1892 
Ouedtla jara 
(JpIIbco) 
Huy 3 
to 
May 11 
canon of the Santiago River about 8 or 7 miles north of Guadalajara 
• . i* _ • - ^ r> ( . 
and in a magnificent piece of scenery, The canon is cut down some 
1500 feet from the rolling plain on which Guadalajara stands, end 
is not ever 2500 or 3000 feet across at the top in many places. The 
sides are precipitous at first and then slope abruptly down to the 
vicinity of the river bank where there is a very narrow margin of 
level or gently sloping land. The descent- Into the canon is along. 
a steep, rubble-paved mule trail which follows the side of a trfhu- 
'Y > 
tary canon down to the river, A fine stream of water flows down 
this canon and near its head are several very pretty falls. The 
Santiago River is about 150 yards across and has a rough, rocky bed. 
The Hacienda Ibarra is located hero and, at the gate of the hacienda 
buildings, is located the mein ford of the river in a stretch of 
still water, A couple of flat boats are worked back and forth along 
a rope to carry cargo, and all animals are forced to swim across. 
Hundreds of bur res loaded with chare os. 1 come to this ford daily and 
cross on their way to Guadalajara* 
The people working about the ford are good swimmers and frequently 
■% 
swam out to assist seme bewildered or drowning animal, Hnder the fine 
growth of wild fig trees by the Hacienda landing bordering both sides 
of the trail are the grass-roofed huts of the workmen in picturesque 
irregularity. For some distance up and down the river, on the north 
slope (South side of River) plantain orchards are grown from, just 
above high-water mark up to the base of the cliff wherever water can 
be brought to them. Several ditches have been brought out from the 
stream in the tributary creek mentioned and led around the precipit¬ 
ous slope by great labor to the main canon, and sometimes the ditches 
are carried in cemented walls on narrow ledges about the edge of 
cliffs high up from the river, and wherever exists soil enough to 
53 
