Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-10-01

1 ~NN
level, and all through the mountains
the elevations vary from six to eight
thousand feet. The line circles the
base of Los Ojitos and makes a com.
plete loop further on, that is, in order
to get the proper grade it circles
around a small mountain and then
there is a tunnel crossing right under
the main line, seventy-6ve feet below.
Also further out in the mountains the
line heads right into box canyon, and
az there is not room enough to turn
and come back on the other side, tun.
nels through and makes the turn on a
mesa or table land, coming back
through the same tunnel and heading
DOWN the other side of the canyon.
You can readily see what heavy work
has to be done in these mountains and
what scenery there must be. They
have a delightful climate in these
mountains. There are only few days
in May and June when the weather is
warm, and the nights are always cool.
While in the mountains in August I
slept under two or three blankets every
night, and it did not get very warm
in the day time, not nearly 30 warm as
it does back where you are. 1t is the
rainy season now in Mexico and rains
nearly every afternoon. This will
continue until about October and then,
with the exception Of snow or two in
the mountains, there will be no more
rain until next July or the latter part
of June. Nearly all of Mexico is
mountainous, and that is why Mexico
has probably the healthieSt climate in
tue world. The whole country, while
it is far south, has elevation above sea
level to offset the latitude. Mexico
City, you know, is over 1000 feet
above sea level.
made two-days burro trip from
camp to the Barranca de Cobre, and
spent the night at the Barranca, with
in the circle you will find on the map.
left camp about 9 a. m. and arrived
at Buena Vista, on the edge Of the
Barranca, about FIVE o'clock. The
Urique river flows along the bottom of
the Barrsnca, 5000 feet below. The
road passes within 100 feet of the edge
of the canyon, or will pass there when
it is built out this far. The noun
tains are covered with pine trees on
the western slope, and where the ele-
vation is sufficient, as you know, the
pine is a cold country tree, but the
Barranca broadens out at the town of
Urique and they raise figs, bananas
and other tropical fruits down there.
With its branches. the Barranca
has the appearance Of valley at some
places, and saw four distinct thun-
der storms hanging over it at one time,
while the sun was shining where l was
standing. The effect of the lightning
and thunder rolling in the canyon was
very beautiful, and, in fact, this can.
Yon is the grandest sight have ever
seen. About an hours ride beyond
Buena Vista and down little way in
the canyon is Senior Garcia's house
where l spent the night. This is the
only house 10 that part of the country,
and is just little way off the Topolo-
bampo trail. There was not house
or anything between that and Garciss,
and the only thing saw would be a
pack train of burros from time to time.
These pack trains have been going
over the Topolobampo trail for hun
dreds of years, and in some places
there are steps worn in solid rock Of
the trail. The trail is very rough and
it would almost break a snakes back
to follow it. 1t is almost perpendicu-
lar in places. l had with me pack
mule carrying blankets, and Mexi-
can peon or mozo for a guide. We
were supposed to get some supper at
Garcia's, but the old man was away
and they seemed to be pretty shy on
grub. They did not have any meat,
for which Sonora Garcia was very sor-
~, she assured me. In fact the only
thing they dill have was some goats
milk, cheese, tortillss AMI coffee. Tor
tillas are made usually out of corn
meal pounded between two stones and
made into cakes after it is ground in
this way. However, these were Sim
ply -four toitillas, that is, a mixture
of -four and wafer, simply making q
dough cake, and l don't like them as
well az corn tortill1s. Senior Garcia
is almost cliff dweller, as his house
is built under wall Of solid rock in
the Barranca, several hundred feet in
height. brought along enough blan-
kats "a 7 oYnectad m have IN alean on