The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-22
BY FRANK G.. CARPENTER.

MlACO, Dudttm
I AN writing this In the little Indian
town OF Mixco. situated on one OF
the foothills OF the Volcano de
Aqua. in the heart of the Guatemalan
republic I have come here from Guat-
emals city on muleback, anG I am on
my way 10 Antigua. the ruined capital.
which was founded by Alvarado and
was a great city when Boston was still
little mort than cowpaths.
Mixco Is altogether indian. II has
perhaps. a thousand Inhabitants. who
live In low Onc-storied buildings made
OF brick and stone. covered with stucco
and painted Ia all +he coiors OF the
rainbow. The main houses are around
a plaza. on which the stores race ana
where there IL a big church. city nan
aid a fountain. which Is painted orls NJ
S-u.. On the porch OF the city hall
are piles Of Indian packs. which the
porters have left there for the night
and on the stones of the plaza scores
OF Indians nave squatted around Eta
Gres and are cooking their suDpers.
Each man has a pot or pan resting
over IN. cosls nd when he has finish
Cd his cOokira So viii Join one Of the
parties % HE fellows who are eating
here out in III" open. The men COOK
their own meals and all eat together
on III. other side OF the plaza l can
see women cooling in the same way.
They Will est by Therscivos. althou%n
some. | am tolls, are the wives OF the
men opposite.
These people belong 10 the class o.
Indian porters which Is to b. foun1
e,orxwherc IN Guatemala. and OF
= nom | met hundreds 90 ms way up
70 Mixco.
Tho Rcd Wen Of Guatemala
Rn, Grst Ies ne zen you something
of the indians 20. this Nsr: OF Central
America. Tn bufk q the RED mca
have always lived south % our bound
aries. The most OF the Inhabitants o.
Mexico are made up Of them. and theF
rA.-e number millions. There are no"
~ least 800. 800 pure Indians In Guste-
rnzla. and this IS Ave or six times as
many as We have In our country some
authorities say hat .he territory COZ
e-ed bv the United states never had
NOR. than 300. 0eO aborigines while
,,ar:- II these south lan<s were more
,hickly populated than any part OF
Ei.ropa at the time Of the discovery OF
America.
The Indians OF Guatemala have al
WAYS been msnT. The climate IL me
,he soil IL fertile and 81 is far easier
10 get living here than IN the colder
uarts Of the Union. have ALREADY
written OF the ruins Of Quirigus. which
.re now being uncovered BY our Ameri-
%, s-cheoIogists There are other
ruined cities "a other parts OF Guate-
u,ala and the Evidences are tnat we
once mad great civilization here mace
IN Of the ancient Toltecs or Aayans'
who were the great race Dt mex ="
sbout A thousand years after CnrisN'
f,,,t who were driven south Dy the ~
,ecs into Guatemala AMI the repuohcs
nearer the Isihmus Of Panama
TheSe people have never been hsnt-
80 IKE our Indians. They have oeen
rs,h@r farmers than hunters. ana 70
aav they are engaged III thing inc
soil and in laboring for the whites
am told there are eighteen oine'e".
tribes OF them in this country, an.
here are al least six tribes 20 DE- ioN''-
..,nonc the inhabitants Of this town or
No. Th.ss are the Itza-. Aopsns
rokonans. Chols. Pokonchi and Inc
,,candons. These tribes all come from
Ne stock. and they are the descend
ms Of those who lived In Mexico iohg
before Cortez came.
short md Anemfc-
The Guatenlalan Indians seem De
smaller and weaker th>S the copper
coIored population Of the United STATES
Tho average height Of the men - u"-
A. av. feet and there are many wo-
-, ae-e who could walk under my
arm. They look anenic. and am toid
,hs.. some Of them are clay eaters
rhev have kind Of yellow eartn mix
ID with sulphur which they consider
=. dainty and when they go upon pill
-rfruzSes they find images maze OF
this Garth al the shrines and eat them