Evening star., 1901-04-16

tA1RSH.1S.lA1ta 1ta.18lA1a1A11
| path, and We once passed through a very
| large coffee plantation, with the ripe, red
berries and shiny leaves showing to such
advantage under the protecting shade of
! taller trees.
In the distance the sunbeams danced
on the hot cemented plat on which the
| berries are dried. Sitting in the shade of
| the hacienda was a group Of coffee pickers,
playing cards. They were half-breed In
dians and We're scrupulously civil and po-
| lite to us.
Occasionally solitary pedestrian would
pass and invariably he carried, unsheathed
a ferocious looking knife or machete-the
kind that is used to cut sugar cane. He
always seemed friendly, saluting with
'buenos dias.' and oftentimes his Spanish
blood evinced itself by his insisting upon
shaking hands.
Long trails OF pack mules, laden with
| hides, coffee and bananas, met us at pre-
carious points on the road. Sometimes
there We're fourteen or sixteen burros so
heavily laden that only their noses and
feet were discernible. The owners were
generally walking beside or behind them.
These little animals very sure footed
and can traverse narrow and precipitous
heights with safety.
I'VE saw any number Of wild mountain
goats. that would go scrambling up or
down the craggy cliffs with ease. A flock
| of parrots, which flew to a dense thicket.
| tried to tntimidate us by their wild and
shrill cries. Many lizards and one large
black snake crossed our path. while over
head We're birds OF very beautiful plum
age. quite small In stze but with clear.
| sweet voices.
'One mountain we passed which was bare
| of vegetation, due to the rayages of some
recent fire. Not bush or a bit of grass
had sprung up-there was nothing but
black decay. On the adjacent peaks We're
bare spots, where the flame tongues had
licked them.
These mountains are in places quite thick
ly settled. Some mud or adobe houses are
here and there, and again the scene is
broken only by thatched huts with dirt
floors and door made of the skin of some
wild animal. They look picturesque, in
deed, smuggling up against the sides of
the mountains. A farmer eschews to cul-
tivate but little as his wants are few. His
small garden patch Is generally on ground
| that is fortifled-that is 1t is banked up
against the mountain by stones In tiers to
keep the earth from sliding down. On
these terraced sierras are produced all that
| is required to maintain the family.
I'm one place group-evidently father.
mother and four chiidren-had taken up
their abode In cave on an unfrequented
road. In the center of the grotto, which
was about twelve feet at it's widest. they
had erected a shrine or altar, with small
statue of a saint, ornamented with a cam
die and a few mountain flowers. AT the
sides were charcoal stove. bench ana
the few necessaries for their existence.
The father was dozing. the scantily clothed
children were qtiietly playing. while the
mother sat complacently smoking a large
cigar.
Forts in Ruins.
At one turn in the road two old forts In
ruin and decay were visible. In the early
colonial days of the sixteenth century they
were the strongholds'of the Spanish; today
but one of these old landmarks is garri-
soned. This old fort of San Carlos situat-
ed on the crest Of the mountains overlook
ing La Guayra, is, 1 believe, the old Span
ish fort which Charles Kingsley has made
famous in Westward Ho."
We had passed the fort and were calmly
admirng the matchleSs scene. for We were
now gazing down on the mighty ocean,
rolling and tossing about at the foot of the
mountains. In the midst of our reyerie we
sentinel perched in the topmost tower. who
told us in Spanish that we could not pass
down to the city. He was a striking pic
ture outlined against the blue sky; his
shiny black body, covered only by short
cotton trousers, was reclining, with gun,
against stone ajutment, where the hot
tropical sun had full play.
In obedience to his order We retraced
our steps and crossed a waterless moat
and passed up a steep incline into the
fort. Here one of the half dozen men OF
the garrison. doing in the suns rays, told
| us should have to interview the colonel.
This officers quarters were inclosed by
screens made Of a few blankets bagging
and burlap, and he was not in fitting
costume to receive a call from a woman.
He demanded to know the object of our
passing, and if we carried any inflamma-
BILE letters or news with us. as there were
at present indications of revolution.
On being assured that we were three
Americans who were simply taking stroll
across the mountains, he, with little re-
luctance but with that Spanish suavity
that is characteristic of the race, let us de-
part
La Guayra lay before us. The admira-
tion which We felt in the morning when
looking down on Caracas was not equal to
that with which We viewed the scene below
US. The quaint little town between ocean
and mountains is exceedingly picturesque.
The Caribbean rolls at its foot. while snug
ly nestled against mountains nearly nine
thousand feet high Is this unique city,
built in 1855.
The steep mountains seem to project al
most perpendicuiariy from the water, en-
miles distant at sea. The houses. with few
exceptions, are one-story structures of the
sixteenth century pattern. Although ex-
tending back short distances In the curves
Of the mountains. the greater part of the
city seems to be heightened out along the
there. hugging the coyes and ledges of the
mount aims as though fearful Of falling OF.
From a distance they resemble little
Noah's arks arranged on the mountain
side.
La Guayra Is the seaport of Caracas and
has the reputation of being one of the three
hottest places on earth. Three miles dis
by a narrow-gauge road. 1s picturesque Ma
cuto, seaside resort. and the Newport of
South America. Here there Is a wide beach
promenade skirted with tall cocoanut
palms, luxuriantly shaued plazas fresh
and salt water baths and very fair hotels.