The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-10-18


lowing a path in a zigzag course like
winding stairs. From the side OF this
great mountain flowed dozens of rivulets
which were directed To the gardens and
large fields covered with sugar cane. This
was our breakfast station.
After giving out few leaflets, we rode
rapidly on, passing along a high noun
tain wall for some distance and past the
portal of large, barren plain, probably
10 miles in length. This was very inter
esting. The soil was dark red, packed
very hard by the scorching sun. 1t
seemed so level that little water would
extend entirely over it, The barrenness
is caused from the alkaline condition of
the soil Saltpeter wells are found all
along its borders which furnish quite an
industry for the poorer natives.
Away in the distance, half mirage
and half real, we could see our station
for the night. BY two hours hard rid
ing we "llegamos," as the native said.
We were only too glad to find comforta-
bile quarters and good food
Our breakfast the next morning was
at an eating house along the way. This
was a little hut of one room. The sides
were made of crooked sticks with mud
between. The roof was matched with
grass. We tied the reins of our burros
to some limbs of tree over our heads
and sat down near little window in the
hut from where we were TO receive our
breakfast. The woman with a very
motherly face passed from the window a
chair for my friend, and | sat on block
of mud made for that purpose. The
warm cakes, made of home ground corn
and beans, were extra good that morning
as they were made by hand that would
love the gospel as well as we had she the
knowledge. All we could do was to pre-
sent them bible and a few helps and
commit them to the all wise Providence.
During the next two days We passed
some very nice cities, one of 10000 and a
second, Zapottan, of 10000 inhabitants.
In these we distributed many thousand
pages of literature and had many inter
esting talks with the people.
Leaving Zapottan we passed by trail
south and west over some very rough
country. For long distance the rocks
were of volcanic formation and a little
later we had pointed out to Us the vol
cano of Colima. | thought we must APP
proach it very quickly, but soon foundit
to be over days journey distant. Little
did we realize of the ups and downs nee
essary to reach it. Twice during the
day We had to pass deep canyons or bar
ranchas. We seemingly passed by wind
ing stairs down to the bottom where
were few huts and beautiful stream |
an ideal place to camp for the night.
Because of the lack of corn, We passed
on and in half hour were at the top of
the other side, only few hundred feet
from where we started. During the
afternoon we could see the base of the
vast mountain sending forth its volume
of smoke that filled the pine forests
about its base.
The next morning the change IN den
sity of the atmosphere allowed the smoke
to arise, and puff, puff, would it ascend
from the huge furnace. The cool lava
extended to the base, giving it light
coored appearance The natives say at
times rivers of fire flow down its sides,
making in the night very pretty pict-
ure
Early the next morning we set out for
the city of Colima, where we were to take
the train for the coast. 1t was In this
road | tell in with man, who had been
to visit friend, two days journey on
foot from his home. He was an inter
esting old man and as you will see, par
took of the strict economy necessary in
all the lower classes in the country. In
the town he visited, he saw some ideal
brooms for only four and half cents
apiece which would cost nine in his home
town. He took advantage of the low
prices and bought three brooms to take
to his home 10 miles away. AS | left
him he was trudging along beneath his
load, seemingly very happy because of
his good bargain.
During the day, we passed many beau
tiful sights of tropical fruits and trees.
Now and then we would refresh our
selves by drinking the water of green
cocoanut and eating its soft meat, which
proved very digestible. Toward night
we reached the city, which was one end
of our journey on horseback, being con-
vinced that Pullman riding is fully as
easy as overland by mule back
Colima is the capital of the state by
the same name and is very pretty city
of 10000 inhabitants 1t has a good sys-
tenn of horse cars the material for which
was packed over the mountain by mule
back.
Taking the train the next morning, in
few hours we approached the ocean.
Here we found only small village with
a few Americans who have charge Of
the building of the harbor. This will be
the harbor for the new railroad from
Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico to
Manzanilla on the Pacific. This rail
road is complete except for about 30
miles which will require many million dol
lars and two or three years of patient
work on account of the rugged noun