The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1902-09-02


supplied myself with some bread, tea
and few canned meats for this trip, and
one day, after helping myself to some
sardines, gave the larger share to my
men, and they at once put the sardines
into pan of rice and had great dish
from that mixture. I saw them drink
ing what | called an extract made from
corn meal The meal seemed to have
been made into stiff dough by the addi-
ton of little water, and then packed in
some green leaf and laid aside for jour
neys When one wants drink he takes
handful of this dough, adding water,
mixes the mass with his hand, until it is
thin enough to drink. 1t then disappears
with much gusto on the part of the inn
biber. l tried it, but found it too thin
for my taste; in fact, had i'll my grip an
extract Of corn meal much more to my
taste, and it needed no mixing to make
it palatable. Stopping one day for lunch !.
when we saw native woman cooking, |
saw lot of chickens, and at once grew
hungry for some eggs; but how to get
them was another altogether l looked
into every nook and corner, where
thought an egg might be found, but saw
none. My hunger for eggs grew apace,
and drawing an artistic cut of an egg on
board, and pointing to a hen was sure
would win. But my scheme was A flat
failure, and hungrier still, grew. Then
drew from my pocket white envelope,
with another cut of an egg OH that.
got the eggs, to the great amusement of
the natives.
The following day again boarded my
canoe and went up the river about three
miles to another plantation in charge of
some friends from Chicago, who gave me
hearty welcome. At this place spent
two days, and was in the woods a great
portion of the time, and saw much that
was new to me. Here the wild rubber
tree is found, and tapping one. l was as
tonished at the great flow of milk l also
saw the tree from which we get out our
chocolate, and the way this fruit is pro-
duced might almost be called one of ma
ture's freaks. The bean grows in pods
that are about six inches in length, every
pod packed with beans, similar to
paw-paw with seed. These pods do not
grow from small branches or twigs, but
from the trunk and large branches. They
actually burst right through the bark,
and saw them thus hanging from six to
ten inches apart ] also saw the water
vine a ID had man cut out a piece of
about fifteen inches i'll diameter, from
which the water simply poured, and fur
nished me a splendid drink
Vegetation is very rank here, aud in
many places we had to cut our way
through The rainfall last year was Gs2
inches. Both of these plantations are be-
ing planted in sugar cane, rubber and or
anges-one of them being owned by Mr.
Zach Embry, and his manager was busy
working the cane into sugar. The growth
of cane is heavy / found many stalks
six inches in circumference.
'On my way up the river l saw two
men in charge of canoe, and noticed a
piece of wood across each end of it, and
by a closer inspection discovered the
head of bullock securely tied to each
end of these pieces of timber. They were
actually swimming four head of cattle to
market
"While in Minatitian, the seat Of gov
ernment Of this district, | noticed the
jailor sang out the hours of the day and
night, there being no city clock A
strange custom indeed, but the people
were kept duly informed of times flight
and the prisoners duly notified of the
wakeful presence of their keeper.
The attention Of your county commits
sioners is respectfully called to the Gus
tom. The woods are full of parrots, and
they kept up an everlasting Jargon of par
rot talk that failed to appreciate. Should
you go down there and want real talk
ing parrot, buy the green bird with the
yellow head and you will get the best
brand.
"The best business point l found in
Mexico is Torreon, about 500 miles south
of FL Paso, at the junction of the Mexi-
can Central and Mexican National rail
roads The third road will be there
within sixty days.
"Six years ago the place was goat
ranch. Now there is population of To-,
600 in Torreon and suburban towns.
There are thirty manufacturing plants,
and strange to say, nine tenths of all the
money invested is owned by Mexixans.
The town was plated by an American
engineer, and is already beautiful place.
This is the great cotton belt of Mexico,
and three large cotton mills are running
full time
Fully 900 Americans are located Ill
this place, and they seem to be engaged
in all branches of business.
II enjoyed my visit very much, and
do not dislike the country or its people.
.Ex