The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-11-06
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in it, is proved by the ruined church ar. burial
ground one sees couple of miles to the north
Of San Migcel, the principal town. Close by the
church ruins is the site of ancient village, now
traceable only by its stone foundations.
Whatever the cause may have been, it came
about in the course of time that the island of
Cozumel abandoned as a place of residence
1t must have remained unoccupied for several
generations, for when Stevens touched there with
the object of exploring it's ruined temples, of
which many are known to exist the entire
face, with the exception of two clearings,
covered with dense growth of 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 a man named Moas, no.
torious character, half political refugee, half
pirate, who had been exiled from Yucatan. Molas
lived for many years in Cozumel and doubtless
would have died in his bedT-the end most de-
sired by all freebooters, told-had he
never returned to the mainland, for his enemies
were 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-
dolid trail comes down to thu beach. Molas'
two sons-who had voluntarily shared their IA
theirs exile accompanied him on this trip, hav-
ing in vain tried to dissuade him from making
it. Molas insisted that his should remain
aboard the schooner until he gave the signal
that all clear. The signal never came. Wait
ing so long for it that they felt all not
well, the lads went ashore at last to investigate
The ever-vigilant foe had 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 a remote part of Yucatan, far re-
moved from Cozumel and its sad associations
they could get Thus it came about that the
Isle of Swallows" again without human In
habitants.
The other clearing mentioned was the deserted
ranch of certain Don AIbino," as Stevens calls
him without revealing his surname. Stevens met
Don Albno in Valladolid, and heard from the
ranchman's lips why he left Cozumel In
Valladolid a cotton mill-famous in the annals
Of the town the first to be erected in Mexico
had started operations, and the owner, enter
prising Spaniard, paying high prices for the
material and offering enticing premiums to
encourage more extensive cultivation of the plant
Now, Don AIbino 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 a 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
many Of the more destitute natives he could
induce by the lavish of glowing promises to
accompany him and set sail for Cozumel.
But the motley band tired OF the monoto-
nous life the lonely island They were restless
spirits, who had lived by what was really little
short of brigandage, filling the land only to the
extent of being sure of their staple food, maize
ings for the comparative excitement obtainable
in their native pueblos. they before long picked
a quarrel with their patron" and, Selling the
only canoe, returned to Yucatan-