Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-12-15
FUN IN THE TROPICS.
Arthur Hurd's Experiences on a
Coffee Plantation.

6.-The manager and remained il
Santa Marta for several days and thel
left for Las Nubcs, the end OF m,
long journey and my future home
The first eight mile. Of the road lee
over comparatively level and thick
ly wooded country to Masinga, lit
tie village at the foot Of the noun
ta;ns. This part Of the road is wide
enough for cart but from there t
Las Nubes it is nothing but trail NJ
the mountains, down into the valleys
through rivers, along precipices and
never level. At places it passes for
distance over old Indian roads, being
we'll paved with large flat stones.
We stopped for lunch at Onaca, the
plantation OF an Englishman. There
the manager left his horse as it was
not able to pass over the rest Of the
road. My mule stood it very well
but a horse could never have made it.
Las Nubes is very much as had
pictured 1t in my mind. The clear
ing is probably little larger, the
stumps thicker, the coffee-trees small
or, the house better and the rain
wetter than had imagined them to
be. but otherwise it is what | had ex-
pected. The houses are about $500
feet above sea level although the high.
est point Of the the place is as high
again. The houses have mud walls
and matched roofs Of palm leaves.
The largest one has six good sized
rooms. The other which was recent
~ built has only three rooms-two
bed rooms and sitting loom. 1t is
hard to describe this place and do it
justice. 1t should be seen to be APP
precated. Dad and Paul would like
il very much | am sure.
The are several thousand coffee
trees set out permanently and about
one hundred and fifty thousand still
in the nurseries. Some Of the oldest
trees are in blossom, We raise our
bananas, vegetables and corn.
Behind the house is the Popa, q
small mountain which has been clear
ed. The view from its summit is
grand. Santa Marta and several
smaller places may be plainly seen,
together with miles and miles of the
Caribbean Sea. 1t is very beautiful.
Perhaps you have noticed the quaint
names. Our highest clearing is called
"Alta Ciela", (high heaven). An old
Indian road leads directly to it.
Every hundred yards or 50 there is
. small mountain stream Of clear,
cold water. One OF these which
passes through Las Nubes is said to
have an unbroken fall OF five hundred
feet somewhere between here and
Onaco. Only one white man has ever
seen 1t and he is an awful liar, but
the manager and | are going to look
for 1t some day.
Perhaps you think it is easy to get
around in these tropical forests. In
addition to going straight up and,
down, one has to cut his way. When
a fellow is all by himself down in a
deep, damp, grewsome, snakey'valley
where the sun cannot reach, he grasps
his cuchillon in one hand, revolver in
the other and wants to howl. Ugh!
But 1t is lonely! | do not feel that
way any more but did at first. |
have not seen a real, live snake yet
except in my dreams. We are still
in the wet season and | suppose it is
too cold for them. | nearly freeze
every afternoon, 1t rains from noon
until about five o'clock. | sleep un.
der four blankets and want more.
The dry season sets in about the first
OF December. 1t will be idyllic up
here then.
Our game list would satisfy any.
body. Lions, tigers, tapirs, deer,
pigs, monkeys, turkeys, quail, foxes,
armadillas and other birds and beasts.
What they call tigers are, | believe,
really jaguars. They are large
enough to carry of an OK | have al
ready promised my first skin but will
send you the second. The lions are
kind of leopard, smaller than the
tigers. Tapir and deer tracks are
quite frequently SEEM in our clearings.
Il is too wet to hunt now but when
The dry season is on it will be fine.
| left all my good duds in Santa
Marta. Up here wear a soft shirt,