Evening star., 1902-02-15

In the country. but developing certain Of Its
resources which found market outside.
He also told me OF the popularity OF st.
! Lunes all over the country. Lunes Is sim
follows Sunday. 1t is also observed, accord
ing to my informant. as q saints day. st.
Lunes being the patron saint Of rest from
toll.
Illuminating ideas regarding the native
race were given me one night under the
shadow OF the great pyramid Of Cholula.
While waiting for a delayed train there the
station agent, an Intelligent young Mexican
haciendas. In some Of which the white visi-
tor rarely is seen, told me little OF what
he had learned. Some OF us had climbed
the pyramid to the church. which was
erected on It's summit by the monks who
followed In the wake OF Cortez, had bar
gained with the lads OF the town for idols,
cured unimpeachable evidence-the word of
the yenders-that they were legitimate and
not the product OF q civilization later than
| the Aztecs. We also had discussed learn
the pyramid Of Cholula was the Tower Of
Babel and had ended by accepting the
statement Of Mr. Chavero. one OF the most
learned Of Mexleos antiauarians ,1na ans chra ,nat
tian era by Indian tribes which came up
from the south.
Furthermore, we had moralized on the
memories Of Cortez's massacre of the ma
tives had watched the lizards climbing the
ancient walls and had taken in the view Of
mountain peaks and the corn fields and
green gardens in the valley. as we'll as the
golden tiled church domes, which Still are
monuments to the zeal of the early Catho-
lie missionaries and those who came after
| them. Everybody does this and then turns
to the tourists guide OF the railway foider
for proper language in which to clothe his
admiration. but since both tourist guide ana
railway folder were not then at hand, the
time was more profitably spent in the talk
with the station master.
Native Population Still Primitive.
From him 1 CLEANED that notwithstanding
the evidences of Spanish conquest whicn
every village in the valley offers In the
form Of churches old forts and thick
walled houses and plaZas or parks, the
native population Of that section was still
primitive. 1t was true. he said. that there
was democracy of saints because the IN
dams have so many OF them. but he
thought that a connection could be traced
between this large number Of saints ana
their old idols instead Of crediting 1t 10
their religious devotion. He explained 70
me that their marriage customs. which are
not exactly in conformity with either mod
ern civilization or modern legislation. ana
described their relations to the govern
ment. They recognize the civil authority
which is over them and are peaceful, but
he said that the influence of their own
local headmen was greater than that or
the regular civil authorities. Their lam
guage is the Mexican language, which
believe is spoken by the largest numDeF
Of natives.
These Indians. gathered in silent groups
at dusk, seemed to me melancholy. put
the station agent said this was not quite
correct Rather they were reflective and
philosophical. They had their own ideas
Of life and they somewhat ptied the queer
people who had different notions of living
They were very firm. he said, In their land
III frin "a ~
holders were innumerable. Some OF the
properties which were held tenaciously
were not worth more than dollar. he
further told me that back in the country
they keep the hospitable custom OF hang
ing at the door Of their cabin a basket
which has something to eat for the wayfar-
er. l hardly think they go that far, but
it is true that they never deny one another
the hospitality of what their homes con-
tain.
Another opportunity was given to learn
something OF the native population one
day in a trip to Xochimilco. Lake Koch
imilco is the head Of the system Of natural
canals thirty miles from Mexico. fell
low excursionist told me it was the best
day of all for seeing the picturesque and
unchanged native life. Certainly 1t was a
revelation to find how the old civilization
exists right within the shadow of Mexico
City.
My previous knowledge Of La viga canal
which is the outflow of the natural canals
fined to the factories and filth along the
lower border This day. which was an OFF,
cial one for the Pan-American delegates.
we took the electric cars out toward Tlal
pam. st opping at the hacienda of Coapa and
driving down its long poplar or willow lined
avenue through an immense cornfield. to
the canal landing. Here stretching to the
horizon was a vista of what seemed a
swamp lake. with the slim poplars will
lows shooting up everywhere and the whole
shut in by circle OF irregular mountain
peaks. hog backs. sugar loayess and trun-
Gated cones. with the snow-capped volca-
noes dominating all
Floating Islands.
We took the barges and canoes toward
the head waters and at once were in the
midst of the chinampas or floating islands.
1t may be that In Cortez's time the gardens
really foated, but I doubt 1t. They are
great and small patches of low land green
with freshening vegetation, intersected
everywhere with connecting canals and
checkered by straw -thatched chozas or cab
ms, often half hidden by small plantain or
banana groves. These floating isla nds are
the market gardens Of Mexico. and the
trnck ha arpeS and canoes carry the Dro1uca