Expedition in Southwestern Mexico 



345 



Photo by Scott 



Indian Woman Spinning with Spindle, Lake Chapala. The Ancient Mound 

 Builders Used to Spin in the Same Way (see page 344). 



like a top in a bowl, the spinner deftly 

 running out the cotton, then letting the 

 thread wind on the spindle as the mo- 

 tion slackens. The thread made in this 

 manner is afterwards woven on an 

 equally primitive loom, which is at- 

 tached at one end to the wall or a tree 

 trunk and held taut by a broad band 

 passing about the weaver's back. 



The slopes of the hills about Lake 

 Chapala are rather bare of large vege- 

 tation, but scattered cactuses of giant 

 size give character to the landscape. 



The marshes about the eastern end of 

 the lake are favorite wintering places 

 for large numbers of ducks, geese, and 

 other water fowl from the far north. 



On December 24 we crossed the end 

 of the lake in a large sail-boat to the 

 border of the largest of these marshes, 

 where we planned to spend Christmas 

 among the birds. The day was bril- 

 liantly clear, with just a suspicion of 

 frost in the air. As evening came on 

 the wind fell, leaving us on the lake, 

 where we could enjoy the marvelously 



