The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-04-12
Yucatan and the Yucatecos.
AFFAIRS AT THE OTHER END OF THE CONTI-
NENT. HOUSEKEEPING-A LA ESPAGN MOLE.

achievement of any sort, we hardly expected
| to find much education or well-deveOped liter
| ary talent. But We soon discovered our mis-
take. Merida boasts many writers of more
than local distinction-authors of valuable his
torical works, of poetry, fiction and the drama.
One work especially, a dictionary of the abo-
riginal language of the peninsula is of inesti-
mabe value. A drama, recently written here
by native author, has been produced in Mad
| rid and Havana with great success. And no
doubt many an undeveloped Miguel lie Cervan-
ties Saayedra. Coplas de Manrique, and ma
| tive 1XtNochtl, have 'blushed unseen for
lack of opportunity.
| 1t seems strange that men of fame and cdu-
cation should select this remote corner of the
globe AS an abiding place but even to the un-
interested stranger there Is an indetinabIe
| charm about the old place that keeps him here
and grows stronger AS time passes on. Some
of Merida's well contented citizens were edt-
Gated in London and Paris, have crossed and
recrossed the Atlantic, spent years ir Europe
and visited most of the worlds important
cltieS-yet who love Merida beyond any other,
and desire to live and die here.
The present population of Merida is reckon
ed at $4,000. Besides the various public build
ngs and fine educational institutions mention-
ed in previous letter. it has large library
aud reading-rooms, an almshouse. Foundlinys
Home and one of the best appointed hospitals
in all Central America.
Several newspapers are published here-thc
daily Reristd del Merida. the semi-weekly II
Echo del ComerciO. an official organ. and two
religious papers-One Catholic. the other inde-
pendent. There is also a horse car line. tele-
phones in general Use, lawyers and doctors by
the score, more than thirty mercantile houses,
! and many very handsome private residences.
The market-place. which occupies an inn
menSe square. is situated about two blocks
from the HotR Ne.rico and is surrounded by
a high adobe wall. pla>tered Oh the street side
so that ii looks like polished stone. Entering
Its Wide gate you are instantly surrounded by
| crowd OF market-women. who press" Volt
| in more senses than onc-to purchase their
wares. each impIoring you fervently, in the
name Of the Blessed Virgin and tottns los San
tos call the Saints to buy of her only. Their
| commodities are varied in character, and many
Of them indeScribabe.
! was an amazed spectator to the struggles
of an English stranger in their cutche>-i
rather swell young tourist in travelling suit of
! exaggerated plaid, with cane-head in his
mouth. glass screwed in his eye. and the gen
era air OF one who owned at least half the
earth's surface. In an instant the importllnatc
horde were upon him. like flies around mo-
la>ses barrel. One old woman urged small
gourd rattle upon him. "Wcman,' said he.
''Do you mistake me for baby"
Another insisted upon his buying coarse
cotton chemise-'for your sweetheart" said
>he-a>>uring him that it WAS we'll sewn. An
other pursued him with cage full of youn"
birds: Others harraSsed him with greasy tala0-
les. freshly fried and red hot: another with
long switch Of real hair-her own. may be, cut
of bccau>e too tangled and thicklv populated
| to he longer endured-until they actually fore
ed him to fly. before he had advanced a dozen
steps inside the gate.
Merida has its banking house. and drafts on
New York and Europe can also be obtained
from the hemp exporters. who are by all odds
the heaviest business men in lucatan. The
premium on drafts is about ID per cent. 60
days sight. The rate of interest here is from
one to two per cent a month. Travellers com
ing to lucatan should bring American gold. as
il pays no duty and is always at a high prem
inn.
Lying so far southwark. of course the eli
mate of Merida is hot as the hottest but even
the furnace heat of midday is always temper
ed 10y cool ocean breezes. Day and night the
wind. blowing where it li>teth.'' renders life
cndurable, the temperature. from year to year.
ranging between go deg. and 30 deg. Though
| Northerner would naturally suppose the not
test months to he August and September. YET
here March and April ENJOY that distinction
partly because at that time the heat generated
by the tropic sun is augmented by burning
corn-fields. which are then fired all over the
country.
The rainy season. varying in different parts
| of the country. in this section continues from
| May - October. beginning later to the north
| ward. In the latitude of MeNco'> capital. the
| rains MOI only fall between June and October
| but they have occasional showers during the
| winter, especially in February. when the
| weather is exceedingly changeaile. The MeXi-
| cans have IA proverb which runs: "Febrero
| loco Porque tie todo Tienc un poco''-meaning
| February is fool. because She has little OF
| everything"
| In the winter snow falls at an elevation of
| 5000 feet, while under the equator the SNOW
line is situated at l5,II5O feet Baron Won Hum
| boldt gives the line of perpetual SHOW in MeNi-
| 60 a> l5,09l feet above set: level.
| Though midway, in point of longitude. be-
| tween Havana and Vera CrliZ-tho>e cities
| which every year are smtten by yellow fever
- Merida scarcely ever suffers from the
>c0urge few cases occur annually. but the
| disease seldom becomes epidemic: and it is as
serted that CoHito has never existed at the
| same time both at Merida and its seaport. Pro-
| greSso.
Though it, sole supply of water is derived
from the clouds and from a few sulterranean
caNern>. the city is in a condition of exception
| al heathtunes>. for the tropics. No doubt this
Is largely due TO the proNerbial neatneSs Of the
! people. Many of the houses We're built more
| than two hundred years ago. and their beams
| and raflers, of sabine or znpotc wood. are hard
| as iron and bid fair to last forever. There are
| GENERALLY two walls, from four TO SIN feet apart,
| filled in with small stones: and these are pla.t-
cred ana rc-pla>tered. season after season,
| making them a> smooth. beautiful and durable
a> polished marble. They are notably freer
from Nermin than is usual in this latitude
| probably owing to the manner OF their con-
| strurtion
The lofty and spacious APARTMENTS ar, arcbcd
| overhead, the great beams that suuport the
| adobe roof painted in different coIors. Being
| undraped uucurtained and mostly hare of
| ornament. their vault-like yastne.s has AN inn
| posing look. rather than one of home-comfort
| extremely lepressnr at first 10 one fresh from
| the cosness of northern tiresiles Ruf at least
they offer no harbor of refuge for scorpions.
rcntpedes and ,1,iders and one may retire to
his hammock with "A sense of Sccuritv rare in
tropical regions,
There are no wooden floors in Yuc,tau. hut
always the beautiful. shining cement. tinted
pale blue. gray. or strawberry nink.,elean.
cool and appropriate TO the climate. Woolen
carpets would he not only supcrtiuous. hut :,
nuisance not to be endured. AS atlor,ling want
age ground for venomous crcepiny and crawl
ing things of all description. the furniture is
simple and plain, and exceut in The houses of
the weaIthicst, there is little NOT ,,t;,alIy re-
uuired The people live mostly in their DGfjos.
or court-yards. and these have Iecn furnished
| bv generous nature to better adv,nt,ue than,
art could do
The cosn in which we temnor,r;I, s.t IN, IN,
| lare> and nenates i; . fsir !,,n,i :f - ~ , o'
ave. II is in l.. e ,lIe I,.l Ei.m;n,,o ha,;n'r ,
huge red bird of thai specie, nainted on III,