El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-07-18
BATHS PUZZLE
MEXICAN Poems
Cannot See Why Soldiers
Should Battle; Negro Sol
diers Build Houses.
By GEORGE H. CLEMENTS.

By GEORGE III. CLEMENTS
Gen. Pershing's Headquarters in the
Field. near Colonia Dublan. Mex. July
IS. CBy motor truck TO Columbus. y
M)-Mexicans and particularly Next
can newspapers have had much to say
since the American army has been in
this section of the republic in search
OF the perpetrators of the Columbus
massacre, of the sybaritic tendencies
OF the American soldier and more par
ticularly of the American army officer.
This was all said before the establish
ment of permanent or semi permanent
camps at many points along the long
line of communications which stretch
Fl ON the border far 10 the southwark,
and the building of adobe houses in
which TO shelter the men from the
fierce rays of the sun and the down
pours to follow the inauguration of the
annual rainy season, and before the
erection of bath houses in which off
GERS and men disport themselves and
while finding relief from the ravages
OF the heat. open the pores of their
skins and keep themselves physically
fit.
Baths Puzzle Natives.
To the natives. the baths. which
susually are Of the shower variety be
ing made of barrels set up on high
platforms and fitted with bottoms OF
perforated tin taken from bread boxes
ard gasoline cans, spell the limit of
sybaritism and they cannot under
stand why men whose trade is fight
rig, waste time and energy in the
mere keeping of their skins clean.
Before the rivers got so low that the
water trickling down their beds had
to be conserved for the animals the
bathing was done in certain sections
OF them set apart for that purpose
With the prolongation of the dry sea
became fewer and farther between.
and TO save the pollution of the drink
ing supply of the cavalry horses the
building of bathing facilities for the
officers and men became vitality neces-
sary.
Negroes Build Adobe Houses.
The adobe houses referred to above
are. for the most part, being built by
the men of the negro regiments The
negro is Of a much more philosophi-
cal disposition than the white man and
when he hits a camp where he is told
he must spend a few days he goes in
for a greater degree of comfort. though
he must leave for a new station as
soon as he has his new house COM
pleted- Many times since this expedi-
ton has been on foot the negro SOL
diers have made thousands of adobe
bricks and have built them into
walls and covered the walls with roofs
made of their canvas pup tents or OF !
tin labOriously pounded out OF bread |
boxes or gasoline cans. only to be
moved to some other section of the |
line of communications before they
could realize in any degree upon their |
Ia Dor They refuse TO become dis
however. and do il all over /
again the very next time they are sta I
toned.
In the present instance the whole 1
landscape is adorned. or marred. as the |
0eholder views the situation. with rows !,
Of flats or with detached houses con-
structed Of well made adobe bricks 1
and when we move. If we ever do i
move. the owner Of the property upon |
which we are encamped will be left |
rather large collection Of houses for
which he win have little use unless
,olonia Dublan is doomed as a health
esort and he fills them with health
eekers.
Infantrymen Best Builders.
The houses built by the foot soldiers
re of much better construction and
he cavalrymen and for the very good
eason that the latter have their horses
o care for and therefore have less
inc to devote to the Identification of |
iouses are rarely more than mere mud
nd waffle affairs. which will be
washed away as soon as the rains
egin to fall
Some Rain Already.
Some rain has already fallen and as
lilly cool Out door sleeping has as
ct not been interferred with to any
ppreciable degree except for the timid,
Tho pick UP their blankets and rush
or their tents when they feel the
patter of the first few drops on their |
aces The more hardened simply pull /
yer them their ''tarps" or 'slickers,
hitch were conveniently placed when |
he blankets were laid the night be- |
pre-, and let II rain. We are told.
lough. that as the season advances
he rains will be so heavy that even !
ne men who are now so bold. VIII be
lad TO seek the shelter of their tents
ather than stand the wetting which
i'll be in store for them il they dare
) stay out
Mounds Are Opened.
Since the publication. several days
20 of my little contribution describ-
IL briefly the mounds which dot the
lain upon which we are camped. and
-hich are the mute evidences that the
lain was at some time in the prehis-
,ric past densely populated by a
rimitive people. there has been much !
mateur archa Biological work done b.
Ulcers and men of the many COM
ands making up the garrison of this
alton, and many bits Of pottery,
-agments Of household articles. idols.
one axes. stone war clubs, hammer
eads, bits of parched corn, bones OF
limals, etc, have been brought to
ght by the excavators.
l0OlN ADCNCncT1tt l.
Among the idols or ornamental fig
res unearthed during the past few
AVS are a number which would indi-
tie that the jewellers of this great
alley at the time were either Phallic
orshippers and therefore, Of probably
reek origin. or that the artists of
lat long gone age were degenerates
it'll a very strong leaning toward the
scivfous Several moulded forms of
eth men and women, but principally
the latter. have been dug from the
ounds and prove that the sculptors
ere remarkably clever. Unfortunate |
no complete figures were found. nor
as head of a figure been picked up |
= the amateur relic hunters. For
iat reason no idea can be had as to |
ie conception OF the artists who |
ourished at that time. of what con-
ituted feminine beauty. From the |
ct that all portions of female fig
res found are very plump II is be-
eyed that the fat girl had a great
)gue in these ancient DAVIS