New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-04
FROM COBAN TO PANAo0'
MOUNTAIN TRAVELLING IN GUAlEMAi-A-
VILLAGE HOSPITALITY.

~ mice and men gang aft aglcy.' sunday a'"'"o
we completed as supposed, our afrahse"'e"', ~
leaving Coban early Monday lnorhihs' anu ~ "'o
we were sti sanguine. for our mules were mnle''."s
,,.r grass in the patlo our soldier boy was nj the
door waiting our commands and the servants "'fc
preparing coffee and tOrtilas. but "here "''e 0".
mozos de cargo We waited two bonrs whe" W ou,
delight and surprise they presented the"9c'N''' ~
OF ng,iardientc and apologies. We were co",'o". y,
two cvll,-an indefinite delay which might On 'or Il"
bour mr. , day or longer II We tried TO secure o'h"
mozos or of trusting baggage to men "'re""'
,,ol intoyicatcd We chose the last as The least "''
ordered the men to load up ana start o"' r'
weighing about $50 pounds, were divided Ih'o '"ce
parts, and each part placed upon the pacH Oh 'I ~.
rhe burden was supported by two straps, one paSS,S
over the forehead and under the pach'se' anu
other across the breast and under the pacH"s'' NV
last acting more as Il guy than support.
As the weather Is quite warm ana is eao" '''
noon brings a flood OF rain, "" were ahA'o"' W -
tactic the end OF first days Journey "S '"'is
In the day rs possible and before the rain came 81
with repeated admonons on our part 10 hurry I'LL.
with many promise, their part, or n'ozos s'''u
n, ,b.r ,r,mp Of seven leagues AID soon followed
For o least three leagues socallcd cartrond ioo"S
the upper valley OF the Polochic, connecting .o'''
vitb r,nzo. We found the road in terrible condition,
cut by the broad wheels Of heavy carts ana ei'u ny
rains 1t was more difficult to travel upon in'n '"e
narrow trail and 50 We left 1t and turned into the
Gu,t.moI, II was graded by direction Of General
uarrlos and intended ~ way by which the co"ee
Of the Verapaz Department could b" carh 10 i""~o''
but the road Is in such poor repair that the expense
Of carng Is much greater than transportation upon the
back, Of Indians.
4 few milo, ont Of the city passed a tram OF
carts loaded with coffee on the way 10 fanzos Ihey
cn Cnun Yesterday aud reached this point, but mere
they were mircd and stopped for the night ana theh
each pr.icro Sung his hammock under tn" cart ana
>lcp, coaicncdy until morning. As We reached 'hem
few were still In the hammocks, Others were ariahs
ing for coffee and still Others had doubled the yOeS
of oxen and were dragging the carts one by one through
,b. deem mIro 4 railroad from Coban 70 Fanzos
would be a blessing 10 the entire Northern part OF
the Ecpublic and mine OF wealth to lis 0wners'
careful examination satisfies me th"' there are 'o
srcultlr, 10 be encountered i'm its construction which
would deter an engineer for moment. very niue
grading would be- necessary and a narrow gauge
road following the cart road conid be constructed a'
comparatively small cost. Onec In operation II "oid
fake thr coffee now produced from the territory upon
either side Of IT, and would stimulate Il greatly IN
creased production. Old HncaN wonli b" enlarge"
and their production ncr a,od, and new hnca' would
he started In every avLilabl" valley. such ROAD
would also stmulat" the cultivation OF fruit. ms
+, shown by the effect Of the poor little read from
Iucrt, Cc:cz - sln Pedro In Honduras Before that
road was built the cultivation II blnnnaS WAS confined
10 the coast. Now the entire length OF the road Is
A banana grove. There pines and sugar cane '0u'u
TO cultivated and would insure large returns Here
the product, would De- fruit rice and coh"e' put II
the riprnng j. continuous Tor all fruits. cereals ETC.
the r I.h, would be- constant and not spaSnodlc The
mountain, are said 10 hc fall Of mine, which could he
worked al 4 profit. could transportation be- had Tor
the ores. About l5.oO0,0O0 lunches OF bananas w,r"
son, 10 m. United states In l-0i with facilities for
tran ,poriii0n This amount could easily DE uou"i'"
md the rn,ir, Tolccllc and Montagua valleys would
,rcouic fruit gardens and rice and sugar care plal-
lion. while the higher valleys and tabeland' would
hocom. coffee plantation, supporting an industrious
and prosperous popuaion bringing wealth to IN" cui
uvator and revenue to the Government.
Olr road took IL through santa Cruz, small indian
Pueblo with a large but dilapidnted cathedral. which
Sc did not stcp To examine. bu hurried on To Iacuc'
much larger place. but which seems to have dropped
M, Of the proc on t. hav" been forgotten ana lrit
.onni In the race. For a half hour "" rode tIf""S"
The single street toward the ccnirr OF The village
without being able 10 learn by Inquiry wh't"r We
Won. rl.u or wions. \ high edge 81 cactus.
dorapondl and banana palms hord'rcd IN" ROAD ana
,nr,lv concealed the cabanas either sid" OF It.
THROUGH opening, In the hedge We caught occasional
.imp,c. 81 woa.n a:.G cl!lGr"n. who bid AT orr
,nprolrh and a ecorc Of half starved dos snarl'd
II Us and then rctr,rtcd.
Early I'm the afternoon entered the plaza, rode
# once to the cahdo ana Inquired for the JcIc or
~omandnntc. Both were away accompanying We
chief Of the Department on III, annual tour OF In
,.ci,u but We found the acting Jcfc In little dch
called a sior, Ulcnial. full of disgusting sights an"
nau,cntlng smells. Dried meat hung from 'd"""
pole, in the roof, picidcd meat lay soaking III '"'''
,,l.lc, OF imported beer and domestic liquors "c''
,pon tl,. Shelves and pile OF cloth, OF Indian wcaV
ing occupied Il counter. Evidently the P'Vp''"'
drank hi, own liquor and was his own best customer
unt ne va, for the time servant lie had re-
c,lvcd II telegram from the tonahdnht" ol '"''" Una"
person, u importance would pass through MS Ni'"s'
po,.ibly pas, the night there, anu dii'cthS nm {"
i've II, th, utmost attention. II was net cit'h 'ha
\mcri,aro, visited this Pueblo and the event could
not b, allowed 10 pass without IL hmiil''"'o" paw
portionatr to Importance
uut nr,t We must be- fed. We attempted to give
som. orders 80; We were guests OF the acuhs
Icte and orders were unnecessary our room was
.lnclc square. adobe hut. attached to the Chureh
,n J ihr Cinrrh nui,ang,. "" found that II had
,.cn u,cd for a stable and hurricdly Jared FOR our
reception. the smell OF ammonia ana the preSeh,'
NJ animals told how rrccatly II had been occupied
\ inbl, wa, impruy>cd ju, outside ne door Tor our
romid, which apparently the entire village VA, rnli,u
imam to proviir The .icfc and our soldcr Joined In
the entertainment. and group OF lndlo women ana
er ron "t the yiands tempted most Doctors appc
ine but as for my,cIf. rca'i llanain Win class
aayrd both hunger and thirst The Jre ana thr
soldier did am" justice TO iae anni.h,c Wrrn we we
Necessity OF apoogihng for our want OF appetite.
The afternoon wa' occIiiH IN an examination ana T
laid ont on one plan In the ccnir" Is the lnrg.
nnrn CONT or plaza which |. village green market
and general rendezvous Of the people. The street
never crosses the plaza in direct line. II II enters nj
Inc southeast corner 1t leaves at the northwest always
irn, nnnn.Itn CORNERS The Church. Cahldo Quartet.
carcc and other public buildings and stor'N lace II,
Willie the houses upon the approaching street
Usually and SO here. the street enter, III" plaza ny
tho side ~ the Church. which. with It's group OF
building, and walls, -incl0scS another square. ""
entered the Church. 1t was dingy and out OF repair
The n,el on the gaudily dressed saints was dis
color,d l,y time and fraycd and worn with age. The
paintings large some OF air qualify. but mostly
moor The carvings were exceptionally poor In
low vhItrwnshrd adobe building We found school
nuder IN. care OF three attractive loohlng sisters. NJ
ono time a convent was connected win the Nhnrch,
but when the Cnurch property was c0nnScaled the
sisters were dispersed. The school IS sill called The
Convent" by the people. Ahcnt score OF girls and
one or two bows were repeating the catechiSm In
concert In loud monotone. Their eyes. and som" 81