The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-08
PAGES g To Tx

commodstions placed at bis disposal. The
''vinchncs," midnight visitor that surpass-
es anything in that line that the United
States produces, hourishes 81 Recrea. Dur
ing the day il lives in the rafters At night
1t comes down. all persons acquainted
With tbis part OF the country will testify. is
il a poisonous insect, aud The ledger who
has any consideration for the comfort of his
fellow creatures, will decspitate ell the win
chucas" that he can catch
Another morning Ike the preceding and
the railroad part OF the journey is at an en- 4.
In the day and a halfs travelling the only re-
lief from monotony is to be found &C the sta
tons which boost OF one respectable looking
ouilding-the a pot with its bread piazza
think the piazza must have been built for the
convenience Of the passengers. as they all
alight and promenade beneath its friendly
shade while the engine is employed clear
ing the track. The village consists OF q
cluster OF low, matched, one room dwellings.
so small that il one did not see the be DIS out
doors. be would Won der where this mass OF
humsnity hocking from al the points OF
the compass found shelter. The poop Q are
a mixture of Spanish and Indiau-in some q
trace OF the African-tsll, slender, erect
very graceful, oval face. with black eyes that
seem capable OF but one expression-curios-
ity.
The women, many of them bare footed,
wear a calico dress made court train, and .
shawl folded lengthwise thrown over the
black hair. The mans dress is more pictur-
esQne, white canvas shoes, full white cotton
trousers over which from the broad leather
belt at the waist Is looped dramatically q
square sbawl-generally striped and OF very
bright colors. and the 'poncho" hanging
from The shoulders. A broad brimed hat
and III lrderous looking knife complete the
costume. Very often one or more OF the
rich country men will be seen in the crowd,
with riding boots aud spurs instead of the
can vas shoes and his "poncho" OF the un-
colort yicuna wool for the man ufacture of
which this part of the Republic 10 noted.
At San Pedro the mos noticeable object 10
| the dusty old diligence, with its ten or more
innocent looking mules. For fear may ex-
ageerate. I'll not attempt TO say how long IL
takes the conductor, riders, passsngers and
mules to make up their minds TO Start, nor
how many times the boot is lacked and
strapped and then unstrapped and unpacked
again. The adsge time and tide wait tor no
man has no effect on the average Argentine.
When be is ready TO move he moves, but not
very rapidly. This deliberaiioD is particQ-
lsrly observable among the working class.
We finally start, and that very suddenly.
With the first move we all go forward into
some body elss's seat but We tettle back
again to our own, aud after two Or three
successive lurches We accommodate ourselves
to the motion and are ready TO enjoy the
ride.
There is no change in the scenery Until We
reach the mountains The night is passed Ia
q mud hat, no f0or, no windows The only
opening is the one door by which the room
is entered. The furniture. what little there
is, is mostly OF home manufacture. The
bed stead is rough wooden frame with strips
of hide nailed crosswise and lengthwise over
it, somewhat after the fashion of the rope
bedstead To the stranger this extraordinary
hotel appesrs more extraordinary after he
has settled bis bill and learned that the land
lord is worth over fifty thousand dollarA
The road over the mountains Is actax&e8y
level, but 1t Is IS smooth as q newly laid
Nicholson pavement. At the outer edge of
the most dangelou turns are walls of ma.
sonry several feet high, to prevent the mules
and riders from experimenting with any
short cuts. In the summer, great many
flowers are found on the slopes. The most
common among them is the scarlet verbena,
which can be seen growing among the
stones in all unshsded parts of the road.
After crossing the mountains we see again
cultivated lands, the first since leaving Cor
dova. All the moisture is supplied by irri-
CATION and in the neighborhood Of the
streams are small fields of maize and wheat,
and larger tracts devoted to the culture of
the vine. The manufacture OF wine is one
of the few industries of this province. and on
the road from San Pedro to Oatamarca, In
tue winter dcu spring are met GROVE oitor
drove of mules laden with tie casks Of wine.
The dome OF the Catamaroa church, the
temple Of the Virgin of the Valley, can be
seen from over the desert plains for two or
three hours before reaching the city. For
the last few leagues the sand seems to grow
deeper and deeper. All within the coach
are worn out with the dust the heat and the
long journey, long in hours rather than In
miles. As the last rays OF the sun disappear
behiHd the western mountains, the riders,
driver, passengers and mules arouse them
selves, the driver gives grand flourish of
his whip, the mules liz crease their speed, the
old diligence rattles over the boulders.
swings around the corner aud draws up be-
fore the diligence Office. where the traveller,
80 covered with dust that his own mother
would not recognize him, is set down among
Eve hundred-no perhaps one hundred-of
the dirtiest servants that the sun ever shcne
on. A. K. w.