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 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MEXICO 
 
 TOURS THROUGH 
 
 THE EGYPT OF THE NEW WORLD 
 
 By REAU CAMPBELL 
 
 AUTHOR OF “ AROUND THE CORNER TO CUBA;” “WINTER CITIES IN A SUMMER 
 LAND;” “RAMBLES FOR SUMMER DAYS;” “54;” “THE CORNER OF THE CON- 
 TINENT;” “VI AND JACK;” “HOOK AND I;" “CUBA IN EASY LESSONS;” 
 “PALM LEAVES OF FLORIDA: A TRIP FROM PASSADUMKEAG TO 
 OKEECHOBEE;” “STATEROOM 33: A TALE OF TWO KEYS;” 
 
 “SISTERS OR SWEETHEARTS;” “RIDES AND RAMBLES 
 ON STATEN ISLAND;” AND EDITOR OF THE 
 “POINTER ;” ETC., ETC., ETC. 
 
 \ 
 
 1890: 
 
 C. G. CRAWFORD, 
 New York. 
 
PrfsS OF C. G. CRAWFORD 
 
 # 
 
 [Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 189", in the ofHcc of the Librarian of Congress 
 
 at Washington.] 
 
Mexico. 
 
 THE EGYPT OF THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 ^LDER than Egypt ” is the oft-quoted simile, and as some ancient and 
 undecipherable hieroglyphic-graven image is unearthed, it adds to the 
 indecision as to whether Egypt is older than Mexico or Mexico older 
 than Egypt as a land of the earlier civilization. The ancient history of 
 Mexico is j^rolific of legend and romance, and its reading as fascinating 
 as that of her elder sister (if, indeed, Egypt is the elder), and when it 
 goes back to the Aztecs and the Toltecs and beyond, the stories are as similar as are 
 the pyramids, the temples and the idols, and the looking upon some city of low flat- 
 roofed houses spread upon a plain whose trees are feathery palms recalls descrip- 
 tions of the land of Pharaohs. 
 
 It is not possible here to give an idea, even in the abstract, of the legendary lore 
 or historical fact, but who has read it will And his travels here doubly delightful, and 
 as he compares this Egypt with the other, find the question grow upon him, was this 
 first or that, as a civilized nation ? The evidences are here of ages upon ages, cut in 
 imperishable stone, although there lacks some links of literature to couple the more 
 ancient people with those of whom there is record. This makes the attraction 
 greater that there is a mystery of origin and the love of it, and the student finds 
 thus much more than equable climate and scenic splendor to bring him to the land 
 of the Montezumas. 
 
 The American who travels has been a hunter after the antique as well as w:rm 
 weather in winter, and when he could combine the two his journey was altogether a 
 pleasure trip ; he found them both in a mild way on the peninsula of Florida, but the 
 old Castle of San Marco, at St. Augustine, was the most ancient antiquity — in fact was 
 almost the only one ; the weather was warm enough excepting an occasional 
 “norther,” and the territory of pleasure travel small. It was extended to Cuba, and 
 at last; when the great railways to Mexico were completed and he could find a verit- 
 able Egypt of antiquities, and an Italy of sunny skies without crossing the seas, he 
 was content and his numbers increased greatly. 
 
 As to latitude, Mexico occupies precisely the same position as Egypt, between the 
 15th and 80th parallels north, and the Tropic of Cancer passes through both 
 countries at their centres. But this comparison is in favor of Mexico. Although that 
 country lies near and partly within the tropics, the high altitude of a greater portion 
 where the lines of pleasure travel run, is such that a perpetual spring time is the 
 average of the weather, and while the traveler visits the scenes of the charming read- 
 ings that have been his, he finds a clime that is to his liking, conducive at once to 
 his health and pleasure, and his travels hence can have but one result - a result that 
 is apparent and goes without saying. 
 
 As is generally known, passports are not required in Mexico. The money of the 
 
6 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 country is all tliat is required and only enougli to pay expenses to the capital should be 
 purchased at the border. This may be done at the ticket offices of the railroads or in the 
 restaurants. American money always commands a premium, and bank drafts are in 
 demand. The rate of exchange may not be quoted here, as it is constantly changing, 
 but it is usually from thirty to forty per cent. The currency most in use is silver, but 
 bank notes are in circulation among those able to own them. Some of the paper money 
 is not accepted beyond the limits of the States where issued, but the notes issued 
 by the Banco Nacional and those of the Bank of London, Mexico and South America 
 are good anywhere. For every-day use silver is recommended. 
 
 The metric system is the legal coinage, but instead of speaking of cents the number 
 reales are named in giving prices, clos reales, twenty-five cents ; cuatro reales, fifty cents ; 
 seis reales , seventy-five cents ; and un peso, one dollar. The smallest copper coin is 
 a tlac \ one and one-half cents, except the centavo, one ce: t piece ; a cuartilla is three 
 cents ; a medio, six and one-fourth cents ; a real, twelve and one- half cents ; a peseta, 
 twenty-five cents ; a toston, fifty cents ; and a peso is a dollar. The gold coins are 
 seldom seen, the onza de oro is sixteen dollars ; the media onza, eight dollars ; the 
 pistola, four dollars ; the escudo de oro, two dollars ; the escudito de oro , one dollar. 
 
 Change is made to a nicety, and if the line divides a tlaco it is cut in two with a 
 hatchet. 
 
 These, with the money of the country and such clothing as is used in the 
 United States for spring and autumn wear, a winter tour of all Mexico may be 
 made. If the journey is extended through the “hot country” on the coast, and 
 if any stay is to be made, summer clothes will be most comfortable. 
 
 There is one thing every tourist feels called upon to take with him or her 
 to Mexico — the phrase book. It is amusing to watch the Spanish students in every 
 Pullman car, and. yet more amusing to observe the violent struggles with the pro- 
 nunciation and the riotous efforts to make themselves understood. I heard one 
 lady call her companion’s attention to the “jackals at Jimmy -nez ” and was deeply 
 chagrined when a more apt scholar advised her to say the “ha-kals at him-a-nez ” 
 when she referred to the jacals at Jiminez. 
 
 I bought a phrase book, too*; the success attending its use was not brilliant. I 
 got along not so well even as did one fine old American on the train with me. 
 He thought if he spoke loud the Mexicans could understand him. He yelled all 
 the way from El Paso to the City of Mexico. 
 
 I felt that I would be all right if I could only talk to the people, so I bought a 
 Spanish phrase book, as did all the other passengers. 
 
 I studied diligently the phrase “ Como se llama eso ? ” so I could ask a man “What 
 do you call that ? ” or quanto, how much ? But I only got into trouble when I 
 sprang my only Spanish on a native. If he understood me, he not only told me 
 what it was called, or what the price was, but gave me a lot of other unintelligible 
 information that was as so much Greek to me. 
 
 On my way to Guadaloupe, I noticed the shrines along the way and said to the 
 conductor of the horse-car : “ Como se llama eso? ” I suppose he told me what they 
 were, and in all human probability when and by whom they were built. He sat 
 down by me and talked, and I said “ Si senor ” all the way to Guadaloupe. 
 
 As I stood in the doorway of the Iturbide, a man came up and said : “ Deme usted 
 un cerillo .” I said : “ No compr&ndo ,” because I didn’t. Then he said : “ Donnez- 
 moi une alumette . ” Still I replied : “ No comprendo .” Then he said : “Gimme a 
 match,” and I asked him why he didn’t say so before, he might have had a light 
 long ago. 
 
 I was trying to find my way on foot to the Mexican Central Railway station and 
 got lost. I saw a well-dressed native approaching and commenced to brush up my 
 

 THE CATHEDRAL. CITY OF MEXICO. 
 
8 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 Spanish. “ Como se llama eso? ” wouldn’t do. I must try something else, and when 
 
 he came up, I said : “ Estacion , ferro carril , Central Mexicano , Central 
 
 He said : “ What station do you want to find ? ” 
 
 But really when I learned the money, the numerals and how to put them to- 
 gether, and to read a bill of fare, I found that with my “ Quanto ?” and “ Como se 
 llama eso?” I could get along very well, especially with the aid of the bell boy at 
 the hotel, who taught me more than the phrase book about keys, paper, ink, 
 etc., who, by the way, is a jack-of-all-trades about the house ; he thinks his life is 
 made of all work. He is chambermaid, bootblack, laundryman, messenger, etc. — 
 willing and obliging, and a professor of Spanish in a small way. 
 
 I have concluded, then, that with this amount of Spanish education, a spring 
 overcoat, and a light suit of clothes, that the tour of Mexico may be made without 
 trouble. 
 
 Old Cathedral or San Francisco, City or Mexico. 
 
MEXICAN MANNERS AND MANNERISMS. 
 
 pt HAD heard of the courtesy and hospitality of the Spaniard, and remembered 
 (M once when I had entered a Spanish home of being welcomed and told “this 
 house is yours,” and when I had admired some object, of being informed that 
 it was mine, and when I came to Mexico I found the descendants of old Spain 
 had lost no whit of cordiality, and the welcome at place of business or the home was 
 warm and spontaneous to a degree, and my memories of Mexico are pleasant ones. 
 
 The dress of the Mexican is a picturesque one, of which the wide sombrei'o is the 
 feature, often richly trimmed in gold or silver lace, with a crest or monogram on the 
 crown sometimes, this elaborate head-gear often costing fifty to sixty dollars. A 
 short jacket coming to or a little below the waist is also trimmed in gold and silver ; 
 the tight-fitting trousers, wide at the sharp pointed shoe, have two to three rows of 
 gilt buttons. The complete costume always includes a zerape of many colors ; a 
 zerape is a blanket or shawl worn over the shoulders, thrown in knightly fashion, 
 with the fringed and tasseled end over the left shoulder. Men of ail classes wear the 
 zerape. Coats are almost unknown, except among the better classes . The principal 
 and favorite part of a costume is the sombrero. A Mexican may go barefooted, and 
 wear cotton trousers, but he’ll have a thirty-dollar hat if he can get it. The man on 
 horseback in Mexico is a picturesque figure in gold lace and buttons, and the trap- 
 pings of his horse and saddle are most elaborate. It is to be regretted that this style 
 is giving place to the more modern American or English dress. 
 
 A native paper notes the passage of an ordinance by the City Council of San Luis 
 Potosi, requiring the inhabitants to wear pants — at least those who are built that way. 
 It is not to be inferred by the modest tourist that the San Luisian went without that 
 important part of a costume altogether, but what they did wear could hardly be 
 called pants. 
 
 There are dudes in Mexico. They call a dude lt un lagartijo. ” He wears the most 
 gold lace and buttons, the tightest trousers and the widest hat. In other respects he 
 differs not from the dude of New York, and further space need not be wasted here. 
 
 For ladies of high degree, the Spanish mantilla of black or white lace still does a 
 fascinating duty in place of the hat or bonnet, and the Spanish costume from shoulder 
 to high-heeled pointed slipper. The middle classes wear a black tapalo, a shawl 
 which is both wrap and head-gear ; the lower classes and Indian maidens wear in the 
 same way a scarf of cotton, usually blue or brown ; this is the reboso. Mexican 
 womeji are almost without exception of fine form, healthy and robust. There are 
 thousands of pretty faces, of richest color, long lashes, soft and downy ear-locks, 
 black as jet, and with long, inky black hair. Under the tapalo or reboso is many a 
 Venus ; the corset is unknown, and nature forms to perfection. 
 
 Ladies ‘embrace each other at meeting, and kiss on the cheek, presumably saving 
 the lips for other kisses. Men embrace their friends, and pat each other on the back. 
 In passing on the street, instead saying “ How’dy,” they say “ Adios — Good-by.” 
 
 Following the customs of their ancestors, the young people of Mexico have not 
 that freedom of association as in America. A young lady may not indulge in “steady 
 company ” and the young blood of Mexico may not call on his best girl, as in this 
 free and enlightened country. He must win her by kaciendo el oso — playing the befir. 
 This does not mean that the young man indulges in any idiosyncrasies of the bear, 
 when he (the bear) catches a victim. At a certain hour in the day the devoted lover 
 
CANCION 
 
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 a. My fatherland is dear, but I too left it; 
 
 , Far am I from the spot where I was born ; 
 Cheerless is life, fierce storms of joy bereft it ; 
 
 Made me an exile lifelong and forlorn.. 
 
 Come then to me, sweet feathered pilgrim stranger : 
 Oh ! let me clasp thee to my loving breast, 
 
 And list thy warbling low, secure from danger, 
 Unwonted tears bringing relief and rest* 
 
 2. Deji tambien mi patria idolatrada, 
 
 Esa mansion que me miro nacer } 
 
 Mi vida es hoy err ante y angusfiada, 
 
 Y ya no puedo d mi'mansion volver } 
 Ah f ven, querida^amable peregriha 
 Mi corazon al tuyo estrechare, 
 
 Oiri tu canto tiema golondrina , 
 Recordarl mi patria , y luego llorarl , 
 
12 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 comes under the lady’s window, and when she comes to the casement he may stand 
 and look at her, exchange glances, smiles and nods, go away and come back again 
 to-morrow and do it all over again. If he is faithful and keeps this up for two or 
 three years, he may finally be allowed to call and see her in the presence of another 
 member of the family. If all goes smoothly they “marry and live happy to the end 
 of their days,” as in the fairy story. 
 
 Smoking is permitted almost everywhere — in the restaurant and hotels ; at the 
 theatre and on the cars (except Pullmans) ; some ladies indulge, but the custom is go- 
 ing out — though it is always the polite thing to offer your cigarette case — this reminds 
 me of matches. Mexico matches light at both ends, and if a native asks for a light, he 
 will always return the unused end with an intricate wave of the hand in thanks. 
 
 Politeness and courtesy are characteristic of Mexico, and it is seen constantly 
 everywhere ; a Mexican will not enter a door or pass up a staircase ahead of his 
 companion without an insisting, “ Ease , senor” urgently put, till it is seen that one 
 must go first, and then age or rank or guest takes precedence. The salutations cn 
 the street, in the paseo or the alameda “ buenos dias” “ buenas noches ” and of “ adios,” 
 are continuous and unending, and meeting friends embrace and cordially salute 
 with “ Mi amigo , mi amigo.” 
 
 They are a music-loving people, whose souls are moved by a concord of sweet 
 sounds, and if the love of music is the test, few Mexicans are fit for treason, 
 stratagems and spoils. No jacal is too humble but what its adobe walls (if they have 
 ears) listen to the tinkle of the guitar, and no village so small but its band of native 
 musicians will play in the little alameda in the evenings. In the larger towns and 
 great cities there is music in some plaza or park every day by the military bands — 
 an example set by the Government in giving the people music, that might be emulated 
 by the United States greatly to its credit. 
 
 There be fiddlers in Mexico and some violinists. The fiddlers sometimes come 
 under the car window of a passing train, and in hopes of a tlaco thrown, give samples 
 of native music “ as she is played.” There are some who carp at these crude musi- 
 cians, but they are those who do not appreciate fiddling as an art or the difficulties 
 thereof. Themistocles said he “ could not fiddle, but he could make a small town a 
 great city,” proving that the attainment of proficiency in fiddling is attended by 
 hard work and the results not to be sneezed at. When the weird sounds come into 
 your window let the tlacos go, for whatever work the player may not have done, he 
 has learned the fiddle. 
 
 There is music everywhere, there’s music in the air, a music peculiar to the 
 country and the people, a music of song, of stringed and wind instruments that plays 
 at morning, noon and night. There are songs of praise and songs of mirth, and love 
 songs ; and it may be there are topical songs, and perhaps a Mexican Francis Wilson, 
 or De Woolf Hopper ; but the gags are gags of Spanish wit that fall but flatly on 
 the American ear. 
 
 There are songs of home ; the people have their “Home, sweet home” in the 
 notes of La Golondrina ; since music, heavenly maid, was young, she hath not ceased 
 to soothe the heart of savage and civilized man, and her songs of home have been 
 sweetest and dearest to his ear. That song of “Home, sweet home” is one that 
 touches the American heart as La Golondrina melts the Mexican and brings memories 
 of his, whether ’twas of adobe or of stone. Whether the soft melodies of La Golon- 
 drina are picked from the strings of a guitar, or senorita sweetly sings the touching 
 notes, or organized orchestra fills the ambient air with its tuneful tones, all there is 
 of sentiment even in the stoutest, sternest heart, wells up in tenderness when La 
 Golondrina’s music greets the ear, and brighter, glistening eyes and quicker heart 
 throbs tell that the melody strikes the soul. 
 

 THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGHTING. 
 
 The liistorv of bull-figliting may be divided into 
 two very distinct periods, the aristocratic and the 
 popular ; the former extending from the date of the 
 supposed origin of this sport, that is from the Moorish 
 invasion of Spain, until 1770, the year of the Bourbon 
 accession. In order to give an idea of the ardor with 
 which, for several centuries, the Castilian nobility 
 sought glory and renown in such combats, we will 
 select from the records of tauromachy a few of the 
 names which shine with the greatest lustre in this 
 endless bead-roll. Let us put foremost two Spanish 
 sovereigns, Charles V. and Philip IY. Then come the 
 dukes — Medina, Sidonia, Zarate, Biano, Sastagato ; 
 the counts — Buelma, Yillamediana, Tendilla, La Vena ; and the knights — Manrique 
 de Lara, Ramirez de Haro, Juan Chacon, Yelada, Fernando de Pizarro, the conqueror 
 of Peru, etc. 
 
 If we are to believe certain documents of the tenth century relating to bull- 
 fighting, Spanish cavaliers, during the long periods of peace w r hich marked the 
 reigns of the caliphs Abderam III. and Hakem II., were to be seen in the same arena 
 with Moorish chiefs, and contending with these latter for the prizes. 
 
 But ere long the Spaniards left the Arabs entire possession of the Roman circuses 
 — buildings of immense size of which traces are still to be seen at Murviedo, Merida, 
 Tarragona and Cordova — and throughout the entire peninsula other arenas were 
 constructed in which the young Castilian nobles could freely exercise their valor 
 and skill. 
 
 Tauromachy was in its zenith in the reign of Philip IY. The grandson of Philip 
 II., a mighty hunter and bull-fighter, troubling himself but slightly with State 
 affairs, the direction of which he left entirely to Count Olivares, fought with much 
 success in the arena in emulation of his illustrious ancestor Charles V. 
 
 The abandonment of the arena by the nobility is generally ascribed to the influ- 
 ence exercised over the society of Madrid by the Bourbon Court. Little acquainted 
 with the warlike manners of the Spanish aristocracy, the reigning family sought, 
 from, the moment they attained to the throne, to discredit a pastime which they 
 deemed so brutalizing, and which was so abhorrent to their refined tastes. They 
 were, besides, ill-pleased to see the flower of a nobility with which they wished to 
 be surrounded enter into such sports with so much enthusiasm. 
 
 , It was a young torero, named Pedro Romero, who, toward the end of the eight- 
 eenth century, inaugurated the popular period by compiling for these performances 
 a certain set of rules which became the standard code of bull-fighting. Pedro 
 Romero may reasonably be considered the real originator of the art of tauromachy, 
 as, up to the time when he formulated his scheme for conducting these combats, 
 the spectators witnessed a savage fight in which the man, anxious only for the death 
 of his antagonist, paid no attention to the gracefulness of action now deemed so 
 necessary to charm the spectator, but sought only to maim the brute with repeated 
 wounds in every part of its body. 
 
 Pedro Romero gave practical instructions to his contemporaries in the principles 
 
14 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 } ■'** 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 of the art by an heroic exposure of his own life, and this with such effect that his 
 name endures in the annals of the arena as that of the most illustrious of the spadas 
 of Spain, notwithstanding the high renown achieved by those who followed in his 
 steps. In order to give the reader an idea of the courage and extraordinary skill of 
 Pedro Romero, we reproduce the curious description of a royal bull-fight in 1789, 
 which has been celebrated in verse by the poet Cerrajeria, a faithful disciple of 
 Gongora y Argote, and in which our spada was the hero. 
 
 “On the occasion of the accession of Charles IV. to the throne of Spain, brilliant 
 displays of bull-fighting were given at Madrid under the direction of the famous 
 spada," Pedro Romero. 
 
 “Who’s Afraid? ” 
 
 “ There is ever present to my mind the dazzling sight of the arena with its bal- 
 conies filled by charming ladies and handsome cavaliers. 
 
 “ On an immense tribune built for the occasion on the floor of the circus are 
 seated Charles IV. and Queen Maria Louisa. 
 
 “Their majesties are surrounded by ladies of honor, nobles, ministers of State, 
 ambassadors, knights and guards. 
 
 “ All the boxes are filled by the nobility ; tier upon tier is occupied by joyous 
 students with their mistresses, soldiers, brazen-faced courtesans, workingmen with 
 their wives in holiday finery, the pupils of the toreros, etc. 
 
 “And all these people are shouting, laughing, singing, making fun of every- 
 thing, and getting noisily impatient. 
 
 “The ganaderias had provided their best bulls and the cuadrillas were perfect. 
 The ground had never been better, and the sun shone in an azure sky. Everything 
 seemed to contribute to the success of the fete. 
 
THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGHTING. 
 
 15 
 
 i 
 
 “At the appointed time the toreros appeared on the scene. Their antagonist was 
 a superb animal. 
 
 “Pedro Romero, whose reputation was already glorious, then advanced toward 
 the corregidor and asked as a favor that he might give up his post to his brother Juan. 
 
 “The request w r as granted, and the young spada proudly approaches the bull in 
 the midst of plaudits and shouts of encouragement from the crowd. 
 
 “Behind the barrier a young girl was leaning on the shoulders of an old man. 
 The two watched the preliminaries of the combat in silence, but their features were 
 contracted by a painful anxiety. 
 
 “Juan "was still approaching the bull, when suddenly the latter rushed at the 
 youth, and with a jerk of his head tossed him into the air. 
 
 “He fell heavily to the ground, while the brute celebrated his victory by a pro- 
 longed bellow. 
 
 “A cry of terror arose on all sides, and at 
 the same time the old man was seen to clear 
 the barrier and run into the arena. 
 
 “ He knelt over the wounded youth, and, 
 beside himself with grief, he tried first with 
 his hands, then with his lips, to stanch the 
 blood which gushed from a terrible wound. 
 
 “But Pedro Romero, snatching up the 
 sword which his brother had dropped, cried 
 out to the distracted old man : ‘ Father, pray 
 to the Holy Virgin for me. I am going to 
 kill the bull or die. ’ 
 
 “At the same time a woman’s voice was 
 heard : ‘ For my sake, and for your chil- 
 dren’s, Pedro, I beg you, do not thus risk 
 your life.’ 
 
 “What a dramatic scene! But, without 
 allowing himself to be affected by the sight of his dying brother, his wife in tears, 
 and his disconsolate old father ; the king looking on, and the crowd shrieking, pale 
 — and thinking only of vengeance, his eyes full of fire, and uttering a cry which 
 made the hearers tremble, he sprang forw ard to meet the bull. 
 
 “The hearts of all are oppressed by the anguish of the moment. But soon the 
 sword is seen to flash and then disappear up to the hilt between the shoulders of the 
 beast, who falls on his knees mortally w r ounded. It is a master-stroke. 
 
 “Ceaseless applause then rends the air. The excitement of the multitude is at 
 its height. The ladies wave their handkerchiefs and throw bouquets to the con- 
 queror. The king sends one of his pages to congratulate the spada, and to learn how 
 the v r ounded man is progressing. 
 
 “ But Pedro neither hears nor sees anything of what is passing around him. He 
 hastens tow r ard his old father and his wife, whom he consoles and encourages, then 
 clasping the body of his brother in his arms, he covers it with kisses and tears. 
 
 “Thus was manifested in a striking manner, in full daylight, and wdthin a few 
 seconds of time, a father’s despair, a wdfe’s affection, a man’s fearlessness, a people's 
 enthusiasm, a king’s solicitude, the triumph of skill over brute force. 
 
 “And henceforth let no one say that a theatrical performance interests the 
 public more ! ” 
 
 It may be said that the classic cuadrilla is due to the two Romeros. It was these 
 two toreros who instituted the m,atador or spada , the picadores , the eapeadores and the 
 bander iller os, the respective functions of all of whom they finally fixed. 
 
 -If 
 
 
 On the Run. 
 
16 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 The two principal rivals of the Romeros were Miguel Galvez and Bargaitztegui. 
 On the death of Juan Romero, Galvez, who was his most brilliant pupil, obtained 
 the title of first spada of Spain, and the control of that master’s cuadrilla. The bull- 
 fighting period from 1790 to 1801 was more particularly remarkable for the manner 
 in which Castillares and Pepe Hillo handled their swords. 
 
 During the entire reign of Joseph Bonaparte the plazas de tor os were deserted. 
 In 1813 the bull-fights, officially recognized by King Ferdinand, who established at 
 Seville a practical and theoretical training-school, became flourishing once again. 
 Nevertheless, it would not be easy to draw up an imposing list from the toreros who 
 appeared before the public between 1813 and 1830. 
 
 Let, us, however, make mention of the celebrated Francisco Herrera Rodriguez, 
 better known by the sobriquet of Curro Guillen, who was killed in the arena of 
 Arunda by a thrust in the abdomen from a bull. 
 
 For some months after the death of Curro Guillen, these spectacles were in 
 jeopardy, owing to dissensions among the pupils of that master, and for a time the 
 public lost all interest in the sport. Soon, however, the remarkable exploits of the 
 young Francisco Montes, who wa? destined to acquire later so great a celebrity, re- 
 called the Spanish people to their favorite pastime. 
 
 On the death of Montes all the favors of the public were bestowed on the young 
 nephew of Curro Guillen, the famous Cuchares. 
 
 Many and skillful wi j re the toreros who endeavored to fill the position left vacant 
 by Cuchares, the most celebrated being Diaz Labi, El Chiclano, one of the best 
 pupils of Montes, Manuel Trigo, Francisco Ezpeleta and Francisco de los Santos. 
 
 Of contemporary matadores let us place in the first rank Manuel Doninguez 
 (whose Bohemian existence was but a series of extraordinary adventures which we 
 would fain relate here), and complete the glorious list with the names of the brothers 
 Carmona, El Tato, Manuel Fuentes (Boeanegra), Francisco Arjona Reyes (Currito), 
 Rafael Molina y Sanchez (Lagartijo), Salvador Sanchez (Frascuelo), Cara Ancha, 
 Mazzantini, Guerrita, and, in Mexico, Ponciano Diaz. 
 
 A thorough study of the art — we may say, of so intricate a science — would require 
 lengthy discursions ; for the methods of bull-fighting are numberless, and every day 
 the daring skill of some torero adds fresh suertes de plantar banderillas al relance , or de 
 matar aguardando. 
 
 The account of a tragic performance at which I was present will more interest 
 our readers, among whom the aficionados are as yet rare, than any arid technical dis- 
 sertation, of which, moreover, the untranslatable idiomatic phrases would be almost 
 incomprehensible to the uninitiated. 
 
 The arena was already full when we entered. Twelve thousand spectators 
 squeezed together were uproariously merry amid a rustling of fans like some stu- 
 pendous flapping of wings. Above this multitude, whose impatience was revealed 
 by wild shouts, the sun shone brilliantly in an azure field. 
 
 It is now a quarter to five, and we have still a few minutes more of expectation. 
 Why not hurry on the performance ? The feverish impatience of the crowd has 
 already taken possession of me, and standing on the seat, I wave my sombrero 
 towards the box of the ayuntamiento and shout, I scarcely know what. My com- 
 panion, who was a Spaniard, and a great lover of bull-fighting, looked at me with a 
 smile, and as though he was somewhat disposed to banter me. 
 
 A.t last a signal is given from the municipal box, and the traditional alguazils , 
 clothed in dark velvet, wearing plumed three-cornered hats, majestic as Count 
 Olivares, and superbly seated on black Andalusian steeds, make their entry into the 
 arena at a hunting gallop. 
 
 They salute the president, and disappear hastily after having thrown the keys of 
 
THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGIITING. 
 
 17 
 
 the toril to the attendants. Immediately a number of capeadores clear the barrier and 
 rush into the arena. It is indeed a charming sight to see these men, all young and * 
 handsome, and in splendid costumes, with apparently no thought of the danger 
 which menaces them, standing in an easy attitude and talking quietly to one another. 
 
 “ There will not be much to interest us in this fight,” said my friend to me. “I 
 do not see a single torero of any note, and I fear the animal is embolado.” 
 
 Such is the term used to designate a bull which has had the tips of its horns 
 covered with wooden or leathern balls. 
 
 Against such an adversary even the most inexperienced toreros can fight without 
 running much risk. I will not describe this first event which finished amidst gene- 
 ral indifference. Only one torero had his ribs broken. Nothing w orth mentioning ! 
 The bull w r as scarcely two years old, and his life was spared. 
 
 “ Now,” said my friend, ‘‘look out for something ! ” 
 
 I pulled myself together, and, smiling in my turn, w r atched the proceedings 
 eagerly'. .■ 
 
 The arena was deserted, but before long 
 the tw r o alguazils again appeared. This time 
 they were followed by the cuadrilla which 
 was to take part in the combat. The band 
 played the well-known air : 
 
 “ Ya sale la cuadrilla 
 De los tor«roe, 
 
 El Tato y el Gordito 
 Son los primeros.” 
 
 And the procession began to move. 
 
 It halted in front of the municipal box, 
 and the president had scarcely answered the 
 salute of the toreros when a loud flourish of 
 trumpets announced that the animal had 
 been let loose. 
 
 At that moment, I confess, I felt a keen 
 emotion ; mv heart beat violently, and my 
 memory conjured up all those bloody scenes 
 of the Plaza de Toros which have been described in the accounts of travels in Spain ; 
 and it w r as perhaps the dread of being ridiculed by my friend which prevented me 
 from going and finishing my cigar in the cool shade of the Retiro. 
 
 But escajoe is now impossible. The door of the toi'il having just been opened, the 
 animal comes forth, holding his head high, his horns threateningly lowered, and he 
 breathes heavily. Then, as quick as lightning, he rushes at the nearest picador, who, 
 standing up in his large Arabian stirrups, couches his lance, and awaits him bravely. 
 
 The shock was terrific, and a shout of admiration came from all the tiers. At the 
 same onset the bull had ripped open the horse and unsaddled its rider, and as if the 
 noise which greeted his triumph still further increased his rage, he thrust his 
 powerful "horns into the body of the animal, while the attendants carried off the 
 picador in an insensible condition. 
 
 “ This is going to be a good fight,” said my friend, as he looked at me knowingly. 
 
 “Ah, splendid !” I replied, wiping the perspiration from my forehead. 
 
 When the bull had vented his fury on the bleeding carcass, he quietly took up a 
 position in the middle of the arena, and remained there perfectly still, without tak- 
 ing any notice of the capeadores who leaped round him, each one striking him in 
 turn with his long cloak. 
 
 After this first exploit he seemed pleased to present himself to the public, as if he 
 
 Face to Face. 
 
18 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 already had a presentiment that his name would soon be associated with those of the 
 Sevillanos, Pantalones, and Media-Lunas. 
 
 He was of the average height and of a brilliant black. At a glance one could see 
 that he was strong and agile ; for his head, adorned with pointed and well-set horns, 
 was short and compact, his shoulders powerful, his breast well-developed, and his 
 limbs, spare and sinewy, had at intervals a sudden movement which, although ho 
 
 did not stir from his ground, caused 
 the capeadores who were nearest to him 
 to be on their guard. 
 
 This immobility was of short du- 
 ration. All at once he gave a long- 
 bellow, shook his massive head to get 
 rid of the veil with which a chulo had 
 covered it, scraped the ground with 
 his forefoot, and, lowering his horns, 
 rushed at the toreros who surrounded 
 him. 
 
 Lightly, as if they had wings, they 
 sprang over the barrier, fancying that 
 they would thus be sheltered from the 
 rage of their powerful antagonist. 
 But they had reckoned without tak- 
 ing into consideration his remark- 
 able agility. Almost at the same time 
 as they, he sprang over the obstacle, 
 and then rolled at the feet of the spectators, over the body of an unfortunate atten- 
 dant who was instantly killed. 
 
 Driven back at once, into the arena, the animal, whose rage was continually in- 
 creasing, dashed at the horsemen who, clutching their lances firmly, advanced boldly 
 to meet him on their weak, tottering old horses. 
 
 By San Isidro, what terrible thrusts ! 
 
 In less time than I take to write it, two horses were ripped open and lay on the 
 ground, whilst the picadores, limping, dragged themselves toward the outer ring, 
 being protected in their retreat by the capeadores , who came forward just in time and 
 succeeded in drawing the bull’s anger upon themselves. Out of the twelve horses 
 engaged in this combat, six were already dead and their meagre carcasses were 
 scarcely distinguishable as they lay on the red sand of the arena. 
 
 Now the multitude, filled with a delirious joy, burst into exclamations in eulogy 
 of the bull. “ Bravo toro ! Que bonito ! Viva el torof Anda l Anda P* 
 
 Close by me a young and pretty woman quickly snatched some tuberose blossoms 
 from her black tresses, and with a kiss, threw them to the brute. 
 
 “ Now,” said my friend to me, “do not lose sight of a single movement of the 
 bull. He has finished with the horses, and now it’s the men’s turn.” 
 
 Strange to say, at the commencement of the fight, or even before the appearance 
 of the bull, a thrill of secret terror and anguish had possessed me, and I would have 
 left the circus willingly. But now I was fixed in my seat in spite of the dreadful 
 spectacle which was before me ; not for all the Velasquez of the Prado would I have 
 quitted my place at that moment, and I even caught myself applauding the bull’s 
 triumph. 
 
 “ You will soon make an excellent afitionado said my friend. 
 
 And I kept my eye fixed on the bull. 
 
 Irritated by the fluttering of the gaudy cloaks of the capeadores , the animal rushed 
 
 0 
 
 A Close Call. 
 
THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGHTING. 
 
 19 
 
 about in every direction. But liis nimble adversaries, by suddenly twisting round or 
 stepping aside, always evaded him. Then, as he again dashed at them, they so 
 goaded him to madness, that in his blind rage at battling only with air, he plunged 
 at the carcasses of the horses and rent them to fragments. At last, apparently dis- 
 gusted at having no living enemies to attack, he moved off towards the door. 
 
 Then I witnessed one of the most astounding scenes. The crowd, which but just 
 before had been lavishing on the brute the most endearing terms, began saluting his 
 retreat with a salvo of imprecations of unutterably high flavor. To a moralist these 
 would have material for grave reflections on the instability of popular passions. 
 
 Then the president of the proceedings came in for his share of abuse. “ Thief of 
 a President ! Scoundrel ! Robber ! Why don’t you let the banderfflpros manage 
 this African cow ? You are not up to your work. Al fuego el presidente ! ” 
 
 I forbear to mention other more insulting taunts. The lucky individual to whom 
 these gracious remarks were made merely replied by a smile of Jove-like serenity. 
 I admired his aggravating coolness. The crowds standing up on the benches shook 
 their fists furiously at him. My friend shouted just as the others did, and I shouted 
 like my friend. 
 
 At last this much abused official, a veritable Boissy d’Anglas of tauromachy, con- 
 descended to wave his handkerchief, and four banderilleros joined the capecidore*. 
 
 Holding a banderiUa in each hand, they placed themselves in front of the bull. 
 The latter seemed to understand that now he had more formidable adversaries to 
 deal with and that his life was at stake, for he bellowed long and loud, pawed 
 savagely for a moment, and then made a rush at the nearest banderillero. 
 
 The man, with a grace and skill which drew forth the applause of the assembly, 
 made a pirouette which took him to one side, 
 the furious charge of the animal carrying 
 him far beyond his enemy. 
 
 As the bull was returning to the attack, 
 the banderill ro again stood in his path, and, 
 in the very act of stepping aside a second 
 time, stuck both of his barbed banderillas 
 deeply into the animal’s shoulders. 
 
 “ Bueno ! Bueno ! Viva el banderillero ! ” 
 shouted the crowd. Maddened with rage and 
 pain, the bull plunged across the arena, with 
 tail erect, muzzle held high, bellowing fierce- 
 ly, and vainly shaking his broad shoulders to 
 free them from the iron points which were at 
 every moment lacerating him afresh. The 
 blood 1 ' streaming from his wounds covered his 
 hide, giving it the appearance of a purple 
 mantle. 
 
 All at once there was a tremendous clam- 
 or.^' The Lull had just rushed on another 
 banderillero , and he, less fortunate than his 
 
 comrade, had not been able to avoid him. He was tossed to a height of five or six 
 yards, and fell heavily to the ground, while the bull, carried forward by his impetus, 
 had stumbled, and was kneeling on the carcass of one of the horses. 
 
 A death-like silence took possession of the circus. 
 
 The torero got up and ran a few paces toward the exit door, threw up his arms 
 wildly, and fell face downwards. He was dead. The bull’s horn had pierced his 
 chest and heart, and from the gaping wound the blood spurted out upon the sand. 
 
 £ 
 
 
 Not this Time. 
 
20 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 It will be long ere I forget poor Nicola Fuertes. His daring and coquettish manner 
 had made him a great favorite with the people, who had given him the nickname of 
 “El Polio ” or “the Cock. ” The entire multitude were silent and almost breathless 
 as they beheld his body, from which the life had so suddenly fled. Everybody was 
 still hopeful that the banderillero had only fainted, that it was a slight wound, and 
 that ne would soon get up again. Alas ! doubt was soon no longer possible, when 
 the attendants, afteP having carried him on their shoulders out of the arena, re- 
 turned and announced that he was dead. 
 
 While this tragical incident was passing, the other toreros, springing to the 
 animal’s head, fluttered their cloaks before his large bloodshot eyes, and maddened 
 him to such a degree that, far from thinking of rushing after the men bearing the 
 body, in his blind fury he dashed at his barrier with such force as to break several 
 of its planks with his head. 
 
 Twice again he jumped over into the outer circle, and in another moment he 
 would, with a desperate bound, have cleared the second barrier and rushed among 
 the people, who had already become panic-stricken. 
 
 The president saw that it was time to finish, and waved a red handkerchief. 
 
 There was great applause, and the trumpets sounded the signal of death. The 
 matador who came forward to kill the brute was a man of about thirty years of age. 
 Unknown till then, he was perhaps destined within the next few minutes to make 
 himself famous, and by one stroke to become the rival of Frascuelo and Lagartijo. 
 
 Never, forsooth, had a more dangerous animal than the terrible Yalenciano been 
 encountered in the arena. 
 
 The man was tall and thin, supple in his slightest movements, and his bearing 
 while in fighting array was of irreproachable correctness. Such at least was the 
 opinion of the connoisseurs. And with his muleta, or the red cloth, as light as a 
 cloak, and with his slender sword he was about to confront this monster who had 
 borne all before him and whose horns, now reddened with gore, had disemboweled 
 both horses and men, and broken down the strongest barriers. 
 
 The torero advanced to the presidential box, took off his cap, and said simply : 
 “ Senor el presidente, I ask to be allowed to fight this bull. One of us must die.” 
 
 “You may fight him,” replied the president. 
 
 With a movement, full of grace the spada threw his cap among the crowd, and 
 walked resolutely toward the animal, which awaited him with its head lowered. Its 
 shoulders, from which the blood was still streaming, shuddered with pain, and again 
 he furiously pawed up the ground. The unfortunate Nicola Fuertes was already 
 forgotten, and the crowd, charmed by the fine attitude of each combatant, applauded 
 alternately the man and the brute. 
 
 “You are both charming !” shouted the women. 
 
 “ Forward, both of you, you brave fellows ! ” yelled the men. 
 
 And then bets were made while the antagonists continued to eye one another 
 keenly The man move's forward with short steps, while the bull retires slowly un- 
 til he finds himself brought to a stand at the barrier. Is he afraid, or can he be 
 tired? “ Anda ! Anda!” shout the crowd, and then they call out to the spada: 
 “ Strike him with your muleta.” 
 
 But the bull, as if he wished to anticipate this insult, made a rush at his oppo- 
 nent, who, by a rapid movement to one side, just escaped him. One of the horns 
 had grazed his chest. 
 
 It was in vain that the capeadores. when they saw that the bull was still in full 
 strength and that the contest was far from equal, tried to divert his attention and 
 further fatigue him. No longer did he deign to notice them, but made a second 
 furious rush upon the spada. Again the latter escaped him, and at the third charge, 
 
THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGIITING. 
 
 21 
 
 while the bull was rushing at full speed toward* him, he stood directly in front of the 
 monster, his body erect, and his sword pointed toward the animal, but slightly in- 
 clined. 
 
 Then I confess I thought of the unfortunate El Polio when tossed aloft, and me- 
 chanically I closed my eyes. 
 
 As I opened them again to learn the cause of the shouts and continued applause, 
 I saw the torero still in the same spot, saluting the people with his muleta, while the 
 bull was plunging about the arena, bellowing with pain and writhing to rid himself 
 of the sword which had been thrust up to the hilt between his shoulders. 
 
 “Ah, that will kill him ! ” they cried, and already the crafty caclietero could be 
 seen peering over the barrier, as he awaited the moment the bull should sink on his 
 knees for the last time, when he would creep 
 forward to give the coup de grace , by j:>lunging 
 his lance-headed dagger between the first and 
 second vertebrae. 
 
 But, to the surprise of all, the bull suc- 
 ceeded in ridding himself of the sword, 
 which, by a sudden movement of his shoul- 
 ders, w r as jerked to some distance, and with 
 greater fury than ever he rushed again at the 
 spada , who was unsuspectingly engaged in 
 collecting the cigars thrown to him. 
 
 He had scarcely time to bestride the bar- 
 rier and gain the outer ring, while the crowd 
 signified their disapproval of his flight by a 
 volley of hisses. 
 
 Exasperated by this unforeseen attack, 
 and irritated at finding his triumph so sud- 
 denly changed to a defeat, he soon reappeared 
 pallid with anger, and holding a fresh sword 
 in his hand. 
 
 Theophile Gautier is quite right when he 
 says that a good bull-fight is better than all 
 the plays of Shakespeare. I clapped my hands so vigorously that I split my gloves. 
 
 “Ah, ah ! ” said my friend, “has it come to that ? Why, you are a perfect aficio- 
 nado .” 
 
 I wished to protest strongly against this idea, and was trying to find the most 
 appropriate epithets to stigmatize the brutal customs of the Spanish people, when 
 he made a sign to me to be quiet and to see what was going on. 
 
 Night was rapidly approaching — it w r as one of those superb nights wdien the 
 darkness has an azure transparency. The dark blue sky served as a grand vaulted 
 roof to the circus, and the stars gradually shone forth like some gigantic al fresco 
 illuminatton. In the blood-stained arena the forms of the combatants became more 
 and more indistinct. They were but shadows which moved hither and thither rap- 
 idly, for the contest was raging anew. 
 
 Just then one of the spectators lit a candle, and soon thousands of lights glim- 
 mered amongst the sombre and excited crowd, and, besides these, a vast number of 
 the broad paper fans held by white, nervous hands were soon blazing to increase the 
 glare. The circus then resembled a vast furnace full of pale faces to which the 
 tragical events of the fight gave an awful weird and tortured aspect. In none of 
 Goya’s representations of tauromachy have I ever seen so terribly sinister a scene 
 depicted. 
 
 A Sure Thrust. 
 
22 
 
 MEXICO 
 
 The night birds quitted their holes in the walls, and burnt their wings in striving 
 to flutter through these innumerable lights. 
 
 Once more the spada succeeded in wounding the bull, but again the brute freed 
 himself from the weapon, and recommenced the pursuit of his implacable executioner. 
 
 “ Bravo Toro! Bravo Valenciano ! ” they all cried. 
 
 So the animal was spared. His achievements had touched the hearts of these 
 good, impressionable Spaniards. They gave him a new lease of life, and again let 
 him into the toril. 
 
 He made his way thither under the escort of the cabestros , shaking his bleeding 
 head, which he raised with great difficulty, and bellowing dolefully. 
 
 The arena was now open, and the crowd rushed in, shouting and singing. Some 
 struggled to fill their handkerchiefs or their pockets with the sand colored by the 
 blood of “El Polio.” 
 
 The age at which the fighting bull is in full vigor varies from four to nine years. 
 He must be of good pedigree, and have never left the breeding-farm. On this point 
 the laws which regulate the sport are very precise. The bull who has already fought 
 in the arena remembers perfectly the blows of his adversaries and their various 
 modes, how deceptive is the muleta , etc., and would be altogether too dangerous to 
 encounter a second time. 
 
 He must be in good condition, so as to be able to support without being too 
 much fatigued the incessant attacks which precede the final thrust ; but he must 
 not be too fat, as that would deprive him of one of his most valuable qualities, his 
 agility. To be perfect he should have a shining black coat, soft to the touch, brown 
 eyes spangled with gold, a haughty look, a broad head, but short and compact, 
 shaggy ears, shoulders and chest well developed, a long and well tufted tail, horns 
 thick at the base, slightly curved, and very pointed at the end. 
 
 It has been noticed that bulls have three different styles of entering the arena ; 
 whence the following classification of them has been made : 
 
 1. The Levantados , or heedless, are those who rush into the arena holding their 
 heads high, running about in all directions, and making a number of plunges and 
 comical cabrioles before charging the picadores. They are the least dangerous to 
 fight, and the easiest to kill. 
 
 2. The Parados , or lazy, come in at a trot, then stop, and would return very 
 quickly to the point where they entered, if the horsemen, goading them with their 
 poles, did not compel them to throw off their apparent sluggishness. Sometimes 
 they get enraged at the first prick of the goad, and are then very dangerous. 
 
 3. The Aplomados , or self-possessed, are more to be feared than all. I know 
 nothing more imposing than the way in which they present themselves. They hold 
 up their heads, but exhibit none of the extravagant or cowardly movements of the 
 levantados or parados. Their deportment is so royally majestic that the people never 
 fail to applaud them when they appear. They proceed at a slow pace to the middle 
 of the arena, as if for the purpose of enabling the public to admire leisurely their 
 heroic and haughty indifference to the numerous enemies who threaten them. Then 
 after repeatedly striking the ground with each foot in order to assure themselves of 
 their firmness, they rush upon the group of picadores. 
 
 The fighting bulls grow up in full liberty in the breeding parks or ganaderias, 
 which are always situated in well watered valleys abounding in sweet scented herbs. 
 
 Eor a long time the bulls of Andalusia and New Castile were most in demand. 
 But at the present time it would seem as though the mestizos , a cross between the 
 Andalusian bull and Portuguese cow, were preferred to any. This breed, while pre- 
 serving the natural vigor of the Spanish bull, is wonderfully horned and extremely 
 agile, as are his congeners of the banks of the Douro, and of the valleys of Braga. 
 

 THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGHTING . 
 
 23 
 
 In 1880 Lagartijo devoted a large portion of his fortune to the establishment of 
 an important ganaderia of mestizos in the neighborhood of Cordova. 
 
 The ganaderias now most in vogue in Spain are those of the Duke of Yeragua, 
 Don Antonia Miura, and Don Rafael Lafitte y Castro. 
 
 The fighting bulls have for pasture companions the cabestros , a species of very 
 intelligent oxen, which, to some extent, perform the duties of a shepherd-dog, for no 
 sooner does a bull escape from the in closure than the cabestros , without even waiting 
 for a word from the keeper, start off in pursuit, ringing furiously the large bells sus- 
 pended from their necks. They are not long in overtaking the deserter, who, with- 
 out the least resistance, returns with a dejected look to the ganaderia in the midst of 
 his imposing escort. 
 
 Nor are the cabestros of less service on the occasion of a bull-fight, for without 
 their aid it would be impossible to drive out an animal w r hose life has been spared ; 
 but as soon the bull sees them with their keepers, he hastens to join the number, and 
 to return with them to the stables after a short trot round the arena. 
 
 The history of bull-fighting in Mexico is but another chapter added to that of 
 Spain, simply changing the names of the stars of the profession. The people of 
 Mexico inherit the bloody fascination of the sport, and what has been written of the 
 excitin gfuncions in th e plaza de toros of Spain will describe as well the fights in the 
 arenas of Puebla, Toluca, Tlalnepantla, the City of Mexico or any other of the 
 republic. 
 
 Star matadors from Spain and Cuba have visited Mexico, notably Mazzantini two 
 years ago and others at different times, but they have not dimmed the glory of the 
 home constellation, for Mexico believes in patronizing home industry when it comes 
 to bull-fighting, and Mazzantini’s reception was not cordial nor his engagement a 
 prosperous one, so the field is left to the home toreadors. 
 
 There are famous names on the roll of tauromachy of Mexico, such names as 
 Corona, Hernandez, Gonzalez, Gavino and a host of others, but none have reached 
 that pinnacle attained by the idol of the day, the great and only Ponciano Diaz — a 
 man commanding the admiration of the entire people, a man of whom a native paper 
 says : “ Should some day a man be required to fill the archiepiscopal see at Mexico 
 and the bull-fight going people be called to elect a man for the place, Ponciano 
 would be the man. 
 
 “ Should a presidential election be left to the will of the masses enthusiastically 
 patronizing the popular sport, Ponciano would be the president. 
 
 “Should it ever come to the point of abolishing the republican system of gov- 
 ernment in Mexico and create a monarchy instead, we would see thousands of 
 the young matador’s admirers propose the name of Ponciano the First for the 
 Mexican throne. ” 
 
 That’s the kind of a man Ponciano Diaz is. 
 
 It does not follow that the bull-fighter is a “tough.” Mazzantini was a grad- 
 uate of a college at Rome and an A. M., and Ponciano Diaz a modest, well-appearing 
 man of intelligence and good breeding, brave but not a bully, correct but not fop- 
 pish, and altogether not spoiled by his professional successes. 
 
 Ponciano Diaz Gonzalez was born at tlie Hacienda de Atenco November 19, 
 1858 ; his father, now dead, was Don Guadaloupe Diaz Gonzalez, and his mother 
 Dona Maria de Jesus Salinas, whom Ponciano loves and reverences to an idolatry 
 which is given as a reason for his never having married. 
 
 Ponciano does not remember when he first faced a bull. He tells, as a very 
 dim recollection, that when he scarcely could walk his father, who was a perfect 
 charro (sport), would take him to the weekly bull-fights held in the Hacienda de 
 Atenco, where he was employed, and would hold up his little son and use him as a 
 
24 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 cloak to goad the beast. This early apprenticeship — perhaps rather too premature 
 and rough — made Ponciano so familiar with the bulls, that he took his first lessons in 
 bull-fighting on the same grounds of the hacienda with the other boys living near 
 by. Scarcely a youth, he was an inveterate toreador, and under the superintendence 
 of, and in comi3any with, the Hernandez, he soon put on for the first time the red coat 
 and knee-breeches of the professional bull-fighter. 
 
 In 1878 he was first seen in a public bull ring at Tlalnepantla with the Her- 
 nandez troujDe, and was much admired and applauded for his bravery and skill, 
 which seemed extraordinary for so young a man. 
 
 From Tlalnepantla he went to Puebla under the management of the never-to-be- 
 forgotten Bernardo Gavino, who was always to him a devoted friend and an assiduous 
 teacher. After working six months with the old Spanish champion, alternating with 
 him as a first espada, he was compelled to accept the direction of the troupe at 
 Puebla. Thus he inaugurated his career as a chief bull-fighter on Easter Sunday, 
 April 13, 1879. On this occasion he obtained an ovation which he will scarcely for- 
 get while his life may last. 
 
 Although he received several blows during his perilous career, Ponciano was 
 skillful and fortunate enough to get wounded but once, though seriously, in the 
 bull-ring at Durango while performing the difficult feat of thrusting banderillas 
 (darts) while on horseback, a most daring attempt in which he has no peer through- 
 out Mexico. But in spite of the seriousness of his wound he was able to appear in 
 public in a fortnight. 
 
 Ponciano is a semi-god to the masses ; he is the impersonation of all that is 
 great to the people. 
 
 Do you doubt ? 
 
 Then you have not seen a delirious mob unhitch the mules from their hero’s 
 carriage the day he went to see the first bull-fight by Mazzantini at Puebla, and 
 hundreds of them haul the coach as a triumphal chariot through the streets, until 
 they reached the hotel with their idol, shouting as they ran. 
 
 Then you have not witnessed the ovations lie receives wherever he goes, and on 
 the street the young and old, boys and girls and little children, point out — There 
 goes Ponciano ! 
 
 If a man can reach the pinnacle of popularity, Ponciano is that man. 
 
 It is with the masses that the taste for the sport seems to be ineffaceable ; the 
 upper ten as a class do not, as a rule, frequent the bull-ring, though there are many 
 and very brilliant exceptions, and I have seen the most elegant carriage on thePaseo 
 whose occupants were little children dressed in the full costume of the toreador. 
 Is it, then, any wonder the custom prevails, when the children are taught to admire 
 it ? An attempt was made a few years ago to legislate against bull-fighting, and all 
 performances were interdicted within the Federal District. Now there are four rings 
 within the city limits, and no well-regulated town in the republic is without its 
 Plaza de Toros. 
 
 Do Americans attend the bull-fight3 ? Most all of them — once. Once is gen- 
 erally an ample sufficiency and there have been those to leave before the perform- 
 ance was over. I have found a sameness of opinion among those I have questioned 
 on the subject, and those who have made any excuse for it would have been better 
 satisfied to witness a combat of human skill and brute force if the helpless and 
 blindfolded horses could be left out. 
 
 If I have devoted much space to the subject it has been for two reasons, more 
 than others. All tourists, naturally uninformed curious to know, ask many ques- 
 tions, and the guide books with one accord evade the question ; hence the history is 
 written here, and as to practical information it may be briefly imparted. 
 
PONCIANO DIAZ. 
 
 
 B 
 
26 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 Tlie r Plaza de 7 7 omsTis^in"shape~'very much like the cyclorama buildings of 
 America, only much larger ; inside is a monster amphitheatre seating thousands of 
 people. Encircling the arena is a high fence or barrier with a foot-rail about eighteen 
 inches from the ground, on the inside, on which the performers step and leap over 
 the fence when too closely pursued by the bull, landing in an open space between 
 the audience and the ring. 
 
 The opening of the performance is brilliant and exciting, the audiences are nearly 
 always large, sometimes numbering fifteen to twenty thousand, all eager for the fray. 
 Gay colors are everywhere, bands are playing the liveliest airs, and all is excitement. 
 The feeling of an American under the circumstances is one of amazement and anxious 
 expectation. There is a grand flourish of trumpets, a gaily caparisoned horseman 
 dashes in, gallops to the President’s box, a key is thrown to him, it is the key of the 
 door leading to the pens where the animals are kept ; the horseman catches the key, 
 woe be to him if he don’t, and gallops back to the entrance and disappears ; if the 
 key is not caught the man is hissed out of the ring. Another flourish of trumpets 
 and loud' huzzas from twenty thousand throats'announce the'coming of the company. 
 
 It is, indeed, a brilliant spectacle, the matadores and banderilleros on foot and pica- 
 dores on horseback, all clad in the gayest, gaudiest costumes, in all colors and gold 
 
 embroideries, they march to the President’s 
 box : the President is a municipal or State 
 officer, and has full direction of the pro- 
 ceedings. He is saluted by the company 
 and the fight is ready to commence. 
 
 Now the wildest excitement prevails, 
 and the scene is a perfect picture of pande- 
 monium ; all eyes are turned toward the low 
 strong doors under the band stand ; they 
 are thrown open, and from a darkened pen 
 the bull bounds into the ring. As he passes 
 under the rail a steel barb, with ribbons 
 attached, showing the breeder’s colors, is 
 fastened in his shoulder. He gallops to the 
 middle of the ring, stops and looks about 
 with fear and astonishment. He is a grand-looking beast. Surprise and fear give way 
 to rage, he paws the earth and snorts in his frenzy, and discovering the red cloak of 
 the espada starts towards him on the run. 
 
 The man goes over the fence, but not too 
 quickly, for he has hardly disappeared be- 
 fore the bull’s horns are thrust through the 
 boards. > The animal turns and spies a 
 horse, and woe be unto the horse, his day 
 has come ; the picador with his lance is 
 totally unable to keejD the bull from gor- 
 ing the horse, and it is killed on the 
 spot. The horses are not valuable ones, 
 being old veterans retired from service, 
 feasted and fattened to friskyness for 
 this occasion, are blindfolded and ridden 
 in to certain death. Another man is 
 chased out of the ring and another horse 
 severely wounded ; a signal from the President and a bugle call directs the horses 
 to be removed. 
 
 THE COMING OP THE COMPANY. 
 
 THE FALL OP THE PICADOR. 
 
THE HISTORY OF BULL-FIGHTING. 
 
 27 
 
 Now comes the really interesting feature of the performance, the thrusting of. 
 the banderillas. The bull is alone with his tormentors, it is a contest between 
 
 skill and brute strength. A banderilla is a 
 wire about two feet and a half long, on 
 the end is a very sharp barbed point, the 
 wire is covered its entire length with 
 colored paper ribbons. The banderillero 
 is the man who places them in the bull’s 
 shoulders, he must stand in front of the ani- 
 mal, without flag or cloak, must stand still 
 and wait the attack. The bull, maddened 
 at his audacity, starts at him at full speed, 
 the man steps out of his way gracefully, 
 and skillfully thrusts the banderillas in the 
 bull’s shoulders as lie passes by (they 
 never speak as they pass by), as soon as the 
 animal can check his headlong speed he turns, now furious with rage, he turns, 
 only to find another banderillero with tv o more banderillas. These and two more 
 are thrust into his shoulders, all hanging 
 there. Bellowing now, he is wild. 
 
 Another signal from the President in- 
 structs that the bull has had enough and 
 must be killed — this is where the matador , 
 the primer espada, distinguishes himself, 
 his skillful killing of the bull by a single 
 thrust of the sword is what determines the 
 brilliancy of the star. The matador must 
 face the bull, sword in hand, and await 
 the attack, it is assassination to strike 
 while he is at rest and calls for hisses and 
 missiles from audience. The blood-red 
 cloth or muleta is flaunted in front of the bull. The maddened animal closes his 
 eyes and makes one more dash for life and falls in death, the sword of the 
 
 matador is thrust between the shoulders 
 to the hilt and has pierced the animal’s 
 heart. 
 
 Wild bursts of applause fill the air, 
 hats, canes, cigars by the bushel are 
 thrown into the ring by the delighted 
 spectators, men shout and sing, ladies 
 wave their handkerchiefs and mantillas, 
 the matador bows his acknowledgments, 
 throws the hats and canes back to their 
 owners, who seem grateful that he should 
 honor them thus. 
 
 The band plays, the gates are opened, 
 three gaudily decorated mules harnessed 
 abreast are driven in, a rope is thrown over the dead bull’s horns and he is 
 dragged out. 
 
 > The wait between the acts is not more than a minute, the bugle calls, the low 
 doors open and another bull gallops in, and thus till six are killed at each performance. 
 The skill and agility of the performers is something wonderful and consists in holding 
 
 INCITING THE BULL WITH THE MULETA. 
 
 BANDERILLERO CALLING THE BULL. 
 
28 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 
 The Thrust of the Sword. 
 
 'the red cloak in such a wav that the bull rushes for the cloth instead of him who 
 holds it. The bull shuts his eyes and does not see the man as he quickly steps to one 
 
 side and escapes, but often he must save his 
 life by flight and a leap over the barrier 
 around the ring. 
 
 The Plaza de Toros is the bull ring ; the 
 funcion is the performance ; the best seats 
 are on the shady side, those in the sun being 
 sold at cheap prices. Seats in the shade $2 
 t > 33 ; boxes from 612 to $20, according to 
 the company playing. 
 
 The star fighter is a matador or espada 
 — he it is who finally kills the bull with 
 the sword. The banderillero is the man who 
 thrusts the banderillas in the animal’s 
 shoulders, and the bander ilia is a dart with a barbed point ornamented with colored 
 ribbons. The little plait of hair or queue 
 worn on the back of the head by a bull- 
 fighter indicates that he has passed the de- 
 gree of banderillero. If he commits any 
 offense against the code of ethics or re- 
 peatedly fails in the act of placing the ban- 
 derillas , his queue is cut off in public and 
 he is forever disgraced. The picador is the 
 man on horseback, but he don’t stay there 
 long after the entrance of the bull ; yet 
 while he does he goads with a pike or pole 
 with a steel point. The capeadores are the 
 men who handle the capes or cloaks which 
 are flaunted in the bull’s face to worry. 
 
 The muleta is the red cloth used by the espada at the killing, and the cachetero is he 
 who puts the finishing dagger stroke between the horns ; and when he has done so 
 six times (if there are only six bulls) the show is oyer. 
 
 The Carrying away of the Bull. 
 
THE CITY OF MEXICO. 
 
 that November day, when, more than three hundred years ago, Hernando 
 (^7 Cortez left Texcoco, climbed the eastern hills beyond the lake, and looked 
 across the waters on the temple Tenochitlan, he looked with no less wonder 
 than the peaceful invaders of to-day who come through the Tajo de Nochis- 
 tongo, and see from Huehuetoca the towers of the City of Mexico, that are built and 
 where stood the temples of Tenochitlan. In 1519 that ancient Aztec city was in the 
 midst of the plain where Mexico’s capital is, and the chief temple stood on the 
 Cathedral’s site. 
 
 When Cortez came it was after a more wearisome journey than is the lot of the 
 more modern visitor. Montezuma met his guest at the causeways and with a 
 special committee (this was the first Montezuma special) of a hundred thousand 
 warriors, while the reception of to-day is less imposing, but as warm and welcome, 
 from something less than a hundred thousand cocheros who, with their green flags 
 and blue, red flags and white, will welcome the coming man to Mexico at a price 
 indicated by the colors displayed on their coches ; to be explicit and make a wide 
 stride from romantic history "to the practical matters of to-day, the reception com- 
 mittee of Mexico is the same as in the American city — the hackman is the committee. 
 
 There is a difference in favor of the Mexican “ cabby,” in that you do not have to 
 ask the rate of fare, even if you know how. Each vehicle carries a small tin flag 
 about four by two inches, which must always be nailed to the mast unless engaged. 
 
 These flags indicate the class of vehicle and the tariff. Those with a green 
 flag make a rate of $1.50 per hour or 75 cents per single passenger for a short 
 drive within a district ; the blue flag hires for $1 by the hour or 50 cents per 
 passenger ; the red, 75 cents per hour or 25 cents per passenger ; the white flags 
 are the cheapest, being only 50 cents per hour or whatever the passenger will pay, 
 and if the red or white flags are selected, it is purely from an economical point 
 of view, with no pretense to style of rig, and with no particular desire as to when 
 the destination is to bo reached. If overcharges are made, and Mexican hackmen 
 are not unlike their American brethren, ask for the number. Numero is the word 
 to use, and he will usually lapse to tariff rates. If a carriage is wanted for a single 
 trip, simply call the name of the place ; if by the hour, say “por hora,” and the 
 prices will be given, green flags, “ un peso y cuatro reales /” blue, “ un peso ; ” red, 
 sew reales white, “ cuatro reales .” After dark, and on feast days and Sundays, 
 these figures are increased to $2, green ; $1.50, blue ; $1, red ; and 75 cents for white. 
 
 It is easy to find one’s way about the city, and the fact that all prominent horse-car 
 lines start from and return to the Plaza Mayor, in front of the Cathedral, makes 
 eoiiftision impossible. 
 
 The street-car system in the City of Mexico is a good one, reaching all railway 
 stations and nearly every point of interest in and around the city. Fares in the city 
 un medio (61 cents), to the suburbs un real (121 cents), and dos reales (25 cents), ac- 
 cording t© the distanced traveled. These are first-class fares, the tariff and second- 
 class cars being much cheaper, but are only patronized by the poorer classes. The 
 second-class cars are painted green and follow a half block behind the yellow first- 
 class cars. Parties desiring to visit points of interest may hire a special car as one 
 would a carriage, for the afternoon or all day. 
 
 The horse-car driver carries a tin horn, not unlike the campaign horn of the 
 
30 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 United States, and which he blows as assiduously, as a note of warning at street 
 intersections. Conductors sell tickets and a collector gets on the cars at certain 
 points of the route and takes them up. 
 
 The street-car companies do not confine their operations to the passenger business 
 solely, they do a freight business as well. Another feature of their business ap- 
 proaches the trade of the undertaker. Each line has it funeral car, black, with a 
 four-poster pagoda surmounted by a cross, under which is a black catafalque. An 
 arrangement of this kind is cheaper than the hearse and carriages. You order a 
 funeral car to be at the nearest point to the residence, the corpse is put on board and 
 the mourners follow in the other cars, regular or special, and instead of paying for 
 carriages you simply pay so much per mourner. But this is a digression from the 
 tourist topic. 
 
 It is not possible to name the schedules here ; suffice to say that cars leave the 
 Plaza Mayor at short intervals of from fifteen to thirty minutes morning and after- 
 noon and less frequently in the evening, when the fares are increased. 
 
 Nearly all the points of interest in and around the city may be more con- 
 veniently, comfortably and quickly reached by car than carriage. 
 
 The hill and church of Guadaloupe is at the end of a most interesting horse-car 
 excursion. Cars leave the Plaza Mayor half hourly, and after running through the 
 narrow streets cross the marshes on a broad causeway where there is paved road 
 lined with trees — used in ancient times and now by processions from the city to 
 Guadaloupe. Many shrines along the route are still standing, and here the people 
 stopped to invoke the blessing of this saint or that as the pilgrimage moved on to 
 the holiest shrine. 
 
 There are churches and churches in Mexico, with pictures and pictures and pic- 
 tures, but Guadaloupe is the holiest shrine in Mexico and has the most mysterious 
 picture — a representation of the Virgin — which, although nearly 400 years old and 
 appearing on an Indian tilma of the cheapest, commonest sort, and during three 
 centuries has been exposed to a salty deteriorating air, its colors are bright and fresh 
 as if painted yesterday ; and in proof of its alleged divine origin the decay of 
 surrounding pictures is pointed out, while this remains fresh and bright. The legend 
 says that a pious Indian, Juan Diego by name, was surprised by an apparition of 
 the Virgin, who commanded him to gather flowers on the barren hill where she 
 appeared and where the church now stands. To gather flowers in such a place seemed 
 impossible, but he found them there, gathered them in his tilma and carried them to 
 the priest with the message that a shrine to the Virgin must be erected on the spot. 
 The Indian’s story was not believed, but when the flowers were emptied from his tilma 
 there appeared a mq3t perfect picture of the Virgin, in style and color different from 
 any other, and in such colors that even the artists of to-day have not been able to 
 fathom their ingredients or the laying on of such material. The church w T as built as 
 it stands to-day, and over its altar, in a frame of gold, hangs the tilma with the 
 mysterious picture. A fund of some millions of dollars has been collected to 
 provide a crown of gold, but waits the sanction of the powers that be at Rome before 
 the plan can be carried out. A graphic and learned description of the picture 
 appears in the New York World of December 16, 1888, in which its mysteries and the 
 legend are discussed by Mr. T. B. Connery. 
 
 The cars arrive at the village about a league from the city, and stop in front of 
 the church at the foot of the hill where the shrine of Guadaloupe is. Passing 
 through a little garden or park to the right of the church, one comes to a small 
 chapel in the entrance of which is a fountain of pure, clear water, which is said to 
 have gushed forth on the spot where the Virgin stood when she appeared to Juan 
 Diego. From this spot around the corner of a narrow street, are some stone stairs 
 
HILL AND CHURCH OF GUADALOUPE. 
 
 31 
 
 leading to the shrine or chapel on the crest of the hill where Juan gathered the 
 flowers, and is one of the most picturesque spots in all Mexico. On ascending the 
 stairs, may be seen on the right near the top, what seems to be a ship’s mast with 
 sails all set, done in stone. A legend says that some storm-tossed sailors prayed to 
 the Virgin of Guadaloupe and vowed that if they were saved from a watery grave 
 they would carry the mast to the shrine and erect it there as a memorial and thank- 
 offering — which ’tis said they did carry it from Vera Cruz, incased it in stone, and 
 erected it where it stands to-day. 
 
 The tales and legends of this interesting spot are innumerable and may not be 
 related here, as there is not space to tell of feasts and fasts, of the millions of money 
 
 At Guadaloupe, near the City of Mexico. 
 
 of its cost and the richness of decoration — all this must be read of in books of wider 
 space, or rather must be seen as one of the objects of a life’s travels. 
 
 Among the other suburban points of interest are the gardens and orchards of San 
 Angel and Tacubaya, a place of summer resort of the native upper crust and sort of 
 local Monte Carlo. This line of cars goes very near to the Castle of Chapultepec, 
 but requires a tiresome walk up the hill ; it is best to take a carriage to Chapultepec. 
 Popotla Tacuba, and Atzcapotzalco are, also, the objects of horse-car tours that 
 are most interesting. On the line to Tacuba, which was once a causeway, is the 
 place of “ el salto de Alvarado ” (the leap of Alvarado), where that warrior made his 
 famous leap for life. The exact spot, as shown, is in front of the Tivoli del Eliseo. 
 At the end of the causeway, near the church of San Esteban, is the tree of Noche Triste 
 (the dismal night), where Cortez sat down and cried after his defeat. The tree is a 
 giant ahuehuete or cypress, of great age, now inclosed with an iron rail to prevent a 
 
32 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 
 recurrence of further vandalism, as occurred some years ago, by a crank having set 
 it on fire. There are cranks in Mexico, too. 
 
 The floating gardens, chinampas, on the Viga canal, are reached by horse-cars 
 from the Plaza Mayor, near the Cathedral, to Embarcadero, and thence by canoe for 
 a few hours or for a day. The boats are a sort of Mexican edition of a Venetian 
 gondola, broad and flat-bottomed with seats underneath a canopy in bright colors ; 
 the boats are propelled by a pole in the hands of a dusky gondolier. The excursion 
 is altogether a novel one, particularly on (Sundays and feast days, and should not be 
 overlooked. Unless you are thoroughly Mexican it is best to make a picnic of it 
 and take your provender along, but there will come alongside a longer and narrower 
 canoe hewn from the trunk of a single tree. In one end of this quaint craft stands a 
 swarthy Mexican with a single oar of long handle — in the other a comely woman and 
 often a pretty girl, who will offer for a tlaco or a cuartilla , the native sandwich, a tor- 
 tilla con came or a tortilla con dulce. I offer no advice as to this purchase, but the 
 tortillas of La Viga as I found them were clean and toothsome. 
 
 This excursion is the most novel of all. The boatmen meet the horse-cars at the 
 terminus and bid against each other for patronage ; there is no regular tariff, twenty- 
 five cents (dos reales) each passenger is sufficient to Santa Anita and return ; the longer 
 excursions to the lakes and towns beyond, of course, cost more. Santa Anita is a 
 sort of native Coney Island and is a great resort, but the charm is in the ride 
 thither, passing under the low-arched bridges, the market boats laden with fruits 
 and flowers, which must stop at the La Viga gate and pay a duty to the city, levied 
 on all imports from the country. There are great, long flat-bottomed passenger 
 packets also propelled by poles going to and from the towns across on the other 
 shores of Texcoco, Xocliimilco and Chaleo, crowded with men, women and children 
 and dogs starting or returning from a voyage of a day and a night. ~ 
 
 Any day will do for the La Viga voyage ; but Sunday, or better still, on a feast 
 day, there will be flowers afloat and ashore, and music, music everywhere, of all sorts 
 from the tinkle of a guitar to blare of a brass band ; gayly dressed men and more 
 gayly dressed women, singing and dancing on the boats or under the trees of the 
 Paseo de La Viga which runs along the canal. 
 
 The floating gardens, it is said, really were entitled to the name, but now are 
 only bits of land with little canals instead of walks through the beds and plots. 
 
 On the banks of La Viga once lived El Senor Don Juan Corona of most happy 
 memory, revered for deeds of daring, and loved for his charity ; he was not a sol- 
 dier or a Sunday-school superintendent ; in life Don Juan wt.s a bull-fighter, and 
 much renowned in his day, but his career is not to be written here. 
 
 Ask your gondolier to stop at the hacienda of Don Juan Corona. Enter beneath 
 a hospitable roof and find a house intensely Mexican, shaded by trees and almost 
 hidden by climbing vines and flowers. Every room is a museum in itself filled with 
 relics of every age and time of Mexico’s history, curious objects collected from all 
 over the country, in dozens and scores ; there is a cigar-case once owned by the 
 patriot priest Hidalgo, also a pistol and sword carried by him ; some pieces from the 
 table service of the Emperor Maxmilian ; several idols found in the pyramids of 
 San Juan Teotihuacan ; weapons, feathers and war-dresses used by the Aztecs ; one 
 of the guns with which Maximilian was shot ; the bed used by General Santa Anna, 
 while President of Mexico ; a rifle used by General Miramon in the siege of 
 Queretaro ; a magnificent collection of chicaras (chocolate cups) painted by the 
 Indians of the State of Michoacan ; very curious ancient bull-fighter dresses, among 
 which is the one used by the Spanish matador Bernardo Gavino when he was killed 
 in the ring at Texcoco. 
 
 The collection of this bric-a-brac was Don Juan’s hobby ; but another and more 
 
LA VIGA CANAL. 
 
 33 
 
 philanthropic pleasure of his was the care of children of the poor of La Yiga, and 
 from his savings he established a school for them, where they were not only taught 
 but clothed and fed ; he was known as the “ father of the destitute.” 
 
 The school still exists and 
 will be shown in one of the 
 rooms of the hacienda. As 
 you enter, the bright little 
 beneficiaries of Corona’s 
 bounty rise in salutation. 
 
 The school has not the 
 ample means it had in the 
 life of its founder, and any 
 offering made will not only be 
 acceptable but is a tribute to 
 the memory of a good man. 
 
 The Paseo, or, to be ex- 
 plicit, the Paseo de la Refor- 
 ma, is the drive of the city. 
 
 Carriages are necessary to the 
 proper seeing of the Paseo 
 and to save a walk up the 
 steep hill at Chapultepec. It 
 is about 2$ miles long, reaches 
 from the city to Chapultepec, 
 and is a magnificent boule- 
 vard, where the bon ton are 
 pleased to drive every aft?r- 
 noon from four o’clock till 
 dark, when the magnificent 
 procession of fine equipages 
 files down San Prancisco 
 street and disperses. The car- 
 riageway is broad and shaded 
 by great trees, two rows on 
 each side, between which is 
 a wide promenade. At regu- 
 lar intervals the Paseo widens 
 into a glorieta, a circle 400 feet 
 in dimeter, where there are 
 stone benches. In three of 
 these circles are to be placed 
 statues of the nation’s he- 
 roes : that of Charles IV. , 
 said to be the largest bronze 
 in the world, is at the en- 
 trance, and Columbus and 
 Guatimotzin farther along ; 
 
 Juarez and others are to be 
 placed in the other glorietas. At the farther end of the Paseo rises the hill and castle 
 of Chapultepec, surrounded by a forest of cypress which is not surpassed for magnifi- 
 cence on this continent. The grand old trees, most of which must date back over 
 twenty centuries, rise in sombre majesty above those of ordinary growdh, like a race 
 
 In the Paseo, City of Meyico. 
 
34 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 of giants among pigmies, and the dim aisles beneath their lower branches are made 
 still more beautiful by the almost intangible softness of draperies of gray moss fes- 
 tooned and swaying from limb to limb. Through this wood, shadowy as twilight 
 even at a middav, the carriage road winds and mounts to the summit. Standing on 
 the terrace, whence rises the grand old castle, one looks across the Valley of Mexico. 
 Surely, of all beautiful outlooks in this beautiful world, the most wondrous is this ! 
 
 With the remembrance strong upon me of scenes in other lands which have been 
 
 inspiration and delight, 
 with the memory of the 
 Yosemite in its blended 
 aspect of mystery and 
 majesty still foremost in 
 thought, this heavenly 
 landscape loses nothing. 
 Even the glamour which 
 ever surrounds the past 
 fades before the reality. 
 From this beautiful spot 
 one looks across a valley 
 fair as a dream of para- 
 dise, with soft green fields 
 and waving hedges and 
 avenues of lofty trees out- 
 lining gray country roads 
 that fade into the azure 
 distance. A faint line of 
 pale blue mountains, pur- 
 ple sometimes with deep 
 shadow, rest like brood- 
 ing and watchful spirits 
 around the dim horizon ; 
 and farthest of all, beau- 
 tiful with that sublime 
 sense of remoteness and 
 awfulness which belongs 
 only to them, the solemn 
 presence of Popocatapetl 
 and Ixtaccihuatl rises like 
 radiant clouds against the 
 serene heavens above. 
 Everything we had before 
 known of mountain sce- 
 nery becomes secondary in the imagination compared with these wonderful heights ! 
 The great serenity of the plain, the softly changing greens which cover its entire 
 extent, and the undulating, exquisite line of hills, like the frame of some rich jewel, 
 is something unspeakable when contrasted with the grand solitary state of these 
 twin monarchs who dominate them all. If no more of loveliness than this view can 
 give were added to one’s inner life, the journey to Mexico would be fully requited. 
 
 Chapultepec was once the favorite park of Montezuma ; later the palace built there 
 by one of the Viceroys of Spain (Galvey) was used by Maximilian, and is now the 
 residence of the President, the Mexican White House. The park and hill was the 
 scene of a conflict between the United States troops and Mexicans in 1847, when the 
 
 Church op San Domingo, City of Mexico. 
 
The paseo and chapultepec. 
 
 35 
 
 hill was carried by assault. Besides the presidential residence, the national Military 
 Academy is also located here. A pass to the buildings may be had from the Gover- 
 nor of the National Palace in the city. 
 
 The views from the wide galleries of the palace are grandly magnificent. On one 
 side are the volcanoes, on another the fields of Cherubusco and Molino del Key, and 
 trom the front the grand view of the city, lakes and the plain, with towns and villages 
 everywhere, with the mountains on the other side. In the foreground are the great 
 cypresses of the park, the rocks and steep hillsides, Moctezuma’s Bath, and the old 
 aqueduct of the city’s water supply. 
 
 The interior decorations are beautiful and unique to a degree, with Pompeiian 
 color and decoration in the tiled galleries. A smoking-room has hangings of satin 
 and plush. A desk 
 and dresser in an- 
 other is inlaid pearl 
 and onyx. A ban- 
 quet-hall reached 
 by a fine stair-way 
 has a ceiling deco- 
 rated with coats of 
 arms from 1474 to 
 1887. A drawing- 
 room has the walls 
 hung in the most 
 delicately tinted sa- 
 tin — has tapestries 
 and the richest 
 ebony furniture. 
 
 Bedrooms with the 
 daintiest boudoirs 
 are furnished in 
 regal elegance. 
 
 The palace is on 
 the very crest of 
 the hill, approach- 
 ed by only one winding road, and must have been a formidable place 
 
 to take by assault. A subterranean passage leads from the garden to a cave at the 
 foot of the hill in the park, where there are some rocks with strangely appearing hiero- 
 glyphics which have been ciphered out as the dates and names of Aztec history. 
 
 •The tree of Montezuma (arbol de Montezuma ) is also shown, where that chieftain 
 wept, as Cortez did under his tree, and also for defeat. 
 
 It is a good plan to start to Chapultepec about noon, reaching the Paseo on the 
 return in time to join the procession and see Mexico’s “ upper-ten ” on wheels. 
 
 J. It is not expected to describe the Cathedral and the churches here, there are 127 
 of them, and it is a never-ending tale of towers, bells, crosses, images, pictures and 
 legends from beginning to end, from San Domingo, of Inquisition fame, and San 
 Hipolito, mentioned with the slaughter of the noche iriste, to the Cathedral, which 
 is a grand aggregation of all styles and designs of church architecture in Mexico, so 
 that any detail of the story cannot be related here. There are churches everywhere 
 and more building, so that no directory is needed for their finding. Besides, there 
 are schools, academies and colleges without number, among which are the Pre- 
 paratory School, San Carlos Academy, the Encarnacion School for young ladies and 
 the College of La Paz, each worthy of a visit. 
 
36 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 
 The Mint, the National Palace, the National Museum are ail places of interest, 
 in the centre of the city, which can be visited in the walks about town. The Mu- 
 seum is rich in antiquities of bygone ages, and the relics ot fallen and past dynas- 
 ties in the country’s history which must be older than Egypt, reading from examples 
 of Aztec picture writing, Moctezuma’s shield and the statue of Huitzilopochtli, the 
 £od of war, down to Maxmilian’s coach of state and his dinner service. 
 
 In the National Library are over 200,000 volumes, in all languages. Old books 
 and new. Books over 400 years old. Books on vellum and parchment. Books that 
 
 the British Museum has not got, but would like to have. There is an atlas of England 
 printed in Amsterdam in 1659, with steel plates and in colors that are as bright and 
 fresh as if just off the press. Another volume bears date of 1472, and another is still 
 older, printed in two colors with a most perfect register. There is a Spanish and 
 Mexican dictionary, printed in Mexico in 1571. There is a book of autographs of 
 notables and soldiers of Cortez. A roll of deerskin shows some original, dispatches, 
 (painted pictures) sent by Moctezuma to his allies, but intercepted by Cortez. There 
 are original manuscripts and immense volumes with every old English letter done 
 with a pen. There are rare books of all ages and nations, from a Chinese dictionary 
 to Picturesque B. & O. , and a copy of the Pointer. 
 
 The Monte Piedad is the national. “ uncle ” of the impecunious Mexican ; here 
 he brings his pledges and borrows what they will bring. The institution was estab- 
 lished to lend money on collateral at a low rate of interest, and is under direct control 
 of the Government. Unredeemed pledges are exposed for sale at a certain price ; if 
 not sold within a given time they are marked lower, and after a while still lower, 
 and thus often some rare bargains in old jewels and heirlooms are obtained. 
 
 The theatres are Principal , Arbeu, National , Alarcon and Hidalgo , which, with Orrin’s 
 
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PLAZAS. 
 
 37 
 
 Circus, form the amusements of the city, excepting always the bull-fights. The 
 non-Spanish-speaking American will hardly be amused at the theatres, but at the 
 extremely novel circus cannot fail to be pleased. There are three Plazas de Toros in 
 the city, where the national sport of bull-fighting is carried on in the highest style 
 of the art, and with such artists as Ponciano Diaz and “ Cuatro Dedos ” the perfor- 
 mances are said to rival those of old Spain, and there breathes no Mexican with 
 soul so dead, who e’er to himself hath said — that Mazzantini was any sort of a bull- 
 fighter alongside of his own Ponciano. Sundays and feast days are the days for the 
 bull-fights, and the three rings have crowded houses. The sport "was formerly inter- 
 dicted in the Federal District, but the will of the people was too strong, and the law 
 was repealed. 
 
 The Alameda and the Zocalo are the places of resort by the people at all times, 
 where they come for rest and recreation, come to walk under the shade of the trees 
 or sit among the flowers, and listen to the melodies of their country, listen to music 
 that is the gift of the Government to its people. On Sundays and feast days, and in 
 the evenings during the week, military bands play at this park or the other, so there 
 is music somewhere all the time ; and so it is in every city in Mexico, and very many 
 
 towns and villages have the same pleasant feature of entertainment for the citizens, 
 and they are appreciative. When these concerts are on, the alamedas or zocalos are 
 crowded — the rich and poor assemble there, and while they do not mingle they are 
 alike contented, and seem appreciative for a gift which is not so freely accorded the 
 people even in this great and enlightened country. 
 
 The markets are interesting to every tourist ; the fruits of the tropics are there, 
 fresh from the gardens and groves of the “ hot lands,” only a few leagues away. All 
 the vegetables of this country, and which are grown in summer here, are in the stalls 
 
38 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 there in January. Strawberries and green corn, peas and water-melons and every- 
 thing of our summer gardens, grow under Mexico’s genial skies all the year round. 
 
 And as to flowers — I have seen great bunches of violets in the glass-covered pagoda 
 under the shadow of the Cathedral, go begging sale at a tlaco ; a handful of roses, 
 worth a dollar each in New York, offered for a medio ; a basket of flowers for a real , 
 and one two feet high for a half-dollar ; I saw all this the day I read of the fearful 
 blizzard at home, and wondered at such a climate that could produce them in a 
 country nearly 8,000 feet above the sea. 
 
 The markets of Merced and Volador are just a square or two south of the Palace, 
 and a little farther on is the canal, with its waters covered with boats and the banks 
 
 The Palace, City of Mexico. 
 
 with the hucksters. The San Juan and Catarina are on the squares of the same 
 name, all with more or less interest to the visitor. 
 
 In the walks or rides about the City of Mexico or the other large cities, the visitor 
 ma ™i e ^sured h ls safety — the police system is a good one. 
 
 -the Mexican policeman is costumed with a hooded garment, and as he stands at 
 the street corner at night looks not unlike the brigand of the stage. In the City of 
 Mexico a policeman stands at each street intersection all over the city. He lias a 
 n thhToTn^ I? pla m S m ^.middle °, f ‘l 16 street - Whether there is more protection 
 said o? sor^meri^nciS. * f °' md wheB WanW - Aud that is more tba » be 
 
 Zo"r e ^ miday i, m the C , ity °! 5 £ exic0 take a "’ alk through the portales near the 
 Zocola and see the peculiar traffic carried on there. Hundreds of people offer 
 
 -tT a ffoodf a m C n nd ^ and i art il leS f ° r Sale - Tlie most varied assortment is on hand 
 goods aie spiead out on the pavement and customers waited for I took stock 
 
 for one man ; he had . 1 scythe ; 3 electrotypes ; 1 jewelry case j 1 monkey wrench ; 
 
MARKETS AND STORES. 
 
 39 
 
 2 crosses ; 1 set of teeth ; 1 sofa ; 1 bung-starter ; 6 balls twine ; 1 book ; 1 guitar ; 
 a quart of nails ; 3 tape measures ; 1 hoop skirt and a bouquet. 
 
 Speaking of signs, the stores of Mexico all have fancy names, more or less 
 appropriate. Another sign indicates the stock for sale. Z<t paler ia indicates shoes. 
 Plateria , silver ware. Bonneteria , millinery. Joyeria, jewelry. Botica , drugs. 
 Peluqueria, a barber shop. But it is the pulque shop that has the unique sign. One 
 is called “ El triunfo del diablo,” the triumph of the devil. Another, “La cola del 
 diablo rojo ,” the tail of the red devil. 
 
 An advertiser of furniture and bedding recommends his “El colchon blindardo ,” 
 the ironclad mattress. Instead of the auction store, the red flag indicates the butcher. 
 
 There are some fine stores, and shopjiing in Mexico is a novel experience in every 
 way for ladies — and they will be treated with every courtesy ; but the American 
 shopper need not be surprised if the salesman smokes while he waits on her. Don’t 
 put too much faith in the sign “Inglish spoken.” I asked a clerk if he spoke 
 English. He said “A few.” He told the truth. 
 
 And last of all where you will go to are the cemeteries ; San Fernando contains 
 the tombs of some of the Presidents, and its great soldiers, and is also the resting 
 place of Miramon and Mejio, who were executed with Maxmilian. Another cemetery 
 near Tacubava is the Dolores, where there are some fine monuments. The Ameri- 
 cans, English and Spanish have se]:>arate burial places. 
 
 I have written of the horse-car funeral trains, but I have seen other queer funeral 
 parties, and sadder ones ; I have seen a man and a woman get into a second-class 
 car, he with a tiny coffin in his arms, and I have seen two Indians walking solemnly 
 along the street with a longer coffin on their shoulders, while the mourners, too poor 
 for even a horse-car fare, followed on foot. These are the exception, the brighter 
 scenes in Mexico are many, and one never tires of a visit to the ancient city of the 
 Moctezumas. 
 
 Over tiie IIousETors, City of Mexico. 
 
THE HOTELS OF MEXICO. 
 
 The traveler can make himself more 
 perfectly “at home” in a Mexican 
 hotel than anywhere in the world, 
 for once assigned to a room you 
 are left severely alone. On 
 my first attempt to register, 
 before he would let me put 
 my autograph on his book, 
 the proprietor asked me 
 if I had seen my room. 
 As I had just landed 
 from a three thousand 
 mile Pullman car jour- 
 ney, I had mtfseen my 
 room. There seemed to 
 be a doubt in his mind 
 whether the new ar- 
 rivals would like the 
 rooms ; if not, what’s 
 the use of using up the 
 register ? If, however, 
 everything is satisfactory, 
 you write your name and as- 
 sign yourself a room, by plac- 
 ing the number opposite your 
 name. That done, the proprietor 
 writes your name on a blackboard 
 on the wall and goes about his busi- 
 ness, if he has any. 
 
 Your room has an iron bedstead ; a single 
 bedstead it is, and it may have springs, but oftener the mattress rests on planks — 
 what carpenters would call “inch stuff” — but it’s clean, and if it is in the “hot 
 country ” will have a snowy white mosquito bar, and the linen is fresh, the bed is 
 never made up till the guest arrives. Candles are furnished, and towels, but no 
 soap — and you must buy your own matches. I heard a man say, “ Mexico has two 
 advantages, good climate and good matches.” The climate is free, but you must 
 pay for the matches. 
 
 The Iturbide, once the palace of the emperor of that name, is the greatest hotel 
 of all Mexico. The building is palatial, but the emperor’s furniture is not used, 
 and the emperor is not there ; but he has an able representative in the manager ; he is 
 not imperious, but for easy-going he out-emperors an emperor. I was at Iturbide two 
 or three weeks, and I never saw the manager disturbed in the least. He came down 
 after breakfast, went to his dinner, came back and walked about the office, or patio, 
 till ten o’clock, then turned off the electric light, locked the office and went away. 
 But the guests never had any trouble. The hotel was always full, but it was only 
 the new comers who kicked, and they got over it in twenty-four hours. I was amused 
 
 Sp^vish Lady. 
 
THE HOTELS. 
 
 41 
 
 at a young American who arrived a week after I did. He asked the manager for 
 “ two connecting rooms with bath.” Said the manager without a ripple of regret 
 that he couldn’t comply, “I will give you one room on the fourth floor, one on the 
 second, and you can get the 
 bath in the barber shop” — p 
 and the young American took 
 the rooms without a murmur. 
 
 If he had been in his own 
 country he’d have gone to 
 another hotel, but in Mexico^ 
 he is helpless. 
 
 At the Hotel Humboldt 
 there is less style, but there 
 is good management, food, 
 and attendance. There are 
 English - speaking managers 
 and clerks, and things move 
 at a livelier gait. All Ameri- 
 cans will wish the Hotel 
 Humboldt an abundant suc- 
 cess. The Jardin (pronounced 
 liar-deen ) is the swell hostelrie 
 of the Mexican capital and has 
 a lovely garden, onto which 
 all its rooms open, a truly 
 tropical aspect that is most 
 charming. 
 
 All Mexican hotels are on 
 the “European plan” — order 
 what you want, and take what 
 you can get — you can get all 
 you want, generally, and if 
 you like a warm meal you will 
 not be disappointed anywhere 
 in Mexico unless there is a 
 short crop of pepper. It 
 doesn’t take long to get used 
 to Mexican cooking, and then 
 yoif like it. Boston has a 
 reputation for beans, but the 
 frijoles (freeholies), the beans 
 of Mexico, would make a Bos- 
 tonian cfeny his town, if that 
 were possible, at least from a 
 bean standpoint. There is no 
 butter in Mexico, that is, but- 
 ter as Americans understand 
 it ; a pale lubricator is manu- 
 factured, generally from goats’ milk, which, with the addition of a little salt, makes 
 a better substitute than some we get in our own country. Coffee is native to the 
 country, is pure, and generally well made ; perhaps stronger than the American likes, 
 but good. 
 
 An Indian Girl of Mexico. 
 
42 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 At Vera Cruz, while I was waiting in the station to find somebody I could talk to, 
 
 I was approached by a Mexican of the purest African descent, who accosted me in 
 my native tongue, inquiring if he could “tote yo grip to de hotel.” I was glad to 
 meet Sam Thompson, of Vera Cruz, formerly of New Orleans. Sam “toted” my 
 grip to the hotel, and with the assistance of some other American guests assigned me 
 a room, and afterward showed me the town. I paid my bill to a Mexican in a red 
 blanket, and did not see the proprietor or manager while I stayed. The room was 
 pleasant, the bed comfortable and clean, and I didn’t miss the “boss,” as Sam called 
 him, just as if he was still in New Orleans. The story of Sam Thompson, of Vera 
 Cruz, would make as interesting though not a similar one to that of “Mr. Barnes 
 of New York.” 
 
 When I came to Yautepec, I found that I was a stranger in a strange land — not a 
 soul could speak English. 1 could say “hotel” in Spanish, and the conductor con- 
 ducted me to “El Gran Central. ” I went through a court-yard and up a stone stair- 
 way, where an old Indian woman said “ Cuarto ? ” I replied “ Si senora and was shown 
 to a cleanly apartment where there were two iron bedsteads with the mattresses rolled 
 up. The woman brought water and towels. I removed the travel stains, and went 
 out to look at the town. On my return I found the bed ready, the whitest and clean- 
 est of beds, where I slept soundly till train time next morning. Then I said 
 “ Quanto? ” and the old Indian replied “ Seis reales which was my entire conver- 
 sation at the hotel. The meals at the restaurant were good. 
 
 A hotel in Toluca includes a theatre a la Niblo’s in the Metropolitan of New York, 
 also Russian baths ; and the principal hotel of Morelia also has fine baths. These 
 hotels have an open court-yard or patio, where there are tropical plants, flowers, and 
 fountains, a distinctive feature of the Mexican hotel, and a most charming one. 
 Wide galleries extend all around the patio at each floor ; the bedroom doors opening 
 on the gallery and the windows extending to the floor, the ventilation is complete. 
 
 There is a fine hotel at Zacatecas, the Zacatecamo, and at Silao the hotel and 
 restaurant at the station is far above the average even in this country. At Aguas 
 Calientes, Guanajuato and Leon there are good hotels. At Guadalajara they are bet- 
 ter than usual ; one kept by a German is particularly attractive, the rooms open on 
 a wide gallery around the patio which is filled with tropical plants and flowers and 
 has a playing fountain. If desired, meals will be served on the gallery and daintily 
 served as in a German garden, and under a bright colored awning if the sun shines 
 your way. 
 
 At San Miguel and San Luis Potosi the hostelries are in good repute — at the latter 
 the restaurant of Sam Lee & Co. is worthy of more than one visit. As the name indi- 
 cates, the proprietors are from the Celestial Kingdom, but if on reading this item any 
 cry of “ Rats ! ” is heard, it is entirely without foundation in fact. 
 
 At Saltillo, Monterey and Topo Chico Hot Springs, the hotels and restaurants 
 are very good. Hotel rates are cheap. Except at the largest hotels room may be had 
 for six to eight reales — 75 cents to one dollar per day, and meals from four to six reales. 
 Breakfast is at noon and dinner at six ; coffee is served in the morning for one to two 
 reales. 
 
 A hotel laundry is unknown in Mexico ; the bell boy will attend to the business ; 
 he takes your clothes away and brings them back “ done up ; ” that is all that is 
 known or can be found out about it. In addition to his duties as bell boy, this Poo- 
 Bah of the upper floors is chambermaid, bootblack, porter and messenger, for which 
 extra tips are expected, wherein the resemblance to the American hotel is complete. 
 
SOUTH OVER THE MEXICAN CENTRAL 
 
 Q?pHE pioneer rail route, from the United States to Mexico, enters that country 
 El Paso, crosses the Bio Grande to the old town of Paso del Norte, now 
 called Ciudad de Juarez, in honor of the Mexican statesman, and commences 
 the journey to the interior on the rails of the Mexican Central Railway. 
 
 The passers-by at El Paso cannot resist the temptation of a glimpse at old 
 Mexico, whether they are en route to the interior or to California. They all cross 
 over the long foot bridge that spans more of sands than river, and take a look at the 
 adobe houses and the old church in Paso del Norte, now called the City of Juarez, 
 just as they do a thousand miles farther on. It is but a glimpse here, but whets the 
 appetite for more and makes the tourist glad he is going. 
 
 It has been the custom not to open the Pullman car until the train crosses the 
 river, and the Mexican customs officers have examined baggage. They are very 
 courteous, and their duties quickly ]ierformed. A splendid meal — better, I am glad 
 to say, as so much has been untruthfully said in this relation by out-of-date guide 
 books, than is the average in “ The States ” — is served in the station restaurant, and 
 the train is ready to start south. 
 
 The first night of the journey is like that of the other lines: dreary and desolate as 
 to country ; but bright anticipations of new and novel scenes prevent anything like 
 monotony, and when dawn comes on this, our first morning in the sunlands, we are 
 spinning through a narrow valley, level as a billiard board — the veritable “ high table 
 land” of the geographies, lying between two close ranges of low mountains, shrub- 
 covered and crowned with the most entrancing cloud effects one imagines out of 
 fairyland. The soft white heaps, now tossed above some climbing summit, now 
 rolled into some happy valley between, are constant joys to every eye that rests upon 
 them. While we are still looking, entranced at the beauty of changing form, we get our 
 first glimpse of a hacienda. At the further end of the plain a group of white buildings, 
 a -wide corral, fenced in with slight boughs and a fringe of most exquisite green 
 along the margin of a fine line of blue -water, make a scene for a painter. Out of 
 the corral on one side comes an immense herd of cattle, followed by two mounted 
 cowboys; at the other an equally immense herd of goats, black, brown and white. 
 A group of Indian women are filling great jars of red pottery at the brookside, and 
 across the dry watercourses flocks of sheep wander, nibbling the tender blades of 
 young grass and followed by their shepherds. It is truly a scene of another ■world than 
 ours. By-and-bv, between a gap in the deep red mountains "which wall up the 
 beautiful narrow valley, one catches a glimpse of a wonderful vista full of deep blue 
 colors, with another glint of clear water, and far off the more mystical heights of 
 some new range which distance cl other] with abundant majesty. Nothing -we ever 
 saw surpasses the effect of these perfectly level rich lands, hemmed in by the majes- 
 tic beauty of the hills. The novelty never wears away. But the lofty mountains 
 are not all of this country — there are fertile valleys and broad grazing plains, where 
 there are thousands of cattle, sheep and liorses. 
 
 Chihuahua (pronounced Clie-wow-wci) is the first place of importance. The mean- 
 ing of the name is “ the place where things are made” ; in olden times the city was 
 called Taraumara, and in later years San Felipe el Real. An interesting city, worthy 
 of a day’s stop, it lies to the right of the track, and while engines are being changed 
 there is often time for a drive to the city, a mile distant, to see the mint, the churches, 
 
44 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 
 the old aqueduct, and Hidalgo’s monument, erected on the spot of his execution. It 
 will take a day at least to do the town, a longer visit may be pleasantly made, as 
 there is a pretty good hotel. , , ~ 
 
 The Church of San Francisco, erroneously styled the Cathedral, is a fine building 
 with an imposing interior and two high towers. It was built more than a century 
 
 Fountain at Chihuahua. 
 
 ago at a cost of more than three-quarters of a million dollars, raised by a tax of two 
 reals on each pound of silver taken from the Santa Eulalia mine. In one of the 
 towers a broken bell is shown, broken by a shot from a French cannon during the 
 bombardment of the city. Horse-cars run from the station to the plaza — fare, a 
 medio , 6^ cents ; or one may go quicker in a ’bus or hack, for two reals. 
 
 Chihuahua is the capital of the State of the same name, and has a population of 
 nearly 20,000 ; was founded more than 300 years ago ; so its growth is not of the 
 mushroom variety. 
 
 After leaving the station, look from the windows on the left side to see the smelt- 
 ers of the Santa Eulalia mines ; and a little farther on is the Cerro del Coronet, so 
 called from the executiqn of a revolutionist colonel at this point. The road runs 
 through a lake region skirting the western border of the Bolson Mapimi, and comes 
 to the valley of Conchos and San Pedro, where there are some fine lands, and the 
 journey grows more interesting. 
 
 Near Santa Rosalia are some mineral and hot springs, with a local reputation for 
 their curative qualities. Jiminez is the shipping station for the Parral mining dis- 
 trict, fifty miles west of the road. An eating-house is located here, and a good meal 
 is to be obtained. 
 
CHIHUAHUA TO ZACATECAS. 
 
 45 
 
 Lerdo is a city of 10,000, located in the midst of a fine cotton region where the 
 soil and climate are so favorable to the growth that the plants need renewal only 
 every third or fourth year. The city lies on the right side of the track. Three miles 
 further is the junction of the Mexican International Railway at Torreon. 
 
 Durango, the capital of the State of that name, is 150 miles west ; reached by 
 diligence only, but with a railroad in prospect. Durango is a city peculiar to itself 
 even in Mexico, and worthy of a visit. 
 
 Fresnillo is another important mining town, once a great city, now containing 
 about 20,000 people. The now overflowed and abandoned mines of Proano are near 
 the road, and may some day, in the near future, be operated again. 
 
 The wealth of this country, present and past, is fabulous ; hardly a town but was, 
 oris, a great mining town, and it is silver, silver everywhere. If the mines have been 
 abandoned, they are to be w T orked again or new ones opened in the same district. 
 
 Every mile of the journey increases in interest now — one interesting place is left 
 behind only to look forward to another, and the intervening country presents new 
 scenes and views continually. The train is making tortuous windings to get over a 
 
 
 A Street in Chihuahua. 
 
 high hill, whose top is more than 8,000 feet above the sea, which stands in the way. 
 The tall tower-like chimneys of a smelter, high up above the track, are seen first on 
 one side and then on the other, as the road bends in one horseshoe curve after 
 another. This marks the approach to Zacatecas, one of the greatest cities in all 
 Mexico. The train comes to a stop ; there is no sign of a city even at the station ; 
 

 46 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 but when it leaves, take a seat on the left side for the grandest view of the jour- 
 ney. The moment the station is passed there is a full view of a city of 75,000 
 people, looking for all the world like one of ancient Palestine, lying, with its 
 low flat -topped houses and domed churches, a hundred feet below, and spreading up 
 
 and down the gulch and hillside, 
 reaching, with straggling suburbs, 
 to Guadaloupe, six miles away. 
 The track winds around on the 
 side of the mountain, passing di- 
 rectly over some mines and smelt- 
 ers, keeping the city in view for 
 some minutes. The view from the 
 rear platform is magnificent, but a 
 
 An Old Church at Chihuahua. 
 
 seat on the left side is a good one. Up and down the road, between the two towns, 
 are curiously costumed people ; droves of donkeys laden with silver, carts and cars, 
 goats and cattle on the hillside, and a hundred things to see not seen any where else 
 in the world. Zacatecas is not out of sight till Gnadaloupe comes to view on the 
 same side, and a long street connects the two, on which there is a horse-car line. 
 1 he cars are pulled from Guadaloupe to Zacatecas, but the return trip is made without 
 their aid. As the train moves along a look ahead w ill show the town of Guadaloupe, 
 with its splendid church ; looking back, the city of Zacatecas lies under the shadow 
 of the Cerro de la Bufa — an immense buffalo, cut in stone by sculptor Nature, lying 
 
ZACATECAS TO SAN LUIS POTOSI. 
 
 47 
 
 Guadalajara. 
 
 >r their passengers. There are some fine baths near the station, w hiph may “be ^ en 
 hile the train waits. But the tourist must make a stop at Aguas Calientes and at 
 acatecas. Other pages of this book tell of the attractions there. 
 
 on the mountain’s crest, keeps guard over the City of Silver. Far beyond Guada- 
 loupe is a lake — Lake Pevernaldillo — with some pottery kilns on the shores. 
 
 The country now is more agricultural than mining, and there are some fertile dis- 
 tricts in all the valleys down to Aguas Calientes, which being interpreted, means 
 “hot waters. ” The scene here is totally unlike any other in all Mexico. The town is 
 on a level plane, 6,179 feet above sea level, and is shaded with luxuriant trees along 
 the roads and streams. The city is on the right. Another eating-house is located 
 here, and a good one ; but there is so much to interest that there is hardly time to eat. 
 Walk out to the end of the station platform. There is a picture you never saw be- 
 fore. A swiftly running stream 
 of hot water crosses the track. 
 Look up the shaded road. 
 Along that stream is one vast 
 laundry, where a hundred 
 washerwomen are on their 
 knees on the ground, 
 and every bush and 
 tree is covered 
 with the many 
 colored gar- 
 ments hung 
 out to dry. 
 On the 
 other 
 side is 
 the city. 
 Horse- 
 
 cars are 
 waiting 
 
48 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 From Aguas Calientes a division of the Mexican Central Railroad extends to San 
 Luis Potosi and to the Gulf of Mexico at Tampico. The City of San Luis is one full 
 of attractions and of great wealth, situated in the midst of a high and fertile agri- 
 cultural region — in the midst of a plain that is one vast garden of tropical fruits and 
 vegetables, and it is not a matter of special wonder that there is good living at San 
 Luis Potosi, and as a result of good markets there are good hotels. 
 
 San Luis Potosi is the capital of the state of that name, a state rich in mineral 
 resources, and as far back as history goes there is mention of the silver mines that 
 are there, and that of San Pedro is said to have produced the largest piece of gold 
 ever found in Mexico, which was sent to the King of Spain, who presented the great 
 clock in the fa§ade of the church. 
 
 San Luis is a fine city, with a fine plaza, and alameda. The streets are regularly 
 laid out and run at right angles and are kept scrupulously clean, and a city ordinance 
 requires that house-owners shall paint and renovate their houses at certain intervals. 
 The climate is delightful, and now that San Luis has become such a railroad centre, 
 it is regarded as a rival of the City of Mexico itself. Always a great commercial and 
 manufacturing j)oint, the completion of the Central’s line to tide water at Tampico 
 will greatly enhance the city's importance, and it will become a distributing point 
 for a large section, and the jiroducts of Central Mexico will find a shorter route to 
 market by way of Tampico. 
 
 The people of San Luis are a pleasure-loving, hospitable people. The military 
 band plays in the alameda three times a week, and balls and fetes to which Americans 
 are invited are of frequent occurrence. The road to Tampico will be* finished for the 
 season of 1890-91. 
 
 Back on the main line again and still running through a fine country, the train 
 comes to the next important city of Lagos, where there is a population of 40,000 
 people, and large manufacturing interests. The city is on the west side of the track, 
 reached by horse-cars or m hacks. The city is a pretty one, and is worthy of a day’s 
 visit, as also is Leon, a place with 100,000 inhabitants, and one of the greatest manu- 
 facturing towns in the republic. 
 
 Leon lies in the midst of a vast plain where there are fertile farms and rich graz- 
 ing lands hedged by gigantic cactus — the tree or organ cactus, so called on account 
 of its resemblance to the pipes of an organ, and which is a feature in every picture 
 of Mexico. The streets of Leon are narrow, running at right angles, and in every 
 block and square are workshops of the thousands and thousands of makers of leath- 
 ern goods — shoes, saddles and everything in that line. “There is nothing like 
 leather,” at Leon. There is a pretty plaza, some fine buildings and interesting mar- 
 kets. Lagos is on the right and Leon on the left of the track. 
 
 Silao has an excellent restaurant in the station ; no better meal is served at any 
 railroad station in Mexico, or out of it. Here is the junction for Guanajuato, 
 where there are mines that have produced more silver than all the others in the com- 
 bined world ; and there are 100,000 people there now, all engaged in some way about 
 the mines. A stop must be made at Silao, and a visit to Guanajuato, only six miles 
 distant by rail to the eastward from the main line. Nineteen miles further to 
 Irapuato, where connection is made for Guadalajara, famed for its pottery, and one 
 of the oldest, quaintest and most interesting cities in the rejmblic, or in the world. 
 An excursion to Guadalajara is absolutely necessary to make a complete tour of 
 Mexico. About this time, as the farmer’s almanac says, lay in your winter strawber- 
 ries. 
 
 Salamanca is the next place of interest and importance, and then Celaya, where 
 this line crosses the Mexican National Railroad. The country is still, for the most 
 part, a fertile agricultural region, and enjoys a most delightful climate. Although 
 
Queretaro, and the Place of Execution of Maximilian, Miramon'and Mejia. 
 
50 MEXICO . 
 
 under a tropic sun, the altitude is such — about 5,000 feet — that spring weather is the 
 rule, and strawberries are on sale all the year round, brought to the cars in boxes 
 where the bottom is as high as in those of New York ; but the price is lower and the 
 berries finer than in most of our markets. Another product of the country is 
 brought to the cars— pulque. Sometimes it is fresh and good, but it is advised not to 
 render a verdict on the national beverage till it is drank on the plains of Apam. 
 
 Queretaro, capital of Queretaro, is the city where Maximilian made his last fight. 
 Here he surrendered, here he was tried and executed, with his Generals Miramon 
 and Mejia. From the windows on the left may be seen three little white stone shafts 
 on the hillside just north of the city ; these mark the spot where the unfortunate men 
 were shot. Queretaro is the headquarters for opals. They are found in great quanti- 
 ties round about. The common ones are offered for sale by the natives at the cars. It 
 is not advised to buy extensively, but it is advised to pay the exact charge, as the 
 venders have the same habit as the American newsboy in being tardy in bringing 
 back the change ; often he does not return till the train is well on to Mexico. 
 It is better to stop at Queretaro anyhow ; there is much to interest and there are 
 good hotels. After leaving the station the train passes through the Hercules factory 
 village, where there is a beautiful grove of tropical trees in full leaf, flower and fruit, 
 with oranges, lemons and bananas ; and then comes to one of the sights of the ride — 
 the great stone aqueduct which supplies water to the mills and the city. The massive 
 stone arches are wonderful in their construction, and of great height. The highest is 
 94 feet above the ground. The train passes directly under the aqueduct. It may be 
 seen from either side of the cars ; the first view is on the left. 
 
 You have been looking for palm trees, eh ? See the first one at Queretaro. 
 
 San Juan del Rio, at an elevation of 6,245 feet, is the last city on the line. It has a 
 population of 20,000 people. The scenery grows grandly beautiful. There are grand 
 mountains, with lovely valleys in between, dotted here and there with haciendas and 
 villages. Now comes to the plain of Cazadero. Crossing it, the road climbs the 
 mountains which shut in the nation’s capital, reaching the top of the grade at 
 Marquez and the highest elevation on the line, 8, 132 feet above the sea ; then starts 
 down hill to the Tula Yalley, where the scenery is more tropical and the towns and 
 villages are more of the Toltec order. 
 
 No matter how early in the morning, or at night, if there be a moon, the tourist 
 must be on the qui vive for a view of the Tajo de Nochistongo — the great drainage cut, 
 commenced in 1607 with a purpose to drain the lakes on the plains of Mexico and pre- 
 vent the inundation of the city. It W'as abandoned a few years later, but has been 
 talked of ever since ; and now a tunnel is projected at a cost of $8,000,000. The cars 
 pass along the top of the cut on the left bank, consequently the view is from the 
 windows on the right side. As soon as the cut is passed let every window on the 
 left side be occupied. At Huehuetoca the first view of the snow mountains is to be 
 had ; the volcanoes of Ixtaccihuatl and Popocatapetl. and the plain of Mexico ; and in 
 an hour a journey full of pleasure and crowded with novelty ends at Buena Yista 
 station of the Mexican Central Railway, 
 
NORTH OVER THE MEXICAN CENTRAL. 
 
 f F jour arrival over the Mexican Central has been at night, and you would see 
 those parts of the road in daylight which were passed at night on the trip 
 southward, a trip on the north-bound day train leaving the Capital will amply 
 repay in scenic interest and varied views of Mexican life, curious cities and 
 
 towns. 
 
 The first hour of travel northward shows the plain and City of Mexico, and the 
 surrounding hills, the snow-capped volcanoes of Popocatapetl and Ixtaccihuatl 
 rising high up against the sky — seen last from Huehuetoca at the entrance of the 
 Tajo de Nochistongo, the great canal cut with a purpose to drain the waters of the 
 lakes around it and save the City of Mexico from inundation ; but now, 280 years 
 after the work was commenced, it is unfinished and abandoned. No better view of 
 the great work can be obtained than from the trains of the Mexican Central Railway, 
 from the windows on the left side of a north-bound train. 
 
 Tula, fifty miles from the city, is the object of a most pleasant day excursion. 
 Leaving on the morning train and returning in the evening allows seven or eight 
 hours at one of the oldest towns in Mexico, once a great city, but now containing 
 only about 2,000 people. According to the native historian Clavigero, Tula was a city 
 of the Toltecs more than a thousand years ago, who were followed by the Chicliimecs 
 four hundred years later, and still later byj;he Mexicans, whose chief city was Tula 
 until about the year 1825, when the City of Mexico became the capital. Undoubt- 
 edly Tula has the age on many other towns of Mexico, as may be proven by the rel- 
 ics of bygone centuries that are to be seen in and around the city. The ruins of the 
 old Toltec town are especial objects of interest, the visit to which will occupy some 
 hours. In the plaza of Tula and in the churches are some broken columns and statues 
 of great size, and some graven stones w r hose ages antedate even the Toltecs. The 
 church of San Jose was dedicated over 325 years ago, and is a massive fort-like 
 structure, so built, with thick walls, to afford protection against attack from the 
 Indians in the early days. 
 
 The ride down from Tula is across the plain of Cazadero, and the next point of 
 interest is Queretaro. Approaching from the south the train passes under one of the 
 arches of the great aqueduct which furnishes the city’s w r ater supply, and through a 
 suburb of the city, with its orange trees, limes and bananas and tropical flowers, close 
 to the great Hercules cotton mills. Horse-cars from the station pass by the alameda, 
 a very pretty park planted with palms and other tropical trees . 
 
 The opal is considered an unlucky stone, in which case good luck could not abide 
 at Queretaro, on account of the abundance of opals found in the region round about 
 — < ‘-opals <?f all sizes, shapes and colors, good, bad and indifferent, but all worth just 
 as much as the vender can get or the purchaser will stand— they are on saie every- 
 where, in the stores, at the hotel, on the street and the railway station. Tou may 
 talk about the weather, politics or the prosperity of the country, but the talk will 
 wind up on opals. A representative best citizen may welcome you to the city 
 and discourse of its beauty, health and climate ; but in an unguarded moment may 
 spring an opal on you. The unsuspecting traveler alights from the train unconscious 
 of opals, but ere he reaches the alameda his suspicions are aroused, and every man, 
 woman and child is viewed with alarm lest opals be thrust upon one whether or no. 
 But there is much else at Queretaro besides opals, and much that was, that is not now. 
 
52 
 
 MEXICO 
 
 The unfortunate Emperor Maximilian made his last stand at Queretaro, was 
 captuied tided and executed. In a room of the legislative building are kept the 
 coffin in which Maximilian was brought from the field, the wooden stools on which 
 Miramon and Mejia sat during 
 the trial. The emperor, being . 
 ill, did not attend, but was \j. 
 confined in a cell in the con- 
 vent of the Capuchins. The 
 table on which the death 
 warrant was signed is 
 preserved. J ust w est 
 of the city, in a 
 stony field, was 
 the place of ex- 
 ecution, now 
 marked by 
 three little 
 
 Guadalajara. 
 
 white shafts inclosed by an iron railing, which can be seen from the cars, looking 
 from the right-hand windows after leaving the station going north. 
 
 Celava, in the beautiful valley of Laja, is the next point of interest and is the 
 crossing of the Mexican National Railroad. The city is to be seen on the west side of 
 the track, the high church towers standing up against the background made by blue 
 hills. The chronicler says that Celaya was founded by sixteen married men and their 
 wives and seventeen young bachelors. Just why their numbers or conditions attended 
 the founding, does not appear. Celaya is noted for its dulces as Queretaro is for 
 
QUERETARO AND CEL A FA. 
 
 53 
 
 opals, and are as assiduously offered by the native manufacturer and vender to the 
 make*** tOUriSt ‘ ■ Dalces ^ lf uofc explained before, are sweetmeats, confections of native 
 
 The sixteen married men and seventeen bachelors commenced to build churches 
 early, and when in after years they were completed they were pronounced the finest 
 in the land, and they have, indeed, great claims that way, both as to architecture 
 intenor decoration and paintings. Especially is this true of the churches of Our 
 Lady of Carmen and San Francisco, which alone are worthy of a stop over at Celava 
 At any station in this lati- J ' 
 
 tude the traveler may expect 
 to have strawberries thrust i * 
 at his window, whether he 
 passes by in December or 
 May. The finest straw- 
 berries are offered at 
 Irapuato, and, as 
 stated, the Mexi- 
 can exhibits an 
 evidence of 
 the highest 
 civilization 
 in locat- 
 ing the 
 
 Guadalajara. 
 
 bottom of the strawberry boxes so near the top. Passing Salamanca, a place noted 
 for its manufactures and white pottery clay or kaolin, the train comes to Irapuato, a 
 place of little importance in itself, but the point of junction of a branch line of the 
 
54 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 Mexican Central for Guadalajara, a noted city of the republic, hitherto unvisited on 
 account of its inaccessibility ; but since the completion of the extension in May, 
 1888, the old town has had daily communication with the outside world, and the 
 tourist may now see for himself the glories of an ancient city that have come to him 
 before second hand. 
 
 Irapuato ! Change cars for Guadalajara ! is the cry of the trainman now, only he 
 don’t say it exactly that way, that's what he means, and perhaps the cry of the Mex- 
 ican trainman may seem to the American traveler as intelligible as those he hears o<n 
 the home roads. The road runs through a rich agricultural country, where large 
 crops of wheat and corn are raised. The line is rich in scenic beauty, as all roads 
 in Mexico are, and the journey may be one of pleasure, no matter whatever other 
 object it may have. The first station of importance is Penjamo, 49 kilometres from 
 Irapuato, near which is the town of the same name, with a population of nearly 
 8,000, and a very investing old place, with narrow, crooked streets and quaint 
 houses. The town is about three miles from the station. 
 
 About two miles from the station La Piedad is the city of Piedad Cabadas, known 
 in ancient and modern history by several other names, but now answering to the one 
 written here. Piedad has a population of over 10,000 people. About 150 kilometres 
 from Irapuato the road comes to the valley of the Lerma, sometimes called the Rio 
 Grande, and is the Mississippi of Mexico, the longest river in the republic. The 
 river empties into Lake Chapala at the eastern end, and twenty miles further, on the 
 northeastern shore, another river flows out of the lake, called by some the same river, 
 Lerma or Rio Grande. Certainly one is the inlet of the waters and the same one the 
 outlet, the one river seemingly crossing the lake. The river is not navigable. On 
 the contrary it abounds in rapids and cascades — one, quite large and very beautiful, 
 is only 16 miles from Guadalajara. 
 
 The road comes nearest to the river and lake at La Barca, a city of 10,000 inhab- 
 itants, located at the junction of the Lerma and Lake Chapala. Prom La Barca the 
 steamer Liberlad makes voyages around Lake Chapala, making landings on both 
 sides and returning again to the starting point, covering a distance both ways of 
 about 70 miles. The voyage is one of many delights, the scenery is exceptionally 
 beautiful — high mountains and fertile plains, and valleys with fields and groves of 
 tropical fruits and plants. Sometimes, when an east wind prevails, the high wind 
 and waves loosen the vegetation growing in the shallow water of the delta where the 
 Lerma comes in, and scores of floating islands are met with in the voyage. A3 the 
 lake is about 80 miles long and 16 wide, sometimes great storms prevail and the 
 waves run high. 
 
 The steamer Libertad is a new boat, built since the completion of the railway. 
 Her predecessor, whose machinery was brought from California and packed piece 
 by piece on burros from San Bias on the Pacific coast, has been retired, and her old 
 boiler lies on the beach a rusty monument to American pluck and energy. It is not 
 recorded that any other people have carried steamboats over mountains by mule 
 power. 
 
 The town of Chapala on the north shore of the lake is picturesquely located under 
 the towering cliffs of the mountain. The place has long been a health resort on 
 account of the very hot springs that are there, which have a great local reputation. 
 The waters, clear as crystal, gush from the rocks in the side of the mountain. The 
 tourist may procure horses at Chapala and ride across the mountains to the railroad 
 at Antequiza, or return by boat to La Barca. ' 
 
 Continuing the rail journey toward Guadalajara the track crosses the Lerma again 
 at Ocotlan, where there is a glimpse of the lake from the windows on the left side. 
 
 The first view of Guadalajara may be had from the right-hand side of the train, 
 
Going to Market. 
 
56 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 looking forward. It is a city of nearly 100,000 inhabitants, and is the capital of the 
 State of Jalisco. A very beautiful and very interesting city, where some days may 
 be pleasantly spent. The city has for centuries been noted for its fine pottery, 
 ornamental and glazed in the most beautiful and fantastic designs, and is the chief 
 industry of a large clas3 at the present day. Manufacturing in almost every branch 
 is carried on, as this has for centuries been a great commercial centre and distribut- 
 ing point for a large territory. There are four lines of horse-railways leading to the 
 different suburbs, each one offering something of interest to the tourist. 
 
 The city is beautifully laid out ; the streets run at right angles and for many 
 blocks the w'alk-ways are under the stone portales. There are 14 portales, 20 plazas, 
 14 bridges, 5 theatres, 25 baths, 23 restaurants and 28 hotels of all classes ; among 
 the latter there is one kept by a German, which has a lovely patio filled with 
 beautiful plants and flowers, onto which all the rooms open, and if you wish, 
 meals are served on Jhe gallery in front of your door. It is a German garden in 
 the heart of Mexico. Tliere are no finer public buildings anywhere in Mexico than 
 in Guadalajara. Among these are the Cathedral, the Governor’s palace and the 
 Degollado theatre, all magnificent specimens of the Mexican style of architecture, 
 and of such proportions that such piles are totally unexpected in this far-away region 
 so long without communication with the outside world. 
 
 Through the eastern part of the city runs the San Juan de Dios, and along that 
 stream is the Paseo from the alameda to the southern boundary of the city. The 
 Alameda, Plaza de Armas , Jar din Botanic o, Parque Alcade and Calzada de San Pedro 
 are all pretty parks or gardens where there are music and flowers — places of great 
 resort in the evening, Sundays and feast days. 
 
 Speaking of gardens, the Hospital of Guadalajara contains twenty -three patios, 
 and each has its flowers, plants and fountains. 
 
 What with the markets, streets, people, scenery, this description might go on to 
 fill a book ; but the space here is limited, and we must go back to the main line of 
 the Mexican Central and see what there is at Silao and Guanajuato. To do this, re- 
 turn must be made to Irapuato. 
 
 The tall, slender spire of the church of Santiago is seen from the windows on the 
 right of a train going north, and a few moments later the train stops at the station 
 for Silao, where there is a restaurant kept by an American, a railway eating-house 
 that would rank above the average even in the United States. A bountiful supply of 
 good food is served at all times. The city of Silao, distant about a mile from the 
 station, has a population of 16,000 people. There is sufficient interest for a visit ; 
 there are good drives around the city, some fine mineral springs, and the usual 
 Mexican life and novelty. From Silao there is a branch road to Guanajuato, or 
 rather to Marfil, and thence by horse-cars to a great silver city. 
 
 The road from Silao winds around among the hills, where there are some pretty 
 fields, passing adobe villages, and coming to Marfil, where there is a change to horse- 
 cars which go at a gallop up the barranca, passing some of the greatest silver mines 
 of the world and the haciendas where the reduction works are. The street, or road, 
 along which the cars pass, is crowded with people going to and fro, and with burros 
 loaded with silver ore. The peculiar houses on either side make the trip most pic- 
 turesque. The hills rise up high and steep on both sides, and wherever there is a 
 place big enough, or niche can be cut in the rocks, a house is built there, the getting 
 up or down being a secondary consideration ; and how the feat is accomplished by 
 any animal short of a goat, or by any other means than a hook and ladder outfit, I am 
 unabie to determine. The homes of these cliff-dwellers dot the hills on both sides 
 of the barranca and around the city. 
 
 After three miles of this Moorish street, the cars stop at the prettiest little plaza, 
 
GUADALAJARA AND GUANAJUATO. 
 
 67 
 
 adorned with flowers and tropical plants. Here are the hotels and the centre of the 
 city. The cars go on up the narrow, crooked street, and the ride is full of interest 
 Ride up and walk down, and what you will 
 see will make some novel additions to your 
 note book. The end of the track is opposite 
 a lovely little park at the head of the ravine. 
 
 This is the alameda, and above it is the reser- 
 voir of the city’s water supply. Water is also 
 stored in the ravine by strong dams of stone. 
 
 Here are some of the prettiest residences in 
 Mexico, perched on the mountain-side as they 
 are, with a towering cliff at the back door and 
 miniature lakes at the front, with gallery and 
 casement hung with brightest flowers. There is 
 no such street of such houses even in Mexico. 
 
 Looking across a reservoir of clear water was 
 a little lovv house of Pompeiian colors w ith case- 
 mated windows covered with flow r ering vines. 
 
 The gable toward the water had an old wheel 
 window, around which the vines had climbed. 
 
 On a wall stood a peacock with feathers out- 
 spread ’gainst a light background, whilst the 
 other birds sat quietly as if posing for a picture. 
 
 Some ducks swam lazily in the water of the fore- 
 ground. A bridge across the water was shaded 
 by trees of japonica, and another tree had some 
 bright yellow flowers through all its branches — 
 and this picture was doubled by a reflection in the water. 
 
 An enthusiastic lady writes thus of Guanajuato : 
 
 “Quaintest spot and most delightful under the sun ! 
 
 The little city of Guanajuato — may its name be written 
 in letters of gold — has succeeded in charming away the 
 few remaining senses which this enchanting Mexico has 
 left us. A city among the mountains, a fortified place 
 set upon the side of heights so steep that the houses 
 seem to be fastened to the rock rather thau resting upon 
 it, and a misstep on the dizzy uppermost level of the 
 narrow, steep streets w'ould precipitate the unlucky one 
 into, the midst of some plaza three or four hundred feet 
 below. A lovely, bewildering spot, full of 
 lanes and archways and winding, twisted 
 
 market-places, with a crowd of pictur- Q ^ATE^ciRRjER.. 
 esque people selling every oddity under j 51 ,./ 
 
 'the sun and a screen of matting; with a ||| 
 
 crossing and interlacing of narrow paved ways which give |j| ( 
 at every ten steps the effect of a kaleidoscope with a vista ‘ i 
 of infinite beauty and novelty at each turning. 
 
 “ The upper balconies of the many really beautiful 
 houses were gay with bright awnings and marvelous 
 flowers ; the old Church of the Jesuits was magnificent in fine arches of soft, pink 
 stone and wonderful carvings, fine as strips of lace work ; the overhanging hills 
 toppled against the deep blue sky wherever one turned, and through a hundred 
 
58 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 different arclies some vision of softly frescoed, slender pillared inner courts, bright 
 with blossoms and fresh with greenery, flashed out, no matter how swiftly one 
 passed. 
 
 “ While we were in the plaza a beautiful flight of birds, a thousand swift-winged 
 atoms with a dash of warm red on the dark breasts, wheeled and dipped and rose 
 through the clear air with a rhythm of motion that set the scene to music, and so I 
 desire to remember it. And into this ravishing spot we were whirled without any 
 more warning than the corners of a few sharp mountain spurs could give us. ” 
 
 The Alhondiga, now a prison, but once the Board of Trade building, was cap- 
 tured by Hidalgo during the war for independence. Later on, his head was brought 
 here after his execution at Chihuahua, and exposed on a spike in the wall which (the 
 spike) is still shown. Still later a bronze statue was erected to his memory in front 
 of the building. 
 
 There are many other fine buildings in Guanajuato, among which is a magnificent 
 theatre larger than any in New York, built of a beautiful green stone found in the 
 neighborhood. The churches are very fine — one, that of Compania, cost nearly a 
 quarter of a million of dollars, of which nearly half went for blasting a space in the 
 hillside for it to rest on. 
 
 The Mint is especially worthy of a visit. The manner of coining is the same as in 
 the mints of our country. It is the operatives that are interesting. An old and 
 wrinkled Indian, whose hair is silvered as the metal he works in, has handled the 
 ladle for forty years. He opens the door of the fiery furnance and dips his ladle in 
 the molten metal, not a drop too much or an ounce too little to fill the mould ; and his 
 record for the time shows not a day of absence. Two younger Indians are expert at 
 detecting imperfect coins by the sense of touch. They sit on low stools with a pile 
 of coins on each side, without looking, and with a single grasp gather twenty silver 
 pieces — always twenty, never a dollar more or less. Then sliding the coins from one 
 hand to the other, the slightest scratch or defect is detected, and the imperfect coin 
 is thrown to one side to go through the mill again. It is on record that no coin 
 handled by these two Indians has ever issued from the mint with an imperfection 
 however slight. The weighing and counting is done with the same degree of accu- 
 racy, the system reaching absolute perfection. Dolores, near Guanajuato, was the 
 scene of the commencement of the revolution for the independence of Mexico, also 
 the birthplace of Hidalgo, the patriot priest. 
 
 Before the train leaves the station at Marfil buy an ice from the Indian venders of 
 helados, a sort of ice-cream put up in tin tubes about two inches in diameter and three 
 inches long, frozen hard and very nicely flavored. The cry “ E-low ” is a corruption 
 of the word helado, meaning frozen. 
 
 Back on the main line again, a ride over a fertile plain brings to the great manu- 
 facturing city of Leon, where there are 100,000 people engaged in manufactures 
 mostly in leather and leather goods. There is enough of interest at Leon for a stop 
 over one train at least, and at Lagos there should be another stop. 
 
 The country northward is mixed, fertile and otherwise, with a varied scenery. 
 At or near Encarnacion, see on the left side the town of that name, with 
 its churches and towers. On the other side is the river Encarnacion, with an 
 irrigation reservoir near the track. A high and very fine iron bridge 
 spans the river just north of the station. This pleasant excursion must 
 have another break at Aguas Calientes, the capital of the State of that name, 
 having a population of 35,000 people. In translating, aguas calientes means 
 hot waters, and the name is well chosen. Hot springs are numerous, and a 
 superabundance of hot water runs through the town, converting the streets where 
 they flow into one vast laundry . Here the Indian population come to do their washing, 
 
Tajo de Nochistongo. 
 
GO MEXICO . 
 
 Babies are brought along tied with a string, and allowed to paddle in the warm 
 waters. Evidences of the uses of the hot water are seen everywhere. In the horse- 
 cars ladies with their hair down the back, hung out to dry as it were, are returning 
 from the bath, and men with towels on their arms walk and ride to the baths. The 
 
 Hotel at Aguas Calientes. 
 
 ditch which crosses the track at the station extends to the pools and baths a half 
 mile away on the east side. On each side the women are washing their clothes or 
 down in the ditch bathing themselves and children. I saw one old man waiting for 
 his wife to finish her bath ; he, like Mark Twain and the Sandwich Island surf bath- 
 ing girls, sat down to watch the clothes till the wearer came out. A little further on I 
 saw an indigent American, who had asked me for a tlaco in the market, arranging for 
 a change of linen by playing the part of his own washerwoman. At the head of the 
 ditch where the hot waters issue from the ground are more pools, washerwomen and 
 bathers, and some stone bath houses, very primitive but very clean, with great pools 
 of hot, clear w'ater, where you can bathe in the open air in January, bathe under green 
 trees and hear the birds sing as if it was summer. The water is deliciously warm 
 and the baths most healthful. An old Indian gives you clean towels, soap (a new 
 cake), indicates your pool and leaves you to take care of yourself. 
 
 Aguas Calientes is noted for its pretty plazas and parks, of which there are 
 several, one in the centre of the city. Another, a few squares west, is a most lovely 
 
AGUAS CALIENTES. 
 
 61 
 
 garden with a fountain absolutely surrounded with roses and a thousand ever- 
 blooming flowers known only to the tropics ; and still another park further out, 
 reached by horse-cars, as beautiful as the others, to which also there is a fine drive ; 
 but in the town not many vehicles to hire that would make the use of the drive 
 
 anyways pleasant. 
 
 The plaza at night is one of dazzling brilliancy. A military band of sixty or 
 seventy pieces, on a magnificent stand, in a perfect bower of "tropical plants and 
 lighted by hanging lamps of great beauty, discourses sweet music while the “upper 
 ten ” promenade in two endless processions, in adverse directions, around the walks 
 under the trees —Spanish lace and the reboso mingling, while the brigand-looking 
 Mexican sits muffled to the eyes in red zerape, as if a Bismarck blizzard was blowing 
 instead of balmy breezes amongst fragrant flowers. 
 
 Dark-eyed senoritas watched by sober senoras smoking cigarettes, crowd the seats, 
 
 Bridge and Reservoir at Ekcarnacion. 
 
 stealing glances at the passing parade. Beauty is out m fub L force . and ^duenna 
 
 is there for its protection. The procession lasts from 8 to 10 > 
 
 the “Danza” (a Mexican band always plays the Danza for 
 
 noches ” are spoken, the last stolen glance enjoyed, and perhaps a hurried word if the 
 
 duenna is not looking that way, and all is over till the band plays again, which 
 
 does two or three times in a week. 
 
62 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 The market of Aguas Calientes is interesting. On four sides are heavy columned 
 portales inclosing an open space, where the hucksters sit on the ground surrounded 
 by their wares, vegetables in little piles, in day time under a plaited mat held by 
 three poles to shelter from the sun ; at night little fires furnish each with light suffi- 
 cient for traffic. In the pottery market will be found many novelties, offered for sale 
 in the same style. Opposite one of the markets is a church, whose lofty door is 
 almost hidden by luxuriant palms, bananas, with an undergrowth of roses. 
 
 There are good hotels at Aguas Calientes, and there is every reason why a stay in 
 the city should be a pleasant one. 
 
 The country north of Aguas Calientes is rich in farms, towns and cities ; some fine 
 haciendas with expensive aqueducts for irrigating purposes. Some curious shaped 
 mountains stretching to the east just after leaving the station are in view for many 
 miles. Passing over a table land of fertile fields, far over to the east can be seen the 
 waters of a lake. In Mexico it is not always a lake that is seen in the distance, seeming 
 to the weary horseman to be of cooling waters, but a cruel delusion, a phantom lake 
 that gets farther away as he approaches. Down the slope to the right of the track is 
 the city of Guadaloupe, the fine church easily distinguished by its tower and domes. 
 Now the track winds around another hill and Zacatecas comes in view, and runs over 
 a very bed of silver, some of the mines being directly under the track, and others on 
 the hill above it. Look across the barranca to the road and horse-railway track 
 between the two cities. See the great haciendas and reduction works. There is no 
 such scene of life and animation anywhere in one view. One sees fewer wheels than 
 donkeys. Burros are cheaper than wheels ; burros never get tired and wheels have to 
 be ; and iron for tires is scarcer than silver ; and the donkey goes without shoes 
 and eats little, gets up early and stays out late. Hence the patient little beast is 
 preferred to wheels. 
 
 On the high hill on the other side are the cemeteries ; but the round, white, tomb- 
 like stones about on the hills do not mark the resting place of departed souls, but 
 the boundaries of silver claims. The peculiarly shaped hill with the rocky crest is 
 called the Bufa or Buffalo. The little church up there is Los Remedios, to which 
 the pilgrims climb, in a manner in keeping with their digressions from the path of 
 rectitude. If one has been very naughty, the proper caper is to crawl. This manner 
 of doing penance is a little rough, particularly on this route, but it is indulged in 
 by the native of the sensitive conscience. The rock where the church is located is 
 flat on top, and once, during a revolution, a battle was fought there, and a five-pound 
 cannon forced a surrender of the assaulting party in a few hours. The view from 
 La Bufa is very fine, seven cities are within its scope, and numerous hills and 
 valleys. 
 
 The view of Zacatecas from the cars, looking down on the flat-top houses, reminds 
 one of the pictures and descriptions of the biblical cities, and is one not easily for- 
 gotten. When the train stops at the station, all sight of the city is lost behind an 
 intervening hill. Horse-cars from the station need no propelling power for the first 
 half of the journey, but a double team is required to get up through the streets to 
 the hotels and plazas. As is usual in Mexico, there are great crowds at the stations 
 at train-time ; this is particularly so at Zacatecas, and often the military band is 
 there to play for the passing tourist. 
 
 To look at the city from the cars it would not seem that there was a place for a 
 plaza or alameda on such steep hillsides ; but Zacatecas has both, and very pretty 
 ones, with beautiful plants, flowers, and fountains — and in the midst the band plays 
 in the evening and the people come out in their picturesque costumes to promenade 
 and listen. In the business centre the place has quite an American look on account 
 of the high buildings — some are three and four stories high. The State and 
 
ZACATECAS TO GUADALOUPE. 
 
 G3 
 
 municipal palaces, the mint, the fine old churches are all worthy of the tourist’s at- 
 tention. The hotel Zacatecano is quite an imposing structure. 
 
 The pilgrimage to Guadaloupe is one of the things to do— and it can he done 
 comfortably and quickly. Horse-cars start from the plaza and run down the six miles 
 by gravity. The mules which pull the cars from Guadaloupe to Zacatecas leave 
 their harness on the cars and walk leisurely down without a load. An American with 
 me suggested that this was a waste of valuable mule time, and thought they should 
 carry a load of freight. He was from Boston (the man was, not the mule), and disliked 
 idleness in any shape, mule or man. I said nothing, only thought if the mule made 
 no kick the Boston man ought not to. 
 
 At Guadaloupe the cars stop right in front of the market, and the walk through 
 it is interesting, besides being in the route to the church. Leave the market at the 
 lower left-hand corner, the street there leads directly to the church. 
 
 In front of the church is a pretty park of roses, well kept. The grand old church 
 with its tiled dome is worthy of all the journey to see. The main altar has life- 
 size figures representing the Crucifixion. Behind there is a canvas painting repre- 
 senting the hill of Calvary, with the Jews and Roman soldiery in the middle back- 
 ground. These, with the figures in front, produce a very startling effect. 
 
 The church is filled with people kneeling at the various altars and confessionals 
 at all times. On the right of the church is the old art gallery, filled* with hun- 
 dreds pf curious paintings illustrating the lives and temptations *of the saints — some 
 of them going very much into detail. One fine picture of a giant and cherub, at the 
 head of the staircase, is finely executed, and seems to be the work of a master hand. 
 
 The Capilla , or chapel, is a more recent addition to the old church, the gift of a 
 maiden lady of great wealth, a few years ago, and cost many thousands of dollars. 
 The floor is inlaid with hard woods of different colors. A superb altar is rich in gild- 
 ings, silver and gold, wax figures, silk and satin hangings. The altar rail is of onyx 
 and solid silver. The walls are finely frescoed, arched to a dome fifty feet above the 
 floor. This is all new, but is the finest chapel in Mexico. The ride back to Zacatecas 
 is not so rapid, but the mules work to the entire satisfaction of everybody, the 
 Boston man included. 
 
 The mines may be visited by permit. Some are entered by shafts, others by 
 tunnel. If you choose the former, the descent is by bucket let down by liorse-power 
 windlass. Ladies undertake the trip sometimes, but are not welcomed by the 
 miners, as they are regarded as unlucky visitors. This rule does not apply to 
 the proper sort of a girl, if a white horse works the windlass. 
 
 Calera, Lerdo, Torreon, Jiminez, Chihuahua, are all important cities on the 
 Mexican Central Railroad, between Zacatecas and El Paso, which have had attention 
 in another part of this book. 
 
THE INTEROCEANIC RAILWAY 
 
 t Y its charter and concessions will extend from the Gulf of Mexico to the 
 Pacific Ocean, and the City of Mexico will be a way station. As now com- 
 pleted, w r hat is called the Morelos road extends from the capital southward 
 to Cuautla and Yautepec, and the Irolo road to the town of that name, with 
 an eastern destination at Vera Cruz, going via Puebla and Jalapa ; which places, for- 
 merly reached by branch roads, are now on the main line. 
 
 The road is under construction and rapidly pushing to completion its eastern 
 terminus at Vera Cruz, on the Gulf of Mexico, and its western at Acapulco, on the 
 Pacific. The Interoceanic will be of vast interest to the commerce of the world, as it 
 will be the shortest route across the continent of the Americas, involving the shortest 
 sea voyage, meaning, that the shorter railways at Tehuantepec and across the 
 Isthmus of Panama necessitate longer sea voyages of thousands of miles in both 
 oceans, which more than counterbalance the slight increase of distance on land 
 as covered by the Interoceanic Railroad. The distance from Vera Cruz to Acapulco 
 by the way of the City of Mexico is 1,030 kilometres or about 645 miles, but the 
 completion of the road from Chietla to the main line on the western slope, say 
 at Tepecoacuilco, would shorten, the mileage from sea to sea to about 475 miles — a 
 one day’s run for a passenger train and little more than two for a freight, and, as I 
 have said, saving of several days sail on the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico and as much 
 on the Pacific. 
 
 As a tourist route the Interoceanic R. R. has unbounded attractions, running as it 
 does over the mountains, through the pulque plains and the hot country ; it is the 
 only line reaching the volcanoes of Popocatapetl and Ixtaccihuatl, running on both 
 sides of the range and in full view of them for miles and miles, coming to their 
 base at Amecameca, one of the most thoroughly Mexican towns in all Mexico. 
 Puebla, one of the oldest and most interesting cities of the country, is on the main 
 line, hitherto reached only by change of cars to a branch road. Jalapa, the quaint, is 
 also on the main line, and "will be passed en route from VeraCruz to the City of 
 Mexico, an advantage that will be appreciated by those who have taken the seventy- 
 mile horse-car ride. To visit either Puebla or Jalapa has heretofore taken the best 
 part of two days in going and returning, but now the schedules of the Interoceanic 
 will save all this time. For day excursions from the City of Mexico the new road 
 offers more attractions than any other ; one may go to Amecameca and the volcanoes 
 and return same day, or to Puebla, passing the Plains of Apam, the pulque regions, 
 or to Texcoco and the wonderful and luxurious gardens of Molino de Flores, and a 
 score of other interesting points, the visiting of which will add to the interest of the 
 tour. 
 
 The Morelos trains leave the City of Mexico from San Lazaro station, reached by 
 horse-cars starting from the plaza in front of the Cathedral. Passing through the 
 outskirts of the city, the artillery school and adobe targets are on the left. Then the 
 road comes to the shores of Lake Texcoco, and for some miles runs along the old 
 causeway, once the highw r ay to Puebla, passing between two rows of trees standing 
 so close to the track that they can be almost touched from the cars. The lake is on 
 the left, and a marsh that in rainy season is also a lake, and at all times is literally 
 alive with ducks and other water fowl. This marsh connects Lake Texcoco with 
 Lakes Xochimilco and Chaleo. 
 
* CITY OF MEXICO TO AMECAMECA. 65 
 
 Los Reyes is the point of junction of the two sections (the Irolo ami Morelos) of 
 
 the Interoceanic road. 
 
 Ayotla is the town of fishermen of Lake Chaleo, who bring the products of their 
 catch to the trains for sale. The old adode town is a very pretty one, on the shores 
 
 of the lake to the right 
 
 After passing Ayotla the road makes a turn around the lake, and the volcanoes 
 
 On the Sacred Mountain at Amecameca. 
 
 come to view and are in sight through all the journey, seen first from the left 
 windows, but as the track curves about are seen from either side. 
 
 La Compania is a very pretty little village, where there is liorse-car connection on 
 th<T left for Tlalmanalco, and on the right along a shaded roadway to Chaleo, a city 
 on the border of that lake, whose towers and domes can be seen for some distance as 
 the train moves southward. Next is the village of Cuatlenchan, on a hill on the left 
 side ; the church on the top of the hill is seen up and down the road for several 
 .miles. 
 
 Amecameca is the stopping place for the pilgrims bound for the craters of Popo- 
 catapetl and Ixtaccihuatl. The train rounds the hill and stops right at the base of 
 Sacro Monte (the sacred mountain), one of the most picturesque shrines in all Mexico. 
 Look from the windows on the right, or while the train waits step on the platform 
 for a good view of the stone stairway, almost hidden by a dense grove of trees. 
 The city lies spread out on a plain on the left of the track. Tourists who have no 
 time for a longer stay, or do not continue to the end of the road, may lea\ e Mexico on 
 the morning train, have a few hours at Amecameca and return in the afternoon. The 
 view from the Sacro Monte is superbly magnificent. No nearer view of the volcanoes 
 
 -i 
 
MEXICO . 
 
 66 
 
 is obtainable unless the ascent is made, which requires three days’ time and is 
 attended with much discomfort ; but the adventure of the ascent, and the seeing 
 of the grandest view of the world from a height of nearly 18,000 feet, is worth any 
 amount of fatigue. The first day of the ascent is taken by the ride on horseback 
 from Amecameca to the rancho of the owner of the mountain and its sulphur indus- 
 try, where the night is spent. The second day is used by the ride to the snow line 
 and the walk to the crater, the going down by bucket and windlass into the crater, 
 and the return to the rancho, where the second night is spent, and the descent to 
 Amecameca and return to Mexico may be accomplished on the third day. Permis- 
 sion from the owner of the mountain should be obtained in Mexico City, where 
 should also be obtained a plentiful supply for the wants of the inner man, and warm 
 wraps, mittens, etc. The cost of the ascent is about twenty-five dollars each for a 
 party, or more, if only one or two. 
 
 If the stay at Amecameca is only a few hours the Sacro Monte will take up the 
 time. Here has been the scene of some weirdly novel religious ceremonies. There 
 is in the shrine of the Sacro Monte an image of Christ in the sepulchre ; it is life 
 size, made of some very light material, so that its weight is not more than three or 
 
 Native Residence in the Hot Country. 
 
 four pounds ; the material must be as durable as it is light, since it is known to have 
 been here more than three hundred and forty years, and tradition says longer. There 
 is a great pilgrimage to the shrine during Lent. The commencement of the feast, 
 not a fast, is on Ash Wednesday, when the image is carried in procession to the 
 parish church, where it remains till Good Friday, and then, with greater pomp, 
 is carried back to the shrine. 
 
AMEC AMEC A TO YAUTEPEC. 
 
 67 
 
 There is a good hotel at Amecameca, good wine, good beer, good pulque and a 
 clever host. 1 1 
 
 Leaving the town the railway passes through one of the streets of the town and 
 crosses the stone causeway which was built for the pilgrim processions, betv -en the 
 
 church and the shrine. 
 
 At Ozumba there is time for dinner, or rather breakfast, and an excellent meal is 
 served. At a point a few miles south of the station the highest elevation of the road 
 is reached, there having been a continuous climb from the plain of Mexico, and the 
 down grade to the hot country is commenced, and without an engine the train would 
 roll to Cuautla, would roll too fast, so the engine is retained to hold it in check. 
 
 From the station at Nepantla there is a magnificent view from the left windows, 
 a view taking in millions of acres of the hot lands to the mountains, a hundred miles 
 beyond. For miles and miles, as the train rolls down the hills, may be seen first from 
 one side and then the other the dome and tower of a church. The same church may 
 be seen for two hours ; it is the church of San Miguel, at Atlatlahutla, and near it 
 an abandoned monastery. Here again the tourist finds another feature of Mexico’s 
 scenery and people, totally different from all the other travels in the republic. The 
 houses are adobe as to walls and thatched as to roof ; the broad plains have curious 
 trees ; bands of Indians troop from one town to another in curious costumes, march- 
 ing along totally oblivious to the passing locomotive and approaching civilization, 
 and will not give way to the latter any quicker than they will to the engine if they 
 happen to be on the track when it comes along. Fact, it is hard for them to under- 
 stand that the train cannot “ keep to the right” when it meets people in the road, 
 and they claim the right of way from the fact that they were there first. 
 
 Now the sugar country is reached and the train passes through a fine hacienda 
 and backs into Cuautla on a Y ; passing and crossing an aqueduct, where the natives 
 are seen bathing and washing clothes, comes to a station that was once a church. 
 
 The train stops some minutes at Cuautla and there is time for a walk through the 
 little alameda, just outside of the station, where there are pretty trees and flowers, 
 a hotel where there are good wines, coffee and lunches to be had. 
 
 As the approach to the station has been through a grove of tropical trees and 
 gardens, so is its departure, and continues southward through the cane country to 
 Yautepec ; the distant mountains enrich the scene, making a blue background to a 
 lovely tropical picture. 
 
 At Yautepec the American feels that he is indeed away from home. Once away 
 from the railway station and out of sight of the locomotive there is nothing whatever 
 to remind him of his own country or of an advanced stage of civilization. It is a 
 picturesque little town on a rambling stream, whose rocky bed is almost dry except in 
 tke*rainy season, when there is too much water as there was too little before, and it 
 rushes along to the imminent danger of the town. The plaza and alameda are one ; 
 it is beautifully shaded and is filled with bright flowers ; the fountain in the centre 
 flows _pure water and the people flock here with jars and jugs for their supply. In 
 the evening there is music and the entire populace turns out to hear it. The sight is 
 a novel one. The band is on the stand under the trees ; the better class promenade the 
 walks in never-ending procession, while others are seated on the stone benches or 
 squat on the ground, the bright-hued serapes and rebosos giving high color to the 
 scene ; the market women sit upon the ground surrounded by their wares, little piles 
 of beans, peppers, chili, etc. ; the flickering rushlights only seem to show how quaint 
 the picture is. On another side is a long table, about which are gathered old men 
 and women, young men and maidens, children and babies, playing at a game of 
 
 chance, the whole altogether the most novel scene of my travels. 
 
 In going to the hotel it will be necessary to have some one point out “ El Oran 
 
68 
 
 MEXICO 
 
 Central ,” otherwise the identity of that hotel would never be detected, neither would 
 the hotel ever be accused of being a “ Grand Central ” anywhere but at Yautepec. It 
 is not the building that is “grand central,” but the welcome, from an old Indian 
 woman with a wrinkled but kindly face. The clean beds, linen, etc., are all “ grand 
 central,” and there can be no regrets for staying there. The fonda next door fur- 
 nishes a good meal at reasonable prices. 
 
 After Yautepec, continue on to the terminus or turn back to the city by rail, or 
 ride five hours on horseback through the sugar lands to Cuernavaca, where there 
 are antiquities, some pretty gardens and caves ; 
 thence by diligence to the city, the route 
 shows some fine scenery. 
 
 the mono DIVISION 
 
 of the Interoceanic road extends 
 from the City of Mexico to Calpu- 
 lalpam, with an ultimate desti- 
 nation at Vera Cruz, passing 
 through Puebla and Jalapa. 
 
 Trains start from San Lazaro 
 station and run over the same 
 track as the Morelos trains as 
 far as Los Reyes, where it 
 turns eastward and passes 
 the town o L a Magdalena, 
 seen from the left side of 
 the cars, going on through 
 a country of churches, 
 some near, some far off, 
 and comes to Chapingo, 
 the gorgeous hacienda of 
 Ex-President Gonzalez, on ' 
 the left, and then to Tex- 
 coco, a city older than old 
 of learning and civilization 
 Rome combined, and the home of a race of Indian 
 
 kings, as also of Cortes, and for a while the resting-place of his bones. There is 
 much at Texcoco to interest the antiquarian tourist. Two miles and a half east of 
 the town is Tetzcotzinco, “ the laughing hill,” once a favorite resort of Netzohual- 
 coyotl, an ancient Aztec chief, where there are ruins of fountains, terraced walks, 
 baths cut in stone. The water supply for the baths and gardens was brought from 
 the hills, ten miles away, by a stone aqueduct, which has not altogether disap- 
 peared. See the gardens and the cascades of Molino de Flores, and the great idol, 
 Xicaca, “ goddess of waters.” A nearly perfect figure, about twenty feet long by 
 four across, and in a fair state of preservation, it lies prostrate near Cuatlenchan, 
 about six miles from Texcoco. 
 
 I have been to Molino de Flores, the beautiful “mill of the flowers” and my 
 memory serves me now for pretty dreams. 
 
 “ Gracias , senor, con mucho gusto.” 
 
 Thus I nearly exhausted my entire vocabulary of Spanish in accepting an invita- 
 tion to join a party for a Sunday excursion around Lake Texcoco to Texcoco on the 
 Irolo Railway and spend the day at Molino de Flores. 
 
 I had heard of Molino de Flores, and a guide book hint places it as the destination 
 
MOLINO DE FLORES. 
 
 69 
 
 of a pleasant excursion, and the estate of an old Spanish family, by name Cervantes, 
 one of the oldest, one of the noblest descendants from the Grandees of old Spain. 
 
 At nine-thirty the train pulled out from San Lazaro station and in an hour we 
 were at Texcoco, where diligences awaited the party, and in half an hour the mules 
 galloped over the leagues to Molino de Flores — the mill of flowers, as it is prosaically 
 
 A Bust Street. 
 
 translated. Let the American reader disabuse his mind of a flour mill, or anything 
 of a barn-like structure with dusty sides and roof, and dustier interior that may be 
 remembered of the mills at home. Heavy gates open through stone walls and admit 
 the diligences to what seems the court-yard of a mediaeval castle. Tortuous stone 
 stairtvays lead to the castle, up the rugged sides of a hill to the summer-house of 
 the family Cervantes. Our party alighted at the foot of the stairs, but not to ascend 
 them ; passed through another gate and around the mill, itself of stone, and seem- 
 ing a part of the castle. That gate opened to a garden that might have been a part 
 ol Eden* 
 
 I crossed a bridge and walked along a swift running stream, on whose borders, 
 on this December day, grew and bloomed calla lilies, violets and roses ; tall acacias 
 made a grateful shade, diverting the rays of almost a summer sun. An owl sat in 
 the hollow of a tree as if to hoot at intruding mortals in this garden of the fairies, 
 and hideous idols, from their pedestals, scowled in unison at the intrusion. Only 
 the murmurs of splashing cascades and twittering birds broke the silence that fell. 
 All words were lost in admiration. While I stood and wondered soft music came 
 floating through the intertwining trees. The melody came, I did not know from 
 where. It was an air of lordly Spain, where the softer notes of the guitar came 
 
70 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 creeping through the ferns, a mellow tenor floated over the roses, and a deeper basso 
 rolled on the violet beds. I lingered and listened till the last sweet note died away, 
 and walked on, beside the noisy waters, and came to a grotto hollowed by Nature’s 
 hand, and shadowed by overhanging boughs, where flowering vines had climbed and 
 from the rocks above some prickly cactus hung, as if to do guard duty against 
 approach that way. A pool of clear, sparkling water was in the grotto’s basin. Here 
 might have been the home of some queen of the water nymphs, where, sporting with 
 the maidens of her court, shut in by flowery screens and waving ferns, might bathe 
 unseen. It might have been all this, but it is the Cervantes bath. I sat here under * 
 a bower of fuchsias ; some great white bell-shaped flowers hung above me and filled 
 the air with soft perfume. I sat and dreamed — unconsciously looking at the em- 
 bowered grotto — really, I w r as not waiting to see if the water nymphs might come 
 back. I was in no hurry. I just waited, that's all. 
 
 I walked on, and came to a turn in the path. Across the ravine I saw the family 
 chapel. Some Moorish work around a cavern made the shrine. Two sides were 
 Nature’s own handiwork ; human hands had only added a little belfry and the bells. 
 
 In the chapel lie the departed Cervantes, in tombs of solid stone, and in the un- 
 hewn walls are tablets showing the family crest and dates of its history. Before 
 the quaint little altar dimly burns a lamp that is never extinguished, throwing an 
 uncertain light on the faded painting of the crucifixion on the rock behind it. I 
 liked not these as well as the scenes in fairyland across the stream, and I turned to 
 the bridge again. One more look : almost hidden, I saw the window that lights the 
 cell of the hermit padre whose chapel this is. 
 
 Looking down the rocky ravine that lies between the church and the garden, the 
 walls, that might serve a fortress well, and the cliffs, seemed one mass of creeping 
 vines that lent much color to the picture, in pleasing contrast with the gray of the 
 rocks below ; and the white of the foaming waters seemed softened by a tinge of 
 reflected color. 
 
 I had noticed the stairways that led from this path beside the stream, up the 
 steep hillside, steps paved with pebbles^ On the landings are letters in colored 
 pebbles directing to some bower or other path. At the top I came to a level place 
 where the greenest grass made the carpet, bordered in blue and white with violets 
 and daisies. On a little mound a thatch-roofed pagoda is almost hidden by the 
 roses. I wonder if in the long ago this was the try sting place of some Aztec Claude 
 Melnotte. Perhaps under these very trees he and his doting Pauline sat and picked 
 out the stars that should be their home. But could it be a brighter one than this ? 
 
 While I pondered thus I was sent for. Dinner w r as ready. A table w T as set under 
 the trees, all bright with snowy linen and glittering silver, and the bounteous ban- 
 quet that was served made my return to earth not disappointing. I forgot the cascades 
 and the birds. Clinking glasses and popping corks make a man forget much. 
 
 I found where the music came from. While we ate, a native orchestra discoursed 
 the melodies of the country. I could catch glimpses of the white costumes of the 
 players and the red zerape of the leader as the broad leaves that hid them sw r ayed in 
 the breeze. It was a merry party around that table — dark-eyed senoritas , beaming 
 senoras, that must make the fairies envy if they came back to-day. Gallant Caballeros 
 attended, and no minute was lost if a duenna looked the other way. For hours the 
 viands came to the board, W'ere discussed and sent away, till the dulces sweetened 
 and the helados cooled the appetite. 
 
 Now the tables were in the way, but not long : they disappeared and the banquet 
 hall was turned to Terpsichore. Tripping feet kept time to livelier music, gleam- 
 ing eyes looked up to eyes that spake again, and reflected the glittering silver on the 
 under side of a broad sombrero. 
 
TEXCOCO AND CALPULAPAM. 
 
 71 
 
 . . The n 3f ht a f* er ’ l de P* V* the ers ^hile palace of the Iturbides, and in my Bleep 
 visions of beautiful flowers lingered in my dreams. I sat under the trees again • my 
 friends had all gone— the sweet odor of the bell-flowers came back to me. It seemed 
 that I was back at the grotto, but before the water nymphs came, I awoke. 
 
 After leaving Texcoco the road runs very near and in sight of a great aqueduct 
 which is nearly 40 miles long and has arches nearly a hundred feet high, built three 
 hundred years ago. Now the road passes between the mountains and the eastern 
 shore of the lake and comes to Irolo, and enters the borders of the pulque region and 
 connects there with trains for Pachuca, pending the completion of a branch line to 
 
 An Old Bridge. 
 
 that city, the capital of the State of Hidalgo and the centre of a rich mining district, 
 probably among the richest in the world, the output being told in millions by the 
 most fabulous figures. The Interoceanic has more points of interest to the tourist 
 than any line leading out from the capital. As has been stated, the Morelos road 
 leads down past the volcanoes, and the Irolo road, now the Eastern or Vera Cruz di- 
 vision, circles the lakes of the plain of Mexico, passes the Pyramids of the Sun and 
 Moon, to be seen from the windows on the left, across the plain in the distance. The 
 line now enters the plain of Apam, famous for the growth of the maguey plant the 
 American aloe — closely resembling and sometimes called the century plant, from 
 which pulque , the national beverage, is made, as written of elsewhere. 
 
 At Calpulapam there is a branch road to Soledad. The road now runs along the 
 eastern slope of the range of mountains of which the great volcanoes are the high- 
 est, and their snow-covered peaks may be seen for many miles. At Los Arcos 
 another branch leaves the main line, and, running in a southwesterly direction, w ill 
 
72 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 ultimately connect with the Morelos division and greatly shorten the distance across 
 the continent. 
 
 After crossing the Atovac the line comes to Puebla, on the main line and one ol 
 the greatest cities of Mexico, and there is much to see. The Cathedral, with its 
 towers and domes of many-colored tiles and interior adornings of onyx and fine 
 paintings, the various chapels which commemorate the miracles that are so plentiful 
 in their legendary history, are to be visited — the Hall of Bishops and the old tapes- 
 tries and portraits, then the plazas, portales and the paseos, all rich in attractions. 
 But chief of all is the Pyramid of Cholula, reached by a horse-car ride of seven 
 miles. The pyramid is over 200 feet in height. On its crest was once a temple dedi- 
 cated to Quetzalcoatl, “ God of the Air,” but now there is a church on the spot. A 
 paved road winds up the sides of the pyramid, and the view that grows as the climb 
 is made is a grand one — far off the hills and volcanoes, a little nearer the spreading 
 plains, at the base the village of Cholula, and the city of Puebla over there. 
 
 Leaving Puebla, the road traverses a rich agricultural country, crossing the 
 Mexican B/ailroad at San Marcos, and at Yireyes there is a branch road to San Juan. 
 Now running northeasterly, the line is finished to Perote, but before this edition is 
 exhausted will reach Jalapa, or even Yera Cruz, ending a journey which offers a great 
 variety of attraction from the snow-capped volcanoes to the cane and coffee trees of 
 the tierra caliente. 
 
 La Visa Gate, City of Mexico, 
 
THE MEXICAN RAILWAY. 
 
 f HE name of the line does not indicate its route any more than those of any 
 of the other railways of the Republic, all using some title of a national 
 character rather than of destination or direction. The Mexican Railway 
 leads from the City of Mexico to Vera Cruz, with a descending grade in 263 
 miles of from 7,349 feet above the sea at Buena Vista station, in the City of Mexico, 
 to its level at Vera Cruz— not a continuous descending grade, but that is the dif- 
 ference in the altitude of the termini. 
 
 At one point on the line at Ococotlan the altitude reaches a height of more than 
 8,300 feet ; the greater percentage of the descent is made in a distance of 20 miles, 
 between Boca del Monte and Maltrata, and the scenery of this 20 miles is the chief 
 
 object of the ride itself. 
 
 Trains leave the City of Mexico in the early morning and reach Vera Cruz just 
 after dark, affording a daylight ride that will show the varied scenery of Mexico, 
 from the volcanoes and high tablelands down to the hot country by the sea. 
 
 For the first hundred and fifty miles of the journey it will make no difference on 
 which side of the car a seat is taken ; but for the scenery down the mountain, from 
 Boca del Monte to Maltrata, the seat must be on the right side, and for general results 
 a seat on that side should be chosen. Leaving the City of Mexico, the road runs due 
 north three miles, along side of the causeway to the village and church of Guadaloupe 
 — the holiest shrine in all Mexico. Along the causeway to be seen from the right- 
 hand windows are shrines and archways dedicated to the saints, and here the devotees 
 stopped to pray and processions marched by, from Mexico to Guadaloupe ; this 
 passed, the village and church are to be seen from the other side of the cars. Still, 
 on the right the view shows Lake Texcoco, the city, and the volcanoes of Popoca- 
 tapetl and Ixtaccihuatl, which are hardly out of sight all day. An hour after leaving 
 the city look for the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon on the left of the track ; a low 
 line of earthwork causeway connects the two. Seen from the cars the pyramids do 
 not appear very majestic, but in reality their proportions are quite ambitious, being 
 210 and 150 feet high respectively. An entrance to the pyramid of the Moon has 
 been effected, the interior explored and some very interesting prehistoric relics 
 discovered indicating their building by a race of people older than the Toltecs. 
 
 From a scenic point of view this journey will prove a success, but during the 
 first-hours of it one will carp at the dust and dirt. Let no traveler come to Mexico 
 without a duster, and let him take it on the trip to Vera Cruz. 
 
 Fifty miles from the city are the plains of Apam, the great pulque district. For 
 miles on either side, as far as the eye can reach, the long rows of maguey plants 
 show where the national beverage comes from. The collecting of the crude pulque is 
 novel and interesting. When the maguey or century plant is about to bloom it sends 
 up a shoot fifteen or twenty feet high. When this shoot appears it is cut out and 
 the sap that would go into this stalk and bloom collects in the centre of the plant. 
 This is the crude pulque. Each day, until the life of the plant is exhausted, an 
 Indian and a burro , with hog-skin bags on their backs, visit each plant. I he Indian 
 with a long-handled gourd, a small hole pierced in each end, draws the sap from the 
 plant, empties it from the gourd to the hog-skin, and from the hog-skin to the cask 
 on the cart at the end of the row. After a process of fermentation this sap becomes 
 pulque and must be sent to market at once. P ulque will not keep. * Knowing this, 
 
 D 
 
74 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 perhaps, the Mexican, not liking to see a good thing wasted, proceeds to drink it 
 energetically, and desists not till his last tlaco has vanished. 
 
 No matter whether you have experimented with pulque elsewhere or not — get a 
 glass at Apam, or rather a mug — it is peddled at the station in earthen mugs, by In- 
 dians of all sizes, colors and conditions ; but the pulque is good. Mescal and tequila 
 are drinks of a stronger nature, like rum, both made from a species of the maguey. 
 
 The pulque business is of 
 such proportions that spe- 
 cial trains are required to 
 deliver it fresh in the shops 
 of the city ; the pulque 
 trains leave the plain early 
 in the morning and arrive 
 in the city by four o’clock, 
 so that the supply is fresh 
 every day. 
 
 At Apizaco there is a 
 branch line to Puebla, one 
 of the oldest cities of 
 Mexico, requiring a visit of 
 some days. There is a 
 good restaurant at the sta- 
 tion at Apizaco ; the train 
 stops long enough for cof- 
 fee, pulque or to buy a cane 
 or basket from the Pueblo 
 Indians. 
 
 As an evidence of civi- 
 lization, at least from the 
 peddler point of view, he 
 (the peddler) is assiduous in 
 the effort to dispose of his 
 wares as is his American 
 brother who comes to the 
 cars to ply his vocation, 
 and is fully his equal in 
 driving a bargain, and as 
 unscrupulous as to the 
 quality of the goods : the 
 cane may or may not be of 
 coffee wood — you buy at 
 you like i4, I do, and fresh 
 and handmade, 
 
 In the Coffee Field. 
 
 If 
 
 your own risk. The pmlque is good, as pulque goes, 
 withal ; the plains of Apam are near by ; the baskets are pretty 
 presumably by Indian handmaidens. What more can you ask ? 
 
 At Esperanza the train stops for breakfast ; call it dinner if you will, as it has 
 reached about one o’clock, and it is indeed worth waiting for ; everything is good, 
 and this above all railway eating-houses must not be missed. 
 
 Esperanza is a great shipping point for cereals, ores and other products of the 
 country, brought here on burros to be forwarded on the cars ; about the station 
 the burros stand lazily waiting to unload or start on the return trip. 
 
 After a good meal take a seat on the right ; prepare to see the finest piece of 
 scenery and railway engineering in the country. The locomotive which has pulled 
 
APAM TO ORIZABA. 
 
 the train thus far is detached, and the monster Fairlie engine is placed in front of 
 
 the train. 
 
 A Fairlie engine is in reality two locomotives in one — heading both ways, with 
 two smoke-stacks, two head lights, one on each end of one long boiler, with the cab 
 in the centre, over the fire-box ; besides being so powerful that they can pull a train 
 up the steep grades, they can hold the cars back while going down, and this latter is 
 a principal duty, as they would run over an ordinary locomotive, as not heavy 
 enough even with wheels working backward to resist the force of the rolling cars. 
 
 Air and steam brakes are not trust- 
 
 ed on this grade ; there is a man at 
 each brake wheel on each car. The 
 train leaves Esperanza, and in a few 
 minutes comes to Boca del Monte , 
 where the down grade commences, 
 at a height of 7,849 feet above the 
 sea, and rolls to Maltrata, a point 
 only 5,544 feet, making a descent of 
 2,305 feet, and taking sixteen miles 
 of track to reach a point immedi- 
 ately below and in sight all the 
 time ; that little patch of tiled roofs 
 and church with its dome of red, 
 w r ay down in the valley, is Maltrata. 
 
 It must be a fair day when this 
 journey is made, o*r the tourist will 
 find his train above the clouds, and 
 nothing can be seen. An idea may 
 be formed of the windings of the 
 road to get dow T n the mountain 
 when it is told that the Indians 
 selling fruits and flowers at 
 the little station about half- 
 way down, will leave by the 
 path down the canon, and 
 reach Maltrata before the 
 train does, in time for another 
 sale. 
 
 The scenery is beyond all description, the trip must be made, and will never be 
 regretted or forgotten. 
 
 From Maltrata the road follows the Rio Blanco through the valley of La Joy a, 
 the jewel, and comes to Orizaba, a city of 20,000 people, lying in a lovely valley, a 
 town quaintly picturesque, and just on the border of the hot country, where a stop 
 must be made. The hotels are good, and there is much to see ; the old churches, 
 the plaza, the alameda with its tropical flowers, the waterfalls in the neighborhood, 
 and all the great natural beauty of the place and surrounding country. The machine 
 shops of the railway company are located at Orizaba. On the left, overlooking the 
 city, is the hill where a sharp battle was fought between the French and Mexicans, 
 and the cross erected there is to the memory of the fallen soldiers. 
 
 Leaving Orizaba the scenery continues grandly beautiful. The track lies on the 
 mountain side, winds in and out in sharp curves, through tunnels, over bridges and 
 along ledges where the canons are hundreds of feet deep, and coming to tlie Metlac 
 gorge, crosses it on a curved bridge, which may be seen, and the track on the other 
 
 
 
 Water Works. 
 
76 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 side of the gorge, for some minutes before, from the right-hand windows, and far be- 
 low the track is a foaming torrent rushing down the barranca under the arches of an 
 old stone bridge of the public highway. 
 
 There must not be a moment lost now ! Keep to the point of observation all the 
 time — watch the mountain and the valley, see this cascade and that tumbling 
 and roaring over the rocks, showing like liquid silver amongst the green of the 
 shadowing trees. 
 
 Now the scenery is different entirely from all before traveled through. The 
 
 adobe house gives place to 
 those of thatched sides and 
 roofs. The barren hills 
 have melted away to orange 
 groves and gardens of bana- 
 nas with coffee trees almost 
 brushing the car windows. 
 There are green forests 
 with trees and vines hang- 
 ing with flowers ; great 
 trees with yellow flowers, 
 whose golden beauty would 
 be worth thousands if they 
 could be imported to some 
 city of ours. Such scenes 
 are on either side for some 
 miles tow ard Vera Cruz. 
 
 At Cordoba may be 
 bought the very finest fruits 
 of all tropical varieties — 
 oranges, lemons, pine- 
 apples, bananas, mangoes, 
 fresh from the trees and 
 plants, brought to the train 
 by the cleanest, ' fattest, 
 sleekest Indians imagin- 
 able, old men and women, 
 young men and maidens, 
 all w ith something to sell 
 and a few to beg. 
 
 Cordoba seems to be the 
 gateway of this route to 
 the hot lands. The lus- 
 cious fruits offered at the 
 station and the light and 
 airy costumes of the natives indicate this. Here the tropic Mexican appears in all 
 his picturesqueness as he is seen in pictures — wide of trouser and broad of straw 
 sombrero, and brightly colored costume of woman’s dress. 
 
 After Cordoba the road continues through a pretty section, crosses the Atoyac 
 river and passes within sight of the cascade, a very pretty one with its tropical 
 surroundings. Now the road passes through the cane fields, coffee plantations, 
 orange groves, and gardens of mangoes, pineapples and bananas, and comes to Sole- 
 dad, from whence the ride to Vera Cruz is unattractive ; but that city is an object of 
 intei est to every tourist and a stay of some days can be very pleasantly made, during 
 
 Folks All Home. 
 
CORDOBA AND JALAP A. 
 
 which a trip to Jalapa should be made over the Jalapa Railway, whit 
 the Mexican Railway from Tejeria, a few miles from Vera Cruz, or 
 
 ’hich is a branch of 
 
 - . — on the main line. 
 
 Hie motive power is mules — four to each car, with relavs every two hours. The 
 distance is 70 miles, and 
 the ascent from Yera Cruz 
 to Jalapa is over 4,000 feet* 
 
 The animals are driven at 
 a rapid pace, so that the 
 journey is made in a day 
 and the return in the same 
 time, or perhaps a little 
 less, as the mules go at a 
 gallop on the down trip. 
 
 The route is along the old 
 highway from Vera Cruz 
 to the City of Mexico, and, 
 about 36 miles from Vera 
 Cruz, crosses the old Na- 
 tional Bridge. The battle- 
 field of Cerro Gordo, and a 
 hacienda that once was 
 General Santa Ana’s, are 
 objects of interest to be 
 seen from the cars. Not a 
 mile of the road but is rich 
 in scenic beauty, and the 
 ride is well worth the time . 
 
 Arrival is at 4 p. m., and 
 there is time for a walk 
 through the old town be- 
 fore nightfall ; but at least a 
 day should be spent there, 
 there is much to be seen in 
 and around the town. The 
 houses are built in the old 
 Spanish style with barred 
 windows and casements. 
 
 T^e streets are irregular, 
 running up and down the 
 steep hillsides, with crooks 
 and turns. If Mexico has 
 seemed, old it seems to 
 have aged in Jalapa, or, all 
 the rest of it is younger. 
 
 The place is surpassingly 
 clean ; lying as it does on 
 
 the hillsides of Macuilte- las JalapeSas son HalaguiSas. 
 
 pec, every rain washes 
 
 them thoroughly. Back of the city is the white Cofre de Perote , resembling an im- 
 mense chest or box, which gives name to the mountain. Jalapa is famed for its 
 beautiful women, and the proverb “ Las Jalapsnos son halaquinas , truthfully ap- 
 plies. Bewitching, alluring are the women of Jalapa, is the meaning, but not its 
 
78 
 
 '• i-. 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 
 literal translation. The truth of the saying can be vouched for by many a beauty- 
 loving Americano , as well as the legend that the place is a part of heaven let down to 
 earth. Horse-cars run to Coatepec, six miles away, fare one real a trip, well worth 
 the ride. The view is remarkably fine, showing snow-capped mountains, low lands, 
 and, far away in the dim distance, the sea. 
 
 Back again by the mule railway to Tejeria and thence to Yera Cruz by steam 
 cars makes another pleasant day, to which two or three may be added in wanderings 
 about under the palms of the Almeda, sailing to the forts and islands in the bay, 
 listening to the music in the evening on the plaza while you dine, and one is ready 
 to journey back over this wonderful railway to Apizaco and take the branch to 
 Puebla de los Angeles. 
 
 As soon as the train leaves the station at Apizaco the beauties of the ride begin. 
 Churches, dome-shaped granaries, fantastically shaped hay or straw mows cut as 
 with a knife into churches and crosses, old mills and aqueducts, mountains far away 
 and near by, with cities and villages in between till the ride seems all too short. 
 After passing Panzacola the Pyramid of Cholula is seen on the right, with a church 
 for its crest. 
 
 After this the City of Puebla, lying over against the mountains, comes to the view 
 —the fort of Loreto on the left and Guadaloupe on the right on the hills just out- 
 side the city. 
 
 Puebla has been a city long enough to possess all metropolitan advantages, 
 and is not behind the average Mexican city ; liorse-cars lead to all parts of the 
 city and to the surrounding villages, making it quite a railway centre. It is a city of 
 100,000 people, located 7,100 feet above the sea level, is an important manufac- 
 turing and mercantile point, and besides is a very beautiful place with its streets 
 wider than the average and many of the houses decorated with glazed tiles. The 
 twin volcanoes are nearer to Puebla than they are to the City of Mexico, and the 
 view much finer. 
 
 It is a saying in Mexico, when speaking of a spendthrift, “ He will never build a 
 house of tiles. ” If houses of tiles are an evidence of thrift, Puebla should be noted, 
 not for spendthrifts but for its successful financiers ; tiles are used everywhere. 
 
 Puebla onyx, baskets and mats of colored straw, tiles, pottery and clay figures, 
 are among the things to buy and take home. There is much to interest, and the 
 sojourn, rather than be missed, should extend over several days, as a hurried visit 
 would leave undone one of the features of a tour of Mexico. 
 
' 
 
 WESTWARD OVER THE NATIONAL. 
 
 .Of TOUR of the country west, from the line of the Mexican National Railroad 
 %Cy|/ over the Western division of that road, is one of the most important to the 
 ^S 0 pleasure-seeking tourist. It is a good plan to leave the city by an afternoon 
 train and spend the night at Toluca, and take a west-bound train the next 
 forenoon. The ride up the east side of the Madre mountains, the disappearing plain 
 and cities and the hiding from view of the volcanoes as the train enters the canon on 
 the crest of the mountain, and the coming to view of the valley, city and volcano of 
 Toluca as it rolls down on the west side, makes an attractive side trip, passing under 
 the aqueduct that carries the waters to the mills of Jajalpaand along the crest of the 
 cliffs, hundreds of feet above the village of Ocoyocac, so high that the church towers 
 and houses look like toys and the people pigmies. 
 
 Leaving the city from Colonia station the train passes under an old aqueduct 
 through some fertile gardens and starts up the hill ; see Chapultepec on the left and 
 the tree of Noche Triste and church San Esteban on the right ; on the same side is 
 the church of Los Remedios ; then on through that valley and the Hondo and over 
 the hill to the Lerma and the valley of Toluca, showing some fine views. 
 
 The hotels of Toluca are particularly attractive, and a longer stay can be most 
 pleasantly made ; but from the arrival of the afternoon to the departure of the 
 express the next morning, the beautiful little city may be looked over. The 
 markets will interest ; all the fruits of the tropics are shown in a tempting way under 
 long roofs supported by heavy pillars painted in Pompeiian colors. The fruits come 
 from the hot country only a few leagues southward. The most lovely flowers are 
 grown in the gardens round about, as are all the vegetables of our midsummer 
 markets. 
 
 The streets are paved and remarkably clean and well drained, and the alameda is 
 a most charming little park in the centre of the city. As I have said, the hotels are 
 fine, good buildings, with patios filled with lovely flowers, plants and fountains, 
 both having baths attached, and one with a theatre and Russian and Turkish baths 
 under the same roof. The large brewery of Toluca makes a beer that is famous all 
 over the country, and is equal to any offered for sale. Horse-cars run from the 
 station to the plaza, passing a fine statue of the patriot Hidalgo. 
 
 •Westward, the route lies along the Lerma and through a rich agricultural 
 country, where there are many beautiful haciendas to be seen from either side of the 
 cars, and the scenery in the caiion of the Zopolite is very fine, and the spot of the 
 legendary leap of Don Juan Medina, who, pursued by the Rurales , preferred a lea]) 
 to deatli rather than a more ignominious but not less certain death at the hands of 
 his captors. Then passing the pretty little town of Maravatio the train comes to 
 Acambaro and leaves the main line, turning directly west. 
 
 Acambaro lies on the left of the track. The low adobe houses are almost hidden 
 by the trees, but the domes of the churches rise above them and stand out against 
 the dark background of the mountain beyond them. As the train circles the town, the 
 view is a very pretty one. Still passing through the fertile farming lands the journey 
 grows more interesting with every mile, interspersing rich haciendas with scenery 
 wild and weird, and after making a quick turn from between some hills comes sud- 
 denly in view of Lake Cuitseo. Circling round through the marsh at the head of the 
 lake, where there are some salt works, the train comes up to and runs along the lake 
 
80 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 shore. The view is from the right side. It is a fine body of water, but very shallow, 
 and there are mountain islands rising up from tfie waters in every direction. One 
 of these is inhabited by a tribe of Indians who have no dealings with the outside 
 world. On a little island of a few acres they have a little world of their own, where 
 a hardy, healthy band of contented people seem entirely oblivious to all beyond 
 
 Village of Ocotocac, 1,000 Feet below the Track. 
 
 the shores of their lake. The men are strong, sturdy fellows, who go about the lakes 
 in long canoes, and take, with a pole-net, the little white minnow-like fish on which 
 they subsist ; dried in the sun, they are ready to be eaten — I mean the fish. The 
 women are fine specimens, looking as if they might be warriors if their little island 
 was attacked, but seem happy in the little thatched huts that are their homes, yet 
 seeming a very race of Amazons as they watched a canoe load of Americanos land on 
 their shores and prepare to photograph them, a proceeding they did not quite under- 
 stand and looked upon with distrust. The visit to this island was to me the most 
 novel of all my adventures. The waters were covered with thousands of water fowl 
 of all kinds, and there is excellent shooting. With a single rifle shot my companion 
 killed tv/o pelicans, three gulls and a crane that were feeding in the shallow water 
 three hundred yards away. I was loth to leave so interesting a spot, but must go on. 
 Near the station on the lake shore on the right see the columns of steam rising from 
 the marshes. These are springs of hot water, hot enough to boil an egg hard in a few 
 moments. In the thick brush near the track the Indians have made bathing pools 
 
LAKE CUITSEO TO MORELIA. 
 
 81 
 
 and come here to bathe, and the fame of the cures is great. On the bushes and 
 sticking in the ground around the pools are hundreds of little crosses (made by two 
 sticks tied together), left there by grateful patients who have been cured of their ills 
 by the waters. The ground all about the springs seems to be a mere crust, sounds 
 hollow, and sinks under the weight of a person walking near the springs. There is a 
 strong smell of sulphur, and just whether this is only an upper crust of his Satanic 
 majesty’s domain may be surmised. 
 
 From Lake Cuitseo to Morelia the route crooks and turns through fertile lands, 
 passing fine haciendas and pretty villages, crossing valleys where perpetual running 
 streams keep the fields and gardens green from summer to winter and winter to 
 summer. When the reaping of one crop is accomplished another is planted, and 
 large yields of corn, wheat and barley are made. 
 
 From the right side of the cars a “ saddle” mountain is seen all the way from 
 Lake Cuitseo. It lies just north of the suburbs of Morelia, and is a landmark 
 showing the location of that city. 
 
 The tops of the towers of the city of Morelia may be seen rising above the low 
 intervening hills while the train is yet some miles away. The city is on the left of 
 
 be track, but a seat on the right is best The track runs “ 
 
 lile or two and there are hundreds of Indian women washing clothes, these witn 
 beir < <diildren° and th^men waiting to let their wives cany the laundry home, make 
 
 “ jgSSWrS the most beautiful cities in all Mexico ; one of the loveliest in 
 
82 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 the world ; a city of antique interest, hospitable people, superb climate, music, 
 flowers, and pretty women ; a list of attractions that calls for a stop-over ticket of 
 the longest limit. In the city is the inevitable plaza; but here it is a thing of beauty, 
 and to the people a joy forever. The trees almost hide a finely decorated pagoda, 
 where three times a week in the evening, the Eighth Regiment Band (that was at the 
 first New Orleans Exposition) discourses sweetest music, and all the people of high 
 and low degree, come to sit among the flowers or under them, as they hang from 
 trees or trellises, or to promenade in endless procession around the paved walks, 
 and drink in the melodies that float upon the perfect summer air. Next to the 
 plaza stands the grand cathedral, whose sonorous bells ring out the hours that pass 
 too quickly, and before it is noticed, the evening is gone, the band has played the 
 danza , and the parade of beauty is over ; but the recollection of the hour of dark 
 eyes and lashes, of beauties of face and figure, comes back when Morelia’s 
 memories do. 
 
 The Paseo de San Pedro is a stone-paved avenue or walkway, wide and with stone 
 balustrades and seats, leading to the alameda, where there are more flowers and great 
 trees, some old churches and the great aqueduct of the city’s water supply. On 
 either side of the Causeway of Guadaloupe are the residences, not imposing in exte- 
 rior, but inclosing patios where flowers, the rarest of the tropics, blooming in all their 
 richest colors, make them all patios of paradise let down for a time at favored Morelia. 
 There are not one or two of these, but scores of them, and if I had wondered before 
 why Mexicans are seen so little abroad, I ceased to wonder when I had seen 
 Morelia. 
 
 In the residences of Mexico little pretense is made to outside display, but the 
 interior is a palace or a paradise of flowers, fountains and singing birds. I remember 
 one at Morelia that was a perfect bower of flowers, with walls of alcatras , a long, white, 
 bell-shaped flower, with the sweetest perfume ; against these was what seemed a bank 
 of coral in great pink bunches which mingled with some others of deep carnation, be- 
 hind which the broad leaves of a banana plant — this was the filling of the patio, and 
 there were playing fountains here and there among the flowers. 
 
 The Bishop of Michoacan lives at Morelia ; the city is also the capital of the 
 State of that name, and ha s a population of 35,000 people. 
 
 The ride from the city to the western terminus of Mexican National at Patzcuaro, 
 is picturesque' to a degree. From the left windows you see the Cuincho Waterfall, 
 where there are also some hot springs with water at a temperature sometimes reach- 
 ing a hundred degrees. 
 
 The first view of Lake Patzcuaro is from the right-hand side of the cars, and after 
 making some curves on the hillside high above the barranca , the train comes down 
 to the shore of the lake, where there is a hotel near the station. 
 
 The city of Patzcuaro is two miles from the station, located high on the hills, 
 from where is a view of exceeding beauty. Miles of the lake, dotted with its dozens 
 of islands, and the valley with nearly fifty towns and their white-domed churches, 
 illustrate a lovely panorama. 
 
 Patzcuaro being interpreted means “a place of delight,” and was in bygone 
 ages a resort of the kings of Tzintzuntzan, who came here on their vacations to rest 
 from the cares of state — and it seems to me their choice was wise. The beauty of 
 Patzcuaro is in its quaintness, its narrow, crooked streets with sharp turns and 
 angles, with here and there a jutting shrine or saintly statue set within a crumbling 
 wall. At the end of such a street is the hill of Calvario, ending so abruptly that it is 
 known, also from the stone parapet there, as Los Pa/cones. From this point may be 
 obtained the fine view of the city, lake and valley. The plaza is shaded by trees; the 
 business houses with heavy columned portales are on the four sides. At night the 
 
MORELIA TO PATZCUARO. 
 
 83 
 
 scene is peculiarly picturesque. The women venders of pottery and copper vessels, 
 vegetables, fish, and fruits from the hot country near by, sit on the ground sur- 
 rounded by their wares, placed in small piles (the tariff being so much per pile in 
 most Mexican markets) ; little fires are lighted for illuminating purposes only, and 
 the scene becomes one of exquisite novelty. The Friday fish market is a scene of 
 great animation. 
 
 It will take a day or two to get Patzcuaro pat and then the visit will seem too short. 
 After this there is the tour of the lake. The steamer Mariano Jiminez leaves the 
 wharf near the railway station and within a few minutes walk of the hotel by the 
 
 Island of the Burros, Lake Cuitseo. 
 
 lakfe,’ every morning, and it may be safely written that there can be no more novel 
 voyage on any lake of the continent. . . 
 
 Lake Patzcuaro may be called the Chautauqua of Mexico, but in its altitude of 
 over 7,000 feet spoils the Cliautauquan legend as to that American lake being the 
 iighest ' navigable water on the globe, as it has been written. Patzcuaro is nigh 
 up in the world, both as to altitude and scenic 'beauty. The steamer leaves tin; dock, 
 sails in and out among the islands, making landings there and on the mainland, 
 
 running about 35 miles before the return trip is started. . . 
 
 The waters are very clear and are full of fish which persistently refuse to bite 
 at any hook, but are taken in nets at the end of long poles, not unlike a trout net, 
 only far greater in size. Indians in long narrow canoes with these nets make a 
 part of a pretty picture as they paddle about dipping the nets deep down in the 
 
 Wa The surrounding scenery, the high mountains and rocky cliffs, remind one of the 
 
84 
 
 MEXICO . 
 
 Street at San Juan de las Vegas. 
 
 natives having refused an offer of $60,000 for it, and absolutely refusing to allow it to 
 be removed at any price. 
 
 With the captain’s permission, one may leave the steamer on the up trip in a 
 rowboat and goon board on the return, as the water is too shallow to effect a landing 
 of the steamer. 
 
 Tzintzuntzan was once a city of 40,000 people and the capital of a nation, but 
 now a mere village of less than a thousand people, whose little adobe houses can 
 scarcely be seen across the lake. The landing of a party of tourists is a great day in 
 town, and the entire population turn out to welcome them and follow them, 
 after the manner of a circus. The old church was once a fine one, now an in- 
 teresting crumbling relic, but apparently good for some centuries to come. The fine 
 
 Hudson and the Catskills, with the novelty of the queer little towns on the islands or 
 the lake shore. 
 
 A place that has been visited by all prominent writers and artists who have come 
 to this country is Tzintzuntzan. They came before the steamer was built, when 
 the trip was a "hard one on horseback, over the mountains, or perilous by canoe — came 
 to see the famous picture of “ The Entombment,” painted by Titian and presented 
 to this church by Philip II. of Spain ; a painting of rare art and of great value, the 
 
 . 
 
THE TITIAN AT 1ZINTZUNTZAN. 
 
 85 
 
 old padre is an elegant specimen of manhood, over six feet high and weighing 
 two hundred and fifty ; when he emerges from the arched doorways of Ins 
 church, arrayed in his long frock and broad hat of black, the picture is complete. 
 He is not averse to a bottle of good claret or a good cigar, which, if taken along, mav 
 pave the way to opening the doors beyond which hangs the great Titian. Not to buy an 
 entrance, I don’t mean, but as an offering to the hermit priest who, from his devotion 
 and exile, deserves some of the good things of life and would appreciate the compli- 
 ment. Have you read of some mysterious picture kept forever behind bolts and bars 
 in some baronial hall, with orders that it should never, never, never (according to 
 the novel) see the light of day ? But the hero, by fair means or foul, turns a rusty 
 key in a rustier lock, unbinds some clinking chains, and the heavy door swings 
 slowly and reluctantly on creaking hinges, gets there, etc., etc., as ’tis in the novel. 
 Well, the rusty key, the bolts, bars and heavy door must work by the good old 
 padre’s aid to see the famous Titian at Tzintzuntzan. A sight of the picture is worth 
 all the journey to see it. As I have said, artists and authors have undergone the 
 fatigue and trouble of a horse and burro ride over the mountains, or braved the dan- 
 gers of shipwreck ; and one, with his wife and their host, experienced a noclie Iriste , 
 and all but suffered its reality, spent a night in a canoe that was caught in a squall 
 and driven before wind and wave till dawn came to show them where to steer. They 
 came safely into port, and with no regret of the voyage in search of a Titian. 
 
 After this division of the Mexican National Railway is done, the very pleasant 
 tour may be extended to San Juan de las Vegas and San Miguel de Allende on the 
 main line north from Acambaro, where the scenery along the line is not surpassed 
 even by that on the other divisions. The track crosses the Lerma at Acambaro and 
 passes the city of Salvatierra, of 12,000 people. The fine towers of the parish church 
 may be seen from the windows on the left side of the car. The city is noted for its 
 woollen mills and other manufacturing interests. 
 
 Candela Peak and Carizal Mountain. 
 
RAILWAY TRAVEL IN MEXICO. 
 
 S IVILIZATION came to Mexico from the North. Historians aver that the 
 temple and pyramid builders came thence. Then followed in their track the 
 ^ railway builder and budded the Mexican Central Railway, to connect the 
 United States of America with los Estados Unidos de Mejico ; and if the mooted 
 “backbone ” line to traverse the continent from Alaska to Terra del Fuego is ever 
 built, the Mexican Central would be the middle division, and it would be? the pioneer 
 line, as it is the pioneer line of Mexico from the United States. 
 
 The main line runs from El Paso, Texas, to the City of Mexico, following the 
 ridge of the continent at a varying altitude to render the course of travel pleasant 
 at all seasons. 
 
 At Torreon, near the city of Lerdo, the connection of the Mexican International 
 Railroad is made, receiving through business in through trains from New Orleans 
 and the Southeast, notably the famous “Montezuma Special,” a magnificent train of 
 Pullman Yestibuled cars — parlor, buffet, dining and sleeping cars — all under one 
 roof and running solid from New Orleans to the City of Mexico. 
 
 At Aguas Calientes there is a line extending to the city of San Luis Potosi and 
 to the Gulf of Mexico at Tampico. 
 
 At Silao the branch road connects for the great mining town of Guanajuato. 
 
 At Irapuato a line extends to that grand and ancient city of Guadalajara, with an 
 ultimate destination on the Pacific coast at San Bias, making a transcontinental line 
 involving still shorter voyages on both oceans. 
 
 The Mexican Central crosses the Mexican National at Celaya. 
 
 At the City of Mexico, the southern terminus, the Mexican Central connects with 
 the Mexican Railway for Puebla, Esperanza, Orizaba, Vera Cruz and Jalapa, with 
 the Interoceanic Railroad for Amecameca, Cuautla, Yautepec, Texcoco, Puebla, 
 Jalapa and Vera Cruz, and under construction to Acapulco on the Pacific, and with 
 the Mexican National Railroad for Toluca, Morelia, Patzcuaro and San Miguel de 
 Allende. 
 
 Excursion tickets are on sale at all important ticket offices in the United States 
 and Canada to the City of Mexico and principal cities of the Republic at low rates 
 of fare for the round trip, good to return six months from date of sale. 
 
 Stop-over checks are issued by conductors at any point where it may be desired. 
 California excursionists may stop off at El Paso and other junctional points, and on 
 presentation of their California coupons, purchase a ticket for a tour into Mexico at 
 greatly reduced rates, enabling them to add Mexico to the tour, and increase its 
 attractions and pleasures. 
 
 The trains of the Mexican Central have Pullman Palace Sleeping Cars on all 
 through express trains, and all trains run solid from El Paso to the City of Mexico, 
 making a perfect service involving but one change of cars from the principal cities 
 of the United States to those of Mexico. 
 
 i The management of the railway exercises a supervision over all restaurants and 
 eating-houses, and trains stop for meals at reasonable hours. 
 
 The baggage regulations are the same as in the United States ; to the holders of 
 through or excursion tickets issued in the United States, viz., one hundred and 
 liftv pounds on each full first-class ticket, and seventy-five pounds on half tickets ; 
 the age for half tickets is between five and twelve years, under five years, free; 
 

 ABIOS. 
 
 87 
 
 on local, or tickets purchased in Mexico, thirty -three pounds is the limit of baggage 
 
 carried free. 
 
 In short, all the facilities, all the comforts, all the luxuries to which the American 
 traveler is accustomed on the home roads, are to be found on the railways of Mexico, 
 to which, for the novelty and pleasure of the journey, add all that Mexico offers in the 
 scenic and antiquity point of view, as hinted at in the preceding pages. 
 
 Cathedral at Morelia. 
 
SUBURBS OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.