The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-09-23

dinary type, both in point of physique
and standard of intelligence, but the
women as class are the prettiest
and most attractive in all Mexico.
They resemble in mobility and beauty
of features as we'll as in physical
charm the famous native Polynesian
women of some of the groups of South
Pacific islands. They are the heads
of the households. The Tehuana men
are anything but their lords and mas
ters. Practically all of the trade in
the markets and storo3 is carried on
by the women. The sloven-looking
and unattractive male members of
the tribe lounge around and live off
of the labors of their women folk. Oc-
casionally, the local authorities round
up bunch of the men and set them
to work upon neighboring plantations,
but it is said that they are so weak
and indolent as to be of little value
when it comes to manual labor.
The women are noted for their love
Of gold coins and colored finery of
dress. Their penchant for collecting
gold coins which they wear in the
form of necklaces had it's origin, it
is said, during the period when great
numbers of American adventurers
made their mad rush across the 18TH
mus of Tehuantepec on their way to
the California gold fields in the late
40's. When a Tehuana woman once
comes into possession of gold piece
she will not part with it no matter
to what degree of poverty she may be-
come reduced. Many, of these women,
whom one sees in the wonderful mar
ket places, wear strings of gold coins
aggregating several hundred dollars.
Great Chiapas Forests.
Bordering on the north the level re-
gion through which the Pan-American
railroad runs is stretch of rich tim
ber and agricultural lands of the state
of Chiapas. The hand of modern de-
velopers and upbuilders has barely
touched that little known port of Mex
| leo. The state is abundantly sup
piled with perpetual flowing rivers,
Grijalva and the Usumacinta, which
are navigable for large boats for long
distances. The forests have been lit
tie explored. They are filled with
many kinds of birds of brilliant plum
age, and roaming through the wilder.
ness of tropical trees and plants are
leopards, tigers, wild boars, deer,
monkeys and many other animals.
| The interior region is a veritable
sportsman's paradise. Orchids of enor-
nous size and the deepest colors add
to the wonderful beauty of the pris.
| tine forests.
1t is interesting to note that several
celebrated ethnologists who made re-
search into the existing native tribes
of Chiapas and the ruins of a, pre-
historic civilization that existed there,
believe it to have been the cradle of
the human race" In this connection
it may be stated that the mountain
tribes of Indians of Chiapas as well as
the Tehuana Indians of Tehuantepec
bear in many respects a remarkable
resemblance to the Orientals, both in
personal characteristics and in their
established customs. It is in the
northern part of Chiapas that the
ruins of Palenque, which have lonA
afforded an inspiring work of research
on the part of psychologists, are To-
Gated. The most authentic estimate
of the history of the remains of the
city that is now called Palenque is
that it was abandoned more than 800
years ago.