Evening star., 1923-10-11
EWMEX|COSTATE
l1cENTEROF REVOLT
Nayarit So Recently Added
That Maps Fail to Show 1t.
III Once Was Topic.

"The state of Nayarit, Mexico,
where - Sartle is reported between
O. band of 'agrarinns and Mexican
troops. will be looked for in vain II
one depends on maps or reference
books printed more than six years
ago" says a bulletin from the local
headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society.
"This tropical, Pacific coast region
of Mexico was unt1 a few years ago
the Territory of Topic" continues the
bulletin. But Mexico, like the
United States, has been steadily re-
vamping her territories into states,
and old Tepic. rich in memories of
the Spanish regime, was the latest to
undergo the transformation. When
II was advanced in 1917 to the status
of statehood it took as its name that
OF the Nayarit mountains, which ex-
tend into the region from the north" "
Nsxico's Longest River.
In communication to the society,
Herbert Corey, who recently Travelled
through Nayarit. describes as follows
the valley of the Santiago. Mexico's s
longest river, the leading agricul-
''One does not often hear of the
Santiago river. and yet it is the
longest in Mexico. Rising in the
state of Morelos. it flows through
Lake Chapala and on to the sea near
San Bias. Cortez sailed it for some
distance with his little barks. At
intervals it roars through barrancas
which are sometimes 1000 feet be-
low the level of the surrounding
plain, and in which the Indian farm
A,1x1 ri q a
1orceS vegetation as might an equa-
torial hothouse. During the rainy
season the river spreads twenty-five
miles wide through the fiat, Jungle
grown lower lands.
1T runs through farming land that
could feed two or three of our own
states, if the farmers were only given
chance to farm and not conn.,
pclled at the muZZles of rifles to drop
Tho plow and be patriotas every little
while.
Wild Fruit Rots.
This land would grow any sort of
a tropical crop If it were given a
chance. One can in season ride
through miles OF wild lines and
lemons ,rott;ng on the ground The
thought of cultivat;ng. oranges has
never yet come to the peon. 1t has
not even occurred TO him to fight the
black scale or whatever other enemy
SiLy attack the trees. The cocorito
I.ufa is responsible for a local soap
making monopoly. for its kernels are
bb per cent oil.
There are fields of sugarcane. and
bananas flourish wherever planted.
The best coffee in the world-at least
as good coffee as there is in the
worid--comes from this district. Rice
and tobacco and dates and figs grow
almost without attention. In the bar
rancas the vanilla bean is found.
Through Nayarit, from its ancient
Pacific port of San Bias, run the re-
mains cf the old Spanish road east
ward to Mexico City and down
through the lowlands beyond to Vera
Cruz on the Atlantic. Thanks TO the
road. the east-bound conveys from
the Philippines were spared the
pe-itous traverse around Cape Horn.
The main highway was defended
by forts OF by minor outpostS, at
strategic points and from II lesser
trails were driven into the hills sor
the. more inviting valleys. for the
convenience of priest and miner.
Not until. Porfirio DiaZ began TO
build the net of Mexican railroads did
the road begin to fall into disuse,
and even today there are wide
stretches of country which can only
be reached by it. In these back
blocks one sees the Mexico that ap-
peared. to the eyes of Baron Hum
boldt and Nine. Calderon de la Barca."