A TRIP TO MEXICO.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 364, 8 November 1898, Page 4

A TRIP TO MEXICO.

[Concluded). The roads, if they could be called such, were very bad. At one pair, you v.oud see large stones that had been driven over for many years, and in another you would see a team of mules stuck in a bog hole, and yet a day's labour would have broken sufficient stone to have remedied both defects ; but that did not suit the happy-i;o-lucky Mexicans. The configuration of the country was beautiful, lovely hills and valleys, coveted with the evergreen oak dotted heve and thete. The ploughs used by the Mexicans were identical with those of the time of Abraham, just a pointed stick without any mouldboard. The main crop was maize, and it was truly wonderful to see how straight it was sown with the aid of their primitive ploughs, and it was covered up by tying a bit of the stem of the aloe across the stick plough. For shelling the cobs they rublied them on shreds of the fibre of the aloe stretched for the purpose. They would not use the modern machine. The only other tree that appeared to grow in Mexico was the pine. It was used for railway sleepers, but only lasted about four years The houses were built of bricks, about 20 inches long and four broad, made in the wet season (which is the summer) and dried in the sun, and they were as hard as those kiln dried. The natural grass of the country grew very fast in the wet seaoon, and then in the dry one it was cured and became hay ready made as it grew. There were millions of acres of it, and the cattle lived upon that and the stalks of the maize, which were very sweet in that climate. The cattle had deteriorated until the largest parts of them were head and horns. None of the male animals in that country were ever castrated, and consequently the horses had become like Maori scrubbers. There was very little fencing done, as labour was so.cheap that you could get your stock herded for next to nothing. Life was just as safe in Mexico as in New Zealand if you behaved yourself ; he met an old Devonshire gentleman who had lived there for 40 years, and he had never been molested. They adopted severe measures in that country, he saw the place where men had been buried. They had been connected with a murder and had been shot at sight. If a European was travelling with his servant and he got killed, the servant was also killed for not having either rescued his master or been killed in the attempt. If anyone was caught interfering with the railway he was shot as an example to others. If a man stole a horse you tell the policeman and it was his duty to follow the thief and shoot him. If a man got drunk he was given the opportunity to clear or be imprisoued for two years. It was the habit of the country to carry arms which put all on the same level ; the Mexicans were no retpectors of musculnr streugth. Bad it not been that he did not think it would be a fit place socially to take his wife and-family to, he certainly should have taken the management of the ranche, for he would prefer being under another Government, The company that purchased the ranche in Mexico had retired from New Zealand, preferring to go where the capitalists were encouraged. The Mexican Government had sold one hundred million acres of land and had twenty-five more millions yet to dispose of, and British capitalists were preferred. There was no danger of Mexico coming into competition with us for beef and mutton. There was a home market for all they could raise for many years to come. The carrying capacity of the country was about a beast to the square mile when he saw it, and he was convinced it would never be a fattening country, but a rearing one. At the present it was practically unstocked. Everything there had degenerated ; the pigs had done so to such an extent that some of them had solid hoofs. There was no under-scrub, and the most hurtful animals were the puma (called the mountain lion) and the coyote, a small sort of wolf. The former was rough on foals, and the latter ou sheep and goats. Mr Craig was a fine man physically and morally, and a grand companion to travel with. They had arranged to form a colony of young, unmarried Englishmen if El "Maguey had proved suitable for close settlement, but they came to the conclusion that it was not, so their scheme was abandoned. Mr Reynolds then exhibited some articles he had brought with him from Mexico. They consisted of a hat, wool rug, horsehair rope, leather bag, squirrel skins, head dress, dried grass, and a Mexican bridle and bit. The lust-mentioned was a murderous weapon, that could easily break the jaw of a horse. He stated he went to see a cock-fight, and then gave a description of it. That and bull-fights are the principal sports of the country. Replying to questions, Mr Reynolds stated the price of land was from 2s 6d to 7& 6d per acre; that the British capitalists had not been there sufficiently long to improve the breed of stock ; that the rainy season was from the middle of June to the middle of October ; that there was very little dew at night in Mexico. On the motion of the President, seconded by Mr J. Fisher, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Reynolds for his interesting narrative.— It was carried by acclamation, and Mr Reynolds thanked the members for their kindness.