 Letter the forty-eighth of LIFE IN MEJICO. LIFE IN MEJICO by Frances Calderón de la Barca. Letter the forty-eighth. Leave Mexico. Diligence. Indian padre. Brandy drinking female. Bad roads. Beautiful view. Escort. Breakfast. Crosses. Robbers head. Select party. Lerma. Valley of Toluca. Hacienda. Toluca. Count the B and Mr. W. The comandante. Case upper. Colonel Y. Dea Toluca. Journey to la Gabia. Heat and hunger. Pleasant quarters. Princely estate. El Pilar. Esorillo. A wolf. Long journey. Tortillas. Count the B. State of Michoacan. Forest scenery. Trojes of Anganhueno. Comfort. Toluca. Sixteenth. In vain would be a description with the hopes of bringing them before you of our last few days in Mexico. Of the confusion, the bustle, the visits, the paying of bills, the packing of trucks ascending off of heavy luggage to Veracruz and extracting the necessary articles for our journey, especially yesterday, when we were surrounded by visitors and cargadores from half past seven in the morning till half past eleven at night. Our very last visitors were the families of C.A. and E.N. The new president, Ondit, is turning his sword into a plowshare. Preferring a country to a city life nearly every Sunday he names the house in which he desires to be feted the following week, now at the villa of Señor Blanc at Tacubaya, now at the hacienda of Señor Blanc at San Agustín. As yet, the diplomatic corps do not attend these assemblies not having been officially received, but we hear that there is singing and dancing and other amusements, and that his excellency is extremely amiable and gallant. By six o'clock this morning several of our friends were assembled to accompany us to the diligence, Señor C.O.M.E.R.S.A.E. etc., which unfortunately we had not been able to secure for ourselves for at this moment the whole world is in motion, going to attend the great annual fair San Juan de los Lagos, which begins on the fifth of December and to which Toluca is the direct road. Fortunately, the diligence had broken down the preceding evening, and it was necessary to repair it, otherwise we should have left behind various important articles, for in the confusion of our departure, everyone had left some requisite item at the hotel. C.N. his gun, C. her bag, I, everything, and more specially the book, with which I intended to beguile the weary hours between Mexico and Toluca. Our servant boy ran, Señor R.S. mounted his horse and most good-naturedly galloped between the diligence office and the hotel, until, little by little, all the missing articles were restored. We climbed into the coach which was so crowded that we could but just turn our heads to groan and adieu to our friends. The coach rattled off through the streets, dashed through the Alameda, and gradually we began to shake down and by a little arrangement of cloaks and sarapes to be less crowded. A padre with a very Indian complexion sat between C. and me, and a horrible long, lean, bird-like female with immense red goggle eyes, cold black teeth, fingers like claws, a great goatre, and drinking brandy at intervals sat opposite to us. There were also various men buried in their sarapes. Satisfied with the cursory inspection of our companions, I addressed myself to Blackwood's magazine, but the road which leads towards a deserto, and which we before passed on horseback is dreadful, and the mules could scarcely drag the loaded coach up the steep hills. We were thrown into ruts, horribly jolted and sometimes obliged to get out, which would not have been disagreeable but for the necessity of getting in again. The day in the country were beautiful, but impossible to enjoy either in a shot coach. We were rather thankful when the wheels sticking in a deep rut we were forced to descend and walk forwards for some time. We had before seen the view from these heights but the effect never was more striking than at this moment. The old city with her towers, lakes, and volcanoes lay bathed in the bright sunshine. Not a cloud was in the sky, not an exhalation rose from the lake, not a shadow was on the mountains, all was bright and glittering and flooded in the morning light, while in contrast rose to the left the dark pine covered crags behind which the deserto lies. At Santa Fe we changed horses and found there an escort which had been ordered for us by General Tornel, a necessary precaution in these robber-haunted roads. We stopped at breakfast, at Guahimalpa, where the inn is kept by a Frenchman who is said to be making a large fortune, which he reserves for the good breakfast he had prepared for us by orders of the Count de B and Mr. W, who had preceded us early in the morning on horseback, enviable fate. We had whitefish from the river of Lerma, which crosses the plains of Toluca, fresh and well-dressed, and without that taste of mud which those from the Mexican Laguna occasionally have, also hot cutlets, potatoes, coffee, etc. After leaving this inn situated in a country formed of heaps of lava and volcanic rocks, the landscape becomes more beautiful and wooded. It is, however, dangerous on account of the shelter which the wooded mountains afford to the knights of the road, and to whose predilection for these wild solitudes the number of crosses bore witness. In a woody defile there is a small clear space called Las Cruces, where several wooden crosses point out the site of the famous battle between the curate Hidalgo and the Spanish general Trusillo. An object really in keeping with the wild scenery was the head of the celebrated robber, Maldonado, nailed to the pine tree beneath which he committed his last murder. It is now quite black and greens there a warning to his comrades and an encouragement to travelers. From the age of ten to that of fifty he followed the honorable profession of free trader when he expiated his crimes. The padre who was in the coach with us told us that he heard his last confession. That greening skull was once the head of a man and an ugly one too they say, but stranger still it is to think that that man was once a baby and sat on his mother's knee and that his mother may have been pleased to see him cut his first tooth. If she could but see his teeth now. Under this very head and as if to show their contempt for law and justice the robbers lately eased some travelers of their luggage. Those who were robbed however were false coiners rather a young class in Toluca and two of these ingenious gentlemen were in the coach with us as we afterwards learned and were returning to that city. These with a brandy drinking female composed our select little party. The scenery without was decidedly preferable to that within and the leather and sides of the vehicle being rolled up we had a tolerable view. What hills covered with noble pines? What beautiful pasture fields dotted with clumps of trees that looked as if disposed for effect as in an English park. Furs, oaks, cedars and elms. Arrived at the town or village of Lerma famous for its manufacture of spurs and standing in a marshy country at the entrance of the valley of Toluca all danger of the robbers is passed and with the danger much of the beauty of the scenery. But we breathed more freely on another account for here she of the goggle eyes and gotre descended with her brandy bottle relieving us from the oppressive influence of the sort of day mare if there be such a thing which her presence had been to us. The valley of Toluca was now before us its volcano towering in the distance the planes around looked cold and dreary with pools of transparent water and swamps filled with various species of waterfowl. The hacienda of San Nicolás the property of Señor Mier y Terán a Spaniard was the only object that we saw worthy of notice before we reached Toluca. This hacienda formerly the property of the Carmelite mox is a valuable estate. Not a trees to be seen here or in the valley a great extent of which is included in it but it is surrounded by vast fields of mage and maize. It is traversed by a fine river and is one of the most profitable estates in the country. The laborers here are in general the Atome Indians a poor integrated tribe. Here we dismissed our escort which had been changed every six leagues and entered to look about four o'clock passing the Garita without the troublesome operation of searching to which travelers in general are subject. We found tolerable rooms in an inn at least there were two or three wooden chairs in each and a deal table in one and Mr. W. and the Count de B looking out for us. Colonel Y. had not yet made his appearance. Toluca a large and important city lies at the foot of the mountain of San Miguel de Tutuquilalpico and is an old quiet good-looking respectable seeming place about a sad and solitary as Puebla. The streets, the square and the churches are clean and handsome. To the south of the city lie extensive plains covered with rich crops and about ten miles in the same direction as the volcano. We walked out in the afternoon to the Alameda passing under the portales, handsomer and cleaner than those of Mexico and sat down on a stone bench beside a fountain a position which commanded a beautiful view of the distant hills and of the volcano behind which the sun was setting in a sea of liquid flame making it look like a great pearl lying amongst melted rubies. The Alameda has not been much ornamented and is quite untenanted but walks are cut through the grass and they were making hay. Everything looked quiet and convent-like and a fine fresh air passed over the new moon grass inclining to cold but pleasant. The volcano is scooped out into a natural basin containing in the very midst of its fiery furnace two lakes of the purest, coldest and most transparent water. It is said that the view from its summit the ascent to which is very fatiguing but has been accomplished is beautiful and extensive. On the largest lake travelers have embarked in a canoe but I believe it has never been crossed on account of the vulgar prejudice that it is unfathomable and has a whirlpool in the center. The volcano is about fifteen thousand feet above the level of the sea and nine thousand above the luca. It is not so grand as Pupukatapetl but a respectable volcano for a country town, muy decente, very decent as a man set in talking of the pyramids that adorn the wonderful cavern of Kukuhuamilpa. We ordered supper at the inn and were joined by the comandante of the luca, Don M.A., the officer who came out to meet us when we arrived in Mexico. I regret to state that such a distinguished party should have sat down, six in number, to fowl and frijoles, with only three knives and two forks between them. The provident travelers had, however, brought good one, and if our supper was not very elegant it was at least very gay. The Hawaii arrived about ten o'clock but it is agreed that the animals require one day's rest and we shall consequently spend tomorrow at the luca. Seventeenth. We have spent this day in arranging our route in which we are guided not by the most direct but the most agreeable in walking through the city, which in the time of federalism was the capital of the state. In climbing some of the steep roads cut through the hills at whose base it lies and in admiring the churches and convents and broad well-paved streets with their handsome houses painted white and red. It is decided that the first night of our pilgrimage we shall request hospitality at the hacienda of the ex-minister Hechavaria, Lagabia, which is about ten leagues of very bad road from the luca, which is sixteen from Mexico. All these important arrangements being made and a sketch of our journey traced out we are about retiring to rest in the agreeable prospect of not entering any four or two-wheeled vehicle, be it a cart, carriage, coach or diligence, till we return here. Lagabia. Nineteenth. To get under way the first morning was a work of some difficulty. Mules to be loaded, horses to be fitted with saddles, and one mule lame and another to be procured and the trunks found to be too heavy and so on. We rose at five, dressed by candle-light, took chocolate, put on our manhas, and then planted ourselves in the passage looking down upon the patio to watch the proceedings and preparations. Colonel A arrived at seven with a trooper to accompany us part of the way and we set off while it was cool without waiting for the rest of the party. Toluca looked silent and dignified as we passed through the streets with its old convents and dark hills. The road after leaving the city was stony and mountainous and having reached a small rancho with an old oratorio beside it we halted to wait for our travelling companions. Colonel A amused us with an account of his warfare against the Comanches in which service he had been terribly wounded. Singular contrasts between these ferocious barbarians and the mild Indians of the interior. He considers them an exceedingly handsome, fine-looking race whose resources both for war and trade are so great that were it not for their natural indolence the difficulties of checking their aggression would be formidable indeed. Colonel A, being obliged to return to Toluca, left us in charge of his trooper and we waited at the rancho for about half an hour when our party appeared with a long train of mules and monsoons. The gentlemen dressed mehican fashion as well as their men, the best dressed in the world for a long equestrian journey. Colonel Y had stayed behind to procure another mule and there being two roads, we as generally happens in these cases chose the worst, which led us for leagues over a hilly country, unenlivened by tree, shrub, bush or flower. The sun was already high and the day intensely hot. We passed an occasional poor hut, a chance indian past us showed his white teeth and in spite of the load on his back, contrived to draw his hat off his matted locks and give us a mild good morrow. But for the rest, from Dan to Bershiba, from Toluca to Lagabia all was barren. By twelve o'clock we might have fancied ourselves passing over the burning plains of Mesopotamia, notwithstanding an occasional cold breeze which swept across us for a moment, serving only to make us feel the heat with greater force. Then Baranka followed Baranka. The horses climbed up one crag and slid down another. By two o'clock we were all starving with hunger but nothing was to be had. Even Nebuchadnezzar would have found himself at a non-plus. The Count de Bi contrived to buy some graniditas and parched corn from an indian which kept us quiet for a little while and we tried to console ourselves by listening to our aryeros who struck up some wild songs and chorus as they drove the weird mules up the burning hills. Every indian that we met assured us that Lagabia was cerquita, quite near, de traslomita, behind the little hill and every little hill that we passed presented to our view another little hill but no signs of the much wished-for dwelling. A more barren, treeless and uninteresting country than this road on which we have unanimously revenged ourselves by giving it the name of the Road of the Three Hundred Barankas led us through I never beheld. However it's a long lane that has no turning as we say in Scotland and between three and four Lagabia was actually in sight a long low building whose entrance appeared to us the very gates of Eden. We were all but especially me who had ridden with my veil up from a curiosity to see where the horse was going burnt to the colour of Pani Indians. We were most cordially welcomed by Senor Hechavaria and his brothers-in-law and soon refreshed by rest and an excellent dinner. Fortunately Kay and I had no mirrors but each gave such a flattering description of the other's countenance that it was quite graphic. This beautiful Hacienda which formerly belonged to the Count de Regla whose possessions must have been royal is thirty leagues in length and seventeen in width containing in this great space the productions of every climate from the fur clad mountains on a level with the volcano of Toluca to the fertile plains which produce corn and maize and lower down to fields of sugarcane and other productions of the tropics. We retired to rest but times and early this morning rode out with these gentlemen about five leagues through the Hacienda. The morning was bright and exhilarating and our animals being tired we had fresh strong little horses belonging to their stud which carried us delightfully. We rode through beautiful pine woods and beside running water contrasting agreeably with our yesterday's journey and were accompanied by three handsome little boys, children of the family the finest and manliest little fellas I ever saw who dressed in a complete Mexican costume like three miniature rancheros rode boldly and fearlessly over everything. There was a great deal of firing at crows and at the wild duck on a beautiful the lake but I did not observe that anyone was burdened with too much game. We got off our horses to climb through the wooded hills and ravines and past some hours lying under the pine trees listening to the gurgling of the little brook whose bright waters made music in the solitude and like the soldiers at the pronunciamiento but with sure aim pelting each other from behind the parapets of the tall trees with fur tops. About ten o'clock we returned to breakfast and Colonel Y having arrived we are now preparing to continue our journey this afternoon. Anguangubo, 20th We left Lagabya at four o'clock accompanied by our hospitable hosts for some leagues all their own princely property through great pasture fields woods of fur and oak, hills clothed with trees and fine clear streams. We also passed a valuable stone quarry and were shown a hill belonging to the Indians presented to them by a former proprietor. We formed a long train and I pity it the mistress of El Pilar our next halting place upon whom such a regiment was about to be unexpectedly quartered. There were C. N., K. and I. and a servant the Count D. B. and his servant Mr. W. and his servant Colonel Y. and his men mules, arieros, spare mules and lead horses and all the mozos armed forming altogether a formidable gang. We took leave of the Hechavaria family when it was already growing dusk and when the moon had risen found we had taken a great round so that it was late at night when we arrived at El Pilar a small hacienda situated in a wild looking solitary part of the country. A servant had been sent forward to inform the lady of the establishment of our approach and we were most kindly received. The house is clean and pretty and tired as we were the sala boasting of an old piano tempted us to try a waltz while they were preparing supper. The man who waited at table before he removed the things popped down upon his knees and recited a long prayer aloud. The gentleman had one apartment prepared for them, we another in which Ney, even in the large foreposted and well-curtained bed allotted to us, Madame Y. D. B. had slept when on her way to Mexico before her coronation. The senor M. also showed us her picture and spoke of her and the emperor with great enthusiasm. This morning we rose by candlelight at five o'clock with a prospect of a long ride having to reach the Trojes-up Angangweo a mining district Trojes literally mean granaries, fourteen leagues from El Pilar. The morning was cold and raw with a dense fog covering the plains so that we could scarcely see each other's faces and found our manhas particularly agreeable. We were riding quickly across these ugly marshy wastes when a curious animal crossed our path a Zorillo or a Paddle as the Indians call it and which Bofun mentions under the generic name of Moffetes. It looks like a brown and white fox with an enormous tail which it holds up like a great feather in the air. It is known not only for the beauty of its skin but for the horrible and pestilential odor with which it defends itself when attacked and which poisons the air for miles around. Notwithstanding the warnings of the mozzos as to its peculiar mode of defense the gentleman pursued it with guns and pistols on horseback and on foot but fired in vain. The beast seemed bulletproof turning, doubling, winding crossing pools, hiding itself stopping for a moment as if it were killed and then trotting off again with its feathery tail much higher than its head so that it seemed to be running backwards. The fog favorited very much. It was certainly wounded in the paw and as it stopped and seemed to hesitate the sportsmen thought they had caught up with him but a minute afterwards away went the waving tail amongst the pools and the marshy grass the Zorillo no doubt accompanying it though we could not see him and fortunately without resorting to any offensive or defensive measures. While they were chasing the Zorillo and we had rode a little way off that we might not be accidentally shot in the fog one's wolf came looming by in the midst with its stealthy gallop close to our horses causing us to shout for the sportsmen but our numbers frightened it besides which it had but just breakfasted on a mule belonging to the hacienda as we were told by the son of the proprietes of El Pilar who hearing all this distant firing had written out inquire into its cause supposing that we might have lost our way in the fog and were firing signals of distress. We continued our journey across these plains for about three leagues when the sun rose and scattered the mist and after crossing a river we entered the woods and rode between the shadows of the trees through a lovely forest scenery interspersed with dales and plains and sparkling rivulets but by the time we left these woods and made our way up amongst the hills the sun was riding high in the heavens the pastures and green trees disappeared and though the country was still fertile and the soil rich the beauties lay hid in the valleys below. Chaos horse received a sort of coup de soleil she ridden tremble that would not go on so she mounted another and one of the Mosos led her slowly by a different road to a village to be watered. About one o'clock we began to wish for breakfast but the mules which carried the provisions had taken a different path and were not in sight so that arriving at an Indian inn close by a running stream we were unanimous in dismounting and at least procuring some tortillas from the inmates. At the same time the count de Blanc very philanthropically hired an old discolored looking horse which was grazing peaceably outside the hut and mounting the astonished quadruped who had never in his wildest dreams calculated upon having so fun a chevalier on his back galloped off in search of more solid food while we sat the Indian woman to baking tortillas he returned in about half an hour with some bones of boiled mutton tied up in a handkerchief some salt and thick tortillas called gorditas and was received with immense applause everything vanished in an incredibly short space of time and we resumed our journey with renewed figure. Towards the afternoon we entered the state of Michoacan by a road destined to be a highway traced through great pine forests after stopping once more to rest a few huts or rather wooden cages at the outskirts of the wood nothing can be more beautiful or romantic than this road ascending through these noble forests whose lofty oaks and gigantic pines clothe the mountains to their highest summits sometimes so high that as we look upwards the trees seem diminished to shrubs and bushes the sun darting his warm golden light between the dark green extended branches of these distant forest pyramids so that they seem to be basking in the very focus of his rays untrodden and virgin as these forests appear an occasional cross with its withered garland gives token of life and also of death and green and lonely is the grave which the traveler has found among these alpine solitudes under the shadows of the dark pine on a bed of fragrant wildflowers fanned by the pure air from the mountaintops the flowers which grow under the shade of the trees are beautiful and gay in their colours everywhere there are blue lupins marigolds, dahlias and innumerable blossoms with Indian names sometimes we dismounted and walked up the steepest parts to rest our horses and ourselves but as it was impossible to go fast on these stony paths it became entirely dark before Angangwil was in sight and the road which for a great part of the way is remarkably good now led us down a perpendicular descent amongst the trees covered with rocks and stones so that the horses stumbled and one which afterwards proved to be blind of one eye and not to see very clearly with the other fell and threw his rider who was not hurt it was near eight o'clock and we had been on horseback since six in the morning when after crossing a shallow stream we saw the fires of the furnaces of Angangwil a mining village at the foot of some wild hills we rode past the huts where the blazing fires were shining on the swarly faces of the workmen the road skirting the valley till we reached the house of Don Karno's hamburger a polished gentleman at the head of the German mining establishment this house the only one of any consequence at Angangwil is extremely pretty with a piazza in front on the valley which at night seems like the dwelling of the Cyclops and within a very picture of comfort we were welcomed by the master of the house and by Madame B.N. a pretty and accomplished German lady the wife of a physician who resides there we had already known her in Mexico and were glad to renew our acquaintance in this outlandish spot one must have traveled fourteen leagues from morning till night the first of all her little drawing room appeared with its well-cushioned red sofas bright lights and vases of flowers as we came in from the cold and darkness and how pretty and extra civilized she looked in her black satin gown not to mention the excellent dinner and the large fires for they have chimneys in this part of the world in a nice little bedroom with a cheerful fire the second time I have seen one in two years and I will continue from our next place of rest letter the forty-eighth letter the forty-ninth of life in Mexico this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Life in Mexico by Francis Calderón de la Barca letter the forty-ninth Lífterojes city full territory Tarascan Indians Taxima Urua Distressed condition An improvement Cold morning Querindaro Fine breed of horses San Bartolo Produce Country proprietors Coliar Ride to Morelia Wild ducks And baths Handsome girls Starving travelers Lost mules Lancers Night on a heap of straw Mules found Sinzonzan King Calonsi Pascuaro Kind reception Bishop Robbers Kuru Via Dolid Twenty-fifth As the house was so agreeable and our next day's journey short we could not prevail upon ourselves to leave the Trojes before nine o'clock and even then with the hopes of spending some time there on our return to see the mining establishment the mills for grinding ore the horizontal water wheels et cetera et cetera and still more the beautiful scenery of the neighborhood that you may understand our line of march take a map of Mexico and you will see that Michoacán one of the most beautiful and fertile territories in the world is bounded on the north by the river Lerma afterwards known by the name of Rio Grande also by the department of Guanajuato to the east and northeast it bounds that of Mexico and to the west that of Guadalajara it lies on the western slope of the great Cordillera of Anahuac hills, woods and beautiful valleys diversify its surface its pasture grounds are watered by numerous streams that rare advantage under the torrid zone and the climate is cool and healthy the Indians of this department are the Terascos the Otomi and the Chichimeca Indians the first are the most civilized of the tribes and the language the most harmonious we are now traveling in a northwestern direction towards the capital of the state Via Dolid or Morelia as it has been called since the independence in honor of the curate Morelos its great supporter we had a pleasant ride of nine leagues through an open pasture country meeting with nothing very remarkable on our journey but an Indian woman seated on the ground her Indian husband standing beside her both had probably been refreshing themselves with pulque perhaps even with its homeopathic extract mescal but the Indian was sober and sad and stood with his arms folded in the most patient and pitting face while his wife quite overcome with the strength of the petition and unable to go any further looked up at him with the most imploring air saying repeatedly matame Miguel, matame kill me Miguel, kill me apparently considering herself quite unfit to live about five o'clock we came in sight of the pretty village and old church of Taksimaura and riding up to the meson or inn found two empty dark rooms with mud floors without windows in fact without anything but their four walls neither bench chair nor table although we travel with our own beds this looked rather uninviting especially after the pleasant quarters we had just left and returned our eyes wistfully towards a pretty small house upon a hill with a painted portico thinking how agreeably situated we should be there Colonel Y. thereupon rode up the hill and presenting himself to the owner of this house described our forlorn prospects and he kindly consented to permit us all to sup there and moreover to receive the ladies for the night for the gentleman he had no room having but one spare apartment as one of his family was a great invalid and could not be moved accordingly our travelling luggage was carried up the hill the horses and mules and servants were quartered in the village the gentleman found lodging for themselves in a bachelor's house and we found ourselves in very agreeable quarters on a pretty piazza with an extensive view and one large room containing a table and some benches at our service meanwhile M. de Blanc rushed through the village finding eggs and hens and tortillas and then returning he and Mr. W. produced the travelling stores of beef and tongue and set about making mustard and drawing bottles of wine to the great wonderment and edification of the honest proprietor even a clean tablecloth was produced a piece of furniture which he had probably never seen before and now eyed wistfully doubtless taking it for a sheet we had a most amusing supper some performing dexterously with pen knives and others using tortillas as forks we won the heart of the bourgeois by sending a cup of tea to his invalid and inviting him to partake of another which he seemed to consider a rare and medicinal beverage about nine o'clock the gentleman departed to their lodgings and our beds were erected in the large room where we had supped the man assuring us that he was quite pleased to have us under his roof and liked our company extremely well adding I am very fond of decent people we left Taximuara at six o'clock having spent rather a disturbed night in consequence of the hollow coughs with which the whole family seemed afflicted at least the poor invalid on one side of our room and the master of the house on the other the morning was so cold that every manha and sarape was put in requisition our ride this day was through superb scenery every variety of hill and valley water and wood particularly the most beautiful woods of lofty oaks the whole with scarcely a trace of cultivation and for the most part entirely uninhabited our numbers were augmented by Colonel Wise Troop who rode from Morelia to meet him we had a long journey passed by the little village of San Andres and stopped to eat tortillas in a very dirty hut at Pueblavejo surrounded by the dirtiest little Indian children throughout the whole ride the trees and flowering shrubs were beautiful and the scenery so varied that although we rode for eleven hours in a hot sun we scarcely felt fatigued for wherever there are trees and water and fresh green grass the eye is rested in this and in our last few days journey we saw a number of blue birds called by the common people Guardia Bosques Wood Guardians about half past five we entered a winding road through a natural shrubbery leading to Cuerendaro the fine hacienda of Señor Pimentel a senator when we arrived the family were at dinner and we were invited to join them after which we went out to see the hacienda and especially the handsome and well kept stables where the proprietor has a famous breed of horses some of which were trotted out for our inspection beautiful spirited creatures one called Hilo de Oro golden thread another Pico Blanco white mouth etc in the inner courtyard are many beautiful and rare flowers and everything is kept in great order at nine o'clock the following morning we left Cuerendaro and rode on to San Bartolo a vast and beautiful property belonging to Señor Don Joaquin Gomez of Valladolid the family were from home with the exception of his son and nephew who did the honors of the house with such cordial and genuine hospitality that we felt perfectly at home before the day was over I think the Mexican character is never seen to such advantage as in the country amongst these great landed proprietors of old family who live on their own estates engaged in agricultural pursuits and entirely removed from all the party feeling and petty interests of a city life it is true that the life of a country gentleman here is that of a hermit in the total absence of all society in the nearly unbroken solitude that surrounds him for leagues and leagues there is no habitation but his own the nearest miserable village may be distant half a day's journey over an almost impassable road he is monarch of all his surveys a king amongst his farm servants and Indian workmen nothing can exceed the independence of his position but to enjoy this wild country life he must be born to it he must be a first-rate horseman and addicted to all kinds of country sport and if he can spend the day in riding over his estate directing his workmen watching over his improvements redressing disputes and grievances and can sit down in the evening in his large and lonely halls and philosophically bury himself in the pages of some favorite author then his time will probably not hang heavy on his hands as for the young master here he was up with the lark he was on the most untractable horse in the hacienda and away across the fields with his followers chasing the bulls as he went he was fishing, he was shooting he was making bullets he was leagues off at a village seeing a country bullfight he was always in a good humor and so were all who surrounded him he was engaged in the dangerous amusement of colère and by the evening it would have been a clever rider who had kept his eyes open after such a day's work never was there a young lad in the country there was a generous frank liberality apparent in everything in this hacienda that it was agreeable to witness nothing petty or calculating senor blanc lame through an accident and therefore unable to mount his horse or to go far on foot seemed singularly gentle and kind-hearted the house is one of the prettiest and most cheerful we have seen yet but we passed a great stone building which the proprietor of San Bartolo is having constructed for one of his family which if it keep its promise will be a palace when finished the principal produce of this hacienda is pimiento the capsicum there is a pimiento dulce and the pimiento picante the sweet fruit of the common capsicum and the fruit of the bird pepper capsicum the spaniards gave to all these peppers which they borrowed from the Indian word quacilili and which to the native Mexicans is as necessary an ingredient of food as salt is to us at dinner we had the greatest variety of fine fruit and pulque which is particularly good in this neighborhood they also make here a quantity of excellent cheese after dinner they proceeded to amuse us with a colère of the bulls of which amusement the Mexicans and the public are passionately fond they collect a herd single out several gallop after them on horseback and he who is most skillful catches the bull by the tail passes it under his own right leg turns it round the hypomole of his saddle and wheeling his horse round at right angles by a sudden movement the bull falls on his face even boys of ten years old joined in this sport it is no wonder that the Mexicans are such centuars seeming to form part and parcel of their horses accustomed as they are from childhood to these dangerous pastimes this is very dangerous since the horses legs constantly get entangled with those of the falling bull which throws both horse and rider manifold are the accidents which result from it but they are certainly not received as warnings and after all such sports where there is nothing bloody nor even cruel saving the thump which the bull gets and the mortification which he no doubt feels but from both of which he soon recovers and which are mere games of skill, trials of address are manly and strengthening and help to keep up the physical superiority of that fine race of men the mexican rancheros the next day we parted from our travelling companions the Count de Be and Mr. W who are on their way to the fair of San Juan and are from thence going to Tepec even to the shores of the pacific ocean unfortunately our time is limited and we cannot venture on so distant an expedition but we greatly regretted separating from such pleasant companions de voyage we spent the morning and walking about Acienda seeing cheese made and visiting the handsome chapel the splendid stone granaries the great mills etc. we also hope to spend some time here on our return by letters received this morning from Mexico we find that Sr. Gomez Pedraza has left the ministry as we had but six leagues to ride in order to reach Morelia we did not leave San Bartolo till four in the afternoon and enjoyed a pretty ride through a fertile and well wooded country the road good and the evening delightful as the sun set millions and tens of millions of ducks in regular ranks and regiments darkening the air flew over our heads changing their quarters from one lake to another Morelia is celebrated for the purity of its atmosphere and the exceeding beauty of its sky and this evening upheld its reputation towards sunset the whole western horizon was covered with myriads of little lilac and gold clouds floating in every fantastic form over the bright blue of the heavens the lilac deepened into purple blushed into rose color brightened into crimson the blue of the sky assumed that green tint peculiar to an Italian sunset the sun himself appeared a globe of living flame gradually he sank in a blaze of gold and crimson while the horizon remained lighted as by the flame from a volcano then his brilliant retinue of clouds after blazing for a while in borrowed splendor melted gradually into every rainbow hue and tinge from deep crimson to rose color and pink and pale violet and faint blue floating in silvery vapor until they all blended into one soft grey tinge which swept over the whole western sky but then the full moon rose in cloudless serenity and at length we heard faintly then more distinctly and then in all its deep and sonorous harmony the tolling of the cathedral bell which announced our vicinity to a great city it has a singular effect after traveling for some days through a wild country seeing nothing but a solitary hacienda or an Indian hut to enter a fine city like Morelia which seems to have started up as by magic in the midst of the wilderness yet bearing all the traces of a venerable old age by moonlight it looked like a panorama of Mexico with a fine square portales, cathedral broad streets and good houses we rode through the city to the house of Colonel Y where we now are but as we intend to continue our journey to its furthest limits without stopping we are now after a night's rest preparing to resume our ride they are saddling the horses strapping on the sarapes behind the saddles taking down and packing up our lits de voyage and loading the mules all which is a work of time on our return we hope to remain here a few days to see everything that is worthy of notice Pascuaro accompanied by several gentlemen of Morelia who came early in the morning to CCN we set off for the warm baths of Cuincio and as we rode along the hill of Las Bateas was pointed out to us whereby order of the curate Morelos two hundred Spaniards were murdered in cold blood to revenge the death of his friend the curate Matamoros who was taken prisoner and shot by orders of Yturbide horrible cruelty in a Christian priest it is singular that the great leaders of the independence should have been ecclesiastics the curate Hidalgo its prime mover the curates Morelos and Matamoros the principal chiefs Hidalgo it is said had no plan published no manifesto declared no opinions but rushed from city to city at the head of his men displaying on his colors an image of the virgin of Guadalupe and inciting his troops to massacre the Spaniards Morelos was an Indian uneducated but brave and enterprising and considered the mildest and most merciful of these soldier priests Matamoros equally brave was better informed both were good generals and both misused the power which their position gave them over the minds of the unenlightened populace when Morelos became generalisimo of the revolutionary forces he took a step fatal to his interests and which led to his ultimate ruin he formed a congress which met at Chilpansimo and was composed of lawyers and clergymen ignorant and ambitious men who implored themselves in publishing absurd decrees and impossible laws in assigning salaries to themselves and giving each other the title of Excellency disputes and divisions arose amongst them and in 1814 they published an absurd useless document in the village of Apatsingan to which they gave the name of the Mexican Constitution the following year Morelos was defeated in an engagement which took place in the environs of Tesmelaca taken prisoner led to Mexico and after a short trial degraded from his ecclesiastical functions and shot in the village of San Cristobal Escatepec seven leagues from the capital revolutionary party considered him as a martyr in the cause of liberty and he is said to have died like a true hero the appellation of Morelia given to the city of Valladolid keeps his name in remembrance but her blood-stained mountain is a more lasting record of his cruelty a vile action is recorded of a Spaniard whose name which deserves to be branded with infamy escapes me at this moment the soldiers of Morelos having come in search of him he standing at his door pointed out his brother who was in a room inside the house as the person whom they sought and escaped himself living his brother to be massacred in his place we contrasted the conduct of this miserable ratch with the noble action of the Prince de Polignac under similar circumstances at half past ten after a pleasant ride of about five leagues we arrived at the springs of Cuincio the place is quite wild the scenery very striking the building consists of two very large baths, two very damp rooms and a kitchen the baths are kept by a very infirm old man a martyr to intermitting fever and to remarkably handsome girls his daughters who live here completely alone and except in summer when the baths are resorted to by a number of canoni hosts the original gentlemen from Morelia waste their sweetness on the desert air the house such as it is lies at the foot of rocky hills covered with shrubs and pouring down streams of hot water from their volcanic bosoms all the streams that cross your path are warm you step by chance into a little streamlet and find the water of a most agreeable temperature they put this water in earthen jars and render it fit for drinking but it never becomes fresh and cold it contains muriatic acid without any trace of sulfur or metallic salt I think it is humble to supposes that in this part of Mexico there exists at a great depth in the interior of the earth a fissure running from east to west for 137 leagues through which bursting the external crust of the porphyritic rocks the volcanic fire has opened itself a passage at different times from the coasts of the Mejican Gulf as far as the south sea the famous volcano of Horuyo is in this department and boiling fountains are common in various parts of it we stopped here to take a bath and found the temperature of the water delicious about the ordinary temperature of the human body the baths are rather dark being enclosed in great stone walls with a light coming from a very small aperture near the roof a bird that looked like a wild duck was sailing about in the largest one having made its entry along with the water when it was let in I never bathed in any water which I so much regretted leaving after bathing we waited for the arrival of our mules which were to follow us at a gentle pace that we might have breakfast and continue our journey to Pascuaro to the nine leagues farther but several hours passed away and no mules appeared and at length we came to the grievous conviction that the Arreros had mistaken the road and that we must expect neither food nor beds that night for it was now too late to think of reaching Pascuaro in this extremity the gentlemen from Morelia suffering for their politeness in having escorted us the two damsels of the bath nades of the boiling spring waiting our hungry condition came to offer their services one asked me if I should like to eat a burro in the meantime a burro being an ass I was rather startled at the proposition and assured her that I should infinitely prefer waiting a little longer before resorting to so desperate a measure some people called them peccadoras female sinners said her sister upon these the gentlemen came to our assistance and burros peccadoras were ordered forthwith they proved to be hot tortillas with cheese in them and we found them particularly good it grew late but no mules arrived and at length the young ladies and their father rushed out desperately caught an old hand that was wandering amongst the hills killed, skinned and put it into a pot to boil picked some fresh tortillas and brought us the spoil in triumph one pen knife was produced the boiling pan placed on a deal table in the room of the bath and everyone surrounding the fowl a tough old creature who must have chuckled through many revolutions we ate by turns and concluded with a comfortable drink of lukewarm water we then tried to beguile the time by climbing amongst the hills at the back of the house by pushing our way through the tangled briars by walking to a little lake where there were ducks and waterfowl and close to the margin a number of fruit trees we returned to the baths the mules had not been heard of there was no resource but patience our Morellian friends left us to return home before it should grow dusk and shortly after an escort of 23 Lancers with a captain arrived by orders of the governor Don Panfilo Galludo to accompany us during the remainder of our journey they looked very picturesque with their lances and little scarlet flags with a very formidable aspect the little portico in front of the baths where they deposited all their military accoutrements their saddles, guns, sarapes, etc the captain had with him his wife and daughter and a baby of about two years old which during all the time they were with us was constantly carried by one of the soldiers with the utmost care in front of his horse meanwhile the moon rose and talked about this consulate in front of the baths fearing greatly that some accident might have overtaken our unescorted mules and servants that the first might be robbed and that the drivers might be killed but it was as well to try to sleep if it were only to get over the interminable night and at length some clean straw was procured and spread in a corner of the damp floor there Kay and I lay down in front of another corner Colonel Y a third and then and thus we addressed ourselves seriously to repose but in vain between cold and mosquitoes and other animals we could not close our eyes and were thankful to rise but times shake the straw off and resume our march the road was pretty and flowery when the light came in and we gradually began to open our eyes after taking leave of our fair hostesses and their father through the road you do not I trust imagine us riding along a dusty highway I am happy to say that we are generally the discoverers of our own pathways every man his own Columbus sometimes we take shortcuts which prove to be long rounds over hill over dale through bush through brier through valley and over stream and this kind of journey has something in it so independent and amusing that with all its fatigues we find it delightful far preferable even to traveling in the most commodious London built carriage bowling along the Queen's highway with four swift postures at the rate of 12 miles an hour arrived at the huts we stopped to make inquiries concerning the mules two loaded mules a peasant said had been robbed in the night and the men tied to a tree on the low road leading to Pasquaro we rode on and easy enough and at another hot we're told that many robbers had been out in the night and that amongst others a woman had been robbed and bound hand and foot the road now became bleak and uninteresting the sun furiously hot and we rode forward with various misgivings as to the fate of the party when at a cluster of huts called El Corio we came up with a whole concern the Ariados had forgotten the name of Quinchot and not knowing where to go we had stopped here the previous night knowing that we were bound for Pasquaro and must pass that way they had arrived early and missed the robbers we stopped to breakfast at some huts called La Puerta de Chapultepec where we got some tortillas from a half-caste Indian who was in great distress because his wife had run off from him for the fourth time with another gentleman he vowed that though he had taken her back three times he never would receive her more and yet, I venture to say that when the false fair one presents herself she will find him placable he is evidently in such distress at having no woman to take care of his house after leaving Chapultepec the scenery improves and at length we had a beautiful view of the hills at the foot of which lies the ancient city of Tzinsonsan close by the opposite shore of the lake of Pasquaro formerly capital of the independent kingdoms Tzinsan an important city called at the time of Cortes Hurtzitsila it was formerly the residence of the monarch king Kalsonsi an ally of Cortes and who with his Indian subjects assisted him in his Mexican war it is now a poor Indian village though it is said that some remains of the monarch's palace still exist apropos to which we have several times observed since we entered this state large stones lying in fields are employed in fences with strange hieroglyphic characters engraved on them some of which may be curious and interesting the view as we approach Pasquaro with its beautiful lakes studded with little islands is very fine the bells are tolling and they were letting off rockets for some Indian festival and we met parties of the natives who had been keeping the festival upon pulque or mezcal a strong spirit and were stumbling along in great glee we came up to an old church that looks like a bird's nest amongst the trees and stands at the outskirts of the city here it is said his majesty of Machuacan came out to meet his Spanish ally when he entered this territory Pasquaro is a pretty little city with sloping roof situated on the shores of the lake of the same name and in front of the little Indian village of Hanicho builds on a beautiful small island in the midst of the lake CN says that Pasquaro resembles a town in Catalonia it is entirely unlike any other Mexican city we made a great sensation as we entered with our lancers and mules tired and dust to be covered as we were and brought all the Pasquaranians to their balconies we passed churches bearing the date of 1580 we went to the largest and best house in the town at the scale HA a friend of Colonel Wise he was from home but we were most hospitably entertained by his wife who received us without any unnecessary ceremony or compliments and made us quiet at home we walked out with her by moonlight to see the square and the portales which is a promenade in the evening and were followed by crowds of little boys strangers being rather an uncommon spectacle here the only foreign lady whoever was here in her recollection was a French woman to whom she was very much attached the daughter of a physician and whose husband was murdered by the robbers this morning the weather being cold and rainy and our quarters too agreeable to leave in any violent haste we agreed to remain until tomorrow and have spent a pleasant day in this fine large house with Donia Blanc and her numerous and handsome children we have not been able to visit the lake and Indian islands on account of the weather but we hope to do so on our return from Yoruba our next destination our hostess is a most agreeable person lively kind-hearted and full of natural talent we did not expect to meet such a person in this corner of the world the first bishop of Michoacan Vasco de Cheroca who died in Yoruba was buried in Pasquaro and the Indians still venerate his memory he was the father and benefactor of these Tarascan Indians and went fast to rescue them from their degraded state he not only preached morality but encouraged industry amongst them by assigning to each village its particular branch of commerce thus one was celebrated for its manufacture of saddles another for its shoes a third for its bateos painted trays and so on every useful institution of which some traces still remain amongst them is due to this excellent prelate an example of what one good and zealous and well-judging man can effect we have been taking another stroll by moonlight the rain having seized we have lingered over a pleasant supper and have wished Dania Blank good night yet let me not forget before laying down my pen to celebrate the excellence of the white fish from the lake so greatly surpassing in excellence and flavor those which we occasionally have in Mexico these no doubt must have constituted the provisions which according to tradition were carried by regular running posts from Sint-Sanzan to Montezuma palace in Mexico and with such expedition that though the distance is about 100 leagues they were placed still smoking on the emperor's table. 30th we went to Mass at six o'clock and then took leave of the senora who gave us a cordial invitation to spend some days with her on our return it was about eight o'clock when we left Pascuado and mounted the hills over which our road lay and stopped to look down on the beautiful lake lying like a sheet of silver in the sun and dotted with green islands two disagreeable personages were added to our party early in the morning intelligence was brought that a celebrated robber named Morales, captain of a large band had been seized along with one of his companions and permission was requested to take advantage of our large escort in order that they may be safely conducted to Urwapa where they are to be shot being already condemned to death the punishment of hanging is not in use in Mexico the first thing therefore that we saw on mounting our horses was the two robbers chained together by the leg, guarded by five of our lancers and prepared to accompany us on foot the companion of Morales was a young vulgar looking ruffian his face livid and himself nearly naked but the robber captain himself was equal to any of Salvador's citizens in his wild and striking figure and countenance he wore a dark colored blanket and a black hat the broad leaf of which was slouched over his face which was the color of death while his eyes seemed to belong to a tiger or other beast of prey I never saw such a picture of fierce misery strange to say this man began life as a shepherd but how he was induced by the occupation we did not hear for years he has been the scourge of the country robbing to an unheard of extent so that whatever he may have done with them tens of thousands of dollars have passed through his hands carrying off the farmer's daughters to the mountains and at the head of 80 ruffians committing the most horrible disorders his last crime was murdering his wife in the mountains the night before last barbarity too shocking to relate and it is supposed assisted by the wretch now with him after committing the crime they ran to hide themselves in an Indian village as the Indians probably from fear never betray the robbers however their horror of this man was so great that perfect hate cast out their fear and collecting together they seized the ruffians bound them and carried them to Pascuado where they were instantly tried to be shot the sentence to be executed at Yirwapa the sight of this miserable wretches and the idea of what their feelings must be occupied us as they toiled along each step bringing them nearer to their place of execution and we could not help thinking what wild wishes must have sometimes throbbed within them of breaking their bonds and dashing away from their guards away through the dark woods over mountain and river and into these gloomy pine woods in whose untrod recesses they would be secure from pursuit and then their despair when they felt the heavy clanking chain on their bare feet and looked at the lances and guns that surrounded them and knew that even if they attempted to fly could they be insane enough to try it a dozen bullets would stop their career forever then horror and disgust at the recollection of their savage crimes took the place of pity and not even blank suggestion that the robber chief might have killed his wife in a transport of jealousy could lessen our indignation at this last most barbarous murder of a defenceless woman but these thoughts took away half the pleasure of this most beautiful journey through wild woods wherefore leagues and leagues we met nothing but the fatal cross while through these woods of larches cedars, oaks and pines are bright fisters of distant pasture fields and of lofty mountains covered with forests impossible to conceive a greater variety of beautiful scenery a greater waste of beauty if one may say so for not even an Indian hut was to be seen nor did we meet a single passing human being nor a trace of cultivation as we came out of the woods we heard a gun fired amongst the hills the first token of human life that had greeted us since we left Pasquaro this, Senor Blanc told us was a signal gun usually fired by the Indians on the approach of an armed troop warning their brethren to hide themselves here the Indians rarely speak Spanish as those do who live in the neighborhood of cities their language is chiefly the harmonious Trascan towards the afternoon we came to a path which led us into a valley of the most surpassing beauty entirely carpeted with the loveliest blue, white pink and scarlet wild flowers and clothed with natural orchards of peach and apricot trees in full bloom the grass strewed with their rich blossoms below ran a sparkling rivulet its bright gushing waters leaping over the stones and pebbles that shone in the sun like silver near this are some huts called Las Palomas and it was so charming a spot that we got off our horses and halted for half an hour and while they prepared breakfast for us a basket of provisions from Pasquaro having been brought on by the provident care of Donia Blanc we clambered out amongst the rocks and luxuriant trees that dipped their leafy branches in the stream and pulled wild flowers that would grace any European garden having breakfasted in one of the huts upon fowl and tortillas on which memorable occasion to pen knives were produced and I still wonder why we did not bring some knives and forks with us unless it be that we should never have had them cleaned we continued our journey and this mention of knives leads me to remark that all common servants in Mexico and all common people eat with their fingers those who are rather particular up to tortillas and use them as a knife and fork which I can assure you from experience is a great deal better than nothing when you have learned how to use them our road after this though even wilder and more picturesque was very fatiguing to the horses up and down steep rocks among forests of oak and pine through which we slowly wended our way so that it was dark when we descended a precipitous path leading to a small Indian village or rather encampment called Kuru it was now too late to think of reaching Yirwapa or of venturing to climb by night the series of precipices called the Cuesta de Kuru over which we should have had to pass but such a place as Kuru for Christians to pass the night in a few miserable huts filled with Indians and not so far as we could discern even an empty shed where we might rest under cover however there was no remedy Daryaro had already unloaded his mules and was endeavoring to find some provinder for them in the poor horses it was quite dark but there was a delicious fragrance of orange blossoms and we groped our way up to the trees and pulled some branches by way of consolation at length an old wooden barn was discovered and there the beds of the whole party were put up we even contrived to get some boiling water and to have some tea made an article of luxury which the teapot we carry with us we sat down upon our trunks and a piece of candle was procured and lighted and after some difficulty made to stand upright on the floor the barn made of logs let the air in on all sides and the pigs thrust their snouts in at every crevice grunting harmoniously outside in the midst of the encampment the soldiers lighted a large fire and sat around it roasting maize the robbers sat amongst them chained with a soldier mountain guard beside them the fire flashing on the livid face of Morales who crouched in his blanket looked like a tiger about to spring the soldiers some warming their hands at the blaze some lying rolled in their sarapes and others devouring their primitive supper together with the indian women bringing them hot tortillas from the huts the whole had a curious and picturesque effect as for us we also rolled ourselves in our mangas and lay down in our barn but passed a miserable night the pigs grunted the mosquitoes sung a cold air blew in from every corner and fortunately we were not until morning aware of the horrid fact that a whole nest of scorpions with their tails twisted together were reposing above our heads in the log wall imagined the condition of the unfortunate slumberer on whose devoted head they had descended in mass in spite of the fragrant orange blossoms we set off early the next morning Yorwapa on leaving the fascinating village of Kuro we began to ascend La Cuesta and travelled slowly four leagues of mountain road apparently inaccessible but the sure-footed horses though stepping on loose and nearly precipitous rocks rarely stumbled the mountain of Kuro is volcanic with the loss of rent rocks beatling precipices and masses of lava that have been disgorged from the burning crater yet from every crag and crevice of the rock spring the most magnificent trees twisted with flowering parasites shrubs at the brightest green and pale delicate flowers whose gentle hues seem all out of place in this savage scene beside the forest oak and the stern pine the tree of the white blossoms the graceful floripundio seems to seek for shelter and support creepers that look like scarlet honeysuckles and flowering vines of every variety of colour hang in bright garlands and fastoons entwining the boughs of the trees adorning but not concealing the masses of bare rock and the precipitous crag that frowns amidst all this luxury of vegetation the whole scene is horribly beautiful as we wound through these picturesque paths where only one can go at a time our train stretched out to an immense distance and the scarlet streamers and lances of the soldiers looked very picturesque appearing and then vanishing amongst the rocks and trees at one part looking back to see the effect I caught the eye of the robber morales glaring with such a frightful expression that, forgetful of his chains I whipped up my horse in the greatest consternation over stones and rocks he and the scene were in perfect unison at length we came to the end of this extraordinary mountain forest and after resting the tired horses for a little while in a grove of pines and yellow acacia entered the most lovely little wood a succession of flowers and shrubs and bright green grass with vistas of fertile corn fields bordered by fruit trees a peaceful scene on which the eye rests with pleasure after passing through these wild volcanic regions on leaving the woods the path skirts along by the side of these fields and leads to the valley where Uruapa the gem of the Indian villages lies in tranquil beauty it has indeed some tolerable streets and a few good houses but her boast is in the Indian cottages all so clean and snug and tasteful and buried in fruit trees we rode through shady lanes of trees bending under the weight of oranges chirimoyas, granaditas platanos and every sort of delicious fruit we found that through the kindness of senor Isasaga the principal person here the house had been prepared to receive us an old unfurnished house next to the church and at present unoccupied, its owner being absent we found the whole family extremely kind and agreeable the father a well informed pleasant old gentleman the mother still beautiful though in bad health and all the daughters pretty and unaffected one is married to a brother of Madame Yuturbides they made many apologies for not inviting us to their own house which is under repair but as it is but a few steps off we shall spend most of our time with them it seems strange to meet such people in this secluded spot yet peaceful and solitary as it appears it has not escaped the rage of civil war having been burnt down four different times by insurgents and by Spaniards senor Isasaga who belongs to Vaya Dolid has taken an active part in the solutions having been the personal friend and partisan of Hidalgo his escapes and adventures would fill a volume I could not help taking one last look of the robbers as we enter this beautiful place where Morales at least is to be shot it seemed to me as if they had grown perfectly deathlike the poor wretches must be tired enough having come on foot all the way from Pasquaro thirty first in this charming we have determined to pitch our tent in it for a few days our intention was to proceed twenty leagues farther to see the volcano of Horulo but as the road is described to us as being entirely devoid of shade and the heat almost insupportable with various other difficulties and drawbacks we have been induced though with great regret to abandon the undertaking which it is as tantalizing to do as it is to reflect that yesterday we were but a short distance from a hill which is but thirty leagues from the Pacific Ocean in 1813 M. D. Humboldt and M. Bonplatt ascended to the crater of this burning mountain which was formed in September 1759 its birth was announced by earthquake which put to flight all the inhabitants of the neighboring villages and three months after a terrible eruption burst forth which filled all the inhabitants with astonishment and terror and which Humboldt considers one of the most extraordinary physical revolutions that ever took place on the surface of the globe flames issued from the earth for the space of more than a square league masses of burning rock were thrown to an immense height and through a thick cloud of ashes illuminated by the volcanic fire the whitened crust of the earth was gradually seen swelling up the ashes even covered the roofs of the houses at Querataro forty eight leagues distance and the rivers of San Andrés and Quitomba sank into the burning masses the flames were seen from Pascuaro and from the hills of Aguazarca was beheld the birth of this volcanic mountain the burning offspring of an earthquake which bursting from the bosom of the earth changed the whole face of the country for a considerable distance around and now the glee of the loud hills shake with its mountain mirth as if they did rejoice or a young earthquake's birth here the earth returned the salutation shook though it was with fearful mirth at the birth of the young volcano in a letter written at the time of the event to the bishop of Michoacán by the curate of the neighboring village he says that the eruption finished by destroying the hacienda of Horuio and killing the trees which were thrown down and buried in the sand and ashes vomited by the mountain the fields and roads were, he says covered with sand the crops destroyed and the flocks perishing for want of food unable to drink the pestilential water of the mountains the rivulet that ran past his village was swelled to a mighty river that threatened to inundate it and he adds that the houses, churches and hospitals are ready to fall down from the weight of the sand and the ashes the very people are so covered with the sand that they seem to have come out of some sepulcher the great eruptions of the volcano continue till the following year but have gradually become rarer and at present have ceased having now brought our journey to its furthest limits I shall conclude this letter end of letter the 49th