The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-02-05
THE WEST.
OUR CORRESPONDENT INvADEs AN
ANCIENT MEXICAN CITY.
THE FINEST HARBoR ON THE PAorF1c
FIELDS FOR ENTERPRIsING YANKEES
Millions in Gold and iSilper in The Vieini
FUTURE PoRT OF THE AMERIoAN.AUsTRA.
LIAM TRADE.

GUAYMAs, Mexico, Jan. "a, 1881.
Mr.. DiToR,-This quaint old town in
Sonora, Mexico, is located on the east shore
of the Gulf of California, and has q harbor
land-locked and sheltered from the sea with
approaches through channels between the
Islands Of Pejoras, San Vincente, Pitaya:
and Cochori. The odd and distinctive feat
ures of this strange old town, are so peculiar
that have been tempted to give your read
crs some idea of its location, its future pos
sibilities, and something of the ante-deluvi-
an habits of this city OF 5000 souls.
! came down from Frisco on very COM
Portable coastwise steamer which touches
here about once month, carrying few
passengers and light caEgo of goods. We
anchored one bright morning in the harbor,
and while we were preparing to go ashore /
took in the wild and romantic surroundings
of this port, so soon TO become great com
mercial entrepot in the American-Austral-
ian trade.
Lazy Yaqui Indians were plying their vo-
cation on every hand catching fish of many
varieties or taking shrimps, crabs, Holsters
and oysters, that are found in great abund-
ance.
THE TOWN OF GUAYMAs
nestles at the end of its quiet and secure
harbor, surrounded ON three sides by high
blutfy mountains. The opening INTO the
ocean between two high, rugged cliffs, is
about five miles from the city, aud within
this strait the bay widens s0 as 10 furnish
what has been well termed the most
secure harbor on the Pacific. About half
mile from the town an island divides the
inner from the outer harbor, and it is on
this island that the southwestern terminus
of the great Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
is located. Here are the immense wharves
and unlimited dockage, where the heaviest
men n-of-war can anchor in safety. Beyond
the island, landward, the water is much
shallower, the average depth being but
about nine feet while on the scaward side
there is depth averaging thirty feet. The
railroad reaches its terminus by a long
bridge from the Eastern shore, and will be
able to
TRANSPORT FREIGHT To THE STEAMER DIRECT.
After some little delay at the custom
house, we walked over 10 the "American
HOTEL" and am free to say that il is the
oddest looking building in the world enioy-
ing that universal name a low, square,
adobe building, surrounding court or pla-
cita. Its mud floors and small windows,
and low ceilings, are striking novelties.
After lunch my friend and I sauntered
through the town, which carries the Mexi-
can stamp upon its face. The buildings are
all of adobe, built one story high, and bet
ter as class than those in New Mexico
In fact, some of them were highly orna-
mental. As we neared the public square, or
plaza, we found gay scene awaiting us.
The native band from the garrison were
playing medley of Spanish airs, aud the
plaza was filled with ladies, young and old,
in gay costumes, who promenaded without
escorts, their natural protectors standing
outside the circle and bowing here and there
as they recognized acquaintances. 1t was
very pretty sight to an American unused to
such scenes. found, upon becoming better
acquainted, that