274 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



used as a bed, rarely more than one 

 chair, a few earthenware cooking 

 utensils, a flat stone used for grind- 

 ing corn, a piece of log slightly 

 hollowed, which serves as a wash- 

 tub, receptacle for dough, table for 

 meals, and, when not otherwise oc- 

 cupied, as a cradle for the ever- 

 present baby. The above, with the 



partaken of by the work men year in 

 and year out. of course washed down 

 with "tequila" or "mescal", a wild 

 alcoholic drink distilled from the 

 magney or century plant, and tast- 

 ing like a mixture of kerosene, 

 wood alcohol and ammonia. 



The workmen wear clothing of 

 coarse white cotton, consisting of a 



THE DOCTOli STARTING 



addition of from two to six mangy, 

 snarling, flea bitten dogs of the cur 

 variety, comprise a family's entire 

 belongings. 



All cooking is done over open 

 fires in a thoroughly primitive man- 

 ner, and the food consists of "tor- 

 tillas'" or thin cakes made of ground 

 corn, and "frijoles," or beans cooked 

 soft, with a rather superabundant 

 addition of "chile" or fiery red pep- 

 pers. Meat is- eaten about once a 

 week and the above bill of fare is 



ON HIS ROUNDS.-. 



shirt and wide loose pants or 

 drawers, these, together with "Holy 

 Land'' sandals, wide, higL-crowned r 

 pointed straw hats, a bright-colored 

 sash, and a heavy, gaudy, woolen 

 blanket make a strange impression 

 seeing them for the first time. The 

 women wear a loose waist and & 

 short, red flannel skirt wil h a green 

 yolk. Corsets and other inventions 

 of civilization are unknown, and 

 therefore female disorders are rare, 

 and they are enabled to follow the 



