The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-06-02

OA Inc WOrlQ Is IaSC grasp
- ing the fact that in the
comparatively small space between Mexico
and the Isthmus of Panama lies, as it were.
the Land of Promise-a promise Of wealth in
calculable to the realm of commerce, through
the cultivation and development of marvel
ously rich and fertile countries which are be-
ing opened up with wonderful rapidity by the
network of railroads that are spreading
throughout the five beautiful republics of Cen
trail America. More than land of promise
to the archaeologist. who has here a vast
field for research wherein to unravel the mys-
terry which surrounds the history of the an
cient American civilization and throw some
light upon the origin Of the people whose won
derful works are evidenced in the ruins of
prehistoric cities found hidden in dense trop-
ical forests land of beautiful realities to
even the ordinary tourist, who finds easily
accessible wealth of scenic beauty unsur
passed and a perfection of climate rarely
equaed.
This Is particularly true Of Guatemala the
most northern of the Central American repub
lies and our nearest neighbor after Mexico
1t is reached by a three days delightful sail
on the Gulf Of Mexico and along the coast Of
British Honduras. The fine new ships of the
United Fruit company give every luxury and
comfort OF ocean travel, and Guatemala, in
the very near future, will become the Mecca
OF those desiring to escape the cold and gloom
OF northern winter. Nowhere in the world
can be found more magnificent and varied
scenery than that which greets the traveller
especially In the lake regions of this lovely
republic. OF the four larger lakes-Peten
lying far to the north; Yzabal. near tho A.
lantlc coast; Amatitlan, on the Guatemala
central railroad not far from Guatemala
city, and Atitlan tucked away in the monn
Jams near the Pacific coast-there is small
CHOICE Differing so widely, each in its wav Ia
perfect characteristic of It's location and oil,
mate. u e''
upon our arrival at Puerto Barrios we cor
ciuded to visit Lake Yzabal before sonp IN
~ .ne Nty Oh Guatemala. After one nipht of
rest. therefore, boarded the 1ttlo "
ooat "hlch carried US out from the 1and,ool.a,
pay, short distance across tho Gu1f of .
''que ana along the shore line where oroae,
PAINS stirred lazily in the perfumed hroo."
~ LIVINGSTON. This town is Dicturoc,,,
situated on bluff at the mouth Of thn p,y
Dulce' or Sweet river. A new hoto1 :.:4,
'o'itor.aole rooms and excellent cuisine hos
late'y oeen opened here, and dav mr. +u,o
may be we'll spent enjoying the manv ,,,,,,s IVY
scenes IN this quaint little town
FROM the porch of the Hotel Rio Dulce wa
'ooA oo"n through a maze of palm trees
across the matched roofs of the town ~ ~
dart back and forth in graceful canoes T..
a kneelng posture and with only the use If
paadle they skim across the water with in
c'eulDle speed. The air Is heavy with the
scent OF jasmine and gardenias: tho o,oono
or oranges and the tiny golden balls Of the
cuinquat meet the eye at every turn and tow
crine ABOVE all the great spreading branches
OF the wonderful breadfruit tree.
Lake Yzabal lies about so miles inland and
I'M NJ
ngston and Pansoz, in the Interior on the
Polochic river We did not however. avail,
ourselves OF this usual means of transnorta
ton, having had launch placed at our dis
pOsal.
FOR the first ten miles we followed the
winding course Of the Rio Dulce, the beauty
or which is only comparable to that of the
far-tamed Saguenay. BY some terrible con-
Vulslon OF nature, the mountains have been
rent asunder and through picturesque can
yons and gorges this lovely river wends its
majestic course to the sea. The shores gradu.
ally draw nearer together and we soon find
ourselves shut in between towering walls of
green, rising to height of 400 to 500 feet
with dense tropical vegetation and graceful
overhanging vines lazily swaying in the
breeze. Here the water seems to be motion
less, Its CLASSY surface rejecting in absolute
perfection of detail each leaf and flower and
not sound breaks the silence The only
signs of life are the hundreds of beautiful
white Cara, the birds which furnish Dame
Fashion with the muchdesired and ever-expen-
siVe aigrette. We passed occasionally a ma
tive drifting downstream in his dugout, or
pitpan, as these canoes are called-his cargo
bunch Of bananas or a string of fish,
The shores again receded and we entered
the Gulf Of Golfete, pretty body of water
some ten miles in length and dotted with nu.
merous islands. Another narrow channel and
we finally entered the lake proper A beauti
full picture is before us-the lovely expanse
OF water with its wooded shores rising gradu
ally to the rugged Serras de las Minas, to
the south, and the Santacruz mountains, tc
the north. Here stand the picturesque ruins
Of the old Spanish fort of San Felipe, built ir
1895 by fernando Cortez during his march
from Mexico to Honduras and erected to pro-
tect the approach to the town of Yzabal, which