The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-10-19
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER 10. 1906
CAMPING IN THE MOUNTAINS
OF MEXICO.

A Picturesque Camp Site--A Rain
storm, and a Hurry to Campfire
Willy Mule "Maud" Skips Down
the Rock Cliffs and Shakes Her
Rider--Wet Reception at the Tent
Camp Cooking Experiences--Go Good
Coffee--Hospital Treatment by
Mexicans--Enjoyable Celebration
of Mexican Independence Day, Etc.
The ADVOCATE is permitted to make
the following interesting extract from a
letter to friend in Westminster, written
from the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, dated
the Both of September last. In view of
the numerous statements made in the press
during the summer that the Mexicans in
tended to drive all foreigners out of that
country, and had fixed upon Independence
Day as the time for the elimination of the
movement, the statement contained in this
letter that "the people here are most hos
pitable, and 1 participated in the Indepen-
dence Day celebration on the 10th and 18th
with a great deal of pleasure is of great
interest
The writer further says: "There was no
indication of the least trouble in Mexico,
so far as I have been able to learn-cer-
tainly none within the limits of my imme-
date observation.
X x 1 enjoyed my two weeks in
camp very much indeed. l had five In
dams along and an equal number of pack
and saddle mules. The whole time of
course I could only speak Spanish, and 1
really believe 1 learned more of that Ian
guage in those two weeks than in all the
others, | have been in Mexico.
''The camp was pitched in hollow,
grass grown, with cliffs rising up on three
sides. The fourth side looked down per-
pendicularly in a valley below six or seven
hundred feet, and in the distance ridge
after ridge of mountains could be seen.
In the mornings at sunrise it is glorious.
Always there are clouds below, the peaks
extending above made it seem exactly like
a sea- The air is always fresh and en-
bracing in the mornings; in the day, later,
it is about 80 degrees, while at night it is
cool again. To come into camp at night
dead tired, cook, and enjoy hot dinner,
and then turn in comfortable camp cot,
is luxury that can only be appreciated
through experience.
"Things, however, are not always so
pleasant in camping. One afternoon, when
our party was quite a distance from our
camp, about four O clock, driving rain
made its appearance rain such as we
sometimes have at home for few minutes
on a summer evening. I stopped work,
on seeing its approach and started for
camp. AS the trail was very rough in one
place, I dismounted to let the mule go
down alone. At the bottom, instead of
waiting, as she usually does, my trusty
stead started off at a trot, and it was more
than a mile before | cornered her! then
mounted and proceeded as comfortably as
the circumstances permitted; but in going
up the last hill to the camp, the saddle turned
with me and came off, and had to carry it
soaked and heavy, up to the camp above,
as the mule ran up alone; can you picture
me going up the hill? Once there, l
found the Mozo had not put any wood in
dry place, and we spent the next hour
trying to make fire in very wet tent.
I thought my eyes would be smoked out in
the effort! I found out that as fire.
maker in wet tent [ was about as much
of an Indian as my guide, especially as
neither one of us could see for the smoke;
Sundry other difficulties experienced were:
I could not find the can opener, my shoe
string was wet and in hard knot, and my
cot bed, very wet. But after some hot
coffee and can of beans [ crawled into
damp blankets and slept soundly until 5
o clock next morning.
'Camp cooking is something that, to be
satisfactory, requires experience. We have
to use chiefly can stuffs, of which we have
fine supply from Mexico City, distant
from our camp one hundred miles. Our
supply includes sausage, Irish stew, beans,
fish, bacon, sardines, and the like The
coffee we get here from the hot countries
is fine, and one cup almost makes meal.
If can, intend bringing some back to
show you what good cup of coffee really
is. Old coffee, however, is not equal that
picked, roasted, and ground in one day.
Zone night a deer ran through our
camp, probably confused by the light, but
/ did not get shot at it. We often see
their tracks in the vicinity of the camp,
but as yet l have not been able to get a
shot at a buck, one of my ambitions
Zone thing that it takes some time to
get accustomed to here is the deceiving
appearance Of distances. What looks to
be couple of miles away may be half
days journey mountain four or FIVE
thousand feet looks as though it could be
quickly climbed, Canondo, the highest
peak near here, is II, 900 feet, which
think is near the height of Pixies Peak.
However, from the town it does not i'm
press one as being nearly so high. The
only way, or the most satisfactory way, to
do, when riding, especially if you are anx-
ious to arrive at your destination, is not to
look ahead too far, and forget, if you can,
all about distance. The people here have
no measure for distance except time
usually day, or fraction of a day, serves
their purpose; and they rarely bring it
down to hours. A days journey is con-
sidered near point, and really I have
gotten to regard trip of forty miles a
short one
"Our party has just bought two fine
big fast horses, and this morning we had
them out on an hours hard run-as fast
as they could go for chat length of time.
I enjoyed it immensely, as I had the faster
mount / am sure the president was not
aware of that fact when he made the
choice Of the two at the start.
II shall give you something more of my
camp life when / get the opportunity. I
write under great disadvantage. This most
delightful and bracing atmosphere in some
degree compensates for the loss of other