The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-12-01
into q foreign port

The Federal
- AILING into q foreign port at
the break of day appears to be
\ favorite custom with the av-
erage sea captain, and the occa-
sion to- which we write was no excep-
ton. For several hours our ships
course had been guided by flashes from
the friendly lighthouse, and the latter
we knew stood on the Yucatan shore
at Pr0greso. The morning broke calm
and peacefully over the tropical wa
tiers Of the gulf, and soon the move
ment Of anchor chains automatically
announced that the limit had been
reached-the limit of deep water-and
five miles away lay Progreso, one of
the worlds most important shipping
centers of henequen or hemp.
Going ashore at Progreso is rather
an exciting novelty If not a dangerous
experience, writes William A. Reid In
the Bulletin Of the Pan-American
Union. The sea is alive with sharks,
and they are darting here and there
about the big ship, to the consterna-
ton Of the stranger. The clear waters
which battle this shore seem to accen-
tuate the size Of these monsters, and
while the visitor shudders the boat
men on the ships tender, as we are
bounding shOreward, announce that
arrangements may then and there be
made for a shark-fshing excursion
later In the day.
Progreso from the sea presents long
rows Of houses flanked on either end
by miles Of sandy beaches. while
tall lighthouse about the center of the
port dominates the surroundings. The
general appearance is attractive, and
even more SO when we notice tidy
buildings and the Clearly clothing Of
even the laboring class. The time was
August when we arrived in PrOgresO-
about the very worst season Of the
year for the foreign visitor In Yucca
tan; but business matters do not wait
for the most propitious occasions. As
q matter Of fact, the winter season in
the United States furnishes the best
time climatically for visiting Yucatan.
Few Sights to See In Prooreso.
Sightseeing in Progreso does not
detain the visitor. But the port with
its 5000 people is usually busy one,
MS the bulk of the vast heneQuen crop
passes via Progreso to world markets.
The smaller ships calling for cargo
manage to draw much closer to port
than the big ocean vessels; but when
the long-talked-of piers are construct
ed several miles out into the roadstead
the handling of the country's COM
merce will be greatly facilitated.
In the shipping season the town
presents unusually active scenes with
it's trucks, mules, and men. One might
imagine himself amid the cotton bales
at New Orleans, so much do heneQuen
and cotton resemble each other In the
method of shipment and size of bales.
BY and by the day grows warmer,
and one is glad to board the train for
Merida, 30 miles southwark. Travel
ing on this three-foot gauge road Is
cheap, being only about two cents a
mile for the best accommodation Of
fered. Slowly through the suburbs of
Progreso our train steams, but soon
we are moving rapidly over a level
country with a dry and parched ap-
pearance, Astounding in shrubs, cacti,
and coarse grasses; but to this condi-
ton Yucntan owes Its vast revenue de-
rived from the marvellous little maguey
plant and its product. Here and there
are breaks in the barrenness and we
catch sight of swamps with lilies and
other water plants, a relief to look
upon.
As our train proceeds, with stops
at little stations en- route, the cars
are better filed, and at the same time
opportunities are afforded for getting
close glimpses Of the henequen work
ers and their fields Of maguey plants
that lie in view from the car window.
Long before sighting Merida the land
scape becomes dotted with windmills,
and when finally the capital city is
reached one can almost imagine him
self in old Holland or Barbados, about
the only difference being that Yucatan
has the ,modern-style mill. These wind
mills explain that Merida, like other
regions of the country, must pump wa
ter from beneath the surface, so few
are the lakes and streams.
Driving About Merida.
After being made comfortable In one
Of Merida's hotels we start out to view
the city. There Is no lack of vehicles
and the stranger Is literally swanped
with prof,ers Of delightful drive"
Most Of these small carriages, gener-
ally drawn Oy single pony, have rub
Der tires. and many ase kept conspicu-
ously clean and inviting looking,
despite the dust Of the suburban sec
tons of tine city.