Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-02-22
LAND OF NO WORK.
ONE-THiRD OF GUATEMALA is
SO DESCRIBED.
Vast souroes OF Wealth. but Inhabitants
Shirk All Labor and Indulge In Idle
ness 49, In the Afternoons All tho
Agriculturists sleep.

Agricultursts sleep.
The department OF Peten comprises
about one-third OF the area of Guate-
mala. but il is separated from the rest
of the republic by tho lofty cordillera
of Alta Nerapaz. Its population Is
about 5000. of which number four
Hfths are Indians. It is acknowledged
to possess the richest soil of Central
America and the most easy OF culti-
walton. or the natural products suf-
hcient has been already said. Ma
hogany, hundreds OF thousands OF
cords, and ebony in small quantities
are found IN tho vast forests. Tho
wild caoutchouc brings in a small rev
enue to the Indian trapper. Crude
rubber from a wild tree is worth 40
cents a pound. The product OF the cul-
tiya,ed tree brings S10S for the same
quantity. Logwood is used for fences.
But 1t must be remembered that there
are 70 routes OF transportation. To
the east and south a gently rolling
plain extends to the Gulf OF Honduras
Very little grading would he required
TO build a railroad from the coas, 60
Lake Petcn, but such a road would
have to cross tho English territory OF
Belize. where concessions are not cas-
lily obtained. The principal occupl-
ton Of tho people is said TO be agricul-
ture. However n man is seldom seen
at work. In the morning the ladies Of
the higher class roll cigarettes for
their husbands and themselves. In the
afternoons all sleep. With the sun
casting shadows toward the south. and
such intense heat, It is impossible to
do anything else. The farms arc very
small. Each family raises just sUGi-
ciont for its own use, no more. Plows
and harrows are unknown. The
ground to be planted is burned over.
That is all the preparation. Fallen
trees are not removed. nor is the dead
brush cleared away. Nature will at
tend to that in due time Then q man
with pointed stake or mattock digs a
little hole, drops therein a few grains
OF corn, covers II with his foot. and
the field is left until time for harvest.
BY this method only a few yards
square can be planted each day. and
a ten-acre cornfield is something un-
heard Of Next to corn. sugar is the
important crop-not white sugar but
the dirty sticky cane-favored pamela.
Ii would be well If the cane were
planted for pamela only. Unfortunately
four-fifths of the pamela is trans
formed into aIua ardiente, literal
fire water" or course. drunkenness
is tie prevailing vice among the men
of all classes. They get drunk early
in the morning. get drunk in the after
noon, and are always drunk in the
evening. Even the present abnormal
price of liquor (s5 per quartz does not
bring the demand down to the sup
ply One day in the week is an ex-
ception to the general rule. Every
body is supposed to be at work on
Monday. and a person found i'm a sa-
loon before midday is arrested and
fined S.. For a long time the balmy
breezes from the Caribbean have driv-
en- the storm clouds far from Lake
Peten. Other portions of the depart
ment have had rain and to spare. but
Flores is suffering from the drouth.
Corn brings SIS (silver) per bushel;
flour, $50 (gold) per hundredweight:
sugar, SO cents per pound. The only
food in abundance is meat, and meat
is not wholesome diet in a tropical
midsummer True. there are fish in
the lake, great gamy fish. but 1t takes
work to catch them. and who wants
to work? Not hundred miles away
there may be an abundance OF food
stuffs. In all of this great department
of Peten there is not single mile OF
public road. or road Of any other kind
for that matter, not one bridge. Every
thing is carried on the backs of In
dians. Freight in here from Belize
costs from 10 cents to 20 cents
pound.-Chicago Journal.
American Trayelors I'm MexIco.