Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1904-01-01

! had 10 continue our Journey to Qua
mote in a cattle car u distance of one
hour in time. Unfortunately it took us
over four hours for shortly after we
| started. the soft plug blew out of
| the boiler, necessitaiing drawing the
/ fire, cooling the firebox, two men
! crawling in to put in a new soft plug.
then building a fire to get up steam.
! before we could start-three hours lost.
/ enjoying CD the discomfort and incon-
/ Venience of cattle car. exposed to the
/ cold. chilly mountain air, Naturally, we
We're not of a very musical turn of
mind during such detention, not know
/ ing when il would end. The only song
that seemed appropriate under such
circumstances was, Thou Art SO Near
and Yet SO Far" (Gusmote). where a
hot supper, warm fire and a good bed
awaited our coming, and where we ar
rived at II D. m.
From Guamote to Quito. the return
coach ride was made without anything
I of special interest occurring. One
strange custom we observed, that of
Indians going in the direction Of the
coach, etting their pace by that OF the
coach for miles at . time keeping w
with it, even when carrying a small
constantly on the run. We spent four
days in AmbatO and one in Latacunga,
on our return. While Ambato has q.
market each day of the week, Monday
is the principal one. These markets
are held in four plazas. In one of them
the alfalfa. wheat. barley, etc. are sold;
in a second wood and charcoal: in
third meat of AL kinds and live stock;
in the fourth all kinds of fruits, berries,
vegetables, fancy work and many 9TH
er things. When we visited this mar
ket there were from five 10 ten thous-
and persons there, mostly indians. all
anxious to make a sale. The entire
square was so packed that il was al
most impossible to pass through it,
NCny of these had come ten or fifteen
miles carrying on the back whatever
they had for sale. In many cases the
total proceeds would not amount to one
dollar with which they would buy
something to take back with them TO
the little "choza,' if perchance they
did not spend it for "chicha,' get
drunk and spend the night in the car
eel" In the plaza are no tables on
which tc display things for sale but
these ere al placed on the ground,
while the vendors sit flat on the ground
all day long. Your readers can form no
idea of the primitive character of all
such things in this country. They must
come and see. Prior to Mrs. Simpsons
coming there had never been more than
two or three American women In this
city IF $4,000 inha bitants. Then il re-
quired eight or ten days, and frequently
more on mule back. to make the trip
over difficult mountain passes. through
deeD canyons, across cold paramoes.
while now it is n comparatively easy
one and no doubt this city will be Wis
tied by many more pleasure and curiOs
itV eeekers.
We are glad W. had to make the trip
OH mule back for the scenery was mag
nificent. the sight of which we'll repaid
Us for all the hardships endured. 1t
seems almost beyond belief, yet true it
is, an American woman wrote she
thOuqht of coming to Quito to teach
school and wanted me to write her
what line of steamers touched at this
cort. | replied that it was the Mule
Train Line" going inland 315 miles
from the sea and 10000 feet high in the
AndeGn range of mountains. She has
not yet made her appearance.
Our residence, right OF the equator.
has led some of our friends to make al
most as great a mistake in cOmmiserat-
ing us for the roasting" we must
be getting. whereas the fact is. we
have rot seen day here in six years
as warm as we would like to have it. !
Many other items of interest must be |
left till my next.
Al2CIIIR n AMPSON