Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-03-16
ENERGY N THE TROPICS.
The Northern Man soon Subdued by the
r,0,,..,,.. of the CLIMATE

kNEkG1 N THE TRUTHS.
The Northern Man soon Subdued by the
influence of the Climate.
Energy doesn't grow down there;
I've been in the country long enough
10 discover that fact he exclaimed as
ne cut off a generous piece Of roast
beef
TIE had Just landed from a Panama
steamer, having come from san Fran
cisco by that route. aud had made
short visits % various Mexican and
Central American points.
Not only is it not Indigenous 10
the country. but the exotic article ale
WAYS withers and almost always dies, %
he said. after the keen edge of his APP
petite had been worn of. Then he or
dered a pot of coffee, lighted cigar
and continued
After we sailed from San Diego il
was several days before we arrived at
another port. We crossed the Gulf Of
California and touched at MaZatlan, in
Mexico. The distance from the place
where the ship was anchored 10 shore
was about three miles, and before the
distance had been half covered l was
impatiently and thoroughly disguised
with the lazy movements of the native
Oarsmen. l jumped ashore at last and
hurried up 10 the town. first TO the
post Office and then TO other points Of
interest. 1t was in the middle Of the
day. and the sun beat down and re-
fiected again from the white houses
and the streets, which were paved
with small cobble stones. Scarcely a
person was on the street, except the
people from the ship. The natives
lounged about in their shops or the Sc
cluded courts with which each house
is supplied.
The shOpkeepers were invariably
smoking cigarettes, and 1t was win
difficulty that l induced one OF them to
rise from his indOlent position to sup
ply me with some small purchase
which I wished 10 make.
Walking rapidly from the post
Office through the principal street to
the cathedral, and then to the mar
kets. and again to the public square,
1 was in a perspiration before l real
lied it. But my soul was filled with
contempt for the lounging, lazy ma
ives. WIZ IL cNElAANNA ~ nv NtNAANA NAN
nothing except smoke cigarettes, rest
their heads on their hands and feebly
say:-'Manana' tomorrow. l had to
admit to myself that l had never been
so tired in my life as l was when l
reached the deck and stretched myself
in q steamer chair 10 smoke and think
over what had seen.
We dropped anchor again day or
so later. and l promptly made bar
gain with one of the natives to take
me ashore. For some ineXplicable
reason / did not feel half the irritation
at the slow movements Of the oars
men that 1 had felt at the port. l
lounged back in the boat and smoked,
and was almost lulled 10 sleep by the
movement of the boat as it rose and
fell on the long ocean swells. When
! reached the shore. however, / shook
of the lethargy and started briskly
out on my sightseeing trip. When l
reached the public square my enthu-
siasm began TO show signs OF peter
ing out.
with difficulty I tore myself away
from a tempting shady seat and visit
ed a few places Of interest Then /
went back to the boat, and although /
reached the ship an hour ahead OF
the time set for departure, found that
all of the passengers had returned
ahead of me. I was determined to see
as much of the country as possible,
however, so at the next place l again
hired a native to row me ashore. /
took an umbrella this time, and was
weak enough to use it as a shield from
the rays of the tropical sun. Arriv-
ing on shore l walked leisurely as far
as the post Office and back to the boat.
Then l sat down on the small pier,
smoked cigarettes and watched the
lazy motions of the natives rowing
barges piled with bags Of coffee out
to the ship and the empty boats back
to the shore again. Very few of the
other passengers had come ashore at
this place My determination to see
the country had not at all quite van
iShed when the anchor was dropped at
the next port, and once more l hired a
native to take me ashore. When we
arrived there I simply sat down in
shady spot and smoked cigarettes.