Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-05-24

they had consumed The polite waiter
Informed him that their bill was $4,000
nlilseis.
Great heavensr' be said, Il do not de-
sire to purchase the entire state of San
Salvador, but simply pay for our dinner"
An explanation informed him that the
price for the meal in American money,
for the party, was only about $3.50 He
had thought that the waiter said $4,000
million reis.
The two states of San Salvador and
Guatemala are now on the verge Of a war
and have commenced massing their forces
for the coming conflict. Every steamer
which leaves San Francisco carries large
quantities of arms and munitions of war
for the behgerent states. Mr.. Slattery
states that this makes it somewhat dan
gerous for strangers who are travelling
through the country; the recruiting forces
at the various ports are constantly on
the lookout for all able bodied men whom
they imagine will make good soldiers,
and if a stranger lands whom they think
will fill the bill and an opportunity Of
fers he is almost sure to be kidnapped and
carried to some of the interior military
stations from which he cannot escape.
Although war has not yet been declared
it all depends upon how successful the
convention will be, which is about to con-
vene, in creating a joint republic Of the
several separate states of Central Amer
lea.
One of the most curios sights is the
grand market in San Salvador. This
mammoth institution covers nearly an
acre Of ground and in it most of the mar
keting is carried on. 1t is strange
sight to witness the customs of the people
at the markets, they being so much diff
ferent from the United States. Their
manner of butchering is almost as bad
as among the barbarians, each one who
assists always striving to secure the
sweetest morsel of the slaughter regard
less of cleanliness or any other particular
ingredient of the law of decency. Most
of the towns and cities are destitute of
shade trees or trees Of any other charac-
ter Mr.. Slattery travelled about 300
miles into the interior and passed
through three cities on the journey and
there was not tree of any description
in either of them. In some portions of
the country there is grown great
quantity Of fruit, but from San Salvador
for three hundred miles in the interior
the country is nothing but a barren
waste, almost entirely destitute of vege-
tation. The country is mountainous in
character, and the natural curiosities are
many. One of the mountains is situated
about thirty eight miles from the city of
La Union and is an active volcano in
constant working order. 1t attracts
many visitors and pleasure seekers, who
are passing down the coast.
All of the towns in the interior of the
country have the appearance of being
very old, and the Catholic religion is the
prevailing one among the inhabitants,
no churches of any other denomination
being seen in the country.
When any of the inhabitants die the
funeral ceremony is always an occasion
for large turnout, and the mode of bur
ial is altogether different from any other
nation. The corpse is carried around by
the pail bearers in an open coffin, which
is not closed until the funeral cortege
arrives at the grave, and owing to the
extremely hot climate it is not particu-
larly desirable object to be near.
The inhabitants are all, both women
and men, quite small in stature. The
dress of the ladies is of the simplest
character and consists of the cheapest
and plainest material, but is always ar
ranged to show off their figure to the
best possible advantage. The younger
women as a rule are quite good looking,
but their morals have been sadly
neglected.
The history which Mr.. Slattery gives
Of the much boosted mines of the country
is not Indicative of any amount of pros
perity. He says that one of the prin-
clpal mines is owned by the cashier of
the leading bank of Honduras and that
his credit is not worth cents on the
dollar Most Of the mining is carried
on by Americans and foreigners and it is
always their object to fleece the laborers,
and they have the best chance in the
world to do so. The mines are situated
a long ways in the interior of the coun-
try and as their payments are always
made by check, by the time the laborer
arrives at the bank, he finds all the funds
have been withdrawn. The principal
mines of the country have long been
worked out and there has been no late
discoveries. He says there is nothing
in the country to 60 there for unless