Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-07-10
IN OLD MEXICO.
Misc Anne Hinde Writes About Break
ing Camp in the Mountains
A Cold Night ardships
ofthe Poor Mexicsns

II. K Hinde. Mexico. No.
SANTA Rosa, MExico, Juneei.-We
are breaking up camp this morning.
Our donkeys are about packed and we
are about ready to start back 10 Qua
najuato. The old lady has been very
good and kind 10 us, and we paid her
double what she charged us for our
rooms. She Is loading us down with
pears to take back With us and am
carrying a big calahaSo lsqaashl on my
lap. Wish l had our pictured Last
night we slept under . layers Of
cover and will. diniculty kept warm
with that. Our two poor servants,
Philomeno and Nlcholasa, slept down
on this GOLD brick floor with nothing
under them but a tiny strip OF an old
rug and both rolled up In n old red
Indian blanket. But they were used
TO nothing more and seemed perfectly
content and happy. l donot see how
these poor people exist out here when
It turns SO cold and the wind whistles
down from the mountains. They do
not know what a fire is, except a few
little pieces OF carbon on a brasero to
cook their ~frijoles (beansh calaoasa
tSquash) and chilis. They hayn't any
shoes and hardly any clothes, and are
rich If there is one blanket In the
hut. All sleep in a huddle down on
the ground floor. They hayn't near
the comforts that most Of our negroes
have, still they seem happy, living
from hand to mouth and havn't a
lcare.
June %. Yesterday we made a visit
to one Of the Oldest mines in Mexico.
They claim that it was worked as
early as 1890 before the Spaniards
came. We went in on a little car
drawn by one horse. There are cleo
trio lights at intervals OF about 100
yards, but still two poems that went
with us bore torches. We went through
a tunnel Of at least half a mile into
the mountain before reaching the
vain, which we struck at right angles,
then We turned and followed the vein
on this track for over a mile. IL was
certainly curious aud interesting. In
some places il was worked out In
great saverns on each side OF the mair
track - most horrible and yawninl
looking caverns. Every ICE in
while we would come to the shaft
opening which led TO "A 'lowel
region,'' where hundreds OF men are
working coo and 700 feet below thu
earth's surface. | was crazy TO q
down to the very bottom, but mi
companion, Miss Moore, was scarce
stif and would not go. We tinalll
prevailed on her TO go to the frs
station, which was about $50 feet be
: low the level surface. We walke'
/, down steps, but when we got to th
bottom and roamed all around Il
I those CHASTITY chambers my knee
trembled so / could scarcely stand, S
: / was willing enough TO be drawn n
7 in the ore dump, though we had 10 be
Miss Moore a long time to get her |
the notion, and when she did get /
! she was clinging on to Mr.. Harris
: hand and arm with a death-grip all tn
way. / laughed till l was very veal
1t certainly was very excitlng-bea
! the "Shcot-thelShoots all hollow.
! tell You we were glad to get bac
where our palace car" drawn by OF
: poor old horse was waiting TO carry l
u back to daylight and fresh air. Thel
J. are hundreds Of men working dow
there without a stitch Of clothing @
d and they are the most horrible spec
d mems Of humanity l ever saw. The
work the mines day and night, neyt
: letting up for Sunday or any othl
day from n years end to the mex
The men go down in sections-a ne
section going down every four hour
This is called the Sirene mine. / a
= now off for Mexico City for July an
! August. ANNE d. HINDE.