Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-04-30
Letter from Mexico.
T., THE MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO,
lN h,,,l ~ 1891
=, ,;.or-Dear Sir-In my two 70

to"ins " coast of the Republican Mexico. |
Ia'',cb an extended journey, through |
IN SUI 81 novel and interesting, there are !
sen seen a thousand things which in
10 Wives would he rich subjects upon
uonh IN hold converse with my friends
Winch your paper. But where every
lhiVi Is SO perfectly new and strange, an
I'M 't,,,[7rrrienced correspondent like myself
u ~ be compared to person gathering
ILLS mon the sea shore. Each curious
well that is picked up always seems more
Eaauriful and interesting than the last,
I'D when quantity has been gathered II
even then perpleXing matter to decide
mon which will be most admired by 9th
crs. However, TO accomplish this taSh
with some degree of success, Is the oDJee'
which have set before me III the remain
ING letters which shall write you from
Mexico. ,.,
Those who have made study OF me
philosophy OF life, from physician stal'us
roint. have found the greatest cause Vi
+. endless variations in the rays Oh inc
.nmnipotent sun. They say the influence
of this great lUminalN rules allke inc ucS-
,i,,,, If fIIc animal and vegetable kingdom.
AlJ if to this be added the modifying
meets of the physical characteristics Of
~ ountrv, there can be no doubt that the
,,,nst powerful influences upon the organ
:, world lave been told.
If this be true some account OF the eli
mate and physical characteristics and
.niI of a country should prcCcde any other
ionic. and must necessarily be the prelude
~ an intelligent understanding of the
',rpius, manners and customs ofits people
:. well - of the manifestation OF its ami
NAL and vegetable life.
For this reason which appears to me TO
T.. worthy will devote the rest OF my
Letter 10 the consideration of the climate
and soil of Mexico. Two well marked
seasons characterize the climate of MCNl-
40. The dry season commences about the
,ir.t of November and continues until
,,hnut the first of June. This does not
mean, however, that it never rains during
these months, but rainfall is very untre-
ullcut, and hence the name. The temper
,.,ure i'm the middle OF the day during this
urriod of the year, is about such as We eX-
urrieuce in ShcphsrdStUWn in the first
week of June. Towards evening it begins
to decline and by morning has fallen to
such an extent IL to occasion heavy deWS,
viii; IA are 80 abundant ~ 10 compensate III
yrcat degree for the absence of rain. ms
circumstance, while il i life To vegetation,
i, one OF the greatest drawbacks 10 our 40
ncStiC comfort in camp, after tramplng
the mountains and hills all day we sleep
.wcctly and ,Oundly for The first part of
might. but towards morning, when sleep Is
.yrrt,St from the taste we have had, The
cool damp chilling air pcuctrates tents,
,rlim-hianhe.s, wOUlcu-1lanhctS, and AT
last reaching our spinal columns cuts up
,uch fantastic tricks that almost make the
Engiuccrs weep. What have written
above will convey an idea with but slight
variation Us it approaches its close OF The
whole VI the MeAican winter or dry sc%-
sou.
The wet season or Mexican summer oc-
ours during the other five months OF the
wear. OF this We of course have had no
personal experience, but our acGualnt-
anccs here assure u, that 1t Will be truly
"ihc summer OF our discomfort. The
Streams which We have crossed, and
which are now dwimdied TO nothing, VIII
then, We are told, become great bounding
Hoods OF water, and the hundreds OF ufF
wafer courses which are 80 mach trouble
IN Engineers, will be rrpleni>hcd and
swell into formidable streams. Rain, rain,
rain. will he the order of the day, ana
hrat md musuuitUS The leading features
az the night. What delightful combina-
ton these three make. and YOU can mag
ina how pleasant are our autiCipat.OnS.
But should not fail 10 mention fact
which very sensible effects the tcmpera-
,ure of various localities of this country.
! refer 10 their altitude, In our overland
iourncv from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific,
across the breadth of Mexico, we haH
abundant opportunity OF observing TINS
at Vera Cruz We sighed At the remem-
I,rance of the fresh bTeczes We had LETT
behind al home and at the City Of Mexico
about 800 miles TO the west but 5000 feet
above the level of the ocean, we lounG
The difference oftempcrature so marked
that our winter clothing WAS not uucoin-
Portable. As we again approached me
Ocean, hut this time the Pacific, we found
The hot DAYS returning ami our letters
from home telling of severe winter ana
deep SHOWS were hard TO appreciate. But
] must now say something otlhe physical
characteristics and soil OF Mexico or |
shall disregard the patience OF our read
crS.
Mexico as | have seen it from eastto
xest is country Of everlasting monh-
tainS and eternal hil!s-not such, hoWeN-
or. ~ we of the Shenandoah are aCcuS-
toned 70 sec-the Blue Ridge stretching
its regular outline against the morning
sk,- and the North Mountain holding It's
even contour amid the shades OF departing
day. But here they are great broken ana
wrinkles OF the earth Wlll
peak after peak great and small piled to-
rcthrr in beautiful confusion. y lover
81 mountain scenery and sublime heights
might feast bis eve for lifetime among
these mountains but could not exhaust
their infinite variety and scarcher TOR
grandeur in nature might here rest from
his labors and drink to safety the pleasure
OF his choice. in their shape and strlict-
Nre these mountains tClla story OF ire
lncndous volcanic action, begun and al
most cnCed in former days. Their rocks
fcar every evidence Of having passed thro'
the great furnaces Of the world ana are HI
lie less than masses of consolidated lava.
But there are still us il were FAINT echoes
in the land of what must have one" pt'h
days of gigantic Upheavv!S o.: great meas
Urclc>s assures in the earth ana OF streams
of lava flowing like mountain torrents
from their trembling sidcs, occaSlohaiiy a
slight earthquake Is now felt ana lhe 'iuuh
IF smoke and sulphurouS fumes which
arise into the heavens IRON 'hG
volcano of COluira in view OF when l
write are but gentle reminders OF the truth
If what have said above. But as between
the sorrows and difficulties OF human lie
there are periods ofhappineSs rest and re-
rose, 80 between the mountains anu hllIs
Df earth are the bright smiling valleys
which sustain and form the C0miortapie
ibOdc of man. Hence Mexico Is "A coun-
try of valleys, some small and nestled
among the mountains, others broad, spa
cious and fertile, and at other places The /
land stretches away as far as the eye can
reach i'll extended plains. The character I
If the soil may be inferred from what l
4 we already written. There are localities I
which sUppcrta wealth of vegetation so |
hl,nlnnt Ihal il ihn: M.nrn iurnrl 10 ~ |