Liberty High School - Lion Yearbook (Brentwood, CA)

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ls also a day nf proflt. as Americans cannot resist buying the Mexican curios. On steamer day the young girls come on board the Curacoa with dainty lace handkerchlefs, pll- low covers. napkins. table cloths and various other articles made by the tireless tlngers of the Mexican women. On the l2th we arrived at Mazatlan and went ashore ln a rowboat owned by a negro called Bob, who is known to all Americans golng down the western coast of Mexico. After the usual routine and ransacklng of baggage in the custom house we took a carriage into the clty. An American doctor and his family asked us to dinner and lt was here we enjoyed our flrst Mexican dinner. The meal was truly enjoyed, especially the dessert. which was a chlrmoilla. a fruit which thrives in the mountains ot' Mexico. so of course. was considered a luxury on the coast Thls frult looks like an artichoke with the leaves stuck together on the outside. while on the inside it reminds you of Ice cream with watermelon seeds ln lt. After dinner we took a horse car. very similar to the old-time horse cars of Sacramento. and went to the market. Here you could buy not only any kind of eatable, but fancy goods and novelties of all sorts. The Cathedral. one of the handsomest on the western coast. was vlslted, and one cannot help belng Inspired with the peace and solenmlty of the atmosphere, as no one ever speaks above a whisper except the Padres. The religious devotion of the Mexican ln his own country ls something we do not flnd anywhere in Callfornla. The arena was visited. but the bull llght was to be at too late an hour for us to witness. as the boat was to leave scon after. The Toreadors and Matadom were already mak- ing preparations for their brutal sport. The Toneadors are the men who tease the bull. but the Matadors do the killing. These Matadors are usually very gorgeously dressed. Their halr is shaved except a narrow strip in front which is hushed over the forehead. and a little bit on the crown of the head which is worn ln a small queue. We drove through several streets where the houses had been burned to arrest the spread of the plague. We also passed by an entire block which was reserved for a nesting place of the Zopllote. la red-headed buzzardr as they are the natural scavengers of the city. So many Americans vislt Mazatlan, and so many of the richer class of Mexicans visit California. almost every sea son, that it ls not an uncommon thing to see the Mexican Senors or Senorltas in the fashionable attire of the States. Another night on the water and we reached our port. Altata. Such an experience! We had dinner at a one- storied hut. The Hotel. but the hospitality extended to us made us feel thoroughly at home. On the next day we tcok .a forty mile ride on a rail- road called the Occidental, but more commonly known In the Americans as the Accidental Line of Rust. lf one was in a hurry I would advise taking a burro for the short distance. Cullacan was reached at six P. M., where we went to a gcod sized hotel and had our supper. Although very tired and dusty from our trip we were ready at eight o'clock to visit the theater. .

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A TRIP TO MEXICO. N NOVEMBER Tth. 1900, the wharf at San FFaI1CiSCf1 was crowded with people waving good-bye to their friends on board the steamer Curacoa, among whom I had a place. There was such a heavy fog that those who were anxiously waiting to give a good-bye look to the Cliff House were disappointed, as we could not see the shore. The sea was very rough, and after remaining on deck as long as they could, the passengers, one by one, retired to their staterooms tor to the railing! with pale and drawn faces. The waters were rough until we reached Pt. Conception. and then we had better weather. The first port we reached was Ensenada, Raju Culi- fornia. The view from the boat, which anchors one halt mile from the shore, is nothing but hills and a large hotel. This hotel is a wooden structure, and situated on the hill- side, and is owned by an English company. The town proper is about one-fourth of a mile from the harbor and is a typical Mexican town. ln the center of the town is a plaza. around which is built the pablic buildings-:he school houses, church and hotel. We stayed in town a few hours and then boarded our ship to continue the journey. After two days sailing on summer seas watching the spouting whales by day and the phosphorescent waters by night, which changed from a turquoise blue to a flaming: red, then to the silvery hue of a moonlit sea. we were on the eleventh, about noon. eagerly watching for a view of cape St. Lucas. This point gives you the impression of a ruined castle. then as a cave comes to view it does not take a fanciful mind io feel that 1.ossibly some hand of pirates is hiding iu the bosom of the storm-beaten mass of rocks. Before you have fully recovered from the awe-i11spir- ing views, you find yourself suddenly overpowered with the heat. The passengers began to don their summer ap- parel at once. and even fans were needed for comfort. The cause of this sudden change was our entering the Gulf ol' California after sailing around the point of Baja California. where you first get the full benefit of the tropical heat. At about two P. M. we dropped anchor at San Jose Del Cabo-the only view of the land from the boat beizif: tields of sugar cane and tropical verdure. The harbor vrae filled with small boats containing natives who came to wel- come us to their land. venders of sugar cane. and barges to receive the cargo from our steamer. Steamer day is always a holiday in the town. But it

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The stage was very similar to those of American thea- ters. but a prompter continually read the lines of the play in a monotone audible to the audience. The hotel at which we stayed- La Lonja -was di- rectly opposite the Plaza and Cathedral. Te Plaza was very beautiful, the walks being bordered with orange trees and shrubbery. Benches were placed around on the walks and grass. A band stand was in the center of the square and every Sunday a band would play. The Cathedral was also very interesting. It was very large and grand, the arch at the altar being upwards of ninety feet in height and it is said that in the structure of the Cathedral not a single nail was employed. The sound of the numerous bells, which ring at all hours, night and day. producing a confusion of sounds, is very striking to a for- eigner. We spent the next day watching the natives in the plaza, and making preparations for the most interesting part of our trip-eighty-seven miles mule back into the heart of the Republic. It was there that I first developed my love for equestrianism, but owing to my lack of ability, I rode the same mule as did my father. We used steamer trunks and telescope baskets for our belongings, as the only way of transporting our baggage through the mountains was on the hurricane deck of a mule. We sent eight pack and four riding mules ahead. about one o'clock in the afternoon. which were to wait for us at lmala. about four miles from Culiacan. lThe Mexicans speak of distances in so many hours mule back instead of in miles! About four o'clock that afternoon we started for Imala in a carriage, as the roads between there and Culacan were fairly good. lVery poor in comparison with Brentwood roads.J The mode of traveling in a carriage was somewhat dif- ferent than the American way. There were three mules in th lead and two at the wheel. One man ran alongside of the team with a whip and throwing stones while the other sat on the seat the lines in one hand and a whip in the other and both men were shouting as loud as they could. The blood was running from the backs and sides of the mules where they had beenpwhipped. While the drivers were shouting, whipping and throwing stones the mules kept up a comparatively good gait, but their legs and the noise al- ways ceased at the same time. Such clamor and brutality frightened me considerably and 1 made nearly as much noise crying as the drivers did with their shouting. The climax was reached when the mules Weill over a four-foot bank into a river bed, and the driver fell off the seat and was dragged by the mules. After that my father was -compelled to keep his hands over my eyes. Imala was red hot about eight o'clock at night and we were more than thankful to get off the jolting carriage and on terra firma once more. We had the usual supper of tortillas, frijolas and black coffee in a little hut. The rooms were so small and stuffy that we preferred sleeping in an open room something like a porch which was used for kitchen. parlor and sitting room. Cui' beds consisted of one small tarima. This tarimiu was a square wooden frame od