The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-02-07
MExlco's ORACLE.
Rules over Tribe That IL Centuries BE-
hind the TilneR.
York Pres


hind tho TiInos.
AS is we'll known to all who have
looked into the matter carefully,
for instance, such men as Lumholtz.
Starr and Soville-there are in re.
mote parts of Mexico today to be
found portions of tribes of Indians
who are practically as much given
to idolatry superstition and witch
craft as were their forbears in the
vanished years when the cleaning
banner of CASTLE and Aragon glanced
amid the peaks and valleys OF Mex
leo, announcing the advent Of
stronger race and more victorious
faith.
The other day, while making a
little trip over the Interoceanic, that
runs through so many picturesque
Indian towns. l happened to meet in
one of these villages a very intelli-
gent Indian, who told me the follow
ing. Whether it is true or not do
not know-'I tell the tale as twas
told to me-" He said that on the
northern slope of Popocatapetl, near
the foot. there is large cave almost
unknown to the outside world In
this cave lives an old whitehaired
Indian who is the oracle of a small
tribe of Indians in that vicinity, whose
language is unlike that of any of the
neighboring towns.
This little tribe has never been con-
quered either by the Spaniards or by
the church or by the modern govern
ment of the republic The Indians
have preserved all their old customs
and traditions until this day, and are
practically as they were 400 years
ago. One of the very curious insti-
| tutions among them is that of the ora
Gle, or seer, who dwells in the above
mentioned cave all alone. He is al
ways the oldest and wisest man Of
the tribe. He is looked upon with
the same superstitious reverence as
were the oracles Of Dodona and Del
phi in the boyhood Of the world.
In that cave are preserved rare gems
as the great "Malinche" sent home
to Spain; idols of gold and silver and
copper and stone, pearl necklaces
from the far-off Gulf of California,
and strange robes of feather work,
of which but very few examples are
known today outside the pages Of
Sabagun, Prescott or Clavigero.
There are also ranged in fitting
order the ancient gods of this strange
people, Of whom this old man is the
high priest. Once a month a com
mission of the oldest men of the tribe
visits the cave and takes with it
in the name of the people, offerings
of fruit and flowers and eatables
and incense in honor Of the gods
and their oracle.
Upon all affairs of Importance to
the tribe this old man is consulted,
and his judgments are those of the
Modes and the Persians.
asked whether it would be pos
sible to visit him or not and was
told no oney not even members of
the same tribe, outside the before
mentioned commission" had ever
seen the inside of that strange and
mysterious cave. My informant told
me that at a certain point all
persons are stopped by a guard and
told that they can proceed no fur.
ther upon pain of death. And this
is not a tale of 400 years ago, but
of today.
The tribe and the cave are at the
north side of Popocatapetl and ev
cry Saturday in Atlixco members OF
this tribe are at the market to buy
and sell their simple necessaries oil
life. 1t is enough to see them to
realize at once the great difference
between them and the other Mexican
Indians who are to be seen there al
that time. Not only is their style
Of clothing very different, but also
their language.-Two Republics.
The Modern Youth.