BarbarousMexico JOHN KENNETH TURNER

56 BARBAROUS MEXICO
forms. There were seven hundred of them. Now and
then a brighter lantern beam shot all the way to the towering
tropical trees, which, standing shoulder to shoulder,
walled in the grass-grown patio. Under the hanging
lanterns and facing the ragged band stood the administrador,
or general manager, the mayordomo prim cro, or
superintendent, and the lesser bosses, the inayordo;nos
.cecundos, the majacol and the capataces.
"Rosanta Bajeca !"
The name, squeaked out by the voice of the administraa'or,
brought from the crowd a young Yaqui, mediumsized,
sinewy-bodied, clean-featured, with well-formed
head erect on square shoulders, bony jaw fixed, dark,
deep set eyes darting rapidly from one side to another
of the circle which surrounded him, like a tiger forced
out of the jungle and into the midst of the huntsmen.
"Off with your shirt! " rasped the administrador, and
at the words superintendent and foremen ringed closer
about him. One reached for the garment, but the Yaqui
fended the hand, then with the quickness of a cat,
dodged a cane which swished at his bare head from the
opposite direction. For one instant—no more—with the
hate of his eyes he held the circle at bay, then with a
movement of consent he waved them back, and with a
single jerk drew the shirt over his head and bared his
muscular bronze body, scarred and discolored from previous
beatings, for the whip. Submissive but dignified
he stood there, for all the world like a captive Indian
chief of a hundred years ago, contemptuously awaiting
the torture of his enemies.
Listlessly the waiting slaves looked on. A regiment
of toil, they stood half a dozen deep, with soiled calico
trousers reaching half way to the ankles or rolled to the
knees, shirts of the same material with many gaping