Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-25
Sore. lint per.i.teu<


lshingly pretty faces, l slept soundly till
early mule-bray next morning
Sore, but Persistent.
we rose at 4,and was wobbled stiff1y about
could not help rejecting that every hour
| and every mile of this ride would have to
be faced again later when the roads were
worse, unless, indeed, l determined to re-
main permanently in the country! A good
strong cup of native coffee, a bite Of break
fast "adios!' to the pretty sisters and away
we gaily started at o'clock in the morn
ing Our conversational privileges had so
far been limited, Capt. la Cruz speaking no
English, Mr.. Reyes sporting a grotesque
mixture of "Anglo-Spanish Volapuk" picked
up on a California steamer, while l Skin
mished about loosely, trumping in or fol-
lowing suit as the chance occurred The
roaos Were as usual, a succession of abrupt
ups ana GOWNS with ever a strong ascend
ing bias always rocky and muddy At
noon We reached little place called La
Venta, some eighteen miles, and laid off for
rest, repairs and lunch. Some little excite
ment was noticeable on our arrival, ex-
planned by the desire of the people to see
the special "Ministro Americana" caused
doubtless by telegram of renewed well
come from the president, awaiting US here
My response expressing delight with the
journey so far is but another evidence that
the universal language Of mendacity fits
All tongues. zones and conditions. Two
jolly American miners and a Dr. Castagne
from San Francisco had joined us, and we
quickly started for Savanna Grande, some
twenty miles away, over what would in the
favorable season be a beautiful mountain
road with glorious scenic environments.
AS we wound around the craggy cliffs high
er and higher, the indescribably MAGNIFICENT
spectacle compelled many a halt to enjoy
1t in breathless amazement! Surely it can
not De surpassed on earth! Mountain upon
mountain stretched away beyond the vision
on every side in all Of natures wondrous
colors; on the one side a precipice, down
which we dizzily looked from the back of
the reckless animal which stubbornly per-
sisted in walking on it's very edge, while on
the other, almost within touch, the ever
lasting rocks appeared to aspire to the
summit of all earthly things, and yet when
few hours later we managed to surmount
them, other and far loftier peaks opened
to our asst ;ished gaze! With all it's fatigue
and exposure this noble experience is worth
crossing a world to enjoy, and If this be so
out of season what must it be at it's very
best?
A few miles from town the district COM
mander, Gen. Delgado, and mounted staff
OF friends met our party and escorted 1t to
our quarters. The young general was a
bright, intelligent officer, and, under the
influence of advices from headquarters,
well as his own good heart, was determined
L should be able to make good report of
his bailiwick. In his graceful little speech
of welcome he asked what We chiefly de-
sired to make us happy to which l labor
iously replied in my fairest Spanish that
shorter and better roads were painted for
as the water brooks by the hart of Holy
Writ, but the sparkling little remark fell
upon stony soil and was not. 1t required
no force bill to dismount me. 1 was heart
lily tired, my legs insists and general
corporal dissolution seemed imminent.
Even Capt. la Cruz broke down today. and
we had to send back from town for him.
Savanna Grande is far more considerable
place than Pespire and, like 1t. most beau
tifully situated in a fruitful little valley.
created, one would think, for the very pur-
pose. A good rest, an excellent dinner and
congenial company made for us an enjoy
able evening until at 3 o'clock we retired,
seven of us in one room.
And the Pedestrian Won Every Time.
Leaving this hospitable place early next
morning we were accompanied several miles
on our way by the commandante and his
friends, as is the common custom of the
country, and then. left to our own devices,
onward We went.
Some time after leaving San Lorenzo we
ran across an old gray haired. scantily
dressed native with a big bundle on his
back, weighing, as We learned later, full
eighty pounds. He was probably over sew
enty years of age, tall, dark, wiry, and mer
~ as a lark, and the best walker 1 ever
saw. Leaving him behind us resting by the
wayside, we would find him miles ahead
waiting for US at some spring or brook to
offer US a drink of water and again leaving
him here we would find him, blithe and
sprightly, at the next town. helping us in
various ways. Helping to start us off and
always leaving him behind, we invariably
found him miles ahead, placidly resting. if.
indeed, he was ever tired, and kindly delay
ing for us slower mounted men. And so it
continued without intermission until We
reached the capital, where We parted from
him, fresh and clipper Kentucky two
year-old and offering to repeat the trip at
the drop of a hat. The stout old fellow was
delighted with our admiration of his Won
derful performance, not unappreciative of
certain little donations with which we had
enthused his vigorous old heart from time
to time.
The path this day wound necessarily
around precipices. through bridgeess tor
rents, until just before noon we arrived up
| on the very summit of the famous Ule
| mountains. from which never-to-be-for-
| gotten view of seemingly half a hemisphere
disclosed itself. Any description, however
| eloquent, of this amazing scene of apparent
| ly infinite space, the precipitous paths and
remote silvery waterways afar beneath us,
| the tropical verdure romantic surroundings
| and the silence as of a petrified world would
necessarily be monotonous, but the facts
| themselves are never so. With all the ia
| tigue, exposure and discomfort We had en-
\
| a moment; upon the contrary, 1t steadily
| increased until all else but the encirclng
magnificence was forgotten.
| We had Travelled some twenty miles so
| far, and, with rs many more before u.s. we
| started at midday, seeing afar and family
| the beautiful capital of Honduras as we
! left the plateau. Down nearly on a level
| with the big-named city we struck a new
| distress, surely the invention of the enemy
| of man. in the shape of a few miles of
| deepest mud. covered with a dangerous
| veneering of large, fiat, leg-breaking
| stones, traps and stumbling blocks for our
| weary animals Here we met a silver train
| on it's way to Amapala under guard of a
| body of troops, commanded by a stalwart
| fine-looking, Buffalo-Bill style of American
| from our own wild and woolly west 1t con-
| sisted of some twenty mules each one car
| rying each side large exposed bar of
| silver, weighing 125 pounds from the IA
nous Rosario mines, near Tegucigalpa.
/ Received With All the HOnOrs
| AS we neared the end, a few miles from
| town, and fearing the arrival of an escort,
we called a halt, dismounted and took a
| final account of stock So far as Ell Min
istro's appearance went he certainly had
nothing to boast ola freak Of a broad ma
| tive straw hat, mud from head to foot,
soaked with frequent rains, face scorched a
| brilliant red, nose and suburbs shedding
| their skin, lame and sore in every fiber,
| and in serious doubt of his ability to re-