The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-02
ISOLATED TRIBE IN MEXICO.
Interesting History of the Amatecas,
who Are Practically seIf-GOv-
eKning Coma unity.

powerful and progressive foreign peo-
pie a little handful of Indians have |
lived for 300 years, and have contrived |
TO keep during all that time their ma
tional characteristics, their traditions
and their individuality. If you seek |
them you will find them in Amatlan
de los Reyes, village in the state of
Vera Cruz, Mexico. They are known
as the Amatecas. A visit to Amatian
will well repay anyone who has any
interest whatever in seeing curious
people with individual habits, customs
and civilization, says Modern Mexico.
1t is no uncommon thing in Mexico
to find a tribe of Indians that has made
a determined effort to maintain its
individuality against the encroach-
ments of a higher civilization. But
the Amatecas are perhaps the only
people in the republic who have sue
ceeded in retaining for themselves
what is practically self-government.
1t must not be understood that they
make any pretentions of being indie
pendent of the control of the federal
authorities in the City of Mexico.
They long ago gave up as hopeless any
struggle against the power of the
Spaniard, and later on the Mexican
nation, and this submission is RESPONSE
Bile for the fact that they have been
able to retain their ancient customs,
habits and modes of government.
When the Spaniards, under the con-
queror Herman Cortez, landed in Mex
leo, near Vera Cruz, and began the
march TO the Aztec capital, the EN-
peror, Montezuma, sent several
messengers and spies to bring him
news of the mysterious strangers.
Among others sent was Ocelotl, or
the Tiger Prince, as he is known in
history and legend. Ocelotl was one
of the best Aztec artists, and the EN-
peror commissioned him to make
sketches of the invaders, so that he
might judge of them by their appear
ance He was also to bring back
detailed report of the strength of the
forces of the Spaniards, who were be-
lieved to be the warriors of the Fair
God, who had come from the Land of
the Sun, as they were to do, according
to an old and universally believed ira
dition.
Ocelotl brought back complete re-
port to the emperor, and gave it as
his opinion, from what he had seen
of the strangers, that it would require
all the strength and cunning of the
Aztec empire to contend against them.
Montezuma was so angry at this I'M
favorable report that he ordered
Ocelotl to be publicly burned as cow
ard who wished to brighten with child
ish tales the courage of his warriors,
who had until then been ever success
full. Ocelotl, however, had many
friends at the court of the emperor,
and through their aid he succeeded in
escaping from prison and in getting to
the land of TlaXcala, which was the
hereditary enemy of the Aztec EN-
pire.
Now there is a curious legend still
told by the Amatecas to the effect
that Ocelotl stopped at Amatlan, on
his way back from Vera Cruz, and
that the people flocked about him
to hear what he had to say. Ocelotl
told them of the fair faces of the
strangers, their garments, which
shone as bright as the sun itself; the
great beasts they rode, and how they
came armed with the weapon of the
god of thunder and lightning. The
people of Amatlan held a meeting in
the public square, and when the
chiefs had heard the story of OceIotl
they decided that the newcomers
were indeed the warriors of the EN-
peror of the Sun, and that there was,
therefore, no use whatever in oppos-
ing them. So they sent message to
Cortez saying that they had decided
to become his friend.
Whatever truth there may be in
this legend it might as well have
been true, for it has embodied in it
the characteristics of the Amatecas
as a people. They have ever been
clever diplomatists. When the Aztecs
were at war with all the people
around them the Amatecas succeeded
in making a treaty of peace with
them, which protected them from
invasion by the Aztec army. At the
same time they had treaties with two
other rude nations in the south and
east that were at war with the AZ
tees.
There is another legend among the