The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-25
Mr.. Gassaway's First Impressions Of
Mexico.
SATILLo, MEXICO, Oct. 1S, 1898.

SATILLo, Mexico, Oct. 18, 1888
EDITORS 1NTELLIGENCER: In accord.
ance with my promise, shall write you
an occasional letter from our sister Re-
pnblc, Mexico. The chief industries OF
this country are three: Agriculture, stock
raising and mining. The products of the
soil are chiefly corn, barley, beans
(frijoles) on the plateau, and in the val
legs COTTON, rice. sugar and coffee. We
have the same fruits here as in the South
ern States, and vegetables are very nearly
tho same. But believe the Mexicana
consume more pepper per capita than the
Americans. I have seen acres of land
planted In nothing but pepper. To give
shall give you one of their ordinary every
day phrases: Instead of saying meat sea.
soned with pepper, they say pepper sea-
seemed aUith meat ("cltile con caa'ue ")
Mexicans, as rule, are very hospitaole,
not counting the very best they baYe too
good for all American. / had the pleasure
of testing the hospitality of a native Mexi.
can few weeks ago, In company with
our veteran missionary, W. D. Powell,
and have never been more attentively
served, not even among my own country
men. They have their own way of doing
things here in Mexico. They do not pat
tern after even the United States. 80 We
Americans cannot charge them with copy.
ing after US. We are bound to admire
their independent spirit, whatever We may
think of their way of doing things: For
instance, when they build house they do
not use nails, either for making scaffolds
or in the building itself They tie the
scaffolds up with twine, of which they
have an abundance, and as far as using
nails to build the house, why they are
simply not needed! The floor, when 1t
has one, is usually made Of tile, and the
walls and overhead plastered. Again, the
visitor is never awakened here at night by
ringing OF fire bells. The cities do not
even have on organized fire company, for
the simple reason it is not needed. In the
frat place the average house does not con-
tain enough wood to make fire, and In the
next place, so little fire is used that It is
the rarest occurrence that fire ever breaks
out. even in the largest cities.
The Mexican is great burden bearer,
and this is true in more senses than one.
While the average Mexican is not 30
stoutly built as the American, yet they
the States. It is common sight here to
see men carrying loads of three or four
hundred pounds, and moving at the same
time at brisk pace. known in the States
as s'the fox trot." Those who live in the
country do much of their marketing In
this manner, while those who are more
fortunate use the burro donkey for all
kinds of drayage. This patient animal is
the only one, suppose, that could en-.
dure what 1t has to undergo. It is used
for carrying wood, stone aud all kinds Of
drudgery, such as is usually done in the
State by means of wagons, carts, etc. But
no matter how much the burro is imposed
upon, you never hear it complain, nor
does it ever refuse to carry the burden
placed on its back, not even if Its back
should be, lacerated or bruised to fearful
extent. There are very few wagons in tha
Republic of Mexico. as most Of the haul
ing is done in two wheeled carts, drawn
either by mules or oxen. The latter are
not yoked as in the States, but have their
yokes fastened just behind their horns
with leather strings. OF course, this ia q
barbarous custom and makes 1t hard on
the oxen; but the Mexioans hold that an
OK has no business turning his head while
drawing load, but that be must attend to
the work in hand Fastened to his horns.)
And woe be unto the OK that does not !!
For the driver is armed with an OK goad,
which does effective service on contrary
OK. (The goad consists of pole with a
sharp iron epike in tue end ofit.) More
anon. M. GAssAwAY.