The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-08-29
Mnlega the Raia California.

Mulege the Baja California.
town THAT FATHER TINE HAS FORGOTTEN.
SNAILS.
Correspondence of the Journal.
MULEGE, l.. G., MENHO, 1889. From La
Paz to this place, (Which is pronounced Moo
a-ha) is 4 run Of fourteen hours-that is by
steamer in fair weather. No doubt the jour
hey might be made overland. but it would re-
quire many days, through hardships innumer-
ablc-for unnhabtcd deserts lie between, and
there are uneXpIorcd mountains to be scaled
and rivers Of unknown depth to be for,led.
We arrived at MuIcge anchoraye-half a
mile or more from the landing place, and the
latter two miles from the town-ust after
dusk on a rainy day and as your CORES pondent
had decided to stop in Mulege until the return
of the ~hii, from a less important point above,
and q the ship was to Sail 1T day-brcak, there
was realll no alternative but to get to town as
best | eonld, under convoy Of the captain and
purser, Who were obliged to transact business
there.
Pulling away from the vessels side in Il life
boat, ia the dense darkness that precede> a
waning moon. we rounded rocky promontory
and nearly ran into recent wreck, looming
,ombre and pittul-the wrath of a gallant
steamer whose few remaining tmbers were
being rapidly di>membered by the ceaseess
swish of the waves. Awed and chilled by this
encounter and the Captains tale of drowned
crew, we suddenly shot into little cove, where
blazcd IA fire of lru>h and lrilt-wood, which
the Mexican government causes to he kept up
here every night for the guidance of passing
vessels. Around this primitive lighthouse Il
score Of swarthy native, We're collected, look
inc III the ilickcrng blaze like typical brgands,
or the evil spirits OF DantcS inferno pictured
by Dorc-so like the chorus OF an opera that
we momCntary expected them to burst out
into song. In the background, under a rude
hut composed OF a thatch OF leaves set up on
poles, We're couple of women, squatted on
the ground, busily preparing the evening meal
of beans and tortaS.
There is generally something uncanny about
entering i strange city after dark even amid
the hustle Of a modern railway train, with
carriage III waiting to ronvcy YOU to 4 comfort
ahlr hctc!; INIT
HOW MCCH MORE WEIRD
to step from row-boat over tossing sea,
upon >heti->truWn waste IN a foreign land, by
the uncertain "linmer Of Stars in cloudy
sky. And then to learn that At least two miles
Of muddy lonesome. perhaps robhcr-infestcd
roadway lie between Yourself ana the nm
known destination. with no possibility of any
thing on wheels to convey you thereto-is cal
culattd to send small shivcr> up and down the
>pinai-column of persons Drawer than YOUR
-cribe.
Neither love nor money could haze hired
horse In M the country arolIud; ana file Can
tain'> business Wa- imperative and must be
quickly settled. Luckily two or three gentle
men had come down from town on mule-back;
and is ! had promised, when advised to omit
A;ll.,sc. NOT 10 hermit tha f.,rt OF brino ;,
woman t. Interfere with Official business if
allowed 10 acr0lfpaflV Tia, otrpr>-I said not n
word, but mechlN mounted in front of the
polite c05cflcfn. who offered Inc half his steed
Whllf the rest ot The party, with breeches
tucked inside of hlglI-tpp boots. plodded along
on foot. through mud That would have reached
above my SHOES. MOI a I!gnlhed entrance, to
he >urc-hut my feelings were a-Sliagcd by the
remembrance that the saviour of mankind
came INTO Jerusalcm On muic; and thought
Of the old-fa>hloned ditiY my grandfather used
10 >!iG:
'For riding double was iu crime
IN the first guod tIN:rd's time;
10 brave man Thought himself Hisglnccd
~ lWo l3If arms around III waist
-, ,'.j' y', I ,'.,'I @ ,"S II ',i ;i" t'lilI,''n
VII !" ,''''''' i',''
- we plunged INTO NE hlackheSS OF me
hl4ht and IN Que course n time drew bride in
front OF the 'aSa deI 'iGfe I"lltlto, ana was
handed over to the care n the Jefe Politico
that of an English bea'!e. or Mayor in the
Nj rate. he the most llnDDrtHOt