1892 
Patzcuaro 
(Biehoaean) 
on the forehead as is the case with some Indians. They are usually 
bareheaded but many have the common conical straw hats. 
The men have nothing distinctive in their costume, wearing a white 
cotton shirt and trousers with sandals or not. The women wear a white 
chemise with short sleeves end commonly ornamented with crossed pattern 
, •- ; . ‘ 1 , 4 ' „ 
of embroidery in blue or red on shoulders and breast. A heavy petti¬ 
coat of home manufactured cloth of dark, black, blue, end white longi¬ 
tudinal stripes is worn. This is a long strip of cloth about 3 or 4 
foot wide which is wrapped about the waist hanging down near the 
ankles; then the surplus, which is often vejy considerable, is made into 
a series of folds 3 or 4 inches deep and bunched against the back and all 
held in place by a long woven belt with fringed ends usually of blue 
or black and white colors, woven in a pattern like a series of 
The number of folds of superfluous cloth in the folds of the petticoat 
% 
is said to evidence the wealth of the wearer. A hand-woven shawl, 
somewhat similar to the petticoat in pattern, is thrown in folds about 
the head or over the shoulders and completes the costume. They wear 
the ear-rings of orescent pattern already mentioned and braid their hair 
in a couple of short queues back of the ears with ends joined at back 
le * 
of neck. As a rule they are barefooted. 
As a rule, the Tarascos of this district are short, and rather 
stoutly built, with long black hair; their faces are dark and very 
plain, square, coarse and heavily modelled, with a dull stolid look 
rarely showing vivacity In speech or gesture. 
The Aztecs carried cm long unsuccessful wars against the Tarascos 
in ancient times. Their principal town in former times was at Tzin- 
tzuntsan, on the shore of the lake whore exists a considerable town 
of this people now. In many of their villages the community is pure- 
blooded, although in most places a mixture with the conquerors can be 
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