The Raymer enterprise., 1915-11-04
& cOc0tZIT G9OHE an ZHE ISLAND

III IL, Is proved ny the ruined church ar burial
ground one sees couple OF riiles TO the north
OF san Mig cL the principal town Close by the
church ruins Is The site OF ar ancient village, now
traeeable only hy its stone foundations
whatever the cause may have been. il came
about in the course OF time that the island of
tnzumel was abandoned as place of residence
II must have remained unoccupied for several
generations, for when Stevens touched there with
the object Of exploring its ruined temples Of
which many are known to exist the entire sur.
lace with the exception of two clearings, was
covered with dense growth or dwarf but thick
timber. Stevens satisfied himself that this forest
covered the whole area
One Of the open spaces referred to above was
a clearing made by man named Molas. a no
torious character, half political refugee half
pirate, who had been exiled from YuCatan. Mnlas
lived for many years In Cozumel, and doubtless
would have died In his hed"-the end most de-
sired by all treebooters, We are told-had he
never returned to the mainland for his enemies
we're afraid TO attack him in his stronghold one
fatal day, however, he sailed his schooner across
the channel and landed near to where the Valla
doiid trail comes down 10 thl beach. Molas
two snns-who had voluntarily shared their IA
theirs exile-accompaned him on this trip, hav
ing in vain tried to dissuade him from making
aboard the schooner until he gave the signal
that all was clear The signal never came Walt
ing so long for II that they felt sure all was not
we'll, the lads went ashore at last to investigate
The Cyer,yigiant foe had seen Molas' boat max
Ing for the mainland, short distance from the
beach, yet hidden by the jungle they found their
fathers mutilated body.
The boys returned to the island only to remove
their personal belongings and what they could
carry away OF the family effects, and then went
to live In remote part OF Yucatan as far re-
moved from Cozumel and It's sad associations
as they could get. Thus IL came about that the
Isle OF Swallows" was again without human in.
habitants
The other clearing mentioned was the deserted
ranch of a certain Don Albino" as Stevens calls
him without revealing his surname. Stevens met
Don Albno in Valladolid. and heard from the
ranchman's own lips why he left Cozumel. In
valladod cotton mill-famous in the annals
Of the town as the first to be erected In Mexico
had started operations, and the owner an enter
prising Spanard. paying high prices for the
raw material and Offering entiring premiums TO
encourage more extensive cultivation of the plant
Now, Don Ahino possessed no land nor had he
the means wherewith to buy some; nevertheless
he yearned to profit by the mill owners bounty
So he conceived the idea of going over to Cozu.
mel, which by that time was regarded as sort
of mo Mans Land" to raise cotton He could
easily convey the lint across the channel In ca.
noes. and although from the coast TO the mill
was journey of several days for pack mules
there would be sufficient margin in the price to
justify the expense of transportation. Full OF
enthusiasm. Don Albino gathered around him as
many Of the more destitute natives as he could
induce by the lavish use Of glowing promises to
accompany him and set sail for Cozumel
But the motley band soon tired of the monoto
nous life on the lonely island They were restless
spirits. who had lived by what was really little
short of b7igandaget tiling the land only to the
extent OF being sure Of their staple food maize
and "frjoes ibeansl. Snllen under the cray.
ings for the comparative excitement obtanable
In their native puebos. they before long picked
a quarrel with their patron and. seizing the
only canoe, returned TO Yueatan