Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-31
IN YUCATAN.
A Little Known Part of the Mexican
Republic.

knows of Yucatan. Large odds could
safely be given that the most Of the
answers to this question from any
number Of even we'll informed per-
sons would be somewhat to this effect.
Yucatan is one of those Central
American republics that are mainly
miasmatic, tropical marsh and the
rest volcanic mountains, and the in
habitants are divided between noun
tain bandits and political revolution
lists.
Even the all knowing Baedeker has
no knowledge Of Yucatan, or at any
rate none to impart to the traveller.
Yucatan is a sealed book to the Gu
ban, as the writer failed to get even
the slightest data regarding 1t after
many diligent inquiries in Havana.
Yet it is only thirty hours sail from
that city and the Ward line Of steam
ers from that port to Vera Cruz, SAIL
ing twice a week, all touch at Pro-
greso, the chief commercial port Of
Yucatan, both going and coming, and
there are no cleaner or better admin
istered steamships in the world.
The writer, after a visit to Mexico
city and the enjoyment Of that splen-
did mountain capital, on his return
trip visited and explored a portion of
Yucatan, including some of the most
interesting of the prehistoric ruins Of
that wonderful country, photograph
ing their most salient features.
The peninsula, Yucatan, instead Of
being like Central America, or even
like a large part of the mainland Of
Mexico proper, a land of marshes and
mountains, is a level coral formation,
very much like the Bahama Islands
The climate is dry and healthful;
the temperature is high, even In win
ter, but is tempered for a large part
Of the time by refreshing breezes from
the sea; an ideal climate for invalids,
with almost perpetual sunshine.
The capital city, Merida, is some
twenty-five miles from the port OF
Progreso and is connected by two
lines Of railway. Merida is city of
nearly $4,000 inhabitants. 1t is built
on the site of an ancient Maya city,
every trace of which has been obliter-
ated by the Spanish conquerors In
their efforts to destroy all national
and race feeling on the part of the
inhabitants and to reduce them to SER
vitude
The Spaniards found the Mayas
much more difficult to conquer than
even the fierce Toltecs and Aztecs OF
central Mexico, and after these latter
were reduced to subsection it took
them twenty years of hard fighting to
overcome the Mayas. There are In
fact remnants of these ancient people
still existing in the remote parts Oh
the country nearest to Central Amer
lea who have never been conquered
by either Spaniards or Mexicans.
Modern Merida cannot but be
surprise to any traveller, especially
one who has travelled in Spain and
laid out in regular rectangular streets
and squares. The streets are nearly
all paved with asphalt, the public
squares are filled with superb flower
ing trees, plants and shrubs, more
perfectly kept than the writer has
ever seen such places in any city In
the world, and the whole city Is one
of the cleanest in the world.
1t has many fine public buildings
and there is in process of erection
beautiful national theatre which any
city in the world might be proud OF.
The exterior is of light carved stone,
Renaissance. The city has several
fine model hotels, tramways, banks
and all the conveniences of modern
life, and the people have the reputa-
ton of being extremely hospitable.
The women and children are very
beautiful, and the writer will not soon
forget one charming fair one, who in
her newly acquired English uttered
that fiattering phrase: 1.-The house is
yours"
The traveller who wishes to pene-
trate to the interior Of the country to
visit the prehistoric ruins must be pre-
pared to rough it, for even in the
large towns there are no hotels or
even humble inns of any kind. The
writer and his party carried ham
mocks to sleep in under the stars
provisions to cook, eat and drink.
Our first objective point being the
most famous of all the ruined cities,
Uxmal, we travelled by narrow
gauge railroad to a small town, Muna,
having arranged by telegraph for a
conveyance to the ruins. This con-
yeyance was a most primitive AFFAIR
called a bolan; a two wheeled cart
hauled by mules three abreast. 1t is
a covered box slung by ropes between
the wheels, and in it mattress, and
in this four passengers and the driver
had to find room, one Of the party be-
ing lady.
We were packed like sardines in a
box, and as the roads were the
toughest that any conveyance could
by any possibility be forced over, we
were a very mixed up lot; jolted from
side to side, scratched by the sharp
thorn trees overhanging and bruised
by being thrown about by pounding
over the stones.
Late at night worn out by our jour-
ney, we arrived at the great hacienda
or cattle plantation near the Uxmal
ruins, where we had by favor obtain
ed permission to sleep. We were dis
turbed during the night by the bark
ing of a lot or cur dogs.
We were all we'll repaid for all our
inconveniences by our visit to the
grand ruins, Notwithstanding the
fact that we suffered from the several
varieties of ticks, who bore into your
flesh and infiict grievous wounds.
There are millions of them, and 1t Is
a constant fight to keep them' from
getting in their bills on your person.
We were cautioned by the art d.
rector, from whom we were compelled
TO get a government permit to visit