Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1895-04-29

pending war Battles have been fought
and the government changed in times
past, and they kurVx nothing of it till
wCeks-pCrhaps mona hi-had passed Now
they arr tn" center Of attraction Mexico
claims n portion of their rich uninhabitcd
territory. They CAN nothing about those
uninhahitrd wilds, but their government
has ordered them to report for military
duty, and this they have done with the ex-
ccption of Il few who have ran away to
Belize, where in an unhealthy climate they
are allowed to swing their hammocks un-
der II tree and sleep unmolcstcd by the
sound of the drums beat or bugle's call
There arc three distinct types of people
here. The creole of Spanish blood, descend
ant for the most part from the prisoners
cxilcd to the little island in the lake Of
Pctcn during The time of the king" the
native Indian, remnant of the Mayas
from Yucatan, and few negroes, descend
ants OF runaway slaves from British Hon
duras. The cr'olcs for tho most part &C
cupy their little island homo in Lake Pc
ten, the negroes have n town by themselves
and tho Indians several scattered settle
mcnts. 1t is rarc that these people inter
marry, prcfcrring to conserve the purity of
their ancestry. Tho CrrolcS have a natural
wit, and considering their opportunities
they arc as n whole tho most brilliant and
progressive people in the whole country
Unlik" tho Indiar. who prefers to hang his
sandals on tho same peg that his GRANDPA
th"r hung his before him, he longs for i'm
pavement and bCTS tho stranger TO teach
him St4Inct hing.
Ny uoNr "Opens upon tho plaza, and see
the soldiers forming into line preparatory
t. 1llrir afternoon drill. take note of ono
thing in partiCular-nOt one of these sol
E!b-TS is hnN,foutCtl. They spend two
hours i'll running up and down, skirmish.
ing and pointing their muskCts mt imagi-
nary foes. Then they ar dispersed, and
Nv are called to dinner, and n very palata-
f'ls' dinner awaits us. Thorr arc six or
seven dishes of meat ON tho table, includ-
ing COW = uddCr, wild turkey and vrnisun,
- sU.lccity nf Vegetables. hut good white
hr' HL made from flour worth $40 a barrel.
and smoking hot tOrlillaS, made from ma
tive corn that varies in price from 80 cents
IL - bu*hCl. ! am tuld that the butter
lS hard to get ut 81 n pound. and on OK
Pressing my surprise l am shown a small
cheese similar to one of our 8 cent pot
chooses and am told that it has just been
purchased for 25 cents. We arr given coffee
valued Mt seventy five cents per pound
which was grown in the yard back Of the
housS'. On inquiring tho ryvlson why every
thing Is so extremely high in n country
that seems so productive tho lady of tho
house, with long drawn sigh, answers:
"Ah, senior, no hay braSos, or literally,
There arc no hands to do tho work" Tho
Indian will not work unless he Is forced to
work. Tho creole Gloes not carc to do an
| Indians work when he has the money
whcrewith to pay him, and rs the Indian
can raise enough corn and beans to supply
his family for year with two weeks &C
tual work, and his wants :Irc fcw, no secs
no reason to bind himself to creole pa
iron. Consequently Tho hay brazos, " and
| the creole laments his misfortune
Tom RORINSnN