Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-19

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- follows about Guatemala, which haa
come into prominence recently through
the unsuccessful attempt Of its late ruler,
President Barrios, 70 establish union
Of the i've republics il Central America
The entire population Of Guatemala is
estimated at about !, $50, 600. Of this
number less than $4,000 are whites, and
. large percentage Of tho latter were not
i born In the country. The native Indians,
who number more than 000s 600, are
naturally kind, peaceable and hospitabie.
/ Il Is only on the Atlantic coast. where
they have ANAL gamated with negroes from
the West Indies, and where they are
known as Caribs, that they are vicious
and liable to give trouble TO travellers.
But they are trcbiy blessed according
to the Mormon standard each man being
allowed to possess three wives, who sup.
port him in all the luxury the sea
affords. When these ''better halves, T"
or more properly speaking better
thirds, desire the slightest service from
their lords and masters, they are COM
pelled to pay them for 1t at the highest
market price in the coin of the country
-. a., fish. The Caribs do nothing but
| fish, bathe and cat, all Of which, how
ever. may be classcd as one occupation,
as they fish only for food. and their rude
method OF obtaining this marine stat OF
life renders them amphibious. Tho In
dians, the negroes, the CARDS, the Mes.
tizos linked Spanish and Indians) and
the Spaniards live. generally speaking,
rs entirely to themselves as il each race
occupied separate continent. Yet IN
spite Of the great diversity Of caste there
is little variety of costume. The proud
and wealthy Spaniards adopt European
fashions aud are as we'll dressed Ms any
people in the world, their garments
being imported at great expense from
Paris, London or Madrid. The garb OF
the male Mestizos consists Of a short
wooden or kid jacket oil native manu-
facturc, loose, wide brooches of white
cotton, white shirt worn with "haps"
outside, big palm Leaf hat covered with
oilcloth and gorgeous, many
hued zarape (blanket) to be thrown
around the shoulders in lieu OF
coat when the evenings are
chilly. The women Of this class wear
clothes as nearly initiating those OF
their social supcriors as female pride and
ingenuity can devise from cheaper fab
RIGS. The Caribs, male and female, dis
pensc with all superhuities of tho toilet,
and come as near to ''beauty unadornedn
rs the weather will permit. The Indian
men dress much like the Mestizos; but
the women wear nothing but long strip
Of blue cloth, reaching widthwise from
waist TO ankles, drawn tightly across
the back, but with few pleats in front
to allow for the motion OF the knees IN
walking. Her hair is always intcrbraid-
ed with red strings aud wound around
her temples, huge pair of brass or sill
yer hoops bedeek her ears, and a greasy
string, with charm or amulet attached,
is hung around her neck. The inevita-
bic bronze baby is always dangling at
her back. with its patient face upturned
to the sun and head Hopping like q
jumping jack as she trots along, while
as many of the same species as she has
numbered years beyond the ago OF
twelve follow at her heels.
The Indians are comparatively indus.
trious, but the mechanical arts are not
practiced in Guatemala. even among their
betters, and all the tools aud implements
are of the most primitive character.
There is little raised in the country OK
cept coffee, the cultivation of which has
been more extensive since 1872, 20 take
the place of cochineal, owing to a dis
temper which then became prevalent
among the insects. Owing to climatic
influences, the area where good coffee
can be grown is limited, and most of .llat
produced is inferior in quality. It car
scarcely be called q paying product, stree
it costs on an average of six cents per
pound and sells for seven or eight cents.
Almost anything might be success.
fully cultivated in the fertile valleys, G.ii
so indoIent are the inhabitants that little
is produced. A few wealthy planter
who have introduced plows instead .
forkcd sticks, raise wheat, corn, 0nd
other cereals. The vine and olive thrive
here; also cotton, sugar cane, rice. tobacco
aud vanilla. Indigo and cocoa abound,
also such aromatic and medicinal
plants as dragons blood, mastic, palma
christi, jalaD ipecac, sarsafras and sar
saparilla, beside resins. baisams and va.
rious gums. A large portion Of Guate-
mala is covered By dense forests, and
among its many valuable woods are
ebony, alive, walnut, sandal, cedar, ma
hogany, India rubber, q species OF Bra
I'll wood and the much-Drized palo de
Maria, which is especially adapted to
ship building. One Of the most import.
ant articles of export is log wood, which
is found in its greatest perfection here
and in the ad ioining peninsula Of Yucca.
tan. In the far.famed valley of Ceban
(Which contains the ruins or one OF the
ancient cities Of Maya originl. much
tobacco has been raised, OF q quality un.
surpassed By that grown in any part OF
the world; but for the last Ave years the
entire product Of the valley has been
monopolized by one old woman. whose
entire stock amounts to about q thousand
pounds per annum and who retails vii.
famous cigars AZ 3 ssbits' f374 centsl Del
hundredl
The total area Of Guatemala Is a tribe
over fifty thousand square miles. It,
greatest length from north 10 south 320