EXTERIOR OF A CHURCH.
Filled with the idea of the importance of Tampico and the ruin that awaited Vera Cruz, before leaving the latter city Frank had a conversation with an advocate of another port of future importance. The new claimant for commercial favors was Anton Lizardo, which lies some distance down the coast and was selected as the starting-point of the Mexican Southern Railway. It is claimed to be in a healthy locality, and to have a fairly good harbor capable of improvement by the use of the dredge and the construction of piers at which vessels may lie. General Grant was the President of the Mexican Southern Railway, and since his death the enterprise has languished, and our friends were unable to learn that it showed any positive signs of activity.
It was Doctor Bronson's intention to leave Vera Cruz on the day following their return from Jalapa, but his plans were rudely upset by a norther, which set in furiously and for two days cut off all communication with the ships in harbor or out of it. Frank and Fred climbed to the top of the highest tower they could find, and watched the waves breaking on the walls, and also on the long line of beach north and south of the city. At times the island of San Juan de Ulloa seemed to be half buried in the spray; the ships rose and fell unpleasantly as they tugged at their anchors, and some of them took the course of prudence and steamed away seaward. Two or three small craft were torn from their moorings and driven ashore; that similar accidents may befall larger vessels was painfully evidenced by an English steamer which lay high and dry on the beach, where she had been wrecked in a norther a few weeks before.
But all things have an end, and so did the gale, which blew itself out after cleansing the city of all miasmatic impurities, and rendering it healthy for a while. The sea went down, and as soon as the steamer on which they were to leave had completed her cargo and was ready for sea, the travelling trio went on board. An hour later they were moving over the dark waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with their faces turned in the direction of the equator.
A TOURIST.