Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1881-02-19
THE FINEST sARe0R ON THE PACIFIC.
Our Own Correspondent Invades an
Ancient, Antique Mexican city.
Future Port Of American Australian
Trade.
GrYMAs. MEXICO, February

| GcYMAs. MEXICO, February, 1881.
! Mr.. EDlroR-This quaint old town in
Sonora, Mexico, is located ON the east
! shore of the Gulf of California and has
harbor, land-locked and sheltered
from the sea with approaches through
! channels hctwecnthc Islands Of Pajoras,
san Nicent, ptayas and Cochori. The
odd and distinctive feature ofthis strange
Cd town. 81 SO peculiar that | have
been tempted to give your reader some
idea Of its location, its future poS~ihili
ties and something of the aiae deluyan
habits Of this city Of 5000 souls.
came down iiom Frisco on very
comfortable coastwi~e steamer which
touches here about once month. carry
ing few passengers and Il light cargo Of
goods We anchored one bright morn
ing ia the harbor, and while we were
preparing to go ashore | took in the
wild and romantic surroundings of thls
port, 50 soon 10 become "A great CONNER
cial entreport in the American Austria
lian trade.
Lazy Naqui Indians were plying
their vocation on every hand catching.
fish of many varictie, or taking shrmpe
crabs. Holsters and oysters that a.
found in great abundance.
THE Town OF GUYMAs
nestlcs at the end of It's quiet and secure
harbor. surrounded on three sides by
high bluffv mountains The opening to
the ocean between two high, rugged
rlitTS. is about five miles from the city.
and within this strait thr bay wilcus so
as to furnish what has been well termed
,hc most secure harbor ON the Pacific
About halfmilc from thc town an island
divide. the inner from the outer harbor
and il is on this island that the South
western terminus of the great Atchi>Dn.
Topeka and Santa Fe is located. Here
are the immense NharVc9 and unlimited
dockaG@. Whcr" the heaviest mcn-of-
war can anchor in safety. Beyond the
island, landward, the water is much
shallower, the average depth being bui
about lime feet, while on the SeAWard
side there is "A depth averaging thirty
feet. The railroad reaches It's terminus
hv long bridge from the eastern shore
and will hc able 10 transport freight TO
the steamer direct.
After some li,tle delay at the custom
hou>e. We walked over 10 the Amer
lean hptrl, and ! am free to say that it
iS ia" eldest looking building In the
world enjoying that universal name: 4
low, square, adobe building Surrouni-
ing court Of or placita T.. mad floors
and small windows. a4a inw ceilings.
are striking novelties ter y lunch
my friend and : ru,. Il through the
town. which clrlEus ''a Mexican stamp
upon it~ face lie buildings are al of
adobe, huil one story high, and better
as class than tho>e in New Mcxico.
In fact. some of them were highly
ornamental. As we neared the public
square or plaza. we found a gay sceue
awaiting Us. The native band from the
garrison were PLAYING medley ofSpan-
ish airs, and the plaza was filled with
ladies, young and old, in gay costume,
who promenaded without escorts, their
natural protectors standing outside the
circle and bowing here and there as they
recognized acquainstances. It WAS z
very pretty sight to an American unused
to such scenes. found, upon becoming
better acquainted. that
THE INuABIrANTs
per Ten" being the Spanish merchants
whom I found refined and educated and
with an elegant gentlity about them,
foo often lacking among Our own ariS-