Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-29

ing from our camp at the Co.
IA pan ruins. In the night we
were awakened by one OF
our mules rushing into camp in great
distress. We aid what we could but
without beneficial results. She died in
few minutes She was racked with
pain, and perhaps realized that she
would soon die unless something was
done for her. She left the band and
made her way to US, and until she fell
she would follow first one and then
the other Of us, gluntlng and neighing
and telling US as plain az words that
she was in need OF assistance. In this
manner We lost five valuable mules, in
Guiding "Panguitch," the last Of our
Utah animals. The natives called the
distemper occidente, but seemed to
have no special specific for 1t. Nothing
that we could do seemed TO help the
animals. though Tuning with tobacco
eased their breathing. We transferred
the packs to our riding animals and
CONTINUED our journey afoot
We had great difficulty In procuring
food for ourselves and animals We
realized now more than ever that we
We're In a famine district. Ever since
we left Zacopa food has grown more
scarce. The people plant but little corn,
as tobacco Is their principal crop, and
as there was an 0verabundanCe " rain
last year, what little they did plant was
killed. AS result there is a famine,
and | have been told that people have
actually starved TO death. We were
very glad TO get bananas-mo Mostly green
ones-to eat Tortllas were out Of the
question But few of the people had
them and those few would not part
with them. And. had we not been hun
CRY ourselves. the hungry looks Of the
children as we took the bananas would
have made US hesitate TO take their
supper from them
We reached little creek called Aqua
callente. This is the dividing line be-
tween Guatemala and Honduras, and
we found ourselves again in the repub-
lie that contains Copan. our road from
Copan had passed out Of Honduras Just
before we reached the hacienda Of San
Jose, had continued In Guatemala and
now passed again into Honduras, but
this time we will cross only a small
corner when we enter the republic of
Salvador
At Aguacallente we would have
noOned but could obtain no feed for
our animals or for ourselves. What the
people eat we could not tell, or whether
they eat anything or not One thing
was plain. the few half-starved cattle
we noticed around had not eaten much
for some time.
Our trail from Aguacallente became
rought and steep, leading over a noun
tain at least thousand feet high, on
top the country was broken but we
found grass, and oamped for a few
hours, We descended IN the afternoon
and towards evening reached a river
and the little town Of Santa Fe. The
alcalde, young man OF not more than
rs years, had pasturage which he would
rent, and would be pleased to have us
camp In his house across the street We
accepted both offers, knowing that our
things and our animals would be safe
In his charge, whereas, otherwise, they
might not be safe, Senior Manuel
Mejia warned US that we would find
bad people along the way until we
reached San Salvador, and that we
should be careful Of our animals The
alcalde's house proved 10 be a very
good one, and his wife and mother were
accommodating. | made a bunder
which, had II been the other way, might
have caused trouble, but as II was did
not injure our standing very much in
the eyes Of the people l mistook his
mother for his wife The lady smiled as
she corrected me, and smiled again
when remarked by way Of justifica
ton. "You are very young 60 have so
old a SON"
Santa Fe is a little, old dirty town,
worse In many respects than we have
ct 1aT h. haV urf Of
Mexico. The country around Is dry IN
the extreme, but the river bottom is
rich and the people might have plenty
n they would work. AS 1t Is they have
nothing. We managed TO obtain some
tortillas, however, and in the morning,
Sunday some meat. II Is the custom
of the people not confined TO the town
alone, 10 kill beef or pig every sun
day morning, and 90 make Sunday
forenoon the great market day. On this
day. II on any corn may be purchased,
As the pasture was poor We decided to
go on three leagues to the village OF
Sinuapa, where we could get green
feed. and where, It was told us, there
lived a German, who could talk Eng
lish.
From Santa Fe the country opens into
a valley, with n high range OF noun
tains on both sides. and a river flowing |
In the middle on its way to the Pacific |
Along the bottoms are rich gardens |
patches Of cane and banana orchards, !
and still the people are poor. a two |
league walk brought us to the ford.
The river was low and II appeared that |
we could easily jump from rock. to |
rock and thus cross dry shod. This |
we tried to our sorrow, but we reached |
ha 20 ha In
a hill We came out on a somewhat level |
bench, two miles wide, on the other |
side OF which at the foot Of the noun |
tains we could see the little town. Dry
grass was everywhere and plentiful
showing that during the rainy season /
there Is plenty Of feed Many heads OF |
stock Ia good condition were on the |
bench and the hills nearby. In time Of /
grass much cheese Is made here and |
some butter though the milk In this !
country gives but little butter fat Be |
low us league I'm the line OF the river !
Is the town Of JocotapIc, the last town |
IN Honduras, and further on league |
Is the San Salvador line.
From here we could go 10 Teguarpal-
ua by direct road, az we could have
done from Copan, but the country is |
very rough. and but little would be |
gained IN distance. In Salvador, so we /
are Informed, corn can be obtained, ard |
the great consideration for the next
month Is feed for our stock. Until the
rains bring the grass we viii have a
hard time: but when feed comes our
travel will be done with much more
ease Sinuapa Is Just the opposite to
Santa Fe Here the people irrigate.
md the gardens and pastures are
green and beautiful At The edge Of
The village Is sugar plantation Of good
size and a field OF perhaps 20 acres Of
cane near bv We enqulred for Mr..
Alexander the German to whom we
were recommended for good feed, and
learned that he lived above town about
n mile up the canyon. The canyon
proved TO be beautiful. green and rich
with orchards and gardens. Fruit
trees were more plentiful than we had
seen before for some time In the
midst Of a little clump OF houses We
found the residence OF Mr.. Alexander
and there apniied for Dacftfrogc In