The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-17
MULE>BACk IN
CENTRAL

81 III WHICH direction you approach
tnis stream, this boatman is ALWAYS on
uV o'ner SIDE After severely strain
ing our vocal chords, We succeeded in
attracting his attention, and ne SLOWLY
put out from shore. He appeared 70
De padding a long canoe, and making
a pad mess Of the job at that. As 7
am Of a very reflective turn Of mind.
L devoted the half hour or more II
took him TO cross the stream in fg71r-
ing out how three big men and three
little mules were going TO get over
mat broad river in a canoe. and after
discovered that the canoe was a dug
OUT L came 10 the conclusion that
didn't know the answer. I arrived AT
a partial solution, however. which was
tnat n fat man (meaning me- and a
certain bay mule had sufficiently ex-
plored the interior of Honduras If we
couldn't go arOund tina river. !
wasn't particularly interested in the
operation of loading the baggage
aboard the tippy old tub even
watched the saddle and other truck
go In without a word-but | was keen
~ alive to the performance when
Beh1to pulled the pack m into the
water and the boatman pushed off,
leaving me gaping on the shore. That
pack mule swan like a duck, and they
landed everything without a hitch.
The Scotchman Went next, and his
mule performed the aquatic act with
credlt. l mad one of those hunches
that | had better go back to san Pc
drO. The only interior |, cared any,
thing about was just at that moment
in a decidedly nervous state and need
ed quiet and care, but I couldn't let
that r~ed-headed serf from the District
of Columbia, who had never had a
| vote iaar of mo f~Cc Io-- :+;-1xo
of the great and glorious United States.
1t was up to me. 1 a to go. l was
admonished to keep my mules head
up stream and to give him plenty of
rope. We started off in gallant style,
although it seemed to me that the
mule must be breathing through his
ears, as nothing else showed above
the water.
"CuidadO!' exclaimed Benito, from
the shore. I looked and the mule was
headed down stream. [ gave q sharp
pull on the line and turned him back;
but, OH, dear, the mar with the pad
die wasn't expecting that, and the sky
was blOtted out as we went over and
[ went down. | shall always treat
mules kindly after this, for ny little
mule saved my life right there. AS |
came up weighted down with my sog-
| gy clothes and heavy shoes and legg-
| ings, the mule padded by, his tail
sweeping out behind like a life line
from shore. [ grabbed and caught that
brush, and in three minutes was safe
ashore. POtrerillos was only a short
drive from the river, and we fastened
to the town hall, where space was re-
served for us, and made a quick change
of clothes to avoid fever.
POrterillOs marks the beginning Of
the end of John Jacob AstOr, jr.'s, no
table failure as a railway builder. A
few years ago the yellow journals gave
glowing OF the American in
vasiOn Of Honduras, and the ,youngI
millionaire was pictured holding this
little republic in the hollow of his
hand. When ne let go he was a heap
wiser, but hadn't added anything but
experience to the millions which he
fell heir to.
Our short stay OF one night in this
place was marred by a feeling of I'M
easiness which was not te1t elsewhere
in the republic We were told that, our
mules were likely to be stolen and we
might be robbed if we were not watch
full. This is unusual in Honduras, be-
cause the people as a rEle are honest
and hospitable, and thieTery IS little
known
We got away from this Objectionable
place very early this morning. and
made a swift hike for Santa Crllz -Yo-I
ioa. Shortly after leaving POrterlllos,l
where I began writing this letter, we
found ourselves in a most peculiar
Ouutry In early geologic days a great
lava flood poured down from the
mountains and swept oVeT a larger
area of swamp. AT the same time the
mountains threw up a lot Of hoWlders,|
which fell thickly over lava The lava
was porous, and decOmpoSed rapidly
leaving many pits and cavities betVNeen
the powders. The ride through this
section of five miles took us six hours
and it was something awful. AT times
the mules were forced to climb smooth
powders in order 10 escape sinking
clear out of sight.
1t was with feelings of relief that wei
finally crossed the Rio Blanco and en-l
tered the dry and dusty valley U
Yojoa. After a short stop TO rest thel
mules and to bandage the bruises, wei
rode on to the village of Yojoa, a clus-I
ter of native shackS of dObe and brush,I
where we are 20 spend a couple OF
days arranging for a trip to the mys-i
ferrous Lake Yojoa. We will leave o.
pack mule and Benito will lead theI
saddle mule back, while We cross the}
lake in 4 boat. He is 10 meet us att
Tonlaca. on the south shore. One Of
our good friends in San Pedro gave u.s.
q lettsr to the alcalde or mayor, a.
pleasant-spoken Honduran, and, uponi
presentation. he informed Us that wei
were expected to attend a baille givenI
in our honor.
We were tired enough TO go right
off to bed. but, of course, dared not
put such an affront upon his honorl
out the depths of u luggage BenitoI
brought forth our spotless white duck
suits and shoes. and, escorted by thei
afcolde and his wife, we walked do"hI
the lone street Of the village. the cyno-I
sure of the entire population. Ihati
ed-headed partner of mine came I'M
for so much admiration from thel
maidens who appeared in the doorWaSs,
that | felt decidedly envlrons.
The dance occurred in the cabildo'l
. cnraro building hAut u by IA. Mlthl