Evening star., 1920-06-13
THREE ZONES NEAR
MEXICAN COAST

while fully aware of the high per-
centage of error most sweeping as
sertions contain, 1 nevertheless ven
ture to claim that the country lying
between the cities of Vera Cruz and
Mexico City possesses more varied
natural attractions than any other
area of similar extent in the world
This is the statement of Frank NJ.
Chapman, in a communication to the
National Geographic Society. con-
cerning Vera Cruz, which figures SO
conspicuously in news dispatches
from Mexico. DIR. Chapman continues: !:
BE one student or tourist, there can
be no question that one should enter
Mexico from the gulf. A journey from
the coast to the capital follows a nat
ural succession of climatic zones. as
well as the sequence of early historic
events.
The day. indeed, should begin at
sunrise, some hours before disem-
barking at Vera Cruz, with a hope
that one may have the rare good for
tune to see the first rays of the sun
touch the summit of Mount Orizaba,
the first, as it viii be among the most
lasting. of ones Impressions of Mexi-
co. The shore is still some thirty
miles distant. the mountain itself
about 100 miles. and one is with diff
Guilty convinced that the cleaning
pink cloud high above the horizon
is part of the still invisible earth be-
meath it. Doubtless the Aztecs were
not familiar with this view of Mount
OrlZaba, but from no other place is
their name for it-Citlaltapetl, the
Star Mountain-so applicable.
Nearly every little raft of gulf
weed shelters a swarm of small fish ;
near the ARGOS keys the black and
white gannets, which evidently live
there, are abundant, and occasional
herring gulls. sooty or bridled terms
and frigate birds are seen. while at
frequent intervals flying fish, flushed
by the steamer. spring from beneath
the bow and scale away. One excep-
tionally calm morning, when the gulf
was CLASSY smooth. we could see
them from the bow of our ship. swim
ming ahead foot or two beneath the
surface.
Time was when Vera Cruz was
dreaded as pest-hole. and trains at
once took one from the steamer up
the Sierra on the way to Mexico City
usually as far as Orizaba- Now. how
ever, sanitary conditions and hotel
accommodations have been SO i'm
proved that one may stay here with
out danger or discomfort. At least,
one should remain over night to be-
gin the trip toward the table-land
early in the morning. and thus be able
to see every foot of this remarkable
journey.
In our journey from the gulf to
the summit of the Sierra We pass
through tropical, temperate and bo-
real Zones-the tierras caliente. tenn
plada and fria of the native. our ac-
tual journey, in passing from sea.
level to snowline. may be matter OF
seventy-five miles. our change OIL al
titude approximately three miles: but
If we were to seek the Canadian zone,
not on mountain top, but on the coast;
it would be necessary for US to travel
tn Maine or Nova Scotia In other
words, a journey of some 1900 miles
would be required to reach condltlons
which are here distant but three al
titudinal miles.
1T follows, then. that one can ac-
tually stand in tropical jungle;
where parrots. trogens. toucans an ana
other equatorial birds are calilng
from the liana-draped trees. ana r,,I,ooa ioos
upward to forests of pines ana sprure, p,..
where crossbills. juncos. pine slsklns
and evening grosbreaks are among
the common permanently resloen.