Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-06
Across a Guatcmaian Jungle.

Across 6uatcmalan Jungle.
To be alone in the jungle with only
an Indian guide, who can speak moth
ing but his native dialect, is not an en-
viable situation. writes Walter Mat
son in the New York Post. But the
jungles of Guatemala are well worth
careful study. Not only are they ca
pable of being cleared. drained. and re-
claimed but for diversity OF natural
products they are not surpassed on the
face OF the earth. The Indians burn off
!; tract of land that is sufficiently dry
for cultivation. plant Il little maize.
few beans, some chill, and seem per-
f.ctiy ignorant of the wealth that lies
at their very doors.
On leaving Chisec. l followed the
Indian guide through an almost inn
passable morass. With his machet he
cut the dense netting of vines that
barred our progress and occasionally
he hoped the head off some beautiful
green snake that seemed disposed todis-
pute our right of way. once only we
stopped. at place where a palm
matched roof was supported by four
slender poles There was fire on the
ground, ana ne Htdltu StHit NdtSi.
Soon q half-clad woman. accompanied
by a band of naked children, came
from the brush, bringing a bunch of
green plantains. She was his wife, and
dutifu!ly supplied him with the chill
which | had failed to provide.
A league beyond this hut. the coun-
try became more rolling. and presently
we came to a new clearing, and
house that evidently was not of native
workmanship. though il was construct
ed of nothing but palm leaves and
poles \ Cdstilian lady finally asked
me 10 stop and rest, tnd. while she
sent to the field, tur her husband. re-
freshed me with 4 cool drink OF sugar
ara water Soon Don JaVicr put in an
appearance. and it dill not take long
To decide that EaXtnninGuila was a
good place for the night camp.
Through an act o. apparent MUS
ticc on the part oc :, Government Of
fetal Don .Javi,r was compelled tn re
Iinuuish his title to a large and pro"
ductiNe pin,a S!N months ago ne
came into the jungle, determined to
make Il new homc as far as possible
from civilization and cuVctnuS neigh
bors. Here he found what he sought
"a rolling country. stream OF run
ming water, and comparatively
hea!thful climate. Among the ln"c-
gcnous products of the vicinity were
maintains. bananas, cocoa, vanilla,
sarsaparilla ginger. a tree producing
4 cotton. from which the natives pro
duce a durable fabric; tree which ne
calls "uuinina, the bark of which
certainly resembles in taste ana
therapeutic effects that of the en-
chona. and a host of herbs, of great
repute among the natives for their
medicinal virtues. The field would be
well worth careful research by an eX-
pert in materia mcdica. In the mount
aims. only a few miles distant, are evil
dent aurferous veins, and a small
quantity Of flour" gold is found in
| the streams close by.
! With twenty-One moZas, ne coni-
| ln~uced work. Differing in one re-
spect pom majority of his fellow
! co,,ntrynlen. he is not afraid OF nara
work himself. a house was built, lahd
was burned off and cleared. and IN less
/ than six months his first crop OF Deans
| is being gathered. In another month
his corn will be ready for harvesting.
The beans are planted so as to yield
CROP each month in the year. They
form :he staple article of diet among
IN. work hands. His fields of rice are
IN t;pe condition. and he has beauti-
f,I na,m- shaded nursery where are
hundreds of young plants df Meracai-
no coffee. cocoa and Vera Cruz TO-
+, bGcc0.
! r,osc "a the house are the ruins of
two nrehistoric buildings. They were
built of unhewn rock. and each COP
tain several large stone images.
| questioning the Indians ! learned tnft
! the ruins of large city are 10 V
found upon mountain three leagues
| distant. The pillars. columns anu
| wallis arc described as covered win
pict,res and hieroglyphics. Do''
Iayjcr was ignorant Of these ruins, ana
n is nrobable that no white man mas
30. econ them. This portion Of Gun
tom,Ia. which IS the upper portion on
ia n.rirsuIa &c Yucattn. is dotted
with similar evidcrtres of oscc Elk
tonsive and civilized people.
I with melancholy fcrebOdings we s;sitl
"goo6 Inv, to Don Javier. promising
to vis;t the. ruins on the return trip
If the rainy season permitted. Tor
rva DAYS we tramped the wilds, on
COMO DAYS not meeting even ~ singic
indian However. we managed Il
reach a hut almost every ni2nt. !. !
) difficult to tell which is preferam'
to sleep in an Indian hut or camp ~