The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-28

We're driven over toward the eastern
border Of the state of Vera Cruz. This
country has been held by this once
powerful nation until this day. The
people are decidedly interesting to
study. Up to few years ago they had
kings, but of recent years they are
without ruler. The nation numbers
twenty-five thousand people. They are
getting to be a wandering people, mas
much as they travel to many parts of
the isthmus, where they are employed
by planters on coffee and sugar plan
tatlons. During the times they they
are employed on plantations many of
their towns and villages are entirely de-
serted.
Il learn from their history that they
were a Warlike nation, but they are
now most peaceful 1t is difficult for a
stranger to travel through their coun-
try, owing to their extremely suspi-
cious and superstitious ideas. They
worship idols, but these are kept bur-
led and new ones are made each year.
This nation in particular has one old
custom in connection with its idols.
The shell of an egg is taken and, being
broken into seven pieces, is wrapped in
seven pieces Of cotton cloth. Along
with this are seven pieces Of bark, red
and blue feathers, and seven grains Of
iron. These charms, bound together,
are placed one at each corner of every
persons tract of land. This is believed
to assure a bountiful harvest and also
to secure the Indians from injury from
their personal enemies I am not sure
il all the nations have the same gods,
as | knew only ten thousand of the
tribe. There are seven gods wor-
shipped, and the eagle, tiger crocodile
parrot and serpent are among them.
Live animals are worshipped, and inn
ages made are buried, as the people of
the tribe are ashamed to have stran-
gers know of their form of worship.
saw number of the affairs uopn
which sacrifices to the seven gods were
offered. Every village has the seven
gods, but each village has in addition
one special god. 1t is said to Chilchotia
that in the church there is trained
erpents and this is chief god of the viii
At'5N' Liz POOp1S udNS q ASNG1GACC ADE
the serpent which is not shown toward
any Of the other gods.
Another thing / found of especial in
terest and this is the fact that every
family must have black dog The
reason for this custom, given by the
tribe, is q curious one. 1t is the belief
of the people of this nation that when
they die, to reach the promised land
they must first go through a large rly-
err. A person Of his own accord cannot
get across unaided. The legend is that
only black dog has the power to pull
the member of the family across the
river and then it is necessary for the
person to hold tightly to the dogs tail.
Along with this peculiar notion is
another which is practised on the birth
of a cshild. At this time the father
streWs ashes all around the house, and
the first animal that passes over the
ashes will be the protector of the child.
When the animal dies the child also
viii die.
The Misses, nation of about TWEEN
ty thousand, live in the Zapotecas dis
tricts, Villa Alta. Choapan, San Carlos,
Vautepec and Tehuantepec They are
of an entirely different appearance and
character from the Zapotecas. They
are rather low in stature, and besides
this they are somewhat deformed.