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• A SKETCH * * *
OF THE
CUSTOMS AND SOCIETY
OP
MEXICO,
IN A
SERIES OF FAMILIAR LETTERS;
AND
A JOURNAL OF
TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR,
DURING THE
Ykaes 1824, 1825, 1826.

LONDON :
PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN AND CO., PATERNOSTER-ROW,
AND SOLD BY T. KAYE, LIVERPOOL.
1828.

Liverpool! Printed by T. Kaye, 45, Castle-street.

FAMILIAR LETTERS,

LETTER I.
Kingston, Jamaica, 1st May, 1824.
We landed at a wooden wharf, alongside of which
we were moored, the property of our consignee,
whose warehouses and offices are quite contiguous.
All this side of the harbour is occupied by similar
wharfs and the shipping ; the fronts of the ware
houses are in Port Royal-street, the principal
street for business both of import and export ; it
is very narrow, and, certainly, not what a stranger
would expect to find as the emporium of West
Indian commerce. This defect, however, is found
to be necessary, and suited to the climate, and the
situation, close to the harbour, is at once the most
convenient, and admits the luxury of a sea breeze.
Most of the stores are fire proof, and consist of only
the ground floor ; they are large and airy, and the
merchants generally contrive to sit in a strong cur
rent of air, which makes the heat tolerable.
From Port Royal-street others branch out at
right angles, and in right lines, to the farthest
extremity of the town ; and these, in their turn,
B

are crossed by others with the same regularity.
In the interior of the town we found it much
more lively: the streets are wider, and ornamented
with well-furnished shops, and houses with por
ticos, which would have afforded an agreeable
shelter to the foot passenger, had they been built
with any regard to regularity. But instead of
this, the floor of every house has a different ele
vation ; consequently it is necessary to walk in the
middle of the street, exposed to the sultry heat of
the sun and the constant annoyance of the dust,
which is raised by the continual movement of gigs
and other carriages, and blown by'the slightest
breeze. In. fact, this distressing and disagreeable
nuisance will never be remedied while the streets
remain unpaved and neglected.
The dwelling-houses are built in such a manner
as to suit the climate ; yet great improvement
might be made in them. The first story only is
used by the inhabitants, the ground floor being
rarely occupied : the first story is always built of
wood, and surrounded with a gallery, sometimes
open, but in the best houses it is inclosed by strong
Venetian blinds : this gallery affords a cool and
pleasant resort, and here the family are accustomed
to take their meals ; but it incloses all the lodging-
rooms, and deprives them of the benefit of the sea
breezes, without which they are intolerable. In
the courts of many of the houses, there are cocoa
nut and palm trees, the bushy tops of which appear

above the walls, and afford to an European a
pleasing sight, at the same time relieving the per
spective of the high-roofed, shingled, and chimney-
less houses.
The streets afford ample amusement to a stranger.
Among the constant current of passengers, which
continues without ceasing from five in the morning
till five in the evening, we may distinguish every
gradation of colour, from the African black, through
all the shades of the mulatto, quadroon, &c, to the
European white.
The appearance of the blacks at Kingston is
eminently calculated to remove the strong pre
judices of a new comer from England, who is full
of the idea of the wretchedness of the West India
slaves. They show all the signs of independence
and happiness, talk their unintelligible English
without ceasing, and very loud ; quarrel and fight
continually, maintaining so constant a clatter in
the streets, that one would scarcely believe there
was a slave amongst them. I have only once heard
the lash of the whip, and that was administered
by an old black woman, who had herself been a,
slave. The merchants are generally in their warehouses
before six in the morning ; they come into town in
a chaise, driven by a slave, and if they stir out,
during the day, it is always in a chaise ; it is un-
genteel, as well as fatiguing, to walk in Kingston.
They take a luncheon, or, as they call it, a second
breakfast, at the commercial rooms, where they

have the latest London and colonial news, and
a look-out, so managed that they know every vessel
before it makes the harbour. Their residences
are in the suburbs of the town, or in the country,
at the distance of about two or three miles ; they
are here called pens,— neat and comfortable dwel
lings, surrounded by flower gardens and orchards,
where the humming birds come to sip the honey.
Here the ladies and junior parts of the families
live a quiet, sedentary life, for exercise is forbidden
by the heat. They seldom visit their neighbours,
for, without any particular cause, there appears to
exist a mutual coolness between the families of all
the merchants. In those of the premier bon ton it
is not so ; for, where commercial interests do not
clash, there is plenty of society and amusement ;
in fact, numbers who have gone to Jamaica for
iheir health, have entered so fully into the gaieties
of the place, and have, in addition, indulged so
freely in the pleasures of the table, which are en
joyed here to excess, that they have fallen victims
to the yellow fever, that baneful malady, which is
so frequently the death-warrant of strangers ; and
from this cause there has, arisen an exaggerated
idea of the unhealthiness of the island. Etiquette,
so annoying in hot climates, is rigidly enforced here.
I am pleased with the climate, although the
temperature has been generally from 86° to 88°
Fahrenheit in the shade.
I go to Port Royal this evening, and expect to
sail to-morrow for Vera Cruz, till when, — Adieu.

LETTER II.
Alvaeado, 16th May, 1824.'
The day after the date of my last letter, we
set sail as I expected, and did not arrive here
till the 14th instant, having had under our convoy
several heavy merchant vessels, which lengthened
our voyage considerably. It was for the accom
modation of these merchantmen that we cast anchor
off Alvarado, instead of Vera Cruz.
I availed myself of the first opportunity to
secure a landing, as it is not always practicable in
the Mexican gulf, where the hurricanes come so
suddenly, as frequently to blow vessels from their
anchorage, and oblige them to put to sea again.
From the time of our leaving Port Royal, until
we made Cape Antonio de Cuba, we had the most
delightful weather imaginable. The never-varying
trade winds constantly filled our sails, and as we
went all the time before the wind, we had scarcely
any motion, and I escaped my usual sea sickness.
We touched- at the Grand Kayman for turtle,
and did not afterwards see land till we made Cape
Antonio. From thence we steered to Campeachy,
where we left one of our convoy, and then con
tinued coasting the gulf, taking advantage of the
current.
b 2

During the two days preceding our arrival, we
experienced a slight norther, — slight in comparison
to what is generally understood by that appellation,
but which afforded me a fine specimen of the sub
limity of a storm.
The Rio d' Alvarado,* as it is well known, is
very insignificant, and its use as a harbour is much
contracted by the high bar at its entrance, which
generally will not admit vessels of ten feet, though
sometimes ships of twelve feet draught have forced
a passage over it. The southern banks of the river
are green and picturesque, but on the opposite
side are high sand hills, which keep the sea breeze
from the town. The port in itself is as good as
can be desired, of sufficient space and depth, and
well defended from the winds. When we entered
it there were, perhaps, twenty vessels at anchor,
belonging chiefly to the United States of America ;
many had Mexican colours, and some English and
French. The town is about a league from the mouth of
the river, on the northern shore. It would require
a much abler pen than mine to do justice to such
a commercial station as this ; but I must attempt
to fulfil my engagement, and impart to you such
observations as I have made during the short resi
dence of two days and a half.
The wharf, where we landed, is formed of a
number of old longboats and canoes, one end of
* The river Alvarado.

V
which rests upon the ground, while the other is
afloat. These boats were occupied by washer
women at their work, who are apt, without any
ceremony, to besprinkle the passenger with suds, if
he is not on his guard. Immediately on landing,
I found myself surrounded by a motley group,
much more curious than the one alluded to in
Jamaica. Here there is a much greater variety
of colour and costume: of the former, the most
common is the bright copper colour of the native
Indians; of the latter, that which nature gave.
The crowd of these varieties is very great, and
always undiminished; hundreds are continually
moving in a current, hurrying in their avocations,
and hundreds more having no business at all. The
idleness of the Tierra Caliente* men is proverbial ;
numbers of them are basking in the sun, like
brutes; some snoring under a parasol of mats,
which shades about a yard of ground, where they
had displayed a few plantains and water melons,
a little cheese and pepperoons, but which had
been trampled upon by the passing mules and asses
during the owners' slumbers. In every nook there
is a crowd of gamblers playing at monte.f Under
the shade of a house, extended on a mat, there
lies a man, perhaps dying of the yellow fever ;—
besides a thousand other objects not less worthy
of notice. * The hot country within the reach of the black vomit.
f A mere hazard game.

8
This interesting crowd for a long time attracted
my attention : the next thing which struck me was
the meanness and scarcity of the houses. The
greater part of them are merely cane cottages,
roofed with palm leaves, and quite open to the
wind and weather. Those only are of brick or of
mud which have been built since the flight from
Vera Cruz, eight months ago, and these are inva
riably occupied by the English and foreign mer
chants ; they are roofed with tiles, and have a
small portico or viranda over the doors and win
dows. Of this description there is a very small
number, and they he at a great distance from each
other. Most of them have the convenience of a
court-yard, walled in ; and here I think their con
veniences end.
My friend, Mr. W., who has been established
here two years, and in that time made a handsome
fortune, met me on my landing, and conducted
me to his house, of which I will give you some
description. Having made our way through the
crowd, we at length arrived at his door, which, in
spite of the humble expectations I had formed,
from the appearance of every thing around, quite
astonished me.
I paused for a few minutes under his portico, to
notice the surrounding objects. In the farthest
corner, to the left, there was a stout Indian woman
cooking her savoury dishes of garlic, Chili pepper,
and love apples; the odour, from the pots and

9
charcoal, was enough to drive any man of less
vitiated senses than those of its present inhabitants
entirely out of! the house. At her side was her
daughter, crushing maize between two stones made
for the purpose, and clapping the paste between her
hands into thin circular cakes, of the size of the
crown of my hat, which, when baked for a few
seconds, are the tortillas, or, we may call them,
Indian bread. The space not occupied by the
cook and her deputy was filled by half a dozen
lazzaroni, stretched into postures infinitely more
sluggish than those of the famous Manchester
porters, and staking their half dollars upon the
turn up of a card. These were their earnings,
and this their amusement before breakfast*, as
they waited, till the old woman got it ready.
This sort of amusement costs them no trouble, for
most of them carry a well-used pack of cards in
their pouches, to be ready on all occasions. Close
•to the door, on the right-hand side, lay a man,
lulled to a dead sleep by the delectable fumes of
brandy. His bare head was exposed to the scorch
ing rays of the sun, and the degree of irritation
produced in consequence was such, that he exhi
bited a picture altogether too horrid to be described.
Next to him were some merry children, playing at
bob and span with grains of cocoa; and, at the
extremity, was a convalescent from the yellow
* They breakfast at noon.

10
fever, walled round in his stretcher with mats and
canvass, attended by his daughter : this was the
most pleasing sight I had witnessed. As I turned
to enter the house, I stumbled over the carcase
of the drunken man, who, by some chance, had
rolled from his original position. Without further
interruption I made good my entrance, and what
there I found worthy of remark shall form part of
my next letter, as my party are only waiting for
me to start for Vera Cruz. — I am, ,&c.

11

LETTER III.
Veka Ceuz, 18th May, 1824.
I hope you will have more patience in reading
my letter than I have in writing it, for the mos-
quitos annoy me terribly.
On entering the house of my friend in Alvarado,
my surprise was not lessened. The first room is .
at once the dining-room and pantry, counting-
house, warehouse, and general lounging-place.
Above our heads were the bare rafters and tiles,
between which, from numerous apertures, the sun
shone, and the rain and the sand descended with
out obstruction. The walls had been once white
washed, but were now completely covered with
dust and cobwebs ; the floor was the hard beaten
earth which takes the consistency of a soft mud
during heavy rains. In the centre st^od a deal
table, black from many months1 use and never
cleaning; a dozen crazy rush-bottomed chairs
were stowed under it to save room. In one
corner, under a window, if such it may be called,
having neither glass nor window frame, was the
counting-house department; the table, covered
with papers in the greatest disorder, just afforded
room for the merchant and his two clerks : the
office books and stationary were deposited in some

12
empty cases, turned top outwards, and piled one
above another to represent shelves; in the same
cases were to be found knives and forks, glasses,
a salt-cellar, and other articles belonging to the
house department. The opposite side of the room
contained a pile of goods up to the very ceiling ;
besides this, two packers were employed in making
up more bales for the interior, and these also had
to be piled somewhere ; half a dozen visitants were
discussing a bottle of claret and a box of real
Havanas, in one corner, their table being a barrel
turned upside down. The whole room was not
more than twenty feet square. The merchant
himself was occupied with two buyers from Oaxaca,
in treaty for a large parcel of goods that were
lying in the Custom-house, and the patterns of
which were before them; they were in hopes of
smuggling them home without paying further
duties. The head clerk was quarrelling with the
Custom-house officer, who was very boisterous in
his arguments.
A door to the left led to a room similar to the
one described; the ceiling, walls, and floor were
of exactly the same materials, and the chambers
differed only in their use and furniture. It con
tained five stretchers and a hammock, where all
the family slept ; the window was the same as the
one noticed ; the furniture consisted of trunks and
cases, one table, and one chair, over all of which
were strewed, in the utmost confusion, towels,

13
glasses, linen, razors, and all the appendages of a
gentleman's toilet, and every thing was covered
with sand.
The third and the only remaining room in the
house, was quite full of goods.
The kitchen, which was nothing better than an
open shed in the yard, was the next object of my
remark; here I found a fowl cut open and
stretched upon the ardent charcoal ; the cook was
at the moment absent, but in due time he brought
to table an excellent dinner. My friend sported
abundance of choice wines, and I must say, in his
vindication, that in every way in which it lies in
his power, he makes his house and its inmates
comfortable ; and, moreover, he has frequently
resolved to give it a thorough cleansing. The
fact is, every house in Alvarado is in the same
situation. Since the merchants came hither from
Vera Cruz, they have had a great press of business,
and this, added to the difficulty with which every
thing is procured here, will account for their pre
sent situation, if not excuse it. You will be sur
prised to hear that for these miserable dwellings
the occupiers pay rents of five times, and in some
instances, eight times the amount you pay for
your commodious and delightful residence at
 : from five hundred to a thousand
pounds per annum being about the extremes of
the rents paid here. You may estimate every
thing else at Alvarado, with regard to expense, at

14
the same ratio, and you will form a correct idea a(
the immense cost of living here.
I left Alvarado at about six in the evening, with
a party of gentlemen, who were also going to Vera
Cruz. The road lies principally along the sea
shore, but now and then cuts inwards, through
thick woods and beautiful pasture ground. The
track along the beach is monotonous ; yet a reflect
ing mind will find something pleasing everywhere;:
the boundless ocean rippling at one's feet and mur
muring from the distance, will favour the mind in
any strain-, whether gay or melancholy ; as to the
picturesque, the author of Dr. Syntax might per
haps imagine it, were he travelling on this road ;
for on one side there are high barren sandhills,
and the shore is strewed with immense trunks of
trees, dead mules, skeletons, wrecks, and crabs-
But the passage through the wood needs not his
aid ; it is truly picturesque ; the magnificence of
vegetation, the enchanting notes of the native
birds and the coolness of the retreat are sufficient
to inspire the dullest with enthusiasm. The
transition from the shadowed paths through the
woods into the unmasked beamsof the sun was ex
cessively oppressive.
Las Salinas is a collection of three or four cane
huts. I made here a tolerably good supper of cold
fowl, which we brought with us, with frijoles* and
* Fnjpl, a sort of French bean, which grows hard in the pod. It
is cooked with lard, and long exposure to the fire renders it a very
tolerable dish, '

15
tortillas, which were all that our host could provide
for us. Here I passed an uncomfortable night,
for the rain fell upon me, and, unfortunately, I
had no bed. Our obliging host seemed desirous
that we*should, at least, have soft pillows, for
close to our heads three fat pigs lay grunting all
night. La Boca del Sio is a large village, built of the
same open cane work as the huts of Las Salinas,
but no conveniences either for eating or sleeping
are to be met with there, and the traveller is glad
to leave it. Just before we came to the village,
we crossed a deep river in a canoe, and swam the
horses alongside ; the ferry is very badly managed,
and not free from danger.
Vera Cruz is not discovered till we are close
" upon it, beings concealed from the sight by sand
hills. On entering its gates, my heart palpitated
with emotion. Every thing around me excited in
me feelings of deep interest : the glorious revolu
tion it had recently witnessed, its beautiful yet
deserted streets, its palaces pierced with balls and
defaced with the explosion of shells, its present
warlike aspect, being full of troops, and the pre
sence of the enemy's fortress, San Juan de Ulua,
were objects quite new to me, and naturally calcu
lated to interest me. All these sensations, however,
fled on my-entering a tavern, whither I had been
directed, for there I found myself surrounded with
objects not new to me, I mean filthiness and a total

16
want of comfort. In spite/of this we managed to
make a pretty good dinner, and the rain coming
on immediately after, we were obliged to keep
within, during the remainder of the day.
I was abroad early this morning, vie#ing the
town, &c. Part of the day I have beenr necessarily
engaged in business with Mr. S  , so that my
remarks have been very limited: having, also,
preparations to make for to-morrow's departure,
you must make allowances for hasty observation
and partial description.
Vera Cruz is built upon a flat, and but slightly
proj ecting head-land, facing the rock on which stands
the famous Castle of San Juan de Ulua, at a dis
tance of perhaps a short mile. It is enclosed by a
low and feeble wall, with some fortifications on the
side next the sea, but which are at present so much
battered by the enemy's guns, that they are nothing
more than heaps of ruins ; the independent flag is
however unfurled, and the guns still point to the
castle. The only wharf is in the form of a pierhead : it
is small, but sufficiently convenient. When the
weather does not prevent, vessels are discharged
by means of lighters and longboats.
The anchorage is immediately between the castle
and the town, extending southward under the lee
of the castle, and equally under the control of both.
The low reefs, projecting from the rock of Ulua,
form a natural breakwater ; but, as the shipping

17
is quite exposed to the northers, the port is inse
cure, and vessels have frequently drifted from their
anchorages and gone on shore on the beach of
Mocarnboj a few miles off. Since the impost by
the go^Jpnor of the castle of about twenty-five
per cent, on all property entering the port, the
little shipping done here, has been removed to
Mocambo, under the protection of the Island of
Sacrificios,' and just beyond the reach of the guns
of the castle. When I passed Sacrificios, two
British merchantmen and two of his Majesty's
ships were at anchor there.
The beauty of the streets of Vera Cruz struck
me particularly : they are built in perfect order,
running north and south, and east and west, the
one cutting the other at right angles, and of a duly
proportionate width. It contains no public build
ings of importance ; its chief beauty is in the private
houses, and these, in the principal streets at least,
^are really palaces. They are variously painted or
covered with porcelain, which gives them a pleasing
and gay appearance. The shaded balconies at the
windows, greatly aid the beautiful perspective of
the streets: they are well paved, and kept very
clean, except where the ruins are piled. Here and
there grass and weeds are peeping, and in some
streets they flourish unmolested. A hard smooth
cement is substituted for flags, for the accommoda
tion of foot passengers. The shops, which are now
altogether shut, were never very good, althqugh
c 2

18
furnished with every luxury. Few ladies are to
be seen in the streets, in fact few inhabitants of
any kind, excepting the soldiers, and these are to
be met in all parts of the town.
Of the interior of the houses I have" se|p little;
but so far as I can speak from observation, although
the style is so elegant, the art of building is still
rude. The walls are very thick, four feet being.
common, even the interior partition walls are
heavy and clumsy ; the floors are of brick or tiles,
being cool and suitable to the climate ; the same
reason is alleged for all the bed-rooms opening
into each other ; yet an English family would
rather dispense with the little ventilation thus pro
cured, or contrive it some other way, that they
might have their apartments private. Above us
are the bare rafters, frequently not even white
washed ; the walls are uneven and rough ; and the
fixtures very clumsy and badly placed. These
barbarisms are to be. found in houses which are
otherwise finished and furnished with the greatest
magnificence. The entrance is through , large folding doors,
under an archway into the front court, called the
patio, which is ornamented with flowerpots and
evergreens. The warehouses, servants'-rooms, and
lumber-rooms are on the ground floor, opening to
this yard. It has also one or more coach-houses,
and in the back yard, the stabling. A wide stone
staircase leads up to an open corridor, which con
ducts to the different parts of the house.

ty
The best room is in the front, and called the
sala ; the kitchen is at the back ; the dining-hall
next to it ; and the bed-rooms lie between the
dining-room and the sala. The sala frequently
occupie#the whole front of the house, and is wide
and high in proportion ; the walls and the tile floor
are painted in fresco, and, if the rafters are covered
with a ceiling, it is generally fancifully painted
also ; an old-fashioned chandelier hanging from
the centre, old-fashioned damask or cane chairs
and sofas, and small tables in the corners, are the
common furniture of the generality of the houses,
and even this is mostly removed at present. The
dining-Jjall is generally a part of the corridor, open
to the air, or at most, enclosed by Venetian blinds.
The walls are whitewashed, the rafters bare, and
the floor, the bare red tiles or brick ; its furniture,
a deal table, a few rush-bottomed chairs, and a
cupboard. The kitchens are dirty and inconve
nient, numerous small stoves are substituted for
large fireplaces, and charcoal only is used for fuel.
Part of the roof is of tiles, and part, generally,
a flat terrace, made waterproof. Chimneys are
not necessary.
By far the greater number of the houses are quite
uninhabited; the ruins caused by the balls and
the shells still lie in the rooms, and the holes they
have made through the walls are still unrepaired,
and they present, indeed, a desolate picture. The
damage from the firing is general, every house is

20
pierced, and many lives were lost at the time.
Some .European merchants, who were established
here, experienced the greatest difficulties in re
moving their goods to Jalapa and elsewhere.
Before this misfortune, Vera Cruz was a#elight-
ful residence, though its unhealthiness to strangers
is an objection sufficient to deter people from settling
here. Formerly, society was free, unprejudiced,
and well informed : tertulias, balls, and concerts
were frequent. After the slightest introduction,
every body was perfectly welcome, was treated as
an old friend, and with propriety could enter any
house where he perceived a tertulia, or heard music.
The walks in the suburbs and on the beagh were
frequented in the evening by all the respectable
inhabitants ; in fine, hospitality and gaiety were
always the most striking features of the Veracru-
zanos. To find them out, it is now necessary to go to
Jalapa, for it is to that place that most of the good
families are gone, though many have removed to
the capital. — I am, &c.

21

LETTER IV.
Xalapa, May 25th, 1824.
I left Vera Cruz on the 19th instant. Our com
pany were two volantes, a litter, and four gentle
men on horseback, besides myself, in all, eight
Englishmen and two Spaniards.
A volante is a clumsy, two wheeled carriage,
drawn by three or four mules, carrying two persons
without luggage. The body is fixed in the middle
of the shafts, leaving the wheels a long way behind,
and thegreby throwing an unnecessary weight on
the shaft mules. A litter is a wooden frame of
about six feet by three, slung between two mules,
one before and the other behind, by means of two
poles, on the same plan as the common sedan
chairs ; it is covered in by a roof and thick cur
tains of canvass, which render it impervious both to
the sun and the rain, It is intended to carry only
one person, although two frequently stow them
selves in it, who must furnish it with a mattress
and bedding, or abide the consequences of a rough
jolting on the hard boards. The hire of these
vehicles from Vera Cruz to Xalapa is alike, say
ninety dollars, all expenses of men and mules in
cluded. It is difficult to determine which of the
two is the more uncomfortable conveyance ; in a
litter, it is tiresome to sit upright from want of

22
support, and more so to lie down continually. The
volantes, having no springs, are likewise exces
sively uneasy, and the heat in this confinement is
worse than the sun. For my part, I prefer travel
ling in such countries on horseback, even in the
rainy season, for although exposed to a wetting in
the afternoon, if we do not arrive at our journey's
end in time to avoid it, we have the advantage of
an extensive and enlivening prospect, ever varying,
the more agreeable exercise of riding, and are free
from the control of the barbarous muleteers. I
would, therefore, recommend horseback to any
traveller who is not prevented from using that
exercise by sickness, nor afraid of the sunshine.
For two or three leagues out of Vera Cruz we
travelled over the sandy beach ; the sun was ex
cessively hot, but rendered tolerable by a breeze
from the sea. High sandhills form a barrier on
the left, until we turned suddenly inwards at a
small cane-built rancho,* and entered a magnificent
wood. This village is famous as the nightly re
treat of the merchants of Vera Cruz, who still
remained there even during the bombardment.
Here I found scenery similar to that on the
other side of Vera Cruz. The tropical and highly
picturesque landscapes, the magnificence of the
vegetation, the bright plumage and delightful notes
of a great variety of birds, particularly the mocking
bird and the cardinal, and the incessant chattering
* A rancho is the name given to small villages and farm-houses.

23
of the green parrots, kept my mind continually
alive in admiration andV delight. Amongst the
trees I noticed fine specimens of mahogany and
cedar, and a great variety of others to which I was
a perfect stranger. One peculiarity of the wood,
striking to an European, is the thickness and im
mense extent of innumerable creepers hanging in
luxuriant festoons, and concealing under their shade,
an endless variety of botanical wealth.
All the refreshments we could obtain at the
numerous Indian cottages on the road, were, a
gourd* of Water, bad spirits made from the native
sugar cane, frixoles and tortillas, bad cheese, and
fresh eggs. In the sale of these commodities to
the numerous muleteers and passengers, consists
the trade of these Indians, and, as their wants are
few, it affords them a means of existence which
may be called happy, because torpid and insensi
ble, and as free from care as that of the brutes.
Some of these Indian families have selected spots
for their habitations on the borders of the wood,
which would surpass, in rural and romantic beauty,
the loveliest picture your imagination can form ; I
frequently paused in admiration of these beautiful
retreats ; it was the realization of those pleasing yet
indistinct ideas, which I had formed in my school
days, of tropical landscapes, when my imagination
transported me to the retreats of the innocence of
* The thick rind of the gourd or calabash is used instead of mugs
or glasses.

24
Paul and Virginia. The cottages are formed of
basket-work of bamboo cane, the high roofs are
thatched with the graceful boughs of the cocoa nut
or palm tree, and half concealed under the thick
luxuriant tresses of a convolvulus or other creeper,
and overshadowed by the spreading branches' of
some majestic plant, known only between the
tropics. In front of the scene ripples a meandering
stream, which alternately appears and hides itself
in the copse, as far as we can discern. The charm
of the whole is increased by the soft influence of a
warm atmosphere, and by the stillness and repose
that reigns around, and often by the cooing of the
turtle dove in the adjacent grove.
The illusion has been broken by a call from my
companions inviting me to partake of the rude
breakfast provided for us, consisting of eggs and
beans ; and, then, how different a scene have I be
held, nothing but wretchedness and misery ! The
smoking fire in the centre, the mats to sleep upon,
and the meals all spread upon the same mud floor,
and all covered with filth ; and, instead of the lively
interesting boy, proud to jump on one's knees, whose
bright black eyes and generous countenance look
up for approbation; — instead of the blushing
country lass, her beautiful tresses of jet black hair
flowing luxuriantly over her sun burnt neck,*
approaching with modesty to offer a nosegay,
* Mr. Bullock has given some such a description of the Indian
beauties.

culled from her own little garden, which I had
been led tp expect,— alas •¦ I apprehend a faithful
description of theselndians would almost exclude
them from a claim %o humanity. The cool recess,
the luxuriant creepers, the copse, the grove, and
the cane cottage/ remain, but are in such a manner
connected with misery, that it has been difficult.
for me to imagine they were the same which a
moment before I had stopped to admire.
The rpad to Santa Fe is sandy and heavy, and,
in the rainy season, is in some places almost im
passable from mud and water. Santa Fe stands
on a large, clear, and elevated plain of beautiful
land : it consists of half a dozen cane houses, larger
and, more commodious than any we had hitherto
seen, some are even tolerable. From thence the
country rises gradually; but still its rise is hardly
perceptible. The different regions are distinguished
by the vegetation, low wood and jungles are substi
tuted for the fine timber near the coast, until, as
we approach Xalapa, the oak tree is hailed as the
boundary of the black vomit. The scenery con
tinually varies : it presents . prospects sometimes
embracing a great distance, little of a wild nature,
and less of the soft verdure which is the charac
teristic of English scenery ; sterile and fruitless
land is its principal feature. I noticed signs of
every season, the budding tree, the full bloom, the
fall of the leaf, and the bare branches. These
varieties in nature interested me from their novelty,
but they would be infinitely valuable to the natu-

26
ralist, who could spend his time in researches, and
who would here find ample reward for his pains.
One of the prettiest parts of the road is Puente
del Re,* now altered to El Puente Nacional,f
situated in a deep valley. The approach to it is
down a very steep but short causeway, surrounded
on every side with high land, which has served,
during the revolution, as strong holds to both
parties. A pretty winding river runs at the bot
tom of the valley, and affords many little land
scapes worthy an artist's pencil. The bridge is a
fine specimen of architecture, and shows the mag
nificence of the Spaniards, whilst the houses are
mere cabins, of the description already given.
We arrived there at about five o'clock, after
performing a journey of twelve leagues. We put
up at the best looking house in the place, with a
large shed before it, and, after seeing my horse and
portmanteau safely deposited, I walked out to see
the village and seek adventure.
Nothing happened to me during my ramble
worthy of remark, but I found on the outskirts of
the village a recua% of mules encamped for the
night. This was a large caravan of four or five
hundred mules belonging to one proprietor, and,
as this mode of transporting goods is of so much
importance in the country, some description of the
manners and customs of the arrieros, or muleteers
will not, I hope, be uninteresting.
* The King's Bridge. + The National Bridge.
$ A "recua" of mules is analogous to a caravan of camels.

*7
Goods for transportation into the country are
packed with several folds of canvass, mats, and
Yucatan wrapper, which forms an excellent defence
against rain : a recua of a hundred mules requires
about a dozen arrieros, who earn from ten to
twenty dollars per month, and they are, without
exception, the most laborious class in the country.
At daylight they load their mules, and generally
begin their journey an hour afterwards, and con
tinue travelling till .about five in the evening,
moving, at most, three miles an hour on good roads,
thus performing journeys of about thirty miles a
day. The arrieros are on foot the greater part of
the day, being continually employed in arranging
and tightening the cargoes, which, owing to the
ill-contrived packsaddles used by them, are con
stantly liable to get out of order. In case of acci
dent, they always have with them a number of
spare mules, for it is rarely that they make a
journey without two or three breaking down.
Several of the mules are loaded with articles neces
sary for their encampment at night, such as grind
stones for maize to make their tortillas, ropes,
pikes, stools, and- one or two trunks belonging to
the leaden The recua is led on by a white horse
with a bell round his neck, the mules 'are suffered
to follow, quite loose, and they seldom stray far
from the horse with the bell. They eat nothing
during the day, excepting the scanty picking which
the road side affords them, but- every night they are
well fed with maize, and in parts where there is

28
good pasture, and no fear of robbers, they are let
loose "'to graze. On arriving at their destination
for the night, the labour is distributed amongst the
several parties. - The office of some is to unload, .
whilst others are employed in piling the bales in
order, and protecting them with a roof of tarpawling,
elevated to an angle above, sloping downwards on
each side, and fixed in the ground with pikes, in the
manner of tents ; and this is Called "the dtato ; others
erect their portable troughs to contain maize for
fifty mules, the mules being closely jammed together,
twenty-five on each side of the trough; and one man
is employed in crushing maize and baking the tor
tillas for their own suppers.
They were in the midst of these occupations
when I discovered them at Puente. When all these
dispositions are made, their supper of frijoles, tor
tillas, and pulque* despatched, a watch is esta
blished for the night, and the rest extend themselves
under the projecting eaves of the xato, and commit
themselves to the care of Morpheus. In case of
an attack from robbers, not very superior ' in
number, they will " show fight." In many instances
robbers have been beaten off; but, as the law does
not make the arrieros strictly responsible for the
goods, they will generally rather yield than go to
extremities. During the time of the Spanish Government, the
security of the roads was extraordinary : millions
* Pultrue is the general drink among all orders ; it is the fermented
juice of the aloes plant or the Agave Americana, but is not common
in the tierra caliente.

29
of specie were always in motion in different parts
of the country, without other safeguard than the
honesty of the arrieros, or a single soldier for form
sake; but, since the revolution, the roads have been
infested with thieves. Escorts are now necessary
everywhere, but particularly between this place
and Mexico, which is infested by a bandit of the
name of Gomez, formerly a colonel in the army,
and an effective soldier against the Spaniards during
the revolution, though rather from his reputation
for cruelty, than from skill in military tactics. He
is now at the head of a chosen troop, well mounted
and well armed. It is but a few days since he
seized the luggage of some Englishmen, and a
large amount of merchandise belonging to an old
Spaniard ; against the latter people his depreda
tions are chiefly directed. But I forget myself,
I am at Puente.
On returning to our quarters, I found a good
dinner had been prepared, consisting of fowls, eggs,
beans, rice, and some excellent fish, caught in the
adjacent river. I found also that my companions
had had the advantage over me during my absence,
for while I was contemplating the little republic of
the xato, they were making their beds on the
tables, benches, and in all the best corners of the
room. I was put to a shift to find a convenient
place to lie down in. I was, however, fortunate
enough to procure a few mats, on which I spread
my coat and blankets, made my pillow of three oir
d2

30
four water, melons I found near me, and barricadoed
the whole with a barrier of saddles, and tubs, to
keep off, if .possible, the dogs, the cats, the rats,
and the fowls, and any other animals that might
annoy me, for they all made common Cause with us^
I slept: as soundly as if my bed had been of down.
On leaving this place the next morning, I dis
covered, for the first time, the famous peaks of
Orizaba and Perote. The clouds were still repos
ing on their bases, arid the snow-capped summit of
the Orizaba reflected the rays of the sun, long be
fore we felt their scorching' touch. The- scene was
truly magnificent. We breakfasted at El Plan del
Rio, a village very similar to El Puente.
There was once a fine causeWay extending nearly
all the way from El Puente to Xalapa, but it was
badly designed^ and is now mostly destroyed by
the summer torrents, some parts however still re
main good.
We rested an hour at the small village of El
Encero, and arrived at this place at about five in
the evening of the second day after our departure
from Vera Cruz, and put up at the Gran Sociedad,*
where I still remain. It is probable I may have
another opportunity of writing to you ere I leave
Xalapa, although I have hitherto been prevented
making many observations. If I should have any
thing worthy of communication, I will resume my
pen ; at present I must attend to other duties, and
remain, &c.
* A meson and coffee-house, literally the Great Society.

31

LETTER V.
Xalapa, 28th May, 1824.
Although I knew the names of several posadas*
in Xalapa, I did not inquire which was the best,
but without hesitation turned in to the Gran So-
ciedad, the name being so imposing ; and I have
remained here contentedly. The name is very
appropriate, for within its walls, at all hours of
the day and the night, there is a, " melange de
toutes sortes de gens.'''' Two brilliant rooms, ice
and coffee rooms, and gambling-rooms, occupy the
ground .floor, and afford amusing and ever varying
specimens of physiognomy, costume, and character,
Tables for breakfast, dinner, and supper, luncheons,
merriendas,^ and chocolate, are spread in the cor
ridor, and protected from the weather by a glass
casement. ,
The kitchen is close at hand, and without doubt
it is the best part of the establishment. i The pre
sent cook is a man of science from Naples,, who
keeps up the character of his countrymen in his
assiduity to serve the English, who.pay well. He
gives us excellent bif tek de mouton, for mouton is
the pride of the land, and, for , aught I know, it
may be excellent when in the fields, but if it be, it
is certainly spoiled in passing through the hands
* A public-house. f Collations taken, in the evening.

32 v
of the butcher, for all the science of the professore
at the Sociedad cannot make it fit to compare with
the worst you get at home.
The lodging-rooms are up stairs. Round the
first floor there is an open corridor, supported by
pillars from the patio. Each room has a door, and
this is as much as can be said, for most of them
have no other admission for light and air; and
none have either fixture or moveable besides. I
was considerably chagrined on perceiving this, for
I had made up my mind that the shaking of my
horse for three days had been sufficient endurance
for my bones, and had not at all calculated upon
their further penance, by lying upon a brick floor.
Fortunately for me, a generous friend sent me
about a score of mats, which raised me a little and
parried the severity of a brick bed. The dirt, too,
was intolerable, though indeed my room was com
paratively clean, for it had been just left by an
Englishman, who told me he had had!Mt well sho
velled, washed, and scowered before he occupied it.
I have had several interviews with General
Guadalupe Victoria, whose name is so prominent
in the history of the revolution. He is at
the present time military chief of the province.
Having understood that he is always glad to see
foreigners who arrive here, the whole of our party
called upon him the day after pur arrival. We
were introduced into the sala ; this room was ele
gantly painted with historical subjects on the walls
and the ceiling; the floor was beautifully marbled,

33
the curtains, pictures, and other furniture, which
are seldom to be seen in this country at all, were
here selected and disposed with the greatest taste.
We waited a, few minutes ere the general appeared.
Victoria appears about the age of thirty-six, of
middle size, and very dark complexion ; his bushy
black whiskers, large black eyebrows, dark and
sunken eyes, and his forehead overshadowed With
•Jong and thick black hair, form a countenance ex
tremely morose and forbidding ; yet, on closer
examination, a smile is to be seen on his lips, and
his eyes have an expression of generosity. He is
a native- of the city of Durango, and was educated
at the> best college in'Mexico. The Wildness of
hi's life, the troops which he has commaiyled, and
the service in which he has been engaged for the
last ten years, will excuse his want of polish. His
aspect is not commanding, nor are his manners at
all dignified, in fact there is little of the general in
his exterior. He bears the character, however, of
an affable j unpretending, humane, and generous
man, and is, beyond all doubt, a sincere patriot.
I found him remarkably inquisitive about the
politics of England and France, anxious to obtain
every information, which he seemed to study and
revolve in his mirtd with deep thought, I fancied
him to be a man of penetration and judgment,
although he is accused of a deficiency in both these
qualities. He politely assured us his house was
our own, and himself our most faithful servant,
and promised us an escort, so soon as some of his

34
troops came in, to protect us against that demi-fiend
Gomez. We left him much pleased with our visit.
Xalapa is delightfully situated, in a highly lux-
riant and romantic country. I greatly regret that
I have not been able to make some excursions
which I had projected, but hope, on some future
day to put my design into execution. The town
itself is not an object of particular attraction ; it is
ill-built, the ground uneven, and the streets conse
quently irregular, but they are kept clean, and
have a lively appearance.
The society here is universally allowed to be the
choicest in Mexico. Among the females, there is
more refinement of manners and accomplishments,
more sterling education, more virtue and beauty
than in any other town in the republic, not except
ing even the capital. This superiority, however,
I imagine, will not long continue, for the conflux
of foreigners, to which the Xalapenas and Vera-
cruzanas have owed their advantage over their
countrywomen, has been hitherto confined to the
coast and its environs, but is now rapidly removing
to Mexico.
Having this moment received a message from
General Victoria, intimating that he will have an
escort ready for our party early to-morrow, I
have, consequently, to make up my despatches for
England, and arrange for my journey without
delay. The present goes with mine of the 25th
instant, by his Majesty's frigate Forte, which has
been unexpectedly detained.— I am, &c.

35

LETTER VI.
La Puebla de los Angeles,
4th June, 1824.
La Puebla de los Angeles, or the Town of the
Angels, is a fine name ; it is, in fact, a magnificent
city, and finely situated on the high road from
Vera Cruz to Mexico ; it is, nevertheless, to use a
vulgar term, quite an out-of-the-way place. It is
equally divested of mercantile and political impor
tance, and is of consequence only to two classes
of men, namely, thieves and priests ; for it is the
head-quarters of both, and (it is so asserted) the
heads ' of the two classes, I mean the bishop and
the capador, as Gomez is called, are intimate and
sworn friends. But more of this anon. I have
fallen in with an English gentleman, who carries a
letter ;of introduction to you, and will be the bearer
of the present.
Our company from Xalapa consisted of two
coaches full, a litter, and several on horseback.
The coaches were occupied by many of our former
party, and an addition of an old Spaniard, with
his wife and two children. I continued my journey
on horseback. Our escort consisted of twenty
soldiers, dressed and armed in a pleasing variety

36
of colours and fashions. The commander claimed
the rank of colonel, but his dress did not in any
respect distinguish him from the meanest of his
soldiers ; his horse and his sabre were both some
what superior, and these alone bespoke his rank.
On entering Xalapa in the evening, I had been
almost wet through with the heavy Scotch mists,
so common in this region, but on leaving it early
in the morning, We had the finest weather imagin
able. The atmosphere Was perfectly clear, and
the clouds rested on the mountains, leaving a serene
sky. As we travelled slowly .up the winding
causeway towards la Joya, we enjoyed, a perpetual
variety of prospects of the . most magnificent.
scenery ; the most romantic ideas my imagination
had formed of the ascent to the table land of
Mexico were now more than realized :.. the' verdure
and luxuriance of the surrounding country, and
the smile of an eternal spring, inspired my mind
with a delight, experienced only by an admirer of
nature. But whenever my attention was drawn
from these enchanting scenes to the inhabitants,
whether on meeting with a gang of Indians carry
ing their burdens to Xalapa, or on arriving at one
of their miserable huts, the charm, encouraged by
my enthusiasm, has. constantly dissolved as before.
-La Joya is a small collection of these huts, not
worthy the name of a village. < The causeway ended
here, and the road became very bad : mud, and
stones, and broken lava were.constant interruptions

37
to the progress of the coaches, the company conse
quently separated, agreeing to reunite at Las Vigas,
about five leagues further. I kept in close com
pany with the colonel of the escort, who was
amusing and , interesting, if you will allow me to
say so, from his profound ignorance of the world,
and the simplicitly of his questions about England,
Englishmen, and Europe in general. Amongst
other absurdities, he boasted of his own humanity
and generosity, as well as that of his government,
in allowing me to keep my head upon my shoulders,
whilst my countrymen would have strangled him
the moment he appeared amongst them'. This
idea I have found to be commonly prevailing,
especially among the soldiers. How we have
merited this character, I leave you to find out, for
I cannot : yet I think we are indebted for it to
the Spaniards, whose policy it has been to create
and foster the greatest hatred against all foreigners,
as the British ^Government did with regard to
Bonaparte and the French nation, when England
had anything to fear from their power. These
absurd notions, of course, do not extend further
than to that class of people who have had no op
portunity of correcting them.
In the region in which Las Vigas is situated* the
inhabitants have found it necessary to plaster their
cane houses with mud : warmth becomes a very
desirable acquisition here. ,

38
From thence to Perote, the country is more level,
and the road tolerable. , As we followed the base
of the Coffre de Perote, we saw several large
haciendas, or farming estates, nearly all destroyed
during the revolutionary wars. ->
At about five in the evening, we arrived at the
Meson of Perote, our day's journey being about
fourteen leagues.
The town of Perote straggles over a large extent
of ground, but it can accommodate comparatively
few inhabitants, the houses having only the ground
floor: and at present it is almost depopulated. A
few of the best houses are whitewashed both without
and within, but by far the greater number are of
bare mud. Here and there, as I rambled through
the streets, I discovered a solitary loom at work ;
their manufacture is a kind of blanket Which the
Leperos,* the Lazzaroni of the country, twist about
their bodies, and which forms the principal part of
their dress. I also fell in with a pulque shop, where
I, for the first time, tasted of this famous liquor ; I
did riot like it, but afterwards I had the consola
tion to find that it was of very inferior quality.
The famous castle of Perote As situated on the
plain at a short distance from the town. I walked
out to see it ; it was here that Yturbide seized a
convoy of three millions of dollars, which the mer
chants at Mexico were sending down to Vera Cruz.
* Lepers, a name of contempt..

39
The bills of lading of this specie are now saleable
as government securities, at about fifty per cent.
discount. The government has acknowledged
them as a national debt, but without fixing either
time or mode of payment.
A word about the meson: a meson in this
country supplies the places of inns and coffee
houses in England ; but, as it differs from them in
some respects, I hope you will not consider it a
useless digression to tell you in what that difference
consists : — In the first place, instead of coffee or tea,
which you take in England, we get chocolate ; and
instead of being attended by a dapper waiter, in
pumps and silk hose, here we wait upon ourselves;
and instead of a good dish of roast beef, served up
in a gilded saloon, we content ourselves with fried
eggs and horse beans, cooked with lard, and per
chance a stewed fowl, which we eat as we may, in
a smoky kitchen. The meson in every country
town is distinguished by its appearance, being
generally the largest building, exceptingthe church,
and cleanly whitewashed on the outside. It is a
square building, inclosing, in its centre, the yard,
fully occupied with coaches, litters, horses, mules,
and men of all descriptions and classes ; it has only
the ground floor, and all the apartments open upon
this yard : the entrance is under an archway, which
is shut up at night by folding doors. On one side
of the entrance under the arch, we generally find
the kitchen, and opposite to it the tienda or shop

40
of all things. Both of these accompaniments are
of the highest consequence to the meson, yet we
often find the former without a cook, and the latter
with empty shelves. In this instance, however, it
was not so, for as we entered, we distinguished
above all the voices and noises of the inhabitants
of the meson yard, that of a scolding cook, " full
of oaths" and business which she could not get
through, for two coaches had arrived just before
us, and the travellers had filled the kitchen, and
entered upon their different amusements, eating,
smoking, teasing the poor cook, or perhaps assist
ing her by fanning the fire and other kindly offices.
This was certainly a bad prospect for us, who had
taken a long ride since breakfast; however, I
hastened with some of my companions to secure a
room, and, having seen our horses provided for,
took the surest means of procuring a dinner, by
squeezing through the crowd up to the kitchen
fire, and making friends with the harrassed cook.
With a good deal of patience, and very good appe
tites, we at length got some hot fried eggs, seasoned
with cayenne pepper, some frixoles, and some bad
bread. With more time and notice, the cook
assured us she could have procured us some mutton.
On my return to our bed-room, I found the
servant, whom we had left in charge, fast asleep,
and a. mule' stationed in the middle of it. This
will appear ludicrous to you, but it was consonant
with every thing around us, and the appearance

41
of the floor testified that he, was not the first tres
passer of his kind. The walls had once been
plastered and whitewashed, but time, had stripped
all off, and laid bare the native mud. There had
also once been a table in the room, but it had
broken down, and its wreck was piled in one corner :
in two other corners there were built solid brick
squares for the accommodation of the travellers'
mattresses, if they are fortunate enough to possess
any, I had none ; besides these, there was not an
article of furniture. It Was, perhaps, fortunate
rather than otherwise, that we had only the minia,
ture resemblance of a rush-light, for, no doubt, the
darkness concealed from us an abundance of filth.
Yet, even here, we slept tolerably well, for by the
time a traveller arrives at Perote, he is pretty well
seasoned to such privations.
With an expectation, almost amounting to cer
tainty, of meeting the notorious bandit, Gomez,
we set out the next morning ; the gpod folks at the
meson used their influence to detain us, but we
would not be frightened intp another night at
Perote : we left the Spaniards, who were afraid to
come on.
We travelled slowly over the flat uncultured
plain of Tepeyagualco, covered with ruined haci
endas. Here I had an opportunity of witnessing
the remarkable optical deception, rriirage. It was
the appearance of a lake of water, receding as we
approached, and at length vanishing altogether.
e 2

42
The distance from Perote to Tepeyagualco is
about seven leagues. On our arrival, we took up'
our quarters in the same room with our host, his
wife, and four children.
We left this place at five o'clock next morning,
and, as we made our sortie at the extremity of the
village, we had just light enough to observe its
ruinous and bewildered appearance. 1 also re
marked, in its neighbourhood, great quantities of
the maguey plants, for here we enter the pulque
land. Until sunrise, we were enveloped in the thick
clouds which had rested upon the earth during the'
night: as the sun appeared, they gradually dissi
pated, and we found that we were still travelling
over a flat and waste plain. The Peak of Orizaba
continued visible during most of .the day.
We had changed our escort at Tepeyagualco,
and the change was certainly for the better, for
these, although very badly clothed, were orderly
and tolerably well disciplined ; they were a com
pany from Yturbide's favourite regiment. The
officers were little superior in information to our
former colonel; their questions about England/
its government, and its religion, were equally
absurd. The monotony of the road was a little relieved
by our now and then meeting with ruined villages
and haciendas. At about noon, we arrived at El
ojo del Agua, or the Spring, consisting of a meson
tod a few miserable dwellings, which take their

43
name from a warm spring in the neighbourhood :
seven leagues from Tepeyagualco.
In two hours we reached Nopaluca, which is
about three leagues further, and were prevailed
upon to rest there for the night, hearing frightful
accounts of thieves, murders, and crosses, on the
neighbouring mountains, and particularly in the
forest of pines, called the Pinal, through which
we should have to pass. I everywhere noticed that
these people are very forward in giving dreadful
accounts of the country, frequently they would
scarcely consent to our continuing our journey for
fear, almost, we should be eaten up by the thieves ;
and although these apprehensions prevail almost
everywhere, I believe they are generally without
foundation. Some years ago, accidents happened
frequently, but we hear of few now ; be excepted,
however, the capador, whose depredations against
all European Spaniards have continued unabated
for several years. I, notwithstanding, very readily
agreed to pass the night in Nopaluca, in preference
to the Pinal. In consequence of this arrangement,
we had a longer season of rest, and were better
prepared to face the expected dangers of the en
suing day.
In the morning we sallied from our place of
shelter and repose, and entered the forest of pines
and oaks. We made every preparation for an
attack, but we had not that satisfaction, the only
persons we met were a group of Indians, devoutly

44
carrying heavy crosses, barefooted, in penance for
some supposed sin. The road through the wood
affords specimens of very romantic scenery, but it
is very heavy travelling : we passed a coach that
had broken down.
At Acajete, I again, tasted the pulque, and found
it excellent, being new and free from the foetid
smell which it acquires with age, and which is a
proof of its strength.
Amossoque, the next town, about three leagues.
from Acaxete, is the prettiest place on this side
Xalapa. It possesses several good churches, and
a fine square. , It is about the same distance from
Puebla. As we approach Puebla, the prospect is very
grand; it lies over a fine, extended plain of highly ;
rich and fertile land, covered with numberless
haciendas and villages, with the city in the midst;
the whole is crowned with a large ridge of moun
tains, of which the snowy tops of the Popocatepetl,;
and the Iwtatsahuatl are the principal and most
commanding objects. The Indians, with their
empty panniers and baskets, and their asses freed
from their burdens, filled the road as we approached,
nearer the city. We put up at the Meson del
-Christo, a miserable place, but the best.
The city of Puebla is magnificently built on" a
level foundation, and with the greatest regularity ;
the houses have generally but one story above
the-iground floor, though many have two: the

45
huts in the suburbs are built of mud, and are
inhabited by tribes of villains, well known to be
such ; in fact, their character for villany of all
sorts is well established throughout the country,
and I understand Queretaro enjoys the same re
putation ; undoubtedly it is in a great degree
deserved. It is also remarked, that in both these
cities, although there are many rich families,
there are few or none that may be termed respect
able: education is at the lowest ebb, and the morals
vicious. At the same time, these are the two prin
cipal, and we may say, the only two manufacturing
towns in the country, where the people are well
employed, and where business and industry are
very apparent ; the causes of this it would be in
teresting to investigate; but that I leave to others.
The manufactures of Puebla are numerous;
they are, in general, rude, yet they have sup
plied, and in a great measure continue to Supply,
the consumption of the country. The principal
branch is cotton, which they spin and weave into
a stout strong calico : they have not attained the
art of bleaching, and this cloth is consumed in the
gray. Glass and earthenware are next in import
ance, and some of their specimens are beautiful
and clever ; they copy the style of the Chinese. ,
They have also print works of importance. Hats
for the Arrieros and Indians are generally pur
chased here. The manufacture of leather is also
good, but inferior to that of some other places.

46
Besides some of these establishments, I believe
there is nothing worth a visit but the cathedral,
and that, for splendour, riches, and elegance, sur
passes every other in the country.* I witnessed a
procession, in honour, I believe, of St. Anthonys
to the cost of my marrow-bones ; it was attended
with all the buffoonery, but nothing of the splen
dour and attractiveness of those I have witnessed
in Italy ; yet this was excessively thronged, so
abject is the prostration of the minds of these de
luded people, under the influence of priestcraft-
I was glad to escape from the crowd, on over
hearing them mutter "judio, hereje,""-^ &c, which
in this country, has been the precursor of martyr
dom by stoning.— Yours, &c.
* It would require a volume to describe the riches of this church ;
so far as I can judge, there is not a church in Italy, or probably even
in Europe, with such an amount of gold, silver,, and precious stones.
¦J- Jew, heretic, infidel, Protestant, daemon, are all synonymous
terms in Mexican Spanish, if not in Castilian.

47

LETTER VII.
Mexico, 7th June, 1824.
We left Puebla on the 5th instant, in a large
company, our party having been joined by several
travellers from Orizaba and Oaxaca, and some
from Puebla ; in short, we mustered eight coaches
well filled, and nine on horseback, besides the
escort, which consisted of thirty men. In this
body we left Puebla at about nine o'clock in the
morning, and directed our course towards the snow
capped mountains of Popocatepetl andlxtaxahuatl ;
at the foot of the latter lies the road to Mexico,
Leaving the famous city and Teocalli* of Cho-
lula to the left, we travelled over a fine country,
better cultivated than any I had yet seen, enjoying
the sublime prospect of the tremendous ridge of
volcanic mountains which separate the valley of
Puebla from that of Mexico.
At three o'clock we arrived at San Martin, a
journey of about eight leagues. The coaches were
driven rapidly along when the road was good ; the
Mexican postilions, dislike slow movements, and
it will be the fault of the mules, if we have to com
plain of the tardiness of our progress. There are
* See Humboldt for a minute account of these Indian temples.

48
ten mules to each coach, two are harnessed to the
pole, and one of them mounted by a postilion ;
five mules precede these, and three leaders, with
another postilion make up the complement. When
a rich family, or party travel, they have a change
of mules which run loose by the side of the coach.
The body is large and commodious, shaped like
our old-fashioned hackneys, but the frame and
hanging of them are very different ; the wheels are
twice the size of ours, and fixed at the four cor
ners of a strong frame, measuring about twelve
feet by nine. ' This size is necessary for its secu
rity, and is pulled with safety over rocks and
falls, where ours would inevitably be dashed to
pieces. The springs consist simply of the strong
straps by which the body of the coach is hung to
the frame, and which answer the purpose very
well. At San Martin we got a comfortable lodging in
a private house; it is a straggling mud-built
town, thinly populated : we found the inhabitants
more polite in their address and manners than most
we had hitherto seen, and they are certainly unde
serving of any opprobrium, which the circumstance
of its being the native place of Gomez may throw
upon them. There are several mesones, but they
are all in a wretched condition.
We set out again at six in the morning, and
continued travelling over a fine country, until
we entered the forest of pines at the Puente de

49
Tesmeluca. The peculiar situation of this spot is
such, that a handful of men might stop the march
of an army ; hence it is called the " Malpaso,'1'' or
bad passage, though I believe it may claim a right
to its name from its being notoriously the resort of
robbers. For the latter reason, we remained the
night at San Martin, although we might with ease
have reached this place.
Rio Frio bears the same character, and certainly
both these situations, in the midst of the forest,
are very convenient for thieves. Rio Frio, so
called from a rivulet which runs through it, consists
of three or four large houses on a spot of clear
land: it well deserves its name from its intense
.coldness. The mountains are covered with magnificent
pine trees ; Humboldt tells us, that the King of
Spain sent to have the finest of them cut for his
navy yard, and that they were never taken away ;
they still remain to rot.
After descending three Or four leagues, we came
in sight of the valley of Mexico. Unfortunately,
the city is concealed; the prospect is neverthe
less grand beyond description, and strikes the
European traveller with peculiar force. The
foreground of the picture is the woody declivity
of the mountain we were descending, through
which the winding road is discovered, and the
Venta de Cordova on an eminence. The valley is
interspersed with innumerable villages and haci-

50
endas ; the extensive marshes and swamps, covered
with long and thick grass and rushes, appeared in
the distance like luxuriant meadows, and green
corn ; the canals, and part of the lakes of Chalco
and Tescuco relieve the landscape; remarkable
volcanic mountains, of a conical form, rise sud
denly in the plain ; it is behind one of these that
the golden city is hidden. The view is bounded
by the distant mountains of Awusco, almost con
founded with the clouds.
The Venta de Cordova is a solitary, dirty meson,
of suspicious character.
We reached Ayotla just before dark, and al
though we were so near the capital, we passed
the night most miserably. At about a league
from Ayotla, we entered upon a raised causeway
which conducted us in a straight line to the gates
of Mexico.
The first object of the city, -which we discerned
at a distance, was the cathedral, elevated consi
derably above all the other buildings. It appeared
to be at most two or three miles distant, and we
unanimously urged on our worn-out horses, ele
vated with the thoughts of arriving in half an hour ;
but I measured, by my watch, mile after mile, and
still the cathedral appeared to be no nearer. And
I found I had counted three leagues, ere we entered
the gates. This annoying deception arises from
the perfect flatness of the country, and the absence
of any object to intercept the view.

51
We had little difficulty" at the Garita,* and
arrived at about ten o'clock at the Gran Sociedad,
the most tolerable inn I have met with in the
country, but bearable only for a couple of days.
Having brought you to the city of Mexico, my-
present letter comes to its conclusion ; in about a
month I hope to resume my task, and to prove
more interesting to you than I have hitherto been,
on a barren subject, which always fails of affording
interest. — I remain, &c.
* Garita, the gate where the custom-house establishment is.

52

LETTER VIII.
Mexico, 10th July, 1824.
I have deferred, till now, the continuation of my
letters, in order that I might be the better able to
do justice to your expectations.
The entrance to Mexico, by the Vera Cruz gate,
is not calculated to realize the high expectations
we naturally form of the Golden City. The coup
d'osil, however, on turning the corner to the Calle
del Arxdbispado, is such as at once to convince us
that fame has not proclaimed too loudly its magni
ficence and grandeur. This street is wide, and the
buildings are for the most part of stone ; it con
ducts to the great square, which is embellished by
the fronts of the National Palace and the Cathedral,
and in the centre stands the colossal bronze statue
of Charles IV.*
When I first entered Mexico, and had arrived
thus far, filled with admiration, I was surprised at
a sudden silence which in an instant pervaded
* This statue has since been removed.

53
every living object. The coaches of our party
stopped ; the horsemen checked their steeds, and
looked around with an appearance of alarm ; the
dogs ceased their barking, and the children their
crying; the leperos no longer vociferated their
para la tarde ;* all nature might have undergone a
sudden revolution : I thought of an earthquake,
but felt none, and I heard nothing but the tinkling
of a night-bell ; the effect was instantaneous. I
had checked my horse from an instinctive impulse,
or from the effect of example, and at length
recovered presence of mind to turn towards
one of my fellow travellers on horseback, an old
Gachupin,-\- for the purpose of ascertaining the
meaning ,of this strange event. He was leaning
forward on his saddle, with one hand on the
pummel, holding the tightened reins, the other
had taken hold of his hat, and was descending
slowly with it from his head : his countenance,
expressive of great attention 4nd anxiety, -fine
sparkling eyes, overshadowed by his bent eye
brows, a fine Roman nose, and noble profile, formed
a picture of the deepest interest : I asked him, for
his life^ what was the matter. For a moment he
did not answer, but the next instant he exclaimed,
" Bios, su Majestad, inquese, homhre, inquese .'"{
* Explained hereafter.
f G-achupin is an appellation of contempt given to European Spaniards
by the Creoles.
£ God, hi» Majesty, kneel, man, kneel !
F2

54
descending at the same time from his horse and
falling upon his. knees. I was startled at this, and
on turning my head, saw all the world in the same
posture, and almost trembling with fear I no longer
hesitated to comply with the Spaniard's injunc
tion, and instantly was on my marrow bones. In
this situation I had time to collect my ideas, and
I discovered that a coach had just appeared in the
square, surrounded by burning candles and lan
terns, and that it was slowly approaching towards
us, preceded by a man with a hand bell, which
proved to be the same I recollected to have heard
during the whole of this pantomime. That this
was the object of the people's veneration, and that
it was some religious procession, was now evident.
As it passed slowly by, I perceived within, a priest
with a long face, having his hands crossed on his
breast, and two boys holding lighted candles.
They were carrying the host for the purpose of
administering ex&eme unction to some person
on his .deathbed. I thought that the slow pace
at which the procession moved, was hardly com
patible with such an emergency, yet so it is.
At all events, the mystery was explained, for the
law of the church is, that so long as the bell is
heard, hats must be off, all business and motion
cease, and that, so long as , the coach is in sight,
every body must remain on their knees, and two
soldiers follow the coach to enforce it. The

55
English, or heretics, must do the same as the rest.
Some who have imprudently refused to conform,
have lost their hats, and had stones thrown at
them : we are now, however, able to distinguish
the awful bell at a distance, and we seldom allow
ourselves to be, caught by it. There are some of
the natives, and many Spaniards, who, although
compelled to follow these imperious customs, think
for themselves, and grudge the time thus wasted :
of this class was my friend the Gachupin.
I think an Englishman cannot come to Mexico,
without receiving a powerful impression, if I
may so call it, of cheerfulness and gaiety, inspired
by a beautiful sky and clear atmosphere, and the
pleasing serenity of every object around him : it
was so at least with me.
You are already aware that the streets are all
built in direct lines ; with very few exceptions, we
can trace them in an extended and beautiful per
spective to the extremity of the city, and the view
is then terminated by the mountains which sur
round the plain on every side. The houses are
mostly of two stories in height, and all the win
dows are ornamented with balconies. They are
either stuccoed or painted, and their flat, ter
raced, and turretted roofs give them an elegant
appearance. A frequent recurrence of extensive
palaces, with highly-finished exteriors, and visible
at a distance, adds greatly to the beauty of the

56
streets. Some few of the numerous churches and
convents are also ornamental, but, in general, they
tend to disfigure the view rather than otherwise.
The shops afford very little show; the only
tradesmen who evince any ambition to shine in this
way are the butchers and the soap-dealers, who
decorate their establishments with flags, garlands,
coloured paper, fringe, and everything of a gaudy
nature that they can invent. The drapery and
millinery shops have no other ornament than well
garnished shelves, and apicture of a virgin or some
patron saint. They have no windows, two or three
doors being at once admission for the light, the
air, the dust, and the customer.
Both sides of the streets are well flagged ; and
under these flags run the common sewers. In
the centre of the street there is also an open sewer
or drain, but they are now about covering this
with flags.
At about ten o'clock the innumerable carriages
begin to move, and continue incessantly until ten
at night ; and from the same hour m the morning,
till sunset, horses, with the stately pace called the
sobre paso, constantly parade the streets, the riders.
being dressed in all the luxury of the country
fashion. Every family of moderate respectability keeps
one or two coaches, and two pairs of mules. The
expense is about eight hundred to a thousand dot.

57
lars per annum. One of them is always ready
harnessed in the patio, although they are some
times not called for once in a week. The form of
the coach bodies is very handsome ; they are fan
cifully, though not tastefully decorated with draw
ings, the subjects of which are generally Heathen
mythology, battles, or water pieces : this taste is,
however, getting out of fashion, and the coaches
now built, are not disfigured with it. The furni
ture is richly carved and gilded, and similar in prin
ciple to those we met with on the road from Xalapa,
though somewhat less clumsy. The coachman
rides one of the mules, leaving the view before the
carriage uninterrupted: the appearance tout en
semble, with the mules so far a-head, is ungraceful
to an English eye, accustomed to the neatness of
an English carriage. For ease and security, how
ever, nothing can surpass them.
The equipment of a charro, the name given to
an amateur of the national dress of both himself
and his horse, is very curious, and well worth
making a drawing of. With the assistance of the
accompanying sketch, and the following explana
tion, you will form a pretty correct idea of the
man and horse. I will begin at the top.
The sombrero is a low hat, with a wide brim, in
the style of the Quakers, made of wool, dyed
brown, green, black, or grey ; the shade is lined
with gold lace ; the band is a thick cord of gold,
terminating in a gold tassel, which plays upon the

58
brim. The neck is generally left open, or con
fined with a very small cravat, or a black ribbon.
A round jacket is worn, commonly made of printed
calico, but since cloth has become cheap, (about fifty
shillings a yard,) it is preferred ; it is richly em
broidered with silk braiding, gold lace, and fur.
The waistcoat is not very particular. The breeches
are of cloth or velveteen, supported by a band of
canton crape, terminating in a, gold, tassel; the
seams are concealed under embroidery, gold lace, •
and bell buttons ; they open just above the knee,
in order to exhibit, what they are the most proud
of, the botas. They are also lined in the seat,
with buck or goat skin, which makes them more
durable, and in some measure diminishes the great
extravagance of the dress. The botas are strong
buck skins, richly embossed and carved, with re
presentations of fancy figures, flowers, and Chinese
scenery. They are folded with great pains round
each leg, and tied under the knees with a beautiful
silk garter, terminating with a gold tassel. A
higher ton still, is to have these botas also em
broidered with gold and silver; they are very
heavy for wear, but protect the legs well, and
afford so firm a hold on the saddle, that with them
it would be difficult to fall. The common Wel
lington boots are generally worn, but the true
charro prefers the winged boots, which leave the
ancle at liberty, and protect his botas from the
dirt ; these are frequently lined with green velvet,

59
and richly bound. The spurs are enormous things*
weighing about a pound each, rude chains and
clumsy iron bars bind it to the foot, the rowels
are frequently four inches in diameter; three
inches is a common size. The manga comes
above all : this is a cloak made of cloth of a fine
blue or purple colour, with a hole in the centre, for
the head to pass through ; it is about ten feet long
by five broad, the four corners are sometimes
rounded off: gold and embroidery are lavishly
expended in the centre and at the edges, in the
form of flowers and flourishing devices ; but as it
would, when put on, entirely conceal the magnifi*
cent dress underneath, it is in general thrown round
the seat, both ends hanging on the left side of the
horse; or one arm is put through the head-hole,
and the rich embroidery thus completely extended,
and exposed to view.
The horse's equipment is not less remarkable.
His forehead is decorated with a thick fur,, which
overshadows his eyes, and, when well matched in
colour with a highly spirited horse, it gives him a
noble appearance. The bridle, although loaded
with silver, is ugly, and far from affording the
elegance of the double reins used in England ; the
bit is .excessively heavy, hence arises the great faci
lity with which the most spirited horses are ma
naged by their riders. The saddle is of the highest
importance, for, nine times out of ten, it costs much
more than the horse. I was shown one which cost

60
upwards of two thousand dollars;* while the horse
which wore it might be worth about a hundred : it
belonged to the Marquis of Vivanco. The fashion
is evidently Moorish, introducedby the Moors into
Spain, and from thence it has crossed the Atlantic.
The pummel is an elevated knob, sometimes orna
mented with a lion's head in brass or silyer ; the
high back is bound with silver or gold. Some few
are even studded with precious stones. The seat
is a cushion covered with a case of skin or leather;
this case is divided into several parts, and extends
from the horse's shoulders and neck, covering his
sides, his back, and his rump, and bordered with
small steel or silver ornaments, which beat against
his legs, and tinkle like so many bells. This is
also an article of great luxury in the equipment,
the finest of them are of rich sable, finished with
an abundance of rich embroidery ; others, and
those which certainly look the best, are of black
bear-skin ; the most common are of stout leather,
embossed, carved, or embroidered. At the pum
mel, the urmas de agua,\ two undressed calf or
goat skin's, are hung \ these are kept there, because
the dress would not be considered complete with
out them, but are of use only when it rains ; they
are then spread over the legs of the rider, and are
a good defence frjom a passing shower, but an
hour's heavy rain would Wet them through. A
sabre is also fixed at the pummel of the saddle,
" £400 sterling. + Water arms.

61
passing under the left knee of the rider. The
stirrups are cut out of blocks of wood, ingeniously
carved, and these are covered with the guardapies,f
pieces of skin or leather to protect*the foot from
rain or mud. The interior of the saddle is of rude
workmariship, and very liable to injure the horse.
While I am upon the subject of dress, I will
give you a sketch and a passing remark or two
upon that of the ladies, with which indeed I ought
to have commenced in preference. When I came
out early in the morning, I found them already
going to mass : after this religious ceremony and
duty is over, (and it must be performed every day,)
they very rarely walk in the streets. The most
devout go to mass before breakfast, the more idle
at any hour before noon. Their shopping is done
on foot,- but their calls always in the carriage.
Their dress for mass, shopping, and visits is uni
formly the same ; a black sarcenet dress, white silk
stockings, and coloured satin shoes ; some few, of
more taste than the rest, wear black shoes, but the
stockings are invariably white. The shawl, or veil,
called mantilla*, is of black taffetan in the centre,
bordered all round with broad black blond lace, and
in the front, a large black lace veil descends to the
middle of the body. This veil is an essential part
of the dress; in fact, by the quality of the man
tilla we can easily distinguish the quality of the
wearer ; it is worn down, by the very devout, the
* foot guards.

62
very bashful, and the very ugly; those of more
taste or beauty fold the veil on the head, allowing
only the ends to fall on the neck and shoulders^
thus leaving the face exposed, without fear of spoil
ing or injuring their complexions. A bonnet is
never worn, of any shape or description,— except , by
one lady, as I observed to my friend who accom
panied me, as a carriage passed rapidly, with two
footmen behind, and an elderly female head ap
peared at the sash, with a large straw bonnet on,
inclining upwards over, the left eye, which seemed
to court attention. She is the relict of the last
viceroy, Odonaju, is very ambitious for distinc
tion and expects a move from every person she
meets, particularly Englishmen, of whom she has
a favourable opinion. She wears that curious bon
net on all occasions and in all places; she orders
her coachman to drive faster than the plebeians
are accustomed to, and places two footmen be
hind. The ladies here are not more independent than
they are at home ; in the morning, when in the
mantilla and saya, they may walk in the streets^
without being accompanied by one of the other sex,
but it would be considered highly indecorous to
walk in the evening in a coloured dress, without a
cavalier : they generally, however, even in the
morning, take a servant or child with them for the
sake of company ; and I must inform you that
servants are treated with the same courtesy and

63
deference which is due to equals ; they walk by
the side of their mistresses, chatting and smoking
together, mutually furnishing each other with cigars
or fire, and their tastes and opinions are mutually
consulted and accommodated in the purchases they
make; notwithstanding, the servant is generally an
ignorant Indian, who never had ambition to seek
information or improvement of her mind, and who
knows not how to respect her superiors, or be
grateful for favours.
A resident in the capital knows little of the In
dians : their history forms an object of very little
curiosity among the Creole Spaniards, and little
information is to be obtained from them respecting
their real state in their tribes, or even in the vil
lages inhabited by them, where the influence of
the whites is sufficiently removed, to leave them
liberty to develop their national character. A re
search of this nature would be highly interesting :
Humboldt, as far as he has gone, is very correct in
his accounts of them. In the' towns, and under the
immediate influence of the whites, we see them in a
situation and character very different from what is
really their own. Still, in this character,, a short
description will be interesting to you, and I will tell
you what we see of them in Mexico.
Their principal business here appears to be
idleness and intoxication, until hunger calls them
into action ; they then hire themselves to the neigh
bouring haciendas, or to the lowest employments

64
in town, bring to market, fruits, vegetables, and
flowers : their gains last theni but a day. They
will bear the greatest privations and hardships,
and never tire at work when forced to it; they'
desire no better fare than their tortillas, chile, and
pulque, and bare mud walls with a mat to lie on.
Many of them, undoubtedly, are industrious and
careful, and have learned some trade, such as those
of masons, carpenters, shoemakers, and even tailors,;
in which they evince as much capacity and under-,
standing as the whites. The Indians may be
easily distinguished by their nakedness, wearing
only small leather breeches and sandals, with a
blanket over their shoulders ; by their bright cop
per colour, round face, stupid countenance, black
dull eyes wide apart, beardless cheek, uncroppeds
black hair ; their filthiness ; and, if in motion, byi
a peculiar jog trot they always go at, with an in-1
fant or a hamperjpn their backs. The women>havet!
their heads uncovered, wear a loose cotton jacket,'
and petticoats of home manufacture ; their features'
and expression of countenance are bad, and they
are, without exception, the ugliest race of women •¦
I ever saw. After fifteen they begin to look aged*
and at thirty, almost monsters of ugliness*; an ex- •
ception would be considered a phenomenon. Theirx
market cries, meant for Spanish, are as extraordi
nary and unintelligible as those of London. A
common vice among the women, and to which they
have an extraordinary propensity, is quarrelling

65
and fighting, at which they are very furious, with
knives or stones in their fists, and children on their
.backs; but certainly the characteristic of both
sexes is drunkenness ; at all times of the day, from
eight in the morning till the same hour at night,
the carcases of drunken Indians are lying in the
streets, in all parts of the town, and particularly
near the pulquerias, in much the same situation
as the one I described to you at Alvarado.
These people are, however, far from being the
greatest nuisance of the town ; the effects of their
idleness, quarrels, and drunkenness are confined to
themselves, for those whose senses might be sup
posed liable to be affected, are so accustomed to
these scenes, that they pass without noticing them.
The class of people most to be apprehended, are
the mixt, partaking at once of the laziness of the
Indian, and the superior cunning of the white.
These gain a miserable livelihood by cheating,
theft, and every species of vice. They are very
numerous in every town, and are distinguished by
the honourable title of Lepers, which is certainly
very appropriate. Their only clothing is cotton
drawers, and a coarse blanket thrown round their
shoulders ; and most of them have no habitations.
Many of them hawk about the streets sundry arti
cles for sale, of which ten parts out of twelve are
probably stolen. The employment of a large
number is the selling of lottery tickets ; four or
five will station themselves at the corner of every
g2

66
street, whilst others pursue their trade as they
walk, all crying with an incessant and annoy
ing song, El ultimo billetito de Sor San Jose que
me ha quedado para la tarde* The lotteries are
put under the patronage of the virgin or some
other' saint, and every one buys of that one in
whose saint he has most confidence. It has been
remarked, that the lottery cries form a feature in
the character of Mexico, their constancy certainly
makes them striking to every' stranger.
While my friend and I were making the above
observations, we were traversing the beautiful
streets in the neighbourhood of the Gran Sociedad
and the Profesa Church and Convent ; we turned
into the Portal de Mercaderes, (Merchants' Por
tico,) from the Calle de los Plateros.
This portal is Mexico in miniature. Here I
found a collection of all the classes and characters
I had before observed. The dress of the rich
Spanish merchant, standing at his warehouse door,
is similar in fashion to what is worn in Europe,
but his coat is very badly made, very old, and very
shabby. Here, too, were the shopkeepers full of
business, in their print jackets, without hats ; the
charro, in the luxury of the country dress ; the
muleteers, clad in leather ; the Indian, with his
hamper on his back, trotting through the crowd.;
and the leper, with his blanket and half concealed
¦ * The last ticket of our Lord Saint Joseph (or other saint) which I
, have left for this evening',s lottery, with a long emphasis on the last
woid.

67
rusty sword ; and the fine lady with her servant,
and paper cigar. All these were promiscuously
mixed together with all the independence and ob
stinate elbows of republican equality. As they
moved to and fro, no one appeared to make room
for his neighbour ; the cold reservedness of each,
in fact an incivility in their manners, is worse than
the cold je ne sgais quoi which the Frenchman so
justly complains of on visiting England. All the
pillars, and the space between the doors of the
houses, were occupied by stalls, where men, women,
and children carried on their little trades in trinkets.
From the Portal, we crossed the street and en
tered the Parian, a bazaar, where all the retail
business is done. It is a square building of about
a hundred and twenty yards, divided into uniform
compartments by two principal cross streets, and
others subdividing it into something in the form
of a labyrinth. The whole is occupied by shops,
laid open by three, four, or five doors, but without
windows. If there is the least space between any
of the doors, it is invariably occupied by a stall.
They have generally only the ground floor, with
rooms in the roof for stores, and are well furnished
with shelves, on which the goods are fancifully as
sorted. In a room behind, the bales and larger
commodities are kept. The several entrances to
the Parian are provided with strong gates, and
watchmen both inside and outside, and property
to any amount is left to their charge in perfect

68
security ; they are opened at eight in the morning,
and shut at dusk.
The system oitraspaso (transfer) is carried to a
great extent here. Some of the best shops, on being
let, will bring to the last tenant, for good will, ten,
or even twenty thousand dollars. The origin of
this, both in shops and houses, was a demand for
the value of fixtures, wall paintings) and improve
ments, placed at the expense of the tenant, who,
when he left, thus transfered them to his successor:
t— by degrees, the demand for central situations
became so great, that these enormous premiums
were given, to induce a tenant to leave; and they are
estimated by every tenant as real property, which
he can realize whenever he leaves the situation.
The fixtures are not generally worth more than
three or four hundred dollars. The rents are from\
twenty to upwards^of a hundred dollars per month*!
Now that we are on the subject, we will take a
rapid review of the commerce of Mexico. Five
English and two American houses comprise, the
whole of the foreign establishments, and nearly the
whole of the importations are made through their
hands, — they, consequently, are called first handsj
and, being so few in number, might easily . com
mand the trade according to their own wishes, did
they act in concert ; but never was there a colony?
how small soever, in which there were not some
schisms and disagreements, and so it is here.
Their principal sales are made to the Portal mer-

69
chants, who are men of large capital, and generally
old Spaniards, who were merchants under the
ancient system of monopoly, and are now the few
who have had the good sense and talent to turn
with the times, and employ their capital to advan
tage, under the new system of free trade. These
men endeavour to keep a large assortment of all
kinds of goods, so that no customer may go away
unserved ; they supply the Parian, and the country
trade, allowing credits, and have their own agents
in the interior also.
In the country trade Ihey have hitherto had a
partial monopoly, which has been very lucrative,
but the foreigners are extending their business,
and the country people find their way to the first
hands in Mexico, so that the. Spaniards cannot
long expect any very brilliant results from it. The
foreigners also supply the retailers in town to a
great extent, cutting off a large share of the Portal
business, their not allowing long credits^ alone
prevents their securing the whole.
In general, the character of the merchants for
good faith is but equivocal ; they talk a great deal
about their punctuality and honour, and this is at
once a proof that it is not a matter of course, that
they are either punctual or honourable. There
are many amongst them, nevertheless, whose word
may be credited, and whose honour may be relied:
on to the utmost. Yet the maxim followed by the
foreign merchant on his arrival, is to take every

70
man for a rogue till he finds him a man of honour,
and he is perfectly authorized in this precaution;
by the example of the people themselves, who deal
with each other with the greatest distrust. Brokers
are employed in every negociation, and in case of
a dispute, their decision is law. The contractor,
after this, dares not refuse to fulfil his contract
altogether, but by shuffling and chicanery he may
gain considerable advantages, against which there
can be no safeguard, but the honour of those we
deal- with. On the whole, however, considering
how much the foreigners are exposed, and left in
the power of the native merchants, they have had
very little to complain of in their conduct, beyond
the petty and shabby advantages which they have
sometimes detected. Two instances only of exten
sive fraud have reached my knowledge. Many5
European nations would be found much worse on
this score, if their commercial character were
scrutinised. Until now, it has been difficult to make returns
to England for goods, there have been few bills of
exchange in which the merchants have had confi-;
dence, and specie costs upwards of ten per cent.
to be placed in London. Cochineal is scarce and
high priced, and there is yet no other produce that
can be exported. However, the Mining Companies
are now making their establishments, and will have
to draw on London to begin their works ; these
and the Government, who will shortly begin to

71
draw for the loan contracted in London, will afford
ample returns for a while, and render the transac
tion of business with England more simple and
steady. The profits made in the trade are some
times very large, but at others, the charges and the
heavy duties frequently eat up the whole proceeds
of the gppds, and not only leave nothing to return
to England, but even a balance against the shipper.
An account of sales and charges of some goods,
which cost in London i?457, was shown to me by
one of the merchants here : he sold the whole
for 5,890 dollars ; the charges amounted to 5,836
dollars, which left a balance of 54 dollars to be re
mitted to London, or about 4?11 for i?457 ; and
if the commissions had been charged, the London
merchant would have had to pay about .£100 more !
On the other hand, I have in my possession an in
voice of^80, for which £1,660 were returned to
England, being a profit of two thousand and
seventy-five per centum; these, however, are ex
tremes. The custom-house regulations are very
oppressive, and the duties enormous : a piece of
printed eottpns, costing in Manchester, say eight
shillings short price, pays twenty-four shillings
duty ;.* other charges are about eight shillings more,
so that it must sell for forty shillings to save the
manufacturer from loss : in such a trade, the utmost
caution and most precise information are necessary 4
* In October, 1824, the duties on the same piece of print amounted
to thirty shillings, at which rate it has since remained.

72
Besides British and foreign goods, which are to
be found in every variety, the Parian is supplied
With domestic manufactures, which consist chiefly
of leather and skins, sombreros, saddlery, cotton and
woollen piece goods, from Puebla and Queretaro,
indigo blue prints on British and East India cali
coes, and the very important article called the
rebozo. These articles are offered for sale in all
shapes; the leather for the equipment of the
splendid payo and the humble muleteer, in the
shape of botas, armas de agua, and breeches. Hats
of fine beaver, Vigonia wool, and common sheep's
wool. The rebozo is a kind of scarf or shawl
Worn by every female in the country from the
marquesas and fashionables of the city, down to
the mulatto, and even sometimes the Indian. For
the poor, they are made entirely of cotton, and
entirely of silk for the rich, and mixed for the
middle classes. They are of chocolate, purple, or
blue colours, rarely pink and green, and always in
a striped pattern, denominated clouds in Man
chester : they are far from handsome, and make the
richest dress appear a dishabille ; the ladies wear
them only in the house. The woollen cloths of
Queretaro are chiefly consumed by the Govern
ment in the clothing of the troops ; English and
German low quality cloths might be introduced
much cheaper, but they are prohibited by a mis
taken policy of the government.
From.the Parian we went to examine the colossal '

73
equestrian statue of Charles IV in bronze, situated
in the middle of the square. Its great merit consists
in the circumstances under which it was cast : in its
details and effect, although much above mediocrity,
it is far inferior to many I recollect in Italy :
for instance, the Brothers Farnese, at Piacenza.
The jealousy of the government has dictated an
order for its removal to an inner yard of the Uni
versity, and the task of removing it is given to an
ingenious Frenchman.
We then visited the Palace, which is entirely
occupied by public offices : a description of them
would be uninteresting.
We afterwards went through some of the
churches and the Cathedral ; they are all inferior
to the Cathedral at Puebla : the enormous extent
of the convents being the only thing worthy of
remark about them.

74

LETTER IX.
Mexico, July 18th, 1824.
When I had been here a few days, I made a
large circle of introductory visits, accompanied by
my friend, who has had the time and inclination
to frequent the houses of the most respectable of
the inhabitants, comprising the titled, the great
land proprietors, the professors of law and divinity,
the idle, and some few of the merchants. He was
every where well received.
The greatest part of our visits lay among the
first class, whose houses are always open. The
next in rank are the lawyers, who are almost num
berless, employes in the government, and officers '
of rank; their houses, too, are much frequented.
Among the merchants, our calls were very few,
there are few, indeed, where an introductiou could
be obtained ; " most of their doors," observed my
friend, " whether from jealousy or parsimony, have
been proof against my most determined endeavours
to gain admittance." We do not, however, lose
much by this, for I may gather, from the few ex
amples of them that I have seen, that their spciety
is confined to old people, old domestics, and old
relatives of the same stamp as themselves.

75
They have plenty of this description of visitors,
from eleven o'clock till two ; for although these
persons require all the bows and scrapes and com
pliments' of the more fashionable, their company
imposes no restraint ; they are received by the
ladies, unwashed, uncombed, and undressed, in
any posture or situation they find most convenient,
whether it be on the sofa or on the floor, and not
unfrequently the latter. The visiters always
bring with them their own paper cigars, so that
the room is soon pretty well perfumed, without ex
pense to the lady of the house. The conversation,
which is of a lighter kind than can be described,
is carried on, probably, between the mistress of
the house and the head female domestic of a neigh
bour, for however silent others may be, this species
always finds a tongue. The rest of the company
are seated on. very low chairs or sofas, their elbows
resting upon their knees, their backs describing a
semicircle, and the whole of their faculties concen
trated in the exalted employment of puffing smoke.
If there be a man in the room, he is most likely
to be seated primly against a distant Wall, silent,
and exceedingly patient ; and as the room they sit
in is the high road from the kitchen and back
part of the house, to the sleeping apartments and
the sala, the dirty, shoeless servants are continu
ally passing backwards and forwards with various
utensils of both establishments.
This is an average of the generality of the houses

76
of the first merchants of the Parian and the Portal,
they are at the same time, as splendidly painted
and finished as those of the premier ton, to some
,pf which I will presently introduce you : the tout
ensemble disgusted me, and as soon as my curiosity
was satisfied, I desisted from visiting them.
Amongst the titled and the higher professions,
there are many whose houses are kept very badly,
and in a dirty condition, which is to be attributed
either to the delapidated fortunes of their owners,
or to the want of a manager of their domestic con
cerns : the mistress not being inclined to take the
superintendence, the servants becoming conse
quently unruly, and every thing is soon in disorder
and out of place. But the ladies of this class have
acquired, by mixing in society, greater, powers of
conversation, so as to acquit themselves much better
in company, than the poor bourgeoises I have;
been describing : they appear glad to see us3j and '
although, as stated before, their domestic establish
ments may be shabby and uncomfortable, the in
dividuals themselves are found equal in qualities
and attainments, with those who justly take the
lead in the society of Mexico : it is my purpose to
"give you one or two examples of a morning and
evening visit.
The houses are built on the same plan as those
of Vera Cruz, with which you are acquainted. .
Accompanied by my friend, I made my first
call at the house of the Conde de  . On

77
entering, there was no servant to meet us, and
without any ceremony we marched forward into
the sitting-room. The condesa was seated upon a
low sofa, in dishabille, although it was one o'clock;
Her sister and two daughters were sitting also
upon the same canope. Four gentlemen, who were
on a visit at the house, were seated round the
Countess, entirely neglecting the other ladies. Two
of them were officers, and two of them canons of
the church. Upon our entering the room, the
gentlemen rose, but the ladies kept their seats,
repeating the compliments of the morning. When
my friend introduced me, giving my Christian
name, they expressed themselves very glad to see
me, became from that time my faithful servants,
declared that their house, and in fact all their
property, was my own, and fifty other extravagant'
compliments of the same nature. When we had
at length taken seats, the gentlemen resumed theirs,
and continued the conversation they had been en
gaged in, the subject of which was, Yturbide,
his death, and its probable consequences. The
countess spoke highly in praise of his person, his
talents, his eloquence, and his bravery. I after
wards learnt that she had known him very in
timately. Whilst this conversation was going on, I had an
opportunity of noticing, particularly, the different
'persons who formed the party before me, and the
apartment which contained them. The countess
h2

78
appeared to be about thirty-five, full of life and
animation : at this age, the women of this country
are considered old. She had the appearance of
having beea beautiful when young, but the' traces
only remained. I discovered that she was dressed
in an old black bombasin gown, and this was all
that I could find out about her dress, for her head,
neck, and shoulders were entirely concealed under
the rebozo.
Her sister was a prim, slender figure, with a few
gray hairs escaping from under her .rebozo,- one
hand was employed in the management of a cigarro,
and the other was caressing a beautiful little
Chihuahua dog, and she was apparently quite in
attentive to the conversation which was going on.
The eldest daughter; probably about eighteen,,
was the wife of one the officers, a colonel, who
was present, and who had perhaps reached the age
of forty-five. She was a blooming brunette, and
although her features were not good, her face per
fectly round, and her black eye-brows very thick,
her nose puggish, and her teeth decayed ; yet, on
her cheek sat the bloom of health and youth, on
her lips the smile of innocence and affection, and
her jet black eyes, sparkling with a striking ex
pression of happiness and gaiety, formed a coun
tenance that did not require classic lines to make
it captivating. Her dress was the mantilla already
described, as she lived at some distance, and was,
like ourselves, a morning visiter. Her jetty hair,

79
Jjer ears, and her neck were ornamented with rich
jewels, her persori was stooping, and I blushed to
discover that her fingers were stained with the oil
of cigarros.
Her sister was an ambitious girl of fourteen, her
features were prettier, and her person altogether
more delicate and graceful ; her dress was a coloured
muslin, and her toilette, although slovenly, was
better than if concealed under a rebozo.
One of the priests was a tall man, of handsome
features and clear complexion : dignity and gener
osity were the ruling characteristics of his coun
tenance, — " a countenance," observed my friend,
" rarely to be met with among those of his profes
sion in this country." The other three persons
were fat and bloated, and of an unhealthy bilious
comp^'^lon : in their persons graceless, dirty, and
shabbily dressed, unshaved, and of a countenance
expressive of contracted and prejudiced minds.
The long greasy hair of the officers was drawn
from the back of the head, and covered the fore
head, and tremendous whiskers almost concealed
the remainder of their gloomy faces. " This,"
added my friend, " is a fair sample of the priests
and officers here in general."
The apartment was spacious and richly painted
in fresco, with landscapes and water pieces ; the
beams which supported the roof (an extraordinary
circumstance) were concealed by a ceiling of can
vass", painted to match the walls. In the centre

80
hung an old-fashioned glass chandelier. The furni
ture consisted of a few richly painted rush-bot
tomed chairs, a long low sofa, covered with worn-
out Indian damask, a small table in each corner,
with images in wax under glass cases, and an old
cracked piano forte : the paintings on the walls
supplied the deficiency of other furniture and
pictures. The floor had also been finely painted
to represent square marble flags, but the colours
were almost worn out. The windows closed badly,,
and had no curtains ; and the shutters were large
enough almost for barn doors, they were covered
with canvass, and painted in garlands and running
figures. On the left hand on entering, there was a small
door, concealed by the painting, (except where the
soiled edge near the latch, for it had nothing better $
discovered it,) leading to the bed-rooms and sala.
On the opposite side, there was a similar door lead
ing to the dark dining-room and kitchen.
Silence for half an hour, on the part of a visiter,
is not much remarked here, there being so many
who, to use a common phrase, have nothing to say
for themselves, so that my remaining silent for some
time, while making the above remarks, caused me
no apprehension of falling under the satire of the
young ladies, of which most of them are sufficiently
prodigal at times : in due time, I joined in the
conversation. The countess was the only one among the ladies

81
who sustained any part in it, owing to the unpolite-
ness of the men, who paid no regard to the others.
She talked sufficiently to convince me that she was
a woman of good common sense and of much
observation, but of vulgar manners, and without
education. The formation of the mind, and the exercise of
intellect, is never aimed at in the education of
females here ; therefore, in endeavouring to enter
into any useful conversation with the young bride,
I found the greatest care was necessary lest she
should at the outset be frightened with the ab-
struseness of the subject. In this instance I suc
ceeded uncommonly well, and she readily imparted
to me all her simple . ideas and knowledge of the
society and topography of her native country. Her
remarks were generally common-place statements
of facts ; yet, when she became a little interested
in the subject, her simple ideas followed each other
with such rapidity, and were delivered with. such
artlessness of manners, and so full of naivete and
confidence, that she discovered to me her own in
genuous character, at the same time that she con
demned that of her countrymen. She compared
the state of society, the customs and manners of
her country, with those of my own, from the little
she had been able to observe of the few English
residents here, the accounts she had read, and my
own remarks. She admitted our superiority, and
justly ascribed it to the ungenerous policy of the

82
Spanish Government, which had debarred the
Creoles from the intercourse of strangers, and the
benefit of their example, and checked the educa
tion of their youth, presenting no honourable dis
tinction as a stimulous to their ambition, in the
pursuit of literature and the sciences.
The injurious effects of this policy have pervaded
all classes of society : fathers of families have be
come neglectful of the common education of their
children, who are, consequently, ill-bred and dis
sipated. Immense fortunes which have been
gained in mining have been squandered away in
gambling and useless extravagance. Many of the
richest families, she continued, have innocently
lost their property during the revolution, and the
young men having been taught nothing, whereby,
in such an emergency, they might support them
selves decently and honourably, are now in the
greatest misery, and a disgrace to their families.
While speaking of the English, she declared, with
the utmost naivete and sincerity, that all she had
seen were invariably cheerful and amusing in
company, of generous feelings, more manly and
animated in their manners and actions, than her
countrymen, and much more buenos mozos, or joli
gargons, as the French have it, and she was per
suaded that this was their general character in
their own country.
I was pleased to find that the superiority we have
derived from our great advantages was appreciated ;

83
this humble opinion, which the Mexicans entertaiii
of themselves, will, doubtless, prove the first step
towards improvement, where they are deficient ;
and this feeling must certainly tend greatly to the
comfort of an Englishman's residence here.
The younger sister was more pert, and ambitious
of applause : she made good attempts at effect,
in countenance, tone, and action, in support of her
observations on men and manners.
I must caution you, however, ere I dismiss the
young ladies, not to form too romantic an opinion
of them. I was entertained and interested with my
first visit, because every thing wore a novel appear
ance ; but with the novelty the interest in a great
measure ceased, and for some time my visits have
been continued only for the sake of etiquette and
appearance, or, as I must confess, sometimes merely
for a lounge. But to return to my visit
As I was making my departure, the count en
tered, and, after a hasty introduction to him, he
; -repeated the same compliments that his lady had
used on my entrance, but with double pointedness.
/As soon as I could recover my courage, which his
volubility for some moments had deprived me of,
I answered according to the fashion of the country:
" I, sir, can only reciprocate my offers of service,
and I hope that you will always recollect, that in
me you have a servant waiting your commands on
all occasions." Having made a low bow to each
of the company, I was effecting my retreat, when a

84
hint from my companion reminded me that another
obeisance was expected at the door, a third was
waited for at the top of the staircase, and when we
had reached the first landing place, the count was
at the top, waiting for the fourth and last.
" How annoying are these drawn out, unmean-'
ing ceremonies on an occasion like this," said I to
my friend, as soon as we were fairly out of the pre
mises, " the grossness of the compliments of which
these people are * so prodigal to every stranger,- is
absolutely disgusting to a man of the world, and a
man of sense." My friend agreed with me ; "yet,"
continued he, " there are some whom you have
seen, since your introduction amongst us, who have
had the good sense to lop off all these extrava
gancies, and reduce their manners and compliments
to a standard which may still be called the height
of politeness and complaisance." I certainly had
observed this refinement in a few, who had acquired
a more general knowledge of the world, than that
which the society of their own country had afforded
them ; I had greatly admired the men, and felt
inclined to repose an unbounded confidence in
them, but I have been informed that the utmost
caution must be observed even with these, — it is
said of them, that they are "more polite than a
Parisian, with less sincerity; they have all the
pride and selfishness of the Castilian, without his
honour;"— but I cease.
The natives seldom give invitation parties of any

85
kind; years pass without a dinner being given
amongst them, and when it does happen it is ac
companied by scenes of the greatest confusion and
brutality. Captain Bazil Hall's description of a
convite, at which he was present at Tepic, is very
just, as in fact all his relations are. But, although
they have no pretensions to our mode of .convivi
ality, they have an undoubted claim to the highest
praise for genuine hospitality. Many families in
clude individuals to whom they have given a domi
cile froiri pure friendship. After a slight intro
duction, their houses are open to strangers at all
times, and the dftener he visits them, the more he
is welcomed, and, without impropriety, he may
step in to partake of the family dinner, and even
demand a bed for the night ; this is eminently the
case on the estates in the country.
Balls, assemblies, or routes of any kind, are never
given by them ; friendly tea and evenings will be
sought for in vain out of England ; but we have
their substitute in Mexico, which, if not quite so
polished, is more friendly, and perfectly adapted
to the climate and customs, the party is called
tertulia. One must here necessarily feel at home,
being treated as if acquainted for years. The
ladies are much inclined to satire, and it does not
answer to be bashful in their company, but young
people here do not seem to be much incommoded
in this way ; the conversation generally runs upon
personalities, in other respects the choice of topics
i

86
will not bear scrutiny ; if they talk of their absent
neighbours, it is without scandal, which cannot be
said of the quality of your familiar coteries in Eng
land. Familiarity and liveliness are the marked
characteristics of the conversation.
If there are a sufficient number of visiters and
several young ladies in the family, and a piano or
a guitar, with somebody who can play, a waltz is
a sure consequence, and there is no lack of amuse
ment : the old people play at cards ; tresillo is the
favourite game, similar to the ombre of the French
and quadrille of the English,
If, out of compliment, I were to ask a lady to
favour us with a tune or a song, without expecting
any great treat, it would not be taken as a com
pliment, for they do not hesitate an instant to give
us their performance in full confidence. It is
rarely that they sing ; singing is the accomplish-
ment in which they are least proficient- The men
are still worse, and totally devoid of taste, giving
to every note a disagreeable nasal twang ; yet it is
a common thing for them to favour the company
with a specimen, never fearing criticism ; their
auditors are equally gtaerous. From what I have
advanced you will readily believe that an unsus
picious, friendly, humble, and generous feeling is
very prominent in the members and the general
conduct of the tertulia.
I have frequently seen an old domestic, with
abroad Indian accent, bad language, and rude

87
mariners, allowed to take her seat in the midst of
the party : this, I think, is misplaced; but I should
rejoice to see a greater degree of this friendship
and familiarity introduced into our cold parties in
England, .where fashion ( and applause are the
moving springs.
It is a little relaxation for one, once in a while,
to assist at these tertulias, but -they do not agree '¦
with my habits, and afford me no real, satisfaction. -
I should not forget to remark to you that on
these occasions, they afford us only one little can
dle, which is placed upon the card 'table, so that
half the room is in darkness. This unaccouritable •
point of economy, whilst great extravagance reigns
in other matters, appears to be general over the
Spanish Americas.
In my next, I purpose entering more fully into
their customs and manners. As my subject touches
more closely upon the reputation of society, it
behoves me to be scrupulously exact and well-
informed of all I would describe ; therefore every
month's observation is valuable.

88

LETTER X.
Mexico, i2TH August, 1824
The Spanish Government has been the cause of
many of the defects we discover in the people of
Mexico : they were obliged to be patient and pas
sive in all public matters,, even those which' coni
cerned them the most materially, and it is now a
task for them to bestir themselves. Not having
been allowed to think or act for themselves, those
who have now come to the head of affairs, show
either a great want of public spirit, or a notable
inaptness in the execution of any thing of public
importance, the reins of the different departments
are held very slackly-, and the whole machine is
guided badly.
The same effects are perceptible in smaller socie
ties? even in individual families : they are jealous
of their authority, yet know not how to maintain
it, and disorder is the consequence. They have
formed an undefined and erroneous conception of
liberty, which they now call their own. We see
innumerable instances of this amongst those who
have to obey ; they do not understand their places,
are ridiculously proud, easily affronted, and rather
than submit to a reprimand, they will leave their
situations, however lucrative they may be.

89
In the government there is as much virtue as in
most others : a glaring want of energy and experi
ence is the prominent feature of the administration.
I have already mentioned some of the peculiari
ties of their private customs and manners, and I
wi# now enlarge upon them : — the loose windows
and doors, which let in the wind and the rain, are
of little inconvenience in this climate ; but the
dining-room smelling with the smoke of the kitchen,
the walls stained yellow from the same cause, its
want of light, its greasy deal table, and rush-bot
tom chairs, and dirty brick floor, while the sala is
fitted up with great magnificence : — the want of
chairs, tables, and a washing basin in the bed
rooms, whilst the pot de chambre is of silver ; the
want of knives at table, while the spoons and forks,
are of silver ; the owner of the house going to a
ball-room with a printed cotton jacket,. black cravat,
and dirty boots, unshaved, and scented with tobacco
smoke, which he does not discontinue, whilst his
wife sports diamonds and jewels of enormous value.
These are extraordinary contradictions, and it re
quires some ingenuity to ^account for them : — the
dining-room is partitioned on the kitchen, and its
vicinity is the .more convenient :— rthey require no
knives but one for tearing the meat to pieces,
because they eat with a fork and their fingers : — a
deal table is good enough for thedirty work it is
used for; and the chairs are probably strong
enough for the same purpose ; and it would be
i 2

90
extravagance to clean and paint the floor, on which
they squirt the water after rinsing their mouths :—
If the bed-rooms were furnished with conveniences
for washing, they would not be used.
The men are at the same time extravagant and
stingy, splendid and shabby in different things ;
they are jealous and tyrannical over their wives,
when the latter, as is very frequently the case, do
notrule theroast;. lively and spirited in their amuse
ments, tardy and tedious in business. There is a
great difference between a Mexican and a Spaniard,
in many respects similar to what we observe between
the North American and the Englishman ; the ad
vantage lies on the side of the European. The
Spaniard has much more importance about him,
and, when actuated by virtuous principles, he is a
noble man indeed ; of these there are a few in the
country, but the greater part of them are cunning!;
intriguers. The Mexican youth are gay and dis
sipated.; their- appearance is pleasing, but when
they attain a certain age, they lose their colour,
their complexion becomes sallow, their teeth decay,
their eyes become dulL and themselves inert : un
wholesome food and bad habits are the cause of
this charge. Their company would be disagree^
able to our fine countrymen, accustomed only to'
the nicety of our society.
Gambling may be called a national vice ; houses
for the purpose being lawful. At public festivals, all
men from the highest to the lowest, of every rank

91
and profession, gamble openly and without reserve.
Priests themselves forget the respect due to their
profession, and mingle with the crowd round the
gaming tables.
Cock-fighting is also a very common amusement;
every town is furnished with one or more cockpits,
where both sexes appear without reserve ; but this
custom is not so general as formerly.
Bull-fighting is the national amusement, and if
it could be divested of its cruelty and danger, it
certainly would be a noble game ; a short descrip
tion of it will not be unacceptable.
The ring is about sixty yards in diameter, en
closed by a wooden wall at the foot of the amphi
theatre. In the centre, there is an enclosure of
strong posts and rails, to serve as a refuge to the
fighters. Benches all round the ring, rising as
they recede, may be called the pit ; above them,
there are three tiers of boxes. The whole is capa
ble of accommodating thirteen thousand persons,
and when it is well filled, the effect it produces is
brilliant. The different rounds are ordered by
fhe sound of music, under the direction of the
manager. The fighters are of two classes, a dozen
or more of each, besides amateurs. Those on horse
back, called picadores, are armed with long pikes,
or blunt pointed spears. The footmen,' called
banderilleros, from the scarlet flag they carry, are
fancifully dressed like mountebanks. Both classes
are out of the dregs of the people, and if, before

92
they turn bull-fighters, a spark of virtue is left in
their breasfbs, it deserts them in this profession,
and they are generally known to be capable of
anything bad. I have heard it observed, that the
bull-ring is a den of -thieves and murderers, and
there is, no doubt, grealt truth in it.
The fighters wait the entrance of the bull in
readiness to receive him. The signal is given, the
doors opened wide, and the bull rushes impetuously5
on the first object he perceives. The fearless
banderillero receives him without moving from his
place till his horns are close upon him, extending
his flag before him and then expertly skipping
from behind it, the hull passes under his arms.
He sometimes receives repeated charges, and the
bull is always eluded with the same address : his
attention is, however, constantly diverted by other
assailants tormenting him on all sides with cries
and whistling, exciting him to madness ; bellowing
with rage, he strikes the ground with his feet,
blowing the dust from his nostrils — he hesitates
where to attack, and then rushes at a. picador, whose
horse is immediately in readiness, so as best to
receive theshook, or to run, if his aim should miss.
The lance is pointed at the bull's shoulders, where
it remains fixed, and generally, in spite of the force
of the shock, estops him short ; but, if heedless of
the wound, he should still rush on to his victim,
the utmost strength and dexterity are necessasryto
aivoid his thorns, already under the horse's belly.

93
Otfyer fighters come immediately to his assistance!
and either by main force remove the bull or divert
his attention. Frequently, however, his advance
is too rapid to be avoided, or the lance rests on a
part of his body communicating no pain/ and the
horse and rider are tumbled over like a feather ;
the horse's bowels gush out, and the man, before
he can rise, is in imminent danger; He again
mounts his wounded horse to renew the combat so>
long as the poor beast can stand. This horrid
cruelty is too much to be witnessed by any one
whose feelings are not long hardened to it. The
torture the bull suffers from madness and his:
wounds, is also revolting to a sensible mind. I
felt nothing for the men who willingly exposed
themselves. Some compassion for the bull, I ob»
served, also still remains among the spectators, for
they applauded him for every feat that they thought
clever. When the bull is worked to the height of
madness, the signal is given for the pieadores to
.retire, and the field left to the banderilleros, who
are then provided with sticks about half a yard
long, ornamented with feathers, and with a small
barb at one end. The first who succeeds in plant
ing one of these between the bull's horns, is ap
plauded for his success, and the first who plants
one with each hand at the same time, is frequently
saluted with pieces of money. Some of these sticks
are hollowed out and filled with squibs arid crackers,
which go off by means of fulminating powder as

soon as they are struck in the bull's head. The
degree of madness and torture which he exhibits
While these feathered sticks are dangling about
his head, and continually exploding, is beyond
description: after vain efforts to shake them off,
he runs bellowing and frantic round the ring, Aattt
at every object in his way, and receives other orna-'
ments about his head. . The last game played is
by the principal banderillefo or picador, who is tti
kill him with a sword. The others assist in draw
ing the bull's attention Continually towards him,
and when at length he rushes at him, instead of a
barbed stick,' he receives the sWord in' his stiihe,
and falls dead. The body is removed by mules,'
under the sound of music, and ariother is sent iri
to undergo the same torments and meet the same
end. Five or six are generally killed in an after
noon; It sometimes happens that a bull-fighter is hurled*
into the air and meets his death on his fall ;— a
man is killed on an average perhaps of one in a
month. Several horses are killed every day.
This, then, is the captivating amusement of
which the men and women are so passionately fond,'
and which they would not miss on any considera
tion. Laying aside its sickening cruelty, the in
terest it excites is intense ; and when the tender*
feelings have been overcome by twice or three times
attendance, it becomes an attraction of great power.
The natives are accustomed to witness it from their

95
infancy, and that is some excuse for them, and we
haye no right, to ascribe their passion to a want of
delicacy, whilst our countrywomen, who are noted
for fine feelings, are the first to assist when they
-have an opportunity.
The fight begins at four o'clock in the afternoon,
and lasts till near six, and if there is half an hour's
daylight remaining when it is over, the ladies drive
to the public walks, where their carriages are drawn
up in a line, and from whence they can observe all
the company that passes before them, They sit
there-smoking their cigars till dark, (for there is
no twilight,) receive visits from gentlemen whp
climb up the steps of the carriages and put their
heads in the window, pass their criticisms, and tell
their news, and then go home to chocolate and
merienda ;* after that they are ready for the;
theatre. The only theatre in Mexico is large, but badly
built, being in the form of a horseshoe, so that
those seated in the side boxes can scarcely see the
stage. It is out of repair and very dirty, badly
lighted and badly attended ; the management and
performance are miserable. Between the acts, the
place is filled with smoke, the pit and the boxes
, contributing to the mass in constant volumes. As
in all other places, the audience go to see and be
seen, but here there is less taste and criticism about
the performance than I have witnessed elsewhere ;
* A. collation of sweetmeats and the scraps from the dinner table,

96
the dancing only now and then gets applauded. A
stranger observes the mode of the ladies' salutation
across the house, hy a significant turn of the head
and eyes, and a shake of the fan. These fans, by
the bye, are always in motion, their unceasing ex
ercise in salutation and flirtation, without which
the ladies' delicate fingers would be miserable,
gives some life to a scene which would otherwise,
be dull.
In a ball-room, the ladies have already shown
some improvement in dress ; the riches they display
are extravagant ; still the art is in its infancy, and
there is hardly one well-dressed woman in our balls.
The young marchionesses and countesses put one
in mind of any thing but the rank of their titles.
The men, at first, came in printed cotton jackets,
dirty boots, and dirty all over, but we have already
introduced so much ambition among them, that
they all dress in cloth, either in the shape of a
jacket, a surtout, or a coat : a few put on shoes,
and still fewer, a clean neckcloth. In general,
the dancing is bad, and in waltzing, of which it
principally consists, a graceless person is shown to
bad advantage ; the want of musical knowledge
frequently gives rise to confusion amongst them.
One lady, however, sometimes more, is brought
forward in the national dance, the bolero, which is
a succession of bold and difficult movements, and
very graceful, when well done; it partakes of the
style of the minuet and the English hornpipe. ,

97

LETTER XI.
Mexico, 18th August, 1824.
After so much grumbling and finding fault, you
will be inclined to remark that a man like me could
not live happily in Mexico ; but that is far from
being the case : regular and constant occupations
prevent ennui, and my chief amusement consists
in making the observations I have been endeavour
ing to communicate to you. But I have no occasion
to go so far ; we have about Mexico the means of
the best and most wholesome recreation in perfec
tion, — I mean rides and promenades. This ad
vantage is highly appreciated by all the strangers
who keep the finest horses the country affords.
The feast days, which would otherwise be tiresome
to them, are rendered pleasant, and their frequency
soon gives them an opportunity of seeing minutely,
all the environs of Mexico.
Our evenings, if measured by the duration of
twilight^ do not last more than half an hour ; there
fore an -evening walk or ride is confined to the
Alemeda or the Paseo Nuevo, in the immediate
suburbs of the city.
The Alemeda is a plantation of large trees, with
regular walks and jet d?eaus, and a coach drive all
round it, where the ladies take their stations in
K

98
their carriages, as alluded to in my last. The
gentlemen move round, exhibiting their splendid
equipments, the grand pace of their horses, and
bowing to their acquaintances.. The foot-walks
are crowded with the rabble: — the ladies never
walk. On particular' occasions, the concourse is
very great, and forms an interesting; picture,/
; ; The Pasep Nuevo is. a wide road; bordered, with
a double row of trees, which is a]sp. much, fre*
quented... . ¦¦¦¦..¦,;•¦ ,,,.'.... i : ..,-¦¦.••¦ ,i ,.f ¦ ,-,
Other long alleys, of a similar nature, extend to
the distance of two or three .miles on different sides
of the, city. All the be,st, entrances to, the, cityj
with the exception- of : that from Vera Cruz, axe
thus ornamented ;with rows of fine trees, and afford
delightful rides,-.., There is little' variety jn-th^
country, which as generally marshy or sunburnt, op
at best, covered, with maize, . .;. ,• . :
¦Chapultepec, vulgarly and erroneously called
Montezuma's Palace,, as it was built. by, the Vice*
roy Baldez, is about two niiles from Mexico*
There are two approaches to it, along .both, of the
aqueducts described by Humboldt, which are sup
plied with water from the neighbourhood. , It is, a
large handsome, house, built on the sunjmit. of a
very steep rock, accessible only by a winding road.
The rock is covered with brush wood, and its baa?
surrounded with the superb sabino trees, called
l?y Indians ahuehuetes,. overrun with graceful
spurious plants, which they collect ,for, stujffing;

M
Snajttregse^-Asa.lanSscape, ChapultepeC ishighly
pi®tuj:,ejqu«,i!a«iit $ie "view of. the valley from its
summit isma,gnifi.centi. < ¦¦x^'n £->' v-.t"- »<? <;*•;;,-
Tacubaya is a large struggling village, about a
mile,faj^he*> situated on, a, declivity j at the. foot of
theiToluca mountains; the road, to- that city' Jies
thrpHghit. Excellent oilis produced here frpm
several plantations ,of . plives ;- thes%, with; the. ha-
<iendai?pf ,Morales, in *he 4mmediate . neighbour
hood, .supply the city/wjith all the oil Squired,
and ajte'a source. of !greaj;/j?e,alth. to : the eultiyators.
The bishop's palace, at the top of the village,' i,s;. a
" good! house, • withan extensive smd fruitful garden.
Bullock's view, of the yalky. wastakertfrem ifchejjefr
.-.: J From- Taeubaya to San Angel, is a irjbdf^fjfl^gut
.seven iniles, oy^r. a country rich in magUey- and
Indian corn* 'LThe town itself i£>badly built atjthe
foot of the mountains, -and contains < nothing; rey
maskable, except itsorchards* which supply Mexico
with apples and pears, many of which are delicious*
The jgarden . attached^ to .the iconvent.is noted/
•Sdrae of ^he. houses. are ;yery good* and the spot is
famous for the salubrity of its ahy .An Italian,
who has,, ah: establishment here for the convenience
,of visiters, gives excellent breakfasts and dinners.
. f ¦•.- The , walks ; tin ; the neighbourhood , are; good :
pretty, romantic sceneryj, which is very uncommon
in the valley, is to be found along, the river-side,
jJtod. an the ravine where La Madelena and San
Antonio, ¦¦ two ranchos, aye ; situated, about twp

100
leagues off. The direct road to Mexico is unin
teresting, without even a hut, but a ruined one,
until we enter the agreeable shade of the Paseos,
where I could spend all the day.
I was one day at San Angel during a religious
festival of the Indians. A great crowd of copper-
Coloured people, from the neighbouring country,
were squatted down on the ground, covering the
whole square, and as I made my way through
them, I felt persuaded that they must be the most
abject of all human beings, from their filth, stu
pidity, and inertness.
At noon, when the sun was very hot, they let off
their fireworks, which they burned with great pro
fusion for an hour ; every miserable wretch in the
crowd having contributed his savings to the pur
chase of them. In the midst of the uproar, the
procession to Mount Calvary was moving slowly,
under a canopy of reeds. The dresses of the saints
were very ridiculous ; the bearer of the cross was
dressed in a scarlet livery of velvet, turned up with
green; the ceremony ended when the procession
reached the church.
In the afternoon I took the opportunity of step
ping into a house where I perceived some company,
and without any formal introduction I was im
mediately at home ; a friend, who happened to
see me, as the door stood open, afterwards came
in, with as little ceremony, and made himself
equally comfortable ; we took chocolate with the

101
family and; incthe-evening we had a dance ; , and it
was notatill next day that, tin knew whoihad'heen
my-hostSv.' Appearanceiisasufficient introduction
to isuchiapartygand-even thatis of little import
ance to a man'whoiis bold enough, , and twho pos
sesses some entertaiihing qualities^ . ^ ?- khU.
>¦¦¦ San ' 'Augustim^ is k similar^ town, about, four
leagues from. Mexico, on the Aoapukoroadl. This
road is: more4nterestirig)than that to SanAngel,
lying through some villagss and haciendas, i'arad
the Country is- more green-andi lively, -'The 'estate
of the Noriega family, well known tp the English
residents here,1 and several others haciendas on this
road,' present agreeable i,e©untoy retreats.' The
environs ofSaniAugustin are. rural and interesting,
but inferior *o> those, of jSan; Angel. ..-,..-
, - The grand fete of sSan Augustin, was quite a
novelty to me, and Lireeollect npthingin Europe
to be compared with it. During the week, all the
best society of Mexico isLtranspputedthither. r.Rent
rises'so much, thafcfor a dirty room in the mesons
Lpaid twenty-five>dqllars ; a couple bfroomsJna
private house^ without furniture, would icasteighty
dollars. The squares and streetsare orpwdedwith
booths, where fruits, liquors, ices, sweetmeats, &c.
are soldj'fand where meals-are cooked for the po
pulace. Its principal feature is gambling, for which
half the houses in town,, at leasts are fitted up.
The general game is monte, but > they have also
rouge et noir and others* The largest and most
jc2

102
respectable banks, whiqh are supported by the
titled and the first merchants of Mexico, are very
rich : they are all crowded, notwithstanding their
numbers. The usual stakes are from a single
dollar up to a pile of fifty doubloons : credit is
allowed when the party is well known. I saw a
man lose three hundred doubloons in a few minutes;
most of the banks were broken that day, even some
of a thousand doubloons capital, about two thousand
three hundred pounds sterling : this will give you
an idea how general and unrestrained this vice is
in the country.
At noon, the cock fights commence. It was
here that I first witnessed one, and, far from being
shocked with the attendance, as I had been taught
to expect, I found it very agreeable and attractive i
for the benches, rising as they receded, were filled
with all the beauty of Mexico.
At five o'clock the attraction is removed to the
Caloario, a hill so called, immediately outside the
town, and here I witnessed the most captivating
sight I recollect having seen any where. Village
or field dances, at harvest home or country wakes,
are the constant themes of our sentimental poets,
but the dance at the foot of the Calvario is worth
a hundred of them. A level piece of .ground is
enclosed by a slender cord, and chairs are placed
all round for the accommodation of the ladies.
the gentlemen that are not dancing stand outside]
and form a good rampart to the encroachments of

103
the plebeians ; as it were by unanimous consent,
none butthe finest, none but the fairest are admitted
to this dance of the graces, and the effect is very
powerful. The sun just setting, the soft breeze
sporting in their tresses and garments, the sur
rounding eminences crowded with spectators,— it
was irresistible, and no one left the spot till night
and a threatening cloud chased us away.
At eight o'clock, again, the concourse is at the
cockpit, which is covered With a carpet for dancing,
the surrounding benches are occupied with spec
tators : the place is well lighted by abundance of
chandeliers. It is here that the ladies vie with
each other in luxury ; in fact, the fete of San
Augustin is of great benefit to the trades of silks
and jewellery, and the finer articles of dress. The
ladies are obliged to dress three times during the
day; in the morning, for the cock-fight or a walk;
in the afternoon, for the rural dance ; and, at
night, for the ball in the cockpit. The expenses
are, necessarily, so excessive, that the company
will always be kept respectable, if, by the bye,
you will allow that term, after being told that
they are all gamblers. " The fe'te lasts three days,
but it is generally prolonged for a week, particu
larly by the card players.
The villa of our Lady of Guadalupe lies about
a league off Mexico, on the opposite side, it is
famous as the place where the patroness saint of
the country" appeared to an Indian under a rose

tree, of course -she* wfcs-ycppper-coloured, as re?
presen'fed'jin the numerous drawings' .of her in
every house in iBfi 'country. - A I warrn- spring was
found' oh the spot inhere she had been standing,,
which is now sanctified^ by a church} and it is as
holy, as Jhfer. Caabm and; the jZemxem ,$& Mecca. A
Causeway has beerif constructed from i the -gate ;of
the city, for? the priests, andjptocessipns,: arid con
secrated,' so that it cannot; be used- by: any thing
else. The church is very rich, and contains a^few
curiosities;; but the view from the hills behind, it
is most worthy of notiee.' •: - --• aHr >
• OufLady of Jtemediosj situate on the side of
the mountain^ sfcboutfour leagues offj was, before
the criming of ^Guadalupe, the favourite i saint:;
she was found in a pulque plant, but her sanctuary
is ripW deserted, to the" advantage of her more
fortunate rival of Guadalupe. ..'•¦¦• ,; ;
These, then, are the; places, ¦ which afford us
recreation on holydays : besidesi.them,:we frequent
a few other villages and haeiendas not worth nptj***
afid'to this oiir amusements are confined. - We
have hcJ 'sporting or hunting, because the country
affords Utile game, and itis not in fashion.
The time of our merchants is fully occupied,
during work-days, by their: business, which they
transact to a great amount ; their own. profits,
from commissions, are. very handsome; but they
complain greatly of the bad accounts they, are
obliged to send home. They are well received. ii|

106*
the few houses they frequent, and, on the whole,
are fast gaining ground in public opinion. In
business their character for honour and good faith
is well established and appreciated. Their conduct
has been marked with a prudence, which has, in a
great measure, conciliated to them the opinion of
the natives, whose inveteracy against any thing
foreign was at first very extravagant.
But it will be a long time ere they cease to pity
Us, " who excel in every thing," that we should be
barred out from heaven for being Jews and Pro
testants, synonymous terms with them.

106

LETTER XII.
Mexico, 1st Sept. 1824
¦I ha-ve jusfrreturned from. an excursion; to Tez*
cuco, and as an. expresses about io 'leave fojrthe
coast, with correspondence for his < majesty's ship
for 'Falmouth^ 1 takeitlhe opportunity of jgiving
some of my.observationsi > - . ^ ' i ;«-.i: ,
"I started iri-company, with two other gentlemen^
eight days ago, at eight o'clock in the morning, on
horseback ;— coaches may run easily airing the
road, but we preferred horses. We proceeded on
the Vera Cruz road about three leagues, and then
turning off to the left, followed the round of the
lake of Tezcuco. The distance in all is about ten
leagues. The country is fertile in India corn and maguey*
A few Indian villages, and some good haciendas,
vary the uninteresting scenery, for nothing can be
so desolate and unpicturesque as the maguey, the
napal, the prickly pears, and other cacti which
cover the land, and, indeed, form the general cha
racter of the whole table-land ; the picturesque or
romantic is very rarely met with. The rural
scenes of haymaking and harvest-home, are not
seenhere. They make no hay, as the cattle feed
upon straw or dried maize leaves. The harvest of

107
Indian corn is made by men quite concealed under
the tall leaves, who pluck the ears with the hand'}
the stem remahjs to dry, and is then gathered'in,
or is Cut doWh daily for the use of the qatjble. , The
crop of pulque dsimade at allitimes of the year, by
a solitary Indian, who ladles. the sweet juice depo
sited in the heart of the maguey into a hpgskan.
We spent a day. at the haeienda oi' Chapingo,
about half a league from Tezcuco, where" we Were
received' with the greatest hospitality, having
a recpmmendation frpni the proprietor to the adx
minisfrador^ We examined-thfe immenseestablish-
ment, and ,the system rif agriculture they adopt 3
in many instances it is interesting, and very< differ^
ent f^om ours. Ploughing appears' to be the only
branch done in the same way ;— but to dwell Upon
a description of what we remarked, would be inters
esting only :tq the agriculturist. In general, the
system is rude, and. an ; immense number of hands
are employed ;-^*five hundred; are, daily paid;, off,
Their wages are from half a real* for boys, to five
reals a day for the chief labourers. No women
are paid, though they assist their husbands When
practicable. The extensive grounds, measured by
leagues, and not acres, are covered with luxuriant
crops of Indian corn, wheat, and French beans;, or
frijoles ; but a great part of ffh'e estate extends
over the sterile mountains, towards 'Rip Frip, and
some leagues into the lake of Tezcuco 3 from 'the
"A real is sixpence sterling,'

108
latter, a handsome income is obtained by letting
licenses to the fishermen.
We visited the village of Huejutla, through
which runs an ancient Indian wall, which, as
tradition says, formerly extended twenty leagues',
dividing the kingdom of Tezcuco from that of
Mexico : its architecture is cUrious and^rery solid.*
On the edge of the village there is also an ancient
bridge, built by the Indians on an equally solid
plan: the bases are very low, and the arch is
brought to an acute angle, in the Gothicr style.
Some houses are pointed out in the village as the
palace of the last King of Tezcuco, but they have
no appearance of such^antiquity. In the church
yard we found the head of a serpent, beautifully
cut in poiphyry, and some other antiques of the
same nature.
The greatest curiosity in the place is the curate,
an Indian of about thirty' ; his face is a beautiful
specimen of Indian physiognomy, of a bright
copper-colour, as round as the full moon, his eyes
wide apart, his cheek and chin destitute of beard,
his hair thick and black, His countenance bespoke
a good heart, and his manners kindness ; he spoke
Spanish with elegance, as far as the language went,
but with a strong Indian accent. His compliments,
in the fashion of the country, were extravagant in
the extreme ; he readily answered all my questions,
and was very precise in his communications re
specting his nation and its history, to the study of

109
which he devotes his time, He is the assistant of
the learned Licenciado Don Carlos Maria Bus-
tamante, in his Qjuaderno Historico of Mexico,
which it is hoped, will soon be published. His
hpuse and his person were in perfect order and
neatness, although the former consisted only of
two small rooms, with stone floors and bare walls.
The windows commanded an excellent view of the
lake. This man, thus buried from the world, in an
obscure Indian village, is an ornament to his pro
fession, and is just what, according to my ideas,
a village curate ought to be ; he is the more to be
admired, as it is a very rare thing for ari Indian
to rise above the lowest ranks in society.
At night we went into Tezcuco, and, after
seeking in vain for a lodging at our own expense,
we accepted the invitation of a gentlemen I had
known in Mexico, whose family was there at the
time. Here we were treated sumptuously, every
possible attention was shown us, our only regret
was the trouble we gave. Our host was Don
Domingo Pozo, brother of the gentleman who
received Mr. Bullock so hospitably in the same
place. We visited a curiosity known by the name of
Montezuma's bath. The hill on which it is situated
is, certainly, curious, its form is pyramidal, or,
rather, conical; narrow terraces or steps that encircle
it are easily traced, and denote the ruins of some
L

110
important work. On the side of the mountain, facing
Mexico, we found the bath, and were, certainly,
much disappointed in it : it is part of a granite rock,
the surface of which has been levelled, to the extent
of about eight feet square, and a circular hole, of
about four feet in diameter, is cut in the centre,
with a step in it; this, with a little ornamental
carving at some of the edges, the nature of which
I could not guess, forms the whole of this far-famed
curiosity. Immediately below it, there are half-
a-dozen steps, the utility of which I could not
discover. From this spot the view is extensive and grand;
the lakes, after the wet season, are increased to
such an extent, that objects on the other side are
almost lost to, the sight ; the city of Mexico seems
suspended in the air, and the mountains are con
founded with the clouds. We found some arrow
heads of Obsidian, and hit upon a delapidated
idol, as we tumbled down the steep mountain.- We
were decidedly of opinion that what we had seen
was never intended for a bath, at the same time
we were quite at a loss to discover its object or
utility. Another ride was to the superb plantation of
Sqbinos, called Montezuma's Alemeda, or Prome
nade; it is a plantation of immense trees, in double
rows, in the form of a Greek II. Tradition here
is equally vague.
In different houses in Tezcuco we found a

Ill
Variety of idols, and in the walls of the churches
and other buildings several Indian carvings and
figures, many of beautiful and chaste workman
ship. The " vast ruins of the Caique's Palace,"
as Mr. Bullock calls them, are hardly to be disco
vered at the bottom of the square. An Indian
bath, in the neighbourhood of the Hacienda Blanca,
is an object of curiosity, in nothing differing from
a common baker's oven. On certain feast days it
is heated to a great degree, and men and women,
as many as it will contain, squeeze themselves in
together, and the door is closed upon them : it is
surprising they are not suffocated immediately.
They remain in as long as they can bear, which is
more than a quarter of an hour : and on coming
out, plunge together into cold water, or roll them-,
selves in the earth, if no water is near. Humboldt
has entered into some details about these baths.
The new market place in Tezcuco, is the best I
have seen in the country ; it is a wooden shed,
extending round the square, and affording shelter
to a large number of people with their goods : all
descriptions of fruit, vegetables, meats, grain, soap,
candles, &c. are to be had there, on Sunday, the
market day.
I spent a week very agreeably at Tezcuco,
making excursions on horseback and on foot during
the day; gained an excellent appetite for an excel
lent dinner ; and joined a friendly party and dance,
illuminated with one rushlight, in the evening. I

112
made myself quite at home, and was pleased with
every thing.
The same party had previously accompanied me
in a canoe to the town of Chalco, which gives the
name to the lake next in importance to that of
Tezcuco. It took us a long day to arrive, and
finding no means of gratification, no curiosity, we
left again the next morning. Canal travelling is
uncommon in this country, I believe there is not
another example of it, therefore the trip in itself
was interesting ; the canoe was spacious : with a
good breakfast, and plenty of shooting, we were
sufficiently amused. The canals are passages that
have been forced by the market people, through
the reeds and swampy ground which conceal and
cover a great part of the lake ; the water has, since
their formation, sufficiently retired to allow the
Indians frequently to run on the banks, which
consist principally of the roots and broken stems
of the rushes and marshy plants. They take the
boats in tow, but the banks bend under them at
every step, and sometimes burst with the weight :
their general plan is to impel the canoes along by
long poles.
Near Xochimilco we found the famous floating
gardens, the length of the roots and the weight of
soil they now bear have long since made them sta
tionary ; but I have no doubt they were once floating,
in the same way that we saw many detached pieces
of the banks floating with the current.

113
The market at Mexico is supplied with vege
tables principally by this canal; the neighbourhood
of Chalco and Xochimilco is well cultivated by
the Indians, so that the traffic on the canal is con
siderable : and it is very interesting to see all the
boats arrive in the morning.

l2

114

JOURNAL.
On the 3d of September, I left Mexico, in com
pany with two English gentlemen, Mr. Thomas
Ferns, of Manchester, and Mr. Hugh Spooner, of
New York, whose affairs called them the same
way. All our equipage consisted of two lightly
loaded cargo mules, two servants, and a muleteer.
Coaches travel the same road, but we preferred
horseback, as it allows us to proceed more at our
own pleasure, and leaves us independent of every
body. ¦•
We started at eleven o'clock, and took the road
through the towns of Tacuba and Tanepantla,
across the valley of Mexico. In the former of these
towns there are some ruins of Indian architecture,
but not worth stopping to describe. The towns
themselves bear, in other respects, the same features
as many that I have already described ; namely,
ruinous, deserted, and poor.
About five leagues brought us to the lowest part
of the mountains which surround the valley, and
separate it from the plain of Guautitlan, at the

US
Mai Paso de  , where Yturbide fought and
won the last battle, deciding the independence of
Mexico, in 1821, -
The rain caught us before we reached Guautit-
lan, and we got a complete wetting.
The meson at Guautitlan is a beautiful speci
men of Mexican accommodations; if. I had my
choice, I would rather sleep in a stable manger at
home,. than in such a place.
The town contains some neat, houses, others are
now building, and the whole shows signs of its being
in a flourishing state. The plain is fertile, and in a
high state of cultivation. The city of Mexico
consumes a great part of its produce.
4th. We started by moonlight next morning, and
arrived . at Huehuetoca about seven o'clock : here
we remained to breakfast on eggs and frijoles, and
then visited the famous desague, a cut through
the hills, for the purpose of draining off the in
creased waters from the lakes of Mexico ; it begins
in the immediate neighbourhood of the town.
Humboldt has given a minute description of it ;
but Mr. Poinsett's remarks upon it only two years
ago, are more to my purpose, and, as his book is
scarce, I will copy them.
" The Mexicans provided against the inunda
tions by dikes, and their conquerors for a long time
followed their example. To a city built on islands,
intersected by canals like that of Tenochtitlan, the
inhabitants, accustomed to move along the streets

116
in boats and canoes, suffered, by the overflow of
water, but a trifling and temporary inconvenience.
But after the canals were filled up, and the waters
had retired, so as to leave the city on terra firma,
inundations were attended with the most serious
consequences. Nor was it a temporary inconve
nience to which the inhabitants were subjected.
The inundations were not only frequent, but were
of long duration. They happened every sixteen
or seventeen years, and the city has remained under
water for four or five years at a time. The old
dikes were rebuilt, and year after year new ones
were added, but all in vain ; the waters continued
to overflow, and it was at length determined to
construct a drain from the river Guautitlan, which,
in rainy seasons, swelled the lake of ZUmpango^
through the hills that enclose the valley. The
lowest part was found to be north northwest of
Huehuetoca, near the hills of Nochistongo. The
first project was to construct a canal to drain the
lake of Zumpango, which is more than twenty
feet above the city, and turn the course of the
river Guautitlan. The first canal filled up from
the earth caving in, but the second was completed
by cutting a tunnel through the hill of Nochis
tongo. This tunnel proved much too inconsider
able for the passage of the waters in a rainy sea
son; and, in 1629, the engineer thought it better
to expose the city to the danger of an inundation,
than to risk the destruction of a work which had

117
Cost so much labour. He closed the entrance of
the tunnel, and the waters flowed back into the
lake of Tezcuco, and covered the city so that the
inhabitants traversed the streets in canoes. This
inundation lasted till 1634, notwithstanding our
lady of Guadalupe Was brought from her sanc
tuary into the city to drive back the waters- It
was at length determined to make an open cut
through the hill, which they effected after encoun
tering great difficulties. This canal, cut through
clay, marl, gravel, and sand, is from ninety-eight
to one hundred and thirty feet deep, and at the
summit, between two and three hundred wide. It
was not finished till the year 1789, and cost the
lives of some thousands of Indians" who were com
pelled' to work in it. They were suspended by
cords, and were frequently swept away by the tor
rents, when the waters rose suddenly, or were
dashed against the rocks, and many perished from
excessive fatigue and bad treatment.
" We descended to the bottom by steps cut in the
indurated clay, and were yery much struck to see
only a small riyujet flowing through a canal of
such vast dimensions. A large body of water
passes off by means of this canal in the rainy sea
son ; but now the stream is not more than a foot-
deep, and two or three wide. The sides of the
canal are so perpendicular that they are continu
ally caving in, but from the rapidity, of the cur
rent no inconvenience has arisen from the accu-

118
mUlation of dirt at the bottom of the canal. With
the utmost ingenuity the deep cutting at the sum
mit, which is two thousand six hundred and twenty-
four feet in length, must have been attended with
great labour and expense. The depth here is from
one hundred and forty-seven to one hundred and
ninety-six feet, and for a distance of eleven thou
sand four hundred and eighty-two feet, the breadth
at top is from two hundred and seventy-eight feet
to three hundred and sixty feet, and the depth from
ninety-eight to one hundred arid thirty-one feet "
On the above I have merely to observe, that I
was there just then at the end of the rainy season,
when the flood ought to be the greatest, and found
only the same insignificant rivulet at the bottom.
From Huehuetoca to Tula*, the land, which is
arable, is much neglected ; the greater part of it is
destroyed by the torrents.
Tula is situated at the corner of a large woody
plain, capable of producing any thing, but much
neglected : the town is similar to the other two
which we came through.
5th. Started at four a.m., crossing the river
Tula. The road ascends a barren, rocky country,
where nothing but the prickly pear can thrive, and
with this the horizon was covered. At sunrise we
had a prospect very rare in this country ; the valley
on our right was filled with a thick fog, which
ascended to the summit of the hills, leaving the
peaks of some higher mountains bare ; as the sun

119
rose it was dissipated with a fine effect, at least I
was pleased with it ; it was, I think, but the second
fog I have seen here. The same inhospitable re
gion, where nothing but cacti grow, continues as
far as the hacienda of San Antonio. Hares were
so tame, that we shot them with our pistols. We
got one cooked at the hacienda where we stopped
to breakfast, and fared very well, although the
good people told us that hare was carrion.
From San Antonio the land improves, and is
ppyered with a wild grass, which forms an excel
lent pasturage for large flocks of cattle, tended by
a few Indians,.
The sun was so powerful during the whole of
the day, that it brought on me an intermittent
fever, which I had banished but a few days before
I left Mexico; and although I had felt it ap
proaching on the preceding days, it did not
declare itself till one o'clock to-day, when I had
no means of. relief. It began without ague,
accompanied with a violent thirst, and I had to
ride in excessive torture during the whole of the
afternoon. I put spurs to my horse and pushed
on whenever I discovered a cottage before me,
although the quickened pace was insupportable,
in the expectation of getting a drop of water to
cool my parched tongue, and when I arrived, I
found it ruined, deserted, and without a drop of
water : at another time I was deceived by some
thing glittering in the bed of a river at a great

120
distance, I v/ent far out of my road, and found
it an optical deception. These disappointments,
frequently renewed, increased the fever, which
drove me almost to despair, and if it had not been
for my companions, I should probably have given
myself up to it. Lazy time, however, at last
brought me to Arroyo Sarco, to the meson, where
I revelled in the delight of the shade. The luxury
of bathing my temples and forehead in cold water
was indescribable. The fever remained for about
an hour after my arrival, when I procured a few
minutes' sleep, and awoke perfectly we'll, in good
spirits, and quite ready to attack a plentiful repast
prepared for me by my compagnons de voyage-
I consider myself a good, hard traveller, ready
to go through any fatigue, under the proviso of my
having good health; without this there is no enjoy
ment, and pleasure keeps aloof: particularly on
such a journey as this, where every thing else that
could afford gratification or amusement, must de
pend only upon oneself, — health must be cherished
as an invaluable treasure. Let not an invalid
expect pleasure in travelling.
Arrayo Sarco is a large hacienda, and the meson
part of a once magnificent building, the other part
having been burnt during the revolution. The
accommodations, if you will allow me to use the
term, are very bad, and the people are decidedly,
a set of villains, as I ascertained by my own
observation, and from report. The host, or

121
huespede of the meson, is known to have been en
gaged in all the robberies of consequence in the
neighbourhood, for some time past. He had,
however, a narrow escape lately, having had his
horse shot under him, when attacking two Ameri
can gentlemen and their two servants, mistaking
them for a convoy of silver expected from Gua-
naxuato. The robbers were eight in number, but
they all fled after the first round of shots were
exchanged, which killed one of the servants of the
Americans and the horse of our worthy landlord.
6th. We started at three a.m., our muleteer being
terribly afraid of being robbed of his mules in this
charming place, or on the long plain we had to
cross. About nine o'clock we found ourselves
entering a low hilly country, at the furthest extre
mity of the great plain del Casero, six leagues
long, which we crossed without accident or alarm.
The country is fine and rich, but much neglected,
in fact totally* uncultivated. We got some tor
tillas and chile at a miserable rancho, and arrived
at San Juan del Rio to a hearty dinner, at one
.o'clock; the day's journey is considered about
eleven leagues.
You may, perhaps, observe that my repasts
occupy a considerable place in my journal. I
think they would be of equal importance to any
man who was on horseback all day, and day after
day, San Juan del Rio is one of the prettiest country

122
towns I have yet visited, it has an air of ease,
comfort, and cleanliness, seldom met with here.
Many of its houses are spacious, neatly washed
and painted, and kept very clean. It possesses
four good churches, and, I believe, a theatre, for
a company of actors were at the meson with us,
intending to perform at night : it is true the cock
pit is often converted into a theatre, on the arrival
of strolling companies. The three mesons are all
very tolerable ; the meson Nuevo is the cleanest
and most convenient in the country, but not likely
to remain so long, for it is now full of troops. A
deep and rapid river runs through the town, called
the Rio San Juan.
It is the custom of the people of the country
never to wash or to shave when on a journey,
having an idea it would bring on dangerous fevers,
agues, &c. A good hearted old woman in the
meson was greatly alarmed at my bathing in the
river, she was sure I should not be uble to continue
my journey, and almost expected they would have
to bury me there : her anxiety, however, was re
lieved when she saw me mount horse next morning
in good health.
7th. On leaving San Juan, instead of going
round by the bridge, we made a short cut by
wading through a shallow part of the river, —
we found it difficult to climb the opposite banks ;
but afterwards the road became even, and we tra
velled on at a rapid pace. '

123
¦ The country is generally level, and tolerably well
cultivated with Indian corn and frixoks together;
some kinds of these latter do not differ, at least so far
as I can judge, from the common French bean, or
harricot, (Fr.,) which we consume in the pod, but
which are left here till they become hard, like
horse beans. They are grown in fields, either
alone or between the furrows of the Indian corn.-
Various kinds are produced, differing in shape,
size, and colour, from the size of a pea to that of a
common bean, and black, white, or brown. The
Indians live upon them, with tortillas and chile,
and the higher classes never finish breakfast, dinner,
or supper without them. Although their appear
ance, to a foreigner, is not very nice, he finds it an
excellent, substantial, and wholesome food in tra
velling, to be met with every where ; it is cooked
with a little water and salt, and plenty of lard and
chile, though the last may be omitted : eggs are
an excellent accompaniment.
At noon, a sudden fit of ague, came upon me
with great violence, and showed itself in a violent
shaking all through my body, my teeth chattered,
and I found myself perfectly helpless, at the same
time feeling no illness. I had the good fortune to
meet with a tumbler of excellent sherry wine at
the hacienda Colorada, which dispelled the ague
in a few minutes, but it was succeeded by a burn
ing fever, under the "torture of which I arrived at
the Venta de San Antonio, where I took shelter in

124
the shade, and procured a little sleep; we sent the
servants forward with the luggage, and followed
ourselves when the sun had somewhat declined,
towards four o'clock. I then found myself per
fectly well, and was able to admire the magnificent
prospect of the valley of Queretaro as it opened
upon the view, between two steep mountains. A
lofty aqueduct, which brings the water from the
hills to the convent of San Francisco, is a striking
arid picturesque object : the tall green trees, the
church steeples, a green bushy foreground, and a
purple distance, gave me a favourable idea of the
place, and particularly of the town, before I' en
tered it. On approaching, however, nearer, all
these impressions are removed, the houses of the
suburbs are Of bare mud, with only one mud floor;
the inhabitant^ are poorly clad, most of them
having but a loose blanket round them, leaving
their breasts and shoulders bare ; idleness appears
to be the character of the place. Yet health was
painted on every face, and the women and children
were handsomer than the generality I had hitherto
seen. The centre of the town is good ; the site is not
quite level, nor are the streets built with much re
gularity, but they abound with fine buildings and
large, churches and convents, and there is one
good square, surrounded with well-furnished shops.
Several manufactories also flourish here; a low
broad cloth is made here, with which all the troops

125
are clothed, and the popr people make their man-
gas. The quality- is about equal to that of the
three to four shillings narrow Yorkshire ; but the
only colours they can make well, are light green
and sky blue: it is- about a yard and one-third wide,
and costs from ten to twelve shillings. There are,
besides, large cotton manufactories, similar to
those in Puebla ; but these are principally divided
amongst the labouring classes, who have their
looms in their own houses. The buildings for
printing the cottons for petticoats and rebozos,
are large, and well worth a visit.
The number of inhabitants, it is supposed, is
between thirty and forty, thousand ; the moral
character of the people is at a very low standard ;
in fact, the town is full of lepers, — it ranks, in this
respect, with Puebla.
The state of Queretaro has offered its capital to
the Sovereign Congress for its federal city, that of
Mexico being strongly opposed to the capital being
dismembered from it for the purpose ; but it is pro
bable they will both be disappointed, and that
Mexico will be taken for the federation, with a few
leagues in its circumference. In this dispute the
Provincial Congress of Queretaro sacrifices its pride
to its interest, and that of Mexico its interest to its
pride; for the residence of the federal government
would always become the principal city in the
states, and its inhabitants be materially benefitted
above the others.
m 2

126
9th. We left Queretaro at five o'clock, and tra
velled rapidly over the beautifulplain of the Bawo,
highly cultivated with Indian corn, and lively with
the verdure of thousands of trees, shrubs, and
creepers. The cactus still exists here, to the great
prejudice of the appearance of the country ; in
fact, this intrusive plant is to be found everywhere,
in the richest soil, and on the tops of stone walls
and ruined buildings, where there is no soil at all.
Those which produce fruit fit for eating, are com
paratively scarce, and require some' attention ;
they are, however, all of some use to the Indians, '
who employ their stringy fibres in the manufacture
of saddle cushions for mules and horses.
At noon we arrived at Apaseo, a straggling mud-
built village, and, as this was my ague day, I took
up my quarters in the best house I could find,
where I stretched myself on some mate, and pa
tiently waited the approach of the shaking fit,
which came punctually to its time. One of my
companions had the humanity to wait with me,
while the other went onward with the servants and
mules. My old host and his wife were particularly
attentive to me, and muttered their orisons to the
Virgin, with repeated- signs of the cross, for my
health, when they saw the violence of my attack ;
they pronounced their benediction upon me, when
at length I recovered and remounted, my palfry.
It was half-past three when we started after the
others, trusting to chance that we should find the

127
road. We found them sticking in the mud at the
foot of the superb bridge of Celaya, where the river
had overflowed, and rendered the approach to the
bridge dangerous, and it was dark before we ar
rived in the town.
The river, at this season, is the largest I have
seen in the country ; its banks are covered with
verdure, and enlivened with large flocks of sheep
and herds of cattle, tended by Indian shepherds.
The bridge over this river is quite new, and of good
architecture, by the same architect as the " church
of Maria del Carmen, which is considered the pret
tiest and most chaste in the whole country. The
architect is self-taught, and is ambitious of gaining
a name and leaving monuments of his ability. I
regret we could not find him out : his name, I be
lieve, is Tresguerras.
Our day's journey was, as usual, about- twelve
leagues. 10th. Our journey to Salamanca continued
along the same beautiful plain, without adventure.
We took a traveller's breakfast at a ruined ha
cienda, called Molino Serabia.
11th. This being my ague day I took the high
lands of Guanawuata for my guide, and left the
party proceeding at a quick pace. The country is
very rich and well cultivated, and covered with
haciendas and villages. I left Irrupuato to th&
left, arid passed through Temascatia and Perapa-
tia. The former is much neglected and almost in

128
ruins ; the latter is thickly populated and in a flou
rishing condition, it is situated in the midst of
small hills and an undulating country, if the ex
pression may be allowed.
At eleven o'clock I arrived at the hacienda de
Burras, which is prettily situated, well populated,
and in great apparent prosperity, in the midst of a
fertile country. Here I made a good breakfast,
and kept off the ague by a good dose of rafino ;*
but the fever was not to be so eluded, it came upon
me just as my companions came up. At four o'clock
we continued our journey.
A short time before we reached Marfii a heavy
rain storm came on, and I pushed forward, with
one of my companions, in order to obtain shelter as
soon as possible. Marfii is at the entrance of the
most rugged country in the world, that in which
Guanaxuato is situated ; it is at the mouth of a
narrow and deep ravine, at the bottom of which
runs a rapid stream, fed by innumerable torrents
from the mountains. We were directed up the
bed of this river to Guanaxuato, and we lost no
time, as night was approaching. There was no road
on the banks, they were too steep and broken* and_
the highway was up the middle of the river ; at
first the water was not deep, but as the rain in
creased and flowed from the mountains, it swelled
rapidly and reached our horses' bellies.
* Refined brandy.

129
For the! most part of the way, the high Walls of
ruined haciendas rise immediately on the banks/
and beyond them we descried, in the gloom of the
night, the black mountains, in which the winds
were whistling,' and where' the torrents roared in
concert ; our situation was terrifically romantic.
There were no sighs of human habitations, and we
found no means of ascertaining whether we were
still in the fight way ; we were lost at the bottom
of a tremendous precipice, in the body of a river
increasing in rapidity and strength, on the banks
of Which we had no hopes of refuge, for high rocks
arid walls above them defied our approach. We
were quite alive to the sublimity of air around us,
but we wete cold, wet, hungry, helpless : in an
uncertainty where the next step might plunge us ;
we sang, we " whistled to keep our spirits up,"
but it was a cheerless song. - '¦'-'-
O ! how sweet, how harmonious to us was the
voice of a man, proceeding from a dirty hovel at a
short distance from us ; we were again on terra
firma, and only a mile from the town ; and in half
an hour I had again verified my favourite axiom,
in all situations of pain or distress, that " it will
some time end and be forgotten."
It was the eve of one of their saint's days, and
the town was so full of people from the surround
ing country, that no room was to be found in the
mesons where we had agreed to meet our deserted
companion, and we were obliged' to shift as well as

130
we could in a large but dirty cellar. On inquiry
of each other, we found that neither of us had any
money, and we were obliged to remain supperless
till our friend should arriye; we had sent scouts in
every direction, to bring him where we were, but
they did not appear. And we were at length
obliged to pawn our credit with our host, for a
mouthful of bread and chocolate, which afforded
us some refreshment. He lent us as many dry
clothes as he could spare, and just as we were
going to dispose ourselves to sleep, our lost com
panion came in. On comparing notes, we found
that he had been still more embarrassed than our
selves, having had the cargo mules to attend to,
and to contend with a greater force of water. He
brought the beds with him, but the trunks were
detained at the custom-house, at Marfii, and we
still remained without cash. We, however, thought
ourselves happy in having dry beds to lie on, and
we slept as well as we could with empty stomachs.
12th, The next morning I went for the trunks
to Marfii, leaving one of my companions in pledge
for the value of the chocolate and pasture with
which our kind host had trusted us. I pursued
a road, or rather a track over the rocks, and thus
avoided the water. The custom-house officers were
very civil, merely opening our trunks and shutting
them again, which I thought might have been dis
pensed with, saving us a great deal of trouble, and
me, in particular, a dangerous ride of three miles.

131
On my return to the cellar I found the whole
house in an uproar.. One of the Ingleses, as we
were called, was at high words with a government
officer, who wanted to embargo his beautiful mule
to run the posts ; the officer was armed, and that
made him very bold, and the other was an English
man and did not at all understand this kind of
fun; he did not know a word of the language: al
though the officer appeared somewhat awed with
his resolution, the mule was too fine an animal to
be lost, and he persisted in taking him away. After
some difficulty he, however, gave up his point, on
finding some one who could speak his idiom, and
persuade him in a way he understood. He at
length took another mule instead, leaving a receipt
with the landlord, the" owner of the animal being
absent. We paid our debts as soon as possible, and re
moved to a room in the meson, which had been
vacated. The mines in the neighbourhood were all shut
up, owing to the feast, and our observations during
this day were confined to the interior of the town.
The fever and ague, which gave me an extra attack,
owing to ''my exposure the preceding night, con
fined me for three hours, and my remarks were
very limited.
The town is built on one side of a large ravine,
and its site is rendered excessively uneven by being
divided and cut up by smaller ravines and beds of

132
torrents. There had been no room to make a
square, or a straight street, which are the first ob
jects to which the Spaniards pay their attention in
building their towns. Some of the houses are magr
nificent, and bespeak the former affluence of their
owners and their, present comparative poverty, for
their gaudy and extravagant ornaments are suffered
to go to decay : they have been, in their time, finely
painted in all colours. On delivering a few letters
of introduction, we observed the great extravagance
with which the houses are finished in the interior.
The fruit of one of our introductions was a recom
mendation to the director of the Valenciana mine,
whither we purposed going next morning.
Some of the mines are immediately contiguous
to the town, and, in fact, may be called its suburbs.
Under the names of' the mines are comprised very
extensive premises and houses for the accommoda
tion of some thousands of miners ; such are the Va
lenciana, Cata, and San Lorenzo. The rocks under
our feet are full of mineral specimens, their general
appearance is granitic.
On returning from our walk, we fell in with the
procession which had attracted thousands to the
town. There was little grand or imposing in it ;
but abundance of ridiculous and childish buf
foonery — little angels riding on jackasses,, devils,
monkeys, men dressed ip beasts' skins, mounte
banks' tricks, &c. &c. I always endeavoured to
be silent on these things, and to, respect the

133
opinions of others, it is cowardly to ridicule them
behind their backs, and I think your English pre
judice against the Roman Catholics is, generally
too great, — yet I cannot put Up with such an out
rage upon common sense as the one I allude to, it
makes a mockery of religion, and is" inexcusable.
13th. We went early this morning to Valen-
ciana, and presented our introduction to Don Ig-
nacio Tregaso, the" administrador, who was , very
obliging and attentive to us'. He accompanied us
round all the shafts and outworks, described to us
minutely the plan of working their malacates, and
then gave us over to old Charon, as we christened
our guide into these infernal regions;
The descent immediately at [the mouth of the
mine, is very gradual, and the passage spacious,
so that mUles may go up and down it ; this conve
nience, however, only reaches as far as an altar,
where an image of the virgin presides, and where
an office for accounts and the examination of the
miners was formerly kept.
Thus far, convenience and ease have been stu
died, but further on the passages are merely the
rude cuts from whence the excavations have been
made, as irregularly as the courses of the veins
which they followed. These galleries branch off
in every direction, increasing in extent as we go
deeper ;they are all distinguished by their names;:
districts and quarters are created, and generally
named after some saint, and those who live bekrwy
s

134
know every part as well as a resident knows the
streets of Mexico. It is supposed that were all
the galleries measured, the total of their length
would be equal to all the streets of Mexico, some
of which are nearly three miles long. The descents
are very rapid, and sometimes dangerous, from
the uncertainty of the steps, worn out by the con
stant tread of barefooted Indians with their heavy
loads. Three hundred varas, about two hundred
and seventy-seven yards,- are now free from water,
and different parts of this are worked to advantage;
several small veins, formerly considered of no
value, net the proprietors about two thousand
dollars a week. Five hundred Indians are em
ployed ; before the water was let into it by Mina,
five thousand was the number.
We were hardy enough to venture down about
one hundred and fifty varas, but could not force '
ourselves any further ; we imagined it a very helly
from the want of a circulation of air, — the immense
number of candles and torches, — the profuse per
spiration of the Indians at work, — the fumes of
the gunpowder used in such abundance, — andi at
the same time, the rocks above us dropping cold
water, or sweating, as the. miners call it. Our
situation was very novel to us, and our companion
was very kind and patient in affording us every
assistance, had it not been so, we should have been
quite overpowered. The; ascent was to us a Her
culean task, we were glad to stop and pant every

135
three or four steps,, and willingly rested in- the
"strong drafts of cold air which was admitted from
the main shafts by galleries cut on purpose, and
without which no body could live there.
While the task so completely overcame us, the
labour of the Indians, who carry up loads pf three
and four hundred weight, from a much greater
depth, and pass us at a quick pace, appeared to us
unexampled ; some of them can bring up as much
as six hundred weight in the regular course of
their work. They are barefooted, and, in fact,
have no more clothing than a kind of leather
drawers ; they never stop at bad passages, but
.bring all fours into use : each carries a torch or a
candle. With joy we hailed the light of heaven ! We
were made to sit still for half an hour, wrapped up
in blankets and cloaks, for we had had a vapour
bath. .From thence we adjourned to a breakfast
which the administrador had prepared for us. This
gentleman was perfectly deaf, yet I conversed , with
him some time before I found it out ; he under
stood .what I said by the motion of my lips and
the expression of my countenance, he sometimes,
however, required to have my words repeated by
some of the attendants, to whom he was accus
tomed; he lost his hearing in his childhood. This
is an astonishing instance of the refinement to which
other senses attain, on the defect of one. It was
an extraordinary subject that required the use of
signs ; he conversed readily on mining, machinery,

136
mineralogy, chymistry, &c, yet, he assured us, he
coulcl hot hear a cannot shot at a few yards' dis
tance. The information he gave us during, our
prolonged breakfast, was very exact and very in
teresting,— but I cannot do better; than to;cbpy
for you what Mr. Poinsett collected, concerning
the mines generally, and which you. will find to be
little more than an abstract of Humboldt on the
same subject. He says,
" Within six leagues from Guanaxuato, among
a group of hills, called Sierra de Santa Rosa;
which are partly arid and partly covered with
shrubs and small evergreen oaks, and surrounded
by fertile and well-cultivated plains, there are four
rich veins of silver ore, the Villalpando, San Ni
colas, San Barabe, or La Lux, and the Veta Madre,
or Mother Vein. The principal mines that have
been opened in the last are, Valenciana, Tepeyac,
Cata, San Lorenzo, Sirena, and San Bruno.
These mines formerly supplied with ore and kept
at work two thousand mills, each grinding six
quintals every twenty-four hours. The extent of
this vein from Valenciana to San Bruno, is rather
more than five leagues, and within this distance
there are upwards of one hundred shafts opened.
Before the revolution of 1810, they produced ten
thousand mules' loads of ore, two hundred and
severity-five pounds each, eVery week; making
sixty-two thousand and sixty-two parcels, of thirty-
two quintals of ore. These parcels^ reckoning one
with another, are worth fifteen marks of" silver,

137
yielding annually nine hundred and thirty^eight
thousand four hundred and thirty marks, or seven
thousand and twenty-five bars, of one hundred
and thirty-five marks, each worth eleven hundred
dollars, amounting to seven millions seven hundred
and twenty-seven thousand Jive hundred dollars.
The mine of Valenciana alone produced from five
to six thousand loads, Raya fifteen hundred, and
the other mines the remainder.
" We were shown a plan or map of the mine,
which, although said to be very incorrect, gave us
a good idea of this subterraneous city. The exca
vations extend from southeast to northwest six
teen hundred yards, and eight hundred yards in a
southwest direction. There are three parallels, or
plains, worked on ramifications of the principal
vein. The Veta Madre, or Mother Vein, was
here found not more than twenty-two feet wide,
and without any ramifications, from the surface pf
the soil to the depth of five hundred and fifty-seven
feet ; at this depth it divided into three branches,
and the entire mass from one hundred and sixty-
five to one hundred and ninety-five feet thick, of
these three branches not more than one is in general
very productive. They have all the same angle,
(forty-five degrees,) but vary in thickness from
nine to forty yards. Four shafts descend, to these
parallels, ,the first, called San Antonio, of seven
hundred and fortyTfour feet perpendicular depth,
the cost of this shaft was three hundred and ninety.
n2

138
six thousand dollars.* The square shaft of Santo
Christo, four hundred and ninety-two feet deep,
cost niriety-five thousand dollars. The hexagon
shaft of our Lady of Guadalupe, eleven hundred
and thirty-one feet perpendicular depth, cost seven
hundred thousand dollars. San Jose, an octagon
of more than eighteen hundred feet perpendicular
depth, and three hundred feet in the direction of
the Veta Madre, which is an angle of forty-five
degrees, cost .twelve hundred thousand dollars.
To understand the necessity of sinking so many
shafts, of* different depths, it may be necessary to
explain that, in following the dip of the vein,
which is first discovered on the surface, and is
almost invariably an angle of forty-five degrees,
the work 'Is* impeded, after a certain depth, by
water. A shaft is then sunk, so as to intercept the
vein at the termination of the gallery, in order to
draw the water out. The work is then continued
until it becomes necessary to sink another shaft
still deeper, to clear the lower galleries. At the
termination of each shaft, a great many parallel
galleries branch but on ramifications of the mother
vein. From these parallels, a vast number of
smaller galleries branch out, worked to a greater
or less distance, according as the ore proved of
good or bad quality ; and many of them were
pierced with a view of discovering other veins.
Besides the shafts, there are two descents by steps,
winding down to the last parallel. The ore is for

139
the most part extracted by drilling and blasting ?
sometimes, but very rarely, the wedge can be used."
Mr. Poinsett also remarks, that the matrices of
the ores, which he had a good opportunity of
examining, are principally quartz, amethyst, and
rock crystal; horn stone, here and there a small
portion of prase, calcareous spar, of a dark brown
and of pearl colour. The metals are pyrites of
iron, arsenic, yellow copper, galena, grey and
yellow blend, virgin gold and silver, sulphate of
silver, both brittle and ductile, and rosicler, a
rich silver ore, of a bright rosy colour, which he
did not see. This ore is extremely rare, and con
tains more silver than the other kinds. There are
likewise veins of copper, lead, tin, cinnabar, anti
mony, and manganese, and the crystals of the car
bonate of lime, which are found in the mines, are
very large and perfect.
The outer works were for the most part burned
by Mina, and only part of the malacdtes have been
replaced : these are machines for bringing up the
water and the ores from the shafts ; they are com
posed of drums and wheels, turned by means of
teeth and sockets, and so distributed as to admit
of sixteen poles for yoking the mules to, and, I
believe, each pole will hold four mules ; so that
sixty-four mules might be worked at once at one
shaft, the whole remaining under shelter, and with
out interfering in the least with the men who work
at the mouth of the shaft. The metals and water

140
are brought up in large buckets made of two ox
hides. The produce of the mine is now much less than
it would be if sufficient capital and attention were
afforded to it. The workmen receive part pay
ment in ores, the whole of which are sold on the
spot. The sale days are twice a week, when the
buyers, who consist of speculators and smelters, or
silver farmers, as they are called here, come to
make their purchases. The greatest part of the
ores are worked at the numerous haciendas de
Beneficio, or silver farms, in the immediate neigh
bourhood. We went through one of the largest,
but so rapidly that I cannot attempt any detailed
relation of the process, — in fact, after Humboldt,
it would be unnecessary.
At the moment we visited the mines of Guan
axuato, they were the subject of negociation be
tween the proprietors and some of the English
mine companies; the latter were about entering
into possession, but they affect to keep every thing
secret, and I do not know how far their negotia
tions may have proceeded ; report, however, is
very confident in spreading the terms on which the
Valenciana is lent to them for a term of years,
which, if true, are very advantageous to the pro
prietors, and quite the reverse to the English ad
venturers. In 1802, according, to Humboldt, the- popula
tion of Guanaxuato and its neighbourhood, includ-

141
ing the Mines, Marfii, and *Burras, was seventy
thousand six hundred. In 1822, according to the
census taken, it did not contain more than thirty-
five thousand seven hundred. This difference is
owing to the destruction of the mines.
I will copy some general remarks respecting the
subject we are upon :
" It has been found that the whole profits of
mining in New Spain do not exceed six per cent.
on the capital employed;
"Taking an average of the whole amount of
ore extracted from these mines, one hundred pounds
of ore contains three or four ounces of silver.
" In thirty-eight years, from 1766 to 1803, the
mines of Guanaxuato produced one hundred and
sixtyvfive millions of dollars in gold arid silver.
( " Average of the great mining districts accord
ing to the quantities of silver they yield ; this
1st is Guanaxuato, 8th is Tasco,
2d — Catorce, 9th — Balopilas,
3d — Zacatecas, 10th — Zimapah,
4th — Real del Monte, 11th — Fresnillo,
5th — Bolanos, 12th — ¦ Ramos,
6th — Guarisainey, ? 13th — Jarral.
7th — Sombrerete,
" The revenue that Spain derived' from this im
mense amount of silver, was much greater than if
the mines had been worked by: government, for it
must be recollected that the king did not own any
of the mines.

142
" There is no doubt that the product of the
mines of Mexico is capable of being considerably
augmented. The free introduction of quicksilver,
and a diminution of the duty and charges on coin
age, will tend very much to that effect."
Since the wetting I got on entering Guanaxuato,
the fever and ague came on me every day, and it
caught me before I arrived at the meson on our re
turn from the mines. This did not, however, pre
vent our starting at about three o'clock, with the
intention of reaching Silao, five leagues off, by
night. As we were mounting our horses, one of our
servants took the opportunity to complain of belly
ache, to decline accompanying us any further ; and
he was not to be frightened by our threats. We
should have been glad to have got rid of him, had
we not advanced to him considerably on his wages,
and we had no time to bring him to justice ;< this
the rascal knew, and hoping never to see any thing
more of us, thus left us to do as well as we could
without him.
We again passed Marfilj and shortly afterwards
turned northward, over the hills, leaving the road
to Burr as on the left. It then rained heavily, and
the road was so heavy that we made but slow pro
gress, and it was dark when we entered the plain
of Silao at sunset, at about a league and a half
from the town. The rain still continued to pour
in torrents, and the road being lower than the
surrounding land, was soon overflowed, and the

143
quickest pace at which we could go was a slow
walk. The waters increased upon us so fast, that
in a short time, as far as we could see, was one
uninterrupted surface of water, except now and
then, when the banks at the edges of the road
appeared above it ; yet, we dare not attempt to go
upon them, our beasts could not secure their foot
ing, and their only use to us, as far as they went,
was to guide us in the road ; they however were soon
lost, and, as the night, grew darker, our only guide
was a light at a distance, which we supposed to pro
ceed from the town ; this was very precarious, and
we frequently found ourselves in situations where
we thought we were fast for the night at least, and
only extricated ourselves by dint of great exertion,
and at some risk of drowning our horses. On one
occasion one of the cargo mules fell down, the rope
which tied them together broke, and the two
beasts were lost ; we then found ourselves, greatly.
deficient in numbers, having to attend to, four
cargo mules and horses, and I know not how we
managed to arrive safely at last at a rising mound,
where we found several Indians encamped, and
from whom we learned, that we were about a mile
from the town, that there was a considerable descent
between us and it, where we should inevitably
be drowned if we attempted to pass. All these
things , taken into consideration, we, determined
upon settling, down, as the Yankees haye it, where
we were. So we unloaded and disposed purselves

144
to sleep ; the rain fortunately had ceased, and the
only inconveniences we suffered were, acold night
without shelter, wet to the skin, a muddy bank for
our beds, and enormous appetites, without any
thing to eat. Some of our party stretched them
selves on the luggage, covering their heads with
the warm saddles, this was certainly comfortable,
but there was not room for all; I kept iny seat on
horseback,, and soon was nodding: but my slum
bers were disturbed, apparitions and hobgoblins
of every shape, size, and colour, flitted around me
in my dreams ; my toes, my fingers, my nose, and
my ears were pulled, and pinched, and squeezedj
and I dared not complain ; then a box on my
ear from a huge, shapeless, black monster stunned
me, I reeled, faultering to the ground, and only
awoke just in time to save myself from a fall from
my horse, and found myself shiveririg with cold.
At about midnight the water had greatly sub
sided, and, after several attempts, an Indian at
length made good his passage, he was soon fol
lowed by the rest, and when we had secured our
luggage we crossed, and shortly after arrived in
town. The meson was quite full, and we were glad to
share an old stable with our poor horses ; we got
some tables and benches, on which we spread" our
beds, broke our fast with a cup of chocolate, which
was all we could get, and slept soundly until nine
o'clock next morning.

145
14th. There was nothing to be had in this
precious town of Silao for the breakfast of three
hungry travellers, but chocolate and spongecake;
we could not help ourselves, and with this we con
tinued our journey over the plain, still in a great
measure covered with water. The country is
beautiful and well cultivated, but I had no time to
make remarks upon it ; the heavy road and the
long leagues, eight in number, which separated us
from the Villa de Leon, and how to get over them
the fastest, occupied the whole of my attention. It
was three o'clock ere I arrived, and I had to get
through with an attack of the ague before I could
get my dinner.
15th. This morning found all our troubles re
moved. We were as fresh as larks, and pursued
our journey gaily. A great part of the road to
Lagos is supposed to be infested by thieves. Crosses
and mounds indicate the resting places of many
an unfortunate traveller. This part of the country
appears to be very thinly populated, the only signs
of life we saw in the day's journey were a number
of Indians on one plot of ground, and the large
travelling equipage of a Spaniard, consisting- of
two coaches and at least forty mules and horses:
The coaches were loaded with lUggage outside,
and well filled within with his family; and half-a-
dozen Indian women found a birth' in a net slung
Underneath. Eight mules were harnessed to each
coach, and a change ran loose by the side : there

146
were half-a-dozen outriders. We arrived at Lagos
at about one o'clock.
Lagos is larger and handsomer than most of the
country towns we passed through : it is well built
and very clean and comfortable ; it appeared but
thinly populated, but I should suppose it capable
of accommodating twelve thousand. It is of con
siderable importance in this part of the country.
16th. To-day's journey was about ten leagues,
over a fine but neglected plain, to San Juan de
Los Lagos.
A great fair is held here every year, the first
week in December, when people flock to it from
all parts of the country, and when an immense
trade is done. The feast of one of the virgins at
the same time makes it quite worth visiting, and I
must try to contrive to visit it. The last two days
I passed the fever and ague chiefly on horseback.
In giving a description of one of these country
towns, you have that of them all. They are built
of sods and mud, and, however poor they may be,
they always possess a square in the centre, and the
streets run in direct lines. The parochial church,
generally a very fine and large building, occupies
one side of the square, and opposite to it we find
the meson. A few shops, with porticos before
them, occupy the whole or part of the remaining
two sides, according to the size and respectability
of the town. The best dwelling-houses are also in
the immediate neighbourhood of the square. . The

147
meson is always whitewashed, both within and
without, and if it were kept clean and in repair, it
would be the finest house in the town ; but as it
is, entrusted to careless stewards, who have little
interest in it, it is no wonder that it should soon
become filthy and ruined. The best dwelling-
houses are neatly whitewashed and painted, inside
and outside, and, comparatively speaking, com
fortably furnished ; these houses belong to the
rich proprietors of the neighbouring lands, and are
generally occupied by their stewards ; sometimes,
however, the grandees themselves (for such they
are in the country) are to be found there, and with
them a traveller is always sure of a good reception.
The Outer parts of the town are wretchedly poor,
and , the inhabitants only half clothed ; many of
them obtain a scanty subsistence from their manu
factures of leather, rebozos, and common cottons.
When a stranger arrives at a meson, he is sure to
be assailed by all the manufacturers of the place ;
and if his object is to buy up their labour, he soon
fills his room with choice merchandise, without
trouble and at very low rates.
San Juan differs, in many respects, from other
country towns, since most of the new buildings
are made to suit the great fair particularly. It
contains several streets of houses with two floors,
which is quite a rarity in this part of the country.
17th. The clay roads hardly passable owing to
the late rains. The country mountainous and
barren, but where a track of soil is found, it has

148
been carefully cultivated with Indian corn. Xalos,
a small town about four leagues from San Juan.
From this place the country is more even, and
covered with wild grass, where herds of cattle were
brought to graze. We put up at a miserable
venta, about six leagues further.
18th. From this venta to Tepatitlan, seven
leagues, the face of the country continues the
same; some agriculture is here and there to be
seen. From the violence of my fever I was obliged
to be contented with a short day's journey, and
stop here. I took a walk through the town and
went info all the coffee-houses, took coffee, ices,
and smoked cigars, but met with no adventure
worth relating.
19th. High and wild country with little culti
vation as far as Calderon, a bridge which has given
its name to a battle fought in its neighbourhood,
famous in the history of the revolution. We slept
at Zapotldn, a straggling town, quite concealed
amongst great numbers of orange, lemon, and other
trees of deep verdure, eleven leagues from Tepa
titlan. 20th. Just before we arrived at El Puente
Grande, we met a Christian,* a white man, a man
who spoke our own language, in fine, a citizen of
the United States of America. This was quite *.
treat to us ; the sea-sick passenger does notrejoice
more on speaking a vessel at sea, hearing where
• The Spaniards, and consequently the Mexicans also, refuse to
call us Christians ; mine is but a gentle retaliation.

149
she comes from, where she is bound, and what her
longitude is, than we did on meeting this compa
triot (for we made him so) in this remote part of
the world, hitherto almost unexplored by any but
Spaniards. He was coming from Guadalaxara,
from whence, by dead reckoning, we were distant
about eight leagues due east; he was bound for
Mexico, where he promised to report us. These
ceremonies exchanged, we pursued our course.
Puente Grande comprises, perhaps, fifty Indian
cottages, built on both sides of a large and beau
tiful bridge over the Rio Grande de San Francisco,
at apart where it is very wide, but so shallow that
it may be forded. From thence we hastened our
steps over a rough and unfruitful country and bad
roads, through the village of San Pedro to Guada
laxara, where we arrived at about one o'clock.
Three days after my arrival, I banished the
fever and ague with milk and sulphur; a pint of
the former, and dessert spoonful of the latter, taken
together, in the morning, and bark every hour
during the day.
I calculated, with a great deal of pains, the
distance between Mexico and Guadalaxara, com
paring my own observations by time, with the
government tariff, and I found it a hundred and
weighty leagues, five hundred and forty miles; the
post does it in, eight days, through Valladolid,
which is somewhat shorter. Without changes of
horses, it requires at least fifteen days
o2

150

LETTER XIII.
Guadalaxaba, 29th Sept. 1824.
The province of Guadalaxara ranks after that
of Mexico in political importance, and its capital
is considered the second in the United States, and
supposed to contain about sixty thousand inhabi
tants. Its best sea port is San Bias, where most
of the East India business has been done of late
years.. The government have lately opened an
other port called Manzanillo, further south, but
with little prospect of its being made useful. Tepic,
a commercial town of importance, about eighteen
leagues from San Bias, may be called a sister town
to Xalapa, as it stands in the same relative situa
tion with Guadalaxara, as this does with Mexico,
The state is generally well cultivated, and the in-,
habitants industrious. Their manufactures of
leather and glass are much esteemed; besides these,
they weave cotton and wool, on the same plan as at
Queretaro. The famous mines of Bolanos are in
this province, and at only a short distance from the
capital, but are at present full of water, and the
•outworks are destroyed. Vino mescal, pulque^
brandy, if I may so translate it, being madefrora
the maguey, is 3 staple production^ the province
westward^ ,

151
The city of Guadalaxara is beautifully laid out
in the Spanish style, on a level site ; the streets,
well paved and flagged. The churches are large,
and one or two of them are pretty and ornamented
with taste. The National-square in the centre is
flanked on one side by the cathedral, the national
palace occupies another, and the beautiful portales,
the remaining two. The portals stretch a good
way into the town, and are the finest in the country.
It possesses a tolerable theatre, with an indifferent
company, and a cockpit, now occupied by a circus
party. The mint is under the direction of a Scotch
man, Senor Murray, who was captured and thrown
into slavery thirty years ago by the Algerines. He
made his escape to Spain, and from thence has ar
rived to the directorship of the Casa de Moneda
here, after a long list of adventures. He has very
nearly forgotten his native language.
The country immediately surrounding the eity
is sandy and unproductive ; the scenery is also in
sipid ; but at a few leagues distance it is rich and
fertile, and the bold banks of the Rio Grande fre
quently present good landscapes.
The village of San Pedro, about a league off, is
completely shaded with beautiful foliage,, and al
though its best houses are of mud, it, is the fashion
able resort of the ladies during the church festivals
and common holydays;
On my first acquaintance I formed a bad opinion
of the inhabitants; I found , them jealous, and

152
thought them inhospitable ; and in two instances,
where particular kindness and attention was shown
to us by persons to whom we had letters of recom
mendation, I ascertained that their object was to
have us more in their power to do us injury, by thus
placing us under obligations to them. I must,
however, observe that this merely alludes to the
mercantile men, who were actuated by an extraor
dinary feeling of jealousy. Having had occasion
to call upon some of the members of congress, I
have found them to be very liberal men, and have
met with a very friendly reception. I was particu
larly pleased with one of these characters, a priest,
whose great ambition was to reform the constitu
tion of the state, in which he has ultimately suc
ceeded. In fact this reform, which I shall here
after probably have occasion to refer to, proves
that the congress of the state of Xalixco (the re
publican name of the province of Guadalaxara) is
the most liberal of all in the union.
The people are bigotted and fanatic in the ex
treme. This, I think, will always be found to be
the case in proportion with the want of education
and general knowledge of the world. On the point
of religion all classes and colours are alike, and the
only exceptions from it are to be found in the army,
where some of the young officers have discovered
the illusions of their superstitions, and supposing
that the whole must be error and deception, have
gone into the other extreme of infidelity and

153
atheism. A Protestant, if known to be such, how
ever virtuous he may be, is exposed to the danger
ous whims of the leperos, who would easily persuade
themselves that they would be doing God a service
by ridding the earth of all Jews and heretics, by
which appellation* Protestants are called. Only
two Englishmen had attempted to settle here pre
viously to ourselves, one of whom had been ordered
by the government to quit within twenty-four
hours ; (but he had been guilty of talking too freely
about the. church;) the other felt himself so inse
cure that he was obliged to wind up his concerns
and make his escape in a hurry. I and my com
panions were the first who have lived here in peace
and quietness, and who have been treated with re
spect by the mob. We owe this to our constant
attendance at mass on the holydays, by which
means we got the, credit of; being real Christians.
The congress also took notice of us, and published
a law for the good treatment of all strangers.

154

LETTER XIV.
Guadalaxara, 18th Oct. 1824.
We mounted our horses at day break on the 2d
of October, and Set off without bed or baggage,
with only a small bundle attached to our saddles,
and one servant as a guide, for San Bias.
I neglected making my accustomed notes on the
journey downwards, and therefore my descriptions
must be confined to our return. We went down in
five days without accident.
San Bias has a very picturesque appearance from
the sea, being perched upon a high rock, the side
which faces the sea is quite perpendicular, yet
covered with brushwood. The embattled terrace
of the custom-house, which occupies the edge of
the precipice, crowns the picture, giving to the
little town a warlike and very imposing appearance.
Large ships cannot get over the bar, but must an
chor in the open roadstead, exposed to the wind and
the seas, which are very violent here during certain
months. Small craft come into the north branch
of the river, where they lie in perfect security
The conveniences for discharging on the wharfs are
very tolerable, but they are more than a mile from
the town, and for half a mile the ascent up the sides

155
of the rock is so steep, that it was with the greatest
difficulty imaginable we managed to climb up it.
There are numerous Indian huts amongst the trees
on the low ground, where the greatest part of the
population remains during the present sickly sea
son. We were there after sunset, and were much
amused in contemplating the liveiy happy scenes
they exhibited ; rude guitars, or other instruments,
were played in every house, accompanied with a
merry song to drive dull care away, — though they
are entirely sans souci — care never troubles these
people. On arrival at the custom-house at the
summit of the rock, we are poorly repaid for the
exertions expended in climbing it. From hence
we have a view of a good part of the town. The
streets are nothing more than the native rocks,
carelessly hewn, or blasted with gunpowder, and so
uneven that it requires some care and agility to
keep on one's feet. Notwithstanding this they are
in straight lines, from one end of the town to the
other, crossing each other at right angles.
The best houses in the principal square are all
built of mud, and generally whitewashed outside.
Their being whitewashed outside keeps them a
little cooler, but they have not been particular in
concealing the native mud within. The governor's'
house, it is true, and also that of the first alcalde,
and, perhaps, four or five besides, are whitewashed
within, and decorated with a few common Italian
prints. The high peaked roofs, made of palm

156
leaves and cane, are so constructed as to admit the
wind without the sun or the rain ; some few are
covered with tiles. The windows in the best
houses are unglazed, and the floors nothing better
than the hard beaten earth, swarming with life.
Yet this residence is put up with, and endured by
men in pursuit of gain ? What will not avarice
do ? At the same time, I believe there is some
thing so luxurious and captivating in these very
hot climates, that those who are once accustomed
to them, prefer them to any other, however for
bidding many of their accompaniments may be;
The alcalde treated us sumptuously, and gave
us an empty house to put up in. Of these there
are plenty at this season, the most unhealthy in
the year, namely the end of the rains, which is
somewhat later this year than usual.
In the dry and healthy season, San Bias contains
two thousand inhabitants : when we were there,
they did not amount to four hundred, and these
were of the lowest classes.
The bulk of the inhabitants leave in June, be
fore the rains set in, and keep away till they have
ended. The governor and all his officers remove
to Tepic, the first alcalde being invested with full
powers during his absence. Commerce is entirely
suspended during this period, and nothing can
equal the desolate appearance of its streets. The
fevers so much dreaded here, are very different
from those on the Atlantic coast ; here, they have

157
no yellow fever, nor black vomit ; their complaints
are chiefly confined to bilious and intermittent
fevers, and, with proper care and attention, it
would be unnecessary to remove from the place
at all.
We remained in San Bias only one day, and
that was as much as it deserved ; we came not to
see the town, but the Pacific. The heat was un
bearable ; I think we should have been suffocated
in the middle of the day, if we had not contrived
to make a strong draught of air pass through our
empty house, which served at once to cool us and
to keep away the mosquitos, sandflies, and-zancu-
dos, and leave us only garrapatas, scorpions, and
fleas, and other wingless insects to contend with.
I got quite the advantage of my companions at
night, by laying an embargo upon a small table
about two feet square, and placing it in the strong
est draught, for my bed : the back rail of a chair,
placed at a foot distance, served admirably for a
pillow, and I slept like a top, without a single bite.
I got great credit for my ingenuity in the morning,
for my poor friends were nearly devoured, and had
not been able to sleep all night. They lay upon
mats on the ground. We left on the 9th November.
The high road towards Tepic, on leaving San
Bias, we found quite overgrown with thick brush
wood, which had sprung up during the rainy sea
son. Myriads of garrapatas are engendered amongst
these leaves, from which we unwillingly received

158
many, as we pushed our way through them. These
insects are a species of wood lice, of the size of small
bugs, which bury their heads in the skin of the
first living animal they have the chance to get
upon, and suck the blood till it becomes as big, as
a horsebean. If they are discovered in time, they
may generally be removed without inconvenience,
but sometimes the head will remain, and create
an ulcer.
The southern branch of the Rio Grande de
San Francisco, (for it is the same which runs past
Guadalaxara,) is crossed by a small ferry, the
horses swimming with the boat. Our road then
lay through a thick wood of fine and curious trees
and plants, over an excessively rough and rocky
ground, hardly passable. . This continues about two
miles, and then it brings us to an enchanting spot
overshadowed by luxuriant plants, immediately on
the seashore. Before us, the scene extended along
the sandy beach lined with a thick wood, every here
and there relieved by a majestic mountain, and the*
furthest promontory was lost in distance. We
were detained in this enchanted spot, where the
sea nymphs and the satyrs dance together, for an
hour, by the tide, and we were loth to quit it.
When the water had retired so as to leave,., us a
passage, we pursued our journey along the sands.
The excessive heat was rendered supportable by. a
delightful breeze from the sea.
. After, travelling about seven miles on the shore,

159
the road turned suddenly into the wood to the left.
What a field is here for the admirer of nature!
Nothing can equal the magnificence: of the scene
which opened upon us as we entered a forest of
palm trees ; we all exclaimed together, as this fairy
land burst upon our sight, what grandeur ! what
magnificence! I should delight in dwelling on the
description, but I could not communicate the
pleasure to you. We lingered in the way till we at
length found ourselves in another region, wild and
rocky, covered with creepers and brambles ; here
the ascent is rapid towards the table land; the
roar of the torrents which we continually cross,
the deep shades of the wood, the scream of the
green parrots, and the sweet notes of other birds',
alternately diverted our progress.
For about two miles, the road is one continued
steep precipice, to which, however, the eye of the
traveller in Mexico is well accustomed; but it has
proved the last of many a poor animal on its
journey upwards : we passed the carcasses and
bones of a hundred. After leaving the Wood
which we entered on the seashore, and which
covers the lower declivity of the table land, we
pass over a country where plains, rocks, and
woods, alternately intercept the road ; in all, there
is something grand to remark; but nothing so
beautiful as the bamboo canes; they grow here in
great quantities, and of large size; and the Indians
repair hither for the materials of which they build

160
their houses; they cut the bamboo for the walls,
and the palm branches for the roof : these houses
are well adapted to the climate, and are an
agreeable residence when kept clean : I have be
fore described them.
Before we arrived at Rancho Nuevo, a small
farm consisting of two of these huts, and nine
leagues distance from San Bias, we passed through
a forest of oak trees, very different from our
English oak, both in the trunk, and the branches,
and in the leaf, and capable of being applied to
but few purposes. I noticed a vast number which
been struck with lightning.
We leave the last of these forests just before we
arrive at Tepic, nine leagues from Rancho Nuevo;
a naturalist would delight to spend many days
amidst them, but the hurried traveller gets tired
of them, inasmuch as they retard the progress of
had his wearied horse.
We found little worthy of remark, besides the
face of the country, all the way from San Bias to
Tepic. On the beach there was a shed or a booth,
pro tempore, I suppose, occupied by a set of
drunken wretches, who sprung from I know not
whence, and supplied themselves with fermented
liquors of I not know what description. We
passed one recua of mules loaded with iron ; and
met a Scotchman at Rancho Nuevo, on his way
to San Bias, to meet a vessel expected there from
the East Indies.

161
We slept at Rancho Nuevo, and paid six dollars
for a fowl, a few eggs, and tortillas ; and were glad
to leave such a place early in the morning, so that
we arrived at Tepic at noon on the 10th.
We took quarters in the meson, and after re
fitting, we hastened to, deliver our letters of intro
duction to two Spaniards of high standing, and as
usual, were received with a great deal of , palaver
and compliment. Three English merchants estab
lished there, received us kindly, and we spent the
evening at their house.
Tepic is situated at the western extremity of a
large plain, surrounded by high mountains: the
land rich, well cultivated, and covered with innu
merable herds of cattle. It is a well built town,
but most of the houses have but one floor; the
square is good, occupied as usual by the churcj^
and the portals., It contains, probably, ten thou
sands inhabitants, and something more during
the summer months, when the people flock to it,
from San Bias, and other parts of the coast. Its
merchants are amongst the most wealthy and en
terprising in the country, keeping up an extensive
trade with three quarters of the globe, Europe,
Asia,, and America. There is little opening here
for a foreigner, unless in conjunction with the
Spaniards; it would be useless opposing them.
The climate is much the same as that of Xalapa;
and it serves, like Xalapa, as a harbour against the
epidemics of the sea coast. The society is not so
r2

162
numerous, but I believe equally courteous, though
probably not so polished, as they have had little
intercourse with the World. We had no opportu
nity of seeing them to our satisfaction.
The meson is the most wretched of all places;
the room we passed the night in was thronged so
thickly with bats flying round it, that we killed
numbers with striking at random in the dark ; but
their ranks were immediately filled up, and we
were at length overpowered by numbers, and
fell asleep from fatigue, leaving them in the un
disturbed possession of the upper and middle
regions of our room.
11th. We were weather-bound until two o'clock.
We had an extraordinary rain-storm which lasted
all morning, and we found ourselves more comfort
able, even in this vile meson, than if we had been
journeying: but the time lay heavy on pur hands,
we could hardly brook the restraint of our con
finement; and had it not been for a curious and
interesting scene in low life which we witnessed,
it is probable we should even have braved the
storm. It was a scene of merriment in a dirty
black hole in one corner of the building, with
cosina (kitchen, in bad Spanish) written over the
door. There were several charcoal fires in the
stove, and some viands and morsels fragrant with
chile stewing away over them. The fat, laughing
cook was dancing a ocarave with an arriero in his
in his large boots and spurs, with rowels three

163
inches in diameter, to the sound of a crazy guitar,
accompanied at intervals by the still more crazy
voices of all the female assistants. The dance it
self is monotonous and unmeaning, and the tune
was little better; but the unspeakable discord of
every thing, and the heartiness with which they all
joined in the revelry, made it lively enough. It
would be a model for the pencil of our ingenious
Cruikshank, my description will but make it tame.
We contributed our share to the happiness of the
party, by paying for the savoury dishes, on which
sO much pains had been bestowed.
The road along the plain is good, and the
scenery always pleasing. We passed a few farming
villages, apparently in a prosperous condition, and
left the town of Xalixco three or four leagues to
the right. It is but a small pueblo of one or two
thousand inhabitants, which had the honour of
giving its name to the state, from its having been
the first town to revolt against the tyrant Cruz,
and to proclaim the independence of the province.'
Between Tepic and Xalixco, the guide points
to a church in which is a cross of never fading
grass, brought down from heaven &c, with a long
list of its wonderful cures, miracles, and virtues ;
and the whole account concluded with a reverential
sign of the cross. Every house and cottage in the
valley is furnished with images and pictures of
the holy cross.
San Lionel, a large hacienda, about nine

164 *
leagues from Tepic, lies in an uneven country.
It was late when we approached it, by the feeble
light of a new moon, and we lost the road, pur
suing an uncertain track at the foot of some high
mountains, long before we even suspected our
situation. Our party also had separated ; the guide
was lost to all, and nobody was found to direct us
at that hour. After wandering four hours in the
dark, I at length found a cottage where I was
delighted to learn that the hacienda was close at
hand; I found my companions there before me,
but the servant did not appear till much later-
None but a traveller who knows what it is to be
lost at night, in a country where he has never been
before, amongst a strange people, can justly es
timate the joy we felt in finding ourselves right
again. We awoke half the populatipn before we could
get a place to sleep in ; we were, however, at length
accommodated with two rooms, one for our horses,,
and one for ourselves. We roused a charitable
old couple who provided us with eggs and frijples
and maize; our host. entertained me a good deal,
while this frugal supper was preparing, by his in
different speculations about gold and silver mines,
of which he had several .to sell. One very rich one,
which he had just entered in the register at Tepie,
he recommended particularly; we had only to go
and cut and take; — but that is the character of all
that are offered for sale. I greatly admired the

165
laws which thus secure to the poor peasant the
veins of precious metals he discovers, enabling him
one day or other to become rich, either by the sale of
them, or by finding some one with sufficient capital
to work them, and take half share with him: we
have numberless instances of this.
12th. Left San Lionel at six in the njorhing.
The road is bad, lying over rocky mountains
covered with thick wood, and cut by many streams,
and entirely without variety, till within a few
leagues of the Rancho de Santa Isabella. The
view of' the beautiful and fertile valley in which
this Rancho is situated, is grand ; the prospect is
extensive, and crowned with distant hills ; the eye
looks down upon many villages and farms half
concealed in. tufts of trees, where innocence and-
happiness have their abode among the families of
of the labourers; the whole scene was embellished
by a serene day, and looked like an enchantment..
The rancho consists of about half a dozen mud
cottages, where we were received with the greatest
kindness by the simple Indians.
As we were taking our frugal repast, a priest
alighted at the same cottage where we were, com
plaining exceedingly of the heat, which almost
overcame him in the fulfilment of his arduous duty,
having to travel far to perform it. His arrival was
soon known, and all who had not come to see the
Anglos, as they called us, pressed to kiss his-hand,
to receive his benediction, and to renew their

166
stocks of holy water, which he consecrated for
them. His behaviour was fatherly and kind, and
unaffected; he acted sincerely and cOncientiously,
whether erroneously or not. The people are purely
Indians^ speaking their own language amongst
themselves, yet with a tolerable knowledge of
Spanish. As we pursued our journey, I remarked that
this plain was the best cultivated of all I had seen,
no part of it was waste, but on both sides it was
covered with crops of maize, wheat, and sugar cane.
It contains four considerable pueblos, of which
Aguacatlan is the largest ; and in this we found
some excellent houses, well furnished shops, an
abundant population, yet no meson; and we were
under the necessity of pushing on our jaded horses
to Istlan about eleven miles further, and here we
arrived just as night came upon us at seven o'clock,
after having made a journey of ''sixty miles that
day. This was hard work for our horses, few
could stand it, for, independently of the distance,
the heat is excessive.
13th. I have no adventure at Istlan to relate :
we were all too much tired for any thing but rest,
and we therefore turned in, to use a sailor's term,
but not. into our beds: I mean into our room, and
disposed ourselves to sleep upon the table, the
bench, and the brick floor.
The road from Istlan winds round the, base of
a mountain which rises in the midst of a plain,

167
The country rises gradually, till at length, about
eight miles from Istlan, we found ourselves on the
summit of a high mountain, from whence the
descent to the valley on the other side, is a tre
mendous precipice. The effect of a view down
upon the mountains, woods, and precipices, is very
powerful; and the novelty of this scene, as it open
ed upon us, enhanced it. The road down this
precipice is necessarily in a zigzag direction, still
it is so steep that it is of difficult passage: we met a
recua of loaded mules ascending; it was indeed a
tremendous task, every twenty paces the cargoes
required rectifying; the muleteers worked like
slaves. A crystal stream runs through the valley below,
surrounded by , the most beautiful plants of the
tierras calientes, particularly the banana, called
here platano de guinea. The change of the tem
perature from the mountain to the valley, is very
sensible. The Rancho de las Barrancas (the
village of the precipices) consists of several cane
cottages, inhabited by Indian peasants, who gain
a scanty, but careless and happy subsistence, from
their small trade in maize, plantains, and other
fruits of-the valley. They were particularly civil
to us, and we fared well amongst them.
On leaving the rancho, we immediately begin to
ascend the mountains again; and for some miles
continue winding amongst their summits, enjoy
ing the finest views imaginable:* we then descend

168
again into a deep narrow valley, by a broken,
rocky track through a thick wood, in great dan
ger of breaking both our horses' and our own
limbs: although these horses are very sure-footed,
mules only ought to be employed on this road.
We then wind among the valleys and ravines, the
rocks and the woods, some miles further, amidst
the grandest scenery. The Barrancas terminate
with a long and steep ascent, where the branches
of the trees are so closely interwoven above our
heads, as to form a very romantic and curious
avenue. At the top of this remarkable passage,
the road lies direct through the wood, rendered un
even and of difficult transit by an abundance of
loose stones, and more so at the time we passed,
by a deep mud in which our horses sunk to their
knees, and consequently it was hardly possible for
them to make any way.
We were greatly relieved by the appearance of
a venta on an elevated plain, where we gladly
stopped, more fatigued with these eight leagues bad
road, than we had been the day before with twenty
leagues of comparatively good road. The venta
afforded nothing but shelter, it was with difficulty
even that we induced any of the miserable families
around us to spare us a few tortillas, at exhorbi-
tant prices. I have called these people miserable,
and if I reflect upon the circumstance, I think it
will appear that the character of any set of people
depends very materially upon the temper of the

169
traveller at the moment he visits them. Here I
was excessively fatigued and harassed; the [tire
some muddy road and gloomy weather, had
probably put me out of humour, and then to be
refused wherewithal to satisfy hunger, — it was too
much for milor anglais, and we heartily voted them
to the dogs : but I did not thus report upon the
inhabitants of Santa Isabella, who very probably
differ from them in nothing.
14th. We left the venta at six in the morning.
Half an hour brought us to the foot of more
mountains which we had to ascend, at a short dis
tance from the Hacienda de Santo Tomas, a silver
' farm, which is supplied with ores from the mines
of San Antonio and Bolanos, at a short distance
from it. On passing this way before, we stopped a
night'at the house of the proprietor, Don Jose Cha-
fino, who received us with the grestest hospitality :
he gave us room, and all the refreshments which his
house afforded; and entertained us during the
evening with very able dissertations on mining,
and the face of the country in general. We de
voted a few minutes to a hasty run over his works,
and promised to spend a day with him on our re
turn : but alas ! we had the distressing intelligence
of the death of his darling son, his only hope out
of a large family; and presumed not to intrude
upon the silent sorrows of our generous host. —
A thick mist hung over the village, and almost
concealed it from our view: that indeed was the

170
picture of a vale of sorrows; a sigh of sympathy
escaped us as it sunk from our view.
The gay morning and lively scenery, always
varying, soon dissipated the gloom which sympathy
for our friend had cast over us. The lake of Mag-
dalena presented a picture very different to those
we had been accustomed to for some days past.
What we had hitherto seen was the grand subli
mity of stupendous mountains immediately sur
rounding us, — black impending rocks, threatening
to fall upon us and crush us to atoms, — steep pre
cipices, over which the eye sickens, — and the deep
tracks where angry and overwhelming torrents have
forced their way, through all opposition. But this,
a fair lovely prospect, made more beautiful by the
brightness of the day and the clearness of the at
mosphere : the foreground was undulating corn*
the principal feature the lake, bordered by the
dwellings of the peasantry and verdant banks, and
the whole view was inclosed within a border of
mountains which surround the valley, become
purple in the distance, on the Opposite shores of
the lake. The gay and noisy songs of the Mexican
nightingale, the cardinal, and other warblers of
these fair regions, still more enliven the heart, and
make it rejoice in the beauty of nature.
We arrived at the large village of Magdelena
at about noon, and stopped to dine. We then cut
into the hilly country, following the course of the
Rio Grande de San Francisco, at about two to
three leagues distance. We describe half a circle

171
round the foot of the high Cerro de Tequila, which
we keep to the right, and thence, after following
for some miles the bed of a rivulet, we find our
selves at the summit of a high and steep mountain
of black flint, with the beautiful plain of Tequila
before us. The rapidity of this descent would be
appalling to an European traveller, but the eye
becomes accustomed to precipices before we can
come thus far in Mexico. Half an hour more
brought us to the meson just at night-fall, our
day's journey having been twelve leagues.
The soil, the temperature, and the situation of
Tequila, are highly favourable to the cultivation
of all sorts of plants, and many are to, be found,
there, A botanistwould find every thing tofavour
him, he could nowhere find a better sppt for a
garden. In the neighbouring mountains, therg are quar
ries of fine black flint, which supply the glass ma
nufactories of the province ; but the staple produc
tion of, Tequila is the famous vino mescal, which
from its strength and flavour may be called Mexi
can whiskey, extracted from the leaves of the Agave
Americana, a species which they call mescal. It
resembles the maguey (the pulque plant) in its
growth and appearance, and differs from it only in
the thinness and length of the leaves. The spirit
is distilled from the pith of the leaves when they
are of a fit ripeness ; it is reputed the best in the
country. The town is extensive, but miserable
and dirty in its appearance, though well populated.

172
15th. We left at five o'clock, and travelled over
a beautiful country, rich in cultivation and scenery.
Amatitlan is a small town on the road, where
we got a breakfast of bananas and milk. On leav
ing this place we separated, and I travelled alone
for some leagues, taking some distant object fo?
my guide and compass, and at length fell in with
the party at the Rancho de Santa Cruz, a small
farm, consisting of three or four huts» in a delight
ful situation.
The Venta is about six leagues from Guadalax
ara, and from thence the country becomes dry and
uninteresting. On this part of the road, however,
we were interested by the grand scene of a storm
at a short distance, whilst the sun shone upon us-.
The blackness of the clouds, the heaviness of the
rain, pouring in visible torrents, the lightning
jpiercing- the darknessr~the rolling thunder, the
boisterous wind, constantly changing its direction,
and shifting to all points of the compass, afforded
a scene as novel to us as it was grand. The tem
pest appeared to be about a quarter of a mile
behind us ; the only parts of it which we felt were
the wind and the dust ; but it was approaching us
slowly, we therefore goaded on our poor animals,
and arrived in Guadalaxara just before the storm
burst upon it, having travelled twenty leagues,' or
sixty miles, that day.
None of us are any worse for the trip, but all
our horses are done up.

173

LETTER XV.
Guadalaxaea, 1st Dec. 1824.
Since our return from San Bias we have become
much more known than we were before. On the
occasion of some public rejoicings we were accident
ally thrown into the company of a party of ladies,
of the most distinguished families of the city, whose
society we have since courted, and which affords
us an agreeable relaxation in the evening after the
toils of the day. I have had a better opportunity
of judging of the Tapatios,* and have formed a
more favourable opinion of them than I did in the
first instance. While, however, I have reason to
be pleased with my second reception amongst the
good people of Guadalaxara, the retrospect is
highly amusing.
On our arrival the object of our visit was not
known, and as strangers are very rarely seen here,
it made a great commotion amongst the higher
classes of the society. The merchants and trades
men whispered to each other that we were bringing
millions in worth of goods, and that they could not
escape utter ruin ; the senators thought we were
* A nickname given to the Xalixcienses, the inhabitants of the. state
of Xalixco.
a2 >

174
spies ; the lawyers reported anything that would
be likely to make it profitable to them ; and the
priests feared lest we should rob them of their
power, aye, their omnipotence, or expose any of
their faults, and called us Jews and heretics, fit
only to be burned.
We had more particularly to do with the first,
and their behaviour towards us did not, certainly,
leave us without apprehension for our personal
safety. Other foreigners in our situation have
been obliged to decamp for their lives, as I stated
before. Meanwhile, however, they were proceed
ing unitedly, in all due form, and with great reso
lution and pointedness, in getting a law passed to
prevent our doing business there, and ultimately
to banish us from the state. They not only met
at each others' houses for this purpose, but had
their public meetings in the consul's hall. But
they had the satisfaction to see all their- measures
frustrated, and their proceedings at once quieted,
by a simple letter from the minister of state for
foreign and internal affairs, which our friends in
Mexico procured for us. The governor of the state,
residing at Guadalaxara, also received instructions
to protect and encourage us, and he gave us each
a letter of safety (carta de seguridad.) After this
we were more at ease.
We took part of the house, and joined at the
table of a Creole family, and we owe much to our
fortune in gaining an admission there, for they soon

175
saw our frankness, and believed that we had no
occult motive in visiting their city ; and this has
been the first means of the public enmity against
us being in some degree allayed. We have also
formed friendly connexions with some of the mem
bers of congress, and some of the clergy. But
what has effectually installed us in public favour is
our appearance at mass every holyday and Sunday.
Thus, from being hated and shunned as wild beasts
and tailed Jews, they at length give us credit for
what we are.
Of several houses, however, the doors of which
are open to us, we have confined our visits to two.
We found in the others nothing but dulness and
tiresome monotony, two or more old maids having
considerable sway in them, who know nothing but
their Ave Marias, and are capable of nothing but
counting their beads.
The family we have found most congenialto us,
is one we became acquainted with during the festi
vities appointed in commemoration of the instal
ment of the federal government. We happened to
be near them frequently during the show, and they,
wishing to ascertain what sort of beings we were,
begged us to accompany them during the day, and
to go and take chocolate with them in the evening,
and join their tertulias whenever we pleased. They
differ little in their manners and general character
from those I have visited in Mexico, but they have
become interesting to us from their unceasing kind-

176
ness and goodwill to us Samaritans in the midst
pf this orthodox people.
At present the house is under the guidance of
Donna Felipa, an unmarried and excellent old lady
of about sixty. I always find her seated at one
end of a low old-fashioned sofa, in the corner of
the spacious sala, with a beautiful wax image of
our beloved Lady of Guadalupe on a small table
at her right hand. She generally wears a large
muslin shawl over her head and shoulders, and I
have rarely seen her concealed under the universal
rebozo. The old lady is chatty and pleasant, if
one can touch the right vein. At present she is
eloquent and overpowering on the subject of the
irreverence of the state congress in making itself
the head of the church, subservient only to the
court of Rome. The consequence is that the priests
protest, refuse to say mass, or confess. They have
in a body taken oath, as administered to them by
their dying bishop, never to submit to such sacri
lege ; but, by a suspension of all their rites and
functions, and by the excommunication of the
whole world, if necessary, to stand forth for their
rights, and to frighten the people into their cause.
For many days a fearful calm pervaded the city,
no broad brims nor shorn heads have appeared in
the streets or public places during the public re
joicings, and a damp was sensibly thrown over
them in consequence ; people were afraid of the
wrath of the priests, and probably the vengeance

177
of Heaven. Aunt Felipa expects the heavens will
fall upon us and crush the whole world, and still
the guilt would not be extenuated. Her religious
enthusiasm gets the better of her political fears,
and although she has grown old under the Spanish
government, she finds liberty of speech, and most
sincerely and warmly espouses the part of the
clergy, and declaims against the ruling powers.
In the circle around her there are a few young
officers, who, from the error in which they have been
brought up, have, on opening their eyes, plunged
into the abyss of atheism, and laugh at anything
that savours of religion or priestcraft, synonymous
terms. The old lady is shocked at the fearlessness
of their remarks, and has recourse to the sign of
the cross;* but she never loses her patience; she
hears them out, and then with warmth endeavours
to persuade them ; but I fear she will leave them
worse than she found them. In the heat of the
argument she still keeps an eye upon the ninas,-\
and if she hears a compliment addressed to one of
them by some spark who has perhaps been to the
United States, or even to Paris, she becomes fidgety
and uncomfortable, and frequently invents an
* This vital part of the religion of a great part of the Roman Ca
tholics is made by the thumb crossed on the finger, beginning with a
small one on the forehead, following with one on the nose, the mouth,
the neck, and the breast, and terminating with one grand one from the
forehead to the breast, and from the left to the right shoulder.
f GWs,

178
errand for the fair object of praise, or turns the sub
ject of their conversation. Sometimes she gets a
grumbling and mutinous answer, but is always
obeyed. Her own family consists of her four orphan
nieces, Maria de Guadalupe, Maria de Dolores,
Maria de Asuncion, and Maria de la Trinidad.
Guadalupe is married, and about twenty-one, but
her husband is on duty in the army at Mexico :
her sisters descend in age by steps of one or two
years, Trinidad being about sixteen.
Besides these there are two or three other rela
tions who come -to spend the evening with them,
and make the family appear large. When ranged
along the wall, in their usual impenetrable line,
the faint glimmering of the modest farthing light
before the image in the corner, is hardly sufficient
to illuminate the smiling, the lovely features of
Dolores, who sits at the extremity with her lively
friend Mariana. Donna Mariana, by the bye, is a
principal feature in the scene ; she is no beauty,
rather stout, and the mother of a family, but her
gaiety, and vivacity, and accomplishments, and an
inexhaustible fund of humour and fun, make her
the leading character when present. Her usual
attacks are against the men, and in this she is
warmly supported by her young friends, and wo
to him who falls within the reach of their sarcasm;
it requires the utmost boldness and address, abun
dance of language, and tolerable lungs to be able

179
to hold up one's head before them; but once
having passed their ordeal with reputation, we are
admitted into their mysterious friendship, and are
generally quits once for all. It has frequently
been my only resource to open a piano, and by
flourishing badly myself, induce my favourite
Doloritas to show her savoir-faire; from this we
have generally managed to muster a country dance,
or, if our number were not sufficient, we have a
waltz, or at least a song, in which Dolores excels.
One of my companeros is also an adept at singing
Guadalupe, the eldest of the four sisters, is far
from pretty, but of so much good nature and so
sweet a disposition, that she is quite a favourite,
and her husband's choice is to be admired.
Dolores is a handsome girl, with good features,
good colour, beautiful eyes, and an endearing
smile on her pretty lips.
Asuncion is more thoughtful, somewhat sen
timental and melancholy, but very warm in her
affections. There has even of late been perceived
in her a tender feeling for one of the Ingleses, as
we. are called : when the battery of criticism and
sarcasm has been directed against him, she has
seemed to spare him, whilst on the two others she
has been more keen than her compagnes de guerre.
A magnetic -attraction has been detected towards
his immediate company and conversation, when it
is not engrossed by some more fortunate rival ; a
soft beam has seemed constantly to shoot from her

180
hazel eyes towards his countenance ; a predisposi
tion to accompany him through the mazes of the
dance ; and all this while our poor Inglese is quite
unconscious of the inroad he has made upon
her heart, his attentions are equally distributed
amongst them all, and he dreams not that he is
thereby affording pain to one. •
Trinidad is too young to be much [observed ;
she lends her voice and hand, when required for
a duet or a dance, and has every body's regard.
We are frequently summoned to a game at for
feits, where girls are always at home, and laugh
heartily at the awkwardness of the other sex.
The consequence of young people being watched
with a jealous eye, is that they never acquire a
sufficient idea of self-importance and self-respect ;
their consideration is not, " will this compromise
my character or reputation ?" or, "is it just or
reasonable to do this ?" but " will my aunt know
of it ?" or, at best, " will my father like me to do
it ?" Therefore, we always find in the society
where the most jealousy is exercised, the least
virtue is practised, for the strictest watchfulness
cannot take away the opportunity to deceive, when
it is sought : the case is also eminently vice versa.
The girls in question are always glad to escape
from the observation of Donna Felipa, and then
they find themselves much more at their ease, and
at liberty to conduct themselves according to their
inclination. I would not intimate that I have known

181
them to act incorrectly, — (I make the remark as a
general principle strongly to be deprecated, and
carefully avoided in all degrees, for I think' it
exists frequently where it is hardly sUspected;) —
but I would not ariswer for my young friends, if
they had two aunts instead of one.
When the people were more accustomed to see
us, we began to be less regular in our attendance
at mass. On the feast days, when we are obliged
to suspend our business, we generally prefer a
walk, and have thus by this time explored the
whole of the neighbouring country, which contains
nothing worth reporting. When we think it most
prudent to go to church, we avoid the tediousness
of mass, by going to some church where there is a
"funcion" that is, music, fireworks, and a sermon.
One of these funciones happens at least onCe a
week, in one church or another, and are in celebra
tion of the saints'-days. On Sundays we go to a
short mass of about ten minutes, which is expressly
paid for by a rich old gentleman of the same taste
as ourselves.
The sermons we hear are always in commemo
ration of the saint whose day it is, and they are
excellent specimens of Roman Catholic discourses
all through Spain and her colonies. I have pre
served some of my afternoon recollections of them
on paper, but it would be tedious to copy them
here. Some of the most curious that I have heard,
were those on the feast of our Lady most pure, our

182
Lady of Guadalupe, St. James of Sarragosa, and
St. Rafael the archangel.
Saint James, of course, performed many miracles,
and, moreover, converted all Spain, under the
special guidance and protection of the Virgin, who
was represented to have shielded him with as much
constancy as Minerva exercised towards Tele-
machus, protecting him through all dangers, both
bodily and ghostly. The purisima sharpened the
swords provided for the murder of the Jews in
Spain, presided over the massacre, strengthening
the piety of the nation, and especially of the execu
tioners, who, probably, would otherwise have shrunk
more than once under the task she gave them:
she showed herself a very Hecate. One sermon
was a line of quotations from old authorities and
from traditiori, far-fetched arguments, and a thun
dering declamation, to prove that the Virgin Was
Almighty, (toda poderosa.) And wherever his
tory is tangible, they twist and distort it to their
own convenience, with very little ceremony ; but,
excepting the clergy, there was probably no one
in Guadalaxara besides ourselves, who could detect
the fraud. In relations of the feats and wonderful
lives of their saints, whose histories exist princi
pally in the imagination of the preacher, the per
spective effect in the eye of a protestant observer,
is striking in the highest degree. Amongst other
things, our Lord Don Rafael was universally
allowed to be the doctor in chief of heaven.

183
You will be curious to know how the Guada-
laxaranians obliged us to do our business.
Our goods arrived in considerable quantities
from Mexico, Tampico, and San Luis Potosi, a
few days after our return from San Bias : we had
taken, for the purpose of receiving them and selling
them, in a lump, two large rooms on the ground
floor of a magnificent stone house belonging to one
of the best families here ; but no purchaser came
forward, no offer was made, good, bad, or indiffe
rent. We attended daily in expectation, and in
the evening went home in disappointment. We
were at length convinced that there had been a
plot formed against us by the merchants of the
place, who had pledged themselves not to buy any
thing from us, flattering themselves that our object
would thus be frustrated : but the laugh was
against them; for we immediately let in all the
smaller merchants of the town and the neighbour
ing country, and by letting them take an assort
ment of every thing, we thus ran off, on an average,
to the amount of five thousand dollars per day.
We had plenty of hands to help us, but the con
fusion was so great, that we were exposed to the
pilferage of the badly inclined, whom we could
not exclude from our stores ; and on winding up
our first accounts, we found a considerable defici
ency : this afforded great delight to our friends
the merchants, who now saw their counters clear

184
of customers, and, who exaggerated our losses from
units to tens and hundreds.
We were fortunate on one occasion in recovering
goods. to a large amount, which had been stolen
from us, The thief was a gentleman of very
respectable appearance, who assorted himself with
the finest and most valuable „ goods we had, , de
spatched the, porter, and took one of our people
with him to receive payment,' begged him to wait
a second at his office door, and then never returned.
This office was the Claveria, appertaining to the
cathedral, the bureaus were occupied by priests
and their clerksj who enjoyed the . trick heartily.
The man made good his passage through a long
suite of these offices, and mixed himself in the
crowd at their devotions in the cathedral. As soon
as we knew it, no time was lost, and with the help
of an alcalde we traced the porter to;a mud cottage
outside of the gates,, where we found the bale of
gppds untouched, and tbje same porter carried
them home again. The man disappeared for a
month, and no notice was taken of the matter ;, if
we had takenthim up and put him into prison, we
should,, probably, have been murdered in revenge,
for our attention to such a trifle. ,
In order to avoid this evil, on the arrival of the
next recuas, we took a large shop, with a high
counter, over which we allowed nobody but privi
leged, persons to pass. Here we sold piece by

185
piece with greater facility arid more security,' but
were still robbed by retail: there was always a
large crowd of Customers, and articles were easily
transferred from the counter to underneath the
robes of the women, and the cloaks of the men.
We found one gentleman, to whom we had given
the privilege of passing our rubicon, kindly assist
ing us in serving our customers, amongst whom
his partner came to purchase largely, and was in
the habit of forgetting to pay. It was not the in
tention, of course, of our officious friend that we
should know of his Connexion with the other, in
tending to sell him goods in this way, to an indifi-
nite amount. We were obliged to bring them
before an alcalde, and, at length, about covered
ourselves by the seizure of twenty barrels of brandy
which we found in his shop.
It would not, however, be just to leave the sub
ject here. I must say, that most of the Guada
laxara merchants are highly honourable men, and,
in spite of their unaccountable treatment of us, I
certainly think they deserve the credit they have
gained in the country : but it is necessary to dis
tinguish, and suspect every body till we find him
to be an honest man ; it is the same in all parts of
the country. It is a new thing to an Englishman,
accustomed as he is to believe every man honest till
he finds him a rogue ; but it behoves him to do like
those around him, or his property would soon be
swindled away,
r3

186
We Were not apprehensive of losing any of our
consequence, or the fame we had 'acquired-, -by
standing behind the counter ; that is no degrada
tion in this republic ; but not having expected it,
we found it disagreeable, and have now closed it;
being heartily tired. On the other hand, it made
us acquainted with every body in town ; the life
and variety of the occupation, and many pleasant
and talkative customers, amongst the ladies, fre
quently reconciled us to the post; besides, "neces
sity," you know, " has no law.';'
When we had concluded all our business, we
deposited our cash in the hands of a merchant,
leaving him oUr instructions to remit it to Mexico
as soon aS convenient, and in the manner he thought
best ,• he gave us no receipt, but the amount has
been duly received, and is now on its way to
England. We intend leaving this town for the fair of San
Juan and San Luis, on the 3d, and from thence
back to Mexico. — Adieu.

187

LETTER XVI.
San Ltjis, Potosi, 18tjh Dec. 1824.
Our party from Guadalaxara consisted of one
of my old compagnons de voyage, and another
English gentleman whom we found there a few
days previously, and myself. Our other friend
had left us a fortnight before for Tampico and
New Orleans.
We left Guadalaxara at about noon on the 3d
instant, escorted by our young friends the Marias,
under the protection of Donna Mariana and her
husband, and a few young officers, to the village
of San Pedro, about a league off. Here we had
prepared a parting dinner, and in fact its object
would not have been mistaken by an observer. A
mournful silence, anddepressed: countenances, were
but momentarily interrupted and enlivened by
bursts of wit arid humour. , Kind remembrances
of the grateful evenings we had spent in Giiada--
laxara, never more to be renewed, and uncertain
speculations about our future lives, was the strain
upon which our kind fair friends seemed inclined
to dwell. But at length the dry wit and lively
humour of a merry, ugly little captain of the party,
and the naturally gay disposition of Donna Mariana,

188
conjointly with our own efforts, succeeded in
dissipating the gloom, and establishing gaiety.
Music was brought in on our return from a walk
in the"orchards, where we had taken chocolate, and
a dance was the consequence. In this every body
joined with readiness, — only one countenance was
sad, onlyone heartbeat with pain, and that beat high.
Poor Assumption found that the young Ingles had
a faster hold of her affections than she even had
been aware of; here her attachment was forcibly
shown. Her lovely eyes were always fixed upon
him ; she declined dancing with any one else ; but
when she had this favour (for she still considered
it such) she looked unutterable things ; her coun
tenance brightened, and the height of short-lived
pleasure marked her features. My honest and
• modest countryman was now convinced of the fact
which he would not believe before ; he could not
now deny it, and he was confounded. However,
he acted properly in endeavouring to console the
young lady, by representing to her that her affec
tions had been placed where they could not be
corresponded to in an honourable manner; that
marriage would always have been impossible, and
separation certain, as soon as his temporary occu
pations in Guadalaxara should have ceased. She
agreed to the propriety of his remarks, expressed
her gratitude and high esteem, which she would
always preserve; and promised to banish, how
harsh soever it was to her, the softer feelings of

189
love.. After this denouement she was considerably
reheved, and somewhat more cheerful, and entered
with readiness into the amusements pf the evening,
though a soft melancholy still played upon her
features, and sobs burst from her when the parting
moment arrived. An affectionate embrace., fraught
with esteem and- heartfelt sorrow, then separated
them* perhaps for ever. The. carriage-door closed
between them, and the whole soon vanished from
before us, in the dim light of the moon, and the
adventure took its place with the dreams of days
long gone by. '.' It is a tale that is told-"
As forjnirselves, thoughtfulness kept us in a
momentary silence, but theneeessaipjLaxrangements
for early travelling next morning soon dispelled, it,
and in a short time we forgot ourselves in sleep, .
On the 4th we started before daylight, under a
heavy storm of rain, in which we separated from
the servants and the mules. We took a wrong
direction, and wandered ten leagues oyer a rocky
country, full of precipices, and, covered with thick
wood. Wev at length, however, recovered the lost
road, and arrived late at night at Zapptlan, where
we .had to manage as well as we could in our wet
clothes, and the mbst wretched of all the wretched
mesons in the country. The servants, with our
luggage, had gone on some leagues further. We
made a large fire on »the ground, in the middle of
the room, and broke our fast, which we had kept
since the night before, with a few tortillas and

190
chile, and a beverage as much like punch as we
could make it, with bad spirits, bad sugar, and
plenty of lime juice, which is produced there in
abundance. After this, we stretched Ourselves on
the clay floor, before the fire, to dry ourselves,
and to sleep.
On the next morning the sun fortunately shone
powerfully, and effectually dried us where the fire
over night had failed ; we . did not apprehend any
illness, having been long accustomed to this kind
of treatment ; and we felt no more of our troubles
after making a hearty breakfast at Calderon.
We passed over the ground, where tWfir&trevo-
lntioiMwy^ battle was fought between the rebel
priest Hidalgo, at the head of eighty thousand
unarmed fanatics; and. the viceroy, Callejas; with
only five thousand regular ' Spanish troops; the
victory was with the latter, and the carnage which
ensued was horrible.
On arriving at Calderon, we found the servants
with the luggage; and fresh horses; the poor
beasts we rode the day before were completely
done up. We arrived at Tepatitlan' early in the
afternoon, about sixty miles from Gaudalaxara.
The square was under preparation for a bull
fight, during the approaching holydays. The bull
fights in the country towns are very different from
those of the capital, where wild young bulls en
ter the lists as competitors with the lord of the
universe : but here it is some poor beast, stiff with

191
age, and with horns grown blunt ; or a harmless
ox, which bears, with the patience of a donkey, the
lashes, blows, and hootings of the populace, who
crowd in the ring,: and now and then like it, re
torts with a kick, by which one or two of its cruel
tormenters are disabled : this is what they assem
ble to see, and lay out large sums of money for,
in the erection of a temporary amphitheatre.
6th. We left next morning by moonlight, and
travelled eight leagues before sunrsie : arrived at
Xalos about noon; and at three o'clock, p. m. en
tered Sun Juan de los Lagos, concluding a day's
journey of twenty-two leagues.
I must not, however, omit to state, that as we
were approaching this town, we discovered an ob
ject at a great distance before us, which appeared
familiar to our recollection. We just distinguished
that it was a person on horseback, yet could not
imagine who it could be, that we should have any
chance of meeting in this part of the world; — im
patient of the slow, tired pace of our poor animals,
which delayed the satisfaction of our curiosity,
we at length recognised our old companero, (whom
we expected had ere then been in NeW Orleans,)
jogging towards us, on his beautiful mule, with
the bridle on her neck. It was the steady, well
known pace of this mule, with her head on a level
with her knees :. the broad brimmed sugar-loaf hat
pf the rider, — the Spanish grammar which he held
in his hand, — the attitude, and the tout ensemble,

192
which we had so often admired when travelling to
gether, that rendered his appearance so familiar to
to us. We were highly pleased to have our old
trio once more completed, and thus we jogged
into town.
Much is said about the fair of San Juan de los
Lagos, now at its height; and it fully equalled my
expectations: not having seen any thing of the
kind before, I was highly gratified with the four
days I spent there. We had a large room with
white-washed walls, a roof, and a brick floor, for
our habitation: with our portmanteaus we made
ourselves tables and chairs, and our travelling
beds served for all other furniture; the eating
which we got from the neighbouring taverns, was
intolerably bad, but that was a trifle. Our room
was clean, and we desired little more.
With regard to a systematic account of the fair,
its regulations &c. &c, I cannot give one ; I had
not inclination while there, to toil in the search of
necessary information; in fact, a busy merchant
must riot belooked to for such details: I take the
information which comes before me, and with this
my friends must be satisfied.
Cbmmerce is the principal object of most who
go thither; but religious worship is of many, and it
constitutes the duty of all. The church is de
corated in great gala, and glitters with innumerable
lights, half smothered by the dense atmosphere
which arises from the crowd below.

193
High mass is said every day at twelve o'clock, and
on the 8th, which is the Purisima's day, her image
is carried through the streets, followed in pro
cession, by all the other church images; and the
dense crowd of spectators fall prostrate before her.
When she is in her niche in the church, pilgrim
ages are made to her on the bare kneesfrom different
parts of the town: a passage is always made
through the crowd for the poor penitents, and the
most devout, spread their cloaks on the ground
for them to pass over. The.se penitents are chiefly
poor women; yet there are, doubtless, many men;
and from all sides of the town, on that day, both
men and women are to be seen coming in on their
knees from some leagues, repeating their Ave Ma
rias, and striking their breasts. Their great duty
is, to go and repeat their prayers, and make their
vows before the shrine of the virgin; with this, I
believe, their pilgrimage is ended.
Holy clay, and other holy impositions, are sold
at the church doors by the priests. A servant of
ours, who was dangerously ill of a fever, was de
termined to go on the Purisima's day, barefooted
to her chapel, and buy a lump of clay at the door,
while the streets were wet and muddy, from the
heavy showers of rain the preceding night; having
the firm faith that that penance would restpre him
immediately to health; and all that we heretics
could say to him, of course, WQuld not detain him;
so he went. We were obliged to leave him to the

194
care of his friends, who happened to be in the
town, with every probability of his meeting his
death, at the hands of the Purisima and her
servants. I could form but an inadequate calculation of the
nurilber of people met in this small town ; it was not,
probably, less than two hundred and fifty thousand.
Its ordinary population may be about eight thou
sand. It necessarily becomes a matter of great
contrivance and invention to stow them all. Every
house is, of course, over filled with occupants;
every table and bench is occupied with mattresses,
and th§ floors covered with mats, and blankets:
in short, a beehive is not better filled. The im
mediate suburbs are closely covered with tempo
rary huts, houses, and booths, made of mats and
sticks, where the Indians find cheap board, and
lodging. And not the least interesting part of the
poblacion were the hills outside the town, crowded
with mules and arrieros' tents; in fact this was
a scene in life, probably, not to be met with
elsewhere. A little further off, the cattle dealers
had made their tents and inclosures, where beasts
of all kinds and prices were to be had, — none
being allowed to come into the town.
Shops are made in every corner; the portals are
divided by mats and shelves, and counters are
placed to face the streets: where- a shop cannot be
contrived, a stall is erected;, and of these there is
hardly f an end.

195
An immense trade is certainly done, in retail by
the vara, or the piece; in wholesale by the bale,
or the hundred. Customers come in from the
neighbouring towns and villages, to provide them
selves with what they want; . others buy for the
consumption of the larger towns of San Luis,
Guanaxuato, Guadalaxara, Durango, &cJ; and
speculation is without limits. I heard of one large
lot of goods having been bought there, and
sent to this town, (San. Luis,) which had been sent
thither from hence as unsaleable ! one of the par
ties in this transaction will doubtless suffer, but
this is the fortune de la guerre. The country is
the principal gainer by the extraordinary circula-
tion.of money, and demand for all its productions;
this happy effect is very visible on the roads from
the four large towns just named. The muleteers
are also sure gainers. . . < . , /
Of amusements, I did not witness any ; but there
were to be seen bull-fights, cock-fights, rope-danc
ing, eircus, &c. ; and . gambling , by ; thousands.
The expenses are enormous : it cost us as much
in. a day, to maintain ourselves, three servants,
and about a dozen beasts, as it did in a week at
Guadalaxara. The provender was the largest item-
We sallied from this extraordinary scene of life
and bustle, early on the 10th, under so thick a
a fog that we could make very little progress, for
fear of losing the road, until the greater strength

196
of the sun had cleared the atmosphere, towards
eleven o'clock. This disconcerted our plan of
going the same day to Aguascalientes, and as we
could not spare another day, we continued our
route to Lagos, where we arrived about three, p. m.
We diverted ourselves here by examining par
ticularly this pretty town and its churches, in the
absence of nearly all its population. I have no
thing particular to notice, unless perhaps the bas-
relief ornaments worked in the stucco, on many
of the walls, representing fancy figures.
In the meson there was no cook, and consequent
ly nothing to eat ; we had to go to the market
and buy, and cook for ourselves. I suppose nine-,
tenths of the inhabitants had gone to the fair:
they would arrive that night, for we passed some
thousands on the road.
We left by sunrise next morning, and found the
road lined with Indians, travelling to San Luis on
foot, and on ass-back, with all their families and
household; that is, a mat and a grinding stone.
The Rio de Quarenta is a rancho with perhaps
twenty Indian huts, six leagues from Lagos. ,It
was the eve of Guadalupe's day, and the village
was a continued scene of rejoicing; they had killed
two large oxen, and we thought we hadhit upon
a good breakfast; the meat looked beautiful, and
we bought plentifully of it; we had some boiled,
some fried, and some roasted; but it was all

197
invulnerable to our civilized teeth. On inquiry, we
found that the oxen had inhabited the village,
one twenty five, and the other thirty years.
We arrived at the Rancho de Novilla, seven
leagues further, at night-fall, and took up our abode
at the largest and the best looking house there, and
the largest room, with mUd floor and mud walls, was
readily prepared for us. The master of the house
was a very intelligent farmer; and although he
lived so wretchedly, was the owner of fifty heads
of horned cattle, and some hundreds of sheep and
goats; he had a large family of beautiful children:
his three grown up daughters were pretty, in the
midst of dirt and their ragged attire, capable of
sensible and Well formed ideas, even in this con
cealed hole: they begged their father very earnestly
to allow them to go with us to see the great won
ders of the world.
12th. The next day we travelled over fifteen
leagues of plain and uncultivated land, With no
trace of the footsteps of man, but one ruined house :
tame hares ifi numbers, and a group of carrion
birds fighting with a fox, over a dead carcase,'
Were all the living animals we met with.
We arrived at the hacienda of Tepetate at four
o'clock. This hacienda possesses a church, a meson,
a tienda, and half af dozen Indian houses: the
whole very much neglected and out of repair.
13th. From Tepetate to San Luis there are
about seven leagues of rocky, and mountainous
s2

198
country ; so that this short distance proved a hard
day's journey, till three o'clook, when we arrived,
and alighted at the meson of San Augustin. We
v/eie, however, 'immediately called Over to the
house of Mr. Didier, an American merchant, es
tablished here; to whom we are lastingly indebted
for the hearty reception and excellent fare he
gave us.
San Luis de Potosi is a neat town, of about
thirty thousand inhabitants, situated in a beauti
ful valley, about ninety leagues from Tampico,
and a hundred and ten from Mexico.
It affords nothing worth spending more than a
day to see: — the palace has a fine front; the
churches are large, and very richly decorated; the
streets straight, but narrow; except on the out
skirts of the town, the houses have two floors: the
inhabitants are of the same character as in all other
parts of the country; their houses may be visited
with pleasure, by those who possess the savoir
faire; but as I have not made any of these visits
while here, I am not able to relate any adventure
or remarkable observation.
The town is well situated for commerce, com
manding a great part of the trade of Tampico,
and Soto la Marina, and being the depot for
the northern provinces and neighbouring country.
It protects a great deal of the smuggling trade
done at the above-named ports.
Having concluded my business, and brought

199
my letter to its close, I immediately proceed to
pack for early travelling to morrow, being under
the necessity of leaving my two old companions
here, in the pursuit of their own affairs. This is
a source, of infinite regret to me; for, in long and
hard travels, friendship is strengthened, and be
come more necessary than under any other circum
stances, — this however, is the way of hfe, — we
must take things as they come, therefore good bye,
my friends, we shall, probably, some day or other,
complete our trio again; and in recollection, re
trace all that we have now passed: enjoying all
the pleasures, without the hardships we have
encountered. , .

200

LETTER XVII.
Mexico, 26th December* 1824.
December 17th. Thus consoling myself, and
bidding fareWell to my friends, I mounted my
horse, and soon overtook my other companion,
who was coming with me to Mexico. In a former
^etter I stated that he came With us from Guada
laxara, and we had found him an excellent fellow,
always ready with a merry song, and hearty laugh,
to drive dull care away, when we were under the
necessity of sleeping in wet clothes, or on a mud
floor; or under the torture of the numberless in
habitants of a meson room, whose repose we had
disturbed. We travelled the first day through the beauti
ful valley of Sans Luis, covered with the three
characteristic plants, of the table land of Mexico:
the maguey, the palm, and different spieces of the
nopal, and other cacti, — twelve leagues to San
Francisco, where we arrived late at night, after
losing two hours by missing the road.
18th. Immediately on leaving this town in the
morning, we were overtaken by a stranger, well
dressed, and well mounted, and armed to his very
teeth; our suspicions Were excited by his address
and manners; he talked of robbers and murderers;

201
told how he had been stopped and plundered, and
maltreated, in the neighbouring wood a short time
before; he galloped up to every little cottage that
we passed, as if to make inquiries; and when we
arrived within sight of this wood, he rode off at
full speed, and was soon concealed amongst the
trees. Our suspicions were here powerfully con
firmed, and we joined in council of war: we then
proceeded, my friend with his servant in the van,
the baggage mules followed, and myself and ser
vant brought up the rear; our fowling-pieces all
rested on the pommels of our saddles ; and to say
the least, we looked as if we were prepared, and
determined to fight to the utmost. This warlike
appearance, no doubt, saved us; for before we had
proceeded far, and as we were just entering a very
thick part of the wood, put popped our man with
another, as well armed as himself,-— but instead of
offering us any injury, suddenly checkedhis horse,
bowed to us yery politely, and making room for
us, let us pass.
The famous hacienda de Xaral is situated on
the outskirts of this wood. This is the first and
the finest agricultural estate in the country; and
probably stands unequalled in the wprld. I am
not acquainted with its extent, but it, is immensely
large: the whole is fertile land, and nothing is lost
for want of attention, for its proprietor, the Mar
ques de San Mateo Valparaiso, is always on the
spot. Its produce is better than mines of gold

202
and silver, consisting of goats, whose flesh and
skins are of universal consumption ; cows, horses
and mules, wheat, Indian corn, and frixol. The
immense store-houses attached to it bespeak its
importance, and the houses inhabited by those
employed on the estate form a little town ; and I
should think, are capable of containing three
thousand inhabitants. It would be interesting to
ascertain the amount of its general -expenditure
and income, and I regret I have not more infor
mation on the subject.
We breakfasted there on blue tortillas and chile,
and then pursued our journey over an interesting
country of hill and dale, plain and wood, leaving
San Felipe about two leagues to the right,
We arrived late at the hacienda Qiiemada, a
journey of sixteen leagues. I saw nothing of this
place, and therefore cannot report upon it.
19th. We left before day-light, and got clear
of some rough places ere the moon deserted
us. The day-break was beautiful, — at about sun
rise we had a light fog, — the grass seemed covered
with hoar-frost, — and the whole brought forcibly
to my recollection, an English hunting morning.
I have no books within my reach, or I would look
out for an appropriate morceau on the subject,
and my memory will not make good the deficiency.
The town of Dolores is famous for being the na
tive place and curacy of Hidalgo, the insurgent;
and is of itself of importance. It is antique, and,

203
from its size, I should think it capable of contain
ing twenty thousand inhabitants, though now very
thinly populated, We stopped there merely to
breakfast, and pursued our journey to San Miguel
el Grande, about eight leagues further; making
in all, sixteen leagues. We stopped for the night
in the convent of el Santuario, and were consider
ably entertained with the Sacristan, or esclavo de
Jesus,* as he styled himself. He pressed us to
negociate for a mine he had discovered in the
neighbourhood,- which, like all the rest, was the
richest in the world: we had merely to cut and
carry away the silver &c. The terms he offered,
were for so many years, during which period, one
third of the produce should be for himself, one
third for us, and one third for the virgin; and at
the end of this period, he would divide its value
between the virgin and himself.
20th From San Miguel the road is not so good ;
the country is uneven; and one bad passage where
coaches could not travel, gave us a great deal of
difficulty, even with our mules: it is between the
rancho Rico, and the ruined hacienda of Buena-
vista. The latter is situated in a beautiful plain,
one corner of which, approaches close to Quar-
etaro. We leave this plain at a narrow pass where the
rancho de Puerto-^pinto is situated, famous for
robberies and murders; on this account we pushed
•The beadle,— the slave of Jesus.

204
on to the hacienda de Chichimiquilla, where we
arrived at about eight o'clock. Here we found
excellent fare, which recruited our spirits, after a
troublesome day's journey of eighteen leagues.
Chichimiquilla is a fine estate, and well situated,
but it is neglected : I should not suppose it pos
sessed a hundred inhabitants.
21st. We left at sunrise, and stopped to dine at
the hacienda de Coyotes. On entering the farm
we were met by the proprietor of the estate, re
markably well dressed, in the fashion of the Payo,
mounted on a fine horse. He was returning from
his morning visit to his lands, where he had been
directing the labours of his men. He was a faithful
representation of some of our country squires and
gentlemen farmers. The manga, the sombrero, and
the botas, are as becoming, and as characteristic,
as the top-boots, or gaiters and knee-breeches:
the comparison pleased me greatly, and I willingly
accosted him. It is rarely that we meet with a
landholder so careful and industrious in this
country ; but where they are found, they are sure
to be making an abundant fortune; and I have
always found them clever and sensible men, above
the generality of their countrymen.
We lamented that we could not enjoy his com
pany during dinner, — he was bound forward. The
house further forcibly reminded me of a superior
farm-house at home: — cleanly white-washed1 walls,
hung with old fashioned pictures—white scoured

205
floor — the old table and chairs of hard black woody
highly polished-^the, plates on the shelf- were of
silver, instead of pewter, shinirig like So many
mirrors. How little soever you maybe interested
with my description, it afforded me more pleasure
than any thing else I recollect having seen in the
country. It Was, hoWever, necessary to leave it, in order
to arrive at San Juan del Rio, still seven or eight
leagues off. Here we duly arrived, and with as
much impatience to finish our journey, as I evince
in its relation, we renewed our journey the next
morning. •>¦
22d. The large plain of el Casero has improv
ed very much in appearance since I saw it five
months agO: new houses have sprung up, and the
whole is better cultivated." Arroyo Sarco is as
dirty as before.
23d. ¦ From' Arroyo Sarco,- we cut offby a more
direct road' through Tepeasi, instead of going to
Tula; by which we saved a good deal in time and
distance ¦, though the road is not so good. We
were exposed to a heavy fog and intense cold on
this high land, early in the morning. Some people
of the country who joined us,- were quite over
come; and it was all they could do to -keep their
seats. I believe I never suffered so much from
cold in England; but I kept myself alive by urg
ing on the tardy mules: we were presently relieved,
hy descending* into a valley, some five or six
t

206
hundred feet lower. We breakfasted at the rancho
of San Francisco, and at length reached Tepexi,
after travelling about thirteen leagues: here we
passed the night. It is a straggling town, with,
probably, three or four thousand souls.
From thence we joined the high road near
Huehuetoca, and arrived to breakfast at Guautit
lan. This town was full of troops; and the young
bucks of green officers were strutting about in
every direction. One charmingly fine young gen
tleman, stept like a dancing-master into the room
where we were just concluding a hearty repast; he
pretended to be reading a book which he held in
his hand, and without taking his eyes from it, de
manded, in the style of a parrot, what there was
to eat, and at length ordered the breast of a chick
en. All eyes were upon him, and a smile on every
lip; and when the plate was placed before him, he
pompously laid aside his book, and invited us to
partake, in a manner which reached the very
acme of affectation, pointing at the same time
with his little finger, covered with rings, to the
dainty morsel before him. There are very few of
this kind of animal in this country.
We reached the capital the same day at three
o'clock. I wish you a merry Christmas, and re
main, &c

207

LETTER XVIII.
Mexico, 31st Dec 1825.
My peregrinations having ceased, since I com
pleted my journey into the interior about a year
ago, of which I have sent you a few notes, I have
not had occasion to write to you.
I have long intended giving you a view of the
present state of our society, in comparison with
what it was when I first came into the country :
the advancements and improvements are very
striking and surprising, and it is flattering to us
Englishmen, who may claim the credit of it, in a
great measure" ; but I will still defer this pleasing
task till a later day, when the alteration will be
still more apparent.
My present object is to give you an account of
a tour which I have lately been making in the
Tierra Caliente, amongst the sugar plantations,
which has afforded me great gratification. My
company consisted of but one gentleman, whose
curiosity and leisure led him on the same business.
Our business was pleasure. We took the Aca-
pulco road, intending to make Cuernavaca our
head-quarters ; but from this we deviated. We
despatched two servants and a cargo mule with our

208
beds and luggage a day before us, so as not to be
embarrassed with them on the road, intending to
reach Cuernavaca in one day, being eighteen
leagues. We rode spare horses to San Augustin, where
we arrived in an hour; my companion rode a pony
of the sobrepacso, the nature of which, I have par
tially: described to you before; but I have not met
with /so fine a specimen pf this extraordinary pace,
¦ as the one in question. The native? will npt ride
trotting horses, they would shake them too much;
for "travelling, they have horses of a pace some
thing faster than the amble known in England:
both legs on one side, moving at the same time,
at the rate of five or six miles an hour ^ this- is
simply called the paso. The style chosen for
public walks and parades, is found only in horses
of high, mettle and. keeping. /They move both legs
on each side together, and lift their fore legs half
a yard from the earth with a great pomp, without
advancing more than two or three miles an hour.
This pompous action of the fore legs is frequently
met ;with" in horses which otherwise, go -in. the
usual manner. I believe both of these paces are
called sobre paso, or repartes and are esteemed the
most i valuable. The instance I allude to, is also
eaUed iSobre paso, both legs on one side .going to
gether; and to an observer, at a short distance, it
would not be distinguished from a long trot..v He
went twelve miles in the hour, ,. .....

• 209
At San Augustin, the horses were waiting for us,
and we mounted without losing any time. A
Spaniard with his servants joined us here, and con
tinued with us during the whole of our excursion.
The road rises immediately : after leaving San
Augustin, and becomes very tedipus as we approach
the summit of the mountains of Axusco, from con
stant obstructions by loose sand, thick wood, and
beds of torrents. The day was excessively hot,
but we were compensated for this trouble, by fre
quent varying scenes of the valley of Mexico, the
lakes of Tescuco, Chalco, Zumpango, San Chris-
toval, and several smaller ones, the names of which
are hardly known in this city. The farming har
cienda of San Antonio, become the property of
our consul general, by his marriage with the heir
ess of the Noriega family; and that of San Nicolas,
purchased by the consufof the United States,
form pleasing objects in the picture. The tout
ensemble is beautiful ; it is crowned ' by the snow
capped volcanos of Puebla.
The village of Axcusco, which gives its name to
these mountains, is situated on the other declivity.
This is a poor place, with perhaps fifty or sixty
huts, amongst which we could not procure a single
glass of pulque : hardly a glass of water. The
change in the temperature at this elevation is very
sensible. At first, the descent of the southern side of the
mountain is barren and dreary, in fact we discover
T 2

210 *
hutfew traces of agriculture aSfaras GucMlaque;
but the Sight- and attention of the traveller ' are
constantly arrested by the magnificence of the
scenery before him: When the large plaids of Ctter-
navaca, Cuautla, and others^ stretching towards
T&sco, ', and marked out" byT distinct'; ridges of
mountains, appear within sight. The volcano of
Toluca, with its icy Summit, is visible 'riearly all
the way ; foratime, welose'the volcanos of Puebla,
bUt they 'reappear -with a varied aspect ; we thought
we descried the Pic d'Orizaba, and, two others, in
the state of Oaxaca, supposed to be Visible from
this road, but it is doubtful ' The plain of Cuer-
riavaca is of a red soil, and appears parched and
unproductive, at this distance; the beauty of the
"Scenery,- is, in the endless ridges of mountains,
varying in character, from the one green1 and rich
ly clothed, which' we were descending, until they
vanish in the distance. The gradations in the" at
mospheric regions are' plainly marked, by the
difference in the vegetation, on the long declivity
of this mountain; on thesummit it Was bare, -but
as we descended, pines, oaks, cacti, brushwood,
arid jingles, have their Regions.
Guchilaque is asihall village of perhaps twenty
Indian families, Well supplied with Indian corn,
poultry, eggs, and pulque; so that the inhabitants
abound with all the good things of this life. We
overtook here a party of Spaniards, who had
sallied that morning from San Augustin; also our

211
servants, with the luggage. We halted to take re
freshments, and rest our horses.' ,We found our
neW companionsvery^agreeable: some of them had
known Baron Humboldt, who passed through this
same place about twerity-two years ago; they bore
testimony of his1 great industry, and indefatigable
researches; but at'the sattie time proved him to be
in error, in numerous points, particularly in his
longitudes, latitudes, and altitudes : ihis great fault
has been in describing places which he never' visited.
His defects in these respects, . are indeed generally
known ; yet notwithstanding ally he stands preemi
nent as a traveller and a writer.
The Indians^ stopped my hand suddenly, as I
was about to drink from a bowl of pulque, after
eating boiled eggs^saying'itwats poisonous; I was
very incredulous, yet did not despise their advice,
although I longed for a draught : — -it is probable
the mixture would give the cholic; — the idea of its
being poisonous is however common:
As we pursued our course throUgh the thick
wood below Guchilaque, We were surprised by the
novel appearance of six sailors; on horseback,
armed with carabines and long' swords: They had
left the Asia, a Spanish 74-gun ship, that , had
been given up by the officers and crew, to the
Mexican government, on certain conditions, by
which tiiey were to receive all their; .arrears, and
allowed to enter the Mexican army, in the ranks cor
responding With their stations on board: all which

212
had been conceded. These men do not choose to
enter the army; but having received their arrears
of pay, they are making the best of their way to
Mexico ; where, with industry, and frugality, they
are sure to do well, in any line. From what they
told us, as well as from other sources, there is
little doubt that the Mexican government have the
worst of the bargain ; — and that it would, even now,
be economical in them, to burn the vessel ; par
ticularly since the castle of Sart Juan de Ulua has
surrendered. Instead of this, they are expending
large sums, in refitting her, and procuring sailors
to take her round Cape Horn ; and after all to be
of no use to them; — this is madness, and the vanity
of using their newly-gotten power;-:— they will ere
long, be brought to a stand, that is, when all their
means are exhausted.
The wood ceases with a declivity, and a few
leagues of bare stony ground, still separated us
from Cuernavaca. At intervals, nevertheless, there
are delightful shady spots, with a stream of cold
water running through the midst, and a pretty cot
tage under the trees. We arrived at Cuernavaca
at about four o'clock.
We had a letter of introduction to the first al
calde, but he was out of town, with his family ;
this however was of no inconvenience to us, the
alcalde's next rieighbour took us in, and franked
us all his house. We occupied the sala and two
bed-rooms, took chocolate and supper, and in fact,

213
all our meals at his expense, and did. not so "much
as know his name, till we discovered it on his sil
ver table service.
The moon was about its full, and looked, grand
as it rose over the snowy tops of the Puebla; vol
canos, seen in a calm tropical evening, and clear
cloudless atmosphere. Our host was a widower,
and we had, not the advantage of any society in
the evening, to enjoy with this captivating scenery.
Cuernavaca, at a, guess, may contain five thou
sand inhabitants. It possesses many large and good
houses, belonging to rich and respectable families,
who come to spend the winter months here ; I ob
served several coteries round the balconies, and I
should haye heen glad to join them, but could not
contrive tp introduce myself in a satisfactory man
ner; for I do not approve of quite so much freedom
as is common here.
The trade pf. the town is small, consisting of a
f$w branches, -of agriculture, a few sugar estates,
and distilleries of molasses. We, examined some
of them, and generally approved of their systems.
Fruit is an article of importance to the town; they
have, at all, seasons of the. year, a large variety of
the choicest, descriptions: oranges and limes,
sapote prietq, and borracho,. the sapotiilo, • the
pomegranate^ (the grenadita de china, plantain and
banana, mamey, .aguacate, cheremoya, guayava,
besides our apples, pears, peaches, and apricots,
all of which meet a ready sale in Mexico. - The

214
Indians are lazy, which is the natural consequence
of a fertile soil, and a hot climate; the country is
consequently much neglected, and does not pro
duce the tithe of what it would, if properly at
tended to : this is the greatest cause of complaint
amongst the whites. i
We spent two days here, on the whole much
disappointed with the place; most of our time,
after we had examined what there was to be seen,
was spent in the woods and thickets, in search of
game, but in this we had no luck: a few doves,
and one buck, which cared little for the small shot
rattling about his coat, were all we turned. There
are abundance of deer in the temperate regions
(tierra templadd) of this country, whose skins are
important articles of trade, — hares also are plenti
ful, but never se*en after sunrise : pheasants,
partridges, .woodcock, or moor game, I have
never heard of in any part of the couritry.
Finding our time run thus heavily, we moved
quarters, and directed our steps towards' the ha
cienda of Santa Ines, near Cuautla, about an easy
day's journey, southeast of Cuernavaca.
The country for the most part is unproductive,
and, in fact, incapable of production; being covered
with stone, and brambles, and low wood. Yautepec
is about half way: this is an Indian pueblo, in
habited by perhaps two thousand idlers, who were
all collected to witness the bull-fight of an ox, as
they called it themselves.

215
Beyond Yautepec, the country is still more
barren; the road lies over a stony mountain, co
vered with low brushwood. From the summit of
this bill, we discovered the verdant plain of Cuau
tla y Amilpas, with numberless haciendas, towns,
and villages. The sugar cane covers the valley,
tp the foot of the mountain, and not a rood of
land is lost. The first estates we come to are those
of Calderon and Casasano, belonging to the same
proprietor; it is the largest in the country, and of
immense income. We did not stop, but hastened
onwards towards Santa Ines, where we arrived
at about three o'clock.
We had a letter of recommendation from the
proprietor, Don Angel de Michaus, to the steward,
his relative, which, of course, procured us the best
welcome he could give. Our equipage was well
provided for, and the relics of the dinner brought
forward for us: our host, and some others of his
party,. had the politeness to keep us company while
we despatched it; but this was not a momentary
affair, for although twenty-one persons of the
house, besides about as many servants, had made
their dinners before us, from the same ordinary
daily provision: the dishes followed each other
in(l such numbers, that I am almost afraid to men
tion them, — they were not less than a dozen, be
sides auxiliaries ; and every thing was excellent in
the mode du pays. Coffee was handed afterwards :
this was quite an innovation upon Spanish customs.

216
The party were on the terrace, where we joined
them ; and amongst them We recognised many of
our Mexican acquaintances: the Marques' de Sal^
vatierra, with his lady and family ; the Marques
de Santiago, and his sister: miners, soldiers, law
yers, — and priests, of course. . Besidesour worthy
hdst, Don Antonio de MichauS, we made the num
ber of his -guests twenty-four, and for 'the most
part they had come, like ourselves, au hazard, un
invited, and unexpected; but sure of a hearty
welcome and good fare. One or two besides our
selves, had arrived too late for beds in this
hacienda; and they were sent to sleep at Cuautla,
two, miles off.
This is Spanish hospitality : every body may,
at all times, command for himself any thing that
the house affords, besides the stated meals, when
all meet at one table; breakfast, a la fourchette,
with coffee and chocolate, at ten o'clock; dinner
at two, merienda at five, and supper at ten ; and
the wine, although twice as dear as in London,
is consumed uncounted, like water. The ex-
perise, of all this must necessarily be enormous:
you will call it prodigality ; and I believe it is un
equalled. We spent the afternoon in the shade on the ter
race, chatting and smoking cigars, with the ladies:
whose accomplishments and education, I found
very superior to what I have generally met with
in the city. After merienda, the whole party set

217
Pff for Cuautla; a long carriage holding twelve in*
side, conveyed the ladies; and the gentlemen rode
on horseback, forming a formidable cavalcade. The
object was, imprimis, a walk in the shady streets
of Cuautla, among the groves of plantains ; in se-
¦cundis, billiards and chocolate, and rest at a house
in the town belonging to the estate; and, lastly,
the theatre.
In the suburbs of the town, the small houses
are overshadowed by the plantain and banana
trees, which afford a delightful shade, and frag
rance, so particularly grateful in hot countries;
and in these alleys, all the belles brunettes of the
town appeared, to see the great folks from Santa
Ines, and to be seen. The gentlemen were noisy
at billiards,— not much ceremony and formality —
many of them play well; the'game Chosen included
all who wished to play, the company being di
vided into two parties, who played each other out,
as in cricket : my side were winners, and my
gains, two medios.
I refer you to Gil Bias for a sketch of the the
atre and performance,- for one description- of a tra
velling company will Suit all ; at any rate, the one
given us by Santillano will answer admirably for
that of Cuautla. The local was the cockpit, with
one row of boxes, "a jour? and stools,, benches,
and chairs formed the accommodations of thepit.
The house had once, no doubt, been whitewashed,
and some remnants of decorations still remained in

218
places ; the stars were seen through the roof, and
the wind found a passage through the wooden
walls.. The stage was a crazy platform, measuring
about six feet by three; the scene paintings were
in number two, and the dresses grotesque in the
extreme. The pit was filled with the simple la
bourers,; who were highly delighted ; and the por
tion of the boxes unoccupied by our party, acco
modated the aspirartts to distinction in the town.
The play was, of course, a tale of love, ending un
fortunately, for the heroine dies, the lover kills
himself, and the parents break their hearts. The
afterpiece was a tale of true love : the pantomime
an unintelligible piece of buffoonery. The ladies
had patience to see the conclusion, > and it was not
till then that I was liberated from my penance :
they returned to Santa Ines, and I made the best
of my way to Guadalupe, just on the outskirts of
the town, where it had been appointed for me to
take my rest, along with sundry, others of our
company. The steward of this estate, Don Martin Michaus,
is also of the family of the proprietor ; he showed
us the same attention ithat we had received at the
principal hacienda ; but for that night, at least,
we partook but slightly of his liberality, being
quite ready for our pillows, after a long and hard
day. I regret I did not make more particular obser
vations on this interesting country, for I am sure

219
they would be interesting. Cuautla, or Quautlar
is a pueblo, with perhaps five thousand inhabitants.
Tt is the centre of the sugar district, and within a
few leagues of its circumference it comprises some
of the finest sugar estates in the country. The
largest is that of Casasano, already mentioned, the
next in importance is Cuahuistla, belonging to the
Dominican friars. Each of these estates produces
sixty thousand loaves, of more than an arrobe of
twenty-five pounds each, Or more than a millipn
and a half of pounds fine white loaf sugar annually:
and it is a Saying amongst the planters, that there
is a l>ad pilot at the helm, if all the ^expenses are
not defrayed by the produce of the molasses and
rum,, leaving the sugar clear gain. Thus, as- the
sugar is worth about a dollar and three quarters
per arrobe, the net profits of these estates amount
to about a.< huridred and twenty thousand doJlars>
or twenty-four thousand pounds sterling per annum,
eachiii Santa lines will produce Jsbput forty thou
sand-loaves, ^bout fifteen thousand pounds ster
ling per year. Guadalupe,, and Santa? Rosa, and
others, diminish in quantity. At Cocoyoc and
Pantitlan both sugar and coffee are cultivated; but
of these hereafter.: ^ :
- The whole country is necessarily covered with
cane, all the year round, in all stages of its growth.
It. is planted in all seasons ; sticks of cane, with
two or three germs,: being laid end to end in rows,
and slightly coyerediWithiearth,: In a . fortnight,

young shoots appear from all the germs, and the
field looks like wheat in January: it grows very
strong ; the saw edges of the leaves become sharp
and strong ; the main stem grows to the diameter
of an inch and a half, and shoots out other branches
in several ramifications. The crops require the
greatest attention, particularly in irrigation, and
the fields are levelled with a gentle declivity, to
facilitate-the course of the water, which is conducted
over -every row, once in two or three days. The
plant attains its full growth in about, eighteen
months, when it is upwaids of six feet in height,
forming an impenetrable thicket, and a nest for
hares, deer, and vermin of several kinds. It'then
requires to stand six months, or more, to ripen, and
it may remain several months uncut without injury.
It is cut by hand bills, the leaves are lopped off in
the field, and the tops preserved for planting.
After being cut, they will not keep more than two
or three days ; the canes should be immediately
carried to the press. All the remainder of the
work is done under roof .
The press consists of three copper rollers,, about
six feet high, and a foot and a half in diameter,
fixed upright in a strong frame ; the centre roller
is turned with moderate rapidity by water, and by
cogs communicates its riiotion to the other two.
They are fed by two men, one on each side, supr
plying them without intermission with bundles of
cane, which, after passing twice through, come out

221
perfectly bruised and dry, and serves for fuel
Thie juice is conveyed, by means of a wooden
trough, to another room, where it is received in a
large vat. From .the vat it is passed through four
coppers, in each of which it is kept on a gentle
simmer for about an hour, the scum bejng conti
nually removed, and the syrup assuming a greater
degree of consistency,; so as "to be greatly reduced
in bulk when it is finally scummed and leaves the
fourth boiler. Here the West Indian planters
stop; from the fourth, copper ; it is carried to the
hogsheadsj artd the brown. Muscovado is ready for
exportation1; but the Mexicans continue their
work till it is formed into loaves, for raw sugars are
not at all consumed here. The syrup is removed
immediately from the fourth boiler to the moulds,
ranged on a frame, having orifices at the small end,
through whichthe molasses drops into a vat beneath.
After draining oyer this vat for a few hours, it be
comes a bright brown Muscovado in rough crys
tals. It is thence removed in the moulds to another
part of the building, and covered over with a soft
fine mud: after some weeks the dirt is removed
from the surface, and the fine white loaf turned out
of the mould. The simple mud is used, without
anything else, as a. purifier ; it is found that the
water leaves it more gradually than anything else,
and, passing through the sugar, carries along with
it all the iihpurities, leaving it a hard crystalized
loaf, in colour certainly inferior to your finest in
u2

222
England, but in quality and strength superior to
any. The scum and the refuse are not lost, but
boiled into a coarse brown clay sugar, used for the
meanest purposes by the Indians.
The molasses are collected in skins, and sold in
that state, or, if prices should below at the time,
they distil it on the estate ; or,* generally, both
means of disposmgof it are used, and the produce
of this ought to be sufficient to cover all expenses,
and leave the sugar net profit.
The distillery at Santa Ines is extensive, and on
an excellent principle, but the heat was too great
to be borne, and I had not courage to examine it
minutely. I spent a day in visiting the interesting hacienda
of Cocoyoc, belonging to Senor de Velasco, about
five leagues from Santa Ines, where I witnessed
the culture and' manufacture of coffee. ; , .
The coffee tree is propagatedfrom-the berry,
which is planted when at maturity, ininoist ground,
constantly watered, and covered with a shade of
mats to protect it from the sun. When the plants
at tain the height of six to ten inches,' they are re
moved and planted in rows, about eight feet apart,
and generally with alternate rows .6f plantains,
which shoot up in a few months, bear two or three
crops of fruit, and are cut down again at the end
of the first year. They begin to yield fruit the
third year, but are not in full bearing till the fifth.
If left to themselves they would grow to the height

223
of sixteen or eighteen feet, but they are stinted to
about eight or ten, for the facility of gathering the
fruit. The main stem grows upright, and is co
vered with a light brown bark ; the branches are
produced horizontally, and opposite, forming a
double cross with the stem at every joint,. so that
every side of the tree is fully garnished with them,
and they form a kind of pyramid. The leaves
also stand opposite, and when fully grown are four
or five_ inches long, and two broad in the middle,
and in texture and appearance very like those of
the Portugal laurel. The flowers appear in clusters
at the root of the leaves, close to the. branches ;
they are of a pure white, and delightful odour, hut
of short duration. The fruit resembles a cherry,
growing in clusters under the ascillse of the leaves;
when it becomes of a deep red it is considered ripe,
and gathered for the factory. Each fruit contains
two beans, joined together by a parchment-like
skin, and protected by a sweet mucilaginous sub
stance, and a strong outside skin. The two last
are cleared off, in the West India islands, imme
diately on being gathered, but the proprietor of
this estate is satisfied that, it is bestto let the fruit
be perfectly, dried in the sun, before he breaks. the
outside skin, for which purpose he has been at
great expense in building terraces. It requires,
little care and labour then to clean the beans and
render them fit for sale : and the whole process is;
clean and agreeable to the, senses.

224
The plantation, is like a beautifully arranged
pleasure ground, extending a mile, and frequently
two miles, in different directions, the principal
avenues being bordered with orange trees. Here
and there. we find an acre of plantain trees, and
the sweet fragrance which pervades the grounds,
renders it the most delightful occupation for a
man's life that I can imagine. In Cocoyoc there
are about three hundred thousand trees bearing
fruit, and in Pantitlan, belonging to the same
proprietor, there are twice as riaany : they are all
young, and he expects they will' last forty years
yet; in the West Indies they do notlast so long.
On the same estate I saw the' process of making
indigo. The root of the plant is three or four
lines thick, and more than a foot long ; from this
root issues a single stem, nearly of the same thick
ness, about two feet high, of a straight, hard, and
almost woody growth, and a gray ash colour; The
leaves are ranged in pairs along the stalk.. . The
seed, which in colour and appearance resembles
gunpowder, is sown in little furrows. It shoots
up in two or three days and is ripe intwo months:
when it begins to flower it is cut with pruning
knives, and cut again every six weeks, and thus
lasts about twp years, after which it degenerates,
and is plucked up. ,
It requires care in gathering it, . for fear of
shaking the farina from the leaves, which is valu
able. When gathered, it is thrown into a vat

225
of water to steep and ferment, which is accom
plished in twenty-four hours. The Water is then
let off into the pounding vat ; here it is found
impregnated with a very subtil earth, which con
stitutes the blue substance, the object of the pro
cess, and which must be separated from the useless
salt of the plant. To effect this, the water is
violently agitated, which causes the dregs to be
precipitated at the bottom of the vat, where they
settle, and the water is then drawn off. The blue
dregs are then collected, cleared of their superflu
ous water, and put into chestsj where they entirely
lose the moisture, and at the end of a few months
the indigo is ready for sale*
Most of the sugar estates are provided with
conveniences for the manufacture of indigo,, in case
of a decline in the prices of sugar; other plants
are also attended to, such as vanilla and zarza-
parilla. The city of Mexico is the principal- market for
the coffee produced on these plains and those of
Orizaba, the use of this beverage being little
known in the country ; it is, however, spreading
rapidly. It sells, by retail, at about eight dollars
the arrobe, equal to about one shilling and four-
pence per lb. ; it is now rather high-
The sugar is also all consumed in the country,
and, although it, is made much cheaper than in the
West India islands, it cannot be exported owing
.to the expense of transport, all being done pn
mules.

228
SenorVelasco and his lady received us: with
every attentions we dined with them attWo o'clock:
the curate of the village and three other persons
popped in jUst before dinner time, according to
custom, without giving offence, except to the young
heir of the family, a fine, accomplished youth, of
about fourteen, who knew French perfectly, and
desired earnestly to be allowed to corne to England:
he could not beat the sight of the hypocritical
priest. After dinner, they sat down to play a
hand at tresillo, at which the priest was clever,
and generally filled his pockets; we left them thus
employed and returned to Santa Ines.
When our limited time expired, We returned
to Mexico by the ; nearest route, being about
twenty«five leagues.
Totulapa- is a small pueblo on our road, of no
importance, situated at the foot of the hills which
separate the plains of Quautla from the table land
of Mexico ; from thence to Xuchi the country is
very steep and romantic, affording admirable views
of the luxuriant plains we had' left. Xuchi is a
large agricultural town, situated in the midst of
the hills on the borders of the table land: Ameca
is a ruined and depopulated village, about three
leagues from Chalco. •-¦''•'
At Chalco we hired hack horses, which just
brought us into Mexico before the gates were shut,
at eight o'clock, having performed a good day's
joUrney of. seventy-five miles. — With this I con
clude.

227

MEXICO TO VERA CRUZ.
The, most expeditious rnpde of. travelling is the
best, particularly in this country, because the
troubles are the sooner over, and I determined to
adopt posting on my ijpurney to Vera Cruz,
Another motive was the security, as we could not
take luggage to tempt the virtue of the gentlemen
on the highway.
The journey from Mexico to Vera Cruz is con
stantly performed by Don Rafael, the courier for
the legation, in forty-eight hours, and sometimes
even in thirty-six hours. From him I procured a
note of the stages, with the prices,. charged for the
horses. He procured for me an order from the
postmaster, which I intended should serve for
passport : this cost sixteen dollars, as a duty on
the total amount of posting, about thirty-three per
cent. The distances and the hire of the horses are
determined by government; .the former are not
known with certainty ; it is evert suspected that
the tarif of distances is. under the truth, by which
a trifle is, saved to the government in the hire: the
whole journey is as near three hundred miles as
may be.,-; The.hire-of the.hprses is, on an average,

228
a fraction more than a real a league for every horse,
the postillions expect two reals at every stage.
I started in company with another gentleman,
at seven o'clock in the morning of 16th March, 1826.
All my baggage was contained in a pair of small
saddle bags, and this I took with me, rather for
use on my arrival at Vera Cruz (in case my trunk,
which I despatched ten days before, should not
have arrived) than for the road, for I did not
expect to have occasion to change. My costume
Was that of the country, a sombrero, with broad
brim, a round jacket, calzones and botas, with a
manga. I rode an English saddle, having never
been able to ride the silla vaquera with a high
back. ;
We went on a quick canter, about eight to ten
miles an hour, frequently more Where the road
was level. The first stage is seven leagues. Ista-
paluca, the post house, is nothing better than a
solitary mud-built stable, with horses only just
enough for us to" change.
Another post-boy took Us forward to Rio Frio at
the, same rate; I rode a mule, and kept well ahead
of the party. On the declivity of the mountains,
above the Venta de Cordova, for the last month*
there has been a gang of robbers, who have com
mitted serious depredations, and murdered several
travellers ; hardly any party had escaped an at
tack, but where resistance has been offered, they
have fled ; our post-boy pointed out the place

229
where he had held four of them at defiance, and
at length obliged them to run, without other arms
than a sabre ; they attempted to rob him of the
horses that he was bringing back from Rio Frio,
We discovered a patrol of soldiers in the wood,
in search of the villains ; four of them had been
caught a few days before, with their chief, Pedro-
negro, a desperate fellow, who, when brought to
Venta de Cordova* made such a resistance that the
guard could not conquer him, and he was shot on
the spot ; his body was hung up in Mexico, along
with the others, who were not allowed to survive
him many^daysv r
On our! arrival at Rio Frio, oUr fresh horses
Were grazing in the field, and this caused a delay
of half-an-hour ; we, meanwhile, got some eggs
and frixoles and pulque, and heard the tales of the
late robberies, from the colonel of the post, a civil,
black-looking fellow, who interested himself a
good deal for us. We got a set of raw-backed
rips to convey us the next stage to San Martin,
and an ill-tempered post-boy, who barely vouch
safed to relate to us the tale of a robbery of a
coach the day before, in a spot which we passed
just above the Puente de Tesmeluca. A colonel
and his wife were coming from Puebla, the thieves
robbed them of all their luggage and money, and
obliged them to return from whence they came.
These numerous robberies have happened only
since the last month or two, because the police in

230
the city 6f Mexico have been so active in catch
ing and strangling, as to oblige .the messieurs
d1. industrie to flee to the highways : and I have no
doubt, that in a few months they will be extermi
nated altogether in this part of the country. Our
horses carried us admirably ; and we arrived in
excellent time at San Martin.
While the next horses were hunted, we were
entertained by the daughter of the postmaster,
who seemed to be in comparatively affluent cir
cumstances. Donna Maria, was decidedly, the
handsomest and most elegant female, and withal,
the silliest I have seen since I left Smyrna—
when I asked for a cigarro, she produced the
neatest, and most delicate one, that was ever made
by fair ladies' fingers; and presented it with a
grace that the Smyrniotes would not know how
to imitate : this however was the vision of a mo
ment—for we mounted our fresh cattle and gal-
lopped through the town.
I had a good horse, and went easily ; my com
panion was shaken to death; mine was a troton,
a hard trotter: his was a pacer, and a pacer, when
put on a gallop, is enough to shake one's patience
to the foundation. However that also came to its
end, and we arrived at Puebla at five o'clock.
This was seventy five miles in ten hours, including
an hour and half for stoppages, or half an hour at
each stage.
After presenting ourselves to the postmaster,

231
who is a wealthy man, and lives in a splendid
house, over the postoffice ; and ordering our
horses for the next morning, we made our way to
the house of my good friend Don Jose Domingo
Couto, where I found him, his three brothers, his
wife, and her sister; all of whom I had particularly
known in Mexico.
Besides this family, there is only one other that
can be called respectable in Puebla: that other is
the Savinnon, whom I also know a little.
We also found in the house, colonel Barbabosa :
who was at Vera Cruz, actively employed in the
reduction of the castle of San Juan He enter
tained us with a relation of it, which will not be
uninteresting in this dry part of my journal.
The government ascertaining to a certainty,
that the garrison was reduced to great distress ;
sent the secretary of finance down to Vera Cruz,
with a view to negociate for the purchase of the
castle; but Coppinger was true to his colours,
and his men would rather starve than betray them.
The minister of finance giving up his hopes on
this point, applied himself diligently to the equip
ment of the Mexican fleet, which had been lying
idle for want of men ; and by his extraordinary
exertions, they were enabled to unmoor, arid put
to sea, the Libertad, frigate of 44, the Victoria,
the Bravo, and the Constancia sloops, and four
schooners, with a few gun-boats, on the critical'
day when the Spanish squadron hove in sight,
a

232
early in November. The Libertad was officered
by Englishmen, and worked by about fifty sea-sick
wretches from the canoes of the Rio Alvarado ; and
it was all they could do to steer her : the smaller
vessels were pretty well manned and equipped.
The Spanish squadron consisted of two frigates
and two transports, yet they did not venture to
attack the Mexicans, who made so good a show,
although they were cheered, and encouraged by
the garrison. An English corvette happened to
leave the port at the time, and going boldly up
towards the Spaniards without hoisting her ensign,
increased their alarm, and after hovering about,
at the distance of forty or fifty miles, for three
days, they disappeared altogether; on this, Ge
neral Barragan issued invitations for a ball, to be
given at the castle ; Esteva, the minister, renewed
his negociations with Coppinger, and messengers
were* sent from both parties. A few presents
of vegetables and fruits were sent to the castle,
and every thing was in a good train :— messages
were continually exchanged for several days, and
expectation was at its fullest stretch : — obstacles,
however, continually presented themselves, and
day after day nothing was concluded; — it was
Coppinger's endeavour to gain time until the
Spaniards should return with a stronger force;
but his object was suspected, and a notice was sent
tohimbyBarragon, that unless hejclosed and agreed
to the articles finally, within forty-eight hours, he

233
would be exposed to an assault and its fatal con
sequences. This brought over two officers with
full power to conclude the articles, which were
briefly as follows: — 1st. The garrison to be brought
on shore the next day, and the Spanish flag to
remain hoisted until they, should all have left-.
2d. The sick to be attended to in the hospital, and
the whole garrison to be removed to the Havana im
mediately that they shall be sufficiently recovered.
3d. No deception to be used to ensnare the Spanish
fleet on its expected return. A large sum of money
was offered to general Coppinger, as a remunera
tion for his private losses, and the protection of
the Mexican government, if he should choose to
remain in the country ; but he refused all, saying
that he must go and give an account of himself to
the governor of Havana. From thence, in all pro
bability, he will be sent to Spain, and hung ; as
Ferdinand seems to treat all his best -servants in
that way. Nothing, however, could dissuade this
faithful man from the strictest performance of his
duties , and he was sent to Havana in a fortnight
afterwards, along with most of his soldiers, in the
Mexican sloop Victoria. His parents were Irish,
and himself a native of South Carolina.
Before the whole of the garrison was brought
on shore; an American schooner came in with pro
visions, spreading all sail until she had passed
through all the squadron ; and she had caught
x3

234
by the rings '¦ of the castle walls, before they
discovered that they were a lawful prize. This
was a desperate attempt to provision the port : an
enormous sum had been paid by the governor of
Havana, and the. captain and crew took the risk
of being blown to pieces in the attempt. They had
•been despatched immediately on the return of
the first Spanish squadron ; the chance of escaping
with the vessel was very small ; but if they es
caped with their persons, in discharging her, they
could depend upon a safe asylum within the cas
tle, until the Spaniards returned with stronger
force ; but it terminated differently.
It was discovered, that the garrison had existed
for some time, on rats, and other vermin, which
had swarmed in the castle i every beast had been
devoured, with the exception of one dog, by the
means of which, they got their supply of rats.
Never did -men behave more loyally, or more faith
fully ; there was even a party in the garrison, in
favour of setting fire to the gunpowder, and blow
up themselves, castle and all.
Colonel Barbabosa was one of the selected volun
teers for commanding the expected assault, in
case Coppinger had not come to terms. A corps
of four hundred elect were appointed, and the
plan ready laid ; and without doubt, they would
have succeeded, in its defenceless situation : for
out of about four hundred men, not more than

235
seventy were capable of bearing arms : the rest
were sick, and dying,— three hundred had died
within the walls, in three months.
We: were much pressed by our kind friends to
remain the next evening, when they expected all
the flower of the Puebla society to a tertulia, on
the occasion of some rejoicing ; but although the
temptation was great, we had resolution to resist
it ; and mounted horses at nine the next morning.
I was again taken in by the Poblanos ; and I
verily believe, no foreigner ever had dealing with
them without being cheated. On referring to the
tarif, I found I had been made to pay twice as
much as was due for the first stage.
We changed boy and horses at Acaxete, and
then considered ourselves. out of the reach of every
thing belonging to Puebla, and we gallopped
without fear through the famous pinal, where, no
accident has happened since I passed it before.
At Nopaluca, we got excellent horses, and we
shot across the country to Virreyes, with great ra
pidity. We met a party of Frenchmen, half a
dozen in number ; they had lost their way, and
were in great confusion ; the little direction that
we could give would be of -little use to them.:
none of them could speak Spanish. Frenchmen are
certainly bad travellers.
At the hacienda of Virreyes they gave us to
ride three colts, that were exceedingly restive,, re
fusing to leave the place ; and they caused us to

236
lose, at least, a quarter of an hour : the riders at
length were masters, and then we gallopped away,
over an unfruitful plain towards Tepeyagualco,
six leagues distant : a violent storm of rain accom
panied us all the way, and ceased when we arrived,
at about nine o'clock. Here we rested for an hour,
and stretched ourselves out to dry, and to sleep ;
and rose the worse for it, — stiff and cold.
Gallopping again, however, soon removed com
plaints ; and we had other things to look to. Our
post-boy was the blackest looking fellow I ever
saw, and withal so polite, so cautious, so appre
hensive lest we should fall into the harfds of
robbers, that our suspicions were seriously awaken
ed. We had to pass a noted place, where Mr.
Crawford was killed : it was moonlight when we
came to the spot : and the boy discovered that
the earth was covered with stones ; and insisted
upon walking over it; he feared, also,, that the
noise of galloping horses would reach the recesses
of the mountain del Pizarro, and bring down the
thieves upon us : this however we overruled : and
finding himself foiled in this point, his saddle got
loose, and on dismounting to tighten.it, he dis
covered something to be broken, and we had the
prospect of waiting an indefinite time : I thought
I saw him cock a pocket pistol, which he replaced
in his pocket. The only arms we had, was one
pistol in my possession, which I held in my hand ;
I told the boy he should be the first to die, if we

237
were attacked ; on hearing this, all his difficulties
suddenly vanished, and he remounted, and showed
the way. I brought up the rear, and we at length
got completely out of the infested part ; and ar
rived safely at Perote, at about twelve o'clock.
We found all asleep at the post-house, which is
a poor mud house in the suburbs. We were con
sequently detained three-quarters of an hour, and
knowing that Mrs. B., an English lady, and for
merly a.neighbour of mine, who was travelling to
Mexico with her husband, would probably stop
that night in the town, I went to the meson, with
the intention of directing them to go at once to our
house in Mexico; but neither the huespede nor
the scolding co\Jc had ears to hear, and I was
obliged to give up my object.
For the next stage, to Las Vigas, we were pro
vided with good horses, and I know of no relief
so great as an easy goer after a hard-mouthed and
hard-footed beast like the last I had, unless, per
haps, you- think a sofa would be better ; be this as
it may, we found ourselves better and fresher than
we had been in any part of the journey, the rain
had quite ceased and the moon shone brightly,
and we went on merrily. But how easily is the
greatest prosperity blighted ! So was my rapid
career suddenly arrested by half-a-dozen footpads
bouncing upon me with the quickness of thought,
" Hold there !" they cried, seizing my bridle, and
they caught the sound of my companions' horses

238
feet behind me, and their retreat was more rapid
than the charge ; they scampered over the fields
like March hares, and were soon lost in the shades
of night. " Barraja !" exclaimed the post-boy,
as he came up, " they deserve shooting for not
knowing their trade better," and he would have
given them a salvo had we been able to muster
another charge. Half-an-hour afterwards found
us at Las Vigas.
Here the moon set, and we were obliged to ride
the wretched cattle that were given to us, even at
a snail's pace, because we depended upon them to
find the road down the rapid and rugged descent
to La Joya ; if we had had light, we should have
done it on foot in half the time : we arrived after
four o'clock.
At La Joya we were worse off than ever ; the
cool morning air made me excessively sleepy, my
horse shook my whole frame, and I lost all pati
ence, and not even the magnificence of the scenery
which opened upon me as I descended the cause
way, and which had delighted me so much before,
could restore my gaiety.
Just before we arrived at Xalapa, we met the
the travelling equipage of Don Francisco Gon
zales, who was going to Mexico with his lady ; I
was slightly acquainted witii them. The bloom
ing lady reclined at ease in her litter, with curtains
up, and the sunshine on her pillow : her servant
sat at her feet ; her lord rode by her side on a fine

239
horse : three ' or four cargo mules, as many ser-
vants, and an escort of half-a-dozen dragoons
accompanied him.
We arrived at Francisquini's inn, at half-past
seven o'clock, having been twenty-two hours from
Puebla ; the distance is about a hundred and fifty
miles, our stoppages amounted to six hours, and if
the posts were well regulated it might be done in
fifteen hours, with less fatigue than is experienced,
from the numberless bad horses which are now
kept on the road.
The two last stages quite knocked me up, and
put me into such a fever that I could, on my
arrival at Xalapa, neither eat nor sleep. A wet
towel round my head relieved me considerably,
and by one o'clock I found I had slept for two
hours, and felt quite ready for my breakfast. We
got some cutlets, omelets, and Carlon wine, and
then went about to hire a litter for the remainder
of the journey, as there were no regular posts be
tween Xalapa and Vera Cruz.
We met several acquaintances among the nu
merous directors and clerks of the mining com
panies, and amongst them Mr. William Bullock,
employed in bringing up machinery from the coast.
We were invited to breakfast with them in their
tent next morning, at„Encero.
We could not get the litereros off till seven
o'clock ; we both got in together, head to feet, as
there was not room otherwise, and it was necessary

240
to preserve a due equilibrium on account of the
mules. I however soon found that I could not
support the motion ; it immediately made me sea
sick ;and I walked all the way to Encero by the side
of the litter, at the rate of about three and a half
miles an hour. The distance is four leagues.
Here we found a large encampment of machinery ,
boilers, steam-engines, &c, in pieces, arranged in
order over several acres of land, and more were
constantly arriving in waggons. Our friends had
finished their breakfast, as we were much behind
the promised hour ; we found, however, something
left, and fared tolerably* The plan of the mining
companies is, to remove all their machinery out of
the sickly country, before the rains begin, without
having them brought at once to the respectivej
mining districts, which Would occupy a long time ;
they have therefore made a depot at Encero, where
they may remain through the sickly season with
impunity. Mr. Bullock, having occasion to go to Vera Cruz,
willingly took my place in the litter, and gave me
his mule to ride. This fine animal soon took me
out of their sight; I adopted his regular jog
trot of about five miles per hour, and arrived
long before them at Plan del Rio. I set off again
just as the litter came up.
I found the road occupied by a great number of
wagons loaded with machinery, and drawn by ten
to sixteen mules each, and attended by English-

241
men. The scene was lively and interesting for"
some leagues out of Plan del Rio ; but as the
shades of the evening came on I was left undis- -
puted lord of the road and my own cogitations:
The time passed imperceptibly, and by eight
o'clock I found myself at El Puente Nacional.
The litter did not arrive till ten ; we rested till
twelve, and then we all started/ I left the litter,
as usual, and pursued my journey alone ; it was
solitary, but the temperature of the atmosphere
was very agreeable, and I was fast approaching
the end of my journey. At about a league from
Puente I met a party of English gentlemen tra
velling to Xalapa.
The moon favoured me as far as Paso de Ove-
jas;- but it deserted me immediately afterwards,
and I then had to trust to the sagacity of my mule
to prosecute my joUrney through the labyrinths of
a country covered with brushwood and cacti; he
did not fail me, and by daylight I found myself
just entering the village of — —  , four leagues
from Santa Fe. The lazy Indians were just stir
ring from their mats, and appeared at their doors,
yawning and rubbing their eyes. I passed them
without stopping, and arrived at Santa Fe at about
half-past seven. Here I saw an extraordinary scene
of life and bustle : the deposit of machinery was
still greater than at Encero, and twenty wagons
were then loading. The place was thronged
with Englishmen, and it looked more like an
Y

242
English colony than the little village I had known
two years before. The dollars circulated like
penny pieces in England. I had to pay two for a
little refreshment which I took-, consisting of a
small dried fish, one egg, and a piece of bad bread.
From this place I joined a party going to Vera
Cruz, who took me a short cut across the country,
over the fine lands of the Marques de Santiago,
quite uncultivated, although its produce, so imme
diately in the vicinity of Vera Cruz, would be of
great value, vegetables being the dearest of all
things. I alighted at the door of our own house about
nine o'clock ; the litter did not come up till past
twelve. A fortnight afterwards, I set sail in the Pyramus
frigate, for Havanna, where I remained ten days.
From thence, in an American brig, to Philadelphia:
visited Baltimore and Washington; and sailed
for Liverpool from New York in one of those
beautiful packet ships, and landed in England
after twenty seven days passage.

[finis.

THLE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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