Mexico -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel
We followed the direction he pointed out--we passed the Salvasuchi,
Tampuche, Temante and Isleta fields. We passed them, I did not see
them, my eyes were glued to the track, picking my way, and my mind
concentrated on the effort of “getting along.” A little brandy, and
even Dick shouted “no” when asked if we were downhearted. In the face
of a lemon and sunset sky we were ferried in a dugout across the
Panuco River from the Tamaulipas to the Vera Cruz side. An Indian at
this juncture consented to escort us and carried our possessions. He
said it was only two kilometers more, but we seemed to walk for two
more hours along the river bank, in single silent file, through maize
or cotton up to our waists, or banana plantations over our heads. At
least we were not thirsty, and the sun was no more. The fire-flies
danced around and before us, and the moon rose up in all her glory,
making shadows among the banana leaves.
We started walking at 3:30, it was 9:30 when we tottered into the
Corona camp and the Superintendent gave us his house for the night.
The wife of one of the staff took us to her house to give us supper.
I remember vaguely the mental effort of trying to display normal
appreciation of her kindness in egg frying. But before the eggs were on
the table my head was in my plate and I was fast asleep.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1921. _Corona Camp._
My bed facing the open window on the river, where the sun was rising,
waked me at five. I got up stiffly and dressed at once. Found my host
on the verandah and had a little conversation with him. He was a Swiss,
and we talked French. Round his neck was a great scar. I learned
afterwards that he had been hung by order of Carranza and was cut
down just in time before he could die. We breakfasted at six and our
host drove us to the railway station, three kilometres away, where we
caught the 6:30 train full of workingmen; among whom in appearance we
seemed quite in keeping. Dick was rather sleepy and said he felt sick,
but otherwise showed no signs of the strain of the night before. He may
have been carried at most two kilometers, for the rest of 18 he had
walked it gallantly, and (after the sun had gone down) uncomplainingly.
His powers of endurance before his sixth birthday made me extremely
proud, and very hopeful of him.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1921.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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