Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-27
IN SEMI.TRopIc SEAS.
MEXICAN CHARACTER EXEMPLIFIED
IN LOVE AND BUSINESS.
San Jose Del Cabo-" There is no Life
on Earth but Being in
Love-


Especial Correspondence of the RECORD UNION
On SHIPBoARD, June, 1889.
"If man who turnips cries,
Cries not when his father dies,
Is il proof that he would rather
Cry for turnips than his fatherT'
So sang our solitary English passenger
over and over again; without eliciting
any reply to his rather pointless query
A couple of tan-colored sailors, squatted
aft, industriously patching an awning,
crooned in concert one of their soft-yow-
eled folk-songs:
''Adela Adela
Vuelve hacia me-
Que Sabes tie anna
Mi coroZon
Con frenesi p
Even the forlorn-looking steerage people
"a company of Colonel A. K. Owens
cranky colonists, bound for his Topolo-
bampo paradise of equal rights on the
west coast of Sonora, cheered up amazing
ly as we rounded the California PENN
sula, and began TO voice snatches of their
socialistic war-cries whose principles they
mean to carry out in the new Utopia.
Meanwhile, the old, old story"-as
new and charming to-day as when told by
our first parents in Eden, seemed about to
be repeated, even among the briny and
greasy smells peculiar to ocean-going
steamships. Somebody has said: There
is no life on earth but being in love-"
Judging by that standard, the average
Mexican must live great deal more than
most Of the world, for his normal condi-
ton is to be desperately, heels over head,
in love with one object or another.
For days my attention had been at
tracted by two Arcadian figures, seen
always side by side-not Phillis, the milk
maid, with carnation cheeks and sun
Drowned brow, nor Corydon futing sweetly
on his tuneful pipe; but girl, rosy and
brown enough, as most Mexican maidens
are, and small and slender Don, whose
spidery legs were encased in the tightest
Of black breeches, strapped under the ais
tocratically-arched instep of his very small
completed by short jacket heavily en-
broidered, topped by an enormously wide
sombrero OF light gray felt, weighted with
silver cord.
He could not recline at her feet, in pas
toral fashion, on some fair slope in butter.
cup time; but
HE DID THE BEST HE COULD
In that direction on the briny deep, by
twanging his guitar to her at all hours of
day and night In common with his race,
this gallant young Mexican wore a sad
and serious countenance, and an expression
in his handsome black eyes of mingled
pathos, passion and tragedy; but alas! in
common with his race he was also an un-
mitigated flirt, by nature incOnstant as the
changefui moon, and no more 10 be de-
pended upon than bees and butterflies and
other summer creatures that rove from
flower to flower.
The sad-faced cabellero was quite as
ready to bestow his attention in one quar-
ter as another, and TO compliment any
lady, whether she was sweet sixteen or
"fat, fair and fifty" according to the uni
versal Spanish-American custom of staring
straight into her eyes with look of the
most rapturous admiration, Just as long as
she would allow him. He had learned a
little English, and was delighted with an
opportunity to air his knowledge of that
language, something in this wise:
=" The home of me in Mexico City is, but
fortune has live me much far away, in
Chiapas and Honduras. The senoritas
Americans are mug, beautiful, because
their eyes are G=H! (blue) as the heavens.
Ego to gather debt which to me- long
time has owed OF friend of mine in the
Sierras behind San Jose. Where goes the
senorita American? When returns she ?
! will go back on the same burque and let
go my debt"
This interesting conversation is inter-
rupted by our arrival at San Jose del Cabo,
or rather as near to that place as the
steamers can come, all vessels being com
PEELED to anchor mile or more from shore.
When the time came to land, you should
have seen the almost fearful aides of the
spidery-legged young Mexican, as-with
the most heartbroken look in his beau tiful
eyes, and lips that actually trembled with
emotion, he waited around the circle OF
his female admirers for farewell hand
shake. But, alas for feminine vanityl
The shore was not reached before the
faithless knight was laughing and chatting
gaily-the slender senorita and the azul-
eyed alike forgotten.
THE OPEN BAY OF SAN JOSE,
At the extremity of the cape of the same
name, is merely slight indentation in the
coast-line between Points Palma and Cor
da. So bad is it here, and frequently dan
gerous, that vessels are sometimes obliged
to unburden their csrgoes few miles
above or below; and in the most favorable
weather great care must be taken on ac-
count of the many fathomleSs pozos, or
wells, in whose vicinity anchorage is i'm
possible.
The starry flag was flung to the breeze
and our whistle blew shrilly, again and
again, reverberating among the sierras
and awakening their slumbering echoes T.;
but for long time there came no sign of
response from shore. We afterwards
learned that the secret of the delay was
because the shrewd officials desired to be
on board at luncheon time, and knew that
the business would not hold out long
enough should they come too early. At
last three canoes appeared, each floating
the pretty flag of Mexico, with its stripes
of red, white and greeR-one bringing the
health officers, another the Commandante
Of the Port, and the third the Customs
officials. They were followed by feet of
long, narrow, fearfully rocking Boats trees
followed out, precisely like those in which
the early Aztecs padded about five centn-
ries ago., each manned by bare-headed
Indian, who hoped to earn some reales
tshillings) by rowing freight or passen-
gers to shore.
Such a jabbering and chattering Of Span
ish as ensued when the Mexicans came on
board-such feryent embracings of the Off
GERS of the ship and those from shore, ac-
cording to the prevailing fashion in these
parts of men falling into each others
arms and hugging one another on the
slightest proyocation. Though the sum
total Of every blessed thing TO be landed
comprised only two passengers, one small
trunk, one barrel, and one box containing
dozen bottles of American beer, it took
four long hours to settle the formalities,
aided by luncheon for all the officials and
he l. -, r. >