[Illustration:  ZOQUE MODE OF CARRYING BABIES; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ]

[Illustration:  FAT, RICH, AND PIXTA; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ]

It appears that the adjusting of family quarrels and disputes between friends are among the duties of the jefe.  In the office that day, a quarrel was settled involving two young men related by blood and by comradeship; a woman and a man of middle age were also interested; the quarrel had been a serious one, involving assaults, ambushes, and shootings.  The jefe first summoned each of the four persons singly, going over the whole matter with each one; the more intelligent of the two combatants was first to be reasoned with; then the woman was called in and he and she were left together in the office.  For a long time, they would not even speak to each other.  Finding this condition, the jefe reasoned with them, and warned them that they must come to some conclusion, after which he left them to themselves again.  At first they would not speak, but finally held a conversation, and came to an understanding; the old man was then called in and made to talk the matter over with the two, who had already been in conference.  Lastly, the more belligerent youth was summoned, the jefe remaining in the room with the whole party.  At first he would not speak, but finally his pride and anger gave way, and he shook hands with his cousin, and the whole party left, after promising the jefe that the past should be forgotten.

The first afternoon that we were working, a curious couple came to the jefe’s office.  The woman was not unattractive, though rather bold and hard in bearing.  She was dark, pretentiously made-up, and rather elegantly dressed.  The gentleman was a quiet, handsome fellow, dressed in sober black.  When they sailed in, I supposed they were the jefe’s personal friends.  Sitting down, they showed interest in my work, and the lady in a rather strident voice, but with much composure, addressed us in English.  Her knowledge of our language, however, proved to be extremely limited, being confined to such expressions as “How are you, sir?” “I am very well,” “Yes, sir,” “No, sir,” and “I know New York.”  She was a mystery to the town, where she was commonly called “the Turkish lady.”

[Illustration:  ZOQUE WOMEN; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ]

[Illustration:  THE INDIAN ALCALDES; TUXTLA GUTIERREZ]

This nickname, her limited knowledge of English, and her boasted acquaintance with New York, aroused the question, in my mind, whether she might not have been an oriental dancer.  She, herself, told us that she was born in South America, and referred to Caracas, as if it were a place with which she was familiar.  The jefe was extremely polite in his dealings with these people, and, as soon as they were seated, rang his bell for glasses, and we all drank the lady’s health in cognac.  The fact was, that these two persons were prisoners; they had come here within