OCR Text |
Show MEXICO: A MODERN BABEL President Ohregon, who has Just been Installed as chief executive of tho Republic of Mexico, rules over n population of mnny tongues. This multiplicity of luuguages Is not duo to wholesale Immigration as In tho United Unit-ed States, but to n fulluro to "Mexl-cunlzo" "Mexl-cunlzo" a largo purt of tho Indian population. Tho causes of many of tho revolutions which have disturbed tho progress of Mexico can bo traced to this diversity of tongues nnd tho illffcrences In thought uud Ideals that necessarily follow. "From Sonorn to Yucatan, moro than fifty separate dialects aro jpoken," writes Frederick Slmplch In i communication to tho National Geo-irnphlc Geo-irnphlc society. "All tho Inhabitants of tho West Coast, however, with tho exception it some hill tribes of Indians can uu-lerstnnd uu-lerstnnd Spnnlsh. "Of theso Indians the 8,000 Ynquls, with their crudo Bacateto hill forts, their weird ceremonial masque dances and their wnrllko attitude, are easily most conspicuous. Mnny nre enlisted with tho federnl army or employed ns ranch bauds nnd mine or railroad laborers. la-borers. "Tho Ynqulo with tho federnl troops are termed 'Manzos,' or 'tame' Yoquls; thoso In tho hills, wild nnd hostile, are the 'Bronchos.' T' e latter nre u vagrant lot, thblng nnches for food nnd animals, cu-rylng .unhide drums nnd water gourds, wealing wnilnts of green cowskln living by tholr wits. I'ressod by hunger, they subsist as well on burros ns beef. 'These burros, 'the short nnd simple sim-ple Mii'mn! of the poor.1 thrive bv tho nvmir; nn Hut West (' nul Slanv ran wild, Hko 'tho wild noses df Mesopotamia.' "Tho Mnyn Indians, somo of whom Btlll carry bows and arrows, Inhabit tho flat costal plain south of the rnqul region nlong tho River Maya. Excellent Ex-cellent laborers, peacefully Inclined, many of tho Mayas nro trusted helpers help-ers on American ranches nnd plantations. planta-tions. "Most of tho well-ndvcrtlsed brands of wild men nro fairly familiar to tho show-going American public. Tho head hunter, tho I'ygmy, tho Bushman and hlo boomerang, nre all old circus ncqualntunccs. But within 700 inttes of chnsto and classic Los Angeles, there dwells n lost trlbo of savages whose very name Is known to but few of us; for this trlbo has never been tnmed, 'uplifted,' or oven exhibited. Yet It is older, perhnps, than tho Aztecs; Az-tecs; It may oven be tho last living fragment of tho American aborigines. . "Tho Serls, these strange peoplo nro cnlled, nnd they Inhabit n lonely, evil rock cnlled Tlburon (Shark) Island Is-land that lifts Its hostile head from tho hot, empty wuters. of tho Gulf of California. And nil down this const the name of Tlburon Is spoken with n shrug of the shoulders, for these Sorts nro thleveti nnd killers. It Is even whispered that long ngo they wcro cannibals." |