Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wall. When this had been done he expressed his satisfaction and said that he was almost sure
that his petition had been heard and would be attended to.
The average Mexican of the lower classes is essentially mystical and superstitious, and
nearly everybody wears some religious medal on a string around the neck. I have seen many
who, instead of a medal, wore a small piece of canvas on which, at one time, probably an im-
age of the Virgin of Guadalupe had been printed, but which in time had disappeared with the
perspiration, grease and dirt. These tokens of luck, or talismans, are never taken off once they
have been put on.
I have read several topics and different articles that dealt with the religious situation of
Mexico. American magazines and newspapers have off and on published such material, but at
a glance I could tell that the authors of them had either been influenced by money to write as
they did, or else that they had a complete lack of understanding of the Mexican people, whose
language they probably do not understand, or with whom they have never been in close con-
tact.Neitherspacenorinclination permitsmetogointodetailsaboutthismuch-discussedand
little-understood situation, which I have debated at all angles and among all social classes in
that wonderful but troubled country, but I am convinced that there has never been an anti-re-
ligious move-ment in Mexico, rather, a strong drive against a certain religious institution or
body. To any clear-thinking person it must be obvious that religion is purely spiritual, and an
institution material, although the latter may be what we call a religious one. In Mexico reli-
gion has been used by many for ultra-material purposes, and the attack successfully directed
against that highly organised body does not imply an attack against a philosophy that has so
many different interpretations and, alas, ways of exploiting and fettering ignorant people, as
undoubtedly has been the case in this country.
Everybody in the little hut was making ready to sleep; skins were spread on the floor and,
as it was hot and sticky in spite of the rain, all began to undress. The women did not seem to
worry about our presence and did this quite unconcernedly, and when they had finished they
wrapped blankets around themselves to keep off mosquitoes. I had been asleep for some time
when I was awakened by water dripping down on me from the roof, and wishing to shift to
a dry place I struck a match, but as there was no space anywhere I had to remain where I
was, and it must have been early morning when I again closed my eyes. The smoke of the fire
awoke me, and when I looked about me I found that everybody was up and busy, although it
was still practically dark. The rain had stopped, and when I went outside, Mancha, who was
grazing, greeted me with his usual 'good morning' nicker. After a canful of tasty black coffee
we groomed the animals and saddled up.
The almost unrecognisable trail wound through jungle forest where it was impossible to
ride. Branches, twigs and leaves obstructed our path, and often the guide had to make use of
his machete. For long stretches we waded through murk and slime or water, and luckily my
manwasfamiliarwiththisregion,orelseIshouldhavebeenhopelesslylost.Attimesevenhe
hadhisdoubtsaboutourbeingontherighttrack,andinseveralplaceshemademewaitwhilst
