Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-18
In SOUTHERN MEXICO.
LIFE In A REGION THAT Is LITTLE
KNOWN.
ance Of Observation-Disclosures Pro-
gress-New Discoveries.
Correspondence of the REooRD-Uslos.l

Correspondence of the REooRD-USIos.l
TAMPIco, Mexico, February 9, 1888.
The approach to Tampico is very at
tractive, as we glide along the placid Pan
uco river after the restless tossing of the
gulf On one side the marshy shores show
wilderness of tropic vegetation; and on
the other thick forests of ebony, cedar and
mahogany are interspersed With orange
and lemon groves and gigantic India rub
Der trees. They tell us that these beauti-
full forests shelter a host of enormous rep
tiles that deadly asps and gigantic rattle
snakes are as numerous as the myriad
orchids, and that fatal caleaturas Turk
under every leaf of the fowery iungles.
Approached from the river the first view
of the town is not impressive The small
square houses, all painted pink or blue,
tired milliners have tossed down among
the rushes. Afterwards we learned that
these handbook houses were actually built
in the United States and sent out here.
On walking through the town | could
almost fancy myself transported to a New
England village, for though there are a
few dwellings of solid stone and not less
durable adobe, the majority are the single
palaces aforesaid, whose piazzas and bay
windows have nothing FEspagroIe about
them.
am glad to testify that Tampico is
a MUCH-sLANDERED PLACE
Having the outside reputation of being a
sort of earthly hades, its general air of
thrift, cleanliness and GOODNESS is the more
astonishing. In the way of architecture
it has not much to boast OF, but otherwise
is really far more beautiful than many
towns which metaphorically turn up their
noses at it.
Not so long ago as TO be without the
memory of the 'oldest inhabitant" there
were only dozen Indian huts here, and
what little commerce there was concen-
trated itself in Pueblo Viejo-a small vii
lage situated on the shore of lovely lake
several miles distant To-day Tampico
has about 5000 inhabitants, not counting
the present large floating population-the
temporary influx of laborers and their
families, engaged on the new San Luis and
Tampico branch of the Mexican Central
Railroad. The town boasts of weekly
paper, two hospitals, the inevitable plaza
with moonlight music, the usual compile
ment of telegraphs and telephones, and
fine casino where the gentlemen spend
their evenings at cards or billiards.
The truth is, there is not surplus of
what is called "good society" in Tampico.
Most of the men-who lead homeless.
hand-to-mouth kind of existence-came
here in the hope of making fortunes as
speedily as possible, and the few married
ones left their families elsewhere, being
unwilling to expose them to the dangers of
the climate and the plaques of insects and
reptiles. Riding and shooting are the out
door amusements of this lonesome bache-
lor community, and excellent sport they
find along the river Hhen the heat is not
too intense.
Were it not for that terrible bar Tam
pico would doubtless become a fourishIng
port. The depth of the beautiful river,
which is l 900 feet wide, not only permits
vessels of largest tonnage to anchor near
the town, but has an interior navigation
for many miles. But all these advantages
are nearly ruined by the shifting line of
sand-banks between gulf and river-for
not only is there great danger in crossing
the bar, but vessels are sometimes detained
outside for weeks during the season of
northers"
The citizens of the adjoining State, San
Luis Potosi, were heavily taxed to build
no rnI lttrax- nf ha 20 e.
cent. of their annual income The mer-
chants, however, were not disposed to COM
plain, for before the day of railroads the
freight charges we're simply enormous.
Take, for instance, the insignificant item
of snuff: A box of that commodity,
valued in New Orleans at 50, cost, when
delivered in San Luis, including duties.
not less than $50,
Tampieo lies on the Tamaulipas side of
the river, and on the opposite shore, in
the State of Vera Cruz few miles further
up, is
THE INDIAN TOWN, PANUCo,
One of the oldest and most interesting in
the Republic. In the history of Anew
Spain " this stream figures prominently as
the terminus of Grijalva's voyage from
Cuba along the coast of the Gulf of Mex
leo. 1t is also celebrated as the spot where
the remnant of De Soto's band of explor-
ers landed in their unfortunate VOYAGE
southwark from the mouth of the Missis-
sippi.
Several times We have rowed or sailed
some distance up the river, but the further
one advances into that wilderness of trop-
ical beauty, the less the sense of security.
The wooded shores are indescribably love
ly, their white-walled ranches and great
cattle farms half hidden by curtains of
poisoning creepers. Tall blue herons
and pink-breasted cranes futtered before
us, skimming the surface of the waters,
and scarlet tlamingoes fish TRANQUILITY in
the shadows. Sportsmen are not wanting
who brave the dangers of deadly reptiles
for the sake of shooting in these jungles, or
of capturing alive the gorgeous parrots,
long-tailed pheasants, and beautiful rose
colored "spoon-bills."
One day we passed close by an amiable-
looking alligator, slumbering sweetly on
the trunk of fallen tree His great
jaws were distended in an unconscious
grin, but he deigned to notice neither our
approach nor that of an Indian woman
who, alone in her canoe, padded uncon-
oernedly all around the monster.
AT PUEBLO vIEJo-
Which name, literally translated, means
cold village'-we found fiesta in pro-
gress as is generally the case in this good
Catholic country on most days of the year.
Strains of fandango music, PLAYED upon
primitive instruments made of reeds. were
floating family from the distance. Not
being able to see the village, for the dense
foliage between, we determined to disbe-
heve Its existence, and to pin our faith IN
stead upon great god Pan" making
music among the rushes by the river.
The back country is described as being
a wilderness of splendid trees, intertwisted
with tangled vines covered with brilliant
orchids and other tropical parasites-the
home of myriads of gorgeously -plumaged
birds, which can easily be captured by
hand, having never learned the fear Of
man. Our ardor TO visit that tropical par.
adise was considerably cooled, however,
by accounts of the ria-rino and gdrrapoba.
little insects which burrow beneath
your skin, the latter bodily, the former
planting with its sting tiny egg which
produces speedy crop of worms to wrig.
gle beneath your tortured cuts.
In nothing is
THE PROGRESS OF MEXICo