The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-15
AMONG THE mExICANs.
Coaching-The MOuntains-How the People
Live-8Ianners and Customs

Coaching-The MOuntains-How the People
Live-3Ianners and Customs.
SIERRA MAJADO Mex, May 3.-[Spe-
cial. The trip from MoncIora to Cuatro
Cienegas, sixty miles, was made in seven
hours in an old-fashioned rockaway coach
with three relays of seven horses each.
Much OF the way was through beautiful
valleys, in a high state of cultivation, all
under irrigation. If mother earth
yields so beautifully when cultivated
with wood pillow, "what will the harvest
be" when the Oliver chilled pillow stirs her
generous bosom? We were off before
daylight, and 1 witnessed the glory and
the grandeur of the moon as she peace
fully sunk down behind one high mount
ain, amidst clouds of many-tinted splen-
doris, while the sun came up over the top
of another in all his magnihcence and
glory. Fit emblems OF the outgoing and,
/ trust, incoming administration.
The people mostly live in villages. But
few are found in the country save at the
large ranches. Congregatlng together was
a necessity for self defense during the days
of frequent revolutions and Indian raids,
and the custom still continues. The
houses are principally made OF adobe,
built out upon narrow streets. The Gus
toms guards, ever on the watch for snug
glers, patrol the highways and guard the
mountain passes. High tariffs breed these
Illicit dealers, nails sell at % cents a
pound, rice Is, sugar Is, muslins and
calicoes % and 80, and all foreign
products bring like exorbitant
prices. The duty on common
buggy is 500, and on an American saddle
its original cost, while canned meats and
fruits are still higher. If this people live
in the plainest manner possible, with
scarcely the comforts OF life, to say moth
ing of its luxuries, the fault largely rests
with high protective system.
Ii the manufacturers in the United
States desire market for their overpro-
duction, wise craftsmanship should secure
a commercial treaty with Mexico that
would thereby afford them ready BUYERS.
More English and French goods are here
found for sale than American, though
goods can be delivered here in six DAYS
from New York.
If the Mexican horse has any special
quality il is his ability 10 pitch and buck.
When our teams were harnessed up ropes
were passed through the bride rings and
men held on and run by their sides until
they were under fu1 speed, and then
here to the saddle or harness; they are
literally broke, and in many instances
they are useless afterward. 1t took three
days and two nights to reach here. The
country is mountainous and the last
hundred miles is without cultivation. 1t
is purely grazing, and in many places the
''long suffering and patient donkey" finds
one blade OF grass great ways from
another.
The mountains here form a horseshoe
and Sierra Mojorda rests within the
curve. 1t is 5000 feet above sea level,
while the peaks stretch upward 5000
more. 1t Is one of the greatest mining
camps in the republic. When work first
began the one great want was water, not
withstanding the name means wet
mountain" BY digging deep wells and
building tanks, however. this deficiency
is now fully supplied. One of the latter
cost 500, 900, and was constructed by the
Esmeralda smelling company. Wood
and charcoal are brought twenty and
thirty miles and the former sells at from
six to eight dollars per carload. When
absolute necessaries are thus supplied it
demonstrates how difficult prob
lens are solved when "a good
thing Is in sight" The principal works
here are under the charge of Americans,
CAlucl dlo OWnCAo VI ClIl plO1tS. lllC ui4lco
are still turning out vast quantities of ore,
and all not smelted here is shipped to the
states. The wagons used for transporting
II, hauled by eighteen mules, and carving
ten and twelve thousand pounds each, are
of mammoth proportions; they would
make the old Conestoga fall into insig-
nificance.
did not see here ''the hewers Of wood, "
but surely did "the drawers of water"
OF an evening hundreds of women and
girls could be seen vending their way to
the water tanks and returning, bearing
large jars upon their shoulders or heads.
i was much impressed with their cheerful
ness under such burdens / have seen a
great deal Of the way people live in this
country, and certainly admire the good
humor with which they get along-es-
pecially the women-whO are very indus
trious, and, of necessity, economical.
With the coming OF the season the
spring bonnet does not mature here
much to the relief of the 'lordly master"
The ever present shawl is worn over the
head and lower part of the face through
out the year. The irrepressible small
boy, however, has made his appearance,
and many of them, clothed only in the
sunshine. The lizard, the horned toad
the centipede, scorpions, tarantulas and
snakes innumerable have ripened, and
from now on-cuiddGdO.
Asa HEARTS.
Husfon Tak.s Charqe uondav