Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-29

wy SVat. N0ttit and Slccc. a...so ~. ~.
Ee2 perennial grasses with which ~
Wnoie country ~ csrpeted, rarely run
uoNn 10 condition, and goats find no less
nutritious proverdcr in the chspperel
Whica they infest IN large numbers ~
corn the goat yields two Abundant crons
annually, the eve generally producino
twins At each birth. This makes them the
prime favorite with the Mexlcans, as Ire
MIX provides him with cheese, the skin
with leather and The carcass with fond
Inc usual price OF an adult il Al.
From Matamoras TO Tampico on the guli
was pleasant sail along the border AZ
the state Of TamSalipas. Tamplco il
the chief port on the coast OF this state.
ana Is situated on the river panuco. tiye
miles from the gulf, and has 10000 peo.
pie. II Is 2l5 miles north OF Vera Cruz and
about 100 miles above the great Tuxpan
valley. The bar at the entrance 10 the
port Is a drawback to navigation, and the
harbor itself Is not counted as safe IN
times OF long storms OF heavy
winds. Tampico is tolerably well built.
mostly OF brick and stone, has a custom.
house and some moderately fair public
buildings.
Our next trip was to Vera Cruz, which
Is the gulf terminus of the railroad TO the
City OF Mexico, sometimes called In Span
lsh villa Rlca de Ia Vera Cruz, or the
rich city Of the true cposs. Ii Is nearly
due east from the CAPITAL, about
In a straight line, iS5 miles. The popu.
lation is heterogeneous, composed OF all
nationalites. The streets are regularly
laid out and the towu built In the form OF
crescent or semi-circle with the center
facing the gulf. The most noted object
In the sea front is the famous castle Of
San Juan Ulliu on the island OF the same
name half mile from the shore.
The style of architecture Of the city is
decidedly Mexican or Moorish, the mater
ial being what Ia called rubble masonery
consisting Of small stones covered with
red tiles and coated with durable
cement. This city Is distinguished for It's
numerous churches and sacred ediaccs,
including lofty cathedral, but In the
Moorish style. The great square or plaza
has on one side the courthouse and
prison Monastorles, converts and hos
pitals are sustained by the Romlsh church.
The drainage Is exceedingly bad. The
surrounding country Is low and barren.
The drinking water Is miserable and
renders the place very unhealthy. Yellow
fever is usually here from May to Noyem-
Der
The harbor, as 1t Is called, cannot be
truly said TO exist. There is an open
roadstead between the shore and the
castle, but there Is no good anchorage
ard the port Is extremely Insecure In the
presence Of the northers which periodic
ally sweep down upon the city, raising a
cloud Of dust and sand from the shore,
and often sending the steamers to sea for
safety.
Heretofore, that Is In the early history
Of the country, the exports OF Vera Cruz
consisted chiefly OF gold and silver and
other valuable minerals from the miues
In the interior. Now there is small
amount OF the precious metals sent out OF
this port, as the increase OF mlnts coin
for home use what was usually sent
abroad, and the advance OF civilization
has had the effect TO diversity the home
production, aud the present articles OF
export are coffee, sugar, -four, indigo,
cochlneal, yanita ialapa, sarsaparilla and
| pimento, and many other products, some
OF which we do not know either the
name or nse, and all OF them
amounting TO seven millions yearly
The export 10 the United States last year
was 100000 from this port, and II we
! had the reciprocity treaty ratified II would
| have been nearly five times that amount
This city IS far wi hin the tropics, being
near latitude 10.
From Vera Cruz the direction OF The
road is Il little TO the southwest for q
hundred miles, crossing the Terras CALI
entas, or hot lands Of the coast. The
first station OF any Importance after leay-
| ing the coast is Solidad, forty miles IN
land Soon after leaving this city the
road ascends 10 the table-land and pene.
trates one OF the most beautiful and utter
estlng countries in the whole world, re-
gion that may be called the Eden OF th,
Western hemisphere. Nor will those who
have seen It say that this assertion at all
borders on extravaganza. 1t is the regio,
Of Cordoyla. where Confederate colony
settled directly after the war. 1t EN-
braces Orazaba's most magnifi
cent valley, where perpetual sprinl
lies 10 the shadow of loft
mountains and the road winds around Nh
southern side Of the volcano Of Orazaoa
cARpoyIA.
This IS an English bunt city OF ZOO
., people and lies directly at the foot OF tn
range that contains the volcano, Is tn
capitol of the district OF the same name
and is fifty-seyen miles from Vera Cru
in q straight line.
Here are many fine buildings, Including
the cathedral This place has something
of a name for It's manufactures. Cotton
wooden and leather goods are produce
on quite large scale. The countr
around about this IS one Of the riches
, aud most fertile Of any Ia the republic
, Sugar, coffee and tobacco are the prlncl
pal products, especially for tobacco 1t !
, celebrated. II Is a tropical and yet SO
; lubrlous country, and furnishes the cat
I with large trade, Leaving here th
road makes a detection to the northwest
: thence nearly south 70 the city OF OF
, azabn, one OF the fourishing large elite
of Southern Mexico. II II In IN
: western portion Of the state Of Yer
! Cruz, contains 10000 people and
! TWENTY-FIVE miles south Of the volcano
n To the eastward Is fine cotton country
i Here cotton, tobacco and coarse cloth az
1 manufactured Her people are the mos
4 industrious OF any we have met 10 the II
> public. The peak Of Ora2aba Is the hri
y land visible on approaching the coas
I When 10 state OF eruption the TOP
the crater at distance has the appeal
= ance of a star on the rim Of the horizon
I, SO great Is its height, II is 1900 ic'
! high, truuoaied and its top covered VII
, atarnal quovv