOUS RACE BY THE STRANGE
TAURI MAURI TRIBE.
1t Was 100 Miles Long. and, Incidentally,
the Racers Threw Wooden Balls Be.
fore Them by Means of Their Toes
Their Swiftness Surprising.


the strange Tauri Mauri Indians
writes the chihuahua correspondent
of the New York Sun. The first Tauri
Mauri we saw was a mail carrier
among the San Lorenzo Mountains
about 12O miles south of Chihuahua
This Indian makes two round trips
over a distance of eighty-fve miles
twice q week, making total of some
$40 miles week on foot. Several
times, when the Government had rea-
sons for rushing mails to their destina-
ton, he made even three round trips
in seven and half days. The route
leads from Guarichic to San Jose de
los Crues over as rugged a mountain
trail as ever tried a mountaineer's
muscle.
The Indian mail carrier was bare
headed and barelegged, his entire suit
consisting of about three yards of
narrow cloth woven out of goats
hair. On his back was a mail sack,
that, with its contents, weighed forty
pounds. This was supported by a
strap across his forehead and another
across his chest. He came trottinig
down the hill smoking a cigarette and
moving as easily and gracefully as if
just starting out, instead Of having
some twenty miles already to his
credit that morning.
AS he reached the level ground in
the valley he dropped ball about
the size of n baseball on the ground,
and, catching it deftly on his toes,
gave it q throw forward and raced
after it with the speed of n deer,
picking it up OH his toes and throw
ing it forward again without in the
least, so far as we could see, checking
his speed. AS he overlook us the ball
was placed in his armpit, and he
trotted along by the side of the mules,
chatting quite socially.
The Tauri Mauri Indian carries one
of these wooden balls with him every
where, tucked under the armpits until
he is in q hurry; then it is thrown
forward, and away the owner rushes
after it. 1t is their way of keeping in
training for all the time, and of hur-
rying themselves over the ground.
1t is always thrown from the toes,
and never from the hand.
There are some 10000 Tauri Mauri
Indians in Mexico. Twice every sum-
mer they meet for n sort of tourna-
ment. 1t is custom centuries old.
1t was the writer's good fortune to be
present at one of these periodical as
semblies among the San Lorenzos,
about twenty miles southwest from
Chihuahua.
The Tauri Mauris are long-lhnbed
and slender. giving the Impression of
being over the average height There
is scarcely any muscle on their puny
arms, but their chests are deep, and
their backs broad, and their limbs as
trim and muscular as greyhound's
They look as if created for speed.
The great contest Of the tournament
was Il race. The wagers Of the rival
towns were piled up in the centre of
the plaza, and consisted Of strips of
goat's-hair cloth, bows, arrows,
sandals, goats. chickens, and sheep,
with two wooden plOws for high
prizes; but these were thrown far in
the shade when some American visit
Ors added cupful OF copper coins
Il gaudy Autograph, and water color
painting Of cross surrounded with
flowers. Such prizes had never been
offered in the memory Of the oldest
inlabitant, and the runners swOre
that it should be the race of their
lives.
In the afternoon they asked us to
look over the course. 10 our as
constituent we found that it was
twelve miles long and that the circuit
was to be made ten times. y royal
race, indeed, Of 120 miles. The race
was to be run in the night and con-
cluded in the cool Of the next after
noon.
About five O'Clock in the afternoon
everything was ready. Ten athletes
stood on the right side Of the plaza
and ten OH the left. TO each side
one wooden ball was allotted. The
racers were dressed in native trunks
of goats hair cloth, and many Of these
were discarded before the race was
over. II
At the word both of Tie balls were
thrown forward and the twenty
bounded forward at a speed that it
would tax bicyclist TO keep UP with.
We thought that such a burst of speed
would soon tire them out, but it was
meant only for the start Of three
miles straight away acress the valley.
Before reaching the other side of the
course the runners began cutting off
the corners and racing ahead on the
oval course so as 10 receive and carry
on the ballot theirparty. The ball was
pitched forward by the foot OF the
first one and that SIDE 10 reach it, and
if rival could reach it first it was
thrown back on the course. The pur-
pose was to get the ball around the
course, no matter how, so
long as it was touched only by the
feet of the players. TO touch it with
the hand was to lose all bets.
Tripping, crowdine, and all the
rough work Of football players were
permitted to prevent an opponent from
reaching or throwing the ball. Kun
ners were permitted to cut across the
valley at u jog trot, and 50 be ready TO
receive the ball as it came along anu