THE SIERRAS AND BEYOND
“Las Madres,” says the Mexican, whenever he is asked the name of the
lofty range of mountains that runs through the western part of the
northern half of Mexico, and which separate the lofty interior plateaus
from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. This range of
mountains effectually cuts off the west coast from the best developed
part of Mexico, and for that reason this section is not so well known
as those parts which are visited by travellers. At the present time no
railway has been completed across this range of mountains, but it will
not be long until this disadvantage will exist no longer. This district
includes the great states of Sonora and Sinaloa, the territory of Tepic,
and a large part of the states of Chihuahua and Durango. To-day it is
almost a counterpart of what California was before the gold rush of
1849—little known, isolated and undeveloped—but with just as great
natural advantages. Dense jungles cover the lower levels along the coast,
where water is plentiful, while great areas in the north are semi-arid.
In the higher altitudes vast forests of pine and oak crown the serrated
peaks. The population is generally sparse and scattered.
In the future the main gateways to reach this part of the country from
the United States will be El Paso, and Benson, Arizona. From El Paso it
is a distance of a little more than two hundred miles to Chihuahua. The
traveller has no sooner crossed the Rio Grande than the change is seen
in the Mexican town of Ciudad Juarez, formerly Paso del Norte. This city
was the objective point of the revolutionists in the late trouble in
that country, and was the scene of a great deal of fighting before it
was finally captured. After its capture it was the seat of the temporary
government of the Maderistas. For several hours on the journey southward
there is nothing to be seen but the chaparral and desolate-looking hills,
with just enough novelty in the little towns that may be passed to make
the trip strange and rather old-fashioned. Big-hatted, shiftless peons
stare at you from their leaning positions against the station walls. The
“hee-haw” of a lone burro or the “cough” of a gasoline engine will be
the only sounds to break the silence.
The train rolls along through a narrow valley which is quite level,
and with high tablelands all about. Then the route reaches the land of
_haciendas_, where herds of cattle, sheep and goats may be seen. It is a
land of deep valleys, with glimpses of majestic mountains, and sometimes
with broad spreading plains as well, but the mountains are always in
view. At length, after a ride of a little more than half a day, the train
reaches Chihuahua, which is the principal city and metropolis of this
section of Mexico. Chihuahua is not a very beautiful city; nor is it as
attractive as many of the other Mexican cities, for its location and the
climate are not such as can greatly be recommended. It is destined to be
a much larger city than at present, however, by reason of the mineral
wealth surrounding it, and also because it is the starting point for
what will ultimately be the principal trade route between the United
States and northwestern Mexico. Like Monterey this city has become very
much Americanized, and that influence is noticeable in both people and
architecture.
Chihuahua is on the line of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway,
which, when completed, will form a direct route from Kansas City,
Missouri, to Topolobampo, a new port on the Pacific. At the present time
trains are running from Wichita, Kansas, almost to the Mexican border,
and two detached sections are in operation in the Republic of Mexico. One
of these starts from a point near the Rio Grande and runs to Chihuahua.
From Chihuahua westward this railroad, in conjunction with the Mexican
Northwestern Railway, traverses one of the finest grazing sections of
the republic. Broad prairies which are covered with grass stretch out
on either side to the foothills, and form rich grazing lands. The vast
ranges, the temperate climate and a fair average rainfall makes this
almost an ideal country for cattle. Upon them are fattened the beef
that feeds the country, and many animals find their way to the markets
of the United States. It is a region of immense _haciendas_, which
form almost empires in themselves, for they are larger than some of
the principalities of Europe. One estate near Chihuahua would make a
commonwealth as large as the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
combined, with a small farm of a million acres besides. The Zuloaga
family own a _hacienda_ directly on this line of railway, which is
thirty-five miles wide and nearly one hundred miles long, and includes
about two million acres. Most of this estate consists of fine grazing
land, and it ships about forty thousand head of cattle each year, as
well as from three to six thousand mules and horses. A few years ago the
late proprietor of this estate bought an adjoining farm for two hundred
thousand dollars, and his method of paying for it is a good illustration
of Mexican business methods. He secured silver coin for this amount,
which weighed nearly six tons, and hauled it over to the seller in two
great carts.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF PEONS]
The buildings of the Zuloaga _hacienda_, which I visited, lie about
fifty miles west of Chihuahua, in one of the most beautiful locations
that could be found anywhere. They are near the foot of a range of low
mountains, and in front projects out a plain that gently slopes down to
a lake a couple of miles distant. Beyond the lake is another range of
wooded hills which seem to complete the picture. Within the walls are
the home of the _hacendado_, the church, the stables and a store. The
church is a beautiful structure, artistic in its details, and all of the
materials used in its construction were secured upon the plantation;
and all of the work, including some magnificently carved woodwork and
some creditable paintings, was done on the premises and by those living
there. The buildings are all one-storied in height, with walls thick
enough to withstand any earthquake. The rooms are large and airy, with
extremely high ceilings, through which you might drive a carriage,
and the parlours are nearly as large as public halls. More than three
thousand peons are employed on this _hacienda_, most of whom live in
buildings arranged in big hollow squares just outside of the walls of the
family’s quarters.
[Illustration: TARAHUMARI INDIANS.]
There are a number of small towns along this trans-continental line of
railway, the principal of which is Miñaca, a quaint little old-fashioned
place. The inhabitants would rather attend a chicken fight than work
or go to mass. From Miñaca this road begins the real climb over the
divide on its way to the Pacific coast. For scenic beauty it equals any
railroad in Mexico, not excepting the ride over the Mexican railway
from the City of Mexico to Vera Cruz, hitherto described. Deep cuts,
high hills, and tunnels succeed each other, as the railroad climbs up
on its way toward the line of perpetual snow. It passes through one of
the best timber sections of Mexico, where tall pine trees, straight as
an arrow, rise up for a hundred feet or more without a limb. Huge crags
of fantastic outline, tall pines silhouetted against the low-hanging
clouds and the mysterious depths of the barrancas combine to form scenes
of awe-inspiring grandeur. At dangerous points crosses on the trail tell
the story of tragedies—of riders who have probably stumbled into eternity
without a moment’s warning.
This Sierra region of Mexico should appeal to the sportsman, for much
game abounds. At nearly all elevations may be found the white-tail
deer. The mountain lion, called _tigre_, lurks in the fastnesses of
the mountains. The bear may be found wherever there are good feeding
grounds. The wild turkey is plentiful in many sections. The Mexicans do
not hunt much, so that there are many game birds. Quail are numerous in
the foothills, and wild duck, snipe and curlew are exceedingly numerous
on the lagunas and marshes of the coast, as well as in the lakes of the
mountain region. Hunting is inexpensive, and it is strange that more
Americans do not visit this unhunted region.
One of the strangest of the many tribes of Mexican Indians inhabit
the valleys and barrancas of this part of the republic. These are the
Tarahumaris, a timid race who rather shrink from contact with the white
people to any greater extent than is necessary. Occasionally these
Indians may be seen on the streets of Chihuahua, whither they go to buy
some things, or, perhaps, to carry a message for a Mexican or American.
But they do not linger any longer than is necessary. They can always be
distinguished from the other Indians because the men almost invariably
have their legs absolutely bare in all kinds of weather. They also wear
their hair long, and it hangs down over the shoulder like our red men,
while the Mexican Indians usually wear their hair short. Their features
are coarse, but their bearing has a kind of native dignity about it
that attracts. One of their medicine men once cut his hair to get some
new ideas. While the new hair was growing he kept his head tied up to
prevent his thoughts from escaping. I mention this to give an idea of the
primitiveness and simplicity of these strange people.
The Tarahumaris pay no taxes or tribute to the Mexican government. They
are quiet and inoffensive, however, and for that reason they are allowed
to inhabit the mountain slopes and inhospitable barrancas in peace. Their
houses are very simple. They are usually made by setting up forked poles
across which other straight poles are laid, and then roughly-hewed
boards are set up along the sides. Sometimes they are made entirely of
small rocks. Many of them live in the natural caves which abound in that
region, and of which I have seen scores. They are nomadic and change
their domicile frequently, although the new location may be only a few
hundred rods away from the old. Store-houses may be seen in which the
family stores its surplus supply of corn and beans, which are the only
food supplies cultivated by these people. Upon the mountains the men kill
deer and squirrels, and these, together with fish, rats and little ground
animals which abound in that region, constitute their principal meat
supply.
The Tarahumaris are not a sociable people, nor are they industrious, for
they like too well to lie on their backs or breasts in the hot sun. They
are great runners and have been known to run day after day, stopping
only to eat and secure some necessary sleep. When they are travelling
across the country one will seldom see them walking. Even on a mountain
trail they usually keep up a trot. I have seen them running up a steep
path where most of us would not want to walk very long without stopping
to rest. The chief men of the tribes carry canes as their emblem of
authority. If a man is charged with an offence a messenger is sent to
him, armed with a cane made of red Brazil wood, and the person summoned
would not dare to disobey the order. No writ issued by any court in a
civilized land commands greater obedience. It is generally the older
men who are entrusted with this badge of authority, and they are very
jealous of the privilege. This method of designating authority is quite
common among the aborigines of the Americas. The Tarahumaris are very
superstitious. They are afraid to travel after night because the dead are
supposed to be abroad at that time. The _shaman_, as the medicine man is
called, is a man of great importance among these superstitious people.
He is always present at all family celebrations, such as weddings and
funerals, and he is generally called in when there is sickness in the
family.
About one hundred and fifty miles southwest of El Paso, in the state
of Chihuahua, is a colony of considerable interest to Americans. After
travelling that number of miles of semi-desert land over the Rio Grande
and Sierra Madre Railway from Ciudad Juarez, as dreary a landscape as
one could imagine, the appearance suddenly changes as one approaches
the lands of the Mormon colony that has settled here. Fearful of the
results of the anti-polygamy agitation in the United States a few hundred
followers of Brigham Young banded together, and sought a new “promised
land.” They travelled in caravans that contained all their worldly goods
until they crossed the border into Mexico. Here they were welcomed,
for farmers are what northern Mexico needed, and religious or ethical
questions did not disturb the Mexican government. The colonists were
exempted from taxes for ten years, and their implements were allowed
free entry. Each colonist was granted a certain number of acres at low
interest and on easy terms.
The original colony has expanded into several settlements numbering
more than five thousand persons. The principal colony is named Colonia
Juarez, and it is a few miles from the station of Casas Grandes. The
Mormons are splendid agriculturalists, and they sell large quantities of
alfalfa, grains, potatoes and dairy products. They use the very latest
of American agricultural machinery on their farms. Every village has a
graded school supported by a voluntary tax, and a large central academy
is also maintained for higher education. They are devout followers of
the Mormon prophets,—these colonists across the Rio Grande,—although
they claim that no open polygamy is practised. Each man will deny the
possession of more than one wife. The excess of women with families over
the men, however, and the fact that the Mormon man is thoroughly at home
in more than one house would easily lead one to a different conclusion.
To this must be added the knowledge that these Mormons left good homes
in Utah for a tract of almost desert land in Mexico, mainly because of
the efforts of the government of the United States to stamp out plural
marriages.
The other main route to the Sierra regions is an extension of the
Southern Pacific Railroad, which is known as the Sonora Railway. This
railroad extends from Nogales, and it is destined to run to the city of
Guadalajara, a distance of about eleven hundred miles. Nogales is a city
of about three thousand inhabitants, half of which lies on either side
of the border line. A simple glance without any explanation would show
the visitor which part of it belongs to the United States, because of the
difference in the buildings and the energy of the inhabitants. From there
the railroad runs south through Magdalena and across some fertile plains
until, at a distance of almost three hundred miles from the border, it
reaches Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora, which is the
second largest state in the republic. Much of this state is useless for
agriculture, as it is dry and arid, and a part is very mountainous. In
other sections the soil is extremely fertile, and irrigation would render
it invaluable. Such projects could be carried out if there was as much
enterprise on that side of the border as on the northern side. Near the
Yaqui River the soil and climate are as well adapted to fruit culture as
southern California. There are many large mining enterprises, the largest
being at Cananea, and nearly all are American enterprises. The trouble
with the Yaqui Indians has greatly hindered development in Sonora during
the past decade. Several parties of American prospectors and miners
were attacked and a number of Americans killed. The government finally
deported thousands of the Yaquis to other sections of the republic, and
their depredations then ceased.
Hermosillo is situated on the Sonora River, in the midst of an
agricultural district and surrounded by rugged mountains, where there
are many mines of gold and silver. It is the seat of a Catholic diocese,
for which a fine new cathedral has been built, and also has some very
creditable buildings. It is a city of perhaps ten or twelve thousand
people, and is the largest city in the state. From Hermosillo this
railroad runs to the port of Guaymas, which is quite an important
commercial town, and less than a hundred miles from the capital. The Bay
of Guaymas is one of the best on the Pacific coast, and the marine trade
is quite important. For a long time this town was the terminus of this
railroad, but it is too far up the Gulf of California to ever become a
very important ocean port. Within the last few years construction work
has been rapidly pushed southward at a little distance from the coast,
and through trains are now running as far as the city of Tepic, on the
way to Guadalajara.
Not a great distance south of Guaymas the Sonora Railroad enters Sinaloa,
a state nearly as large as Indiana. This state is destined to be a
great agricultural state, as it is well watered and contains a number
of fine rivers. Besides the Fuerte, Sinaloa, Culiacan and Elota Rivers,
there are a hundred or more smaller streams traversing it. It stretches
along the Pacific coast for a distance of nearly four hundred miles,
and has an average breadth of eighty miles. One-half of the state is
little known, and is traversed only by obscure and difficult trails.
Cane and corn culture have been the chief industry, but it offers good
inducements for the raising of almost all kinds of grains. In undeveloped
natural wealth, both agricultural and mineral, and in its splendid water
powers, Sinaloa is unsurpassed by any Mexican commonwealth. An American
land company has recently opened up a tract of two million acres, and
is establishing a colony that promises good results. The capital is
Culiacan, a short distance from the coast. Heretofore the only outlet for
this city of fifteen thousand has been a miserable railroad to its port,
Altata, but the new line enables passengers to go by Pullman cars to all
points in the United States. It is an old city, for the Spaniards found a
considerable settlement there. They immediately established a town which
was well fortified. The present city is quite attractive and possesses a
little manufacturing. It is the residence seat of quite a colony of rich
and cultured Mexicans, and a number of Americans interested in mining
also reside there.
Mazatlan, a little further down the coast, is the largest city and
principal port of Sinaloa. It is a picturesque place, with its cathedral
spires outlined against the sky, and cocoanut palms and thatched roofs
below. The blue Cordilleras in the distance complete the picture. A
lighthouse at the north entrance is said to be the highest lighthouse in
the world, with the exception of the one at Gibraltar. It is a city of
about twenty thousand inhabitants, and the largest city on the Pacific
coast. Although a great deal of shipping is done in Mazatlan, the harbour
is poor and offers no protection to vessels. Plans have been approved for
a safe harbour, to cost several million pesos, in order to prepare it for
the anticipated increase in business. Whether the internal troubles will
stop the building of this much-needed west coast railroad improvement
remains to be seen. Its completion will not only give an outlet for this
rich region to the United States, but also to the City of Mexico, and the
stimulus can already be seen wherever the railroad is in operation. There
is not a richer section in the whole republic than these coast lands,
but because of their isolation everything has been backward, and all
work has been done in the very crudest and most primitive ways. The only
development that has taken place is in mining, and most of the mines are
even yet operated in the old-fashioned ways, because of the difficulty
of transporting machinery and fuel.
The territory of Tepic is almost as large as the states of Massachusetts
and Connecticut combined. In natural resources it will compare with
Sinaloa, for it is well watered and affords fine opportunities for
agriculture. Some day the jungles will be transformed into orange groves
and banana plantations, while the higher lands will produce rich harvests
of grain and coffee. The water power could be utilized to turn the wheels
of factories or to run the railroads which are so much needed.
The capital city of Tepic, a municipality of fifteen thousand people,
has been asleep, but will now be awakened daily by the noise of the
locomotive. At an elevation of three thousand feet the air is fresh and
invigorating. The climate is pronounced almost ideal by those who live
there, and it is free from the fevers that prevail in the low coast
lands. It does not differ in general appearance from many other Mexican
cities, but is a quaint and interesting town.
Separated from the mainland of Mexico by the Gulf of California and
the Colorado River, lies that little known territory of Baja (lower)
California. It is a long narrow peninsula that projects about eight
hundred miles southeasterly from the southern border of California.
Its width varies from about thirty to over one hundred miles, with an
irregular coast line over two thousand miles long bordered by numerous
islands, and in size is a trifle larger than the state of Iowa. Lower
California is mainly mountainous, with irregular plains along the Pacific
coast, and smaller plains and valleys along the north coast and in some
parts of the interior. In climatic and other physical features the
northern part of the peninsula is very similar to southern California,
with some local modifications. The southern end of the Colorado Desert
crosses the border, and continues down along the northern coast for some
distance. Along the Pacific coast a low range of mountains recedes a
short distance inland, and continues for some distance. In the southern
part of the peninsula they become higher, forming the San Pedro Martir
Mountains, which reach a height of over ten thousand feet above the sea.
Vast desolate plateaus of black lava, which surround little gem-like
valleys, are succeeded by extensive stretches of desert upon which
nothing but the cactus will grow. The western coast is bathed by cool
waters and fogs, while the eastern shores are washed by the waves of a
warm inland sea, and have almost continuous sunshine.
Lower California was one of the early discoveries of the Spaniards,
and was promptly placed in charge of the Jesuits, whose missionaries
were quite successful. They explored all parts of the peninsula and
established missions among the Indians, and at the same time introduced
many of the crops and fruits of the Old World. They established three
main trails throughout the length of the peninsula, one following each
coast and the other running near the centre. These roads are to-day the
only routes of travel, and, except for short distances, can only be
pursued on mule-back. Most of the Indians who formerly inhabited the
peninsula have disappeared, and the population to-day is very small.
Some of the old mission churches are still in use, while others are
represented simply by fragments of ruined walls and choked-up irrigating
ditches.
Agriculture has never flourished to any great extent in Lower California.
Numerous colonies have been practically failures, with the exception
of some recent ones near the international border, where water for
irrigation has been obtained from the Colorado River. All of the
peninsula has been traversed many times by prospectors in search of
gold, silver and other minerals, and a number of valuable mines have
been located in various places. The general climate is hot and arid, as
is evidenced by the vegetation, although in the southern regions there
are districts which have regular summer rains. As a consequence of the
arid conditions the surface water is scarce, and is limited to isolated
waterfalls or to springs from which small streams sometime flow for a
short distance, and then sink into the earth.
The country is divided for administration into the northern and southern
portions, with Ensenada, a small port on the west coast as the capital
of the northern part, and La Paz, on the eastern coast, the capital of
the southern portion. La Paz is the only city of any particular size,
and is a place of about six thousand people. The streets are well laid
out, and there are some excellent stores and many comfortable houses. The
gardens are filled with palms and various tropical trees, so that the
city has quite a decided tropical appearance, although it is surrounded
by an arid district. It is the seat of the pearl fisheries, which are
quite flourishing in the Gulf, and the output of pearls is quite an
important item. Tia Juana (Aunt Jane) is a small town on the border not
far from San Diego, and it is, perhaps, better known than any other town
on the peninsula. Several skirmishes took place within its borders during
the recent revolution led by Madero, and many of the participants were
Americans.
Magdalena Bay, concerning which there has been considerable talk of
the United States trying to secure as a coaling station, is the finest
land-locked harbour on the Pacific coast, with a narrow entrance which is
protected by the high headlands. The bay is about fifteen miles across,
with low sandy shores, and would furnish a fine protection for scores
of the largest vessels. It is also within sight of the regular sailing
route of steamers bound for Panama. For that reason it would be a very
advantageous possession of the United States, if it could be obtained by
negotiations with the Mexican government.
The plant life of Lower California is different from that of any other
part of the world—so naturalists say. There is a veritable riot of
strange forms of cacti and other plants which manage to live without
rainfall. The cacti vary from giant forms, which raise their massive
fluted trunks to a height of fifty to sixty feet, to little straggling
species which are too weak to stand upright. Another peculiar form is
the creeping devil cactus, as it is called, which has the appearance
of gigantic caterpillars crawling in every direction. These plants
do actually travel away from a common centre, as the stem sends down
rootlets every little distance, and then the older stems in the rear die
about as fast as it advances in the front. There are not many species of
birds or animals, and only such kinds as can live where water is scarce
will be found. It is said that some animals have been found that never
drink water, and even in captivity can not be taught to drink, as it does
not seem necessary to their existence.
Owing to its desert character the peninsula is very thinly peopled,
and there are extensive sections where not a single inhabitant will be
found. The most populous section is that south of La Paz, where the
rains are more regular. A few small towns or villages will be found
scattered around the coast, with a limited number of prospectors and
miners gathered in the interior. The effort to colonize Lower California
has been a tale of unbroken failure for more than fifty years. A few
rainy years will cause apparent prosperity, but the succeeding years
may be rainless and disaster follows. Those who have studied Lower
California say that it is not all a hopeless desert, but that there are
possibilities of agriculture through irrigation in many parts.