Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-24
IN BlJA CALIFORNIA.
ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF OUR
CONTINENT.
Strange Things to be Seen on Land
and Sea-Our Correspondent
Travels in coach"

and environs. Mentioning the wish to our
friendly entertainers, horses were imme-
diately placed at our disposal, it being
taken for granted that the expedition
would be made after the universal fashion
of the natives, in the saddle. But one can
have quite enough of that method of To-
comotion in the rural districts, and in
traversing the long stretches of unoccupied
country between centers, without choosing
it in cities.
Inquiry for a carriage was met with
looks of blank amazement and an express
sion on eyerybody's face that seemed to
say, What singular creatures? Are these
Americans !? But so polite are these hos
pitable Calilornians, that had we asked for
dromedary, an effort would have been
made to crafty US. After days of delay, a
four-wheeled vehicle-here yclept ln coche,
probably the only ore on the southern
peninsula-was finally secured.
According to Scripture it would be no
sin to worship,that alleged "coach"-it be-
ing not in the likeness of anything above or
below, and to beappreciated itmust be seen
---or rather riddenin. Anunpainted box long
and narrow like piano case, entire guilt
less of springs, mounted high above four
ponderous wheels that swayed to and fro,
each with an independent motion of its
own; three backless benches inside, covered
with COW skin (the hair left on in lieu of
other cushIoning) THE whole concern
topped with a canopy of unbleached cloth,
and drawn by three mules-a leader in
front of two abreast.
Anxious to do his duty by the strangers
and prove himself an honest Jehu, the
Mexican cochero drove like a lunatic,
up hill and down dale, over sands and
boulders and ruts and "thank- you-ma' ans"
cracking his long whip necessarily and
making the welliin ring with his ''mulas-
a-a-a-a-h h-h w No wonder the natives
were astonished at our choice and them
selves prefer the saddle-for the way we
were bounced about, and battered black
and blue, and had our bonnets fattened
into shapeless ruins by violent contact with
the top of the coach was indeed pitiful.
Except in the vicinity of the landing
the streets of the La Paz seemed literally
deserted-save for the dogs, which out
number the human population three to
one.
BIG DOGS AND LITTLE DOGS,
Aristocratic CANNES and mongrels of ev-
cry description, followed us in ever-in-
creasing crowds, each house contributing
its quota-all barking in widest excite
ment at the unusual spectacle, and stirring
into denser clouds the dust that already
enyeloped US. A distinctive popularity
of La Paz is its luxuriant verdure in the
midst of desert sands. Every casa is sur
rounded by lovely gardens, and the hum
blest hut is embowered amid shrubs and
flowers, with creepers clinging to its thatch
under the shelter Of a spreading orange or
pomegranate tree.
Wishing to see all sides of life, we &C.
cepted every invitation, whether it led
among the lofty or the lowly, the rich or
the poor, and very pleasant remembranees
we shall retain Of elegant entertainments
in charming homes, and of hospitality no
less sweet and cordial though of far hum
bier character. In the mansion of the
wealthiest pearl-merchant we thoroughly
enjoyed ceremonious dinner of fourteen
courses and came away laden with recuer-
ddS, or souvenirs, of rare shells and beauti-
full flowers. In another handsome casa,
where we were dined and wined amid a
polyglot company, speaking French, Ger
man, Spanish and English-we met the
most beautiful creature | ever beheld, a
Mexican widow, whose wonderfully soft,
dark eyes, clear, olive skin and perfect
features and figure rendered her delight
to look upon. But, alas she was "a years
old-an age quite pasee in this warm re-
Nrh rirlc Of
Strange to say, most Mexican gentlemen.
to whom the tropical style of beauty is
too familiar to excite notice, prefer any
lean, tlat-hooted, bilious complexioned and
pale-eyed Anglo-Saxon woman. even to
the age fifty, to the loyeliest girls of their
own race. Such is the inexplicable nature
of the genus homo in its taste for novel
ties.
Accompanied by Mexican matron, we
visited some of her friends, whom she de-
scribed as may deeeuto (wen connected)
though poor. Through barber shop we
went. through long empty shed beyond.
and then into stable-where a couple of
donkeys were stalled, and COW and some
goats-and out of this ran a rickety fight
of stairs to the home above. As in all
Mexico, the trades-people of La Paz util-
ize the lower floor, if they have an upper
story, or in any event the front and
best rooms, for purposes of trade, their
families living contentedly in the rear or
above Despite its unprepossessing en-
trance and the
DIRT AND DISORDER
That reigned supreme, the abode to which
we were introduced was not one of abject
poverty. The family comprised an incred-
ible number of people, considering the
cramped space, and more dogs and chill
dren than | dared to enumerate; but
everybody seemed healthy and happy, and
serene in the unshakable conviction that
the most desirable spot on earth to live
and die in is right here in La Paz. Ac-
cording to custom, small gifts were ex-
changed between the entertained and en-
tertainers, wine and cigarettes were handed
around, and a babel of confidential chatter
went on, amid clouds of smoke from FEM
mime lips. Upon the parlor wall OBJ
served that familiar caricature of the
Garfield family-the death-bed scene, the
coarsest of colored prints, painful enough
to disturb the martyred President in his
graye-to which, with evident pride, the
mistress of the house directed my atten-
tion.
The women of this section are noted for
doing the most exquisite drawn work"
on linen, after the old Spanish fashion.
With infinite patience and vast expendi-
ture of precious eye-sight, they win work
for months on one handkerchief-an then
sell it for $40, Mexican money, each dollar
% cents less than one of ours
tried, in vain, to purchase a photo
graph of some scene in La Paz; but here
is observation-disclosures city, one of
the most picturesque in existence, which
has never yet been invaded by photo
grapheri Besides pearls and pearl-shells,
silver bullion and ore, the exports of La
Paz are tortoise shells, deer skins, salt,
hides, oranges, pdnoeba, the dye-stuff, or