The morning news., 1891-04-02
RIDER HAaaARD IN MEXICO.
How the wellKnown Author Me:
With Strange Adventure.
Frop1 the Pbiln0eLnbin Press


From the Philadelphia Press.
New YORK, March 30.-Rlder Haggard,
that blonde and athletic gentleman who re-
ceived CLEOPATRA" unfolded "King Solo
mons Mines" and found "She," has Just
had quite thrilling adventure of his own.
Mr.. Haggard and his wife went to Mexico
last fall in search of adventure, and have
Just crowned o successful expedition by the
interesting feat of losing each other way
down on the Mexican seacoast only to find
each other again unexpectedly and with all
the spontaneous JOY Of long lost brothers in
their hotel in New York.
While there is q question whether this
most romantic incident of Rider Haggard's
Journeyings through America will form q
thrilling episode in the new novel he pro-
poses to write on the romance of the Aztec
civilization in this country it was certainly
OF grave consequence to the romancer him
self. And this is the way it all came
about
After protracted wanderings through the
wilds of Mexico along rivers and noun
tains so remote from the highways of travel
that progress was possible only in canoes or
on muleback, Mr.. and Mrs. Haggard
reached the city of Vera Cruz. Their plans
had been so arranged that they were to sail
north along the Atlantic coast to New York,
and while waiting for their steamer Mr..
Haggard took a .little coasting vessel and
made sundry voyages up and down the
Mexican seaboards in search of curiosities
and traditions. There Is a charm in those
waters and along those almost barbarous
coasts, SO it is not to be wondered at that
his journeyings absorbed him so that he
forgot the fight of time and the sailing day
of his steamer.
WHAT MRS. HAaeARD DID.
It is hardly fair to say that Mrs Haggard
thought her husband had been captured by
bandits and was being held for a ransom.
Anybody who has been to the Mountains
of the Moon in person, as well as in spirit,
could be readily excused for almost any
mysterious disappearance" She felt cer~
tain that he would turn up all right some
time or other with another story perhaps,
so when the steamer City Of Washington
was ready to weigh anchor au Vera Cruz,
on her voyage to New York, Mrs. Haggard
got aboard of her aud calmly proceeded on
her way.
Just what Mr. Haggard found that kept
him SO long he has not yet consented to tell.
AT all events, when he returned to Vera
Cruz, there was no sign Of Mrs Haggard
and the steamer. 1t would be long time
until another steamer and a good many
days before Mrs. Haggard, were she on the
City of Washington, could reach point at
which he could communicate with her by
telephone. So with hope still tempered by
wholesome spice of fear he took to the
railroad and came as fast as steam could
bring him to New York city, where he ar
rived Sunday night. Not Knowing exactly
what day the City of Washington would
land here the great African story teller
telegraphed from Decatur, Ala, to the
office of Mr.. Edwin h. Low of this city,
who had his tour in charge, that Mrs. Hag-
gard was probably on the City of Wash
lngton, and that he would arrive by rail on
Sunday evening.
MET AGAIN IN NEW YORK.
When he did arrive in the Grand Central
depot, still in ignorance of the whereabouts
of Mrs. Haggard, he was driven poste- haste
to the Victoria hotel, and those in the corr
ridor, by the parlor door, each utterly un-
suspicious of the others presence in the city
or the house, the Haggards who were lost in
Mexico were reunited in New York and the
ronaucer's little romance was ended. They
will sail fer home, by the way, on the Ger
manic tomorrow.
II did not get as far south, said Mr.
Haggard yesterday, ''aS the famous ruined
cities of Yuratan and Central America,
nor did discover any ruined cities at all.
But having on mind the vague idea of writ
ting book on the romance of the AZtecs,
probably romantic novel dealing with life
| in their times and in this country, l saw as
much of Southern Mexico and thai part of
| the continent as l could.
81 went as far as the state Of Chirapas
| and travelled considerably over 100 miles.
about 100, in fact, on mule back, up and
down inaccessible mountain roads, and in
| causes along the eslumbrous surfaces of these
beautiful tropical rivers. i did not see any
| ruined monuments or statues, but l did
make a thorough study, so far as possible
| of the traditions and folk lore of that coun-
try, dating back to the Aztec days; and |
| put myself into as thorough rapport as
might be with the spirit of the Aztec civili-
zation.
The healthy brown of Mr.. Haggard's g
cheek, his undimmedseye aud heavy tramp
| ing shoes were eloquent indications of the
| success Of his journeyings.
"As to the effect on English authors" he
continued, 'of the new copyright law,
which has been enacted In my absence from
| this country to take effect July l, can
only speak in a general way, as have not
had time to familiarize myself with its pro-
visions. 1 think your country and all
countries and authors are now to be congrat-
ulated inaSmuch as the United States now
has regular copyright law. 1t will, of
! course, be of great advantage to the pro-
| ducers eS well as the mechanical perfectors
| ana makers of literature While about fiftv
| English authors will have their books put
into type and printed here simultaneously
| with the process on the other side, it is not
| impossible that American authors will, by
| the difference in spelling between English
| and American standards, be compelled to
| have their books printed in London as well