Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-24
IN SOUTHERN MEXICO.
ON THE WAY TO THE FAMOUS
yOLCAE De JORULLO.
a Mexican Meson-AnimaIs Cared
for, but no Provision Made
for Human Travellers.

E-secfal Correspondence OF the RECORD UNIoi.j
PArzcUARo (Mexico), July u, 1886.
To visit the VOLCANOES of Jorullo-which
are found away down in the heart of the
southern State of Michoacan-requires not
only considerable pluck" but more
hardy endurance than the average tourist
can command; which no doubt accounts
for the fact that this most wonderful freak
of nature on our continents comparatively
unknown. From Lake Patzcuaro to Jo-
rullo pronounced Hoar-rool-yol, the dis
lance is only ffty-fYe miles; bet there are
no wagon roads or hotels along the route,
only an exceedingly difficult ridlepath
over the mountains, which is seldom ira
versed by any but outlaws, political refu-
gees and other desperate characters. who
look upon the tourist and the travelling
merchant with his pack-mule laden with
goods for Acapulco, as the spider regards
the fly that ventures into his net. Though
so few miles, the trip occupies four or five
days, and it is necessary to take along food,
for the escort which personal safety de-
mands. Less than half dozen persons in
company ought not to attempt the journey,
and these
SHOULD BIZ WELL ARREp,
And headed by a trusty native guide. Sad
dle-horses or donkeys (the latter are always
TO be preferredl, a pack-mule to tote " the
supplies. a guide, and one or two mozaS, or
men servants, may be procured in Patz-
cuaro at tri6ing expense per capita. OF
course, if expenses are shared, the larger
the party of travellers the less will be each
ones quota. To be more explicit. for the
benefit of any who may come this way 1t
cost our party of four TO make the round
trip between PatZcuaro and Jorullo toe
cupying nine days, two servants and a
guide being employed, with horses for all
and keeping en- route exactly $l2 70
apiece.
Leaving this queer old city very early in
the morning, the first few miles rapidly
ascend to densely- wooded mountain
plateau Many years ago wagon road
wound upward to these nights, which was
well paved with stone on the heavy grades;
but for some unknown reason it fell into
disuse. and now mountain torrents have
upturned the stones and worn it into i'm
passable gullies. From the summit of the
plateau magnificent view is obtained of
far-away Lake Patzcuaro looking like a
sheet of FURNISHED silver, its numerous
island villages and the white walled city
beside it; while between are vast stretches
Of wheat, corn ana barley, and beyond the
rolling plain gradually ascends by gentle
foothills to the mountain range whose rag
ged tops outline the horizon. A few miles
further and the
PUEBLO OF SANTA CLARA
Is reached, where are some important cop
per smelling works. The ore is brought on
muie-back from the districts of Chuzumuco
and Inguazan (65 miles away, and after all
the trouble is worth only about Sl2 per
carga, or 800 pounds. Here charcoal is
universally used for fuel, both IL the smelt-
ing works and houses, though why, when
extensive forests are in the vicinity is
among the numerous mysteries one en-
counters i'll Mexico. The streets of Santa
Clara are shaded by stately ash trees, and
all its low-roofed adobe cottages are over
run by creepers resem bling scarlet honey
buckles. The smell of orange flowers is al
ways IN the air, for every small casa is sur
rounded by an orchard of oranges, lines.
figs and pomegranates Not many years
ago a great deal of freight was carried along
this route, many trains of pack-mules
journeying regularly between Patzcuaro
and Acapulco, a distance of 800 miles
Most of the freight now goes northward,
and consists chiefly of the cotton that grows
in the State of Guerrero Its put up in
bales, each Weighing $50 pounds, and two
of them are considered an ordinary load for
q mule to carry all day upon his back. A
train" is usually composed of forty or
fifty mules, accompanied by five or six men,
who act as packers and cdrgadoFcs carriers
The men generally ride horses, and are al
ways armed with knives and pistols of
largest size. In this section. where severe
mountain climbing alternates with dense
forests and desert sands, sixteen miles is
considered fair days journey. Besides
cotton, the cdrgd {orcS frequently carry kegs
OF rum or mescll, cases Of wine and other
ANAL wares. On the return trip most of
the animals are without load, and there
fore the tourist-if not too particular in re-
gard to his company-can easily secure
transportation for himself and luggage be-
tween the sea coast and the interior of
Hichoacan.
BY dint of hard riding and short moon
ing on the first day out from Patzcuaro,
we came in sight Of the
VILLAGE OF ARIo
An hour before nightfall. The view from
the hills that surround the town is worth
ehe DAVIS Journey TO enjoy. The coast
many miles. the broad and fertile plain at
its base dotted with innumerable isolated
hillocks. The most prominent object in
the landscape is the lofty mountain to the
southeast called La Estancia de los Padres
-" The Mansion of the Fathers" This
picturesque height is formed of two dome
shaped rock rising like towers from COM
mon base, the slopes being almost perpen-
dicular and the twin SUBMITS inaccessible.
Baron Humboldt, while in Michoacan, many
years ago, sketched this remarkable noun
tain, and a tolerably correct picture may
to-day be found in his collection of Mexican
views.
As the sun sinks lower and twilight
shadows deepen over the plain, its undu-
lating surface sppears like an inland sea,
It's numerous hillooks resembling islands.
Millions of wild ducks in regular ranks
and regiments = changing their quarters
from one lake to another-darkened the air
as they flew ever our heads. This region
is Justly celebrated for the purity of its at
mosphere and the exceeding
BEAUTY OF THE SUNSETS.
AS the hour approached for the suns dis
appearance the whole western horizon be-
came covered with small pillows of cloud,
lilac and golden, floating in fantastic forms
over the bright blue of the tropical sky.
Gradually the lilac deepeued to purple,
blnshed into rose-celor, frightened into
crimson; while the turquoise hue of the
heavens assumed that green tint peculiar to
Italian sunsets. The sun himself ap-
peared like globe of living flame,
and long after he had van
ished in a blaze OF crimson and
gold, the horizon remained illumined as by
the flame from a volcano. Then his brill
liant retinue of clouds, after cleaning for a
time in borrowed splendor, melted into
every conceivable color = from deepest
crimson to rose pink, pale violet and faint
blue-fioating in silvery vapor, till all sud
denly blended in one soft, gray tint that
swept the western sky. Then the full
moon arose in cloudless serenity. and the
Southern Cross cleaned just above the
mountain tops-at sight of which our
guide and servants repeated their prayers
devoutly-and at that moment the faint
tolIing Of vesper bells, with the irst strains
~, m z, Oh fo nc from ba