Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-08-05
CARTAGENA, U. s. Colombia, S. A.,
June "a, 1875.

June "a, 1875.
am in Cartagena, where business
matters have some days kept me.
The Royal Mail Steamer "26" is what
l am now waiting for. The ten days
l have spent here seem like
so many months. may walk but
cannot talk Spanish. Let me tell
you how l try to relieve the irksomc-
ness of the hours. At 81 O'Clock A.
M, take sea bath; coffee about Z
o'clock; Spanish lesson until 10;
breakfast, 10a; then little more
Spanish; then walk; dinner at 5
o'clock; two hours walk on the wall !;
bed at 81 o'clock. Am up every
morning at 5. Can't sleep for the
church bells. They do not ring them,
but pound them with hammers from
abont Al to u o'clock A. NJ. 1t is a
wake-up Jake to the new conner, but a
lullaby to the native.
This is a grand old city. 1t num-
bers about 10000 people; had at one
time over $4,000. 1t is enclosed by a
stone wall from 10 to rs feet high,
and from 25 to 100 feet wide. The
perpendicular accommodates itself to
the contour of the ground-the top
of the wall being on level, with room
on top for an army to march around
the city. This wall and the forts APP
purtenant thereto cost the snug sum
of $54,OOO,0oO. The work was com
pleted about 1720. Cartagcna, as you
may conclude, is one of the strongest
fortified cities in the world. But the
wall is a disadvantage to the place.
1t makes It hot and keeps out the sea
breeze. 1t is nevertheless grand
old place for promenade. The forts
and cathedrals are objects Of interest,
though most of them are either in
ruins or in an advanced state Of de-
cay.
The old converts, once covering
acres of ground, must have been mag
nilicent structures in their time and
generation; but they are institutions
of the past, never to be re-habilitated
in this age or the age to come. The
people are mostly Catholic-different
from the UItramontanes Of Europe
and the United States-m0re liberal,
more tolerant toward the Protestant
world. The priests have more priv
ileges and the followers are allowed
more indulgences. This WAS not the
case when the church had full power.
They do not seem to regard Sunday
as holy day or a day Of rest, as we
do. The 10th and 23d of this month
(Sundays) were their election days,
when they voted for President of the
United States of Colombia. There
appeared to be but little excitement
rather more on the 18th than yes
terday. Whites and blacks voted to-
gether--all for the same candidate
anative Of this State, bolivia, Senior
Rafael Nerrez. A month will trans
pire before it is learned who is elected.
| did not see one intoxicated man on
the 10th, and only single person in
that condition Yesterday negro.
White men are seldom seen on the
streets the worse for liquor. Doubt
aess they sometimes indulge to ex-
cess; but if so, it is at their rooms
and clubs. There are good num-
Der of old Spanish families, who
pride themselves upon their ancient
ancestry and their blue blood.
AS to the women folks-I know
my Montana bachelor friends will
want to know about them--they are
all much more modest and prudently
behaved than many suppose. or the
first families | have seen but compar-
atively little. These only as they
take an airing in their carriages or
seated at their open windows. They
do not take kindly to street prone
nades after the fashion of European
and American femininity. Pretty,
handsome types of brunette beauty
are not wanting. They dress with
becoming, aftl affect but little jewell
ry display. The blood mixtures are
many. There are lovely girls of the
Spanish-Indian cross; Spanish and
Jamaica or negro, not bad looking.
Then comes the Indian pure, and the
negro the same, with their several
physical and race characteristics.
Spanish I, negro and Indian /
moulds into attractive womanhood.