Evening star., 1915-03-30
PICTURESQUE MEXICO.
1.-THE Women of Te-
huantepec.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

II the nations OF Europe should fight
until such numbers Of men are slain
that the responsibility for carrying on
all business and government rested
with the women. a certain corner OF
Mexico might furnish them with a
striking example of a community in
which just this thing is accomplished
most successfully. For Tehuantepec.
one Of the most interesting towns that
a tourist is likely to encounter In
life of travel. has population OF 5000
women and but 500 men. Because OF
the predominance in the mum bers or
the women. all the affairs of the COM
munity, both commercial and govern
mental, have been turned over to them.
And Tchuantepec is prosperous ana
happy above almost any town in the
nation.
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is the
waist line of Mexico. Where II rs
narrowest the waters of the Atiantic
and Pacific come within 12o miles OF
each other Across this neck OF Iand
the pioneers of 40. bound for Cali
fornia, travelled in great numbers. as
it was a shorter cut than Panama.
Twenty years ago a railroad was COM
pleted across the isthmus. and for ten
years this has been hauling great
quantities of freight from the steam
srs on one side to those on the other.
With the completion of the Panama
canal. much of this traffic has been
diverted. and just now the revolution
lists have torn up sections OF this
short transcontinental railway. But
II expects, when peace is restored, to
still compete with Panama.
Where this railroad climbs to the
hogback of the continent, at an eleva-
tion of not more than 700 feet above
the sea, are to be found the far-famed
of oh MT rn da-
scendants of the Mayan tribes. the
most highly developed natives of
America. the builders of the magnifl-
cent ruins that still survive in the
jungles of Yucatan, little further
south. They have always been a peo-
pie of a peculiar development all their
own. 1t is matter of general agree
ment among men of much travel that
they are among the most beautiful
women in the world.
That Tehuantepec is city Of women
Is evidenced as soon as the tourist
alights. 1t is
City of Women but short jour-
Tourists Discover. station through
the palm -bordered streets that wind
among the squat, adobe houses, to the
market. which occupies the central
square of the town. Here under a
vast shed are hundreds of booths in
which are sold the native fruits and
foods, the few articles Of apparel that
are worn and the ornaments of which
these women are most fond Every
booth is presided over by a woman. In
side streets there are little stores, and
these are always in charge of women.
In the commercial life of the town a
man Is rarely seen. Yet the tide of
evidences Of prosperity. There Is less
begging in Tehuantepec than in any
ether town in Mexico.
The traveller who gossips with the
proprietress Of one of these stores is
likely to lead her into the display of
her especial treasure, which Ia sure to
be a necklace to which are appended
innumerable gold coins Of the cur
rency of the United States. One Of these
women has such a necklace represent
ing $3.500 in such coins. When Ameri-
can prospectors began crossing the
isthmus in '49, these natives first began
collecting this sort of money. Today
an American gold coin sells at a pre-
MUM in Tehuantepec. and the casual
traveller can realize q profit OF from
Sc TO IS on a ten-dollar gold piece. for
these women have the wherewithal to
buy.
The Distinguishing feature OF the cos
tunes Of the women Is the peculiar
headdress they wear on any formal oc-
casion 1t consists OF futing of white
material a foot and a half deep. worn
ever the head and down the back some
thing in the manner OF the Indian war
bonnet. The ruffies are stifiy starched,
and flare out and back until the bon
net Is four feet wide. 1t would be the
most inconvenient headgear in the
world to wear in theater or crowded
street car. But 1t seems to set off the
peculiar qualities of the Tehuantepec
woman. her copper yet transparent
skin, her strong and well-rounded face
and figure. II rarely happens that
there Is a celebration in Mexico CITY
that Is Of a nature to be regarded as
national that is not attended by some
Of these women Of Tehuantepec in fun
re1alia and necklaces of American gold
pfeces. President Diaz, for instance.
ALWAYS had such delegation at the
palace Independence day.
Tehuantepec is still unspoiled by the
tourist. In most OF the towns that are
Tehuantepec Is Still sible the
Unspoiled by Tourist. particular
have been converted into beggars by
the habit of the tourist Of distributing
small coins. The lack of poverty in
Tehuantepec, combined with its isola-
tion, has prevented this. There are no
Americans here. The party OF visitors
might happen to encounter mining