556103-4

Their stealing is more resentment than thiev
ery. The old men and women, particularly, go by
muttering to themselves in a scornful way. and, if
I am skinning outside of the car on the table and
a group of natives come by and haven't noticed me,
they chatter, especially about the Kansas seal on
the car door. Tho I do not know what they are say
ing, I recognize the word ‘comaunista’ in their
conversation; so, 1 bring them around. Showing them
the animals I am working on, 1 explain that this
is a expedition scientifico ete. Finally they
catch on and change their minds as to my status.

it is a challenge to sit at a skinning table

with five or six natives standing back of you, each
carrying a machete-bright and shiny. It is my
practice to place two cups and two plates on the
table and when they ask me if 1 am ‘solo', I say
no'timgo uno amigo’ Much can be done to enlighten
these people. At one camp along the side of the
road, 160 people (4 busses carrying 40 people each)
acquired the habit of stopping to observe this .
curious individual preparing specimens. To indoctri
nate with good will 160 people a day for a 2 month
period may make for good relations with Guatamala.

There was one bus that stopped every trip, bor
rowing my car pump which by now is about worn out~any
excuse to see the showe If you sit by C. Murphy
again, you might @sk him what there is is the Kansas
seal that throws these people into a tailspin of
communism. egardless of their repercushions I
am always kind and courteous as 1 think it will pay
in the end or perhaps on the head.

Incidentally when 1 speak of busses, 1 think
you visualize the oriental one-people crowded into
an old broken down truck with property effects piled
high on the top and back of the vehicle.

When I show these people the small shrews,
they seem to think of them as young of the bat. It
would be of interest to learn how they acquire this
notion.

The more I see of this country the more 1 am
convinced that the tourist is getting a raw deal on
the scheduled tours. They are shown second rate
features at best. They are told they are being
taken over an unusually scenic drive between such
and such 2 place. actually it isn't worth the wear
and tare on the equipment. Their days journey is
timed to reach the companies facilities which are
few and far between. if the tourist could be taken
ta the top of the range of mountains north of Huch--
uetenango he would be given a real experience. 1
had a camp on the edge of this range of mountains
overlooking Guatamala.e . It was the most in -