Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-21

The huts we're mere huts built of corn stalks,
tied and woven over wooden frame of small
logs. They were toys in SIZE had dirt floors
aud one room and seemed common to the
family, pigs, burros and chickens. They are
cool, however, and clumps of banana. mango
and aquacate trees growing about them gave a
very picturesque effect, reminding one OF the
Illustrations in Du Chaillu and Stanley. The
Indian mistresses of these habta;ions are
scantily dressed in one white garment. without
foot or head gear beyond what nature gave
them. The men and boys wear peaked straw
sombrero and cotton shirt and pantaloons-the
latter always rolled up high on their brown
legs. Many of the younger children have mo
wings at all" but, like our famous domestic in
Sect get there just the same
wAYs1DE BARS.
In front Of many of these huts, beneath the
cool shade of overhanging straw, are little
shelves on which are water jars, Indian cakes,
bottle or two of tequila and, what seem to ME
always out of place in such SURROUNDINGS few
punches of cigarettes. The passer-by, usually
an Indian. can refresh himself at one of these
bars for about three cents, inciu ding a drink
OF strong tequila and package OF cigarettes.
We took an early breakfast in one OF these viii
iages and near noon got to the first of
THE big BABRASCAs."
There are several of these on the Colima
road, the largest being the Barranca de Tran
They are the terror of all travellers and have
had a railroad company in despair for some
years. That of de Tran drops from level
plain to sudden and sheer descent of 600 feet
The government in 1866. during the French
revolution, made some attempt to pave a de-
scent into these barrancas so as to transport ar
tillery to the coast. The paving stones are now
almost all worked out by the rains and feet Of
constant strings of pack mules, and the result
Is simply awful. 1t reminded me of some of our
worst scouting days in the rough Salmon river
country, Idaho.
We slid and fioundered down the rocky zig
gags of the first barranca, and in its deep cool
bottom, on a little mountain stream, found an
Indian ranch with adobe walls and tile roof,
where we stopped at noon. The road during
the morning had been full Of travel In the
first hour from Zapotlan 1 counted some 500
pack mules going to Colima with merchandise
Later on we met the counter stream from CO.
lima laden with coffee and rice. and from then
until evening / saw more mules and purrus
than had seen in the west in several years'
service, / think. l stopped counting after the
first hour. need say? Once or twice we met
people evidently from the wealthy haciendas-
one of these being old lady of about sixty
five. She rode a fine mule, with her monogram
in silver on the saddle skirts. Behind her came
a couple Of mozos and three pack mules. She
was probably visiting some neighboring haci-
enda, and the mules possibly bore much finery
of an antique period of fashion. Every traveller
SPCahs W tHe Olner ne passes on the road
"Adois, senior ~ is the almost universal form of
such salutation ''buenos dias" or '.buena tardes'
being much more rare.
REAL DON.
At our incoming station we found several
other travellers of the better class and the
corral was crowded with mules, packs and at
tendant mozos. few minutes after we CANA
very interesting looking type Of Spanish don
rode in and dismounted with u.s. He and his
three servants all had frst-class mules and all
travelled and were armed In manner yery
picturesque and suggestive to the stranger OF
possibilities in the way of bighwaymen in this
wild region. The don carried a couple of
Colts. which Wee very visible under his short
jacket and each Of his men had Colt and
carbine besides. OF course they all had
swords-every one has in this country. They
are carried strapped under the left leg to the
saddle
By the bye, this necessity for being armed
is by no means fictitious one in the interior.
German gentleman was attacked by bandits
couple of months ago in plain sight of the
town of Guadalajara. He had his arm shat
tered by pistol bullet but killed one of his
assailants and finally got away Moral JOHNNY
get your gun and keep it by you in the
country.