resi HEMI aetny Lee iy ri Uh yp ee ies i ih eel tt i Mniaeate fy sn fee antici TR ie ana 3 ye a es ee eae it nie DATE DUE Cornell University Library sil (iii i215 KEI [Ff THE COURT OF MEXICO. THE COURT OF MEXICO. BY THE COUNTESS PAULA KOLLONITZ!” LADY-IN-WAITING TO THE EMPRESS CHARLOTTE. ee TRANSLATED BY o a” J! EY QLLIVANT, M.A. BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD. FOURTH EDITION. LONDON: SAUNDERS, OTLEY, AND CO., 66, BROOK STREET, W. 1868. ® [All Rights reserved.) UBS LAB PRINTED BY J. Kk, TAYLOR AND CO., LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS, Medicated TO THE PRINCESS PALFFY, WITH SINCERE AND RESPECTFUL LOVE. TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE. Iy venturing for the first time before the public, my trust is that the book itself will prove a suffi- cient excuse, and that, in the course of translation, it will not have entirely lost the various qualities which commended it to me as an agreeable resource. It contains many a pleasant picture of life and manners in Mexico, a graphic résumé of its history, and the first efforts of the ill-starred ‘ Kaiser Max,” as he is popularly called in Austria, at the regene- ration of that unhappy country, besides many a naive and trenchant remark about persons and things, which have been rendered by the event doubly interesting, as, for instance, the impressions of the authoress of the arrogant Bazaine, and of the vill TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE. Mexican Generals Miramon and Mejia; and if the travelling experiences of the Countess, more espe- cially by sea, are not entirely new, let us remember that there is ‘nothing new under the sun,” but that by the aid of a ready pen and power of obser- vation, the old may be presented agreeably under a new dress. In translating, my endeavour has been to avoid equally a slavish adherence to, or any notable diver- gence from the original, but—aliquando dormitat Homerus—sometimes, perhaps, overcome by the monotony of the task, I may have nodded and for- gotten my English, or at others, urged on by the rapidity of my pen, have taken the German “ie In conclusion, I make my heartiest acknowledg- ments to the affectionate zeal of my sister, C. Ollivant, who has, in translation, research, and—in fact—in every respect lightened my labours and difficulties. J. EB. O. Lianparr, September 25, 1867. PREFACE. —+— Ir was with your blessing and with your warmest sympathy that I undertook this journey, which embraces the fairest and most golden episode of my life. You were ever in my thoughts, and it was your presence that I longed for, when almost over- whelmed by the magnificence of nature, and it is under your protection that I now lay before the world my experiences and impressions. If I yield to the wishes of my friends and give them to the public, it is with the deepest humility that I do so, and this consciousness alone gives me the requisite courage. The exceptional position which I occupied during this journey rendered grcat discretion necessary, x PREFACE. and, at the same time, hindered me from obtaining a deeper insight into the relations and circumstances of a country in which I spent but a short time. Much that presents itself to the ordinary traveller, in a far rougher though truer form, necessarily appeared to me devoid of obstacle, refined as it was by politeness and personal consideration, and it would, therefore, have been less becoming in me than in others to arrogate to myself a definite judg- ment; yet I enjoyed all that was beautiful with heartfelt pleasure, and kept my eyes eagerly open to the precious opportunity. It was my wish to picture all that enchanted me to those who were less fortunate than I, and to do so as faithfully as possible. With the pen, I wished to attain what I would rather have accomplished with the pencil, namely, to create images capable of arousing in others the wish to see for themselves, the wish to invigorate their bodily and mental faculties by the pleasures and inconveniences of a long journey, and by the observation of all that exists outside the narrow circle in which man is wont to move ;-—a circle, moreover, too poor, too limited, for the de- PREFACE. Xl velopment of those capabilities with which the Creator has endowed the human heart and brain. To the Austrian reader especially, it may be a pleasure to learn the external circumstances under which a son of his ancient Imperial House as- cended the tottering throne, from which he has been perhaps already precipitated while these lines are in course of publication, and many a one whose dear friend, son, or brother followed the call of the Emperor, will gladly avail himself of my simple sketches, as a means of drawing him nearer to the land which has suddenly become for him the object of intense interest, and, alas! also of bitter anxiety. But my first desire is, that to you this book may afford some hours of beneficial recreation, that it may impart to your sorely tried heart some share of that peace and of that joy which I experience when I look back upon the journey, which, after much sorrow and much pain, more than once ex- cited in me the sentiment that ‘‘ Life is fair indeed.” August, 1866. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. Ir is seldom that a first work has met with greater indulgence than has been the case with my journal. I am very conscious that a special interest at- tached to that small portion of the world’s history at the inauguration of which I was present; that the ties which unite Austria to that distant, and, for the most part, unknown kingdom, lend a value to every particular, and that, therefore, truth alone was wanted to win for my sketches the notice of the public ; yet the kindness shown to me by critics was far greater than I had any right to expect. My intention of giving a true and simple account X1v PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. of my impressions, and of my experiences in Mexico, and by this means of imparting the pecu- liar joy that I felt to all who have a sense of the beautiful, was recognized in the most friendly man- ner. But there was only one way in which I could prove my gratitude, namely, by the endea- vour to free the second edition, for which there was so speedy a call, from the defects which existed in the first. I have, however, altered nothing, but have only made a few additions. Although Destiny strides rapidly on in Mexico, and though since last summer many appalling changes have occurred, yet I have not thought it necessary to take account of the present state of things, lest my little book should lose its peculiar merit,—that of originality. Every page was written from notes, the result of immediate impressions. This character I sought to preserve, and endeavoured to grasp the past with a firm hand, in spite of the danger that the deve- lopment of events might cause my criticisms and judgments to appear in an unfavourable light. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. XV It is with an absorbing sorrow that I think of Miramar, and with intense anxiety of Mexico. My prayer is, that after these terrible trials and dangers, borne with indescribable and astounding fortitude, the sufferers may at length experience that peace which ever springs from the conscious- ness of a noble intention, and of a battle fought with the courage of heroes, even though it be defeat that lies before them. Tur AUTHORESS. Vienna, May 30, 1867. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE Departure from Miramar.—The Adriatic.—Straits of Messina.—Scylla and Charybdis.—The Lipari Islands. —Arrival.—Civita Vecchia—Journey to Rome, and Sojourn there . . 2... 1... 1 CHAPTER II. Voyage through the Mediterranean Sea.—Caprera.— Straits of Bonifacio.—The Balearic Isles.—The Coast of Spain.— Arrival and Stay at Gibraltar—Departure. —The Atlantic Ocean—Madeira. . . . . . . . 28 CHAPTER ITI. The Atlantic Ocean.—Trade- Winds.—Joys and Sorrows of the Voyage.—Martinique.— Jamaica.—The Gulf of Mexico.—At the Goal . . . . «oe ¢ a @ -» 60 XVili CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PAGE Vera Cruz.—Cause of the Unhealthy State of the Town. —The Emperor and his New Subjects.— Rear-Admiral Bosse.— General Almonte.—Our Disembarkation.— Cool Reception—Journey.—The Railroad.—The Chi- quihuite.— Cordova.—Orizaba.— Guerillas.—The Cor- dilleras— Puebla Tio ies. gel ee S82 CHAPTER V. Departure from Puebla.—Cholula.—Quetzalcoat].—San Martin.—General Mejia—Rio Frio—The Plain of Anahuac.— Mexico.—Friendly Reception.— Entrance ofthe Imperial Pair . . . 2. 1... ; . 115 CHAPTER VI. The Imperial Palace.—Discontent of the Europeans.— The City of Mexico.—Churches.—Convents.— Public Buildings and Promenades.—Home and Street Life of the Mexicans.—The Indians.—Their Origin, Character, and Position.—Santa Anita and Ixtacaleo . . . 139 CHAPTER VII. Chapultepec, the Country Residence of the Emperor.— Tacubaya.—The Escandon and Barron Families.— Sefior Mora.—Mexican Hospitality.—The French in Mexico.—Pedrigal.— First Measures of Government.— Mexicans as Statesmen.—Preparations for the De- parture of the Emperor.—The Empress. . . . 186 CHAPTER VIII. Journey to the Mining Cities.— Pachuca.— Real del Monte.—Mr. Auld.—Return.—Recollections of Cortez. CONTENTS. XIX PAGE —Marina.—“ La Noche Triste.” —Alvarado’s Leap.— Excursion to the Cafiada.—Journey and Illness of the Emperor CHAPTER IX. The Celebration of Mexican Independence.—The Spa- miards in Mexico.—Influence of Events in North Ame- rica, and of the French Revolution.—Overthrow of the Spanish Bourbons.—Reaction in the Colonies —War of Independence.—The Priests Hidalgo, Morellos, and Matamoros.—Iturbide.—The Empire-—Augeustin I.— Mexico as a Republic.—Counter-Demonstration at the Festival. — Aguacero. — Earthquakes. — Scorpions. — Hindrances to Travelling —Return of the Emperor.— The Clergy : 8 bee Sa CHAPTER X. Preparations for Departure.—El Desierto.—Al] Souls’ Day.—Departure.—The Return Journey.—Forced So- journ in Vera Cruz.—The Belgians.—The Louisiana. —Embarkation.— Voyage.—Renewed Misery.—Sant- iago de Cuba.—Martinique—* Water, Water Every- where.” —Everything has its End, so also a Journey to Mexico CHAPTER XI. Conclusion . 996 246 299 THE COURT OF MEXICO. CHAPTER LI. DEPARTURE FROM MIRAMAR.—THE ADRIATIC.—STRAITS OF MES- SINA.—SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS.—THE LIPARI ISLANDS.—AR- RIVAL.—CIVITA VECCHIA.—JOURNEY TO ROME, AND SOJOURN THERE. Tue 14th of April, 1864, became after many delays the long-wished-for day of our departure. It was greeted by the warmest beams of the rising sun ; the heaven was cloudless. My heart beat high as I stepped to the window and glanced upon the sea, to whose tender mercies we were now to commit ourselves ; it was agitated, and a gentle north-east wind crisped the waves, which stormed with more B 2 THE COURT OF MEXICO. than usual impatience against the crags upon which Miramar is built. How often had I looked upon these tossing waters with rapt admiration and with secret fear! How often had I regarded this mighty and mysterious power, and been deeply impressed by it; yet never had this impression been so overpowering and so perceptible to me as upon this day! The weal and woe of the next few weeks, the joy and sorrow of the journey, the fulfilment of all that I had wished and dreamt,—yes, even danger and the final accomplishment of our distant object,—all depended upon the caprice of this ocean ; and as it swelled up from many a bottomless deep, as it swept on or was driven by a force as unfathomable as irresistible, then I felt the more powerfully the solemnity and the importance of the moment which I was going to encounter, then and then again I con- gratulated myself as specially fortunate that to my personal observation and experience so much that was grand, so much that was interesting, would be presented. On this day all was life in and around Miramar, which usually rises out of the blue waves of the Adriatic still and lonely as some legendary castle. DEPARTURE FROM MIRAMAR. 3 The dusty, sunny road to Trieste, half won from the sea, half cut out of the rock, was covered with people and carriages. The bay from whose shores Trieste rises as an amphitheatre, and which it com- mands in picturesque beauty, swarmed with vehicles great and small. The Novara had been lying-to for many days waiting for us, and the French frigate, the Themis, appointed for her escort, rode at anchor by her side. It had been wonderfully beautiful the previous evening, as we looked out of the apartments of the Archduchess towards the west, where the sun sank purple into the ocean, just gilding the waves and the masts of the two men-of-war, and then leaving behind it a trail of fire on the horizon to which the snow-clad Alps of North Italy rose in sharp con- trast, while the ships in the foreground seemed to stand out large and dark, like phantoms. Notwith- standing all the grandeur which I have since seen, this picture still rises in my memory distinct and clear. The beauties of nature are so rich, so mani- fold, so perfect each in its own way, that they need fear no comparison one with another. B2 4 THE COURT OF MEXICO. Half an hour before our departure, a deputation from the town of Trieste handed over to Maxi- milian, now actually Emperor of Mexico, a farewell address. Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian was much be- loved by the population ; Trieste was deeply indebted to him. It was with much pain and great anxiety that the people regarded his departure for an un- certain and dangerous future. Ten thousand sig- natures testified to attachment to his person, and to the heartiness of the blessings which followed him in his difficult position to his new home over the seas. The Emperor burst into tears when the Burgo- master of Trieste expressed in affectionate terms the universal regret and the universal sympathy. ‘The moment was solemn, so earnest that every mind was impressed and scarce a single eye remained dry. Soon after this, when we entered the Court in the train of the Imperial pair, we found a large crowd collected in the narrow space: each wished to see yet once again the departing Prince,—to call DEPARTURE FROM MIRAMAR. 5 out to him in person yet one farewell, one congratu- lation, or one blessing. With true Italian vivacity these people threw themselves before his feet, scat- tered him over with flowers, kissed his hands and clothes. He beckoned his thanks to them with streaming eyes ; his bosom heaved convulsively, but no word passed over his lips. Slowly we pressed through the crowd, down the steps which led to the landing-place. A pretty decorated boat with a red, gold-embroidered canopy awaited us. The Emperor assisted his Consort to embark, pressed and shook once more the hands which were stretched out towards him, and then his foot—last of all—quitted his beloved Fatherland ! Who knows if he will ever again tread her soil ? A shower of flowers followed him. Then the can- non of the two frigates, Bellona and Themis, which lay before us decked with flags and in imposing beauty, volleyed and thundered. The Novara had hoisted the Mexican flag. We drew near to her with sturdy strokes of the oar, amid the last fare- wells of the multitude on shore which echoed after us, and the thundering salutes from the forts and 6 THE COURT OF MEXICO. ramparts. Everything united to make this moment stupendous and striking. The Emperor needed all his strength to keep the mastery over his agitated nerves. Upon the Empress it had an appeasing and joyous effect ; her glance into the future was one of confidence, and every proof of attachment which was manifested to her inspired her with great content. We reached the Novara; we set foot on her deck ; the step was taken; a life full of new expe- riences had begun. The anchors were at once raised, the screws creaked and trembled under our feet, the dark smoke rose in heavy curls into the blue sky. The French frigate Themis (Commander Morier), which the Emperor Napoleon had appointed to escort us, followed; six Lloyd’s steamers, and countless little boats, all in gala dress and with flags flying, accompanied us. We sailed towards Trieste, from whence also the cannon thundered a greeting to us, and soon afterwards we steered into the broad open sea. Miramar the fair, remained long in sight,—the pearl of the Adriatic, the jewel of the Emperor, which he had built for himself upon the rough THE ADRIATIC. 7 crags, and—despite the unfavourable nature of the soil, despite the hostile gales from the north-east— had surrounded with evergreens and the fairest flowers of the South, and had turned into a Para- dise. As soon as it was possible the Emperor hastened into his cabin, in order to conceal in solitude his deep mental suffering, and to suppress it. When we saw him again the next day he was gay and tran- quil, and I have never, since this occasion, seen him otherwise. The Lloyd ships escorted us as far as the heights of the Cape of Istria, then there was a waving of thousands of pocket-handkerchiefs, a loud vivat rang, and they were soon lost to our gaze. The north-east wind blew strong and cold, but was favourable to our voyage. All timidity, all fear had vanished from my breast ; the departure was over, the journey so long doubtful had begun, and I commenced it exultingly full of hope and joy. It was all new to me, all interesting, and I did not feel that sinking under the feet which had pro- strated me so soon on board the small steamers of the English Channel; I hoped to remain free from 8 THE COURT OF MEXICO. the malignant malady, and therefore capable of a thorough enjoyment. Unfortunately this hope was very soon destroyed, and I regret still, that owing to the very disturbing and injurious influence of sea- sickness, much that was beautiful was lost tome: I became incapable of much observation, and the very thought of the voyage weighed upon me lke a mountain, instead of charming me, as is so often the case with those who are not subject to the odious indisposition. Whoever has made a journey of any length learns to form very small expectations of comfort. At that time I had not had much experience, nevertheless I found at first my cabin quite endurable, and when I now compare it with the one in which I dragged out a wretched existence during the four weeks of my return journey, I must measure out to it my best praise, especially on account of its size, and of the inestimable possession of a window that one could positively open. It was richly furnished, for it con- tained a bedstead reaching the whole breadth of the cabin, placed transversely to th®ship, and provided with a curtain, a washing-stand, a writifig-table, and a very small cupboard with pegs. Boards were THE ADRIATIC. 9 placed against the wall to serve as shelves; a brown oil-cloth neatly covered the floor. I could really lic, stand, and breathe in this space, an advantage which few cabins possess ; nevertheless, I never felt quite at home there,— the want of stability in the walls being but too per- ceptible. This cabin was in the battery, the large common one which served us also for a salle a manger was upon the deck under the skylight ; above it was the second raised deck, which was handed over to us almost entirely as our abode. We were all wearied by the events of the day, the gentle rock- ing of the ship had a soothing influence upon us; we sought soon, each of us his couch, and soon all lights were extinguished. In spite of the creak- ing of the new boards and posts, in spite of the groans and noises upon the staircase which led up to the deck before my cabin door, in spite of the cries and movements of the night patrol, I fell at last to sleep. Towards morning the wind rose, the sea became rougher, and when I awoke the wall on my side moved up and down, the low ceiling above me—and—it was all over with me; with all speed 10 THE COURT OF MEXICO. I threw on my clothes and hurried upon deck, where my pale face became the subject of remark and laughter. Here however I soon recovered, the sea became calmer, and with deep breaths I drew in that odorous, fresh, and pure air, which we only find upon the open sea. Henceforward I never quitted the deck; I sat there till two or three o’clock in the night, sick or well, sad or happy; everything above was better, more endurable than in the narrow confined cabin. The sky was intensely clear, and offered us a distant view such as seldom falls to the lot of the traveller upon the Adriatic; at the same time we saw the shape of the mountains of Naples, and of those of the Turkish frontier ; all was observed, all admired, all remarked upon ; we were all of us full of zeal and of curiosity. The Adriatic, generally malicious and stormy, became continually calmer and smoother, and lay before us a glorious blue. Heaven favoured our voyage. Early on the 16th we came opposite to Otranto, sailed near the ugly low coast of Calabria, admired the beautiful snow- capped range of Albania, greeted Corfu from a THE ADRIATIC. : 11 distance, and gained the Mediterranean, which re- ceived us somewhat unfavourably. The conviction kept growing upon me that I was no sailor; every change in the motion made me sick ; the rest of the party remained untouched by this suffering ; I alone succumbed to it on the most trifling occasion and confess that this experience put me somewhat out of tune. I had a long sea voyage before me, and wished to enjoy it with all my capabilities, instead of which I was threatened with a painful evil that perhaps would assume some terrible dimensions from the powerful roll of the Atlantic waves. I had to pass moments of despondency, still it was my fixed determination to conquer as much as possible my physical discomforts, and to keep myself mentally fresh and susceptible. During the night of the 16th and 17th, we sailed round the toe of Italy, and when we stepped in the morning upon deck, there lay at our right the coast of Naples with its crags, its beautiful green valleys, its orange-groves and villas. On our left rose the coast of Sicily, very mountainous, and, alas! at first concealed by clouds; and it was only 12 THE COURT OF MEXICO. occasionally that the snow-clad peaks of the moun- tains and Etna peeped forth, and even then a thick veil of fog soon withdrew them again from our eyes. Nevertheless how beautiful, how captivating was the picture that was presented to our enraptured gaze! How often had I longed to see the South, and now my wish was attained, and it lay before me in all its attributes! How many descriptions I had read, how many pictures had I seen, and yet how surprising, how new was it all, how much more beautiful and glorious than can be pictured by the boldest fancy! Nowhere perhaps did I see so much charm, so much harmony, such softness of tone; the purity of the air, the warm lights, the azure blue of the sea, whose waves seemed to curl over one another in soft, smooth masses, all their shadows and colours ever blending into violet and deep green, never glaring ;—all this I see before me, and feel the impossibility of giving with a monotonous pen the most distant idea of the picture, which will live for ever in my memory. The Benedictine Monastery, San Placito, in Sicily, is perched upon high rocks, and commands STRAITS OF MESSINA. 13 the entire Straits of Messina. It must be a divine situation, capable of elevating the heart and soul of man. Upon the low coast of Naples one sees the old town of Reggio stretching into the sea, and soon afterwards Messina on the opposite side, lean- ing against the mountains and cliffs, upon which thousands of country villas are built. As we sailed between, owing to the nearness of the two coasts, we could distinguish accurately the orange, sycamore, and palm trees, one from another, and the spicy fragrance of the orange bloom reached us. Overall this streamed a flood of southern light, countless ships and boats gave life to the picture ; and we were greeted by an Austrian merchantman as it sailed past. Still and speechless I sat there, full of longing for all my dear ones whom I should so gladly have spirited to my side, in order to ad- mire with me; and observing, almost with anxiety, the speed with which the vapour carried us away from this paradise. The diverse currents of Scylla and Charybdis cause again effects of light that no pencil can render. Charybdis is a huge old castle, upon pro- 14 THE COURT OF MEXICO. jecting rocks on the Italian coast, and commands the whole gulf. Scylla is a lighthouse upon low sandy flats in Sicily. Swift as a dream it had all faded away, and we had not lost sight of Sicily before the Lipari Islands lay before us. Stromboli rises like a cone out of the sea; the whole island is one large volcano. It is continually puffing up smoke, the eruptions are very frequent, and for the sailor it acts by night as a distant lighthouse. The rest of the Lipari group lie scattered around, and are at best but single rocks, inhabited only by poor fishermen, whose small huts may be seen be- tween the low bushes. We sailed so close to Strom- boli, that we could see the pasturing goats, the only domestic animals possessed by the inhabitants. We had another very uncomfortable night before our arrival in Civita Vecchia; the motion was more violent, and, added to the discomfort, there was a terrible noise below decks. Dickens, in his account of his North American journey, describes in elo- quent words the confusion and row during which the sick traveller is expected to sleep ; each board, CIVITA VECCHIA. 15 each beam, each serew, each hook, cach nail, every- thing that forms part of the ship contributes its quota ; everything has its peculiar ery, now dull, now discordant, sighing, groaning, whistling, and then again roaring and cracking. In the midst of it all lies the poor traveller, painfully wedged in the ex- tremely narrow and short bed, in which he enjoys not a single moment of physical rest. At one time the motion of the ship knocks his head, at another his feet against the ends of the bed, especially if the bedstead stands at right angles to the ship, as upon the Novara, since the motion is for the most part a rolling one. I could never accustom myself to these disagreeables, and I saw with continually increasing horror the approach of the hour which drove me at length into the cabin, to wait there until the daily flooding of the deck, the washing and scouring, spouting and swimming, that is in full swing from four till seven in the morning, should be past, and the passenger could take his place again upon the wet benches. The 18th of April veiled us in an impenetrable fog, and as far as I am concerned, Vesuvius does not 16 THE COURT OF MEXICO. exist, for all of a sudden and unexpectedly we had reached Civita Vecchia. The port of this town is so narrow, that it was not possible for our stately fri- gates to enter it. We cast anchor therefore in the open sea, and.two hours passed before we were al- lowed to row to shore, for which I was most eager. First the yellow-flagged boat of the quarantine lay-to at our side, then came ‘ Le Maréchal Duc de Montebello,’ and the French Minister Sartiges aboard ; the representatives of Austria and Belgium followed them, and to conclude, the Cardinal sent by the Pope to greet us. All of them were received with fitting honours ; the deck and the narrow hold of the vessel swarmed with uniforms of all sorts. Many of us recognized old friends among the throng, and shook them cordially by the hand. At last we were able to embark in the boat that was in waiting, and sail into the harbour. Vessels, great and small, from all quarters of the globe had hoisted gay flags in honour of their Majesties; masts and yards were manned by sailors, who waved their caps, and greeted us with hearty cheers. At the same time the cannon thundered to distrac- JOURNEY TO ROME. 17 tion from the ships and forts, and as we reached the shore the French and Papal bands piped and drummed as if for a wager. The former proclaimed, in every possible noisy and striking manner, the fact that all was done here ‘par la grace de Empereur des Frangais ;” French troops lined the roads, it was by French sabres and bayonets that we were greeted; we were carried in carriages, we were escorted by French arms, and there was a noise and a squeeze, a shouting and yelling, a clattering and a stamping, a beckoning and nodding, enough to drive one mad. At last we sat in the coupé of the special train, which was to carry us to Rome, the old capital of the universe, which it did with jolts and groans, though with great rapidity. Our journey lay for the most part over meadow and marsh, luxuriant to wantonness, where wild cattle pas- tured and the malaria “‘ blooms” ! To Rome! to Rome! Was it then true? Yes! There it was before our eyes, after a journey of two hours; lordly Rome, with Fort St. Angelo, the dome of St. Peter’s, the Coliseum, with the pines and cypresses of Monte Pincio, with all that one Cc 18 THE COURT OF MEXICO. hears or reads of, all after which one longs. during one’s whole life, and which is at last attained, as if through the magic wand of a good fairy. At our arrival in Rome itself we were again received by cannon, drum and trumpet, red trousers and moustaches, by lilac cloaks, by thousands of men, and amongst others by many good friends. We drove through narrow, dark, dirty streets, be- tween gardens full of blooming bushes, and ruins overgrown with creepers, to the Palace Marescotti, the abode of Gutierez d’Estrada, the most active supporter of the Emperor. Now came the confusion about baggage, a hunt- ing for it, grande toilette, dinner, all the dis- agreeables of an official life, which the magnates of the world never escape, and which only become endurable through long custom. After all this, we went at eleven p.m. to the Co- liseum. The moon shone clear and beautiful, when we arrived there: the first impression was over- powering, but soon a thick fog settled upon those gigantic remains of Roman splendour, of Roman pride ; and when we had toiled up all the steps, a ROME. 19 thick veil hid from us the view which we expected. I, however, was seized with giddiness, all beneath me rocked and moved as if I had still that uncer- tain, fluctuating clement under my feet, which I had left only a few hours before. It was one o'clock when I got to my bedroom, excessively wearied ! The next day saw us at half-past seven at St. Peter's, where Monsignore Nardi read Mass for us in the Catacombs; then he and Monsignore Hohen- lohe led us into the church itself. Ah! The Church and the Piazza of St. Peter, with the colon- nades and the fountains! The highest perfection of magnificence, of harmony, of what is noble and elevated! Those who could stay here longer might well see it all, again and again ! We were obliged to return home as quickly as possible, for at eleven we were to haye an audience of the Pope. In high-bodied black gowns and veils we drove to the Vatican, past hedges of roses in full bloom. We met with a solemn reception. Cardinals, Archbishops, and body-guards in the curious uniform of the middle ages, led us to the Pope, who came through several rooms to meet us, ¢ 2 20 THE COURT OF MEXICO. vigorous and fresh, with a healthy complexion, and an inexpressibly good worthy exterior. All knelt down; the Pope blessed the Imperial pair, raised them at once from the ground, and led them into his cabinet. They remained alone together for a short period, then we also were summoned. We made the customary genuflections, to each of us he presented his hand, we kissed the ring upon his finger, and he blessed us. It was all done in a simple and im- pressive manner, owing to the extreme dignity of his bearing. Hearty, homely, and friendly, he is the image of gentleness and Christian love. Monsignori Hohenlohe, Talbot, Mérode, Bor- romeo, and many others, accompanied us after- wards to the galleries and curiosities of the Vati- can. In a few hours we flew through it. It becomes almost painful when one magnificent impression drives away another; and this was my feeling, as I was obliged to hurry from the Sis- tine Chapel to the Loggie, from Raffaelle’s grand and memorable fresco ‘The Angel with St. Peter in Prison’ to the Belvedere Apollo, from the striking Laocoon group to the Diana. ROME. 21 We next stepped on to the balcony, from which the Pope on Easter Sunday blesses the collected people. Here we had a fine view over the city and mountains whose peaks were white with snow, and into gardens, which were blooming in full pride. The garden of the Vatican possesses noble specimens of Southern plants. The air was mild and pure, the sun glowing hot. When I got home I found a dear friend of my childhood awaiting me, who had won for herself a happy home in Rome. Since their Majesties drove, without needing my attendance, to visit the royal family of Naples, I was able to pay a flying visit with my friend to some few of the beauties of Rome. We visited the churches ; Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni di Laterano, San Pietro in Vinculis, with its noble statue of Moses, by Michael Angelo. The latter made a deep impression upon me, but I found all the marble decoration and gilding not at all to my taste, accustomed as I was to the simple beauty of Gothic churches. We hurried next to the Villa Aldobrandini, the 22 THE COURT OF MEXICO. charming residence of my friend. It is in a gar- den crowded with flower, blossom, and creeper, in luxurious abundance. Between were pines, oaks, palms, cypresses, orange-trees and camellias rejoic- ing in their fullest spring beauty, and life was im- parted to the scene by means of fountains adorned with statues. The garden, which lies high, en- joys a fine view into the mountains, and I found here united in a narrow space, and surpassing the boldest expectation, colour, fragrance, light, warmth, art and nature, wealth and happiness. We drove home through the most beautiful piazzas, past the most celebrated works of art, and to- wards Monte Pincio, from whence we enjoyed the most extensive and grandest view of Rome and its neighbourhood. In the evening there was a dinner and great reception. The great dignitaries of the Papal Go- vernment, the ambassadors and envoys, were in- vited to the first of these. I was much interested in meeting Cardinal Antonelli, the powerful Foreign Minister, with his clever, sharp, finely-cut face. He is tall, slender, almost youthful in person, and ROME. 23 an occasional silver thread peeps out of his dark hair. Monsignore Mérode, at that time War Mi- nister, who has since fallen out of favour, was my companion at table, and was not deterred by his clerical position from indulging in pleasant con- versation and cheerful jokes and raillery. He squints, which disturbed me somewhat, and as my left-hand neighbour, the Austrian ambassador Bach, suffers from the same imperfection, I found my- self between a kind of cross-fire. Mérode, a distin- guished Belgian, had been an officer in his youth, and had exchanged, tolerably late in life, the sabre for the breviary. In his whole bearing one could still see something soldier-like, and the tunic was probably more suitable to him than the cassock. I Jet my glances wander at will from one to the other of all the high spiritual dignitaries, and me- ditated continually upon their features. How many of them were induced by the love of God, by humi- lity, self-sacrifice, anxiety for the welfare of their own souls and those of their fellow-men, to follow this calling ? I found scarcely a single trait which could give 24 THE COURT OF MEXICO. evidence of such feelings ; and when I considered the glancing jewellery, and the rare, precious lace which adorned with feminine care the solemn priestly attire, I trembled for fear lest one of the pious gentlemen should have amused himself as a pastime with the attempt to read in my features my thoughts and impressions. After dinner all the most distinguished Roman aristocracy were col- lected in the reception-rooms of Sefior Gutierez d’Estrada ; amongst them were many noble ladies, whose eyes sparkled as brightly as the diamonds on their necks and in their hair. The next day his Holiness returned the visit of the Imperial pair, and long before his state carriage drawn by six horses turned into the narrow street in which stands Palazzo Marescotti, the huzzas and shouts of the accompanying crowd announced the approach of the supreme head of the Church. The Emperor and Empress, with their whole suite, went down the steps of the staircase, and received him on their knees. Then the whole household were allowed to kiss his hand and foot, and he spoke to each a cordial word. ROME. 25 The old Gutierez wept for joy at the honour which fell to the lot of his family. He is an ex- cellent, worthy man, with ideas upon politics which probably at the present time are an impossibility for all lands and people, but of a high moral tone and an excellent private character, which has also be- come very rare among his countrymen and in his home. When the Pope had left us, the Empress, with the attendance of myself and of the grand steward, took a hurried drive to the most celebrated spots, —to the temples, arches of triumph, columns, and fountains; to the churches, and to the Villa Bor- ghese with its noble park, where groups of cypress and pine, masses of flowers, and beautiful statues, present a series of charming pictures. From here one enjoys the widest and best view of Rome, and my heart beat high with pleasure, and‘ again sank in despondency, because I must tear myself away from all these charms, before I had possessed even the capability of enjoying them fully. We had hit upon the most favourable period for Rome; everything was clothed in splendid green; 26 THE COURT OF MEXICO. the heat of the sun had summoned it all to new life, without as yet scorching and destroying, as is so much the case later on in the year. I should like once again, before I die, to return there, to take one more glance from Monte Pincio, and from the Villa Borghese; to tread once more St. Peter’s, and the bridge which leads to the Castle of St. Angelo; to admire the Fontana Trevi ; to visit a thousand spots which I had had no time to see, to pass there a few moments in the highest and purest enjoyment of what is ever beau- tiful ! We set out at four o’clock the same day, accom- panied by thousands of people, for the station, and left with full steam for Civita Vecchia. It is impossible for me to describe how painful this departure seemed to me, from twofold causes : the attractions of Rome had a double charm when I considered with anxious fear the long voyage that was before me, remembering, as I did, what a bad sailor I had proved; yet I had no choice left, and that categorical word ‘‘must” is under such circumstances a good thing, for it carries DEPARTURE FROM ROME. 27 us fortunately through all uncertainties and cow- ardices. With renewed thunder of cannon, and renewed confusion, we sailed, in gaily decked boats, at seven o’clock in the evening, from Civita Vecchia, and steered to the Novara. CHAPTER IT. VOYAGE THROUGH THE MEDITERRANEAN.—CAPRERA.—STRAITS OF BONIFACIO.—THE BALEARIC ISLES.—THE COAST OF SPAIN. —ARRIVAL AND STAY AT GIBRALTAR.—DEPARTURE.—THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.—MADEIRA. Tue cabins were all occupied, and our seafaring life began again. The voyage through the Mediterra- nean Sea went on prosperously. Our Commander, Barry, assured us we could have chosen no better time than the present; and, indeed, the sea was a model of tranquillity. The air was very cool, and I sat on deck in woollen garments. On the 21st of April we drew near to Caprera, Garibaldi’s favourite island. He was at that time in England, where a few high-flown Britons gave THE MEDITERRANEAN, 29 themselves all sorts of trouble to make both them- selves and him ridiculous. The island was bare, rocky, and bleak. Nowhere could we discover any signs of vegetation; and, for Garibaldi’s sake, let us hope that the interior of the little island offers greater charms. Corsica looked to me very attractive with its high snow-crowned mountains and green valleys, and excited in me the desire to land and explore the cradle of Napoleon. It seems a natural conse- quence that vigorous characters should be found in such retirement; amid such stern and solemn scenery. By the time we had sailed through the Straits of Bonifacio land was no longer visible. The Gulf of Lyons gave us a not very friendly reception. In the night of the 22nd—23rd a strong wind arose, which increased much in the course of the day, formed the first large waves we had seen, and made the ship roll considerably. Our chairs were obliged to be lashed to the deck, and the travellers who were unaccustomed to the sea could not move from their places; the water penetrated into the 9 30 THE COURT OF MEXICO. cabins and stores, and many of our provisions were spout. A thick fog unfortunately concealed the view of the Balearic Islands and Spanish coast. Now, for the first time, dolphins swam past us; they have been said to be so friendly to man that they always follow in the wake of ships, but steam seems to have produced an estrangement of feeling; the creatures shun the uncanny power which tosses up the waves with a roar, and ploughs deep furrows in their domain. As we drew near to Gibraltar the rain poured in torrents, but the weather improved before our frigate entered the harbour. Wrapped in my waterproof cloak, I stood on deck, and greeted the mountains of Africa, the noble Rock of Gibraltar, and the dark green waves of the Atlantic, which presented a great contrast to those of the blue Mediterranean. It was the 24th of April, the fourth day after our departure from Civita Vecchia. The harbour was crowded with ships. We had cast anchor at some distance, and it was already too late to row to land; besides which, the sea was GIBRALTAR. 31 very rough. The storm-ship belonging to the har- bour had hoisted its red flag. There was so much to be seen and to be won- dered at, that time did not hang heavily. The view was wonderfully magnificent and beautiful. The Rock rises perpendicularly to a considerable height,—an imposing mass with a grand outline. Ata distance it looks cold and inhospitable ; and the green patches which one discovers upon it give one no idea of the beautiful vegetation which flourishes among the cliffs, or which springs out of the stony soil. The town of Gibraltar stretches itself out for a long way at the base of the Rock, and reaches up some of the lesser heights. The gigantic forti- fications belonging to the English, which pierce through the whole Rock, are only visible upon closer inspection. Innumerable vessels enlivened the harbour ; the flags of all nations waved upon the masts; little boats went from ship to ship, and from ship to shore ; there was a perpetual hurry and bustle of life; and, as the sea was still rough even in the harbour, we were amused at the way in which the smaller craft danced upon the waves,—at one time 32 THE COURT OF MEXICO. descending into an abyss which threatened to swal- low them up, and immediately afterwards rocking and hovering upon the foaming height. The coal vessels were towed by small steamers, which, like spirited little horses, snorted and foamed round our frigate, as if impatient of the unpleasant delay, and then, when the work was done, hastened away again with a business-like air. The sea extended in beauty before our eyes, bounded by the bold and imposing outlines of the mountains of Morocco. The town of Ceuta sparkled clear and white upon the African shore. Nature exhibits here wonderful harmony ; every- thing is on a magnificent scale, and it seems presumptuous and overbold in weak man, who is continually threatened with death, to venture to make this subservient to his own small and fleeting ends. His pride and ambition have blasted the rocks which were produced by the primeval powers of the universe, and the ocean, which might swal- low him and his nutshell up at a single gulp, rocks him gently, and allows him to brave her might, —yes, even to make use of it. GIBRALTAR, 33 A ship of the line, which had arrived from the Atlantic Ocean, was for a long time an object of interest to the: officers of our man-of-war. She came slowly nearer, and presented a sad spectacle. She had lost her tackle and her boats, and had thrown her guns overboard, and was now rejoicing in reaching the haven, after what must have been a desperate contest with the raging elements. She was an old acquaintance of many of our gentlemen, who had known her in the Italian wars. ‘Il Ré Galantuomo’ had been missing for several months, and people believed her to have been stranded upon the North American coast. The captain, who was invited to the Emperor’s table, gave us an account of all the perils which he and his crew had en- countered. On the following day we were allowed to row to shore in little boats. The sky was clear, the lights and shadows beautiful, but the wind was adverse. The transit took about half an hour, the waves mocked us, and seemed to scoff at our impatience, and the sailors were obliged to exert themselves before we could reach the landing-place. We now D 34 THE COURT OF MEXICO. bent our steps towards the steep sunny galleries and passages in the Rock. An English subaltern, who was glad to have intercourse with strangers in his mother-tongue, opened the gates for us and acted the part of cice- rone in an agreeable and intelligent manner. Most of the gentlemen rode, but my companion and I preferred walking up the fatiguing path. For the first time we felt the heat of the South, the sun beat fiercely upon the Rock, but we were too much interested in what we were seeing to experience any ill effects from it. Beautiful broad, covered galleries cut in the Rock at length offered us shelter from the rays of the sun. They ascend spirally to the highest point, and one can enjoy most lovely views from the gaps in which cannon are planted. The works are gi- gantic, and so peculiar in their kind that the inspec- tion of them is well worth any exertion. At the top of the Rock, at the eastern extremity, stood the lonely dwelling of the subaltern who con- ducted us. Here he invited us to rest for a short time, and offered us cheese and a welcome draught GIBRALTAR. 35 of Limonade gazeuse. Then we went on again, up very steep paths, through a low palm forest, where we ought to have seen apes, but we looked in vain. They must either be a myth, or else they shun the curiosity of man; for we did not fall in with one. On our return we passed through most beautiful gardens. The fruit-bearing cactus, to which at that time I was a stranger, gladdened my eyes as a symbol of the South, as it spread its branches far out behind the walls; magnificent trees, whose names, alas, I never learnt, seemed to entice us to their refreshing shade, and the luxuriance and varied splendour of countless buds and flowers sur- passed description. It is only in the South that one learns what a garden really is; there there is nothing of that painful economy with which the artificially reared and carefully nurtured offspring of our hot-houses are confided to our niggardly soil, and exposed to the inhospitality of our climate. Everything was growing in a wild entanglement, as if in scorn of all order, and expanded to a size and perfection which exceeded all our ordinary ideas, and excited in us the most agreeable surprise. Each D2 36 THE COURT OF MEXICO. plant was a tree, and we were often obliged to stretch up our arms for the flowers which at home we must have stooped low to gather. Nothing was sickly, nothing pining, everything was overflowing with sap; the colours were deep, the quantity abundant. Such had I in my childhood imagined the gardens to be of which I read in story-books, where men wandered at will, and untouched by care, upon whom some good fairy had bestowed perpetual youth and beauty by a draught from her enchanted cup. Having reached the Alameda, we rested upon benches, let the gay world walk, ride, and drive past us, and refreshed ourselves with newly-gathered oranges, which were offered to us for sale. Here we made the acquaintance of the Governor of Gibraltar, General Codrington, and of his aides- de-camp, some of whom had followed us over the Rock for several hours without being able to catch us up, and so were prevented from carrying out their amiable intention of accompanying us. The town itself is neat and pretty, and the En- glish spirit of order and cleanliness prevails, in spite GIBRALTAR. 37 of the many adverse elements—Moors, Spaniards, and Jews. Our dinner-hour forced us to return to the No- vara. We had already noticed from the Rock the increasing roughness of the sea, and we now had the greatest difficulty in getting into our gig. The water rose and sank, and defied every calculation. It is only after long practice that one masters the art of seizing the right moment to step with both feet in or out of a boat. The passage was frightful; the waves tossed us sometimes high up, sometimes deep down, sometimes quite to one side. It seemed almost impossible not to be swallowed up by the billows which towered over us. Before we were aware, we were poised, as it were, upon a lofty pinnacle; then we descended with the speed of lightning into the foaming abyss below. To add to our horrors, the boat was so small that scarcely a hand-breadth separated us from the water. The friend at my side, who had hitherto been so bold, lost her courage this time, but the officer who was steering behind us, and the sailors who rowed us, laughed at her shrieks and prayers, and at length 38 THE COURT OF MEXICO. we were alongside the Novara, safe, but wetted through by the spray from the waves, and after many futile attempts we reached the ladder leading to the deck. We all assembled for dinner in the overheated cabin of the Emperor. General Codrington, with several other English officers, the Austrian Consul, etc., had been invited. My neighbour was Prince Hohenlohe, who serves in the English navy, under the name of Count Gleichen. The Queen opposed the union of the Prince, her near relation, with Miss Seymour, and wished to stamp the marriage as a morganatic one, so the Prince renounced his title, and wedded, as Count Gleichen, the fair, gentle lady with whom I had this day the oppor- tunity of making acquaintance. The English officers had arranged some horse- racing, and had sent invitations to their Mexican Majesties and their Cis-Atlantic suite, and this gave us an opportunity of seeing the country and the people, their life and habits; all of which was new to me. It was with great pleasure that at midday, April GIBRALTAR. 39° 26th, we steered again to the Rock, which rises in stern majesty, but which conceals most lovely flow- ers in every cleft and between every stone. Such a view has an unspeakable charm for us poor north- erners, and we had indeed again seized upon the most favourable moment for enjoying it. When the sun has been shining upon the Rock in full glow for several months, and the vegetation dies under his scorching rays, it may well then look me- lancholy and bare, and a longer sojourn at Gibraltar may become painful and weary to its inhabitants. The race-course was a pretty spot, a green mea- dow between the high cliff and the sea, bounded towards the north by the Spanish Sierras. A curi- ous scene unfolded itself here, much more interest- ing to me than whether Captain Smith’s horse or Colonel John’s was the winner. Officers came riding by; English ladies were there on horseback or in their pony-chaises; sol- diers in red coats showed a lively sympathy in the proceedings; and in the midst of all, Spanish street-boys, just as they live on the canvas of Murillo, screamed and shouted, and offered us 40 THE COURT OF MEXICO. cheap bargains of Southern fruits; grave Moors, with turbaned heads and gay-coloured clothing, stood solemnly by, while elegantly dressed gentle- men chatted, sometimes with the ladies, sometimes with the riders ; wagers were arranged, and people squabbled, joked and laughed. The Empress took her seat in the General’s carriage with Miss Cod- rington; the Emperor wandered about among the spectators. I sat in the stand and feasted my eyes upon the whole scene, so new and attractive to me, with its living details. The clear brilliancy, and the warm tone which the Southern sky throws over every- thing, lent an enchantment which only those can understand to whom it has been permitted to form an idea of it from actual experience. After the second race, we followed their Majes- ties into a tent, where breakfast had been prepared. The Countess Gleichen, an agreeable and pretty woman, and Miss Codrington did the honours; the officers carved and waited upon us; politeness and amiability prevailed; and, in addition, such an ex- cellent tone, that I formed the highest opinion of GIBRALTAR. 41 English hospitality and friendliness. Both on this and on other occasions, when the contrast between English and French politeness presented itself to me, I was struck by the great difference between them, the advantage being greatly in favour of the English. With them every attention is chivalrous, whilst with the French it is accompanied at best by a sort of gallantry which makes one doubt the propriety of accepting it. But I have met with exceptions, and have been happy to find also among Frenchmen that good breeding which be- tokens the gentleman in every nation, yet these were only exceptions; whilst in my travels, either in Europe or America, I have never* fallen in with an Englishman with whom I did not feel myself in good company, and upon the pleasantest footing. At four o’clock we left the race-course. General Codrington and his aide-de-camp escorted us on horseback through the town, and through a beauti- ful garden belonging to the harbour-captain, Mr. * “Never” is a long word. To acknowledge this compli- ment, let us take off our hats as gallantly as a Frenchman would do. We shall then be the thing, inside and out.—Tr. 49 THE COURT OF MEXICO. O’Mannly. This, gentleman was waiting for us with his little steamer at the landing-place, and took us back in it to the Novara, where we joined our party again at the royal dinner-table. In the night we set sail; the sea was much agitated, in consequence of the storm of the pre- vious day: it was what is called in the Adriatic, “Mare Morto.” The roll of the waves is immense in length; they neither foam nor break, the sur- face is smooth, but the ship pitches over the broad ridges into deep hollows, and this motion is always more hurtful to me than when the storm-lashed sea rises high, but the vessel sails before the wind. My first acquaintance with the Atlantic Ocean was therefore a very unpleasant one; in vain did I try to keep myself up with sherry and curacao— this experiment was useless. All the pitiful ex- periences of my first days returned, but my con- dition improved on the second day. I was not this time the only sufferer; many of our companions were prostrated, and the Empress herself did not appear upon deck till late in the evening, pale and exhausted. She took then a short holiday from maps and books. MADEIRA. 43 The nearer ocean was of a dark blue, as deep as indigo, further off it was grey and leaden, but later on there were days when it assumed the bright azure hue, which in fair weather distinguishes the Adriatic and Mediterranean. The approach of a ship was always an event. Everybody was on the look-out to discover, with the naked eye or with the telescope, the rank and nation of the vessel, and when in the evening a large steamer sailed past us, and we mutually illuminated with Bengal lights, the effect was extremely beautiful. It was the great mail and passenger ship which performs the long voyage between Rio Janeiro and South- ampton, with which we thus exchanged greetings. In spite of the low latitude, the temperature upon the open sea was perceptibly cool, and even when in sight of Madeira, on the morning of April 29th, I stood on deck wrapt in my plaid, forgetful, however, of all past sickness, in joyful and eager expectation of our approach to the precious jewel, the garden of the Atlantic, the beautiful, much-extolled Madeira. First of all we passed the ‘Islas Desertas,” little, rocky, uninhabited islands, where wild goats 44 THE COURT OF MEXICO. mock the efforts of the hunters who cross: over from Madeira to kill them. We sailed slowly round Madeira, and did not reach the chief town, Funchal, and cast anchor in its miserable harbour, till a late hour of the morning. The island, of unmistakeable volcanic origin, is filled with countless peaks and ravines, and rises steeply to a considerable elevation. The visit to Madeira is to me, alas! only like a fugitive dream, but beautiful almost beyond the power of imagina- tion. But a few hours were allowed to us here; our time being measured out the more scantily, because the island had been well known to their Majesties in former days. The Archduke Ferdinand Max and the Archduchess Charlotte had visited it three years before, and the Archduchess had lived in it for several months. It was not till ten o’clock that we set foot ina land where a— “ Never fading bloom Dispels the distant valley’s gloom.” Such was the character of the charming spring land- scape which lay before me, adorned with a profusion, MADEIRA. 45 and a variety which filled me with admiration. We went at once to the Villa Davis, where the Empress Elizabeth of Austria had spent many months for the recovery of her shattered health. The villa itself is built with every convenience, and with a most careful adaptation to the climate. Its greatest ornament is the portrait of the beautiful Empress, which indeed is as little capable of giving a just idea of the rare charms of this noble lady as my pen is of describing the loveliness of Madeira. The villa lies at the water’s edge, in a sea of flowers. Never have I seen such glorious roses! never such verbenas, petunias, pelargoniums, and tree heliotropes, all twice as large as in Europe, with bright masses of blossom! Together with them grew very rare and carefully tended trees,— magnolias, araucarias, mimosas, strelitzias, camellias, royal palm-trees, bananas, and Indian figs; the whole space surrounded by hedges of roses and heliotropes, orange- and fig-trees, aloes, agaves, and fruit-bearing cactus. Colour and perfume were distributed here as if by enchantment, so that I thought myself transported to fairy-land. Oh that 46 THE COURT OF MEXICO. I could but impart a weak reflection of my delight ! Every pulse bounded within me for gladness ! A fir-tree which, according to the custom of his country, the Emperor had sent at Christmas to his distant Consort over the sea, had been planted by her in the garden; it is thriving well, and rejoices in the richness of the soil and the abundance of light and warmth. Can it be the lonely fir-tree of which Heine* has sung, which yearned for the distant palm? If so, its longings have been fulfilled, for, but a few steps from it, one rises slender and stately, overtopping the fir with its leaf-crowned head. I paid a hasty visit to the young and interesting sculptress, Elizabeth Ney, of whom I had heard * “Hin Fichtenbaum steht einsam im Norden auf kahler Hoh’. Ihn schlafert; mit weisser Decke umbillen ihn His und Schnee ; Er traumt von einer Palme, die fern im Morgenland Einsam und schweigend trauert auf brennenden Felsen- wand,” Which may be roughly rendered as follows :— A lonely fir-tree, in the barren Northland pining, Felt drowsy—snow and ice their wreaths around him twining ; His dreams were of a Palm, which far in land of Dawning Mute, on a burning rock, her solitude was mourning.—Tr. MADEIRA. Av much, and whose beautiful portrait, by William Kaulbach, I had admired. She had set up her atelier under rose- and orange-trees, an entourage which well became the young and fascinating priestess of art. I regret that, owing to our short stay in the island, I could not allow myself to be enthralled by her captivating manners, nor by the interest which her inspired and beautiful works aroused in me. Madeira offered so much that was inviting and beautiful that we could but taste of it ; every minute had some new delight. Their Majesties had undertaken a riding excur- sion in the company of several gentlemen; my com- panion and I, with the rest of the party, went another way. After a sumptuous breakfast of strawberries, oranges, bananas, and rather prosaic beefsteak, we made an expedition to the Arrebantés mountain, upon which the Pilgrimage Church of Nossa Senhora de Monte and the Villa Gordon are interesting objects. The ladies seated themselves in a large, half-covered sledge, lined with red, and drawn by two oxen; the gentlemen were on horseback. For more than an hour we ascended a frightfully steep 48 THE COURT OF MEXICO. road, paved with small stones. It was hard work for the poor animals, who were urged on by the uncommonly ugly and dirty natives with poles spiked with sharp nails,—an incitement accom- panied by all sorts of inarticulate sounds scarcely resembling the human voice. If anything can dispel the illusion which is shed over this flowery realm, it is the people themselves. The natives bear so sad an impress of moral and phy- sical degeneracy; they present such a pitiful, ape-like appearance, with their little caps, which only cover the smallest portion of the head, and have at the top a long tube which stands up nearly six inches high,—that the contrast with the rich treasures of the surrounding scenery 1s a very melancholy one. The consumptive Europeans, chiefly English, who are seeking to prolong their lives in this beautiful mild climate, le in hammocks, looking pale and thin, and are carried by servants and natives up and down the narrow, steep streets of the town,—a sight which has a very depressing and painful effect. Count Farrabo, a Portuguese and Madeira land- owner, was our guide, and a very good-natured one. DEPARTURE FROM MADEIRA. 49 We went through gardens where flowers trailed over the walls, through pine forests and groves of shady trees, in the neighbourhood of which banana shrubs and palm-trees were growing, and whence we had deep glimpses into the rocky valleys, with their trickling streams, and over the sea as far as the ‘Islas Desertas.”” At length we reached our point, and inspected the garden of the Villa Gor- don, which wants an arranging hand, but delighted us notwithstanding by its chaos of flowers, by the wildness of its vegetation, by its charming views. Then we descended, no longer on horseback or in sledges drawn by oxen, but seated in little straw sledges, two and two; a few natives sat behind, with their backs to us, guiding them by pushing with their feet, and quick as lightning, as if down ice- bergs, we rushed in ten minutes to the foot of the mountain which was ten thousand feet high. And now we had to take our leave of the Villa Davis, of Madeira, of this supernaturally beautiful world, and also for many weary weeks, of land, of terra firma, of the old, familiar Mother Earth. This same evening we weighed anchor. De oo CHAPTER III. THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.—TRADE-WINDS.—JOYS AND SORROWS OF THE VOYAGE.—MARTINIQUE.—JAMAICA.—THE GULF OF MEXICO.—AT THE GOAL. Wirn our departure from Madeira our real voyage lay before us in full earnest. Until now the voyage had never lasted more than five days without grant- ing us a short rest upon dry land. In sixteen days we had landed three times, and had passed nearly five days in Rome, Gibraltar, and Madeira. Now the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean was before us; and, at least, fourteen days must elapse before we should come in sight of land. The thought was an imposing one. When we awoke on April 30, the blooming THE ATLANTIC. D1 island, upon which we had passed some memorably happy hours, lay far behind us. We were now about to enter the region of the trade-winds, and to perform the largest part of our voyage, as far as the Antilles, by sail only, since our frigate, not intended for a journcy across the Atlantic, could only carry sufficient store of coal for eight or nine days. The ocean was agitated—leaden and ugly to be- hold, and the heavens clouded; yet the wind was favourable, and for the first day our voyage pro- gressed gaily. There was a general scouring and washing ; we were all glad to be free from the soot. Commander and officers were in the highest spi- rits, for sailing is the greatest delight of seamen ; whilst in steaming, half the poetry, and more than half the skill and pleasure, is lost, which make the nautical profession so attractive. The sailor must have confidence in himself, his skill, his circum- spection, and his energy ; he must understand how to make wind and weather subservient to his ends. It is a difficult and asolemn science; but from the very practice of it spring the fitting men; and E 2 52 THE COURT OF MEXICO. he who can call himself captain of a sailing-vessel, and who returns home weatherbeaten from a distant voyage, has lived, fought, and conquered; he has staked all his powers, all his skill, and has verified, in the terrible solitude of the ocean, the beautiful pro- verb, ‘‘ Heaven helps those who help themselves.” As far as I was concerned, alas! the bitter prose of the voyage began again at once; the pitching and rolling were stronger, the motion more irre- gular, and the cracking and groaning below decks still worse ; great moral depression seized me, and I needed all my resolution, and all the scolding and teasing of my companion, to render me capable of that resistance and of that clasticity of mind, which alone have power to conquer the physical suffering. Nevertheless, a remembrance of cease- less melancholy has left its impression upon this part of the journey. The feeling of the thorough separation from those who were dear to me, and the impossibility of receiving news of them, lay like a weight of lead upon my mind. The endless monotony from which one suffers on a long voyage leaves too great play to the fancy. THE ATLANTIC. 55 There is nothing to distract ; nothing external that compels one to observation; one is entirely limited to one’s own resources, to one’s own thoughts and sensations; one finds time to give oneself up to gloomy remembrances or to budding anxieties, to a degree that exercises an excessive power over the spirits. I often thought thus must a prisoner feel who sits without occupation between the four walls of a dungeon. For him who is fortunate enough to be exempt from sea-sickness, life on board bears quite a different aspect; he can read and write, enjoy a greater degree of quict and a more col- lected spirit in his occupations, than under any other conditions; and can refresh himself after the completion of his work, with gazing in interest up- on that power and upon that phase of nature that conceals in its bosom so great richness and so great diversity. Most of this is, however, lost in un- attainable depths; and the scientific man was en- tirely wanting in our society, who could have named and explained everything, and awakened our atten- tion. How sadly we regretted this, both by sea and land, where a thousand objects were strange to us, o4 THE COURT OF MEXICO. and where much for a certainty passed by us un- noticed ! The joy of the others, also, during our progress by sail, lasted but a short while. I do not know if we ourselves deserted the direct course, or if the great irregularity of the trade-winds was at fault; at any rate, they became continually weaker, and, at last, quite deserted us. We made scarcely three knots an hour. There was universal consternation, for, without trade-winds and without coal, it was im- possible to reach Vera Cruz, or even Martinique, our nearest point. Then arose a great discussion ; perpetual exchange of signals with the Themis, and a great deal of ex- citement and bad temper on the part of the officers ; at last, the boilers were again heated, and ‘then again extinguished when the wind increased; and the assistance of steam once more invoked, when the sails soon, in their turn, hung uselessly to the masts. Affairs remained in this condition till the 12th of May, and protracted the voyage; but then, at last, the determination was taken to let the Themis, which had larger stores of coal, take us THE ATLANTIC. 55 in tow until we should get far enough to be able to proceed on our own account, and to hold out as far as Martinique, with such store of coal as we had. This determination, in its turn, excited discontent and great difference of opinion. The self-conscious superiority of the Themis was hard to bear; and our pride as Austrians suffered under the necessity of begging French assistance; but when we were under tow, and glided along without any motion in a dead calm, I found myself in so comfortable a condition, that I could not pretend to be sorry. Moreover, I had gradually steeled myself so far as occasionally to take up a book or some other work, and at last I became proof even against a some- what high sea. The temperature remained cool almost as far as the Tropic of Cancer, and even then it was only in the cabins that the heat was unendurable. Upon deck, where we were sheltered, when there was a lack of wind, from the rays of the sun by an awning, a splendid, pure, fresh air breathed around us. It enticed even the Empress out of her handsome, comfortable cabin, in which she ceaselessly read and wrote, on to the deck, 06 THE COURT OF MEXICO. where she made her uniform promenade, and con- tinued her occupations in the fresh air. Even in the evening, when the rest of us were deep in con- templation of the setting sun, she paid but little attention to its glory, and remained faithful to her books and to. her writing-tables by the pale light of the ship’s lanterns. During a solitary and earnest childhood, her delight in study, her joy in books, and her capability of mastering quickly what she had read had been highly developed; and, at the same time, she displayed a stern industry, and a power of abstract attention, which was much as- sisted by an excellent memory. She was very quick at languages, and can write and speak German, English, Italian, and Spanish grammatically, and without the least hesitation. She spent her time in preparations for her future life,—in working out the arrangements of the Court and household, and in employments which the Em- peror handed over to her ; and so completely was she absorbed in the new vocation upon which she was about to enter, that she was almost unmoved by everything not immediately connected with it. THE EMPEROR AND HIS SUITE. 57 . The Emperor also was uninterruptedly busy, and came but seldom on deck. He assembled his suite every day for several hours of consultation and work; they were joined by the Mexican Minister of State, Velasquez de Leon, and his Secretary, Angel Iglesias. General Woll—a mixtum composi- tum of German descent, French birth and educa- tion, and in the service of Mexico—was Adjutant- in-Chief. The Emperor Maximilian was taking with him, back to his native land, a young Mexican, Ontiveros, who had been brought to Paris as a French prisoner after the taking of Puebla. In these gentlemen we were able to study Mexican nature and habits, as it were, by anticipation, and they certainly exhibited characteristic individuali- ties. Sefior Velasquez de Leon was an old man, du- ring whose youth the Mexican empire had emanci- pated itself from the mother-country ; he had grown up under a more settled condition of things, which had enabled him to attain a certain stability of character, before constant changes, ambition and covetousness, the passions of parties, the want of conscience in both governors and governed, had 58 THE COURT OF MEXICO. had such a demoralizing influence upon the educa- tion and development, as well of individuals as of the masses ; he, like Gutierez, who resembles him in disposition, is a man of undoubted honour. Simple, courteous, modest, and chary of his words, he seldom allowed us to hear the sound of his voice. The mixture of Spanish and Indian blood, which is very perceptible in him, has produced an ex- terior which for original ugliness can scarcely find its equal. Both he and his secretary are gifted in a high degree, peculiar to themselves, with that subtle elegance, that natural good breed- ing which, at a later period, we often met with in their countrymen. In Angel Iglesias, a young man of attractive exterior, it assumes something of the shy, reserved, mistrusting character, which so strikingly marks the younger generation. Both men seem to be highly educated. Isglesias is a young physician, who has studied at Paris, and takes a purely objective view of his country and countrymen, although, like most Mexicans, he is full of an enthusiastic love for his native land. I will not waste many words upon Ontiveros ; he THE ATLANTIC. 59 represents young Mexico from its most unfavour- able side. Vain, weak, careless, and changeable, I suspect that he will always join himself to that party which promises him the greatest gain. This tendency is, alas! anything but uncommon in his country. The Tropic of Cancer was passed with festivities for the amusement of the sailors,—a custom which is usually observed only at the crossing of the equator. Sailors disguised as Neptune, Amphitrite, and other sea gods and goddesses, appeared in triumphal cars upon the deck, made orations to the Emperor and officers, and promised their blessing to the unbaptized, whereupon the signal was given for a general showering and sprinkling, from which the ladies only were entirely exempt. The water ran in streams over the lower deck ; at the close, the sailors danced merrily to the sound of music, performed by a well-trained band, which afforded us a very pleasant recreation every day. The lower the latitude, the shorter the days. Sun- set was at half-past six, and every day at this hour we witnessed a most wonderful and ever-changing scene. 60 THE COURT OF MEXICO. In no respect can this sight in the tropics be com- pared to that which is seen in more northern zones ; there all is harmony, transition, a glowing and blend- ing together; here all is contrast. The most oppo- site colours stand out sharply side by side, deep violet and glaring yellow in strongly marked bands, clear green and fiery red. Then one colour changes into another, as in dissolving views.