The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-16
GUARDED as a TALIsMAN.
Mexican Indians Have the Worlds
Most Precious Emerald.
philadelphia Inquirer.o


philadelphia Inquirer.l
For years-ever since Mexico was
opened to the white man-every trav-
eler to that romantic land has heard of
the emerald Of Oajaca. Rumor said
that 1t was huge almost beyond belief
Whatever its size. it is certain that the
indians believed in its magic proper
ties. No white man ever saw it, but
now an American woman has sue
eeeded, through sister woman's graf
ltude, where men found failure.
This emerald of Oajaca has for ages
been the object of covetous interest on
the part of Spanish vicerOys, Mexican
presidents and provincial governors.
treat dealers in precious stones have
sought il, too. but the Indians, as the
lneal descendants Of the Aztecs, to
whom the emerald is supposed to have
originally belonged. hold it in supersti-
uous reverence and such safekeeping
that until recent years little but I'M
confirmed legends of the stones exist
ence was known,
A few years ago President Diaz be-
came so interested in the matter THAI
ne decided to prove the truth or AL
lacy OF the reports of this emeraid's
size and value. Without warning he
suddenly appeared in the village where
IL was said the gem was secreted. He
summoned the people into the plaza
and announced that If they would show
him the emerald known TO be in their
possession he would in return proclaim
public holiday and entertain them
with a fiesta at his own expense He
promised, as president and by virtue of
the same blood in his and their veins.
that if they would accede TO his request
he would not attempt to take the emer-
aid from them.
Upon this prolonged consultation en-
sued among the Indians, the result of
oh fffesk fr.ors Of ar of tn .
crowd one of them held up at arms
length between his forefinger and
thumb the famous emerald, scintillat-
ing in the rays of the sun. Diaz was
DESTROYS of a closer inspection and,
turning to his guards, ordered the man
TO be brought to him. His actions. If
not his words. were at once considered
by the Indians to be suspicious. So
they promptly raised a tUmult and
amid shouts of viva Porfirio DIAL"
Viva la fiestaY' the man and the en-
erald disappeared and this was the only
glimpse the powerful president was
able TO obtain of it.
An American woman had better for
tune. 1t happened that her husband
was appointed to Superintend the med
ical department. of the railroad being
built through Oajaca and incidentally
saved the life of an Indian woman. In
her gratitude this woman begged to be
allowed to make some recompense, as
the American doctor had refused to ac-
cept a fee. But half in jest he replied
! that if she would show him the Oajaca
emerald he would be satisfied. At this
the woman seemed greatly disturbed.
| She at first declared she knew nothing
about it, but on being pressed further
! by the doctors wife she admitted
/ knowing where il was hidden. Finally
she agreed that If the doctor would sol
EMMY promise to absent himself she
would obtain the stone and show it to
| his wife. For some unexplained reason
she held so steadfastly 10 this point,
| that the wife must be alone when the
| emerald was produced. that it was
| yielded. though much to the doctors
disappointment.
1 So one morning shortly afterward the
Indian woman appeared at the physi-
/ clans temporary residence. She made
l sure that the doctors wife and herself
Were alone, then she produced the en-
erald from a fold of her clothing. For
about a minute only was the doctor S
wife permitted TO inspect the gem while
| it was held securely in the Indian wo-
mans fingers In size, according to the
/ fortunate visitors account, the stone
| is as large as a pigeons egg, crudely
! polished and of a rich grass-green color.
| In its depths she noticed a few black
/ spots or flaws. which goes far to prove
! that it is a genuine emerald and not
/ volcanic glass, as has been suggested.
/ The purest eTneralds are seldom with
/ out flaws, this being one of the tests
/ taken into account by experts.
In great haste the Indian woman
! again secreted the gem and went out,
! but one curious circumstance the doc
I tor and his wife remarked subsequent
! ". During the remainder of their stay
I IN the village, though they met the wo-
! man several times, neither by word nor
! sign would she recognize their previous
| relations. She treated them as absolute
/ strangers. To her mind the risk she
had run IL showing the talisman of
| her tribe was full compensation for the
! service rendered. The general belief is
| that the stone is not secreted in any
4 place, but is concealed on the person
of one OF the Indians and passed on as
circumstances may require. If such is
the case the woman must have OBJ
! tanned the gem by stealth. and during
/ the time it was in her possession she
was doubtless in no little danger OF
! her life.