Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-12-22
OVER The DIVIDE
Thanksgiving Day In Porto RicO-A
Wonderful Mountain Drive-Camp
Fire Thanksgiving Dinner = A
Tropical Sunset-MOOnlight In The
Mountains.

Juan. We had gone about five miles
when we had a blowout. This was
unexpected as three tires were new
and the fourth in good condition. We
stopped at the side of the road under
the shade of fine trees and just wait
ed a bit until q peon came along. Mr..
Knapp wrote an order for a tire and
sent him back to town. He walked the
ten miles, barefooted in a little over
two hours. In the mean time we
found, nearby, a little glen through
which gurgled q mountain brook, and
there we built our camp fire over
which we made delicious American
coffee and broiled bacon. We had con-
densed milk from the states and but
ter and Mrs. Brewer 8 home made
bread and other good things one does
not find in Porto Rican hotels.
Never did turkey, cranberry sauce,
pumpkin pie and other "fixins" taste
better than did our camp fire dinner in
the mountains.
Between two and three o'clock, we
again started on our way gliding so
smoothly over the splendid highway
that one scarcely noticed the sharp
turns and many windings except as
each new turn presented a view of
mountains, valleys and sometimes the
sea, seemingly more beautiful and
picturesque than any before seen.
At a distance of about seven mile
from Guayama and an elevation of
1000 feet, we caught a fine view of
the city and the sea beyond.
When we were nearing the tops of
the main divide we left the car in the
care Of q little native and started on
4 twenty minutes climb up the noun
tains. We passed some houses, a
description of which shall not at
tempt, but there were beautiful flowers
In the garden and banana and orange
trees. Mr.. Knapp bought some clus-
terB of oranges which we ate later in
the true Porto Rican way. A hole is
cut in one end and the outside pealed
down about a third of the way. One
squeazes the fruit and drinks the juice.
Try eating a fresh picked orange in
this way and you realize you never
before have tasted one 80 delicious. At
the summit of the peak we were re-
warded by magnificent view. To the
South we beheld the Caribbean Sea
shimfnering in the western sunlight
and away to the North San Juan and
the Atlantic Ocean. And everywhere
between the two seas were mountains
and valleys and mountain streams. On
the mountain sides and in the valleys
are the little thatched native huts.
These poor rspeople who know so little
Of the joys Of life, or how to exist
even comfortably, surely need the
education that is being lavished upon
them.
One cannot expect to see a COM
pleta reconstruction in one generation
and we must remember that our own
dear country has had only eighteen
years in which to better conditions anC
overcome the effects of oppression Of
centuries. One passes neat little
school houses by the roadside, even II
the mountain districts, and through
the open doors and windows looks in
to the children's bright faces. W.
are all attracted by the children. They
are. courteous and polite. 1t is M
uncommon thing to see little NATIVE
smile and lift his hat especially if h
sees on the face of the traveller a sug
gastion of a smile for him.
i think / have not mentioned th'
lovely wild flowers along the road
ways. There are Cacti, Boston ferns
Cannas and lots Of others, the name
Of which / do not know. In the gar
dsns, there are wonderful morning
glories. that seem to last the create
part Of the day, ana poignrettas ant
mammoth oleanders.
As we were descending the nortl
side Of the divide we rounded a poin
ON the mountain side and looked dow
into q valley of cane fields all in bloom
These beautiful plumes are two fee
and more in length and seen in tn
morning or Late afternoon sunshine
are very delicate and exquisite i
coloring, being of a silver grey touch
ed with lavender.
When we reached the foot Of tn
mountnina, we had the novel expel
ience Of riding over q stretch of pei
fsctly straight road, with tall trees o
either aide, Of perhaps sixty or eight
rods. WePassed through Cayey, a tow
Of three thousand inhabitants an
drove on to the summit Of one Of tn
lesser divides, where we had a view
many, tobacco fields on the sides
the lower mountains.
/. did not acknowledge it then, b'
confess now, was extremely gls
WWEH
the machine toward home. l kne
even then we could not reach Quay
8. masuntil after night. Night comes. I
dips, the stars rush out, at one striC
comes the. dark" had had no desil
for q ride over the mountains at mig
but how. little we know what we res
", want or the thing that may bril-
aus keenest enjoyment. 1t was only Il
Wconfidence in the steady hand OF Il
driver that kept me from nervous a
prehension. 1t wass dark when '
reached. Cayey and had ahead OF
eighteen miles over the main divid
Ae we wound and climbed and tur
edsaround the mountain side, '
caught glimpses from time to time
the. bright electric lights of Cay
nesting in the little valley all 81
rounded by mountains. 1t seemed
deed a fairy dreamland and was
sight so pretty and unique it cam
be described.
The. Coqui is very like our tree to
and the singing Of these little ere
lures was the only break in the st
The fire. flies darted here and the
The stars and young moon lent a 81
dmed light to mountain and vale
and our headlights, as the mach
made twists and turns, flashed fl
on one side of the roadway, then
the other, giving glimpses of gran
wall or splendid trees festooned W
tropical vines, of mountain catara
rushing down from great heights,
on the opposite side depths unfatho
able in the mystic light.
Near the summit Of the divide a
turn in. tho marrow road, we ca
upon an automobile stalled.
Knapp went to the rescue, found
trouble and helped start the machi
We passed a little farther on wi
the road widened.
There are many places where
mountain wall rises abruptly fr
the roadwayson the one side and dr.
on hundreds Of feet on the ohter.