The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-11-26
TRAVEL In THE TROPICS.
LIFE HAS MANY DISADVANTAGES
THERE,
Some Inconveniences Which an
American Will Encounter in
Mexico and Central America.

american VIII encounter IN
Mexico and Central America.
The visitor to the tropics who has been
accustomed to the comfort and enjoyment
of the luxuries of life in the United States
must resolve to undergo many inconveni-
ences, not to say privations, while the in
congruities in the life Of the people will
awake his surprise.
In Mexico, for instance, the cooking
will strike him as being insufferably bad.
Garlic is invariably used in the cooking
of meat, and to the uneducated taste of
an American is most unpleasant. Chile,
which is as pleasing to an Americans
palate as hot Goals would be, enters
largely into the preparation of food. The
bread is usually coarse, dark in color and
rather sour in taste. Mexican fruit, es-
pecially peaches and oranges, is generally
tasteless and far inferior to that
grown in the United States. To an
American who has been accustomed to
reading the news OF the world each
morning in his favorite daily paper
at home the transition to the
quality and quantity of foreign news
printed in Mexican daily paper will be
both startling and painful except when
some crime Of importance is committed
in the United States. Then circum-
stances are given at length, for it is a
fact that the majority of Mexican news
papers take particular care to publish
any piece of news which tends to the
discredit of our country, while more
pleasing news of far greater Importance
is dismissed with the briefest possible
mention, if published at all. This course
on the part of many Mexican newspapers
is largely due to feeling of Jealousy and
dislike toward Americans. Under these
circumstances the American resident or
traveller in Mexico will find himself in
Ignorance of affairs which occur in his
own country daily until the arrival of
newspapers from home. Even that is a
matter of uncertainty, for a more viii
lainous inefficient and unsatisfactory
postal service does not exist in any civ
ilized country than that of Mexico. A
delay of a week or ten days in the deliv-
cry of letters is a matter of common oc-
currence, as we'll as the forwarding of
letters to postofices hundreds of miles
distant instead of their proper destina-
tion, thus causing great Inconvenience.
Americans who have resided in Mexico,
and who are not prejudiced in favor of
the Government of the country, hoping
to further their personal ends, will bear
me out in these statements.
In 1889 there was but one elevator,
either freight or passenger, in the entire
republic. This was in the Hotel Itur-
bide, in the City of Mexico. Intelligent
looking Mexicans would come in and
gaze al this mysterious machine which
ascended and descended apparently at
the will of one man, who stood inside.
This is not to be taken as a reflection
upon the intelligence of the people
generally, but rather illustrates the sur
prise which the presence of such mod
ern convenience eXcites, while the com
paratively lowness of the houses through
out the country precludes the necessity
for their general adoption.
In the Plaza de la Reform, in the City
of Mexico, the stranger will see the
wealth aud fashion of the city gather on
Sunday afternoon. The magnificent
boulevard, which would be a credit even
to Chicago, bears tine same relation to
the City of Mexico that Michigan avenue
does to the former city, in that it is the
fashionable thoroughfare for pedestrians
and vehicles. But here the incongruity
of the native taste again makes itself APP
parent. 4 magnificent private carriage,
drawn by a splendid team of matched
horses, with the harness and other ap-
pointments strictly correct, and which
would attract favorable notice in Chica-
60, will be driven by cOachman wear
ing an immense sombrero and a common
street suit. If he smokes a cigarette
while driving it creates no comment.
Tropical Central America has its dis
advantages as well as Mexico. Taking
the United States of Columbia, for in
stance, one can find more filth and nasti-
ness in the streets of Panama and Aspin-
wall than in any Spanish American city
l have ever visited. In the former place
there is absolutely no system of sewerage
whatever, the street cutters being utilized
as sewers. Were it not for the buzzards
the death rate in Panama would be much
greater than is now the case, but these
unclean and repulsiye-looking birds sup
plant the places of human scavengers,
subsisting off the garbage thrown into
the streets.
The new conner on the Isthmus of
Panama is always Immediately warned
by the residents that he must stringently
comply with certain rules if he wishes TO
preserve his health, at least, and very
often his life. The stranger will be
cautioned not to venture out in the night
air more than is absolutely necessary, for
with the going down of the sun
deadly humidity and miasma
enters into the atmosphere, and although
the nights seem so beautiful aud balmy,
yet death is lurking in the air, and
ChagTes fever, or what the natives term
the dangerous and swift "Tabla" (or
knock-you-down fever, is always look
ing for victims, not tC mention yellow
fever, which is also frequent enough.
The new arrival on the isthmus will also
be cautioned never to venture out in the
open air in the morning without first
having fortified his system with a cup Of
coffee and a roll; for breakfast is seldom
served before eleven o'clock in the
tropics. The additional caution Will be
given not to expose oneself TO the rays
of the sun if it can possibly be avoided,
but TO carry the regulation umbrella,
lined with green material, which resi-
dents of the tropics generally use.
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