The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-24

other from Victoria to Valencia, and
another from Valencia to Porto Cabel-
10. but all the roads were of the same
gauge (narrow), and we did not
/ change cars. At every station there
! was always a crowd, and the passen-
gers bought a little of everything Of
fered. I ate so many bananas, oranges
and pineapplcs that / shall never care
for them again. also tasted a good
many other tropical fruits with which
I was not familiar One passenger
bought a watermelon, and passed it
small. but had the genuine watermelon
taste.
The people here eat oranges in this
/ way: They poke stick into the
orange. to be used as a handle. Then
they trim off the skin with a knife,
,land eat the fruit as we eat watermelon.
We looked everywhere for cantaloupes,
but found none, although tomatoes.
| always small were common. Onions
and peppers are much thought of here,
and pumpkin is also seen everywhere
+, in the markets.
Excursionists are as badly behaved
| as picnickers- People who are well
behaved at hcme, will go on a picnic
and act like savages. A few in our
party acted badly, at stations. Every
I station platform was covered with a
lof these vines were torn down by
members of our party in order that
the flowers might be secured. I didn't
see the incident, but heard of it.
| At one station lived an English wom-
an who hoped to meet the English
| speaking visitors. She had yard full
| of beautiful flowers, and some one
gave her. servant a small coin for a
senger taking the flower, and then be-
gan taking flowers. When the Eng
lish speaking woman appeared, her
flowers were about all gone. Fortu-
nately only few of the excursionists
acted in this way
| AT once place along the road saw
feed yard full of corn cobs, as though
saw almost no corn fields none at all of
the kind we have at home. The little
ali the markets we Visited, sheiied corn
| was sold by the quart; corn of an inferior
variety. probably. as the grains were
| we saw old fashioned corn mills; stone
followed out. in which corn was reduced
to meal by pounding it with stone ham
mer.
| We heard a good deal during the day
many Of the excursionists spent the night.
1t was a Spanish hotel and wine was
Bst dTee Of At kansas cy obber and
Grand. with his wife. and daughter
| Katherine. He told me that at dinner at
He thought it was an onion, and put one
and terribly hot. While he was Writing
| in agony, woman near him asked If
he liked it. He was burning up, and
could not reply. So the woman took one,
and was soon on fire. The more water
/ Mr.. Barton drank, he says, the worse
the same Experience. Anyway, after the
fire had died down somewhat, she abused
him. saying he was no gentleman for not
| that he could not speak.
| We found American money good wher-
| ever we went. But, as was leaving the
| hotel at Caracas, an employee came up,
and offered to trade me American silver
| for the Venezuela silver I happened to
| have in my pocket.
| the fourth railroad of the trip; the one
This road took us off the mountain to
a cog road, the grade was SO steep. The
| track followed a mountain stream, and
6 this 5a ride s1rs one Of The most
the road was only few miles long. Dur
ing this journey we saw orchids grow
/ sold them at the stations at low prices.
| Finally. someone said:
| There is the seal"
| Looking down the canyon, saw the
! ocean, but it was not Porto Cabello, where
id fS supp up the eSe coast t for @
Cabeiio, just at nightfaii. When the train
and men were running toward the station,
| as though they had heard of our coming.
! After a delay, the train ran through the
| were alighting, the ships band struck up
Marching Through Georgia; it had
| the band started toward our landing stage,
two blocks away. and the crowd followed,
| carrying the orchids and other strange
We BASED sse the the Hmericap Consulate on
| the way, and the flag was dipped in our
| honor. A huge tower on the water front
do not know. Four Of the ships boats
| were waiting at the dock, and we, climbed
g1dga as it w waS dark SY this fbs time
| cursionists being in. the launches pulled
away, pulling the four boats; Ahead Of
showing her great lines. Our band, still
PED, and band belonging at n Porto
Eagle" Then, like flash, the ..Moitke"
was Illuminated in red. and blue. and
| tired excursionists cheered. Then there
| was shower of fireworks from the ship:
| skyrockets and Roman candles, with red
to the lowest decks 1t was really bril-
three cheers for the ''Moltke." which the
we were waiting at the ships side to go
on board. the small boats rocked vicious
Such ai safe harbor that Single hair will ii
| hold a ship; Cabello is said to mean
something like that in Spanish. In jump
the ship, one woman fell into the water,
but the sailors had hold of her, and
pulled her out A An her woman we ian was
boat and the landing stair of the big
ship, and had to be carried to her room.