Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-09
LAND OF THE CACTUS
A Traveller Writes of His Ad-
ventures There.
NEW YORK TO VERA CRUZ.
A Dreamy Ocean Voyage Not With
out Thrilling Incidents.
A TRIP UP THE TRINIDAD RIVER.
rhe Monkeys Chartered, Parrots
Screamed and Fought and Mock
ing Bird- Sang.
NEW YORK TO VERA CRUZ.
A TRIP UP THE TRINIDAD RIVER


countries, but the country in which
an most interested is the one through
which l am now wandering In search
,f pleasure and Information.
The man who follows the route
have taken meets with much to inter-
est him, beginning with his departure
from New York harbor and lasting
without interruption, until the journey
is complete.
on a shiverlng cold day in January
I stood In the bow OF the Numurl ana
waved goodbye TO my friends on shore
MS long as the cold fog that hung De-
tween us heavily did not wholly shut
,hcm from view When their figures
had finally disappeared went below TO
warm myself and toast the fog out OF
my stlfr joints Finding just such
warm nook as / wanted. and being OF
a lazy disposition, l fell asleep. rms
1 found so delightful an occupation
that | followed It up for several days
and no doubt would have continued
TO do SO until the end OF the voyage
had not rumor reached me In one OF
my Intelligent moments Of n change OF
temperature above stnirs and our ar
rival In warm waters. quite awakened
by this welcome news | hustened ON
deck. one glance around cast my
warm nook wholly out OF mind, ana l
realized that from this moment was
to be as fervent an outdoor man as !
Ind heretofore been an indoor one.
cIimlcd To the highest point possible.
took my station by the railing, ana
then began to live. had been hlber-
mating. but now I lived. The sea was
us HAT ns board and as deeply Inn,
pidly blue as tne SKY. Inc warm Wlhu
az the South breathed lazily and cares
slnglv ngninst my face and just family
swclled the one white sail that rose
above my head The Yumurl Is speed
ing toward Havana, thought J, there
fore | win smoke. lighted my cigar,
and dropping Into my steamer chair
Welded myself to the lntoNlcntlon OF
fresh air. sunshine. gcn breeze and
cuban tobacco. The next day shed
my winter clothing and became thence
forth one with u linen coat and a
broad straw hat.
From the beginning OF the trip had
nntlcipated the day In Havana, SO.
when we steamed into the dock on n
hot. scorching morning, after nine
Gays sail through frlgid. temperate
and tropical temperature. went
ashore 10 look about me. Finding the
quaintnoss OF the old town delightful,
i wandered around all dny. and not I'M
my face henward and make my way 10
the boat. stepped along brlskly, with
vision before me OF u savury hot sup
per and little light refreshment, In
the way OF cooling drink, when
prestol from n dark doorway n man
sprang at me, and, az he sprnng, | saw
the CLEAN Of a knife There was nc
time for thought. so / nctU' and, re-
Numbering my boxing leHsous,
struck out mcrrily a time or 10, and
finally swung my Cuban friend into a
neghboring gutter, whore left him t.
recupernte and repent at leisure. II
euundH easy and l mean H., too, but, e
be truthful, 1t was not ns easy na II
appears. and, as 1 continued on my
way, | admit u was with slight nc
celebration Of speed and without II vlsiof
OF supper, savory or otherwise. A nor
rid thought did strike me. that has
come very near 10 losing my chance o
supper for all time, but ! bnnlshed I
ns unworthy the captain Of q football
team. l had had enough OF Havana
but Havana was not yet done with me
That night. In the nelghborhood OF ten
as aficrward ascurtnined. ] wa
awakened by the sound OF the opening
Df n window. and by the dim light
plainly saw brown hand stealthil
sliding back the blind. In II moment
had given the hand n twist and wa
outside in hot pursit but all foun
much for my Havana experiences
After this. things went prett
Imoothly, and In three days the Yumul
was sailing majestlcally into the hai
Dor at Vera Cruz. My first view OF III
-ity was a satisfactory one, for IN
sun was shining glorlously and beaut
tying everything It touched. Built q
Il H.. In seml-circle fronting the se,
this ancient seaport gives both hand
as It We're. TO strangers coming to III
gates, and In spite OF the six-foot wa
that protects II on all sidea. the II
doubts on shore and the Castle OF Sn
Juan, which stands on guard Just
half mile out. the warm red houses
soral limestone beled the coldnn.
without and gave huapitable welcom
closer acquaintance with Vera Crt
Warned me not TO remain there lon
Yellow fever was more common tina
The mosquitoes, and l was advise
Even commanded, 10 leave the city al
seek higher ground IL Ia n great pit
that disease should render no oharmir
and important u town dangerous
life. Greater expenditure OF money /
the ciSy and universal care In tho di
and habits OF the people would great
reduce the acourges that at present 4
Test II and render hahltable to all Il
greatest seaport in Mexico. Vera OR,
goes back az far as Cortez, II HI
regular, wide streets, which form theT
selves into sixty-siN squares, and
some OF them have stream I'M Il
centre, quite Il Venetian aspect ia Civ
to the city. The hounes, as / ha
mentioned before, are built OF red cor
limestone. very strongly and. OF cour,
III tho old Spanish style. inclosing
stone court with galleries.
Vera Cruz Is on exceedingly 10
marshy ground, but almost immedlat
ly hehind II the land begins TO II,
continuing until Il reaches an altltu
OF 1900 feet. Hearing that up In 1
high country the climate was dellgl
full. and quite healthful, / decided
mRkS my way upward as quirNly
possible. 70. hiring a canoe and Il
Indian guides. l made my way inlat
up the Trinidad river. AS we adv Aue
the water became wonderful, Gle
and sparkling. and the foliage
wlldcrins tanglc. The tropical wage
ton continued. aud TO II Wete - ;
evergrecns, oaks and ctditi>. w.,
trees. attaining here TO tain great
perfection, added majesty am. ,t.ua
TO the more alender growth OF pair
olive. orange and lemon trees. Tn
was also an endless variety OF the CT
tus family, one species OF which form
hedges twenty feet high.
The remarkable variety. beauty d
density OF all this vegetation produ'
IN me such an impression OF my Ut
insignihcance ana so subduod me q
was content TO lie Idle In my cal
day after day In u kind OF int5xlcat
Of delight. Mccidng birds sang to