The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-05
Sewing Machines the Only
Labor-Savers in Use.
ONLY ONE BANK IN THE COUNTRY.
The People All Bury Their Money
to Save 1t From Confiscation
by the Government.

King Arthur's court, and now comes
another resident of the Nutmeg State with
an account of what be saw while on re-
cent trip to the least known of all Central
American republics-Honduras.
George Hartmann is the person referred
to and he is at present at the Occidental
with his two brothers, Drs. E. w. and ii.
S. Hartmann. The former is an invalid
and on the trip out of Honduras 1t became
necessary to carry him on siretcher for
100 miles from the interior to the coast.
Eight "mozos" or natives had charge of
the stretcher and the trip consumed four
and half days.
Mr.. Hartmann says that he was all the
more forcibly impressed by the habits.
customs, ETC., of the natives of Honduras
because of his coming from State where
the rigid blue laws we're still in force TO
some extent and where matters of this
kind were so radically different.
"Tbere are no railroads in HOnduras,"
said he, Except short line, forty miles
long. which extends from Porto Cortez on
the coast TO San Pedro. Nearly all COM
municatioD is by telegraph, and many of
the operators are mere youths vi 10 or 10
years Of age, who are splendid penmen
and W hose handwriting looks like copper
plate. There is a proposition to extend
the railroad | speak of across the country,
and a concession has been secured for
that purpose, but before it Is completed
another revolution may occur and the con-
cession be rendered valueless. The mails
are all carried by 'moZos. on foot, and the
speed and endurance OF these men is
something marvellous. They will travel
forty miles a day and will tire out good
horse. Frequently they make long trips
with a burden of $50 pounds. The only
food they require for days journey is
'tortilla,' banana and small piece of
sugar.
among the natives. and are made rom
corn. A quantity of the grain is placed
in an ear hen dish and covered with Water,
to which about two tableSpoOnfuls of
lime water is added. This is cooked until
the outside hull comes off, when it is al
lowed to stand over night. In the morn
ing It is washed thoroughly and the grain
is then placed on what is called 'mulling-
stone,' which is about IL lnches long by II
inches wide, and over which a large roll
ing pin is rapidly passed until the grain is
crushed to the desired consistency. OF
this dough is made. which is worked by
hand into pieces the size of large pan
cake and then baked. The tortilla serves
the place Of spoon when the natives ara
spoons are used by them.
The natives Of Honduras are the
smartest people L ever met in matters of
trade. 1t is a curious fact that that thor
0ugh business race. the Jews, have not
single representative in the country. and
my brother informs me that he never met
one In his five years experience there.
Honduras is, as you know, pre-em-
inently noted for its revolutionary pro-
clivitles the natives. however, are by no
means warlike class of people; Oh the
contrary. they are nearly all arrant
towards, and when in battle will discharge
their arms in the air and run away. A
novel method pursued by the Government
TO secure recruits for the army is 10 send
squads of soldiers out Unto the country,
which proceed to lasso every native they
find, dozen or more being tied together
and driven into camp. The revolutions
always occur when the crops are ready
for harvest, The soldiers dsbandng when
planting-time comes. San Juancito. where
my bro her lived, was a neutral ground
during the revolutions and was recognized
as such by all the contendlng forces. 1t
is there that the largest mine of the
country is located, which is owned by
NJ jor Burke. formerly editor of the New
Orleans TImes-Democrat, and New York
party.
referring to the innate condition OF he
natives l forgot to mention noticeable
characteristic OF the race, and that is that
every one of them, from the boys to 10
years up, carry knives, and they mostly
carry them open, too, ready for use. They
use these Weapons upon the slightest
provocation and are not at all particular
where they hit an antagonist
"There are no roads to speak of in the
country. Paths leading off in various d.
rections afford the only means of making
inf hi Eha
while travelling about is something WON
derful, ferns growing from six to eighty
feet high, with branches like gigantic palm
leaf fans, lining the pathways, while bam-
boo cane thicker than large mans thigh
grows to the height of 100 feet and Is used
for fenceposts and rails. Rose wood also
grows in abundance and is practically
vaiueless for merchantable purposes.
There are No steam sawmills to be found.
all the timber being cut into lumb by the
use of the old-fashioned rip saw. In fact
there are no labOr.savlng machines in use
with the exception of sewing machines,
in handling which the native women are
exceedingly expert and are able TO produce
some really fine work.
mo marriage laws exist there, and
nearly all children bear the names of their
mothers. Few men live with the same
woman any length of time, and what is
remarkable about this is that the custom
Is OF the womeD's choosing. They DO not
favor marriage, as they say the men abuse
them, and there are no laws to prevent
man from i'll treating his wife. The
women are in many cases fine looking.
sbapely and modest in demeanor, Some
of the native women marry Americans.
and popularity OF the children is that
they never inherit the mothers dark color.
but are always white
''Ihe best sarsaparilla is the world grows
upon the north coast of Honduras. and
oranges, bananas and plantains are to he
had the year round. Potatoes, that CHI az
and common article of diet In this eoun
try, are SIS % for twenty-five pounds. The
natives do not allow them to fully mature
in the ground, but dig them when they
are only about the size OF a large walnut.
There is only one bank in The country
and it is located at Tegucigalpa, The
people bury their money under the tile floors
of their houses. / know of one lady VINO
now has $4,000 In silver concealed in this
way. She fears the Government will con-
fiscate it. and hence taxes this precaution.
Money brings from A up to 20 per cent
month, but the latter figure, of course. is
reached only in times OF great emergency.
This interest compounds every month.
When the Government seeks to coufiscate
the money Of the natives 1t adopts a cruel
plan To force them to divulge the hiding.
places Tor their treasures. The native
Uaman all hava maonifcant "A ,,,biob