Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/17

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CONTENTS.
xiii
XIV.
THE MEXICANS AT HOME.
The author's position in regard to the Mexican. — How the 10,000,000 population is divided. — Views of Señor Cubas. — The Aborigines, Creoles, Mestizos. — The Indian, his peculiarities and costume. — The great number of tribes and languages. — Who are the Creoles? — Family life. — Morals. — The Mestiz s. — Their origin. — Representative Mexicans. — Their dress and characteristics. — The Lepero, a true proletarian. — The offspring of misery. — On feast-days. — A born thief. — The Empeño. — Pawning American garments. — Nothing safe out of doors that one man can lift. — How a Lepero pawned a cloak, — and another a church organ. — Their sanguinary disposition. — The Mexican race described by various authors. — Their utter turpitude. — Their many virtues. — Why they love the French. — Because the Frenchman is gushing. — Why they should be shy of foreigners. — Because the foreigner is mercenary. — Summary by a distinguished writer: gentle, hospitable, benevolent, brave. — To which the author subscribes 271
XV.
FEASTS AND FESTIVALS. — MEXICAN MISSIONS.
The Devil in Mexico, and his methods. — Ancient Gods of the Mexicans. — Religious rites. — How the Aztecs were converted. — The sway of the Church. — Its rise and fall. — Its lost opportunity. — Beginning of Protestantism. — The Bible in Mexico. — First missions. — The first martyr. — Growth of the mission movement. — A mission map. — Statistics. — Politics and politicians. — Society. — Customs and courtships. — Policemen. — Serenos, or watchmen. — The gentle Mexicans. — The Aguador, or water-carrier. — A picturesque person. — Clandestine meetings. — Playing the bear 291
XVI.
A DAY IN THE MUSEUMS.
The Mexican Museum. — Museo Nacional. — Sacrificial Stone. — Chaacmol. — Huitzilopochtli. — Temple of the War-god. — The Gods of Aztlan. — Pictures of Viceroys. — Picture-writing. — A benevolent government. — The foreign archæologist. — Mañana. — Founding of the Museum. — Early history. — Its officers and their labors. — Annals of the Museum. — Montezuma's Shield. — The Sacrificial Stone. — The Calendar Stone, its history and its meaning. — Portrait of Cortés. — Armor of Alvarado. — Feather pictures. — Aztec art. — Mexican "rag figures." — Types of people. — The Aguador, Cargador, and Carbonero. — Institute of San Carlos. — A look through the Academy. — Paintings by old masters. — Velasco's "Valley of Mexico." — Parra's "Las Casas." — The "Massacre in the Temple" 305