The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-10-08
TrIDe on Tehuantepec Isthmus
Is of Teuton Origin, Say
the Mexieans.
HAIR And SKINS ARE FAIR
Berlin Ethnolcgist, Who Lived Annono
These People Several Years, De-
scribes Their Appearance and
Habits and Their Language

Monterey.-It is not generally known
even to many ethnolOgists that there
Is tribe or nation of about 10000
people in Mexico who are said to be
descendants of Germans.
According TO the legends of these
aborigines, however. the Germans are
descendants of the Misses. which is
the name of the tribe. They nhahit
several districts of the Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec. An investigation of the
Misses was made some years age by
DR.. William Bauer. noted ethnolOglst
of Berlin. He lived for several years
among Indian tribes of Mexico and
studied their history. habits and Gus
toms. On the occasion of his last visit
to this country he spoke of the Misses
as follows:
"They are rather low in stature,
and besides this they are somewhat
deforned The hips are broad. the
faces fiat. and their movements are
very awkward. Their hair is black.
falling over their shoulders The men
wear their hair rs did tn" Spanish
priests-with shaven crown and as
long as possible on the Sides
Always Return Home.
THE Misses are very fond Of roam
ing about but, although they often
go to the gulf coast. they always re-
turn to their poor villages More than
their neighbors. they are conservative
In their customs, manners of living,
and. above all, their language. This
Is still extraordinarily pure. although
very hard to learn and very disagree
able to hear. During three months of
1902 studied this language and wrote
It at the same time. as nearly correct
as possible.
"Some Of these people are fair
haired and have a light skin. For
this reason they were said to be de-
scendants of the Germans Tn nearly
every Mexican history is found this
tale. asked them of their origin,
and they said that they were aho-
rhymes of this country. Several Of the
more intelligent said that. on the con-
trary. the Germans were descendants
of the Misses The joke was not bad
However. the Misses form evidently
very particular race worthy of a
large amount of study
"They are famous for theiI
strength. They carry easily from six
to eight arrohas (from $50 to 2O(
pounds) for many miles, and over the
steepest hits.
Need Ballast in Walking
ut is said that the Misses, on theil
return from carrying load to some
point. pack load of stones. as they
find It difficult work to walk withou
| some sort of ballast
This nation. like all the othe
tiihes. is very superstitious. The.
still worship their old gods and offe
them up to this day sacrifices in tl.'
fields, on the hills and on the rivers
l visited several PLACES where I foun'
! the remains of sacrifices, such a
| fowls. small dogs, bread. chocolate
eggs and fruit. Certain villages hav
their idols hidden in places know
only to the oldest men Of the tribe"
Another strange fact brought Il
light by DR.. Bauer was that the great
est nation Of Indians in Mexico is tn
Zapotecas, and 1t is from them. he be
lieves. that the future greatness of tn
country will come. He said:
81 have visited Chiapas. Oaxaca
Guerrero. Vera Cruz and other state
and have studied the nations calie'
Misses, Zapoteca, Misetcia. Mazateca
Mazahua and the Othumi. The mos
| interesting of all these, however, an
| perhaps Of all the Indian races o
| Mexico. are the Zapotecas, who are a
present situated In nearly the whoi
south of the country, and especiall
in the state of Oaxaca. They nunbe
about 100000 persons.
] "The Zapotecas are strong PEI