Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-24
in CENTRAL AMERICA.
THE YUCATECOS AS THEY APPEAR
AT HOME.
Their Superiority to Aztecs-Port OF
Progreso-Peculiar Railroad
Building-Etc.

Especial Correspondence of the RECORD UNION.
MERIDA, March II, 1888.
Of course we land at Progreso, Yucatan's
only port Of entry As usual in this part
of the world the steamer anchors several
miles from the shore-and all we can see
is white sand bank, scarcely rising above
the sea, a long wharf blistering in the sun,
and a few tile-covered huts, over-shadowed
by group of splendid palms.
The moment vessel heaves in sight
dozen lighters put out to convey shore
ward her freight and passengers; and as
they adyance-every man exerting him
self to the utmost TO get ahead of his COM
panions-we observe at a single glance
that there is notable difference between
these Yltcatecos and the Aztecs, these being
taller and more sturdy race, and as re-
markably clean as those are dirty.
Arrived on shore the customary tussle
with customs officials ensues-an irrepres-
sible conflict, in which he comes off best
who shows least disposition to fight. BY
far the better way is to hand over your
keys without a protest and let them work
their will with your luggage, smiling like
angels while they overhaul the innermost
recesses of your private property and ex-
pose it to the gaping crowd, though in
your heart may be murder. The chances
are that politeness and seeming indiffer-
ence on your part may meet with an equal
return, while the slightest demur will
| arouse all the suspicious of these distrust-
full people and subject you to ten times
greater annoyance.
There is handsome Custom House at
Progreso, but the alleged hotel" in which
we passed one night, is about the worst |
have ever encountered. 1t is a low long
stone-walled structure, with matched roof
and one ghostly sleeping-apartment over
the stable. This general dormitorv con-
tains no such conveniences-here unheard
| of-as bureau or dressing-case, and not even
table or chairs-nothing whatever but
hammocks slung up on pegs and big tin
| wash-basin. One experienced in these
| regions, however, thanks his stars for the
democratic simplicity" of the surround
ings, which enables him to give his I'M
divided attention to the thatch overhead,
| knowing 1t to be swarming with spiders,
| scorpions, and possibly with venomous SER
penis. If he occupied four-posted bed
stead, he would be compelled to keep close
! watch upon each of its legs, which cent?
pedes and other social creatures would
| surely utilize as highways by which to paw
him noctural visit, while its coverings
would inevitably be filled with vermin of
various species. As it is, if he removes
any of his clothing he does not know what
to do with it, and in any case he must be
| careful to treat his shoes and every article
he touches like dose of medicine labeled
To be well shaken before taken"
Besides the inn and Custom-house,
! there are perhaps one hundred red-tiled
casas and straw-thatched huts, half a
dozen stores" OF general merchandise, a
market-place and church. As the
shipping place for vast quantities OF
Yucatan's only source of wealth - sisal
hemp and henequin-this port is of very
great Importance but with the total lack
of enterprise that characterizes everything
Mexican there is no harbor here, and
vessels are compelled to anchor far from
shore in the open roadstead, exposed tC
dangerous "northers," and all the wind:
that blow. 1t has but one wharf or ietty,
and that is five hundred feet long, provided
With wooded cranes.
Why named Progress no human being
can tell, for it is not likely to make any
sort of progress so long as Mexicans shall
possess Mexico. Though very hot, the
place has the reputation of being more
salubrious than most of Yucatan, hence
numbers of people from the interior flock
here during the cheated term" Its popu
lation is about 1900, and where the
pleasure-seekers put themselves during the
fashionable season it is impossible to guess
The old port of Sisal-some distance
farther down the coast-was long since
abandoned, and as it has no railroad lead
ing to the interior, it is not likely to ever
again be place of export for the hemp
that bears its name.
A railroad leads to Merida, the State
Capital, twenty-five miles away, and as the
fare is but s. and the trip of great interest
every tourist who reaches Progreso shoulc
get himself transported to Yucatan's quaint
and beautiful metropolis without loss o.
time.
A word about this railroad showing
that all Mexicans are not so entirely de
void of shrewdneSs as their Yankee neigh.
bors believe. All the iron. equipments
and rolling stock for the road were brought
from England and the United States
landed at Progreso and then carted to the
interior terminus, where the building be.
gan. At first sight this would seem to be
one of the foolish undertakings of an I'm.
progressive people; but not so. The con-
tractor had method in his madness. wish.
ing to secure at once the benefit of freights
and-since all the hemp came from the
interior-he deemed it advisable to begin
at the end nearest the freight Hence
everything was hauled through cacti and
desert sands, with infinite trouble. to Me-
rida, and there the road was started. Soon
as the first few miles were laid the smart
contractor commenced to haul hemp (bv
mule power) as far as his rails went.
| He received concession of money from
the Government for every mile of road
when finished, and it happened that the
portion nearest Merida was much easier to
build than that near the sea; and thus in
many ways did the Mexican Gould make
his enterprise pay from the start, so that
to-day it is considered one of the most
profitable railroads in the world. Accord
ing to the terms of his contract with the
Government, the owner of the road was
compelled to carry passengers from port to
| Capital for a certain reasonable sum, when
the road should be fully completed; so the
sharp rascal built within mile or two OF
the coast and there stopped, continuing to
charge at a very unreasonable rate. At
last, however, the road was finished. and
there are now two trains daily each way,
besides the forenoon and afternoon freights.
Accustomed as we are to strange sur
roundings, the scenery of Yucatan i'm
presses me as indescribably unique. Just
back of the coast dunes stretches broad
lagoon several hundred miles long, vary
ing in depth and breadth with the season,
Millions of northern birds spend their
winters here. There are duck and teal,
herons-white and blue, ibis and egrets,
snipe and sand-pipers, curlews, snake-birds,
cormorants and many others.
Beyond the lagoon, the bed of coral
rock which composes the entire peninsula
of Yucatan rises above the level of the
water. Nowhere is vegetation luxuriant
and the soil is thin and dry. Now we
enter the vast henequin plantations, and the
road runs through them, with miles and
miles of the so-called "sisal" hemp grow.
ing on either side. To prevent cattle
from roaming in and eating the valuable
plants, the immense fields are all neatly