Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-24

! to its proximity to New York, Yucatan
could easily exclude from commerce the
tlbers of the far-away Philippine Islands
did she produce those of as good quality,
as the area of land that might be placed
F; under cultivation is almost unlimited.
During last month the expectation of
henequin from Progreso had reached
1871 bales, aggregating $500 tons. The
State treasury of Yucatan, on a tax of
three cents per arreba Us pounds, received
| thereon nice little item and the Fed
eral treasury Jared even better, on a tax of
% per cent. And in spite of the heavy
expectation tax thus levied, the exports of
| henequin show steady increase.
Though there is not much to boast of in
the way of scenery along the Merida Rail-
road, the prevailing vegetation being low
and scrubby, the people one meets en- route
are study of never-failing interest. They
are wholly peculiar to this peninsula-the
almost unmixed descendants of the Mayas
whom Cortez and Cordova found here
nearly 400 years ago. They are much
darker than those of Northern Mexico,
and both men and women are universally
clad in garments white as snow; the for
mer wearing wide cotton trousers and
shirts (''flaps" outside) with plated backs
and much berufiled bosoms; while the
women still stick to the traditional dress
OF their ancestors single scanty skirt
falling from waist to ankles, and an outside
chemise or nipil from shoulders to knees.
Feet and arms are bare and bosoms ex-
posed, yet there is about them an air of
modesty and reserve not common among
the lower classes of Mexico They have
the glossiest and blacklist of hair. that of
the women being braided in two tails, tied
at the ends with bits of gaudy cloth or
ribbon. Their faces are as expressionless
as so many barn-doors, but the eyes of all
are large, black and misunderstanding
eyes, full OF mingled passion, pathos and
child-like innocence.
As we approached Merida the whole
population seemed pouring forth to meet
us-it being Sunday, and of course a hoii-
day-and we met them in procession of
hundreds. The railroad is still of sufficient
novelty to the Indians to attract them from
far and near. Many of them are vet filled
with uncomfortable fear every time the
whistle blows or the engine lets off steam,
but so fascinated are they by this marvel
Of the white man that they return again
and again to see it at every possible oppo--
tunity.
We are reminded of the tales of the
early explorers, when the fathers of these
people collected by thousands at the APP
proach of the white man-at first prompt
ed solely by curiosity, and eventually to
oppose the march of the invader. We are
told that the spectacle of Spaniards upon
horseback filled them with terror and ad-
miration, for they regarded the man and
the beast upon which he rode as one
| creature of supernatural origin, before
which they Frustrated themselves in the
| dust, and gave the horses roses to eat.
At last our train-composed of cars
manufactured in the United States, drawn
by an American engine and manned " by
Americans-glides into the heart of the
old city, shrieks through its streets and
| finally reaches the crowded station.
We were astonished to see bevy of cab
men here, not unlike those of the North
but with this difference, that they do not
seize your satchel, nor shout in your ear
nor display the slightest concern whether
you employ them or not. Indeed-strange
to say-instead of being pursued, we were
obliged to turn pursuers; and, having cap
tured a jehu, who wore the air of an un-
willing victim, actually had some difficulty
| IN inducing him to accept our redles and
conduct us to hotel.
| FANNIE b. WARD.