ure for
scientific purposes 100 of the Indians, in the order in which they
chanced to present themselves. After such wheedling as it must have
taken infinite practice to acquire--pattings of the Zapotec
back, hugging of the men, chucking the children, with elaborate
explanations--the thing "took" and the people fell into the spirit of
it. The jail was the only accessible building, and was strangely empty.
It was of adobe, a jail of one room, with a dirt floor. There were no
windows, only the single barred door.

From every cane-walled, thatched, tropical hut that helps to make the
irregular cluster around the central plaza and its adjoining bull ring
they came, if not to be measured, to see. They were driven by the
highest of the town authorities--for every element of the population
waited on the bidding of the little sugar-tongued professor from the
north--one by one into the jail, and the rest curiously watched. The
measuring was done without undressing, but the "busting" was the point
of chief interest. Five representative specimens had been carefully
selected for this purpose. They were won slowly, by the glitter of 75
cents of Mexican silver. In some towns, only 50 cents was required, and
in others, $1. The smirking Indian, with his wildness hidden away, or
only peeping from his eye, entered. He disrobed with no shame. He was
put flat on the floor, face down, on a little piece of matting. At
this stage some objected. Then the Anglo-Saxon was down on the floor,
wheedling, talking such sweetness as can be spoken without silliness
only in the Spanish tongue.

The victim finally consents. Then the Mexican plaster worker, who has
followed the caravan from its start, goes to work. He makes a cast of
the back of the head and shoulders, and the Indian is turned over,
face up. Another cast of the breast and neck and chin is made, and yet
another of the front half of the head and the face, with little tubes
for breathing sticking through it. The Indian has grunted, snorted,
laughed and squirmed, but he has been made to understand that he must
be still. That great 75 cents is held always over him, and the thing is
accomplished.

During all the process, the crowd of Indians about and in the jail was
eager-eyed and astonished. The women wear odd woolen, blanket-like
skirts of red or black, folded in two great plaits down the front. The
dress does not reach the ankles, and the feet are bare. They carry the
baby on the back,