The sun., 1919-05-26
CHILEAN TRAVELLER
WRITES OF MEXICO
Interesting Narrative Of Trip
Into Interior of the
Country.
GLORY OF THE TROPICS
Winter Sun Shines Brightly
Above the Palm
Trees.

Trees.
By FELIX NIETo DEL RIo.
speciolly ,orsffew for ths Loftn Amcrscr.
Section Of TIM SUN.
Ill
At I'VE o'clock in tho morning the train
for Mexico is ready to leave The sta
ton, although still In the semi-darkness
Of daybresk. Is made lively by the pres
snce Of many passengers who. having
also arrived the previous day, arc maxi
ing preparation to leave for the different
cities Of the country. The station II of
the North American type but one readily
sees that It has been neglected.
When went to purchase my tickets
the preceding afternoon something came
70 my notice that made me very sad |:
the rusty rails with the exception of one
betrayed the lack of activity and the
consequent privations felt In this region.
No detail Is useless and unworthy. of
note on journey across q district whore
history has precipitated q cataract of
events In the short space OF I'VE years,
because the intensity of the happenings
IL reflected In even the most trivial
matters
50 It is that upon starting my Journey
for the interior OF Mexico wish to be
lmpertinently inQuisitive.
The hour OF departure approaches.
The minutes stretch themselves ovor q
strange silence that seems to descend
from the sierra together with the break
ing dawn, carrying a mysterious sensa-
ton Of revolution, bloodshed. bandits
In hn d. nd IN
trophe. Such Is the power the people speak
Of with awe. know that one travels with
moro case than in other times; however,
cannot separate myself from . vague
fear. II Is not in reality fear, because
under no consideration would give
up my plan for penetrating the interior
Of Mexico in its inQuietude.
Like Journey in "Resurrectisn.~
Ny wife. who is acquainted with the
history Of Mexico and has been advised
thousand times against going to that
country. Is anxious TO sec 1t all
Groups Of wretched people lying on
the floor of the station begin to awaken
and arranging their tattered clothing.
luggage and children, proceed to take
their places In the third class cars which
are as miserable and uncomfortable as
those described by Tolstoy in his "Resur-
rection'' when the hero Of the novel
starts upon his tragic journey to Siberia
to follow his beloved harlot.
The enormous hats hide In great part
the faces Of these men; the women
wrapped In shawls are loaded with all
their belongings.
Further on are several soldiers talking
and taking coffee with fritters near an
ambulant kitchen that nils the air with
Of hnf "a a fa n yv&lk
Our Pullman" Ia very full Tho
lighted cigars show UP like glowworms
against the darkness OF the car. Every
one Is talking and laughing. but all the
din Is as nothing compared to the cries
Of . younEster who Is hungry; nothing
else interests him Just then.
Suddenly a strident whistle 10 heard
In the distance and rapidly approaches
w. 1t is the exploring train that comes
to proceed US on the road to find out
II any gang of suspicious persons are
lying In wait to attack our train.
The mountain range In infested with
bandits, who know full well when the
passenger steamers arrive in Vera Cruz
and when an attack on the trains for
the interior OF Mexico is best worth
while
But as the Government Is well aware
Of tho habits of these "Felicist gangs"
Il doubles It's vigilance along the route in
q way that an attack In very rarely
successful Thus am informed by per-
sons making the trip with me-
A little later the train Is out in the
open country, where the winter sun ap-
pears above the palm trees in the east
The sun of Mexico Ia going to be my
best friend for long time in this CEN
trail valley Il seems brighter and more
Heutla than all tho OthAr a1ina az tina
world.
The morning is clear. the air refresh
ing Vera Cruz disappears from view
with her towers and roofs In a pic
turesque heap.
After three hours of travel the forest
acquires an imposing exuberance in
which the vegetal glory Of the tropics
reaches It's height.
The deep creeks xigzag among the
banana trees hiding dark and fresh cut
rocks and waterfalls that fall unsteady
down the sides Of the mountain. where
everything sings an eternal song Of the
Wild life which Is still to-day the virgin
soul OF our America. Hills covered with
verdure beyond description are
separated by canyons which II does not
seem possible the rails can pass over,
and as soon As q deep precipice is
bordered the train penetratee a deep
forest Of wild banana trees that brings
10 the mind scenes Of primitive
chroniclers. We pass through one more
tunnel when another green cliff appears
Everything Is green. all over Is light
The train rolls along the old path used
before by the stage coaches and describ-
ing audacious curves that after half an
hour leave US across the canyon face to
face with the spot where We were be-
fore
Arrival at Cordoba.
Cordoba, the accidental capital of Vera
Cruz, with its red tiled roofs and Span
ish architecture, comes to view unex-
pectedy amidst the cultivated land and
tho deep forest. Here the Governor OF
Vera Cruz. Gen. Candida Aguilar. youth
tul hero Of the revolution and for whom
! have a letter from the Charge d'Af-
faires OF Mexico in Chile. has come to
spend his honeymoon. Gen. Aguilar II
Minister OF Foreign Relations OF Car
rama. am told he 10 young man OF
extraordinary character and that his
mother urged him to enlist in the revo
luton when HuertA killed Madero; his
military administration has been pru-
cent and honest. endearing him TO the
vera Cruzans. whom he governs from
me palace at Cordoba.
Very beautiful flowers are sold In the
station multitude of people who
thoush humble arc not poor, Offer
sweets and delicacies to the travellers
me landscape gives one the sensation
OF sleep in the heat Of midday. The
winter Of the tropics 10 hot.
Further ahead the forest continues ana
NJ ~