90 
[ Kep. No. 654. ] 
, [ I^eply.—Translation. ] , ‘ 
Campeachf, February 9, 1834. 
My ESTEEMED Friend : In order to furnish you the requested intelli- 
genee concerning the Henequen, I will limit myself to that variety called 
Sacqui, which is the most cidtivated; and therefore I say: 
1st, that it produces itself, and flourishes on the stony lands of the inte¬ 
rior, as well as on the sandy shores of the coast; 2d, that the plants are 
placed from 4 to 2 Spanish yards apart, according to the lands ; 3d, that 
the shoots, (children,) being one Spanish yard high, when transplanted, 
the}?- yield at two years afterwards ; 4th, that twice or thrice yearly, there 
may be cut from said plants, two or three rows of leaves, on any day of 
the year; 5th, that the number of leaves cut each year, is notless than 25 
nor more than 100 on each plant; 6th, that to obtain one pound of fibres, 
from 8 to 24 leaves are necessary, the most productive being those of the 
fourth annual cutting; 7th, that the cultivated plant lasts from 10'to 15 
years ; Sth, that every two years it throws out from its roots,from 5 todO 
shoots, (children,) in a state to be transplanted. Furthermore, when the 
plant is aged, it forms a flower-stalk, from S to 10 Spanish yards high, whose 
superior extremity becomes covered with innumerable miniature plants, 
(Henequencitos.) 
I remain your affectionate friend, &c. 
SANTIAGO MENDEZ. 
Senor Doctor Henrique Perrine. 
Campeachy, January 8, 1835. 
Sir: Our Grass Jenequen, or Sosquil, is principally used by all the 
Mexican vessels, especially for cables, in which they place all their confi¬ 
dence. The port of Vera Cruz is dangerous, and a cable made of this grass 
is considered by all the captains to be far preferable to the, best hemp or 
chain Cable; being light and springy, there is no strain on the vessel, and 
they confide so much in them, that the Campeachy vessels instead of seek¬ 
ing shelter under the castle of San Juan de Ulua, that they prefer dropping 
their anchor ahead of all the foreign vessels, so as to keep themselves 
clear of being fell afoul of by them. A Campeachy cable is allowed Jo 
last out two of hemp cables. The short duration of hemp in this bay is oc¬ 
casioned by the heat of the water, which rots the hemp in a very short 
time. A grass cable as soon as it gets a good stretching and use, ought to 
be given a new coat of tar, which is considered absolutely necessary, and 
preserves it from rotting. The Jenequen is also used for warps; being 
light it swims, and of course is not so liable to be entangled as the hemp 
is; and it is almost incredible how they give^ which is a great help in 
towing or wharping up a river. Running rigging is also much used, 
especially for vessels, sheets and halyards. For a winter’s coast it is not 
so much calculated, as the cold makes it stiff and very impliable for the 
hands. This is the greatest objection the other nations can have to it: 
another objection is, that when once it is worn our, it is good for nothing, 
(except paper,) and the hemp is at last made up in oakum. , 
However, the lightness of the grass makes it come very low, and the 
