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Show ' I i h f n M ' P U' Prl 1 VlEV orTEMUWiTEPCC AN EPOCH marking ovent In the dovolopmcnt of closer trado nnd train c relations between tho United States and the countries of Central America will bo tho opening of tho now railway rail-way connecting Mexico nnd Guatemala, Guate-mala, writes W. D. Hornaday In Orlt. But for tho revolution In Mexico this important link in tho long-talked of llno-of railway, that is destined ultimately ulti-mately to oxtend all tho way to tho IstV.mus of Panama, and perhaps to tho countries of South America that border upon tho Pacific ocean, would have been In regular operation ora this. According to reports from Guatemala Guate-mala tho work of extending tho Pacific Pa-cific division of tho International Railways of Central America from Champcrlco to Ayutln, situated on tho Mcxlco-Guatomala border, is practically prac-tically finished. At Ayutla this lino connects with tho Pan-American railroad, rail-road, which runs to San Gcronlmo on tho Isthmus of Tohuantopoc, a distance dis-tance of 284 miles. Tho Suchlata river forms tho boundary lino between Moxico and Guatemala. This stream Is spanned by a costly bridge. On tho Moxlcan sldo 1b tho town of, Marlscnl and Just across tho river is Ayutla. Tho Guatemala link In the Pan-American Pan-American keeps closo In towards tho Pacific coast, and In places tho bluo waters of tho ocean may bo seen by travelers on tho trains. At tho port of San Joso tho road connects with tho main lino that crosses Guatemala from southwest to northeast, forming a direct routo to tho capital and to Port Uarrlos, tho Atlantic terminus. Tho Isthmus of Tohuantepoo and that part of far southeastern Mexico that ls traversed by tho Pan-American railroad poBsessos many foaturcs of Interest to tho world-travolor or to tho man who taken delight In peno-tratlng peno-tratlng out-of-tho-way places and who loves tho beauties of nature It also has attracted many American colonists. colon-ists. When travel to and from Mexico Mex-ico was interrupted by tho Internal strlfo that has so long ainicted tho country, American colonists and tourists tour-ists woro Just beginning to got acquainted ac-quainted with tho romoto region that was mado accosslblo to them by tho construction of tho Mexico division of tho Pan-American railroad. Region of Great Interest. All tho way from Cordoba to Marls-cat Marls-cat thoro aro many wonderful things to bo soon, but it is not until tho Isthmus of Tohuantopoc is reached that tho full bloom beauty of riotous naturo, with its deop-grccn huod vor-dure. vor-dure. Its picturesque llfo and customs of tho caroful natives, greet tho oyc. Tho encroachment of civilizing Influences In-fluences has loft but llttlo impress upon tho town and vlllago of tho Tehuana Indians. Tholr chlof population popula-tion center Is Tohuantepec, which Is located on tho National Tnhunntopcc railroad within a fow miles of Sallna Cruz, tho Pacific coast terminus of that trans-Uthmlan lino. In all Moxtco thcro Is no place of moro absorbing Interest nnd strango attraction to tho visitor than Tohuantopoc, Thoro lu llttlo In common between tho Tehuana Indians and tho other natlvo tribes of tho country In tho matter of customs cus-toms and everyday llfo. The Tehuana men aro of very ordinary or-dinary typo, both In point of physlquo nnd standard of Intelligence but tho women as a class aro tho prottlost, and most attractive In nil Moxico, Thoy resemblo In mobility and boauty of features as well as In physical charm tho famous natlvo rolynoslnn women of somo of tho groups of South Pacific Islands Thoy aro tho heads of tho households. Tho Tehuana men are anything but tholr loids and mas-tors. mas-tors. Practically all of the trade in the markets and stores Is carried on by tho women. Tho sloven-lo'oklnp and unattractive malo members the trlbo ioungo around and !! t of tho labors of their womon folk. Occasionally, Oc-casionally, tho local authorities round up a bunch of tho men and set thorn to work upon neighboring plantations, but it Is said tliat thoy nro so weak and indolent as to bo of llttlo vnluo when It comes to manual labor. Tho womon aro noted for tholr lovo of gold coins and colored finery of dress. Tholr penchant for collecting gold coins which they wear In tho form of necklaces had Its origin, it is said, during tho period when great numbers of American adventurers mado tholr mad rush across tho Isthmus Isth-mus of Tohuantepec on tholr way to tho California gold fields In tho lato 40's. When a Tehuana woman onco comes into possession of a gold ploco sho will not part with it no matter to what degroo of poverty sho may bo-como bo-como reduced. Many of these women, whom ono aces In tho wonderful market mar-ket places, wear strings of gold coins aggregating soveral hundred dollars. Great Chiapas Forests. Bordering on tho north tho level region re-gion through which tho Pan-American railroad runs is a stretch of rich tlm-bor tlm-bor and agricultural lands of tho state of Chiapas. Tho hand of modern do-volopcrs do-volopcrs nnd upbulldcrs has barely touched that llttlo known port of Moxico. Mox-ico. Tho stnto Is abundantly supplied sup-plied with porpetual flowing rivers, tho most notsblo of which aro tho Grljalva and tho Usumaclnta, which nro navigable for largo boats for long distances. Tho forests havo boon llttlo llt-tlo explored. Thoy aro filled with many kinds of birds of brilliant plum-ngo, plum-ngo, nnd roaming through tho wilderness wilder-ness of tropical trees nnd plants aro leopards, tlgors, wild boars, deer, monkeys and many other animals. Tho Interior rogion Is n veritable sportsman's paradlso. Orchids of enormous enor-mous sizo and the docpest colors add to tho wondorful beauty of tho pristine pris-tine forests. It is- cntd tJiaV'mor6 than 12,000 different varlotios of orchids or-chids havo been collected and classified. classi-fied. it is interesting to noto that soveral celebrated ethnologists who mado research re-search intottho existing natlvo tribes of Chiapas nnd tho ruins of a prehistoric pre-historic civilization that existed thoro, bollovo It to havo boon tho "cradle of tho human raco." In this connection It may bo stated that tho mountain tribes of Indians of Chiapas as well as tho Tehuana Indians of Tohuantepec bear In many respecto a romarlmblo resemblanco to tho Orientals, both In personal characteristics and In tholr established customs. It is in tho northern part of Chiapas that tho ruins of Palcnquo, which havo long afforded an Inspiring work of research on tho part of nrchoologlsts, aro located. lo-cated. Tho most authentic estimate of tho history of tho rornalns of tho city thnt is now called Palenquo is that It was abandoned moro than 800 years ngo. |