The herald., 1895-06-30

brush reaching above tho mules ears.
This continuous forest is very dense with
large trees. the lofty tops OF which are
SO characteristic Of a tropical climate,
fan and fir palms in abundance and the
most beautiful. sweet smelling. wild
home OF parrots; their screechiug is
heard everywhere. Here we have different
varieties OF the Lorra, 0arge parrot.
and the lively little Paraquitd, and the
clumsy Guacamayoo. very large bird OF
this same class of brilliant plumage and
hideous noise. Every once in while you
would be amused by the acrobatio antics
OF the small black monkeys as they sour
ried along overhead from branch to
branch, or blinked at you from safe
distance with their little black, snappy
alive with many different varieties of
birds, whose full chested notes resound
with beautiful melody in natures own
music hall, and in direct contrast is tine
ugly and monstrous lizard-like reptile
known as the :iguana so plentiful in
these parts, who rush across the ROAD
with their heads held high, or are coiled
on some large limb or log. 1 saw some
at least four feet long. In contemplating
all the beauties Of this veritable paradise
forgot the seepless night and fatigue
forgot that we had passed two leagues of
this garden of wonders-in fact, entirely
forgot where was until my com panion's
voice aroused me, saving "We might get
something to eat at the rancho''-the
material part of myself asserted itself and
We headed for the rancho.
While dining on the usual meal tortillas,
frijoles. dried beef and some warm cof-
fee. our mozo with the pack mules con
but We caught up with him after an hour
and half Of brisk riding. A half hour
more and we passed through the yards or
sawrnill managed by an "Englishman,
part Spaniard, raised in Italy and Gradu-
ated in Guatemala" as someone explain
ed it, and then entered the Rio Suchate,
wide and beautiful river. which is the
dividing line between Mexico and Guate-
mala. 1t was just II 30 pm, a uay from
the.time we started from Tapachule, when
we set out in Central America. My COM
panion very patriotically (?) shouted
"Vive Guatemala 1t was two leagues
more to the seaport of Ocos, which we
Paclf1o ocean once more, but now IN a
different republic and meeting Guatemal-
abs on all sides, who are, l think, only
second edition OF Mexicans.
The entrance into Ocos overland is
really picturesque, and as the town is on
bridge across the mouth of the river,
alongside of which is n dsmantled
sunken schooner, always referred to as
the Guatemala gunboat." The town,
small as it is, is progressive and busy
little place, due to the great amount of
coffee brought in daily on mules from
the nearby finkas (coffee plantations) to
be shipped to different parts of the coun-
try. TO show what queer people one
meets in these southern countries, | will
relate several incidents brought to my
notice. Near my stopping place was
house in which native carpenter hung
an American manufactured door, placing
1T upside down. claiming that it was in
tended so. because the panels form true
cross. Owing to the natural or inherited
religious tendency, the natives could not
be persuaded that 1t should be- otherwise,
and that is the way it hangs today.
Another case is that of an American
stove. confiscated at the custom ouse,
which was afterwards given over for ii g
use of the soldiers stationed there.
The first thing they did was to take the
covers off to cook on; zen they tore off
the doors as superfluous and in their
way; then they covered up the pipe hole
with tin. saying that to allow the smoke
t. escape was sinful, as it gave flavor to
their cooking, and lastly, to cap the cli-