* M.M. BALLOU *
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 EDWIN CORLE 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 JEAN CORLE
 
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 HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & COMPANY, 
 BOSTON AND NEW YORK.
 
 AZTEC LAND 
 
 BY 
 
 MATURIN M. BALLOU 
 
 The dust is old upon my sandal-shoon, 
 And still I am a pilgrim. 
 
 N. P. Wi 
 
 BOSTON AND NEW YORK 
 HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY 
 press, <JTamf>rib8e 
 1890
 
 Copyright, 1890, 
 BT MATURIN M. BALLOU. 
 
 All rights reserved. 
 
 The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A. 
 Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghtoo & Company
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 HAVING resolved to visit Mexico, the question 
 first to be considered was how to do so in the most 
 advantageous manner. Repairing to the office of 
 Messrs. Raymond & "Whitcomb, in Boston, after 
 a brief consultation with those experienced organ- 
 izers of travel, the author handed the firm a check 
 for the cost of a round trip to Mexico and back. 
 On the following day he took his seat in a Pullman 
 parlor car in Boston, to occupy the same section 
 until his return from an excursion of ten thousand 
 miles. A select party of ladies and gentlemen 
 came together at the same time in the Fitchburg 
 railroad station, most of whom were strangers to 
 each other, but who were united by the same pur- 
 pose. The traveler lives, eats, and sleeps in the 
 vestibule train, while en route, in which he first 
 embarks, until his return to the starting-point, a 
 dining-car, with reading and writing rooms, also 
 forming a part of the train. All care regarding 
 the routes to be followed, as to hotel accommoda- 
 tions while stopping in large cities, side excursions,
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 and the providing of domestic necessities, are dis- 
 missed from his mind. He luxuriates in the plea- 
 sure of seeing a strange and beautiful land, with- 
 out a thought as to the modus operandi, or the 
 means by which detail is conquered. In short, he 
 dons Fortunatus's cap, and permits events to de- 
 velop themselves to his intense delight. Such 
 was the author's experience on the occasion con- 
 cerning which these wayside views of Mexico were 
 written. It was a holiday journey, but it is hoped 
 that a description of it may impart to the general 
 reader a portion of the pleasure and useful infor- 
 mation which the author realized from an excur- 
 sion into Aztec Land, full of novel and uninter- 
 rupted enjoyment. 
 
 M. M. B.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Locality and Political Divisions of Aztec Land. Spanish 
 Historians. Boundaries. Climate. Egyptian Re- 
 semblances. Products of the Country. Antiquities. 
 Origin of Races. Early Civilization. Pictorial Writ- 
 ings. Aboriginal Money. Aztec Religious Sacrifices. 
 
 A Voluptuous Court. Mexican Independence. Eu- 
 ropean Civilization introduced by Cortez. Civil Wars. 
 
 The Maximilian Fiasco. Revival of Mexican Pro- 
 gress. A Country facing on Two Oceans. A Native 
 Writer's Statement. Divorce of Church and State . . 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Remarkably Fertile Soil. Valuable Native Woods. 
 Mexican Flora. Coffee and Tobacco. Mineral Pro- 
 ducts. Silver Mines. Sugar Lands. Manufactories. 
 
 Cortez' s Presents to Charles V. Water Power. 
 Coal Measures. Railroads. Historic Locality. So- 
 cial Characteristics. People divided into Castes. 
 Peonage. Radical Progress. Education and the Priest- 
 hood. A Threshing Machine. Social Etiquette. 
 Political Organization of the Government. Mexico the 
 Synonym of Barbarism. Production and Business 
 Handicapped by an Excessive Tariff 23 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Route to Mexico. Via the Mammoth Cave. Across 
 the Rio Grande. A Large River. Piedras Negras. 
 
 Characteristic Scene. A Barren Prairie Land. Cas- 
 tafio, a Native Village. Adobe Cabins. Indian Irriga- 
 tion. Sparsely Populated Country. Interior Hacien-
 
 Vl CONTENTS. 
 
 das. Immigration. City of Saltillo. Battle of Buena 
 Vista. City of Monterey. The Cacti and Yucca-Palm. 
 
 Capture by General Taylor. Mexican Central Rail- 
 road. Jack - Rabbits. A Dreary Region. The Mes- 
 quite Bushes. Lonely Graves 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Zacatecas. Sand-Spouts. Fertile Lands. A Silver Min- 
 ing Region. Alpine Scenery. Table-Land of Mexico. 
 
 An Aged Miner. Zacatecas Cathedral. Church and 
 People. A Mountain Climb. Ownership of the Mines. 
 
 Want of Drainage. A Battlefield. Civil War. 
 Local Market. Peculiar Scenes. Native Beauties. 
 City Tramway Experience. Town of Guadalupe. 
 Organized Beggars. A Noble and Successful Institu- 
 tion. Market of Guadalupe. Attractive Sefioritas. 
 Private Gardens 62 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A Mexican Watering Place. Delightful Climate. Aguas 
 Calientes. Young Seiioritas. Local City Scenes. 
 Convicts. Churches. A Mummified Monk. Punish- 
 ment is Swift and Sure. Hot Springs. Bathing iu 
 Public. Caged Songsters. "Antiquities." Deli- 
 cious Fruits. Market Scenes. San Luis Potosi. The 
 Public Buildings. City of Leon. A Beautiful Plaza. 
 
 Local Manufactories. Home Industries of Leon. 
 The City of Silao. Defective Agriculture. Objection 
 
 to Machinery. Fierce Sand Storm 76 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Guanajuato. An Ex-President. Richest Silver Mine in 
 Mexico. Reducing the Ores. Plenty of Silver. Open 
 Sewers. A Venal Priesthood. A Big Prison. The 
 Catholic Church. Getting Rid of a Prisoner. The 
 Frog-Rock. Idolaters. A Strawberry Festival at Ira- 
 puato. Salamanca. City of Queretaro. A Fine Old 
 Capital. Maximilian and His Fate. A Charming 
 Plaza. Mammoth Cotton Factory. The Maguey 
 Plant. Pulque and Other Stimulants. Beautiful 
 Opals. Honey Water. Ancient Tula. A Freak of 
 Tropical Weather 97
 
 CONTENTS. vil 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 City of Mexico. Private Dwellings. Thieves. Old Mex- 
 ico. Climate. Tramways. The Plaza Mayor. City 
 Streets. The Grand Paseo. Public Statues. Scenes 
 upon the Paseo. The Paseo de la Viga. Out-of-door 
 Concerts. A Mexican Cahallero. Lottery Ticket Ven- 
 ders. High Noon. Mexican Soldiers. Musicians. 
 
 Criminals as Soldiers. The Grand Cathedral. The 
 Ancient Aztec Temple. Magnificent View from the 
 Towers of the Cathedral. Cost of the Edifice. Valley 
 
 of Anahuac 12G 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A|i Extinct Volcano. Mexican Mountains. The Public 
 Institutions of the Capital. The Government Palace. 
 The Museum. Maximilian's State Carriage. A Pecu- 
 liar Plant. The Academy of Fine Arts. Choice Paint- 
 ings. Art School. Picture Writing. Native Artists. 
 
 Exquisite Pottery. Cortez's Presents to Charles V. 
 
 A Special Aztec Art. The Sacrificial Stoue. Span- 
 ish Historical Authorities. Public Library. The 
 Plaza. Flower Market. A Morning Visit. Public 
 Market. Concealed Weapons 150 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A City of Vistas. Want of Proper Drainage. Unfortu- 
 nate Site. Insecure Foundations. A Boom in Build- 
 ing Lots. Pleasant Suburbs. Night Watchmen. The 
 Iturbide Hotel A Would-be Emperor. Domestic 
 Arrangements. A New Hotel wanted. Places of Pub- 
 lic Entertainment. The Bull Ring. Repulsive Per- 
 formance. Monte de Piedad. An English Syndicate 
 purchase it. The Alameda. The Inquisition. Fes- 
 tal Days. Pulque Shops. The Church Party. 
 Gilded Bar-Rooms. Mexican Marriages. Mothers and 
 Infants. A Family Group 170 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Benito Juarez's Grandest Monument. Hotel del Jardin. 
 General Jose* Morelos. Mexican Ex-Convents. City
 
 Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 Restaurants. Lady Smokers. Domestic Courtyards. 
 
 A Beautiful Bird. The Grand Cathedral Interior. 
 
 A Devout Lottery Ticket Vender. Porcelain-Orna- 
 mented Houses. Rogues in Church. Expensive Jus- 
 tice. Cemetery of San Fernando. Juarez's Monument. 
 
 Coffins to Let. American and English Cemetery. 
 
 A Doleful Street and Trade 194 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 The Shrine of Guadalupe. Priestly Miracles. A Remark- 
 able Spring. The Chapels about the Hill. A Singu- 
 lar Votive Offering. Church of Xuestra Seilora de Gua- 
 dalupe. Costly Decorations. A Campo Santo. 
 Tomb of Santa Anna. Strange Contrasts. Guadalupe- 
 Hidalgo. The Twelve Shrines on the Causeway. The 
 Viga Canal- The Floating Islands. Indian Gamblers. 
 
 Vegetable Market. Flower Girls. The " Noche- 
 Triste " Tree. Ridiculous Signs. Queer Titles. Flo- 
 ral Festival 205 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Castle of Chapultepec. "Hill of the Grasshopper." 
 Montezuma's Retreat. Palace of the Aztec Kings. 
 West Point of Mexico. Battles of Molino del Rev and 
 Churubusco. The Mexican White House. High above 
 Sea Level. Village of Tacubaya. Antique Carvings. 
 
 Ancient Toluca. The Maguey. Fine Scenery. 
 Cima. Snowy Peaks. Leon d'Oro. The Bull-Ring 
 and Cockpit. A Literary Institution. The Coral Tree. 
 
 Ancient Pyramids. Pachuca. Silver Product of the 
 Mines. A Cornish Colony. Native Cabins. Indian 
 Endurance 220 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Puebla, the Sacred City. General Forey. Battle-Ground. 
 
 View of the City. Priestly Miracles. The Cathe- 
 dral. Snow-Crowned Mountains. A Cleanly Capital. 
 
 The Plaza Mayor. A Typical Picture. The Old 
 Seller of Rosaries. Mexican Ladies. Palm Sunday. 
 Church Gala Day. Education Confiscation of Church 
 Property. A Curious Arch. A Dull Image. Use of
 
 CONTENTS. ix 
 
 Glazed Tiles. Onyx a Staple Production. Fine Work 
 of Native Indian Women. State of Puebla full of Rich 
 Resources. A Dynamite Bomb. The Key of the Capi- 
 tal 241 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Ancient Cholula. A Grand Antiquity. The Cheops of 
 Mexico. Traditions relating 1 to the Pyramid. The 
 Toltecs. Cholula of To-Day. Comprehensive View. 
 
 A Modern Tower of Babel. Multiplicity of Ruins. 
 Cortex's Exaggerations. Sacrifices of Human Beings. 
 
 The Hateful Inquisition. A Wholesale Murderous 
 Scheme. Unreliable Historians. Spanish Falsification. 
 
 Interesting Churches. Off the Track. Personal 
 Relics of Cortez. Torturing a Victim. Aztec Anti- 
 quities. Tlaxcala. Church of San Francisco. Peon 
 Dwellings. Cortez and the Tlaxcalans 258 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Down into the Hot Lands. Wonderf ul Mountain Scenery. 
 
 Parasitic Vines. Luscious Fruits. Orchids. Ori- 
 zaba. State of Vera Cruz. The Kodak. Churches. 
 
 A Native Artist. Schools. Climate. Crystal Peak 
 of Orizaba. Grand Waterfall. The American Flag. 
 
 Disappointed Climbers. A Night Surprise. The 
 French Invasion. The Plaza. Indian Characteristics. 
 
 Early Morning Sights. Maximilian in Council. Dif- 
 ficult Engineering. Wild Flowers. A Cascade. Cor- 
 dova. The Banana. Coffee Plantations. Fertile Soil. 
 
 Market Scenes 282 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The City of Vera Cruz. Defective Harbor. The Dreaded 
 and also Welcome Norther. San Juan d'Ulloa. Land- 
 ing of Cortez. His Expedition Piratical. View of the 
 City from the Sea. Cortez' s Destruction of his Ships. 
 
 Anecdote of Charles V. A Sickly Capital. Street 
 Scenes. Trade. The Mantilla. Plaza de la Consti- 
 tncion. Typical Characters. Brilliant Fireflies. 
 Well-To-Do Beggars. Principal Edifices. The Campo 
 Santo. City Dwelling - Houses. The Dark - Plumed
 
 x CONTENTS. 
 
 Buzzards. A City Fountain. A Varied History. 
 Medilliu. State of Vera Cruz 301 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Jalapa. A Health Resort. Birds, Flowers, and Fruits. 
 Cerro Gordo. Cathedral. Earthquakes. Local 
 Characteristics. Vanilla. Ancient Ruins. Tortillas. 
 
 Blondes in a City of Brunettes. Curiosities of Mex- 
 ican Courtship. Caged Singing Birds. Banditti Out- 
 witted. Socialistic Indians. Traces of a Lost City. 
 
 Guadalajara. On the Mexican Plateau A Progres- 
 sive Capital. Fine Modern Buildings. The Cathedral. 
 
 Native Artists. A Noble Institution. Amusements. 
 
 San Pedro. Evening in the Plaza. A Ludicrous 
 Carnival. Judas Day 320 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Santa Rosalia. Mineral Springs. Chihuahua. A Pecu- 
 liar City. Cathedral. Expensive Bells. Aqueduct. 
 
 Alameda. Hidalgo's Prison and his Fate. Eulalia. 
 
 A Large State. A Grand Avenue of Trees. Local 
 Artists. Grotesque Signs. Influence of Proximity to 
 the United States. Native Villages. Dangerous Sand- 
 Spouts. Reflections on Approaching the Frontier. 
 Pleasant Pictures photographed upon the Memory. 
 Juarez, the Border Town of Mexico. City of El Paso, 
 Texas. Railroad Interests. Crossing the Rio Grande. 
 
 Greeted by the Stars and Stripes 343
 
 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Locality and Political Divisions of Aztec Land. Spanish Histo- 
 rians. Boundaries. Climate. Egyptian Resemblances. 
 
 Products of the Country. Antiquities. Origin of Races. 
 
 Early Civilization. Pictorial Writings. Aboriginal 
 Money. Aztec Religious Sacrifices. A Voluptuous Court. 
 
 Mexican Independence. European Civilization introduced 
 by Cortez. Civil Wars. The Maximilian Fiasco. Revival 
 of Mexican Progress. A Country facing on Two Oceans. 
 A Native Writer's Statement. Divorce of Church and State. 
 
 BORDERING upon the United States on the ex- 
 treme southwest, for a distance of more than two 
 thousand miles, is a republic which represents a 
 civilization possibly as old as that of Egypt; a 
 land, notwithstanding its proximity to us, of which 
 the average American knows less than he does of 
 France or Italy, but which rivals them in natu- 
 ral picturesqueness, and nearly equals them in 
 historic interest. 
 
 It is a country which is much misunderstood 
 and almost wholly misrepresented. It may be 
 called the land of tradition and romance, whose 
 true story is most poetic and sanguinary. Such 
 is Mexico, with her twenty-seven independent 
 states, a federal district in which is situated 
 the national capital, and the territory of Lower
 
 2 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 California, a widespread country, containing 
 in all a population of between ten and eleven 
 millions. As in the instance of this Union, each 
 state controls its internal affairs so far as it can 
 do so without conflicting with the laws of the 
 national government, which are explicitly defined. 
 The nature of the constitution, adopted in 1857 
 by the combined states, is that of a republic pure 
 and simple, thoroughly democratic in its provi- 
 sions. The national power resides in the people, 
 from whom emanates all public authority. The 
 glowing pen of Prescott has rendered us all famil- 
 iar with the romantic side of Mexican history, but 
 legitimate knowledge of her primitive story is, 
 unfortunately, of the most fragmentary character. 
 Our information concerning the early inhabitants 
 comes almost solely through the writings of irre- 
 sponsible monks and priests who could neither 
 see nor represent anything relative to an idola- 
 trous people save in accordance with the special 
 interests of their own church ; or from Spanish 
 historians who had never set foot upon the terri- 
 tory of which they wrote, and who consequently 
 repeated with heightened color the legends, tradi- 
 tions, and exaggerations of others. " The general 
 opinion may be expressed," says Janvier, in his 
 " Mexican Guide," " in regard to the writings con- 
 cerning this period that, as a rule, a most gorgeous 
 superstructure of fancy has been raised upon a 
 very meagre foundation of fact. As romance, 
 information of this highly imaginative sort is 
 entertaining, but it is not edifying." One would 
 be glad to get at the other side of the Aztec story,
 
 BOUNDARIES. 3 
 
 which, we suspect, would place the chivalric in- 
 vaders in a very different light from that of 
 their own boastful records, and also enable us to 
 form a more just and truthful opinion of the abo- 
 rigines themselves. That their numbers, religious 
 sacrifices, and barbaric excesses are generally 
 overdrawn is perfectly manifest. Every fair- 
 minded student of history frankly admits this. It 
 was necessaiy for Cortez and his followers to paint 
 the character of the Aztecs in darkest hues to pal- 
 liate and excuse, in a measure, their own wholesale 
 rapine and murder. It was the elder Dumas who 
 said, "Truth is liable to be left-handed in his- 
 tory." As Cortez was a champion of the Roman 
 Catholic Church, that institution did not hesitate 
 to represent his achievements so as to redound to 
 its own glory. " Posterity is too often deceived 
 by the vague hyperboles of poets and rhetori- 
 cians," says Macaulay, " who mistake the splendor 
 of a court for the happiness of a people." No one 
 can forget the magnificence of Montezuma's house- 
 hold as represented by the chroniclers, and as mag- 
 nified by time and distance. 
 
 Let us consider for a moment the geographical 
 situation of this great southland, which is sepa- 
 rated from us only by a comparatively insignifi- 
 cant stream of water. 
 
 The present republic of Mexico is bounded on 
 the north by the United States, from which it is 
 separated in part by the narrow Rio Grande ; on 
 the south by Guatemala, Balize, and the Pacific 
 Ocean ; on the east by the Gulf of Mexico ; and 
 on the west by the Pacific Ocean, extending as far
 
 4 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 north as the Bay of San Diego, California. Of 
 its nearly six thousand miles of coast line, sixteen 
 hundred are on the Gulf of Mexico and forty-two 
 hundred miles are on the Pacific. The topograph- 
 ical aspect of the country has been not inappro- 
 priately likened to an inverted cornucopia. Its 
 greatest length from northwest to southeast is 
 almost exactly two thousand miles, and its great- 
 est width, which is at the twenty-sixth degree of 
 north latitude, is seven hundred and fifty miles. 
 The minimum width is at the Isthmus of Tehuan- 
 tepec, where it contracts to a hundred and fifty 
 miles. The area of the entire republic is prob- 
 ably a little less than eight hundred thousand 
 square miles. Trustworthy statistics relating to 
 Mexico are not attainable. Even official reports 
 are scarcely better than estimates. Carlos Butter- 
 field, accredited statistician, makes the area of the 
 republic about thirty-three thousand square miles 
 less than the figures we have given. He also cal- 
 culates that the density of the population is some 
 ten or eleven to the square mile. Other authori- 
 ties, however, give the area much nearer to our 
 own figures. A detailed survey which would ena- 
 ble us to get at a satisfactory aggregate has never 
 been made, so that a careful estimate is all we 
 have to depend upon. 
 
 The climate of the country is divided by com- 
 mon acceptation into three zones, each of which is 
 well defined : it being hot in the tierra caliente, or 
 hot lands, of the coast; temperate in the tierra 
 templada, or region between three thousand and 
 six thousand feet above the level of the sea ; and
 
 CLIMATE. 5 
 
 cold in the tierra fria, or region at an elevation 
 exceeding six thousand feet. In the first named 
 the extreme heat is 100 Fahr. ; in the last the 
 extreme of cold is 20 above zero. In the na- 
 tional capital the mercury ranges between 65 and 
 75 Fahr. throughout the year. In fact, every 
 climate known to the traveler may be met with 
 between Vera Cruz and the capital of the repub- 
 lic. In the neighborhood of Orizaba one finds 
 sugar-cane and Indian corn, tobacco and palm- 
 trees, bananas and peaches, growing side by 
 side. 
 
 Let us state in brief, for general information, the 
 main products of these three geographical divi- 
 sions. In the hot region we find cotton, vanilla, 
 hemp, pepper, cocoa, oranges, bananas, indigo, 
 rice, and various other tropical fruits. In the 
 temperate region, tobacco, coffee, sugar, maize, the 
 brown bean, peas, and most of the favorite north- 
 ern fruits. Here extreme heat and frost are alike 
 unknown. In the cold region, all of the hardy 
 vegetables, such as potatoes, beets, carrots, and 
 the cereals, wheat growing at as high an elevation 
 as eighty-five hundred feet, while two crops annu- 
 ally are grown in various sections of the tierra 
 templada. Tobacco is indigenous in Mexico, and 
 derives its name from Tabaco in Yucatan. Indian 
 corn and brown beans, two of the principal sources 
 of the food consumed by the natives, are grown in 
 all the states of the republic. 
 
 Mexico is situated in the same degree of lati- 
 tude in the Western Hemisphere that Egypt occu- 
 pies in the Eastern, the Tropic of Cancer dividing
 
 6 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 both countries in the centre. There is a striking 
 resemblance between them, also, in many other 
 respects, such as architecture, vegetation, domestic 
 utensils, mode of cultivating the land, ancient 
 pyramids, and idols, while both afford abundant 
 tokens of a history antedating all accredited rec- 
 ord. Toltec and Aztec antiquities bear a remark- 
 able resemblance to the old Egyptian remains to 
 be found in the museums of Europe and America. 
 Speaking of these evidences of a former and un- 
 known race still to be found in southern Mexico, 
 especially in, Yucatan, Wilson the historian says : 
 " In their solidity they strikingly remind us of the 
 best productions of Egyptian art. Nor are they 
 less venerable in appearance than those which 
 excite our admiration in the valley of the Nile. 
 Their points of resemblance, too, are so numerous, 
 they carry to the beholder a conviction that the 
 architects on this side of the ocean were familiar 
 with the models on the other." Doubtless the 
 volcanic soil of Mexico conceals vast remains of 
 the far past, even as Pompeii was covered and 
 continued unsuspected for centuries, until accident 
 led to its being gradually exhumed. Whole cities 
 are known to have disappeared in various parts of 
 Mexico, leaving no more evidence of their exist- 
 ence than may be found in a few broken columns 
 or some half-disintegrated stones. Of this muta- 
 bility we shall have ample evidence as we pi-ogress 
 on our route through the several states. When in 
 various parts of the country we see the native 
 laborers irrigating the land in the style which pre- 
 vailed thousands of years ago on the banks of the
 
 POSSIBLE ORIGIN. 1 
 
 Nile, and behold the dark-hued women slightly 
 clothed in a white cotton fabric with faces half-con- 
 cealed, while they bear water jars upon their heads, 
 we seem to breathe the very atmosphere of Asia. 
 The rapid introduction of railroads and the mod- 
 ern facilities for travel are fast rendering us as 
 familiar with the characteristics of this land of the 
 Montezumas as we have long been with that of 
 the Pharaohs ; and though it has not the halo of 
 Biblical story to recommend it to us, yet Mexico 
 is not lacking in numberless legends, poetic asso- 
 ciations, and the charm of a tragic history quite as 
 picturesque and absorbing as that of any portion 
 of the East. Many intelligent students of history 
 believe that the first inhabitants of this continent 
 probably came from Asia by way of Behring 
 Strait or the Aleutian Islands, which may at some 
 period in past ages have extended across the north 
 Pacific Ocean ; the outermost island of this group 
 (Attoo), it will be remembered, is at this time but 
 four hundred miles from the Asiatic coast, whence 
 it is believed to have been originally peopled. 
 
 Relative to the early peopling of our continent, 
 Bancroft says : " It is shown pretty conclusively 
 that the American people and the American civili- 
 zation, if not indigenous to the New World, were 
 introduced from the Old at a period long pre- 
 ceding any to which we are carried by the tradi- 
 tional or monumental annals of either continent. 
 We have found no evidence of any populating or 
 civilizing migration across the ocean from east 
 to west, north or south, within historic times. No- 
 thing approaching identity has been discovered
 
 8 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 between any two nations separated by the Atlan- 
 tic or Pacific. No positive record appears even 
 of communication between America and the Old 
 World, intentionally by commercial, exploring, 
 or warlike expeditions, or accidentally by ship- 
 wreck, previous to the voyages of the Northmen 
 in the tenth century ; yet that such communi- 
 cation did take place, in many instances and at 
 different periods, is extremely probable." 
 
 The emigrants of whom we have spoken are 
 supposed to have been nomadic, to have first built 
 cities in the north, that is, the present United 
 States; it is not improbable that they were the 
 mound-builders of Ohio and the Mississippi valleys, 
 and that they afterward migrated southward into 
 Mexico. These pioneers were called Toltecs, and 
 were settled south of the Rio Grande a thousand 
 years ago, more or less, their capital being what is 
 known to-day as the city of Tula, forty miles north- 
 west of the present capital of Mexico, where many 
 antique and curious remains still interest the trav- 
 eler. The names of the nine Toltec kings who ruled 
 up to A. D. 1097 are well ascertained. It was the 
 fourth king, if we may believe the chroniclers, who 
 built the city of Teotihuachan, that is, " the habita- 
 tion of the gods," the only visible remains of which 
 are the two earth pyramids of the sun and the 
 moon. Of these we shall have occasion to treat 
 more at length in a future chapter. In speaking 
 of the most ancient remains at Tula and elsewhere 
 in Mexico, Wilson pronounces them to be clearly 
 Egyptian. It is made plain by authentic writers 
 upon the subject that this people enjoyed a large
 
 EARLY CIVILIZATION. 9 
 
 degree of civilization ; the ruins of temples sup- 
 posed to have been built by them in various parts 
 of the country, especially in Yucatan, also prove 
 this. Humboldt says that in 648 A. D. the Toltecs 
 had a solar year more perfect than that of the 
 Greeks and Romans. Other writers tell us that 
 they were a worthy people, averse to war, allied to 
 virtue, to cleanliness, and good manners, detesting 
 falsehood and treachery. They introduced the 
 cultivation of maize and cotton, constructed exten- 
 sive irrigating ditches, built roads, ana were a 
 progressive race. " But where is the country," 
 asks Humboldt, "from which the Toltecs and 
 Mexicans issued?" They were well housed, and 
 even elegantly clothed, maintained public schools, 
 and commemorated passing events by elaborate 
 sculpture and by picture-writing. So complete was 
 their system of hieroglyphics that they wrote upon 
 religion, history, geography, and the arts. These 
 records were nearly all destroyed by the malicious 
 and bigoted iniquity of a Spanish priest named 
 Zumarrage, who made it his business to seek for 
 and burn all tokens, great and small, which related 
 to the history of this extremely interesting people. 
 A few of these curious records, in the form of pic- 
 torial writing, yet remain in Mexico, principally in 
 the National Museum at the capital, and some have 
 found their way across the ocean to adorn the shelves 
 of European libraries. One of these documents, 
 still extant, represents the country as having first 
 been settled by a race who came out of a great cave 
 and traveled over the realm on the backs of turtles, 
 founding cities and towns wherever they went.
 
 10 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 This will show that the traditions of the abori- 
 gines are so fabulous as scarcely to deserve men- 
 tion. Touching the vandal act of the Catholic 
 priest Zumarrage, Prescott says : " We contemplate 
 with indignation the cruelties inflicted by the early 
 conquerors. But indignation is qualified with con- 
 tempt when we see them thus ruthlessly trampling 
 out the sparks of knowledge, the common boon and 
 property of all mankind. We may well doubt 
 which has the strongest claim to civilization, the 
 victor or the vanquished." We know that the early 
 inhabitants reared palaces, temples, and pyramids, 
 that they constructed a grand system of aqueducts 
 for irrigating purposes, and for the liberal promo- 
 tion of agriculture, being in many respects in ad- 
 vance of the Mexicans of to-day in the cultivation 
 of the soil, as well as in some productions of art. 
 
 This people, after several centuries of occupa- 
 tion, seem to have been driven away, probably to 
 South America, by the arrival of another race called 
 Aztecs or Mexicans, about the year 1325, some 
 writers say much earlier, who finally, under the 
 emperors known as the Montezumas, brought the 
 country to a lofty height of barbaric and extravagant 
 splendor, though they were largely, if not almost 
 entirely, indebted to the discoveries and genius of 
 their intelligent predecessors. The early faith of the 
 Toltecs, it is claimed, was the adoration of the sun, 
 moon, and stars. They offered to their represen- 
 tative gods flowers, fruits, and the life-blood of 
 small animals. The sacrifice of human beings 
 was later engrafted on their simple faith by other 
 tribes.
 
 BARBARIC SPLENDOR. 11 
 
 History tells us that these aboriginal races did 
 not possess stamped coin. They had certain signs 
 of the value of different articles, which took the 
 place of money. One of these, for example, is said 
 to have been cacao beans counted into lots of eight 
 thousand, or in sacks of twenty-four thousand each. 
 To exchange for articles of daily necessity they 
 used pieces of cotton cloth. Expensive objects 
 were paid for in grains of gold dust, which were 
 carried in quills. For the cheapest articles, cop- 
 per pieces cut like the letter T were used. After 
 the conquest, the earliest mint was established in 
 Mexico, in 1538, by Don Antonio de Mendoza, 
 who was the first viceroy. 
 
 When Cortez came from in the light of his- 
 tory we should say, ran away from Cuba to con- 
 quer and possess Mexico, in 1519, a hundred years 
 before the Pilgrims landed on the shore of Massa- 
 chusetts Bay, he encountered a people who had 
 reached, comparatively speaking, a high degree of 
 civilization, though weighted by an idolatrous wor- 
 ship which was most terrible in its wild and reck- 
 less practice of human sacrifice, as represented by 
 Spanish authorities. Their imposing sculptures, 
 curious arms, picture records, and rich, fanciful 
 garments, filled the invaders with surprise and 
 whetted their gross avariciousness. There was 
 much that was strange and startling in their my- 
 thology, and even their idol worship and sacrificial 
 rites bore evidence of sincerity. Altogether, this 
 western empire presented a strange and fascinating 
 spectacle to the eyes of the invaders, who flattered 
 themselves that they would be doing God service
 
 12 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 by subjugating these idolaters, and substituting 
 their own religion for that of the natives. At the 
 time when the Spaniards arrived in the country, 
 Montezuma II. was on the throne, one of the most 
 extravagant of voluptuaries. According to the 
 accounts of the early Spanish chroniclers, the or- 
 naments worn by him must have been equal in 
 elegance and value to the crown-jewels of any im- 
 perial family of Europe. Asiatic pomp and luxury 
 could not go to greater extremes than these writers 
 attribute to the Aztec court and its emperor. 
 Cortez eagerly and unscrupulously possessed him- 
 self of these royal gems, and kept them concealed 
 upon his person until his return to Spain. They 
 are represented to have been worth " a nation's 
 ransom," but were lost in the sea, where Cortez 
 had thrown himself in a critical emergency. The 
 broad amphitheatre, in the midst of which the capi- 
 tal of Anahuac " by the waters " was built, 
 still remains ; but the picturesque lake which beau- 
 tified it, traversed by causeways and covered with 
 floating gardens laden with trees and flowers, has 
 disappeared. Though the conquered natives, roused 
 at last to a spirit of madness by the unequaled 
 cruelty and extortion of the victors, rose in a body 
 and expelled them from their capital, still the ruth- 
 less valor of Cortez and his followers, aided by 
 artful alliance with disaffected native tribes, to- 
 gether with the superiority of the Spanish weapons, 
 finally proved too much for the reigning power, 
 and, after a brave and protracted struggle, the star 
 of the Aztec dynasty set in blood. 
 
 Montezuma died a miserable death in the hands
 
 SPANISH RULE. 13 
 
 of Cortez ; while Guatemozin, the last of the Aztec 
 emperors, was ignominiously treated, tortured, and 
 afterwards hanged by the Spanish conqueror. 
 
 Three hundred years of Spanish rule, extortion, 
 rapacity, fraud, and bitter oppression followed, 
 a period of struggle for supremacy on the part of 
 the Roman Catholic Church, during which it relent- 
 lessly crushed every vestige of opposition by means 
 of that hideous monster, the Inquisition. During 
 these three centuries, the same selfish policy actu- 
 ated the home government towards Mexico as -was 
 exercised towards Cuba, namely, to extort from 
 the country and its people the largest possible rev- 
 enue for the Spanish treasury. Finally came the 
 successful revohition which separated the country 
 from continental Spain and achieved the indepen- 
 dence of the nation. 
 
 We must not, however, blind ourselves to facts. 
 Hateful as the Spanish rule in Mexico appears to 
 us, we must admit that Cortez introduced Euro- 
 pean civilization, such as it was, into the country, 
 and it has virtually continued until the present 
 day. We see that under his rule great cities 
 sprang into life, magnificent buildings were erect- 
 ed, national roads, viaducts, bridges, and aque- 
 ducts were built, on so grand a scale as to still 
 challenge our admiration. Silver and gold were 
 extracted from the mines, and together with orna- 
 mental woods, precious stones, dyes and drugs were 
 shipped in unlimited quantities to Spain, whereby 
 her already richly endowed treasury became full 
 to repletion. True, it was a period of false gods, 
 of high living, and of vice ; might made right ;
 
 14 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 morality had not the same signification then as it 
 has in our time. The conventionalities of one cen- 
 tury become the vices of the next. Virtue and 
 vice must, in a certain degree, be construed in re- 
 lation to latitude and longitude. That which is 
 sacred in Samoa to-day may be considered impious 
 in Boston. 
 
 Cortez's expedition, which landed at Vera Cruz, 
 April 21, 1519, was not the first to discover the 
 continent in this neighborhood ; he had been pre- 
 ceded nearly two years by a rich merchant of 
 Cuba, who fitted out a couple of small vessels on 
 his own account, mainly for the purpose of trading, 
 and being also in search of that great lure, gold, 
 which it was supposed existed in large quantities 
 among the native tribes of the mainland. This 
 adventurer, Francisco Hernandez de Cordova, 
 landed near the present Cape Catoche, April 8, 
 1517, having brought with him only about one 
 hundred men. As to the final result of that enter- 
 prise we are not informed, except that his landing- 
 was opposed by the natives, and a battle was 
 fought in which fifteen or twenty Indians were 
 killed and a number of Spaniards were wounded. 
 
 The fighting instinct of the people of Mexico 
 was never exercised to better purpose than during 
 the period between 1810 and 1821, in the gallant 
 and successful war with the home government to 
 establish their freedom. On the 15th day of Sep- 
 tember, 1810, a solemn declaration of independence 
 was made, and for eleven years, under various pa- 
 triotic leaders, such as Hidalgo their Washing- 
 ton and the truly great Morelos, the trying for-
 
 CIVIL AND FOREIGN WARS. 15 
 
 tunes of a relentless war were experienced, until 
 August 24, 1821, when Spain was forced to give 
 up the contest and retire humiliated from the field. 
 Not, however, until so late as 1838 did she for- 
 mally recognize the Mexican republic. 
 
 It is natural to pause for a moment in this con- 
 nection, and contrast the past with the present 
 status of Spain, a country which conquered, pos- 
 sessed, and misruled Mexico for so long a period. 
 In the sixteenth century she threatened to become 
 the mistress of the world. In art she held the 
 foremost position. Murillo, Velasquez, and Ribi- 
 era were her honored sons ; in literature she was 
 represented by Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Cal- 
 deron ; while of discoverers and conquerors she 
 sent forth Columbus, Cortez, and Pizarro. The 
 banners of Castile and Aragon floated alike on 
 the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Her warriors 
 were adventurous and brave ; her soldiers inher- 
 ited the gallantry of the followers of Charles V. 
 She was the court of Europe, the acknowledged 
 leader of chivalry. How rapid has been her de- 
 cadence ! As in the plenitude of her power she 
 was ambitious, cruel, and perfidious, so has the 
 measure which she meted to others been in turn 
 accorded to herself. To-day there are none so 
 humble as to do her honor. 
 
 As years progressed, interstate struggles impov- 
 erished the land and decimated the number of its 
 ruling spirits. To recall a list of the names of pa- 
 triot leaders who laid down their lives during this 
 half century and more of civil wars makes one shud- 
 der for man's inhumanity to man. Little progress
 
 16 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 was made. The Romish Church held its parasitic 
 clutch upon state and people, impoverishing and 
 degrading both, until the burden became too great 
 to bear ; and, in 1857, the Laws of Reform were 
 enacted and the constitution amended, causing 
 the church to disgorge its millions of ill-gotten 
 wealth, and also depriving it of its power for fur- 
 ther national injury. 
 
 A brief but decisive war with the United States 
 ended in the humble submission of Mexico, caus- 
 ing her to lose a large portion of her territory, 
 amounting to more than one half its number of 
 square miles. Probably very few of the read- 
 ers of these pages could answer correctly, if they 
 were asked what was the real cause of this war 
 between the United States and Mexico. Let us 
 briefly state the facts, since we shall incidentally 
 refer more than once to the matter. In 1835, 
 Texas, then a part of Mexico, rebelled against 
 that government, and succeeded not only in achiev- 
 ing her independence, but also in being recognized 
 as a distinct power by several of the nations of 
 Europe, including England and France, as well 
 as this country. After a lapse of nine or ten 
 years, at the earnest solicitation of the inhabitants, 
 Texas was admitted to the American Union. The 
 Mexican government expressed great dissatisfac- 
 tion at this, and sent troops to camp all along 
 the Rio Grande, which compelled the President to 
 order a division of our army there to protect the na- 
 tional interests. The Mexican troops crossed over 
 their border and attacked our soldiers on Texan 
 soil, killing sixteen Americans and capturing many
 
 AGGRESSIONS PUNISHED. 17 
 
 prisoners. This was on April 24, 1846, and pre- 
 cipitated hostilities at once. After the battles 
 of Palo Alto, May 8th, and Resaca cle la Palma, 
 May 9th, both fought on Texan soil, and both, 
 defeats for the Mexicans, General Taylor crossed 
 with his forces into Mexico and occupied Mata- 
 moras. The subsequent battles on Taylor's and 
 Scott's lines resulted in a series of hard-won victo- 
 ries for our troops in every instance ; until, finally, 
 the flag of the United States floated triumphantly 
 over the city of Mexico. It was not this country, 
 but Mexico, which was the aggressor, and it was her 
 foolhardiness and outrageous insult which brought 
 about the war. There is not a power in Europe 
 which would not have done precisely as this coun- 
 try did when thus attacked. The author knows 
 very well that it is the fashion to berate our gov- 
 ernment for the punishment it inflicted upon the 
 aggressive Mexicans, but we are not among those 
 who believe that when nations or individuals are 
 smitten upon one cheek they should turn the other 
 for a like treatment. Mexico got what she de- 
 served, that is, a thorough drubbing, and lost one 
 half of her territorial possessions in return for a 
 long series of aggressions. 
 
 Though thus geographically curtailed, she is still 
 of mammoth proportions, exceeding in size Austria 
 and Germany with Sweden, Norway, laid the Neth- 
 erlands combined; or, to make a more familiar 
 comparison, Mexico is sixteen times larger than 
 the State of New York, stretching through seven- 
 teen degrees of latitude and thirty degrees of lon- 
 gitude. Finally, there came the ridiculous and
 
 18 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 abortive attempt of Napoleon the Little to make 
 a foreigner Archduke Maximilian of Austria 
 Emperor of Mexico, in which Quixotic purpose he 
 was at first abetted by England and Spain. After 
 a bloody and fruitless struggle, backed by all the 
 subtle influence of the Roman Catholic Church, 
 the French withdrew from the country in utter 
 disgrace, while the royal interloper, deceived, de- 
 serted, and cheated by the weak, scheming moun- 
 tebank on the French throne, was condemned to 
 death by a Mexican court martial, and with two of 
 his most notable and trusted generals was shot at 
 Queretaro. Ill-advised as was the attempt to es- 
 tablish an empire on American soil, and although 
 it resulted in such a bitter failure, involving the 
 death of its principal actors, and terrible waste of 
 human life, it must be admitted by every candid 
 observer that Mexico maje great material advance 
 during the brief period of Maximilian's bastard 
 government. The national capital was especially 
 beautified, and it exhibits to-day the advantages 
 of many grand improvements instituted and com- 
 pleted by Maximilian and " poor " Carlotta, his 
 devoted wife, and daughter of Leopold I., king 
 of the Belgians. The Mexicans will long remem- 
 ber that they owe their magnificent boulevard, the 
 Paseo de la Reforma, to Maximilian, and their 
 charmingly arranged Plaza Mayor to the refined 
 and womanly taste of Carlotta. 
 
 At last it would seem as though the energies of 
 this much distracted country, so long the victim 
 of the priesthood, professional brigandage, and civil 
 and foreign wars, have become diverted into chan-
 
 PROGRESSIVE IDEAS. 19 
 
 nels of productive industry, developing resources 
 of wealth and stability which have heretofore been 
 unrecognized. A country facing upon two oceans, 
 and having seven or eight railroad lines intersect- 
 ing it in various directions, cannot remain in statu 
 quo ; it must take its place more or less promptly 
 in the grand line of nations, all of whom are mov- 
 ing forward under the influence of the progressive 
 ideas of the nineteenth century. It is only since 
 1876 that Mexico has enjoyed anything like a 
 stable government ; and as her constitution is mod- 
 eled upon our own, let us sincerely hope for the 
 best results. General Porfirio Diaz, President of 
 the republic, is a man whose official and private 
 life commands the respect of the entire people. 
 That his administration has given the country a 
 grand impetus, has largely restored its credit, and 
 insured a continuance of peace, seems to be an 
 undisputed fact. His principal purpose is plainly 
 to modernize Mexico. The twelve years from 
 1876, when he became president, until 1889, when 
 his third term commenced, has proved to be 
 the progressive age of the republic. He is 
 of native birth, and rose from the ranks of the 
 masses. The only opposition to his government 
 is that of the church party, led by the Archbishop 
 of Mexico, and supported by that great army of 
 non-producers, the useless priests, who fatten upon 
 the poor and superstitious populace. At present 
 this party has no political power or influence, but 
 is working at all times, in secret, silently awaiting 
 an opportunity to sacrifice anything or everything 
 to the sole interests of the Roman Catholic Church.
 
 20 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 "The political struggle in Mexico," says United 
 States Commissioner William Eleroy Curtis, " since 
 the independence of the republic, has been and 
 will continue to be between antiquated, bigoted, 
 and despotic Romanism, allied with the ancient 
 aristocracy, under whose encouragement Maximil- 
 ian came, on the one hand, and the spirit of intel- 
 lectual, industrial, commercial, and social progress 
 on the other." 
 
 Here, as in European countries, where this form 
 of faith prevails, it is the women mostly we 
 might almost say solely, in Mexico who give 
 their attendance upon the ceremonies of the 
 church. The male population are seldom seen 
 within its walls, though yielding a sort of tacit 
 acquiescence to the faith. We are speaking of 
 large communities in the cities and among the 
 more intelligent classes. The peons of the rural 
 districts, the ignorant masses who do not think for 
 themselves, but who are yet full of superstitious 
 fears, are easily impressed by church parapherna- 
 lia, gorgeous trappings, and gilded images. This 
 class, men and women, are completely under the 
 guidance of the priesthood. " Although the clergy 
 still exercise a powerful influence among the com- 
 mon people," says Commissioner Curtis, " whose 
 superstitious ignorance has not yet been reached 
 by the free schools and compulsory education law, 
 in politics they are powerless." It was in 1857 
 that Mexico formally divorced the church and 
 state by an amendment to her constitution, thereby 
 granting unrestricted freedom of conscience and 
 religious worship to all persons, sects, and churches.
 
 A NATION PLUNDERED. 21 
 
 Several denominations in the United States avail 
 themselves of this privilege, and in some of the 
 cities Protestant churches have been established 
 where regular weekly services are held. " With 
 the overthrow of Montezuma's empire in 1520," 
 says that distinguished native Mexican writer, 
 Riveray Rio, "began the rule of the Spaniard, 
 which lasted just three hundred years. During 
 this time, Rome and Spain, priest and king, held 
 this land and people as a joint possession. The 
 greedy hand was ever reached out to seize alike 
 the product of the mine and soil. The people 
 were enslaved for the aggrandizement and power 
 of a foreign church and state. It was then that 
 the Church of Rome fostered such a vast army of 
 friars, priests, and nuns, acquired those vast landed 
 estates, and erected such an incredible number of 
 stone churches, great convents, inquisitorial build- 
 ings, Jesuit colleges, and gathered such vast stores 
 of gold and silver. All this time the poor people 
 were being reduced to the utmost poverty, and 
 every right and opportunity for personal and civil 
 advancement was taken from them. They were 
 left to grope on in intellectual darkness. They 
 could have no commerce with foreign nations. If 
 they made any advance in national wealth, it was 
 drained away for royal and ecclesiastical tribute. 
 Superstition reigned under the false teachings of a 
 corrupt priesthood, while the frightful Inquisition, 
 by its cruel machinery, coerced the people to an 
 abjectness that has scarcely had a parallel in hu- 
 man history. Under such a dispensation of evil 
 rule, Mexico became of less and less importance 
 among the family of nations."
 
 22 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 This brief summary brings us to the peaceful 
 and comparatively prosperous condition of the re- 
 public to-day, and prepares the canvas upon which 
 to sketch the proposed pen pictures of this inter- 
 esting country, with which we are so intimately 
 connected, both politically and geographically.
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 Remarkably Fertile Soil. Valuable Native Woods. Mexican 
 Flora. Coffee and Tobacco. Mineral Products. Silver 
 Mines. Sugar Lands. Manufactories. Cortez's Presents 
 to Charles V. Water Power. Coal Measures. Railroads. 
 Historic Locality. Social Characteristics. People di- 
 vided into Castes. Peonage. Radical Progress. Educa- 
 tion and the Priesthood. A Threshing Machine. Social 
 Etiquette. Political Organization of the Government. 
 Mexico the Synonym of Barbarism. Production and Busi- 
 ness Handicapped by an Excessive Tariff. 
 
 MEXICO is remarkable for the fertility and pecu- 
 liar productiveness of her soil, both of a vegetable 
 and mineral character, though the former is very 
 largely dependent upon irrigation, and almost every- 
 where suffers for want of intelligent treatment. As 
 a striking proof of the fertility of the soil, an able 
 writer upon the subject tells us, among other statis- 
 tical facts, that while wheat cultivated in France and 
 some other countries averages but six grains for 
 one planted, Mexican soil gives an average product 
 of twenty-two times the amount of seed which is 
 sown. Humboldt was surprised at this when it 
 was reported to him, and took pains to verify the 
 fact, finding the statement to be absolutely cor- 
 rect. Being situated partly in the tropics and 
 partly in the temperate zone, its vegetable products 
 partake of both regions, and are varied in the 
 extreme. In the hot lands are dense forests of
 
 24 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 rosewood, mahogany, and ebony, together with 
 dyewoods of great commercial value, while in the 
 temperate and cooler districts the oak and pine 
 are reasonably abundant. It must be admitted, 
 however, that those districts situated near popu- 
 lous neighborhoods have been nearly denuded of 
 their growth during centuries of waste and destruc- 
 tion by the conquering Spaniards. From this 
 scarcity of commercial wood arises the absence of 
 framed houses, and the universal use of stone and 
 clay, or adobe, for building purposes. There is 
 valuable wood enough in certain districts, which 
 is still being wasted. The sleepers of the Mon- 
 terey and Mexican Gulf railway are nearly all 
 of ebony. Attention having been called to the 
 fact, orders have been issued to save this wood for 
 shipment to our Northern furniture manufacturers. 
 Iron ties and sleepers are being substituted on the 
 trunk lines of the railways as fast as the wooden 
 ones decay, being found so much more durable. 
 Those used on the Vera Cruz line are imported 
 from England ; on the Mexican Central, from the 
 United States. There is a low, scrubby growth of 
 wood on the table-lands and mountain sides, which 
 is converted by the peons into charcoal and trans- 
 ported on the backs of the burros (jackasses) long 
 distances for economical use in the cities and vil- 
 lages. All the delicious fruits of the West Indies 
 are abundantly produced in the southern section, 
 and all the substantial favorites of our North- 
 ern and Western States thrive luxuriantly in her 
 middle and northern divisions. Some of the 
 cultivated berries are remarkably developed ; the
 
 MEXICAN FLORA. 25 
 
 strawberry, for instance, thrives beyond all prece- 
 dent in central Mexico, and while larger, it is no 
 less delicately flavored than our own choice varie- 
 ties. The flora throughout Mexico is exceedingly 
 rich and varied, botanists having recognized over 
 ten thousand families of plants indigenous to the 
 soil. It appeared to the writer, however, that 
 while the color of the flowers was intensified above 
 that of our Northern States, their fragrance was 
 not so well defined. Even the soft green mosses 
 threw out a star-like blossom of tiny proportions, 
 which seemed almost as full of expression as hu- 
 man eyes, while they emitted a subdued fragrance. 
 The best-grown coffee of the country is in our 
 estimation equal to the best grades of Mocha or 
 Java, while the tobacco produced in several of the 
 states compares favorably with the much-lauded 
 brands of Cuba. The most fertile regions of 
 Mexico lie on the east and west, where the dis- 
 tricts decline abruptly from the great plateau, or 
 table-land, towards the coast. 
 
 The Monterey and Mexican Gulf railway has 
 lately opened access to most excellent land, suit- 
 able for sugar plantations, equal to the best in 
 Louisiana devoted to this purpose, and which 
 can be bought for a mere song, as the saying is. 
 These lands are better adapted to sugar raising 
 than those of the State just named, because frost is 
 here unknown. In the opening of these tropical 
 districts by railroad, connected with our South- 
 ern system, we have offered us the opportunity to 
 secure all the products which we now get from 
 Cuba. These staples are equal in quality, and can
 
 26 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 be landed at our principal commercial centres at a 
 much less cost than is paid for shipments from 
 that island. Such is the arbitrary rule of Spain 
 in Cuba, and the miserable political condition of 
 her people, that all business transacted in her 
 ports is handicapped by regulations calculated to 
 drive commerce away from her shores. The fact 
 should also be recalled that while Mexico produces 
 every article which we import from Cuba, she has 
 over five times the population to consume our 
 manufactures and products, rendering her com- 
 mercial intercourse with us just so much more 
 important. At present, or rather heretofore, she 
 has sought to exchange her native products almost 
 wholly with Europe, through the port of Vera 
 Cruz ; but on account of the excellent facilities 
 afforded by the Mexican Central Railroad the vol- 
 ume of trade has already begun to set towards the 
 United States. While upon the subject it may be 
 mentioned incidentally that the way business of 
 this railroad has exceeded all calculations, and yet 
 it is but partially developed, the rolling stock be- 
 ing quite inadequate to the demand for freight 
 transportation. 
 
 In minerals it would seem as though the list of 
 products was unequaled. At present the silver 
 mines are undoubtedly the greatest source of 
 wealth to the country, though under proper condi- 
 tions the agricultural capacity of the land would 
 doubtless exceed all other interests in pecuniary 
 value, as indeed is the case in most other gold 
 and silver producing countries. The principal 
 mineral products of Mexico are iron, tin, cinna-
 
 MINERAL PRODUCTS. 27 
 
 bar, silver, gold, alum, sulphur, and lead. In the 
 state of Durango, large masses of the best mag- 
 netic iron ore are found, which at some future 
 day will supply the material for a great and use- 
 ful industry. Other iron mines exist, and some 
 have been utilized to a limited extent. Coal is 
 found in abundance, notably in the states of Oa- 
 xaca, Sonora, Nuevo Leon, and Coahuila. These 
 coal measures are particularly valuable in a coun- 
 try many parts of which are treeless and without 
 economical fuel. The total coinage of silver ore 
 in the mints of Mexico to this date, we were in- 
 telligently informed, amount to the enormous ag- 
 gregate of three thousand millions of dollars, to 
 which may be added, in arriving at the total prod- 
 uct of the mines, the amount exported in bars and 
 the total value consumed in manufactures. This 
 last item amounts to a much larger figure than one 
 who has not given the subject careful thought 
 would be prepared to admit. 
 
 Mexico can hardly be spoken of as a manufac- 
 turing country, in the usual acceptation of the 
 term, though the Spaniards found that cotton cloth 
 had been made here long before their advent. It 
 is also a fact that such domestic goods as the masses 
 of her population absolutely require she produces 
 within her own limits by native industry, such as 
 cotton cloth, blankets, woollen cloth, cotton shawls, 
 leather goods, saddlery, boots, shoes, hats, and 
 other articles of personal wear. There are over 
 twenty large woollen mills in the country, several 
 for the production of carpeting, and many cotton 
 mills, the product of the latter being almost wholly
 
 28 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the unbleached article, which is universally worn 
 by the masses. The cotton mills are many of them 
 large, and worthy of special commendation for the 
 healthful and beneficent system adopted in them, 
 as well as for the excellence of their output. The 
 number of factories of all sorts in the country is 
 estimated at about one hundred. There is nearly 
 enough sugar produced on the plantations to satisfy 
 the home demand, an industry which might be in- 
 definitely extended. Climate, soil, and the rate 
 of wages all favor such an idea. The Sandwich 
 Islands, which have been so largely resorted to for 
 the establishment of sugar plantations, cannot show 
 one half the advantages which lie unimproved on 
 the new lines of the Mexican railways. If a capi- 
 talist were considering the purpose of establishing 
 a large sugar plantation, the fact of cheap and easy 
 transportation to market being here close at hand 
 should alone settle the question as between the 
 islands referred to and this locality. Hardware 
 and cutlery, of excellent quality and in large quan- 
 tities, are manufactured. The paper, household 
 furniture, pottery, crockery, and even glass gen- 
 erally in use, are of home production, which will 
 give the reader an idea of the present native re- 
 sources of the country, developed not by fortuitous 
 aid, but under the most depressing circumstances. 
 It will be remembered that Cortez, soon after he 
 landed in Mexico, sent to Charles V. specimens of 
 native cotton fabrics, so that probably cotton was 
 not only grown but manufactured here as early as 
 in any other country. The historians tell us that 
 the Aztecs made as large and as delicate webs as
 
 IRRIGATION A NECESSITY. 29 
 
 those of Holland. Besides working in textile 
 fabrics, this ancient people wrought metals, hewed 
 stone, and manufactured pottery of delicate forms 
 and artistic finish. The misfortune of one country 
 is the gain of another. The paucity of fuel where- 
 with to obtain steam power, and the lack of rivers 
 capable of giving water power, must always prevent 
 Mexico from being a competing country, as to 
 manufactures, with the United States, where these 
 essentials abound. She has, however, only to turn 
 her attention to the export of fruits, and other 
 products which are indigenous to her sunny land, 
 to acquire ample means wherewith to purchase 
 from this country whatever she may desire in the 
 line of luxuries or necessities. 
 
 That a portion of Mexico is utterly sterile and 
 unavailable is just as much a fact as that we have 
 such regions in the western part of the United 
 States. There are large sections here which suffer 
 from annual droughts, but which might be re- 
 deemed by irrigation, the facilities for which in 
 most cases are near enough at hand, only requir- 
 ing to be properly engineered. It is not correct 
 to paint everything of rose-color in the republic ; 
 it has its serious drawbacks, like all other lands 
 under the sun. The want of water is the prevail- 
 ing trouble, but, like Australia, this country has 
 enough of the precious liquid if properly conserved 
 and adapted. The Rio Grande produces more 
 water in a twelvemonth than the great Murray 
 liiver of Australia, which is flooded at certain sea- 
 sons and is a " dry run " at others. As we have 
 intimated, the absence of available wood and coal
 
 30 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 will prevent the growth of manufactures in Mexico, 
 at least, until the coal deposits are opened up by 
 railroads. The coal measures are not yet fully 
 surveyed, or developed, but sufficient has been 
 shown to demonstrate their great extent and val- 
 uable qualities. When these coal deposits shall 
 be brought by means of railroads, already pro- 
 jected or in course of construction, within the 
 reach of the business centres, and deliverable to 
 consumers at reasonable prices, a great impetus to 
 manufactures will be realized through this article 
 of prime necessity. A company has lately been 
 formed in England to explore and develop these 
 coal fields, for which purpose a liberal concession 
 has been obtained from the Mexican government. 
 This is only one more evidence of the fact that 
 foreign capital and foreign enterprise are flowing 
 towards the country. It will be observed also that 
 these new companies are mos ,ly English ; some are 
 German ; but there are comparatively few Ameri- 
 cans engaged in these enterprises. We have seen 
 it in print that Mexico was fast becoming Ameri- 
 canized, but this is a mistake ; there are many 
 more Europeans than Americans in Mexico, as we 
 use the word Americans, that is, people of the 
 United States. 
 
 Where water power is to be obtained, it is im- 
 proved to the utmost, as at Queretaro, where a 
 small river is made to turn the largest overshot 
 wheel which has ever been constructed, furnishing 
 power in the famous Hercules Cotton Factory of 
 that city, which gives regular employment to many 
 hundred native men and women.
 
 RAILROAD INTERESTS. 31 
 
 An improved and stable system of government 
 and increased railroad facilities are doing wonders 
 for our neighbors across the Rio Grande. The 
 iron horse and steel rail are great promoters of 
 civilization. It would be impossible to overesti- 
 mate the importance of this branch of progress 
 in the interests of both Mexico and the United 
 States, by which means we are constantly becom- 
 ing more and more intimately united. The Mexi- 
 can Central Railroad has lately completed its con- 
 nection with Tampico on the Gulf by a branch 
 road running almost due east from its main trunk, 
 starting near or at Aguas Calientes ; another, run- 
 ning about due west towards the port of San Bias 
 on the Pacific, has already been completed as far 
 as Guadalajara, starting from the main trunk at 
 Irapuato. The former city being the present ter- 
 minus of the road, is considered the second in im- 
 portance in Mexico. When the narrow space still 
 remaining is opened b} rail, the continent will be 
 crossed by railway trail s between the Atlantic and 
 Pacific at a narrow and most available point. The 
 increase of way passengers and freight upon this 
 road during the past two years is a source of sur- 
 prise and of gratification to the company. The 
 rolling stock is being monthly increased, having 
 proved to be inadequate to the business. 
 
 The Tainpico branch of this road passes through 
 scenery which experienced travelers pronounce to 
 be equal in grandeur to any on this continent. 
 Indeed, had the appalling engineering difficulties 
 to be encountered been fully realized before the 
 road was begun, it is doubtful if it would have
 
 32 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 been built. The cost has slightly exceeded ten 
 million dollars. That which seemed easy enough, 
 as designed upon paper, proved to be a herculean 
 task in the consummation. It was a portion of the 
 original plan, when the Mexican Central Railroad 
 was surveyed, to build this branch, and six years 
 after the completion of the main trunk the Tam- 
 pico road was duly opened. The distance from 
 this harbor on the Gulf of Mexico to Aguas 
 Calientes is a trifle over four hundred miles. With 
 the improvements already under way, it will be 
 rendered the best seaport on the Gulf, infinitely 
 superior, especially in point of safe anchorage, to 
 the open roadstead of Vera Cruz. Every ton of 
 freight is now landed at the latter port by lighters, 
 and must continue to be so from the nature of the 
 coast ; while in a couple of years at farthest Tam- 
 pico will have a most excellent harbor, perfectly 
 sheltered, where the largest steamships can lie at 
 the wharf and discharge their cargoes. We are 
 sorry to say that San Bias, on the Pacific side, 
 does not promise to make so desirable a port. It 
 is even suggested that Mazatalan, further north, 
 should be made the terminus of this branch road. 
 American enterprise and progressive ideas are 
 peacefully but surely revolutionizing a country 
 where all previous change has been accomplished 
 by the sword, and all advance has been from scaf- 
 fold to scaffold. It would seem as though political 
 convulsions formed one of the conditions of national 
 progress. In our own instance, through what seas 
 of blood had we to wade in abolishing that long 
 standing curse of this land, negro slavery. The
 
 SITUATION OF THE CAPITAL. 33 
 
 Czar of Russia freed the millions of serfs in his 
 empire by a bold and manly ukase ; but the no- 
 bility, who counted their wealth by the number of 
 human beings whom they held in thralldom, have 
 not yet forgiven the Czar for doing so. Revenge 
 for that philanthropic act is still the motive of 
 the conspiracies which occasionally come to the 
 surface in that country. " Every age has its prob- 
 lem," says Heinrich Heine, " by solving which 
 humanity is helped forward." 
 
 The federal capital of Mexico is in the centre of 
 a country of surpassing richness and beauty, but 
 from the day of its foundation, between seven and 
 eight hundred years ago, it has been the theatre 
 of constant revolutions and bitter warfare, where 
 hecatombs of human beings have been sacrificed 
 upon idolatrous altars, where a foreign religion has 
 been established at the spear's point, through tor- 
 ture by fire and the rack, and where rivers of 
 blood have been ruthlessly spilled in battle, some- 
 times in repelling a foreign foe, but only too often 
 in still more cruel civil wars. Some idea of the 
 chronic political upheavals of the country may be 
 had from the brief statement that there have been 
 fifty-four presidents, one regency, and one emperor 
 in the last sixty-two years, and nearly every change 
 of government has been effected by violence. Be- 
 tween 1821 and 1868, the form of government 
 was changed ten times. 
 
 Politeness and courtesy are as a rule character- 
 istics of the intelligent and middle classes of the 
 people of Mexico, and are also observable in inter- 
 course with the humbler ranks of the masses. They
 
 34 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 have heretofore looked upon Americans as being 
 hardly more than semi-civilized. Those with whom 
 they have been most brought in contact have been 
 reckless and adventurous frontiersmen, drovers, 
 Texans, cow boys, often individuals who have left 
 their homes in the Northern or Middle States with 
 the stigma of crime upon them. The inference 
 they have drawn from contact with such represen- 
 tatives of our population has been but natural. If 
 Mexicans travel abroad, they generally do so in 
 Europe, sailing from Vera Cruz, and they know 
 comparatively little of us socially. It is equally 
 true that we have been in the habit of regarding 
 the Mexicans in much the same light. This mutual 
 feeling is born of ignorance, and the nearer rela- 
 tion into which the two countries are now brought 
 by means of the excellent system of railroads is 
 rapidly dispelling the misconception on both sides 
 of the Rio Grande. The masses, especially the 
 peons, are far more illiterate than in this country, 
 and are easily led by the higher intelligence of the 
 few ; nor have the Mexicans yet shown much real 
 progress in the purpose of promoting general edu- 
 cation, though incipient steps have been taken in 
 that direction in most of their cities, affording sub- 
 stantial proof of the progressive tendencies of the 
 nation. We heard in the city of Mexico of free 
 night schools being organized, designed for the 
 improvement of adults. 
 
 A division of the populace into castes rules here 
 almost as imperiously as it does in India, and it 
 will require generations of close contact with a 
 more cultured and democratic people before these
 
 PEONAGE. 35 
 
 servile ideas can be obliterated. Though we hear 
 little or nothing said about this matter, yet to an 
 observant eye it has daily and hourly demonstra- 
 tion. The native Indians of Mexico are of a dif- 
 ferent race from their employers. Originally con- 
 quered and enslaved by the Spaniards, though they 
 have since been emancipated by law, they are still 
 kept in a quasi condition of peonage by superior 
 wit and finesse. The proprietor of a large hacienda, 
 who owns land, say ten miles square, manages, by 
 advancing money to them, to keep the neighboring 
 people in his debt. They are compelled by ne- 
 cessity to purchase their domestic articles of con- 
 sumption from the nearest available supply, which 
 is the storehouse of the hacienda. Here they must 
 pay the price which is demanded, let it be never so 
 unreasonable. This arrangement is all against the 
 peon, and all in favor of the employer. The lesser 
 party to such a system is pretty sure to be cheated 
 right and left, especially as the estate is nearly 
 always administered by an agent and not by the 
 owner himself. There are some notable exceptions 
 to this, but these only prove the rule. So long as 
 the employes owe the proprietor money, they are 
 bound by law to remain in his service. Wages are 
 so low say from twenty-five to thirty-five cents 
 per day that were the natives of a thrifty, ambi- 
 tious, and provident disposition, which is by no 
 means the case, they could not save a dollar to- 
 wards their pecuniary emancipation. The laboring 
 classes seem to have no idea of economy or of pro- 
 viding for the morrow. Food, coarse food, and 
 amusement for the present hour, that is all they
 
 36 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 desire, and is all about which they seriously con- 
 cern themselves. The next score of years, while 
 they will probably do much for the country as 
 regards commercial and intellectual improvement, 
 will prove fatal in a degree to the picturesqueness 
 which now renders Mexico so attractive. Radical 
 progress in one direction must needs be destructive 
 in another, and while some of the allurements of 
 her strong individuality will disappear, her moral 
 and physical status will be greatly improved. Her 
 ragged, half-naked people will don proper attire, 
 sacrificing the gaudy colors which now make every 
 outdoor scene kaleidoscopic ; a modern grain 
 thresher will take the place of weary animals plod- 
 ding in a circle, treading out the grain ; half-clad 
 women at the fountains will disappear, and iron 
 pipes will convey water for domestic use to the 
 place of consumption. The awkward branch of 
 crooked wood now used to turn the soil will be re- 
 placed by the modern plough, and reaping machines 
 will relieve the weary backs of men, women, and 
 children, who slowly grub beneath a burning sun 
 through the broad grain fields. Irrigating streams 
 will be made to flow by their own gravitation, while 
 the wooden bucket and well-sweep will become idle 
 and useless. Still, we are not among those who see 
 only a bright side for the future of the republic, nor 
 do we believe so confidently as some writers in her 
 great natural resources. They are abundant, but 
 not so very exceptional as enthusiasts would have 
 us believe. Aside from the production of silver, 
 which all must admit to be inexhaustible, she has 
 very little to boast of. It is doubtful if any other
 
 PEOGEESS. 37 
 
 equal area in the world possesses larger deposits of 
 the precious metals, or has already yielded to man 
 more bountifully of them. We have seen it as- 
 serted by careful and experienced writers, that one 
 half of all the silver now in use among the nations 
 originally came from Mexico. Her real and per- 
 manent progress is inevitable ; but it will be very 
 gradual, coming not through her rich mines of gold 
 and silver, but by the growth of her agricultural 
 and manufacturing interests ; and if in a score of 
 years she can assume a position of respect and 
 importance in the line of nations, it is all that can 
 reasonably be expected. If Mexico can but ad- 
 vance in progressive ideas as rapidly during the 
 next ten years as she has done during the decade 
 just past, the period we have named will be abbre- 
 viated, and her condition will amount to a moral 
 revolution. 
 
 Our sister republic has yet to accomplish two 
 special and important objects : first, the suppres- 
 sion of the secret and malign influence of the Ro- 
 man Catholic priesthood ; and, secondly, the pro- 
 motion of education among the masses. Since the 
 separation of church and state, in 1857, education 
 has made slow but steady advances. Most of the 
 states have adopted the system of compulsory edu- 
 cation, penalties being affixed to non-compliance 
 with the law, and rewards decreed for those who 
 voluntarily observe the same. Though shorn of 
 so large a degree of its temporal powers, the church 
 is still secretly active in its machinations for evil. 
 The vast army of non-producing, indolent priests 
 is active in one direction, namely, that for the
 
 38 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 suppression of all intelligent progress, and the 
 complete subjugation of the common people through 
 superstition and ignorance. A realization of the 
 condition of affairs may be had from the following 
 circumstance related to us by a responsible Amer- 
 ican resident. It must be remembered that the 
 wheat, which in some well-irrigated districts is the 
 principal product, is threshed by means of piling 
 it up on the hard clay soil, and driving goats, 
 sheep, and burros over it. These animals trudge 
 round and round, with weary limbs, knee deep in 
 the straw, for hours together, urged forward by 
 whips in the hands of men and boys, and thus the 
 grain is separated from the stalks. Of course the 
 product threshed out in this manner is contami- 
 nated with animal filth of all sorts. An enterpris- 
 ing American witnessed this primitive process not 
 long since, and on returning to his northern home 
 resolved to take back with him to Mexico a mod- 
 ern threshing machine ; and being more desirous 
 to introduce it for the benefit of the people than 
 to make any money out of the operation, he offered 
 the machine at cost price. A native farmer was 
 induced to put one on trial, when it was at once 
 found that it not only took the place of a dozen 
 men and boys, but also of twice that number of 
 animals. This was not all ; the machine performed 
 the work in less than one quarter of the time re- 
 quired to do the same amount of work by the old 
 method, besides rendering the grain in a perfectly 
 clear condition. This would seem to be entirely 
 satisfactory, and was so until it got to the ears of 
 the priests. They came upon the ground to see the
 
 INTOLERANT SPIRIT. 39 
 
 machine work, and were amazed. This would not 
 answer, according to their ideas ; from their stand- 
 point it was a dangerous innovation. What might 
 it not lead to ! They therefore declared that the 
 devil was in the machine, and absolutely forbade 
 the peons to work with it ! Their threats and 
 warnings frightened their ignorant, servile parish- 
 ioners out of their wits. The machine was accord- 
 ingly shipped north of the Rio Grande, whence 
 it came, to prevent the natives from destroying it, 
 and cattle still tread out the grain, which they ren- 
 der dirty and unfit for food, except in the most 
 populous centres, where modern machinery is being 
 gradually introduced. 
 
 " The clogging influence of the Romish Church," 
 says Hon. John H. Rice, " upon civilization and 
 progress are seen in its opposition to the education 
 and elevation of the common people ; in its intol- 
 erant warfare against freedom of conscience, and 
 all other forms of religious worship, frequently 
 displayed in persecutions, and sometimes in per- 
 sonal injuries; and in its stolid opposition to the 
 onward march of development and improvement, 
 unless directed to its own advantage." 
 
 The stranger who comes to Mexico with the 
 expectation of enjoying his visit must bring with 
 him a liberal and tolerant spirit. He must be 
 prepared to encounter a marked difference of race, 
 of social and business life, together with the ab- 
 sence of many of such domestic comforts as habit 
 has rendered almost necessities. The exercise of 
 a little philosophy will reconcile him to the exi- 
 gencies of the case, and render endurable here
 
 40 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 what would be inadmissible at home. A coarse, ill- 
 cooked dinner, untidy service, and an unappeased 
 appetite must be compensated by active interest 
 in grand and peculiar scenery ; a hard bed and a 
 sleepless night, by the intelligent enjoyment of 
 famous places clothed with historic interest; foul 
 smells and rank odors, by the charming study of 
 a unique people, extraordinarily interesting in 
 their wretched squalor and nakedness. Though 
 the stranger is brought but little in contact there- 
 with, owing to the briefness of his visit to the coun- 
 try, quite enough is casually seen and experienced 
 to show that there is no lack of culture and re- 
 finement, no absence of warmth of heart and gra- 
 cious hospitality, among the more favored classes 
 of Mexico, both in the northern and southern sec- 
 tions of the country. Underneath the exaggerated 
 expressions so common to Spanish etiquette, there 
 is yet a real cordiality which the discriminating 
 visitor will not fail to recognize. If, on a first 
 introduction and visit, he is told that the house 
 and all it contains is his own, and that the propri- 
 etor is entirely at his service, he will neither take 
 this literally nor as a burlesque, but will receive 
 the assurance for what it really signifies, that is, 
 as conveying a spirit of cordiality. These expres- 
 sions are as purely conventional as though the host 
 asked simply and pleasantly after his guest's health, 
 and mean no more. 
 
 If progress is and has been slow in Mexico, it 
 must be remembered that every advance has been 
 consummated under most discouraging circum- 
 stances, and yet that the charitable, educational,
 
 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 41 
 
 artistic, and technological institutions already 
 firmly established, are quietly revolutionizing the 
 people through the most peaceful but effective 
 agencies. 
 
 As to government organization, the several states 
 are represented in congress by two senators each, 
 with one representative to the lower house from 
 each section comprising a population of forty thou- 
 sand. The federal district is under the exclusive 
 jurisdiction of congress. The division of power 
 as accorded to the several states is almost precisely 
 like that of our own government. The federal 
 authority is administered by a president, aided by 
 six cabinet ministers at the head of the several 
 departments of state, such as the minister of for- 
 eign affairs, of the treasury, secretary of war, and 
 so on. Thus it will be seen that the republic of 
 Mexico has adopted our own constitution as her 
 model throughout. 
 
 As long as heavy and almost prohibitory duties 
 exist in Mexico, and are exacted on nearly every- 
 thing except the production of the precious metals, 
 the development of her other resources must be 
 circumscribed. With a rich soil and plenty of 
 cheap labor, she ought to be able to export many 
 staples which would command our markets, espe- 
 cially as regards coffee, cotton, and wool. If the 
 custom-houses on each side of the boundary be- 
 tween this country and Mexico could be abolished, 
 both would reap an immense pecuniary benefit, 
 while the sister republic would realize an impetus 
 in every desirable respect which nothing else could 
 so quickly bring about. Wealth and population
 
 42 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 would rapidly flow into this southern land, whose 
 agriculture would thrive as it has never yet done, 
 and its manufactories would double in number as 
 well as in pecuniary gain. It requires no argu- 
 ment to show that our neighbors could not be thus 
 largely benefited without our own country also 
 reaping an equivalent advantage. 
 
 The very name of Mexico has been for years the 
 synonym of barbarism ; but the traveled and read- 
 ing public have gradually come to realize that it 
 is a country embracing many large and populous 
 cities, where the amenities of modern civilization 
 abound, where elegance and culture are freely 
 manifested, and where great wealth has been ac- 
 cumulated in the pursuit of legitimate business by 
 the leading citizens. The national capital will ere- 
 long contain a population of half a million, while 
 the many new and costly edifices now erecting in 
 the immediate environs are of a spacious and ele- 
 gant character, adapted, of course, to the climate, 
 but yet combining many European and American 
 elements of advanced domestic architecture.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Route to Mexico. Via the Mammoth Cave. Across the 
 Rio Grande. A Large River. Piedras Negras. Charac- 
 teristic Scene. A Barren Prairie Land. Castafio, a Native 
 Village. Adobe Cabins. Indian Irrigation. Sparsely Pop- 
 ulated Country. Interior Haciendas. Immigration. City 
 of Saltillo. Battle of Buena Vista. City of Monterey. 
 The Cacti and Yucca-Palm. Capture by General Taylor. 
 Mexican Central Railroad. Jack-Rabbits. A Dreary Region. 
 The Mesquite Bushes. Lonely Graves. 
 
 ALTHOUGH it is of Mexico exclusively that we 
 propose to treat in these pages, still the reader 
 may naturally feel some interest to know the route 
 by which the Rio Grande was reached, and thus 
 follow our course somewhat consecutively from 
 Boston through the Middle and Southern States 
 to the borders of the sister republic. The road 
 which was chosen took us first westward, through 
 the Hoosac Tunnel, to Niagara Falls, a view of 
 which one cannot too often enjoy ; thence south- 
 ward via Detroit to Cincinnati, Ohio. The next 
 point of special interest was Louisville, Ky. That 
 great national marvel, the Mammoth Cave, was 
 visited, which, next to Niagara, the wonderland of 
 the Yellowstone Park, and the grand scenic beauty 
 of the Yosemite Valley, is the greatest curiosity of 
 this country. The vast interior, with its domes, 
 abysses, grottoes, rivers, and cataracts profitably 
 entertain the visitor for hours. It is said that
 
 44 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 one might travel a hundred miles underground if 
 all of the turnings were followed to their termi- 
 nations. Echo River alone may be traversed for 
 three quarters of a mile by boat in a straight course. 
 Much might be written about the cave, but our 
 objective point is Mexico. 
 
 Resuming our journey, and keeping still south- 
 ward, Nashville, Tenn., Montgomery, Ala., Mobile, 
 and New Orleans were reached respectively, and 
 on schedule time. The Crescent City is the great- 
 est cotton mart in the world, and is situated about 
 a hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico, within 
 a great bend of the Mississippi River, and hence 
 its title of the " Crescent City." It has over a 
 quarter of a million of inhabitants. Its peculiar 
 situation makes it liable to floods each recurring 
 spring. Following what is known as the " Sunset 
 Route " westward, we passed through Texas by way 
 of Houston, Galveston, and San Antonio. 
 
 A few hours were devoted to the latter place, in 
 order to see the famous Alamo, the old fort which, 
 in 1836, the Texans so gallantly defended while 
 fighting for their independence. There were less 
 than one hundred and fifty men in the Alamo when 
 it was besieged by four thousand Mexican troops 
 under Santa Anna. The Mexicans had artillery, 
 the Texans had none. They were summoned to sur- 
 render, but knowing what Mexican " mercy " meant, 
 they refused, and resolved to defend themselves to 
 the very end. The siege lasted for thirteen days, 
 during which Santa Anna's soldiers threw over two 
 hundred shells into the Alamo, injuring no one. 
 In the mean time, the Texan sharpshooters picked
 
 TEXAN INDEPENDENCE. 45 
 
 off a great number of the Mexicans. No shots were 
 thrown away. If a gun was fired from the Alamo, 
 one of the besiegers was sure to fall. Santa Anna 
 made several assaults, but was driven back each 
 time with great loss, until, it is represented, he be- 
 come frenzied by his want of success. At last, on 
 the 6th of May, a final and successful assault was 
 made. When the fort was captured, every Texan 
 fell, fighting to the last. To be exact, there were 
 just one hundred and forty-four men inside the 
 fort at the beginning of the siege, and this hand- 
 ful of men either killed or wounded about one half 
 of the besieging force. It is said that over fifteen 
 hundred Mexicans were killed ! This was about 
 seven weeks before the battle of San Jacinto, on 
 which occasion General Houston captured, with a 
 much inferior force, the entire Mexican army, in- 
 cluding Santa Anna himself, who was running 
 away in the disguise of a common infantry soldier. 
 It was with difficulty that his life was saved from 
 the just fury of the Texan soldiers. This decisive 
 battle ended the war, and made Texas independent 
 of Mexico. It was a large slice to cut off the ter- 
 ritory of Mexico, as it would make, so far as size 
 goes, over thirty States as large as Massachusetts. 
 It contains at this writing about two million in- 
 habitants, and the value of its taxable property is 
 nearly or quite eight hundred millions of dollars. 
 
 Finally we reached Eagle Pass, which is the 
 American town on the north bank of the Rio 
 Grande, Piedras Negras being its Mexican neigh- 
 bor on the other side of the shallow river. Previ- 
 ous to the opening of the Mexican Central Rail-
 
 46 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 road, which was completed March 8, 1884, nine 
 tenths of the travelers who visited the country en- 
 tered it from the south, at the port of Vera Cruz, 
 journeying northward to the city of Mexico by 
 way of Orizaba and Puebla, and returning by the 
 same route ; but the completion and perfection of 
 the railroad system between the north and the 
 south has changed this. Since 1888, when the In- 
 ternational Branch Railroad was opened, the favor- 
 ite plan is to cross the border from the north, say 
 at Eagle Pass ; and on the homeward route, after 
 visiting the central and southern portions of the 
 republic, to recross the dividing river at Paso del 
 Norte. This was the route followed by the author, 
 the Rio Grande being crossed at the international 
 bridge, and Mexican territory entered at the town 
 of Piedras Negras in the State of Coahuila, a 
 thriving place of some four thousand inhabitants. 
 
 One pauses thoughtfully for a moment to con- 
 trast the present means of crossing the dividing 
 river with the primitive rope ferry which answered 
 the purpose here not long since. A little flutter 
 of anticipation also moves us when it is realize^ 
 that the territory of another country is reached, 
 that we are actually on a foreign soil, where a 
 strange tongue is spoken, where a new emblem 
 floats from the flagstaffs, and where another race 
 possesses the land. The Rio Grande, which we 
 cross at this point, is not a navigable stream ; in 
 fact, river navigation is practically unknown in 
 Mexico, though some of the watercourses are of 
 considerable size. The Rio Grande has a total 
 length of fifteen hundred miles, rising in Colorado
 
 OVER THE BORDER. 47 
 
 and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. In the 
 rainy season, and when the snow melts in the 
 mountains, the Rio Grande is flooded to its full 
 capacity, often overflowing its banks iii marshy 
 regions. The first bridge built by the railway com- 
 pany at this point was of wood, which was swept 
 away like chaff by the next flood of the river. The 
 present substantial iron structure bids fair to last 
 for many years. The river, such as it is, belongs 
 to the two nations, the boundary agreed upon being 
 the middle of the stream. 
 
 As we drew up at the railroad station, a lazy, 
 listless, bareheaded, dark-skinned crowd of men, 
 women, and children welcomed us with staring 
 eyes to Mexican soil. The first idea which strikes 
 one is that soap and fine-tooth combs are not yet 
 in use on the south side of the Rio Grande. 
 
 Piedras Negras boasts a spacious stone hotel, 
 two stories in height, which is quite American in 
 appearance. The town is spread over so broad 
 an area as to have the effect of being sparsely 
 peopled, but it is thrifty in aspect and growing 
 rapidly. From the manner in which scores of men 
 wrapped in scarlet blankets and mounted on little 
 wiry Mexican horses dashed hither and thither, 
 one would think some startling event was to tran- 
 spire ; but this was not the case all was peaceful 
 and quiet in Piedras Negras. 
 
 The section of country through which the route 
 first takes us is perhaps one of the least interest- 
 ing and most unproductive in the republic, with 
 an occasional mud hut here and there, and a few 
 half-naked peons. What a dreary region it is!
 
 48 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 What emptiness! How bare the serrated moun- 
 tains, how inhospitable the scenery, how brown, 
 baked, and dusty! At the International Bridge 
 we are about seven hundred feet above the sea. 
 Here we take the International Railway, and from 
 this point to Jaral, a distance of two hundred and 
 fifty miles almost due south, the cars are constantly 
 climbing an up-grade until the great Mexican pla- 
 teau is finally reached. It should be remembered, 
 however, that this vast table-land, covering nearly 
 three quarters of the republic, is by no means 
 level, but is interspersed with hills, valleys, gulches, 
 canyons, and mountains of the loftiest character, 
 in many places duplicating our Rocky Mountain 
 scenery both in height and grandeur. 
 
 A stop of a few hours was made at the quaint 
 little adobe-built town cabins formed of sun-dried 
 bricks known by the name of Castauo, situated 
 on the trunk line of the Mexican Centi'al road, 
 near the city of Monclova, which is a considerable 
 mining centre. This small native village is the 
 first typical object of the sort which greets the 
 traveler who enters the country from the north. 
 It lies in a nearly level valley between the two 
 spurs of the Sierra Madre, where beautiful green 
 fields delight the eye, where fruit trees are in gor- 
 geous bloom, and where wild flowers add a charm 
 in the very midst of cheerless, arid surroundings. 
 This inviting and thrifty aspect is produced en- 
 tirely by the hoe in the hands of the simple, in- 
 dustrious natives, with no other aid than that 
 of water. The peons are most efficient though 
 unconscious engineers, diverting a supply of water
 
 NATIVE CABINS. 49 
 
 from the distant mountain streams with marvelous 
 ingenuity and success. No practical operator, with 
 every modern appliance and the most delicate in- 
 struments, could strike more correct levels than do 
 these natives with the eye and the hoe alone. 
 Upon entering one of the adobe cabins at the ever- 
 open door, there are no windows, we found 
 the flat roof to be slightly slanted to throw off 
 the rain, having four or five wooden beams upon 
 which a few boards and rough sticks were nailed. 
 On the top of these a foot or more of earth is de- 
 posited. This primitive covering Nature enamels 
 with moss and dainty wild flowers. But this rep- 
 resents the better class of cabin, the majority hav- 
 ing only a thatched covering supported by small 
 branches of trees trimmed for the purpose, over 
 which are placed dried banana and maguey leaves. 
 Some of the floors had stone tiles, but most of 
 them consisted of the uncovered earth. These 
 last must be wretchedly unwholesome in the brief 
 rainy season. Swarthy, unclad children were as 
 numerous and active as young chickens. In -more 
 than one of the cabins, dark-hued native women, 
 wearing only a cotton cloth wound around the 
 lower part of their bodies from the middle, and 
 a short cotton waist over the shoulders without 
 sleeves, knelt upon the ground kneading tortillas 
 between a flat, inclined stone and a long, narrow 
 one, just as their ancestors had done for centuries. 
 Indeed, all through Mexico one is surprised to 
 see how little change has probably taken place 
 in the features of the people, their manner of 
 living, their dress and customs, since the days of
 
 50 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the Montezumas. The traveler is struck with the 
 strong resemblance of Castano to an Egyptian vil- 
 lage. One sees its counterpart almost anywhere 
 between Cairo and the first cataract on the Nile. 
 Clouds of black, long-tailed jackdaws flew over 
 our heads and settled abruptly here and there. 
 Goats and donkeys dispute the dusty roadway with 
 the curious stranger, while women, with babies 
 hanging upon their backs, half concealed their 
 dark-brown faces in red or light blue rebosas, and 
 peered at us with eyes of wonderful blackness and 
 fire. The rebosa, the universal garment of the 
 common class of women in Mexico, is utilized as a 
 carry-all for baby or bundles. It is worn over the 
 head and shoulders in the daytime, when not 
 otherwise in use, and at night is the one blanket or 
 covering while the owner is asleep. The donkey, 
 or burro, as it is called, is to be seen eveiywhere in 
 this country. Poor, overburdened, beaten, patient 
 animal ! How so small a creature can possibly 
 carry such heavy loads is a constant puzzle. AVhen 
 its full strength would seem to be taxed, the lazy 
 owner often adds his own weight by bestriding the 
 animal, sitting far back upon its hips. Before the 
 coming of the Spaniards there were no beasts of 
 burden in Mexico ; everything that required trans- 
 portation was moved by human muscles. It was 
 not until the eighteenth century that the jackass 
 was introduced ; cattle, sheep, horses, and hogs 
 long preceded them. 
 
 liain falls at Castano only for three weeks, or so, 
 during the year, about the early part of May ; the 
 dust is consequently very deep and fills the air at
 
 BIRDS, FLOWERS, AND MUSIC. 51 
 
 the slightest atmospheric movement. The general 
 view is broken now and again by the Spanish bay- 
 onet tree, ten or twelve feet in height, and by 
 broad clusters of grotesque cactus plants, which 
 thrive so wonderfully in spite of drought, hanging 
 like vines along the base of the adobe cabins and 
 creeping up their low sides, the leaves edged here 
 and there by a dainty ruffle of scentless yellow 
 flowers. Beside a very lowly mud cabin was a tall 
 oleander, branches and leaves hidden in gorgeous 
 bloom, imparting a cheerful, joyous aspect even 
 amid all this squalor and poverty. Close at hand 
 upon the adobe wall hung a willow cage imprison- 
 ing a tropical bird of gaudy plumage ; but the 
 feathered beauty did not seem to have any spare 
 notes with which to greet us. From another cabin 
 came the pleasant sound of a guitar, accompanied 
 by a human voice. So this people love birds, flow- 
 ers, and music. The half-effaced image of God 
 must be still upon their hearts ! The little town 
 has four or five broad, unpaved streets, and is as 
 primitive as nature herself in all its domestic sur- 
 roundings. 
 
 Except on the immediate line of the railways, 
 one may travel thirty or forty miles in almost any 
 part of Mexico without seeing a dwelling-house. 
 The people live mostly in towns and cities, and 
 are very little dispersed over the country, that is, 
 compared with our own land. Occasional hacien- 
 das or large farm-houses, built of adobe and stone, 
 are seen ; but isolated dwellings are not common. 
 On these estates there is usually less farming or 
 raising of cereals carried 011 than there is of stock
 
 52 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 raising, which seems to pay better. Large droves 
 of cattle are seen grazing, sheep, burros, and 
 mules roam at large, and all seem to be getting 
 food from most unpromising land, such as pro- 
 duces in its normal condition cactus only. It is 
 the true climate and soil for this species of vege- 
 tation, of which there are hundreds of varieties, 
 flat, ribbed, and cylindrical. No matter how dry 
 and arid the region, the cacti thrive, and are them- 
 selves full of moisture. Even these haciendas, 
 rectangular structures forming the headquarters 
 of large landed estates, are semi-fortifications, capa- 
 ble of a stout defense against roving banditti, who 
 have long been the dread and curse of the coun- 
 try and are not yet obliterated. These structures 
 are sometimes surrounded by a moat, the angles 
 being protected by turrets pierced for musketry. 
 As in continental Spain, the population live mostly 
 in villages for mutual protection, being compelled 
 to walk long distances to work in the fields at seed 
 time and harvest. The owners of the large haci- 
 endas, we were told, seldom live upon them. Like 
 the landlords of Ireland, they are a body of ab- 
 sentees, mostly wealthy men who make their homes 
 with their families in the city of Mexico, some 
 even living in Europe, entrusting the management 
 of their large estates to well-paid superintendents. 
 There are not a few Americans thus employed by 
 Mexican owners, who are prompt to recognize 
 good executive ability in such a position, and value 
 their estates only for the amount of income they 
 can realize from them. A hacienda ten or fifteen 
 miles square is not considered extraordinary as to
 
 IMMIGRANTS. 53 
 
 size, and there are many twice as large. The pro- 
 prietorship of these haciendas dates back to the 
 old Spanish times when Mexico was under the vice- 
 roys. Little can be hoped for as to improvement 
 in the condition of the poor peons of the country, 
 until these immense estates are broken up and 
 divided into small available farms, which may be 
 owned and operated by them for their sole benefit. 
 No lesson is more clearly or forcibly taught us by 
 the light of experience than that the ownership 
 of the soil by its cultivator is the only way to in- 
 sure successful and profitable agriculture. There 
 is nothing to induce emigration to Mexico now. 
 Foreigners prefer to seek a country where they can 
 purchase the land cheaply, and, when they have 
 improved it, be certain that their title is good and 
 secure. At present there is virtually no immigra- 
 tion at all into the republic, though the climate in 
 many places is perhaps the most desirable known 
 to man. The Mexican government not long since 
 made an effort to encourage immigration, offering 
 a bonus of fifty dollars a head for bo?ia fide immi- 
 grants, and even partial support until occupation 
 was secured. Many Italians availed themselves 
 of this offer ; but it was found that the criminal 
 class was too largely represented in the ranks of 
 these immigrants, and other abuses became so 
 manifest that the government abandoned the pur- 
 pose. 
 
 In passing through the country, one wearies of 
 the long reaches of brown, arid soil which would 
 seem to be be) T ond the redeeming power even 
 of irrigation. Occasionally the scene is varied
 
 54 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 by a few yucca palms dotting the prairies at long 
 intervals. Now and again a small herd of an- 
 telope dashed away from our neighborhood, and 
 an occasional flock of wild turkeys were flushed 
 from the low-growing bushes. These were exciting 
 moments for one member of our party, who is a 
 keen sportsman. At long distances from each other 
 small groups of the pear-cactus, full of deep yellow 
 bloom, lighted up the barren waste. Here and 
 there a simple wooden cross indicated a grave, the 
 burial place of some lone traveler who had been 
 murdered and robbed by banditti, and over whose 
 body a Christian hand had reared this unpreten- 
 tious emblem. As we got further and further 
 southward, the graceful pepper tree, with myriads 
 of red fruit, began to appear, and afterwards be- 
 came a prominent feature of the scenery. 
 
 Saltillo, which lies some seventy miles to the 
 eastward of Jaral, is now the capital of the State 
 of Cohahuila. Before the separation of Texas 
 from Mexico it was the capital of that State. It 
 is situated five thousand feet above the sea level, 
 on the northeastern edge of the- table-land already 
 spoken of, and has a population of about eighteen 
 thousand. The table-land, as it is termed, declines 
 more or less abruptly on the east towards the Gulf 
 of Mexico, and on the west towards the Pacific 
 Ocean. Saltillo is a manufacturing town, built 
 almost wholly of sun-dried bricks, and is noted for 
 the production of rebosas and scrapes. The peo- 
 ple living south of this region and on the lower 
 lands make of Saltillo a summer resort. It is 
 humorously said that people never die here ; they
 
 BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 55 
 
 grow old, dry up, and disappear. The place is 
 certainly very healthy. It is over three hundred 
 years old, and looks as though it had existed in 
 prehistoric times. It has, like all Mexican cities, 
 its alameda, its bull ring, and its plaza, the latter 
 particularly well-cared for, beautiful in flowers and 
 charming shade trees, together with well-trimmed 
 shrubbery. The Calle Real is the principal thor- 
 oughfare, over which the traveler will find his way 
 to the famous battlefield of Buena Vista (pro- 
 nounced Wana Veesta), about eight miles from 
 the city proper. This was one of the fiercest bat- 
 tles ever fought on Mexican soil. General Taylor 
 had only forty-five hundred men of all arms, while 
 Santa Anna's army numbered twenty-two thou- 
 sand ! The Americans had the most advanta- 
 geous position, but were at times overwhelmed 
 by numbers. Notwithstanding this, at the end of 
 the second day, February 23, 1847, the American 
 flag waved in triumph over the field, and the 
 Mexicans were utterly routed. It was of this 
 hard-fought battle that Santa Anna said : " We 
 whipped the Americans half a dozen times, and 
 once completely surrounded them ; but they would 
 not stay whipped." The battle of Buena Vista 
 was fought at a great altitude, nearly as high 
 above the level of the sea as the summit of Mount 
 Washington in New England. 
 
 The baths of San Lorenzo, a league from the 
 city, are worth visiting, being cleanly and enjoy- 
 able. 
 
 About seventy-five miles to the eastward of Sal- 
 tillo, and eight hundred miles, more or less, from
 
 56 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the national capital, on the line of the Mexican 
 International Railroad, which crosses the Rio 
 Grande at Laredo, is the city of Monterey, 
 " King Mountain," capital of the State of Nu- 
 evo Leon. It is eighteen hundred feet above the 
 sea and contains nearly twenty thousand inhabi- 
 tants. It was founded three hundred years ago, 
 and its history is especially blended with that of 
 the Roman Catholic Church during the interven- 
 ing period. Here one finds quite a large Ameri- 
 can colony ; but still the place is essentially Mexi- 
 can in its manners and customs. The city stands 
 upon very uneven ground, in the middle of an ex- 
 tensive plain, with grand mountains rising to view 
 in the distance on all sides. The Rio de Santa 
 Catarina flows through the town. In coming 
 hither from Saltillo we descend thirty-five hun- 
 dred feet, or about an average of fifty feet to the 
 mile. It is considered to be a healthy locality, 
 and invalids from the Northern States of this 
 country have often resorted to Monterey in win- 
 ter ; but the public accommodations are so poor 
 that one should hesitate about sending an invalid 
 there who must necessarily leave most of the ordi- 
 nary domestic comforts behind. Mexican hotels 
 may answer for people in vigorous health who have 
 robust stomachs, but not for one in delicate health. 
 In no other part of the country is there a greater 
 variety of the cactus family to be seen, illustrating 
 its prominent peculiarity, namely, that it seems to 
 grow best in the poorest soil. Several of the varie- 
 ties have within their flowers a mass of edible sub- 
 stance, which the natives gather and bring to mar-
 
 CITY OF MONTEREY. 57 
 
 ket daily. The flowers of the cactus are of various 
 colors, white and yellow being the prevailing hues. 
 There is a very highly prized and remarkable 
 water supply afforded the citizens by an inex- 
 haustible spring, situated in the heart of the 
 town, known as the Ojo de Agua. The cathedral 
 is interesting, though it is not nearly so old as the 
 Church of San Francisco. It was converted into 
 a powder magazine during the war with this coun- 
 try. When General Taylor attacked the city, its 
 remarkably thick walls alone saved it from being 
 blown up, as it was repeatedly struck by shot and 
 shell. Monterey is a finer and better built city 
 than Saltillo. No stranger should fail to visit the 
 curious Campo Santo, a burial place lying to the 
 northwest of the city, and reached by the way of 
 the alameda, which latter thoroughfare is hardly 
 worthy of the name. The few notable buildings 
 in the city are the municipal palace, the state gov- 
 ernment edifice, and the episcopal palace near the 
 cathedral. All are situated about the Plaza Mayor, 
 or Plaza de Zaragoza as it is called by the people 
 here. A graceful fountain with spouting dolphins 
 occupies the centre, supplemented by two lesser 
 fountains, all very appropriate and artistic. Of 
 the two confiscated convents, one is occupied for 
 a jail, the other as a hospital. It will be remem- 
 bered that General Taylor, with less than seven 
 thousand men, took the city by storm in 1846, after 
 three days of hard fighting, it being gallantly de- 
 fended by ten thousand Mexicans under command 
 of General Ampudia. General Worth, who on 
 two occasions led desperate storming parties, was
 
 58 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 pronounced the hero of the occasion. General 
 Grant, then only a lieutenant of infantry, distin- 
 guished himself in the taking of what was known 
 as the Bishop's Palace, but which was in fact a 
 citadel. The Americans carried the citadel by 
 assault, and, planting their guns in position upon 
 its wall, commanded the city, which was forced to 
 surrender. The fighting lasted four days. The 
 Americans lost in killed one hundred and twenty- 
 six, and had three hundred and sixty-three 
 wounded. The Mexicans lost five hundred killed, 
 but the number of wounded was not made public. 
 In recognition of the gallant defense made by the 
 Mexicans, Taylor allowed them to retain their 
 arms and equipments, and when they evacuated 
 the city to salute their own colors. 
 
 Resuming our course westward by the way of 
 Jaral, and having arrived at Torreon Junction, a 
 distance of about three hundred and eighty miles 
 from the International Bridge, connection is made 
 with the grand trunk line of the Mexican Central 
 Railroad, which will take us direct to the national 
 capital. This important road extends from Juarez 
 (formerly Paso del Norte), on the Rio Grande, 
 to the city of Mexico, a distance of over twelve 
 hundred miles. It is a standard-gttage road, well 
 built and well equipped, the growth, in fact, of 
 American enterprise, and really nothing more or 
 less than an extension of the Santa Fe Railroad 
 system. Track-laying began upon this road from 
 both ends of the line in September, 1880, that is, 
 from the city of Mexico and from the Rio Grande 
 at Juarez, and upon the completion of the bridge
 
 CACTI. 59 
 
 at La Encarnation, the north and south tracks 
 met, March 8, 1884. The line was formally opened 
 on April 10 following. 
 
 From this point southward, towards the moun- 
 tain city of Zacatecas, we pass through a most un- 
 inviting country, where the mesquite bush and the 
 cactus mostly prevail, a region so bereft of mois- 
 ture as to seem like the desert of Sahara. Here 
 again the cactus is seen in great abundance. As 
 we have intimated, there are several hundred vari- 
 eties known to botanists, most of which can be 
 identified on Mexican soil, this being their native 
 climate. No matter how dry the season, they are 
 always juicy. It is said that when cattle can get 
 no water to drink, they will break down the cacti 
 with their horns and chew the thick leaves and 
 stalks to quench their thirst. The variety of shapes 
 assumed by this peciiliar growth almost exceeds 
 belief ; some seen in Mexico assumed the form of 
 trees from forty to fifty feet in height, while others, 
 vinelike, run along the ground bearing leaves as 
 round as cannon balls. Another variety, closely 
 hugging the earth, twists about like a vegetable 
 serpent. The great marvel relating to this plant 
 has been, how it could keep alive and remain full 
 of sap and moisture when other neighboring vege- 
 tation was killed by drought. But this is easily 
 explained. It is protected by a thick epidermis 
 which prevents evaporation, so that the store of 
 moisture which it absorbs during the wet season is 
 retained within its circulation. One sort of the cac- 
 tus known as the cereus grandiflorus blooms only 
 in the night ; the frail flower it bears dies at the
 
 60 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 coming of morning. The cochineal insect of Mex- 
 ico and Central America is solely nurtured by the 
 native growth of cacti. The yucca palm, fifteen to 
 twenty feet in height, with its large milk-white 
 cluster of blossoms, resembling huge crocuses, dot- 
 ted the expanse here and there. Occasional flocks 
 of sheep were seen striving to gain a sufficiency 
 of food from the unwilling soil, while tended by 
 a shepherd clothed in brilliant colored rags, ac- 
 companied by a dog. Now and then scores of jack- 
 rabbits put in an appearance among the low-growing 
 mesquite bushes and the thick-leaved cactus. These 
 little animals are called jack-rabbits because their 
 tall, straight ears resemble those of the burros or 
 jackasses. The mesquite bushes, so often seen 011 
 the Mexican plains, belong to the acacia family. 
 They yield a sweet edible pulp, used to some ex- 
 tent as food by the poorer classes of natives and by 
 the jack-rabbits. The burros eat the small, tender 
 twigs. Indeed, they will apparently eat anything 
 but stones. We have seen them munching plain 
 straw with infinite relish, in which it seemed impos- 
 sible there could be any nutrition whatever. This 
 is a far-reaching, dreary region, almost uninhabi- 
 table for human beings, and where water is unat- 
 tainable three-quarters of the year. The broad 
 prairie extends on either side of the railroad as 
 far as the eye can reach, ending at the foot-hills 
 of the Sierra Madre " Mother Mountains." 
 Here and there, as already instanced, the burial 
 place of some murdered individual is indicated 
 by a cross, before which the pious peon breathes 
 a prayer and adds a stone to the pile, so that
 
 JACK RABBITS. 61 
 
 finally quite a mound is raised to mark the mur- 
 dered man's grave. Towards the twilight hour, 
 while we rejoice that our lot has not been cast in 
 such a dreary place, more than one hawk is seen 
 to swoop from its lofty course and fly away with 
 a young rabbit which it will eventually drop and 
 thus kill before it begins to devour the carcase. 
 Thus animals, like human beings, constantly prey 
 upon each other. So prolific are these rabbits that 
 they will soon prove to be as great a nuisance as 
 they are in New Zealand, unless some active means 
 are taken to prevent their increase. The wonder 
 is that the half-starved natives do not make a 
 business of trapping and eating them ; but the 
 poor, ignorant peons seem to be actually devoid 
 of all ingenuity or enterprise outside of their 
 beaten track.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Zacatecas. Sand-Spouts. Fertile Lands. A Silver Mining 
 Region. Alpine Scenery. Table-Land of Mexico. An 
 Aged Miner. Zacatecas Cathedral. Church and People. 
 A Mountain Climb. Ownership of the Mines. Want of 
 Drainage. A Battlefield. Civil War. Local Market. 
 Peculiar Scenes. Native Beauties. City Tramway Expe- 
 rience. Town of Guadalupe. Organized Beggars. A 
 Noble and Successful Institution. Market of Guadalupe. 
 Attractive Seuoritas. Private Gardens. 
 
 THE first place of special interest on the line of 
 the Mexican Central Railroad after leaving Tor- 
 reon is Zacatecas, the largest town between the Rio 
 Grande and the city of Mexico, being nearly eight 
 hundred miles south of the river and four hundred 
 and forty north of the capital. Its name is derived 
 from the Indian tribe who inhabited this region 
 long befoi-e the coming of the Spaniards. Between 
 Torreon and this city, for a distance of some three 
 hundred miles, as we have described, the country 
 is lonely, prairie-like, and almost uninhabited, form- 
 ing a broad plain over a hundred miles wide, with 
 ranges of the Sierra Mad re on either side. On 
 these dry and sterile plains sand-spouts are fre- 
 quently seen ; indeed, half a dozen were counted 
 at the same time from the car windows. These are 
 created just as water-spouts are formed on the 
 ocean, and to encounter one is almost equally seri- 
 ous. One must visit either Egypt or Mexico to
 
 PUBLIC TEANSPOETATION. 63 
 
 witness this singular phenomenon. As Zacatecas 
 is approached, large flocks of sheep and herds of 
 mules and horses are grouped in the fields, over- 
 looked by picturesquely draped horsemen. The 
 cultivation of the land and its apparent fertility 
 improve, and many one-handled ploughs, consist- 
 ins: of a crooked stick, sometimes shod with iron, 
 
 O 7 7 
 
 are being used. The marvel is that anything satis- 
 factory can be accomplished with such an awkward 
 instrument, and yet these fields in some instances 
 show grand results. 
 
 "We expressed surprise to an intelligent citizen 
 at seeing long lines of burros laden with freight 
 beside the railroad, and going in the same direc- 
 tion, remarking to him that the railway ought to 
 be able to compete with the jackasses. " You 
 must take into consideration," said our inform- 
 ant, " that a man who owns a score of these cheap 
 animals can himself drive them all to market or 
 any given point. His time he counts as nothing ; 
 his burros feed beside the way, and their suste- 
 nance costs him nothing. Wages average through- 
 out the country something less than thirty cents 
 per clay, and the cost of living among the peons is 
 proportionately low. A railway is an expensive 
 system to support, and must charge accordingly ; 
 consequently the burros, as a means of transpor- 
 tation for a certain class of goods, are quite able 
 to compete with the locomotive and the rail." Of 
 course, as other avenues for remunerative employ- 
 ment are opened to the common people, this anti- 
 quated style of transportation will gradually go out 
 of use, and the locomotive will take the goods
 
 64 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 which are now carried by these patient and eco- 
 nomical animals. 
 
 Zacatecas is the capital of the state of the same 
 name, and has a population of nearly fifty thou- 
 sand. This is one of the oldest and most produc- 
 tive silver mining regions in Mexico. The town 
 seems actually to be built on a huge vein of silver, 
 which has been penetrated in scores of places. 
 Eight or ten miles below the city the cars begin 
 to climb laboriously a grade of one hundred and 
 seventy-five feet to the mile, presenting some of 
 the most abrupt curves we have ever seen in a 
 railway track. Here we are in the midst of Rocky 
 Mountain scenery. One can easily imagine him- 
 self on the Northern or Canadian Pacific road, 
 among their giant peaks, hazardous roadbeds, and 
 narrow defiles. The huge engine pants and trem- 
 bles like an animal, in its struggle to drag the 
 long train up the incline and around the sharp 
 bends, until finally the summit is reached. To 
 mount this remarkable grade a double engine has 
 been specially built, having two sets of driving 
 wheels ; but it is often necessary to stop for a few 
 moments to generate sufficient steam to overcome 
 the resistance of the steep grade. 
 
 Here we are on the great table-land of the coun- 
 try, about eight thousand feet above the level of 
 the sea, in a narrow valley surrounded by groups of 
 hills all teeming with the precious ore. These rich 
 mines of Zacatecas have been worked with little 
 intermission for over three hundred years, and are 
 considered to be inexhaustible. " There is a native 
 laborer," said an intelligent superintendent to us,
 
 PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 65 
 
 " who is over seventy years old," pointing out a 
 hale and hearty Indian. " He entered the mines at 
 about ten years of age, so he has seen sixty years 
 of mining life, and he may be good for ten years 
 more." These men constantly climb the steep 
 ladders, bearing heavy loads of ore upon their 
 backs, for which hard labor they are paid about 
 thirty-five or forty cents a day. The most pro- 
 ductive districts, as relates to mineral products, 
 especially of silver, lie in the northern part of the 
 republic, but metalliferous deposits are found in 
 every state of the confederation. 
 
 There are a number of important edifices in 
 the city, among which is the municipal palace, 
 the cathedral, and the mint. The courtyard of the 
 first-named forms a lovely picture, with its gar- 
 den of fragrant flowers, tropical trees, and deli- 
 cate columns supporting a veranda half hidden 
 with creeping vines. Both the interior and ex- 
 terior of the cathedral are extremely interesting 
 and worthy of careful study, though one cannot 
 but remember how much of the wages of the poor 
 populace has been cunningly diverted from their 
 family support to supply this useless ornamenta- 
 tion. For this object indulgences are sold to the 
 rich, and the poor peons are made to believe their 
 future salvation depends upon their liberal con- 
 tributions to support empty forms and extrava- 
 gance. In his " Through the Heart of Mexico," 
 lately published, Rev. J. N. McCarty, D. D., says : 
 "If ever any people on earth were stripped of 
 their clothing and starved to array the priesthood 
 in rich and gaudy apparel, and to furnish them
 
 66 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the fat of the land, these poor Mexicans are the 
 people. Where the churches are the richest and 
 most numerous, as a rule the people are the poor- 
 est. Their earnings have gone to the church, 
 leaving them only rags, huts, and the cheapest and 
 coarsest of food." 
 
 An ancient stone aqueduct supplies the town 
 with excellent water, but it is distributed to con- 
 sumers by men who make a regular business of 
 this service, and who form picturesque objects 
 with their large earthen jars strapped across their 
 foreheads, one behind and one in front to balance 
 each other. We are struck with the aspect of 
 barrenness caused by the absence of vegetation. 
 The nature of the soil is such as not to afford sus- 
 tenance to trees, or even sufficient for the hardy 
 cactus. The grounds are honeycombed in all 
 directions with mines ; silver is king. 
 
 Mines in Mexico are individual property, and do 
 not, as we have seen stated, belong to the govern- 
 ment, unless they are abandoned, when they revert 
 to the state, and are very promptly sold for the 
 benefit of the public treasury. In order to keep 
 good the title, a mine must be absolutely worked 
 during four months of the year. If this rule is in 
 any way evaded, the government confiscates the 
 property and at once offers it for sale, so that those 
 on the lookout for such chances often obtain a good 
 title at a merely nominal price. But there are 
 mines and mines in this country, as in our western 
 districts ; some will pay to work and some will not. 
 As a rule it depends as much upon the manage- 
 ment of such a property as upon the richness of
 
 INDIAN EN DUE AN CE. 67 
 
 the native ore, whether it yields a profitable return 
 for the money invested in the enterprise. 
 
 In climbing to the level of the city from the 
 plain below, the railroad sometimes doubles upon 
 itself horseshoe fashion, like a huge serpent gather- 
 ing its body in coils for a forward spring, winding 
 about the hills and among the mines, affording 
 here and there glimpses of grand and attractive 
 scenery embracing the fertile plains of Fresnillo, 
 and in the blue distance the main range of the 
 Sierra Mad re. The color of these distant moun- 
 tain ranges changes constantly, varying with the 
 morning, noon, and twilight hues, producing effects 
 which one does not weary of quietly watching by 
 the hour together. 
 
 Vegetables, charcoal, fruit, and market produce 
 generally are brought into the town from various 
 distances on the backs of the natives. These In- 
 dians will tire the best horse in the distance they 
 can cover in the same length of time, while carry- 
 ing a hundred pounds and more upon their backs. 
 Mules and donkeys are also much in use, but the 
 lower classes of both sexes universally carry heavy 
 burdens upon their backs from early youth. Some 
 of the Indian women are seen bearing loads of 
 pottery or jars of water upon their shoulders with 
 seeming ease, under which an ordinary Irish laborer 
 would stagger. Comparatively few wheeled ve- 
 hicles are in use, and these are of the rudest char- 
 acter, the wheel being composed of three pieces 
 of timber, so secured together as to form a cir- 
 cle, but having no spokes or tire, very like the 
 ancient African and Egyptian models. To such a
 
 G8 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 vehicle a couple of oxen are attached by a wooden 
 bar reaching across their frontlets and lashed to 
 the roots of the horns by leather thongs. The 
 skins of animals, such as goats, sheep, and swine, 
 are universally employed for transpoi'ting and stor- 
 ing liquids, precisely as in Egypt thousands of 
 years ago. The daily supply of pulque is brought 
 to market on the natives' backs in pig-skins, the 
 four legs protruding from the body in a ludicrous 
 manner when the skin is full of liquid. Every- 
 thing in and about the city is quaint, though the 
 telephone, electric lights, and street tramways all 
 speak of modern civilization. The insufficient 
 water supply is the cause of much inconvenience, 
 not to say suffering, and partly accounts for the 
 untidy condition of the place and the prevalence 
 of offensive smells. The latter are so disgusting 
 as to be almost unbearable by a stranger. No 
 wonder that typhoid fever and kindred diseases 
 prevail, and that the death rate exceeds, as we were 
 told is the case, that of any other district in the 
 republic. 
 
 There is an article of pottery manufactured in 
 this vicinity, of a deep red color, hard-baked and 
 glazed inside and out, having rude but effective or- 
 namentation. Almost every large town in Mexico 
 has one or more pottery manufactories, each dis- 
 trict producing ware which is so individualized in 
 the shape and finish as to distinctly mark its 
 origin, so that experts can tell exactly whence each 
 specimen has been brought. The manufacture of 
 pottery is most frequently carried on by individ- 
 uals, each Indian with his primitive tools turning
 
 CIVIL WAR. 69 
 
 out work from his mud cabin sometimes fit to 
 grace the choicest and most refined homes. The 
 accuracy of eye and hand gained by long practice 
 produces marvelous results. 
 
 Overlooking the city, on a mountain ridge known 
 as the Biifa, is a quaint and curious church, Los 
 Remedies. From this point one obtains a very 
 comprehensive view of the entire valley and the 
 surrounding rugged hills. One of the most bloody 
 battles of the civil wars was fought on the Biifa in 
 1871, between a revolutionary force under General 
 Trevino and the Juarez army, which resulted in 
 the defeat of the revolutionists. "Both sides 
 fought with unprecedented frenzy," said a resident 
 to us. " From those steep rocks," he continued, 
 pointing to the abrupt declivities, " absolutely ran 
 streams of blood, while dead bodies rolled down 
 into the gulch below by hundreds." We ventured 
 to ask what this quarrel between fellow country- 
 men was about that caused such a loss of life 
 and induced such a display of enthusiastic devo- 
 tion. " That is a question," he replied, " which the 
 rank and file of either army could not have an- 
 swered, though of course the leaders had their 
 personal schemes to subserve, schemes of self- 
 aggrandizement." It was Lamartiue who said sig- 
 nificantly, " Civil wars leave nothing but tombs." 
 
 It is the custom for a stranger to descend one or 
 more of the silver mines ; indeed, it may be said to 
 be the one thing to do at Zacatecas, but for which 
 only the most awkward means imaginable are sup- 
 plied, such as ladders formed of a single long, 
 notched pole, quite possible for an acrobat or per-
 
 70 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 former on the trapeze. It is up and down these 
 hazardous poles that the Indian miners, in night 
 and day gangs, climb, while carrying heavy canvas 
 bags of ore weighing nearly or quite two hundred 
 pounds each. The writer is free to acknowledge 
 that he did not improve the opportunity to explore 
 the bowels of the earth at Zacatecas, having per- 
 formed his full share of this sort of thing in other 
 parts of the world. 
 
 Zacatecas has its plaza ; all Spanish and Mexican 
 towns have one. Probably, in laying out a town, 
 the originators first select this important centre, 
 and then all other avenues, streets, and edifices 
 are made to conform to this location. In the mid- 
 dle of this plaza is a large stone fountain, about 
 which groups of native women are constantly busy 
 dipping water and filling their earthen jars, while 
 hard by other women, squatting on their haunches, 
 offer oranges, pine-apples, figs, and bananas for 
 sale. How these Mexican markets swarm with 
 people and glow with color, backed by moss-grown 
 walls and ruined archways ! Long burro trains 
 block the roadway, and others are seen winding 
 down the zigzag paths of the overhanging declivi- 
 ties. Close at hand within these low adobe hovels, 
 pulque is being retailed at a penny a tumbler. It 
 is the lager-beer of the country. Poverty, great 
 poverty, stares us in the face. No people could be 
 more miserably housed, living and sleeping as they 
 do upon the bare ground, and owning only the 
 few pitiful rags that hang about their bodies. At 
 the doors of these mud cabins women are seen 
 making tortillas with their rude stone implements.
 
 INDIAN WOMEN. 71 
 
 These little flat cakes are bread and meat to them. 
 Now and again one observes forms and faces 
 among the young native women that an artist 
 would travel far to study ; but although some few 
 are thus extremely handsome, the majority are 
 very homely, ill-formed, and negligent of person. 
 The best looking among the peons lose their 
 comeliness after a few years, owing to hard labor, 
 childbirth, and deprivations. Few women retain 
 their good looks after twenty-five years or until 
 they are thirty. Another fact was remarked, that 
 these Indian men and women never laugh. The 
 writer was not able to detect even a smile upon the 
 faces of the lower grade of natives ; a ceaseless 
 melancholy seems to surround them at all times, 
 by no means in accordance with the gay colors 
 which they so much affect. In contrast to the 
 hovels of the populace, one sees occasionally a 
 small garden inclosed with a high adobe wall, be- 
 longing to some rich mine owner, in which the 
 tall pomegranate, full of scarlet bloom, or a stately 
 pepper tree, dominates a score of others of semi- 
 tropical growth. 
 
 One practice was observed at Zacatecas which 
 recalled far-away Hong Kong, China. This was 
 the prosecution of various trades in the open air. 
 Thus the shoemaker was at work outside of his 
 dwelling ; the tailor, the barber, and the tinker 
 adopted the same practice, quite possible even in 
 the month of March in a land of such intense 
 brightness and sunshine. We wandered hither 
 and thither, charmed by the novelty and strange- 
 ness of everything ; not an object to remind one
 
 72 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 of home, but only of the far East. The swarthy 
 natives with sandaled feet, the high colors worn by 
 the common people, the burnous - like scrape, the 
 sober unemotional manners of the peons, the nut- 
 brown women with brilliant eyes and half-covered 
 faces, the attractive fruits, the sharp cries of the 
 venders, the Egyptian-shaped pottery, surely this 
 might be Damascus or Cairo. 
 
 An excursion by tramway was made to the 
 neighboring town of Guadalupe, six or eight miles 
 away, nearly the entire distance being a sharp 
 down grade, over which the cars pass at top speed 
 by their own gravitation ; no animals are attached. 
 So steep is the descent that it may be compared to 
 a Canadian toboggan slide. It requires six mules 
 to draw each car back again, the animals being 
 harnessed three abreast like the horses in the Paris 
 and Neapolitan omnibuses. Though this tramway 
 is now admitted to be an indispensable adjunct to 
 the business of the place, when it was first re- 
 solved upon by some of the residents more enter- 
 prising than their neighbors, it was considered to 
 be a serious innovation, open to great objections, 
 the local priesthood bitterly opposing it. Even 
 the moneyed mine owners and others who insti- 
 tuted the project had no fixed idea how to op- 
 erate a tramway of this sort, and an American 
 overseer was from the beginning and is to-day in 
 charge. The cars were ordered from Philadel- 
 phia, and while they were building, the steel rails, 
 which came from Liverpool by way of Vera Cruz, 
 were laid down from one end of the route to the 
 other. Finally, when the cars arrived from the
 
 YANKEE SKILL. 73 
 
 United States, it was found that they would not 
 run on the track, the fact being that the rails had 
 been laid on a gauge three inches narrower than 
 the cars were designed for. What was to be done ? 
 The Mexicans at first proposed to rebuild the cars, 
 make the bodies narrower, and cut off the axle- 
 trees to fit the gauge of the rails. In their hope- 
 less ignorance this was the only way they could 
 see out of the difficulty. The present superinten- 
 dent, a practical American engineer, was at the 
 time in Zacatecas, and took in the position of af- 
 fairs at a glance, offering for five hundred dollars 
 to show the owners how to get out of the trouble 
 without changing an article upon the cars. The 
 money was paid, and with twenty men and some 
 suitable tools the American took up a few rods of 
 the track, made a proper gauge for the rest, and 
 had the cars running over the short distance in 
 one day. It was the old story of Columbus and 
 the egg, easy enough when one knew how to do it. 
 The managers of the road promptly put the Amer- 
 ican in charge, and he has filled the position ever 
 since. 
 
 Guadalupe is an interesting town of some six 
 thousand inhabitants, not counting the myriads of 
 dogs, which do much abound in every part of Mex- 
 ico. As a rule these are miserable, mangy-looking, 
 half-starved creatures, with thin bodies and promi- 
 nent ribs. The poorer the people, the more dogs 
 they keep, a rule which applies not only here, but 
 everywhere, especially among semi-barbarous races. 
 The people seem to be very kind to pet animals, 
 though they do abuse the burros, cats especially
 
 74 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 being of a plump, handsome species, quite at home, 
 always sleeping lazily in the sunshine. If they do 
 purr in Spanish, it is so very like the genuine Eng- 
 lish article that its purport is quite unmistakable. 
 The persistency of the beggars here attracted at- 
 tention, and on inquiry about the matter, a resident 
 American informed us that these beggars were ac- 
 tually organized by the priests, to whom they report 
 daily, and with whom they share their proceeds, 
 thus enriching the plethoric coffers of the church. 
 This seems almost incredible ; but it is true. The 
 decencies of life are often ignored, and the open 
 streets present disgusting scenes. Men and women 
 lie down and sleep wherever fatigue overcomes 
 them, upon the hard stones or in the dirt. The 
 town is generally barren of vegetation, though a 
 few dreary cactus trees manage to sustain them- 
 selves in the rocky soil, with here and there a 
 yucca palm. 
 
 There is a famous orphan asylum in Guadalupe 
 which is designed to accommodate a thousand in- 
 mates at a time, and there is also a well-endowed 
 college. The former of these, the Orfanatorio de 
 Guadalupe, is one of the most important charitable 
 institutions in the republic. The old church of 
 red sandstone, with its somewhat remarkable carv- 
 ings, as exhibited upon the facade, has two grace- 
 ful towers and is elaborately finished within. The 
 church contains a half dozen oil paintings by An- 
 tonio de Torres, which bear the date 1720. The 
 finest of these is that of " The Last Supper." 
 The very elegant interior of the chapel of the Pu- 
 risima was not completed until so late as 1886,
 
 HANDSOME SENORITAS. 75 
 
 and is justly considered the finest modern church 
 structure in Mexico. As one passes out into the 
 surrounding squalor and obtrusive poverty, it is 
 impossible not to moralize as to the costly, theatri- 
 cal, and ostentatious road which seems to lead to 
 the Roman Catholic heaven. 
 
 The little market-place of Guadalupe presents a 
 scene like a country fair, with its booths for the 
 sale of fruits, pottery, vegetables, flowers, bright- 
 lined scrapes and rebosas, all combining to form 
 a conglomerate of color which, mingled with the 
 moving figures of the mahogany-hued Indian wo- 
 men, is by no means devoid of picturesqueness. 
 One must step carefully not to tread upon the lit- 
 tle mounds and clusters of fruits and vegetables 
 spread upon the ground for sale. The careless, 
 happy laugh of a light-hearted group of senoritas 
 rang musically upon the ear as we watched the 
 market scene. Their uncovered, purple-black hair 
 glistened in the warm sunlight, while their roguish 
 glances, from "soul-deep eyes of darkest night," 
 were like sparks of electricity. Was it their nor- 
 mal mood, or did the presence of a curious stran- 
 ger, himself 011 the qui vive to see everything, 
 move them to just a bit of coquetry ?
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A. Mexican Watering Place. Delightful Climate. Aguas Ca- 
 lientes. Young Senoritas. Local City Scenes. Convicts. 
 Churches. A Mummified Monk. Punishment is Swift 
 and Sure. Hot Springs. Bathing in Public. Caged 
 Songsters. "Antiquities." Delicious Fruits. Market 
 Scenes. San Luis Potosi. The Public Buildings. City of 
 Leon. A Beautiful Plaza. Local Manufactories. Home 
 Industries of Leon. The City of Silao. Defective Agri- 
 culture. Objection to Machinery. Fierce Sand Storm. 
 
 AGUAS CALIENTES (hot waters) is the capital 
 of a small state of the same name, and is a very 
 strongly individualized city, containing something 
 less than twenty-five thousand inhabitants. The 
 town is handsomely laid out with great regularity, 
 having a number of fine stone buildings, luxuriant 
 gardens, and beautiful public squares. It is sit- 
 uated seventy-five miles south of Zacatecas, on the 
 trunk line of the Mexican Central Railroad. This 
 route brings us clown to the plain through rugged 
 steeps and sharp grades, near to the famous salt 
 and soda lakes, where the Rio Brazos Santiago is 
 crossed. Though we say that Aguas Calientes is on 
 a plain, yet the town is over six thousand feet above 
 sea level, and is well situated for business growth in 
 a fertile region where three main thoroughfares al- 
 ready centre. It is just three hundred and sixty- 
 four miles northwest of the city of Mexico. The 
 Plaza des Armas, with its fine monumental column
 
 MEXICAN FLORA. 77 
 
 and its refreshing fountain, as well as several 
 other public gardens of the city, are worthy of 
 special mention for their striking floral beauty, 
 their display of graceful palms and various other 
 tropical trees. It seemed as though it must be 
 perpetual spring here, and that every tree and 
 bush was in bloom. The Mexican flora cannot be 
 surpassed for depth of rich coloring. Sweet peas, 
 camellias, poppies, and pansies abound, while olean- 
 ders grow to the height of elm trees, and are cov- 
 ered with a profusion of scarlet and white flowers. 
 The day was very soft, sunny, and genial, when we 
 wandered over the ancient place ; all the treetops 
 lay asleep, and there was scarcely a breath of air 
 stirring. Every sight and every sound had the 
 charm of novelty. Groups of young senoritas 
 strolled leisurely about the town ; their classic pro- 
 files, large gazelle-like eyes, rosy lips, delicate 
 hands and feet, together with their shapely forms, 
 indicated their mingled Spanish and Indian origin. 
 The many sonorous bells of the churches kept up 
 a continuous peal at special morning and evening 
 hours. In spite of the half-incongruous notes of 
 these different metallic voices floating together on 
 the atmosphere, there was a sense of harmony in 
 the aggregate of sound, which recalled the more 
 musical chimes one hears on the shores of the 
 Mediterranean. Mexican churches are not sup- 
 plied with chimes, though each steeple has at least 
 a half dozen, and often as many as a score, of 
 costly bells. 
 
 Here and there the town shows unmistakable 
 tokens of age, which is but reasonable, as it was
 
 78 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 founded in 1520. The variety of colors used upon 
 the facades of the low adobe houses produces a pleas- 
 ing effect. The love of the Aztec race for warm, 
 bright colors is seen everywhere. The Garden of 
 San Marcos, one of many open public squares, 
 forms a wilderness of foliage and flowers, where 
 the oleanders are thirty feet in height, shading 
 lilies, roses, and pansies, with a low-growing species 
 of mignonette as fragrant as violets, our admira- 
 tion for which was shared by a score of glittering 
 humming-birds. Here too the jasmine, with its tiny 
 variegated flowers, flourished by the side of hydran- 
 geas full of snow-flake bloom, while orange blos- 
 soms made the air heavy with their odorous breath. 
 Close to this garden is the bull ring, opposite to 
 which gangs of convicts are seen sweeping the 
 streets under the supervision of a military guard. 
 Though these men are unchained, they make no at- 
 tempt to escape, as the guards under such circum- 
 stances have a habit of promptly shooting a pris- 
 oner dead upon the spot ; no one takes the trouble 
 to inquire into the summary proceeding, and it 
 would do no good if he did. There is no sickly sen- 
 timentality expended upon highwaymen, garroters, 
 or murderers in Mexico. If a man commits a 
 crime, he is made to pay the penalty for it, no mat- 
 ter what his position may be. There is no par- 
 doning out of prison here, so that the criminal may 
 have a second chance to outrage the rights of the 
 community. If a trusted individual steals the 
 property of widows and orphans and runs away, 
 he must stay away, for if he comes back he will 
 surely be shot. All things considered, we believe
 
 A REMARKABLE BELL. 79 
 
 this certainty of punishment is the restraining 
 force with many men of weak principles. Since 
 the order to shoot all highwaymen as soon as 
 taken was promulgated, brigandage has almost en- 
 tirely disappeared in Mexico, though up to that 
 time it was of daily occurrence in some parts of 
 the country. 
 
 There are several churches in Aguas Calientes 
 which are well worth visiting, som'e of which con- 
 tain fine old paintings, though they are mostly 
 hung in a very poor light. There is an unmistak- 
 able atmosphere of antiquity within these walls, 
 " mellowed by scutcheoned panes in cloisters old." 
 The church facing the Plaza Mayor has a remark- 
 able bell, celebrated for its fine tones ; and when 
 this sounded for vespers, Millet's Angelus was in- 
 stantly recalled, the poor peons, no matter how en- 
 gaged, piously uncovering their heads and bowing 
 with folded hands while their lips moved in prayer. 
 We were told of the great cost of this bell, which 
 is said to contain half a ton of silver ; but this is 
 doubtless an exaggerated story framed to tickle a 
 stranger's ear, since if over a certain moderate 
 percentage of silver is employed in the casting, the 
 true melody of the bell is destroyed. A queer ob- 
 ject is shown the visitor for a trifling fee, in the 
 crypt of the church of San Diego, being the re- 
 mains of a mummified or desiccated monk, sitting 
 among a mass of skulls, rib and thigh bones, once 
 belonging to human beings. The moral of this 
 exhibition seemed a little too far-fetched to be in- 
 teresting, and our small party hastened away with 
 a sense of disgust.
 
 80 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The hot springs from which the state and city 
 take their name are situated a couple of miles east 
 of the town, at the end of a delightful alameda. 
 A small canal borders this roadway, which is lib- 
 erally supplied with water from the thermal springs, 
 and scores of the populace may be seen washing 
 clothing on its edge at neai'ly any hour of the day, 
 as well as bathing therein, men and women to- 
 gether, with a decided heedlessness of the conven- 
 tionalities. The Maoris of New Zealand could not 
 show more utter disregard for a state of nudity 
 than was exhibited by one group of natives whom 
 we saw. The admirable climate, the hot springs, 
 the beautiful gardens, vineyards, and abundant 
 fruits, render this place thoroughly attractive, not- 
 withstanding that so large a portion consists of 
 adobe houses of only one story in height. These 
 are often made inviting by their neat surroundings 
 and by being frescoed in bright colors inside and 
 out. One or two native birds in gayest colors 
 usually hang beside the open doors, in a home- 
 made cage of dried rushes, singing as gayly as 
 those confined in more costly and gilded prisons. 
 Just opposite the public baths was one of these 
 domesticated pets of the mocking-bird species, 
 who was remarkably accomplished. He was never 
 silent, but was constantly and successfully strug- 
 gling to imitate every peculiar sound which he 
 heard. He broke down, however, ignominiously 
 in his attempts with the tramway fish-horns. They 
 were too much for him. This bird was of soft ash 
 color, with a long, graceful set of tail-feathers, and 
 kept himself in most presentable order, notwith-
 
 ANCIENT POTTERY. 81 
 
 standing his narrow quarters in a home-made cage. 
 It was in vain that we tried to purchase the crea- 
 ture. Either the Indian woman had not the right 
 to sell him, or she prized the bird too highly to part 
 with him at any price. As we came away from 
 the low adobe cabin, the bird was mewing in imi- 
 tation of another domestic pet which belonged to 
 the same woman. 
 
 Comparatively few humble dwellings have glass 
 in the windows, but nearly all have these openings 
 barred with iron in more or less ornamental styles. 
 There are a few central situations where two-story 
 houses prevail. Besides the churches, there are 
 the governor's palace, the casa municipal, and the 
 stores and dwelling-houses which surround the 
 Plaza Mayor, the latter having open arcades, or 
 portales, beneath the first story. People come from 
 various parts of Mexico to enjoy the baths of 
 Aguas Calientes, and one sees many strangers 
 about the town. The place has, in fact, been the 
 resort of people from various sections of the coun- 
 try from time immemorial, on account of the pre- 
 sumed advantages to be derived from the hot 
 springs. Mineral waters, hot and cold, abound on 
 the table-laud of Mexico. 
 
 It is said that by digging almost anywhere in 
 tliis neighborhood, one can exhume pottery and 
 other articles concerning whose manufacture there 
 is a profound mystery, the shapes and style of finish 
 being quite different from what is now produced. 
 These articles arc reputed to antedate the Toltec 
 period, though the natives, finding that the antique 
 shapes are most popular with European and Arner-
 
 82 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 ican tourists, imitate them very closely. When 
 "antiquities " are offered to one in a foreign coun- 
 try, he should be very wary in purchasing, as the 
 artificial manufacture of them is fully up to the 
 demand. The writer once saw an article sold at 
 Cairo as an antique for ten pounds sterling which 
 was afterwards proved, by an unmistakable mark, 
 to have been made in Birmingham, England. So 
 Aztec and Toltec remains are produced to any 
 extent in the city of Mexico ; and the enterprising 
 English manufacturer, we were told, has even in- 
 vaded Yucatan with his " antique " wares. 
 
 Fruit is abundant, cheap, and delicious in the 
 market-place of Aguas Calientes. Fifty oranges 
 were offered to us for a quarter of a dollar, or two 
 for a penny. Sunday is the principal market-day, 
 when the country people for miles around bring in 
 fruit, vegetables, flowers, pottery, and home-woven 
 articles for sale. Men and women, sitting on the 
 ground, patiently wait for hours to make trifling 
 sales, the profit on which cannot exceed a few pen- 
 nies, and often the poor creatures sell little or 
 nothing. The principal market is a permanent 
 building, occupying a whole block, or square. The 
 area about which it is built is open in the centre ; 
 that is, without covering. Here a motley group 
 displayed baskets, fruits, flowers, candies, pulque, 
 boots, shoes, and sandals. A^ r hite onions mingled 
 with red tomatoes and pine-apples formed the apex 
 to a pyramid of oranges, bananas, lemons, pome- 
 granates, all arranged so as to present attractive 
 colors and forms, being often decked with flowers. 
 Green sugar-cane, cut in available lengths, was
 
 PUBLIC BATHS. 83 
 
 rapidly consumed by young Mexico, and gay 
 young girls indulged in dulces (sweets). Hun- 
 dreds of patient donkeys, without harness of any 
 sort, or even a rope about their necks, stood de- 
 murely awaiting their hour of service. Beggars 
 are plenty, but few persons were seen really intox- 
 icated, notwithstanding that pulque is cheap and 
 muscal very potent. Ked, blue, brown, and striped 
 rebosas flitted before the eyes, worn by the restless 
 crowd, while occasionally one saw a lady of the 
 upper class, attended by her maid in gaudy colors, 
 herself clad in the dark, conventional Spanish style, 
 her black hair, covered with a lace veil of the same 
 hue, held in place by a square-topped shell comb. 
 
 The public bathhouse, near the railroad depot, is 
 remarkable for spaciousness and for the excellence 
 of the general arrangements. It is built of a con- 
 glomerate of cobble-stones, bricks, and mortar, and 
 might be a bit out of the environs of Rome. In 
 the central open area of these baths is a choice 
 garden full of blooming flowers and tropical trees. 
 Oleanders, fleurs-de-lis, flowering geraniums, peach 
 blossoms, scarlet poppies mingling with white, be- 
 side beds of pansies and violets, delighted the eye 
 and filled the air with perfume. The surroundings 
 and conveniences were more Oriental than Mexi- 
 can, inviting the stranger to bathe by the extraor- 
 dinary facilities offered to him, and captivating the 
 senses by beauty and fragrance. There is a spa- 
 cious swimming-bath within the walls, beside the 
 single bathrooms, in both of which the water is 
 kept at a delightful temperature. The luxury of 
 these baths, after a long, dusty ride over Mexican
 
 84 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 roads, can hardly be imagined by those who have 
 not enjoyed it. In the vicinity of the Plaza Mayor, 
 ice-cream was hawked and sold by itinerant ven- 
 ders. We were told of a mysterious method of 
 producing ice, which is employed here during the 
 night, by means of putting water in the hollowed 
 stalk of the maguey or agave plant, but we do not 
 clearly understand the process. The volatile oil 
 of the century plant is said to evaporate so rapidly 
 as to freeze the water deposited in it. At any 
 rate, the natives have some process by which they 
 produce ice in this tropical clime ; but whether 
 it is by aid of the maguey plant, from which 
 comes the pulque, or by some other means, we 
 cannot say authoritatively. In the cities and on 
 the Texan border, ice is largely manufactured by 
 chemical process aided by machinery, a means of 
 supply well known in all countries where natural 
 ice is not formed by continued low temperature. 
 
 San Luis Potosi is situated about one hundred 
 miles to the eastward of Aguas Calientes, on the 
 branch road connecting the main trunk of the 
 Mexican Central with Tampico on the Gulf. It 
 is the capital of the State of San Luis Potosi, and 
 has, according to estimate, over forty thousand in- 
 habitants. The city contains many fine buildings, 
 the most notable among them being the state capi- 
 tol, the business exchange, the state museum, the 
 mint, and the public library. This last-named 
 contains between seventy and eighty thousand vol- 
 umes. There is here a larger proportion of two- 
 story buildings than is seen in either Saltillo or 
 Monterey. There are also a college, a hospital,
 
 SAN LUIS POTOSI. 85 
 
 and a theatre. It has several plazas and many 
 churches. The cathedral is quite modern, having 
 been erected within the last forty years ; it faces 
 the Plaza Mayor, where there is a bronze statue of 
 the patriot Hidalgo. We are here fully six thou- 
 sand feet above the sea level, in a wholesome local- 
 ity, which, it is claimed, possesses the most equable 
 climate in Mexico, the temperature never reach- 
 ing freezing-point, and rarely being uncomfortably 
 warm. There are several fine old churches in 
 San Luis Potosi, containing some admirable oil 
 paintings by Vallejo, Tresguerras, and others of 
 less fame. The city is three hundred and sixty 
 miles north of the national capital, and is destined, 
 with the opening of the railroad to Tampico, which 
 has so recently taken place, to grow rapidly. Its 
 tramway, or horse-car, service is particularly well 
 managed, and facilitates all sorts of transportation 
 in and about the city. In the Sierra near at hand 
 are the famous silver mines known as Cerro del 
 Potosi, which are so rich in the deposit of ar- 
 gentiferous ore that it is named after the mines 
 of Potosi in Peru. There are valuable salt mines 
 existing in this State of San Luis Potosi, at Pefion 
 Blanco. The city has always been noted as a 
 military centre, and a large number of the regular 
 army are stationed here. When Santa Anna re- 
 turned from exile, at the beginning of the war with 
 this country, in 1846, it was here that he concen- 
 trated his forces. When defeated by General Tay- 
 lor at Buena Vista, he marched back to San Luis 
 Potosi with the remnant of his thoroughly demor- 
 alized army, where he again established his head-
 
 86 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 quarters. On the Sabbath, as in other Mexican 
 cities, the grand market of the week takes place, 
 when cock-fighting, marketing, praying, and bull- 
 fighting are strangely mixed. 
 
 About a hundred miles south of Aguas Cali- 
 entes we reach the important manufacturing city 
 of Leon, State of Guanajuato, a thrifty, enterpris- 
 ing capital, containing over ninety thousand in- 
 habitants. It is considered the third largest and 
 most important city of the republic. We have 
 now come eight hundred and thirty miles since 
 leaving the International Bridge, by which we 
 entered Mexican territory at Pedras Negras, and 
 find ourselves in the midst of a fertile, well-watered 
 plain, intersected by the small river Turbio, two 
 hundred and sixty miles northwest of the city of 
 Mexico. Rich grazing fields are spread broad- 
 cast, many of which exhibit the deep, beautiful 
 green of the alfalfa, or Mexican clover, which is 
 fed in a fresh-cut condition to favored cattle, but 
 not to burros, poor creatures ! They feed them- 
 selves on what they can pick up by the roadside, 
 on the refuse vegetables thrown away in the city 
 markets, on straw; in short, on almost anything. 
 There is a theory that they will live on empty fruit 
 tins, broken glass bottles, and sardine boxes ; but 
 we are not prepared to indorse that. The fields 
 and small domestic gardens hereabouts are often 
 hedged by tall, pole-like cacti of the species called 
 the organ cactus, from its peculiar resemblance to 
 the pipes of an organ. This forms a prevailing 
 picture in the wild landscape of southern Mexico. 
 Leon is nearly six thousand feet above the sea.
 
 CITY OF LEON. 87 
 
 As the railroad depot is a mile from the city 
 proper, a characteristic of transportation facilities 
 which applies to all Mexican capitals, we reach 
 the plaza of Leon by tramway. The place has all 
 the usual belongings of a Spanish town, though it 
 contains no buildings of special interest. The 
 plaza, the market-place, and the cathedral are each 
 worthy of note. The first-named has a large, re- 
 freshing fountain in its centre, whose music cheers 
 the senses when oppressed by tropical heat. The 
 plaza is also shaded by thick clusters of ornamen- 
 tal trees. There was a grand annual fair held 
 here before the days of railroads in Mexico, which 
 was an occasion attracting people from all the 
 commercial centres of the country. While talk- 
 ing to a local merchant he said to us : " Certain 
 circumscribed interests were at first unfavorably 
 affected by the establishment of the railroad, and 
 people grumbled accordingly ; but we have come 
 to see that after all it is for the universal good to 
 have this prompt means of transportation. It was 
 the same," he continued, " as regards the tramway ; 
 but we could not do without that convenience 
 now." 
 
 On one side of the plaza is the governor's pal- 
 ace, a long, plain, two-story building of composite 
 material, stone, sun-dried bricks, and mortar, col- 
 ored white. On the other three sides is a line of 
 two-story buildings, beneath which is a continuous 
 block of portalcs, or arches, crowded with shops 
 and booths; the first story of these houses being 
 thus devoted to trade, the second to dwellings. 
 The general effect of this large business square,
 
 88 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 with the deep greenery of the plaza in the centre, 
 is extremely attractive. Strolling about it in the 
 intense sunshine are many beggars and grandees ; 
 women in bright-colored rebosas ; others in rags 
 which do not half cover their nakedness ; fair 
 sefioritas with tall, red-heeled boots pointed at the 
 toes, and poor girls with bare limbs and feet ; 
 cripples and athletes ; beauty and deformity ; ple- 
 thoric priests and cadaverous peons. Now a horse- 
 man in theatrical costume, sword and pistol by his 
 side, and huge silver spurs on his heels, seated on 
 a small but beautifully formed Andalusian horse, 
 passes swiftly by, and now a score of charcoal- 
 laden donkeys, driven by an Indian larger than 
 the animal he bestrides. All the men who can 
 afford it wear broad - brimmed sombreros richly 
 ornamented with gold and silver braid; the poor- 
 est, though otherwise but halt' clad, and with bare 
 limbs, have a substitute for the sombrero in straw 
 or some cheap material. The broader the brim 
 and the taller the crown, the "?ore they are ad- 
 mired. It is a busy, ever-shifting scene presented 
 by the Plaza Mayor of Leon, such as one may 
 look upon only south of the Rio Grande. 
 
 The paseo is a remarkably fine, tree-embowered 
 avenue, a sort of miniature Champs Elysees, flanked 
 by well-cultivated fields and gardens, forming the 
 beginning of the road which leads to Silao. lie- 
 sides the Plaza Mayor and the paseo, there are a 
 dozen minor plazas (plazuelas) in Leon, all more 
 or less attractive. On the road lean ing to Lagos, 
 not far from the city, there are hot mineral springs 
 much esteemed and much used for bathing. One
 
 LOCALIZED MANUFACTORIES. 89 
 
 can go anywhere in and about Leon by tramway 
 as easily as in Boston or New York. The specialty 
 of the city is its various manufactories of leather 
 goods, but particularly saddles, boots, and shoes, 
 together with leather sandals, such as are worn by 
 the common people who do not go barefooted, 
 though the fact is nine tenths of them do go bare- 
 footed. Another special product of Leon is blue 
 and striped rebosas, so universally worn by the 
 women of the humbler class. 
 
 It is a peculiarity in Mexico that a certain 
 branch of manufacture is confined in a great mea- 
 sure to one place, other business localities respect- 
 ing this partial monopoly by devoting themselves 
 to other productions. Thus the industry of Leon 
 is developed in tanning leather, and the making of 
 boots, shoes, saddlery, and rebosas ; Salamanca is 
 noted for its buckskin garments and gloves ; Ira- 
 puato is devoted to raising strawberries, and sup- 
 plies half the republic with this delicious fruit ; 
 Queretaro is famous for the opals it ships from its 
 unique mines ; Lerdo enriches itself by the cotton 
 which it sends to market ; Celaya, in the valley of 
 the Laja, is known all over Mexico for the produc- 
 tion of fine dulces (sweets, or confectionery) made 
 from milk and sugar ; from Puebla come the ele- 
 gant and profitable onyx ornaments so much prized 
 at home and abroad ; Aguas Calientes is famous 
 as an agricultural centre, supplying the markets 
 of the country with corn and beans ; from Orizaba 
 and Cordova come coffee, sugar, and delicious 
 tropical fruits ; Chihuahua raises horses and cattle 
 for the home market and for exportation ; Guada-
 
 90 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 lajara is unrivaled for the production of pottery 
 and crockery ware, Zacatecas and Guanajuato for 
 the mining of silver ; and so the list might be ex- 
 tended, showing the native resources of the coun- 
 try and the concentration of special industries. 
 
 Many of the dwellings most of them, indeed 
 are but one story in height, in the city proper, 
 though often constructed of stone ; but in the 
 suburbs they are altogether of one story and built 
 of adobe. Some of the hedges are both striking 
 and effective, consisting of the prickly - pear cac- 
 tus, which presents an impenetrable barrier to man 
 or beast. The natives prepare a dish of green 
 salad from the tender leaves of the cactus, as we 
 do from dandelions and lettuce, which satisfies a 
 certain appetite, and no doubt contains consider- 
 able nourishment. There are several quite ancient 
 churches, a cathedral, and two theatres in Leon. 
 Of the latter, that which attracted us most might 
 have passed for a floral conservatory. It was a 
 stone edifice, with a broad vestibule full of flowers, 
 having a fountain in the centre and a dome covered 
 with glass. The cathedral, under the ascribed 
 patronage of " Our Lady of Light," makes up for 
 its shortcomings in the architecture of its lower 
 portions by a fine dome and two lofty towers, these 
 last of quite modern construction, having been 
 completed so late as 1878. The oldest church in 
 the city is La Soledad, which dates back three 
 hundred and fifty years. Two others, San Juan 
 de Dios and San Felipe Neri, are of more than 
 passing interest to the traveler. 
 
 it was observed, in nearly all the dwellings which
 
 CITY OF SILAO. 91 
 
 were entered, that the women as well as the men 
 were engaged with hand-looms, weaving rebosas or 
 scrapes. In many instances children were thus 
 employed, of such tender age that it was surpris- 
 ing to see the excellence of the work which they 
 produced. These humble interiors present notable 
 pictures of respectability, industry, and thrift. In 
 the market-place, flowers, mostly beautiful roses of 
 white and red varieties, were sold by the score for 
 a five -cent piece, and lovely bouquets, containing 
 artistic combinations of color and great variety of 
 species, were offered for ten cents each. The plains 
 in the environs of Leon are beautified by some 
 magnificent groves of trees, and exhibit great fer- 
 tility of soil. 
 
 After passing through miles of dreary territory 
 which produced little save an abnormal growth of 
 cacti of several species, exhibiting great variety 
 in shape and the color of its blossoms, which 
 were sometimes white, but oftener red or yellow, 
 twenty miles southeast of Leon and two hundred 
 and thirty-eight north of the national capital, we 
 reach the small city of Silao, in the State of 
 Guanajuato, which has a population of about fif- 
 teen thousand. This is an agricultural district, 
 six thousand feet above the level of the sea, where 
 irrigation is absolutely necessary, and where it is 
 freely applied, but by hand power, the water being 
 raised from the ditches by means of buckets. Un- 
 der this treatment the soil is so fertile as to yield 
 two crops of wheat and maize annually, besides an 
 abundance of other staples. The eyes of the trav- 
 eler are delighted, on approaching Silao, by the
 
 92 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 view of far-reaching fields of waving grain, giving 
 full promise of a rich harvest near at hand. We 
 were told that these fields were flooded twice dur- 
 ing the growing of a crop : first, early in January, 
 when the young plants are two or three inches 
 high, and again soon after the first of March, 
 just before the ear is about to develop itself. 
 Sometimes, as is done in Egypt, the fields are in- 
 undated before sowing. Some of the richest soil 
 for wheat-growing in all Mexico lies between San 
 Juan del Rio and Leon. The idea of a rotation 
 of crops, the advantages of which the intelligent 
 American farmer so well understands, does not 
 seem yet to have dawned upon the Mexican cul- 
 tivator of the soil. He goes on year after year 
 extracting the same chemicals from the earth, 
 without using fertilizers at all, and planting the 
 same seed in the same fields. By no happy ac- 
 cident does he substitute corn for oats, or wheat 
 for either. He never thinks of giving his grain 
 field a breathing spell by planting it with potatoes 
 or any other root crop, and substituting a different 
 style of cultivation. In and about the town are 
 some large and admirably managed gardens of 
 fruits and flowers. One was hardly prepared, be- 
 fore coming hither, to accord to the Spanish char- 
 acter so much of appreciation and such delicacy of 
 taste as are revealed through the almost universal 
 cultivation of flowers in Mexico, wherever circum- 
 stances will admit of it. Silao is just fifteen miles 
 from Guanajuato, the capital of the state, with 
 which it is connected by railway. 
 
 The rainfall is comparatively very slight on the
 
 MACHINERY AGAINST MUSCLE. 93 
 
 entire Mexican plateau, limited, in fact, to two or 
 three months in the year, which renders irrigation 
 a universal necessity to insure success in farming ; 
 but the means employed for the purpose, as we 
 have seen, are singularly primitive. The same 
 objection that limited intelligence evinces every- 
 where to the introduction of labor-saving ma- 
 chinery is exhibited here in Mexico. When the 
 author was at the Lakes of Killarney, a few years 
 since, and saw the hotel employees cutting grass 
 upon the broad lawn with a sickle or reaping-hook, 
 he suggested to the landlord that an American 
 lawn-mower should be used, whereby one man could 
 do the job quicker and in better shape than twenty 
 men could do by this primitive mode. " If I were 
 to introduce an American lawn-mower on to this 
 place," said the landlord, "the laborers would 
 burn my house down at once ! " So when the air- 
 brakes were introduced on the National Railroad 
 in Mexico, thus not only adding unquestionably to 
 the safety of the cars, but decreasing the necessity 
 for so many train hands, the laborers cut and de- 
 stroyed the brakes. Through persistent determi- 
 nation on the part of the officers of the road, the 
 air-brake is now in use by the Mexican Central 
 corporation, from the Rio Grande to the capital ; 
 but the National line between the capital and Vera 
 Cruz is not able to make use of this greater safe- 
 guard and economical air-brake, because a lot of 
 stupid, ignorant brakenien object ! 
 
 Silao is of little commercial importance, but it 
 has the over-abundance of churches always to be 
 found in Spanish towns of its size, none of which,
 
 94 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 in this instance, are any way remarkable. But the 
 place is picturesque and interesting ; one would not 
 like to have missed it. The church of Santiago 
 has a tall, graceful, and slender spire, sure to at- 
 tract an observant eye, recalling the pinnacle of 
 St. Peter and St. Paul in the capital of Russia. 
 We have said Silao is of little commercial impor- 
 tance, but there are six or eight flour-mills, which 
 seem to be the nucleus about which the principal 
 business interests centre. The place was founded 
 more than three centuries ago, and impresses one 
 with an atmosphere of crumbling antiquity which 
 somehow is pretty sure to challenge respect. 
 " Time consecrates," says Schiller, " and what is 
 gray with age becomes religion." 
 
 Seeing a number of Indian men and women re- 
 lieving themselves from heavy burdens brought 
 into the market, we were surprised to note the 
 weight which these trained natives could carry. 
 On inquiry it was found that some of them had 
 come over mountainous roads a distance of twenty 
 miles and more, each bearing upon his or her back 
 a weight in produce of various sorts which must 
 have been near to a hundred and fifty pounds. As 
 profit on all their chickens, eggs, vegetables, pot- 
 tery, and fruit, they could hardly average more 
 than a dollar to each individual. Plow simple and 
 circumscribed must be the necessities of a people 
 who can sustain themselves upon such earnings ! 
 When on the road, these Indians have a peculiarly 
 rapid gait, a sort of dog-trot, so to speak, which 
 they will keep up for hours at a time while carry- 
 ing their heavy burdens. Though they all speak
 
 A DRY GALE. 95 
 
 Spanish, yet each tribe or section of country seems 
 to have a dialect of its own, which is used exclu- 
 sively among its people. Scientists tell us that 
 the various languages and dialects spoken by the 
 Indian race of Mexico in the several parts of the 
 republic number over one hundred ; there are sixty 
 which are known to have become extinct. 
 
 In contradistinction to the theories of many 
 careful observers, scientists have pointed to the 
 fact that in all of these native tongues not one 
 word can be found which gives indication of Asi- 
 atic origin. 
 
 While at Silao a Mexican sand-spout, a visitant 
 which is very liable to appear on the open plains 
 during the dry season, struck in our immediate 
 vicinity, followed by a fierce dust-storm, which 
 lasted for about an hour, darkening the atmos- 
 phere to a night-hue for miles around, and cover- 
 ing every exposed article or person with a thick 
 layer of fine sand. It was necessary promptly to 
 close all doors and windows. Indeed, a person 
 could more easily face a furious hail-storm than 
 one of these dry gales ; men and animals alike 
 sought shelter from its blinding fierceness. So 
 men, horses, and camels, composing the caravans 
 which cross the desert of Sahara, when struck 
 by a sand-storm, are obliged to throw themselves 
 flat upon the ground, and there remain until it has 
 exhausted its fury. The condition of the soil at 
 Silao may be easily imagined when it is remem- 
 bered that rain had not fallen here for seven 
 months. It was late in March, but the rainy sea- 
 son does not begin until about the last of May.
 
 96 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 In this region people do not speak of summer and 
 winter, but of the dry and the rainy seasons, the 
 former being reckoned from November to May, 
 and the latter from June to October. It should 
 not be understood that it rains constantly in the 
 wet season. The rain falls generally in pleasant 
 showers, afternoons and nights, leaving the morn-- 
 ings and forenoons bright, clear, and comfortable. 
 It is really the pleasantest season of the year on 
 the Mexican plateau.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Guanajuato. An Ex-President. Richest Silver Mine in Mex- 
 ico. Reducing the Ores. Plenty of Silver. Open Sew- 
 ers. A Venal Priesthood. A Big Prison. The Catholic 
 Church. Getting Rid of a Prisoner. The Frog-Rock. 
 Idolaters A Strawberry Festival at Irapuato. Salamanca. 
 
 City of Queretaro. A Fine Old Capital. Maximilian 
 and His Fate. A Charming Plaza. Mammoth Cotton Fac- 
 tory. The Maguey Plant. Pulque and Other Stimulants. 
 
 Beautiful Opals. Honey Water. Ancient Tula. A 
 Freak of Tropical Weather. 
 
 THE quaint old city of Guanajuato, capital of 
 the state bearing the same name, pronounced 
 Wan-a-wato, is situated nearly a thousand feet 
 higher than Silao, two hundred and fifty miles 
 north of the city of Mexico, and fifteen miles from 
 the main trunk of the Mexican Central Railroad, 
 with which it is connected by a branch road. It 
 contains between fifty and sixty thousand inhabi- 
 tants, and has been a successful mining centre for 
 over three hundred years. Manuel Gonzales, ex- 
 president of Mexico, is the governor of the state. 
 This man was the Tweed of Mexico, and one of 
 the most venal officials ever trusted by the people. 
 He succeeded, on retiring from the presidency, 
 in taking with him of his ill-gotten wealth several 
 millions of dollars. The astonishing corruption 
 that reigned under his fostering care was notori-
 
 98 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 ous. In enriching himself and his ring of adher- 
 ents, he brought the treasury of the country to the 
 very verge of bankruptcy. It may be mentioned 
 that this State of Guanajuato is the most densely 
 populated in the Mexican republic. It has an 
 area of a trifle over twelve thousand square miles, 
 or it is about the size of Massachusetts and Con- 
 necticut united. The town is reached through the 
 suburb of Marfil, along the precipitous sides of 
 whose mountain road large adobe and stone mills 
 are constructed, resembling feudal castles; while 
 beside the roadbed, broken by sharp acclivities, 
 the small, muddy, vile-smelling river Guanajuato 
 flows sluggishly along, bearing silver tailings away 
 from the mills above, and wasting at least twenty- 
 five per cent, of the precious metal contained in 
 the badly manipulated ore. Here and there in 
 the river's bed the stream being low scores 
 of natives were seen washing the earth which had 
 been deposited from the mines, working knee-deep 
 in the mud, and striving to make at least day 
 wages, which is here represented by forty cents. 
 Others were producing sun-dried brick out of the 
 clayey substance, after it had been re washed by 
 the independent miners. This river becomes a tor- 
 rent in the rainy season, and owing to its situation 
 the town is liable to dangerous inundations, one of 
 which occurred so late as 1885, causing great loss 
 of life and property. Creeping slowly upward over 
 the rough road, an abrupt corner of the gulch was 
 finally turned, and we suddenly found ourself in 
 the centre of the active little city, so compactly 
 built that business seemed to be overflowing its
 
 THE MINING BUSINESS. 99 
 
 proper limits and utterly blocking the narrow 
 streets. The provision and fruit market was tres- 
 passing on every available passageway. Curbstone 
 and sidewalk were unhesitatingly monopolized by 
 the market people with their wares spread out for 
 sale. In Guanajuato is found the richest vein of 
 silver-bearing ore in the country, known as the 
 Veta Madre, and though the most primitive modes 
 of mining and milling have always been and still 
 are pursued here, over eight hundred million dol- 
 lars in the argentiferous metal have been realized 
 from this immediate vicinity since official record 
 has been kept of the amount; and with all this 
 Mexico is still poor ! 
 
 The ore has now to be raised from a depth of 
 fifteen hundred feet and more. There are between 
 fifty and sixty crushing mills in operation at this 
 writing, reducing the silver-bearing quartz. Two 
 of the mills are operated by Europeans, who use 
 steam power to some extent, but the scarcity 
 of fuel is a serious objection to the employment 
 of steam. We saw scores of mules treading the 
 liquid, muddy mass for amalgamating purposes, 
 driven about in a circle by men who waded knee- 
 deep while following the weary animals. As these 
 huge vats contain quicksilver, vitriol, and other 
 poisonous ingredients, the lives of men and ani- 
 mals thus occupied are of brief duration. The 
 mules live about four years, and the men rarely 
 twice as long if they continue in the business. 
 This result is well known to be inevitable, and yet 
 there are plenty of men who eagerly seek the 
 employment.
 
 100 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Without going into detail we may describe the 
 process of obtaining the silver from the rocky 
 mass in a few words. The ore is first crushed, 
 and by adding water is made into a thin paste. 
 Many tons of this are placed in a huge vat, at 
 least a hundred feet square, and into it are thrown, 
 in certain quantities, sulphate of copper, common 
 salt, and quicksilver. Driving the animals thi-ough 
 this mass, ten hours a day for three or four days, 
 causes the various ingredients to become thor- 
 oughly mingled. The quicksilver finally gets hold 
 of and concentrates the coveted metal. The quick- 
 silver is afterwards extracted and reserved for con- 
 tinued use, performing the same function over and 
 over again. There is, of course, a large percent- 
 age of quicksilver lost in the operation, and its 
 employment in such quantities forms one of the 
 heavy expenses of milling. 
 
 The mills are semi-fortresses, having often been 
 compelled to resist the attacks of banditti, who 
 have ever been ready to organize a descent upon 
 any place where portable treasure is accumulated. 
 We were told, on good authority, that every ton 
 of raw material handled here yields on an average 
 thirty-three dollars. This figure our informant 
 qualified by the remark that it was the average un- 
 der ordinary circumstances. Sometimes the miners 
 strike what is called a bonanza, and for a while 
 ore is raised from the bowels of the earth which 
 will produce five times this amount to the ton ; but 
 after a short time the yield will return to its nor- 
 mal condition. Occasionally, but this is rare, nug- 
 gets of pure or nearly pure silver are found
 
 GUANAJUATO. 101 
 
 weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds each. 
 The process of milling here is slow, tedious, and 
 wasteful. The scientific knowledge brought to 
 bear upon the business in the United States is not 
 heeded in Mexico, and yet these people obtain 
 remarkably favorable results. The fact is, the 
 precious metal is so very abundant, and the profits 
 so satisfactory, that the managers and owners grow 
 careless, having little incentive to spur them on to 
 adopt more economical and productive methods. 
 An intelligent overseer of a mine at Guanajuato 
 said to us in reply to a question relating to the 
 usual process of milling in Mexico : " We get 
 probably sixty per cent, of the silver contained in 
 the raw ore which we handle, and that is about all 
 we can expect." On being asked if the men whom 
 we saw working in the open bed of the river, far 
 below the mills, did not obtain good results, the 
 superintendent replied, " They succeed best in get- 
 ting part of the quicksilver which has been carried 
 away in the process, which they sell to us again." 
 These men, we observed, worked mostly with 
 shovels and earthen pans, or with their hands and 
 a flat, shingle-like piece of wood. 
 
 Guanajuato is built on the sides of a deep, broad 
 gorge, surrounded by rolling hills, the ravine, the 
 mouth of which commences at Marfil, being ter- 
 raced on either side to make room for adobe dwell- 
 ings. Here and there a patch of green is to be 
 seen, a graceful pepper tree, an orange, or stately 
 cypress relieving the cheerless, arid scene. The 
 narrow, irregular streets are roughly paved ; but 
 the clouds of dust which one encounters in the dry
 
 102 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 season are almost suffocating. Now and then a 
 few potted flowers in front of a low cabin, a bird 
 cage with its chirping occupant, a noisy parrot on 
 an exposed perch, a dozing cat before the door, all 
 afford glimpses of domesticity ; but, on the whole, 
 this mining town, rich in native silver, gave us in 
 its humbler portions the impression of being mostly 
 composed of people half clothed and seemingly but 
 half fed. 
 
 The city has an alameda and a plaza. The lat- 
 ter, in the centre of the town, is decorated with 
 bright-colored flowers, tall palm trees, and has a 
 music pagoda in its centre. This plaza has an ele- 
 vation of over six thousand eight hundred feet 
 above the level of the sea. What a queer old city 
 it is, with its steep, narrow, twisted streets! It 
 might be a bit abstracted from Moorish Tangier, 
 or from the narrow thoroughfares of Granada, close 
 by the banks of the turbulent Darro. 
 
 The occupation of three fourths of the people is 
 naturally connected with the mines, and it may be 
 said to be an industrious community. The pulque 
 shops are many, far too many ; but there was no 
 intoxication noticed on the streets. The open 
 sewers render the death rate unusually high in 
 Guanajuato, where typhoid fever and pneumonia 
 were particularly prevalent during our visit. In- 
 deed, the place is notoriously unhealthy. There 
 are many excellent oil paintings hung in the 
 churches and chapels, representing, of course, 
 scriptural subjects, including one of the much- 
 abused St. Sebastian. There are two or three 
 primary and advanced schools supported by the
 
 THE CHURCHES. 103 
 
 municipality ; but these, we were told, were bit- 
 terly opposed by the priests. We speak often and 
 earnestly concerning the malign influence of the 
 priesthood, because no one can travel in Mexico 
 without having the fact constantly forced upon 
 him, at every turn, that its members and their 
 church are, and have been for nearly four centu- 
 ries, the visible curse of the country. The most 
 interesting of the many churches is the Compania, 
 which has a choice group of bells in its cupola, and 
 an unusually excellent collection of paintings, 
 among them a series illustrating the life of the 
 Virgin, by an unknown artist, besides two fine 
 canvases by Cabrera. Bat one grows fastidious 
 in visiting so many of these churches as he ap- 
 proaches the capital, and becomes satisfied with 
 examining the cathedral in each new city. The 
 whole country is strewn with these costly and com- 
 paratively useless temples, many of which are 
 gradually crumbling to dust, and nearly all of 
 which are dirty beyond description. Immediately 
 after the Spanish conquest a rage possessed the 
 victors to build churches, without regard to the 
 necessary population for their support, perhaps 
 hoping thereby to propitiate heaven for their rapa- 
 ciousness and outrageous oppression of the native 
 race. The criminal extortion exercised by the 
 priesthood and their followers forms a dark blot 
 upon the escutcheon of both the church and the 
 state. O Christianity, as Madame Roland said 
 of Liberty, " what atrocities have been committed 
 in thy name ! " 
 
 Charles Lempriere, D. C. L., an able writer
 
 104 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 upon Mexico, says: "The Mexican church, as a 
 church, fills no mission of virtue, no mission of 
 morality, no mission of mercy, no mission of char- 
 ity. Virtue cannot exist in its pestiferous atmos- 
 phere. The cause of morality does not come 
 within its practice. It knows no mercy, and no 
 emotion of charity ever nerves the stony heart of 
 the priesthood, which, with an avarice that knows 
 no limit, filches the last penny from the diseased 
 and dying beggar, plunders the widow and orphans 
 of their substance as well as their virtue, and casts 
 such a horoscope of horrors around the deathbed 
 of the dying millionaire, that the poor, supersti- 
 tious wretch is glad to purchase a chance for the 
 safety of his soul in making the church the heir of 
 his treasures." 
 
 Many of the better class of houses in the upper 
 portion of Guanajuato, some of which are ex- 
 tremely attractive, are built from a peculiar sand- 
 stone quarried in the neighborhood, which is of 
 many colors, giving the fronts an odd, but not 
 unpleasant appearance. The balconies of these 
 dwellings are rendered lovely by a great variety of 
 creeping vines and flowers in blossom. Among 
 these the honeysuckle prevailed, often shading 
 pleasant family groups, and forming tableaux in 
 strong contrast with the more humble and popu- 
 lous portions of the town. In this part of the city, 
 where the gorge widens, a large reservoir has been 
 constructed which gets its supply of water from 
 the mountain streams, and affords the necessary 
 article in the dry season. Along either side of 
 these reservoirs, for there is a succession of them,
 
 A PRISON. 105 
 
 are situated the pleasantest residences. These are 
 so charmingly adapted to the locality, and depart 
 so far from the conventional Mexican style, as to 
 cause one to think some American or English 
 architect had been exercising his skill and taste 
 in the neighborhood. They recalled some of the 
 lovely villas one sees near Sorrento and along the 
 shores of the Bay of Amalfi, in southern Italy. 
 
 The spacious and ancient structure known as the 
 Alhondiga de Granaditas, situated on elevated 
 ground, dominates the whole city. It was erected 
 a century and more ago, and designed for a com- 
 mercial exchange, but it has since been greatly 
 altered,, and served as a fortification in the civil 
 wars. It is to-day occupied for the purposes of a 
 prison, where convicts are judiciously taught vari- 
 ous mechanical trades. The view from the summit 
 of this rude old building takes in the town, the 
 long, narrow gulch, the gray and rugged hills 
 which reach upward towards the deep blue sky, 
 dotted here and there by the yellow dome of some 
 ancient church, and an occasional cypress or grace- 
 ful palm striving to redeem the surrounding bar- 
 renness. In the prison yard, where the convicts 
 seem to be permitted to roam at their own pleasui'e, 
 hens, chickens, and turkeys were seen dodging in 
 and out among the feet of the prisoners, with whom 
 they were apparently on the best of terms. 
 
 One could not but think that a large number of 
 these prisoners were probably better off as to crea- 
 ture comforts than when at liberty and following 
 their own behests. They eat, sleep, and work to- 
 gether at light occupations, and no attempt is made
 
 106 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 to keep them from communicating with each other. 
 They have good air, light, and better food on the 
 average than they have been accustomed to when 
 providing for themselves, and they are allowed to 
 keep a part of their own earnings. They are per- 
 mitted good bathing facilities, and to play checkers 
 or any other small games during their off hours, as 
 they term the portions of the day in which disci- 
 pline requires no regular service of them. We be- 
 came interested in the case of an intelligent Ameri- 
 can who was held as a prisoner here. He had been 
 confined for nearly two years without a trial, for 
 which he was earnestly begging. The charge 
 against him was that he had been connected with 
 some Mexicans in the robbery of a railroad train, 
 but of which he declared himself entirely innocent. 
 Whether innocent or guilty, he was entitled to a 
 fair trial. Our party took the matter in hand, sup' 
 plied the man with proper pecuniary means, inter- 
 ested our local consul in his behalf, and brought 
 the matter to the attention of the American min- 
 ister to Mexico, finally obtaining assurance that 
 justice should be obtained for the prisoner. 
 
 Though these places of confinement are con- 
 ducted with apparent looseness, still the escape of 
 an inmate rarely takes place unless it is connived 
 at by the officials. The bullet is very swift in 
 Mexico, as already instanced, and a man who at- 
 tempts to escape from legal restraint is instantly 
 shot without the least hesitation on the part of the 
 guard, no matter for what he may be confined, 
 even though held only for a witness. In well-au- 
 thenticated cases, where it was considered desirable
 
 A NEW THEATRE. 107 
 
 to get rid of an inmate without the form of a trial, 
 which perhaps might compromise some favored in- 
 dividual, opportunity was afforded the prisoner to 
 escape ; the temptation was too strong, he could 
 not resist it ; but scarcely had he broken the 
 bounds before the fatal lead laid him low in death. 
 The place was pointed out to us on these prison 
 walls where the head of the Indian patriot Hidalgo 
 was exposed upon a spear point by the Spanish 
 governor of the place, until it crumbled to dust by 
 the action of the elements. 
 
 Quite a pretentious theatre of stone is in course 
 of erection just opposite the little Plaza de Mejia 
 Mora. The dozen large stone pillars of the facade 
 were already in place, and there are other evi- 
 dences that when finished it will be a spacious and 
 elegant structure. We say when finished, but that 
 will not be this year, or next, probably ; building, 
 like everything else in this country, is slow of pro- 
 gress. The significant Spanish word manana is on 
 everybody's lips, and expresses a ruling principle, 
 nothing being done to-day which can possibly be 
 put off until to-morrow. 
 
 The somewhat singular name of the city is from 
 guanashuato, an Indian word in the Tarrascan 
 tongue, which signifies " hill of the frogs," a name 
 given to the place by the aborigines because of a 
 huge rocky mound which resembles a frog, and 
 forms a prominent object in the immediate envi- 
 rons. With their idolatrous instinct the early 
 natives made this peculiar rock an object of wor- 
 ship, and, it is said, offered human sacrifices at its 
 base. No doubt these tribes were sincere, and
 
 108 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 positive in proportion to their ignorance, the 
 idol is but the type of the worshiper's intelligence. 
 In visiting the Temple of Hanan, at Canton, we 
 find to-day, a number of " sacred " hogs wallowing 
 in dirt. The Parsee still worships fire ; the un- 
 educated Japanese bows before snakes and foxes ; 
 the Hindoo deifies cows and monkeys. Why should 
 we wonder, then, that the Toltecs worshiped idols 
 a thousand years ago ? 
 
 While looking upon the strange stone images, 
 large and small, in the museum of the national 
 capital, which the ancient people who possessed 
 this land erected and worshiped, one cannot avoid 
 forming a very low estimate of such a race. Their 
 deities were not only hideous, but were made in 
 the crudest possible manner, without one correct 
 line of anatomy or physiognomy, and represented 
 utterly impossible beings in equally impossible at- 
 titudes. They are, however, of growing interest, 
 and invaluable as mementoes of a vanished race. 
 
 After returning to Silao, we resume our jour- 
 ney southward on the main line of the Mexican 
 Central Railroad, crossing the State of Guana- 
 juato through a fertile and well-cultivated region, 
 in strong contrast to much of the country left 
 behind. At Irapuato, an unimportant, dingy, di- 
 lapidated little town, nineteen miles from Silao, 
 is the junction of the trunk line and a branch 
 road to Guadalajara, which city we shall visit on 
 our return trip northward. Irapuato is pleasantly 
 remembered by all travelers in Mexico, being noted 
 for the fact that fresh ripe strawberries are sold 
 on the railway trains by the inhabitants every day
 
 STRAWBERRIES. 109 
 
 in the year. Strangers never pass this point with- 
 out enjoying a strawberry picnic, as it may be 
 called, every one purchasing more or less. Even 
 the train-hands would rebel were they not permit- 
 ted to tarry long enough to enjoy the one luxury 
 of the place. The delicious berries are supplied 
 by native men and women with wild-looking, 
 swarthy faces, who hand them to the travelers 
 in neat, plain baskets which hold nearly two 
 quarts each. Basket and strawberries together 
 are sold for twenty-five cents. The top layer of 
 the fruit is carefully selected, and most tempting 
 to look upon, the berries being shrewdly " dea- 
 coned," a fact of which the purchaser becomes 
 aware when he has consumed the first portion. 
 However, all are eatable and most grateful to the 
 taste. Human nature is very much the same in 
 trade, whether exhibited in Faneuil Hall Market, 
 Boston, or at Irapuato in Mexico. The deaconing 
 process is not unknown in Massachusetts. Nice, 
 marketable strawberries could be forwarded from 
 Irapuato to Chicago and all intermediate cities, so- 
 as to be sold in our markets in good condition 
 every day in the year, by means of the present 
 complete railway connections. The industry of 
 producing them would be stimulated by an organ- 
 ized effort to its best performance, and all con- 
 cerned would be benefited. 
 
 About a dozen miles beyond the junction, we 
 arrive at Salamanca, a small but thriving city. 
 Here, in the Church of San Augustin, are some 
 elaborate wooden altars of such beautiful work- 
 manship as to have a national reputation. These
 
 110 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 carvings are by native workmen, and evince an 
 artistic taste and facility which one would hardly 
 expect to find among a people so uncultured as the 
 laboring class of Mexico. There is genius enough 
 lying dormant in the country ; it only lacks develop- 
 ment. The principal industry of the town is the 
 manufacture of buckskin garments and gloves. 
 Twenty miles further southward is the thriving 
 city of Celaya, in the charming valley of the Laja, 
 with about twenty thousand population. The town 
 is situated nearly two miles from the river, in the 
 State of Guanajuato, and contains extensive cotton 
 and woolen mills, with the usual abundance of 
 Roman Catholic churches. There are quite a 
 number of buildings in Celaya, both public and 
 private, which evince notable architectural beauty. 
 These were erected after the design of a local 
 Michael Angelo, a native architect, sculptor, 
 and painter named Tresguerras. Finally we ar- 
 rive at Queretaro (pronounced Ka-ret-a-ro), the 
 capital of the state of the same name, situated 
 a little over one hundred and fifty miles north- 
 west of the city of Mexico, and having a popu- 
 lation of about fifty thousand. This is generally 
 admitted to be the most attractive city, in its gen- 
 eral effect upon the stranger, of any in the republic 
 outside of the valley of Mexico, though we unhesi- 
 tatingly place Puebla before it. It was here, in 
 1848, that the Mexican Congress ratified the treaty 
 of peace with the United States. Perhaps some 
 of the readers of these pages will remember with 
 what distinguished honors Mr. Seward was received 
 in this city during his visit to Mexico in 1869.
 
 QUERETARO. Ill 
 
 Queretaro was founded by the Aztecs about four 
 hundred years ago, and was captured by the Span 
 iards in 1531. It contains numerous fine stone 
 buildings, mostly of a religious character, and has 
 some very spacious public squares. A grand stone 
 aqueduct over five miles long brings a bountiful 
 supply of good water from the neighboring moun- 
 tains. The lofty, substantial masonry of the aque- 
 duct reminds one of similar works which cross the 
 Campagna at Rome, and those in the environs of 
 Cairo. This work must have been originally a tre- 
 mendous undertaking, many of the arches, where 
 ravines and natural undulations are crossed, being 
 nearly a hundred feet in height. The cost of the 
 aqueduct is said to have been borne by a single 
 individual, to whose memory the citizens have 
 erected a statue on one of the plazas. The water- 
 supply thus brought into the town feeds a dozen or 
 more large, bright, crystal fountains in different 
 sections, around which picturesque groups of water- 
 carriers of both sexes are constantly seen filling 
 their jars for domestic uses. To an American eye 
 there is a sort of Rip- Van- Winkle look about the 
 grass-grown streets of Queretaro. We are here 
 some six thousand feet above the sea, but the place 
 enjoys a most equable and temperate climate. It 
 was in the suburbs of this city that Maximilian 
 and his two trusted generals, Mejia and Miramon, 
 the latter ex-president of the republic, were shot 
 by order of a Mexican court-martial, notwithstand- 
 ing the appeal for mercy in their behalf by more 
 than one European power, in which the United 
 States government also joined. The Princess Salm-
 
 112 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Salm rode across country on horseback a distance 
 of over one hundred miles, to implore Juarez to 
 spare the life of Maximilian ; but it was in vain. 
 Juarez was obliged to look at the matter in a po- 
 litical light, whatever his own inclination towards 
 clemency may have been, and therefore refused to 
 annul the sentence of death. Putting all senti- 
 mentality aside, it seems to the author that Maxi- 
 milian justly merited the fate which he so system- 
 atically provoked. The measure which he meted 
 to others was in turn accorded to himself. He 
 issued a decree that every officer taken in arms 
 against his self-assumed authority should be 
 promptly shot without trial. This is considered 
 admissible in the case of professed highwaymen 
 and banditti, but such an order issued against a 
 large body of organized natives who sincerely be- 
 lieved themselves fighting for national liberty was 
 unprecedented and uncalled for. This order was 
 enforced in the instance of some noted patriot 
 leaders. The Mexican generals Arteaga and Sa- 
 lazar, with Villagomez and Felix Diaz, who were 
 ignorant of the existence of any such order or 
 determination, were all shot at Uruapam, October 
 21. 1865. When Maximilian was himself taken 
 prisoner, the like summary punishment became 
 his just award. In the state legislative palace 
 of Queretaro we were shown the table on which 
 the death sentence was signed by the members of 
 the court-martial, the coffin in which Maximilian's 
 body was brought from the place of execution, and 
 a fine oil painting representing the late would-be 
 emperor.
 
 CARLOTTA. 113 
 
 All strangers who visit the city are taken out to 
 the grounds where the execution took place. One 
 naturally regards the spot with considerable inter- 
 est. It is marked by three rude stones within an 
 iron-railed inclosure, each stone bearing the name 
 of one of the victims, in the order in which they 
 stood before the firing party on the Cerro de los 
 Campafias, two miles from the city proper. It 
 seemed serene and peaceful enough as we looked 
 upon the locality, surrounded by highly cultivated 
 fields, dotted here and there by sheep and cattle 
 quietly grazing in the calm, genial sunshine. 
 
 The whole of the Archduke's Mexican purpose 
 and career was a great and absurd political blun- 
 der. Personally he was a pure and honest man, 
 though a very weak one. He never possessed 
 mental power equal to that of his wife, who won 
 from the Mexicans unbounded and deserved praise 
 by her devotion to her husband and to the public 
 good. Carlotta freely expended her private for- 
 tune for the relief of the poor of the national 
 capital, and in the founding of a much needed and 
 grand free hospital for women. When Maximil- 
 ian received notice that Napoleon III. was about 
 to desert him and his cause, he was absolutely 
 discouraged, and would have resigned at once and 
 returned to Europe ; but his courageous wife dis- 
 suaded him. She started the very next day for 
 Vera Cruz, on her way to induce the French em- 
 peror to keep his word and hold sacred the treaty 
 of Miramar. In vain did she plead with Napoleon, 
 being only insulted for her trouble ; nor was she 
 received much better by the Pope, Pius IX. Dis-
 
 114 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 appointment met her everywhere. The physical 
 and mental strain proved too much for Carlotta. 
 Brain fever ensued, and upon her partial recovery 
 it was found that she was bereft of reason. More 
 than twenty years have passed since the faithful 
 wife was thus stricken, nor has reason yet dawned 
 upon her benighted brain. 
 
 After three years of ceaseless struggle, Maxi- 
 milian had grown desperately weary, in a vain ef- 
 fort to reconcile the various political factions of the 
 country, so that to one in his condition of broken 
 health and disappointment, death must have been 
 a relief from mental and physical suffering. His 
 body rests at last in the burial place of the Haps- 
 burgs, thousands of miles from the spot where he 
 fell, while those of Mejia and Miramon lie in the 
 Campo Santo of San Fernando in the city of 
 Mexico. The broad view from this " Hill of the 
 Bells " is very beautiful, and it lives vividly in the 
 memory, taking in the green valley in every direc- 
 tion, spread with fields of undulating grain ready 
 for the reapers, ornamented with umbrageous trees, 
 the city with its mass of towers, domes, and stone 
 dwellings forming the background. A score of 
 ancient churches, convents, and chapels may be 
 counted from the hill-top. The alameda lies on 
 one side of the town, consisting of some fifty or 
 sixty acres nearly square, about which a broad 
 driveway is arranged, the whole charmingly laid 
 out, with greensward and noble shade trees. The 
 Church of the Cross is on slightly elevated ground, 
 and forms a conspicuous architectural feature in 
 the general view. It was in this structure that
 
 THE PLAZA OF qUERETARO. 115 
 
 Maximilian made his headquarters, which he par- 
 tially fortified, and where, after a protracted siege, 
 he was betrayed into the hands of his enemies ; 
 from this place he marched to execution on the 
 19th of June, 1867. 
 
 The Plaza Mayor of Queretaro is a beauty and 
 a joy forever, with its musical fountain uttering 
 ceaseless and refreshing notes, its tropical verdure, 
 its tufted palms and flowering shrubs, its fruitful 
 banana trees, pomegranates, and fragrant roses. 
 Here Maximilian was accustomed to pass an hour 
 daily, and here, we were told, he took his evening 
 recreation, his favorite seat being upon the curb- 
 stone of the capacious fountain. The besiegers 
 discovered the fact, directing shot and shell ac- 
 cordingly at this special point, and though the em- 
 peror was unharmed by the missiles, a monumental 
 statue situated within a few feet of him was shat- 
 tered to pieces. In the sunny afternoons the 
 pretty senoritas come to the plaza with their heads 
 and necks lightly shrouded in Spanish veils, and 
 otherwise clothed in diaphanous garments, short 
 enough to show their shapely ankles in white 
 hose, and their small feet in high-heeled, pointed 
 slippers. He must be indeed calloused who can 
 withstand, unmoved, the battery of their witching 
 eyes. 
 
 There is a large cotton factory about two miles 
 from the city, known as "The Hercules Mills," 
 having over twenty thousand spindles, and nearly 
 a thousand looms. The machinery was imported 
 from this country. A colossal marble statue of 
 Hercules is seen presiding over one of the large
 
 116 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 fountains, in the midst of ornamental trees and 
 flowers. This statue cost fourteen thousand dol- 
 lars before it left Italy. The mill gives employ- 
 ment to some twelve or fourteen hundred natives, 
 mostly women and girls. One of the young sons 
 of the house of Rubio, the family name of those 
 who own this property, went to England years ago, 
 and learned the trade of cotton spinning. This 
 industry as now carried on was established by him, 
 and is still conducted by the same manager, Don 
 Cayetano Rubio. The excellent system of the es- 
 tablishment would do credit to a Lowell or Law- 
 rence factory ; indeed, almost any similar establish- 
 ment might take a favorable lesson from this at 
 Queretaro. The immediate surroundings form a 
 well-arranged and fragrant flower garden, orna- 
 mented with fountains and statuary, with fruit 
 trees, where the employees are all welcome, and the 
 sweet fragrance of which they can enjoy even 
 during the working hours. Wages, to be sure, are 
 insignificant, being only about forty cents a day for 
 each competent operative, and the hours are long, 
 twelve out of each twenty-four being devoted to 
 work ; but as wages go in Mexico this is consid- 
 ered to be a fair rate, with which all are content. 
 We were told that a portion of the cotton used in 
 the mill comes from Vera Cruz, that is, the short 
 staple ; the long comes mostly from the Pacific 
 coast ; while fully half of the raw material is im- 
 ported from the United States. The fibre of the 
 Mexican cotton is longer, and not so soft as the 
 American product ; but the cotton raised in some 
 parts of the republic has this remarkable property,
 
 COTTON MILLS. 117 
 
 that for several consecutive seasons the plant con- 
 tinues to bear profitable crops, while in our South- 
 ern States the soil must not only be fertilized, but 
 the seed must also be renewed annually. The cot- 
 ton plant is indigenous to Mexico, and is more 
 prolific in its yield than it is with our Southern 
 planters. It is the same with cotton as with wool ; 
 though quite able to do so, Mexico does not at 
 present grow enough of either staple to supply 
 her own mills, or produce enough of the manu- 
 factured article to furnish the home market. Both 
 water and steam power are employed as motors in 
 the Hercules Mill. The overshot wheel used in 
 the former connection is a monster in size, being 
 forty-six feet in diameter. Such has heretofore 
 been the disturbed condition of the country that it 
 has been found necessary to organize and maintain 
 a regular company of soldiers, with ample barracks 
 inside the walls, to defend the property of the 
 mill ; and it has three times repulsed formidable 
 attacks made upon the well-fortified walls and 
 gates which surround it. 
 
 Catholic churches and priests form, as usual in 
 all Spanish towns, a prominent feature of the 
 neighborhood ; and we are sorry to say that beg- 
 gars are very importuning and numerous. It is 
 the same in Spain and in Italy as it is in Mexico, 
 where the priests abound, beggars do much 
 more abound. 
 
 In the environs of Queretaro one sees immense 
 plantations devoted to the growth of the maguey 
 plant, from which the national beverage is manu- 
 factured. Pulque is to the Mexican what claret is
 
 118 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 to the Frenchman, or beer to the German, being 
 simply the fermented juice of the aloe. It is said 
 that it was first discovered here, though its advent 
 is attributed to many other towns in Mexico ; but 
 it is certain that either the process of manufacture 
 here is superior to that of most other localities, or 
 the plant grown here possesses peculiar properties, 
 as it commands the market. When we consider 
 the matter, it is surprising to recall the number of 
 uses to which the maguey plant is put. Paper is 
 made from the fibre of the leaves, as well as twine 
 and rope ; its thorns answer for native pins and 
 needles ; the roots are used by the Indians in place 
 of soap ; the young sprouts are eaten after being 
 slightly roasted ; while in the dried form the leaves 
 are used both for fuel and for thatching the native 
 cabins. The maguey plant has been called the 
 miracle of nature, on account of the large number 
 of articles which are made from it and the variety 
 of uses to which it is adapted. It may be added 
 that of all these properties of the agave the early 
 Toltecs were fully aware, and improved them for 
 their own benefit. We have measured specimens 
 of the well developed plant, the leaves of which 
 were eight feet in length, a foot in width, and 
 eight inches in thickness. When the maguey is 
 about seven or eight years old it is at its best for 
 the production of the desired liquor, and is tapped 
 for the milk-like sap, of which it yields from two 
 quarts to a gallon daily for three or four months. 
 This natural liquor is then called agua miel, or 
 honey water, but when it has gone through the 
 process of fermentation it becomes pulque. If
 
 THE MAGUEY PLANT. 119 
 
 the plant is left to itself, at about ten years of age 
 there springs up from the centre of the leaves a 
 tall stem, twelve or fifteen feet in height, which 
 bears upon its apex clusters of rich yellow flowers, 
 and then the whole withers and dies, it never 
 blooms but once. The maguey plant constituted 
 the real vineyards of the Aztecs, as well as the 
 tribes preceding them, its product being the drink 
 of the people of the country long before the days 
 of the Montezumas. At this writing, over eighty 
 thousand gallons of pulque are consumed daily in 
 the national capital. It is to be regretted, as we 
 have seen it announced, that an American com- 
 pany propose to go into the business of pulque 
 making by the use of improved facilities, claiming 
 that it can be produced by the use of this ma- 
 chinery at one half the present cost, the plants be- 
 ing also made to yield more copiously. Of course 
 it will be adulterated, every intoxicant is, except 
 pulque as at present made from the maguey by 
 the Indians. 
 
 The Mexicans have two other forms of spirit- 
 uous liquors, namely mescal, which is also pre- 
 pared from another species of the maguey, by press- 
 ing the leaves in a mill, the juice thus extracted 
 being distilled ; and aguardiente, or rum, made 
 from sugar-cane juice. Both of these are powerful 
 intoxicants. A very valuable and harmless article 
 is thus sacrificed to make a liquid poison. So in 
 our Middle and Western States we pervert both 
 barley and rye from their legitimate purposes, and 
 turn them into whiskey, liquefied ruin. 
 
 Wherever we go among civilized or savage
 
 120 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 races, in islands or upon continents, in the frigid 
 North or the melting South, we find man resorting 
 to some stimulant other than natural food and 
 drink. It is an instinctive craving, apparently, 
 exhibited and satisfied as surely in the wilds of 
 Africa, or the South Sea Islands, as by the opium- 
 eating Chinese, or the brandy-drinking Anglo- 
 Saxons. Every people have sought some article 
 with which to stimulate the human system. Often- 
 est this is a fermented liquor ; but various articles 
 have been found to serve the purpose. The Az- 
 tecs, and the Toltecs before them, had the fer- 
 mented juice of the maguey plant. The Chinese 
 get their spirituous drink from rice. People living 
 under the equator distill the saccharine product 
 of the sugar-cane for aguardiente. The German 
 combines his malt and hops to produce beer. The 
 Frenchman depends upon the juice of the grape in 
 various forms, from light claret to fierce Bordeaux 
 brandy. The Puritans of Massachusetts distilled 
 New England rum from molasses. The faithful 
 Mohammedan, who drinks neither wine nor spirits, 
 makes up for his abstinence by free indulgence in 
 coffee. In the islands of the Indian Ocean the 
 natives stimulate themselves by chewing the betel 
 nut ; and in the Malacca Straits Settlements, Pe- 
 nang, Singapore, and other islands, the people 
 obtain their spirit from the fermented sap of the 
 toddy-palm. In Japan the natives get mildly 
 stimulated by immoderate drinking of tea many 
 times each day ; and all of the civilized and bar- 
 baric world is addicted, more or less, to the use of 
 tobacco.
 
 OPALS. 121 
 
 One of the staple commodities produced here is 
 that classic, beautiful, and precious gem, the opal. 
 It is found imbedded in a certain kind of rock, 
 in the neighboring mountains, sometimes in cubes, 
 but oftener in very irregular forms. It will be re- 
 membered that Nonius, who possessed a large and 
 brilliant specimen of the opal, preferred exile to 
 surrendering it to Marc Antony. Whether he 
 was opal-mad or not, it is clear that persons who 
 visit this place are very apt to become monoma- 
 niacs upon the subject of this beautiful gem. Our 
 party expended considerable sums for these pre- 
 cious stones, cut and uncut, during the brief pe- 
 riod of our visit. The choicest of these specimens 
 is the true fire-opal, which in brilliancy and iri- 
 descence excels all others. Nearly every person 
 one meets in Queretaro seems to have more or less 
 of these lovely stones to sell ; nine tenths of them 
 are of a very cheap quality, really fine ones, be- 
 ing the exception, are valued accordingly. The 
 pretty flower-girl, who first offers you her more 
 fragrant wares, presently becomes confidential, 
 and, drawing nearer, brings out from some mys- 
 terious fold of her dress half a dozen sparkling 
 stones which she is anxious to dispose of. Even 
 the water carrier, with his huge red earthen jar 
 strapped to his head and back, if he sees a favor- 
 able opportunity, will importune the stranger re- 
 garding these fiery little stones. These irrespon- 
 sible itinerants have some ingenious way of filling 
 up the cracks in an opal successfully for the time 
 being ; but, after a few days, the defect will again 
 appear.
 
 122 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The finest specimens of the opal come from 
 Hungary. They are harder in texture than those 
 found in other parts of the world. Those brought 
 from Australia are nearly equal in hardness and 
 brilliancy, while, so far as our own experience 
 goes, the Mexican often excel either in variety of 
 color and brilliancy ; but it is not quite so hard as 
 those from the other two sources. This quality of 
 hardness is one criterion of value in precious 
 stones, the diamond coming first, the ruby follow- 
 ing it, and so on. The author has seen an opal 
 in Pesth weighing fourteen carats, for which five 
 thousand dollars were refused. They can be pur- 
 chased at Queretaro at from ten dollars to ten 
 hundred ; for the latter price a really splendid gem 
 may be had, emitting a grand display of prismatic 
 tints, and all aglow with fire. The natives, not- 
 withstanding the seeming abundance of the stones, 
 hold very tenaciously to the valuation which they 
 first place upon them. Of course, really choice 
 specimens are always rare, and quickly disposed 
 of. While the ancients considered the opal a har- 
 binger of good fortune to the possessor, it has been 
 deemed in our day to be exactly the reverse ; and 
 many lovers of the gem have denied themselves 
 the pleasure of wearing it from a secret supersti- 
 tion as to its unlucky attributes. This fancy has 
 been gradually dispelled, and fashion now indorses 
 the opal as being both beautiful and desirable. 
 
 Mexico also produces many other precious 
 stones, among which are the ruby, amethyst, topaz, 
 garnet, pearl, agate, turquoise, and chalcedony, 
 besides onyx and many sorts of choice marbles.
 
 CAPITAL OF THE TOLTECS. 123 
 
 On our route to the national capital we pass 
 through a number of small cities and towns, while 
 we ascend and descend many varying grades. 
 Native women, here and there, bring agua miel, or 
 fresh pulque, to us, of which the passengers par- 
 take freely. It is a pleasant beverage when first 
 drawn from the plant, very much like new cider, 
 and has no intoxicating effect until fermentation 
 takes place. As we progress southward, occasional 
 wayside shrines with a cross and a picture of the 
 Virgin are seen, before which a native woman is 
 sometimes kneeling, but never a man. Among 
 other interesting places we come to Tula, which 
 was the capital city of the Toltecs more than 
 twelve centuries ago. The cathedral was erected 
 by the invaders in 1553. The baptismal font in 
 the church is a piece of Toltec work. There is to 
 be seen the yellow, crumbling walls of a crude 
 Spanish chapel, even older than the cathedral, now 
 fast returning to its native dust. There are other 
 extremely interesting ruins here, notably a portion 
 of a prehistoric column, and the lower half of a 
 very large statue situated in the plaza. Mr. Rus- 
 kin said in his pedantic way that he could not be 
 induced to travel in America because there were 
 no ruins. There are ruins here and in Yucatan 
 which antedate by centuries anything of recorded 
 history relating to the British Isles. Across the 
 Tula River and up the Cerro del Tesoro are some 
 other ancient ruins which have greatly interested 
 antiquarians, embracing carved stones and what 
 must once have been part of a group of dwell- 
 ings, built of stone laid in mud and covered with
 
 124 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 cement. The valley shows a rich array of foliage 
 and flowers, forming bits of delightful scenery. 
 There are some fifteen hundred inhabitants in 
 Tula ; but it must once have been a large city ; 
 indeed, the name indicates that, meaning " the 
 place of many people." The locality of the an- 
 cient capital is now mostly overgrown and hidden 
 from sight. We are fifty miles from the city of 
 Mexico at Tula, and about seven hundred feet be- 
 low it. The records of the Spanish conquest tell 
 us that the natives of this ancient capital were 
 among the first, as a whole community, to embrace 
 the Christian religion ; and it seems that its peo- 
 ple ever remained stanch allies of Cortez in ex- 
 tending his conquests. 
 
 Here we experienced one of those freaks of 
 tropical weather, a furious summer hail-storm. 
 The thermometer had ranged about 80 in the 
 early day, when suddenly heavy clouds seemed 
 to gather from several points of the sky at the same 
 time. The thermometer dropped quickly some 
 30. It was a couple of hours past noon when 
 the clouds began to empty their contents upon 
 the earth; down came the hailstones like buck- 
 shot, only twice as large, covering as with a white 
 sheet the parched ground, which had not been wet 
 by a drop of rain for months. This unusual storm 
 prevailed for nearly an hour before it exhausted 
 its angry force. " Exceptional?" repeated the sta- 
 tion-master on the line of the Mexican Central 
 Railroad, in reply to a query as to the weather. 
 " I have been here ten years, and this is the 
 first time I have seen snow or hail at any season.
 
 AFTER THE STORM. 12,3 
 
 I should rather say it was exceptional." By and 
 by, after stampeding all the exposed cattle, and 
 driving everybody to the nearest shelter and keep- 
 ing them there, the inky clouds dispersed almost as 
 suddenly as they had gathered, and the thermome- 
 ter gradually crept back to a figure nearly as high 
 as at noon. The fury of the storm was followed by 
 a sunset of rarest loveliness, eliciting ejaculations 
 of delight at the varied and vivid combinations of 
 prismatic colors. One does not soon forget such 
 a scene as was presented at the close of this day. 
 The sun set in a blaze of orange and scarlet, seen 
 across the long level of the cactus-covered prairie, 
 while soft twilight shadows gathered about the 
 crumbling, vine-screened walls of the old Spanish 
 church in the environs of Tula. Soon the stars 
 came into view, one by one, while the moon rode 
 high and serene among the lesser lights of the still 
 blue sky.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 City of Mexico. Private Dwellings. Thieves. Old Mexico. 
 Climate. Tramways. The Plaza Mayor. City Streets. 
 The Grand Paseo. Public Statues. Scenes upon the Paseo. 
 The Paseo de la Viga. Out-of-door Concerts. A Mexi- 
 can Caballero. Lottery Ticket Venders. High Noon. 
 Mexican Soldiers. Musicians. Criminals as Soldiers. 
 The Grand Cathedral. The Ancient Aztec Temple. Mag- 
 nificent View from the Towers of the Cathedral. Cost of 
 the Edifice. Valley of Anahuac. 
 
 As Paris is said to be France, so is the national 
 capital of this country equally representative, it 
 being indisputable that the main business and the 
 social interests of the country all centre here. The 
 city derives its name from the Aztec war-god 
 Mexitli, and is a large and handsome metropolis, 
 containing considerably over three hundred thou- 
 sand inhabitants, who embrace a large diversity 
 of nationalities. In 1519, when Cortez first saw 
 it, the city is represented to have been nine miles 
 in circumference, and to have contained half a 
 million of inhabitants, a statement which, we 
 doubt not, is greatly exaggerated, as were nearly all 
 of his representations and those of his followers. 
 This capital originally bore the name of Tenoch- 
 titlan, and was completely destroyed by the in- 
 vaders, who established a new city upon the same 
 site. Cortez officially announced, three or four 
 years afterwards, that the population was thirty
 
 PRIVATE DWELLINGS. 127 
 
 thousand. " For a century," says Charles Lem- 
 priere, an able writer on Mexico, " the city con- 
 tinued to increase in numbers, wealth, and power, 
 so that when Captain John Smith and his follow- 
 ers were looking for gold mines in Virginia and 
 the Pilgrims were planting corn in Massachusetts, 
 an empire had been founded and built up on the 
 same continent by the Spaniards, and the most 
 stupendous system of plunder the world ever saw 
 was then and there in vigorous operation." 
 
 The streets of the city as we see them to-day are 
 generally broad and straight, lined with two-story 
 houses, and there ai'e also several elegant boule- 
 vards and spacious avenues. The better class of 
 houses are built of stone, covered with stucco, the 
 windows opening upon cosy little balconies hand- 
 somely ornamented and shaded by linen awnings, 
 often in high colors. The interior construction of 
 the dwellings follows the usual Spanish style, as 
 seen on the continent of Europe, in the island of 
 Cuba, and elsewhere, often displaying touches of 
 exquisite Moorish effect, whose highest expression 
 one sees in the Alhambra at Granada. Here and 
 there are seen horseshoe arches supported at the 
 abutments by light and graceful columns, inclosing 
 marble-paved courts. The open areas about which 
 the houses are built often present most pleasing 
 effects by a display of fountains, flowers, and stat- 
 uary tastefully arranged. On the main thorough- 
 fare leading from the Plaza Mayor to the alaineda 
 are several grand private residences, having the 
 most beautiful courts, or patios, as they are called, 
 that the imagination can conceive, lovely with
 
 128 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 tropical trees and flowers in vivid colors, and ren- 
 dered musical by the singing of caged birds. Upon 
 these areas, which are open to the sky, the inner 
 doors and windows of the dwellings open, the 
 second story being furnished with a walk and 
 balustrade running round the patio. Heavy, nail- 
 studded doors shut off this domestic area from the 
 street at night. It is not safe to leave anything 
 outside the house after dark that a man can lift. 
 It is sure to be stolen, if so exposed. The lower 
 classes all over the country are inveterate thieves. 
 The bolts that fastened the ties to the rails of the 
 National Kailway were stolen nightly by the people, 
 until they were finally riveted on. But then there 
 are thieves everywhere ; we chain our out-door mats 
 to iron fastenings in Boston, Chicago, and New 
 York, and dealers in " improved burglar alarms " 
 do a thriving business in all our Northern cities. 
 
 The houses in this capital are very substantially 
 built, the walls being composed of stuccoed bricks 
 of great thickness. Fires are of rare occurrence, 
 and, indeed, it would be nearly impossible to burn 
 up one of these dwellings. If a fire does occur, it 
 is almost always confined not only to the building 
 in which it originates, but even to the room where 
 it first makes its appearance. The roofs are 
 nearly all flat and without chimneys ; there is no 
 provision made for producing artificial heat in the 
 dwelling-houses. This is quite endurable even to 
 foreigners in a climate where the temperature sel- 
 dom falls below 60 Fahi\, and averages the year 
 round nearly ten degrees higher. It is always 
 warm in the middle of the day, and cool only
 
 CLIMATE. 129 
 
 early in the mornings and at night. The climate 
 may be said to be temperate and the atmosphere 
 is extremely dry. Travelers are liable to suffer 
 considerably from thirst, and the lips are prone 
 to chap, owing to this extreme and peculiar dry- 
 ness. The warmest months of the year are April 
 and May. It was somewhat of a surprise to the 
 author to learn that the death-rate of the city of 
 Mexico averages nearly double that of Boston. As 
 to elevation, it is over seven thousand feet higher 
 than the city of Washington, D. C., or more than 
 a thousand feet higher than the summit of Mount 
 Washington, N. H. 
 
 Regarding the fine residences on San Fran- 
 cisco Street, there is a peculiarity observable as to 
 their location. This is almost wholly a business 
 street, and therefore to select it for an elegant 
 home seems incongruous. The choicest residence 
 we can remember on this thoroughfare stands be- 
 tween a large railroad-ticket office and a showy 
 cigar store. This house has a most striking facade 
 finished in Moorish style with enameled tiles, and 
 is on the opposite side of the street from the Itur- 
 bide Hotel. 
 
 Numerous large squares, beside the grand plaza 
 and the spacious alameda, ornament the capital. 
 Several of the main thoroughfares enter and de- 
 part from the Plaza Mayor, as in the city of 
 Madrid, where the Puerto del Sol " Gate of 
 the Sun " forms a centre from which radiate so 
 many of the principal streets. Some are broad, 
 some are narrow, but all are paved, cleanly, and 
 straight. The street-car system is excellent. If
 
 130 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 any fault is to be found with the management, 
 it is with the rapid manner in which the mules at- 
 tached to the cars are driven through the highways 
 amid a crowded population ; and yet, we were told, 
 accidents rarely if ever happen. They are gener- 
 ally run double, having a first and second class 
 car, both of which are seemingly well filled at all 
 hours of the day. Funerals are conducted by turn- 
 ing one of the street cars, made for the purpose, 
 into a catafalque, or hearse, another being reserved 
 for the pall-bearers and mourners. Sometimes one 
 sees a long string of these cars occupied for this 
 purpose gliding into the suburbs where the grave- 
 yards are located. The use of cow-horns by the 
 driver to warn the people who obstruct the way 
 appeared to be a little primitive, to say the least 
 of it, in a city so large as this capital. It seems 
 very effective, however. The fact that all of the 
 tramway cars start from and return to the Plaza 
 Mayor in front of the cathedral makes it easy for 
 a stranger to find his way to any desired point of 
 the city or its environs, and safely to return to the 
 starting point when he desires to do so. The Plaza 
 Mayor in every Mexican city is not only the cen- 
 tral park, but also the central idea. There could 
 no more be a full-fledged Spanish city without a 
 plaza than a cathedral without a bishop. 
 
 Statistics show that there are nearly, or quite, 
 five hundred miles of streets in the Mexican capi- 
 tal. These, intersecting each other at right angles, 
 are so strangely alike as to be not a little puzzling 
 to the uninitiated. It is also somewhat awkward 
 at first to find one continuous avenue bearing
 
 THE PASEO. 131 
 
 many names, each block being individualized by 
 a fresh appellation. This subdivision of the large 
 avenues, we were told, is gradually to be dis- 
 carded. The admirable boulevard called the Paseo 
 de la Reforma, leads out of the city to the castle 
 of Chapultepec, and is over two miles in length, 
 with a uniform width of two hundred feet, forming 
 the fashionable afternoon drive and promenade of 
 the town. It has double avenues of shade trees to 
 the right and left, with stone sidewalks and con- 
 venient seats for those who desire them. On 
 either side of this grand boulevard are seen an 
 occasional chateau with handsome gardens. At 
 certain intervals the avenue widens into a glori- 
 eta, or circle, four hundred feet in diameter. The 
 first of these contains Cordier's Columbus, one of 
 the most admirable and artistic modern statues 
 which we remember to have seen, though there 
 appeared to be some confusion in the extraordi- 
 nary amount of detail which is crowded upon the 
 base. Other appropriate monuments ornament 
 the several circles, including an equestrian statue 
 of Charles IV. of colossal size ; thirty tons of 
 metal was used in the casting, and, if not the 
 largest, it is the second largest that has ever been 
 cast. Still another represents Guatemozin, the 
 last of the Indian emperors. It is a little singular 
 that Montezuma II. is not remembered in this 
 connection, he whose life was so intimately inter- 
 woven with the history of the Aztec race in the 
 time of Cortez. Humboldt is said to have de- 
 clared that the statue of Charles IV. had but one 
 superior, namely, that of Marcus Aurelius. There
 
 132 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 are six of these glorietas, which beautify the long 
 line of perspective ending in the elevated palace- 
 castle of Chapultepec, with its snow-white, pictur- 
 esque walls clearly defined against the blue sky. 
 When Maximilian planned and completed this 
 charming driveway, he named it the Boulevarde 
 Emperiale ; but on the establishment of the re- 
 public the more appropriate title which it now 
 bears was adopted. Some people persist in calling 
 it the Empress's Drive, in honor of Carlotta. 
 
 One never wearies of sitting upon the well-ar- 
 ranged benches of the paseo in the afternoon, and 
 watching the motley throng of people driving, rid- 
 ing on horseback, or promenading : the ladies with 
 piercing black eyes and glossy dark hair shrouded 
 by lace mantillas ; the dashing equestrians exhibit- 
 ing all the gay paraphernalia of a Mexican horse- 
 man ; stately vehicles drawn by two snow-white 
 mules ; tally-ho coaches conveying merry parties of 
 American or English people ; youthful aristocrats 
 bestriding Lilliputian horses, followed by liveried 
 servants ; while here and there a mounted police- 
 man in fancy uniform moves slowly by. In the 
 line of pedestrians are well-dressed gentlemen in 
 black broadcloth suits, wearing silk hats and 
 sporting button-hole bouquets, mingled with whom 
 are a more common class of the people in pictur- 
 esque national costumes. The women of the mid- 
 dle class add gayety of color by their red and blue 
 rebosas, sometimes partly covering the head, at 
 others thrown carelessly over the shoulders, or tied 
 across the chest securing an infant to the back. 
 The general effect of the constantly moving throng
 
 THE AFTERNOON DRIVE. 133 
 
 is kaleidoscopic, while the mingled groupings are 
 delightfully entertaining. Nothing more peculiar 
 and striking in its line is to be seen this side of 
 the Maidan, Calcutta. Here, as in that Asiatic 
 Champs Elysees, now and again one sees a light 
 American trotting wagon or a heavy-wheeled Eng- 
 lish doer cart, with a dude at the reins and a liv- 
 
 O ' 
 
 eried flunky behind holding a flaring bouquet ! 
 
 The carnages go out towards Chapultepec on 
 one side and return on the other, during the popu- 
 lar hours for driving, leaving the central portion 
 of the roadway exclusively for equestrians. Every 
 man who can afford it owns a saddle horse in this 
 city, and the men are universally good riders. 
 The horses are broken to a certain easy gait called 
 the passo, a sort of half run, very easy for the 
 rider, scarcely moving him in the seat. These 
 horses average about fifteen hands in height, and 
 are taught to stop, or turn back, at the least touch 
 of the bit. They are both fast and enduring, with 
 plenty of spirit, and yet are perfectly tractable. 
 The enormous spurs worn by the riders, with row- 
 els an inch long, are more for show than for use. 
 Mexican or Spanish ladies are hardly ever seen on 
 horseback, though both English and American 
 ladies are often met in the saddle, dashing gal- 
 lantly through the throng upon the paseo at the 
 fashionable hour. Something of oriental exclu- 
 siveness and privacy is observed by Mexican ladies 
 of the upper class, who drive on the paseo even in 
 close carriages, not in open barouches, like those of 
 European cities. In shopping excursions they do 
 not enter the stores ; but the goods are brought to
 
 134 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the door of the vehicle, in which they retain their 
 seat while examining the articles which are offered. 
 It is a Sunday scene which we are describing ; but 
 it is all the gayer for that reason. The pulque 
 shops drive a lucrative business ; the billiard sa- 
 loons are all open. Children ride hither and 
 thither in little fancy carriages drawn by goats ; 
 donkeys covered with glittering ornaments are rid- 
 den by small boys, and led by their owners ; clouds 
 of highly-colored toy balloons float in the air, tied 
 to the wrists of itinerant venders ; gambling stands 
 do much abound ; while candy - sellers, with long 
 white aprons and snow-white paper caps, offer 
 candy and preserved fruits on all sides. The class 
 of women whom we meet as pedestrians are quite 
 Parisian in the free use of rouge for lips and 
 cheeks, not forgetting indigo-blue with which to 
 shade about their dreamy-looking eyes. Ladies 
 belonging to the aristocratic class are rarely, if 
 ever, seen walking in the streets. They only drive 
 in the paseo. For a couple of hours in the closing 
 part of the day, the paseo is a bright, giddy, allur- 
 ing scene. A military band performs on Sundays, 
 adding life and spirit to the surroundings. The 
 wholesome influence of these out-of-door concerts 
 upon the masses of the people is doubtless fully 
 realized by the government. A love of music is 
 natural to all classes here. Groups of half-clothed 
 men and women, bareheaded and barefooted, al- 
 ways take places modestly in some corner and 
 quietly listen during the performance of the bands, 
 never speaking while the music lasts. To such 
 these out-door concerts are a real boon. To the
 
 A MEXICAN HORSEMAN. 135 
 
 higher classes they are simply an addition to a long 
 list of other pleasures. Another boulevard, known 
 as the Paseo de la Viga, runs along the banks of 
 the canal of the same name, and leads out to the 
 Lake Xachimilco ; but, since the new paseo was 
 completed this has ceased to be the favorite resort 
 for driving. It is situated in the southern sub- 
 urb of the city, and seems to be rather deserted, 
 though as we view it there passes a typical horse- 
 man, a description of whom shall be literal. 
 
 The horse is of Arabian descent. His sire must 
 have been imported from continental Spain, and 
 being crossed upon native stock has produced a 
 medium-sized, high-spirited, handsome animal, with 
 a broad chest expanded by the air of this altitude, 
 the nostrils being widespread, the ears small, and 
 the eyes full of intelligence. The horse's saddle, 
 bridle, and trappings are gorgeous with silver 
 ornaments, without the least regard to usefulness, 
 twenty-four inches square of leather fancifully 
 worked and shaped being attached to each stirrup. 
 His rider appears in a short leather jacket, be- 
 dizened with silver buttons, tight pantaloons of the 
 same material, also heavy with silver buttons, being 
 partially opened at the side and flaring at the bot- 
 tom. He does not wear a waistcoat, but has a 
 mountain of frills on the linen bosom of his shirt, 
 set off by a red scarf tied about the waist. The 
 spurs upon his heels are of silver, weighing at 
 least half a pound each, while the rowels are an 
 inch long. On his head is a sombrero of yellow or 
 brown felt, the brim of which is twelve to fifteen 
 inches broad, and the crown measuring the same
 
 136 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 in height. The sombrero is covered with gilt cord 
 formed into a sort of rope where it makes the 
 band. The wearer's monogram, in gold or silver 
 letters from two to four inches long, on the side 
 of the crown, completes the whole. Every article 
 is of the finest material, and therein, principally, 
 he differs from a Western cowboy or a dandified 
 Buffalo Bill. 
 
 During the period of Lent, owing to some caprice 
 of fashion, the Paseo de la Viga becomes the popu- 
 lar afternoon resort for vehicles and equestrians. 
 
 While we are making these notes, sitting upon 
 the curbstone of a fountain of the paseo, we are 
 personally reminded that the lottery ticket vender 
 is ubiquitous. Sometimes it is a man who im- 
 portunes you to purchase, sometimes a young girl, 
 and at others even a child of eleven or twelve 
 years belonging to either sex. The pretty girl of 
 course finds the most customers, offering to " kiss 
 the ticket for good luck," and on the sly, perhaps 
 the purchaser also. This must be a Spanish idea, 
 as it is practiced both in Madrid and Cuba. The 
 Mexican government realizes fully a million dol- 
 lars per annum from the licenses granted to pro- 
 tect this gross swindle upon the public. It is a 
 regular thing for prominent business houses to 
 make their monthly purchases of these lottery tick- 
 ets ; rich and poor, prince and beggar, alike invest, 
 differing only in the amount ; while most strangers, 
 smothering their conscientious scruples, purchase a 
 ticket, thus adding their mite to the general folly. 
 We were told in Havana that one satisfaction in 
 buying tickets in the national lottery there was,
 
 LOTTERIES. 137 
 
 that like the Louisiana Lottery it was honestly 
 conducted. Our incredulity upon the subject was 
 laughed to scorn, but since then the Havana Lot- 
 tery has been detected in a series of the most bare- 
 faced swindlings that can be imagined. As to that 
 of Louisiana, we never for a moment have believed 
 in there being anything " honest " about it. A 
 concern which can afford to offer the State gov- 
 ernment of Louisiana over a million dollars per 
 annum for the privilege of running a gambling 
 institution there, must carry on a more reckless 
 swindling game upon the public at large than its 
 worst enemies have suspected. 
 
 Just at high noon, on our return from the Paseo 
 de la Viga, the Plaza Mayor was reached on the 
 great square fronting the cathedral, where a simul- 
 taneous movement was observed among the people 
 who filled the large area. As the cathedral and 
 church bells throughout the city chimed the hour 
 of twelve, every Mexican in sight uncovered his 
 head and bowed devoutly. It was difficult to 
 analyze this spirit of reverence, for which no one 
 could assign any satisfactory reason except that it 
 was the custom. 
 
 The swarthy soldiers of the republic are often 
 seen paraded opposite the plaza, and though they 
 are sure to recall the French Zouaves, yet they 
 lack their admirable discipline and perfection of 
 company movements. Indeed, to speak plainly, 
 the author has never seen a more slatternly, knock- 
 kneed, uncouth body of soldiers than the rank 
 and file of the Mexican army. The white gaiters 
 of the French Zouaves moving all together have
 
 138 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 a fine effect when a body of them are inarching 
 through a Parisian boulevard ; but the Mexican 
 soldiers have neither stockings nor gaiters, besides 
 which they do not pretend to keep step at all when 
 marching. They move at will, while the bottoms 
 of their feet only are covered with the crudest sort 
 of sandals, laced about the ankles with leather 
 thongs. Every soldier in the Mexican service is 
 his own shoemaker. An intelligent officer, in reply 
 to a question regarding the sandal for army use, 
 said : " They are far more comfortable for a sol- 
 dier on the march than any shoe that can be made. 
 They are cool, cheap, and do not irritate the feet. 
 They can be renewed anywhere in this country, 
 and a sandal that will fit one man will do for any 
 other in the regiment. In a warm climate nothing 
 is so suitable for the feet of a soldier." It is well 
 known that so painful will close shoes often be- 
 come to the foot soldier, that he will take them off 
 and throw them away in despair when making a 
 forced march, preferring to walk barefooted rather 
 than endure the suffering caused by swollen feet 
 and tight shoes, which cannot occur when the san- 
 dal is used. The feet have always perfect free- 
 dom in them, and the sole and toes are protected. 
 Neither men nor women of the common class wear 
 stockings, and in fact nine out of ten of the popu- 
 lation of the country go barefooted all the year 
 round. 
 
 It puzzles a stranger to see a good military band 
 and they are excellent musicians here play 
 upon their instruments in perfect harmony, and at 
 the same time march out of step or cadence with
 
 THE ARMY. 139 
 
 the music. It would seem almost impossible for 
 one possessing a true musical ear to perform such 
 a trick. With any European or American band, 
 both feet and instruments would get out of accord 
 constantly, or fall into it naturally. Like the 
 king's guard in Hawaii, the troops here parade 
 in white linen or cotton uniforms, stout and un- 
 bleached, with a plenty of silvered buttons, the cap 
 being white and of the same material as the rest 
 of the simple costume. At times they appear in a 
 plain uniform of dark blue, but this is on special 
 occasions only, as it is considered to be full dress. 
 The officers are nearly all graduates of the military 
 school at Chapultepec, where the best of foreign 
 teachers are employed in the various departments, 
 so that in future it is confidently expected that 
 the army will be found in a more efficient condition 
 than ever before. The common soldiers, we were 
 told, are composed of rather questionable material. 
 A large percentage of them are criminals released 
 from prison on condition of their enlisting and 
 serving for a certain length of time in the ranks 
 of the regular army. On the caps of those serving 
 out a term of imprisonment in this manner are 
 certain marks indicating the same, as well as show- 
 ing the length of the prescribed service. Punish- 
 ment is ever prompt in this country, and despotic 
 methods prevail. Any one attempting to evade 
 his term of service, or breaking army regulations, 
 is very apt to have his business settled by a bullet 
 at once, without even the form of a trial. The 
 department of the cavalry seemed to a casual ob- 
 server to be much more efficient than that of the
 
 140 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 infantry. The fact is, the average Mexican is an 
 admirable horseman, and appears better in that 
 capacity than in any other. The national or stand- 
 ing army numbers about forty-five thousand of all 
 arms, besides which each state has a regular 
 militia force, but of a poorly organized character, in 
 most instances, as we were informed, being neither 
 uniformed, nor drilled at regular periods. Presi- 
 dent Diaz is opposed to the employment of crimi- 
 nals, such as we have described, thinking with 
 good reason that it has a tendency to bring dis- 
 repute upon the service. This would seem to be 
 such an unquestionable fact as to admit of no 
 argument. 
 
 As, in the case of the first Spanish invasion, 
 Cortez with his handful of followers could not 
 have conquered and possessed Mexico but for the 
 dissensions existing among the several native tribes, 
 so, as regards the French invasion and attempt to 
 seat Maximilian on the throne of a new American 
 empire, these invaders could not have met with 
 even the partial success which they achieved had 
 the Mexican people presented an unbroken front 
 in opposition. The American invasion was also 
 more or less favorably affected by partisan divi- 
 sions among the Mexicans. The present organiza- 
 tion of the army is upon a basis so national, and is 
 governed by a spirit so faithful to the whole union 
 of the states, that in case of another war Mexico 
 could put a large and effective army into the field. 
 In other words, she is better prepared to-day than 
 ever before to successfully maintain her national 
 integrity by force of arms.
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 141 
 
 The famous cathedral of Mexico, with its tall 
 twin towers and graceful dome, is built of unhewn 
 stone, and fronts upon the Plaza Mayor, forming 
 the main architectural feature of the city. Ninety 
 years did not suffice to complete it, and several 
 millions of dollars were expended in the original 
 construction. Among the sixty churches of the 
 capital it is preeminent for its vast proportions and 
 elaborate architectural finish. The edifice stands 
 upon the spot, or very near it, which was once occu- 
 pied by the great Aztec temple dedicated to the war 
 god of the nation, which the Spaniards promptly 
 destroyed after subjugating the natives and taking 
 full possession of the place. The first church on 
 this site after the destruction of the idolatrous tem- 
 ple was founded by Charles V. His successor or- 
 dered it to be pulled down, and the present edifice 
 erected in its place. We are told that the great 
 Aztec temple was surrounded by walls having four 
 gates fronting the four cardinal points, and that 
 within the enclosure were five hundred dwellings 
 accommodating the priests and priestesses, and 
 others who were devoted to religious dances and 
 devotional ceremonies connected with the worship 
 and service of the idols. Five thousand priests 
 chanted night and day before the altars. Conse- 
 crated fountains and gardens of holy flowers were 
 there, mingling barbaric fanaticism with natural 
 beauty. In describing these matters the old priests 
 and monks gave free scope to their imaginations. 
 
 The ancient temple was pyramidal, the summit- 
 being about one hundred and fifty feet above the 
 ground, and accessible by numerous broad stone
 
 142 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 steps. On the platform at the top, according to 
 Spanish authorities, human sacrifices took place not 
 only daily but hourly ; wars were made with neigh- 
 boring tribes to supply victims for the altar, and 
 when there was a revolt among the native tribes, 
 it was subdued by the strong arm, while the offend- 
 ing district was compelled to supply a certain num- 
 ber of their people to die on the sacrificial stone. 
 It is represented that the number of lives thus 
 disposed of was reckoned by tens of thousands. 
 David A. Wells, in his able and comprehensive 
 work entitled, " A Study of Mexico," says of these 
 Spanish chroniclers that their representations are 
 the merest romance, no more worthy of credence 
 than the stories of " Sindbad the Sailor," though 
 from this source alone Prescott drew the data for 
 his popular " Conquest of Mexico." One of these 
 chroniclers, who gives his name as Bernal Diaz, not 
 only repeats these stories of the multitudinous sac- 
 rifice of human beings at the rate of thousands 
 monthly, but charges the Cholulans with " fatten- 
 ing men and women to use for food, keeping them 
 in pens as animals are fatted ! " Wilson pro- 
 nounces this to be intolerable nonsense, and though 
 Diaz pretends to have been one of Cortez's sol- 
 diers, always with him throughout his remarkable 
 invasion, Wilson proves clearly that he was never 
 in the country at all. His obvious and constant 
 blunders as to geography and other matters would 
 alone convict him of being a pretender and not a 
 true witness. Besides which, he contradicts both 
 himself and Cortez's account in many important 
 particulars. We believe, with Wilson, that this
 
 UNRELIABLE WRITERS. 143 
 
 name of Bernal Diaz is a pure fabrication, gotten 
 up as a priestly scheme to further their own pur- 
 poses, and cover up the insufferable wickedness of 
 the Roman Church in Mexico, as well as to screen 
 the bloodthirsty career of its agent Cortez. Las 
 Casas declared all these Spanish histories of the 
 conquest to be wicked and false. He wrote a his- 
 tory himself, from personal observation, but as it 
 would have exposed the falsehoods and schemes of 
 the priestly chroniclers, it was promptly suppressed 
 by the all-powerful Inquisition. 
 
 In destroying and leveling the great sacrificial 
 mound which formed the pyramid supporting the 
 Aztec temple, together with the debris of the dis- 
 mantled dwellings and temples generally belonging 
 to the native race, the Spanish conquerers must 
 have found ample material wherewith to fill up the 
 many canals and small lakes which made of this 
 ancient Aztec capital another Venice. Every ves- 
 tige of aboriginal architecture has disappeared from 
 the surface of the city. Three hundred and sixty 
 odd years have served to turn the probably frail 
 dwellings of the people completely to dust. So, 
 also, have the earliest structures of the Spaniards 
 disappeared. There are few of their churches 
 which have not been rebuilt. The causeways 
 which connected the ancient city with the mainland 
 are still considerably higher than the general level 
 of the plain, and are thus distinctly marked, be- 
 sides being bordered with venerable umbrageous 
 trees, tall and graceful, producing a fine effect, 
 particularly when seen from a distance, forming 
 divisional lines in the broad and varied landscape.
 
 144 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The facade of the present grand cathedral, at 
 each side of which rises a massive tower crowned 
 by a bell-shaped dome, is divided by buttresses into 
 three parts, and though there is some confusion of 
 orders, Doric and Ionic prevailing, still as a whole 
 the front is majestic and imposing. The towers 
 are each over two hundred feet in height, and are 
 also of mingled orders. In the western tower is 
 the gr.eat bell, nineteen feet high, named Santa 
 Maria de Guadalupe. We know of nothing of the 
 sort exceeding it in size and weight except the 
 great Russian bell to be seen in the square of the 
 Kremlin at Moscow. The basso-relievos, statues, 
 friezes, and capitals of the facade of the great edi- 
 fice are of white marble, which time has rendered 
 harmonious with the gray stone. Though millions 
 of dollars have been lavishly expended upon the 
 interior, the cost of the bare walls was over two 
 millions, it will strike an artistic eye as incon- 
 gruous. Like the grand and costly interiors of 
 the churches at Toledo, Burgos, and Cordova, in 
 Spain, the general effect is seriously marred by 
 placing the choir in the middle of the nave. It is 
 like breaking midway some otherwise grand per- 
 spective. The cathedral is over four hundred feet 
 in length and two hundred in width. Quadruple 
 pillars, each thirty-five feet in circumference, sup- 
 port its roof, which is a hundred and seventy-five 
 feet from the floor. The high altar there are 
 six altars in all was once the richest in the world, 
 and though the church has been many times plun- 
 dered, it still retains much of its magnificence. 
 The solid gold candlesticks, heavier than a single
 
 COSTLY CHUECH ORNAMENTS. 145 
 
 pair of arms could lift, the statue of the Assump- 
 tion, which was also composed of solid gold, inlaid 
 with diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones, 
 valued at a million dollars, besides many other 
 equally extravagant and nearly as costly objects, 
 have from time to time disappeared. But with all 
 of its losses, this cathedral is doubtless decorated 
 in a more costly manner than any other in America. 
 The railing of the choir is a remarkable affair, 
 manufactured in China at great cost, and weighs 
 nearly thirty tons. It is said to be composed of 
 silver, gold, and copper, containing so much gold 
 that an offer has been made to take it down and 
 replace it with one of solid silver in exchange. 
 The original cost of this railing is stated to have 
 been one million and a half dollars ! (Spanish 
 authority.) There are a dozen or more side chap- 
 els, inclosed in bronze gates, in one of which the 
 Mexican Emperor Iturbide is buried, though, he 
 was condemned and executed as a traitor. Two in- 
 valuable oil paintings hang upon the walls, a gen- 
 uine Murillo and an original Michael Angelo. A 
 dim light pervades the interior of the cathedral, 
 tempered by the flare of tall candles, but it lacks 
 the beautiful effect of stained glass windows. The 
 imagination, however, is very active, and easily 
 summons from the dim past ghostly shadows, while 
 an overpowering sense of height and silence pre- 
 vails. 
 
 Here Maximilian and Carlotta were crowned, in 
 1864, emperor and empress, with great ceremony, 
 little dreaming how briefly their imperial honors 
 would remain to them.
 
 146 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 In contemplating this grand architectural devel- 
 opment, as well as the hundreds of other similar 
 structures, erected at such enormous expenditures 
 of money and labor, one cannot but be exercised 
 by mingled emotions. We are apt to recall bow 
 much of absolute misery was entailed upon the 
 down-trodden natives, who were compelled to work 
 for barely sufficient food to sustain life. The con- 
 trol of the priesthood was absolute ; they levied 
 taxes upon everything and everybody. They were 
 amenable to no civil laws, and recognized none 
 but those of the church. The extent to which they 
 carried their extortion is almost beyond belief, and 
 the amount of wealth which they accumulated is 
 nearly incredible. At the time of the reform, the 
 clergy absolutely owned three fourths of the entire 
 property of the country. 
 
 The view from the towers of the cathedral, in 
 which there are between forty and fifty costly 
 bells, each dedicated to some saint or martyr, 
 is so remarkable that not even the most casual 
 visitor to the capital should miss it. It presents 
 such a picture as promptly photographs itself on 
 the brain, never to be obliterated. It was from 
 this locality, on the summit of the Aztec temple 
 which stood here four hundred years ago, that 
 Montezuma pointed out to Cortez the beauties of 
 his capital and its fairy-like environs, so soon to 
 be destroyed by the hands of the ruthless invader. 
 At our feet lies the tree-dotted plaza, with its cen- 
 tral pleasure-garden and its fine architectural sur- 
 roundings, including the long, white facade of the 
 national palace, while the entire city is spread out
 
 A REMARKABLE VIEW. 147 
 
 before us with its myriad domes, spires, thorough- 
 fares, and causeways. There are typical scenes 
 and groups everywhere formed by the eddies of 
 busy life. Long lines of heavy-laden burros thread 
 the streets, the natives assume the size of huge 
 insects crawling about in bright colors, the bloom- 
 ing trees are like button-hole bouquets, and dash- 
 ing horsemen move about like animated mario- 
 nettes. Not far away looms against the blue sky 
 the tall castle of Chapultepec, while the clustered 
 towers of Guadalupe, the Mecca of all pious Mexi- 
 cans, comes still nearer to the vision. The many 
 outlying villages upon the plateau, each with its 
 central spire, recall the lovely plains of Granada. 
 The distant fields of maguey, the verdant patches 
 of alfalfa, luxuriant meadows, groups of grazing 
 cattle, and the two arched stone aqueducts are all 
 prominent features presenting themselves to the 
 eye, together with the gardens and villas of Tacu- 
 baya and San Angel. As we gaze at the un- 
 equaled panorama, which Humboldt pronounced 
 to be the most beautiful the eye ever rested upon, 
 the thought forced itself upon us that with all its 
 scenic beauty, this valley and plain of Anahuac 
 has for centuries been cursed with crime and bar- 
 barism. The whole scene is inclosed by a grand 
 circle of mountains, just far enough away to clothe 
 them in charming purple. The rarefied atmos- 
 phere adds distinctness and brilliancy of coloring 
 to everything. Two of these sky-reaching eleva- 
 tions are of world-wide reputation, namely, Mount 
 Popocatepetl (" the smoking mountain "), and 
 Mount Ixtaccihuatl (" the white woman "). The
 
 148 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 former presents so perfect a conical form, while 
 the summit is rounded into a dome of dazzling 
 whiteness, that it seems to far exceed the height of 
 eighteen thousand feet which is accorded to it ; and 
 though it does not rise abruptly from sea level to 
 its giddy height, like Mount Tacoma in the State 
 of Washington, still in shape it much resembles 
 that noble elevation. 
 
 Cortez in 1520 and Scott in 1847 led their con- 
 quering hosts over the elevated pass which nature 
 had formed between these mountains. The two 
 summits are connected by a well-wooded ridge, 
 itself some three thousand feet in height, looking 
 from a distance like a deep valley between the 
 grand mountains. While regarding the interest- 
 ing scene, it was natural to compare the loftiest 
 elevation before us with that of the Valley of 
 Chamounix. Mont Blanc is a little less than six- 
 teen thousand feet at its summit above the sea. 
 Popocatepetl is a little less than eighteen thousand, 
 but the latter rises from the plateau of Mexico, 
 which is over seven thousand feet above the sea, 
 while Mont Blanc at the base, is only thirty- 
 five hundred feet above the ocean. Thus about 
 two thousand feet more of elevation is visible to 
 the eye in the Swiss mountain than the Mexican 
 monarch shows above the plain. 
 
 In the rear of the cathedral, and adjoining it, is 
 an interesting chapel known as the Capilla de las 
 Animas, " Chapel of the Souls." It is really a 
 part of the cathedral, though ai-ranged quite sepa- 
 rate from it, facing upon the Calle de las Escale- 
 rillas. We find no record of its origin, though it
 
 AN INDUSTRIOUS PEIEST. 149 
 
 is said to have been built in 1748 to replace a 
 similar edifice which was destroyed by fire. The 
 branch of business to which this chapel is devoted, 
 as we were told upon the spot, was to pray to the 
 good God to release souls from purgatory ! One 
 Concha, a priest who carried on this lucrative farce 
 until he was eighty-seven years old, died so long 
 ago as 1755, having, as the church record shows, 
 "celebrated" over forty-five thousand masses in 
 his time; the amount of cash received for the 
 same is not set down. As the priests do nothing on 
 credit, officiating at marriages or funerals, selling 
 indulgences or performing masses for cash only, 
 this good man must have realized for his services,' 
 in the aggregate, at the very lowest reasonable esti- 
 mate, about one million dollars. Undoubtedly 
 high rates were sometimes paid to get a very 
 "hard case" out of purgatory. Sinners who 
 dreaded a future state of punishment, as a just 
 reward for their evil deeds on earth, were accus- 
 tomed to leave Father Concha a good round sum 
 of money, to pray them out of the uncomfortable 
 quarters to which they expected to be consigned 
 after departing from this life. Like a certain 
 shrewd Irishman, they " accepted " purgatory, fear- 
 ing they might go further and fare worse.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 An Extinct Volcano. Mexican Mountains. The Public Insti- 
 tutions of the Capital. The Government Palace. The Mu- 
 seum. Maximilian's State Carriage. A Peculiar Plant. 
 The Academy of Fine Arts. Choice Paintings. Art School. 
 Picture Writing. Native Artists. Exquisite Pottery. 
 Cortez's Presents to Charles V. A Special Aztec Art. 
 The Sacrificial Stone. Spanish Historical Authorities. 
 Public Library. The Plaza. Flower Market. A Morn- 
 ing Visit. Public Market. Concealed Weapons. 
 
 TliE crater of Popocatepetl being an extinct 
 volcano is now a valuable sulphur mine. To 
 obtain this pi'oduct, it is necessary to descend into 
 the crater by means of a rope, one of great length 
 being required for the purpose ; and when a cer- 
 tain quantity is secured, it is packed in mats be- 
 fore being hoisted to the mouth of the crater. The 
 Indians tie these packages together ; then, making 
 a cushion of their serapes, they slide down the 
 mountain as far as the snow extends, dragging 
 the mats after them. On the north side of the 
 volcano, near the limit of tree growth, the sulphur 
 is distilled in iron retorts, and is then ready for 
 the market. The crater's mouth is huge in dimen- 
 sions, being half a mile in diameter, and the 
 amount of native sulphur deposited there is enor- 
 mous, practically inexhaustible. This profitable 
 sulphur mine is owned, or was, a few months since, 
 by General Ochoa, a resident of the capital. It is
 
 A SULPHUR MINE. 151 
 
 said that when Cortez had expended his supply of 
 gunpowder, he resorted to the crater of Popocate- 
 petl for sulphur to make a fresh supply, and that 
 the natives had never ascended the mountain un- 
 til the Spaniards showed them the way. Earth- 
 quakes are not uncommon, even to-day, near the 
 base of this monarch mountain ; but no eruption 
 has taken place since 1692. Earthquakes have 
 always been more or less common in Mexico, but 
 never very serious in the capital; otherwise, with 
 its insecure foundations, it must have suffered 
 seriously. Smoke is reported to have been seen 
 bursting forth from the crater of Popocatepetl 
 several times at long intervals, but no positive 
 volcanic action has taken place since the date 
 named. Its actual height is given by the best 
 authorities as being but about two hundred feet 
 less than eighteen thousand. 
 
 One is apt to speculate mentally, while gazing 
 upon it, as to the possibility of this sleeping vol- 
 cano one day awaking to destructive action. That 
 it still lives is clearly seen by the smoke and sul- 
 phurous breath which it exhales, and the occa- 
 sional significant earthquakes which occur about 
 its widespread base. There are seventeen or eigh- 
 teen mountains in the republic which rise more than 
 ten thousand feet above the level of the sea, four 
 of which are over fifteen thousand feet in height, 
 Popocatepetl being the loftiest of them all. Par- 
 ties ascend on horseback to the snow line, and 
 from thence the distance to the summit is accom- 
 plished on foot. Some adventurous people make 
 the descent into the crater by means of the bucket
 
 152 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 and windlass used by the sulphur-gatherers, but 
 the most inquisitive can see all that they desire 
 from the northerly edge of the cone. The expedi- 
 tions for the ascent are made up at Amecameca. 
 The time necessarily occupied is about three days, 
 and the cost is twenty-five dollars for each person. 
 It is a very exhausting excursion, and few persons 
 undertake it. 
 
 The city of Mexico is famous for its large num- 
 bers of scientific, literary, and charitable institu- 
 tions, its many schools, primary and advanced, 
 and its several well-appointed hospitals. The na- 
 tional palace covers the whole eastern side of the 
 Plaza Mayor, having a frontage of nearly seven 
 hundred feet, and occupies the site of the royal 
 residence of the Montezumas, if we may credit tra- 
 dition. The present edifice was erected in 1693, 
 in place of one which Cortez and the Spanish vice- 
 roys had occupied until it was destroyed by fire in 
 1692. Though the palace is only two stories in 
 height, yet the central tower over the main en- 
 trance and the finish on each side of it give it all 
 necessary prominence. It contains the President's 
 suite of rooms, and those devoted to the various 
 departments of the state officials. The hall of 
 ambassadors, a very long, narrow apartment, is 
 interesting on account of its life-size portraits of 
 Mexican rulers from the period of independence, a 
 majority of whom either endured exile or public 
 execution ! At the extreme end of this hall is a 
 very good full-length portrait of our Washington. 
 Here, also, is a pretentious battle-piece by a native 
 artist, representing the battle of Puebla, when the
 
 INTERESTING RELICS. 153 
 
 French were so completely defeated. The picture 
 is entitled " Cinco de Mayo," the date of the con- 
 flict. It is not a fine specimen of art, but it is 
 certainly a very effective picture. This battle 
 of the 5th of May was another Waterloo for the 
 French. An apartment known as Maximilian's 
 room is shown to the visitor, situated in the corner 
 of the palace, having two windows at right angles 
 and thus commanding a view in two directions, 
 one window overlooking the plaza, the other the 
 business streets leading to the market. A room 
 called the hall of Iturbide is hung in rich crimson 
 damask, displaying the eagle and serpent, which 
 form the arms of Mexico. The edifice contains also 
 the General Post-office and the National Museum. 
 In the armory of the palace there was pointed out 
 to us the stand of arms with which the Archduke 
 Maximilian and his two faithful officers were shot 
 at Queretaro. In the grounds which form the 
 patio of the palace, a small botanical garden is 
 maintained, containing many exotics, choice trees 
 and plants, besides a collection of those indigenous 
 to the country. The curiosities in the department 
 of antiquity of the museum are of intense interest. 
 In an historical point of view they are invaluable. 
 A great amount of money and intelligent labor has 
 been expended upon the collection with highly sat- 
 isfactory results. It is of engaging interest to the 
 merest museum frequenter, but to the archasolo- 
 gist it is valuable beyond expression. Here are also 
 deposited the extensive solid silver table-service 
 imported for his own use by Maximilian, and also 
 the ridiculously gilded and bedizened state carriage
 
 154 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 brought hither from Europe, built after the Eng- 
 lish style of the seventeenth century. The body 
 of the vehicle is painted red, the wheels are gilded, 
 and the interior is lined with white silk brocade, 
 heavily trimmed with silver and gold thread. It 
 surpasses in elegance and cost any royal vehicle to 
 be seen in Europe, not excepting the magnificent 
 carriages in the royal stables of Vienna and St. 
 Petersburg. Among the personal relics seen in the 
 museum is the coat of mail worn by Cortez during 
 his battles from Vera Cruz to the capital, also the 
 silk banner which was borne in all his fights. This 
 small flag bears a remarkably lovely face of the 
 Madonna, which must have been the work of a 
 master hand. The shield of Montezuma is also 
 exhibited, with many arms, jewels, and picture 
 writings, these last relating to historic matters, 
 both Toltec and Aztec. The great sacrificial stone 
 of the aborigines, placed on the ground floor of the 
 museum, is, in all its detail, a study to occupy one 
 for days. It is of basalt, elaborately chiseled, 
 measuring nine feet in diameter and three feet in 
 height. On this stone the lives of thousands of hu- 
 man beings, we are told, were offered up annually. 
 The municipal palace is on the south side of the 
 plaza, nearly opposite to which is a block of build- 
 ings resting upon arcades like those of the Rue 
 Kivoli in Paris. Let us not forget to mention 
 that in the garden of the national palace the vis- 
 itor is shown a remarkable floral curiosity called 
 the hand-tree, covered with bright scarlet flowers, 
 almost exactly in the shape of the human hand. 
 This is the Cheirostemon pi atani folium of the
 
 ACADEMY OF FINE AETS. 155 
 
 botanists, an extremely rare plant, three specimens 
 of which only are known to exist in Mexico. 
 
 In the rear of the national palace is the Acad- 
 emy of Fine Arts, generally spoken of as the 
 Academy of San Carlos, named in honor of 
 Carlos III. of Spain, which contains three or 
 four well-filled apartments of paintings, with one 
 and, in some instances, two pictures each of such 
 masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Velasquez, Titian, 
 Van Dyck, Rubens, Perugino, and others. There 
 is also a large hall of sculpture attached, which 
 presents casts of many well-known and classic 
 originals. This department, however, does not 
 compare well with the rest of the institution. The 
 art gallery will be sure to greatly interest the 
 stranger, as being the foundation of an institu- 
 tion evidently destined in time to reach a high 
 degree of excellence. Besides possessing several 
 priceless examples by the old masters, there are 
 many admirable pictures, the result of native tal- 
 ent, which are remarkable for their conception and 
 execution. Two large canvases by Jose Maria 
 Velasco, representing the Valley of Mexico, form 
 fine and striking landscapes which few modern 
 painters can equal. These two paintings were ex- 
 hibited at the Philadelphia Exposition, and won 
 high encomiums. In our estimation, the gem of 
 the galleries is, unquestionably, the large canvas 
 by Felix Parra, a native artist. It is entitled 
 " Las Casas protecting the Aztecs from slaughter 
 by the Spaniards." This young artist, not yet 
 much over thirty years of age, has given us in 
 this picture an original conception most perfectly
 
 156 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 carried out, which has already made him famous. 
 It was painted before Parra had ever seen any 
 other country except Mexico, but it won for him 
 the first prize at the Academy of Rome. The 
 original painting was exhibited at the New 
 Orleans Exposition not long since, eliciting the 
 highest praise from art critics. It is worthy of 
 being placed in the Louvre or the Uffizi. One 
 canvas, entitled " The Dead Monk," attracted us 
 as being singularly effective. The scene repre- 
 sents several monks, with tapers in their hands, 
 surrounding the dead body of a brother of their 
 order. The dim light illumines the scared faces 
 of the group, as it falls upon the calm, white fea- 
 tures of the dead. The masterly handling of color 
 in this picture has rarely been excelled. 
 
 The Academy of San Carlos contains an art 
 school free to the youth of the city, and is subsi- 
 dized by government to the amount of thirty-five 
 thousand dollars per annum. As we passed through 
 the galleries, a large class of intelligent-looking 
 boys, whose age might have ranged from twelve to 
 fifteen years, were busily engaged with their pen- 
 cils and drawing-paper in copying models placed 
 before them, under the supervision of a compe- 
 tent instructor. It was pleasant to see the demo- 
 cratic character of this assemblage of pupils. All 
 classes were represented. The school is as free 
 to the son of a peon as to him with the richest 
 of parents. Prizes are given for meritorious work 
 by the students ; one annual prize is especially 
 sought for, namely, an allowance of six hundred 
 dollars a year for six years, to enable the recipi-
 
 NATIVE ART. 157 
 
 ent to study art abroad. The institution is in a 
 reasonably flourishing condition, but it lacks the 
 stimulus of an appreciative community to foster 
 its growth and to incite emulation among its 
 pupils. Strangers visit, admire, and applaud, but 
 native residents exhibit little or no enthusiasm for 
 this nucleus of the fine arts in the national capital. 
 The encouragement offered to artists in any line 
 in Mexico is extremely small. There can hardly 
 be said to be any home demand for their products. 
 There is one other canvas, seen in the galleries, 
 which comes back to memory, and of which it is a 
 pleasure to speak in commendation. The artist's 
 name has escaped us, but the admirable and effec- 
 tive picture represented " Columbus contemplating 
 the Sea." 
 
 Art should certainly be at home in Mexico, 
 where it has found expression in various forms for 
 hundreds of years. What were the picture-writ- 
 ings of the aborigines but early examples of art? 
 There are numerous specimens of Aztec paintings 
 illustrative of the early history of Mexico, which 
 were produced long before the arrival of the con- 
 quering Spaniards. Some of these on deerskin, 
 and some on a sort of parchment, or papyrus, 
 which the Toltecs and Aztecs made from the leaves 
 of the maguey plant, may be seen in European mu- 
 seums. They show that the arts of metal casting 
 and the manufacture of cotton and of jewelry were 
 derived from the Toltecs by the Aztecs. There are 
 plenty of examples to be seen showing that these 
 aborigines were admirable workers in silver and 
 gold. So eager was Cortez to send large sums of
 
 158 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 gold to his sovereign, and thus to win ro} T al for- 
 giveness and countenance as regarded his gross 
 insubordination in stealing away from Cuba, and 
 in boldly taking upon himself all the preroga- 
 tives of a viceroy, that he not only extorted every 
 ounce of gold dust he could possibly obtain from 
 the natives of the conquered provinces, but he 
 melted many of their beautiful and precious orna- 
 ments into more available shape for his purpose. 
 Some of these he transmitted to Spain, where, in 
 course of time, they also shared the same fate. 
 The aggregate sum thus sent by him to Spain, as 
 given in the records of the period, was so large as 
 to provoke our incredulity. Were specimens of 
 those golden ornaments, the product of Toltec and 
 Aztec art, now extant, they would be worth fifty 
 times their weight in gold, and form tangible links 
 of history connecting the present with the far past. 
 This native art has been handed down from gen- 
 eration to generation ; and there is nothing of the 
 sort made in the world superior to Mexican silver 
 filigree work, which recalls the lace-like texture of 
 similar ornaments manufactured at Genoa. Again, 
 illustrative of this natural instinct for art in the 
 aborigines, let us not forget to speak of the colored 
 straw pictures produced by the Indian women, 
 representing natural scenery and prominent build- 
 ings, done with wonderful fidelity, even in the 
 matter of perspective. Statuettes or wax figures 
 are also made by them, representing the native 
 laboring classes and street scenes to the very 
 life. This is a sort of specialty in Naples ; but we 
 have never seen one of these small Italian figures
 
 FEATHER WORK. 159 
 
 superior to those which one can buy in the stores 
 on San Francisco Street in Mexico, all of which 
 are the work of untaught native Indians. While 
 we are writing these lines, there stands upon our 
 library table a specimen of Mexican pottery which 
 we brought from Guadalajara. It is of an antique 
 pattern, made by hand in an Indian mud cabin, 
 beautifully decorated and glazed, combining colors 
 which mingle in perfect harmony. This is not an 
 organized industry here. Each family produces 
 its own ware for sale ; and no two pieces can be 
 exactly similar. No people, unless possessed of a 
 high degree of artistic instinct and appreciation, 
 could produce pottery, either in shape or finish, 
 such as the traveler sees at Guadalajara. 
 
 We are told that the ancient Aztecs excelled 
 in one branch of art above all others ; namely, in 
 the production of scenes and various ornamenta- 
 tions in feather work, the effect of which is similar 
 to Florentine mosaic. The gorgeous plumage of 
 the humming-bird and of parrots was especially 
 devoted to this object. The feathers, glued upon 
 a cotton web, were made into dresses for the 
 wealthy to wear on festal occasions. The grada- 
 tions and brilliancy of these feather pictures are 
 said to have been marvelous. There is preserved 
 in the museum at the national capital a vestment 
 of this character, said to have been worn by Mon- 
 tezuma II. Antonio de Solis, royal historiogra- 
 pher, speaks of " a quantity of plumes and other 
 curiosities made from feathers," by the Aztecs, 
 " whose beauty and natural variety of colors, found 
 on the native birds of the country, were placed and
 
 160 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 combined with wonderful art, distributing the sev- 
 eral colors and shadowing the light with the dark 
 so exactly, that, without making use of artificial 
 colors or of the pencil, they could draw pictures, 
 and would undei-take to imitate nature." One is 
 constantly importuned, in the patio of the Iturbide 
 Hotel, to purchase figures and small landscapes 
 newly made of these brilliant feathers, offered at 
 a very moderate price. Indeed, their production 
 forms quite an industry among a certain class of 
 Indians. So it seems that this art has been in- 
 herited; there being no present market for such 
 elaborate examples as used to be produced, the 
 fine artistic ability of centuries past is neither de- 
 manded, nor does it exist. According to one 
 Spanish authority (Clavigero), so abundant were 
 sculptured images that the foundation of the cathe- 
 dral on the Plaza Mayor is entirely composed of 
 them ! Another writer of the same nationality 
 (Gama) says that a new cellar cannot be dug in 
 the capital without turning up some of the mould- 
 ering relics of barbaric art. As cellars cannot be 
 dug at all on account of the mere crust of earth 
 existing above the water, this veracious historian 
 could not have written from personal knowledge, 
 or have visited the country. It is these irrespon- 
 sible writers who have made " history " to suit 
 their own purposes. Father Torquemada surpasses 
 Baron Munchausen when he tells us that, at the 
 dedication of a certain aboriginal temple, a proces- 
 sion of persons two miles long, numbering seventy- 
 two thousand, perished on the sacrificial stone, 
 which is now exhibited in the National Museum
 
 PUBLIC LIBRARY. 161 
 
 of Mexico. This stone, by the way, is to our mind 
 clearly Toltec, not Aztec. Examination shows it 
 to be identical with the stone relics of Tula, the 
 original capital of the Toltecs. The same may be 
 said of the " Calendar Stone," placed in the outer 
 walls of the cathedral. 
 
 The National Conservatory of Music, dating 
 from January 25, 1553, is near at hand ; so also is 
 the National Library, where the admirable collec- 
 tion of books numbers nearly two hundred thou- 
 sand. The confiscated convent of Saint Augustine 
 serves as an appropriate building for this library 
 of choice books. We say of choice books, not 
 only because they are many of them unique, but 
 because all books are choice, being sources from 
 which the careful student and historian can cull 
 true history and philosophy. He does not accept 
 each and all of the statements which are here pre- 
 sented, but from the collated mass culls the truth- 
 ful deductions. These books very largely and 
 very naturally relate to religious subjects, as they 
 are mostly made up from the confiscated con- 
 vent libraries heretofore existing in Mexico. Val- 
 uable modern and secular books have been added 
 to these collections from time to time. Our atten- 
 tion was called to a volume bearing the date of 
 1472, and to one still older which was printed in 
 two colors. There is here an atlas of England 
 which was printed in Amsterdam in 1659, with 
 steel plates, and in colors which are as bright and 
 fresh as though just from the press. A Spanish 
 and Mexican dictionary, printed in Mexico in 1571, 
 showed how early the printing-press followed the
 
 162 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 period of the conquest. A book of autographs 
 bearing the names of Cortez's notable soldiers was 
 interesting. This, we understood, was one of the 
 much-coveted prizes which has been sought by 
 foreign collectors. The manuscripts are of great 
 antiquity and interest. One was in the form of 
 a large volume, done with the pen in old Eng- 
 lish letters; another, very highly prized, is of 
 painted pictures, which purports to be original dis- 
 patches from Montezuma to his allies, and which 
 was captured by Cortez. This last is on a roll of 
 prepared deerskin. The richly-carved front of the 
 library is a profound study in itself, and is the 
 work of a native artist. The fence which incloses 
 the edifice is ornamented with marble busts of fa- 
 mous scientists, orators, and authors, while beauti- 
 ful flowers grace the small plot in front, the whole 
 made refreshingly cool by the playing of a small 
 fountain. This library contains books in all lan- 
 giiages, and bearing dates of four hundred years 
 since. Some of these books are almost priceless 
 in value, very old, and believed to be unique. We 
 were told that an agent of the British Museum, 
 who came thousands of miles for the purpose, had 
 offered a fabulous price for some half a dozen vol- 
 umes on the shelves of the National Library of 
 Mexico ; but he offered the princely sum in vain, 
 a fact which speaks well for those in authority. 
 The library has no systematic arrangement and no 
 catalogue. 
 
 The Plaza Mayor must be fully a thousand feet 
 square. It was laid out and beautified under the 
 personal direction of the youthful, handsome, and
 
 FLOWER MARKET. 1G3 
 
 would-be empress, Carlotta, who exhibited exqui- 
 site taste in such matters, and hesitated at no cost 
 to carry out her imperial will, freely expending 
 from her private fortune for the purpose. In the 
 centre of the plaza is the Zacalo, so called, screened 
 with groups of orange-trees, choice shrubbery, and 
 flowers. Here there is a music stand and foun- 
 tain, where frequent out-of-door concerts are given 
 by military bands, especially in the evenings. At 
 the western side of the square, under the shadow 
 of the cathedral, is the flower market, rendering 
 the whole neighborhood fragrant in the early 
 mornings with the perfume it exhales, while it de- 
 lights the eye with hillocks of bright color. This 
 market is in an iron pavilion covered in part with 
 glass, the lovely goods presided over by nut-brown 
 women and pretty Indian girls. Barbaric as the 
 Aztecs were, they had a true love and tenderness 
 for flowers, using them freely in their religious 
 rites, a taste which three hundred years and more 
 of oppression, together with foreign and civil wars, 
 has not served to extinguish. The most abundant 
 specimens of the floral kingdom one meets with 
 here are red and white roses, very finely developed, 
 pinks of all colors, violets, mignonette, heliotrope, 
 scarlet and white poppies, pansies, and forget-me- 
 nots. Such flowers were artistically mingled in 
 large bouquets, with a delicate backing of maiden- 
 hair fern, and sold for fifteen cents each. There is 
 no fixed tariff of prices, strangers naturally paying 
 much more than the residents, and the sum first 
 demanded being usually double what will be finally 
 received, a manner of trade which is by no
 
 164 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 means confined to the Spanish-speaking races. It 
 must be remembered that although these are cul- 
 tivated flowers, still the} 7 bloom out-of-doors all 
 the year round. The women venders emulate their 
 lovely wares in the colors they assume in their cos- 
 tumes. The dahlia, we are told, first came from 
 the valley of Mexico. The universal love of flow- 
 ers finds expression in the houses, not only of the 
 rich, but in those of the very humble poor, all over 
 the town and the environs. 
 
 It was interesting to note the special class of 
 customers drawn in the early morning to this flower 
 pagoda. These were the true lovers of Flora, bent 
 upon securing their favorites while damp with 
 dewy sweetness. There was the very humble but 
 appreciative purchaser, who invested only a few 
 centavos, but took away a choice collection of 
 bright colors and of mingled fragrance. Here 
 was an ardent lover, all eagerness, who would 
 write his words of devotion to his idol in the al- 
 phabet of angels. Now and then an American 
 tourist was seen to carry away an armful of bou- 
 quets to bestow with impartial hand among his 
 lady friends. Looking on at the suggestive scene 
 is a scantily-clad Indian girl, with a curious hun- 
 gry expression upon her face. Is it flowers or 
 food that she craves ? She shall have both. How 
 rich the color of her cheek ; how eloquent the ex- 
 pression of her dark eyes ; how grateful her hesi- 
 tating smile, as she receives from the stranger a 
 piece of silver and a cluster of flowers ! 
 
 On the open space in front of the cathedral a 
 sort of daily fair is held, where a most incongru-
 
 THE MARKET-PLACE. 165 
 
 ous trade is carried on amid great confusion ; but 
 there are no more male and female slaves offered 
 for sale here, as in the days of the Spanish victors. 
 Slavery existed both under Aztec and Spanish 
 rule ; but it was abolished, as an institution, soon 
 after the establishment of Mexican independence. 
 The match boys, lottery-ticket venders, fruit men, 
 ice-cream hawkers, cigar and cigarette dealers, and 
 candy women (each with a baby tied to her back), 
 rend the air with their harsh and varied cries, 
 while the stranger is quickly discovered, and im- 
 portuned to the verge of endurance. We were 
 told that this army of hawkers and peddlers were 
 allowed just in the shadow of the church by spe- 
 cial permit, a percentage of the benefit derived 
 from the sales accruing to the priests, who carry 
 on their profession inside the walls of the grand 
 and beautiful edifice, where a less noisy, but quite 
 as commercial a performance is going on all the 
 while, " indulgences " being bartered and sold to 
 moneyed sinners nearly every hour of the day. 
 
 The principal market-place has always been 
 near the plaza, at its southwest end, a single block 
 away ; but a new and more spacious one is in course 
 of erection at this writing, progress being made in 
 the usual mahana style. Sunday morning is the 
 great market day of the week, the same as in all 
 Mexican cities, when there is here a confusion 
 of tongues that would silence the hubbub of the 
 Paris Bourse. How a legitimate business can bs 
 accomplished under such circumstances is a mar- 
 vel. Each line of trade has its special location, 
 but confusion reigns supreme.
 
 166 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 In passing through the Calle de San Francisco, 
 we were struck with the difference of temperature 
 between the sunny and the shady sides of the 
 street. It must have been fully ten degrees. One 
 becomes uncomfortably warm while walking in the 
 sunshine, but upon crossing into the shade he is 
 quickly chilled by the frostiness of the still, dry 
 atmosphere and a realizing sense of dampness be- 
 neath his feet. " Only dogs and Americans walk 
 on the sunny side," say the Mexicans. To this we 
 can only answer by commending the discretion of 
 both men and beasts. In the early evening, as 
 soon as the sun sets, the natives begin to wrap up 
 their throats and faces, even in midsummer. Yet 
 they seem to avoid the sun while it shines in the 
 middle of the day. 
 
 In New Zealand and Alaska, when two natives 
 meet each other and desire to express pleasure at 
 the circumstance, they rub their noses together. 
 In Mexico, if two gentlemen meet upon the street 
 or elsewhere after a considerable absence, they 
 embrace cordially and pat each other on the back 
 in the most demonstrative manner, just as two pai'- 
 ties fall on each other's neck in a stage embrace. 
 To a cool looker-on this seemed rather a waste of 
 the raw material, taking place between two individ- 
 uals of the same sex. In Japan, two persons on 
 meeting in public begin bowing their bodies until 
 the forehead nearly touches the ground, repeating 
 this movement a score of times. In China, two 
 gentlemen who meet greet each other by shaking 
 their own left hand in their right. In Norway and 
 Sweden, the greeting is made by taking off and
 
 CONCEALED WEAPONS. 167 
 
 replacing the hat half a dozen times ; the greater 
 number of times, the more cordial is the greeting 
 considered ; but in Mexico it is nothing more nor 
 less than an embrace with both arms. 
 
 The carrying of concealed weapons is prohibited 
 by law in the United States and some other coun- 
 tries, but in Mexico a statute is not permitted to 
 be simply a dead letter. "NVhile we were at the Itur- 
 bide, the police of the capital were vigorously en- 
 forcing a new law, which forbids the carrying of any 
 sort of deadly weapon except in open sight. The 
 common people were being searched for knives, of 
 which, when found, they were instantly deprived, 
 so that at one of the police stations there was a 
 pile of these articles six feet high and four wide. 
 They were in all manner of shapes, short and long, 
 sharp and dull, daggerlike or otherwise, but all 
 worn for the purpose either of assault or defense. 
 They came from the possession of the humble na- 
 tives, who could not plead that they kept them for 
 domestic uses or for eating purposes, since they 
 use neither knife nor fork in that process. We 
 were told that this wholesale seizure had been go- 
 ing on for a month or more, the police stopping 
 any person whom they chose in order to search 
 them in the street. Such a thing as resistance is 
 not thought of by a peon ; he knows that it is of 
 no sort of use, and will be the cause of sending 
 him to prison immediately. Quarrels at low drink- 
 ing places are no longer followed by the use of 
 knives. It was the frequency of these assaults 
 which filled the hospitals with victims and caused 
 the passage of a law which meets the exigencies
 
 168 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 of the case. The fine for carrying concealed wea- 
 pons is heavy, besides involving- the penalty of im- 
 prisonment. A certain class of persons coming 
 from out of the city are permitted to carry revol- 
 vers, but they must be in a belt and in full sight. 
 Probably no municipal law was ever more thor- 
 oughly enforced than this of disarming the com- 
 mon class of this city. 
 
 The tramway facilities are so complete in the 
 city of Mexico that one has very little occasion 
 to employ hackney coaches. Sometimes, however, 
 these will be found, if not absolutely necessary, 
 yet a great convenience. The legal charges are 
 very moderate, and may well be so, for the entire 
 turnout is usually of a most broken-down charac- 
 ter, poor horses, or mules, a stupid driver, and 
 a dirty interior, with such a variety of offensive 
 smells as to cause one to enter into an analysis to 
 decide which predominates. One dollar an hour 
 is the average charge made for these vehicles, the 
 driver expecting, as in similar cases in Paris, Ber- 
 lin, or elsewhere, a trifle as a pourboire at the end 
 of the service for which he is engaged. Where 
 these ruinous structures which pass for public car- 
 riages originally came from is a conundrum ; but 
 there can be no possible doubt as to their an- 
 tiquity. Mexican fleas, like those of Naples and 
 continental Spain, are both omnivorous and carni- 
 vorous, and these vehicles are apt to be itinerant 
 asylums for this pest of the low latitudes. There 
 are three grades of hackney coaches in the capital, 
 those comparatively decent, another class one de- 
 gree less desirable, and a third into which one will
 
 PUBLIC VEHICLES. 1G9 
 
 get when compelled to do so, not otherwise. Each 
 of these grades is designated by a small metal sign 
 in the shape of a flag, of a certain color, and the 
 charges are graduated accordingly. As to the 
 drivers, they are not such outright swindlers as 
 those of their tribe in New York, nor by any 
 means so tidy and intelligent as those of Boston.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A City of Vistas. Want of Proper Drainage. Unfortunate 
 Site. Insecure Foundations. A Boom in Building Lots. 
 Pleasant Suburbs. Night Watchmen. The Iturbide Hotel. 
 A Would-be Emperor. Domestic Arrangements. A 
 New Hotel wanted. Places of Public Entertainment. The 
 Bidl Ring. Repulsive Performance. Monte de Piedad. 
 An English Syndicate purchase it. The Alameda. The 
 Inquisition. Festal Days. Pulque Shops. The Church 
 Party. Gilded Bar-Rooms. Mexican Marriages. Mothers 
 and Infants. A Family Group. 
 
 MEXICO is a city of vistas. One looks down 
 the long perspective of a thoroughfare north, south, 
 east, or west, and at the end he sees the pur- 
 ple mountains, some far away, some quite near 
 to view, some apparently three miles off, some 
 sixty ; but the air is so transparent that even the 
 most distant objects seem to be very near at hand. 
 Beneath the plain which immediately surrounds 
 the city is a dry marsh which was a broad lake in 
 Cortez's day, indeed, it is a lake still, four or 
 five feet below the surface of the ground, contain- 
 ing the accumulated drainage of centuries. The 
 site of the national capital was formerly an island, 
 only a trifle above the level of Lake Texcoco ; 
 hence there are no cellars possible beneath the 
 dwelling-houses of the populace. Herein lies the 
 secret of the want of drainage, and of the unplea- 
 sant and unwholesome odors which are constantly
 
 FLOODED STREETS. 171 
 
 saluting the senses and challenging the remarks of 
 strangers. Were it not for the absence of atmos- 
 pheric moisture in this high altitude, where perish- 
 able articles of food dry up and do not spoil by 
 mould or putrefaction, the capital would be swept 
 by pestilence annually, being underlaid by a soil 
 reeking with pollution. As it is, typhoid fever pre- 
 vails, and the average duration of life in the city 
 is recorded at a fraction over twenty-six years ! 
 Lung and malarial diseases hold a very prominent 
 place among the given causes of mortality. Owing 
 to the proximity of the mountains, the rains some- 
 times assume the character of floods. A resident 
 friend of the author's told him that he had seen 
 the surrounding streets and the Plaza Mayor cov- 
 ered with two feet of water, extending a quarter 
 of a mile up San Francisco Street after a sharp 
 summer shower, which did not continue much 
 more than an hour. Of course this gradually sub- 
 sides ; but the inconvenience of such an episode in 
 a busy city, not to speak of its unwholesomeness, is 
 a serious matter. The wonder is that Cortez, after 
 destroying the Aztec capital, should have rebuilt it 
 on so undesirable a site, while there was plenty of 
 higher and more inviting ground close at hand. 
 To this blunder is owing the unhealthfulness of a 
 city which might have been rendered one of the 
 most salubrious dwelling-places on the continent, if 
 placed on any of the neighboring elevated lands, 
 with their possibilities for pure air, their location 
 above fogs, and their being so entirely out of the 
 range of devastating storms. Peter the Great had 
 good and sufficient reason for building his capital
 
 172 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 at such enormous expense upon maraihy ground be- 
 side the Neva, but one can see no good reason for 
 Cortez's choice of a site for this capital. History 
 gives us ail account of seven disastrous floods 
 which have occurred in this city since 1521, all of 
 which were accompanied with serious loss of life, 
 as well as great destruction of property. If a 
 broad channel could be opened so as to reach the 
 Tula River, some forty miles away, adequate drain- 
 age might be obtained for the capital. This is too 
 stupendous an undertaking, however, for Mexican 
 capital or enterprise. Perhaps a foreign company 
 will some day accomplish it ; but whether such a 
 scheme would be a safe one, quicn scibe? It is pos- 
 sible that in attempting to procure perfect drain- 
 age, even a worse condition of affairs might be 
 brought about. The city, it will be understood, 
 rests upon a body of water supported by an inter- 
 vening stratum of earth and accumulated debris. 
 If this buried lake were to be drained, that is, 
 absolutely removed, would not a collapse of some 
 sort necessarily take place ? What would support 
 the present frail foundations of the city buildings, 
 which seem to be now sustained by hydraulic 
 pressure ? Even as it is, no heavy structure can be 
 found in the limits of the capital which is not more 
 or less out of plumb, in emulation of the leaning 
 tower of Pisa. The thick walls of the Iturbide 
 Hotel are so full of cracks and crevices, caused by 
 the settling here and there of its insecure foun- 
 dation, as to cause anxiety and constant remark 
 among its guests. There is another consideration 
 worthy of mention. It is said by persons whose
 
 DANGEE FEOM INUNDATIONS. 173 
 
 intelligence makes their opinion worthy of con- 
 sideration, that during the severe earthquake which 
 took place here in 1882, the nearness of the water 
 to the surface of the earth prevented the city from 
 the destruction which was imminent. This cer- 
 tainly may have been a correct deduction. 
 
 As the city is in the lowest part of the valley, 
 and all the lakes except that of Texcoco are above 
 its level, there is no positive safety from inunda- 
 tion at any hour. The lake just named is said to 
 be only about two feet below the level of the city 
 plaza. As the valley is entirely closed by a wall 
 of mountains, there is no natural outlet for these 
 extensive waters. Lake Zumpango, with a surface 
 ten miles square, is twenty-nine feet higher than 
 the average level of the city of Mexico. Such 
 drainage as is contemplated must tap and carry 
 away these lakes also, to obviate the danger of 
 their flooding the capital on any extraordinary 
 emergency, else it will be of little avail. 
 
 At this writing there is quite a " boom " in land 
 in the neighboring suburbs of San Angel and 
 Tacubaya, which present most desirable building 
 localities, and are free from the prominent objec- 
 tions of the capital itself. The latter suburb al- 
 ready contains nearly ten thousand inhabitants. 
 It is situated on a hillside, sloping towards the 
 northwest. In its present form the town is quite 
 modern, but from the earliest times there has been 
 a village here. After the great inundation of 1629, 
 the project of making this the site of the capital 
 was seriously considered. There is already a small 
 alameda and a miniature plaza in Tacubaya.
 
 174 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 San Angel is a couple of miles further away from 
 tlie city, and is also built on a hillside, amid or- 
 chards and gardens. The deserted and ancient 
 Carmelite monastery is a feature of this place. 
 Both Tacubaya and San Angel can be reached al- 
 most any hour of the day from Mexico by tramway, 
 the cars starting from the Plaza Mayor. It was 
 noticed that considerable building for domestic 
 purposes was going on in both of these places, 
 but principally at Tacubaya, and it is thought 
 the citizens of Mexico are " hedging," as it were, 
 by providing themselves with pleasant and health- 
 ful homes in anticipation of some sort of collapse 
 which must sooner or later befall the business por- 
 tions of the capital. There is universal complaint 
 regarding the high price of rents in the city for 
 respectable residences, quite a percentage having 
 been added to the rates heretofore charged each 
 succeeding year. Drainage is more and more 
 seriously thought of by cutting an outlet of some 
 sort, as we have suggested, and what result may 
 follow remains to be seen. That there is a steady 
 growth of population and business here is per- 
 fectly obvious, stimulated by closer business con- 
 nections with the United States, which are being 
 constantly added to. People who look in advance 
 see that ten years hence the two suburban towns 
 will practically be part and parcel of the city 
 proper. The new buildings now erecting in Ta- 
 cubaya are observed to be of stone, and built 
 to last. Wooden structures are almost unknown. 
 Iron is used for many purposes, taking the place 
 of wooden beams, as in this country. AVe were
 
 NAMES OF STREETS. 175 
 
 assured by intelligent persons that all skilled me- 
 chanics were busy, such as masons, iron-workers, 
 plasterers, and carpenters. It is surprising to the 
 writer that more has not been said relative to 
 the extraordinary growth and prosperity of the 
 national capital of Mexico. The most prominent 
 agent in bringing all this about is undoubtedly the 
 Mexican Central Railroad. 
 
 One easily becomes acquainted with the topog- 
 raphy of the city, each point of the compass lead- 
 ing directly to the mountains, while the town itself 
 forms a perfect level. The chief business street 
 leads from the railroad depot to the Plaza Mayor. 
 The most fashionable shopping street is that known 
 as the Street of the Silversmiths. It is of good 
 width, and nearly a mile long. Calle de San Fran- 
 cisco is another of the main business thorough- 
 fares. As a rule, the many sacred titles given to 
 the streets come from the names of churches or con- 
 vents which stood or still stand in them. Thus the 
 Street of the Holy Ghost contains the church so 
 designated. Several of the most important ave- 
 nues, beside the Plaza Mayor and the alameda, are 
 lighted by electricity, other portions of the city 
 proper by gas, and the outlying districts by oil-fed 
 lanterns. One peculiar object, always observable 
 in the city at night, is the bright lantern of the 
 policeman of the immediate beat, placed in the 
 middle of the junction of the streets, with the man 
 himself standing beside it, ready to answer any 
 legitimate call for his services. The police system 
 of the capital is certainly excellent, and in the two 
 weeks which we passed there no such affair as a
 
 176 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 street brawl of any sort was seen, though, we vis- 
 ited all parts of the town, and at all hours of the 
 day and night. There are few of our own cities 
 where the public peace is so thoroughly pi-eserved, 
 or with so little demonstration, as is the case in the 
 capital of Mexico. 
 
 Our hotel, the Iturbide, pronounced Eater- 
 beady, situated on the Calle de San Francisco, 
 and called after the emperor of the same name 
 (Don Agustin de Iturbide), is probably the best, 
 as it is the largest in the city ; but this is faint 
 praise. Hotel-keeping is one of the arts which, 
 at its best, has not yet been introduced into this 
 country. Iturbide's aspiration led him to assume 
 the imperial crown, in consequence of which he 
 fell. After reigning for a twelvemonth, he was 
 banished from Mexico on parole never to return. 
 This parole he broke, landing from Europe at Vera 
 Cruz in 1824. He was seized, thrown into prison, 
 and was shot by orders of the government, as a 
 traitor, July 19 of the same year. The old flint 
 muskets used for the purpose hang beside the mod- 
 ern arms, in the national armory, with which was 
 performed a like sentence upon Maximilian. Thus 
 the two men w r ho essayed the role of emperor of 
 Mexico ended their career. The Iturbide is spa- 
 cious and well situated, being within a few rods 
 of the Plaza Mayor, and having once served as the 
 palace of the emperor whose name it bears. It is 
 entered, like the Palace Hotel of San Francisco, 
 and the Grand Hotel of Paris, by an archway lead- 
 ing into a spacious area or court, on whose four 
 sides rises the elaborate structure. Upon this
 
 HOUSE SERVANTS. 177 
 
 patio the several stories open, each with a line of 
 balcony. This broad area, open to the sky, is 
 paved with marble, and has spacious stairways of 
 the same material. The windows are of the French 
 pattern and open down to the floor, so that the 
 occupant of each room steps out upon the balcony 
 by passing through them. The windows are the 
 same on the public street side. The house is fairly 
 well furnished so far as comfort is concerned, and 
 the beds well, they might possibly be worse, 
 domestic comfort is not the strong point in the 
 Iturbide, where cleanliness is also one of the lost 
 arts. All the chambermaids here, as in .Japan, are 
 men, and very good servants they are, according 
 to their light and the material which is furnished 
 to them. The fact that three fourths of them bear 
 the name of Jesus is, it must be admitted, a little 
 confusing when it is desired to summon any par- 
 ticular one. In the selection of a sleeping apart- 
 ment the visitor should be sure, if it is possible, to 
 obtain one facing east or south, thus securing an 
 abundance of sunshine. Rooms situated otherwise, 
 in this climate particularly, are liable to be damp 
 and even dangerous to health, especially in a city 
 which rests upon the surface, as it were, of a hid- 
 den lake. Such facts may seem to be trifles to the 
 casual reader, but experience will soon teach him 
 their real importance. 
 
 The broad, three-story front of the Iturbide Ho- 
 tel is quite imposing, and exhibits some very elabo- 
 rate native carving in stone. We were told that it 
 was once occupied by a very rich and eccentric 
 mine owner for the accommodation of himself and
 
 178 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 family, embracing half a dozen wives and over 
 sixty children ! quite after the style of a Turkish 
 harem or the establishment of a Utah magnate. A 
 capacious and well-appointed hotel on the American 
 plan is something which this city greatly needs. 
 It would be welcomed and well-patronized by the 
 native citizens, and all foreign travelers would 
 gladly seek its accommodations. It seems that 
 a large Mexican hotel designed to cost some two 
 million dollars is already under consideration by 
 an incorporated company of wealthy natives ; but 
 this will not, we believe, fill the requirements of 
 the present time. The Mexicans do not know 
 how to keep a hotel, and any money expended in 
 the proposed plan, we suspect, will be next to 
 thrown away. Government has lent its aid to the 
 purpose of establishing a new hotel on a grand 
 scale, by passing an act exempting from import 
 duties all furniture and goods intended for use in 
 the house, to the amount of fifteen per cent, on the 
 entire capital invested in the enterprise of building 
 and properly equipping the establishment. This 
 exemption from custom-house taxes will prove a 
 saving of considerably over two hundred thousand 
 dollars to the hotel company. Now, if this purpose 
 is consummated and the owners will put the whole 
 in charge of an experienced American, something 
 satisfactory may come from it. The best hotels in 
 the world are kept by Americans, this not in 
 the spirit of boasting, and next to them in this 
 line of business come the Swiss, who have copied 
 us very closely. The English follow, but rank 
 only third in the line of progress, while the Mexi-
 
 AN INNOVATION. 179 
 
 cans are simply nowhere. The Iturbicle has no 
 ladies' or gentlemen's parlor, that is to say, it has 
 no public reception-room worthy of the name. 
 The conventionalities here do not absolutely de- 
 mand such an arrangement, though it would be 
 appreciated ; nor can one obtain any artificial heat 
 in his apartment, however much it may be re- 
 quired. There are no fireplaces or chimneys in 
 the house, while the other domestic accommoda- 
 tions are of the most primitive character. As to 
 food, the Iturbide is kept on the European plan, 
 and one can order according to his fancy. The 
 service, however, is anything but neat or clean. 
 The meal-hours are divided as in France and con- 
 tinental Europe generally : coffee and bread upon 
 first rising, breakfast at noon, and dinner at six 
 o'clock in the evening. The proprietor has lately 
 put into service a very good steam elevator, which 
 was at first deemed to be a serious innovation. 
 We heard of some rather ludicrous experiences 
 which occurred during the first few days of its 
 use ; but the people were very soon reconciled to 
 the comfort it afforded, and put aside their preju- 
 dices. Even this elevator is so restricted in its 
 running hours as not to afford the guests the ac- 
 commodation it should supply. As some one has 
 wittily said of the ballet-girl's costume, it begins 
 too late and leaves off too early. 
 
 The ice used in the city of Mexico comes from 
 the top of the neighboring range of mountains, but 
 it is rarely seen except in bar-rooms, the retail price 
 being ten cents a pound. In order to obtain a 
 cool temperature for their drinking water, the
 
 180 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 people keep it in porous earthern jars made by 
 the native Indians. Rapid evaporation from the 
 outside of the vessels renders the water highly re- 
 freshing, indeed, cool enough, the dry atmosphere 
 is so very active an absorbent. The ice is brought 
 to the nearest railway station wrapped in straw, 
 on the backs of the peons, and is thus transported 
 daily, no large quantity being kept on hand. 
 
 Opening from the main patio of the Iturbide 
 Hotel upon the level of the street is a large bil- 
 liard-saloon and bar-room combined. As our bed- 
 room was on the first chamber floor, and opened 
 upon this patio, with a little balcony and a long 
 French window, we had the benefit nightly, as 
 well as daily, of all the ceaseless noises which 
 usually emanate from such a place. Billiard balls 
 kept up their peculiar music until the wee small 
 hours of the morning, and all day on the Sab- 
 bath. The Mexicans, like the Cubans, do not 
 drink deep, but they drink often ; and though it 
 is seldom that a respectably dressed person is seen 
 intoxicated, either on the streets or elsewhere, 
 still the active bartenders of the Iturbide drink- 
 ing-saloon did not quit their posts until nearly 
 broad daylight in the morning. So our sleep 
 in that palace hotel was achieved to the accom- 
 paniment of clinking billiard-balls, the clatter of 
 drinking-glasses, the shaking up of iced mixtures, 
 and the sharp voices of disputants at the card- 
 tables. However, a thoroughly tired person can 
 sleep under almost any circumstances ; and after 
 many hours each day devoted to sight-seeing, the 
 writer did not spend much time in moralizing
 
 PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. 181 
 
 over the doings in the spacious apartment beneath 
 him. 
 
 Regarding places of public entertainment, the 
 city contains several theatres and a permanent 
 circus, but only one of the theatres seemed to be 
 patronized by the best people ; namely, the Teatro 
 Nacional, built so late as 1844, and having seat- 
 ing capacity for three thousand persons. The com- 
 mencement exercises of the military school of Cha- 
 pultepec are given annually in this house. Here, 
 at least one good opera company is engaged for 
 a brief season annually ; indeed, there is some kind 
 of opera, French, Spanish, or Italian, nearly all 
 the year round. Smoking of cigarettes between 
 the acts is freely indulged in by the audience ; and 
 though the ladies do not smoke in public, at least 
 not generally, they are known to be free users 
 of the weed at home. Three other theatres, the 
 Coliseo Viejo, the Arbeu, and the Hidalgo, are 
 respectably good ; there are three or four others, 
 minor establishments, all open on Sundays, but 
 they are to be avoided. 
 
 There is a spacious bull-ring at the northern end 
 of the paseo, on the left of the roadway as we 
 drive towards Chapultepec, where exhibitions are 
 given to crowded assemblies every Sunday and on 
 festal days. Of all the public sports the bull-fight 
 is the most cruel, being without one redeeming fea- 
 ture to excuse its indulgence, while its evil moral 
 effect upon the people at large is clearly manifest. 
 There is certainly a close affinity between the 
 Spanish language and the Latin, as well as a 
 strong resemblance between the old Roman masses
 
 182 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 and the modern Spanish people. In the olden 
 days the Roman populace cried, Panem et eir- 
 censes (bread and circuses) ; so to-day the Span- 
 ish people shout, Pan y toros (bread and bulls). 
 The bull-fight is a national institution here, as 
 it is in continental Spain and in Cuba, and is 
 strongly indicative of the character of the people. 
 While we were in the country a bull-fight per- 
 formance was given on a Sunday in one of the 
 large cities, as a " benefit " towards paying for a 
 new altar-rail to be placed in one of the Romish 
 churches. Only among a semi-barbarous people 
 and in a Roman Catholic country would such 
 horrible cruelty be tolerated, and especially as a 
 Sabbath performance. This is the day when these 
 shameful exhibitions always take place, at Madrid 
 as well as in Mexico, it being also the most popu- 
 lar and fashionable evening of the week for theat- 
 rical entertainments. 
 
 Some of our party attended one of these ex- 
 hibitions in the city of Mexico ; but they very 
 promptly and emphatically declared that nothing 
 could induce them again to witness anything of 
 the sort, pronouncing it to be only a repulsive 
 butchery. The author had seen both in Spain and 
 in Cuba quite as much as he desired of this 
 wretched national game, and therefore he did not 
 visit it on the occasion referred to above. A dis- 
 tinguished citizen of the national capital, General 
 
 H , told us that the better class of ladies did 
 
 not now attend the bull-fights in Mexico, though 
 there are plenty of women who do so regularly. 
 " I have four grown-up daughters, one of whom is
 
 THE BULL-FIGHT. 183 
 
 married," said he, " but neither they nor their 
 mother ever witnessed this debasing exhibition. 
 Be assured," he continued, " that the cultured class 
 of our community do not sympathize with these 
 relics of barbarism." This is a sentiment which 
 we are gratified to record, more especially as at 
 Madrid, the headquarters of the cruel game, it has 
 not only the full sanction of the public officials and 
 of the elite of the Spanish capital, but the patron- 
 age of royalty itself. The central box of the bull- 
 ring in that city is reserved for the court, and 
 there are no empty seats during the performance. 
 A law was passed a few years since forbidding 
 bull-fights to take place in the Federal District of 
 Mexico ; but this law has been repealed in accord- 
 ance with the clamorous demand of a large ma- 
 jority of the people ; besides which the law was 
 virtually inoperative, as these exhibitions were 
 held all the same, only they were removed to a few 
 rods beyond the boundary of the prohibited ter- 
 ritory. The thought conies over us that, after all, 
 the bull-fight is but one degree worse than the 
 shameful prize-fights of professional bruisers in 
 England and America. 
 
 One of the most admirable and practical chari- 
 ties established in the Mexican capital is known as 
 the Monte de Piedad, which is simply a national 
 pawn-shop. The title signifies, " The Mountain 
 of Mercy." It was originally founded more than 
 a century since by Count Regla, the owner of the 
 famous silver mine of Real del Monte, who gave 
 the sum of three hundred thousand dollars for 
 the purpose, in order that the poor and needy of
 
 184 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the population of this city might obtain advances 
 of money on personal property at a low and rea- 
 sonable rate of interest. Any article deposited for 
 this purpose is valued by two disinterested per- 
 sons, and about three fourths of its intrinsic worth 
 is promptly advanced. If the owner ceases to pay 
 the interest on the loan, the article in pawn is kept 
 six months longer, when it is exposed for sale at a 
 marked price. After six months more have ex- 
 pired, if the article is not disposed of, it is sold at 
 public auction, and all that is realized above the 
 sum which was advanced, together with the in- 
 terest, is placed to the original owner's credit. 
 This sum, if not called for within a given time, re- 
 verts to the bank. The capital of the institution 
 has more than doubled since its organization, but 
 the amount of good which it has been the means 
 of accomplishing cannot be estimated. Its first 
 effect was to break up all the private pawn- 
 brokers' establishments which charged usurious 
 interest for money, its own rates being placed at 
 a low figure, intended barely to meet necessary 
 expenses. These exceedingly low rates have al- 
 ways been scrupulously maintained. The average 
 annual loans on pledges amount to a million dol- 
 lars, distributed among about fifty thousand appli- 
 cants. The establishment is also a sort of safe 
 deposit. All the goods in its vaults have not been 
 pawned. As the place is a sort of fortress in its 
 way, many valuables are here stored for safe-keep- 
 ing. One dollar is the smallest sum that is loaned, 
 and ten thousand dollars is the largest. The loans 
 will average from two to three hundred % daily.
 
 A UNIQUE BOOK. 185 
 
 It appears that one third of the merchandise de- 
 posited is never redeemed. Among other articles 
 of this class is the diamond snuff-box which was 
 presented to Santa Anna when he was Dicta- 
 tor, and which cost twenty-five thousand dollars. 
 Tourists often call in at the Monte de Piedad, 
 looking for bargains in bricabrac, and sometimes 
 real prizes are secured at very reasonable cost. 
 A gentleman showed the writer an old, illuminated 
 book, of a religious character, entirely illustrated 
 by the hand of some patriot recluse, which was 
 marked five dollars, and upon which probably four 
 dollars had been loaned to the party who deposited 
 it. The time for its redemption had long since 
 expired, and our friend gladly paid the sum asked 
 for it. He said he should take it to the Astor 
 Library, New York, where he felt confident of 
 receiving his own price for it, namely, one hun- 
 dred dollars : " Then," said he, " I will give the 
 money to some worthy charity in my native city." 
 The volume had undoubtedly been stolen, and 
 pawned by the thief. Possession is considered to 
 be bona fide evidence of ownership, and unless 
 circumstances are very suspicious, money is nearly 
 always advanced to the applicant on his or her 
 deposit. 
 
 Speaking of old books, there are three or four 
 second-hand bookstalls and stores under the arcades 
 running along one side of the plaza, where rare, and 
 ancient tomes are sold. Volumes, of the value of 
 which the venders seem to have no idea, are gladly 
 parted with for trifling sums. Civil wars and the 
 changes of government have never interfered with
 
 186 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the operations of the Monte de Piedad. All par- 
 ties have respected it and its belongings, with one 
 exception during the presidency of Gonzales in 
 1884, when its capital was somewhat impaired and 
 its usefulness circumscribed by a levy of the gov- 
 ernment in its desperation to sustain the national 
 credit in connection with its foreign loans. A 
 curious collection of personal property is of course 
 to be seen here, including domestic furniture, 
 diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones, swords, 
 pistols, guns, saddles, canes, watches, clothing, 
 and so on. The large building used for the pur- 
 pose of carrying on the business stands upon the 
 site once occupied by the private palace which 
 formed the home of Cortez for so many years, a 
 short distance west of the great cathedral. This 
 institution has lately been sold to an English syn- 
 dicate for the sum of one million dollars. The 
 new owners have a cash capital of twenty-five mil- 
 lions, and will resume the banking department, 
 which was suspended in 1884, and carry on the 
 pawnbroking business as heretofore. 
 
 The alameda, a name usually applied to large 
 Spanish parks, is a parallelogram of about thirty 
 or forty acres in extent, situated between the two 
 streets of San Francisco and San Cosme, abound- 
 ing in eucalyptus trees, poplars, evergreens, orange 
 and lemon trees, together with blooming flowers 
 and refreshing fountains. In olden times this 
 alameda this forest-garden in the heart of the 
 city was inclosed by a wall pierced with several 
 gates, which were only opened to certain classes 
 and on certain occasions ; but these grounds,
 
 THE ALAMEDA. 187 
 
 greatly enlarged and beautified, are now open on 
 all sides to the public, easily accessible from the 
 surrounding thoroughfares. We were told that 
 the name comes from the fact that the park was 
 originally planted with alamos, or poplars. One 
 cannot forget, while standing upon the spot and 
 recalling the early days of the Spanish rule, that 
 it was on a portion of these grounds that the 
 hateful Inquisition burned its victims, because 
 they would not subscribe to the Roman Catholic 
 faith. According to their own records, forty-eight 
 unbelievers were here burned at the stake at one 
 time. We do not think that the Aztec idolaters 
 ever exceeded in wickedness or cruelty this fiend- 
 ish act. 
 
 The alameda has a number of open circles with 
 fountains in the centre, about which stone benches 
 are placed as seats. These spaces are much fre- 
 quented by children as playgrounds. An interest- 
 ing aviary ornaments one of the roomy areas, filled 
 with a variety of native and exotic birds, which at- 
 tract crowds of curious observers. The inexhaust- 
 ible spring at Chapultepec supplies these fountains, 
 besides many others in various parts of the city, 
 from whence water-carriers distribute the article 
 for domestic use. The alameda is the largest pub- 
 lic garden in the capital, of which there are twelve 
 in all, and is the daily resort of the corpulent 
 priest for exercise; of the ambitious student for 
 thought and study ; of the nursery maid with her 
 youthful charge ; and of wooing lovers and coquet- 
 tish sefioritas, accompanied by their staid chape- 
 rones. On Sunday forenoons a military band gives
 
 188 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 an ont-of-door concert in the central music stand, 
 on which occasion all grades of the populace come 
 hither, rich and poor alike, the half-fed peon in 
 his nakedness and the well-clad citizen. All classes 
 have a passion for music. The cathedral empties 
 itself, as it were, into the alameda just after morn- 
 ing mass. This, be it remembered, is the forenoon. 
 The closing hours of the day are devoted to driving 
 and promenading in the adjoining Paseo de la Re- 
 fornla. On the evenings of festal days, the central 
 pavilion, where the band is placed, as well as other 
 parts of the alameda, are illuminated with Chi- 
 nese lanterns and electric lights disposed among 
 the trees and about the fountains, so that the arti- 
 ficial lamps rival the light of day. On these gala 
 occasions two or three additional bands of musi- 
 cians are placed at differents points to assist in 
 the entertainment. The fountains play streams of 
 liquid silver ; the military bands discourse stirring 
 music ; the people, full of merriment, indulge .in 
 dulces, fruits, ice-cream, and confectionery, crowd- 
 ing every available space in the fairy-like grounds, 
 and Mexico is happy. 
 
 There is no noisy demonstration on these occa- 
 sions. The multitude, we must frankly acknow- 
 ledge, are better behaved than any such assemblage 
 usually is in Boston or New York. All seem to be 
 quiet, contented, and enjoying themselves placidly. 
 It should be mentioned, in this connection, that 
 all pulque shops in the capital are promptly closed 
 at six o'clock P. M. throughout the year. This is 
 imperative and without exception ; consequently, 
 no evening disturbance is to be anticipated from
 
 INTERESTING SPOT. 189 
 
 that source. It was found that there are over two 
 thousand jmlqucrias in the capital. The effect of 
 this special stimulant, however, is not to make 
 those who indulge freely in it pugnacious or noisy. 
 It acts more like a powerful narcotic, and puts 
 those who are overcome with it to sleep, having, in 
 fact, many of the properties of opium. The gilded 
 bar-rooms where the upper classes seek refresh- 
 ment, who, by the way, seem rarely to abuse the 
 privilege, are permitted to remain open until mid- 
 night, but into them the common people have not 
 the wherewithal to procure entrance. A tumbler 
 of pulque which costs them a penny they indulge 
 in, but drinks at fifteen or twenty cents each, and 
 in small portions at that, are quite beyond their 
 means. A somewhat peculiar effect of pulque 
 drinking was also mentioned to us. The people 
 who partake of it freely have an aversion to other 
 stimulants, and prefer it to any and all others 
 without regard to cost. The beer-drinking Ger- 
 man is often similarly affected as regards his spe- 
 cial tipple. Chemical test shows pulque to contain 
 just about the same percentage of alcohol as com- 
 mon beer ; say, five or six per cent. 
 
 Besides witnessing the foul deeds of the Inqui- 
 sition when the priesthood publicly burned and 
 otherwise tortured unbelievers, the alameda has 
 frequently been the scene of fierce struggles, gor- 
 geous church spectacles, and many revolutionary 
 parades. Here scores of treasonable acts have 
 been concocted, and daring robberies committed 
 in the troublous times not long past. To-day it is 
 peaceable enough ; so quiet in the summer after-
 
 190 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 noons, here in the very heart of the busy city, that 
 the drone of the busy humming-birds among the 
 flowers comes soothingly upon the ear of the wake- 
 ful dreamer. Quiet now, but awaiting the next 
 upheaval, for such, we are sorry to say, is pretty 
 sure to come, sooner or later ; the Roman Catholic 
 Church party is not dead, but sleepeth. A strong, 
 costly, and united effort on its part, stimulated 
 from Rome, to once more gain control of the gov- 
 ernment of Mexico, has been successfully defeated 
 without an open outbreak since the second term of 
 President Diaz commenced. The success of the 
 church party would simply throw Mexico back 
 half a century in her march of improvement to- 
 wards a higher state of civilization. It would 
 check all educational progress, all commercial ad- 
 vance, and smother both political and religious 
 freedom. 
 
 The number of infant children, strapped or tied 
 to their mothers' backs, that one sees in the streets 
 of the capital, and indeed all through the country, 
 is something marvelous. The fecundity of the 
 peons is beyond all calculation. Eight women out 
 of ten, belonging to the humbler classes, are sure 
 to be thus encumbered. Marriages take place here 
 at as early an age as in Cuba or South America, 
 namely, at twelve years. Few young girls among 
 the common people remain unmarried after four- 
 teen years of age, or rather there are few of them 
 that do not bear children as early as that. Mar- 
 riage among the poor is a ceremony not always 
 considered necessary, and, indeed, as a rule, they 
 are too poor to pay the priest the price he charges
 
 INFANTS. 191 
 
 for performing the ceremony. Speaking of mar- 
 riage, this relationship among people of position 
 and property is assumed under somewhat peculiar 
 circumstances in Mexico. First, a civil marriage 
 takes place, which makes all children born to the 
 contracting parties legitimate. After this civil 
 rite is duly complied with, perhaps a day and per- 
 haps ten intervening, the usual church ceremony 
 is performed, and then the bride and bridegroom 
 join each other to enjoy their honeymoon, but un- 
 til the latter ceremony is consummated, the couple 
 are as much separated as at any time of their lives. 
 Why this delay in consummation takes place is by 
 no means clear to an outsider. 
 
 One not infrequently sees a mother carrying two 
 infants at a time wrapped in her rebosa, and tied 
 across her chest ; only ten months of age separat- 
 ing the little creatures. Besides these infants the 
 mother carries her burden of vegetables, fruit, bas- 
 kets, or pottery, to dispose of in the market near 
 the plaza. Like Japanese and Chinese babies, 
 these little ones seldom, if ever, cry, but submit 
 patiently and with apparent indifference to what 
 seems to be a very trying position, as well as to al- 
 most total neglect. These children were never in 
 a bed since they were born. They probably sleep 
 at night upon a straw mat spread upon the earthen 
 floor, and we much doubt if they are ever washed. 
 Sometimes the father is seen carrying the baby, 
 but this is very rare ; the women take the labor- 
 ing oar almost always here, as among our Indian 
 tribes, the people of the East, and the South Sea 
 Islanders. This is a characteristic applicable not
 
 192 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 alone to the national capital, but observable again 
 and again all over the republic. Though so very 
 poor, and doubtless often suffering from hunger, 
 the half naked people are not infrequently seen 
 with a cigarette between the lips. Drunkenness 
 is seldom seen, notwithstanding that pulque is 
 cheap and potent, and it is very rarely the case, 
 as already intimated, that any quarreling is wit- 
 nessed among the people. They are quiet and 
 orderly, as a rule, yet most of them are homeless 
 and hopeless. 
 
 Though begging is chronic with the Spanish 
 race everywhere, and notoriously prevalent in con- 
 tinental Spain, persistent in Havana and Matan- 
 zas, and nearly universal throughout the Mexican 
 republic, still, in the national capital it is far less 
 obtrusive than elsewhere, because the police are 
 instructed to suppress it. So, also, begging is 
 prohibited by law in Paris, London, and Boston, 
 but how constantly the law is disregarded we all 
 know. Sad is the condition of things which, as 
 Thackeray expresses it, gives the purple and fine 
 linen to one set of men, and to the other rags for 
 garments and dogs for comforters. 
 
 It is not uncommon to see a family group, 
 mother, father, and one or two children, huddled 
 close together in a street corner, where they have 
 passed the night, sleeping in a half upright posi- 
 tion, while leaning against an adobe wall. In an 
 early morning walk towards the Paseo de la Viga, 
 we saw just such a scene, with the addition of a 
 mongrel dog, which had so bestowed himself as to 
 give the shelter of his body as well as its natural
 
 OUT DOOR LIFE. 193 
 
 warmth to a couple of small children. One thing 
 the reader may be assured of, to wit : the whole 
 family, including the dog, had a hearty and nour- 
 ishing breakfast that morning at least.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Benito Juarez's Grandest Monument Hotel del Jardin. Gen- 
 eral Jose 1 Morelos. Mexican Ex-Convents. City Restau- 
 rants. Lady Smokers. Domestic Courtyards. A Beau- 
 tiful Bird. The Grand Cathedral Interior. A Devout 
 Lottery Ticket Vender. Porcelain-Ornamented Houses. 
 Rogues in Church. Expensive Justice. Cemetery of San 
 Fernando. Juarez's Monument. Coffins to Let. Ameri- 
 can and English Cemetery. A Doleful Street and Trade. 
 
 THERE exists a much grander monument to the 
 memory of Benito Juarez than the fine mai-ble 
 group over his last resting-place in the cemetery of 
 San Fernando, namely, the noble School of Arts 
 and Trades founded by him. Poor native girls are 
 here afforded excellent advantages for acquiring 
 a knowledge of various arts, while they are both 
 clothed and fed free of cost to themselves. The 
 pupils are taught type-setting, book-binding, draw- 
 ing, music, embroidery, and the like. There is a 
 store attached to the institution in which the arti- 
 cles produced by the inmates are placed for sale at 
 a moderate price. We were told that their indus- 
 try went a long way towards rendering the institu- 
 tion self-supporting, and so admirably is the work 
 of embroidery executed here that the orders for 
 goods are in advance of the supply. Nearly four 
 hundred girls are at all times reaping the advan- 
 tage of this school, which is a grand and practical
 
 THE INQUISITION. 195 
 
 form of charity worthy of emulation. Individual 
 instances of notable success crowning the career of 
 graduates from this institution were related to us, 
 some of which were of touching interest, and many 
 quite romantic, showing that genius knows no sex, 
 and that opportunity alone is often all that is 
 required to develop possibilities frequently lying 
 dormant about us. 
 
 The College of Medicine, near the Plazuela of 
 San Domingo, occupies the old palace of the In- 
 quisition, whose last victim in Mexico, General 
 Jose Morelos, was executed in December, 1815. 
 For two hundred and fifty years, since 1571, this 
 institution of the church fattened upon the blood 
 of martyrs. We do not wonder at the futile 
 efforts of the Romish church of the nineteenth 
 century to ignore, deny, and cover up these iniqui- 
 ties ; but their awful significance is burned too 
 deeply into the pages of history to be obliterated. 
 
 While engaged upon a voyage of discovery 
 accompanied by a friend who has long resided in 
 the city of Mexico, we chanced upon the Hotel 
 del Jardin, a cheerful, sunny hostelry, occupying 
 a building which was once a famous convent, lead- 
 ing our companion to remark that " the shameful 
 record of wickedness, licentiousness, and cruelty, 
 practiced in these Mexican institutions before their 
 suppression, could it be made public, would aston- 
 ish the world." The present Plotel del Jardin 
 nearly surrounds a garden full of tropical verdure, 
 and seemed very inviting. Determining to test its 
 cuisine, dinner was ordered, the presiding genius 
 being given carte hJanchc to do his best ; but,
 
 196 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 heaven save the mark ! all we have to add is, 
 don't try the experiment of dining at the place re- 
 ferred to. The best and most usual way for tran- 
 sient visitors to this city is to take rooms in com- 
 fortable quarters, and to eat their meals at some 
 of the fairly good restaurants in the neighborhood 
 of the plaza. Of course, one cannot expect New 
 York or Boston fare, nor do we come to Mexico 
 for what we can obtain in the way of food and 
 drink. 
 
 Among the groups observed sitting on the little 
 balconies of the dwelling-houses, matrons are seen 
 smoking their cigarettes as openly as do their hus- 
 bands. Senoritas do the same on the sly. No 
 place is exempt from the pungent fumes of to- 
 bacco. Pipes seem to be very seldom resorted to, 
 and the chewing of tobacco, we are glad to say, is 
 not indulged in at all, a disgusting use of the 
 weed almost solely confined to North America and 
 ships' forecastles. Smoking, after all, did not 
 seem to be so universal and incessant as we have 
 seen it in some other countries. Perhaps this 
 arises, in a measure, from want of means to pay 
 for the article among the general population, since 
 they are only half clothed in wretched rags, be- 
 ing mostly bareheaded and barefooted also. The 
 lower class of Mexico could give the lazzaroni of 
 Naples " points," and then outdo them vastly in 
 squalor and nakedness. The idle, indolent, and 
 thriftless outnumber all other classes in the repub- 
 lic, one reason for which is found in the fact com- 
 mon to all tropical countries, that the climate is 
 such that the poor can safely sleep out of doors and
 
 CHANGE OF COSTUME. 197 
 
 without shelter, with nearly as much comfort as 
 those who have an humble covering in the shape 
 of four adobe walls and a thatched roof. As a 
 rule, these common people, men and women, are 
 ugly in form and feature, except that they have 
 superb black eyes and pearl-white teeth. Physical 
 hardships do not tend to develop comeliness. 
 
 Strong contrasts meet the eye, naturally to be 
 expected in a community which is slowly becoming 
 revolutionized from a state of semi-barbarism, as it 
 were, to the broader civilization of its neighbors. 
 This transition is very obvious as regards the dress 
 of the populace. Silk stove-pipe hats and Derbys 
 are crowding hard upon the cumbersome sombrero ; 
 the dainty Parisian bonnet is replacing the black 
 lace mantilla ; broadcloth is found to be more ac- 
 ceptable clothing than leather jackets and panta- 
 loons ; close-fitting calico and merino goods are 
 driving out the rebosas, while woolen garments 
 render the scrapes needless. This, of course, is a 
 city view. Small country communities still adhere 
 to the simpler and cheaper national costume of the 
 past, and will probably continue to do so for years 
 to come. 
 
 In strolling about the better part of the city, one 
 sees through the broad, arched entrances to the 
 courtyards of the finest private residences in Mex- 
 ico, upon the first or street floor, the stable, the 
 kitchen, and the coach house, with hostlers groom- 
 ing the animals, or washing the harnesses and ve- 
 hicles, while the family live directly over all these 
 arrangements, up one flight of broad stone steps. 
 This is a Spanish custom, which is observable in
 
 198 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Havana and continental Spain, as well as in all the 
 cities of Mexico. Other patios, whose occupants 
 do not keep private vehicles, adorn these areas 
 with charming plants, small tropical trees, bloom- 
 ing flowers, statuary, and fountains. Here and 
 there hang cages containing bright-colored singing 
 birds, parrots, and paroquets, not forgetting to 
 mention the clear, shrill-voiced mocking-bird, 
 which is a universal favorite. The Mexican ma- 
 caw is pretty sure to be represented by a fine mem- 
 ber of his species in these ornamental patios. He 
 is a gaudy, noisy fellow. The head, breast, and 
 back are of a deep red, the wings yellow, blue, and 
 green. The tail is composed of a dozen feathers, 
 six of which are stout, short, and tapering, while 
 the rest are fourteen inches in length. He passes 
 his time in screaming, and scrambling about with 
 the aid of his claws and hooked beak combined, 
 going as far as the tiny chain which is attached to 
 one foot and fastened to the perch will permit. 
 His favorite attitude seems to be hanging head 
 downward from his perch like an acrobat, often 
 remaining thus a distressingly long time, until one 
 would fain coax him into a normal position with 
 some favorite tidbit of cake, sugar, or fruit. 
 
 Officials and merchants often combine their 
 dwellings and places of business, so that here and 
 there a patio will exhibit various samples of mer- 
 chandise, or the sign of a government official over 
 a room devoted to office purposes. How people 
 able to do otherwise are willing to sleep, eat, and 
 live over a stable certainly seems, to us, very 
 strange. At night these patios are guarded by
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 199 
 
 closing large metal - studded doors, a concierge 
 always sleeping near at hand either to admit any 
 of the family or to resist the entrance of any un- 
 authorized persons, very much after the practice 
 which is common in France and the cities of 
 Northern Europe. 
 
 We used the expression " while strolling about 
 the better part of the city," etc. ; but let us not con- 
 vey a wrong impression thereby, for there are no 
 exclusively aristocratic streets or quarters in the 
 city of Mexico. The houses of both the upper and 
 lower classes are mingled, scattered here and 
 there, often adjoining each other. Some few of 
 the better class of houses, like the domes of some 
 of the churches, are faced with porcelain tiles, giv- 
 ing the effect of mosaic ; but this has a tawdry 
 appearance, and is exceptional in the national cap- 
 ital. At Puebla it is much more common, that 
 city being the headquarters of tile-manufacturing. 
 
 No matter how many times one may visit the 
 grand cathedral, each fresh view impresses him 
 with some new feature and also with its vastness. 
 As to the harmony of its architectural effect, that 
 element does not enter into the consideration, for 
 there is really no harmony about it. Everything 
 is vague, so to speak, irregular, and a certain ap- 
 pearance of incompleteness is apparent. There is 
 at all times a considerable number of women, and 
 occasionally members of the other sex, to be seen 
 bending before the several chapels ; deformed 
 mendicants and professional beggars mingle with 
 the kneeling crowd. Rags flutter beside the most 
 costly laces ; youth kneels with crabbed old age ;
 
 200 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 rich and poor meet upon the same level before the 
 sacred altar. Priests by the half dozen, in scar- 
 let, blue, gilt, and yellow striped robes officiate 
 hourly before tall candles which flicker dimly in 
 the daylight, while boys dressed in long white 
 gowns swing censers of burning incense. The 
 gaudy trappings have the usual theatrical effect, 
 and no doubt serve, together with the deep peals 
 of the organ, the dim light of the interior, the 
 monotone of the priest's voice, in an unknown 
 tongue, profoundly to impress the poor and igno- 
 rant masses. The largest number of devotees, 
 nearly all of whom, as intimated, are women, were 
 seen kneeling before the small chapel where rest 
 the remains of Iturbide, first emperor of Mexico, 
 whose tomb bears the simple legend : " The Lib- 
 erator." None more appropriate could have been 
 devised, for through him virtually was Mexican 
 independence won, though his erratic career finally 
 ended so tragically. 
 
 Just outside of the main entrance of the cathe- 
 dral, a middle-aged woman was seen importuning 
 the passers, and especially strangers, to purchase 
 lottery tickets, her voice being nearly drowned by 
 the loud tongue of the great bell in the western 
 tower. Presently she thrust her budget of tickets 
 into her bosom and entered the cathedral, where 
 she knelt before one of the side altars, repeating 
 incessantly the sign of the cross while she whis- 
 pered a formula of devotion. A moment later she 
 was to be seen offering her lottery tickets on the 
 open plaza, no doubt believing that her business 
 success in their sale would be promoted by her
 
 .1 riCKPOCKET. 201 
 
 attendance before the altar. How groveling must 
 be the ignorance which can be thus blinded ! 
 
 It may not be generally known that these lot- 
 teries are operated, to a considerable extent, by the 
 church, and form one of its never-failing sources 
 of income, proving more profitable even than the 
 sale of indulgences, though the latter is all profit, 
 whereas there is some trifling expense attendant 
 upon getting up a lottery scheme. A few prizes 
 must be distributed in order to make the cheat 
 more plausible. As to the validity of indulgences, 
 one cannot actually test that matter on this side of 
 Lethe. 
 
 As will be seen, all classes of rogues are repre- 
 sented among the apparently devout worshipers. 
 On the occasion of our second visit to the cathe- 
 dral, a gentleman who had his pockets picked by 
 an expert kneeling devotee hastened for a police- 
 man, and soon returning, pointed out the cul- 
 prit, who was promptly arrested ; but, much to the 
 disgust of the complainant, he also was compelled 
 to go with the officer and prisoner to the police 
 headquarters, where we heard that he recovered 
 his stolen property, though it cost him three quar- 
 ters of a day's attendance at some sort of police 
 court, and about half the amount of the sum which 
 the rogue had abstracted. 
 
 All observant strangers visit the cemetery of 
 San Fernando, which adjoins the church of the 
 same name. This is the Mount Auburn or Pere 
 la Chaise of Mexico, in a very humble sense, how- 
 ever. Here rest the ashes of those most illustrious 
 in the history of the country. One is particularly
 
 202 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 interested in the tomb and monument of the great- 
 est statesman Mexico has known, her Indian Presi- 
 dent, Benito Juarez, pronounced Hoo-arez. The 
 design of this elaborate tomb is a little confusing 
 at first, but the general effect is certainly very fine 
 and impressive. The group consists of two figures, 
 life size, wrought in the purest of white marble, 
 showing the late president lying at full length in 
 his shroud, with his head supported by a mourning 
 female figure representing Mexico. The name of 
 the sculptor is Manuel Islas, who has embodied 
 great nobility and touching pathos in the expres- 
 sion of the combined whole. The base of the 
 monument, as we stood before it, was half hidden 
 by freshly contributed wreaths of flowers. A 
 small Grecian temple surrounded by columns in- 
 closes this commemorative group, to which the 
 traveler will be very sure to pay a second visit 
 before leaving the capital. Many of the monu- 
 ments in this city of the dead are of the beautiful 
 native onyx, whicli has a very grand effect when 
 cut in heavy slabs. The grounds are circum- 
 scribed in extent and overcrowded. No name, we 
 believe, is held in higher esteem by the general 
 public than that of Benito Juarez, who died July 
 18, 1872, after being elected to fill the presidential 
 chair for a third term. 
 
 Juarez was a Zapotec Indian, a hill tribe which 
 had never been fully under Spanish control. He 
 was thoroughly educated, and followed the law as 
 a profession. Being fully alive to its character, he 
 always opposed the machinations of the Catholic 
 Church. His dream and ambition was to estab-
 
 CEMETERIES. 203 
 
 lish a Mexican republic, and the present constitu- 
 tion, which bears date of 1857, was virtually his 
 gift to the people. He has been very properly 
 called the prophet and architect of the republic. 
 In the cemetery of San Fernando were also seen 
 the tombs of Mejia and Miramon, the two generals 
 who, together with Maximilian, were shot at Quere- 
 taro. Here also are the tombs of Guerrero, Zara- 
 goza, Comonfort, and others of note in Mexican 
 history. The cemetery as a whole is very poorly 
 arranged and quite unworthy of such a capital. 
 The bodies of most persons buried here are placed 
 in coffins which are deposited in the walls, and 
 even graves are built upon the surface of the 
 ground, because of the fact that at a few feet be- 
 low one comes to the great swamp or lake which 
 underlies all this part of the valley. There is an- 
 other Mexican cemetery worthy of mention, which 
 is beautifully laid out and arranged. It is that of 
 Dolores, on the hillside southwest of Tacubaya, 
 just beyond Chapultepec. In the American ceme- 
 tery are buried some four hundred of our country- 
 men, soldiers, who died here in 1847. The English 
 and American cemeteries lie together. The poor 
 people of the city, when a death occurs in the 
 family, hire a coffin of the dealers for the purpose 
 of carrying their dead to the burial-place, after 
 which it is returned to the owner, to be again 
 leased for a similar object by some other party. 
 The dead bodies of this class are buried in the 
 open earth, a trench only being dug in the ground. 
 Suitable wood is so scarce and so valuable in the 
 capital that coffins are very expensive. Those
 
 204 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 designed for young children are seen exposed for 
 sale decorated in the most fantastic mannerT One 
 narrow street near the general market and close to 
 the plaza is almost wholly appropriated, on the 
 street floor, to coffin-makers' shops. We counted 
 eleven of these doleful establishments within as 
 many rods of each other. The coffins designed 
 for adults are universally colored jet black ; but 
 those for children are elaborately ornamented with 
 scroll work of white upon a black ground. One 
 of these last is hung up as a sign at the entrance 
 of each shop devoted to this business. When a 
 funeral cortege appears on the street, be it never so 
 humble, every one faces the same with uncovered 
 head until it has passed. An episode of this mel- 
 ancholy character is recalled which occurred on 
 San Francisco Street one morning. A very hum- 
 ble peon was seen bearing his child's coffin upon 
 his back, followed by the mother, grandmother, 
 and two children, with downcast eyes, five persons 
 in all forming the sad procession, if it may be so 
 called. It was observed that the gayly-dressed and 
 elegantly mounted cabalero promptly backed his 
 horse to the curbstone and raised his sombrero 
 while the mourners moved by, that other peons 
 bowed their bare heads, and that every hat, either 
 silk or straw, was respectfully doffed along the 
 street, as the solemn little cortege wound its way 
 to the last resting-place of humanity.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The Shrine of Guadalupe. Priestly Miracles. A Remarkable 
 Spring. The Chapels about the Hill. A Singular Votive 
 Offering. Church of Nuestra Sefiora de Guadalupe. Costly 
 Decorations. A Campo Santo. Tomb of Santa Anna. 
 Strange Contrasts. Guadalupe - Hidalgo. The Twelve 
 Shrines on the Causeway. The Viga Canal. The Floating 
 Islands. Indian Gamblers. Vegetable Market. Flower 
 Girls. The " Noche-Triste " Tree. Ridiculous Signs. 
 Queer Titles. Floral Festival. 
 
 GUADALUPE, the sacred Mecca of the Roman 
 Catholics of Mexico, is reached by a tramway of 
 about two or three miles in length, running in a 
 northeasterly direction from the city. It appears 
 that in the Aztec period there was here a native 
 shrine dedicated to some mythological god, and as 
 the foolish legend runs, a miracle caused this spot 
 to be changed to a Christian shrine. The story is 
 told with great unction by " true believers," but 
 to a calm, unbiased mind it is too utterly ridicu- 
 lous for repetition. These church miracles were 
 simply chronic during the Spanish rule. " The 
 religion of Mexico," says Wilson, " is a religion of 
 priestly miracles, and when the ordinary rules of 
 evidence are applied to them, they and the religion 
 that rests upon them fall together." Guadalupe 
 forms a rough, irregular elevation some hundred 
 feet or more above the level of the surrounding 
 plain. Beside the rude stairway leading to the
 
 206 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 top of the hill, there is built a stone column, in 
 the shape of a ship's mast with the square sails 
 set upon it. This is said to have been a votive 
 offering by some sailors who were threatened with 
 shipwreck at Vera Cruz. When in dire distress, 
 the party referred to vowed that if the Virgin of 
 Guadalupe would save the lives of the crew, they 
 would bring the ship's mast to her shrine and set 
 it up there, as a perpetual memento of her pro- 
 tecting power. The mariners were saved and kept 
 their vow, bringing the mast upon their shoulders 
 all the way from Vera Cruz. Here they set it up 
 and built around it a covering of stone, and thus it 
 stands to this day. It is between thirty and forty 
 feet high, and about twelve feet wide at the base, 
 tapering upwards a most unsightly and incon- 
 gruous monument. On the summit of the hill 
 there is a small chapel known as the Capilla del 
 Cerrito, and two or three near its base, one of 
 which has a large dome covered with enameled 
 tiles. This is known as the Capilla del Pocito, 
 and supports in its cupola some of the harshest 
 and most ear-piercing bells which we have ever 
 chanced to hear. This chapel covers a somewhat 
 remarkable spring, which is abundant and never 
 failing in its supply, for whose waters great and 
 miraculous power is claimed. It manifestly con- 
 tains a large impregnation of iron, and is no doubt 
 a good tonic, beyond which its virtues are of course 
 mythical. It is held by the surrounding populace 
 to be an infallible remedy in the instance of un- 
 fruitful women, and is the constant resort of that 
 class from far and near. These chapels at Gua-
 
 CONTRASTS. 207 
 
 dalupe are decorated in the crudest and most in- 
 artistic manner, entirely unworthy of such belief 
 as is professed in the sacredness of the place, or 
 of the virtues attributed by the priests to them 
 as a religious shrine. Money enough has been 
 wasted, but there seems to be an utter lack of 
 good taste. 
 
 Over two million dollars had been expended 
 on the church of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, 
 which stands at the foot of the hill, in supplying 
 the usual inventory of jewels, gold and silver plate, 
 and other extravagant church belongings. The 
 church just named is built of brick and stone com- 
 bined, with four towers about a central dome, and 
 is also known as the cathedral of Guadalupe. The 
 solid silver railing extending from the choir to the 
 high altar is three feet in height. Owing to its 
 presumed sacredness, this church, unlike the cathe- 
 dral of the city near at hand, has never been de- 
 spoiled. Its interior is very rich in ornamentation, 
 among the most effective portions of which we 
 remember its fine onyx columns supporting lofty 
 arches of Moorish architecture. The costly ele- 
 gance displayed in this cathedral is exactly suited 
 to a faith in which there is so little worship and so 
 much form and ceremony. 
 
 On coming out of this elaborate edifice, half 
 dazed by its expensive and gaudy trappings, we 
 step at once into an atmosphere of abject poverty 
 and want. The surroundings of the chapels and 
 cathedral of Guadalupe are in strong contrast with 
 the interiors. This is undoubtedly the dirtiest and 
 most neglected suburb of the capital, where low
 
 208 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 pulque shops and a half-naked population of beg- 
 gars stare one in the face at every turn. "What 
 sort of Christian faith is that which can hoard 
 jewels of fabulous value, with costly plate of gold 
 and silver, in the sacristy of its temple, while the 
 poor, crippled, naked people starve on the outside 
 of its gilded walls ? " Ah ! " says Shelley, " what a 
 divine religion might be found out if charity were 
 really made the principle of it instead of faith ! " 
 
 The grand view to be obtained from the summit 
 of the hill of Guadalupe amply repays the visitor 
 for climbing the rude steps and rough roadway, 
 notwithstanding the terribly offensive odors aria- 
 ing from the dirty condition of the neglected sur- 
 roundings. It embraces the city in the middle 
 foreground, a glimpse of Chapultepec and the two 
 grand mountains in the distance, together with the 
 surrounding plains dotted with low adobe villages. 
 The long white roads of the causeways, lined with 
 verdant trees, divide the spacious plain by artistic 
 lines of beauty, while between them green fields of 
 alfalfa, and yellow, ripening maize give delightful 
 bits of light and shade. On the back of the hill, 
 behind the chapel crowning the summit, is a small 
 cemetery full to repletion of tombs dedicated to 
 famous persons. Great prices, we were told, are 
 paid for interments in this sacred spot. Among 
 the most interesting tombs was that of Santa Anna, 
 the hero of more defeats than any notable soldier 
 whom we can recall. He is remembered as a 
 traitor by the average Mexican (just as Bazaine 
 is regarded by the French), although he was five 
 times President and four times military Dictator
 
 GUADALUPE-HWALGO. 209 
 
 of Mexico. It will be remembered that this eccen- 
 tric and notorious soldier of fortune was banished to 
 the West Indies, whence he wrote a congratulatory 
 letter to the intruder Maximilian, and sought to 
 take command under him. His proffered aid was 
 coolly declined, whereupon he offered his services 
 to Juarez, who was fighting against Maximilian, 
 but was repulsed with equal promptness. In a 
 rage at this treatment, he fitted out an expedition 
 against both parties, landed in Mexico, was taken 
 prisoner, and in consideration of the services once 
 rendered his country his life was spared ; but he 
 was again banished, to finish his days in poverty 
 and in a foreign land. His wooden leg, captured 
 during our war with Mexico, is in the Smithsonian 
 Institution at Washington. The town which sur- 
 rounds the immediate locality of these shrines of 
 Guadalupe has a population of about three thou- 
 sand, and is particularly memorable as being the 
 place where the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was 
 signed, February 2, 1848, between the United 
 States and Mexico. The name of Guadalupe was 
 combined with that of Hidalgo, the Washington of 
 Mexico as he is called, who in 1810 raised the cry 
 of independence against the Spanish yoke, and 
 though he was captured and shot, after eleven 
 years of hard fighting, the goal of independence 
 was reached by those who survived him. He is 
 reported to have said just before his execution : 
 " I die, but the seeds of liberty will be watered by 
 my blood. The cause does not die. That still 
 lives and will surely triumph." 
 
 Churches bearing the name of Guadalupe are to
 
 210 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 be found all over the country, the Virgin of Gua- 
 dalupe being the adopted patron saint of Mexico. 
 Along the main road or causeway leading from 
 the capital to the hill of Guadalupe, now given 
 up to the use of the Vera Cruz Railway, one 
 sees tall stone shrines which were erected long ago, 
 before which deluded pilgrims and penitents knelt 
 on their way thither. These were intended to com- 
 memorate the twelve places at which the Saviour 
 fell down on his journey while bearing the cross to 
 Calvary. It was called the road of humiliation and 
 prayer, over which devotees crept on their hands 
 and knees, seeking expiation for their sins, insti- 
 gated by priestly suggestions and superstitious fears. 
 Over this causeway, Maximilian, actuated by his 
 fanatical religious devotion, and by a desire to im- 
 press the popular mind, walked barefooted from 
 the city walls to the shrine of the Virgin of Gua- 
 dalupe ! The hold of the priests on the Mexican 
 people to-day is confined almost entirely to the 
 peons and humble laborers. It is a common say- 
 ing that when a peon earns two dollars he gives 
 one dollar and forty-five cents to the priest, spends 
 fifty cents for pulque, and supports his family on 
 the remaining five cents. Among the educated 
 classes the men are beginning to refuse to permit 
 their wives and daughters to attend the confes- 
 sional, the most subtle and portentous agency for 
 evil that was ever invented, which has contami- 
 nated more innocence and destroyed more domes- 
 tic happiness than any other known cause. 
 
 The tramway which runs out to the Viga Canal 
 takes one a couple of miles into an extremely
 
 FLOATING ISLANDS. 211 
 
 interesting region, exhibiting many novel phases 
 of native life. The thoroughfare runs beside the 
 canal for a considerable distance, the banks of 
 which are shaded here and there by drooping wil- 
 lows and rows of tall Lombardy poplars. How old 
 the canal is, no one can say ; it certainly antedates 
 the period of the Conquest. The straw-thatched, 
 Indian, African - looking town of Santa Anita is 
 a curiosity in itself, surrounded by the floating 
 islands, which we are soberly told did really float 
 centuries ago. " Here they beheld," says Prescott, 
 " those fairy islands of flowers, overshadowed oc- 
 casionally by trees of considerable size, rising and 
 falling with the gentle undulations of the billows." 
 One does not like to play the role of an iconoclast, 
 but probably these islands were always pretty much 
 as they are to-day. The " floating " idea is a poet- 
 ical license, and was born in the imaginative brain 
 of the Spanish writers. Had Prescott ever seen 
 them, he would doubtless have come to the same 
 conclusion. " Hanging " gardens do not necessa- 
 rily depend from anything, " floating " islands need 
 not necessarily float. They really have the appear- 
 ance of buoyancy to-day, and hence the figure of 
 speech which has been universally applied to them. 
 " I have not seen any floating gardens," says R. 
 A. Wilson, author of " Mexico and its Religion," 
 " nor, on diligent inquiry, have I been able to find 
 a man, woman, or child that ever has seen them, 
 nor do I believe that such a thing as a floating 
 garden ever existed at Mexico." They are now 
 anchored to the bottom fast enough, that is certain, 
 being separated from each other and the main land
 
 212 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 by little narrow canals. The soil of which they 
 are constituted is kept always moist by natural 
 irrigation, and is wonderfully fertile in producing 
 flowers, fruits, and mammoth vegetables. Seed- 
 time and harvest are perennial on these peculiar 
 islands. Men are always ready with a rude sort 
 of boat, which the most poetic imagination cannot 
 dignify into a gondola, but which is so called. 
 These floats are about fifteen feet long, four wide, 
 flat bottomed, with low sides, and have no cover- 
 ing. The boatmen row, or rather pole, the boats 
 through the little canals, giving the passengers a 
 view of the low, rank vegetation on the islands, 
 some of which present a pleasing floral picture, 
 rather curious, but not very interesting. On Sun- 
 days and festal days the middle and lower classes 
 of the capital come hither in large numbers to 
 amuse themselves with the tall swings, the merry- 
 go-rounds, and the scowlike boats, to eat dulces at 
 the booths, and to drink inordinate quantities of 
 pulque at the many stands at which it is dispensed 
 at popular prices. The pungent liquor permeates 
 the surrounding atmosphere with its sour and offen- 
 sive odor. Here one sees numerous groups busy 
 at that besetting sin of the Indians, gambling. It 
 is practiced on all occasions and in all places^ the 
 prevailing means being " the wheel of fortune." 
 An itinerant bearing one of these instruments 
 strapped about his shoulders stops here and there, 
 soon gathering a crowd of the curious about him. 
 The lottery-ticket vender drowns all other cries in 
 his noisy search after customers, reaping a large 
 harvest, especially on Sundays, in this popular
 
 MAMMOTH VEGETABLES. 213 
 
 resort. The old stone church of Santa Anita is 
 a crumbling mass of Moorish architecture, with a 
 fine tower, the whole sadly out of repair, yet plainly 
 speaking of past grandeur. 
 
 On the way to these islands by the Paseo de la 
 Viga, we pass through an outdoor vegetable mar- 
 ket, which is remarkable for the size of some of the 
 specimens offered for sale ; radishes were displayed 
 which were as large as beets, also plethoric turnips, 
 overgrown potatoes, ambitious carrots, and broad 
 spread heads of lettuce as big as a Mexican som- 
 brero. There were many sorts of greens for making 
 salads, of which the average Mexican is very fond, 
 besides flowers mingled with tempting fruits, such 
 as oranges, lemons, melons, and pineapples. The lat- 
 ter, we suspect, must have come from as far south 
 as Cordova. Young Indian girls, with garlands of 
 various-colored poppies about their necks, like the 
 natives of Hawaii, offered us for a trifle tiny bou- 
 quets made of rosebuds, pansies, violets, tuberoses, 
 and scarlet geraniums, all grown close at hand on 
 these misnamed floating islands. One low, thatched 
 adobe cabin, between the roadway and the canals, 
 in Santa Anita, was covered with a mammoth 
 blooming vine, known here as the copa de oro. Its 
 great yellow flowers were indeed like cups of gold, 
 inviting our attention above all the other floral 
 emblems for which the little Indian village is 
 famous. Great quantities come daily from this 
 suburb to supply the city demand, and especially 
 on the occasion of the floral festivals, which have 
 their headquarters in the plaza and the alameda, 
 as elsewhere described.
 
 214 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 There is much to be seen and enjoyed in these 
 brief excursions by tramway into the environs of 
 the city. One should not forget to take the cars 
 which start from the west side of the Plaza Mayor, 
 and which pass through the Riviera de San Cosme 
 out to the village of Popotla, where the famous 
 " Noche-triste " tree is to be seen. It is situated 
 about three miles from the plaza. Cortez is said to 
 have sat down under its branches and wept over 
 his misfortunes when he was obliged to retreat 
 from the capital, on the night of July 1, 1520, still 
 known as the "Dismal Night." Whether this 
 story be true or otherwise, it matters very little. 
 Suffice it that this big gnarled tree is held sacred 
 and historic by the citizens, and is always vis- 
 ited by strangers who come to the capital. It is 
 of the cedar family, and its dilapidated condition, 
 together with the size of the trunk, shows its great 
 antiquity. At present it measures ten feet in di- 
 ameter at the base, with a height exceeding forty 
 feet. Although broken arid decayed in many of 
 its parts, it is sufficiently alive to bear foliage. 
 The gray, drooping moss hangs from its decaying 
 branches, like a mourner's veil shrouding face and 
 neck, emblematic of the tears which the daring 
 adventurer is said to have wept in its shadow. An 
 iron railing protects the tree from careless usage 
 and from the knives of ruthless relic hunters. A 
 party of so-called ladies and gentlemen we are 
 sorry to say they were Americans broke off some 
 of the twigs of the tree, in 1885, to bring away 
 with them. For this vandalism they were promptly 
 arrested, and very properly fined by a Mexican
 
 CURIOUS SIGNS. 215 
 
 court. Close by this interesting tree of the " Dis- 
 mal Night" stands the ancient church of San 
 Esteban. 
 
 The practice prevails in the cities of Mexico 
 that one sees in Cuba and in continental Spain, 
 as regards the signs which traders place over their 
 doors. The individual's name is never given, but 
 the merchant adopts some fancy one to designate 
 his place of business. Seeing the title " El Con- 
 greso Americana," " The American Congress," we 
 were a little disconcerted, on investigation, to find 
 that it was the sign of a large and popular bar- 
 room. Near by was another sign reading thus : 
 " El Diablo," that is, " The Devil." This was 
 over a pulque shop, which seemed to be appropri- 
 ately designated. Farther on towards the ala- 
 meda was " El Sueno de Amor," signifying " The 
 Dream of Love." This was over a shop devoted to 
 the sale of serapes and other dry goods. On the 
 Calle de San Bernardo, over one of the entrances 
 where dry goods were sold, was seen, in large gold 
 letters, " La Perla," " The Pearl." Again near 
 the plaza we read, " La Dos Republics," meaning 
 " The Two Republics." This was a hat store, with 
 gorgeous sombreros displayed for sale. " El Re- 
 creo," " The Retreat," was a billiard hall and bar- 
 room combined, while not far away " El Opalo," 
 " The Opal," designated a store where dulces were 
 sold. "La Bomba," "The Bomb," was the sign 
 over a saddle and harness shop. " El Amor Can- 
 tivo," " Captive Love," was the motto of a dry 
 goods store. " La Coquetta," " The Coquette," 
 was the title of a cigar shop.
 
 216 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 These stores are almost all conducted by French 
 or German owners, with now and then a Jew of 
 uncertain nationality ; few are kept by Spaniards, 
 and none by Americans, or citizens of the United 
 States. American enterprise seeks expression here 
 in a larger field. Where a trunk line of railroad 
 a thousand miles or more is demanded, as in the 
 instance of the Mexican Central, they are sure to 
 be found at the front, with capital, executive abil- 
 ity, and the energy which commands success. The 
 surveys for the Mexican railroads demanding the 
 very best ability were made by Americans, the 
 locomotive drivers are nearly all Americans, and 
 more than half the conductors upon the regular 
 railway trains are Americans. The infusion of 
 American spirit among the Mexican people is per- 
 haps slow, but it is none the less sure and steady. 
 
 Each sort of business has its distinctive emblem. 
 The butcher always hangs out a crimson banner. 
 In some portions of the town there are painted 
 caricatures on the fronts of certain places to desig- 
 nate their special business. For instance, in front 
 of a pulque shop is found a laughable figure of a 
 man with a ponderous stomach, drinking his favor- 
 ite tipple. At another, which is the popular drink- 
 ing resort of the bull-fighters, is represented a 
 scene where a picadore is being tossed high in air 
 from the horns of an infuriated bull, and so on. 
 The names of some of the streets of the capital 
 show how the Roman Catholic Church has tried to 
 impress itself upon the attention of the populace 
 even in the titles of large thoroughfares. Thus we 
 have the Crown of Thorns Street, the Holy Ghost
 
 FLOWER FESTIVAL. 217 
 
 Bridge, Mother of Sorrows Street, Blood of Christ 
 Street, Holy Ghost Street, Street of the Sacred 
 Heart, and the like. Protestants of influence have 
 protested against this use of names, and changes 
 therein have been seriously considered by the local 
 government. As previously explained, some of 
 these streets have been so named because there 
 were churches bearing these titles situated in 
 them. 
 
 Friday, the 28th of March, the day of Viernes 
 de Dolores, was a floral festal occasion in and 
 about the city of Mexico. The origin of this ob- 
 servance we did not exactly understand, except 
 that it is an old Indian custom, which is carefully 
 honored by all classes, and a very beautiful one it 
 most certainly is. For several days previous to 
 that devoted to the exhibition, preparations were 
 made for it by the erection of frames, tents, can- 
 vas roofing, and the like, in the centre of the ala- 
 meda and over its approaches. At sunrise on the 
 day designated, the people resorted in crowds to 
 the broad and beautiful paths, roadways, and cir- 
 cles of the delightful old park, to find pyramids of 
 flowers elegantly arranged about the fountains, 
 while the passageways were lined by flower dealers 
 from the country with beautiful and fragrant bou- 
 quets, for sale at prices and in shapes to suit all 
 comers. Nothing but a true love of flowers could 
 suggest such attractive combinations. Into some 
 of the bouquets strawberries with long stems were 
 introduced, in order to obtain a certain effect of 
 color ; in others was seen a handsome red berry 
 in clusters, like the fruit of the mountain ash.
 
 218 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 We had observed the preparations, and were on 
 the spot at the first peep of the day. The In- 
 dians came down the Paseo de la Reforms in the 
 gray light of the dawn, and stopped beside the en- 
 trance to the alameda, men and women laden with 
 fragrance and bloom from all parts of the valley 
 of Mexico within a radius of forty miles from the 
 city. One lot of burros, numbering a score and 
 more, formed a singularly picturesque and novel 
 group. The animals, except their heads and long 
 ears, were absolutely hidden beneath masses of ra- 
 diant color. Groups of women sitting upon the 
 ground were busy making up bouquets, which were 
 most artistically combined. These natives love 
 bright colors, and have an instinctive eye for grace- 
 ful combinations. 
 
 Of course the variety of flowers was infinite. 
 We remember, among them, red and white roses, 
 pansies, violets, heliotropes, sweet peas, gardenias, 
 camelias, both calla and tiger lilies, honeysuckles, 
 forget-me-nots, verbenas, pinks in a variety of 
 colors, larkspur, jasmine, petunias, morning glo- 
 ries, tulips, scarlet geraniums, and others. Three 
 military bands placed in central positions added 
 spirit and interest to the suggestive occasion. The 
 harmony of the music blended with the perfume of 
 the flowers, completing the charm of such a scene 
 of floral extravagance as we have never before wit- 
 nessed. Our florists might get many bright, new 
 ideas as to the arrangements of bouquets from 
 these Mexicans. 
 
 None of the populace seemed to be too poor to 
 purchase freely of the flowers, all decking their
 
 FLORAL DECORATION. 219 
 
 persons with them. As fast as the bouquets were 
 disposed of, their places were filled with a fresh 
 supply, the source being, apparently, inexhausti- 
 ble. Young and old, rich and poor, thronged to 
 the flower - embowered alameda on this occasion, 
 and there was no seeming diminution of demand 
 or of supply up to high noon, when we left the 
 still enthusiastic and merry crowd. In the after- 
 noon, no matter in what part of the town we were, 
 the same floral enthusiasm and spirit possessed the 
 populace. Balcony, doorway, carriage windows, 
 and market baskets, married women and youthful 
 senoritas, boys and girls, cripples and beggars, 
 all indulged in floral decoration and display. It 
 appeared that several carloads of flowers came 
 from far-away Jalapa to supply the demand in the 
 national capital made upon the kingdom of Flora 
 for this flower festival.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Castle of Chapul tepee. "Hill of the Grasshopper." Monte- 
 zuma's Retreat. Palace of the Aztec Kings. West Point 
 of Mexico. Battles of Molino del Rey and Churubusco. 
 The Mexican White House. High above Sea Level. Vil- 
 lage of Tacubaya. Antique Carvings. Ancient Toluca. 
 The Maguey. Fine Scenery. Cima. Snowy Peaks. 
 Leon d'Oro. The Bull - Ring and Cockpit. A Literary 
 Institution. The Coral Tree. Ancient Pyramids. Pa- 
 chuca. Silver Product of the Mines. A Cornish Colony. 
 Native Cabins. Indian Endurance. 
 
 ONE of the pleasantest excursions in the envi- 
 rons of the capital is in a southwesterly direction 
 to the castle of Chapultepec, a name which signi- 
 fies the " Hill of the Grasshopper." It is situated 
 at the end of the long Paseo de la Reforma, the 
 grandest avenue in the country, running straight 
 away two miles and more between statuary and 
 ornamental trees to this historic and attractive 
 locality. About Chapultepec are gathered more 
 of the grand memories of the country than on any 
 other spot south of the Rio Grande. Here it was 
 intended to establish the most grand and sump- 
 tuous court of the nineteenth century, over which 
 Maximilian and Carlotta were to preside as em- 
 peror and empress. Their ambition was limitless ; 
 but how brief was their day-dream ! The fortress 
 occupies a very commanding position, standing 
 upon a rocky upheaval some two hundred feet
 
 CHAPULTEPEC. 221 
 
 above the surrounding plain, thus rising abruptly 
 out of the marshy swamp. It is encircled by a 
 beautiful park composed mostly of old cypress- 
 trees, many of which are draped in gray Spanish 
 moss, as soft and suggestive an adornment as that 
 of the moss-rose. We ascend the hill to the cas- 
 tle by a deeply-shaded road, formed by a wood so 
 dense that the sun scarcely penetrates its darkness. 
 On the side of this tree-embowered road, about 
 halfway to the summit, one is shown a natural 
 cave, before the mouth of which is a huge iron 
 gate. Herein, it is said, the Aztec kings deposited 
 their treasures. Here, also, Cortez is believed to 
 have placed his stolen wealth, under guard of his 
 most trusted followers, which was afterward trans- 
 ported to Spain. One immemorial cypress was 
 pointed out to us in the grove of Chapultepec, 
 said to have been a favorite resort of Montezuma 
 I., who often enjoyed its cooling shade. This tree 
 measures about fifty feet in circumference. We 
 were assured, by good local authority, that some 
 of these trees date back to more than twice ten 
 hundred years. If there is any truth in the con- 
 centric ring theory, this is easily proved. The 
 best-informed persons upon this subject have little 
 doubt that these trees are the remains of a pri- 
 meval forest which surrounded the burial-place of 
 the Incas. There is plenty of evidence to show 
 that when Cortez first penetrated the country and 
 reached this high plain of Anahuac, it was covered 
 with a noble forest of oaks, cedars, cypresses, and 
 other trees. To one who has not seen the giant 
 trees of Australia and the grand conifers of the
 
 222 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Yosemite Valley, these mammoths must be indeed 
 a revelation, trees that may have been growing 
 before the advent of Christ upon earth. Here and 
 there a few modern elms and pines have been 
 planted in the Chapultepec grove ; and though 
 they are of respectable or average size, they look 
 like pigmies beside these gigantic trees. During 
 all the wars and battles which have taken place 
 around and above them, these grand old monarchs 
 have remained undisturbed, flourishing quietly 
 amid the fiercest strife of the elements and the 
 bitter contentions of men. 
 
 According to Spanish history, here stood of old 
 the palace of the Aztec kings ; and it seems to 
 have ever been the favorite abiding place of the 
 Mexican rulers, from the time of Montezuma I. to 
 President Diaz, being a fortress, a palace, and a 
 charming garden combined, overlooking the grand- 
 est valley on the continent. On Sundays the elite 
 of the city come here to enjoy the delightful drive, 
 as well as the shady park which leads to the sum- 
 mit of the hill, welcomed by the fragrance of flow- 
 ers, and charmed by the rippling of cooling foun- 
 tains. At the base of the elevation on which the 
 castle stands, at its eastern foot, bursts forth the 
 abundant spring from which the city is in part 
 supplied with water. Here begins the San Cosme 
 aqueduct, a huge, arched structure of heavy ma- 
 sonry, which adds picturesqueness to the scenery. 
 Maximilian, upon taking up his abode here, caused 
 a number of beautiful avenues to be constructed 
 in various directions, suitable for drives, in addi- 
 tion to the grand paseo leading to the city, which
 
 CLASSIC GROUND. 223 
 
 also owes its construction to his taste and liberal- 
 ity. The drives about the castle are shaded by 
 tall, thickly-set trees of various sorts, planted within 
 the last twenty years. 
 
 Chapultepec is now improved in part for a mili- 
 tary school, the " West Point " of Mexico, accom- 
 modating a little over three hundred cadets, who, 
 coming from the best families of the country, here 
 serve a seven years' apprenticeship in acquiring a 
 sound education and a thorough knowledge of the 
 art of war. The course of studies, it is understood, 
 is very comprehensive, and to graduate here is 
 esteemed a high honor from an educational point 
 of view. Several of the professors who are at- 
 tached to the institution came from the best Euro- 
 pean schools. We were shown through the dormi- 
 tories of the cadets and other domestic offices, 
 where everything was in admirable order, but it 
 was a disappointment to see the lackadaisical man- 
 ner of these young gentlemen on parade, quite in 
 consonance with the undisciplined character of the 
 rank and file of the army. The pretense of dis- 
 cipline was a mere subterfuge, and would simply 
 disgust a West Pointer or a European soldier. 
 These cadets were somehow very diminutive in 
 stature, and their presence was anything but 
 manly. 
 
 This is justly regarded as classic ground in the 
 ancient and modern history of the country. It will 
 be remembered that the steep acclivity, though 
 bravely defended, was stormed and captured by 
 a mere handful of Americans under General Pil- 
 low during the war of 1847. In the rear of the
 
 224 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 hill, to the southward, less than two miles away, is 
 the field where the battle of Molino del Rey 
 " the King's Mill " was fought, and not far 
 away that of Churubusco, both contests won by 
 the Americans, who were under the command of 
 General Scott. Lieutenant Grant, afterwards Gen- 
 eral Grant and President of the United States, 
 was one of the first to enter the fortified position 
 at the taking of Chapultepec. Grant, in his me- 
 moirs, pays General Scott due honor as a soldier 
 and a strategist, but expresses the opinion that 
 both the battles of Chapultepec and Molino del 
 Rey were needless, as the two positions could have 
 been turned. 
 
 Any civilian can realize the mistake which Scott 
 made. The possession of the mill at that juncture 
 was of no consequence. Chapultepec was of course 
 to be carried, and when our troops were in posses- 
 sion of that fortified height the position at the mill 
 was untenable. A fierce and unnecessary, though 
 victorious battle on our part was here fought, 
 wherein the Americans suffered considerable loss, 
 principally from a masked battery, which was 
 manned by volunteers from the city workshops. 
 Near to Molino del Rey the Mexicans have erected 
 a monument commemorating their own valor and 
 defeat, when close to a city of nearly three hundred 
 thousand inhabitants their redoubtable army was 
 beaten and driven from the field by about ten thou- 
 sand Americans. The Mexicans did not and do not 
 lack for courage, but they required proper leaders 
 which they had not, and a unity of purpose in 
 which they were equally deficient.
 
 MAXIMILIAN'S PALACE. 225 
 
 As intimated, a portion of the spacious castle 
 forms the residence of the chief of the republic, 
 being thus the " White House," as it is termed, of 
 Mexico, in which are many spacious halls and gal- 
 leries, all of which are handsomely decorated, the 
 outside being surrounded by wide marble terraces 
 and paved courts. Here Maximilian expended 
 half a million dollars in gaudy ornamentations 
 and radical alterations to suit his lavish desires. 
 The interior decorations were copies from Pompeii. 
 For the brief period which he was permitted to 
 occupy the castle, it was famous for a succession 
 of fetes, receptions, dinners, and dances. No Eu- 
 ropean court could surpass the lavish elegance and 
 dissipation which was indulged in by Maximilian 
 and his very sweet but ambitious wife Carlotta. 
 Her personal popularity and influence was fully 
 equal to that of her husband, while her tenacity of 
 purpose and strength of will far excelled that of 
 the vacillating and conceited emperor. 
 
 The view from the lofty ramparts is perhaps the 
 finest in the entire valley of Mexico, which is in 
 form an elevated plain about thirty by forty miles 
 in extent, its altitude being a little less than eight 
 thousand feet above the sea. This view embraces 
 the national capital, with its countless spires, domes, 
 and public buildings, the magnificent avenues of 
 trees leading to the city, its widespread environs, 
 the looming churches of Guadalupe, the village- 
 dotted plain stretching away in all directions, the 
 distant lakes glowing beneath the sun's rays, and 
 having for a background at the eastward two of 
 the loftiest, glacier-crowned mountains on the con-
 
 226 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 tinent, bold and beautiful in outline, tranquil and 
 immovable in their grandeur. The steady glow of 
 the warm sunlight gilded cross and pinnacle, as we 
 gazed on this picture through the softening haze 
 of approaching twilight, a view which we have 
 hardly, if ever, seen surpassed. 
 
 In ascending the many steps which lead to the 
 battlements of Chapultepec, one of our party, a 
 Boston lady, fairly gasped for breath, declaring 
 that some serious illness threatened her ; but when 
 she was quietly informed that she was about forty 
 times as high above the sea as the vane on Park 
 Street Church in her native city, she realized what 
 it was that caused a temporary difficulty in breath- 
 ing ; it was the extremely rarefied atmosphere, to 
 which she was not accustomed. At such an eleva- 
 tion, in the latitude of Boston, the temperature 
 would be almost arctic ; but it is to be remem- 
 bered that this high table-land of the valley of 
 Mexico is under the Tropic of Cancer, and there- 
 fore enjoys almost a perpetual spring, though it 
 is extremely dry. The atmosphere is, in fact, so 
 devoid of moisture that food or fresh meat will 
 dry up, but will not mould or spoil, however long 
 it may be kept. 
 
 On the left of Chapultepec lies the attractive 
 suburban village of Tacubaya, already referred to, 
 where the wealthy citizens of the capital have sum- 
 mer residences, some of which are really so elegant 
 as to have a national reputation. These are thrown 
 open to strangers on certain days, to exhibit their 
 accumulation of rare and beautiful objects of art, 
 and the luxuries of domestic life.
 
 TOLUCA. 227 
 
 As we left Chapultepec by a narrow road wind- 
 ing through the remnant of a once vast forest, at- 
 tention was called to the ancient inscriptions upon 
 the rocks at the eastern base of the hill near the 
 roadside. They are in half relief ; and, so far as 
 we could decipher them, they seemed to be Toltec 
 rather than Aztec. They are engraven on the nat- 
 ural rock, and are of a character quite unintelligi- 
 ble to the present generation. For years these 
 were hidden by the dense undergrowth, being on 
 the edge of the plain, near the spot where the 
 Americans clambered up the steep acclivity when 
 they stormed the castle. The shrubbery has now 
 been cleared away so as to render them distinctly 
 visible. 
 
 Toluca, the capital of the State of Mexico, is 
 easily reached by a narrow gauge railway, being 
 less than fifty miles from the national capital. It 
 is a well-built and thriving town, containing about 
 twenty-five thousand inhabitants, more or less, and 
 situated at an elevation of about eight thousand 
 and six hundred feet above the sea. The muni- 
 cipal buildings and state capitol, all modern, are 
 thought to be the finest in the republic. They 
 face upon a delightful plaza, the almost universal 
 arrangement in these cities. Beyond the valley 
 of Toluca, which is larger than that of Mexico, are 
 others as broad and as fertile, all of which are 
 watered by the Rio Lerma. The trip hither from 
 the national capital leads us through some of the 
 grandest scenery in the country, as well as taking 
 us over some of the most abrupt ascents in Mexico. 
 The districts through which the road passes nearest
 
 228 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 to the city are mostly given up to the cultivation 
 of the pulque-producing maguey. These planta- 
 tions are of great extent, being arranged with 
 mathematical precision, the plants placed ten feet 
 apart in each direction, in fields of twenty or 
 thirty acres. The very sight of them sets one to 
 moralizing. Like the beautiful but treacherous 
 poppy fields which dazzle one in India, they are 
 only too thrifty, too fruitful, too ready to yield up 
 their heart's blood for the pleasure, delusion, and 
 ruin of the people. We are all familiar with the 
 broad, long, bayonet-like leaf of this plant, which 
 is to be seen in most of our conservatories, known 
 to us by the name of the century plant, and to 
 botanists as the Agave Americana. It rarely 
 blooms except in tropical climates. Indeed, it is 
 best known with us at the north as the century 
 plant, a popular fallacy having become attached 
 to it, that it blooms but once in a hundred years. 
 Hence the name which it bears in New England. 
 When the juice is first extracted it is sweet like 
 new cider, and is as harmless ; it is believed to pos- 
 sess special curative properties for some chronic 
 ills that flesh is heir to, but fermentation sets in 
 soon after it is separated from the plant, and the 
 alcoholic principle is promptly developed. We 
 were told at the city of Mexico that the govern- 
 ment treasury realizes a thousand dollars each day 
 as a tax upon the pulque which is brought into the 
 capital from various parts of the country, and that 
 the railway companies receive an equal sum for the 
 freight. 
 
 There are two kinds of maguey : the cultivated
 
 LOCAL SCENERY. 229 
 
 plant from which comes pulque, and one which 
 grows wild in the desert parts of the country. 
 From the latter is distilled a coarse liquor which 
 is highly intoxicating, called mescal. This is a 
 digression. Let us speak of our journey to Toluca. 
 If this very interesting city did not possess any 
 special attraction in itself, the unsurpassed scenery 
 to be enjoyed on the route thither would amply 
 repay the traveler for the brief journey. At about 
 twenty miles from the city of Mexico, it is found 
 that we have risen to an elevation of eleven hun- 
 dred feet above it, from which point delightful 
 views present themselves, embracing the entire 
 valley, its various thrifty crops distinguishable by 
 their many hues ; here, yellow, ripening grain ; 
 there, the blue-green maguey plant ; and yonder, 
 wide patches of dark, nutritious alfalfa; together 
 with irrigating streams sparkling in the sunshine, 
 enlivened here and there by groups of grazing 
 cattle. Now an adobe hamlet comes into view, the 
 low whitewashed cabins clustering about a gray old 
 stone church. Creeping up the mountain paths 
 are long lines of toiling burros, laden from hoofs to 
 ears with ponderous packs, and on the dusty road 
 are straggling natives, men and women, bearing 
 heavy loads of produce, of wood, pottery, and 
 fruit, to the nearest market ; while not far away a 
 ploughman, driving three mules abreast, turns the 
 rich black soil with his one-pronged, one-handled 
 plough. Villages and plantations are passed in 
 rapid succession, where scores of square, tower-like 
 corn cribs, raised upon four standards, .are seen 
 adjoining the low, picturesque farmhouses.
 
 230 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 At Dos Kios (Two Elvers), half-clad, gypsy- 
 looking women and young, nut-brown girls be- 
 siege the passengers to partake of fresh pulque, 
 which they serve in small earthen mugs. Two 
 stout engines are required to draw us over the 
 steep grade. The highest point reached is at Cima 
 (The Summit) twenty-four miles from the city of 
 Mexico, and ten thousand feet above the level of 
 the sea. This is the most elevated station in the 
 country, seriously affecting the respiration of many 
 of our party. Indeed, any considerable exertion 
 puts one quite out of breath at such an altitude. 
 The conductor of the train was an American, who 
 had been engaged upon this route for a year and 
 more ; but he assured the author that he was as 
 seriously affected by the great elevation as when 
 he first took the position. It was observed, how- 
 ever, that the natives did not seem to experience 
 any such discomfort. 
 
 From Cima we descend the western slope of the 
 ridge by a series of grand, abrupt curves through 
 the valley of San Lazar, after having thus crossed 
 the range of mountains known as Las Cruces. 
 The white-headed peak of the Nevada de Toluca, 
 over fifteen thousand feet in height, the fourth 
 highest peak in Mexico, is long in sight from 
 the car windows, first on one side of the route and 
 then on the other, while we pass over the twists 
 and turns of the track to the music of rippling 
 waters escorting us to the plains below. Moun- 
 tain climbers tell us that from the apex of this 
 now sleeping volcano the Pacific Ocean, one hun- 
 dred and sixty miles away, can be seen. It is also
 
 AN OLD CITY. 231 
 
 said that with a powerful field - glass the Gulf of 
 Mexico can be discerned from the same position, 
 at a much longer distance. Baron von Humboldt 
 tells us that he ascended this peak in Septem- 
 ber, 1803, and that the actual summit is scarcely 
 ten feet wide. It occupied this indefatigable sci- 
 entist two days to make the ascent from Toluca 
 and return. 
 
 But let us tell the patient reader about Toluca 
 itself. The streets are spacious, well-paved, and 
 cleanly. A tramway takes us from the depot 
 through the Calle de la Independencia, on which 
 thoroughfare there is a statue of Hidalgo, which 
 by its awkward pose and twisted limbs suggests 
 the idea of a person under the influence of pulque. 
 At the hotel Leon d'Oro, an excellent and well- 
 served dinner was enjoyed, and it is spoken of 
 here because such an experience is a rara avis in 
 the republic of Mexico. Among the numberless 
 churches, a curious one will long be remembered, 
 namely, the Santa Vera Cruz, the facade of which 
 very much resembles that of a dime museum, hav- 
 ing a lot of grotesquely-colored figures of saints 
 standing guard. 
 
 Toluca, notwithstanding its appearance of new- 
 ness, is really one of the oldest settlements in the 
 country, dating from the year 1533. Activity and 
 growth are manifest on all sides. There is a spa- 
 cious alameda in the environs, but it is not kept in 
 very good condition. The town has two capacious 
 theatres, and a large bull-ring, which is infamously 
 noted for its many fatal encounters. The bull- 
 ring and the cockpit are two special blots upon this
 
 232 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 otherwise attractive place, attractive, we mean, 
 as compared with most Mexican towns. Cock- 
 fighting is the favorite resort of the amusement 
 seekers, and in its way is made extremely cruel. 
 One of the two birds pitted against each other 
 must die in the ring. This and the hateful bull- 
 fight were introduced by the Spanish invaders of 
 Mexico centuries ago, and are still only too popu- 
 lar all over the land. In the cities one frequently 
 meets a native with a game-cock under each arm, 
 and at some of the inland railroad stations they 
 are tied in long rows, each by its leg, and out of 
 reach of the others, so that purchasers can make 
 their selection. It must be a very small town in 
 Mexico which does not contain one or more cock- 
 pits, not only as a Sunday resort for amusement, 
 but also as a medium for the inveterate gambling 
 propensities of the native people. 
 
 Here, also, there is the usual profusion of Ro- 
 man Catholic churches, but there is nothing re- 
 markable about them. A couple of miles west 
 of the city is the church of Nuestra Senora de Te- 
 cajic, in which is exhibited a " miraculous " image 
 which is held in great veneration by the credulous 
 Indians. It is a picture painted on coarse cotton 
 cloth, and representing the assumption of the Vir- 
 gin. This is an ancient shrine, and has been in 
 existence over two hundred years. 
 
 Near Toluca is an extinct volcano, the crater of 
 which forms a large lake of unknown depth, the 
 water being as cold as ice. 
 
 The city supported several notable convents pre- 
 vious to the confiscation of the church properties,
 
 THE CORAL-TREE. 233 
 
 which are now utilized for schools, hospitals, and 
 public offices. One educational establishment, the 
 Institute Literario, is perhaps the widest known 
 institution of learning in Mexico, and has educated 
 most of the distinguished men of the country. It 
 may be called the Harvard College of the repub- 
 lic. The edifice devoted to the purpose is a very 
 spacious one, and besides its various other depart- 
 ments, it contains a fine library and a museum of 
 natural history, together with a well-arranged gym- 
 nasium. 
 
 Toluca has the best and largest general market 
 which we saw in Mexico. It is all under cover, 
 and each article has its appropriate place of sale, 
 meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers, pottery, bas- 
 kets, shoes, and sandals. It was a general market 
 day when we chanced to be upon the spot, and 
 the throng of country people who had come in to 
 the city to dispose of their wares could not have 
 numbered less than a couple of thousand. Such 
 a mingling of colors, of cries, of commodities ! The 
 whole populace of the place seemed to be in the 
 streets. 
 
 We chanced to see in the patio of a private 
 dwelling-house at Toluca a specimen of that little 
 tropical gem, the coral-tree, a curious and lovely 
 freak of vegetation, its small but graceful stem, 
 six or seven feet in height, being topped above the 
 pendent, palm-shaped foliage with a prominent bit 
 of vegetable coral of deepest red, precisely in the 
 form of the Mediterranean sea-growth from which 
 it takes its name. A pure white campanile with 
 its inverted hanging flowers, like metallic bells,
 
 234 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 which it so much resembles, stood beside the coral- 
 tree. 
 
 An excursion of about thirty miles on the Mex- 
 ican and Vera Cruz Railroad took us in sight of 
 the two remarkable pyramids erected to the gods 
 Tonateuh, the sun, and Meztli, the moon, situated 
 near the present village of San Juan Teotihuacan. 
 With the exception of the pyramid at Cholula, 
 these are doubtless the most ancient prehistoric 
 remains on the soil of Mexico. That dedicated to 
 the moon has been so far penetrated as to discover 
 a long gallery with a couple of wells situated very 
 nearly in the middle of the mound. The entrance 
 to this is on the southern side, at about two thirds 
 of the elevation. What the purpose of these pits 
 could have been, no one can say. There are still 
 some remains on the pyramid dedicated to the sun 
 which indicate that a temple once occupied the 
 spot, which is said to have been destroyed by the 
 Spaniards nearly four hundred years ago. Ex- 
 cavations show that the neighboring ground is 
 full of ancient tombs. The pyramid dedicated to 
 the sun-god is a little larger than the other, being 
 about two hundred feet high and seven hundred 
 feet in length at the base, with a nearly correspond- 
 ing width. 
 
 Speaking of Teotihuacan, Bancroft says : " Here 
 kings and priests were elected, ordained, and bur- 
 ied. Hither flocked pilgrims from every direction 
 to consult the oracles, to worship in the temples of 
 the sun and moon, and to place sacrificial offerings 
 on the altars of their deities. The sacred city was 
 ruled by the long-haired priests of the sun, famous
 
 A MINING CENTRE. 235 
 
 for their austerity and their wisdom. Through the 
 hands of these priests, as the Spanish writers tell 
 us, yearly offerings were made of the first fruits of 
 the fields ; and each year at harvest-time, a solemn 
 festival was celebrated, not unattended by human 
 sacrifice." In the neighborhood of these huge 
 mounds there are traces of a large and substan- 
 tially built city having once existed. It is believed 
 to have been twenty miles in circumference. Ob- 
 sidian knives, arrow-heads, stone pestles, and 
 broken plaster trowels are often found just below 
 the surface of the soil. A large number of smaller 
 pyramids stand at various distances about the two 
 principal ones which we have named. These do not 
 exceed twenty-five or thirty feet in height, and are 
 thought to have been dedicated to the stars, and 
 also to have served as sepulchres for illustrious 
 men. We have mounds of a similar character and 
 size to these secondary ones in the Western and 
 Middle States of the Union. 
 
 After passing through several small cities and 
 towns, by taking a branch road, the city of Pa- 
 chuca is reached, at eighty-five miles from the city 
 of Mexico. It is interesting especially as being 
 a great mining centre which has been worked long 
 and successfully. It was in this place that the 
 process of amalgamation was discovered, and a 
 means whereby the crude ores as dug from the 
 mines are most readily made to yield up the pre- 
 cious metal which they contain. It will be remem- 
 bered in this connection that for more than two 
 centuries Mexico has furnished the world with its 
 principal supply of silver, and that she probably
 
 236 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 exports to-day about two million dollars worth of 
 the precious metal each month. The production of 
 gold is only incidental, as it were, while the output 
 of silver might be doubled. The ore of this dis- 
 trict is almost wholly composed of blackish silver 
 sulphides. Mr. Frederick A. Ober, who has writ- 
 ten much and well upon Mexico and her resources, 
 tells us that the sum total coined by all the mints 
 in the country, so far as known, was, up to 1884, 
 over three billions of dollars, while the present an- 
 nual product is greater than the amount furnished 
 by all the mines of Europe. 
 
 Pachuca is the capital of the State of Hidalgo, 
 lying on a plain at an altitude of eight thousand 
 feet and more, environed by purple hills, and is 
 one of the oldest mining districts in the republic, 
 having been worked long before the Spanish con- 
 quest. It has a population of about twenty thou- 
 sand, nearly half of whom are Indian miners. 
 The surrounding hills are scarred all over with the 
 opening of mines. In all, there are between eighty 
 and a hundred of them grouped near together at 
 Pachuca. The streets are very irregular and nar- 
 row, the houses being mostly one story in height, 
 and built of stone. The place is said to be healthy 
 as a residence, though in a sanitary sense it is far 
 from cleanly. A muddy river makes its way 
 through the town, the dwellings rising terrace 
 upon terrace on either side. The market-place is 
 little more than a mound of dirt; cleanliness is 
 totally neglected, and everything seems to be sacri- 
 ficed to the one purpose of obtaining silver, which 
 is the one occupation. The wages of the miners
 
 LAVISH MINING. 237 
 
 are too often gambled away or wasted in liquor. 
 There are both English and American miners at 
 work with fair pecuniary success ; and this is 
 almost the only locality where foreign miners have 
 been introduced. Government supports a school 
 here for teaching practical mining, established in 
 an imposing structure which was once a convent. 
 
 Quite a colony of Cornish miners emigrated to 
 this place a few years since, many of whom have 
 acquired considerable means and have become in- 
 fluential citizens. Here and in the immediate dis- 
 trict, including Real del Monte to the northwest, 
 El Chico to the north, and Santa Rosa to the 
 west, there are nearly three hundred silver mines, 
 all more or less valuable. The most famous is 
 named the Trinidad, which has yielded forty mil- 
 lion dollars to its owners in a period of ten years ! 
 Real del Monte stands at an elevation of a little 
 over nine thousand feet above the sea. The coun- 
 try which surrounds this district is extremely in- 
 teresting in point of scenery. It was here that an 
 English mining company came to grief pecunia- 
 rily, under the name of the Real del Monte Mining 
 Company. At the organization of the enterprise, 
 its shares were a hundred pounds sterling each ; 
 but they sold in one year in the London market 
 for sixteen hundred pounds a share ! The man- 
 agement was of a very reckless and extravagant 
 character. Economy is certainly more necessary 
 in conducting a silver mine than in nearly any 
 other business. After a few years, it was found 
 that sixteen million dollars worth of silver had 
 been mined and realized upon, while the expenses
 
 238 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 had amounted to twenty million dollars, a deficit 
 of four million dollars in a brief period. The 
 property was then sold to a Mexican company for 
 a merely nominal sum, and is now regularly 
 worked at a handsome percentage of profit upon 
 the final cost. Much of the modern machinery 
 was promptly discarded, and the new managers re- 
 turned to the old methods of milling the ore. The 
 Indians who bring in the supplies from the vicin- 
 ity for this mining town are typical of the race all 
 over the country. At their homes, far away from 
 the city, they live in mud cabins, under a thatched 
 roof, with the earth for a floor. One room serves 
 for every purpose, and is often shared with pigs 
 and poultry. These Indians do not eat meat once 
 a month, nay, scarcely once a year. Some wild 
 fruits are added to their humble fare, which con- 
 sists almost wholly of tortillas, or cake made from 
 maize and half baked over charcoal. A rush mat 
 serves them for a bed, a scrape as an overcoat by 
 day and a blanket at night. The men wear a 
 coarse, unbleached cotton shirt and cotton drawers 
 reaching to the knees, leaving legs and feet bare. 
 The women wear a loose cotton chemise and a col- 
 ored skirt wrapped about the loins, the legs, feet, 
 and arms being bare. They supply the town with 
 poultry, charcoal, eggs, pottery, mats, baskets, and 
 a few vegetables, often trotting thirty miles over 
 hills and plains with a load of one hundred and 
 twenty pounds or more on their backs, in order to 
 reach the market, where a dollar, or perhaps two, 
 is all they can hope to get for the two or three 
 days' journey.
 
 THE PEONS. 239 
 
 An Indian will cheerfully spend four days in 
 the mountains to burn a small quantity of char- 
 coal, load it upon his back, and take it twenty- 
 five miles to market, where it will sell for half 
 a dollar or seventy-five cents. When he gets 
 home, he has earned from ten to fifteen cents a 
 day, and traveled fifty or sixty miles on foot to do 
 it ! If the poor native lives anywhere within the 
 influence of a Catholic priest, the probability is 
 that the priest will get half of this pittance. There 
 is a local saying here that " Into the open doors 
 of the Roman Catholic Church goes all the small 
 change of Mexico." This is a sad story, but it is 
 a true one ; and it represents the actual condition 
 of a large class of the country people known as In- 
 dians. The condition of our own Western tribes 
 of aborigines is, in comparison, one of luxury. 
 And yet these Mexicans, as a rule, are temperate 
 and industrious. The women, though doomed to 
 a life of toil and hardship, are not made slaves, nor 
 beaten by fathers or husbands, as is too often the 
 case among our Western tribes. 
 
 We are speaking of the Aztecs pure and simple, 
 such as have kept their tribal language, habits, 
 and customs. They form nearly two thirds of the 
 populace of the republic, and, as a body, are igno- 
 rant to the last degree, complete slaves to supersti- 
 tion of all sorts. The idolatrous instinct inherited 
 from their Indian ancestors finds satisfaction in 
 bowing before the hosts of saints, virgins, pictures, 
 and images generally, which the Catholic Church 
 presents for their adoration ; while their simplicity 
 and ignorance permit them to be dazed and over-
 
 240 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 awed, if not converted, by a faith which presents 
 itself in such theatrical form as to captivate both 
 their eyes and ears. " This people have changed 
 their ceremonies, but not their religious dogmas," 
 says Humboldt, significantly.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Puehla, the Sacred City. General Forey. Battle-Ground. 
 View of the City. Priestly Miracles. The Cathedral. 
 Snow-Crowned Mountains. A Cleanly Capital. The Plaza 
 Mayor. A Typical Picture. The Old Seller of Rosaries. 
 Mexican Ladies. Palm Sunday. Church Gala Day. Ed- 
 ucation. Confiscation of Church Property. A Curious 
 Arch. A Doll Image. Use of Glazed Tiles. Onyx a 
 Staple Production. Fine Work of Native Indian Women. 
 State of Puebla full of Rich Resources. A Dynamite Bomb. 
 The Key of the Capital. 
 
 OUR next objective point is Puebla, situated 
 seventy-five miles, more or less, southeast of the 
 city of Mexico. It is the capital of the state of 
 the same name, and in a military point of view is 
 the key to the national capital. It has often 
 changed hands with the fortunes of war, both civil 
 and foreign, which have so long distracted this 
 land of the sun. One of the most desperate fights 
 which took place between the Mexicans and the 
 French forces occurred here, the event being cele- 
 brated by the people of the republic annually as 
 a national festival. Puebla cost the intruders a 
 three months' siege and the loss of many lives in 
 their ranks before it yielded. General Forey, the 
 commander of the besieging force, increased as 
 far as possible the difficulties of the conflict, in 
 order to send, with the customary French bom- 
 bast, brilliant bulletins to Paris, and thus bind a
 
 242 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 victor's wreath about his own brow, and enable 
 him to obtain a much-coveted niarshalship. In 
 this he was successful, as he was promoted to that 
 dignity upon his return to France. The fact was 
 that an ordinary fighting column of American or 
 English troops would have taken the place in 
 twenty-four hours, the defense being totally inade- 
 quate, and the Mexican soldiers comparatively in- 
 significant. The defenders of the place were raw 
 and undisciplined, and composed of the worst pos- 
 sible material. Many of them were peons who had 
 been impressed at the point of the bayonet ; oth- 
 ers were taken from the prisons and put at once 
 into the ranks. As we have already stated, this 
 is a common practice in Mexico. 
 
 In the environs of the town is what is called the 
 hill of Guadalupe, famous in the annals of Mexi- 
 can history, this being the principal battle-ground 
 of the 5th of May. The Mexican forces were four 
 thousand strong, defended by earthworks impro- 
 vised by cutting down the walls of the church of 
 Guadalupe. The French troops were six thousand 
 strong. The defenders were under command of 
 General Zaragoza ; the French, under General de 
 Lorencez, who attacked the fort with great dash 
 and vigor. The Mexicans repulsed them with heavy 
 loss to the attacking party. It was not a very 
 important battle, but its moral effect upon the 
 Mexicans was excellent. They realized that they 
 were comparatively raw troops, and that their ene- 
 mies were trained soldiers of the much-lauded 
 French army. Though it was only a gallant re- 
 pulse, it was heralded all over the country as being
 
 PUEBLA. 243 
 
 a great victory, and probably had as much effect 
 upon the popular mind as though it had been. It 
 gave them courage to continue their warfare against 
 the invaders with increased determination. Five 
 years later, the position was reversed, when General 
 Porfirio Diaz now President took Puebla by 
 storm and made prisoners of its French defenders. 
 Between the occurrence of these battles the forti- 
 fications on the hill of Guadalupe had been erected. 
 The view from the fort is one of extraordinary in- 
 terest, taking in three snow-capped mountains, and 
 affording a comprehensive panorama of the city 
 with its myriad domes and fine public buildings, 
 the tree-decked Plaza Mayor, the alameda, the 
 stone bridge over the Aloyac, while over the Cerro 
 de San Juan is seen the church of Los Remedies, 
 which crowns the great earth-pyramid of Cholula. 
 To the south of the city lies the interesting suburb 
 of Jonaco, and to the north, on the hill of the 
 Loreto, stands the fort of the Cinco de Mayo. 
 
 Puebla contains between eighty and ninety thou- 
 sand inhabitants, and is rated as the fourth city of 
 the republic in point of population and general 
 importance. It certainly rivals the larger cities 
 in the character of its principal buildings, which 
 are mostly constructed of granite, as well as in 
 some other respects. Among the citizens it bears 
 the fanciful name of La Puebla de los Angeles 
 (The City of the Angels). One might reasona- 
 bly think this was on account of its beautiful situ- 
 ation and salubrious climate ; the veracious chroni- 
 clers tell us it was because the walls of the grand 
 cathedral were erected amid the songs of angels.
 
 244 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 "What would any Roman Catholic institution be in 
 Mexico without its mystery and miracles? In this 
 instance, the legend runs to the effect that the an- 
 gels built as much each night upon the walls of 
 the church while it was erecting as the terrestrial 
 workmen did each day. It is of basaltic material, 
 supported by massive buttresses, and as a whole 
 is surpassingly grand. High up over the central 
 doorway of the main front is placed in carved 
 stone the insignia of the order of the Golden 
 Fleece. The interior is as effective and elegant 
 as that of any church we can recall, having some 
 fine old bronzes and valuable paintings, the latter 
 well worthy of special attention, and embracing 
 some thirty examples. The woodwork upon the 
 grand altar shows an artistic excellence which is 
 rarely excelled. The two organs are encased, also, 
 in richly carved wood, exhibiting figures of angels 
 blowing trumpets. The interior adornments, as a 
 whole, are undoubtedly the finest of any church 
 or cathedral in Mexico. A majority of writers 
 consider that the cathedral of the national capital 
 is the grandest church on the continent of Amer- 
 ica, but with this we cannot agree ; to our mind, 
 the cathedral of Puebla, all things considered, is 
 its superior. 
 
 Puebla might be appropriately called the city of 
 churches, for, at a short distance, the countless 
 domes and steeples looming above the flat tops of 
 the houses are the main feature. We believe that 
 it has as many edifices occupied for religious pur- 
 poses as the city of Mexico. The twin towers of 
 its stately cathedral are especially conspicuous and
 
 THE STABS. 245 
 
 beautiful. The town was founded three hundred 
 and sixty years ago, and retains, apparently, more 
 of its ancient Spanish character than most of its 
 sister cities. From any favorably situated spot 
 in the town, for instance from the hill of Guada- 
 lupe, one beholds rising in the southwest, twenty- 
 five miles away, the snowy crown of the world- 
 renowned Popocatepetl, the view of this mountain 
 being much superior to that had at the national 
 capital, while the two hardly less famous moun- 
 tains of Orizaba and Iztaccilmatl are also in sight, 
 though at farther distances. The rarefied atmos- 
 phere makes all these elevations clear to the view 
 with almost telescopic power. 
 
 The nights here are a revelation of calmness and 
 beauty. The stars are much brighter than they 
 appear to us in the dense atmosphere we inhabit. 
 The North Star and the Southern Cross are both 
 visible, though only a portion of the Dipper is to 
 be seen. Within the points of the Southern Cross 
 there is a brilliant cluster of stars, which are not 
 apparent to the naked eye, but which are made 
 visible by the use of the telescope, shining like 
 a group of gems in a choice necklace. How glo- 
 rious is the sky on such nights as we experienced 
 at Puebla, so full of repose ; no force can disturb 
 its eternal peacefulness ! Below, all about us, rages 
 a nervous activity ; every one is stricken with the 
 fever of living; but we raise our eyes to that 
 broad, blue, star-spangled expanse, and behold 
 only the calm, adorable majesty of heaven. 
 
 There are extensive manufactories in Puebla, 
 especially in cotton goods, leather, soap, hats,
 
 246 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 matches, and earthenware ; indeed, it has been 
 called the Lowell of Mexico. It is also destined 
 to become eventually a considerable railroad cen- 
 tre, having already established connections with 
 the capital, Vera Cruz, and other important points. 
 There are six railroad depots in the city, each rep- 
 resenting a more or less important railway line. 
 
 The stranger is agreeably struck with the ap- 
 pearance of Puebla at first sight, and is confirmed 
 in this impression as he becomes better acquainted 
 with its mild and healthful climate, tempered by 
 being more than seven thousand feet above the sea 
 level, its wide, cleanly streets, running exactly east 
 and west, north and south, its beautiful, flower- 
 decked Plaza Mayor, its fine public squares, the 
 interesting Moorish portales nearly surrounding 
 the plaza, its gray old churches, and its neat stores 
 and houses, having their various-colored fronts 
 ornamented by iron balconies. The ever-present 
 contrast between wealth and poverty, so striking 
 in most of the Mexican cities, did not seem so 
 prominent here. The people were certainly better 
 clothed, and looked more cleanly and respectable. 
 We saw very few beggars in the streets. The 
 lame and the blind must have been taken care of 
 by the municipal authorities, for none were to be 
 seen in public. The city is clean in all its visible 
 belongings. There are no offensive smells, such as 
 greet one in the badly-drained capital of the re- 
 public. The thoroughfares teem with a bright, 
 cheerful population, often barefooted and in rags, 
 to be sure, but still smiling and good natured. 
 True, we first saw the town -under favorable aus-
 
 THE CATHEDRAL. 247 
 
 pices, it being Palm Sunday, and those who had 
 them probably donned holiday costumes. The 
 Plaza Mayor was radiant with the brilliant colors 
 of the rebosas and serapes, agreeably relieved by 
 the black lace mantillas of the more select seiloras 
 and seiloritas. Many of these wore marvelously 
 high heels, not infrequently having only Eve's 
 stockings inside of their gayly-ornamented boots ! 
 The Indian women who had come to town to see 
 the church ceremonials formed an unconscious but 
 interesting portion of the holiday show in their 
 sky-blue or red rebosas, and the variegated skirt 
 wound about waists and hips, leaving the brown 
 limbs and bare feet exposed. They were gath- 
 ered all about the square, awaiting their oppor- 
 tunity ; and as half a hundred came pouring down 
 the broad steps, others hastened to take their 
 places inside the church. 
 
 The cathedral already alluded to forms one 
 whole side of the Plaza Mayor. It is not quite so 
 large as that of the city of Mexico, though it has 
 the effect of being so. Like that, it stands upon 
 a raised platform, built of dark porphyritic stone, 
 the surface being five or six feet above the level of 
 the plaza. The principal front is in the Doric 
 style ; but the two tall side towers are Ionic. The 
 two domes, covered with the glittering native tiles, 
 throw back the sunlight with a dazzling mottled 
 effect. The chapels of the interior are perhaps a 
 little tawdry with their profuse gilding, and the 
 main altar is dazzling with gold, having cost, it 
 is stated, over a hundred thousand dollars. The 
 pulpit is especially curious, and was carved by a
 
 248 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 native artist from onyx, which came from a neigh- 
 boring quarry. The floor is of marble, while that 
 of the more pretentious edifice at the city of Mex- 
 ico is of wood, a token indicative of more impor- 
 tant matters wherein the Puebla cathedral is supe- 
 rior in finish. The main roof, with its castellated 
 cornice and many pinnacles, its broken outlines, 
 and crumbling, gray old stone sides, is wonderfully 
 picturesque. 
 
 Not many years ago there hung from the lofty 
 ceiling a famous and most beautiful golden lamp of 
 exquisite workmanship, the intrinsic value of which 
 is said to have been over one hundred thousand 
 dollars. During the civil war it was ruthlessly 
 broken up and coined into doubloons to aid Gen- 
 eral Miramon to keep the field while representing 
 the church party. The bells attached to the cathe- 
 dral are of the most costly character and of su- 
 perior excellence. These are eighteen in number, 
 the largest of which weighs about ten tons. One 
 is at a loss to understand why so many and so ex- 
 pensive bells are required, since they are not 
 arranged as chimes, and have no apparent connec- 
 tion with each other. 
 
 A typical picture is recalled which presented 
 itself as we entered for the first time the broad 
 portal of the cathedral, where an old, wrinkled, 
 bare-limbed woman, poor and decrepit, sat upon 
 the stones at the entrance of the church offering 
 rosaries for sale. She did not speak, but held up 
 a cross with its attachments, accompanied by a 
 look so cadaverous, so weak and pitiful, that she 
 got the silver she desired and kept her beads. The
 
 YOUTH AND AGE. 249 
 
 poor creature, so aged, emaciated, and ragged, had 
 somehow a strangely significant look about her, 
 suggestive of having known better days. It was a 
 festal occasion, and many bright-eyed senoritas, 
 casting stolen glances about them while accom- 
 panied by their duennas, were passing into the 
 church. What a contrast of youth and age, be- 
 tween these fair young creatures so richly clad, so 
 fresh and full of life, and the faded, hopeless ven- 
 der of rosaries resting her weary limbs on the flinty 
 portal ! 
 
 The Mexican ladies have none of the languor of 
 their continental sisters, but are overflowing with 
 vivacity and spirit. We remember these buds of 
 humanity at the church door ; they seemed to be 
 " spoiling " for a chance flirtation, looking out 
 from deep black eyes full of roguishness. Within 
 the dimly-lighted church the smell of burning in- 
 cense, the sharp tinkling of the bell before the dis- 
 tant altar, the responsive kneeling and bowing of 
 the worshipers, the dull murmur of the officiating 
 priest, the deep, solemn tones of the great organ, 
 all combined to impress themselves upon the 
 memory, if not to challenge an unbeliever's devo- 
 tion. 
 
 At midday, on the occasion of our second visit, 
 the priests were clad in the gayest colors, the robes 
 of some being red, some blue, others white, and all 
 more or less wrought with gold and silver orna- 
 mentation. The attendants and the priests who 
 were not officiating carried tall palm branches. 
 The marble floor of the nave was covered with 
 kneeling devotees, among whom every class of the
 
 250 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 populace was represented ; rags and satins were 
 side by side, bare feet and silken hose were next to 
 each other. Indians, Spaniards, and foreign visit- 
 ors mingled indiscriminately ; there were few men, 
 but many women. The choir was singing to an 
 organ accompaniment, while the military band 
 was playing in the plaza close at hand, opposite 
 the open church doors, causing rather an incon- 
 gruous mingling of sounds, and yet with the re- 
 markable surroundings it did not strike the ear as 
 inharmonious. Here and there, along the side of 
 the church, a woman was seen kneeling, with her 
 lips close to the little grating of the confessional. 
 Now and again the closely wrapped figure of a 
 man was observed making its way among the 
 crowd, with a dark and sinister expression upon his 
 face betraying his lawless character. He was here 
 prompted by no devotional impulse, but to watch 
 and mark some intended victim. As we came out 
 of the cathedral, long lines of natives were seen, 
 men, women, and children, sitting on the edge of 
 the sidewalks, or squatting near the low garden 
 wall of the church, eating tortillas, while an earthen 
 jar of pulque was occasionally passed among them, 
 all drinking from the same vessel. Another group 
 close by these had a lighted cigarette which they 
 were handing from one to another, men and women 
 alike, each taking a long whiff, which was swal- 
 lowed to be slowly emitted at the nostrils. It was 
 a gala day, a church festival, of which there are 
 something less than three hundred and sixty-five 
 in the year. These idlers had nothing to do and 
 plenty of time to do it in. Puebla has always
 
 EDUCATION. 251 
 
 been most loyal to the Catholic Church, even when 
 directly under the evil influence of the Inquisition. 
 It is visited to-day by thousands of Roman Catho- 
 lics from various parts of the country at periods 
 when church ceremonials are in progress, because 
 they are more elaborately carried out here than in 
 any other city of the republic. Indeed, the place 
 is generally known and spoken of by Mexicans as 
 "The Sacred City." 
 
 It seemed on inquiry and from casual observa- 
 tion that more attention was given to the cause of 
 education here than in some other districts we had 
 visited, colleges and schools being maintained by 
 the state as well as by the municipality, however 
 much opposed by the priestly hierarchy. The fact 
 is, that education is the true panacea for the ills 
 of this people, and it is the only one. It is the poor 
 man's capital. Freedom can exist only where popu- 
 lar education is fostered. The soldier and the priest 
 have been too long abroad in Mexico. When the 
 schoolteacher's turn shall come, then let tyranny 
 and bigotry beware. The primer, not the bayonet, 
 should be relied upon to uphold the liberty of a 
 nation. Thirty or forty years ago illiteracy was 
 the rule in Mexico ; but each year sees a larger and 
 larger percentage of the population able to read and 
 write. This evidence of real progress is not con- 
 fined to any locality, but is widespread among both 
 those of Spanish descent and the half-castes. The 
 situation of the peons is still one of entire mental 
 darkness. 
 
 The episcopal palace, near the cathedral, is a 
 picturesque edifice, with its red roof tiles faced
 
 252 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 with white. So late as 1869, the city contained a 
 dozen nunneries and nine or ten monasteries ; but 
 these institutions are happily of the past, the build- 
 ings which they once occupied having been oc- 
 cupied for various business purposes, as hospitals, 
 public schools, and libraries. When the confisca- 
 tion of the enormous wealth of the church was 
 decreed and carried out by the government some 
 twenty years since, that organization actually held 
 a mortgage on two thirds of the real property of 
 the entire country. The priesthood was completely 
 despoiled of even their churches, which they now 
 occupy only on sufferance, the legal fee in the same 
 being vested in the government. To emphasize 
 this fact one sees the national flag waving on 
 special occasions over the cathedrals as well as 
 other government properties. Their other real 
 estate has been sold and appropriated to various 
 uses, as we have shown. The indefatigable priest- 
 hood are and have ever since been steadily at work 
 accumulating from the poor, overtaxed, and super- 
 stitious people money which we were told was 
 hoarded and so disposed of as not to be again liable 
 to seizure under any circumstances. It is the boast 
 of the church party that their confiscated millions 
 shall all be gathered into their coffers again. They 
 may possibly get back the gold, but their lost 
 power will never be regained. Intelligence is be- 
 coming too broadcast in Mexico, and even the 
 common people begin to think for themselves. 
 
 In the church of San Francisco, erected in 1667, 
 there was pointed out to us an arch, supporting 
 one of the galleries, so flat that no one believed it
 
 A CHUBCH TOY. 253 
 
 would stand even until the church was dedicated. 
 So pertinaciously was the architect badgered and 
 criticised at the time of its construction, that he 
 finally lost faith in his own design, and fled in de- 
 spair before the threatening arch was tested. It 
 was therefore left for the monks to remove the 
 supporting framework at the proper time. This 
 they ingeniously did without any danger to them- 
 selves, by setting the woodwork on fire and let- 
 ting the supporting beams slowly burn away 1 To 
 the wonder of all, when they had been thus re- 
 moved, the arch stood firmly in its place, and there 
 it stands to-day, sound and apparently safe, after 
 being in use for two hundred years, and having 
 passed through the severe test of more than one 
 slight earthquake. In this church, which, after 
 the cathedral, is the most interesting in Puebla, 
 we were shown by an old, gray-haired priest the 
 little- doll representing the Virgin Mother which 
 Cortez brought with him from Spain to Cuba, and 
 thence to Vera Cruz, carrying it through all of his 
 campaigns with apparent religious veneration. It 
 is astonishing to see the reverence with which this 
 toy is regarded. Adjoining the church is a recon- 
 structed convent which is now used as a military 
 hospital, and before which lounged an awkward 
 squad of soldiers belonging to the regular army. 
 There are several very old churches in the city, on 
 whose eaves and cornices small trees and tropical 
 bushes, which have planted themselves in these 
 exposed places, have grown to considerable size, 
 surrounded by deep-green moss, shaded by the 
 rounded domes and lofty towers.
 
 254 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 A feature of the town which is sure to attract 
 the attention of a stranger is the fanciful manner 
 in which the people adapt richly colored and 
 highly ornamented glazed tiles for both internal 
 and external decoration of public and private 
 buildings. The effect of this was certainly incon- 
 gruous, not to say tawdry. There are eight or ten 
 tile factories in Puebla, and one glass manufac- 
 tory. Some of the work turned out in both these 
 lines is really very artistic and attractive. Large 
 quantities are regularly shipped to various parts 
 of the country. In several shops collections of 
 onyx ornaments are to be seen, besides handsome 
 baskets and mats of colored straw, all of which 
 are of native workmanship. Onyx may be said to 
 be the rage of Puebla. We remember an attrac- 
 tive store solely devoted to the sale of this stone, 
 where the large and most artistic display formed 
 a veritable museum. Here members of our party 
 expended considerable sums of money in the pur- 
 chase of pretty mementoes to take home with them 
 as souvenirs of Puebla de los Angeles. Onyx ar- 
 ticles are shipped from here in considerable quan- 
 tities to London and Paris, where there are agen- 
 cies for their sale. The quarries whence these fine 
 specimens come are fifty miles away from the city, 
 near Mount El Pizarro. 
 
 The State of Puebla is remarkable for produ- 
 cing a fine quality of wheat, and also for its heavy 
 yield of other cereals. One may look in vain 
 elsewhere for better apples, pears, peaches, and 
 plums than are offered in the public market of 
 this attractive town, all of which are grown in
 
 MEXICAN EMBROIDERY. 255 
 
 its immediate vicinity. Articles of embroidery 
 were offered at one of the open stands in the mar- 
 ket-place fully equal to the Fayal product so well 
 known in Boston. The very low price demanded 
 for fine linen handkerchiefs and napkius, repre- 
 senting days of patient labor on each, showed how 
 cheaply these native women estimate their time. 
 They will follow the most intricate design which 
 may be given to them as a pattern, reproducing it 
 with Chinese fidelity, and with as much apparent 
 ease as though it were their own conception. It 
 seemed to us, as we examined this delicate product, 
 that art needlework could hardly go further as to 
 perfection of detail. This work is not that of 
 dainty fingers and delicate hands, educated and 
 taught embroidery in some convent school, but the 
 outcome of very humble adobe cabins, and the 
 instinctive artistic taste of hands accustomed to 
 the severe drudgery of a semi-barbarous life. It 
 was found that the sales-people, when they first 
 receive these goods from the natives, are obliged 
 to wash and bleach them thoroughly, they are so 
 begrimed, but they know very well how beautifully 
 the work will prove to be executed, and gladly 
 purchase it even in this soiled condition. 
 
 For so restricted a territory, Puebla contains 
 a great aggregate of valuable resources, a rich 
 and extensive coal-mine near by on the ranch of 
 Santa Barbara, inexhaustible stone-quarries on the 
 hill of Guadalupe, abundant deposits of kaolin 
 close at hand for the manufacture of porcelain 
 ware, a sufficient supply of material for making 
 lime to last a hundred years, an iron mine within
 
 256 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 eight or ten miles which employs a large foundry, 
 running night and day ; while the neighboring 
 foot-hills are covered with an almost inexhaustible 
 supply of good merchantable wood. Certainly, 
 no city in Mexico is better situated as to natural 
 resources. The state is so located as to embrace 
 a great variety of climate. In the north it pro- 
 duces wheat, corn, and other cereals, also affording 
 grazing ground to immense herds of domestic ani- 
 mals, while in the south it yields liberal crops of 
 cotton, tobacco, sugar, rice, and a great variety 
 of fruits, together with many rich and beautiful 
 cabinet and dye woods. Truly, this is a record 
 which few localities can equal in any zone. 
 
 We have said that Puebla is the key to the 
 national capital. This is proven by the fact that 
 the chief events in its history have been the bat- 
 tles fought for its possession. A few of those 
 which most readily occur to the memory are its 
 capture by Iturbide, August 2, 1821 ; its occupa- 
 tion by Scott, May 25, 1847 ; its successful de- 
 fense against the French, May 5, 1862 ; its cap- 
 ture by the French, May 17, 1863 ; and its capture 
 from the French, April 2, 1867, by General Diaz, 
 now President of the republic. 
 
 We were told that the thieving populace of Pue- 
 bla had so provoked the agent of the company who 
 own the road between Mexico and Vera Cruz, by 
 abstracting everything they could lay their hands 
 on, whether available for any purpose of their own 
 or not, that he finally resolved to set a trap which 
 should teach them a severe lesson. A small dyna- 
 mite bomb with its brass screw at the vent was
 
 SEVERE MEASURE. 257 
 
 left exposed in the yard at night. One of the 
 prowling, thieving peons climbed the wall and 
 attempted to abstract the cap, not because he 
 was in want of a brass cap to a dynamite bomb ; 
 he would have stolen a railroad spike or an iron 
 tie all the same. He had n't fooled with this in- 
 strument more than sixty seconds before it was 
 discharged in his hands with a report like a can- 
 non. The consequence was, that not enough of 
 that would-be thief could be found to give the 
 body Christian burial ! It was observed there- 
 after that peons didn't feel sufficient interest in 
 the company's affairs to climb the wall which in- 
 closes the depot, and meddle with the articles of 
 railroad property lying about the yard. This was 
 a pretty severe dose of medicine, but it wrought a 
 radical cure.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Ancient Cholula. A Grand Antiquity. The Cheops of Mex- 
 ico. Traditions relating to the Pyramid. The Toltecs. 
 Cholula of To-Day. Comprehensive View. A Modern 
 Tower of Bahel. Multiplicity of Ruins. Cortez's Exaggera- 
 tions. Sacrifices of Human Beings. The Hateful Inquisi- 
 tion. A Wholesale Murderous Scheme. Unreliable Histo- 
 rians. Spanish Falsification. Interesting Churches. Off 
 the Track. Personal Relics of Cortez. Torturing a Vic- 
 tim. Aztec Antiquities. Tlaxcala. Church of San Fran- 
 cisco. Peon Dwellings. Cortez and the Tlaxcalans. 
 
 IN leaving Puebla for Cholula, which lies at a 
 distance of only a couple of leagues to the west- 
 ward, we first pass on the left the fine architectu- 
 ral group formed by the church of San Javior and 
 Guadalupe, with its attractive cluster of domes, 
 spires, and pinnacles. Our course lies through 
 broad maguey fields and across the Atoyac River, 
 a shallow stream most of the year ; but at times 
 it becomes a rushing torrent. The country here- 
 abouts is under excellent cultivation, though the 
 awkward plough introduced by the Spaniards cen- 
 turies ago still does service here. Almost as soon 
 as the city disappears from view, there looms in 
 the distance the grand pyramid of Cholula, crowned 
 by a lofty modern chapel, its dome of enameled 
 and parti-colored tiles glistening in the warm sun- 
 shine. Far beyond the pyramid the volcanoes 
 are seen in their lonely grandeur. Cholula lies
 
 A SACRED CITY. 259 
 
 upon a perfectly level plain, broken only by the 
 great artificial mound called the pyramid, situated 
 on the eastern outskirt of the present city. The 
 town, Spanish history tells us, once contained over 
 two hundred thousand inhabitants ; but to-day 
 there are less than nine thousand, while of its four 
 hundred reputed temples, scarcely a trace now re- 
 mains. 
 
 When Cortez made his advent here he found 
 Cholula to be the sac-red city of the Aztecs, where 
 their main body of high priests and their most 
 venerated temples were located. Is it possible 
 that these mud-built cabins represent a city once 
 so grand and so populous? Can it be that these 
 half-clad, half-fed peons whom we see about us, 
 exhibiting only a benighted intelligence, repre- 
 sent Aztecs and Toltecs who are supposed to have 
 possessed a liberal share of art and culture ; a 
 people, whose astronomers were able to determine 
 for themselves the apparent motion of the sun and 
 the length of the solar year ; who had the art of 
 polishing the hardest of precious stones ; who cast 
 choice and perfect figures of silver and gold in one 
 piece ; and who made delicate filigree ornaments 
 without solder? These are achievements belong- 
 ing to quite a high state of civilization. The 
 cabins consist mostly of one room, in which lives a 
 whole family, with the bare earth for a floor, the 
 open door often affording the only light which 
 reaches the interior. There are some better dwell- 
 ings here, to be sure ; but all are adobe, and this 
 brief description is applicable to nine tenths of the 
 people and their rude dwellings.
 
 2GO AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Cholula has one grand antiquity, which even the 
 ruthless finger of Time has made little impression 
 upon, being the remains of one of those remarka- 
 ble earth-pyramids which was probably built by 
 the Toltecs ; though how they could erect a moun- 
 tain without beasts of burden is an endless puzzle. 
 The rains, winds, and storms of ages have opened 
 crevices in the sides of the artificial hill ; but these 
 have only served to show what labor it must have 
 cost to build the structure in stout layers of sun- 
 dried brick, so substantially that it has lasted thus 
 intact for many centuries. It is not at all unrea- 
 sonable to fix the date of its completion at a thou- 
 sand years ago. This peculiar elevation rises a 
 little over two hundred feet above the plain, and 
 measures about a thousand feet square at the base, 
 forming one of the most interesting relics in all 
 Mexico ; though its height is less than half that 
 of Cheops in Egypt, its base is twice as large, 
 covering about as many acres as Boston Common. 
 In its composition it strongly resembles the pyra- 
 mids of Upper Egypt. On its summit is a level 
 space one hundred and sixty feet square, the view 
 from which is one of vast breadth and beauty, em- 
 bracing the entire valley of Puebla. The four 
 sides of the huge mound face the cardinal points, 
 the whole being composed of alternate strata of 
 adobe bricks and clay. The sides are mostly over- 
 grown with trees and shrubs ; but a winding road, 
 well paved with stones laid in broad, deep steps, 
 leads to the top. The constant wear of centu- 
 ries has thrown the original shape somewhat out 
 of harmony with the supposed idea ; but there is
 
 THE EARTH-BUILT PYRAMID. 261 
 
 quite enough extant to establish the original de- 
 sign. One corner has been excavated to a con- 
 siderable extent to make room for the railway, aft 
 exposure which has served a double purpose, since 
 it has proven the whole elevation to be artificial, 
 constructed in layers, and not a natural hill, as 
 some casual observers have declared it to be. The 
 material of which the pyramid is composed is 
 earth, sun-dried bricks, limestone, and lava. It 
 is thought by some that besides having the apex 
 crowned originally with a temple of worship, the 
 sides were covered by adobe houses from base to 
 near the summit, accommodating a large popu- 
 lation. That there were once terraces and steps 
 here which would carry out such an idea is very 
 clear from the portions which have been laid bare 
 by excavation. 
 
 The mounds of our Western and Southwestern 
 States are almost the counterpart of this grand 
 elevation at Cholula, so far as the idea goes, ex- 
 cept that they are mere pigmies in comparison. 
 The fact is worth recalling that the same species 
 of domestic implements of stone which are found 
 from time to time deeply buried in portions of 
 the United States are also exhumed here. So in 
 the museum of the capital one sees stone hatch- 
 ets, pestles, mortars, and aiTowheads of the same 
 shapes that we have been accustomed to find be- 
 neath the soil of our Northern States. 
 
 The most casual observer will be satisfied that 
 this pyramid dates long before the time of the Span- 
 ish conquest, and that it was not built by the race 
 of Indians whom Cortez found in possession. It
 
 262 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 may represent a race who existed even prior to the 
 Toltecs, to whom the Aztecs were indebted for all 
 their arts and refinements, and upon which it is- 
 doubted if they much improved. No one can pos- 
 sibly say how many centuries are looking down 
 upon us from this colossal ruin. We are told of 
 one tradition, recorded by a Jesuit priest named 
 Torquemada, which ascribes the origin of this 
 pyramid to a period contemporary with that of the 
 Tower of Babel, in the land of Shinar. The tra- 
 dition also speaks of a great deluge, and says that 
 this artificial mound was originally designed to 
 reach the clouds ; but the gods were angered by 
 the attempt, and dispersed the workmen with light- 
 ning, after it had got to its present height. With 
 mountains close at hand, so much loftier than any 
 human agency could achieve, it is a mystery what' 
 motive could have actuated a people to rear this 
 colossal mound except it was for the foundation 
 of a temple. The pretended legend of aboriginal 
 origin is no doubt a pure fabrication, like nine 
 tenths of the priestly records relating to Mexico. 
 
 The ancient builders erected a shrine and sacri- 
 ficial stone on the summit of the pyramid. This 
 idolatrous temple was promptly destroyed by Cor- 
 tez, and the place where it stood is now occupied 
 by a Roman Catholic chapel dedicated to the Vir- 
 gin of Remedies. The present edifice is of quite 
 modern construction, replacing the original chapel 
 erected by the Spaniards, which was destro}-ed by 
 fire. It struck us as being more than usually taw- 
 dry in it equipment. Its cupola is decidedly out 
 of proportion to the small body of the structure.
 
 CITY OF CIIOLULA, 2G3 
 
 There are traditions among the natives here, as 
 is usually the case in relation to all antique re- 
 mains, telling of interior galleries and chambers of 
 great extent ; but no confidence is placed in such 
 rumors. The excavation already referred to laid 
 bare a tomb containing two skeletons, with a cou- 
 ple of idols in basalt, also a small collection of 
 aboriginal pottery. The sepulchre was square, 
 with stone walls supported by cypress beams. 
 The discovery of these two skeletons in one corner 
 and at the base of the pyramid does not indicate 
 that it was reared for the purpose of a tomb. It 
 would require the discovery of such a burial near 
 the centre of the immense mound to indicate such 
 a design. 
 
 The hoary-headed monarch, Popocatepetl, looms 
 in the distance, proudly dominating the scene, 
 with Puebla and the hill of Cinco de Mayo on the 
 right. The exceeding transparency of the atmos- 
 phere brings these distant objects seemingly close 
 to the observer, as though he was looking at them 
 through a telescope. 
 
 The small city of Cholula is spread out at the 
 base of the pyramid, and beyond it are wide, fer- 
 tile fields of grain and alfalfa, with gardens of 
 semi-tropical fruits. One large orchard seemed to 
 be a very garden of Hesperides, yellow with golden 
 oranges and sweet with fragrant blossoms. The 
 pyramid originally stood near the centre of the 
 town, the streets radiating from it ; but the dwell- 
 ings which once lined these thoroughfares have 
 long since crumbled into dust, leaving standing 
 only the useless stone churches, of which there are
 
 264: AZTEC LAND. 
 
 forty clotting the plain here and there, built with- 
 out regard to any adjacent population. Two lesser 
 pyramids are visible near the main elevation. 
 Farther away, small villages, each with its church 
 tower, add interest to the scene, while the mellow 
 notes of distant bells mingle and float upon the 
 air. The multiplicity of these churches shows how 
 dense must have been the population in the time 
 of Cortez, as it was the practice of the invading 
 Spaniards to compel the natives not only to demol- 
 ish their own temples, but to build a Christian 
 church in place of each one thus destroyed. A 
 number of the churches are abandoned and are 
 gradually going to decay. " Why," said a practi- 
 cal individual of our party, " it 's all churches and 
 no town." The site of the ancient city is very evi- 
 dent from the lines of its regular streets stretching 
 away in all directions. 
 
 " I assure your majesty," wrote Cortez from 
 Cholula to his sovereign in Spain, "that I have 
 counted from a mosque or temple four hundred 
 mosques and as many towers, all of which were 
 mosques in this city." We have here an example 
 of this adventurer's style of exaggeration and hy- 
 perbole. If we take three hundred and sixty from 
 the four hundred " mosques " which he pretends to 
 have seen, there will be forty left, which is proba- 
 bly about the truth. Cortez not only uses oriental 
 words to express himself, but is exercised by a truly 
 oriental extravagance in his stories. There are no 
 " mosques " in Mexico, nor were the native tem- 
 ples anything like such structures. There are suf- 
 ficient remains of Aztec temples left to show that
 
 RELIGIOUS RITES. 265 
 
 they were plain in construction, of pyramidal form, 
 without towers, and that their altars were erected 
 on the summits in the open air, surrounded by 
 broad platforms. 
 
 This pyramid was dedicated to the benevolent god 
 Quetzalcoatl, " the great, good, and fair god of the 
 Aztecs." Yet, it seemed to have been considered 
 necessary to sacrifice human life to his god ship in 
 a most sanguinary manner, as was the practice 
 at the great temple of the capital. We are told 
 that twelve thousand lives were laid at the feet 
 of Quetzalcoatl in a single year ! If this is true 
 (which we very much doubt), one would say that 
 the advent of Cortez with all his cruelty was a 
 blessing that came none too soon. No matter how 
 low the type of Christianity which replaced the 
 murderous devotion of these idolaters, any change, 
 it would seem, must have been for the better. The 
 frightful barbarity of the Aztecs is apparently 
 shown by the records of Spanish priests concern- 
 ing the sacrificial stone, now preserved in the mu- 
 seum at the national capital, upon which the vic- 
 tims were bound, their hearts cut out and laid 
 reverentially thereon, while their bodies were cast 
 down the declivity of the pyramid to the exultant 
 multitude below, who cooked and ate them at reli- 
 gious banquets. Even the hateful Inquisition was 
 an improvement upon this ghastly cannibalism 
 covered up by a cloak of religious rites. 
 
 It was Southcy who expressed the opinion in 
 poetic lines that heaven made blind zeal and bloody 
 avarice its ministers of vengeance against the Aztec 
 
 o o 
 
 idolaters. Still, the Aztec remains and is the gov-
 
 266 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 erning race in Mexico, while the Spaniards as a 
 distinct people have virtually disappeared. 
 
 But we must take the record of these events with 
 a degree of caution. That fable and history have 
 been indiscriminately mingled by the Spanish au- 
 thors is plain enough from the fact that ridiculous 
 miracles are constantly recorded by them as having 
 actually occurred, which were the pure invention 
 of the priesthood, designed to influence and awe 
 the ignorant native race. This reduces us to the 
 unfortunate condition of being obliged to doubt 
 what may have been historically true. The Inqui- 
 sition exercised a censorship over everything de- 
 signed for publication, and unless it subserved the 
 interest of that fiendish institution, it was made to 
 do so, or it was suppressed. These facts caused 
 Prescott to say : " In short, the elements of truth 
 and falsehood became so blended that history was 
 converted into romance, and romance received the 
 credit due to history." The confusion of fact and 
 fiction in the writings of Spanish historians, as they 
 are called, is so grave and obvious as simply to 
 disgust the honest seeker after truth. This is the 
 case not only as relating to Mexico, but the past 
 story of Spain both at home and abroad. " What 
 is history," says the first Napoleon, " but a fable 
 agreed upon ? " 
 
 The horrid pictures of human sacrifice as rep- 
 resented by the Spanish chroniclers, also by the 
 letters and despatches of Cortez, we do not credit, 
 though undoubtedly they had some foundation in 
 truth. It is the characteristic of all these records 
 to persistently distort facts so as to further the
 
 WANT OF VERACITY. 267 
 
 purposes of the writers, and as to correctness where 
 figures are concerned, they are scarcely ever to be 
 relied upon. Though forced to admit this want of 
 veracity, Prescott has relied almost entirely upon 
 these sources for the material of his popular work. 
 No person can calmly survey the field to-day, com- 
 pare the statements of the various authors, and 
 visit the country itself, without seeing clearly how 
 much of absurd exaggeration and monstrous fiction 
 has been foisted upon the reading public relative 
 to this period of the conquest of Mexico. 
 
 " These chroniclers," says Bancroft, " were swayed 
 like other writers of their time, and all other times, 
 by the spirit of the age, and by various religious, 
 political, and personal prejudices." 
 
 " I lay little stress upon Spanish testimonies," 
 says Adair, " for time and ocular proof have con- 
 vinced us of the labored falsehood of almost all 
 their historical narrations." 
 
 At the advent of the Spaniards, Cholula was 
 doubtless the commercial centre of the plain ; Pu- 
 ebla, the now large and thriving capital of the 
 state, was then a mere hamlet in comparison. It 
 was also the Mecca of the Aztecs, who came from 
 far and near to bow down before Quetzaleoatl. 
 The grand public square or plaza is still extant 
 where Cortez perpetrated his most outrageous act 
 of butchery, killing, it is said, three thousand Cho- 
 lulans who had assembled unarmed and in good 
 faith, in compliance with his request. Everything 
 in and about this spacious area seems strangely 
 silent and dilapidated, as though stricken by de- 
 cay. The present interest and attraction of the
 
 268 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 place exists almost solely in the pyramid and the 
 tragic legends of its vanished people. A few an- 
 cient trees ornament the neglected plaza, about 
 which a score of weary burros were seen cropping 
 the scanty herbage which springs up naturally here 
 and there. The spot is said to exhibit some life on 
 market-days, but it was lonely and deserted when 
 we looked upon it, while the dry earth seemed on 
 fire under the intense heat of the sun. It was dif- 
 ficult, while looking upon this gloomy area, to 
 realize that the place was once conspicuous for its 
 trade and manufactures, for its wealth and splen- 
 dor. The social and official life of Cholula is re- 
 ported at one time to have even rivaled the court 
 of Montezuma. Here religious processions, sacri- 
 fices, and festivals were of continual occurrence, 
 and no other city had so great a concourse of 
 priests and so incessant a round of ceremonies. 
 
 The church known as the Royal Chapel, and 
 also as the Church of the Seven Naves, situated 
 at the northeast corner of the plaza, was of con- 
 siderable interest. The last named was closed, 
 undergoing radical repairs ; but our curiosity was 
 aroused, and a small fee soon opened a side door 
 through which entrance was effected. The repairs 
 going on will greatly change its original appear- 
 ance. One could not but regret to see its ancient 
 and delicate Moorish frescoes ruthlessly obliterated, 
 the colors and designing of which so completely 
 harmonized with the architecture and with the 
 dim light which struggled in through the deep, 
 small, mullioned windows. This chapel, with its 
 sixty-four supporting columns, forcibly recalled the
 
 NATIVE POTTERY. 269 
 
 peculiar interior of the cathedral mosque at Cor- 
 dova in Spain, which, indeed, must have suggested 
 to Cortez so close though diminutive a copy, for it 
 was built by his special orders and after his speci- 
 fied plans. 
 
 It is said that the early dwellers in this region 
 excelled in various mechanical arts, especially in 
 the working of metals and the manufacture of cot- 
 ton and agave cloth, to which may be added a 
 delicate kind of pottery, rivaling anything of the 
 sort belonging to that period. Examples of this 
 pottery are often exhumed in the neighborhood, 
 and as we suspect are quite as often manufactured 
 to order, for the present generation of Aztecs is 
 not only very shrewd and cunning, but also very 
 able in imitating all given models in earthenware. 
 This sort of work forms a remunerative industry 
 at the present time in Cholula. As we pass the 
 open doors and windows of the dwelling-houses, 
 cotton goods are weaving on hand looms by mem- 
 bers of the families. Another local industry was 
 observed here, namely, the manufacture of fire- 
 works of a toy character, which we were told were 
 shipped to all parts of the country. 
 
 The engine which had drawn our train from 
 Puebla hither, after doing so, managed to get de- 
 railed, and a Mexican crowd spent hours in an 
 ineffectual attempt to get the iron horse once more 
 upon the track. As the day drew to its close our 
 party was prepared to return to Puebla ; but there 
 was the engine stubbornly fixed upon the sleepers 
 of the track, and the wheels partially buried in the 
 ground. Mexican ingenuity was not equal to the
 
 270 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 emergency, so Yankee genius stepped forward. 
 One of our party conversant with such matters 
 took charge, and by a few judicious directions 
 and appliances improvised upon the spot, he soon 
 had the heavy engine once more in its proper 
 position, and we started back to Puebla amid the 
 cheers of the Mexicans at Yankee skill and energy, 
 which seemed to them equal to any exigency. 
 
 A branch railway takes us from Puebla to Santa 
 Ana, from whence ancient Tlaxcala is reached by 
 tramway. It is the capital of the state bearing 
 the same name, and has some four or five thou- 
 sand inhabitants ; it is credited with having had 
 over over fifty thousand three centuries ago. Had 
 it not been that civil discord reigned at the time 
 of the advent of Cortez here, he could never have 
 conquered Montezuma ; but the Tlaxcalans were 
 induced by cunning diplomacy to join the Span- 
 iards, and their united forces accomplished that 
 which neither could have done single - handed. 
 One is struck by the diminutive size of the native 
 men and women at Tlaxcala. The latter are es- 
 pecially short in stature, the never absent baby 
 lashed to their backs making the mothers look still 
 shorter. 
 
 This place is remarkable for the accumulation 
 of Aztec and Spanish antiquities. The municipal 
 palace, situated on the east side of the plaza, con- 
 tains four remarkable oil paintings bearing the 
 date of the conquest. Here also is preserved the 
 war-worn banner of Spain, which was carried by 
 Cortez from the time of his first landing at Vcra 
 Cruz throughout all his triumphant career. The
 
 INTERESTING RELIC. 271 
 
 material is rich, being of heavy silk brocade, the 
 color a light maroon, not badly faded considering 
 its age. Large sums of money have been offered 
 for this ancient and interesting banner, the object 
 being to take it back to Spain, from whence it 
 came nearly four hundred years ago ; but the 
 Tlaxcalans refuse to part with it at any price. 
 Despite the lapse of so many years and its hav- 
 ing passed through so many vicissitudes, the flag is 
 nearly perfect at this writing. It is eight or nine 
 feet long and six broad, cut in swallow-tail fash- 
 ion. The iron spearhead bears the monogram of 
 the sovereigns of Spain, and the original staff, now 
 broken, is still preserved with the flag. Plere one 
 is also shown the arms of Tlaxcala illuminated on 
 parchment and bearing the-signature of Charles V., 
 together with the standard presented to the local 
 chiefs by Cortez ; the robes which they wore when 
 baptized, and a collection of idols which have been 
 unearthed from time to time in this immediate 
 neighborhood, are also shown in the municipal pal- 
 ace. In the corridor stands the great treasure 
 chest, with departments for silver and gold. This 
 was locked with four different keys, one being 
 held by each of four officers who were unitedly 
 responsible for the treasures, the chest thus requir- 
 ing the presence of the four when there was occa- 
 sion to open it. 
 
 There are many personal relics of Cortez shown 
 to the visitors at the municipal palace ; but the in- 
 telligent observer, aided by the light of history, 
 finds it difficult to accord much admiration to this 
 man. He is represented to have been handsome,
 
 272 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 commanding in person, brave, but far from reck- 
 less, and to have possessed strong magnetic power 
 over his associates and those whom he desired to 
 influence. He was eloquent and persuasive, exer- 
 cising an irresistible control over the half savage 
 people whom he came to conquer. Another secret 
 of his influence with the authorities at home, in 
 Spain, was his never-failing fidelity to the legiti- 
 mate sovereign, and the shrewd despatch of rich 
 presents and much gold to his royal master. We 
 know him to have been ambitious, cruel, heartless, 
 avaricious, and false. He deserted his faithful 
 wife in Spain, a second in Cuba (whom tradition 
 accuses him of murdering), and was shamefully 
 unfaithful to the devoted Marina, mother of his 
 acknowledged son, she who was his native inter- 
 preter, and who more than once saved his life 
 from immediate peril, finally guiding his footsteps 
 to a victorious consummation of his most ambitious 
 designs. Cortez owed more of his success to her 
 than to his scanty battalions. If nothing else 
 would serve to stamp his name with lasting infamy, 
 the infernal torture which he inflicted upon the ill- 
 fated Guatemozin, for the purpose of extorting 
 information as to the hiding-place of the imperial 
 treasures, should do so. The true record of the 
 life of Cortez reads more like romance than like 
 the truth. This is not perhaps the place to refer 
 to his private life, which history admits to have 
 been perfidious. Landing on the continent with 
 a band scarcely more than half the number of a 
 modern regiment, he prepared to traverse an un- 
 known country thronged with savage tribes, with
 
 AN OLD CHURCH. 273 
 
 whose character, habits, and means of defense he 
 was wholly unacquainted. We know that this 
 romantic adventure was finally crowned with suc- 
 cess, though meeting with various checks and 
 stained with bloody episodes, that prove how the 
 threads of courage and ferocity are inseparably 
 blended in the woof and warp of Spanish char- 
 acter. 
 
 Just above the town, on the hillside, is the 
 ancient convent of San Francisco, which contains 
 over one hundred paintings more than two cen- 
 turies old. The old church of San Francisco, 
 close at hand, dates from a period, three hundred 
 and seventy years ago, when Mexican history often 
 fades into fable. The approach is over a paved 
 way, and through a road bordered by a double 
 row of old trees, which form a gothic perspective 
 of greenery. The convent now serves in part for 
 the purpose of a military barrack, before which 
 stand a few small cannon so diminutive as to have 
 the appearance of toys. A few soldiers lounged 
 lazily about, and some were asleep upon a bench. 
 Probably they were doing guard duty after the 
 Mexican style. On the hillside above the church 
 of San Francisco is a modern church, and beyond 
 it a Campo Santo. 
 
 This gray old church, the oldest in Mexico, is 
 certainly very interesting in its belongings, carry- 
 ing us in imagination far into the dim past. " The 
 earliest and longest have still the mastery over 
 us," says George Eliot. This was the first church 
 erected by the Spaniards in Mexico, and was in 
 constant use by Cortez, who, notwithstanding his
 
 274 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 heartless cruelty, his unscrupulous and murderous 
 deeds, his gross selfishness, faithlessness, and am- 
 bition, was still a devout Catholic, never omitting 
 
 * ' O 
 
 the most minute observances of church ceremonies, 
 and always accompanying his most questionable 
 deeds with the cant phrases of religion. The roof 
 of the church of San Francisco is a curiosity in 
 itself, being upheld by elaborately carved cedar 
 beams, which were imported from Spain. In a 
 side chapel is preserved the original pulpit from 
 which the Christian religion according to the tenets 
 of the Church of Rome was first preached in the 
 New World, and also the stone font in which the 
 native Tlaxcalan chiefs were baptized. The de- 
 facing finger of Time is visible on all perishable 
 articles. One or two of the mediaeval paintings 
 were scarcely more than tattered, drooping can- 
 vas, presenting here and there a shadowy human 
 figure or a clouded emblem. We were shown a 
 series of religious vestments, said to have been 
 worn by the first officiating priests in this ancient 
 church ; but we instantly realized that they could 
 not be so old, for such articles would long ago 
 have become too frail to hold together, whereas 
 these were exposed upon an open table, and were 
 freely handled by any one who chose to do so. 
 They were of a light, thin texture, silk and satin, 
 and elaborately trimmed with gold and silver lace. 
 One is shocked on observing the roughly carved 
 figures of bleeding saints and martyrs, with cruci- 
 fixion scenes and mangled bodies, suspended from 
 the walls of the church. " The repulsive and 
 ghostly images, paintings, and mechanical con-
 
 MEXICAN CHUECH ARCHITECTURE. 275 
 
 trivances, common in the small towns and villages, 
 are mostly banished from the capital and other 
 large cities," says Hon. John H. Rice, in " Mexico, 
 Our Neighbor," " in obedience to the demands 
 of a more decent civilization. They are used, 
 however, where most practicable (representing the 
 crucifixion and diverse rites and ceremonies of the 
 church), to hold in awe and superstitions thrall- 
 dom the weak and untutored minds of the degen- 
 erated children of the republic ; and so to extort 
 from them the last dregs of their poverty-stricken 
 purses." 
 
 The prevailing style of this Tlaxcalan church, 
 as well as that of the churches generally which we 
 visited throughout the country, is of the Spanish 
 Renaissance. Puebla, Guadalajara, and the city 
 of Mexico contain cathedrals which will compare 
 favorably even with those of continental Spain, 
 where the most elaborate and costly religious edi- 
 fices in the world are to be seen to-day. The plans 
 of all these churches came originally from Spain, 
 and builders from thence superintended their erec- 
 tion. The parish church of Tlaxcala, situated on 
 a street leading from the plaza, has a curious fa- 
 cade of stucco, brick, and blue glazed tiles. In 
 this edifice was seen an interesting picture repre- 
 senting the baptism of the Tlaxcalan chiefs already 
 referred to. This was an event which was of local 
 importance, perhaps, at the time, but which is with- 
 out a shadow of interest to-day, though it is duly 
 emphasized and repeated by the guides. The dome 
 of the church was destroyed by an earthquake so 
 late as 1864. Near this church are the ruins of a
 
 276 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 chapel, the facade of which is still standing, and on 
 which are displayed the royal arms of Spain. 
 
 Regarding the dwellings of the poorer classes 
 of this region, as well as of the country generally, 
 they are of the most miserable character, wanting 
 in nearly all the requirements of health and com- 
 fort. They consist of adobe-built cabins, wherein 
 the people live, eat, and sleep upon the bare 
 ground, without light or ventilation, except that 
 which comes in through the open door, and where 
 drainage of any sort is not even thought of. Mud 
 cabins on the bogs of Ireland are not poorer places 
 to live in. In the warmer regions, the common 
 people live in mere huts of cane, consisting of a 
 few poles covered with dry plantain leaves, palms, 
 or cornstalks, made into a thatch by braiding and 
 twining them together. A mat woven of dried 
 husks and laid upon the ground forms the only 
 bed. Neither chairs, tables, nor benches are seen 
 in these cabins, they are unknown luxuries. In 
 the more tropical regions of the country, the cabins 
 have no sides, the thatched roof coming down to 
 near the ground, thus forming only a screen from 
 the rain during the season of the year when it falls. 
 A sort of instinct causes the common people of the 
 tropics to seek some sort of shelter from the stars 
 when they sleep ; but half the Indian population 
 of Mexico do not see the inside even of an adobe 
 cabin from one year's end to another. The uni- 
 versal food depended upon to support life, besides 
 the wild fruits, is the preparation of corn called 
 tortillas, and a few vegetable roots. The grain is 
 pulverized by hand between tw f o stones, made into
 
 STRANGE SORTS OF FOOD. 277 
 
 a paste or dough, and eaten half baked in thin 
 cakes. We are, of course, speaking of the poor 
 Indian people, but they form probably two thirds 
 of the population, especially in the rural districts. 
 These natives make their own fermented liquor. 
 On the coast it is what they call palm wine, and 
 rum from sugar-cane; on the table -land, it is 
 pulque, from the maguey plant, their delight 
 and their curse. After the maguey has yielded 
 its sap to the last quart, and begins to wilt, there 
 appears in the stalk a nest of white caterpillars, 
 which the Indians consider to be a great luxury, 
 and which they eat with avidity, besides which the 
 roots of the exhausted plant are boiled and eaten, 
 possessing considerable nutritive properties. The 
 native people of New Zealand exhibit a similar ap- 
 petite. When the trunks of the tall kauri trees, 
 which have been uprooted by storms, have lain 
 so long upon the moist ground that they begin to 
 decay, a large worm breeds in the decomposing 
 wood ; these, when arrived at maturity, are eagerly 
 grubbed for and devoured by the Maoris. Our 
 ideas of what constitutes proper food for human 
 beings are governed by very arbitrary rules. The 
 Chinese consume dogs, cats, and rats ; the Jap- 
 anese and Africans are fond of monkey flesh ; the 
 Parisians often eat horse-meat from choice ; while 
 some of the South Sea Islanders have still an appe- 
 tite for human flesh. The London gourmand rev- 
 els in snails, and the New Yorker demands frogs 
 upon his bill of fare. Is the New Zealander so 
 very exceptional in his fancy for wood-worms ? 
 Green goose and broiled chicken are among the
 
 278 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 delicacies of our table, and yet there is scarcely 
 any sort of foul garbage which they will not con- 
 sume as food. Why is their flesh considered more 
 delicate than any other ? 
 
 The better dwellings of Tlaxcala are nearly all 
 adobe houses, standing in a rough, hilly region on 
 the eastern slope of the mountains which inclose 
 the valley. It is difficult to conjecture what pos- 
 sible industry keeps the place alive, for, though 
 interesting to the thoughtful traveler and the sci- 
 entist, it has no visible business activity beyond 
 the exhibition of the antiquities to which we have 
 referred, but seems to smoulder in a sort of moss- 
 grown, picturesque decay. The seats of the old, 
 half-forgotten, and neglected plaza were occupied 
 by groups of idle natives, who regarded us with a 
 dull, sleepy interest. A few laden burros passed 
 through the streets bearing charcoal, wood, or bags 
 of grain, and others with high panniers of straw 
 lashed in compact form. They carried their noses 
 close to the ground, picking up any edible object 
 banana skins, orange peel, bits of garbage, and 
 similar scraps. This small creature which carries 
 such enormous loads seems to eat anything, no 
 matter how little nutriment it contains, and, strange 
 to say, keeps in good flesh. The single candy 
 shop under the arches beside the plaza did a lively 
 business with our party while we remained, its 
 members having suddenly developed a marvelous 
 appetite for dulces. Bright-eyed boys and girls, 
 with a paucity of clothing and any amount of good 
 looks, met us at each turn with hands extended, 
 and a cry of " Centavo, centavo ! "
 
 A BESIEGING ARMY. 279 
 
 It was to Tlaxcala that Cortez and his small 
 band of followers retreated when the natives of 
 the valley of Mexico rose and in desperation drove 
 him from their midst. Here, after some months 
 devoted to recuperation and being joined by rein- 
 forcements from Cuba, he prepared to lay siege 
 once more to the Aztec capital. Part of this prep- 
 aration consisted in building a number of small, 
 flat-bottomed boats in pieces, so that they could 
 be transported over a mountainous district, and 
 put together on the shore of Lake Texcoco, thus 
 enabling him to complete the investment of the 
 water-begirt city. It sounds ludicrous in our times 
 to read of the force with which the invading Span- 
 iards laid siege to a nation's capital. His " army " 
 consisted of forty cavalrymen, eighty arquebu- 
 siers and cross-bowmen, and four hundred and 
 fifty foot-soldiers, armed with swords and lances, 
 to which is to be added a train of nine small can- 
 non, about the size of those which are carried 
 by our racing yachts of to-day for the purpose 
 of firing salutes. Of course he had a crowd of 
 Tlaxcalans with him, the number of which is 
 variously stated, but who could not be of much 
 actual use. More than one of these veracious 
 Spanish historians states the number to have been 
 one hundred and twenty thousand ! So large a 
 body of men would have been a hindrance, not a 
 help, in the undertaking. Cortez neither had nor 
 could he command a commissariat suitable for 
 such an army, and it must be remembered that 
 the siege lasted for months. " Whoever has had 
 occasion to consult the ancient chronicles of Spain,"
 
 280 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 says Prescott, " in relation to its wars with the 
 infidels, whether Arab or American, will place 
 little confidence in numbers." We all know how 
 a French imperial bulletin can lie, but Spanish 
 records are gigantic falsifications in comparison. 
 This siege lasted for over six months, and finally, 
 on August 13, 1521, Cortez entered the city in 
 triumph, hoping to enrich himself with immense 
 spoils ; but nearly all valuables, including those of 
 the royal treasury, had been cast into the lake and 
 thus permanently lost, rather than permit the 
 avaricious Spaniards to possess them. Cortez's 
 final success of this invasion caused it to be called 
 a " holy war," under the patronage of the church ! 
 Had he failed, he would have been stigmatized as 
 a filibuster. 
 
 A brief visit was paid to the palace once occu- 
 pied by Cortez, and now the residence of the high- 
 est city official. It has been so modernized that 
 nothing w r as found especially interesting within the 
 walls. The hot sun of midday made the shade of 
 the ancient trees on the plaza particularly grateful, 
 and the play of the fountain was at least sugges- 
 tive of coolness. Sitting on one of the long stone 
 benches, we mused as to the scenes which must 
 have taken place upon this spot nearly four hun- 
 dred years ago, and watched the tri-colored flags 
 of Mexico floating gayly over the two palaces. 
 In the mean time, the swarthy, half-clad natives, 
 regarded curiously and in silence the pale-faced 
 visitors to their quaint old town, until, by-and-by, 
 we started on our return to Puebla by tramway, 
 stopping now and then to gather some tempting
 
 RURAL POLICE. 281 
 
 wild flowers, or to purchase a bit of native pottery, 
 which was so like old Egyptian patterns that it 
 would not have looked out of place in Cairo or 
 Alexandria. 
 
 Occasionally, in this section and eastward, to- 
 wards Vera Cruz, as we stop at a railway station, 
 a squad of rural police, sometimes mounted, some- 
 times on foot, draw up in line and salute the train. 
 They are usually clad in buff leather uniforms, 
 with a red sash about their waists, but sometimes 
 are dressed in homespun, light gray woolen cloth, 
 covered with many buttons. They remind one of 
 the Canadian mounted police, who guard the fron- 
 tier ; a body of men designed to keep the Indians 
 in awe, and to perform semi-military and police 
 duty. It is a fact that most of these men were 
 formerly banditti, who find that occupation under 
 the government pays them much better, and that 
 it is also safer, since the present energetic officials 
 are in the habit of shooting highwaymen at sight, 
 without regard to judge or jury.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Down into the Hot Lands. Wonderful Mountain Scenery. 
 Parasitic Vines. Luscious Fruits. Orchids. Orizaba. 
 State of Vera Cruz. The Kodak. Churches. A Native 
 Artist. Schools. Climate. Crystal Peak of Orizaba. 
 Grand Waterfall. The American Flag'. Disappointed 
 Climbers. A Night Surprise. The French Invasion. The 
 Plaza. Indian Characteristics. Early Morning Sights. 
 Maximilian in Council. Difficult Engineering. Wild Flow- 
 ers. A Cascade. Cordova. The Banana. Coffee Plan- 
 tations. Fertile Soil. Market Scenes. 
 
 AFTER returning to Puebla from Tlaxcala, we 
 take the cars which will convey us eastward from 
 the elevated table-land towards the tropical region 
 of the coast. The steep descent begins just be- 
 low Boca del Monte (Mouth of the Mountain), 
 where the height above the Gulf of Mexico is 
 about eight thousand feet, and the distance from 
 Vera Cruz a trifle over one hundred miles. Here 
 also is the dividing line between the states of 
 Puebla and Vera Cruz. The winding, twisting 
 road built along the rugged mountain - side is a 
 marvelous triumph of the science of engineering, 
 presenting obstacles which were at first deemed al- 
 most impossible to be overcome, now crossing deep 
 gulches by spider-web trestles, and now diving 
 into and out of long, dark tunnels, all the while 
 descending a grade so steep as to be absolutely 
 startling. The author remembers nothing more
 
 BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. 283 
 
 remarkable of the same character, unless it may be 
 portions of the zigzag railway of the Blue Moun- 
 tains in Australia, and some graded among the 
 foothills of the Himalayan range in India. This 
 road leading from Vera Cruz to the national cap- 
 ital, a distance of two hundred and sixty miles, 
 ascends seven thousand six hundred feet. The 
 scenery all the while is so grand and beautiful as 
 to cause the most timid traveler to forget his 
 nervousness. AVe were reminded by an officer of 
 the road of the fact, remarkable if it is true, that 
 no fatal accident had ever occurred upon the line. 
 The geological formation of this region is on a 
 most gigantic scale, the rocks of basalt and granite 
 rising in fantastic shapes, forming ravines and 
 pinnacles unparalleled for grandeur. Presently we 
 come in full view of the beautiful valley of La Joya 
 (The Gem), revealing its lovely gardens, beau- 
 tifully wooded slopes, and yellow fields of ripening 
 grain. By-and-by the lovely vale and pretty vil- 
 lage of Maltrata is seen, with its saffron-colored 
 domes and towers, its red-tiled, moss-enameled 
 roofs, its flower - bordei-ed lanes, and its squares 
 of cultivated fields. These greet the eye far, far 
 down the dizzy depths, two thousand feet, on our 
 right, while on the left the mountains rise abruptly 
 hundreds of feet towards the sky. The mingled 
 
 / o 
 
 rock and soil is here screened by lovely ferns and 
 a perfect exposition of morning glories, fabulous in 
 size and dazzling in colors. No artificial display 
 could equal this handiwork of nature, this exhi- 
 bition of " April's loveliest coronets." Now and 
 again large trees .are seen on the line of the road
 
 284 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 withering in the cruel coils of a parasitic vine, 
 which winds itself about the trunk like a two-inch 
 hawser, and slowly strangles the stout, columnar 
 tree. Finally the original trunk will die and fall 
 to the ground, leaving the once small vine to grow 
 and fatten upon its decay until it shall rival in 
 size the trunk it has displaced. This is a sight 
 common in tropical regions, and often observed in 
 the forests of New Zealand, where the author has 
 seen trees two and three feet in diameter yielding 
 their lives to the fatal embrace of these parasites. 
 
 We descend rapidly ; down, down, rushes the 
 train, impelled by its own impetus, approaching 
 the town first on one side, then on the other, until 
 we stop at a huge elevated tank, rivaling the 
 famous tun of Heidelberg in size, to water the 
 thirsty engine. Here, and at most of the stations 
 along the route, boys and girls offer the travelers 
 tropical fruits in great variety at merely nominal 
 prices, including large, yellow pineapples, zapotas, 
 mameys, pomegranates, citrons, limes, oranges, and 
 the like. Large, ripe oranges are sold two for a 
 penny. One timid, half-clad, pretty young girl of 
 native blood held up to us diffidently a bunch of 
 white, fragrant orange blossoms which were eagerly 
 secured and enjoyed, the child could not know 
 how much. Other Indians brought roses and 
 various orchids, splendidly developed, which they 
 sold for a real (twelve cents) each, with the roots 
 bound up in broad green leaves. Doyle or Gal- 
 vin would charge ten dollars apiece for such in 
 Boston. Some of them had marvellous scarlet 
 centres, eccentric in shape but very beautiful. As
 
 ORIZABA. 285 
 
 to color, there were blue, green, scarlet, yellow, 
 and purple specimens among them. 
 
 Still winding in and out among the mountains, 
 our ears frequently greeted by the music of tum- 
 bling waters, we finally arrive at Orizaba, in the 
 State of Vera Cruz. The capital of this state was 
 formerly Jalapa, but it is now Orizaba, which is 
 named after the grand old mountain whose base is 
 about twenty-five miles away. The State of Vera 
 Cruz contains something over half a million of 
 inhabitants. Few places in Mexico have a more 
 fascinating site, or are surrounded by more lovely 
 scenery. We are here eighty miles from Vera 
 Cruz, and one hundred and eighty from the city 
 of Mexico. Orizaba, having a little over twenty 
 thousand inhabitants, is in many respects the 
 quaintest, as it is one of the oldest, cities in the 
 country. Most of the dwellings are but one story 
 in height, built with broad, overhanging eaves, 
 and are composed of rubble-stone, mortar, sun- 
 dried brick, and a variety of other material ; but 
 not including wood. The low, iron-grated win- 
 dows, so universal in Spanish towns, are not want- 
 ing here, through the bars of which, dark-eyed 
 senoritas and laughing children watch us as we 
 pass, often exhibiting pleasant family groups which 
 were photographed as swiftly and as surely on the 
 brain as a No. 2 Kodak instrument would depict 
 them. Some of our party, by the way, were very 
 expert with their Kodaks, and brought away with 
 them illustrated records of their extended journey 
 which, for interest, would put these pen-and-ink 
 sketches to utter shame.
 
 286 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The pitched roofs of the low houses of Orizaba 
 are covered with big red tiles, which afford a sort 
 of ventilation, as well as serving to throw off the 
 heat of the burning sun, while the dry earth seems 
 to absorb it, radiating a glimmer of heated air, 
 like the sand dunes of Suez. It is singular that 
 everything should be so oriental in appearance, 
 while it would be puzzling to say exactly wherein 
 lies the resemblance. 
 
 That there are numerous churches here goes 
 without saying, and we may add that two or three 
 of them are quite imposing, while all are sugges- 
 tive, with a few crippled beggars standing like 
 sentries at their doors. An Indian artist, Gabriel 
 Barranco, has contributed oil-paintings of consid- 
 erable merit to nearly all the churches in his na- 
 tive town. He is still alive, or was so a couple of 
 months since, and is a most interesting conversa- 
 tionalist, though he is blind and decrepit. This 
 locality seems particularly liable to earthquakes 
 in a mild form. The largest church here has had 
 its steeple overthrown three times, and the towers on 
 several others have been made to lean by the same 
 agency, so that they are considerably out of plumb. 
 No earthquake, however, is likely to make much 
 headway against the low dwellings, which cling to 
 the ground like one's shoe to his foot. It is pleas- 
 ant to mention that several good schools have been 
 established at Orizaba, supported by the local gov- 
 ernment. These, we are told on good authority, 
 are in a flourishing condition in spite of all oppo- 
 sition from the church party. There are four 
 schools for boys and three exclusively for girls.
 
 TROPICAL PRODUCTS. 287 
 
 Bigotry may make a bold show, but it cannot 
 prosper where a system of free schools prevails. 
 
 A river runs through the city, lending a little 
 life to the sleepy old place, and affording ample 
 water power for six or eight mills which manu- 
 facture sugar, cotton, and flour. The situation is 
 about midway between Vera Cruz and Puebla, on 
 one of the two principal routes from the former 
 port to the city of Mexico. The surrounding val- 
 ley is quite fertile, and is mostly devoted to the 
 raising of coffee, sugar, and tobacco. The climate 
 is said to be very fine all the year round, the aver- 
 age temperature being 74 Fahr. in summer and 
 rarely falling below 60 at any season, though it 
 seemed to us, who had just come from the higher 
 table-land, to be about 90. The scenery is that 
 of Switzerland, the temperature that of southern 
 Italy. It affords an agreeable medium between 
 the heat of the lower country towards the Gulf 
 and the almost too rarefied atmosphere of the high 
 table-lands of Mexico. " In the course of a few 
 hours," says Prescott, " the traveler may experi- 
 ence every gradation of climate, embracing torrid 
 heat and glacial cold, and pass through different 
 zones of vegetation, including wheat and the sugar- 
 cane, the ash and the palm, apples, olives, and 
 guavas." 
 
 In this vicinity one sees the orange, lemon, 
 banana, and almond growing at their best, while 
 the coffee, sugar, and tobacco plantations rival 
 those of Cuba, both in extent and in the character 
 of their products. While Spanish rulers were still 
 masters here, and when all manner of arbitrary
 
 288 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 restrictions were put upon trade, the cultivation 
 of tobacco was confined by law to the districts 
 about Cordova and Orizaba. There is no such 
 handicapping of rural industry now enforced, and 
 sugar and tobacco, which are always sure of a 
 ready market where transportation is to be had, 
 are engaging more and more of the attention of 
 planters. It was found that the best of sugar- 
 cane land, that is, best suited for a sugar planta- 
 tion, could be had here for from thirty to forty 
 dollars per acre ; superior for the purpose to that 
 which is held at one thousand dollars per acre in 
 Louisiana. Though cotton is grown in about half 
 the states of Mexico, the states of Vera Cruz and 
 Durango are the most prolific in this crop. The 
 plant thrives on the table-land up to an elevation 
 of about five thousand feet above the level of the 
 Gulf, and according to Mexican statistics the aver- 
 age product is about two thousand pounds to the 
 acre, which is double the average quantity pro- 
 duced in the cotton-growing States of this Union. 
 The modes of cultivation are very crude and im- 
 perfect, especially at any distance from the large 
 and populous centres, but the amazing fertility of 
 the soil insures good and remunerative returns to 
 the farmer or planter even under these unfavor- 
 able circumstances. Water is the great, we may 
 say the only, fertilizer none other is ever used, 
 and irrigating* facilities are excellent. The city is 
 elevated more than four thousand feet above Vera 
 Cruz, but is also as much below the altitude of the 
 national capital. As to the climate, one is pre- 
 pared to agree with its inhabitants, who declare it
 
 A FINE CASCADE. 289 
 
 to be "perfection." The city is overshadowed, as 
 it were, by the crystal peak of Orizaba, thoiigh it 
 is some miles away, rising to nearly eighteen thou- 
 sand feet above the sea. It is probably the second 
 loftiest mountain in North America south of the 
 Territory of Alaska, and exceeds the highest point 
 in Europe. Violent eruptions took place from its 
 crater in 1545 and 1546. 
 
 About two miles east of Orizaba, near the ham- 
 let of Jalapilla, is a fine waterfall, known as the 
 Cascade Rincon Grande ; this body of water makes 
 a daring plunge of fifty feet over precipitous rocks, 
 amid a glorious growth of tropical vegetation. From 
 here parties are made up to ascend Orizaba (Moun- 
 tain of the Star). It has stopped business as a vol- 
 cano since the last date named, and is the highest 
 mountain in Mexico with the exception of Popo- 
 catepetl. Until about forty years ago, the summit 
 was considered to be inaccessible to human feet, 
 but a party of energetic Americans planted our na- 
 tional flag on the summit at that time, the tattered 
 remains of which were found to be still there 
 in 1851, by Alexander Doignon, an adventurous 
 Frenchman. We were told by a resident of the 
 city of the experience of an English party, who 
 came up from Vera Cruz not long since on their 
 way to the city of Mexico, and who made a stop 
 at Orizaba, intending to ascend the famous moun- 
 tain. There is said to be no very great difficulty 
 to overcome in climbing to the top if one has ex- 
 perience in such work and is at the same time 
 strong and well, but the party referred to had just 
 arrived from the level of the sea. The summit of
 
 290 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Orizaba is, as we have stated, considerably over 
 seventeen thousand feet above the port of Vera 
 Cruz. This party of confident climbers had to 
 give it up after reaching what is known as the 
 timber line, simply for want of the necessary 
 breathing power. One's lungs must become in a 
 degree accustomed to the rarefied atmosphere of 
 the table-land before attempting to ascend to such 
 a height. Guides, blankets, and two days' provis- 
 ions should be taken by any party designing to 
 climb Orizaba. One must seek a favorable point 
 in the limits of the town to see this elevation to 
 advantage, because of the close intervening hills. 
 On the west side of the town is an elevation known 
 as El Borrego, where five thousand Mexicans were 
 completely routed by a single company of Zouaves 
 during the ill-conceived French invasion. To be 
 sure, this was a night surprise, wherein the French 
 appeared among the sleeping Mexicans and cut 
 them down as fast as they opened their eyes, until 
 the whole camp took to flight. The importance 
 of military discipline was never more clearly de- 
 monstrated. Probably the average of the Mexican 
 soldiers were of nearly as good material as the 
 French, but the former were little better than a 
 mob, each man for himself. Even to-day, it is 
 observed, in the few military exhibitions given 
 in public, that the rank and file are lackadaisical, 
 indifferent, undrilled, evincing a want of nearly 
 every element of discipline, while their officers 
 lounge along the avenues, they do not march, 
 presenting an appearance as far from true military 
 bearing as the greatest clown in the ranks.
 
 PLAZA OF ORIZABA. 291 
 
 It will be remembered that Orizaba was for a 
 considerable time the headquarters of General 
 Bazaiue's army, and it was here that the French 
 general finally, in 1866, bade good-by to the ill- 
 fated Maximilian, whose cause he deserted by 
 order of his royal master, Napoleon the Little. 
 Stories are told by the residents of the outrages 
 committed by the French soldiers, who were per- 
 mitted unlimited license by their commander. 
 "The whole army," said an aged citizen to us, 
 " was a body of cutthroats. They stole everything 
 they could carry away, besides which, cruel and 
 aimless murder was their daily diversion." 
 
 The small plaza is a delightful resort, a wilder- 
 ness of green with an ornamental fountain in the 
 middle, about which are stone seats among flower- 
 ing shrubs, orange and other fruit trees. Indeed, 
 the entire surroundings of Orizaba are gardenlike 
 in fertility and bloom. The vegetation, owing to 
 the humidity of the atmosphere rising from the 
 Gulf, is always intensely green. Huge butterflies 
 flitted in clouds about the plaza, many-colored, sun- 
 shine-loving creatures, with wide-spread, yellow 
 wings shot with purple bars, and bearing strongly 
 contrasting dots of inky-black and lily-white. A 
 tall cluster of the glorious tulipan, quite by itself, 
 looked like a tree on fire, so glowing was its scarlet 
 bloom. 
 
 The streets of the town are in tolerably good 
 condition, paved with lava once vomited from the 
 neighboring mountain, now so quiet. The gutters 
 are in the middle of the thoroughfares, and the 
 sidewalks are only a few inches in width. Carts
 
 292 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 or wheeled vehicles of any sort are very little used, 
 freight being carried almost wholly on the backs 
 of burros and Indians. All vegetables, charcoal, 
 wood, and country produce come into town on the 
 backs of sturdy, copper-colored natives, men and 
 women, and it is really astonishing to see what 
 loads they will carry for long distances over the 
 mountain roads at the rate of five or six miles an 
 hour. Humboldt, in his description of these In- 
 dians, tells us that they enjoy one great physical 
 advantage which is undoubtedly owing to the sim- 
 plicity in which their ancestors lived for thousands 
 of years. He referred to the fact that they are 
 subject to hardly any deformity. A hunchbacked 
 Indian is not to be seen, and it is very rare to 
 meet a maimed or a lame one. Their hair does 
 not grow gray like that of white men, nor do their 
 faces grow wrinkled as they become old. The ab- 
 sence of deformity is also supposed to be owing to 
 their general mode of life, simple food, living in 
 the open air, and temperate habits. Their ivory- 
 white teeth contrast strongly with their black hair 
 and bronzed features. The country people rarely 
 indulge in pulque, never unless when they come to 
 town, and they have too little money to throw it 
 away in the purchase of much of even that cheap 
 liquor. It is said that its injurious effects upon 
 the system are very trifling compared to those 
 of American whiskey. It seems to be little more 
 than a powerful narcotic to those who drink of it 
 freely. The strong distilled liquor made from the 
 roots of the maguey plant is quite another article, 
 and is more like Scotch whiskey in effect.
 
 SUNRISE AT ORIZABA. 293 
 
 If you rise from your couch early enough in the 
 morning, you will see many Indian men and wo- 
 men coming in to market from the country, all 
 bending under the weight of provisions, pottery, 
 or some other home product. You will see the 
 women (industrious creatures) knitting or net- 
 ting as they jog along. And near them long trains 
 of burros laden with grain, alfalfa, straw, or wood. 
 You will see some dark-eyed, coquettish girls with 
 inviting bouquets for sale ; also here and there a 
 pretty senora or senorita, with a dark lace veil 
 thrown over her jet black hair, hastening to early 
 mass ; but, above all, behold the glorious sun en- 
 circling the frosty brow of Orizaba with a halo of 
 gold and silver which sparkles like diamonds in 
 the clear, crisp morning atmosphere. How full 
 of vivid pictures is the memory of these early 
 morning hours in Mexico ! 
 
 In a small village known as Jalapilla, situated 
 about a couple of miles south of the city, is the 
 spot where Maximilian resided for a brief period 
 after the French army had deserted him. Here 
 he held the famous council as to whether he should 
 abdicate the Mexican throne or not. He was more 
 than half inclined to do it. It was really the only 
 common-sense course which was left open to him. 
 Had he done so, he might have been living to-day. 
 Vera Cruz was close at hand and easily reached, 
 a French steamship lay off San Juan d'Ulloa ready 
 to take him across the sea, but there were three 
 causes working against his abdication. First, his 
 own pride ; second, the pressure of the church 
 party ; and, last but not least, the confident coun-
 
 294 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 sels of Carlotta. These influences prevailed, and 
 decided him to remain. He thus challenged the 
 inevitable fate which ended his career at Quere- 
 taro. That two generals who were on his personal 
 staff believed in his star and were wedded to his 
 service under all circumstances, was fully proven 
 in the fact that they made no attempt to escape, but 
 calmly and devotedly died by his side when the 
 crisis finally came. 
 
 The railroad station at Orizaba adjoined a neat 
 inclosure, which is a small floral paradise, exhibit- 
 ing very clearly a woman's taste in the arrange- 
 ment and cultivation. Roses white and red, lilies 
 tall and pearl-colored, the scarlet hibiscus, tube- 
 roses, orange-trees, coffee-trees full of berries, all 
 are to be seen here, with a few bananas waving 
 their long, broad green leaves, like pennons, over 
 the undergrowth, and showing their one pendulous 
 blossom as large as a pineapple. 
 
 The descent from the high elevation of Orizaba 
 is continued, the route leading through groves of 
 bananas, maize and sugar plantations, and creep- 
 ing down the steep sides of a terrific gorge over a 
 thousand feet deep, where the purple shadows look 
 like shrouded phantoms hastening out of sight. 
 This abyss is crossed by means of extraordinary 
 engineering skill, much of the roadway along the 
 nearly perpendicular side of the ravine having 
 been hewn out of the solid rock. To accomplish 
 this it was necessary at first to suspend workmen 
 by ropes over the brow of the cliffs, lowering them 
 down until they were opposite the point to be op- 
 erated upon, and, after making fast the ropes which
 
 A DANGEROUS POINT. 295 
 
 held them, leave them there to work for hours with 
 hammer and chisel. There was one piece of road- 
 bed, not more than ten rods in length, where the 
 track seemed to run on a narrow shelf barely wide 
 enough for the cars to pass, which is said to have 
 required seven years to render available. We can 
 well conceive it to have been so, for the whole 
 road from Vera Cruz to Mexico was about five 
 times seven years in building. The view is at times 
 such as to incline the experienced traveler to hold 
 his breath, if not to close his eyes, in a tremor of 
 excitement. In the steepest part of the route 
 the descent is at the rate of one hundred thirty- 
 three and one third feet to the mile! Were a 
 wheel to break, an iron nut to give way, or the 
 trusted brakes fail to operate, what a frightful 
 catastrophe would instantly follow ! 
 
 Between Orizaba and Cordova, a few rods off 
 the line of the railway to the left as we go from 
 the former to the latter place, is a dark, cavernous 
 passage cut through the hillside a hundred feet or 
 more, leading to the view of a waterfall of great 
 beauty and of considerable size. It is closely 
 framed on all sides by dark green foliage, tall and 
 graceful trees partially overhanging it. Dainty 
 orchids and beautiful ferns hang upon the damp 
 rocks and the brown tree-trunks. Here the cars 
 stop for a brief period, to enable us to delight our 
 eyes and ears by the sight and sound of the riotous 
 waters. A waterfall or cascade in this climate is 
 enhanced in importance for many reasons ; the 
 very sight of rushing, foaming water has a cooling 
 and refreshing effect when the thermometer is at
 
 296 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 90 Fahr. The rank, tropical verdure, the depth 
 of the sombre gorge, the tumultuous, sparkling 
 waters, the cool, welcome shade, and the ceaseless 
 anthem of the falls make the charming spot a 
 scene long to be remembered. One would have 
 liked to linger there for hours. Finally, after hav- 
 ing passed over a distance of nearly twenty miles, 
 we cross the bridge of Metlac, built over a river of 
 the same name, and arrive in sight of Cordova, 
 whose domes and towers are just far enough away 
 to clothe them in a soft, inviting, amber hue. 
 
 Cordova is situated in the fertile valley of the 
 Rio Seco, and in the midst of a sugar and coffee 
 producing district about seventy miles west of Vera 
 Cruz, nearly upon the direct line between the Gulf 
 and the city of Mexico. To be exact, it is sixty- 
 six miles from the former city and two hundred 
 from the latter. Speaking of coffee, the region 
 wherein it thrives and is remuneratively productive 
 is very large in Mexico. It grows down to the 
 coast and far up into the table-lands, but it does 
 best in an altitude of from one to three thousand 
 feet above the level of the sea. In this region, as 
 we have already indicated, a berry is produced 
 which we consider equal to the product of any land. 
 Under proper conditions the republic could furnish 
 the whole of this country with the raw material 
 wherewith to produce the favorite beverage, enor- 
 mous as is the consumption. The bananas of this 
 region were found to be especially luscious and ap- 
 petizing. In growth this a beautiful, thrifty, and 
 productive annual, forming a large portion of the 
 food supply of the humbler classes, and a favorite
 
 THE BANANA. 297 
 
 dessert at the tables of the rich. From the centre 
 of its large, broad, palm-like leaves, which gather 
 at the top of the thick stalk, twelve or fifteen inches 
 in diameter, when it has reached a height of about 
 ten feet, there springs forth a large purple bud, 
 eight or nine inches long, shaped like a huge acorn, 
 but a little more pointed. This cone hangs sus- 
 pended from a strong stem upon which a leaf un- 
 folds, displaying a cluster of young fruit. As soon 
 as these have become fairly set, this sheltering leaf 
 drops off and another unfolds, exposing its little 
 brood of young fruit, and the process goes on until 
 eight or ten rings of small bananas are started, 
 forming bunches, when ready to pick, of from sev- 
 enty-five to a hundred of the finger-like product. 
 After bearing, the stalk and top die, but it sprouts 
 up again from the roots, once more to go through 
 the liberal process of producing a crop of luscious 
 fruit. It is said that the banana is more produc- 
 tive and requires less care or cultivation than any 
 other food-producing growth in the tropics or else- 
 where. 
 
 Neither Florida nor Cuba can furnish finer 
 oranges than are grown in vast quantities in the 
 region round about Cordova. Peddlers offer them 
 by the basketful to passing travelers, ripe and 
 delicious, two for a penny ; also, mangoes, bananas, 
 pine-apples, and other tropical fruits, at equally 
 low prices. Great quantities are shipped to other 
 cities by rail, and passengers carry away hundreds 
 in baskets daily. Coffee and sugar are, however, 
 the staple products. Among the neighboring plant- 
 ers, as we were told, are a few enterprising Amer-
 
 298 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 icans, who have lately introduced more modern 
 facilities than have been in use heretofore for 
 planting, cultivating, packing, and the like. A 
 coffee plantation is one of the most pleasing trop- 
 ical sights the eye can rest upon, where twenty-five 
 or thirty acres of level soil are planted thickly with 
 the deep green shrub, divided into straight lines, 
 which obtains the needed shade from graceful 
 palms, interspersed with bananas, orange and 
 mango trees. Coffee will not thrive without partial 
 protection from the ardor of the sun in the low lat- 
 itudes, and therefore a certain number of shade 
 and fruit trees are introduced among the low-grow- 
 ing plants. The shrub is kept trimmed down to 
 a certain height, thus throwing all the vigor of the 
 roots into the formation of berries upon the 
 branches which are not disturbed. So prolific is 
 the low-growing tree thus treated that the small 
 branches bend nearly to the ground under the 
 weight of the ripening berries. Conceive of such 
 an arrangement when the whole is in flower, the 
 milk-white blossoms of the coffee so abundant as 
 to seem as though a cloud of snow had fallen 
 there and left the rest of the vegetation in full ver- 
 dure, while the air is as heavy with perfume as in 
 an orange grove. 
 
 The soil between here and Orizaba is considered 
 to be of the richest and most fertile in all Mexico. 
 Plantations devoted to the raising of cinchona have 
 proved quite profitable. Four times each year 
 may the sower reap his harvest amid perpetual 
 summer. We saw some fine groves of the plan- 
 tain, the trees twelve feet high and the leaves six
 
 CORDOVA. 299 
 
 feet long by two in width. This, together with 
 the banana, forms the chief feature as regards the 
 low-growing foliage in all the tropical regions 
 about the Gulf of Mexico, gracefully fanning the 
 undergrowth with broad-spread leaves, and afford- 
 ing the needed shade. The stem of the plantain 
 gradually decays, like the banana, when the fruit 
 has ripened, after which the young shoots spring 
 up from the roots once more to produce the abun- 
 dant and nourishing food. It does not seem to 
 have any special season, but is constantly in bloom 
 and bearing. The accumulation of sugar and 
 starch in the fruit makes it a most valuable source 
 of food in the tropics, while the product from a 
 small area of land is enormous when compared 
 with that of cultivated grains and fruits generally. 
 
 The cacao, the source from whence our choco- 
 late comes, was originally found in Mexico, where 
 its seeds once formed the money, or circulating 
 medium, of the aboriginal tribes. It grows here 
 in abundance and to great perfection. 
 
 Cordova has between six and eight thousand 
 inhabitants. It is nearly three thousand feet 
 above sea level, and is rarely troubled with yellow 
 fever ; but ague is common. The streets are very 
 regular and are all paved. On one side of the 
 plaza is the cathedral, a grand edifice with a gau- 
 dily-finished interior. The central plaza, though 
 small, is exquisitely kept, full of flowers, and vivid 
 with the large scarlet tulipan. The ground is well- 
 filled with fruit-trees and palms, interspersed with 
 smooth paths, and furnished with ornamental iron 
 seats. On the outside of the plaza is the market,
 
 300 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 where rows of country-women sit on their haunches 
 in true Asiatic fashion, beside their articles for 
 sale. This class of women here affect high colors 
 in their rude costumes, wearing a profusion of 
 cheap coral and silver ornaments, besides a pecu- 
 liar headdress, more Neapolitan than Mexican. 
 It is quite the thing in speaking of Cordova to re- 
 member that it was here, in 1821, that the treaty 
 was signed between Iturbide and O'Donoju, which 
 officially recognized the independence of Mexico. 
 The vicinity of the town abounds in antique 
 remains. An organized party was engaged in 
 exhuming old pottery and other domestic utensils 
 at the time of our visit.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The City of Vera Cruz. Defective Harbor. The Dreaded and 
 also Welcome Norther. San Juan d'Ulloa. Landing of 
 Cortex. His Expedition Piratical. View of the City from 
 the Sea. Cortez's Destruction of his Ships. Anecdote of 
 Charles V. A Sickly Capital. Street Scenes. Trade. 
 The Mantilla. Plaza de la Constitucion. Typical Charac- 
 ters. Brilliant Fireflies. Well-To-Do Beggars. Princi- 
 pal Edifices. The Campo Santo. City Dwelling-Houses. 
 The Dark-Plumed Buzzards. A City Fountain. A Va- 
 ried History. Medillin. State of Vera Cruz. 
 
 VERA CRUZ, which is at present the principal 
 seaport of the republic, and which has heretofore 
 been considered as the gateway of Mexico, is with- 
 out a harbor worthy of the name, being situated 
 on an open roadstead and affording no safe anchor- 
 age among its shoals, coral reefs, and surf. It is 
 not safe, in fact, for vessels to moor within half a 
 mile of the shore. A cluster of dangerous, merci- 
 less-looking reefs, together with the island of San 
 Juan d'Ulloa, form a slight protection from the 
 open Gulf. A sea-wall shelters the street facing 
 upon the water, and there is a serviceable mole 
 where boats land from the shipping when a 
 " norther " is not blowing ; but when that prevails 
 no one attempts to land from vessels in the road- 
 stead. No wonder that underwriters charge dou- 
 ble to insure vessels bound to so inhospitable a 
 shore. Even in ordinary weather a surf-drenching
 
 302 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 has sometimes to be endured in landing at the 
 mole. This is a serious objection to the port 
 where every ton of freight must be transferred be- 
 tween ship and shore by lighters. Nevertheless, 
 this difficulty might be easily overcome by the con- 
 struction of a substantial breakwater, such as has 
 lately been successfully built at Colombo, Ceylon, 
 or that which has robbed the roadstead of Madras, 
 India, of its former terrors. To be sure, such a 
 plan requires enterprise and the liberal expendi- 
 ture of money. Unless the citizens open their 
 purses and pay for the needed improvement, which 
 would promptly turn their exposed shore into a 
 safe harbor, they will have to submit to seeing the 
 present commerce of the port diverted to Tampico, 
 where suitable engineering is about to secure an 
 excellent harbor. Improvements are of slow 
 growth in this country. The railway between this 
 city and the national capital was over thirty years 
 in building, and cost fully forty million dollars. 
 
 The captain of a freighting steamer sailing out 
 of New York told the writer that he had more 
 than once been obliged, at certain seasons of the 
 year, to sail from Vera Cruz carrying back to his 
 port of departure a portion of his cargo, as there 
 was no time while the ship remained here that he 
 dared to risk the landing of valuable goods liable 
 to be spoiled by exposure to a high-running sea. 
 
 When a norther comes on to blow at Vera Cruz, 
 all the vessels remaining near the city let go an 
 extra anchor and batten down the hatches ; or, 
 wiser still, they let go their ground tackle and 
 hasten to make an offing. The natives promptly
 
 NORTIIEBS. 303 
 
 haul their light boats well on shore ; the citizens 
 securely close their doors and windows; while the 
 sky becomes darkened by clouds of sand driven by 
 fierce gusts of wind. It is a fact that passengers 
 have been obliged to remain for a whole week upon 
 a European steamer, unable to land during a 
 protracted norther. These storms are terrific in 
 violence. It is not a straight out-and-out gale, an 
 honest tempest, such as one sometimes meets at 
 sea, and with which an experienced mariner knows 
 how to cope. A norther is an erratic succession 
 of furious squalls with whirlwinds of sand, the 
 wind blowing from several points at the same 
 time. When a norther blows, work is suspended 
 in the city, and the streets are deserted until the 
 fury of the blast has subsided. This wind, how- 
 ever, like most other serious annoyances in life, 
 has its bright side. Very true is the saying : " It 's 
 an ill wind that blows nobody good." The norther 
 drives away that fatal enemy of the city, the yel- 
 low fever ; and when it fairly sets in to blow, that 
 surely ends the disease for the season ; its germs 
 are swept away as if by magic. The insect plague 
 is only second to that of the vomito as regards the 
 danger and discomfort to be encountered in this 
 " City of the True Cross." But even mosquitoes 
 succumb to the northers. The muslin bars which 
 surround the beds of the Hotel Diligencia, front- 
 ing the plaza, are effectual, so that one can gener- 
 ally sleep during the two or three nights that he is 
 likely to stay in the city. A longer sojourn is 
 simply inviting disease, besides which there is no 
 possible attraction to keep one here any longer.
 
 304 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The only good harbor in the Gulf of Mexico 
 within a hundred miles of this point is that of An- 
 ton Lizardo, about fifteen miles to the southward 
 of Vera Cruz, which, in fact, should have been 
 made the commercial port. This position is now, 
 doubtless to be filled by Tampico, in connection 
 with the Mexican Central Railroad branch run- 
 ning from the main trunk of that road to the 
 Gulf, by way of San Luis Potosi. We heard of 
 another element operating very seriously against 
 the interests of Vera Cruz. It seems that the 
 sand of the Gulf shore, moved by various currents, 
 is gradually depositing itself in the shallow road- 
 stead in such quantities as to seriously imperil 
 navigation. It is admitted that should this con- 
 tinue for a few years it would close the port to 
 commerce. The railroad management are already 
 talking of extending the line southward to Anton 
 Lizardo. 
 
 On an island, less than one mile off the shore of 
 Vera Cruz, stands the grim old fortress of San 
 Juan d'Ulloa, a most conspicuous object with its 
 blackened and crumbling walls. It has often been 
 declared to be impregnable, and yet, curious to 
 say, it has never been attacked by a foe without 
 being compelled to surrender. Here Cortez landed 
 on Mexican soil, April 21, 1519. He disembarked 
 on a Friday, a day which the Romish church has 
 set apart for the adoration of the cross ; he there- 
 fore called the place Vera Cruz (The True Cross). 
 The mere handful of followers which he brought 
 with him to conquer and possess a nation consisted 
 of four hundred and fifteen men at arms, sixteen
 
 A DESPERATE RESORT. 305 
 
 horses, and seven cannon ! These last were mere 
 howitzers. Was ever a more daring and reckless 
 scheme conceived of ? Fully realizing the peculiar 
 nature of the venture, and fearing that when his 
 followers should awaken to the extravagant folly 
 of the invasion, they would mutiny, forcibly seize 
 the ships which had brought them, and return 
 in them to Cuba, he deliberately destroyed all 
 the galleys save one, and thus cut off the means 
 of retreat. This was quite in accordance with the 
 desperate nature of the enterprise and the reck- 
 less spirit of its leader, who had boldly taken upon 
 himself unauthorized responsibility. In bringing 
 about the destruction of his vessels, Cortez resorted 
 to a subterfuge so as to deceive the people about 
 him. He did not " burn " his ships, as has been 
 so commonly reported, but ordered a marine sur- 
 vey upon them, employing an officer who had his 
 secret instructions, and when the report was made 
 public it was to the effect that the galleys were 
 unseaworthy, leaky, and not fit or safe for service. 
 A certain sea worm had reduced the hulls to mere 
 shells ! So the stores and armament were carried 
 on shore, and the vessels sunk or wrecked. " His 
 followers murmured at the loss of the ships," says 
 Chevalier, " but were quieted by Cortez, who 
 promised them salvation in the next world and for- 
 tunes in this." This is one version of the famous 
 episode which has come down to us, and which we 
 believe to be the true one. It is certainly the 
 most in accordance with all the known facts in the 
 case. 
 
 There are important circumstances connected
 
 306 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 with this often repeated episode which are not 
 always considered in forming an estimate of the 
 whole affair. The departure of the expedition 
 from Cuba was nothing less than open rebellion 
 on the part of Cortez. Had it eventuated in fail- 
 ure, its leader would have been pronounced a 
 pirate and filibuster. It was Talleyrand who de- 
 clared that nothing succeeds so well as success. 
 Thus it is that history makes of the fortunate ad- 
 venturer a hero, never pausing to consider the 
 means by which his success was attained. " Cor- 
 tez and his companions," says Chevalier, " had 
 incurred the necessity of signalizing themselves 
 by some great exploit. They had committed a 
 fault which the laws of all states treated as crime, 
 and one that the leaders must expiate on the gib- 
 bet and their followers at the galleys, unless 
 atoned for by brilliant deeds. Their departure 
 from Cuba was an act of flagrant rebellion." In 
 his great haste to get away from Cuba he em- 
 barked in nine small vessels, the largest not over 
 one hundred tons and some were even undecked 
 boats. Velasquez, the governor of the island of 
 Cuba, had for some time previously contemplated 
 sending an expedition to Mexico, and having got 
 it about ready for departure, he was over-persuaded 
 to give Cortez the command ; but after due con- 
 sideration, repenting of his decision, he took steps 
 to replace him by a more trusted officer. Cortez 
 learned of this, and hastily got as many of the 
 people together who had enlisted for the purpose 
 as he could, and putting the munitions on boai-d, 
 sailed without taking leave ! He had already been
 
 CORTEZ NO HERO. 307 
 
 once pardoned out of prison by Velasquez, where 
 he was confined for gross insubordination, and for 
 the baseness of his private life, which, though he 
 was thirty-four years of age, exhibited all the faults 
 of earliest manhood. R. A. Wilson pronounces 
 the expedition to have been " purely piratical, 
 whose leader could have no hope of royal pardon 
 but in complete success." Cortez knew that it 
 would not answer for him to return to Cuba, there- 
 fore he unhesitatingly destroyed the means by 
 which even his comrades could do so. These facts 
 rob the act which has been so lauded by historians 
 of all heroism. Depend upon it, all our heroes 
 have feet of clay. He had just made a rough cam- 
 paign with the natives of Tabasco, in Yucatan, 
 where he learned that farther up the Gulf, where 
 he finally landed, there was " a people who had 
 much gold." That was what he sought. It was 
 not God but gold that drew him onward from Vera 
 Cruz to Montezuma's capital. He was not seeking 
 to christianize the natives ; that was a plausible 
 subterfuge. His aim was to enrich himself with 
 native spoils and to acquire empire, nor did he 
 pause until he had consummated the ruin of a 
 kingdom and his own aggrandizement. 
 
 The traveler should not fail to take a boat across 
 the bay to the castle, and there visit the dark and 
 dismal dungeons built below the surrounding wa- 
 ters of the Gulf, like those in the castle of Chillon 
 beneath the surface of the lake of Geneva. One 
 may obtain an admirable view of the city and its 
 neighborhood from the cupola of the lofty light- 
 house, which is of the first class, and rises grandly
 
 308 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 to ninety feet above the sea. The fortress is now 
 only partially manned, being used mostly as a 
 place of confinement for political prisoners. As 
 this island was the first landing-place of the Span- 
 iards, so it was their last foothold in Mexico. 
 There is a familiar anecdote, which is always re- 
 tailed by the guides to the strangers whom they 
 initiate into the mysteries of the fortress upon 
 which Cortez is said to have expended uselessly 
 many millions of dollars. Charles V., being asked 
 for more funds wherewith to add to the defenses 
 of San Juan d'Ulloa, called for a spyglass, and, 
 seeking a window, pointed it to the west, seeming 
 to gaze through the glass long and earnestly. 
 When he was asked what he was looking for, he 
 replied : " San Juan d'Ulloa. I have spent so 
 much money upon the structure that it seems to 
 me I ought to see it standing on the western 
 horizon." 
 
 The low-lying town nearly eight thousand feet 
 below the city of Mexico is, perhaps, one of the 
 most unhealthy spots on this continent, where the 
 yellow fever, or vomito as it is called, prevails 
 for six or seven months of the year, claiming 
 myriads of victims annually, while a malarial 
 scourge, known as the stranger's fever, lingers 
 about the place more or less fatally all the year 
 round, according to the number of persons who 
 are liable to be attacked. The yellow fever, which 
 makes its appearance in May, is generally at its 
 worst in August and September, at which periods 
 it is apt to creep upwards towards the higher lands 
 as far as Jalapa and Orizaba, though it has never
 
 A CITY OF THE DEAD. 309 
 
 been known to exist to any great extent in either 
 of these places. The dangerous miasma which 
 prevails seems to be quite harmless to the natives 
 of the locality, or at least they are rarely attacked 
 by it. When a person has once contracted yellow 
 fever and recovered from it, as a rule he is pre- 
 sumed to be exempt from a second attack, but this 
 is not a rule without an exception. In summer 
 the streets of Vera Cruz are deserted except by the 
 buzzards and the stray dogs. These quarrel with 
 each other for scraps of food. The latter by no 
 means always get the best of it. Even the Mexi- 
 cans at such times call the place Una ciudad de 
 los muertos (a city of the dead). 
 
 A large share of the business of Vera Cruz is 
 carried on by French or German residents who 
 have become acclimated, or by those born here of 
 parents belonging to those nationalities. Many 
 of the merchants of the city keep up a permanent 
 residence at Jalapa for sanitary reasons. It is 
 singular that the climate of this port on the Gulf 
 side of the peninsula should be so fatal to human 
 life, while the Pacific side, in the same latitude 
 and quite near at hand, is perfectly salubrious. 
 When the French army landed here in 1863-64, 
 the ranks were decimated by the epidemic, and the 
 graveyard where the bodies of between three and 
 four thousand French victims lie buried near the 
 city has been named by their countrymen, with 
 grim humor, " Le Jardin d'Acclimatation " ! 
 
 On viewing the town from the castle of San 
 Juan d'Ulloa, one is struck by the oriental aspect 
 which it presents. Everything is seen through a
 
 310 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 lurid atmosphere. The glare of sunshine reflected 
 by the porcelain domes and the intense blue of 
 the sky are Egyptian. Groups of mottled church 
 towers surmounted by glittering crosses ; square, 
 flat-roofed houses ; rough fortifications ; a long 
 reach of hot sandy plain on either side relieved by 
 a few palm-trees ; and scattered groups of low- 
 growing cactus, these make up the picture of the 
 flat, miasmatic shore. There are no suburbs ; the 
 dreary, monotonous sand creeps close up to the 
 city. But if the near foreground thus exhibits a 
 certain repulsive nakedness, there looms grandly 
 on the far-away horizon the Sierra Madre range 
 of mountains, the culminating point of which is 
 the bold, aspiring peak of Orizaba. It must be 
 clear weather, however, to enable the visitor to see 
 this remarkable elevation, with its hoary crown, 
 to reach whose base twenty-seven leagues must be 
 traversed. 
 
 The long, straight, narrow streets are laid out 
 with great uniformity, a characteristic of all Mexi- 
 can cities, and cross each other at right angles, 
 the monotony being broken by green blinds open- 
 ing on to the little balconies which are shaded by 
 awnings. The streets have a sort of sun-baked 
 hue, though the principal thoroughfares show a 
 fair degree of life and activity considering that the 
 population is so largely made up of Mexicans. 
 The area covered by the city cannot much exceed 
 sixty acres, the town being built in a very compact 
 manner, a bird's-eye view of which makes it re- 
 semble the outspread human hand. The port has 
 seen its most prosperous days, if we may judge by
 
 IN THE STREETS OF VERA CRUZ. 311 
 
 present appearances. The aggregate of the im- 
 ports and exports amounted to about thirty million 
 dollars annually before the completion of the rail- 
 roads to the national capital and thence to El 
 Paso, but, as was anticipated, this new facility for 
 transportation has diverted a large portion of this 
 amount northward through the United States. The 
 streets of Vera Cruz are still crowded in business 
 hours with mule carts, porters, half-naked water- 
 carriers, Indians, and a few negroes, military 
 officers, and active civilians. Speaking of negroes, 
 there are a less number in all Mexico than in any 
 one State of this Union. In the plaza pretty 
 flower-girls with tempting bouquets mingle with 
 fruit venders, lottery-ticket sellers, and dashing 
 young Mexican dudes, wearing broad sombreros 
 heavy with cords of silver braid. Occasionally 
 there passes some dignified senora, whose head 
 and shoulders are covered with a black lace man- 
 tilla, imparting infinite grace to her handsome 
 figure. How vastly superior is that soft, drooping 
 veil to the tall hats and absurd bonnets of north- 
 ern civilization ! Broad contrasts present them- 
 selves on all hands, in groups of men, women, and 
 children, half clad in rags, perhaps, but gay with 
 brilliant colors, sharing the way with some sober- 
 clad Europeans, or rollicking, half tipsy seamen on 
 shore-leave from the shipping at anchor in the 
 roadstead. 
 
 The Plaza de la Constitucion is small in extent, 
 about two hundred feet square, but it is very at- 
 tractive. It is skillfully arranged, having a hand- 
 some bronze fountain in its centre, the gift of
 
 312 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Carlotta, the unfortunate, energetic wife of Maxi- 
 milian. In the evening the place is rendered bril- 
 liant by a system of electric lights. The flower 
 plots and marble walks are ornamented with many 
 lovely tropical flowers, cocoanut palms, and fra- 
 grant roses nodding languidly in the hot summer 
 atmosphere under a sky intensely blue, and nine 
 tenths of the time perfectly cloudless. The Aus- 
 tralian gum-tree and the Chinese laurel were con- 
 spicuous among other exotic varieties. As the 
 twilight approaches, it is amusing to watch the 
 habitues, consisting of both sexes, especially in 
 shady corners where there is obviously much love- 
 making on the sly, but not the legitimate article 
 of the Romeo and Juliet sort which has already 
 been described. Here and there strolls a dude, 
 a Mexican dude, with his dark face shaded by his 
 sombrero, his tight trousers flaring at the bottom 
 and profusely ornamented at the side with silver 
 buttons. He is jostled by a fellow-countryman, 
 who gathers his serape across his left shoulder and 
 breast so adroitly as to partially conceal his shabby 
 attire, while he puffs his cigarette with assumed 
 nonchalance, exchanging a careless word in the 
 mean time with the gypsy-like woman who offers 
 bananas and zapotas for sale. Dainty senor- 
 itas trip across the way in red-heeled slippers of 
 Cinderella-like proportions, while noisy, laughing, 
 happy children, girls and boys, romp with pet 
 dogs, trundle ribbon-decked hoops, or spin gaudy 
 humming tops. Flaring posters catch the eye, 
 heralding the cruel bull-fight or a performance at 
 the theatre. On Sundays a military band performs
 
 FIREFLIES AS PERSONAL ORNAMENTS. 313 
 
 here forenoons and evenings. Under the starlight 
 you may look not only among the low growing 
 foliage to see the fireflies, which float there like 
 clouds of phosphorescence, but now and again one 
 will glow, diamond-like, in the black hair of the 
 fair senoritas, where they are ingeniously fastened 
 to produce this effect. It is strictly a Spanish idea, 
 which the author has often seen in Havana. So 
 brilliant are these tropical fireflies that with three 
 or four placed under an inverted wineglass one 
 can see to read fine printed matter in the night- 
 time. It is the common people mostly who use 
 these insects as evening ornaments on their per- 
 sons, though sometimes the most refined ladies 
 wear them. The firefly has a hook-like integument 
 on its body by which it is easily fastened to the 
 hair or dress without any harm to itself. It seems 
 as though nature had anticipated this peculiar use 
 of the "lightning-bug," and so provided the neces- 
 sary means for the purpose. The country people 
 bring them to market in little wicker baskets or 
 cages, and it is curious to see with what avidity 
 they will consume sugar. As you gaze with in- 
 terest at the picture of tropical life, you are quietly 
 asked for a few pennies by a man so well dressed, 
 and apparently so well to do, that it seems more 
 like a joke than like real begging. Just so the 
 author has been accosted in the streets of Granada, 
 in continental Spain, with a request for a trifling 
 sum of money, by well-dressed people. Compara- 
 tively few beggars importune one in the large cities 
 of Mexico, being deterred by the watchful police ; 
 but in the environs of any large settlement the
 
 314 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 poverty-stricken people are sure to descend upon 
 the stranger like an army with banners. 
 
 The architecture of Vera Cruz is of the old 
 Spanish style, with a dash of Moorish flavor in 
 it, recalling Tangier and other cities of Morocco. 
 The governor's palace is a building of some pre- 
 tension, two stories in height, with a veranda on 
 each, and a tall square tower at one end of the 
 edifice. Having visited the plaza, the alameda, 
 with its fine array of cocoa-palms, the municipal 
 palace, the custom-house, the public library, and 
 the large church fronting the plaza, one has about 
 exhausted the main features of interest. This lat- 
 ter structure is an imposing building, but it will 
 in no respect compare with the cathedrals of the 
 other cities which we have described. There are 
 a fair number of public schools in the town, two 
 well-endowed hospitals, public baths, and a few 
 other institutions worthy of a progressive people. 
 A thoroughfare, called the Street of Christ, leads 
 out to the Campo Santo, half a mile away. This 
 burial-place is an area surrounded by high walls, 
 built very thick of rubble - stones and adobe, in 
 which the tombs are made to receive the bodies 
 instead of placing them in the ground. This neg- 
 lected city of the dead has been taken in hand by 
 Nature herself, and wild flowers are seen amid the 
 sombre and dreary surroundings, rivaling in beauty 
 and fragrance many cultivated favorites. 
 
 The city houses are built of coral limestone, 
 stuccoed. The roofs, when pitched, are covered 
 with tiles of a dull red color, but they are nearly 
 all flat. The interior arrangements are like those
 
 STREET SCAVENGERS. 315 
 
 elsewhere described. Each house of the better 
 class has its square inner court, or patio, round 
 which the dwelling is constructed, and this is or- 
 namented more or less prettily, according to the 
 owner's taste, potted plants always forming a 
 prominent feature, together with an array of caged 
 singing birds. The long windows are guarded 
 by significant iron bars, like the dwelling-houses 
 throughout this country and in Havana. Some- 
 times on the better class of houses this iron work 
 is rendered quite ornamental. The narrow streets 
 are kept scrupulously clean, and are paved with 
 cobble-stones which we were told were brought by 
 ships from the coast of New England, and have 
 a gutter running down the middle. There is an 
 abundance of active, keen-eyed scavengers wad- 
 dling about, always on the alert to pick up and 
 devour domestic refuse or garbage of any sort 
 which is found in the streets. These are the dark- 
 plumed, funereal-looking buzzard, or vulture, a 
 bird which is protected by law, and depended on 
 to act in the capacity we have described. They 
 are two feet and over in length of body, and meas- 
 ure six feet from tip to tip of the wings, or about 
 the size of a large Rhode Island turkey. Employ- 
 ing these birds for the removal of refuse is a rem- 
 edy almost as bad as the disease, since the habits 
 of the huge, ungainly, ill-omened creatures are ex- 
 tremely disgusting. Clouds of them roost upon 
 the eaves of the houses, the church belfries, and 
 all exposed balconies, and would invade the patios 
 of the dwellings were they not vigorously driven 
 away and thus taught better manners. The cathe-
 
 316 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 dral facade on the plaza is sometimes black with 
 them, the rays of the bright tropical sun being 
 reflected from their glossy feathers as from a mir- 
 ror. It seems there is one mystery which apper- 
 tains to these unpleasant birds ; namely, as to their 
 breeding places. No one knows where they go to 
 build their nests and to raise their young. The 
 imaginative stranger is perhaps inclined to regard 
 them as tokens of danger to the newcomer. All 
 things considered, many a northern city has a less 
 efficient street-cleaning department. 
 
 For a striking picture of strong local color, we 
 commend the stranger to watch for a short half- 
 hour the picturesque old fountain at the head of 
 the Calle Centrale. Here he will find at almost 
 any time of the day scores of weary burros slaking 
 their thirst; busy water-carriers filling their red 
 earthen jars ; the street gamin wetting his thirsty 
 lips ; the itinerant fruit peddler seeking for cus- 
 tomers ; the gay caballero pausing to water the 
 handsome animal he bestrides ; while the tramway 
 mules seek their share of the refreshing liquid. 
 Dark-hued women are coming and going with 
 earthen jars poised upon their heads, wonderfully 
 like their Eastern sisters at the fountains of orien- 
 tal Cairo. Here are men with curiously trimmed 
 fighting birds in their arms, wending their way to 
 the cruel cockpit. On the edge of the sidewalk 
 close at hand, women are cooking dough - cakes of 
 corn-meal over charcoal in tiny earthen braziers, 
 the universal tortillas. A sand-covered mule- 
 teer, just arrived, is testing their quality while his 
 burros are drinking at the fountain.
 
 STARTLING VICISSITUDES. 317 
 
 Though Vera Cruz has suffered more than any 
 other capital with which we are acquainted from 
 bombardments, change of rulers, ravages of bucca- 
 neers, hurricanes, fevers, and other plagues, yet it 
 is still a prosperous city, always spoken of with 
 a certain degree of pride by the people of the re- 
 public as Villa Rica de Vera Cruz, that is, " the 
 rich city of the true cross." A brief glance at 
 its past history shows us that, in 1568, it was in 
 the hands of pirates, and that it was again sacked 
 by buccaneers in 1683, having been in the interim, 
 during the year 1618, swept by a devastating con- 
 flagration which nearly obliterated the place. In 
 1822-23, it was bombarded by the Spaniards, who 
 still held the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa. In 1838, 
 it was attacked by a French fleet, and in 1847, 
 was cannonaded and captured by the American 
 forces. In 1856, it was nearly destroyed by a 
 hurricane. In 1859, civil war decimated the for- 
 tress and the town. The French and Imperialists 
 took and held it from 1861 until 1867, when the 
 cause of national independence triumphed. Since 
 this latter date Vera Cruz has enjoyed a period of 
 quiet and a large share of commercial prosperity. 
 
 About ten or twelve miles southward from the 
 city is the little town of Medillin, a sort of popular 
 watering-place, the Saratoga of this neighborhood. 
 It is made up of a few decent houses of brick and 
 wood, and many very poor ones, having plenty 
 of drinking, dancing, and gambling saloons. The 
 trip thither is most enjoyable to a stranger, for the 
 glimpse it gives him of the tropical character and 
 the rank fertility of this region. On the way one
 
 318 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 passes through a floral paradise, where flowers of 
 every hue and teeming with fragrance line the way. 
 Almond-trees, yielding grateful shade, and the 
 Ponciana regia, blazing with gorgeous flowers, 
 are in strong contrast to each other. The pro- 
 ductive breadfruit-tree and the grapefruit with its 
 yellow product abound. Here one sees the scarlet 
 hibiscus beside the galan de noche (garland of 
 night), which grows like a young palm to nearly 
 ten feet in height, throwing out from the centre of 
 its tufted top a group of brown blossoms daintily 
 tipped with white, the mass of bloom shaped like 
 a rich cluster of ripe grapes. Truly, the trees and 
 flowers to be seen on the way to Medillin are a 
 revelation. 
 
 The State of Vera Cruz borders the Gulf for 
 a distance of five hundred miles, averaging in 
 width about seventy-five miles. No other section 
 of the country is so remarkable for its extreme 
 temperature and for the fertility of the soil. The 
 variety of its productions is simply marvelous. The 
 intense heat is tempered by the northers, which 
 usually occur about the first of December, and 
 from time to time until the first of April, during 
 which period any part of the state is comparatively 
 healthy. A list of the native products would sur- 
 prise one. Among them we find tobacco, coffee, 
 sugar, cotton, wheat, barley, vanilla, pineapples, 
 oranges, lemons, bananas, pomegranates, peaches, 
 plums, apricots, tamarinds, watermelons, citrons, 
 pears, and many other fruits and vegetables. The 
 natives push a stick into the ground, drop in a 
 kernel or two of corn, cover them with the soil by
 
 REMARKABLE FERTILITY. 319 
 
 a mere brush of their feet, and ninety days after 
 they pluck the ripe ears. There is no other labor, 
 no fertilizer is used, nor is there any occasion for 
 consulting the season, for the seed will ripen and 
 yield its fruit each month of the year, if planted 
 at suitable intervals.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Jalapa. A Health Resort. Birds, Flowers, and Fruits. 
 Cerro Gordo. Cathedral. Earthquakes. Local Charac- 
 teristics. Vanilla. Ancient Ruins. Tortillas. Blondes 
 in a City of Brunettes. Curiosities of Mexican Courtship. 
 Caged Singing Birds. Banditti Outwitted. Socialistic 
 Indians. Traces of a Lost City. Guadalajara. On the 
 Mexican Plateau A Progressive Capital. Fine Modern 
 Buildings. The Cathedral. Native Artists. A Noble 
 Institution. Amusements. San Pedro. Evening in the 
 Plaza. A Ludicrous Carnival. Judas Day. 
 
 JALAPA, signifying "the place of water and 
 land," pronounced Halapa, is situated about 
 sixty miles north-northwest of Vera Cruz, and is 
 considered to be the sanitarium of the latter city, 
 whither many of the families who are able to do so 
 resort during the sickly season. Not a few of the 
 prosperous merchants maintain dwellings in both 
 cities. Its situation insures salubrity, as it is more 
 than four thousand feet higher than the seacoast. 
 The yellow fever may terrorize the lowlands and 
 blockade the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, as it 
 surely does at certain seasons of the year, from 
 Yucatan to Vera Cruz, but the atmosphere of the 
 highlands, commencing at Jalapa on the north 
 and Orizaba on the south, is, as a rule, full of life- 
 invigorating properties. We do not mean to say 
 that these places are absolutely free from yellow 
 fever and miasmatic illness, but they are so far
 
 LUXURIANCE OF THE TROPICS. 321 
 
 superior to Vera Cruz in this respect as to be con- 
 sidered health-resorts for the people on the shores 
 of the Gulf. The route to Jalapa from the coast 
 passes through the old national road by the way of 
 Cerro Gordo. The hamlet bearing this name, 
 where General Scott outflanked and defeated 
 Santa Anna, April 18, 1847, consists of a few mud 
 cabins in a tumble-down condition. It has become 
 a memorable spot, but save its historical associa- 
 tion is possessed of no attractions. It is not a 
 populous district: there are few haciendas met 
 with, and fewer hamlets, but the scenery is very 
 grand, and the vegetation is characterized by all 
 the luxuriance of the tropics. Birds and flowers 
 abound, and wild fruits are so plenty that they 
 ripen and decay undisturbed by the hands of the 
 natives. Nature is over-bountiful, over-prolific. 
 There is no sere and yellow leaf here fruits and 
 flowers are perennial. If a leaf falls, another 
 springs into life on the vacant stem. If fruit is 
 plucked, a blossom quickly appears and another 
 cluster ripens. 
 
 Of birds distinguished for beauty of plumage 
 and sweetness of song there are, according to 
 Clavigero, between fifty and sixty different species. 
 Of those suitable for food there are over seventy 
 sorts in the republic, according to the same au- 
 thority. The rage for brilliant-colored feathers 
 with which to decorate the bonnets of fashionable 
 ladies in American cities has led to great destruc- 
 tion among ti'opical birds of both Mexico and 
 South America. Here they have also been always 
 in demand for the purpose of producing what is
 
 322 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 termed feather pictures, as elsewhere described in 
 these pages. 
 
 The road is very tortuous, winding up long 
 hills and down steep gulches, with here and there 
 a rude, significant wooden cross, held in place by a 
 little mound of stones, raised above the burial-place 
 of some murdered man. This, it seems, is a con- 
 scientious service always rendered in Mexico by 
 any one who is the first to discover such a body. 
 Each native who afterwards passes the spot adds 
 a small store to the pile, and kneeling, utters a 
 brief prayer in behalf of the dead man's soul. 
 
 Jalapa has a permanent population of some 
 fourteen thousand, which is considerably increased 
 at certain seasons of the year. It contains a large, 
 well-appointed cathedral, with a number of other 
 Catholic churches. Cortez and his followers cov- 
 ered the land with cathedrals and demi-cathedrals, 
 but the disestablishment of the church and the 
 general confiscation of ecclesiastical property has 
 rendered it impossible to sustain them all, together 
 with the crowds of officiating priests. The conse- 
 quence is that here, as elsewhere in the republic, 
 many are crumbling into decay, and when an er- 
 ratic earthquake, which is no respecter of sacred 
 buildings, tumbles over some high-reaching dome 
 or tower, or twists a facade out of plumb, it is left 
 to remain in that condition, and soon becomes a 
 partial ruin. We saw several thus dilapidated in 
 different sections of the country. Jalapa enjoys a 
 commanding situation at the base of the Cope de 
 Peroto, on undulating ground on the slope of the 
 so-called hill of Macuiltepec ; many of the streets
 
 THE VANILLA PLANT. 323 
 
 are therefore very steep, and the scenery, which is 
 really beautiful, is quite Alpine in character. 
 
 The low stone houses are perched on the hill- 
 sides, and the streets are irregular. This neigh- 
 borhood is said to produce the prettiest women 
 and the loveliest flowers to be found in all Mexico, 
 and it is certain that in its gardens may be gath- 
 ered the fruits and flowers of every zone. Among 
 other special products of this vicinity is the aro- 
 matic vanilla plant, which is indigenous here and 
 grows in wild abundance in the forests, proving a 
 great source of income to the industrious native 
 gatherers. The plant requires only shade and 
 moisture. The peculiar soil and climate do the 
 rest. The harvest is gathered in March and April. 
 The flowers of the vanilla are of a greenish yellow, 
 touched here and there with white. It has a 
 climbing stalk. The pods grow in pairs and are 
 about as large round as one's little finger, and six 
 inches long, though they vary, and the longer they 
 are the greater is considered their value. These 
 are green at first, gradually turning to yellow, and 
 then to brown, as they become fully ripe. They 
 are carefully dried in the sun, being touched dur- 
 ing the process with palm oil, which gives them a 
 soft, glossy effect when they reach the consumers' 
 hands. Chocolate perfumed with vanilla was a 
 Mexican dish which Montezuma placed before 
 Cortez. The quantity shipped from Jalapa is very 
 considerable in the aggregate, and proves an im- 
 portant source of revenue. We are told that the 
 vanilla was successfully cultivated here by the 
 Totonacs, ancient dwellers in this region, the aro-
 
 324 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 matic product being highly appreciated by the 
 Sybaritic Moutezuma and the Aztec nobles gen- 
 erally, and commanding even in those days a lib- 
 eral price. Humboldt speaks of "the vanilla, 
 whose odoriferous fruit is used as a perfume, grow- 
 ing in the ever-green forests of Papantla." Here 
 also are found ruins left by some forgotten race 
 who must have reached to a certain degree of high 
 civilization, judging by these interesting remains. 
 Of this land, lying far to the south of the Aztec 
 territory, and of its people, even tradition has 
 nothing to reveal to us. But its ruins are pre- 
 sumed to be contemporary with those better known 
 in Yucatan, which they resemble in many impor- 
 tant particulars. One other notable plant grows 
 wild hereabouts, less pleasing to the senses, but 
 well known as an important drug in our medical 
 practice, namely, jalap, which takes its name 
 from the locality, or the place is named after the 
 plant. 
 
 The atmosphere of Jalapa is always humid, and 
 the city is often overshadowed by clouds which 
 come up from the Gulf of Mexico, heavy with 
 moisture to be precipitated in the form of rain. 
 A sort of " drizzling " prevails most of the time, 
 like that which one encounters at Bergen, in Nor- 
 way, or at Sitka, Alaska. In the former place it 
 is said to rain eight days in the week. 
 
 The old convent of San Francisco, vast in ex- 
 tent and once equally so in influence, is an object 
 of considerable interest, situated in the centre of 
 the town. It is believed to have been erected by 
 Cortez, and was once occupied by a powerful com-
 
 THE UNIVERSAL TORTILLA. 325 
 
 munity of Franciscans. This was also the birth- 
 place of General Santa Anna, the most notorious 
 of Mexico's soldiers of fortune, and whose now 
 neglected hacienda is pointed out to the visitor. 
 In his checkered career Santa Anna was con- 
 stantly falling from position, but this was only the 
 prelude to his rising again and to a greater eleva- 
 tion, from which he was sure to be ignominiously 
 hurled. 
 
 Here the author had a first taste of the universal 
 tortilla, which is to the people of Mexico what 
 macaroni is to the lazzaroni of Naples, or bread 
 to a New Englander. It is made from Indian 
 corn, as already intimated, not ground in a mill to 
 the condition of meal, but after being soaked in the 
 kernel and softened by potash, it is rolled between 
 two stones, and water being added a paste or 
 dough is formed, which is manipulated between 
 the palms of the hands to a thin flat cake and 
 baked over a charcoal fire in an earthen brazier. 
 It is very palatable and nutritious to a hungry 
 person. Those who can afford to do so often mix 
 some appetizing ingredient with the simple cakes, 
 such as sweets, peppers, or chopped meats. The 
 scores of Indian women who come to market to 
 offer their grain, baskets, fruits, vegetables, and 
 flowers for sale, are wrapped in rebosas of various 
 colors, but are barefooted, bareheaded, and with 
 no covering on their arms or legs, forming striking 
 and characteristic groups. 
 
 Though the natives go about during the day 
 only half clad, both men and women exposing a 
 large portion of the bare body to the atmosphere, it
 
 326 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 was observed that as soon as the evening shadows 
 fell, both sexes protected their necks and shoul- 
 ders with wraps ; the men winding their woolen 
 serapes even over the lower part of their faces, 
 and the women covering theirs with the universal 
 rebosa. The change of temperature soon after 
 sunset and in the early mornings, as compared 
 with the rest of the day, is very decided through- 
 out Mexico. Foreigners who observe these native 
 precautions and follow them avoid taking colds, 
 while others, more heedless, are liable to pay the 
 penalty. 
 
 One peculiarity was observed at Jalapa. While 
 most of the Mexican women are quite dark-hued, 
 especially those from the rural districts and of 
 mixed blood, that is of Indian and Spanish de- 
 scent, yet a large number of those one meets in 
 Jalapa are decided blondes, having light hair with 
 blue eyes, and possessing as blooming complexions 
 as the orchids which so much abound in this dis- 
 trict. 
 
 There is a rage for caged singing birds in the 
 better class of houses, a perfect flood of melody 
 floating out of open windows and patios. The 
 birds are brilliant both in plumage and in song, a 
 combination not always found in the low latitudes. 
 As a rule, south of the equator, the gaudily-plumed 
 birds please the eye, and the plain ones delight the 
 ear. The Mexican parrots are the most voluble 
 to be found this side of southern Africa. It seems 
 that there are conventional rules relating to bird- 
 fancying here ; the middle and lower classes make 
 pets of the parrot tribe, while the more preten-
 
 A TRICKY BIRD MERCHANT. 327 
 
 tious people prefer mocking-birds, canaries, and 
 the favorite little clarin. Boys walk about the 
 streets of the national capital with a species of 
 small paroquet for sale, trained to run all over the 
 owner's arms, neck, and fingers, showing no in- 
 clination to seek liberty by flight. A lady stop- 
 ping at the Iturbide purchased a bird of many 
 colors, marvelous to look at, which she had been 
 assured by the itinerant vender would sing glo- 
 riously as soon as it became acquainted with its 
 new home. It was sufficiently curious, however, 
 because of its remarkably brilliant and queerly 
 disposed colors. After petting it for a few days 
 the new mistress gave the bird a warm bath, out 
 of which the little fellow came all of one hue, 
 namely a dark ash color. The deceitful bird mer- 
 chant had ingeniously painted him from the crown 
 of his head to the very tip of his tail feathers ! 
 
 Like all these Spanish cities, the windows of the 
 dwellings are secured by a screen of iron bars, and 
 many fronts where the house is of two stories in 
 height have also delightful little balconies, answer- 
 ing a Romeo and Juliet purpose, all courtship 
 being conducted here in a surreptitious manner. 
 A Mexican never goes about a courtship whereby 
 he hopes to win a wife in an open, straightfor- 
 ward manner. On the contrary, he forms cun- 
 ning schemes for meeting his fair inamorata, and 
 employs ingenious subterfuges to gain a stolen 
 interview. He tells his passion not in words, but 
 with profound sighs and significant glances, as 
 he passes her flower-decked balcony, while she, 
 although perfectly understanding his pantomime,
 
 328 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 assumes the most profound innocence and even in- 
 difference. This fires the suitor's ardor ; he bows 
 sadly when passing her balcony, with his right 
 hand pressed vehemently upon his left breast, 
 where a youthful lover's heart is popularly sup- 
 posed to be located. Finally, after a good deal of 
 pretentious pantomime, the fair senorita appears to 
 realize the purport of all this wooing, and seems 
 gradually to yield to his silent yet expressive im- 
 portunities. There is also a language of the fan, 
 of flowers, of the fingers, all of which are pressed 
 into the service of the amorous couple. We were 
 shown a small pocket manual printed in Spanish 
 and sold in the stores and upon the streets, con- 
 taining a printed code of the significance of certain 
 flowers, a " dumb alphabet " for the fingers, and 
 the meaning of the several motions of the ever-ready 
 fan which, like a gaudy butterfly, flits before the 
 face of beauty. There is the rapid flirt which 
 signifies scorn, another motion is the graceful wave 
 of confidence, an abrupt closing of the fan indi- 
 cates vexation, and the striking of it into the palm 
 of the hand expresses anger. The gradual open- 
 ing of its folds intimates reluctant forgiveness, and 
 so on. In short, the fan can be more eloquent than 
 words, if in the hands of a Mexican senorita, stim- 
 ulated by the watchful eyes and the adoration of 
 an ardent Romeo. But this is only preliminary. 
 All parents are presumed to be implacably and 
 absolutely opposed to all lovers' wishes, and great 
 diplomacy is consequently required. This ludi- 
 crous game often continues for a twelvemonth be- 
 fore anything is consummated. The charm of the
 
 FASCINATION OF JALAP A. 329 
 
 whole affair with these people consists in its secrecy 
 and difficulties either real or assumed. Lydia 
 Languish cared nothing for Beverly when all ob- 
 stacles to their union vanished ; opposition is the 
 spice of love. 
 
 A pleasant story is told of the attractiveness of 
 Jalapa. It seems that an old traveler came here 
 to pass a day, but was so fascinated with the 
 beauty of the place and its surroundings, the fra- 
 grance of its flowers, the beauty of its women, and 
 the salubrity of the climate, that he never left it 
 to the day of his death. Every nook and corner 
 has its charming bit of verdure, its plot of flowers, 
 its broad green banana leaves overhanging some 
 low, white wall, or a tall palm with its plume-like 
 top overshadowing a dainty balcony. One often 
 hears Jalapa spoken of among the Mexicans as a 
 bit of heaven dropped on earth. 
 
 The great shame and disgrace of Mexico has 
 been the prevalence of brigandage in the several 
 states of the republic, and even in the immediate 
 environs of the national capital. All the efforts 
 of the government for years have proved ineffec- 
 tual to suppress this lawlessness until very lately, 
 when, for reasons not very clear to a stranger, it 
 has seemed gradually to subside. Brigandage has 
 not only been a crying shame to the country, 
 but has paralyzed business, kept visitors away 
 from Mexico, and caused her to lose her national 
 credit both in Europe and America. People will 
 not invest money in great enterprises in regions 
 where the persons of their agents are not safe, 
 and where robbery and kidnapping are every-day
 
 330 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 occurrences. An intelligent native attempted to 
 convince the author that these highwaymen were 
 not composed of native Indians, half-breeds, or 
 Spaniards, but that they were mostly made up 
 from Italians and other Europeans who had been 
 induced to leave their own country for their coun- 
 try's good. Our credulity was not, however, equal 
 to this solution. Brigandage was long chronic 
 here, and the brigands were Mexicans. 
 
 When the French army was here, it is said that 
 General Bazaine had occasion to be in the city at 
 an opportune moment. Having heard by some 
 chance that the brigands had been very trouble- 
 some hereabouts, and also that they would prob- 
 ably stop the next mail coach on its way to Vera 
 Cruz, he resolved to give these outlaws a lesson 
 which they would not soon forget. When the ex- 
 pected coach arrived, and while the mules were 
 replaced by fresh ones, the general ordered the 
 passengers, some of whom were ladies, to remain 
 in the hotel, while he put ten of his most daring 
 Zouaves inside the coach to fill their places. These 
 men were specially instructed, and half of them 
 were disguised as women, the others having their 
 uniforms covered from sight. The driver was 
 sworn to secrecy under a threat of being shot if he 
 disobeyed orders, and was directed to go on his 
 way as usual. By-and-by, when the coach had 
 arrived at a certain point, the driver suddenly 
 drew up his horses, for he saw a row of muskets 
 in the hands of a dozen men ranged across the 
 road, pointing at him, and heard the usual order 
 to stop. A moment later the leader of these men
 
 13AZAINJE AND THE BRIGANDS. 331 
 
 came to the door of the coach, where he saw, ap- 
 parently, a lady, and in a peremptory voice or- 
 dered the passengers to get out upon the roadway. 
 The door being thrown open, the pseudo woman 
 who sat next to it was aided to descend to the 
 ground by the leader of the brigands on one side 
 and his lieutenant on the other. At the instant 
 this individual alighted, two simultaneous pistol- 
 shots were heard. The passenger standing be- 
 tween the two robbers had pressed the triggers 
 of two pistols, held one in his right and one in 
 left hand, quite unobserved. The leading brigand 
 together with his lieutenant fell dead upon the 
 road. In the mean time the opposite door of the 
 coach had been quickly opened, whence the other 
 nine Zouaves, trained athletes, sprang like cats to 
 the ground, each one selecting his foe among the 
 robbers, who, on their part, were taken so com- 
 pletely by surprise that they fired their muskets at 
 random, while the Zouaves with their keen sword 
 bayonets literally chopped them to pieces. There 
 were fourteen of these gentlemen of the road, only 
 one of whom escaped alive, and he was so severely 
 wounded that he bled to death in a native hut 
 among the hills. There was no more brigandage, 
 as the reader may well imagine, in the vicinity 
 where the French troops were stationed. 
 
 A small and rather peculiar party of Indians 
 was observed here, some special occasion having 
 lured them from their agricultural hamlet. They 
 were not attached to any hacienda, but lived in a 
 primitive manner, illustrating a communistic idea, 
 a practice, it appears, which is not uncommon
 
 332 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 among this class in some parts of the country. 
 Their cabins are of adobe. Indeed, wooden build- 
 ings are almost unknown, wood being seldom used, 
 even in the cities, for inside finish. These Indians 
 cultivate the land in common, and when the crop 
 is gathered, it is divided after recognized laws of 
 their own. Irrigation is the sole means of fertiliz- 
 ing, and it seems to be all the soil requires. They 
 plough with oxen, using a crooked stick, which 
 method, several times alluded to, is not so very 
 surprising when we remember that the Egyptian 
 fellah uses a similar instrument to-day, and irri- 
 gates the soil by means of buckets worked by 
 hand. The women of the group of whom we are 
 speaking were bareheaded, and wore their long, 
 straight, black hair in braids hanging down over 
 their naked shoulders, their arms being bare, and 
 also their legs to the knee. A loose cotton tunic 
 and short petticoat formed their dress. The men 
 wore straw hats with tall crowns, their broad brims 
 throwing their swarthy faces into deep shadow. 
 Unbleached cotton shirts and drawers of the same 
 reaching to the knees completed the costume. 
 Some wore leather sandals, but most were bare- 
 footed. There were a few children among them, 
 all slung to the mothers' backs, and quite naked. 
 
 Between the lofty peak of Orizaba and the Cofre 
 de Perote, there exists many traces of a very numer- 
 ous native population, who must have occupied the 
 country long previous to the advent of the Spanish 
 conquerors. Not even tradition tells us anything 
 about this locality, which is abundantly supplied 
 with water, is fertile to an extraordinary degree,
 
 A FORMER CIVILIZATION. 333 
 
 and possesses a healthy climate. That extensive 
 and intelligent cultivation of the soil was carried 
 on here at some period of the past is clearly shown 
 by numberless remains. The fact that oak trees 
 four feet in diameter are found growing over the 
 stone foundations of ruined dwellings proves that 
 many centuries have passed since the population 
 disappeared. The remains of the dwellings are all 
 of stone laid without mortar, arranged in streets, 
 or in groups. A series of pyramids of stone are 
 also found here, the largest of which is over fifty 
 feet in height, and the smallest not over ten or 
 twelve feet, the last seeming to have been designed 
 for tombs. Several of these have been opened and 
 found to contain skeletons and elaborately orna- 
 mented burial urns. The locality referred to is the 
 eastern slope of the sierra towards the coast be- 
 tween Orizaba and Jalapa. 
 
 Our next objective point is the city of Mexico, 
 to reach which from Jalapa we return to Vera 
 Cruz, though not necessarily, taking the railway 
 from the port through Orizaba and Puebla. As 
 we have been over this route with the reader, let 
 us pass on to places which we have not yet spoken 
 of. At the national capital we once more take 
 passage on the Mexican Central Railway north- 
 northwest to Guadalajara, the capital of the State 
 of Jalisco. This growing and prosperous city is 
 reached by a branch road from Irapuato, being 
 that which is designed ultimately to reach the Pa- 
 cific at San Bias. One hundred and sixty miles 
 of this branch road is completed. Guadalajara is 
 three hundred and eighty miles from the city of
 
 334 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Mexico, situated in a pleasant valley six thousand 
 feet above the sea, with a population of one hun- 
 dred thousand, stating it in round numbers. It 
 will be remembered that we are now on what is 
 called the Mexican plateau. The Indian name of 
 the valley is Alemaxac. As to temperature, we 
 found that the annual mean was 70 Fahr., but our 
 thermometer gave us 90 Fahr. nearly all the time 
 during our stay, and even at midnight it did not 
 fall below 82. A small river, San Juan de Dios, 
 runs through the town about its middle, in a 
 charmingly crooked fashion. In coming hither we 
 pass through the valley of the Rio Lerma, one of 
 the best developed regions as regards agriculture in 
 the entire republic. The route takes us through 
 some populous towns and many interesting vil- 
 lages, also near to the famous Lake Chapala, the 
 largest body of water in Mexico, sixty miles long 
 and over fifteen in width. 
 
 Guadalajara is one of the most progressive cities 
 in the country, and is the second in point of popu- 
 lation, supporting an admirable school system 
 worthy of all commendation. It has numerous 
 public squares, besides the Plaza Mayor and a fine 
 alameda. The plaza is about three hundred feet 
 long and of nearly the same width, one side occu- 
 pied by the cathedral, another by the state build- 
 ings, and on the two remaining sides is a line of 
 arches in which are some of the most attractive 
 stores of the town. A large number of the public 
 buildings are of modern construction, including the 
 governor's palace, the municipal palace, the mint, 
 and other edifices, all fronting, as usual, on the
 
 CATHEDRAL IN GUADALAJARA. 335 
 
 Plaza Mayor. The only Academy of Fine Arts in 
 the country, outside of the city of Mexico, is to be 
 found here, and it is in a highly flourishing condi- 
 tion, a large local interest being pledged to its sup- 
 port. It is somewhat difficult to decide in one's 
 own mind which of the two cities, Puebla or Gua- 
 dalajara, should rank next to the city of Mexico in 
 wealth, general interest, and commercial impor- 
 tance. Both are progressive capitals, remarkably 
 so for this country. 
 
 The grand cathedral was finished in 1618, hav- 
 ing a noble facade, a graceful dome, and two lofty 
 towers partly covered with enameled tiles. The 
 front is richly carved, and ornamented by fluted 
 pillars. The interior of the dome is as finely fres- 
 coed as the famous church of Burgos, in Spain, 
 or that of the church of St. John, in the island of 
 Malta. Of this latter church it strongly reminded 
 us. The great altar is finished in white and gold. 
 A narrow gallery of gilded metal runs around the 
 entire building on a level with the capitals of the 
 pillars which support the roof. It seems that dur- 
 ing religious services here a few years ago, two 
 of the organists were struck by lightning while 
 playing and instantly killed. The towers of the 
 cathedral show some evidence of having been dis- 
 turbed by an earthquake, which occurred in 1818. 
 There are thirty churches in all in Gaudalajara, 
 and, like the other public buildings, they are un- 
 usually fine. 
 
 This is quite an ancient city, having been 
 founded in 1541. Manufacturing is carried on to 
 a considerable extent; among the articles produced
 
 836 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 are fine pottery, cotton cloth, silk, rebosas, musical 
 instruments, and leather goods. The native In- 
 dian race hereabouts, and, indeed, in places further 
 south, are great adepts, as already explained, in 
 the manufacture of antiquities. We saw here 
 some remarkably fine examples of pottery, designed 
 and finished by native artists who had never en- 
 joyed an hour's instruction. It was the result of 
 an inborn artistic taste. The lace-like drawn- 
 work produced by the Indian women from fine 
 linen rivals the best work of the kind which comes 
 from South America, where the natives have long 
 been famous for fine work in this special line. 
 
 The Hospicio San Miguel de Belen is a very 
 comprehensive and well-conducted establishment, 
 containing a hospital proper, with male and female 
 wards, a lunatic asylum, and a primai'y school. 
 Other evidences of keeping pace with the times 
 were seen in the presence of the telephone, electric 
 lights, and a good system of tramways. The envi- 
 rons of the city are justly famous" for many beauti- 
 ful gardens and a grand paseo shaded by noble 
 trees, mostly elms, with broad, spreading limbs 
 and of great age. The Campo Santo is not unlike 
 that at Vera Cruz, the bodies being deposited in 
 niches built in the thick walls about the grounds. 
 Some of the monumental tombs are of a very im- 
 pressive and beautiful character. 
 
 Another remarkable and very interesting insti- 
 tution of this city is the Hospicio de Guadalajara, 
 situated on the eastern side of the small stream 
 which flows through the town. It is approached 
 by a wide, handsome avenue lined with orange-
 
 AN ADMIRABLE ASYLUM. 337 
 
 trees. The edifice covers eight acres, being con- 
 structed about numerous open ai'eas which are 
 utilized as gardens, devoted to raising flowers and 
 fruits, each also ornamented by a cheerful foun- 
 tain. There are over twenty of these courts within 
 the grounds, from which broad, high corridors 
 open, which traverse the several departments of 
 the institution. Mangoes, oranges, and bananas 
 thrive on the trees in these patios, and such an 
 abundance of red and white roses, in such mam- 
 moth sizes, we have rarely seen. The sister who 
 acted as our guide through the spacious edifice in- 
 sisted upon plucking them freely and presenting 
 them to the ladies of the party. There is a spa- 
 cious and fine chapel within the group of build- 
 ings, as capacious as an ordinary church. Its 
 lofty dome is beautifully frescoed, and many fine 
 oil paintings adorn the walls. Hundreds of chil- 
 dren, ranging from babyhood to twelve years, were 
 seen in the various departments, where everything 
 was scrupulously neat and clean. This admirable 
 Hospicio is used as an asylum for foundlings, a 
 home for the blind, and also for the deaf and 
 dumb, besides which there is here provided a 
 home for the infirm who are unable to support 
 themselves. This very worthy institution presents 
 an imposing appearance, with its lofty dome and 
 pillared portico facing the broad, tree-lined avenue 
 which leads up to its spacious doors. 
 
 There is a bull-ring and two theatres here. The 
 favorite promenade is the paseo, which runs for 
 over a mile within the city proper, terminating at 
 the alamcda. Gambling, next to the bull-fight, is
 
 338 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 the average Mexican's delight, and just outside the 
 thoroughfare of the alameda all sorts of games of 
 chance prevail. As government legalizes the lot- 
 tery-ticket business, it opens the door for much 
 gambling. Ten per cent, of the gross receipts of 
 all lottery enterprises goes into the national treas- 
 ury. Even blind men were seen selling lottery 
 tickets, and when it was suggested that they were 
 liable to be cheated by unscrupulous purchasers, 
 the reply was that such an act would surely bring 
 ill luck, and no ticket bought under such circum- 
 stances could possibly draw a prize ! This was 
 repeated to us as being the sentiment governing 
 the throng of humble purchasers. The Mexicans 
 of the lower class are very superstitious, and will 
 often pay a young and innocent child a trifle to 
 select a ticket for them, believing that good luck 
 may thus be secured. 
 
 A short trip by tramway will take the traveler 
 to the suburb of San Pedro, where the native In- 
 dians produce a species of pottery which is both 
 curious and artistic, each one working indepen- 
 dently in his adobe cabin. One often detects an 
 article which genius alone could originate and pro- 
 duce. The work is done solely by hand, the work- 
 men employing only the most primitive methods. 
 Some of the vases and jars are identical with those 
 one finds in Egypt, finely glazed, and enameled in 
 colors which are burned in by the maker. These 
 wares are so well appreciated by strangers that 
 the peons realize good prices for their skill ; and 
 travelers take home with them mementoes worthy 
 of being- placed in the best collections of pottery.
 
 EVENING OF GOOD FEIDAY. 339 
 
 On the evening of Good Friday the spacious 
 plaza of Guadalajara was thronged with the citi- 
 zens, men and women, peons as well as the better 
 classes, the former scrupulously keeping within 
 certain limits, while the ladies and gentlemen 
 promenaded upon the broad path encircling the 
 plaza, beneath the shade of orange-trees and amid 
 a rose-scented atmosphere. The moon was near 
 its full, but the electric lamps rivaled its serene 
 bi-illiancy, and the stars were outshone. When 
 the hands on the illumined clock over the gov- 
 ernor's palace pointed to half-past eight, the mili- 
 tary band, placed in the central pagoda, with sol- 
 dierly promptness struck up a grand and elaborate 
 anthem. The thirty performers were skillful mu- 
 sicians, and the effect was admirable. They were 
 all swarthy natives, descendants of the Aztecs, but 
 fully able to compete with the average French, 
 German, or American musicians. The throng 
 passed and repassed each other on the gayly 
 lighted paths, or seated themselves in a broad cir- 
 cle about the plaza. Merry children, nicely 
 dressed, romped hither and thither, now and again 
 coming up pleasantly to greet the strangers, and 
 making the most of the few words of English at 
 their command, while the big fountain kept up its 
 delightfully-cooling notes, heard in the intervals of 
 the music. There were thousands of natives and 
 foreigners promenading hither and thither about 
 the great square and in the plaza, forming a gay 
 and impressive scene until nearly midnight. There 
 is a holiday gayety about life in this southern 
 clime which is quite infectious.
 
 340 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 The fascination of the scene ; the delights of a 
 land of perpetual sunshine ; the charming surface 
 aspect of everything- : the rank, luxuriant vegeta- 
 tion ; the perfume of flowers mingling with the 
 delightful music that floated upon the air in such 
 an hour as we have described, all these did not 
 blind the moral sense, though for the moment the 
 physical powers were led captive. One pauses to 
 review the aimless lives of these indolent but beau- 
 tiful women, and the useless career of the men 
 who form the upper class. It is natural to con- 
 trast the lives of such with that of the abject poor, 
 the half-starved, half-naked masses who hung about 
 the outer lines of the assembled throng on the 
 plaza ; men and women living a mere animal ex- 
 istence, and yet who represented such grand and 
 noble possibilities. Ah ! the puzzle of it all ! 
 Who can solve the riddle? Lazarus and Dives 
 jostle each other not alone in Guadalajara, but all 
 over the world. 
 
 In this city, on the Saturday following Good 
 Friday, occurred what is here termed "Judas 
 Iscariot Day," when the concentrated vengeance 
 of the Christian world is supposed to be visited 
 upon the vile betrayer of his Master. The whole 
 object of the occasion is to Leap contumely, deri- 
 sion, and dishonor upon the name of Judas. Ex- 
 tensive preparations are made a week or more 
 before the special day. The town presented an 
 appearance similar to the Fourth of July in the 
 United States. The streets were full of temporary 
 booths, and all the inhabitants were out of doors. 
 Figures twelve or fifteen inches long, made of
 
 JUDAS ISCAEIOT DAY. 341 
 
 paper, rags, or other combustible material, in va- 
 rious colors, representing Judas, and stuffed with 
 firecrackers and powder, were sold to men and 
 boys, to be fired at the proper time. Some of 
 these figures were of life size, containing rockets 
 and blue lights. Judas was represented with folded 
 hands, arms akimbo, with legs in a running pos- 
 ture, and, in short, in every conceivable attitude. 
 Some of the larger figures bore mottoes about 
 their necks in Spanish, such as " I am a scion of 
 the Devil;" another, "I am about to die for my 
 treachery ; " and a third, " I have no friends, and 
 deserve none," " Let me give up the ghost," etc. 
 Hundreds of these toy figures were tied to a rope, 
 and hung across the thoroughfares at the height of 
 the second story, reaching from one balcony to an- 
 other. Small pyramids were raised for them and 
 of them in the open squares. People carried hoops 
 of Judases elevated on the top of a long pole. 
 Some men had a single large figure with the con- 
 ventional Judas face dressed in harlequin colors. 
 Everybody on the streets had at least one .toy 
 Judas, and some had a dozen. 
 
 Finally, at ten o'clock on the forenoon of Judas 
 day, the great bell of the cathedral sounds, a score 
 of other church bells follow suit, and the matches 
 are applied to the fuses with which each emblem- 
 atic figure is supplied. Young Mexico is almost 
 crazed. Old Mexico approves and participates. 
 Everybody is elated to the highest point. Side- 
 walks and balconies are crowded with both sexes. 
 Senoras and seiloritas are hilarious, and little 
 children clap their hands. The noise of the bells
 
 342 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 is great, that of firecrackers, rockets, and fuses is 
 greater, and the shouts of the excited multitude 
 who swarm about the Plaza Mayor is the greatest 
 of all. People become mentally intoxicated with 
 intense excitement. The large Judases in explod- 
 ing go to pieces, first losing one arm, then a leg, 
 followed by another arm, until at last the body 
 bursts into fragments, at which one universal shout 
 rends the air. The small Judases keep up their 
 snapping and explosions for an hour or more. At 
 last Judas is utterly demolished, literally done for. 
 Then the bells cease ringing, and the overwrought 
 people gradually subside. The whole is a queer, 
 strange piece of ludicrous mockery, ending as a 
 good-natured annual frolic.
 
 CHAPTER XYIII. 
 
 Santa Rosalia. Mineral Springs. Chihuahua. A Peculiar 
 City. Cathedral. Expensive Bells. Aqueduct. Ala- 
 meda. Hidalgo's Prison and his Fate. Eulalia. A Large 
 State. A Grand Avenue of Trees. Local Artists. Gro- 
 tesque Signs. Influence of Proximity to the United States. 
 Native Villages. Dangerous Sand-Spouts. Reflections on 
 Approaching the Frontier. Pleasant Pictures photographed 
 upon the Memory. Juarez, the Border Town of Mexico. 
 City of El Paso, Texas. Railroad Interests. Crossing the 
 Rio Grande. Greeted by the Stars and Stripes. 
 
 SANTA ROSALIA is a quiet, quaint old place, 
 with six or seven thousand inhabitants ; but, be- 
 ing on the direct line of the Mexican Central Rail- 
 road, it is sure to rapidly increase in numbers and 
 in material prosperity. Though it is now scarcely 
 more than a country village, still it has its plaza 
 and its alameda, in the former of which a military 
 band performs two evenings in each week. A 
 couple of small but most valuable rivers, the Rio 
 Conchos and the Rio Florido, flank the town and 
 afford excellent means for irrigation, which are 
 improved to the utmost, the effects of which are 
 clearly visible to the most casual observer, in the 
 delightful verdure and the promise of teeming crops. 
 The place has a most equable climate, for which 
 reason many northern invalids suffering from pul- 
 monary troubles have come hither annually. A 
 few miles west of Santa Rosalia are mineral springs
 
 344 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 believed to possess great curative properties, espe- 
 cially in diseases of a rheumatic type. There are 
 yet no comfortable accommodations for invalids, 
 but we were told that it was contemplated to build 
 a moderate cost hotel at this point. The ruins of 
 the fort captured by the American army on its 
 way to join General Taylor are seen near Santa 
 Rosalia. 
 
 Still pursuing our northward course, bearing a 
 little westerly, over an immense desert tract so 
 devoid of water that the railway train is obliged 
 to transport large cisterns on freight cars to supply 
 the necessary article for the use of its locomotive, 
 we finally reach Chihuahua, pronounced Chee- 
 waw-waw, capital of the state of the same name. 
 One would think this immediate region must be 
 well watered, as we cross several rivers while in 
 the state. Among them the Florido, at Jimenez ; 
 the Coucho, just north of Santa Rosalia; the San 
 Pedro, at Ortiz, and the Chubisca, near to the 
 city of Chihuahua. This name is aboriginal, and 
 signifies " The place where things are made." It 
 was founded in 1539, and lies upon a wide, open 
 plain at the base of the Sierra Madre, whose undu- 
 lating heights are exquisitely outlined in various 
 hues against the sky, and beneath whose surfaces 
 are hidden rich veins of iron, copper, and silver. 
 The valley extends towards the north as far as the 
 eye can reach. It is looking southward that we 
 see the disordered ranks of the mountain range. 
 When we first came upon the town, it rested be- 
 neath a cloudless sky, bathed in a flood of warm, 
 bright sunlight. We were told that these are the
 
 CHIHUAHUA. 345 
 
 prevailing conditions for seven months of the year. 
 This is on the main line of the Mexican Central 
 Railroad, a thousand miles, more or less, north of 
 the city of Mexico, and has a population of about 
 eighteen or twenty thousand ; but, like most of the 
 Mexican cities, it once contained a much larger 
 number of inhabitants than it can boast of to-day. 
 It will be remembered that the American forcss, 
 in the year 1847, advanced upon and took posses- 
 sion of the city after the battle of Sacramento, 
 which occurred February 28 of that year. This 
 was the force commanded by Colonel Doniphan, 
 and from here it made the celebrated march south- 
 ward, forming a junction with the division of Gen- 
 eral Taylor. 
 
 The city presents a pleasing and thrifty aspect, 
 though most of the houses are but one story in 
 height and constructed of adobe, with low, flat 
 roofs, very much like an Egyptian town, a 
 comparison which is constantly occurring to us in 
 Mexico. The patios of the better class of houses 
 are ornamented with flowering plants, and pets of 
 all sorts, especially birds, are numerous, the favor- 
 ite species being the mocking-bird. One patio 
 we noticed full to repletion of tame pigeons, blue, 
 black, white, and mottled fan tails. The state and 
 government buildings, the mint with its low, square 
 tower, and a few other edifices arc large and hand- 
 some stmctures. In the tower of the mint the 
 patriot Hidalgo was confined, with three of his 
 comrades, previous to their execution. They were 
 shot here July 31, 1811. In the Plaza do Armas 
 there stands a fine monument to the memory of
 
 346 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 Hidalgo. The cathedral, the shell of which cost 
 over eight hundred thousand dollars, stands on one 
 side of the plaza, an area ornamented as usual 
 with beautiful trees and flowers, together with a 
 large fountain in the centre, about which are wind- 
 ing paths, and benches whereon to enjoy the shade. 
 This is a delightful resort in the evening, when 
 the music-loving populace are regaled with the ad- 
 mirable performance of a Mexican military band 
 three or four times a week. The cathedral is of 
 the Moorish and Gothic orders combined, and it 
 has considerable architectural merit, bearing upon 
 its rather crudely ornamented front thirteen stat- 
 ues, representing San Francisco and the twelve 
 apostles. The interior was found to contain some 
 interesting and valuable oil-paintings, though we 
 saw them in an extremely bad light. The towers 
 of this cathedral are remarkable for a costly col- 
 lection of bells, and the interior of the church for 
 a series of magnificent carvings. One of these 
 bells is pointed out to the visitor as having been 
 broken by a cannon-ball during the bombardment 
 of the town by the French in 1866. The other 
 sides of the plaza are bordered by the state build- 
 ings and the best stores of the town. 
 
 The gray, crumbling line of an arched stone 
 aqueduct, built long ago to supply the town with 
 water, forms a picturesque feature of the environs. 
 There is an admirably kept alameda for public 
 enjoyment, divided by four rows of ancient cotton- 
 wood-trees, some of which are five feet in diameter. 
 The Rio Chubisca flows through the city. Crops 
 are raised solely by liberal irrigation ; water is the
 
 SILVER MINES OF EULALIA. 347 
 
 one thing most needed on this high, flat land. Some 
 of the finest grapes in Mexico are raised in great 
 abundance here, and are shipped both to the south 
 and across the border into our own country. A 
 very large share of the republic, with its volcanic 
 soil, is admirably adapted to this industry. Fif- 
 teen miles from Chihuahua are the rich silver 
 mines of Eulalia. The road thither is a rough 
 one, but many persons enjoy the excursion, over 
 what at first sight seems to be a plain of lava, 
 though as there is no volcano visible, one is a little 
 at fault in divining from whence it came. We were 
 told finally that it was slag from the workings of 
 the mines at Eulalia, and that more modern pro- 
 cesses of disintegration and amalgamation might 
 extract good pay in silver from these " tailings," 
 now spread broadcast for many miles on the sur" 
 face of the plain. Santa Eulalia is a rude hamlet 
 lying among the mountains, with a very humble 
 mining population and a small stone church. 
 There are over two hundred mines in and about 
 these hills, all of which have been worked more or 
 less successfully. 
 
 This state, by the way, is the largest in the re- 
 public, being about the size of New York and 
 Pennsylvania combined. To be exact, the state is 
 four hundred and thirty miles long from north to 
 south, and three hundred, thirty-seven miles wide, 
 It is famous for its many sheep and cattle ranches, 
 affording, as it does, great advantages for stock- 
 raising. Large herds are driven over the borders 
 into our own country every season, and sold to 
 American herdsmen, to be driven still further
 
 348 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 north and fattened for the eastern and northern 
 markets. There is a quaint, oriental aspect about, 
 the adobe-built town which would prove very at- 
 tractive to an artist's eye. One tree-embowered 
 roadway attracted our attention, which so strik- 
 ingly resembled the Beacon Street Mall in Boston 
 as to call forth remarks to that effect from more 
 than one of our party. It is known as the Calle de 
 Guadalupe. The deep shadow of the long gothic 
 arch, formed by the entwined branches, was exqui- 
 site in effect. In the busy portion of the town, 
 groups of Indians, wrapped in bright-colored blan- 
 kets, added variety to the scene. 
 
 Wood carvings and wax figures from the hands 
 of intelligent native artists, for artists they are 
 come so near to one's ideas of perfection as to 
 be a surprise. This artistic genius was also ob- 
 served among the humbler classes further south, 
 and is by no means confined to the neighborhood 
 of Chihuahua. After a few moments of watchful 
 observation of even a stranger, some of these In- 
 dians will retire, and in an almost incredibly brief 
 space of time will return with an excellent likeness 
 of the individual whom they design to represent, 
 not merely as regards his ordinary physique, but 
 in facial expression. Practice has made them quite 
 perfect in this impromptu modeling. Chihuahua, 
 if we may credit the historians, as well as judge by 
 the remains, once had a population of two hundred 
 thousand. 
 
 A singular and most disagreeable custom was 
 observed here which prevails in some other Mexi- 
 can cities : that of placing fantastic signs, painted
 
 MODERN BUILDINGS. 349 
 
 in gigantic size, on the outside of shops. These 
 are grotesque representations of the business car- 
 ried on within. It would seem as though the ob- 
 ject was to ridicule the proprietor's occupation by 
 the vulgarity of these signs. Be this as it may, 
 the inevitable half dozen pulque drinkers lean upon 
 the counter all the while, absorbing the liquid 
 which brings insensibility. As they drop off one 
 by one, their places are taken by others, who are 
 promptly supplied by the plethoric bar-tender. In 
 the plaza peons were offering for sale a very small 
 species of dog indigenous to this district, tiny crea- 
 tures, peculiarly marked and evidently stunted by 
 some artificial means. However, some of our party 
 were captivated, and became purchasers of the 
 delicate little tremulous creatures. Considerable 
 building was observed to be in progress here, not 
 structures of adobe, but fine stone edifices, of an 
 attractive and modern style of architecture, three 
 stories in height. One of these was designed for 
 a hotel, and would be an ornament to any city. 
 
 Though Chihuahua is two hundred and twenty- 
 five miles south of the Rio Grande, still it shows 
 many signs of its proximity to this country. Such 
 buildings as we have just referred to would not be 
 thought of in middle or southern Mexico. Amer- 
 ican fashions in many things are obvious ; a large 
 portion of the population speak English ; the faces 
 of the common people evince more intelligence : and 
 the masses are better clothed than they are a little 
 further south. We found that free schools were 
 established and other matters of higher civilization 
 were in progress. Many of the customs prevailing 
 
 I
 
 350 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 north of the national boundary line have been 
 adopted here. The universal burro of Mexico 
 begins to disappear, and strong, shapely mules and 
 large horses take his place. Beggars are few and 
 far between. 
 
 There is very little of interest to engage the 
 traveler's attention on the route of the Mexican 
 Central Railroad between Chihuahua and Juarez, 
 formerly known* as Paso del Norte. The country 
 is quite sterile, varied by occasional long, tedious 
 reaches of cactus and mesquite bushes, or a few cot- 
 ton wood -trees wherever a water-course is found. 
 The mesquite grows to the height of ten or twelve 
 feet. The seeds are contained in a small pod, and 
 are used by the natives to make a sort of bread 
 which is sweet to the taste. The wood is extremely 
 hard and heavy. At long distances apart a native 
 village comes into view, composed of low, square, 
 adobe cabins. The treeless character of this sec- 
 tion of country is not without a depressing influ- 
 ence, while the want of water is only too manifest 
 everywhere. Sometimes one sees for hours a fairly 
 good grazing country, and, where water is avail- 
 able, some cereals are raised. Corn, wheat, and 
 barley occasionally form broad expanses of delight- 
 ful green. Still, only the most primitive means of 
 agriculture are in use, reminding the observer of 
 the unfulfilled possibilities of the really capable 
 soil. Where these fertile districts are seen, the 
 results are brought about by the same irrigating 
 ditches that the aborigines used more than three 
 hundred years ago. The touch of moisture is like 
 the enchanter's wand. In California, water is con-
 
 SAND-SPOUTS. 351 
 
 veyed thirty, forty, and even fifty miles, by means 
 of ditch and flume ; here the sources of supply are 
 not usually half the first-named distance away. 
 Grapes are grown, as at Chihuahua, in great abun- 
 dance, the soil seeming to be particularly adapted 
 to their cultivation. Many tons of the big purple 
 fruit are regularly converted into wines of different 
 brands, said to be fully equal to the product of 
 California. 
 
 As the sea has its water-spouts, so the land has 
 its sand-spouts, whereby the whirlwinds, forming 
 on and sweeping over the barren plains, gather up 
 the soil and rush circling along with it for miles, 
 sustaining the mass in the air, two hundred feet 
 or more in height. This phenomenon was often 
 observed while traveling on the Mexican plateau. 
 Sometimes, as has already been said, half a dozen 
 were seen at a time. Between Chihuahua and 
 Juarez they were again observed. The course of 
 these dusty pillars of sand was generally towards 
 the foothills of the high ranges. The moment 
 any large obstacle is encountered, as is the case 
 with a water-spout at sea, they are at once broken 
 and disappear. Any ordinary cabin or other frail 
 building which is struck by a sand-spout is pretty 
 sure to be demolished. This might not always 
 follow, as they move with different degrees of 
 force, some being vastly more powerful than 
 others. Trees are not infrequently broken and 
 destroyed by them. We were told that horses and 
 cattle exposed upon the plain were sometimes taken 
 up in the suction of air caused by their progress, 
 carried a hundred rods or more, and then dropped
 
 352 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 to the ground lifeless. Other stories were heard 
 of the erratic performances of sand-spouts on the 
 Mexican plateau, but they were of a nature requir- 
 ing too much credulity for us to repeat them in 
 these pages. 
 
 As one approaches the frontier, a feeling of re- 
 gret steals over the traveler that he is hourly leav- 
 ing behind him a country in which so much delight 
 has been briefly experienced. That discomforts 
 have been encountered is very true, withering 
 heat, dust, fatigue, and indifferent food, but these 
 quickly fade into mere shadows. Not the pains, 
 but the pleasures, of such a journey remain indel- 
 ibly fixed in the memory. No cunningly painted 
 canvas is so retentive as the active brain. While 
 we roll over the broad cactus plains, closing the 
 eyes in thought, a panorama moves before us, de- 
 picting vivid tableaux from our two months' ex- 
 perience in Aztec Land. We listen in imagina- 
 tion at the sunset hour to distant vesper bells, 
 floating softly over the hills, and see the bowed 
 heads and folded hands of the peons. Once more 
 we gaze delighted upon lovely valleys, dark shad- 
 owy gorges, far-reaching plains of cacti and yucca 
 palms, bordered by lofty, snow-tipped mountains ; 
 we see again the exuberant fruitfulness of the 
 tropics, and the loveliness of the floral kingdom in 
 this land of the sun ; once more we stroll through 
 the dimly lighted aisles of grand cathedrals, lis- 
 tening to the solemn chant of human voices, and the 
 organ's deep reverberating tones ; or view again 
 the suggestive ruins of a vanished race. Groups 
 of the native population in many colors, long lines
 
 JUAREZ. 353 
 
 of heavily - laden burros, clashing caballeros and 
 lovely senoritas, pass in turn before the mind's 
 eye. Now a grand comprehensive scene comes 
 before us, a view from the battlements of Chapul- 
 tepec, from the hill of Guadulupe, or the Pyramid 
 of Cholula, and, above all, that presented from 
 the towers of the superb cathedral of Mexico. 
 This is not an enchanting dream, but the exqui- 
 site photography of memory, a store of glowing 
 pictures for future mental enjoyment. It is such 
 experiences and memories which render us never 
 less alone than when alone. 
 
 Juarez is the northern end of the great railway 
 line, the border town between Mexico and the 
 United States, where we cross the Rio Grande to 
 enter the city of El Paso, Texas, a town which 
 promises in due course to become a grand com- 
 mercial centre. At the present time the most 
 remunerative business of the thrifty but ugly look- 
 ing place, seems to be that of smuggling, which is 
 carried on with a large degree of enterprise by the 
 people of both nationalities. This arises from the 
 excessive duties put on both the necessities and 
 luxuries of life by the Mexican tariff. Juarez is 
 an old settlement, dating from 1585, and is situated 
 three thousand eight hundred feet above the sea. 
 It is subject to great extremes of heat and cold, the 
 thermometer showing 105 Fahr. at times in July, 
 and 5 below zero in January. Snow falls here 
 occasionally to the depth of two feet, while the Rio 
 Grande freezes hard enough to bear heavily laden 
 mule wagons. It is difficult for the place to cast 
 off its former name, El Paso del Norte (Passage
 
 354 AZTEC LAND. 
 
 of the North), so called because of the ford on 
 the river and the pass which nature here con- 
 structed between the mountains. The town ex- 
 tends along the west bank of the river some three 
 miles, and back from it about one mile. The Rio 
 Grande water is passable for drinking purposes, 
 and good for general use, though it is somewhat 
 impregnated with alkali. 
 
 Juarez possesses many fine old trees and much 
 attractive verdure. It has numerous modern and 
 handsome edifices, and the place is sure eventually 
 to be a large distributing railway centre. The 
 Southern Pacific Company's line, the Atchison, 
 Topeka and Santa Fe, the Mexican Central, and 
 the Texas Pacific railways all diverge from this 
 point. There is an ancient stone church here 
 which will be sure to interest the stranger, dark 
 and gloomy within, but full of votive contribu- 
 tions and quaint belongings, recalling the chapel of 
 Notre Dame de la Garde on the hill which over- 
 looks Marseilles, where the Mediterranean seamen 
 have deposited so many marine toys, images, and 
 curiosities. 
 
 At Juarez the narrow, shallow Rio Grande, 
 with its bare quicksands, was once more crossed, 
 and the Texas city of El Paso, shadeless and ver- 
 dureless, was reached. Its population is what 
 would be expected in a frontier town of this 
 region, while an air of crudeness permeates every- 
 thing. As the vestibule train which had been our 
 home for the past two months crossed the iron 
 bridge, and as we came once more on to the soil of 
 our own country, the American flag on the custom-
 
 UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES. 855 
 
 house station was clipped three times in acknow- 
 ledgment of our hearty cheers, and to welcome 
 the party on its successful return from a long, 
 but delightful journey through the states of the 
 Mexican republic.
 
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