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Recently a friend gave
us an old muzzle-loading rifle he had. It is supposed to date from before
the Mexican Revolution. At first glance, we thought it used cartridges but
not so. The recoil pad, sling, stock (??), and barrel clamp are modern
additions but the action and barrel appear to be original. The action cocks
and releases. The smoothbore barrel is approximately .33 caliber. No
manufacturer's markings are seen anywhere. A lightweight ramrod is carried
underneath the barrel. During
the Revolution, people fought with whatever was available. Women fought
alongside their men, reloading the weapons while the men did the shooting.
Shots had to taken carefully as re-loading took time. |
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Closer inspection shows
the working of the action. The action is cocked (as shown) and a cap placed
over the nipple. Pulling the trigger lowers a pin holding the action cocked,
a spring forces the action forward against the nipple, and the gun fires.
Note the barrel is a separate assembly from the action. This gun may have
been made mostly by hand instead of in a factory.
Has anybody else seen one of these and
know any details of their history? If so, please
write us. |
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These goats are kept in
this pen to control what part of the land is fertilized by their droppings.
When the next place needs some goat manure, the poles forming the pen are
easily dismantled and moved. |
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We are using our cabin
at Durazno for a pre-school. Teacher Concepción (age 23) walks in daily from
Cerocahui, a trip of an hour and a half since the route is 1000 feet uphill. The kids
(ages 3-5) walk in by themselves from up to 20 minutes away. His normal
class is five but today two failed to show up. As part of our support to the
community, we make the cabin available and provide school supplies.
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School is in session - Concepción with students Lupita, Mario, and Patricio. Jobs are very
scarce here. Concepción is paid 1000 pesos a month, a small wage. However
the job provides a three-year scholarship to him for every year he teaches.
Since he wants an advanced education and cannot afford it, this is how he
will get it. |
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From time to time, a
local dance group named Yawíme stops by the hotel to give an impromptu 'baile
folklórico' performance. Run by the energetic Anahí Márquez Rosas, the
performance consists of strictly local kids. The dances portray different
regions of Mexico and the costumes are made by hand. It's a show worth
seeing. |
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We've recently acquired
a pair of ATVs and are using them to visit some of the remote communities
near us where the only access is via wide trails or poor roads. |
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Somebody once asked us
if there are rattlesnakes in the mountains - the answer is emphatically yes! For what it
is worth, this species is quite docile (although still venomous). |
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On the road to Urique,
there is a great overlook into the canyon at Cerro Gallegos. Nearby there
was an equally great outhouse. It has since collapsed and been hauled away
for firewood! |
