Show TWO RICH PENINSULA STATES furnish most of the worlds world I 1 a sisal hemp washington ton cl clashes ashes between indian tribes along the border between the ile mexican states of Cam campiche campeche Campe peche cne and yucatan I 1 recently threw into the spot light of the days news two of the po ally richest ot of the commonwealths comprising the mexican republic pit balc says a bulletin from the washington D C headquarters ol 01 the national geographic society campiche campeche Cam pocho peche and yucatan together with tho the territory of quintana roo embrace the entire peninsula of yucatan except a small portion of the east coast within the boundaries of british honduras anda section of the heavily wooded interior where an arm of Mat guatemala emala runs up from the so south u th from tho the two peninsula states comes most of the worlds production of sisal hemp which Is next to manila hemr in 1 durability and strength the region also furnishes valuable timber agricultural citI tural products and live stock steel home of sisal hemp although the greater part of the area ot of tho the peninsula Is one vast plain at a small elevation the two states are strikingly different in ronny many respects Cam campiche campeche peche has fairly abundant rainfall dense forests and a number ot of minerals throughout its square miles yucatan on the other hond hand presents a dreary aspect by rivers or streams with little agriculture and no minerals yet this arld arid region affords the chief source of wealth lien equen or sisal hemp yucatan with quintana roo Is about tice as large its as its neighboring state yet with people it has almost four times as large a population despite the sparseness of its rainfall yucatan Is 19 not totally arld arid water can be found in any section of the state not far beneath the surface although there are no rivers of importance tho the limestone formations underground aro are lioney honeycombed combed with water eaves caves termed locally ce notes and subterranean streams the indians knew of these caes and rivers ages ago and marked their courses on the surface with heaps of stones never building their cities except along tho the flow of an underground r stream every pueblo and ranch has its well and a constant supply of fresh cold water for drinking and irrigation purposes the fertility of the soll soil increases in tho the northeast and southern portions of the state where there are thick dyo dye and cabinet wood forests this Is also the home of the beautiful yucatan turkey and tho the venerated quetzal the mexican bird of paradise sacred to some of the indian tribes with a coast line of COO miles yucatan has only two harbors progreso the principal port on oil the northern coast of the peninsula and an old abandoned one at sisal a few miles farther west sisal however Is the better harbor ot of the two for progreso Is no more than an open roadstead without shelter merlda the capital a thriving city of Is on the felto of the ancient maya metropolis of yucatan Is of especial interest to archaeologists archeologists on account of the remarkable ruins of the maya ilaya civilization found there and throughout the peninsula in the culture scale these indians stood at the head of the american tribes the remains of their pre historic temples and cities are of utmost interest and beauty better favored with natural re 1 sources campeche campiche Cam peche Is handicapped by lack of labor and adequate means of communication great tracts of virgin forests and un utilized wealth and advantages awalt await the stimulus of foreign capital and initiative the seat of government of the same sama name as the tha state la Is connected by railway with merlda the yucatan capital and some of the plantations have light railways logwood valuable export ono one of the principal products of the province Is logwood a heavy red timber which contains a crystalline yellow substance called used extensively in dyeing and in coloring wines the annual export of 0 this product alone in 1023 1923 was valued at more ahall a million pesos apesos cam peche stands second only to yucatan in the production of or sisal hemp as well us is the usual tropical products such as sugar cane rice tobacco Int indigo ligo cotton etc many of the natives make a good livelihood manufacturing the so called panama hats Compe Com peche ebe the capital Is a quaint old city of inhabitants founded in 1540 by francisco montejo it is therefore one of the oldest cities in america during the adventuresome buccaneer lays days of the spanish main it was sacked repeatedly by pirates until its bastioned and fortified walls segments of which are still standing were hastily erected the town Is oer a system of immense subterranean caverns excavated by the early and used by them as catacombs cata combs the moist sea air imparts a venerable look to the port buildings all of which seem hoary with ago age both states are paradises for the hunter or naturalist and abound with gamo game fish and gorgeously colored birds and flowers in the forests panthers and boa constrictors lurk while in the more open country there are wild boars baars deer the tapir and bright plumaged birds shark fishing Is one of the exciting sports along the coasts where an endless and holy war Is waged against them |