Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-09-01
MEXICO HAS
SPOTTED MEN
LEoPARD-LIkE PEOPLE DWELL
IN MOUNTAINS
WARRIOR RACE POSSESSES RICH
MINES
White Blotches and Blue Mark the
Observation-Disclosures by High
Range, PIntos Revolt
Often

~ rugged mountains and narrow val
leys OF the wild, unciviized state of Guer
zero. live a people almost unknown to TN
outside world a people whose skin Is
spotted like that of leopard.
These strange inhabitants of the Guer
zero wilds are known in Mexico as TINS
sPintos," meaning spotted people. TneS
are just like other people except for thes'
peculiar cuticle traits and a wild indomln
able spirit which makes them chafe under
the restraints imposed by the Diaz adj
ministration.
There are two kinds Of Pintos. Some
of them have blue spots and others white
spots, which show out in ghostly CONTRAST
against their sunburned skin. The former
are the more usual. The after are mos
noticeable.
The spots are not regular In form, pul
appear as spiotches ranging In area from
a half to three square inches.
Various explanations are given by med
zeal authorities for these strange cuticie
markings. Some hold it is kind OF
leprosy and is contagious This theory
does not seem to be justified by the facts.
however The blue and white markings
are as smooth as any other part OF the
ekin and the people are as happy as any
other peoples.
In fact. they do not regard themselves
as afflicted, and in their mountain fast-
nesses they care little what the OUTSIDE
world thinks of them.
Contagion Unknown
During years of experience among THESE
neopIe the writer has never known OF
single case OF contagion of the PINTO.
Ordinary Mexicans have been known 10
marry Pintos and while the children OF
such unions are invariably Pintos, the
Mexican father or mother seems never
to get the disease, if such 1t Is AS d
ru,e the Mexicans are very much afraid
IF the Pinto spots, however, and try as
far as possible to avoid mixing Win
these queer citizens. of the southern re-
pubic. -.
some biblical students advance the
theory that these Pintos are the descenu-
ants of the spotted people mentioned IN
tba writings of some of the old prophets
Of biblical times. Upon this theory the
writer can make no comment.
The spots on these natives are not con
fined to the face alone. but cover the
Whole hodv. A group of Pinto boys swim
ming in their swift flowing rivers reseni-
Bile young leopards at pay.
Tho Pjntos are strong race. Tney
are physically powerful from climbing
over their mountain trails and enduring
hardships and exposures They are great
hunters and do some farming IN small
way in hidden hooks among their ever
green mountains. They are not fono OIL
hard labor. however, and II anything, are
lazier than their Mexican brethren. vlney
arc kindly and hospitab.e and are always
Wiling n share the comforts of their
nalm-roofed huts with a passing stranger
Mines Their Support
r-hev can carry immense loads on their
hacks over the steep trails of their lofty
mountains. In a petty way they olg Ior
gold. which is found in QUANTITIES among
the Sierra Madres del Sur. They only
care for enough to subsist on, however,
and when they are supplied. with rev
snail nuggets or a few ounces of gold
dus+ thew are content to stop working
until the supply is gone
Their gold they trade to peddlers OF
gaudy clothes, of which they are very
fond and for knives arms and ammunl-
tion. These peddlers carry their goods
into the heart of the mountain villages
on burros.
Pinto miners are very careful about re-
vealing the sources of their mineral sup
plies They have many placers and VEINS
hidden among their uneyolored mountains
which the white man would like to get hold
of. Gradually Mexican and American min
,.rs are drifting into the country of the
Pintos and are locating valuable claims.
These are hard to work. however, on
account of inaccessibiity and the diff
ficulty of transportation. The natives
favor the Americans more than the Mex
leans because the former spend tneir
money more literally. AS yet only rev
Americans have ventured into the Guer-
zero mountains.
Guerrero is the least known of any OF
90 ha
name implies its people are the most
warlike They have never come COM
pletely under the domination Of the Dla2
administration.
RevoIts Frequent
There are frequent outbreaks and petty
revolutions whenever the authority of the
federal government is exercised too freely
in violation of customs or traditions OF
this old race, which seems to have lived
there hidden among the mountains from
times prehistoric.
For years the Mexican government has
been trying to get railroad built into
the heart of Guerrero in order to bring
civilizing influences to bear upon the
people, and, incidentally, to make it easy
to rush troops into the country to sup
press rebellion.
some years ago an American contract
ing firm undertook the arduous and next
TO impossible task of constructing road
across the almost impossible mountain
barriers of the state. With the financial
aid of the Mexican government to back
il the contractors built $50 miles of road
over the most rugged mountain country
that exists.
The engineering feats accomplished
were stupendous, but the road only
reached the Balsas river, and there has
been abandoned. Some day the Mexican
government expects to push 1t on to the
coast, no matter what the cost, and Their
the heart of happy. unruly Pinto LAND
will be opened to the exploitation of civ
ilized man.