"Those who have studied the subject," answered the Doctor, "say that this strip of land along the coast is not touched by the moist vapors which blow inland from the sea. They are attracted by the mountains and highlands, and blow over this region to shed their moisture at a greater elevation."
Evidently the youths were disappointed, but they consoled themselves with the reflection that they were not intending to settle in the country, and therefore it didn't matter much to them what it was. Paso del Macho is about 1500 feet above sea-level, and forty-seven miles from Vera Cruz. The slope of the land from here onward is regular, and no unusual engineering skill was required for the construction of the railway. Fred noted the names of four stations, Camaron, Soledad, Purga, and Tejeria, before they reached Vera Cruz; but there was nothing attractive about any of those places to render them worthy of further record. Historically, Soledad is memorable as the scene of the convention between generals Prim and Doblado in 1862, which led to the occupation of the country by the French troops and the invitation to Maximilian to become Emperor of Mexico. Fred asked if there was any monument at Soledad to commemorate the event, and was not at all surprised at receiving a negative answer.
VERA CRUZ, LOOKING SEAWARD.
Night had fallen when they rolled into the station at Vera Cruz. Fred watched for the fortifications, of which he had read so much, and was disappointed to learn that they had followed the fate of the walls of most European cities and been levelled out of existence. Modern artillery has rendered all defences of this kind of no value for military purposes, and it is an act of common-sense to destroy them and make practical use of the ground they occupy.
The air was close and warm and offered no inducements for a stroll. By the time our friends had located themselves at the Hotel de Diligencias, which was said to be the principal one, and partaken of a not very appetizing supper, they had more thoughts of bed than of anything else.
Next morning the youths were out in good season for the local sights. The first objects of interest were the zopilotes, or vultures, that act as a street-cleaning bureau, in taking possession of everything edible (from their point of view) in the refuse of the streets. Frank and Fred had seen these birds before on many occasions, but never in such numbers; they are analogous to the turkey-buzzards of the Southern States of North America, and are said to be scientifically of the genus Cathartes. They roosted on the house-tops, and walked through the streets, constantly on the lookout for something in their line. They are protected by law, and are faithful scavengers, working without pay other than board and lodging. They lodge in the open air, and board upon what no other living creature would eat, so that they are inexpensive luxuries. They have never been charged, like street-cleaning bureaus elsewhere, with obtaining money under fraudulent contracts.
"The streets were quiet," wrote Fred, "and we were not surprised to learn that the population of Vera Cruz is under 20,000 and not particularly prosperous, although for a long time nine-tenths of the foreign commerce of the country passed through this port. Since the railways from the United States were opened to the capital the trade of the city has greatly declined. Most of the business is in the hands of foreigners, so that the chief connection a Mexican has with it is to handle the goods as they are transferred from ship to railway or warehouse. The streets are straight and mostly narrow, and the open drains require to be constantly flushed, to keep down the stenches and unhealthy miasmas. In the sickly season the drains are nightly supplied with disinfectants to keep off that dreaded scourge the vomito, or yellow-fever.