The visitor to Mexico will find few inconveniences in the way of railway travel. The coaches are, with only occasional exceptions, of American manufacture, and the through trains on most of the railroads have Pullman coaches at fares that are considerably lower than in the United States. It is well to make the trip going and coming to the capital by different routes, choosing the El Paso route for one trip and the Laredo gateway for the other. If the visitor is from the eastern part of the United States, a sea voyage from either New York or New Orleans to Vera Cruz makes a pleasant variation to the monotony of railroad travel. If bound for San Francisco one can travel through the republic to Salina Cruz, and there embark for that city. When the Southern Pacific extension is completed to Guadalajara this will also furnish another good way either to enter or leave Mexico.

The Mexican customs examination is a very formal affair and causes very little inconvenience to the traveller, for the officials are usually very courteous. An ignorance of the Spanish language will not cause a great deal of trouble to the experienced traveller in the cities, as it is a very easy matter to find some one who can speak English. In the remoter districts more trouble will be encountered, so that one should have at least a few stock phrases to use.

The money of Mexico is easy for one to familiarize himself with, as the peso is equal to fifty cents in American money. The only inconvenience at times is the trouble of carrying so many of these pesos, each of which is the size of one of our American silver dollars. The minor coins are all on the decimal system, the peso counting as one hundred centavos.

Hotel accommodation in the cities is fair, although it will take the traveller some time to get used to the large rooms that he will oftentimes be placed in. The charges are generally based on the European plan, but occasionally one will find a hotel on the American plan, and the charges are reasonable. On arriving at a hotel the guest is usually shown a room, and, if it is accepted, he may then register and his name is written on a blackboard with his room number. The cab charges are usually reasonable. In the City of Mexico there are three classes of cabs, indicated respectively by blue, red and yellow flags, the latter being the cheapest class. The driver always expects a small fee in addition to the regular fare.

Good stores will be found in the cities, and the prices are not excessive. Most people are interested in things that may be purchased as souvenirs of the country. The famous drawn work can be bought to the best advantage in northern Mexico, and especially at Aguas Calientes. Mexico is also noted for her onyx, opals and the turquoise.

The proper clothing to be worn is that used in the United States for spring or fall in the higher altitudes, and a light coat should be a part of the wardrobe. In the lower levels lightweight summer clothing can be worn at all seasons of the year. Most people visit Mexico during the winter months, but summer, which is the rainy season, is likewise delightful.

IV
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ballou, M. M.: Aztec Land. Boston, 1890.

Bancroft, H. H.: History of Mexico. 6 vols. San Francisco, 1888.

Bandelier, A. F.: Report of an Archeological Tour. Boston, 1885.