Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-03
MEXICO
Mszico as Seen by Strange Eyes-First
Impressions Of a Traveller.


Impressions Of a Traveller.
a RECORD UNION correspondent, writing
from ManzaniIlo, Mexico, under date of
October 10th, says:
So little is written about the tropics
upon the American continent, that few
realize there are such places until they
contemplate visiting this country, and then
a search for information is In vain, as such
articles as have been published give but
little information as to routes or modes of
travel, or the necessary habiliments to ac-
company the traveller for comfort. Like
most all others, found at Mazatlan a hot
reception, the mercury indicating l05',
which Is fully equal to 100 in any of the
States OF America, owing to the heavy
growth Of timber and vegetation for miles
around the city, and the great amount of
water in the bayous, eyaporating into a
steam like an old fashioned sugar. camp on
large scale. Notwithstanding the heat,
MAzATLAN
Is a lively city of l3, 600 inhabitants, and
= large trade is carried on here. The pro-
duct of the country around the city is corn,
vegetables and fruit Two large Italian
vegetable gardens are farmed about five
miles from the city, on the northwest.
Vegetables of all kinds are plenty and as
cheap as in Sacramento, except potatoes.
Out from the coast from seyenty-five to
one hundred miles, coffee and cotton are
successfully cultivated and prove to be
valuable crops also a good article of to-
bacco is produced here. Cigars, cigarettes
and bananas are the chief stock in trade
with the natives, being easier produced. A
little labor goes a great way with a Next
can. Mazatlan is the coast port for the
State of Sinaloa, an outlet without duty
for the product of the Ssate-an item OF
great Importance, as every State in Mexico
collects its own duties on exports and i'm.
ports, and collects just as heavy duties
from sister State as from foreign power.
At Mazatlan, ships anchor
AT OPEN SEA
A mile and half from shore. The bay is
too small and shallow to admit of any
thing but small schooners. The loading
and unloading is all done by lighters, pro.
psled by oars in the hands of natives.
Street cars run through the main streets of
the city, and are well patronized by the
natives. The buildings are nearly all one
story, made of sun-dried bricks or adobe.
No wagons and very few carriages of any
kind are in use in this part of Mexico.
Everything is done by the faithful donkey
and burro. They carry, on packs, rock for
building, cobble-stone fer paving, gravel,
sard and lime for roofing and plastering.
Ali the travelling through the country is
done by riding on horse or mu!eback, ex-
cept upon some of the main thoroughfares
from city to city, where stages are run
through the dry season only, as the roads
are never worked herein fact, there are
no roads in this part of Mexico. Business
of all kinds is monopolizsd by the Ger
mans, who, of course, sell every thing very
high, and assign as a reason the
HEAVY DUTIES IMPOSED,
And almost without exception they oppose
the construction OF railroads, undoubtedly
fearing Yankee competition. Ali persons
visiting Mexico should lay in good sup
ply OF cotton and linen clothing before
starting, as they are very high here and
wooden cannot be worn. There is no ready.
made clothing here; if person wants
anything they have to leave their order and
have it made. The common native costume
is white cotton pants and shirt, broad
brimmed hat made of palm, and sandals on
the feet made of a thick strip Of leather
strapped to the foot with strings. All go
armed with maehado and pistol, and will
fight any time when challenged and with
anybody. Robberies are common. Travel
ers are accompanied by armed police or
soldiers, according to suspected danger.
Soldiers are
CONSTANTLY PATRoLLING
The country. While at Mazatlan regi.
ment came in from the interior, where they
had been chasing some Indians and rob
bers. There were about four hundred
men in the command, and, without ex.
ception, they were the hardest, dineiest,
dirtiest-lookiHg set OF humans ever saw.
They maintained no order OF line or march
no officers could be distinguished among
them the animals they bad were all very
small and deathly poor, and jaded dowI
so badly that as soon as the men dis
5 mounted they by common instinct took
) position of rest, and all laid down
The little pack animals were so'srnall theiI
loads covered them almost entirely from
sight. The men rolled around upon the
ground, sleeping in the hroiling sun like
J young alligators, and looked about as 40.
sent and void of any aim or purpose in life.
!, At San Bias there is no harbor ships
anchor at open sea half mile from shore,
and there is no city or town. A large,
5 ancient-lookipg adobe building is occupied
as custom house, and with it's pillars and
arches, and surrounded by ountains GOV
cred with
FOLIAGE OF MAGNIFICENT VARIETY
Presents rather picturesque scenery. Will,
the ship lies at anchor, it is surrounded by
{ small boats loaded with natives, with theil
{ articles of trade consisting of bananas
: oranges, lemon juice, tobacco and cigars
g A good article of the latter can be pur
1 chased here for two dollars per hundred
!. About half league from the anchorage
, towers majestioally above the water hun
/, bred feet, a SNOWY bite rcek, and away IL
the distance northward, far from shore
: another rises to view, white as 3 STOW
. capped peak of the Sierras. San Bias is
/, the shipping outlet fer the State OF X1lisco
: and is 10 miles from Mszatlan. Guada
: laxara ia the eapitsl OF the State, and is {
! city Of so, 600 inhabitants. A stage runs
. from San Bias to the capital during the
/. dry season once each month. From Man
e zauillo I go to Coiima, the capital Of the
Safe of Colima, city OF 10000 inhab
itants, and the headquarters of the Mexi
, can National Railroad. MAJICo.
3 The RECORD UNIONS nert original sto;g
acas acsitten By Junias Henri Broaene Of Nea
: York. It 1oiH appear in treuty instdI1a,edts
commencing Nouem6er l, 1881.
;