The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-10
FROsT-MARKED IN THE TROPICS.
a Peculiar Effect of Climatic Cordi-
tiO-s in Me xico.
From the San Antonio Erpress.

tiO-S IN MeXiCO.
From the San Antonio Express
"Did you ever see a frost marked man n
Maj Tom Watson asked me to-day.
Well, the major continued, lit is quite
common down in Mexico on the eastern
slope of the Sierra Madre elevation. To
understand the strange occurrence | must
tell you something Of the u u ual O nditions
that cause it. You know wnaC wa call a
phenomenon is NOTHING but the result Of
some extraordintrl NIB nation o unusual
circumstances. now S,ol combination
exists in certain parts Of the slope. You've
been TO Monterey, and must remember
the cloud-pierciDg pinnacles that rss
abruptly to the west, and whose serrated
outline is Lost in the southern horizon.
These pinnacles are the eastern battle
ments OF the great table land OF Mexico,
thousands OF miles in extent, and 5000 to
10000 feet above the sea. A few miles to
the east, with deep upheaval intervening,
Is an outer defense, a long, narrow, but
lofty upheaval. of which the majestic Sad
die mountair that overhanRs Monterey Is
is the northern bottress. On the eastern
side this range DROPS down to the almost
dead sea level that stretches sheer to the
Gulf OF Mexico. while through it are ooca-
sional riffs to drain the narrow valley be-
tween it and the great tabls land OF the
westward
at is In the neIghborhood OF these riffs,
that give exit not only 90 water but to pent-
up air, that the phenomenon that l am
telling about occurs. You see, when one OF
the great waves OF air that with almost
fixed periodicity sweep, from west to east.
even this part of the earth, reaches the I'll
tanic turrets that guard the eastern limit
of the table land, it is piled up In great
masses that roll down through brakes in
the battlementa aud then whirl with storm
like force through the few riffs in the outer
barrier.
Now. In the late winter months this
huge mass OF air, that tumbles down into
the warm valley below. is intensely cold,
not only because OF the great elevation
from which it GENES, but because OF its ex-
treme dryness. Anybody that has trav-
eled in that part OF Mexico must have no
ticed that II writing in the open air, and
his letter happened to be q long one. before
he could finish be would dip his pen into
mud instead OF ink. The water would have
all evaporated into the thirsty vair, leaving
nothing but the inky extracts.
Here again several conditions combine
to produce the phenomenal dryness During
the winter time the air on the table land is
colder aud heavier than the same strata
everything the sea- so that no moisture-laden
current can reach 1t, consequently the same
air drifts about for months over thirsty
plains and against ice-cold peaks, becoming
from day to day dryer and dryer.
Then another factor helps to deprive
this air OF every vestige of water. These
table lands are not barren wastes as many
suppose, but are usually covered with a
thick growth Of different species of cactus
and other plants that by q wonderful pro-
vision OF nature possess 70 an extraordinary
degrees Sle power OF absorbing water di-
rectly from the air. While your ink ia dis
appearing from the bottle aud your skin is
being absolutely tanned upon you. prick
one IT these plants and water will ooze
from IL. Indeed, Indians make long jour
neys over weterless regions assuaging their
thirst with the liquid pressed from certain
varieties Of these hydrogenic plants. Nat
urAlly where the earth Is so deprived OF ia
aqueous blanket radiation has full sway
dssipating in the winter nights the little
heat gathered from the sun during the day
But before | come to the point must
tell you something else about dry air that
may be you have not thought II. You see
what l am going TO tell you is somewhat
Incredible, but il you thoroughly under
stand the causes you won't doubt it. Well
then, If you will fire stove up to white
heat, and then thrust your finger into the
red-hot, but almost chemically dry air
within, the immediate sensation will not be
one Of heat, but GOODNESS. induced by the
rapid evaporation OF the moisture Of the
skin.
Though within cannon shot of the cold,
dry table land the valley that | have
spoken Of, being at a low level and within
the tropics, Is always moist, and would, Of
itself, know no winter. In winter 1t does
got frlRd winter and In the twinkling of
an eye when a huge breaker OF air drops
down on 1t from the overhanging frozen
Sierra; the resulting change OF tempera-
ture is most sudden and intense whore an
opening through the outer range offers
a free exit to the warm air of the valley
you can easily imagine what often hap
pens. You have seen that the red-hot but
dry air OF a stove. when brought into con-
tact with the skin. would produce cold.
Now, what's the result when a mass of air
just as dry, but about zero in temperature,
envelopS in an instant perspiring manl
Why, Sir. it oongeals in stu the drops Of
perspration standing on his face and hands,
and that's just what happens to people who
chance to be outdoors at work IN the moist,
warm country am talking about whom the
frigid, desiccated cir Of the table land falls
on them with the suddenness of a thunder
bolt. Yes, sir. drops Of Precipitation are
CONCEALED OF the face and hands, and these
little beads of ice being partly embodied in
the skin provoke small ulcers that in heal
ing leave scars similar TO the pit Of small
pox. The natives call persons so affected
picddo de hieLO, frost marked; In contra
distinction to picado de UtrueIdS, or pock
marked"