162 



The Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



blesome. In summer they can be caught by the handful, 

 like gnats, but disappear with the first winds of winter. 

 They do not bite at night, when the musketoes take 

 their turn. 



The inhabitants of the isthmus are Indians, and a cross 

 between Indians and Spaniards, called Mexicans. There 

 are several tribes of Indians, called Aztecs, Huaves, Zoques, 

 and Zopotecos. 



These last are most numerous, especially on the nar- 

 rowest parts of the isthmus. The Aztecs are farther north, 

 toward Vera Cruz. 



The language of the Indians may have been originally a 

 pure tongue. Nothing now remains but a few idioms, 

 with much bad Spanish. 



The meaning of a phrase depends as much upon the ges- 

 ture and emphasis, as upon the words. The guttural sounds 

 are much used, and are disagreeable to a foreigner. The 

 men are 3hort, thickset and strong, a dark copper color, 

 with long, straight, black hair, high cheek bones, white 

 teeth, dark eyes, and low foreheads. The expression of 

 their countenances is gentle and melancholy: they have 

 great strength and endurance, are stoical and persevering, 

 but without energy or ambition. 



The women are small : in youth, or age, generally slender, 

 In middle life they grow fat: they are all, and especially 

 the young girls, of beautiful figure : in manners, shy, and 

 gentle. In color they are generally lighter than the men. 

 They have a soft, tender skin, small and pretty feet and 

 hands, of which they are very careful. They give much at- 

 tention to their hair, which grows long and thick, often 

 reaching below their knees, like a garment, sometimes the 

 only garment they have. "Usually, every woman wears a 

 blanket hanging from a girdle at the waist. 



Near the large towns they have also a kind of little sacque, 

 without sleeves, which is worn as full dress. In some work 



i 



