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diff --git a/old/43972-h/43972-h.htm b/old/43972-h/43972-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index a6a037a..0000000 --- a/old/43972-h/43972-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4080 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Journey in Southeastern Mexico, by Henry H. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: A Journey in Southeastern Mexico - -Author: Henry Howard Harper - -Release Date: October 18, 2013 [EBook #43972] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A JOURNEY IN SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Whitehead and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img class="border" style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em;" src="images/image1.jpg" width="600" height="370" alt="The House at the ranch" /> -</div> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 6em;"><span class="smcap">La Casa</span></p> - -<p class="center"><big>(<em>The House at the ranch</em>)</big></p> - -<p class="center">THE ONLY AMERICAN-BUILT HOUSE IN THIS SECTION OF THE COUNTRY</p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 6em;">An orange tree stands at either side of the front steps.<a href="#Page_70"> See p. 70</a></p> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<div class="title-page" style="margin-bottom: 2em;"> -<h2>A JOURNEY IN<br /> -SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO<br /></h2> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 3em;">NARRATIVE OF EXPERIENCES, AND OBSERVATIONS<br /></p> -<p class="center">ON AGRICULTURAL<br /></p> -<p class="center">AND INDUSTRIAL<br /></p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 4em;">CONDITIONS<br /></p> - - -<p class="center">BY<br /></p> -<p class="center" ><big>HENRY H. HARPER</big><br /></p> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 8em;">PRINTED PRIVATELY FOR THE AUTHOR<br /></p> -<p class="center">BY THE DE VINNE PRESS, N. Y.<br /></p> -<p class="center">BOSTON—MCMX<br /></p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;">Copyright, 1910,<br /></p> -<p class="center">By <span class="smcap">Henry H. Harper</span><br /><br /></p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 10em;"> <em>All rights reserved</em><br /></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;">A LIMITED NUMBER OF COPIES OF THIS WORK HAVE<br /></p> -<p class="center">BEEN ISSUED PRIVATELY FOR DISTRIBUTION<br /></p> -<p class="center">AMONG THE AUTHOR'S FRIENDS AND<br /></p> -<p class="center">BOOK-LOVING ACQUAINTANCES,—MOSTLY<br /></p> -<p class="center">TO MEMBERS OF<br /></p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 10em;">THE BIBLIOPHILE SOCIETY<br /></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<h2>AUTHOR'S PREFACE</h2> - - -<p class="drop-cap">The volume here presented to the reader -does not profess to be a history or description -of Mexico as a whole, nor does it claim to be -typical of all sections of the country. It deals -simply with an out-of-the-way and little-known -region, accompanied by a history of personal -experiences, with comment upon conditions almost -or quite unknown to the ordinary traveler.</p> - -<p>Many books upon Mexico have been written—a -few by competent and others by incompetent -hands—in which the writers sometimes charge -each other with misstatements and inaccuracies, -doubtless oftentimes with reason. However that -may be, I have yet to discover among them a -narrative, pure and simple, of travel, experiences -and observations in the more obscure parts of that -country, divested of long and tedious topographical -descriptions. Narrations which might be of -interest, once begun, are soon lost in discussion -of religious, political, and economic problems, -or in singing the praises of "the redoubtable -Cortez," or the indefatigable somebody else who -is remembered chiefly for the number of people -he caused to be killed; or in describing the -beauty of some great valley or hill which the -reader perhaps never saw and never will see.</p> - -<p>I have always felt that a book should never be -printed unless it is designed to serve some worthy -purpose, and that as soon as the author has -written enough to convey his message clearly he -should stop. There are many books in which -the essential points could be encompassed within -half the number of pages allotted to their contents. -A good twenty-minute sermon is better than a -fairly good two-hour sermon; hence I believe -in short sermons,—and short books.</p> - -<p>With this conviction, before placing this manuscript -in the hands of the printer I sought to ascertain -what possible good might be accomplished -by its issue in printed form. My first -thought was to consult some authority, upon the -frankness and trustworthiness of whose opinion -I could rely with certainty. I therefore placed -the manuscript in the hands of my friend Mr. -Charles E. Hurd, whose excellent scholarship -and sound literary judgment, coupled with a -lifelong experience as an editor and critical -reviewer, qualify him as an authority second to -none in this country. He has done me the -honor voluntarily to prepare a few introductory -lines which are printed herein.</p> - -<p>In view of the probability that very few, if any, -among the restricted circle who read this book -will ever traverse the territory described, I am -forced to conclude that for the present it can -serve no better purpose than that of affording -such entertainment as may be derived from the -mere reading of the narrative. If, however, it -should by chance fall into the hands of any -individual who contemplates traveling, or investing -money, in this district, it might prove to be of a -value equal to the entire cost of the issue. -Moreover, it may serve a useful purpose in -enlightening and entertaining those who are content -to leave to others the pleasures of travel as -well as the profits derived from investments in -the rural agricultural districts of Mexico.</p> - -<p>Possibly a hundred years hence the experiences, -observations, and modes of travel herein -noted will be so far outgrown as to make them -seem curious to the traveler who may cover the -same territory, but I predict that even a thousand -years from now the conditions there will -not undergo so radical a change that the traveler -may not encounter the same identical customs -and the same aggravating pests and discomforts -that are so prevalent today. Doubtless -others have traversed this territory with similar -motives, and have made practically the same -mental observations, but I do not find that anyone -has taken the pains to record them either as -a note of warning to others, or as a means of -replenishing a depleted exchequer.</p> - -<p>In issuing this book I feel somewhat as I -imagine Horace did when he wrote his ode to -Pyrrha,—which was perhaps not intended for -the eye of Pyrrha at all, but was designed merely -as a warning to others against her false charms, -or against the wiles of any of her sex. He -declared he had paid the price of his folly and -inexperience, and had hung up his dripping clothes -in the temple as a danger-signal for others—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i0">Ah! wretched those who love, yet ne'er did try<br /></span> -<span class="i4">The smiling treachery of thine eye;<br /></span> -<span class="i4">But I'm secure, my danger's o'er,<br /></span> -<span class="i4">My table shows the clothes<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>I vow'd<br /></span> -<span class="i4">When midst the storm, to please the god,<br /></span> -<span class="i0">I have hung up, and now am safe on shore.<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>So am I. Horace, being a confirmed bachelor, -probably took his theme from some early love -affair which would serve as a key-note that -would strike at the heart and experience of -almost every reader. The apparent ease with -which one can make money and enjoy trips in -Mexico is scarcely less deceptive than were the -bewitching smiles of Horace's Pyrrha. Indeed -the fortune-seeker there can see chimerical -Pyrrhas everywhere.</p> - -<p>Although it has been said that truth is stranger -than fiction, it is observable that most of the -great writers have won their fame in fiction, -possibly because they could not find truths -enough to fill a volume. In setting down the -narrative of a journey through Mexico, however, -there is no occasion to distort facts in order to -make them appear strange, and often incredible, -to the reader. We are so surfeited with books -of fiction that I sometimes feel it is a wholesome -diversion to pick up a book containing a few facts, -even though they be stated in plain homespun -language. It is fair to assume that in writing -a book the author's chief purpose is to convey a -message of some sort in language that is -understandable. In the following pages I have -therefore not attempted any flourishes with the -English language, but have simply recorded the -facts and impressions in a discursive conversational -style, just as I should relate them verbally, -or write them in correspondence to some friend.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right;">H. H. H.<br /><br /></p> - -<p>Boston, Mass.,<br /> -October, 1909.<br /></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<h2>INTRODUCTORY NOTE</h2> - -<p class="center"><big>BY CHARLES E. HURD</big></p> - - -<p class="drop-cap">The present volume in which Mr. Harper tells -the story of his personal experiences and -observations in a section of Mexico which is -now being cleverly exploited in the advertising -columns of the newspapers as the great -agricultural and fruit-growing region of the North -American continent, has a peculiar value, and -one that gives it a place apart from the ordinary -records of travel. The journey described was -no pleasure trip. The three who took part in it -were young, ambitious, and full of energy. Each -had a fair amount of capital to invest, and each, -inspired by the accounts of visitors and the -advertisements of land speculators setting forth -the wonderful opportunities for easy money -making in agricultural ventures along the eastern -coast of Mexico, believed that here was a -chance to double it. There was no sentiment in -the matter; it was from first to last purely a -business venture. The scenery might be -enchanting, the climate perfect, and the people -possessed of all the social requirements, but -while these conditions would be gratefully -accepted, they were regarded by the party as -entirely secondary—they were after money. -The recorded impressions are therefore the result -of deliberate and thoughtful investigation,—not -of the superficial sort such as one would -acquire on a pleasure-seeking trip. They differ -essentially from the unpractical views of the -writer who is sent into Mexico to prepare a -glowing account of the country's resources from -a casual and personally disinterested view of -conditions.</p> - -<p>The story of the trip by land and water from -Tampico to Tuxpam is photographic in its -realism. In no book on Mexico has the character -of the peon been as accurately drawn as in this -volume. Most writers have been content to -sketch in the head and bust of the native -Mexican, but here we have him painted by the deft -hand of the author at full length, with all his -trickery, his laziness and his drunkenness upon -him. One cannot help wondering why he was -ever created or what he was put here for. In -this matter of character-drawing Mr. Harper's -book is unique.</p> - -<p>The results of the investigations in this section -of the country to which the party had been -lured are graphically set forth by Mr. Harper in -a half-serious, half-humorous manner which -gives the narrative a peculiar interest. He -perhaps feels that he has been "stung," but yet -he feels that he can stand it, and enters no -complaint. Besides, the experience is worth -something.</p> - -<p>Of course the volume does not cover all Mexico, -but its descriptions are fairly typical of -the larger portion of the country, particularly -as regards the people, their habits, morals and -methods of living. Aside from its interest as a -narrative the book has an important mission. -It should be in the hands of every prospective -investor in Mexican property, especially those -whose ears are open to the fascinating promises -and seductive tales of the companies formed for -agricultural development. A single reading will -make nine out of ten such restrap their -pocketbooks. The reader will be well repaid for the -time spent in a perusal of the volume, and it is -to be regretted that the author has determined -to print it only for private and restricted -distribution.</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;">Boston, October 25, 1909.<br /></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h1 style="margin-top: 8em; margin-bottom: 8em;">A JOURNEY IN<br /> -SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO<br /> -</h1> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - - - -<p class="drop-cap">There are few civilized countries where the -American pleasure-seeking traveler is so -seldom seen as in the rural districts of -southeastern Mexico, along the coast between -Tampico and Vera Cruz. The explanation for -this is doubtless to be found in the fact that -there is perhaps no other civilized country where -the stranger is subjected to so many personal -discomforts and vexations resulting from -incommodious facilities for travel, and from the -multiplicity of pests that beset his path.</p> - -<p>The writers of books on Mexican travel usually -keep pretty close to the beaten paths of travel, -and discreetly avoid the by-ways in those -portions far removed from any railroad or highway. -They acquire their observations and impressions -chiefly from the window of the comfortable -passenger-coach or from the veranda of some hotel -where three good meals are served daily, or -from government reports and hearsay,—which -are often unreliable. It is only the more daring -fortune-hunters that brave the dangers and -discomforts of the remote regions, and from -these we are rarely favored with a line, either<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -because they have no aptitude for writing, or, as -is more likely, because, wishing to forget their -experiences as speedily as possible, they make no -permanent record of them. Tourists visiting Mexico -City, Monterey, Tampico and other large cities -are about as well qualified to discourse upon the -conditions prevailing in the agricultural sections -of the unfrequented country districts as a -foreigner visiting Wall Street would be to write -about the conditions in the backwoods of northern -Maine. I can readily understand the tendency -of writers to praise the beauty of Mexican -scenery and to expatiate upon the wonderful -possibilities in all agricultural pursuits. In -passing rapidly from one section to another without -seeing the multifarious difficulties encountered -from seedtime to harvest, they get highly exaggerated -ideas from first impressions, which in Mexico are -nearly always misleading. The first time I beheld -this country, clothed in the beauty of its -tropical verdure, I wondered that everybody -didn't go there to live, and now I marvel that -anybody should live there, except possibly for -a few months in winter. If one would obtain -reliable intelligence about Mexico and its -advantages—or rather its disadvantages—for -profitable agriculture, let him get the honest -opinion of some one who has tried the experiment -on the spot, of investing either his money -or his time, or both, with a view to profit.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<p>In March, 1896, in company with two friends -and an interpreter, I went to Mexico, having been -lured there by numerous exaggerated reports of -the possibilities in the vanilla, coffee and rubber -industries. None of us had any intention of -remaining there for more than a few months,—long -enough to secure plantations, put them in charge -of competent superintendents, and outline the -work to be pursued. We shared the popular -fallacy that if the natives, with their crude and -antiquated methods could produce even a small -quantity of vanilla, coffee or rubber, we could, -by employing more progressive and up-to-date -methods, cause these staple products to be -yielded in abundant quantities and at so slight a -cost as to make them highly profitable. We had -heard that the reason why American investors -had failed to make money there was because they -had invested their funds injudiciously, through -intermediaries, and had no personal knowledge -of the actual state of affairs at the seat of -investment. We were therefore determined to -investigate matters thoroughly by braving the -dangers and discomforts of pestilence and insects -and looking the ground over in person. We had -no idea of forming any company or copartnership, -but each was to make his own observations -and draw his own conclusions quite independent -of the others. We agreed, however, to remain -together and to assist one another as much as -possible by comparing notes and impressions. -There was a tacit understanding that all ordinary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -expenses of travel should be shared equally -from one common fund, to which each should -contribute his share, but that each one should -individually control his own investment, if such -were made. Each member of the party had endeavored -to post himself as best he could regarding -the necessities of the trip. We consulted -such accounts of travel in Mexico as were available -(nothing, however, was found relating to the -locality that we were to visit), conversed with a -couple of travelers who had visited the western -and central parts, and corresponded with various -persons in that country; but when we came together -to compare notes of our requirements for -the journey no two seemed to agree in any -particular. Our objective point was Tuxpam, which -is on the eastern coast almost midway between -Tampico and Vera Cruz, and a hundred miles -from any railroad center. As it was our intention -to barter direct with the natives instead of -through any land syndicate, we thought best to -provide ourselves with an ample supply of the -native currency. Out of the thousand and one -calculations and estimates that we all made, this -latter was about the only one that proved to be -anywhere near correct. In changing our money -into Mexican currency we were of course eager -to secure the highest premium, and upon learning -that American gold was much in demand at -Tampico (the point where we were to leave the -railroad) we shipped a quantity of gold coin by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> -express to that place.</p> - -<p>Our journey to Tampico was by rail via Laredo -and Monterey, and was without special incident; -the reader need not therefore be detained by a -recital of what we thought or saw along this -much traveled highway. This route—especially -as far as Monterey—is traversed by many -Americans, and American industry is seen all -along the line, notably at Monterey.</p> - -<p>Upon arriving at Tampico we were told by the -money-changers there that they had no use for -American gold coin. They said that the only way -in which they could use our money was in the -form of exchange on some eastern city, which -could be used by their merchants in making -remittances for merchandise; so we were obliged -to ship it all back to an eastern bank, and sold -our checks against a portion of it at a premium -of eighty cents on the dollar.</p> - -<p>We stalked around town with our pockets -bulging out with Mexican national bank notes, -and felt quite opulent. Our wealth had suddenly -increased to almost double, and it didn't seem -as if we ever could spend it, dealing it out after -the manner of the natives, three, six, nine and -twelve cents at a time. We acquired the habit -of figuring every time we spent a dollar that we -really had expended only fifty cents. Our fears -that we should have difficulty in spending very -much money must have shone out through our -countenances, for the natives seemed to read<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -them like an open book; and for every article -and service they charged us double price and -over. We soon found we were spending real -dollars, and before returning home we learned -to figure the premium the other way.</p> - -<p>The moment we began to transact business -with these people we became aware that we were -in the land of <em>mañana</em> (tomorrow). The natives -make it a practice never to do anything today -that can be put off until tomorrow. Nothing -can be done <em>today</em>,—it is always "<em>mañana</em>," -which, theoretically, means tomorrow, but in -common practice its meaning is vague,—possibly -a day, a week, or a month. Time is reckoned as -of no consequence whatever, and celerity is a -virtue wholly unknown.</p> - -<p>Our business and sightseeing concluded, we -made inquiry as to the way to get to Tuxpam,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> -a small coast town in the State of Vera Cruz, -about a hundred miles further south. We -inquired of a number of persons and learned of -nearly as many undesirable or impossible ways -of getting there. There were coastwise steamers -from Tuxpam up to Tampico, but none down the -coast from Tampico to Tuxpam. After spending -a whole day in fruitless endeavor to find a means<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -of transportation we were returning to the hotel -late in the afternoon, when a native came -running up behind us and asked if we were the -Americans who wanted to go to Tuxpam. He -said that he had a good sailboat and was to sail for -Tuxpam <em>mañana</em> via the <em>laguna</em>,—a chain of lakes -extending along near the coast from Tampico to -Tuxpam, connected by channels ranging in -length from a hundred yards to several miles, -which in places are very shallow, or totally dry, -most of the time. We went back with him to -his boat, which we found to be a sturdy-looking -craft about thirty feet long, with perhaps a -five-foot beam. It was constructed of two large -cedar logs hewn out and mortised together. The -boatman said he had good accommodations -aboard and would guarantee to land us at Tuxpam -in seven days. He wanted two hundred dollars -(Mexican money, of course) to take our party of -four. This was more than the whole outfit was -worth, with his wages for three weeks thrown -in. We went aboard, and were looking over the -boat, rather to gratify our curiosity than with -any intention of accepting his monstrous offer, -when one of the party discovered a Mexican lying -in the bottom of the boat with a shawl loosely -thrown over him. Our interpreter inquired if -anyone was sick aboard, and was told by the -owner that the man was a friend of his who was -ill with the smallpox, and that he was taking him -to his family in Tuxpam. We stampeded in great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -confusion and on our way to the hotel procured -a supply of sulphur, carbolic acid, chlorine, and -all the disinfectants we could think of. Hurrying -to one of our rooms in the hotel, we barred -the door and discussed what we should do to -ward off the terrible disease. Some one suggested -that perhaps the boatman was only joking, -and that after all the man didn't have -smallpox. It didn't seem plausible that he would -ask us to embark for a seven days' voyage in -company with a victim of an infectious disease. -But who would venture back to ascertain the -facts? Of course this task fell upon the -interpreter, as he was the only one who could -speak the language. While he was gone we began -preparing for the worst, and after taking account -of our stock of disinfectants the question was -which to use and how to apply it. Each one -recommended a different formula. One of the -party found some sort of a tin vessel, and -putting half a pound of sulphur into it, set it -afire and put it under the bed. We then took -alternate sniffs of the several disinfectants, and -debated as to whether we should return home -at once, or await developments. Meanwhile the -room had become filled almost to suffocation -with the sulphur fumes, the burning sulphur had -melted the solder off the tin vessel, and running -out had set the floor on fire. About this time -there was a vigorous rap at the door and some -one asked a question in Spanish; but none of us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -could either ask or answer questions in that -language, so there was no chance for an argument -and we all kept quiet, except for the scuffling -around in the endeavor to extinguish the -fire. The water-pitcher being empty, as usual, -some one seized my new overcoat and threw it -over the flames. At this juncture our interpreter -returned and informed us that it was no -joke about the sick man, and that the police -authorities had just discovered him and ordered -him to the hospital. He found that the boatman -had already had smallpox and was not afraid of -it; he was quite surprised at our sudden alarm. -As the interpreter came in, the man who had -knocked reappeared, and said that having smelled -the sulphur fumes he thought someone was -committing suicide. When we told him what -had happened he laughed hysterically, but -unfortunately we were unable to share the funny -side of the joke with him.</p> - -<p>That evening when we went down to supper -everybody seemed to regard us with an air of -curious suspicion, and we imagined that we were -tagged all over with visible smallpox bacteria.</p> - -<p>We afterwards learned that the natives pay -little more heed to smallpox than we do to -measles; and especially in the outlying country -districts, they appear to feel toward it much as -we do toward measles and whooping-cough,—that -the sooner they have it and are over with -it (or rather, it is over with them), the better.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -One of the party vowed that he wouldn't go -to his room to sleep alone that night, because -he knew he should have the smallpox before -morning. After supper we borrowed a small -earthenware vessel and returning to our -"council chamber" we started another smudge with -a combination of sulphur and other fumigating -drugs. Someone expressed regret that he had -ever left home on such a fool's errand. During<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -the night it had been noised about that there -was a party of "Americanos ricos" (rich -Americans) who wanted to go to Tuxpam, and next -morning there were a number of natives waiting -to offer us various modes of conveyance, all alike -expensive and tedious. We finally decided to go -via the <em>laguna</em> in a small boat, and finding that -one of the men was to start that afternoon we -went down with him to see his boat, which proved -to be of about the same construction and dimensions -as the one we had looked at the previous -afternoon. He said that he had scarcely any -cargo and would take us through in a hurry; -that he would take three men along and if the -wind was unfavorable they would use the paddles -in poling the boat. His asking price for -our passage, including provisions, was $150, -but when he saw that we wouldn't pay that -much he dropped immediately to $75; so we -engaged passage with him, on his promising to -land us in Tuxpam in six days. He said there -was plenty of water in the channels connecting -the lakes, except at one place where there would -be a very short carry, and that he had arranged -for a man and team to draw the boat over. We -ordered our baggage sent to the boat and not -liking his bill of fare we set out to provide -ourselves with our own provisions for the trip.</p> - -<p>When we arrived at the boat we found our -baggage stored away, with a variety of merchandise, -including a hundred bags of flour, piled on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -top of it. There was not a foot of vacant space -in the bottom of the boat, and we were expected -to ride, eat and sleep for six days and nights on -top of the cargo. The boatman had cunningly -stored our effects underneath the merchandise -hoping that we would not back out when we saw -the cargo he was to take. However, we had -become thoroughly disgusted with the place and -conditions (the hotel man having arbitrarily -charged us $25 for the hole we burned in his -cheap pine floor), and were glad to get out of town -by any route and at any cost. We all clambered -aboard and were off at about three p.m. As we -sat perched up on top of that load of luggage and -merchandise when the boat pulled out of the -harbor we must have looked more like pelicans -sitting on a huge floating log than like -"Americanos ricos" in search of rubber, vanilla and -coffee lands. We didn't find as much rubber in -the whole Republic of Mexico as there appeared -to be in the necks of those idlers who had -gathered on the shore to see us off.</p> - -<p>The propelling equipment of our boat consisted -of a small sail, to be used in case of favorable -breezes—which we never experienced—and -two long-handled cedar paddles. The blades of -these were about ten inches wide and two and a -half feet long, while the handles were about -twelve feet long. The natives are very skillful -in handling these paddles. They usually work -in pairs,—one on each side of the boat. One<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -starts at the bow by pressing the point of the -paddle against the bottom and walks along the -edge of the boat to the stern, pushing as he -walks. By the time he reaches the stern his -companion continues the motion of the boat by -the same act, beginning at the bow on the -opposite side. By the time the first man has -walked back to the bow the second has reached -the stern, and so on. The boats are usually run -in the shallow water along near the shore of the -large bodies of water in the chain of lakes, so -that the paddles will reach the bottom. The -boatman had three men besides himself in -order to have two shifts, and promised that the -boat should run both night and day. This plan -worked beautifully in theory, but how well it -worked out in practice will be seen later on. -We glided along swimmingly until we reached the -first channel a short distance from Tampico, and -here we were held up for two hours getting over -a shoal. That seemed a long wait, but before -we reached our destination we learned to measure -our delays not by hours but by days. After -getting over the first obstruction we dragged -along the channel for an hour or so and then -came to a full stop. We were told that there -was another shallow place just ahead and that -we must wait awhile for the tide to float us over. -We prepared our supper, which consisted of -ham, canned baked beans, bread, crackers, and -such delicacies as we had obtained at the stores<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -in Tampico. The supper prepared by the natives -consisted of strips of dried beef cut into small -squares and boiled with rice and black beans. -At first we were inclined to scorn such fare as -they had intended for us, but before we reached -Tuxpam there were times when it seemed like -a Presidential banquet. After supper three of -the boatmen went ahead, ostensibly to see how -much water there was in the channel, while the -fourth remained with the boat. After starting -a mosquito smudge and discussing the situation -for a couple of hours, we decided to "turn in" -for the night. The interpreter asked the -remaining Mexican where the bedding was. His -only response was a sort of bewildered grin. He -didn't seem to understand what bedding was, -and said they never carried it. We were expected -to "roost" on top of the cargo without -even so much as a spread over us,—which we did. -It was an eventful night,—one of the many of -the kind that were to follow. After the fire -died out we fought mosquitoes—the hugest I -had ever seen—until about three o'clock in the -morning, when I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. -There being no frost in this section to kill -these venomous insects, they appear to grow -and multiply from year to year until finally they -die of old age. A description of their size and -numbers would test the most elastic human -credulity. Webster must have had in mind this -variety when he described the mosquito as having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -"a proboscis containing, within the sheathlike -labium, six fine sharp needlelike organs -with which they puncture the skin of man and -animals to suck the blood."</p> - -<p>I had been asleep but a short time when the -party returned from the inspection of the -"water" ahead, and if the fire-water they had -aboard had been properly distributed it would -almost have floated us over any shoal in the -channel. They brought with them two more -natives who were to help carry the cargo over -the shallow place, but all five of them were in the -same drunken condition. In less than ten minutes -they all were sound asleep on the grass beside -the channel. We were in hopes that such a -tempting bait might distract some of the -mosquitoes from ourselves, but no such luck. The -mosquitoes had no terrors for them and they -slept on as peacefully as the grass on which they -lay. All hands were up at sunrise and we supposed -of course we were to be taken over the -shoal; but in this we were disappointed, for this -proved to be some saint's day, observed by all -good Mexicans as a day of rest and feasting.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> We -endeavored to get them to take us back to town,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -but no one would be guilty of such sacrilege as -working on a feast-day. When asked when we -could proceed on the journey they said "<em>Mañana</em>." -After breakfast our party strolled off -into the pasture along the channel and when we -returned to the boat a few minutes later the -Mexicans shouted in a chorus "<em>Garrapatas! -mucho malo!</em>" at the same time pointing to our -clothes, which were literally covered with small -wood-ticks, about half the size of an ordinary -pinhead.</p> - -<p><em>Garra</em>—pronounced gar-r-r-ra—means to -hook or grab hold of, and <em>patas</em> means "feet," so -I take it that this pestilential insect is so named -because it grabs hold and holds tight with its feet. -If this interpretation be correct, it is well named, -because the manner in which it lays hold with -its feet justifies its name, not to mention the -tenacity with which it hangs on with its head. -It is very difficult to remove one from the skin -before it gets "set," and after fastening itself -securely the operation of removing it is both -irritating and painful. If it should ever need -renaming some word should be found that signifies -"grab hold and hang on with both head -and feet."</p> - -<p>They cling to the grass and leaves of bushes -in small clusters after the manner of a swarm of -bees, and the instant anything touches one of -these clusters they let go all hold and drop off -onto the object, and proceed at once to scatter in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -every direction; taking care, however, not to fall -a second time. We had noticed a few bites, but -paid no special attention to them, as we were -becoming accustomed to being "bitten." Many -of them had now reached the skin, however, and -they claimed our particular attention for the -remainder of the day. We inquired how best to -get rid of them and were told that our clothes -would have to be discarded. The loss of the -clothes and the wood-ticks adhering to them -was not a matter of such immediate consequence -as those which had already found their way -through the seams and openings and reached the -skin. We were told that to bathe in kerosene or -turpentine would remove them if done before -they got firmly set, and that if they were not -removed we would be inoculated with malaria and -thrown into a violent fever, for being unacclimated, -their bite would be poisonous to our systems. -Of course there was not a drop of kerosene -or turpentine aboard, so the direst consequences -were inevitable. Our trip was fast becoming -interesting, and with the cheering prospects of -malarial fever and smallpox ahead, we began to -wonder what was next! All interest in the progress -of the journey was now entirely subverted, -and, with the mosquitoes and <em>garrapatas</em> to play -the accompaniment to other bodily woes and -discomforts, sufficient entertainment was in -store for the coming night.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> - -<p>After digging out our trunks and changing our -clothes we thoughtlessly laid our cast-off garments -on top of the cargo, with the result that -in a short time the whole boat was infested with -the little pests. Our one comforting hope was -that they might torture the Mexicans, but this -proved to be a delusive consolation, for we found -that the natives were accustomed to their bites -and paid but little attention to them. I refrain -from detailing the events and miseries of the -night following, because I wish to forget them. -Not least among our annoyances was the evident -relish with which the Mexicans regarded our -discomforts during daylight, and the blissful -serenity with which they slept through it all -at night. As they lay there calmly asleep while -we kept a weary vigil with the mosquitoes and -ticks, I was strongly tempted to push one of -them off into the water just to disturb his -aggravating rest. They laughed uproariously at -our actions and imprecations over the wood-ticks, -but the next laugh was to be at their expense, -as will be seen further along.</p> - -<p>Next morning at sunrise (from sunrise to sunset -is regarded by the Mexicans as the duration of -a day's work) they began unloading the cargo -and carrying it half a mile over the shoal. The -strength and endurance of the men were remarkable, -considering their meagre fare. Each man -would carry from two to three hundred pounds -on the back of his neck and shoulders the entire -distance of half a mile without stopping to rest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -By two o'clock in the afternoon the cargo was -transferred and the boat dragged over the shoal. -In this latter undertaking we all lent a hand. -If any of our friends at home could have -witnessed this scene in which we took an active -part, with our trousers rolled up, wading -in mud and water nearly up to our knees, they -might well have wondered what Eldorado we -were headed for. By the time the boatmen got -the cargo reloaded it was time for supper, and -they were too tired to continue the voyage that -night.</p> - -<p>We slept intermittently during the night, and -fought mosquitoes between dozes. We started -next morning about five o'clock. This was the -beginning of the fourth day out and we had -covered less than six miles. One of the men -told us that on the last trip they took ten days -in making the same distance. It began to look -as though we would have to go on half rations -in order to make our food supply last through -the journey. We moved along the channel without -interruption during the day, and late in the -afternoon reached the point where the channel -opened into a large lake several miles long. We -camped that night by the lakeside,—the Mexicans -having apparently forgotten their promise -to pursue the journey at night. They slept on -the bare ground, while we remained in the boat. -A brisk breeze blew from the lake, so we had no -mosquitoes to disturb the first peaceful night's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -sleep we had enjoyed since the smallpox scare.</p> - -<p>During the night we made the acquaintance of -another native pest, known as the "army-ant," -a huge black variety measuring upwards of half -an inch in length, the bite of which produces -much the same sensation as the sting of a hornet -or scorpion, though the pain is of shorter -duration. The shock produced by the bite, even -of a single one, is sudden and violent, and there -is nothing that will cause a Mexican to disrobe -with such involuntary promptness as the attack -of one of these pestiferous insects. They move -through the country at certain seasons in great -bodies, covering the ground for a space of from -fifty feet to a hundred yards wide, and perhaps -double the length. If a house happens to stand -in their way they will rid it completely of rats, -mice, roaches, scorpions, and even the occupants. -They invade every crevice from cellar to garret, -and every insect, reptile and animal is compelled -either to retreat or be destroyed. Nothing will -cause a household to vacate a dwelling more suddenly -at any time of the night or day, than the -approach of the dreaded army-ant.</p> - -<p>The boatmen were all asleep on the bank -of the lake, while we, remaining aboard the boat, -had finished our after-supper smoke and were -preparing to retire. Suddenly our attention was -attracted by a shout from the four Mexicans almost -simultaneously, which echoing through the -woods on the night air, produced the weirdest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -sound I had ever heard. It was a cry of sudden -alarm and extreme pain. In an instant the four -natives were on their feet, and their shirts were -removed with almost the suddenness of a flash -of lightning. They all headed for the boat and -plunged headlong into the water. The army-ant -being unknown to us, and not knowing the -cause of their sudden alarm, we were uncertain -whether they had all gone crazy or were fleeing -from some wild beast. They scrambled aboard -the boat, and one of the regrets of my life was -that I couldn't understand Spanish well enough -to appreciate the full force of their ejaculations. -All four of them jabbered in unison—rubbing -first one part of the body and then another—for -fully ten minutes, and judging from their -maledictions and gestures, I doubt if any of them -had a good word to say about the ants. It was -now our turn to laugh. In half an hour or so -they ventured back to the land and recovered -their clothes, the army of ants having passed on. -They were up most of the night nursing their -bites, and once our interpreter called out and -asked them if ants were as bad as <em>garrapatas</em>. -One of the men was so severely poisoned by -the numerous bites that he was obliged to return -home the next day.</p> - -<p>At about eight o'clock next morning we arrived -at a little village, or settlement, and after -wandering around for half an hour our party -returned to the boat, but the boatmen were nowhere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -to be seen. We waited there until nearly noon, -and then started out in search of them. They -were presently found in the store, all drunk and -asleep in a back room. We aroused them, but -they were in no condition to proceed, and had no -intention of doing so. We remained there just -twenty-eight hours, and when we again started -on our journey it was with only three boatmen, -none of them sober enough to work. The wind -blew a steady gale in our faces all the afternoon, -and we had traveled only about four miles by -nightfall. We had now been out more than six -days and had not covered one quarter of the distance -to Tuxpam. At this rate it would take us -nearly a month to reach there.</p> - -<p>About three o'clock next day we went ashore -at a little settlement, and upon learning that -there was to be a <em>baile</em> (a dance) that night, the -boatmen decided to stay until morning. It was -an impoverished looking settlement of perhaps -forty huts, mostly of bamboo with thatched roofs -of grass. A hut generally had but one room, -where the whole family cooked, ate and slept on -the dirt floor. This room had an aperture for -ingress and egress, the light and ventilation -being admitted through the cracks. We did not -see a bed in the entire village, and in passing -some of the huts that night we observed that -the entire family slept on the hard dirt floor in -the center of the room with no covering. In one -hovel, measuring about 12 x 14 feet, we counted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -eleven people asleep on the floor,—three grown -persons and eight children, while the family pig -and the dog reposed peacefully in one corner. -All were dressed in the same clothes they wore -in the daytime, including the dog and pig. The -garments of the men usually consist of a pair -of knee-drawers,—generally of a white cotton -fabric,—a white shirt-waist, leather sandals -fastened on their feet with strings of rawhide, -and a sombrero, the latter usually being more -expensive than all the rest of the wearing apparel. -The natives here are generally very cleanly, and -change and wash their garments frequently. The -women spend most of their time at this work, -and when we landed we counted fourteen women -washing clothes at the edge of the lake.</p> - -<p>The dance began about nine o'clock and most -of the participants, both men and women, were -neatly attired in white garments. The men -were very jealous of their girls, though for what -reason it was hard to understand. Many writers -rhapsodise over the beauty and loveliness of the -Mexican women, but I couldn't see it. There -are rare exceptions, however. The dance-hall -consisted of a smooth dirt floor with no -covering overhead, and the orchestra—a violin -and some sort of a wind-instrument—was -mounted on a large box in the center. A row of -benches extended around the outside of the -"dancing-ground." The men all carried their machetes -(large cutlasses, the blades of which range from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -eighteen to thirty-six inches in length) in sheaths -at their side, and two or three of the more gaily -dressed wore colored sashes around their waists. -All wore their sombreros. The dance had not -progressed for more than an hour when one of -the villagers discovered that his lady was -engaging too much of the attention of one of our -boatmen, and this resulted in a quarrel. Both -men drew their machetes and went at one -another in gladiator fashion. It looked as if -both would be carved to pieces, but after slashing -at each other for awhile they were separated -and placed under arrest. It was discovered that -one of them had received an ugly, though not -dangerous, wound in his side, while the other -(our man) had the tendons of his left wrist -severed. The men were taken away and the -dance proceeded as orderly as before. We now -had only two boatmen left. In discussing the -matter at home a year later a member of our -party remarked that "it was a great pity that -the whole bunch wasn't put out of commission; -then we would have returned to Tampico, and -from there home." One of the natives very -courteously invited us to get up and take part -in the dance, but after the episode just -mentioned we decided not to take a chance.</p> - -<p>Our boatmen spent all the next day in fruitless -endeavor to secure another helper, and we -did not start until the day after at about nine -o'clock—a needless delay of forty-two hours;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -but they were apparently no more concerned -than if it had been ten minutes. We were learning -to measure time with an elastic tape. Ober -complains of the poor traveling facilities in Mexico, -and says that "in five days' diligent travel" -he accomplished but 220 miles. We had been -out longer than that and had not covered twenty -miles.</p> - -<p>The wind remained contrary all day, as usual, -and having but two men, our progress—or lack -of progress—was becoming painful. Our provisions, -too, were exhausted, and we were reduced -to the regular Mexican fare of dried beef and -boiled rice. We took a hand at the paddles, but -our execution was clumsy and the work -uncongenial. Someone suggested that in order to -make our discomfiture complete it ought to rain -for a day or two, but the boatman reassured us -upon this point, saying that it never rained there -at that season of the year,—about the only -statement they made which was verified by facts. -Having made but little progress that day, we -held a consultation after our supper of dried beef -and rice, and decided that the order of procedure -would have to be changed. The wind had ceased -and the mosquitoes attacked us in reinforced -numbers. We were forced to remain in a much -cramped position aboard the boat on top of the -cargo, because every time we attempted to stretch -our legs on shore we got covered with wood-ticks. -It occurred to some of us to wonder what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -there could possibly be in the whole Republic -that would compensate us for such annoyance -and privation, and even if we should happen to -find anything desirable in that remote district, -how could we get in to it or get anything out -from it? Certainly none of us had any intention -of ever repeating the trip for any consideration. -Thus far we had not seen a rubber-tree, vanilla-vine, -coffee-tree, or anything else that we would -accept as a gift.</p> - -<p>Next morning we went over to a nearby hut, -and our interpreter calling in at the door asked -of the woman inside if we could get some breakfast. -"<em>No hay</em>" (none here) said she, not even -looking up from her work of grinding corn for -<em>tortillas</em>.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> He then asked if we could get a cup of -hot coffee, to which she again replied "<em>No hay</em>." -In response to a further inquiry if we could get -some hot <em>tortillas</em> he got the same "<em>No hay</em>," -although at that moment there was one baking -over the fire and at least a dozen piled up on a -low bench, which, in lieu of a table, stood near -the fireplace,—which consisted of a small -excavation in the dirt floor in the center of the -room. The fire was made in this, and the <em>tortillas</em> baked -on a piece of heavy sheetiron resting on four stones. -The interpreter said that we were hungry and had -plenty of money to pay for breakfast, but the only -reply he got was the same as at first. We therefore -returned to the boat and breakfasted on boiled rice<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -and green peppers, the dried beef strips having -given out. Soon after our meal I had a severe chill, -followed by high fever. Of course we all feared that -it was the beginning of smallpox or malaria, or both. -Another member of the party was suffering from a -racking headache and dizziness, which, he declared, -were the first symptoms of smallpox. There was no -doctor nearer than Tuxpam or Tampico. The aspect was -therefore gloomy enough from any point of view.</p> - -<p>We made but little progress during the day. -That night after going over the various phases -of the situation and fighting mosquitoes—which -would bite through our garments at any point -where they happened to alight—with no prospect -of any rest during the entire night, we found -ourselves wrought up to such a mutinous state -of mind that it appeared inevitable that -something must be done, and that quickly. We -directed our interpreter to awaken the owner of -the boat and explain the facts to him, which he -did. He told him that we had become desperate -and that if not landed in Tuxpam in forty-eight -hours we purposed putting both him and his -man ashore, dumping the cargo, and taking the -boat back to Tampico; that we would not be -fooled with any longer, and that if he offered any -resistance both he and his man would be ejected -by main force. The interpreter was a tall, powerful -man, standing six feet and two inches in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -stocking feet, and had a commanding voice. He -had spent several years on the Mexican frontier -along the Rio Grande, and understood the Mexicans -thoroughly. He needed only the suggestion -from us in order to lay the law down to them in -a manner not to be mistaken for jesting. This -he did for at least ten minutes with scarcely a -break of sufficient duration to catch his breath. -The boatman, thinking that we were of easy-going, -good-natured dispositions, had been quite -indifferent to our remonstrances, but he was now -completely overwhelmed with astonishment at -this sudden outburst. He begged to be given -another trial, and said he would not make -another stop, except to rest at night, until we -reached Tuxpam. We passed a sleepless night -with the mosquitoes, frogs, cranes, pelicans, -ducks—and perhaps a dozen other varieties of -insects and waterfowl—all buzzing, quacking and -squawking in unison on every side. In the -morning my physical condition was not improved. -A little after noon we approached a small -settlement on the border of the lake, and -stopped to see if we could obtain some medicine -and provisions. Our interpreter found what -seemed to be the principal man of the place, who -took us into his house and provided us with a very -good dinner and a couple of quart bottles of Madeira. -I had partaken of no food for nearly thirty-six -hours, and was unable now to eat anything. -We explained to him about the smallpox episode<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -and he agreed that I had all the customary -symptoms of the disease. I wrote a message to -be despatched by courier to Tampico and from -there cabled home, but on second thought it -seemed unwise to disturb my family when it was -utterly impossible for any of them to reach me -speedily, so I tore it up. We arranged for a -canoe and four men to start that night and -hurry us back to Tampico with all possible speed. -The member of our party who had been suffering -with headache and dizziness had eaten a -hearty dinner, and having had a few glasses of -Madeira he was indifferent as to which way he -went. During the afternoon I slept for several -hours and about seven o'clock awoke, feeling -much better. Not desiring to be the cause of -abandoning the trip, I had them postpone the -return to Tampico until morning. Meanwhile -we paid off our boatman, as we had determined -to proceed no further with him under any -conditions. He remained over night, however. In -the morning I felt much better and the fever had -left me. We decided to change our plans for -return, and to go "on to Tuxpam;" in fact this -had now become our watchword. We had had -enough of travel by water, and finding a man -who claimed to know the route overland we -bargained with him to furnish us with four -horses and to act as guide, the price to be $100. -He also took along an extra guide. The distance, -he said, was seventy-five miles, and that we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -would cover it in twenty-four hours. The highest -price that a man could ordinarily claim for -his time was fifty cents per day, and the rental -of a horse was the same. Allowing the men -double pay for night-travel each of them would -earn $1.50, and the same returning, making in -all $6 for the men; and allowing the same for -six horses, their hire would amount to $18, or -$24 in all. We endeavored to reason him down, -but he was cunning enough to appreciate the -urgency of our needs, and wouldn't reduce the -price a penny.</p> - -<p>It is worthy of note that in this part of the -country there is no fixed value to anything when -dealing with foreigners. If you ask a native the -price of an article, or a personal service, he will -very adroitly measure the pressure of your need -and will always set the figure at the absolute -maximum of what he thinks you would pay, with -no regard whatever for the value of the article -or service to be given in exchange. If you need -a horse quickly and are obliged to have it at any -cost, the price is likely to be four times its value. -In bartering with the natives it is wise to assume -an air of utter indifference as to whether you -trade or not. I once gave out notice that I -wanted a good saddle-horse, and next morning -when I got up there were seventeen standing at -my front door, all for sale, but at prices ranging -from two to five times their value. I dismissed -them all, saying that I didn't need a horse at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -the time, and a few days later bought the best -one of the lot for exactly one quarter of the -original asking-price. We were told in Tampico of -a recent case where an American traveler -employed a man to take his trunk from the -hotel to the depot, a distance of less than half a -mile, without agreeing upon a price, and the -man demanded $10 for the service, which the -traveler refused to pay, as the regular and -well-established price was but twenty-five cents. -The trunk was held and the American missed his -train. The case was taken to court and the -native won,—the judge holding that the immediate -necessity of getting the trunk to the station -in time to catch the train justified the -charge, especially in that it was for a personal -service. The native had been cunning enough -to carry the trunk on his back instead of hauling -it with his horse and wagon, which stood at the -front door of the hotel. The traveler was detained -four days in trying the suit, and his lawyer -charged him $50 for services. In these parts -it is therefore always well to make explicit -agreements on prices in advance, especially for -personal service to be performed.</p> - -<p>In purchasing goods in large quantities one is -always expected to pay proportionately more, -because they reason that the greater your needs -the more urgent they are. I discovered the -truth of this statement when purchasing some -oranges at the market-place in Tampico. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -price was three cents for four oranges. I picked -up twelve and gave the man nine cents, but he -refused it and asked me for two reals, or -twenty-five cents. I endeavored to reason with him, -by counting the oranges and the money back and -forth, that at the rate of four for three cents, a -dozen would come to <em>medio y quartilla</em> (nine -cents), and nearly wore the skin off the oranges -in the process of demonstration; but it was of -no use. Finally I took four, and handing him -three cents took four more, paying three cents -each time until I had completed the dozen. I -put them in my valise and left him still counting -the money and remonstrating.</p> - -<p>We agreed to the extortionate demand of $100 -for the hire of the horses and men, only on -condition that we were to be furnished with ample -provisions for the trip. Leaving our baggage -with the boat to be delivered at Tuxpam we -started on our horseback journey just after -sunset, expecting to reach Tuxpam by sunset next -day. The trail led through brush and weeds for -several miles, and in less than ten minutes we -were covered with wood-ticks from head to foot. -Shortly after nightfall we entered a dense forest -where the branches closed overhead with such -compactness that we couldn't distinguish the -movement of our hands immediately before our -eyes. The interpreter called to the guide in front -and asked if there were any wild animals in these -woods; in response we received the cheering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -intelligence that there were many large panthers -and tigers, and that further on along the coast -there were lions. After that we momentarily -expected to be pounced upon by a hungry tiger -or panther from some overhanging bough. The -path was crooked, poorly defined, and very -rugged. Our faces were frequently raked by the -branches of trees and brush, and the blackness -seemed to intensify as we progressed. We -loosened the reins and allowed the horses to take -their course in single file. The guide in front -kept up a weird sort of yodling cry which must -have penetrated the forest more than a mile. It -was a cry of extreme lonesomeness, and is said -by the natives to ward off evil spirits and wild -animals. I can well understand the foundation -for such a belief, particularly in regard to the -animals. The pestiferous wood-ticks were -annoying us persistently, and it looked as though -we had changed for the worse in leaving the boat. -At length we came out into the open along the -Gulf, and traveled several miles down the coast -by the water's edge. It was in the wooded -district at our right along here that the lions were -so abundant, but I have my doubts if there was -a lion, or tiger, or panther anywhere within a -mile of us at any time. In my weakened physical -condition the exertion was proving too -strenuous, and at three o'clock in the morning -we all stopped, tied the horses at the edge of the -thicket and lay down for a nap beside a large log<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -that had been washed ashore on the sandy beach. -The natives assured us that the lions were less -likely to eat us if we remained out in the open. -A stiff breeze blowing from off the water whirled -the dry sand in eddies all along the beach. We -nestled behind the log to escape the wind and -sand, and in a few minutes were all fast asleep. -When we awoke a couple of hours later we were -almost literally buried in sand. The wag of the -party said it would be an inexpensive burial, and -that he didn't intend ever to move an inch from -the position in which he lay.</p> - -<p>Unaccustomed as we were to horseback riding, -it required the most Spartanlike courage to -mount our horses again. After going a few miles -it came time for breakfast and our interpreter -asked one of the guides to prepare the meal. -He responded by reaching down into a small bag -hanging at his saddle-horn and pulling out four -<em>tortillas</em>, one for each of us. This was the only -article of food they offered us.</p> - -<p>It may be explained that the <em>tortilla</em> (pronounced -torteeya) is the most common article of -food in Mexico. It is common in two different -senses,—in that it is the cheapest and least -palatable food known, and also that it is more -generally used than any other food there. In -appearance the <em>tortilla</em> resembles our pancake, -except that it is thinner, tougher, and usually -larger around. The size varies from four to -seven inches in width, and the thickness from an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -eighth to a quarter of an inch. It is made of -corn, moistened in limewater in order to remove -the hulls, then laid on the flat surface of a <em>metate</em> -(a stone-slab prepared for the purpose), and -ground to a thick doughy substance by means -of a round stone-bar held horizontally with one -hand at each end and rubbed up and down the -netherstone, washboard fashion. The women -usually do this work, and grind only as much at -a time as may be required for the meal. The -dough—which contains no seasoning of any -kind—not even salt—is pressed and patted into -thin cakes between the palms of the hand, and -laid on a griddle or piece of sheetiron (stoves -being seldom seen) over a fire to bake. They are -frequently served with black beans—another -very common article of food in Mexico—and by -tearing them into small pieces they are made to -serve the purpose of knives, forks and spoons in -conveying food to the mouth,—the piece of -<em>tortilla</em> always being deposited in the mouth with -the food which it conveys. Among the poorer -classes the <em>tortilla</em> is frequently the only food -taken for days and perhaps weeks at a time. It -is never baked crisp, but is cooked just enough -to change the color slightly. When served hot, -with butter—an <em>extremely</em> rare article in the -rural districts—it is rather agreeable to the -taste, but when cold it becomes very tough and in -taste it resembles the sole of an old rubber shoe.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> - -<p>Such was the food that was offered us in -fulfillment of the promise to supply us with an -abundance of good provisions for the journey. -I had eaten scarcely anything for three days, and -with the improvement in my physical condition -my appetite was becoming unmanageable. We -found that it would probably be impossible to -obtain food until we reached Tamiahua, a small -town about thirty miles down the coast. It -would be tiresome and useless to dwell further -upon the monotony of that day's travel along the -sands of the barren coast, with nothing to eat -since the afternoon before. Suffice it to say that -we all were still alive when we arrived at -Tamiahua at about three o'clock in the afternoon. -Meanwhile we had been planning how best to -get even with the Mexicans for having bled us -and then starved us. Fortunately, we had paid -only half the sum in advance, and the remaining -half would at least procure us a good meal. -We went to a sort of inn kept by an accommodating -native who promised to get up a good -dinner for us. We told him to get everything -he could think of that we would be likely to -enjoy, to spare no expense in providing it, and -to spread the table for six.</p> - -<p>Tamiahua is situated on the coast, cut off -from the mainland by a small body of water -through which the small freight-boats pass in -plying between Tampico and Tuxpam. There -happened to be a boat at the wharf, just arrived -from Tampico with a load of groceries destined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -for Tuxpam. The innkeeper suggested that -there might be some American goods aboard, and -we all went down to interview the boatman. -He informed us that the cargo was consigned to -a grocer in Tuxpam and that he couldn't sell -anything, but when our interpreter slipped a -couple of silver <em>pesos</em> (dollars) into his palm he -told us to pick out anything we wanted. We -took a five-pound can of American butter, at $1 -a pound, an imported ham at fifty cents a pound, -a ten-pound tin box of American crackers at -fifty cents a pound, four boxes of French -sardines, two cans of evaporated cream, and a -selection of canned goods, the bill amounting in -all to $22.25. This was all taken to the inn and -opened up. The innkeeper was instructed to -keep what we couldn't eat. The butter was so -strong that he kept the most of that, with more -than half of the crackers. At five o'clock we -were served with a dinner of fried chicken, fried -ham and eggs, canned baked beans, bread and -butter, coffee, and native fruit. The two guides -were invited to sit down with us to what was -doubtless the most sumptuous feast ever set -before them. After dinner we called for a dozen -of the best cigars that the town afforded, and -two were handed to each one, including the -guides. After lighting our cigars we called for -the bill of the entire amount, which, including -the sum of $22.25 for the boatman, came to -$38.50. We called the innkeeper into the room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -counted out $50 on the table, and paid him $38.50 -for the dinner and the boatman's bill; then gave -him $5 extra for himself, while the remaining -$6.50 was handed to the head guide. He almost -collapsed with astonishment, and wondered what -he had done to deserve such a generous -honorarium; but his amazement was increased ten-fold -when the interpreter informed him that this was -the balance due him. A heated argument ensued -between them, and the guide drawing his machete -attempted to make a pass at the interpreter, -with the remark that he would kill every <em>gringo</em> -(a vulgar term applied to English-speaking people -by the Mexicans in retaliation for the term -<em>greaser</em>) in the place. The innkeeper pounced -upon him with the quickness of a cat and pinioned -his arms behind him. His companion seeing -that he was subdued made no move. The -innkeeper called for a rope and in less than five -minutes the belligerent Mexican was bound hand -and foot and was being carried to the lockup. -The interpreter explained the whole matter to -the innkeeper, who sided with us, of course. -The effect of the five-dollar tip was magical. -He went to the judge and pleaded our case so -eloquently that that dignitary called upon us in -the evening and apologized on behalf of his -countrymen for the indignity, assuring us -incidentally that the offender would be dealt with -according to the law. We presented him with -an American five-dollar gold piece as a souvenir.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -He insisted that we remain over night as his -guests, and in the morning piloted us through -the village. The first place visited was the -cathedral, a large structure standing in the center -of the principal street. Its seating capacity was -perhaps five times greater than that of any -other building in the village. It contained a -number of pieces of beautiful old statuary, and -on the walls were many magnificent old -paintings, of enormous dimensions, with splendid -frames. They are said to have been secretly -brought to this obscure out-of-the-way place -from the City of Mexico during the French -invasion, but for what reason they were never -removed seems a mystery.</p> - -<p>A <em>fiesta</em> was in progress in honor of the -birthday of some saint, and it was impossible to get -anyone to take us to Tuxpam, only a few miles -distant. We desired to continue via the <em>laguna</em>, -and engaged two men to take us in a sort of -gondola, with the understanding that we should -leave just after sunset. We gave the men a -dollar apiece in advance, as they wished to purchase -a few articles of food, etc., for the journey, and -they were to meet us at the inn at sunset. Neither -of them appeared at the appointed time, and -in company with the innkeeper we went in -search of them. In the course of half an hour -we found one of the men behind a hut, drunk, -and asleep. He had drank a whole quart of -<em>aguardiente</em> and the empty bottle lay at his side.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -We left him and went to the boat, where we -found the other man stretched out full length -in the bottom with a half-filled bottle beside him. -We concluded to start out and to put the man -at the paddle as soon as he became sufficiently -sober. The innkeeper directed us as -best he could and we pushed off from the shore -about an hour after nightfall, expecting to reach -Tuxpam by eight o'clock next morning. We -were told to paddle out across the lake about a -mile to the opposite shore, where there was a -channel leading into a large lake beyond. The -water was very shallow most of the way, and -filled with marshgrass and other vegetation, -which swarmed with a great variety of waterfowl. -Disturbed by our approach they kept up -a constant quacking, squawking and screeching -on all sides, which, reverberating on the still -night-air, made the scene dismal enough. There -was a <em>baile</em> in progress near the shore in the -village and as we paddled along far out in the -lake we could see the glimmer of the lights -reflected along the surface of the water and could -hear the dance-music distinctly. When we had -gotten well out into the lake the drunken man -in the bottom of the boat waked up and inquired -where he was and where we were taking him. -Seeing the lights in the distance and hearing -the music he suddenly remembered that he had -promised to take his girl to the dance, and -demanded that he be taken back to shore. Upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -being refused he jumped out into the water and -declared that he would wade back. We had -great difficulty in getting him back into the boat -and came near capsizing in the operation. The -ducking he got sobered him up considerably and -at length we got him at the helm with the paddle -and told him to head for the mouth of the channel. -He neared the shore to the right of the channel -and following along near the water's edge was -within a quarter of a mile of the village before -we realized what his trick was. The interpreter -took the paddle away from him and told him of -the dire consequences that would follow if he -didn't settle down and behave himself. After -turning the boat around and following along the -shore for half a mile he promised to take us to -Tuxpam if we would agree to get him another -bottle of <em>aguardiente</em> there and also a present -with which to make peace with his girl. Upon -being assured that we would do this he seemed -quite contented and set to work in earnest. -As we entered the narrow channel a large dog -ran out from a nearby hut, and approaching the -boat threatened to devour us all. Provoked at -this interference the Mexican made a swish at -him in the dark with the paddle, but missing the -dog he struck the ground with such violence -that the handle of the paddle broke off near the -blade, and both Mexican and paddle tumbled -headlong into the water with a splash. This -provoked the dog to still greater savagery, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -jumping from the bank into the boat he attacked -the interpreter with the ferocity of a tiger. He -was immediately shot and dumped into the -water. Meanwhile our gondolier had clambered -up on the bank and the two pieces of the paddle -had floated off in the darkness. What to do -was a serious question. The native at the hut -had probably been aroused by the shot and was -likely to come down on us with more ferocity -than the dog. We could not therefore appeal to -him for another paddle. It was so dark that we -could scarcely see one another in the boat, and -it was exceedingly fortunate that none of the -party was shot instead of the dog. While we -were debating the various phases of our -predicament the Mexican—who had now become quite -sober after his second sousing—unsheathed his -machete and cut a pole, with the aid of which he -soon had us a safe distance down the channel. -A few miles further on we got out at a hut by -the side of the channel and bought a paddle, for -which we paid three times its value.</p> - -<p>The channels from here on were generally -overhung on both sides with brush and the -boughs of trees, and the darkness was so intense -that it was impossible to distinguish any object -at a distance of three feet. The man at the -paddle set up the same doleful yodling cry that -we had heard in the woods, and continued it at -intervals all through the night. He advised us -to be careful not to allow our hands to hang<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -over the edge of the boat, as the channel -abounded with alligators. As a matter of fact, -I doubt if there was an alligator within miles of -us. The native was doubtless sincere in his -statement, because he had perhaps heard others -say that there were alligators there. The story -of the lions, tigers and panthers in the woods -along the coast was also undoubtedly a myth -which like many other sayings had become a -popular belief from frequent repetition. The -same is true of dozens of tales one hears in -Mexico, and about Mexico when at home. For -example, the fabulous stories about the vast -fortunes to be made in planting vanilla, rubber -trees and coffee; but I shall treat of these -matters in their proper place further on.</p> - -<p>We finally arrived at Tuxpam in the morning -at nine o'clock. As I reflected upon the -experiences of the past two weeks I shuddered at -the very thought of returning. It is doubtful if -all the riches in this tropical land could have -tempted me again to undergo the tortures and -anxiety of body and mind that fell to my portion -on that journey. It was an epoch long to be -remembered.<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> - -<p>Tuxpam is a pleasant sanitary town of perhaps -five thousand inhabitants situated on the banks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -of the beautiful Tuxpam River a few miles inland -from the coast. The town is built on both sides -of the river, which carries off all the refuse and -drainage to the ocean below. This being a -narrative of experiences rather than a history of -towns and villages, I have purposely refrained -from long-drawn-out topographical descriptions. -The reader is doubtless familiar with the general -details of the crude architecture that characterizes -all Mexican villages and cities, and a detailed -recital of this would be a needless repetition of -well-known facts, for there is a monotonous -sameness in the appearance of all Mexican towns -and villages. For the purpose of this narrative -it matters little to the reader whether the people -of Tuxpam are all Aztecs, Spaniards, French or -Indians, though in point of fact they consist of a -sprinkling of all of these. Tuxpam itself is -simply a characteristic Mexican town, but it -should be here permanently recorded that it has -within its precincts one of the most adorable -women to whom the Lord ever gave the breath -of life: Mrs. Messick, the widow of the former -American consul, is a native Mexican of ebony -hue, but with a heart as large and charitable and -true as ever beat in a human breast. She is far -from prepossessing in appearance, and yet to -look upon her amiable features and to converse -with her in her broken English is a treat long to -be remembered. Her commodious home is a -veritable haven for every orphan, cripple, blind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -or otherwise infirm person that comes within -her range of vision, and her retinue of servants, -with herself at their head, are constantly engaged -in cooking, washing and otherwise caring -for the comforts and alleviating the sufferings of -those unfortunates who are her special charges. -She furnishes an illustrious example of the spirit -of a saint inhabiting a bodily form, and it is -almost worth the trip to Mexico to find that the -native race can boast a character of such noble -instincts.</p> - -<p>Arriving at this picturesque town we went at -once to the hotel. This hostelry consisted of a -chain of rooms built upon posts about nine feet -from the ground, and extending around the -central market-place. There is a veranda around -the inside of the square, from which one may -obtain a good view of the market. The stands, -or stalls, are around the outer edge under the -tier of rooms, while in the center men and -women sit on the ground beside piles of a great -variety of fresh vegetables and other perishable -articles for household use. There is perhaps no -better selection of vegetables to be found in any -market in America than we saw here.</p> - -<p>The partitions dividing the tier of rooms were -very thin and extended up only about two-thirds -of the way from the floor to the ceiling, so -there was an air-space connecting all the rooms -overhead. One could hear every word spoken in -the adjoining room on either side. The furniture<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -consisted of a cot-bed, a wash-stand and a -chair. We each procured a room, and as we -looked them over and noted the open space -overhead, someone remarked that "it would be -a great place for smallpox." Having had no -sleep the night before, and being very tired -after sitting in a cramped position all night in -the boat, we retired shortly after reaching town. -At about four o'clock in the afternoon I was -awakened by a vigorous pounding at my door, -and my two companions, who were outside, -shouted, "<em>Get up quick!</em> there is a case of -smallpox in the next room!" I jumped up quickly -and in my dazed condition put on what clothing -I could readily lay my hands on, and snatching -up my shoes and coat ran out on the veranda. -After getting outside I discovered that I had -gotten into my trousers hind side before and -had left my hat, collar, shirt and stockings -behind, but did not return for them. We all -beat a hasty retreat around the veranda to the -opposite side, of the court, or square, and the -people in the market-place below having heard -the pounding on the door, and seeing me -running along the veranda in my <em>déshabillé</em> -concluded that the place was afire. Someone -gave the alarm of fire, and general pandemonium -ensued. The women-peddlers and huxsters in -the market hastily gathered up such of their -effects as they could carry and ran out of the -inclosure into the street. In remarkable contrast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -to the usual solicitude and thoughtfulness -of motherhood, I saw one woman gather up a -piece of straw-matting with about fifty pounds -of dried shrimp and scurry out into the street, -leaving her naked baby sitting howling on the -bare ground. Vegetables and all sorts of truck -were hurriedly dumped into bags and carried -out. Happily this episode occurred in the -afternoon when there was comparatively little doing, -and very few pedestrians in the place; for had it -happened in the early morning when all the -people are gathered to purchase household -necessities for the day, a serious panic would -have been inevitable. About this time our -interpreter appeared, and three soldiers in white -uniforms came rushing up to us and enquired -where the fire was. My companions explained -to the soldiers, through the interpreter, that it -was only a practical joke they had played on -me. It now became my turn to laugh, for they -were both placed under arrest and taken before -the magistrate, charged with disturbing the -peace and starting a false alarm of fire. When -the interpreter explained the matter to the -magistrate that official lost his dignity for a -moment and laughed outright. He was a good-natured -old fellow (an unusual characteristic, I -understand, among Mexican magistrates) and -appreciated the joke even more than I did. He -recovered his dignity and composure long enough -to give us an impressive warning not to play<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -any more such pranks, and dismissed the case.</p> - -<p>Our baggage did not arrive until five days -later, and was soaking wet, as the boatman said -he had encountered a gale in which he had -barely escaped inundation.</p> - -<p>There was an American merchant in Tuxpam -by the name of Robert Boyd, whose store was -the headquarters of all Americans, both -resident and traveling. Had we talked with Mr. -Boyd before going to Mexico there would have -been no occasion for writing this narrative. He -was an extremely alert trader and in his thirty -years' residence, by conducting a general store -and trafficking in such native products as <em>chicle</em> -(gum,—pronounced chickly), hides, cedar, rubber -and vanilla, which he shipped in small quantities -to New York, he had accumulated about -$50,000 (Mexican). We had expected to make on -an average that sum for every day we spent in -Mexico, and were astonished that a man of his -commanding appearance and apparent ability -should be running a little store and doing a -small three-penny<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> business. Three months -later we would have concluded that any American<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -who could make fifty thousand dollars by -trading with Mexicans for thirty years is highly -deserving of a bronze monument on a conspicuous -site. For clever trading in a small way, -the Mexican is as much ahead of the average -Yankee as our present methods of printing are -ahead of those employed in Caxton's time. They -are exceedingly cunning traders and will thrive -where even the Italian fruit-vender would starve.</p> - -<p>When we informed Mr. Boyd that we had come -in search of vanilla, rubber and coffee lands he -must have felt sorry for us; in fact he admitted -as much to me a few months later when I knew -him better. With his characteristic courtesy, -however, he told us of several places that we -might visit. We learned for the first time that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -the three industries require entirely different -soils and altitudes. For coffee-land he recommended -that we go up the Tuxpam River to what was known -as the <em>Mesa</em> (high table-lands) district, while for -vanilla-land he recommended either Misantla or -Papantla, further down the coast; and rubber trees, -he said, could be grown with moderate success in -certain localities around Tuxpam. He did not -discourage us, because it was not consonant with -his business interests to dissuade American -enterprise and investments there, no matter how -ill-advised the speculation might be. Others -before us had come and gone; some had left their -money, while others had been wise enough to get -back home with it, and stay there. Some investors -had returned wiser, but never was one known to -return richer. All this, however, we did not -learn until later. We made several short -journeys on horseback, but found no lands that -seemed suitable for our purposes. There were -too many impediments in the vanilla industry,—not -least among which was the alacrity with -which the natives will steal the vanilla-beans -as fast as they mature. In fact, a common -saying there is, "catch your enemy in your -vanilla-patch,"—for you would be justified in -shooting him at sight, even though he happened -there by accident. It requires a watchman to -every few dozen vines (which are grown among -the trees) and then for every few watchmen it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -needs another watchman to keep an observing -eye on them. Again, the vanilla country is -uncomfortably near the yellow fever zone.</p> - -<p>As to rubber, we found very few trees in -bearing, and the few scattering ones we saw that -had been "tapped," or rather "gashed," in order -to bleed them of their milk, were slowly dying. -True, the native method of extracting the milk -from the trees was crude, but they did not -appear hardy.</p> - -<p>One of the principal articles of export from -this section is chicle. The reader may not be -aware that a great deal of our chewing-gum -comes from this part of Mexico, and that it is a -thoroughly pure and wholesome vegetable product. -The native <em>Chiclero</em> is the best paid man -among the common laborers in Mexico. Tying -one end of a long rope around his waist he climbs -up the tree to the first large limb—perhaps -from thirty to sixty feet—and throwing the other -end of the rope over the branch lets himself -down slowly by slipping the rope through his left -hand, while with the right hand he wields a short -bladed machete with which he chops gashes in -the tree at an angle of about forty-five degrees, -which leading into a little groove that he makes -all the way down, conducts the sap down to the -base of the tree, where it is carried into a basin -or trough by means of a leaf inserted in a gash -in the tree near the ground. This is a very -hazardous undertaking and requires for its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -performance a dexterous, able-bodied man. A -single misstroke may sever the rope and -precipitate the operator to the ground. In this way -a great number of men are killed every year. The -sap is a thick, white creamy substance, and is -boiled down in vats the same as the sap from the -maple tree. When it reaches a certain thickness -or temperature it is allowed to cool, after which -it is made up into chunks or squares weighing -from ten to forty pounds each. It is then -carried to market on mule-back. The crude -chicle has a delightful flavor, which is entirely -destroyed by the gum-manufacturers, who mix -in artificial flavors, with a liberal percentage of -sugar. If the gum-chewer could obtain crude -chicle with its delicious native flavor he (or she) -would never be content to chew the article as -prepared for the trade.</p> - -<p>Rubber is produced in the same way as chicle, -and the milk from the rubber tree is scarcely -distinguishable, except in flavor, from that of -the chicle-producing tree. The latter, however, -grows to much greater size and is more hardy. -It abounds throughout the forests in the lowlands. -The native rubber trees die after being -gashed a few times, and those we saw in bearing -were very scattering. You might not see a -dozen in a day's travel.</p> - -<p>The easiest way to make money on rubber -trees is to write up a good elastic article on the -possibilities of the industry, form a ten or twenty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -million dollar corporation and sell the stock to -the uninitiated,—if there are any such left. It -would be a debatable question with me, however, -which would be the more attractive from an -investment point of view,—stock in a rubber -company in Mexico, or one in Mars. Both would have -their advantages; the one in Mexico would possess -the advantage of closer proximity, while the -one in Mars would have the advantage of being -so far away that one could never go there to be -disillusioned. The chances for legitimate returns -would be about the same in both places. It -seems a pity that any of those persons who ever -bought stock in bogus Mexican development -companies should have suffered the additional -humiliation of afterwards going down there to see -what they had bought into.</p> - -<p>It is surprising that up to the present time no -one has appeared before the credulous investing -public with a fifty-million dollar chicle -corporation, for here is a valuable commodity that -grows wild in the woods almost everywhere, and -a highly imaginative writer could devote a whole -volume to the unbounded possibilities of making -vast fortunes in this industry.</p> - -<p>While I was in Mexico a friend sent me some -advertising matter of one of these development -companies that was paying large dividends on -its enormous capital stock from the profits on -pineapples and coffee, when in point of fact there -was not a coffee-tree on its place, and it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -producing scarcely enough pineapples to supply -the caretaker's family.</p> - -<p>In regard to coffee, we found that some American -emigration company appeared to be making -a legitimate effort to test the productivity of -that staple, and had sent a number of thrifty -American families into Mexico and settled them -at the <em>mesa</em>,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> several miles inland from Tuxpam. -They had cleared up a great deal of land and put -out several thousand coffee-plants. There are -many reasons why this crop cannot be extensively -and profitably raised in this part of Mexico,—and -for that matter, I presume, in any other -part. Foremost among the many obstacles is -the labor problem. The native help is not -only insufficient, but is utterly unreliable. -It is at picking-time that the greatest amount of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -help is required, and even if it were possible to -rely upon the laborers, and there were enough -of them, there would not be sufficient work to -keep them between the harvest-seasons. It -would be totally impracticable to import -laborers; the expense and the climate would both -be prohibitive. Again, the price of labor here -has increased greatly of late years, without a -corresponding appreciation in the price of coffee.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a></p> - -<p>Neither vanilla, coffee nor rubber had ever been profitably -raised in large quantities and we therefore decided that -under the existing circumstances and hindrances we would -dismiss these three articles from further consideration.</p> - -<p>If we had been content to return home and -charge our trip to experience account, all would -have been well,—but we pursued our investigations -along other lines. The possibilities of -the tobacco industry claimed our attention for -awhile—it also claimed a considerable amount -of money from one of my companions. Someone -(perhaps the one who had the land for sale) -had recently discovered that the ground in a -certain locality was peculiarly suited to the -growth of fine tobacco, which could be raised at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -low cost and sold at fabulous prices. We learned -that a large tract of land in this singularly-favored -district was for sale; so thither we went -in search of information. The soil was rich and -heavily wooded; it looked as though it might -produce tobacco or almost anything else. I -neither knew nor cared anything about tobacco-raising -and the place did not therefore interest -me in the least. One of my companions, however, -had been doing a little figuring on his own -account, and had calculated that he could buy -this place, hire a foreman to run it, put in from -five to eight hundred acres of tobacco that year, -and that the place would pay for itself and be -self-sustaining the second year. By the third -year he would have a thousand acres in tobacco, -and the profits would be enormous. It would -not require his personal attention, and he could -send monthly remittances from home for expenses, -and probably come down once a year on -a <em>pleasure trip</em>. Parenthetically, by way of -assurance to the reader that the man had not -entirely lost his reason, I may say that we -learned in Tuxpam that of all routes and modes -of travel to that place we had selected by far -the worst; that the best way was to take a -Ward Line Steamer from New York to Havana, -and from there around by Progreso, Campeche, -and up the coast to Vera Cruz, thence to -Tuxpam. From Tuxpam the steamers go to -Tampico, then back to Havana and New York.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -However, one cannot count with certainty on -landing at Tuxpam, as the steamers are obliged -to stop outside the bar and the passengers and -cargo have to be lightered over. The steamers -often encounter bad weather along the coast, -and it frequently happens that passengers and -freight destined for Tuxpam are carried on up -to Tampico.</p> - -<p>My friend had gotten his money easily and was -now unconsciously planning a scheme for spending -it with equal facility. The more we tried to -dissuade him the more convinced he was of the -feasibility of the plan. We argued that no one -had ever made any money in tobacco there, and -that it was an untried industry. He said that -made no difference; it was because they didn't -know how to raise tobacco. He would import a -practical tobacco-man from Cuba—which he -finally did, under a guarantee of $200 a month -for a year—and that he would show the Mexicans -how to raise tobacco. He bought the place, -arranged through a friend in Cuba for an expert -tobacco-raiser, and sent couriers through the -country to engage a thousand men for chopping -and clearing. He was cautioned against attempting -to clear too much land, as it was very late. -The rainy season begins in June, and after that -it is impossible to burn the clearings over. The -method of clearing land here is to cut down the -trees and brush early in the spring, trim off the -branches and let them lie until thoroughly dry.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -In felling a forest and chopping up the brush -and limbs it forms a layer over the entire area, -sometimes five or six feet deep. Under the hot -sun of April and May, during which time it -rarely rains more than a slight sprinkle, this -becomes very dry and highly inflammable. Early -in June the fires are set, and at this season the -whole country around is filled with a hazy -atmosphere. The heat from the bed of burning -tinder is so intense that most of the logs are -consumed and many of the stumps are killed; thus -preventing them from sprouting. Every foul -seed in the ground is destroyed and for a couple -of years scarcely any cultivation is required.</p> - -<p>Our would-be tobacco-raiser paid no heed to -advice or words of warning; he was typical of -most Americans who seek to make fortunes in -Mexico,—they have great difficulty in getting -good advice, but it is ten times more difficult -to get them to follow it. You rarely obtain -trustworthy information from your own -countrymen who have investments there, for the -chances are fifty to one that they are anxious to -sell out, and will paint everything in glowing hues -in the hope that they may unload their burdens -on you. Even if they have nothing to sell, they -are none the less optimistic, for they like to see -you invest your money. Wretched conditions -are in a measure mitigated by companionship; -in other words, "Misery loves company."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - -<p>Hereafter I shall refer to the man who bought -the tobacco land as Mr. A., and to my other -companion as Mr. B.</p> - -<p>Mr. A. was delayed in getting his foreman and -had the customary difficulty in hiring help. -Three hundred men was all he could muster at -first, and they were secured only by paying a -liberal advance of twenty-five per cent. over the -usual wages. They began cutting timber about -the 28th of April,—the season when this work -should have been finished, and continued until -the rainy season commenced, when scarcely any -of the clearing had been burned; and after the -rains came it was impossible to start a fire, so -the whole work of felling upwards of four hundred -acres of forest was abandoned. Every stub -and stump seemed to shoot up a dozen sprouts, -and growing up through the thick layer of brush, -branches and logs, they formed a network that -challenged invasion by man or beast. The labor -was therefore all lost and the tobacco project -abandoned in disgust.</p> - -<p>I was told by one of the oldest inhabitants—past -ninety—that it had never once failed to -rain on San Juan's (Saint John's) Day, the 24th -of June. Sometimes the rainy season begins a -little earlier, and occasionally a little later, but -that day never passes without bringing at least -a light shower. Of course it was in accord with -my friend's run of luck that this should be the -year when the rainy season began prematurely; -but the truth of the matter is, it was about the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -most fortunate circumstance that could have -occurred; for as it turned out he lost only the -money laid out for labor, together with the -excess price paid for the land above what it was -worth; whereas, had everything gone well he -was likely to have lost many thousands of dollars -more.<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a></p> - -<p>In the meantime I had been looking the field -over industriously, and had concluded that the -sugar and cattle industries promised the surest -and greatest returns. I heard of a ranch, with -sugar-plantation, for sale up in the Tuxpam -valley. It was owned by an American who had -occupied it forty-seven years, during which time -he had made enough to live comfortably and -educate two sons in American schools. He was -well past seventy and wished to retire from the -cares of active business,—which I regarded as a -justifiable excuse for selling. We visited the -place and found the only American-built house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -we had seen since leaving home. The place was -in a fairly good state of repair, though the -pasture lands and canefields had been allowed to -deteriorate. The whole place was for sale, -including cattle, mules, wagons, sugar-factory, -tenement houses, machinery and growing crops; -in fact, everything went. The price asked -appeared so low that I was astonished at the -owner's modesty in estimating its value. I -accepted his offer on the spot, paying a small -sum down to bind the bargain,—fearing that he -would change his mind. It was not long, -however, before I changed my estimate of his -modesty, and marveled at his boldness in having -the courage to ask the price he did. On our way -back to town my companions argued that I was -foolish to try to make money in sugar or cattle -raising; that there was no nearby market for -the cattle, and that the Cuban sugar was -produced so abundantly and so cheaply that -there would be no profit in competing with it in -the American market. This was perfectly sound -logic, as testified to by later experiences, but it -fell upon deaf ears. I had been inoculated with -the sugar and cattle germ as effectively as my -friend had been with the tobacco germ, and -could see nothing but profit everywhere. Mr. A. -was to have a Cuban tobacco man, and why -couldn't I have an experienced Cuban sugar -man? I expected to double the magnitude of -the canefields, as the foreman—who promised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -to remain—had declared that this could be done -without crowding the capacity of the factory. I -would also import some shorthorn cattle from -the United States, and figured out that I should -need a whole carload of farming implements.</p> - -<p>It may be remarked that almost without exception -the American visitor here is immediately -impressed with the unbounded possibilities -of making vast fortunes. The resources of the -soil appear almost limitless. The foliage of the -trees and shrubs is luxuriant the year round, and -the verdure of the pastures and all vegetation is -inspiring at all seasons. The climate is delightful, -even in midsummer, and with such surroundings -and apparent advantages for agricultural -pursuits one marvels at the inactivity and -seeming stupidity of the natives. After a few -months' experience in contending with the -multiplicity of pests and perversities that stand -athwart the path of progress, and becoming -inoculated with the monotony of the tropical -climate, one can but wonder that there should be -any energy or ambition at all. The tendency of -Americans is always to apply American energy -and ideas to Mexican conditions, with the result -that nothing works harmoniously. The country -here is hundreds of years behind our times, and -cannot be brought into step with our progressiveness -except by degrees. Our modern methods -and ideas assimilate with those of Mexico very -slowly, if at all. It is almost impossible to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -develop any one locality or industry independent of -the surroundings. The truth is, if you would -live comfortably in Mexico (which in these parts -is quite beyond human possibility) you must live -as Mexicans do, for they are clever enough, and -have lived here long enough, to make the best of -conditions. If you would farm successfully in -Mexico, you must farm precisely as they do, for -you will eventually find that there is some -well-grounded reason for every common usage; and -if you would make money in Mexico, stay away -entirely and dismiss the very thought of it. -Pure cream cannot be extracted from chalk and -water,—though it may look like milk,—because -the deficiency of the necessary elements forbids -it; no more can fortunes be made in this part -of Mexico, because they are not here to be made, -as every condition forbids their accumulation. -The impoverished condition of the people is such -that a large percentage of the families subsist -on an average income of less than ten cents a -day, silver.</p> - -<p>Although the peon class are indigent, lazy -and utterly devoid of ambition they are so by -virtue of climatic and other conditions that -surround them, and of which they can be but the -natural outgrowth. The debilitating effects of -the climate, and the numberless bodily pests -draw so heavily upon human vitality that it is -surprising that any one after a year's residence -there can muster sufficient energy to work at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -all. The natives, after a day's labor will throw -themselves upon the hard ground and fall asleep, -calmly submitting to the attack of fleas and -wood-ticks as a martyrdom from which it is -useless to attempt to escape. It is a labored -and painful existence they lead, and it is not to -be wondered at that smallpox, pestilence and -death have no terror for them; indeed, they -hail these as welcome messengers of relief. -When by the pangs of hunger they are driven -to the exertion of work they will do a fair day's -labor, if kept constantly under the eye of a -watchman, or <em>capitan</em>, as he is called. One of -these is required for about every ten or twelve -workmen; otherwise they would do nothing at -all. If twenty workmen were sent to the field -to cut brush, without designating someone as -captain, they would not in the course of the -whole day clear a patch large enough to sit -down on. The best workmen are the Indians -that come down from the upper-country -settlements. Upon leaving home they take along -about twelve days' rations, usually consisting -of black beans and corn ground up together into -a thick dough and made into little balls a trifle -larger than a hen's egg, and baked in hot ashes. -They eat three of these a day,—one for each -meal,—and when the supply is exhausted they -collect their earnings and return to their homes, -no matter how urgent the demand for their -continued service may be. In two or three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -weeks they will return again with another supply -of provisions and stay until it is consumed, -but no longer. If Thoreau could have seen how -modestly these people live he would have learned -a lesson in economic living such as he never -dreamed of. The frugality of his meagre fare -at his Walden pond hermitage would have -appeared like wanton luxury by comparison. If -the virtue of honesty can be ascribed to any of -these laborers the Indians are entitled to the -larger share of it. They keep pretty much to -themselves and seldom inter-marry or mingle -socially with the dusky-skinned Aztecs.</p> - -<p>It is difficult to get the natives to work as -long as they have a little corn for <em>tortillas</em> or -a pound of beans in the house. I have known -dozens of instances where they would come at -daylight in search of a day's work, leaving the -whole family at home without a mouthful of -victuals. If successful in getting work they -would prefer to take their day's pay in corn, and -would not return to work again until it was -entirely exhausted. Hundreds of times at my -ranch men applying for work were so emaciated -and exhausted from lack of nourishment that -they had to be fed before they were in a fit -condition to send to the field.</p> - -<p>The basic element of wealth is money, and it -is impossible to make an exchange of commodities -for money in great quantity where it exists -only in small quantity. In other words, if you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -would make money it is of first importance that -you go where there is money. If—as is the -case—a man will labor hard from sunrise to -sunset in Mexico, and provision himself, for -twenty-five cents in gold, it would indicate either -a scarcity of gold or a superabundance of willing -laborers, and it must be the former, for the latter -does not exist. Some have argued that money -is to be made in Mexico by producing such articles -as may be readily exchanged for American -gold, but there are very few articles of -merchandise for which we are <em>obliged</em> to go to -Mexico, and these cost to produce there nearly -as much or more than we have to pay for them. -For example, a pound of coffee in Mexico<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> costs -fifty cents, the equivalent in value to the labor -of an able-bodied man for twelve hours. There -is some good reason for this condition, else it -would not exist. In other words, if it didn't -cost the monetary value of twelve hours' work -(less the merchant's reasonable profit, of -course) to produce a pound of coffee, it would -not cost that to buy it there. It does not seem -logical, therefore, that it can be produced and -sold profitably to a country where a pound of -this commodity is equal in value to less than -two hours of a man's labor. If it were so easy -and profitable to raise coffee, every native might -have his own little patch for home use, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -possibly a few pounds to sell. In order to be -profitable, commodities must be turned out at a -low cost and sold at a high cost; but here is a -case where some visionary Americans have -thought to get rich by working directly against -the order of economic and natural laws. I have -not consulted statistics to ascertain how the -Mexican exports to the United States compare -with their imports of our products, but it is a -significant fact, as stated at the beginning of -this narrative, that the highest premium -obtainable for American money is for eastern -exchange, used in settling balances for imports -of American goods. The needs of the average -Mexican are very small beyond the products of -his own soil, and if the agricultural exports from -their eastern ports were large the merchants -would have but little difficulty in purchasing -credits on New York, or any important eastern -or southern seaport.</p> - -<p>I had the good fortune <em>not</em> to be able to make -any satisfactory arrangement for a practical -sugar-maker from Cuba. I was more fortunate -than my friend Mr. A., in not having any -friend there to look out for me. Thus I saved -not only the cost of an expert's services, which, -comparatively speaking, would have been a -trifling item, but was held up in making the -contemplated extensions and improvements until -my sugar-fever had subsided and I had regained -my normal senses, after which I was quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -contented to conduct the place in its usual way -with a few slight improvements here and there. -I had not in so short a time become quite -reconciled, however, to the idea that the place could -not be run at a profit; but figured that it could -be made to yield me a considerable revenue -above expenses, and that it would afford a -desirable quartering-place for my family on an -occasional tropical visit in winter. After -returning home later in the season I induced my -family to return with me in the fall and spend -a part of the following winter there; and although -we experienced the novelty on Christmas-day -of standing on our front porch and picking -luscious ripe oranges from the trees,—one of -which stands at each side of the steps,—I have -never again been able to bring my persuasive -powers to a point where I could induce them to -set foot on Mexican soil. It is largely due to -the abhorrence of smallpox, malaria, snakes, -scorpions, tarantulas, <em>garrapatas</em>, fleas, and a -few other minor pests and conditions to which -they object. Mosquitoes, however, did not molest -us at the ranch.</p> - -<p>Once while we were at the ranch my wife -was told by one of the servants that there was -a woman at the front door to see her. Upon -going into the hall she found that the woman -had stepped inside and taken a seat near the -door. She arose timidly, with a bundle in her -arms—which proved to be a babe—and spoke,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -but Mrs. Harper could not understand a word -she said. The maid had entered the hall -immediately behind my wife, and, as she spoke both -Spanish and English, the woman explained -through her that the baby was suffering with -smallpox, and that she had heard that there -was an American woman there who could cure -it. The resultant confusion in the household -beggars description. Every time I mention -Mexico at home I get a graphic rehearsal of this -scene. The poor woman had walked ten miles, -carrying her babe, and thought she was doing -no harm in bringing it in and sitting down to -rest for a moment. She was put into a boat -and taken down the river to Tuxpam by one of -the men on the place who had already passed -through the stages of this disease, and under -the treatment of a Spanish physician whom I -had met there the child recovered and was sent -back home with its mother.</p> - -<p>It may be observed that since arriving at -Tuxpam I have appeared to neglect my friend -Mr. B., but, although so far as this narrative is -concerned he has not as yet been much in evidence, -he was by far the busiest man in the party. -Being the only unmarried man in our company -he had not been long in Mexico when -he began to busy himself with an industry in -which single men hold an unchallenged monopoly, -and one that is far more absorbing than -vanilla, rubber, coffee, sugar and tobacco all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -combined. The immediate cause of his diversion -was due to a visit that we all made to the -large hacienda of a wealthy Spanish gentleman of -education and refinement, who had a very beautiful -and accomplished daughter but recently -returned home with her mother from an extended -tour through Europe, following her -graduation from a fashionable and well-known -ladies' seminary in America. I have made the -statement in the foregoing pages that no -American fortune-hunter had been known to -return home from here richer than when he -came, but later on we shall see that this no -longer remains a truth. For the present, however, -as long as we are now discussing problems -of vulgar commerce, we shall leave Mr. B. -undisturbed in his more engaging pursuit, and -return to his case later.</p> - -<p>Next to silver, corn is the staple and standard -of value in Mexico, though its price fluctuates -widely. Everybody, and nearly every animal, -both untamed and domestic, and most of the insects, -feed upon this article. It is the one product -of the soil that can be readily utilized and -converted into cash in any community and at -any season. The price is usually high, often -reaching upwards of the equivalent of $1 a -bushel. It is measured not by the bushel, but -by the <em>fanega</em>, which weighs 225 pounds. It may -appear a strange anomaly that the principal -native product should be so high in a soil of such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -wonderful productivity. An acre of ground will -produce from fifty to seventy-five bushels, <em>twice -a year</em>. It is planted in June as soon as the rains -break the long, monotonous dry season which -extends through March, April and May, and is -harvested early in October; then the same -ground is planted again in December for -harvesting early in April. The ground requires -no plowing and, if recently cleared, no weeding; -so all that is necessary to do is to plant the corn -and wait for it to mature. It sounds easy and -looks easy, but, as with everything else, there -are a few obstacles. Corn is planted in rows, -about the same distance apart as in America, and -is almost universally of the white variety, as -this is the best for <em>tortillas</em>. The planting is -accomplished by puncturing the ground with a -hardwood pole, sharpened at one end. The hole -is made from four to six inches deep, when the -top of the pole is moved from one side to another -so that the point loosens up the subsoil and -makes an opening at the bottom of the hole the -same width as that at the top. The corn is -then dropped in and covered with a little dirt -which is knocked in by striking the point of the -pole gently at the opening. The moisture, however, -would cause it to sprout and grow even if -not covered at all. The difficulties now begin -and continue successively and uninterruptedly -at every stage of development to maturity, and -even until the corn is finally consumed. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -first of these difficulties is in the form of a small -red ant which appears in myriads and eats the -germ of the kernels as soon as they are planted. -When the corn sprouts there is a small cut-worm -that attacks it in great numbers. When the -sprouts begin to make their appearance above -the ground there is a blackbird lying in wait at -every hill to pull it up and get the kernel. These -birds, which in size are between our crow and -blackbird, appear in great numbers and would -destroy a ten-acre field of corn in one day if not -frightened away. They have long sharp beaks, -and insatiable appetites. Following these the -army-worm attacks the stalk when knee high, -and penetrating it at the top or tassel-end stops -its growth and destroys it. These ravages continue -until the corn begins to tassel, if any is so -fortunate as to reach that stage. When the -ears appear another worm works in at the silk, -and a little later a small bird resembling our -sapsucker puts in his claim to a share in the -crop. Beginning at the outer edge of the field -and proceeding down the row from one hill to -another, he penetrates the husks of almost every -ear with his needlelike bill, and the moment the -milky substance of the corn is reached the ear -is abandoned and another attacked. When punctured -in this way the ear withers and dries up -without maturing. The succession is then taken -up by the parrots and parrakeets, which abound -in Mexico. They may be seen in flocks flying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -overhead or hovering over some field, constantly -chattering and squawking, at almost any hour -of the day. When the corn begins to mature -the raccoons appear from the woods, and entering -a field at night they eat and destroy the corn -like a drove of hogs. As a means of protection -against these pests many of the natives keep a -number of dogs, which they tie out around the -field at night, and which keep up an almost -constant barking and howling. Finally, just as the -corn has matured and the kernels are hardening -the fall rains begin, and often continue for days -and even weeks with scarcely an interruption. -The water runs down into the ear through the -silks and rots the corn. In order to prevent this -it is necessary to break every stalk just below -the ear and bend the tops with the ears down so -the water will run off. Later it is husked and -carried to the crib, when it is subjected to the -worst of all the evils, the black weevil. The -eggs from which this insect springs are deposited -in the corn while in the field and commence -to hatch soon after it is harvested. I have -personally tested this by taking an ear of corn from -the field and after shelling it placed the corn in -a bottle, which was corked up and set away. In -about three weeks the weevils began to appear, -and in six weeks every kernel was destroyed. -At first I wondered why the Mexicans usually -planted their corn in such small patches and so -near the house, but in view of the foregoing facts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -this is easily explained. Almost the same vexatious -conditions prevail in nearly everything that -one attempts to do in this country, the variety -and numbers of enemies and hindrances varying -with each undertaking. There is a hoodoo lurking -in every bush, and no matter which way the -stranger turns he finds himself enmeshed in a -veritable entanglement of impediments and -aggravations.</p> - -<p>All along and up and down the banks of the -Tuxpam River, and in other more remote -localities, there are countless wrecks and ruins -of sugar mills, distilleries and other evidences -of former American industry, which mark the last -traces of blighted ambitions and ruined fortunes -of investors. The weeds and bushes have -overgrown the ruins and tenderly sheltered them -from the sun's rays and the view of the -uninquisitive passer-by. They have become the -silent haunts of wild animals, scorpions and -other reptiles. At the visitor's approach a flock -of jaybirds will immediately set up a clamorous -chattering and cawing in the surrounding trees, -as if to reproach the trespasser who invades the -lonely precincts of these isolated tomb-like -abodes. They tell their own tale in more -eloquent language than any writer could -command. With each ruin there is a traditional -and oftentimes pathetic story. In some cases -the investor was fortunate enough to lose only -his money, but in many instances the lives along<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -with the fortunes of the more venturesome were -sacrificed to some one or other of the various -forms of pestilence which from time to time -sweep over the country.</p> - -<p>Among the native fruit products in this -section the orange and the mango hold first -rank, with bananas and plantains a close second. -In close proximity to almost every native hut -one will find a small patch of plantain and -banana stalks. The plantain is made edible by -roasting with the skin on, or by peeling and -splitting it in halves and frying it in lard or -butter.</p> - -<p>Of all tropical fruits the mango is perhaps the -most delicious. Its tree grows to enormous -size and bears a prolific burden of fruit. In front -of my house are a great number of huge mango -trees which are said to have been planted more -than two hundred years ago. The fruit picked -up from under a single tree amounted to a trifle -over one hundred and sixty-one bushels. Unlike -the banana or even our American peaches, pears -and plums, the mango is scarcely fit to eat unless -allowed to ripen and drop off the tree. Much of -the delicacy of its flavor is lost if plucked even -a day before it is ready to fall. When picked -green and shipped to the American markets it -is but a sorry imitation of the fruit when allowed -to ripen on the tree. It ripens in June, and it -is almost worth one's while to make a flying -trip to the tropics in that month just to sit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -beneath the mango tree and eat one's fill of this -fruit four or five times a day.</p> - -<p>The only native fruit that ever could be profitably -raised here for the American market is the -orange. The Mexican orange is well known for -its thin, smooth skin and superior flavor and -sweetness. The trees thrive in the locality of -Tuxpam, and bear abundantly from year to year -without the least cultivation or attention. On -my place thousands of bushels of this fruit drop -off the trees and go to waste every year, there -being no market for it. I made an experimental -shipment of 1,000 boxes to New York on one of -the Ward Line Steamers. After selecting, wrapping -and packing them with the greatest care, -and prepaying the freight, in due time I received -a bill from the New York commission house -for $275 (gold) for various charges incidental to -receiving and hauling them to the public dump. -The steamer, however, had been delayed several -days. The ratio of profit on this transaction is -a fair example of the returns that one may -reasonably expect from an investment in any -agricultural enterprise in Mexico.<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> If ever we -get rapid steamer service between Tuxpam and -Galveston or New Orleans, it is my belief that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -orange-growing could be made profitable in this -country, but until then it would be useless to -consider the orange-growing industry.</p> - -<p>Having had some experience in farming in my -boyhood, I thought I knew more about corn-raising -than the natives did and that I would -demonstrate a few things that would be useful -to them; so I instructed my foreman to procure -a cultivator and cornplanter from the United -States. At Tuxpam I found an American plow -which had been on hand perhaps for some years, -and was regarded by the natives as a sort of -curiosity. No merchant had had the rashness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -however, to stock himself with a cultivator or -cornplanter. The foreman was ordered to plow -about fifteen acres of ground and plant it to corn -as an experiment. The natives hearing of the -undertaking came from a distance to see the -operation. They thought it was wonderful, but -didn't seem to regard it with much favor. The -piece was planted in due season, and the rows -both ways were run as straight as an arrow. It -required the combined efforts of all the extra -help obtainable in the neighborhood to rid the -corn of the pests that beset it, but after -cultivating it three times and "laying it by," the -height and luxuriance of growth it attained were -quite remarkable. Standing a trifle over six -feet tall I could not reach half the ears with the -tips of my fingers. The ground was rich, and as -mellow as an ash-heap and appeared to rejoice -at the advent of the plow and cultivator. One -night in August there came a hard rain, -accompanied by the usual hurricanes at this season, -and next morning when I went out, imagine my -astonishment to find that not a hill of corn in -the whole field was standing! Its growth was -so rank and the ground so mellow that the -weight of one hill falling against another bore -it down, and the whole field was laid as flat as -though a roller had been run over it. It was -all uprooted and the roots were exposed to -the sun and air. We didn't harvest an ear -of corn from the whole fifteen acres. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -other corn in the neighborhood withstood the -gale without any damage. This experience -explained why it is that the natives always -plant corn in hard ground, and also furnishes -additional proof that it is usually safe to -adhere pretty closely to the prevailing customs, -and exercise caution in trying any innovations.</p> - -<p>After clearing a piece of land for corn the natives -will plant it for a couple of years, then -abandon it to the weeds and brush for awhile. -They then clear another piece, and in two or -three years the abandoned piece is covered with -a growth of brush sufficiently heavy so that -when cut and burned the fire destroys such -seeds as have found their way into the piece. -After land here has been planted for a few years -it becomes so foul with weeds that it would be -impossible for a man with a hoe to keep them -down on more than an acre. It is surprising -how rapidly and thickly they grow. The story -of the southern gentleman who said that in his -country the pumpkin vines grew so fast that -they wore the little pumpkins out dragging them -over the ground would seem like a plausible -truth when compared with what might be said -of rapid growth in Mexican vegetation. They -say that the custom of wearing machetes at all -times is really a necessity, as when a man goes -to the field in the morning there is no knowing -but that it may rain and the weeds grow up and -smother him before he can get back home. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -am, however, a little skeptical on this point.</p> - -<p>A serious difficulty which has to be reckoned -with in Mexico is the utter disregard that many -of the natives have for the property rights of -others. Pigs, chickens, calves, and even grown -cattle, are constantly disappearing as quietly and -effectually as though the earth had opened in the -night and swallowed them. One evening a native -came in from a distance of twelve miles to -purchase six cents' worth of mangos, and being -otherwise unencumbered in returning home he -took along a calf which he picked up as he passed -the outer gate. At another time when the cane -mill was started in the morning, it was -discovered that a large wrench, weighing probably -twenty pounds, was missing. There being no -other mill of similar construction in the -community, it was inconceivable that anyone could -have had any use for the wrench. The foreman -called the men all together and told them of the -disappearance. He discharged the whole force -of more than a hundred men, and said there -would be no more work until the wrench was -returned. Next morning it was found in its -accustomed place at the mill, and every man was -there ready to go to work.</p> - -<p>Shortly after buying the ranch I was spending -the night there, and went out to hunt deer by -means of a jack,—a small lamp with a reflector, -carried on top of the head, and fastened around -the hatband. Assuming that the reader may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -not have had any experience in this lonesome -sport, I would explain that on a dark night the -light from the jack being cast into the eyes of -an animal in the foreground produces a reflection -in the distance resembling a coal of fire. If -the wind is favorable, one can approach to within -thirty to fifty yards of a deer, which will stand -intently gazing at the light. The light blinds -the eye of the animal so that the person beneath -cannot be seen even at a distance of twenty -feet. The hunter can determine how near he is -to the game only by the distance that appears -to separate the eyes. For instance, at 125 to 150 -yards the eyes of a deer will shine in the -darkness as one bright coal of fire, and as one -approaches nearer they slowly separate until at -fifty to sixty paces they appear to be three or -four inches apart, depending upon the size of -the animal. It is then time to fire. It is always -best to proceed against the wind, if there is any, -otherwise the deer will scent your presence. -The eye of a calf or burro will shine much the -same as that of a deer, and one must be cautious -when hunting in a pasture. I took my shotgun -with a few shells loaded with buckshot, and -passing through the canefield came to a clearing -about half a mile from the house. As I -approached the opening I sighted a pair of eyes -slowly moving towards me along the edge of a -thicket next the clearing, apparently at a -distance of about seventy-five yards. I knew it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -was not a deer, because that animal will always -stand still as soon as it sights a lamp. It was -too large for a cat, and did not follow the -customary actions of a dog; but what it was I -couldn't imagine. The two enormous eyes -came nearer and nearer, moving to first one side -and then the other, the animal appearing to be -unaware of my presence. When it approached -to within perhaps fifty yards of where I stood, I -thought it was time to shoot, and so cocking -both hammers of my gun I blazed away, intending -to fire only one barrel and keep the other -for an emergency. In my excitement I must -have pulled both triggers, as both cartridges -went off with a terrific bang. The recoil sent -me sprawling on my back in the brush, the gun -jumping completely out of my hands and landing -several feet distant. The light was extinguished -by the fall, and I lay there in utter blackness. -When I fired, the animal lunged into the thicket -with a crash, and in the confusion of my own -affairs immediately following, I heard no more -sounds. I discovered that I had thoughtlessly -come away without a match, and being unfamiliar -with the territory, had no idea in which -direction the house stood. Groping around in -the dark I finally located the gun and struck -back into the brush in what I supposed to be the -direction I came. Presently I ran into a dense -jungle of terrible nettles, which the natives call -<em>mala mujer</em> (bad woman). They are covered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -with needlelike thorns and their sting is -extremely painful and annoying. I was also -covered with wood-ticks, which added appreciably -to my misery. It was cloudy and the night was -as dark as death. Realizing that I was on the -wrong route it seemed necessary to spend the -night there, but I could neither sit nor stand -with comfort amid the nettles. After proceeding -five or six hundred yards through these -miserable prickly objects (which in height ranged -from two to thirty feet, thus pricking and -stinging me from my face to my knees) I suddenly -plunged headlong over a steep embankment into -the water, when I became aware that I had reached -the river; but whether I was above or below the -house (which stands back about a thousand -yards from the river) I couldn't tell. After groping -my way along under the river bank for nearly -half a mile, during the space of which I again fell -in twice, I concluded that with my customary luck -I was headed the wrong way, and so retraced my -steps and proceeded along down the river for -nearly a mile, when I came to a landing-place. -Leaving the river I went in the opposite direction -a short distance, and soon bumped into some sort -of a habitation. After feeling my way more than -half-way around the hut and locating an aperture -(the door) I hallooed at the top of my voice -four or five times, and receiving no response I -ventured in only to find the place vacant. -Returning to the open I manœuvred around until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -I found another hut, where I proceeded to howl -until the natives woke up. I couldn't imagine -how I was to make myself understood, as of course -they could not understand a word of English. The -man struck a match and seeing me standing in the -door with a gun in my hand, and with my face all -scratched and swollen to distortion from my -explorations in the nettle patch, both he and his -wife took fright and jumping through an opening on -the opposite side of the room disappeared in the -darkness, leaving me in sole possession of the -place. After groping around the room in vain search -of a match, and falling over about everything in -the place, I returned to the open air. Meantime the -clouds had begun to break away and I could see the -dim outline of a large building a short distance -beyond, which proved to be the sugar-mill. I was -now able to get my bearings, and discovered that -the hut from which the two people had fled was one -of a number of a similar kind which belonged to -the place and which were provided free for the -workmen and their families that they might be kept -conveniently at hand at all times. I was not long -in finding the main road leading to the house, and -when I arrived there everybody was asleep. After -fumbling around all over the place in the dark -I found a match and discovered that it was -twenty-five minutes of three. Thus ended my -first deer-hunt in Mexico. In the morning I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -noticed the <em>zopilotes</em> (vultures) hovering over -the field in the direction I had taken the night -before, and upon going to the spot I found an -enormous full-grown jaguar lying dead about ten -feet from the edge of the clearing. Several shot had -penetrated his head and body, and luckily, one -entering his neck had passed under the shoulder-blade -and through the heart. The natives said it was the -only jaguar that had been seen in that locality for -years, and it was the only one I saw during the whole -of my travels in Mexico.</p> - -<p>That morning it was discovered that every -hut in the settlement at the mill had been -vacated during the night, and there was not a -piece of furniture or a native anywhere in -sight; the place looked as desolate as a -country-graveyard. Later in the day we found the -whole crowd encamped back in the woods, and -were told that during the night an Evil Spirit -in the form of a white man with his face and -clothes all bespattered with blood, had visited -the settlement, and wielding a huge machete, -also covered with blood, had threatened to kill -every man, woman and child in the place. A -few years prior to that an American had been -foully murdered at the mill by a native, who -used a machete in the operation, and this, they -said, was the second time in five years that the -murdered man had returned in spirit-form to -wreak vengeance on the natives. It was more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -than three months before they could all be induced -to return to the houses. I cannot imagine -what sort of an apparition it was that -molested them the first time. The frightened -native and his wife had doubtless returned and -alarmed the others with a highly exaggerated -story, and gathering up their few belongings -they had fled for their lives. I told the foreman -the circumstances, but he strongly advised me -not to attempt to undeceive them, because they -had a deepseated superstition about the mill, -and no amount of explanation would convince -them that the place was not haunted by the -spirit of the murdered man, especially as this -was their second alarm.</p> - -<p>The peon class in Mexico are exceedingly -superstitious and there is scarcely an act or -circumstance but what portends some evil in -the mind of one or another. About the only -thing about which they have no superstitious -misgivings is the act of carrying off something -that does not belong to them.</p> - -<p>Late one afternoon, while on a trip out -through the country, we met an American in -charge of two Mexican soldiers (in citizen's -dress) who were returning with him to Tuxpam. -They said he was a desperate character who had -broken jail while awaiting trial for murder. He -was seated astride a bare-backed horse and his -legs were securely leashed to the body of the -animal, while his feet were tied together<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -underneath. His arms were tied tightly behind his -back, and altogether his situation seemed about -as secure and uncomfortable as it could be made. -He was not allowed to talk to us, but the officers -talked rather freely. They said he had recently -killed an officer who pursued him after breaking -jail. The poor fellow looked harmless and -passive, and had a kind, though expressionless, -face. His eyes and cheeks were deeply sunken -and he showed unmistakable evidence of long -suffering. They had captured him by a stratagem, -having overtaken him on the road and -pretending to be <em>amigos</em> (friends) they offered -to trade horses with him. His steed being much -fatigued he eagerly grasped the opportunity to -procure a fresh one, and as soon as he -dismounted he was seized and overpowered. The -vacant and hopeless expression of the prisoner -as he sat there bound hand and foot, and unable -to converse with his own countrymen was -indeed pathetic, and judging by his looks we -were convinced that he was not a hardened -criminal. We therefore determined to look him -up on our return to town and ascertain the -facts. Three days later upon returning to -Tuxpam we learned that soon after we passed -the party the officers had camped for the night, -and tying their victim to a tree had taken turns -at guard duty during the night. At about three -o'clock in the morning the prisoner had managed -to work himself free from the bonds and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -while the officer on watch was starting a fire to -warm the breakfast for an early morning start -the prisoner pounced upon him and seizing his -revolver struck him a blow on the head which -laid him out. At this juncture the other officer -woke up just in time to receive a bullet in his -breast which despatched him to the other -world. Taking one of the horses the fugitive -fled, and up to the time I left Mexico he had not -sent his address to the police authorities; nor -did any of them appear very anxious to pursue -him further. The officer who was first attacked -came to his senses a little later, but he was -perhaps more interested in looking to his own -comfort and safety than in attempting to follow -the fugitive, with the prospect of sharing the -fate of his fellow-officer. We were informed -that the prisoner had been a poor, hard-working, -and law-abiding resident who had migrated -to this country from Texas several years before, -bringing with him his wife and one child. He -had brought about $1,000 American money, -which had been sunk in a small farm near -Tuxpam where he had cast his lot, hoping to -make a fortune. One night his home was invaded -by a couple of drunken natives who were -determined to murder the whole family on -account of some imaginary grievance. In -defending his family and himself he killed one -of them, and wounded the other, and next day -was cast into prison, where he was kept for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -almost two years—until his escape—without an -opportunity to have his case heard. Meanwhile -both his wife and child died of smallpox without -being permitted to see him, and were buried -without his knowledge. It was reported that -after his incarceration his wife and child had -moved into a hovel in town, and that when -the coffin containing his child's body was borne -past the jail on the shoulders of a native, en -route to its last resting-place, by a most singular -and unhappy coincidence he happened to be -peering out through a small hole in the stone -wall, and saw the procession. He is said to -have remarked to another prisoner that some -poor little one had been freed from the sorrows -of life.</p> - -<p>How any white man can survive two years' -imprisonment in a Mexican jail is beyond human -comprehension; in fact we were informed that -it is not intended that one should. I heard it -remarked that "if a prisoner has plenty of -money it is worth while hearing his case, but if -he is poor, what profit is there in trying him?" -The judges and lawyers are not likely to go -probing around the jails merely for the sake -of satisfying their craving for the proper -dispensation of justice. We were told by one of the -oldest resident Americans that if in the defense -of one's own life it becomes necessary here to -take the life of another, the safest thing to do -is to collect such arms, ammunition and money<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -as may be immediately at hand and make -straight through the country for the nearest -boundary line, never submitting to detention -until the ammunition is exhausted and life is -entirely extinct. The filthiness and misery -within the walls of a Mexican jail exceed the -powers of human tongue to describe, and tardy -justice in seeking a man out in one of these -Plutonic holes is generally scheduled to arrive a -day too late.</p> - -<p>With the exception of wood-ticks, the crop -that thrives best of all in this part of Mexico, -all the year round, is grass. There are two -notable varieties; one is known as the South -American Paral grass, and the other as Guinea -grass. Both are exceedingly hardy and grow to -great height. The Paral grass does not make -seed in Mexico, but is generated from the green -plant by taking small wisps of a dozen or more -pieces, doubling them two or three times, after -which they are pressed into holes made in the -ground with a sharp stick, much after the manner -of planting corn, and in rows about the same -distance apart. Three or four inches of the -wisp is allowed to protrude above the ground. -It is generally planted thus in the latter part of -May,—though at this season the ground is very -dry,—because when the rains begin everybody -is so busy planting and caring for the corn-crop -that everything else is dropped. As soon as -seasonable weather begins the grass sprouts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -and sends out shoots along the ground in -every direction, much like a strawberry-vine. -From each joint the roots extend into the -ground, and a shoot springs up. By the early -fall the ground is completely covered, and by the -first of January it is ready to pasture lightly. -The growth is so thick and rapid that it smothers -the weeds and even many of the sprouts that -spring up from the stubs and stumps. I saw a -small patch of this grass that had been planted -early in April when the ground was so dry that -it was impossible to make openings more than -two or three inches deep with the sharp-pointed -sticks, as the holes would fill up with the dry -loose earth. This patch was planted by a native -who wished to test the hardiness of the grass, -and with little expectation that it would survive -the scorching sun of April, May and a part of -June, until rain came. It was in May that I -examined this patch, and pulling up several wisps -I did not find a single spear that had sprouted -or appeared to have a particle of life or moisture -in it. But when the rainy season commenced -every hill of it sprouted and grew luxuriantly. -During the rainy season in the fall it will readily -take root when chopped into short pieces and -scattered broadcast on the ground.</p> - -<p>The Guinea grass is almost as hardy as the -Paral, but is planted only from the seed. It -grows in great clusters, often to a height of six -feet, and soon covers the ground. These two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -grasses seem to draw a great deal of moisture -from the air, and stand the dry season almost -as well as the brush and trees. The cattle -fatten very quickly on them and never require -any grain. Beef-cattle are always in good -demand at high prices, and there is no other -industry so profitable here as cattle-raising.</p> - -<p>The deadly tarantula is as common here as -crickets are in the United States, but to my -astonishment the natives have no fear of them, -and I never heard of anyone being bitten by one -of these, perhaps the most venomous of all -insects. They abound in the pastures and live -in holes which they dig, two to four inches in -the ground. One can always tell when the -tarantula is at home, for the hole is then -covered with a web, while if he is out there is no -web over the hole. I have dug them out by -hundreds, and one forenoon I dug out and killed -seventy-two, often finding two huge monsters -together. They sometimes bite the cattle when -feeding, and the bite is usually fatal. Their -deadly enemy is the wasp (<em>Pompilus formosus</em>) -by which they are attacked and stung to death -if they venture out into the open roadway or -other bare ground.</p> - -<p>The most deadly reptile is the four-nosed -snake; it usually measures from four to six feet -in length and from 2½ to four inches in diameter -at the largest part, with sixteen great fangs, -eight above and eight below. They have the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -ferocity of a bulldog and the venom of the -Egyptian asp. The natives fear them next to -the evil spirit. The most remarkable feat of -human courage that I ever witnessed was a -battle between an Indian workman and one of -these snakes. In company with a number of -other workmen the Indian was chopping brush -on my place around a clearing that was being -burned, and the snake sprang at him from a -clump of bushes as he approached it. The -Indian struck at the snake with his machete, at -the same time jumping aside. The snake, narrowly -missing his mark, landed four or five feet -beyond. Immediately forming in a coil he -lunged back at the Indian, catching his bare leg -just below the knee, and fastening his fangs -into the flesh like a dog. The Indian made a -quick pass with his machete and severed the -snake's body about four inches from the head, -leaving the head still clinging to his leg. He -stuck the point of the machete down through -the snake's mouth, and twisting it around pried -the jaws apart, when the head dropped to the -ground. Four of the workmen and myself stood -within fifty feet of the scene, all petrified with -amazement. The Indian realizing that his doom -was sealed stood for a moment in silent -contemplation, then walked directly to where the fire -was burning and picking up a burning stick he -applied the red-hot embers on the end to the -affected part, holding it tightly against his leg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -and turning it over and over until the flesh was -seared to the bone. After completing the operation -he fell in a dead faint. He was carried -to the house and revived. His grit and courage -saved his life, and in less than three weeks he -was at work again. I offered a bounty of one -dollar apiece for every snake of this variety -killed on my ranch, and the natives would form -hunting-parties and look for them on Sundays -and rainy days. They were brought in in such -numbers that I began to think the whole place -was infested with them, when presently I -discovered that they were killing and bringing -them from all the surrounding country. They -were so cunning that they would bring a snake -and hide it somewhere on the place, then coming -to the house they would announce that they -were going snake-hunting, and in fifteen or -twenty minutes would march in triumphantly -dragging the snake, usually by a string of green -bark.</p> - -<p>There is in Mexico a small tree called <em>palo de -leche</em> (milk tree) which produces a milk so -poisonous that the evaporation will sometimes -poison a person at a distance of several feet. The -smallest infinitesimal part coming in contact -with the mucous membrane of the eye will produce -almost instant blindness, accompanied by -the most excruciating pain. The only antidote -known to the natives is to grind up peppers of -the most powerful strength—as strong as those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -of which tabasco sauce is made—and pour the -liquid into the affected eye. I saw this -distressing operation performed twice while in -Mexico. The natives naturally dread to encounter -these trees when clearing.</p> - -<p>There is an abundance of scorpions in Mexico. -They are to be found under rocks and logs, and -particularly throughout the house. One morning -I found four snugly housed in one of my -shoes. After putting my foot into the shoe the -instinctive promptness with which I removed it -from my foot reminded me of the army-ant -episode when the boatmen so hastily removed -their shirts. In putting on my shoes after that -I learned to "shake well before using."</p> - -<p>Among the nuisances in Mexico the fleas take -their place in the first rank. They appear to -thrive in every locality and under all conditions. -Like vicious bulldogs, they are especially fond -of strangers, and never lose an opportunity of -showing their domestic hospitality. In connection -with the flea family there is a very small -black variety, the name of which in Spanish is -pronounced nēwaw. They usually attack the -feet, especially of the natives—for they wear -no shoes—and burrow in under the skin around -the toenails or at the bottom of the foot, and -remaining there they deposit a great number of -eggs which are surrounded by a thin tissue -similar to that which covers a ball of spider -eggs. The presence of this troublesome insect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -is not noticeable until the eggs begin to enlarge, -when there is an irritating itching sensation -followed by pain and swelling. The skin has to -be punctured and the sack of eggs removed,—not -a pleasant operation, especially when there -are forty or fifty at one time. These insects -thrive at all seasons, and, next to the -omnipresent wood-tick, are one of the worst torments -extant. I have frequently seen natives whose -feet were so swollen and sore that they could -scarcely walk. At recurrent seasons there is a -fly that deposits a diminutive egg underneath -the skin of human beings by means of a needlelike -organ, and the larva of which produces an -extremely disagreeable sensation, sometimes -followed by fever.</p> - -<p>This does not by any means exhaust the list -of disagreeable insects and reptiles, but enough -are mentioned to give the reader some idea -of the bodily torments to which both the -inhabitants and the visitor are constantly -subjected.</p> - -<p>Having obtained a fair idea of the existing -conditions we may now return to our friend -Mr. B., and then wend our journey homeward. -After the visit to the hacienda of the wealthy -Spanish gentleman (who, by the way, brought -most of his wealth from Spain), he was perhaps -the least concerned of any man in Mexico as to -whether vanilla, rubber, coffee or anything else -could be profitably grown there. Like Dickens<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -with his Dora, he could see nothing but -"Carmencita" everywhere, and no matter upon what -line or topic the conversation turned it was sure -to end in the thought of some new charm in -the black-eyed beauty. She was not only a -flower, but a whole garden of flowers, too -beautiful and too delicate to subsist long in that -vulgar soil. She longed for the life, excitement -and companionship of the friends of her schooldays -in America, compared with which the humdrum -monotony of a Mexican hacienda seemed -like exile. With ample means and social standing -as an armor the conquest was therefore a -predestined conclusion. The conquering knight -returned home with me, but in less than seven -weeks he was back again, though not by the way -of the loitering route down the <em>laguna</em>. In the -following November he returned again to America, -bringing with him the coveted treasure -whom he installed in a beautiful home in -America's greatest metropolis. The union of -these two kindred souls was a happy event. -Their home has since been blessed with the -advent of two lovely girls and one boy. It is -therefore no longer true that no American -fortune-hunter has ever returned from the -rural districts of southeastern Mexico richer -than when he went there; for here is an instance -where one of the most priceless of all gems was -captured and borne triumphantly away from a -land which appears to abound in nothing but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -pestilence and torment.</p> - -<p>Verily may it be said that this part of Mexico -whose people, possibilities, peculiarities, -pestilences and pests I have briefly sketched in the -foregoing pages, was made for Mexicans, and so -far as I am personally concerned, they are -everlastingly welcome to it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="footnotes"><h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> It was customary for the shipwrecked sailor to deposit -in the temple of the divinity to whom he attributed his -escape, a votive picture (<em>tabula</em>) of the occurrence, together -with his clothes, the only things which had been -saved.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> The reader should not confound this with other Tuxpams -and Tuxpans in Mexico. The name of this place is nearly -always misspelled, Tuxpan, with the final <em>n</em>; it is so -spelled even in the national post-office directory; but it -is correctly spelled with the final <em>m</em>.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> The mortality from smallpox in Mexico is alarming. -Three weeks later our party stopped over night about -twelve miles up from Tuxpam on the Tuxpam River opposite -a large hacienda called San Miguel. We noticed when -we arrived that there was a constant hammering just -over the river in the settlement. It sounded as though -a dozen carpenters were at work, and the pounding kept -up all night. In the morning we inquired what was the -occasion of this singular haste in building operations, -and were told that the workmen were making boxes in -which to bury the smallpox victims. It was reported -that fifty-one had died the day before, and that -the number of victims up to this time was upwards of -three hundred, or nearly one-third of the population of -the place. One of the natives told us that a very small -percentage of the patients recover, which is easily understood -when it is explained that the first form of treatment -consists of a cold-water bath. This drives the fever -in and usually kills the patient inside of forty-eight hours. -There was no resident physician and the physicians in -Tuxpam were too busy to leave town. They would not -have come out anyway, as not one patient in fifty could -afford to pay the price of a visit. A nearby settlement -called Ojite, numbering sixty odd souls, was almost completely -blotted out. There were not enough survivors -to bury the dead.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> I was told in Mexico that every day in the year is recorded -as the birthday of some saint, and that every child is -named after the saint of the same natal day. For instance, -a male child born on June 24 would be named Juan, after -Saint John, or San Juan. The anniversary days of perhaps -thirty or forty of the more notable saints are given up -to feasting and dissipation.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> See description of the <em>tortilla</em> on p. 36.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> After a lapse of twelve years I can recall the -incidents and sensations of the journey from Tampico -to Tuxpam as connectedly and vividly as though it -had been but a week ago.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> The customary measurement of money values in -Mexico is three cents, or multiples of three, where the -amount is less than one dollar. The fractional currency -is silver-nickels, dimes, quarters, halves, and large copper -pennies. Three cents is a <em>quartilla</em>, six cents a <em>medio</em>, -and twelve cents a <em>real</em>. Although five-cent pieces and -dimes are in common use, values are never reckoned by -five, ten, fifteen or twenty cents. Fifteen being a -multiple of three would be called <em>real y quartilla</em>, one real -and a quartilla. In having a quarter changed one gets -only twenty-four cents no matter whether in pennies, or -silver and pennies. A fifty-cent piece is worth but -forty-eight cents in change, and a dollar is worth only -ninety-six cents in change, provided the fractional coins are all -of denominations less than a quarter. If a Mexican, of -the peon class, owes you twenty-one cents and he should -undertake to pay it (which would be quite improbable) -he would never give you two dimes and a penny, or four -five-cent pieces and a penny; he would hand you two -dimes and four pennies (two <em>reals</em>), and then wait for you -to hand him back three cents change. If you were to -say <em>veinte y uno centavos</em> (twenty-one cents) to him he -wouldn't have the slightest idea what you meant; but -he would understand <em>real y medio y quartilla</em>,—being -exactly twenty-one cents.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> In 1907, I received a letter from my foreman at the -ranch, saying that yellow fever had spread throughout -the Tuxpam valley district, and that upon its appearance -in the American settlement at the <em>mesa</em> the whole colony -of men, women and children literally stampeded and fled -the country, taking with them only the clothes that were -on them. The old gentleman (American) from whom I bought -my place, and who had lived there for forty-seven years -prior to that time, fell a victim to the yellow plague, -together with his two grown sons. Thirty years before his -wife and two children had fallen victims to smallpox. Thus -perished the entire family. It is said that this is the -first time in many years that yellow fever had visited that -district. I scarcely ever heard of it while there, though -Vera Cruz, a few miles further south, is a veritable hot-bed -of yellow fever germs.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> There is nearly an acre of coffee in full bearing on my -place, but I have not taken the trouble even to have it -picked. Occasionally the natives will pick a little of it -either for home use or for sale, but they do not find -it profitable, and so most of the fruit drops off and goes -to waste.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> A few years later Mr. A. sold his unimproved land for -about one-third of what it cost him, so that now I am -the only one of the party to retain any permanent -encumbrances there. Be it said, however, to the credit -of my injudicious investment, that there has never been -a year when I have not received a small net return, over -expenses; and that is far more than I can say for my farm -in Massachusetts, with all its modern equipments. It has -lately been discovered that that section of Mexico is rich -in petroleum, and in 1908 I leased the oil-privileges alone -for a sum nearly as large as I expected ever to realize -for the whole place.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> It will be understood, of course, that in speaking of -Mexico I refer only to the district where I visited.</p> - -<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> While this volume was in process of issue there -appeared in several leading newspapers a full-page -advertisement by some Mexican orange-grove company, which -contained many of the most extraordinary offers. For -example, the promoters agree, for a consideration of -$250, to plant a grove of fifty orange trees and to care -for them two years; then turn the grove over to the -investor, who receives $250 the first year, $375 the -second year, and so on until the tenth year, when the -grove of fifty trees nets an income of $5,500 (gold) -per annum, which will be continued for upwards of four -hundred years. The company's lands are located "where -the chill of frost never enters, where the climate excels -that of California, where you are 500 miles nearer -American markets than Los Angeles and 60 days earlier -than Florida crops—this is the spot where you will own -an orange grove that will net you $5,500 annually without -toil, worry or expense. We will manage your grove, if -you desire, care for the trees, pick, pack and ship your -oranges to market, and all you will have to do is to bank -the check we send to you." It would appear that anyone -with $250 who refuses this offer must indeed be heedless -of the coming vicissitudes of old age; for the promoters -pledge their fortunes and their sacred honor that "when -your grove is in full bearing strength you need worry no -longer about your future income."</p> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="transnote"> - - -<h2>TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:</h2> - -<p>Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, -the author's original spelling, punctuation and -hyphenation have been left intact.</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Journey in Southeastern Mexico, by -Henry Howard Harper - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A JOURNEY IN SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO *** - -***** This file should be named 43972-h.htm or 43972-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/9/7/43972/ - -Produced by Chris Whitehead and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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