New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-13
A CENTRAL AMERICAN CITY.
THE CHARM OF LIFE FOUR THOUSAND FEEL
ABOVE THE TROPICAL SEA.
NATIVE AFFECTION FOR THE CUURCH-DRuMS,
FIFES AND EOCKI1S As PART OF Kh'
LIGIOUs SEEVlCE-MARKEr DAY
~ COBAN.


try the delightful atmosphere, all combine to cr"a'e
city more than ordinarily attractive TO both stranger
and resident. An encyclopedia published III Nc"
/ York says: Cohan i'm the Department OF vera TM
Guatemala IS in fertile valley on the klo poice'
The delicate needle OF our pocket barometer "'"'"
1890 feet above SEA level stood In the orange
scented ratio at our hotel. and Nr. Macomb. OF The
Intercontinenrnl Railway Commission. has hxed lis
elevation above the sea at 1860 feet. The citN Is
I'm fact built upon shelf of The mountain nj an all
'tude twohird, the height OF Mount "ashihG'oh ~
first covered the tableland and then oVerho"'" III
zlgz1g down the sid" OF IN" nlonht""' H'"-
eled across the narrow Rio Dolce, and sca'te'e'
cabanas drlfed into the remote fields like IN" ragged
fringe OF n garment " Picturesque for situation
mny well DO said It. The city Is more picturesque
AS the gardens coffee fields ana the lawns are
orchards OF delicious fruits. The entire population Is
about 10000. OF this number ooo are "oi"'"''
! They are the merchants and business men, Tue
wealth Is I'm their hands and consequently UeN are
the power which the wheels OF industry. Ih"n
thcre arc perhaps 1000 pure blood Spanish, o.Ooo
Ladnos and mixtures OF various kinds ana VI" TO-
malndcr Of the population Is made up OF lhdos REM
nans OF the old tribes mostly the ouich" ihese
people are especially interesting on account OF 'h'r
past hi story and undoubtcd descent from me people
who wandered from the North and built the mig
nlncent cities whose sculptured walls ard carved
monoliths attest their original grandeur and also on
account Of their present social. political and Industrial
condition.
II was orr Intention 10 remain IN 'ooan Only one
day our desire to reach Guatemala 'i'v ~
rorly rs possible but when we could get away from
hero seemed beyond the power OF prophecy o"r
first tbourht was for mules. We wanted fve. pnt
orr wants had no more effect on Iadino or Spaharu
than wishes have in procuring horses ior "eI"'H'
rhore ccro miles and horses abundance. bnt th"f"
were also all the excuses for not hiring them 10 W.
which fine fertile mind Of Central Amrii AN cohld IT,
IL. mn
bono, that tomorrow" We should be successful.
We arrived In Coban saturday afternoon expecting
IN remon over Sunday and make an early start MOI
day morning. To make sure we began I" h'go''""
| for mucs almost upon our arrival ana commune" wv,
NEGOTIATIONS almost to the time OF our oep"rur'' Az"
only sncceoded at last through the aid OF our i't'
NJ Introduction and the incrcesSion OF our G"oo iru'
| ,tr Dcsndorf With him called upon Inc J'i'
poIl,lco and Comandane. Ills republic Is apparent
ly founded upon the military rock. Inc 'eie To'i'"
* the civil officer. the head man OF IN" CIV pu. "'
Comandanic +, the power behind and above Tue JEW
These officials advised to take animals ior ouiS'H
| IN ride and mo,os dc cargo FOR onr baggage we
| GLADLY accepted the proposition. These mozoS are
hn,ets az burden: they are asked N they VIII go
| neither do they make their own bargains. me 't''
| mr. Comondante orders them to 60 and arrahgeS the
terms.
A. n mark OF especial consideration tn" Con"hoai'''
og,rod ,s = soldier rs servant and guide over the
already rcpented. About noon our guide maze his
first oppeornnce and notified us OF his appointment 10
ho pIoce He Is short and muscular; barefootou' WIN
n pIoasant sl,rewd face. ana dressed III o'".'.""
pan,s We rather liked him. He asked perhiS'''"
TO 90 for nm hour and bid bis girl Coodby. we sa',
normIs,on At O'Clock he was back aen'h anu
asked permission to 60 again and bid Ills aged ia'ner
,oodhv The first effect OF aguardiene was hui'e
lpcrccp,,llc and permission given with WATKINS
AZ o'clock he returned drunk ana the uoc'"' "'
mad lie used emphatic spanish. ana ord'reu 'ne
moor solado raso ont Of the patio ana away 10 .,e
cuarcl The soldier went. but his look reminded "'c
OF Jefferson when he parts Win "fe'chcn anu e
out into the night and STORM -
| Az this was nv first sunday In n Central Aniericu"
CITY tho sights sounds and experiences were UNIQUE
and tho impression like the Kaleidoscope '"
Of a drcam-a so new, strange anu "'',". o.
compared with previous experiences hmm" ,
after coffee We wandered on into the Ilaz'' i'o
,,,,. ,oved souarc inclosod by the Cathedral. the
casa NunicIpal Calddo Quartet. the new Paia'io i'h
short block OF stores. The street enters INV i'""'
bowccn the Cathedral and row oil ADOBE cho@'s' an"
misses out under arch In high CLOCK 'o"'i "
f. a mart Of the Cabldo and from the "ihuo"s Vi
Union hc scnry can overlook the Plaza the radia'ihs
fronts md large extent or territory INV i'""'
- ,.ociru,no 70 show signs OF market day acuVity'
d = rnmbor OF women already arranging their
vorcs on the uneven stones. W" were on our way
20 ,he Cathedral and left the scenes In the ila@a uhi
later I'm the day. s ,,o
Th, Indlos are naturally religious people anu "i'
o.hirc NJ the Catholic Church has intehSineu ui'"
-, ,or .verv ceremony OF the Church ana Tor uIs
,hrrch itself A man never passes In front oil ul'
church without removing his hat. nor woman WIN.
an, bowling low. and both men ana women o'''" "" !
rr = moment rs an act Of more fitting reverence.
=, from, NJ the church rs entered was an ihdah
man rounding an immense drum app"r'"''s VI
native manufactures The head appeared 10 ~ oN
la ,rorn TIGHTLY over a cOarsely made harrei' Inc
moi, was unplcasant, but not 80 unbearaDie rs "'
riercinr ,lreks from fife blown 10y boy Who'
,pcs seemed To have the capacity OF blast below
Of an iron foundry Upon either sidc oil 'he '""o"
" =. oxnlodnc rockets and adding to the unl-
,orso, discord Jus, what all tn" racket WIS ior
r,d NOT learn only that It was part OF The resi'r
-y,c, and the services Of the church womb ho
more b, complete without the drum NE anu
, o, scryic.s would he without the choir. Enter
, tho church We found II dark. dingy' eioo'N
worshlppcrs were knecing upon the bare stone 'oor.
Thar. u.rc no seats or benches OF any klid ana al
| ns, Ipcl mr. stand The high roof Is supported DS
; ,ou wooden columns with stucco bases ana pi''n'
.ouare capitals. Between the "iruoNS' !" ',
49,, ,oros or In ca SOS gaudily decorated with 'hS'l'
wcra statues Of saints. OF the Apostles anu vi .''
I'm various attitudes and Illustrating various '"''u'' '
| fcw NJ the paintings were good but 'he '''N'"e'
v.rc disappolnting. and the tliSri '"u nv ~
| 1,i gave the entire Interior "A cheap ana pnarrr
| oronc, The altar was burdened Win Gou anu
uusel carving. painting ana s'"'nSrS' Az" $50
q, "" ~, -, c,udles Ecforc each figure ana
, | -" 10, 49, , shallow box containing short Tin tubes
tr coudl,s which are furnished by the pous worship
nc,s Many Of these candles were burning ana "S"'Y
arc or more women knceling before 'h''' PAM
ncs or carvings in silent prayer There was ho'niS
in AN the strange show TO excite thoueh' u 'e''S
The wolshippers were apparently 50 sho'rc ",iu ~ "
~ =, ,,oir rorsbip TINT only serious thoughts were
ted I'm The stranger. though he be oil another
rth small boxes. confessonalS stood III various
n", nrthc.vny places in the large ROOM ana We
idced that each was occupied by priest a9 "o"e'.
% melt AT the little openings 'eh'iE 'H'n NC "
"i'''' " 49,, ,,,,iscion of sin and sorrow. 10 ears
,,o, hoord and responded 10y words OF forgiveness
| and consolation.
rntorinc the Plaza again. we found II full OF 'hr
| r'"'''''l9 ,,,rI-at dav. The selling