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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Mexico. The shore is still some 30 miles 

 distant, the mountain itself about 100 

 miles, and one is with difficulty convinced 

 that the gleaming pink cloud high above 

 the horizon is part of the still invisible 

 earth beneath it. Doubtless the Aztecs 

 were not familiar with this view of Mt. 

 Orizaba, but from no other place is their 

 name for it — Citlaltapetl, the Star Moun- 

 tain — so applicable. 



On only one of three voyages to Mex- 

 ico have I had this thrilling view of Ori- 

 zaba's snow-crown, but in default of it 

 there is still the sunrise over the Gulf, 

 and if this be obscured, there is always 

 the Gulf itself, usually calm at this hour, 

 and the half-speed at which the steamer 

 is moving to prevent too early an arrival 

 at Vera Cruz, gives one an exceptional 

 opportunity to see the surface life from 

 her deck. 



SCHOOLS OP 1 FLYING FISH 



Nearly every little raft of gulf-weed 

 shelters a swarm of small fish ; near the 

 Arcos keys the black and white gannets, 

 which evidently live there, are abundant, 

 and occasional herring gulls, sooty or 

 bridled terns, and frigate birds are seen, 

 while at frequent intervals flying fish, 

 flushed by the steamer, spring from be- 

 neath the bow and scale away. One ex- 

 ceptionally calm morning, when the Gulf 

 was glassy smooth, we could see them 

 from the bow of our ship, swimming 

 ahead a foot or two beneath the surface. 



As the steamer bore down on them they 

 darted right and left, or at our too close 

 approach took to the air. For 20 to 40 

 feet they touched the surface when the 

 tail and long, wing-like pectoral fins were 

 in rapid motion, the latter being moved 

 up and down. The body was held at an 

 angle and apparently only the lower 

 lobe of the tail touched the water, mak- 

 ing, when it struck, a series of connected 

 circles. Sufficient headway being thus 

 gained, the fins became rigid and the 

 creature scaled or sailed, a true aeroplane, 

 until momentum was lost, when it plunged 

 abruptly into the water. When the tail 

 struck the crest of a swell the "wings" 

 also vibrated, and fresh force was thus 

 acquired, but the calmness of the sea af- 

 forded few opportunities for this method 



of prolonging the sail. This varied from 

 a few feet to 150 yards, with frequent 

 changes of direction. 



March 4, 1910, as the steamer passed 

 the island fortress of San Juan de Ulloa 

 and glided inside the breakwater to the 

 substantial customs pier, our preparations 

 for immediate landing were halted by the 

 tardiness of the health officer, who, after 

 keeping us impatiently waiting for an 

 hour, conducted his inspection with ex- 

 asperating deliberation ; nor were we de- 

 clared free until the last steerage passen- 

 ger had been examined. 



CONQUERING PEACEFUL BANDITS 



In the meantime, on the pier below, a 

 horde of cargadors had gathered behind 

 the rope before which the baggage had 

 been piled. As we descended the gang- 

 way the rope was dropped, and we were 

 charged by a mob of shouting, gesticulat- 

 ing porters, five or six of whom shoved 

 their badges into one's face at the same 

 moment, grabbed our hand baggage, and 

 all but tore us into fragments. It was a 

 scene of riotous confusion, with two or 

 three score bandits pulling, shoving, 

 swearing, dodging, fighting for the privi- 

 lege of taking our luggage to hotel or 

 railway station, and I emerged from the 

 fray with all our 14 trunks, 14 valises, 

 and the exultation of a conqueror. 



Time was when Vera Cruz was dreaded 

 as a pest-hole, and trains at once took 

 one from the steamer, .up the Sierra on 

 the way to Mexico City, usually as far 

 as Orizaba. Now, however, sanitary con- 

 ditions and hotel accommodations have 

 been so improved that one may stay here 

 without danger or discomfort. At least, 

 one should remain over night to begin the 

 trip toward the table-land early in the 

 morning, and thus be able to see every 

 foot of this remarkable journey. 



Fellow-travelers with whom we had 

 shared a common interest in the events 

 of the voyage now separated, each to his 

 appointed task or tour. A newly ap- 

 pointed ambassador went to his post at 

 the capital with small realization that out 

 of the apparently peaceful present would 

 soon arise a period of devastation ruinous 

 to the interests of the country and pre- 

 senting critical situations for diplomatic 



