Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-23
A RIDE IN MEXICO.
Incidents ola Long Journey Among
the Mountain Tops.
A Five Days Ride Over an UnprOductiVe
and Arid Table Land Dining
at a Mexican
Inn.

lnns
a correspondent writing to the Phil
adelphia Press says: 1t was 3 O'Clock
in the morning and we were snugly
slowed away in the bed at the hotel in
Monterey, when there came a series OF
poundings on the door, accompanied
by a combination of Spanish exclama-
tiCns. We knew what it meant, and,
hastily dressing by the dim light Of a
tallow dip, we secured baggage and
then went out into the court, where the
old Concord coach stood, which was to
bear Us on u way over the mountains
$50 miles, on our tivedays' journey from
Monterey TO San Luis POtoSi.
The Outlines OF The Coach,
were %perceptible by the dim light of q
coupe of small fires which were burn
ing in the court, and, clambering into
the vehicle, / found my seat and set
tied down with my eight companions
for a long days ride. The old coach
went out of the court on the jump, and
ratified along and over the s~tOne.paved
streets at 3 lively rate, its eight mules
being kept on a constant run. The
dim outlines of Monterey were o left
behind, and we rumbled along over a
mountain road, which was, considering
the character of the country, in quite
good condition. Daybreak came, and
soon after the stage drove up in front
of a little mud house, and a cup of Bit
ter black coffee, without any milk,
some grimy-lOokins cOrn cakes and a
plate of rice was served up for break
fast.
As the stage penetrated the country
to the South,
The Landscape
continued to grow less and less interest
ing. We were on the table land among
the mountains, all the way from three
to five thousand feet above the sea. On
either side of the road were to be seen
the tops of the mountains. They APP
reared to be barren of any vegetation
save the everlasting cactus plant n
mesquite tree; in this respect they were
in accord with the general condition OF
the entire country between Monterey
and san Luis PUtOSi, ave places which
resemhled the cases in the desert, or
were in the vicinity of the intermediate
towns and cities.
Food alta Mexican RORG-HOuse.
One day on this trip is much the
same a. the rest. In your coach you
are Sandwichei in with eight other i'll
dividuals, where ordinarily six should
be the outside limit of the capacity.
You ride from o'clock in the morning
until / o'clock in the afternoon. The
coach, propelled by its eight mules, Is
hustled over q rocky, dusty road ut the
rate Of eighty miles a day; every three
hours you are landed at some "hacien-
da" or town, where, while the mules
are being changed, you have an oppor-
tuuity 10 get something to eat or drink.
Almany places where we stopped we
were well served.
The Food
was not cooked in just such a style as
an American would appreciate under
ordinary circumstances; still it seemed
very we'll on this occasion. There are
places, however, where the passengers
are treated to the most abOminable con-
coctions ever devised and palmed OIL on
mankind as food. Black, muddy-lOok-
but pure coffee is served everywhere:
tea Is rarely to be obtained; milk is
only TO be found at a few places and
il has \ sui-generis flavor. AT some
places chocolate can be obtained, ii you
call for it; that is a drink which is made
i'm Mexico to perfection. The water is
generally bad, and should not be drank
unless a little lemon or some extract
has first been placed in it.
Looking from the stage window, III
passing over the table lands, one sees
|. on either side alandscape which grows
mOnotOnOus from its general
Sameness and WOrthIessness.
The mountains, destitute as they ap-
pear, have still redeeming qualities, be-
cause they are reputed to be very rlch
in minerals of various kinds, especially
silver; but the open country, which
stretches itself on either side Ofthe road
for miles and miles, is the most I'M
productive appearing property that
could we'll be met with. Here 1t IS that
the hundred thousand acre and million
tracts one is wont to Lear of in the
States, as being for sale at from twenty
five to fifty cents an acre, a be found.
| do not wonder that their owners are
perfectly willing TO part with such
ground for even a song. | would not
envy the American farmer who had q
million acres OF his land given him and
attempted To work it. So far as L could
see, the only things growing on it were
little scraggy bushes, cactus, stunted
trees, and on the better tracts the
'NIaguey plant" The soil is generally
either OF a very light sandy character,
or else Of heavy clayey composition.
ATypIcaI Mexican Family.
You can generally find the Mexican
''peOn" family gathered around the
| door of the humble dwelling at any
/ hour ofthe day. A model family con-
sists of husband and wife, eve or
| eight children of all ages, sizes and con-
I ditions, and in all stages of dress and
Enthusiastically preferring the rich
| brown tint which nature gave them for
dress parade-two or three dogs, q goat
or so, several pigs, a cat and some
| chickens. On passing the habitations
YOU will observe its ''lord mayor"
seated upon his launches pulling on a
cigarette, and wondering what it all
means. He assure to bow politely to
, you, and if not too tired with the days
! work he will get up and throw a volley
of stones at his dogs, which are sure to
come yelping after the coach.
Mrs. Mexican
is seated at the side of the house, busy
I pounding up a lot of well soaked corn,
until it has been transformed into a
mass of dough suitable for their bread.
She generally has time enough at her
disposal to suspend operations and gaze
at the passing coach. The children are
scattered all around, some on top of the
house, some on the ground in front,
others, frightened, hide themselves, or,
like the pigs and goats, are struggling
for entrance to their common home
with their four-legged companions,
eager to get where no harm can befall
them.
l was particularly interested in noting
the long lines of heavily laden carts
which Were met on the road. Each
cart was q heavy numbering affair
drawn by eight mules, and appeared to
be loaded with merchandise Of auaru