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Unknown Mexico, Volume 1 (of 2) - A Record of Five Years' Exploration Among the Tribes of the Western Sierra Madre; In the Tierra Caliente of Tepic and Jalisco; and Among the Tarascos of Michoacan by Carl Lumholtz
page 82 of 444 (18%)
welt illustrate the culture of the ancient people. Among them were
needles and awls of bone; a complete fire drill with a stick showing
drilling, basketry work covered with piñon pith mats and girdles,
threads of fibre or hair, and sandals plaited of yucca leaves. Wads
of cotton and pieces of pottery were found in many places; and an
interesting find was a "boomerang" similar to that used to this day
by the Moqui Indians for killing rabbits. The handle is plainly seen,
but the top is broken. The implement, which is made of very hard,
reddish wood, has but a slight curve. We discovered many smooth pieces
of iron ore that had probably been used for ceremonial purposes,
and a bow that had been hidden away on a ledge.

That the ancient cave-dwellers were agriculturists is evident from
the numerous corncobs, as well as grains of corn and beans, that we
came upon. Datems, a green, sweet fruit still eaten by the Mexicans,
were identified everywhere in the cave-dwellings.

Having effectually started the work of investigation here, I went to
look after the second section of my expedition, which had been sent
to San Diego. I covered the thirty-five miles with four pack mules in
one day. There is a charming view from the brow of the sierra over
the plains of San Diego, which are fully ten miles wide; but after
descending to them I found a hard, cold wind blowing. The weather
here is not at all as pleasant as in the sheltered Cave Valley up in
the mountains.

I went to Casas Grandes, a village of 1,200 souls, six miles north
of San Diego, and succeeded in getting a draft cashed. On learning
that Mr. Moses Thatcher, a prominent Mormon apostle from Utah, was on
a tour of inspection of the colonies, I proceeded to Colonia Juarez,
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