 Section 1 of Travels to Oaxaca. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sue Anderson. Travels to Oaxaca, capital of the province of the same name in the kingdom of Mexico. By Miser Nicolas Joseph Thierry de Menonville, advocate to parliament and botanist to the king. An anonymous translation from the French. Section 1. After communicating to the minister of his majesty at the head of the naval department, the plan I had laid of naturalizing the nopal and cochineal insect in the French colonies and receiving with his approbation of my design the means requisite for ensuring its success, I made all diligence to put this plan in practice. In this view, I embarked for Port-au-Prince and arrived there after a passage equally tedious and fatiguing of 66 days. When I was tired and disgusted with the sea, I determined on enjoying ease for the space of a month or two on shore. A relaxation for which length of time appeared to me necessary towards my becoming acquainted with the mode to be adopted for penetrating into the interior of the Spanish territory bordering on that belonging to France whence I expected to find a more ready conveyance to Vera Cruz or to Honduras. Already I had formed schemes for proceeding to Santa Domingo or at any rate for seeking at the Cape an opportunity of reaching Havana by the vessels of the Asiento Company which passed between that place and the Cape in the traffic for slaves. But I could not disguise for myself that either of these two plans was attended with inconvenience. In the first place, I might experience a tedious delay by waiting at the Cape till a vessel should sail for the Havana. On the other hand, a journey to Santa Domingo would present many difficulties to an individual unacquainted either with the roads or the usages of the inhabitants and naturally alarmed by the accounts he received of the little intercourse subsisting between the colonists of the two nations. I was still wavering in opinion respecting the most prudent plan to adopt when by one of those fortunate events which occasionally in my travels I was so happy to experience I was relieved from all perplexity. I learned that a merchant of Port-au-Prince was about to dispatch a brigantine to Havana for the purpose of recovering the cargo of a vessel which had been wrecked in its vicinity. Instantly altogether mindless of the comforts I began to enjoy in a country which I had so ardently desired to see disregarding the want even which I physically experienced of some repose I resolved to avail myself of this opportunity. Repairing therefore to the intendant of the colony I obtained from him a passport in which I was designated botanist and physician. This latter title to which I had just pretensions possessing a diploma for the practice of physics I conceived would enable me to travel with additional pleasantness and render me less suspected than I might otherwise be in my incursion into New Spain. To conclude I received in lieu of six thousand leavers promised me by the minister of the navy no more than four thousand a circumstance occasioned by the deficiency of money in the treasury. However small this sum I refrained from all contentions in the matter I was indeed far more fearful of not undertaking the voyage than of the want of comforts to which I might be exposed. Nay, after a nice computation of the amount I might need I decided on carrying with me no more than two thousand leavers nor let my decision be charged with arising from a sordid parsimony. It was not for my individual benefit I thus made a retrenchment from the expense incident on an undertaking of such importance and resolved on submitting to every sacrifice to ensure its completion. No, by thus acting I preserved a resource in case of the failure of my first attempts. Eventually I might meet with opposition to my views at the Havana and waste their much time and money in which case I should have means left for trying other expedience seeing that Porto Bello, Cartagena, and St. Thomas de Honduras were so many other roads I might attempt with prospect of success. Indeed I computed on no other heavy expenses than those which the different charges for passage would occasion as I made up my mind beforehand to subsist on bread and water on my journey. Supported by the pleasing reflection that should I meet with shipwreck I yet had two planks remaining, one in the hands of a tosty friend and the other in the royal treasury. My preparations were simply and speedily affected, a few clothes, some fruit and other refreshments but especially a number of vials, flasks, cases and boxes of all sizes comprised the whole of my little cargo. I embarked on the 21st January 1777 on board the Brigantine Dauphin pierced for sixteen guns and an excellent sailor. At ten p.m. we wade anchor and by eight the next morning under favor of a breeze from the east were a breast of the point of Gonaev. We steered on different tacks the whole of the 22nd in the channel of Gonaev. By eight p.m. we were under Mount Louis and attempted to double the point of St. Mark. The wind blew from the northeast and enabled us to affect this object in course of the night which was remarkably fine. A meteor resembling an arrow of fire shot horizontally from east to west through the atmosphere at an elevation of eight hundred twas five thousand feet its course marked by a broad train of light. By morning on the 23rd we had passed Point St. Mark and distinguished the Bay of Gonaev and the Tabla of St. Nicholas Moel. At noon we perceived from one point Gonaev, Point Maici in the island of Cuba and the Crazy Cape, Cape Afou of St. Nicholas Moel. The shores of Cuba on this eastern side seemed to me of equal elevation with those of Santo Domingo. The 24th at ten in the morning I observed two very light and broken clouds resembling reeds spreading through the space of a league and crossing each other at obtuse angles whence I conjectured that in the upper regions of air two very different currents existed of which by obtaining predominance over the other would necessarily cause the wind to change which at that period filled our sails. This day we coasted along the whole of the southeastern shores of the island Cuba in length at least 30 leagues. The lands in this part are so high that during almost the whole day the clouds floated below the summit of the mountains. The coast very lofty towards the east becomes insensibly less steep as you proceed southwest until at length it sinks into a low shore. At Cape Cruz the country has a barren appearance. The mountains are steep and craggy with many black rocks which project considerably and there is no appearance either of cultivation or inhabitants. We were but four leagues off this coast and distinguished at the time that of Jamaica. When the moon rose we noticed a repetition of the phenomenon of the crossing clouds. On the 25th a moderate wind assisted by the currents carried us out of sight of the shores of Cuba. We caught a fish two feet long weighing six pounds and beautifully marked blackish vertical stripes. At 8 p.m. the wind freshened to that degree we were obliged to lower our main top gallons take in our sweeps and reef our top sails. The sea ran high and the vessel pitched terribly. Fortunately the moon now at her full afforded us a welcome light. The wind during the 26th still continued violent with a heavy sea but this gradually became more calm as the wind which was from the northeast abated of its force. The wind continued on our quarter during the remainder of the day so that we made nine knots an hour. At noon we discovered the island of Caymans very low almost covered by the sea and apparently four leagues distant. We're now on the parallel of the Jardín de la Reina expecting on the morrow to see the island of pozzles of wells. At 8 we caught a caranc, a kind of perch. The evening was serene. The wind abaffed from the west. At 8 o'clock more than 500 porpoises were seen frolicking before us in the water. Of these one was taken five feet long this which was a female I dissected and described. At 3 p.m. on the 27th we perceived el Jardín de la Reina, low islands adjacent to that of pines. We therefore had made a progress of 60 leagues from yesterday. The whole night we had fair weather with a good breeze but as all the currents off this coast run towards the shore we were under necessity of steering southwest till daybreak with little sail out. On the 28th we again steered northwest. By 8 in the morning we made the island of pines. This is a very long island. On it are three mountains and a flat country covered with lofty trees and seemingly adapted to cultivation. At 3 p.m. we distinguished the eastern Cape preceded by a chain of mountains some of them separate from the others. This Cape consists of low lands which stretch into the sea the distance of six leagues. We made off here ten knots an hour with a brisk gale from the north northeast. In the evening we distinguished Cape St. Antonio but as there are breakers four leagues out at sea we dared not venture to double it during the night. We therefore steered with little sail till 11 at night baking frequent tax. But the man at the helm being overcome with sleep by 2 a.m. we found ourselves steering for land a league only ahead. Immediately we changed our tack and backed sails. At 5 a.m. we resumed our course and doubled the Cape at a league distant. The low lands of this Cape appear fertile being covered with large and beautiful trees. At 11 o'clock we were near the shallows on which we perceived the vessel whose cargo we came to demand. These shallows abound in little islets and extend from seven to eight leagues out to sea in a direction north and south. The water above them is of an emerald green, brilliant and pollucid when looked at in a glass. The color of the surrounding sea is a deep blue. The greatest depth of water in this bank does not exceed eight feet so that not the smallest craft dare venture to cross it at right angles. When upon the skirts of this shallow we saw distinctly the bottom, veined black and white, though there was fifteen fathoms of water. We immediately veered about and steered northwest and saw a French vessel imitate us. We were obliged all night long to steer upon different tacks, first northwest and then southwest, the wind being adverse. The thirtieth the wind blew still from the same point with less or greater violence. Whether the men at the helm had steered false during the night or whether the ship had deflected from her course owing to the currents, we found ourselves three leagues to leeward of our reckoning. Indeed we again distinguished the vessel belonging to the owner of our ship near the shore, bearing southeast, and by it a boat leaving a cove in its vicinity. The thirty-first we found ourselves fifteen leagues from the shoal. In fact, after tacking by four p.m., we again had sight of Cape St. Antonio, four leagues before us. In the evening a missling shower obscured objects from our view, but after the rain the wind veered to the north when we steered eastward. The first of February in the morning the wind blowing from the southeast, we directed our course northward. During the whole night we ran along the coast, steering east, northeast, but out of sight of land. The winds were this day so adverse that spite of our reckoning we were much embarrassed to know where we were, but supposed ourselves near to land and being unwilling to continue out of sight of it, we steered southeast under easy sail throughout the night. On the second, at daybreak, we made land three leagues distant, but were unconscious what part. By noon, however, we clearly distinguished a sorry hamlet composed of a few straw houses which we ascertained to be Badauda. We now continued our course with all sails set, and under main and mizzen top gallons. Nevertheless, we were unable to fetch the Havana, though we had a highly picturesque prospect in our run of twelve leagues along the coast of very lofty mountains with sudden and most pleasing intervals. The mountains, from the effect of shade, occasionally appeared perpendicular. At length night came on when we found ourselves opposite a very large mountain. We then re-backed sails. The whole coast, bounded by shoals, the whole distance from Cape San Antonio, appears to be very unhealthy. We remained opposite this mountain the whole night for fear of passing the Havana, the precise sight of which was unknown to us, in order not to near the land too close, taking care to keep constantly sounding. The wind on this occasion, was very violent, and the strength of the currents gave us constant trouble and much fatigued our crew. On the third at dawn we had deflected nearly ten leagues toward the east-south-east and were opposite Marion's Table, a remarkable object, the form of which is described in the journal of a previous voyage. This table is the annunciator of the Havana, where we situate three leagues beyond and is readily distinguished by two hills near to each other in the shape of the female breast. We now unfurled all sails and by nine in the morning distinguished the city. As soon as within sight of it we hoisted the French flag and instant after we saw three flags raised as signals on a bastion of Fort Moral, the city, the Havana, occasioned in me a singular emotion. The cities of our colonies resemble nothing better than an assemblage of fishermen's huts constructed in lines. But the fortresses of the Havana, its numerous domes, its lofty steeples, the red tops of its houses, its high and white buildings, all give it the appearance of an European town and powerfully awakened in me the recollection of my darling country. From the rampart we were directed through a speaking trumpet to cast anchor. But the noise of the waves breaking against the rocks, the whistling of the wind and the clamor of the crew combined to prevent our comprehending exactly what was prescribed and consequently our obedience of the prescription. Nay, allowing that the injunctions had been fairly understood as we could not conceive the necessity of them, they yet would have been disregarded. Hence partly from chance, partly from design, availing ourselves of the wind and tide, which carried us forward through the narrow straight almost in spite of exertion, we steered under full sail into the mouth of the port, thus by one of those adventurous darings, which are common perhaps to Frenchmen alone, we cut short many ceremonies. It is indeed true, had the commander of the fort been a man more inclined to form and severity than the one who, fortunately for us, was in station, we should not have acted thus without imminent risk of a few ungrateful salutes from twenty-four pounders. The whole city assembled to enjoy the spectacle of a foreign ship entering the port without first casting anchor. The captain who afterwards carried me to Vera Cruz was among the number. He told me that our temerity occasioned him the utmost astonishment, and that ours was the only vessel which had ever made so bold an attempt without having cause for repentance. Be this as it may, beyond the moral fort we were met by the barge of the captain of the port, making towards us with great speed and which completed our pilotage to an anchoring. By him we were conducted into the basin and placed in front of the government house under the cannon of the captain of the port. We had scarcely cast anchor before we were surrounded by a number of boats in which were many idlers and inquisitive individuals who immediately boarded us. Four officers of the customs came in the number who were succeeded by a major of the Navy with four soldiers from the ship of the admiral of the port, a vessel of sixty-four guns. Finally the aide-major of the place with a sergeant and four fusiliers seconded them. Our brigantine was crowded and resembled a prize. The officers of the contadors and those belonging to the Navy and the land service separately interrogated us and received our declarations in writing of the motives of our voyage. For my part I stated that I was a botanist and came with intention of urbanizing. In reply to the consequent question, if we had not plants in our own country, I acknowledged that we were not deficient in that respect but that those of the Havana had the credit of possessing superior virtues. This, like all those representations which flatter Spanish vanity, attracted towards me a degree of consideration which was the more augmented when by a viso of my passport they noticed I was a regular physician. At this instant also a passenger secretly and in confidence imparted to some of the Spaniards that I was not only a physician but one also of great eminence who however managed to hide my abilities fearful if they should become public that I might be impelled to exercise them in the city. This communication much increased the respect shown to me from several quarters. While at anchor we had noticed given that we could not be permitted to land and two guards belonging to the contador were left on board until orders were absent and not expected to return before a week should pass. Learning this we resolved on addressing a memorial to him but were void of expectation of any answer before the lapse of two days. We were consequently obliged to arm ourselves with patience. One of our passengers having ventured to land and proceeded so far as to pass for the captain of the ship was detected in his imposture and sent back under a guard of four musketeers. This act of imprudence was nigh-being of serious injury to us. It caused us to be looked upon with suspicion and we in consequence were very narrowly watched. For three successive nights I observed their boats which relieved one the other every hour and were constantly rode round our ship sounding with grappling to determine whether or know anything had been cast overboard. In the daytime also nothing was allowed to leave the ship without being first subject to the nicest scrutiny. So little congenial with my feelings was this mode of life that it caused me to look upon our ship as a prison. As he had a powerful effect on me whether to this whether to the thick and heavy air we breathed in the port enclosed as it is by hills on every side the complaint was to be ascribed I felt a violent headache and breathed with great difficulty succeeded to these symptoms of fever with prognostics of a serious disorder. I immediately had a course to a strict diet and pectoral and refreshing potations. And the very day wrote to Monsieur Dorriere the Intendant of the Port to the Marquis de la Tour the Governor and to Don Juan de Vaux the King's Lieutenant exposing in my letters that my profession was one which could give no room for suspicion and my state of health such as rendered confinement on board the ship not only very irksome but even dangerous. I represented to them moreover the persuasion I felt from the high opinion held of them by the public in general that under the circumstances I detailed they would offer no objection to my request to be allowed to go on shore. By eight o'clock in the morning next day I dispatched my letters and as early as nine I received a most obliging and favorable answer from the Intendant but already the King's Lieutenant apprehensive for my health the injury I sustained which had been confirmed to him sent the aide-major of the place on board to bring me on shore and offer me the house of one of his friends for my residence until I should recover. I immediately left the ship leaving my effects on board fearful of the arrival of some counter-order and afterwards pay to visit to the two gentlemen mentioned for the purpose of returning them my thanks. In Monsieur Dorira formerly consul at Bordeaux I noticed a highly prepossessing physiognomy a serious but at the same time mild deportment by much affability every appearance of a worthy character and finally somewhat French in his manners he is a knight of the order of Saint Charles and respecting his desserts his integrity and benevolence there exists but one and that a highly flattering opinion. Don Juan de Vaux is one of those veteran and gallant military characters whom experience has rendered consulment in his duty full of frankness and possessed of that noble mindedness which is almost ever the concomitant of real bravery he is a brigadier of the armies and general inspector of the colony both these gentlemen received me in the most handsome manner begging my pardon for their ignorance of my indisposition they proffered their services to me in every respect and to confirm definitely the order for my landing which either too had been but provisional I held a long discourse with the intendant on subjects regarding natural history, commerce and manufactures on his part he related to me with much gratification to himself the fact of certain bees that had accidentally been transported to the Havana from Florida having multiplied to such a degree as to produce a very important branch of commerce and taxation and this in the very limited space of six years for the king's lieutenant he made many inquiries respecting the population of our colony in Saint-Domingue its actual strength in European soldiers colonial troops and militia he frankly exposed to me those of the island of Cuba and testified a full confidence in the perpetuation of the alliance subsisting between France and Spain he was so obliging to admit my request of being allowed to pay my respects to him as also was the intendant he even solicited me to make my visits frequent to the location of which I availed myself with much satisfaction during my stay on leaving them I took a lodging in an inn in the great square where then the palace of government was building and where already the office of accounts Contadoría had been completed the land air, liberty the grateful reception I experienced these combined had a very salutary influence on my health which was almost instantly evinced three days were sufficient to effect my perfect restoration I then had opportunity of surveying the whole of the town and its environs and began to auger favorably of my travels End of section one section two of travels to Oaxaca between Nicholas Joseph Thierry de Menonville an anonymous translation from the French this LibriVox recording is in the public domain on the return of the governor I hastened to pay my respects to him the intendant had already acquainted him with my landing he received me with kindness and granted me permission to urbanize within the precincts of the city the appeal of humanity to his finer feelings enacted a grant of wider extension the imperious obligation of the law forbade the allowance he even in express terms prohibited my advancing further inland than ten leagues from the city I returned him thanks in the most cordial manner for the license I received and not only at my request obtained leave to pay my respects to him but after taking coffee was politely invited to dine with him the succeeding day I found him surrounded by many persons of rank as well military as others to whom he introduced me and especially Don Luis Uet director general of the engineers and of fortifications whom he informed me was a French extraction on my praising a very beautiful squirrel from Mexico of which as well as of a parrot I begged his permission to take a likeness he insisted on my accepting both the one and the other but this excess of liberality I declined shortly after he made me withdraw into his cabinet to converse respecting France his questions as well as easy and noble manners stamped him distinctly a Finnish courtyour our conversation afterwards turned on the arts on this occasion he led me to an alley he had planted with trees and which I had previously seen I frankly imparted my disapprobation of the manner in which the ground was laid out and after giving my reasons why, in such a burning climate it ought rather to be covered with turf he felt conviction the stage formed the next subject of our discourse he showed me the design for the curtain of the opera house he had built and on the boards of which he had succeeded in causing the dido of metastasio to be represented the design was a delicately flattering compliment paid the governor of the inhabitants and one that for an American city might justly be considered of lively invention but the execution of the draft by no means corresponded Phoebus was represented in the chariot of day leaving the palace of the hours and illuminating with his beams the city of the Havana personified under the figure of a female seated at the foot of a tree near the margin of the sea and fronting the moral castle she was crowned with towers and battlements and rested her right hand on a shield displaying the arms of the city while with the other she wantoned with genie the fault in the execution chiefly consisted in the forced compliment intended for the Marquis and the consequent representation of the gorgeous palace of the sun here the name of the governor being de la tour the sun was represented issuing from a very small tower the gate of which disproportionately small resembled more that of a dungeon rather than a port for the passage of the radiant car of the sun and its four impetuous cursors he pointed out this defect to the governor observing at the time that seemingly the painter was ignorant of the metamorphoses of Alved and the pompous description of the palace of the sun in that work beginning Regia fulis erat he sought excuse for the painter and recommended me to go to the opera at length I left him greatly pleased with my reception perfectly easy respecting my sojourn at Havana the following day I visited the opera the interior constructed on the plan of that at Naples is truly handsome and possesses an airiness and elegance peculiar to itself arising from the circumstance of the boxes being separated from each other only by delicate balustrades very wide apart through every part of the house sound is conveyed distinctly and from every quarter there is a perfect view of the stage add to these the pit has the advantage uncommon in France of seats for the spectators the opera was performed in a manner in my opinion superior to any I had ever seen before Anais was represented by an Italian virtuoso of exquisite voice a most elegant figure and noble countenance and with these prepossessions in his favor who thoroughly comprehended his part and acted in the first style a Castilian was the dito of the piece her confident a mulatras and yarbe was given by a Spaniard these three actors a circumstance certainly not very common alike sang with taste and precision and admirably played alike the different characters this was the first opera at which I had been present where in lieu of the repeated thumps of a clumsy and noisy truncheon the time was led by a violin of extraordinary power and precision played by the secretary of the governor which inspired the whole of the performers with an accuracy a truth of expression that rendered the harmony complete through the whole piece I found no room for the slightest blame except on the introduction of a solo intended no doubt to display the superior abilities of the exquisite violin and which perfectly affected this end but which at the same time interrupted the concatenation of the piece and necessarily caused a diminution of interest in it among the audience however pleased with the opera with their comedia I was far from satisfied so many things in it occurred opposite to the taste and rules by which we are guided in France on nothing but ridiculous defects of which these are some specimens the name of God of Jesus of the virgin and of various saints occur in almost every phrase the actors generally but especially the women never make their appearance without a rosary of beads in every scene a duel is introduced due to lovers meet the scabbard must of consequence be emptied and between two parentheses you read all pieces whether comic or tragic are not only comedias but comedias famosas however wretched the piece however despicable the author to complete the picture the titles of their pieces are ridiculously silly as an instance la cabellera de Absalom the long hair of Absalom the comedia which succeeded the opera was of a singular description a single actor kills a dozen men women and children without the slightest resistance on their parts and ranges them in a row as he stabs them the work complete he calmly wipes his dagger on the upper leather of his shoe this scene so strange is the depravity of Spanish taste was regarded as very fine from my part as it was carnival time I imagine that this was an emblematic representation of the horrors attended on drunkenness but inquiring of one near me I learned I was mistaken still notwithstanding what I have observed I have since discovered in their works of this kind abundance of wit and many passages remarkable for their spirituality delicacy and gallant bearing the author most admired at present is Calderón de la Barca the following day I again paid a visit to the governor and spoke to him of what I had seen when the account I rendered appeared to give him great satisfaction I presented to him as I had previously to the intendant a small packet of seeds for the kitchen garden and flower seeds these he divided giving part to don Luis Uet who dined with him that day and as I afterwards understood he was a planter I begged his acceptance of another packet he expressed with great civility the inclination he felt to form an acquaintance with me in consequence I invited him to my apartments and a few days after he came in his carriage to take me to his country house here I found his lady a genoese of noble birth an extraordinary merit one of his daughters and an officer of the artillery after breakfast we went into the garden and sowed all the seeds which I had presented to him our pastime was truly a festival enlivened by gaiety wit well merited compliments and the most pleasing conversation in which du regard was maintained to decorum in short so agreeably sped the moments that we passed through four hours of toil and scarcely thought them one after our gardening was finished a very delicate dinner was served up in the French style cards were then introduced and when we had taken a walk through the plantation we returned to town this villa is situate under the canon of fort principais which was planned by don louis witt himself and the works of which he pointed out to me with as much confidence as if we had been for years acquainted the soil is stony and dry still manioc called by the spaniards yucca is cultivated here and such is the industry of the proprietor of the ground that its produce yields an annual revenue of three thousand piastres don louis witt is a man of high esteem for ability in his profession as well as for his partiality to literature with the confidence of the court he enjoys the respect of the people and his rank of colonel places him in a condition to look forward to a still more distinguished appointment his house was that where i most frequently visited at the Havana occasionally i went to pay my respects to the governor the intendant and the king's lieutenant the rest of my time was employed in botanical excursions around the town in studying the spanish language and pondering on the most material the chief object of my travels still i must confess time flew with leaden wings during my stay at the Havana a stay of more than six weeks the promise of the exterior of the city of the Havana is belied by its internal appearance which has little in it pleasing its length is about a mile and a half twelve hundred forty twas its breadth three quarters of a mile six hundred twas its site is on a rock on the seaside and it's form a semi-circle or rather semi-ellipsis the greater diameter being along the shore the houses are all of them built of stone from one to three stories high it contains four very extensive squares which however are only half finished possess little symmetry and are covered everywhere with rubbish the streets are regular and straight but narrow with a foot pavement on each side and an unpaved road in the midst in which two carriages can scarcely pass a breast as the city is on a dead level the water frequently stagnates on the rock in which deep ruts have on progress of time been formed by the wheels of carriages a plan has been proposed for repairing the road paving it and giving it a slope but the mode of paving projected a specimen of which I saw in some of the streets near the government house is too singular to pass unmentioned the material employed is blocks of iron wood 10 inches square connected with other blocks longitudinally laid like a floor the solidity of this pavement is such that notwithstanding the roads thus made have been traveled over for two years by a vast number of carriages no trace on the wood of any wheel is seen nor have the blocks in any part been disturbed from their original position should the plan be carried into effect and the whole city be thus paved it will display a very curious and special singularity towards the land side the Havana is not strong as it is defended merely by a simple curtain flanked by bastions and almost in every part without a ditch owing to the immense labor requisite to excavate the rock it is however now secured from any attack on this side by the fort del principi built 800 toise nearly one mile in advance on an eminence which stretches to the town on the side next the fort it is inaccessible the port one of the most beautiful and spacious in the world is the basin nearly circular which receives several small rivers it runs a league in depth from the neck to the extremity the entrance is protected on the town side by a fort opposite to the wall and sides of three bastions which placed one above the other in tears command the anchorage in the road on each of the flanks of these bastions commonly mounted 18 24 pounders on the side fronting the country a wall built on a rock till the arrival of the English before it considered impregnable defends the entrance of the port the cabana another fortress newly constructed above the wall commands both the port and city and its fire crosses that of fort del principi finally two other small forts at the bottom of the port two tears of guns on low batteries beneath the wall the cabana along the shore and a battery level with the water rendered this city extremely formidable it is supposed that its different defenses mount all together 800 pieces of canon chiefly 24 pounders nor will it be attempted on the part of any nation to force the channel for such an attempt would be madness two English frigates which ventured the hazardous enterprise during the siege of the place were in consequence sunk nothing more beautiful than the appearance of the forts can possibly be imagined their construction being on the most profusely expensive scale the only recommendation of the houses of the town is a certain air of grandeur large gates and courts wide windows projecting two feet over the street supported on pilasters heavy balconies of wood covered with tiles on the upper stories palisades of wood coarsely fastened and of enormous size all these give something heavy somber and repulsive to the look of the houses internally they have commonly a vast court surrounded by gothic arcades large and in the Moorish style the gallery formed by these communicates with large but ill disposed apartments badly furnished the doors and windows of them resembling those of a fort or dungeon as much by the thickness of the portals as by their gothic structure in the vestibule or in the chief apartment of the house it is common to have the arms of the family blazoned in manner of trophies a usage derived from the time of chivalry which if occasionally it be but vain parade yet again oftentimes serves to excite true bravery and a spirit capable of any daring enterprise the houses of the lower orders have rarely any flat ceilings and all even those belonging to people of easy circumstances instead of being favored with wood or squares of tile or stone have merely an earthen floor which by preserving humidity I found of injurious effects to health with the wealthy the furniture of the rooms is of wood partly guilt curtains of crimson damask with gold fringe and some japan works paintings and glass lusters the beds are very simple and no pure glasses or other mirrors are seen no inlaid work of wood for floors and neither carpets or tapestry in short nothing corresponding with the sumptuosity or elegance of French apartments the Spaniard is as modest in his dwelling as he is sober in his motive living the English have taught him the method of cooking certain dishes and the use of different pieces of furniture of the talents of the disciple a judgment may readily be formed by reflection on who he is masters the men wear coats of the French fashion but the cut of the body is so short that the pockets are nearly under the arm above this coat generally of cotton or taffeta a cloak is worn of buradilly or gamblet those who seek to render themselves conspicuous where a blue or scarlet cloak embroidered or trimmed with gold this is a sumptuosity however not within the compass of everyone as such a cloak costs 500 piasters still those at the height of fashion decline wearing it preferring the French dress the hair which is rarely seen powdered or frizzled is enveloped in a net and covered with a broad brimmed hat the women seldom wear gowns but almost always are dressed in a corset and petticoat with an apron of gauze or muslin and a few ribbons they wear no powder nor is their hair frizzled but braided and turned up or worn in chignon under their cap to this is added attached above the hair a sprig of roue or absinthe their ornaments consist of crosses rings gold necklaces and large bracelets of massive gold that weigh a quarter of a pound happy she who wears a bracelet on her left wrist but how much happier if one on each she amuses herself constantly in fastening and detaching them as well as in pulling off and drawing on her glove and all for the purpose of attracting attention to her beautiful and well turned arm French women paint for the Spanish ladies they have a black patch of a round or oval form at each temple these at night are removed and white patches are substituted which pretty well resemble a plaster in the morning they wear instead the leaf of an orange tree few handsome women and still fewer who had pretensions to elegance were seen by me at the Havana they never go abroad but in the morning to mass and the evening for a ride hence they are not to be seen either in the streets shops or any public room constantly shut up in their apartments the pleasure of enjoying and airing out of the city is the only enticement can induce them to leave them this indeed is their favorite pleasure nor is it costly 400 piasters for a coachman a hundred and fifty for a mule 500 for a chaise in all about a thousand piasters pay every expense hence the city swarms with carriages even the meanest clerk drives his chaise and it is as common to present one to a mistress as in France a box of sweet meats it must further be observed that in no part of the world is money so plenty as at the Havana it circulates in Talegas resembling those bags of a hundred pistoles in course at Paris and the counters of the offices of revenue are covered with piles of rails of plate which they exchange for hard dollars with singular dispatch the markets are plentiously supplied with every kind of provision but especially vegetables which are quite as good as in France fish and turtle are extremely cheap beef sells at a rail the four pounds excellent Malaga and Tinto wine at two reales the bottle indeed no town in America is better furnished with means of good living or at a more reasonable rate this advantage is to be attributed in great measure to the division of the real into quartillos of tin for nothing is more favorable to economy than small coin end of section two section three of travels to by Nicholas Terry and anonymous translation from the French recording is in the public the trade of Havana and Mexico is in the hands of the whose commonly active laborious enterprising and persevering disposition have acquired for many of them considerable fortunes they are in consequence an object of envy to Spaniards at large who seek to disguise this feeling under a veil of contempt and assumed sentiment as little commendable as that which is the real one for one Castilian engaged in trade their 30 cattle lands intoxicated with success however they prayed for exclusive privileges a kind of monopoly but too common in Spain they had proposed as speculators to supply the colony all together with wines from Malaga and Alicante at a real the bottle whereas the actual price is two reals but their petition was rejected as it was accompanied by a request of being the only ones allowed to introduce and sell commodity the articles of trade are iron, linen ironware, silks clocks and watches wines and spices at the Havana as in Mexico little other is seen than Brittany linen the coarsest of which sells at a dollar the vara a measure somewhat less than a yard English the ironware is all of it imported from Germany the clocks and watches from England the small quantity of Indian and Persian goods consumed which are not the fabrics of Mexico are derived from France the Genoese for whom the Spaniards events great partiality furnished them with all silk articles for veils cassocks, black hoods worn by the women on going to church mantles for priests et cetera their iron is partly drawn from Sweden partly from old Spain Spain likewise sends hither oil, wine and paper of detestable quality what is highly singular neither at Havana nor at Vera Cruz can gray paper be procured I wanted some choirs to draw my herbs between but was only able to procure a few sheets in which certain goods had been enveloped and which not withstanding I was charged for at a very extravagant rate neither at the Havana nor in any part of America is such a thing known as a public promenade planted with trees Monsieur Le Marquet de la Tour attempted to form one round the ramparts but did not succeed and nothing but the walk remains un-sheltered another attempted at an earlier period and planted with orange trees is likewise gone to ruin the Havana contains about 25,000 inhabitants the whole population of the island including negroes and mulattoes does not exceed 166,000 souls according to the statement in possession of the governor which I saw and from a French engineer from Vera Cruz who had lived a length of time at Mexico I learned that all this vast empire of Spain in America contains no more than a million inhabitants at the time I was there the Havana contained no more than 3,000 regular troops there was however in addition to these a body of militia excellently disciplined consisting of 1,600 men not a single church did I observe worthy an account of its architecture to be noticed all of them are long buildings, darkest dungeons ornamented on the right and left with innumerable chapels with frontispieces composed of a medley of orders of architecture wretchedly encumbered with useless trappings and still more wretchedly disfigured by the utter absence of all proportion in the most revolting and superstitious confusion though profusely covered with gilding not one of these chapels but will have cost upwards of 10,000 piasters and in every church are at least 30 or 40 at this time the church of the Jesuits designed for a cathedral is nearly complete on surveying it you would imagine before you a structure of the ninth century each of the 30 churches contained within the city has 7 or 8 brotherhoods who are constantly making processions out of number but these most especially at the period of Carnival at this time these ceremonies on which occasion I had before noticed in France and Saint-Domingue at this time I say there could not have been here less than 3,000 processions nothing could be seen but processions and no other talk or noise was heard but of which these were the cause of them never lasting from morning to night general processions and processions of individuals of parishes, communities and of every brotherhood the members of these patrolled the streets with lanterns deafening the ear with the discordant notes of horse bassoons and twanging guitars and driving the god of sleep from every eyelid finally were processions of every father of a family followed by his wife his children and domestics who, chaplet in hand repaired to their particular chapels every house has its chapel at which every month a particular festival is celebrated the festival of the dedication of the different churches and still more particularly that of their several patrons are grand celebrations the evening before by nine o'clock the steeple is illuminated and a grand concert is given to which it is usual to listen from the roofs of the neighboring houses the succeeding day this same steeple exhibits a variety of streamers of different colors the body of the church is filled with tapers to such as not badly to represent a fiery furnace through the aisles of which bad music is badly heard but in which also splendid offerings are made the bishopic of the Havana reputedly produces 40,000 piastres Don Fulano Echevaria who is the present incumbent is apparently high in favor at court he caused an order to be published which bore for title Encuentra le excrable Grimen de los contrabandistas against the execrable crime of smuggling I could not refrain from asking a priest of my acquaintance who happened to be his secretary if such an offense was entitled execrable what epithet was in reserve for the crime of treason but my question remained unsolved nothing can be conceived more rigid than the ordinances against nor more harsh than the punishments were smuggling since the very first delinquency detected renders both body and goods of the culprit liable to confiscation notwithstanding this nothing is more common than contraband traffic all alike pursuant burgers, priests and soldiers does a vessel arrive it instantly swarms with faces utterly unknown and whose only business is to inform you that such and such articles are prohibited and officiously and out of pure goodwill to render you the service of conveying surreptitiously onshore your boxes of gold lace or other unlicensed articles of import nor presume to show or entertain the least mistrust and infidelity in instances of this kind is a matter unheard of for readily are all in league to evade a law so barbarous and unjust false coining is punished by the stake in short everything is either farmed or otherwise monopolized which multiplies not only the temptation but the necessity of smuggling the baker of Havana is obliged to buy a license to prosecute his trade for which he pays a hundred piasters to the government paper, gunpowder wine, tobacco all are farmed throughout the whole of Mexico and what is still more singular, still more odious the tobacco and cacao grown in one province are prohibited articles in another on the miserable and verily most miserable shores of Yucatan I have seen the trade for boats cables, cordage and even hammocks exclusively engrossed by farmers under the government thus it is by erroneous calculations that the Spanish government annihilates the commerce, the population and comforts of its subjects hence flow discouragement in activity and wretchedness the infallible precursors of weakness, uncleanliness disorders and death to these causes no doubt it is to be ascribed the endemic leprosy of Cartagena mentioned by the Abe Rinal already it has spread to the Havana where a leper hospital has been constructed for the reception of a hundred and fifty patients in this very hospital are at the same time admitted such as are afflicted with venereal complaints I made a visit to it in company with a physician of the country but confess the sight filled me with horror and that I had need of great exertion and the preservative of a flask of strong vinegar with which I took care to be provided to qualify me to support the disgust by which my senses were assailed the management of the hospital is but indifferent for though surrounded with walls the doors are constantly kept open in the daytime and the sick are perpetually going in and out without any restriction even from their traversing the whole of the city though France can boast of but little commerce with the Havana it is much to be apprehended that this frightful malady may eventually be introduced into her colonies to effect this but little intercourse and communication to a certain extent is continuous I could not look on a negris whom I saw at Port-au-Prince and who was completely covered with an elephantitis without shuddering at once with pity and horror I saw the poor wretch abandoned by her owners begging through the streets and markets where thousands of slaves were liable to receive the infection and cannot refrain from observing that much greater attention than is ought to be paid to the prevention of those terrible consequences to which this and similar occurrences might lead for one of wells all the houses at the Havana have cisterns two of the squares are adorned with fountains which stream forth water conducted by subterraneous channels from a small river the course of which is defended by the Fort Del Principe so that an enemy would be unable to cut off this supply from the city in case of a siege without first taking the citadel the air of the city is generally pure and healthy the winds from the north which prevail throughout half the year on the coast cool the atmosphere to that degree that I always felt cold at night and even in the morning until by ten the sun's warmth dispersed it raising the thermometer of Bourbon to five or six degrees above the freezing point note launched to Bourbon was a noted French maker of thermometers already had six weeks elapsed since my arrival at the Havana during which I had incessantly been tormented with the desire of completing my enterprise the time appeared to me in consequence intolerably tedious I delayed thus long the prosecution of my plan merely to prevent my being suspected by a people naturally jealous and mistrustful and whose eyes were constantly upon me the better to lull suspicion respecting the real aspect of my researches I constantly affected the heedlessness of a man intent on urbanizing but at length weary of the state of insertitude in which I lived and yielding to the impulse which directed me to Vera Cruz I began to think seriously of the means of reaching that city I thought it prudent still to use stratagem to be actuated by that volatility and inconstancy of disposition often times with so little propriety ascribed to Frenchmen and which occasionally is so favorable a cover to deep designs I feigned to be overcome with ennui from my long stay at the Havana and the too narrow limits prescribed me as a botanist I readily obtained belief and met with commiseration and by this trick partly and partly by a fortunate occurrence of which I availed myself I succeeded to the height of my wishes one day Don Manuel Feliz Ruiq the factor of the assiento company at whose house I had twice before been to obtain change for some joint Portuguese coins inquired if the report he had heard was true of my being a pupil of Mr. Gessui Antonio Laurent de Gessui a French botanist on my satisfying him in the affirmative he informed me that he himself had been secretary to Don Antonio Ulloa one of the literary characters dispatched by the king of Spain in company with our academicians to Peru that he had been very intimate with him an account of his intelligence and social virtues that he had a more tender regard for him than any man alive this subject of our conversation gave room for my observing that I also should have been delighted with an opportunity of visiting Peru but that as my time was limited and my means deficient for this purpose I should feel much pleasure if any chance should enable me to traverse Mexico Don Ruique instantly tendered me his service towards procuring me the facility of making this journey he was already highly interested in my favor for my intimacy with Mr. Gessui promising me letters for Don Antonio Ulloa at that time general of the fleet at Vera Cruz and generously proffered to become my surety in a bond of a hundred thousand dollars this certainly was a very lucky incident and a handsome progress towards the effectuation of my designs but this was not all I yet feared lest the governor should object to grant me a passport notwithstanding he had promised he would upon the inclination expressed of seeing a country in the praise of which he was no less lavish than the rest of his countrymen prone to think well of their possessions I perhaps mistrusted him unjustly but certainly not without some grounds for my fear as amid the caresses and kindnesses I experienced from Don Luis Uet and his lady I was able to trace a fund of curiosity and was subject to questions natural enough in themselves and especially so coming from a woman I communicated my doubts to Don Huique which he easily dispersed and even promised to speak on the subject the succeeding day to the Marquis de la Tour I now made preparations for my departure without communicating my intentions to one breathing not even my host the packet for Vera Cruz was to sail in three days time and short as the notice I resolved not to miss the opportunity before me the next day was Sunday a day on which the governor holds a levy at his palace the superior officers on this occasion the municipal officers of police and finance to the palace between the hours of 10 and 11 the governor grants them audience and receives their respects in the government hall it may safely be said that if this custom establishes and reminds the courteous of subordination it lessens the humiliation which the high spirited man lost in the crowd must feel at being oblige to render homage to individuals whether of affection or esteem for this levy also furnishes an occasion for soliciting and obtaining trifling favors and for expediting affairs of little moment which would only tend to perplex or clog those particular audiences held for matters of graver import this was the first time of my being present at a similar audience and the object of my attending was to solicit my passport but finding here Don Manuel Ruik who represented the promise he had made me of speaking himself on the subject to the Marquis de la Tour I judged it expedient to leave the management of my solicitation with him and with Drew well satisfied with the prospects before me in the afternoon the militia cavalry was to be reviewed I saw the Marquis in company with Don Luis Huet and both bent to me with great civility this appeared to me of good omen and I hastened to the government house as I ascended the steps I met Don Luis who was leaving the hall and who inquired if I repaired Sither in view of asking any favor I answered in the affirmative informing him of as much as was proper upon this he proffered to accompany me to second my request at the same time adding he thought his interposition would not be needed in consequence I thanked him for his politeness and took my leave of him I waited but little ere the governor approached towards me with that benign look his features commonly wore and inquired what my wishes I took the liberty of reminding him of the promise he had made of granting me a passport for Mexico and stated I had come for the purpose of obtaining it he gave it me at the instant and without making it dear as is but too common with his equals by thousands of difficulties and delays he merely told me he was fearful I might not eventually meet the exception from the viceroy of Mexico which he himself desired concluding with wishing me success on my voyage I thanked him for his kindness and after paying my respects withdrew this excellent man remained a long time in the vestibule to see me depart and when on the last stare of the flight of steps I turned again to make my last decision I had the satisfaction to see him return it testifying by his features and gesture the interest he took in my welfare man in place how easy is it for you to engender love and veneration whence can you ever choose to be distant harsh and rude in possession of my passport the liveliness of my joy was proportioned to the inquiitude I had felt respecting the possibility of my procuring it folded in my pocket I kept it as the dearest treasure and woe to him should dare to ravish it from my possession that it might be perfectly secure I flew to place it in safety I hastened light as air to Don Huíc who gave me his letters for Don Antonio Ulloa I embraced him while I assured him of my devotion and gratitude and returned to my host to sup with a feeling of contentment which defies expression then only did I speak of my departure though apparently grieved to lose me as he reckoned upon my longer stay my host yet condescended to share the joy I expressed and gave me letters for a merchant at Veracruz and a settler at Teochitlan on the road to Mexico I had now to treat for my passage the master of the packet would take no less than a hundred hard dollars the demand was exorbitant but it was vain to reason his avarice was inflexible to all my arguments he opposed a truly Spanish phlegm and gravity and coolly pocketed my money without once taking his cigar from his mouth we were to have sailed the following day but his departure was procrastinated three days longer during which I made my farewell visits at length on the 11th March 1777 we went on board and weighed anchor at eight in the morning saluting the city with seven citadels with one gun what then, and at all times seemed to me incredible was the small number of vessels in this famous port during the six weeks of my stay I noticed no more than fifteen of from 80 to 200 tons including the packet from Veracruz and in this last port though I remained there afterwards ten weeks I saw no greater number with what pleasure as I left the port did I contemplate those tears of batteries the citadels and forts which line the approaches to the Havana and the innumerable miles of thundering cannon with which they are furnished on my arrival I fancied them all directed against me all pointed towards the prevention of obtaining the cochineal insect how much then must I not have felt elated how grateful the self applause I enjoyed at having had the temerity of braving and the great good fortune of avoiding their terribly menacing rows no when the English captured this important place they experienced no higher satisfaction at their success like them I thought I held the key of Mexico all future obstacles vanished from my sight and already I possessed in idea the precious treasure which I sought End of Section 3 Section 4 of Travels to Oaxaca by Nicholas Joseph Thierry de Menonville a monomous translation from the French this Librevox recording is in the public domain the vessel on board of which I sailed was a brig of 60 feet keel called the Veracruz packet it carried four coronades two cannon and a crew of nine persons we had scarcely left the fort before a twelve-oared cutter rowing towards us on part of the governor what was my consternation I instantly imagined that repenting of having suffered my departure the Marquis had sent orders for my being relanded this apprehension through a deadly pale over my countenance an occasion such a trembling in my frame that had I been observed I should necessarily have been taken for a criminal the vicious never passed their time but ill always expecting what will follow still Patronius I was however quit from the panic I experienced the mission of the cutter was merely to deliver letters on the part of the governor for Veracruz the sky was serene a favoring wind rippled the easy sea and the vessel was an excellent sailor we kept in with the coast steering as close to the west as possible and at dayfall were already eighteen leagues from the city the wind increased during the night and veered from southwest east and we lost sight of land and by noon on the twelfth march were parallel with the shoals which bound Cape St. Antonio from the period of our departure we had constantly run six knots an hour with all sails set in the afternoon the sea which had been very rough became more calm and its surface was entirely covered by those mollusks we saw several large trunks of trees which had floated down the Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico and which by the currents of the Bahama Straits had been sped hither I had before remarked others similar on the coast of Cuba where they had been cast by a tremendous storm from the north among these was one which exceeded a hundred and twenty feet in length and of a diameter so considerable that although on shore I was unable to ascend it otherwise than by the branchy end I conjectured from the nature of the knots on the tree that it belonged to the family of pines of the large kind from time immemorial the whole coast of Veracruz has been covered with them and some are so completely buried in the sand which increases in this port daily that nothing now but the roots are seen these trees are dangerous no doubt to approach in the night but they serve as resting places to an infinite number of aquatic fowl who find rich pasture in the sea insects which engender on them and the shellfish which as to rocks fasten on the trunks at six in the evening we had a dead calm the whole night long we sailed with the wind slack but a baffed at five in the morning of the thirteenth we were again be calmed but a wind arose with the sun on that as well as on the succeeding day though throughout both notwithstanding we had the wind a baffed and the line showed a run of ten knots an hour we did not advance an inch the sea through which we cut at a great rate foamed and broke hard against the ribs of our ship like where the wheel of a mill is violently acted upon by a rapid torrent the vessel bore on the same tack writing very heavily but with great celerity we still on the fourteenth continued opposite to the same mountains of Cuba we had seen the night of our departure in short we actually had no change of position a consequence when the violence of the current is adverse and equivalent to the impetus of the wind nothing can be conceived more vexatious and tiresome than such a predicament fortunately we had good hammocks and an excellent table the strictest discipline and most profound silence reigned on board and the captain, a prime sailor was at the same time though rather taciturn extremely obliging he assured us that for eleven years that he had frequented these seas he never before experienced currents so powerful he added more over that the worst months for navigating the Gulf are September October November and December on account of the prevalence of north winds that in June calms are frequent and that the months of June July and August the rainy season are subject to storms and hurricanes from these observations I determined on returning if possible in January but at any rate and at furthest by August or September at length on the fifteenth in the morning after having doubled the shoals during the night we lost sight of land and by reckoning had also doubled Cape San Antonio at noon the wind had much increased we furled our stay sails and top gallons and directed our course southwest from this time we constantly had the wind either abaffed or on the beam that is to say southeast on this day I saw Venus the sun being at that time five degrees above the horizon the sixteenth we were on the bank of Yucatan in the Gulf of Mexico on sounding we met with fine white sand mixed with shells in 23 fathoms of water in the Gulf the winds were east and southeast from 10 in the morning they insensibly turned to the westward and after 4 p.m. revolved from west to east our line showed the run six knots and as we were only a hundred leagues from Veracruz we hoped if the wind should continue favorable to reach it in four days in the three days proceeding we had seen a number of fish of the focus, seal, tribe and three or four hundred porpoises and small focus sported and rolled about our ship occasionally preceding it and seemingly endeavoring the one to outstrip the other in velocity of swimming now springing to the height of a fathom above the surface and falling with a dashing noise now advancing in pairs by the side of the ship and apparently caressing each other while at a distance their dams were seen seemingly pointing out to them the course they ought to take how far more pleasing sure the innocent enjoyment of such a scene than amusing oneself as his customary in pursuing, harpooning and destroying these interesting animals fortunately for them our sailors had not leisure for such an amusement and separately from this circumstance we lived too well to seek for better fare at four p.m. we again heaved the lead and found thirty fathoms on a bottom of remarkably white sand the seventeenth was similar ground we had but twenty fathoms from midnight till noon the wind had slacked and we made only three knots but on its veering to the north after midday it freshened so as to double the speed the sky covered with clouds at sunrise became again serene we distinguished certain white birds the size of a duck with the end of their wings fringed with black I likewise remarked a pelican or frigate bird with a complete tail all this announced to us the neighborhood of land during the whole night of the eighteenth on sounding the lead showed first twenty two then twenty fathoms with fine blue sand mingled with shells we saw a vast number of porpoises at ten a.m. at noon the wind which had been south changed to southwest and sunk into a calm we availed ourselves of this to throw out lines to the bottom of the sea these lines have each a hook attached to them with about an ounce of bacon and are precipitated by means of two shot of a pound weight this little exercise is diverting and profitable in an hour's time we had caught two hundred weight of excellent fish they were of three species but all of the perch kind one denominated the negro long pectoral fins at four a wind sprung up from the north and blew from that quarter the whole night through but afterwards reverted to the southeast we made six knots an hour on the nineteenth we had forty five fathoms of water from this we conjectured we were but eighty leagues from Vera Cruz and that in three days time we might anchor before the town this was the nay plus ultra of our wishes but they were not so soon to be gratified in the evening we were be calmed the sun on setting was dimmed by a vapor which though it did not eclipse its light diminished the vivacity of its rays the sky as well as the horizon were a gloom prognosticating somewhat sad and mournful eleven the wind was north and our course four knots by two in the morning it increased to a gale the sea ran frightfully high we took in all sails chained up the rudder and left the ship to the mercy of the waves a thousand times did they deluge the deck of our fragile vessel which now rode on their backs and now was enveloped by their overtopping spray the whole of the twentieth the weather was horrid never in Europe had I experienced the like in these seas the winds from the north blow with violence for the space of four and twenty hours after which they abate for thirty more and cease for three days they are piercingly cold and very frequent so much so that it is rare a fortnight passes in these regions during the winter without their being felt on the twenty first the wind was less violent and veered to the northwest the morning misty at noon it blew northeast and for three hours it continued to rain in the space of eight and forty hours we had not advanced twenty leagues and we yet had fifty to pass which we no longer expected to make in less than three more days the night of the twenty second was rather a bad one the wind was incessantly changing from southwest to southeast and as well as the mist with which we were eight different times enveloped was every now and then succeeded by a dead calm the rolling of the ship throughout the day was dreadfully fatiguing in the morning a poor little bird of the size of a wren but the color of a green finch came and roosted on the vessel it endeavored skimming on the surface of the sea to fly against the wind but constantly overpowered returned to us again others made their appearance one of which was taken the residue were driven out to sea by the violence of the hurricane at one o'clock a butterfly paid us a visit and was greeted as an infallible index of our nearing the land a trust to which we gave ourselves up with pleasing reliance at night the unchecked sky was spread before us in all its magnificence a dead calm prevailed and the rolling of the vessel affected us exceedingly at length on the twenty third site of land the captain at first had doubts but these were soon dismissed it bore south and we found ourselves twenty leagues on leeward of old Vera Cruz we should by this time have been at the mouth of the port had my advice been taken which was on the twenty second to sail direct before the wind from the north what induced me to give this council to the captain was a knowledge that in the Gulf of Mexico the north wind is but of three days duration now as that was then the third and the regular winds blow from the southeast by steering from north to south at the risk of overreaching new Vera Cruz on the twenty third the south wind which prevails throughout the whole day would have been favorable to our increasing our latitude and recovering the lost way instead of which by being now to leeward of the port we had to beat up against the wind and could scarcely hope to reach the port even on the succeeding day we steered within seven points of the wind and made but slender progress the lands of the coast we saw are more lofty than those of Santa Domingo they run west and north at night we were but ten leagues off and the side of them diffused joy and satisfaction through every breast but the wind continuing as little favorable as ever when within two leagues of land we tacked and ran all night through to sea the shore we by this means avoided is that of Los Tiers Leonis which stretches to the mountains of Alvarado from the midst of which of a sugar loaf form rises the volcano or a Zaba which we distinguished the day before though distant five and forty leagues the country had a beautiful appearance but for the space of forty five leagues that is to say as far as to Old Vera Cruz it is notwithstanding unpeopled the twenty fourth in the morning we had made about a league of progress by noon the wind again came to the east nearly large and spirited us with expectations of entering Vera Cruz on the succeeding day at four it freshened from the northeast at six abated by eight we distinguished the reefs in the vicinity of the port we fired a gun and immediately after distinguished a light which we conjectured to be from the castle of St. John de Ullo and we answered it by a light at our main top gallant and fired a second gun we then perceived a second light presumed from the ship of the admiral of the port I thought it advisable another gun should be fired but was fearful of communicating my opinion to the captain mindful how little attention had been paid to my former observation no doubt had a third gun been fired the major of the fleet who in a galley with 30 men on board had left the port in search of us would not have missed his way we however made some way but with little sail set and constantly sounding the fathoms indicate the passage into the port for the reefs by which it is bounded render it very difficult of access at ten at night we were boarded by two boats each with 30 men on board furnished with cables for mooring us and with anchors and grapplings in case of need they inquired after the major of the port whom they expected to find with us as he had sailed before them they towed us along by dint of oars favored by a light wind we threaded the torturous labyrinth of the entrance through which at midnight we reached the port we anchored under the cannon of the ship belonging to the captain of the port itself at anchor a half cables length from the castle all night long it rained and we were exceedingly incommodated by the hot and moist atmosphere of this climate as also by the vapors from land at five in the morning I was preparing to land when the major of the fleet joined us this gentleman was Don Pedro de Verte Huizan with whom it will be seen I afterwards was on terms of closest intimacy at this instant I paid but little attention to him for judging after the French manor I esteemed him from the old coat he wore covered by a rusty ser-tot overcoat to be no better than a sergeant of marines he requested my passport which I gave him and he kept and I obtained permission to go on shore uneasy in extreme respecting the reception I should meet with here I put my baggage into the boat and traversed the port on landing at a jetty about ten fathoms broad and a hundred in length which terminates at one of the gates of the city I found there a numerous guard contadors officers of the port and a multitude of curious idlers it was requisite my trunks should be opened but they were very loosely examined as soon however as they came to my books they refused to let them pass before a permit for that purpose should be obtained from the vicar general of the Inquisition I hastened to him and found him a little old man with an air of a perfect saint mounted on a chair near a table and reciting his brevery he held out his hand to kiss for my part but little accustomed to a ceremony of this kind and not aware at the instant of his intention I shook it in a cordial manner he requested of me a catalog of my books I answered that they merely consisted of works relative to physics and natural history suitable to a medical man and a botanist and were so few in number that I had made out no catalog of them he was satisfied with my answer and the bare mention of the names of the authors and immediately gave me a license for their entry instantly the gates were open to me I awaited on Don Thomas Taqueria for whom my host at the Havana Don Bernadine Leagotera had given me letters the merchant of Vera Cruz appeared to feel perplexed at this recommendation and informed me that he had no other knowledge of Leogotera than what was derived from certain commercial intercourse and I set him much at his ease by informing him that for the present all that I expected from him was the kindness of indicating to me some good in he pointed out to me one opposite to the gate of Mexico which I afterwards learned was the best in town but after this remark what will be thought of the rest when I make known that the only furniture of my apartment consisted of a table four feet by three and that two benches six feet by three formed the only bed worthy indeed of a Spanish gentleman as for mattresses chairs looking glasses, etc all these no doubt are regarded either as superfluities or conveniences of two extravagant a nature as soon as I had safely deposited my effects in this charming apartment I repaired to the general of the fleet, Don Antonio Ulloa at his gate I found a guard of ten men his secretary introduced me into a large hall with furniture of very ancient date and announcing me as a gentleman who bought letters from Don Manuel Feliz Ruik a little man at most but four feet ten inches high speedily made his appearance dressed in an old jacket of Nanking with silver buttons gray-headed and his hair without either powder or permaetum tied and hanging over his shoulders his countenance was bad but his looks extremely mild and affable and his eyes lively a little diamond cross of the order of Saint Jacques suspended from a buttonhole bespoke a man of rank such was Don Antonio Ulloa I saluted him as I presented my letters these explained the object of my journey and entreated his assistants to obtain a passport for me to Mexico he read them attentively promised immediately to write on my behalf to the viceroy and advised me to write at the same time myself he invited me to be a frequent visitor at his house and table admonishing that dinner was regularly served at half past one and insisted on my dining with him that very day to begin finally he caused me to be presented to the governor by the major of the fleet whom I recognized for the same personage who had demanded my passport on repairing to the governor's major Don Pedro de Verhuizan was so kind as to tell me my acquaintance would be very agreeable to him to this compliment I made a suitable reply and I had full occasion to prove it perfectly sincere Don Fernan Palacio governor of Veracruz was a very different character to the general of the fleet his sour looks his rough tone of voice and rude speech predisposed one against him at once he readily granted me permission to reside at Veracruz and botanized in his government but refused to return my passport which the general recommended me to ask for and at my departure pretended even it was mislaid I afterwards learned that he assumed the governor of the Havana had no privilege to grant similar passports and intended to avail himself of mine to his discredit for which purpose he was so obstinate in refusing it me I left him much chagrined at the reception I met with it however occasioned me the less surprise on learning as I did afterwards on unfriendly terms with Don Ulloa the next day the general did me the honor of introducing me to Donia Fulana de Boutillos the lady of the late intendant she was a woman of 50 who had been a perfect beauty and still retained traces of her former charms her lively and natural flow of wit and her noble and open character endeared her to everyone the recommendation of the general was undoubtedly of use for that very day she offered me repeatedly her service my house is yours she several times observed and that in a manner so cordial as persuaded me of her sincerity she afterwards presented me to her daughters and informed me that the youngest was on the point of marriage with Monsieur de Verte Wiesen in short she insisted upon my becoming as one of the family at the instant her son made his appearance Don Juan de Boutillos a captain of the regiment of the crown soon as she saw him hither my son she exclaimed beckoning him here is a gentleman from your own country this young man in fact dated in France and had all the amenity peculiar to our youth such qualifications endeared him but more to his mother who was as partial to the activity politeness and tolerant principles of the French as disgusted with the idleness want of nicety and dress and the fanaticism of the Spaniard Young Boutillos was soon on terms of closest intimacy with me he acted as interpreter between me and all of the family and especially the ladies his sisters who were constantly exacting French songs from me I translated for them the romance of Berkin at which they were softened even to tears and I made hence the conclusion that this little piece is truly as excellent as individually to myself observing the effect it had on sensible minds though foreigners some days after at the same house I met with Monsieur de Fersen son of the Lieutenant General of that name he advanced towards me and embraced me inquiring news from Paris where he was born he added that being apprised of the arrival of a Frenchman in the country he had for three days wandered in search of me with all the anxiousness natural to a fellow countryman when we left the house the lady of it was so obliging to state as Monsieur de Fersen kissed her hand that as we were both Frenchmen we ought not to be separate and that it was a province he ought to fill that bringing me with him and rendering me partaker of those moments of recreation he occasionally passed at her house this amiable youth led me to his house where I found Monsieur de Parquet a gentleman from Dauphinois as well as himself a captain in the corps de Genie engineering corps they made me stay dinner and here I was not a little surprised at finding our beverage cooled with ice nor less at learning that this enjoyment ample compensation for a thousand privations experienced here is obtained for a trifle at Vera Cruz daily eight mules relieved at regular stages arrive at this city laden with frozen snow from the mountain distant about forty leagues by this plan the town of ice is obtained for a rail of plate and ice creams pineapple or a la zapotilla four times as large as in Paris those charged fourteen sous maybe had for an equal sum the dinners given by the lady of the intendant were served up equally well in town as in the country and what tended to render them the more grateful to me the crocury and style were French in parties formed by the individuals noticed I spent my leisure hours but my botanical excursions were not forgotten they occupied daily the interval between four and ten in the morning end of section four