Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-03-04


Small pox is very common in this
country, and as the streets are mar
row, as in the streets of Cairo, we
come close to the people, but up to
date there is no illness of any kind In
our party. R. M. WHITE.
LIKE THE HOLY LAND.
On TRAIN NEAR SILAo, MEXICO,
February 26.-We visited a city to-day
which the tourists say is just like
Jerusalem; in fact much of this coun-
try is like Palestine and is just won
derful to strangers. I never saw the
like of burros and beggars. We have
about 100 kodak 1ends in u party
and they have a great time taking
snap shots of the natives and the
scenery. A portion of this country is
very productive and, in fact, will
grow anything that can be raised in
che tropics anywhere, l never saw
the like of fruits of all kinds and 80
luscious. We are all learning to talk
Spanish a little; that is, we can make
change and ask for what we want to
eat and drink. Some of the young
folks can firt in Spanish.
One of the most interesting cities is
Guadalajara. Population 125 1000; ele-
walton 5,O54 feet. And 80 after trav-
ersing the endless fields of corn and
wheat we draw near the beautiful city
of Guadalajara, the "Wadil- adiara" OF
Spain, the Florence of Mexico, which
lies in the lovely valley of the Lerma.
The golden light of the afterno On
bathes the city with its glory, bringing
into greater prominence the towers
of the cathedral and the spires of its
many churches. Truly tits "La Perla
del Occidente" (the Pearl of the West)
that we have come to see.
The musical church bells are sound
ing the mystic hour of the Angelus
and with their rhythmic beat still ting
ling in our ears we stroll up to the
Plaza, the center of all that is bright,
joyous and gay in this brightest of all
Mexican cities, and there await the
arrival of the throng, who like our
selves, on pleasure bent, come to en-
Joy the strains of music accorded us
by the military band stationed in the
light moorish pavilion in the center of
the gardens. The soft tropic night is
upon us; we seat ourselves amid the
flowers, beneath the orange tree in
the bud, bloom and fruit, and sur
render ourselves to the dulce far niente
of the hour.
In its loyalty to the church, Quad
is second to no city in Mexico
and makes good its claim by works of
charity and mercy. If Guadalajara
had no other object with which to at
tract the traveller and the lover of the
if it had nothing to show
him of Importance it has enough in its
great Basilica to recompense him with
interest for all the trouble and fatigue
of a long pilgrimage. Mr.. Edward
Gibbon says: "To see it and to study
it came l here. My hours of idleness
in search of art, and its Impressions,
eternally beautiful, have always en-
tertained the contemplation of this
grand Basilica. From its Gothic Tus-
can towers, 1 have seen the sun spread
it's mantle of purple and gold over the
the hills and the city" In the
Sacristy of the Cathedral, is to be
found Murrillo's Assumption" a
jewel not only of this Cathedral but
also of the whole American continent.
The famous Hospicio will, of course,
be visited by every tourist. 1t is a
very extensive establishment of char
ity and devotion. 1t luxuriates in
twenty-three patios, each one made
bright, fragrant and refreshing by
and flowers. The unfor-
tunate inmates must be counted for
tunate in such surroundings.
Days may be spent pleasantly in
this beautiful city and other days in
the grand surroundings. A
visit to the famous barranca should
not be omitted. The Lerma or San
tiago river has here cut its way from
the plateau to a lower level, and has
made an enormous canon, the perpen-
dicular sides of which r two thous-
and feet high. At the top of the
chasm you are in a temperate climate;
at the bottom you get a taste of the
'torrid" temperature, which must be
felt to be appreciated. Nowhere else
in Mexico, and probably nowhere else
in the world, a 80 satisfactory an
be made SO easily; two
hours ride from the city brings one
to the %barranca, but the visitor should
devote the whole day to the excursion
to this region of the banana and the
palm.
A trip to San Pedro is a delight.
The ride is along the ancient calzada
under great trees that must have been
kissed by the sun for a hundred years
and perhaps for two or three times as
long. Paved streets, handsome resi-
~iences, fine stores, beautiful gardens
and happy faces will greet you at San
Pedro.
This is the favorite suburb of Quad |
a~lajara. Here the wealthy people |
have out-of-town homes. Here the
Guadalajara pottery ware is
made. The visitor who wants the
ware at a fair price should
buy it here, and not at the capital,
where he may OIL may not get the real
and will certainly have to pay
double its worth.
All of the cities are wonderful and
he people and their habits are more
10. 1t would take weeks and months
% visit all of the principal points of
interest, and would take years to de-
|cribe them. You must come and see
yourself to appreciate what there
s wonderful in this country.
r. M. WHITE.
Advertised Letters.
List OF letters remaining in the Post
Office at Mexico, Mo-, for the week
March 4, 1897, which if not
for in tbirfy dave rr;u -