THE MEXICAN INDIANS. 89 



monarchy itself ; but in the Mexican republic Spanish, recognised by all as the 

 national language, is steadily and surely encroaching on all the others. But, 

 excluding the Aztec, Otomi, Tarascan, Mixtec, and Zapotec, the " one hundred 

 and twenty " languages still current in Mexico are spoken only by obscure and 

 scattered communities of but slight numerical importance ; many of these are also 

 actually disappearing, just as at least sixty have already disappeared since the 

 arrival of the Spaniards in the country.* 



The indigenous populations difier so greatly in their origin and other respects 

 that it is impossible to draw a general picture of the Mexican Indian equally 

 applicable to all. The accounts given by various authors refer chiefly to those that 

 are met along the highway between Vera Cruz and the capital and in the other 

 more important towns on the plateau. In fact, these writers have almost exclu- 

 sivel}^ taken as the typical representatives of the aborigines the more or less 

 civilised Aztecs and the still barbarous or almost savage Otomi. On tte elevated 

 tablelands most of the natives have a skin soft as velvet to the touch, but so thick 

 that it conceals as with a vesture all prominences and play of veins and muscles. 

 The blood is not seen as through a transparency on the cheeks, except amongst the 

 young girls, whose features are said at times to " beam like copper lit up by the 

 sun." An extremely mild expression is imparted to the whole physiognomy by 

 the cheekbones, which, though prominent, are still enclosed in a thick lnyer of 

 flesh, by the nose with its wide nostrils, the tvmiid lips and rounded chin. The 

 glance also acquires a highly characteristic expression from the peculiar disposition 

 of -the eyelids, the upper being scarcely curved above the median line of the eye, 

 while the lower describes a more decided arch towards the cheek than is found in 

 any other race. The skull is brachycephalic, this rounded form, however, being 

 due in many districts to the custom of moulding the head of the infants on the 

 inner curve of a calabash. The hair is black, coarse, and lank, like that of all full- 

 blood American aborigines. 



A distinguishing feature of the upland populations is their broad and highly 

 convex chest ; they are also noted for the great muscular strength of their legs ; 

 when resting by the wayside or in their homes they squat down on their toes, and 

 show no signs of fatigue even after hours of such an apparently uncomfortable 

 posture. On journeys they always walk in single file, with a light springj^ step in 

 unison, and bent somewhat forward, as if to present their broad back to the 

 burden. The attitude, in fact, is that of pack animals, and such was the condition in 

 which they had been till recently kept by their Spanish taskmasters. The women 



* Chief languages spoken in Mexico proper, excluding Chiapas and Yucatan :— 



Nahuatl or Mexican (Aztec), with Acaxee, Sabaibo, Xixime, Cochimi, Concho, and other members 



of the same family. 

 Seri, Upanguaima and Guaima. 



Papago, Opata, Yaqui, Mayo, Tarahuroara, Tepehuan, Cora, &c. 

 Apache or Ya\apai, Navajo, Mescalero, Llanero, Lipan, &c. 

 Otomi or Hia-hiu, Pâmé, Mazahua, &c. 

 Huaxtec, Totonac. 

 Tarascan, Matlaltzincan.' 

 Mixtec, Zapotec, Mixé, Zoqué, Chinantec. 



