New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-26
IN CUATFMALAN WILDS.
ROUGH TRAVELLING AMONG VOLCANIC
MOUNTAINS

tho Department Of Alta Verapaz. The way was 'he
narrow trail up and down the sdes OF pfo'p'o'
volcanic cones, la many places almost TOO sleep Io'
even a mule to ascend. The trail was always rough
and In some places where the water hho "hsheu u'e
earth from the angular volcanic rock which Mica 'hs
way the difficulty OF travel increased TO the point oil
DANCE. Our mules were surefoocd as we'll a. shhrp-
backed and carried safely up ana down inc most
abrupt places and over the toughest
The genial climate OF this part of Guatemala Is well
illus,rat d by the singular facility with which crops
are here produced. Each day we saw the cn're
agricultural process, from the commencement OF the
preparation OF the ground 10 the gathering Oh u'e
'rpenod crop.
For corn a steep mountain side Wen covered WIN
"A growth OF tropical vegetation IS selected Thes"
pealSs steep permit Of cultvAtoh'
they are as steep as soil will lie and not SIDE by us
own weight and yet they are cultivated 70 the very
apex OF tie cone ana produce immense crops
In preparing the soil score of laboIers nraboja-
doris commence AT the very bottom OF tho mountain
TO cut down the growth Of yOnng trees Shrubs vines
,snd plants, each rabaador cleOIng spac" equal 70
tthe stretch OF hs arms-sav six feet. Twenty woAld
Nhus form line 100 feet long. As the base Of the
lyoung saplngs and underground Is severed near the
,ground they faI with the bushy top down hill.
Gradually the trnbaJadors climb the peah until they
reach the summit whilo the SLOPE behind them Is
covered with the foliage branches and bodies OF the
mass o. vegetation which has been fcllcd. tbs mass
wits and dries In the sum- ana as soon as dry II Is
set on fire at the bottom and the flames sweep over
I'D the hill in a terrific wh!ri OF fame and smoke
As the fire is on and the ground cooled II Is
ready FOR painting without fnrthe" preparation, ana
The trabaiadOrs range themselves In line again at the
foot Of the mountain prepared for planting. Each is
provided with long pole happened az ono end Ike
en- ordinary bean pole. and with basket or sack OF
corn supported BY a cord around the neck. The Inc
IS somewhat Longer than ut first because now each man
covers tve'vc feet OF ground instead Of six. with
cha n1a bg1o &c oa1o in Tho
four feet his right then four feet TO his left and
hast four feet In front mailing he proceeds, three
rows four feet apart. Into these holes he places
-four Kernels Of corn The two outside rfwS are
covered by prshinr the dirt the seed with tho
point OF tho stick while the centre IS covered
sby pressing the earth tie Kernels with the foot
nn stepping And 50 the work goes on until the
sentre side Of the mountain * planted. and thHn the
secd Is left 10 the and rain and the OF kindly
Mature to terminate ard force into growth ard
maturity. There is pcuclinc. no horng. no care
of any kind given to tie growing plant neither is there
any fear OF fal lure. Poughnc hoeing would loosen
the soil, and the first rain would wash 1t into the
VALLEY. TIE worms and insects ana weed seeds have
.tcen destroyed In the avalanche OF fire which en-
Ebracod the hill In the first preparation. and IN. seed
once in the ground. labor is at end until harvest
The rain soass the kernel OF corn and CalsoS il 70
sprou; the forces into rapid growth: the winds
tug at the top While the roots resist and send their
fbrOus threads further into the ground and cling
tenaoiousv around the broken bits OF volcanic rock
When the crop Is maurcd the rtbaadors again
mCnco at the bottom puchinc the riIencd cars from
the dropping stalks and carrying the loads away upon
Their backs 10 be some cabana or ranchc1Ia
until wanted IN single GAYS ride We saw ground
IN all stages OF preparation, the trsb1adorS planting
the corn. the young plants just above ground, The
stalks hah grown the in all stages OF develop
ment ard fully matured.
Surely Nature is kind to her undevelopcd children
vii1s
against their mprovide1ce and sothfuness and vet
we find all through Journey scarcity OF corn.
The yellow is selling in this city for 10 cents
q pound, and the price VIII not materially change until
larger amount natures. The reason for this scarcity
rs that Planting has been neglected for coffee
raising.
II we examine the map OF Guatemala In the De-
apartment Of Alta Verapaz note the names Of many
places which appear to be lii" names OF towns Or
villages. Some of them are clusters Of Indian
houses trancherias, but many are only the names Of
isolated fncas The dots on the map with the poetic
names attached give The department an appearance
iof population II does not deserve.
Arena consists Of one house, used as q dwelling a
fbarn, building for drying and separating Coffee
coffee floors and stOrehousc. 1t + located I'm 4
pocket In the mountains, 5000 feet above sea level
and the 10000 coffee shrubs ill narrow valley
surround the buildings and extend up the side OF the
mountain short distance. Some very good machinery
WAS seen at this 1nca brought over the ocean from
sGermany ard taken Into the mountains upon the backs
OF Indians. At point new trail had to be-
made, the old one being too narrow TO allow The
sections OF boiler 10 pass.
Senior F. OSssse and his two Sons are the owners
OF the hnca. but all three at the capital and the
fnca IS IN charge Of German. Charles DressleY and
"a young man, Eugene Mnilelot who claimed 10 be an
American and from Ncw-York White men visit those
moIntan fncas bu' rarely and cur coming was hailed
by these young a blessing, harbngcr Of
good. Our mozos and mules given the best OF
care at the barn, while we enjoyed the best In the
house.
The German spoke but little English but good
Spanish, and rs my companion the Doctor was q good
Spanish scholar they f,rgOt the New York boy
and myself In ther discussion Of Guatemalccan poll
ties. But was also busy with ihc NewYork boy.
He was well up IN woOdcraft and gave much
valuable Information of the country. fauna and
fora. its vegetable. mineral and agricultural resource
and poss4btitie,.
The fnca Of Arcnal contains 1co cabellcrias, an
uncertain amount, but rot far from 10000 acres
M.st OF II Is mountain land, uucutva;ed covered
with forests In which the Indian finds inviting
home. The circulor plain IN which the budines stand
is almost ncosed by high mountains from which water
Is brcush, in quantity abundant as TO supply all
the necessities Of largo coffee business.
The inclosins mountains seem afo 10 Insure
abundance Of rain upon which successful coffee culture
largely depeDds
Both at Arenal and Chicacao / was Informed that
rains frequent end plentiful ten months in the
year ard that IN consequence coffee picking
Eti,slcd months in the year last year this lnca
produced 1900 qdniss, equal 10 about 100 tons and
valued at over "a coo.
The entire amount was transported upon The backs
OF Indians TO Panzos and thence shipped TO Europe by
water.
II was late when We blew out the candle and pre-
PARED ourselves fer sleep. Visitors
admit o. short evenings. and before separated my
ne MNllcOt. a 10 o.
country and It's interesting features. and | had told
HIN great deal more than ] actually knew Of New
York. and the changes in lie street population since he
left 1t three years ago.
We bue goOdby 10 the Gnca Of Arcnal and 20 our
,Gernan host ,us az the pushing It's first bril-