The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-08
TRAVEL BY RAIL IN MEXICO.
An Ascent of Nearly 5000 Feet Made In
Three Hours.

Three Hours.
The railway from Vera Cruze to the
city of Mexico is in many respects one of
the most remarkable pieces of engineer
ing of its kind in the world. The cost
was very great, taking into account the
cheapness of labor in this country; but o
trip across the mountains should con-
vince the most skeptical that not much
of the $27, 100000 that it cost to build
263 miles of road was misspent Between
Orizaba and Esperanza the rise is nearly
5000 feet, and this journey is accomplished
in three hours. The track winds around
the hillsides, at one moment crossing an
almost bottomless chasm and at another
darting through short tunnel, only to
come out at the other side Of the hill
with greater heights beyond. The tropi-
cal vegetation ceases trees and flowers
of the temperate zone appear only to
make room for pines and MOSES. The
change seems magical. Far down on
the plains that have been left behind,
the traveller can see the sugar cane
swaying in the breeze, while be has to
button his overcoat close round his neck,
and pull up the windows to keep out the
keen, frosty mountain air. II is not un.
usual to leave Vera Cruz with the ther-
mometer at $50 and find it, six hours
after, at 160. The train stops at little way
side station at the top of the mountains
to take on wood and water, and dozens OF
Indian boys and girls Immediately sur
round the train with the most delicious
fruit. Plantains, sapotis, and pines OF
choice bloom can be bought for a mere
triAe, half real (6l cents) procuring a
basketful.
On leaving Esperanza the railroad
crosses an alkaline plain, where the dust
is intolerable; and this plain continues
until the city Of Mexico is reached. The
great peak of Orizaba is now left behind
to the northeast, and far away in the
southwest the sharp, snow.clad summit
of Popocatepetl, and his companion, IL
taccihuatl, or "La Dame Blanche" are
seen in the rare, clear air. In fact, the
elevation begins to tell upon some OF the
passengers, and a general futtering OF
handkerchiefs shows that the noses OF
some are giving warning of a tendency to
bleed.
The principal production of this region
of Mexico is the naguey or agaue Ameri-
ca,.o, 80 we'll known in the States as the
century plant. 1t is no exaggeration to
say that between Esperanza and Mexico
there are at least one hundred miles OF
plantations of this shrub, and every year
the production is becoming greater.
Hundreds of farms are given up to the
cultivation of the magucy, and a good
plantation yields net profit Of from $685.
900 to 100000 a year.
The plant is not ready for use
until after several years growth, aud
it is then generally about three to four
feet in height. When the time has ar.
rived for extracting the juice, an incis.
ion is made near the foot, in the centre
and the heart is cut out to form reser.
yoir in which the juice of the leaves col.
lects. This juice is then drawn up by
means of long dried pumpkin called
acocoH, and is then emptied into sheep
skin. It is poured on cows hide
stretched on a frame, the hair being in
side, and there allowed to ferment
| Afterward it is again put into sheepskin:
and shipped to market under the name
of pulque. This forms the staple drink o
Mexico, and, according the rather imper
feet returns of the octroi of the city o
Mexico, the duty paid on pulque elon'
amounts to between $4,000 and 81 1000
day. 1t is drank instead Of water. 1t il
slightly intoxicating, and to the foreign
palate it is insipid, tasting like barle!
water that has soured. The maguey is t
Mexico what the vine is to France, O.
hops to England, and it has played {
prominent part in the history and tradi
tions of the country. The word Mexico
is said to be derived from the Indial
name of the maaguey metl )-at least th'
most ancient Mexican traditions giv'
this derivation. Their great god, who
rejoiced in the high sounding name o.
Huitzilopochli, was said to have beer
born of a virgin of the noble race of Citl
and to have had his cradle in the hear
of aneN plant; whence his pet name 0
mecitH, afterward corrupted into Mexitli
When their new city was built by th'
Aztees, they called it Mexico, after thei
tutelary god.
On the alkaline plain beyond Esperan
"a the traveller is suddenly reminded
that neither life nor property is protec
ted as it is in less favored climes. A
guard of sixteen soldiers in the rear ca
of the train seems at first to be uset
merely in order to employ those worth
les during the short space of time tina
intervenes between revolutions, and
group of very ragged cavalry, in dirt,
linen blouses and toeless boots, at every
station, does not remove this impression
But as the train stops at little station
several women dressed in black, accom-
panied by young men with black band:
round their white sombreros, enter tht
train. That is their farm that lies unde
yonder hill, not a half mile from tht
railroad, and a few days ago bandits at
tackled their home and killed two of thu
family. This is no isolated case. At the
present moment, there are two young
Americans in Mexico who are much
more interesting to the natives than ii
Grant or Sheridan. These young men
scarcely 20 years of age, were travelling
lately on diligence, when they were
attacked by Banditti, one of whom seized
the horses heads and called the driver
to stop. One Of The Americans, namec
Centre, immed. lately shot the ruffiar
dead, and within half an hour five bandits
lay dead on the field. Six more were
afterward found dead or dying, and foul
who were captured were hanged.