In Indian Mexico (1908) Part 20

manana. to-morrow.

mapachtl. a small animal, perhaps the racc.o.o.n or badger.

mapaho. beating-sticks, for cleaning cotton.

mayores. chiefs, village elders, police.

medio. six centavos.

meson. a house for travellers.

mescal. a spirits, made from an agave.

mestizo. a person of mixed blood.

metate. stone upon which corn is ground.

milagro. miracle.

milpa. cornfield.

mogote. a mound or tumulus.

mole. a stew, highly seasoned with chili.

mole prieto. black mole.

moral. a tree, mulberry.

mozo. a young man, a servant.

mudo. mute, dumb.

mulada. a mule train.

muneco. doll, figure.

municipio. town, town-government, town-house.

nacimiento. an arrangement of figures and grotto-work, made at Christmastide.

nada. nothing.

nagual. conjuror.

negrito. (diminutive) negro.

nublina. mist, fog.

ocote. pine-tree, splinter of pine.

otro. other.

padre. father, priest.

padrecito. priest.

pais. country, esp. one's native town.

panela. sugar in cake or loaf.

papaya. a fruit.

pastorela. a drama relative to the Nativity.

pastores. shepherds.

patio. inside court of house.

pelico, mai. tobacco, with chili and lime.

peso. a money denomination, one hundred centavos, one dollar.

petate. mat.

pinolillo. a species of tick.

pinto. a disease, spotted skin.

pita. a fibre.

pitero. a fifer.

pito. fife.

plaza. town square.

portales. a building with corridor in front.

posol, posole. corn prepared to carry on journey, for mixing with water.

prefecto. prefect.

presidente. president.

princ.i.p.ales. princ.i.p.al men, councillors.

pueblito. small pueblo, village.

pulque. an intoxicant, made from maguey sap.

quichiquemil. a woman's upper garment.

rancho. a country-place.

ranchito. a small ranch.

rebozo. a woman's garment, a wrap or light shawl.

regidor. alderman.

remedio. remedy.

sangre. blood.

santo, sant.i.to. saint.

senor. sir, gentleman.

senora. madam, lady.

senorita. Miss, young woman.

serape. a blanket, for wearing.

sindico. recorder.

soltero. an unmarried man.

sombrero. hat.

subida. ascent.

tabla. board.

tamales. dumplings of corn-meal.

tambour. drum.

tat.i.ta. papa.

tepache. a fermented drink.

teponastl, teponaste. the ancient horizontal drum.

tienda. store, shop.

tierra caliente. hot country.

tigre. tiger, jaguar.

tinaja. water-jar.

topil. a messenger or police.

toro. bull.

tortillas. corn-cakes, cooked on a griddle.

tortuga. turtle.

tsupakwa. dart-thrower.

ule. rubber.

vaca. cow.

vamonos. come on, we are going.

viejos. old.

vomito. yellow fever.

xalama. a tree.

xtol, xtoles. a dancer, or dancers (see Merida, narrative).

zacate, sacate. hay, fodder.

ITINERARY

The expedition of 1896 was preliminary. We went by rail from the City of Mexico to Oaxaca, capital of the state of the same name. Thence, we journeyed by horse through the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, to the city of Guatemala, entering the Republic of Guatemala at Nenton. The return journey was made by rail to the Pacific port of San Jose, steamer to Salina Cruz, rail to Coatzacoalcos, steamer to Vera Cruz, and rail to the City of Mexico. Only the portion of this journey between Oaxaca and Nenton is here described, the rest not lying in Indian Mexico. The City of Mexico was headquarters for the work in 1897-98. A trip was made by rail from there to Dos Rios, to measure and photograph the Otomis of Huixquilucan, in the state of Mexico. Thence we went to Patzcuaro by rail, and studied the Tarascans in the villages about Lake Patzcuaro, visiting these by canoe-trips. We then made a trip on horseback to Uruapan (then without rail connection), returning by some important indian towns. After returning to Mexico, we visited the states of Tlaxcala and Puebla. In and around the City of Tlaxcala, we secured our Tlaxcalan subjects. At Cuauhtlantzinco, we worked upon Aztecs. Our experiences at this large town of Puebla are not described, as Bandelier has already rendered the place familiar, and we ourselves have written of it elsewhere. With these two peoples, we made our first essays at bust-making. After returning to Mexico, we went by rail, on the Guadalajara branch of the Mexican Central, to Negrete. From there, by coach (there being then no railroad) to Zamora. Thence, we struck, on horseback, through the Tarascan territory, across to Patzcuaro. On the way, we secured our full series of Tarascan busts, at the Once Pueblos.

By rail, we went from Patzcuaro to Dos Rios, to secure our lacking busts of Otomis at Huixquilucan. In the second field expedition, January to March 1899, we worked entirely in the state of Oaxaca. At first a trip was made, by horse, from Oaxaca into the Mixteca Alta, where Mixtecs and Triquis were studied. Again starting from Oaxaca, we traveled over our old trails of 1896, through the mountains to Tehuantepec, returning by the high-road in common use. Zapotecs were studied at Mitla and Tehuantepec, and the Mixes, Juaves, and Chontals in various towns and villages. The season's work closed by our study, at and near Cuicatlan, of the Cuicatecs. At this town, too, we began to work upon Chinantecs.

In the third field expedition, during the early months of 1900, we visited seven populations, making our regular study upon six of them. To fill a week that would otherwise have been lost, we made a pedestrian trip through the interesting indian towns on the slopes of Malintzi.