The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-12-24

~ consists Of three pieces. First sha
mas a long cloth wound around her
Waist ana EGGS, reaching TO below the
knees. Above this is the ju.pij or
shirt, which is richly embro;der.d ana
81 as many cOlors as Jostph's coat
The shirt comes down over the cloth
ana y SaudE belt or sash holds the
Two sarments together. The women
nave luxurlant hair and thew Wear i
IN TWO long hraldS down their backs
In some places they tie up the hair
ana 10 others they have head bands
which arc wound around the head
several times and tied in a knot over
the forehead.
All OF the women are fond Of Jewel
~, and u woman often carries her
savings III the shape Of silver and GOLD
ornaments with which she d~ecorates|
her person. So1ne have necklaces OF
SILVER coins ana otherS have bits or
gold and nuggets If silver. Coral
beads are and many girls
have heavy silver crosses which they
VIII not sell to strangers.
The men wear shirts, coats and
trousers. Those on the road Rave
queer ~oNefcoats with loose sleeves.
h coats are split up ut the sides.
n under them is an apron which
falls 10 the knees, lille another
apron seems to kiss the mans calls
| at the back. ! sec ON Indians in
bare legs who wear such ~ocervoats.
They have hats of straw Of q sugar
loaf shape and as they irot over the
country they remind one Of the brig
ands Of the stage.
Indian Portcrs.
These Indians are the chief fr.ight
carriers Of Guatemala, and they do
all the work or the plantations. The
porters are like those of Korea, III that
they belong to a profession which
descends from father to SON. Longer
than man can remember they have
carried the baggage and produce Of
Guatemala from ~ part of the coun-
try to the other. and ! am told that
they can trOt along with $50 pounds
on their backs at the speed Of a
mule.
] nave seen hundreds Of these port
ers on my way through the country.
They I to be found on every road
wa" and they are of all ages, from
little boys of ten. to ~srayhesds Of
sixty. In coming here to Mixco ]
passed many bearing great loads Of
clay jars. Each jar would hold per
hapS two or three gallons. and a man
would have 8 score Of them in a
crate SO piled up that they rose high
above his head, and SO that he was
half bent az he trotted along. I saw
boys OF six with two or three such
jars and children of not more than
four carrying bundles one the road.
At the capital ] passed al Indian
ca carrying an iron plate two
feet wide. four feet long and two
inches thick. 1t must have weighed
more than $50 pounds. IT VAS tied
to The mans shoulders ana he was
trOtting along. 1T is said that the IN
dams are obliged to carry loads for
travelling upon demand If they are
paid for their services. The local Of
ticials supply them. bat they can force
them to go only a two-0ay journey
from home, and the loaG must not
be- more than 100 und
AS to speed, these porters VIII make
i've or six miles an hour. in coming
here We pushed along as rapidly as W
could npon mules. bat some loaded
portcrs who We're on the same road
kept up with Us Notwithstanding We
went on the trot.
Much Like Japan.
! wish You could see the county
enc OF Guatemala Ia. Those on the
main roads which lead into the capl-
tai remind one Of the IOkaldO 81
Japan. They are thronaed with traf-
ic which moves along like 50 many
caravans of uueerlV dressed people
quaint carts and wagons and beasts
Of burden of various kinds. There arr
many carts drawn by oxen which pul
them along by Sokes tied t1 strap t
their horns. They push against tht
yoke in going mp hill ;tnG pun ha"l
/, in going down. The yoke IS 50 tight
: " fastened To the head that the am
NAL cannot move II. an. the lf]es Cd
away unmu}esttd.
And then there are dnHfltSS VII
uttss on their backs. and mis- never
( ending procession IF Intil.tnS i".t't'
, With freight. There are groups =
I women with BAGS and trays on tilei
, heads, all trottlnS along through IN
dust. Now and then You see q pat,
> resting bS the WY SIDE, aI,si II night
r fall vou may see their little fires Whef
they have struck camp til ~daNOreah
! Indian P1Srimase>.
These Indians art reIlalnlS. | ftn'
them in every church aFu see thel
kneelinG at every shrine They SF
: more ii t(leir earnings % the Lur'
). nav ,n the whites. ana tfieN afe til
.E;af sr,.COrs % tle ..t<52.htS. IStr
one If their towns has rs chtf.h II, An
q i is often tigger than al The "t1e
: hon-es combined. They ea:3 sa.eE
= stt:icus. Tbey AIRY w@teIl l!,iaSt
, / -, .II.,I ~-.I.f . ~ Nlt.tt