The morning call., 1895-01-28
MAY BIZ GOBBLED UP.
Continued from First Page.

wharf TO In6 lighter Ids 1Oiii"AhSN 49,
pended in mid air fifteen minutes, that ap-
peared to them more like fifteen hours, be-
fore the swell subsidized sufficiently to per-
NIT a safe landing.
Under those circumstances the landing
of hostile troops would be rather difficult
even if the Guatemaltecos did not either
destroy the bridge or guard it againstall
corners.
OF course, if the blood-thirsty youths OF
Mexico were permitted their own comfort
able way of landing there is railroad at
Champerico that would land them within
eight hours in Retalhuleu, within few
hours march of Quesaltenango, the prln-
cipal city in the northern part OF Guate-
mala, where is located the disputed do
main.
At San Jose de Guatemala there IS
another railroad, this one belonging to our
own c. P. Huntington, running through
the wealthiest and most beautiful country
to be seen, and after six hours trip enter
ing Guatemala City, the capital.
But, instead of having it all their own
way, the Mexicans will have to do some
hard tramping from their own frontier,
through the disputed domain and for hun
dreds of miles over the toughest kind OF
mountain trails. There are no established
wagon roads through the northern section
of Guatemala, all the traffic being carried
on by means of mule trains. 1t is safe to
say that in that rugged, precipitous coun-
try the bottom of the ravines all along the
mountain trails will be Uttered with dead,
dazed or broken-boned Mexicanos, should
they ever undertake that overland journey.
For reasons already explained, and for
the reason that the Guatemaltecos will not
be on the aggressive, the Mexicans must
necessarily go overland and suffer hard
ships if they want to fight. There are 20,-
600 Mexican soldiers, it is said, on the
frontier ready for action. That is probably
correct, for as far back as last September
President Diaz began mobilizing his troops
in that direction. No one has yet heard OF
President Ba1rios making any counter
movement with his braves. No; ifhe does
not resign the Presidency and fly to
Europe, where he has already shipped his
fortune, Barrios is not likely to mix things
up with Mexico He is of the kind that
would sooner apologize than take chances.
A queer little being is this Jose Reina
Barrios, President of Guatemala. He
stands about feet 2 inches high and is
nearly all bust. Pompous is not quite
forcible enough to depict his demeanor as
he struts about his household. He has not
been seen in civilians clothes for several
years and he continually wears an i'm
ported uniform of a German general.
Although he never rides horseback he
always wears clanking spurs at his heels
whether he be in his carriage or in his
drawing-room at home. As for his long
cavalry sword, it is amusing to see it hung
to his belt. 1t is about as long as he is,
and this combination of little man and
formid liable sword is funny indeed. The
only time Barrios sheds his sword is when
he enters the apartments of Nine.
Barrios. Then, unlocking it with great
ostentation, he stands it at the room door,
where it is guarded by a sentry until the
little man makes his exit and resumes the
weapon.
The Guatemalan forces number about
1900 men. These soldiers are mostly
boys, as ridiculous in their way as their
commander-in-chief. They are mostly
natives-Indians, in fact-who are glad to
bask in the ease of military barracks,
where they are fed and cared for and no
harder work is required of them than to
parade once each day and do sentry duty.
Many of these boy-soldiers have enlisted
because they are not strong enough to earn
their living as mozos.
Mozos? they are the beasts of burden
of Guatemala. With the yoked oxen and
the mules they share the labor of hauling
or packing everything that is to be packed
or hauled in that country. Horses IN
Guatemala are used almost solely for driv-
ing or riding purposes. The mozo is a
bull-necked Indian with strong limbs and
wonderful endurance. He stands at the
corner OF the streets waiting to be engaged
lust as an American expressman might
linger near his horse and wagon waiting
for a job. These peculiarly strong little
fellows, strange to say, will travel miles in
day, carrying hundreds of pounds on
their backs and weighted to their fore
heads. No one in Guatemala seems as
tonished in the least to see couple OF
mozos harnessed under grand piano, and
running along the roughly paved streets,
e-footed, as easily as a San Francisco
Cn1naman CAN jog dlolS undel LIS Pole
and two baskets filed with vegetables.
The flower and cream of the army are
located in Guatemala City. They number
about 1900, which is about one-eighth OF
the entire Guatemalan army, and if they,
right under the eyes of the Minister OF
War and the President of the country, can
be taken as the best in the land, what must
the others be? They are nearly all puny
looking individuals, weighing little over
100 pounds, and as rule, even on dress
parade, the majority do not wear shoes.
Apparently it is not compulsory to wear
any headgear. Some of the soldiers march
about headed, while the others parade
either under hat or cap, according to
the wearer's taste or convenience.
1t would seem that the uniform worn
by the Guatemalan soldiers is manufac.
tured of one size only and must be satisfac-
tory to the wearer whether he be tall OF
short, fat or lean. The result can be i'm.
agined. 1t is not unusual to see one I'M
fortunate marching on parade with peak
less cap, no shoes and trousers many