Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-02

| few cents, replied to our questions
| thnt they would get corn ana "ouu
| have some tortlllas ready for U.s. we
| also have some SQUASH II you WISH
/ said tho lady. To our further question
shp replied that they cost two cents
each, and She would cook them. ehe
agreed to have th.m ready IN thre,
| quarters OF an hour we DarBalutu
| for ten, aud sure enough, IN nfly
| minutes they we've steNnlng Deloi
us as we sat e. dinner an nicey
cooked During the day we passed py
battlefield where the French ana
Mexicans came together greatly 10 the
detriment OF the former Nothing
marks the place now except raheh
close by
THE OAXACA VALLEY.
our descent during the afternoon was
almost as rapid as our ascent the day
before. and I'm the evening we camped
on the edge of the valley Of OaXaca.
The evening was windy and disagree
able, I'm fact the wind had been blowing
dlsagreeaby hard all afternoon. 10
protect ourselves. therefore, we went
down in a creek bed, now dry, aud
camped behind a heavy growth OF VII
lows. The OaXaca valley with us clues
and towns Is one Of the most interesting
we have yet passed through IL is NOT
so rich as Topic, Guada@Jara or Leon
hut ia better known, and has done more
for the good OF Mexico than all the oth-
ers nut together In the east or SOUTH
cast end OF the valley Is Militia, where
are located the world renowned RUNS
In which prof. Sayille, OF New YORK Is
now laboring and eXcavating' In inc
middle of the valley Is the city or
Oaxaca, the mother Of presidents:
From here came Benlto Juarez anu
Porfrlo Dlaz both not only presidents
OF the republic, but both heroes III lhe
liberation and development OF tnelt
country. Both are great men, put
differ in their greatness Juarez Is cor
sldered the greater statesman lClaz thr
greater politician. Juarez Is Droauet
minded Diaz far more practical b9ti
are pure blooded Aztecs, Juarez dieu
some years ago, Diaz Is hlllng ms
eighth term as president OF Mexico
our ride through the valley was
pleasant one, though the weather was
hot and the roads dusty In bt'a W.
found nearly everybody drunk, as the
dav was a legal holiday, but no one
seemed 10 be in a quarrelsome mood,
and we passed quietly along. Feed IS
very scarce and very expensive, and for
n while Il looked az though we woulu
get none, but at last we found meadow
or swamp near little village, wheIe
we were permitted TO camp. IL was
had place, and on account OF FEVER u
dangerous place, especially as we an
went TO bed with wet feet, but II was
Tho hest we could do. Early next
morning. without breakfast we rollea
ont and passing through oaNaca'
camped lust outside OF town Where we
fed our animals. had breakfast ana
read with great interest the mall we re-
ceIyed. In one particular we We're nlucn
dIsannolnted--th News did not
reach us. We have had no papers since
we left Colonia Dublan last Sep'em-
Der. - oho,,,
% 000 II is not so wealthy as PueDla'
nnt e,ill has some beautiful buildings
THE streets are we'll paved, but IN the
middle OF the street Is a gutter lnlo
,vhich rms the waste water from tne
houses and stores, making q bad sinell
and giving the streets In places pau
appearance. The city Is located IN mar
rnw neck OF the valley and almost
reaches from hill 10 hill. 1t Is pic
turesoue IN the extreme The old ehurch
',,,,h stens leading TO t. suggests the
orchiteot,ire of Uexmal or Pananque.
Most OF the inhabitants are Indians, IN
fact all through this valley yet per-
sons of Spanish blood are seen, most all
ora nure Aztec and speak the Aztec
Language, though many speak ooth'
A. MONSTER TREE,
On Wednesday night we camped IN
,he iittie town OF Santa Maria del Tule,
where grows the largest tree IN Mex
leo and by some thought 20 be the larg-
asst IN the world. The town Itself is in
teresting especially 20 those Interested
in the Lamanites. Many Of the houses,
though poor have neat appearance,
ana are well built The streets cross
zach other at right angles. The stores
are all Kept by Indians mostly women
and would compare fayorably win
some OF our little country shops with
n hundred dollar stock OF goods ON
hand But the greater interest Is In
tho church yard, off the main road q
quarter, where stands the great tree
| All the inhabitants are anxious that
| visitors especially foreigners should see
| tho tree. and we were asked several
| times ~ we were not going TO the
| church. The tree measures one hun
bred and eleven feet and four Inches IN
| circumference. but n strip Of bark
should be cut from around II the strip
| would be at least one hundred and SIX
~ feet long. II is monster, Not
very high but spreading over a wide
area. and one diameter Is az least for
~ feet. one naturally asks himself;
"How old can this huge pile be-" The
"Noche Triste" tree. near the city OF
Mexico. under which Cortez Is said to
have wept. IA over 500 years old per
hans by several hundred years, ana yet
II would not make one Of the limbs Of
this tree. Perhaps We would not be out
far by saying that when our savior was
a boy this tree had already started to
grow. and II has continued 90 grow ever
since, and looks sufficiently healthy to
keep growing for another thousand
years at least. Could Il but talk and
tell us Of the events that have trans
| plred around Il, of the people that have
lived in this valley, OF the growth and
decay Of nations, what a precious vol
ume would be given TO the world.
The tree Is a specie Of cypress and Is
| known here as sabine, but Is called the
Great Tree Of Tule
We broke camp early this morning,
Travelled six leagues passing through
the little town Of Tlacolula and OBJ
tanned our present camp within a
league ~ the ruins OF Militia. Tomorrow
we shall visit these ruins, and II We
can make our stay profitable. will per.
hans remain two or three days, We
learn that Prof. Savllle who Is making
the excavations Of the ruins under the
auspices NJ the American Museum OF
Natural History Of New York. Is at
present at Vera Cruz, hut his brother
and the government Inspector are at
Militia. We shall meet them tomorrow.
our next address Is Guatemala Re-
public Of Guatemala where we will hs
pleased 10 have you mail a conv OF the
News" BENZ. CUFF. JR.
Good advice.