1892 
M&satlan 
(Sinaloa) 
Jan, 21 
The place is the principal port on the Mexican west coast at 
present, excepting only Acapulco. The buildings are of the Mexican 
type. One story adobes built with plain flat fronts, barred 
windows and low parapets about the flat, or gently sloping tiled roofs. 
% i* l * - * I * 
The Custom House at the landing has its front built up into a series 
• ■» 
of arches supported by columns fronting the street and farming a broad 
porch or veranda. The customs inspector was very lenient in his exam¬ 
ination of the baggage of passengers landing here, 
1 had a #50 .00 bank note to get exchanged for silver here,- the 
note being on the London and Mexican Bank, the best bank of the 
country, yet I had to pay a discount of Z% to get silver for it. The 
friend who was with me had a letter to mail which cost him 5 cents per 
§ ounce to send it to the United States, yet to have mailed his letter 
to any port of the Mexican Republic, the same letter would have cost 
just double that amount. These are instances of almost Chinese methods 
*i . 
by which Mexico is held back. 
All of the carrying of cargo is made by lighters from ship to the 
% V 
small wharf and thence it is taken on the backs of Indian porters who 
handle heavy boxes and barrels of merchandise with remarkable activity. 
Package s not exceeding about 200 pounds each either in bale, barrel, or 
box are carried upon the head and shoulders of one man. Heavier pack¬ 
ages are taken % enough men to carry them. 
The porters wear a heavy, braided, oval-shaped shoulder pad held 
in place by a fillet about the brow. These porters are well muscled 
about back and legs and work very actively. Small boats are frequently 
run up to the beach and the trunks and other baggage of passengers is 
taken off by the porters wading out, often waist deep. 
- 3 - 
