1892 
Itzatlan 
(Jalisco) 
June 
San 
Ju&nito 
Bell 
Singing 
Sunday- 
Morning 
Mass 
The hillside of the island facing the shore is covered with an 
enormous amount of obsidian chips and many cores are scattered about. 
In places the soil is half made up of these chips and blocks of this 
material are numerous on the island as well as on the adjacent shore. 
On the shore is now located the village of San Juanito where live 
the descendants of the Indians with a number of the mixed race. Many 
of the Indians are pure-blooded and still speak the tongue, 
although they have lost or greatly modified their ancient habits and 
are counted as good Catholics. I secured several photographs of 
typical faces. 
The village of Oconagua west of Itsatlan is also occupied by the 
descendants of this same tribe which was once a powerful one known 
as the « 
Their costume at present is the same as that of the Mexicans here. 
There are also many Indians in Itzatlan and this is one of the most 
devout places I have heard of. The church is provided with several 
bells and these are rung in the aggregate at least 2 hours each day 
beginning at daybreak and keeping it up all day with special periods 
at 6, 9, and 12 a.m., and S and 6 p.m. when all the bells are clanged 
together for 10 or 15 minutes at a stretch, enough to deafen one. On 
Sundays and feast days they ring almost continually. 
On Sunday morning the people came in by the hundred to early mass 
and filled the body of the church, the steps, and out into the muddy 
street, all kneeling with bared heads. Nearly all outside were men 
dressed in the usual white clothing and with a bright-colored serape 
or scarlet blanket over their shoulders, making a magnificent display 
of colors. 
During a part of this same service I saw ten or twelve who were 
kneeling on the broad, stone steps before the church door, hold both 
70 
