In Indian Mexico (1908) by Frederick Starr
page 37 of 446 (08%)
page 37 of 446 (08%)
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Juquila.
[Illustration: CLOUD CATARACT; NEAR JUQUILA] [Illustration: DANCERS IN THE DANZA DE LA CONQUISTA; JUQUILA] The _cura_ had gone to bed; the _meson_ had no room for us and no food for our horses; our case seemed desperate. We heard, however, noisy laughter and the loud voices of men drinking. So I begged Ernst to seek the _presidente_ and tell him our needs while I looked after the animals. The official was at the _tienda_, drinking with his friends. Ernst made known our wishes, producing our letter from the governor. At this, the _presidente_ became furious: "Who is this with orders from the governor? Let me kill him," and with that he drew his _machete_ and made at Ernst. Some of his less-intoxicated friends restrained him, and Ernst, concluding that the moment was not propitious, returned to me. After other fruitless efforts to get food for ourselves and animals we resigned ourselves to our fate, and lay down upon the stone floor of the corridor outside the _meson_, with a crowd of sleeping indians as companions. Very early in the morning, all the town officials, except the _presidente_, came to apologize for the occurrence of the night. They announced that the _presidente_, realizing what he had done, had taken to the mountains, and asked what they could do for us. We ordered fodder for our hungry beasts, food for ourselves, and a place of shelter. The town-house was offered to us, and we were moved into those quarters with due ceremony. Although we stayed several days at Juquila, the _presidente_ did not |
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