Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 The Library of Congress 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/vamosmxicoOOsout 
 
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Vamos 
 
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 Mexico 
 
 
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 Published and Presented by the . . . 
 
 SOUTHERN PACIFIC CO. 
 
 1896. 
 
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Entered according to Act of Congress, and copyrighted in the year 1896. 
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 printed b- 
 
 American Tourist Association 
 
 Pyii-iCAijON Bureau. 
 
 
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 photographs bv engravings 
 
 Jackson-Denver bv 
 
 AND J. MANZ & Co. 
 
 Rochester Camera Co Chicago. 
 
 
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 CONTENTS. c/5 
 
 ¥7 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 HISTORICAL. — CosTEz and the Conquest — The Kingdom of Spain — 
 The Great Empire — Aztecs and Toltecs — Spanish Rule in Mexico 
 
 — Hidalgo and Independence — Iturbide and Maximilian ... 5 
 THE GOING THERE.— New Orleans — The Southern Pacific— New 
 
 Orleans Under the Spanish King — Algiers — Gretna — The Land 
 OF Evangeline — The Sunset Limited — The Teche Country — Mor- 
 gan City, Atchafalaya and Berwick Bay — The Sugar Bowl — La 
 FiTTE — Lake Charles — Houston — San Antonio — The Missions — 
 
 Spofford Junction — Eagle Pass 7' 
 
 DOWN THE INTERNATIONAL.— Crossing the Rio Grande — The 
 City of Porfirio Diaz — Customs Officials — Nava — Sabinas — Coal 
 Mines — Monclova — Trevino — Junction for Monterey — Paila — 
 The Wines of Parras — Bolson de Mapimi — Torreon — Junction of 
 Mexican Central — Lerdo — San Juan Valley ^Extinct Volcano 
 
 — Bandits' Cave — Durango — The Great Iron Mountain — Silver 
 Brick Pavement — Cathedral and Churches 9 
 
 ALONG THE MEXICAN CENTRAL.— Tropic of Cancer — Zacatecas — 
 Guadalupe — Aguas Calientes — Hot Baths — San Luis Potosi — 
 Leon — Lagos — Guanajuato — Mummies — Irapuato — Guadulajara 
 
 — E'alls of Juanacatlan — Celaya — QuERETARO — Maximilian — ■ 
 Opals — San Juan del Rio — Tajo de Nochistongo^Huehuetoca — 
 The Volcanoes . 14 
 
 THE CITY OF MEXICO.— Tenochtitlan — Entrance of Cortez — Car- 
 riages — Street Cars— Guadalupe — San Angel — Tacubaya — 
 Noche Triste — La ViGA Canal — Don Juan Corona — The Paseo 
 
 — Chapultepec — Tree of Montezuma — Cathedral — Mint — Na- 
 tional Palace — Monte Piedad — National Library — Theaters — 
 Alameda — Zocalo — Flower Market — Stores — Markets — Panteons 25 
 
 BULL FIGHTING. — Plaza de Toros — Coming of the Company— En- 
 trance OF the Bull — The Picador — Thrusting the Banderillas — 
 Killing of the Bull 35 
 
 OVER THE INTEROCEANIC— The Route of Cortez — Texcoco — 
 Otumba — San Martin — Puebla — Pyramid of Cholula — Jalapa — 
 Vera Cruz — Cofre de Perote — Amecameca — Sacred Mountain — 
 Nepantla — CuAUTLA — Yautepec 38 
 
 THE MEXICAN RAILWAY.— Guadalupe — Pyramids of Sun and 
 Moon — The Plains of Apam — Apizaco — Puebla — Esperanza — 
 Maltrata — Orizaba — Cordoba — Vera Cruz — Peak of Orizaba . 45 
 
 SOUTH OVER THE SOUTHERN.— Through the Canons — Route of 
 Cortez Expedition — Oaxaca — The Ruins of Mitla 49 
 
 OTHER RAILWAYS. — Terminal and Junction Points of Railways of 
 Mexico 52 
 
 CUSTOMS AND COSTUMES.— Sombreros— Zerapes — Rebosos — Man- 
 tillas — Playing the Bear — Salutation — Music — Money — Rail- 
 way Regulations — Hotels — Laundry 54 
 
GENERAL PORFIRIO DIAZ, 
 
 PRESIDENT or MEXICO. 
 
VAMOS A MEIXICO. 
 
 CORTEZ'S conquest of the wondrous land of the Aztecs reads like a romance 
 rather than the prosy pages of history, and it may be that it is this story of 
 romantic adventure, that all through the hundreds of years since he landed on" the 
 sandy shores of Vera Cruz, that has inspired that indeiinable desire of every trav- 
 eler to see the land that became more famous than the realm of Castile in the 
 name of whose king the conqueror came. 
 
 The fame of Mexico had gone abroad throughout the world, but it was left to 
 Spain to find the man to add an empire to a kingdom. Nothing could turn the 
 intrepid Cortez from his purpose; thrice he started, twice was left behind, detained 
 and thrown into prison in Cuba, but fate held back all ships but his. Cordoba's 
 and Grijalva's fleet sailed along the southern coast and came again to Cuba to tell 
 of a land of gold that they had only seen but not explored. 
 
 Cortez would wait no longer; despite the king's command, through Velasco's 
 order, embarked, sailed before fair winds, landed on an unknown shore, burned his 
 ships behind him and commenced a march against a warlike people whose 
 thousands of warriors might any day fall upon his handful of followers and 
 destroy them; all undaunted he led his soldiers under the very walls, but they 
 seemed to fall down before him — that he might enter in and place his name on the 
 first page of a history that is stranger than fiction, and fill the other pages with the 
 dauntless deeds of a conqueror and his fearless followers. 
 
 The Aztecs and the Toltecs, in wandering tribes, came from no man knows 
 where — had made a great city in the midst of the plain of Anahuac and defended 
 their capital within the walls of Tenochtitlan 'gainst the despoiling Spaniards, but 
 their arrows fell as straws, harmless on the armored soldiers, who answered with 
 terrible machines that sent forth fire and brimstone with the leaden messengers of 
 death, and mowed down the astonished warriors in countless thousands, and the 
 empire of the Aztecs ended when Montezuma fell. What interesting stories the 
 pictured writings of the Aztecs might tell of their wanderings; whence they came 
 and how their cities were builded will forever go unread, and Prescott's tale oi the 
 Conquest must suffice through his entrancing pages, but make us wish for more. 
 
 The empire that Cortez added to the Kingdom of Spain extended from Alaska to 
 Peru, from the Golden Gate to St. Augustine, and for two hundred years this 
 greatest realm of the earth remained intact, extending its borders everywhere; but 
 the day came when the tide turned the other way, and scarcely a decade passed but 
 some territory was lost to Spain, as this country and that declared its independence 
 or was ceded to other powers, till to-day no country on the continent owes allegi- 
 ance to the king whose armies made their conquest. 
 
 The Spanish Viceroys ruled in Mexico for nearly three hundred years; the first 
 arrived in 1535, and the Independence of the country was recognized by Spain in 
 1836, twenty-six years after Hidalgo had sounded the Grito of Independence, and 
 twenty three years after the formal Declaration. Since that time the country, rent 
 
and torn by internal dissensions and civil wars, has had two emperors, Iturbide 
 and Maximilian, but in the republic is the survival of the fittest, and since its firm 
 establishment, under the wise administration of native statesmen, an era of jiros- 
 perity has blessed the land and made Mexico one of the foremost nations of the 
 earth. 
 
 Railroads and telegraph lines have been built, steamer lines on the rivers and 
 coastwise on the Gulf and the Pacific render facilities for travel and communica- 
 tion, and the mines, factories and industrial enterprises everywhere are inducive to 
 trade and traffic. Wise laws faithfully executed protect the traveler in his going 
 and coming throughout the land, a guarantee for his safety and well Ijeing, a safe- 
 guard for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 
 
 Thus the history of Mexico, commenced in romantic adventure, continues in the 
 staid prosperity of tiie people, and while Cortez's name was written on the first 
 page, the name of Diaz is on the brightest. 
 
 I, '3s 
 
THE GOING THERE. 
 
 MEXICO may have seemed to you a far-oflf country as you thought of it in 
 reading the romantic tales of its history, but the journey is only a visit to 
 our neighbors just across the river, and the time it takes for tlie visit is only to be 
 reckoned by how long you can stay ; your welcome goes without saying, the Mex- 
 icans are a hospitable people, and it is not probable that you may wear your wel- 
 come out. 
 
 Consider, then, one or two days to bring you to New Orleans, another to Eagle 
 Pass, and you are in Mexico in ten minutes. From all the prominent cities, by all 
 the principal lines, fast flying express trains, with vestibuled palace cars, sleeping 
 ears, buffet and dining cars, run to New Orleans, where the Southern Pacific con- 
 tinues and completes the perfect passenger service to and through Mexico. 
 
 New Orleans, once within the dominion of the Spanish king, it seems a proper 
 gateway through which to enter upon a journey through a country so long a part 
 of his realm, not alone this, for the old city is full reminiscent attraction during the 
 French possession, through the old Creole times down to the gorgeous pageants of 
 the carnival days under the rule of Rex. 
 
 Not only a gateway then. New Orleans is a place to stop off, as a city where 
 begin the sights to see on a jo;irney that is the peer of any in the western world. 
 At that season when trips to Mexico are most in favor the climate of New Orleans 
 is delightful, and it is scarcely probable an hour need be lost within doors and if 
 some days are devoted to the Crescent City, they will be passed pleasantly, and in 
 the narrow streets of the French Quarter, or in Jackson Square there is an inkling 
 of the antiquity and quaintness of custom and costume that is to come in Mexico. 
 
 The real interest of the journey commences in New Orleans, but continues 
 through all the miles on the other side of the Mississippi from the time the train 
 leaves Algiers, passes Grretna and speeds away on the long stretches through the rice 
 and sugar fields and cotton plantations, curving here and there into groves of live- 
 oaks festooned with long Spanish moss to emerge again into other fields of cotton, 
 sugar and rice. Here is Acadia, the land of Evangeline, with tales romantic as 
 those of Mexico, and here are those southern plantations, with the great manor- 
 house very white in the sunshine, massive fluted columns supporting wide porticos, 
 the houses you read of and saw pictures of in the before-the-war books. 
 
 It may be that you have taken passage on that famous fast flying train, the 
 Sunset Limited, which stops only at few of the more important places, and as the 
 porter says ' ' does not even hesitate " at the small towns, and many of the interest- 
 ing places are passed as quick as a wink. 
 
 Everybody has heard of the Teche country, that most wonderfully fertile region 
 of the earth ; the gateway is at Morgan City, a beautifully picturesque and typical 
 southern town, with its old earthworks, restored after the war, pretty park and 
 the shipping. The products of the Teche country come down the bayous on barges 
 and the peculiar stern-wheel boats of western waters, transferred to the Gulf ships 
 and the railroad. Here also is a great oyster industry, the bivalves are taken in 
 Berwick Bay, and are regarded as a favorite in the New Orleans market. 
 
 The train crosses the Atchafalaya River at the head of Berwick Bay on a long 
 bridge and dives in the "Sugar Bowl of Louisiana," the Teche country, where there 
 
are more white houses with long colonial eolumiis, shaded by moss hung trees. 
 Sugar is not the only product of this wonderful country ; at New Iberia are exten- 
 sive salt works. 
 
 Ask any old inhabitant for a story of this country, and he will tell you of this 
 river or that beyond, that your train may just be crossing; that La Fitte, the pirate 
 chief, ascended 'with his boats and deposited his treasure in the swamps, or how the 
 slave-ships brought their human cargoes to market here — there is a story to tell of 
 every river and bayou, and much to see in every mile of travel through so interest- 
 ing a country. 
 
 The rich agricultural comitry ends at Lake Charles and the yellow pine timber 
 belt commences, and through it the Soiithern Pacific runs to Beaumont, Texas, the 
 state line is crossed on the bridge over the Sabine River ; after Beaumont the line 
 runs due west across the fiat lands of Southern Texas to the fine city of Houston 
 and then over the rich prairies to San Antonio, passing many thriving cities and 
 towns that have grown up along this great thoroughfare of western travel. 
 
 San Antonio is interesting to a degree, but it is only a hint of what there is in 
 Mexico, yet the old city is worthy of a day to stop and see the Alamo and the Mis- 
 sions, or "of many days to stay and enjoy the delightful climate and the good living 
 that is here, and see this most progressive city of the Southwest, an ideal resting 
 place in the going to or coming from Mexico. 
 
 The Missions, ruins of old Spanish churches, are within easy drive, from two to 
 six miles from the plaza. The Military Post, Camp Sam Houston, just outside the 
 city limits; San Pedro Park and the Alamo are to be seen, and the quaint old town, 
 American but with a tinge of the Mexican in its squares, plazas and narrow streets, 
 is intensely interesting; the Alamo is the center piece of San Antonio's relics of a 
 hard-fought war for Texan independence, where Davy Crockett died and Bowie and 
 Travis gave up their lives with the hundred and eighty-one brave soldiers in the 
 massacre of the Alamo, not one was left to tell of the heroic defense; on the monu- 
 ment it is written, " Thermopyhe had its messenger of defeat — the Alamo had 
 none." 
 
 Westward from San Antonio the route is across the prairies to SpoflEord Junction, 
 where there is a sharp turn to the southwest, and while the train is yet some miles 
 from the border tlie peaks of Mexico's mountains come in view. After the stojj at 
 Eagle Pass, the city on the American side of the Rio Grande, the train crosses to 
 the City of Porfirio Diaz, on the Mexican side, and you are in a foreign land, and 
 v/ithout crossing the seas have come to a country that is older than Egypt in her 
 civilization, to a land whose mountains and valleys are the peer of any, and whose 
 ancient cities and ruins rival those of the Old World. 
 
 You leave behind familiar faces and customs, the English language and the nine- 
 teenth century, but you do not leave behind any of the comforts or luxuries of 
 travel, the magnificent cars you have occupied go with you on your journey over 
 roads as good as those which have brought you thus far, and you will meet a hos- 
 pitality that will make every Mexican house your own. 
 
 The Southern Pacific Railroad, in connection with the Mex- 
 ican International, forms the shortest standard gauge line to 
 the City of Mexico and all points in the central and soutln-ru 
 parts of the Republic, operating a ^^^^ 
 perfect equipment of through ears ^^^^^ *^ 
 
 without change at the border, 
 so that the tour of Mexico 
 may be made with as 
 much comfort as in the 
 United States. 
 
DOWN THE INTERNATIONAL. 
 
 IF you have expected to see Mexico from any of the Rio Grande crossings, or see 
 anything as you passed by, your expectations will not be realized; you may 
 have thought to see a great river in the Rio Grande, but it hardly justifies your 
 expectations, the mountains and valleys are farther on, and the tropics are beyond 
 them. But in the crossing of the " grand river of the north " there is a sensation 
 of what is to come in the delightful land you have only read of, and there is as 
 much to see in the crossing from Eagle Pass to the City of Porfirio Diaz as at any 
 of the gateways, and there is a novel newness here as you enter the old-time coun- 
 try; it is a crossing from the nineteenth to the sixteenth century, and a blending 
 of the two ages. 
 
 Originally the Mexican border town was called Piedras Negras, Black Rocks, 
 but the name was changed to La Ciudad de Porfirio Diaz, in honor of the President 
 of the Republic. It is a bustling town that owes its activity to the railroad indus- 
 tries and custom house business. The principal shops and supply stores of the 
 International Railroad of Mexico are here, and also the General Offices of the 
 Company, and consequently there is a large American contingent in the popula- 
 tion, and the town is built in the styles of both countries, and is far more attractive 
 than the average border town. , Trains stop long enough for the examination of 
 baggage by Mexican customs officials, always courteously and expeditiously done, 
 and with a liberality that the traveler appreciates, till it seems only a matter of 
 form. 
 
 The train is made up, the through sleeping cars attached, and off over a smooth 
 road from an elevation of 722 feet at the Rio Grande to 1,200 at Nava, steadily 
 rising as it proceeds westward, or a little south of west, over the chaparral plains. 
 There is little to see on any of the lines for the first hundred miles after crossing 
 the river, but as much here as anywhere on the border, and there is always a nov- 
 elty in the quaintness of the towns and villages. Allende, Leonora and Blanco 
 are the first on the line, places of a thousand to fifteen hundred people. Sabinas 
 is the junction point for the branch line to the coal fields of Felipe and Hondo, 
 where there is an inexhaustible deposit of bitiiminous coal that supplies the road, 
 and is shipped to all parts of Mexico for manufacturing purposes. 
 
 MONCIiOVA is one of the oldest cities of Mexico, and seems to have been fin- 
 ished many years ago; here was the capital of the great State of Coahuila when 
 Texas was included in its boundaries; afterwards when Texas had a capital 
 of her own that of Coahuila was moved to Saltillo, but Monclova seems not to be 
 disturbed over the matter, and is interesting in its very sleepiness. The city was 
 named for the Viceroy Melehor Portoearrero Lazo de la Vega, Conde de Monclova, 
 but it was thought best not to apply the entire name to the city. There is a rich 
 mining district hereabouts, where there are rich deposits of silver and magnetic 
 iron. The altitude is 1,926. Population 5,000. 
 
 TREVINO is important as the junction with the Monterey & Mexican Gulf Ry. 
 for Monterey and Tampico. The course of the track now is almost due west, and 
 with a steady up-grade to higher altitudes till it reaches 3,753 feet at Jaral, where 
 it is proposed to build a branch line to Saltillo, 30 miles distant to the south. 
 
 9 
 
PAILA is the station for Parras, a fine old town of some three hundred and 
 fifty years of age, long noted for its wines; the rich wines of Parras are sold in 
 every town in the reiuiblie. Another V)raneh line is to run from Paila to the grape 
 country of Parras. The altitude here is 3.898 feet. 
 
 Turning slightly down grade, running north of Lake Parras and south of Lake 
 Mayran, along the borders of the great Bolson de Mapimi, at an altitude of 3,600 
 feet. The Bolson is a pocket in the mountainous district, where in the rainy season 
 a group of smaller lakes is formed. 
 
 TORREON is an important junctional point where connection is made with the 
 ^Mexican Central R. R. Only a little while ago it was called Nazas Siding; now, 
 since the completion oi the International Road in 1888, grown to be an important 
 railroad town with growing manufacturing interests, and located on the Nazas 
 River and on the borders of the cotton regions, it must continue to grow in 
 importance. 
 
 LERDO, three miles north of Torreon, is in the very heart of the cotton district 
 of the Nazas and San Juan valley and is one of the newest of Mexican towns; these 
 new towns are conspicuous from the dearth of churches so prevalent in the older 
 ones; there are only four in Lerdo, while a city of tiie same size farther south has 
 forty. The soil hereabouts is very fertile, cotton grows without replanting except 
 once in four or five years; the plant growing very large and bearing bountifully. 
 The plaza of Lerdo is a garden of roses shaded by beautiful trees. The tram-cars 
 from the station pass through an avenue of trees planted in a, line on each side of 
 the track leading through the cotton fields. Altitude, 3,844 feet. Population, 
 11,500. 
 
 Westward from Torreon the Liternational enters the beautiful San Junn valley; 
 within five miles after leaving the station the train rolls from an arid plain to a 
 watered valley — passing running streams of clear water and irrigation ditches 
 right along side the track, now almost under it and a mile away the water is above 
 the cars till it seems they have made the water run up hill. All the waterways 
 are fringed with the green of the trees, and now tlie white walled haciendas come 
 to view and dot the valley hei'e and there. Looking back after rounding a curve 
 just at the entrance of the valley, some high castle-like rocks rise high above the 
 road making a natural gate-way to the valley. Two harvests are gathered every 
 year and without depending upon rain, so complete is the irrigation system that 
 the Nazas River is almost completly dranied of its water. 
 
 Beyond the valley and on both sides of the road the mountains rise up in fantastic 
 shapes, till like Hamlet's cloud may seem Like a whale or camels or monster weasels 
 clearly outlined against the sky, and a little further on as the train comes nearer 
 to them they seem like giant castles. In one of these rugged hills near the road is 
 a cave, that it is said was a robber's roost where bandits came to hide or divide 
 their plunder in the old diligencia days; the bandits have gone long ago but their 
 cave is still there and in it the bones of probable victims. 
 
 This country is not the parched and arid plain it seems to the winter tourist; in 
 the summer when the rains come it blossoms as the I'ose, and just here, if you will 
 look to the north, you may see a waving palm tree near a haciendii, the only one 
 within five hundred miles, and the first one you will see on your trip to Mexico 
 unless you go to Tampico. 
 
 On the south of the road there is an extinct volcano, rising abruptly from the 
 plain, that any conductor can point out to the passing traveler. 
 
 Tiie route now is across the plains; not barren plains, but for miles with a queer 
 growth of trees, as if planted in an orchard, and a growing grass feeding immense 
 herds of cattle and horses. The traveler who has been expecting an inferior 
 order of things on the railroads of Mexico will be disappointed; here on the Liter- 
 national Road will be found a perfect track laid with steel rails on a road bed 
 ballasted with stone, and a perfect equipment of passenger cars with all the modern 
 
 10 
 
appliances for comfort and safety, and trnins runnins: on fast express schedules, so 
 that the time for sight seeing eii route is brief, and it will seem but a little while 
 since you left Torreon before the towers of 
 
 DUBiANGO come in view from the windows on the left of the cars, and as the 
 train nears the station the wonderful iron mountain is seen, scarcely a mile away 
 on the right. The station is a fine building of stone in a pretty little park of trees 
 and roses. The freight depot is as handsomely built, as are the freight houses of 
 prominent merchants and miners, several of them having their private depots with 
 side tracks for the delivery of goods and shipment of ores and other products of 
 the country. Street cars run from the passenger station to the plaza. 
 
 VALLEY, :MEXI( 
 
 INTF:KXA'rr()NAI> 
 
 Durango has been a city for more than three hundred and fifty years, and with 
 a population of thirty-five to fifty thousand never had a railroad till 1890. It was 
 a mountain of metal that first attracted the Spaniards to Durango; it was reported 
 as of a baser metal, but Cortez thought this a subterfuge to keep him from finding 
 a mountain of gold, and he sent an expedition under Seiior Mercado; all returned 
 after many days, except one man, who prospected in the neighboring hills and 
 found silver, found so much that in a few years he sent a messenger to Spain with 
 the request to the king that he be allowed to build the portales of his house of silver. 
 
 11 
 
The request was denied as a perquisite pertaining exclusively to royalty, so this 
 silver king of Durango contented hunself by paving the street from his house to 
 the church with silver bricks on the occasion of the christening of one of his 
 children. His descendants still live in the city, but cobble stones are the prevail- 
 ing pavement. The iron mountain remains the wonder of the age — it is variously 
 estimated to contain 75 to 90 per cent pure iron, and there is enough to supply the 
 world for centuries, 
 
 Durango is as pretty as it is interesting, the plazas and parks are veritable 
 gardens, all of them. The Plaza Mayor is surrounded on its four sides by hand- 
 some stores. On one corner is the splendid Palacio del Estado, the state palace, 
 built of beautiful white stone; on another corner is an ancient church, and behind it 
 a little plazauela that was once a convent yard, now a public garden. The alameda 
 is shaded by immense trees, and has in its center a pagoda where the band plays 
 evenings, Sundays and feast days, as it does also in the Plaza Mayor. The Paseo 
 runs along the little rio fi'om the alameda northward, a wide driveway with walks 
 on each side and stone benches under the trees. Near the Paseo at the upper end 
 is the public laundry, an interesting place to visit; it was built by the city coun( il 
 for the benefit of the women of the poorer classes. Near the city are some very 
 beautiful gardens, admission by permit only, as they are on private grounds, the 
 property of rich haeiendados. The market is two squares east of the Plaza Msyor, 
 and is a very interesting one, as all Mexican markets are, but this one is particularly 
 so. The Plaza de Toros, bull ring, adjoins the alameda on the south side. 
 
 The first altar was erected and the first mass said under a tree where now is the 
 corner of Principal and Teresas streets. The cathedral was built by contributions 
 from the rich silver mines: it was begun in 1695, and the first service held in 1715. 
 The crypt contains the remains of some of the Ijishops of Durango. Many of the 
 archives and relics were destroyed by fire and during the numerous revolutions 
 that have devastated the country. The cathedral is a fine building of the Tuscan 
 order of architecture; the interior was entirely destroyed by fire during the latter 
 part of the last century, and though restored is not quite up to its former magnifi- 
 cence; it was built largely through the contributions of the rich mine owners who 
 used the silver paving material, and who also built the house now occupied as the 
 governor's palace and the theater, the second play-house in Mexico. 
 
 The Church of San Francisco is the oldest one in Durango, the foundations hav- 
 ing been laid in 1556, when the first Spanish settlement was made under Fray 
 Diego de la Cadena. The Church of San Augustin was founded in 1626. Santa 
 Ana was established in 1777, quite a recent date as churches go in Mexico, El 
 Colegio was erected in 1684. El Santuario de Guadalupe was built in 1714; 
 Analco in 1560. and San Juan de Dios in 1770. 
 
 On a high liill west of the city is the Church of Los Remedios, seen from every 
 part of the city, and from the crest of the hill there is a grand view of the city anil 
 surrounding country ; besides this good results are obtainetl in the way of health 
 and prosperity by frequent pilgrimages] to the Church of L is Remidios, and, if on 
 the 8th of September, seven years are reduced from the pilgrim's stay in purgatory. 
 
 Durango is the capital of the State of Durango, has a population of 86,000: 
 altitude 6,316 feet above the level of the sea. As one of the newest of Mexican 
 cities to be opened to railway communication, it is one of the most interesting in 
 reach of the traveler, and is well worth the delightful journey and what is sure to 
 be a pleasant stop in the ancient metropolis of Western Mexico. 
 
 The Mexican International Railroad, with its connection with the Mexican Cen- 
 tral at Torreon, forms the shortest standard gauge line to the City of Mexico and 
 all parts of the Republic, central and south, and operates fast trains with a perfect 
 equipment of through sleeping cars from San Antonio to the City of Mexico, avoid- 
 ing a change of cars at the border. 
 
 12 
 
STATE PALACE, DURANGO. 
 
ALONG THE MEXICAN CENTRAL. 
 
 rriHE general direction of the Mexican Central Railroad is almost due north and 
 
 I south, El Paso, the northern terminus, being just a little west of noi'th of 
 the City of Mexico, the road running the entire distance of 1,224 miles on the high- 
 lands, with the altitudes ranging from two to nearly nine tliousand feet. Hum- 
 boldt said he could drive a carriage on the platform from the Capital to the Rio 
 Grande, and he might have done so if he followed the route of tlie Mexican Cen- 
 tral Railroad, though the feat would have been a difficult one at the time the great 
 German traveler was in Mexico. 
 
 After leaving the laguna country of the Bolson de Mapimi, south from Ton-eon, 
 it is a general up-grade, and pretty soon the mountain peaks are gathered nearer 
 the road, and in the early morning and afternoon throw their shadows across the 
 track. Just south of the station of Guitierrez the Tropic of Cancer is crossed, and 
 Fresnillo is the first city within the Torrid Zone, an important mining town, once 
 a great city, now containing about 20,000 people. The now overflowed and aban- 
 doned mines of Proaflo are near the road; tlie wealtli of this country, present and 
 past, isfabuluous; hardly a town but was, or is, a great mining town, and it is 
 silver, silver everywhere. If the mines have been abandoned, they are to be worked 
 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 
 high hill, whose top is more than 8,000 feet above the sea, which stands in the way. 
 The tall tower-like cliimneys 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 horseslioe curve after 
 another. 
 
 ZACATECAS is one of the greatest cities in all Mexico. Tlie train comes to a 
 stop ; there is no sign of a city even at the station ; but when it leaves, take a seat 
 on the left side for the grandest view of the journey. 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, 
 two hundred feet below, and spreading up and down the barranca and hillside, 
 reaching, with straggling suburlss, to Guadalupe, six miles away. The track winds 
 around on the side of the mountain, passing directly over some mines and smelters, 
 keeping the city in view for l;alf an hour. The view from tlie rear platform is 
 magnificent, but a seat on the left side is a good one. Up and down the road, 
 between the two towns, are curiously costumed people; droA-es of donkeys laden 
 with silver, carts and cars, goats and cattle on the hillside, and a hundred things 
 to see not seen anywhere else in the world. Zacatecas is not out of sight till Gua- 
 dalupe comes to view on the same side, a long street connects the two cities, on 
 which there is a horse-car line. The cars are pulled from Guadalupe to Zacatecas, 
 but the return trip is made without their aid. As the train moves along, a look 
 ahead will show the town of Guadalupe, 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 on the mountain's crest, keeps guard 
 
 14 
 
over the City of Silver. Far beyond G-uadalupe is a lake — Lake Pevernaldillo — 
 with some pottery kilns on the shores. 
 
 The little church upon the crest of La Bufa 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, it is proper 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 ftve-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. 
 
 IRON MOUXTAIX, DURANGO. 
 
 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 not easily 
 forgotten. 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 sta- 
 tions 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 center the place has quite an American look on account 
 
 15 
 
of the high buildings— some are three and four stories high. The State and 
 municipal palaces, the mint, the fine old churches are all worthy of the tourist's 
 attention. 
 
 The pilgrimage to Guadalupe is one of the things to do— and it can be 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 Guadalupe to Zacateeas 
 leave their harness on the cars and walk leisurely down without a load. 
 
 At Guadalupe the cars stop 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 represent- 
 
 ARCHED STREET, ZACATECAS. 
 
 ing 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 hundreds 
 of curious paintings illustrating the lives and temptations of the saints — some of 
 them going very much into detad. 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 
 
 16 
 
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 
 gildings, 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 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 horse- 
 power windlass. Ladies undertake the trip sometimes, but are not welcomed by the 
 mmers, as they are regarded as unlucky visitors. 
 
 South of Zacateeas the road enters a fertile agricultural district, and green fields 
 are in the valleys between the mountains. 
 
 AGUAS CALiIENTES, which being translated means hot waters, and the 
 name is well chosen ; hot springs are numerous and the steaming water runs 
 through the streets. The baths are excellent; those near the station have every 
 modern convenience, while the primitive baths up at the springs at the end of a 
 horse-car ride of a mile are unique and most delightful. 
 
 Aguas Calientes is noted for its pretty plazas and parks, one in the center of the 
 city, another a few squares west is a most lovely garden with a fountain absolutely 
 covered with roses and a thousand ever-blooming flowers known only to the 
 tropics ; and still another park further out, reached by horse-cars, to which also 
 there is a flne 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 on a mag- 
 nificent 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 muf- 
 fled to the eyes in red zerape, as if a Dakota blizzard was blowing instead of 
 balmy breezes amongst fragrant flowers. 
 
 Dark-eyed sefioritas, watched by sober sefioras, crowd the seats, stealing glances 
 at the passing parade. Beauty is out in full force, and the duenna is there for its 
 protection. The procession lasts from 8 to 10; then the band plays the " Danza" 
 (a Mexican band always plays the "Danza" for a finale), '' buenos noches" are 
 spoken, and all is over till the band plays again, which it does two or three times 
 in a week. 
 
 The market is interesting. On four sides are heavy columned portales inclosing 
 a.n 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 sufficient for 
 tralfic. 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. 
 
 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 agricultural region — in the midst of a pb.in 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 liUIS 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 facade of the church. 
 
 San Luis is a .splendid city, with a fine plaza and alameda. The streets are 
 
 17 
 
regularly laid out and run at right angles and are kept scrupulously clean, and a 
 city ordinance requires that house-owners sliall paint and renovate their houses at 
 certain intervals. The climate is delightful, and now that San Luis has liecorae 
 such a railroad center, it is regarded as a rival of tlie City of Mexico itself. 
 
 The people of San Luis are a pleasure-loving, hospitabfe' people. The military 
 band plays in the alanieda three times a week, and balls and fetes to which Amer- 
 icans are invited are of frequent occurrence. 
 
 Back on the main line again and still running through a fine country now 
 mixed, fertile and otherwise, with a varied scenery. At or near Encarnacion, see 
 on the right side the town of that name, with its churches and towers. On the 
 other side is the river Encarnacion, with an irrigation resei'voir near the track. A 
 high and very fine iron bridge spans the river just north of the station. The next 
 stop is at the important city of Lagos, where there is a population of 40.000 
 
 BATHS, AGUAS CALIENTES. 
 
 people and large manufacturing interests. The city is on the west side of the 
 track, reached by horse-cars. 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 
 manufacturing towns in the republic. 
 
 LEON lies iu the midst of a vast plain where there are fertile farms and rich 
 grazing 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 leathern goods — shoes, saddles and everything in that line. There is 
 a jiretty jilaza, some fine Iniildings and interesting markets. 
 
 SILAO is the junction for Guanajuato, where there are mines that have pro- 
 duced more silver than all the otliers, and there are 40,000 people there now, all 
 engaged in some way about the mines. 
 
 18 
 
GUANAJUATO is sixteen miles from the main line. 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 that 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 interesting. 
 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. 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, 
 adorned with flowers and tropical plants. Here are the hotels and the center of the 
 city. The cars go 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 i-eservoir 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 is a little low house of Pompeiian colors 
 with easemated windows covered with flowing vines. The gable toward the water 
 has an old wheel window, around which the vines have climbed. On a wall stands 
 a peacock with feathers outspread 'gainst the light background of the wall, whilst 
 the other birds sit quietly as if posing for a picture. Some ducks swim lazily in 
 the water of the foreground. A bridge across the water is shaded by trees of japonica, 
 and another tree has some bright yellow flowers through all its branches — and this 
 picture is doubled by a reflection in the water. 
 
 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 
 theater larger than any ia ISTew York, built ot a Ijeautiful green stone found in the 
 neighborhood. The churches are very fine — one, that ot 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 furnace 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 Lidians 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 accuracy, the system reaching absolute perfection. Dolores, near Guana- 
 juato, was the scene of the commencement of the revolution for the indei^endence 
 of Mexico; also the birthplace of Hidalgo, the patriot priest. 
 
 19 
 
On a high hiil in the western part of the city is the public pantheon, the city 
 cemetery; the bodies are deposited in niches in the wall, where they become 
 mummies and in after years are stowed away in the vaults below. 
 
 South from Silao the Mexican Central runs across a fertile plain to the town of 
 strawberries, Irapuato, where the luscious fruit is brought to every passing train 
 every day in the year. Irapuato is the junction point of the Guadalajara division; 
 the road to Guadalajara 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 kilometers 
 from Irapuato, near which is the town of the same name, with a population of nearly 
 8,000, and a very interesting old place, with narrow, crooked streets and Cjuaint 
 houses. The town is al)out three miles from the station. 
 
 About two miles from the station La Piedad is the city 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 
 kilometers 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 beauti- 
 ful, Juanacatlan, is only 16 
 miles from Guadalajara. 
 
 The road comes nearest to 
 the river and lake at La 
 Barca, a city of 10,000 in- 
 habitants, located at the 
 junction of the Lerma and 
 Lake Chapala. From La 
 Barca a steamer makes voy- 
 ages around Lake Chapala, 
 making landings on both 
 sides and returning again 
 to the starting point, cover- 
 ing 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 val- 
 leys with fields and groves of 
 tropical fruits and plants. 
 Sometime*, when an east 
 wind prevails, the high wind 
 and waves loosen the vege- 
 tation growing in the shal- 
 low water of the delta where 
 the Lerma comes in, and 
 scores of floating islands are 
 met with in the voyage. As 
 the lake is about 80 miles 
 long and 16 wide, sometimes 
 great storms prevail and the 
 waves run high. 
 
 PATIO OP THE HOSPICIO, GUADALAJARA. 
 
For the first steamer on Lake Chapala the machinery was broupjht from Califor- 
 nia, and packed piece by piece on burros from San Bias on the Pacific coast; 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 jslace 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 rail- 
 road 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, 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 long been noted for its fine pottery, orna- 
 mental and glazed in the most beautiful and fantastic designs, and is the chief 
 industry of a large class at the present day. Manufacturing in almost every branch 
 IS carried on, as this has for centuries been a great commercial center 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 walk-ways are under the stone jjortales. There are lAjJortales, 20 plazas, 
 14 bridges, 5 theaters, 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 the gallery in front of your door. It is a German garden in 
 the heart of Mexico. There are no finer public buildings anywhere in Mexico 
 than in Guadalajara, Among these are the Cathedral, the Governor's palace and 
 the Degollado theater, all magnificent specimens of the Mexican style of archi- 
 tecture, 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 Annas, Jardin Botanieo, Parque Aleade 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. The Hospicio of Guadalajara 
 contains twenty-three patios, and each has its flowers, plants and fountains. Near 
 El Castillo, a little station fifteen miles east of Guadalajara, are the famous 
 
 FALIiS OF JX7ANACATLAN, not inaptly termed the Niagara of Mexico. 
 Here the great River Lerma, having emptied its waters into Lake Chapala, proceeds 
 to empty that water again into another river or the same one continued, and comes 
 foaming and fretting in rapids and whirlpools a la Niagara, and makes a sheer 
 descent of nearly a hundred feet over the precipice at Juanacatlan and there 
 tumbles over the rocks, forming other rapids and whirlpools, and afterward flows 
 more peacefully westward, finding its way to the Pacific Ocean; as I have said, 
 forming the longest river in Mexico, but navigable at no point except where it 
 widens out into Lake Chapala. 
 
 Waterfalls are not common in Mexico at all seasons. It is only in the rainy 
 season, when water falls to any alarming extent; then there are cascades, and 
 cataracts that are not all in your eye, so to speak; they are here, there and every- 
 where, and are not always either useful or ornamental — but .Juanacatlan is a beauty 
 and a joy forever in Mexico, in that its waters flow on forever, in season or out of 
 
 21 
 
season, and the journey thither is one of the tourist's things to do. A line of 
 tram-cars run from El Castillo to the Falls. 
 
 Nine miles from Guadalajara is a great barranca, an immense gulch or gap in 
 the plain, 2,000 feet deep, where the River Lerma is at the bottom of it; there in no 
 hint of the barranca until you come to the edge of the chasm and look down into 
 the awful depths ; the scenery is grand. The ride to the barranca must be on 
 burros; the sure-footed little beasts will carry you safely down the winding road 
 and up again, and though the trip is tiresome once taken is never regretted." 
 
 An extension of this division of the Mexican Central reaches the town of 
 Ameca, and will ultimately be built to the Pacific. 
 
 Returning to the main line again at Irapuato the road leads through a rich agri- 
 cultural region. Salamanca is the next town of importance, and then Celaya where 
 this line crosses the Mexican National. 
 
 CELAYA is in the beautiful valley of Laja. 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 con- 
 ditions attended the founding, does not appear. Celeya is noted for its dulces as 
 ■Queretaro is for opals, and are as assiduously offered by the native manufacturer 
 and vender to the visiting tourist. Dulces, if not explained befoi-e, are sweetmeats, 
 confections of native make. The sixteen married men and seventeen bachelors com- 
 ; menced 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, interior decoration and paintings. Especially is this 
 true of the churches of Our Jjady of Carmen and San Francisco, which alone are 
 worthy of a stop over at Celaya. The same beautiful country of fertile valley and 
 spreading plain continues and the ride southward is altogether lovely. 
 
 Q,UERETAB.O, 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 the Cerro Campana 
 where there are three little white stone shafts on the hillside just north of the city 
 that mark the spot where the unfortunate men were shot. 
 
 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 confined in a cell in the 
 convent of the Capuchins. The table on which the death warrant was signed is 
 preserved. 
 
 Queretaro is the headquarters for opals. They are found in great quantities 
 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 theii* construction, and of great height.. 
 The highest is 94 feet above the ground. The train passes directly under the aque- 
 duct. It maybe seen from either side of the cars; the first view is on the left. 
 
 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 haci- 
 endas and villages. Now comes to the plain of Cazadero. Crossing it, the road 
 clim)3s 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 Valley, where the scenery is more tropical and the 
 towns and villages are more of the Spanish order. 
 
 No niatter how early in the morning, or at night, if there be a moon, the tourist 
 must be on the qui vi're lor 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 prevent the inundation of the city. It was aliandoned a few years later, but 
 has been talked of ever since; and now a tunnel for the same purpose has been 
 built at a cost of 18,000,000. 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 Ixt.iccihuatI and 
 Popocatepetl, and the plain of Mexico; and in an hour a journey full of |)leasure 
 and crowded with novelty ends at Buena Vista station of the Mexican Central 
 Railway. 
 
 TAMASOPO CANON. 
 
 24 
 
THE CITY OF MEXICO. 
 
 ON" that November day, when, more than three hundred years ago, Hernando 
 Cortez climbed the eastern hills beyond the lake, and looked across the 
 waters on the temple of Tenochitlan, he looked with no less wonder than the peace- 
 ful invaders of to-day who come through the Tajo de Nochistongo, and see from 
 Huehuetoca the towers of the City of Mexico that are built where stood the 
 temples of Tenochtitlan. 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 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 blue flags, red flags and yellow, will welcome 
 the coming man to Mexico at a price indicated by the colors displayed on their 
 caches; to be explicit and make a wide stride from romantic history to the 
 practical matters of to-day, the reception committee of Mexico is the same as in the 
 American city — the hackmau is the committee. 
 
 There is a difference in fa-vor 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 blue flag 
 make a rate of $1.50 per hour or 75 cents per single passenger for a short drive 
 within a district; the red flag hires for $1 by the hour or 50 cents per passenger; 
 the yellow, 50 cents per hour or 25 cents per passenger ; and if yellow is 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 be reached. If over- 
 charges are made, and Mexican hackmen are not unlike their American brethern, 
 ask for the number. Humero is the word to use, and he will usually lapse to ti:rifl 
 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; blue flags, " un peso 
 y ciocdro reales ;" red, "un 2^sso;" yellow, " cuatro reales." After dark, and on 
 feast days and Sundays, these figures are increased about fifty per cent. 
 
 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 confusion 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. Pares in the 
 city are 5 cents; to the suburbs 12 cents and 25 cents, according to the distances 
 traveled. These are first-class fares, the tariff for 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. 
 
 25 
 
Tlie Imrse-car driver carries a tin horn, not unlike the eanii)aign lioni of the 
 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 thejii up. 
 
 The street-car companies do not confine tlieir operations to the passenger business 
 solely, they do a freight business as well. Another feature of their Inisiness 
 approaches the trade of the undertaker. Eacii line has its funeral car, lilack, with 
 a four-23oster 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 jx^int to tlie residence, the corpse is put on board 
 and the mourners follow in the other ears, regular or special. 
 
 It is not possible to name the schedules here ; suffice to say that cars leave tlie 
 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. 
 
 WATER CARRIERS, GUANAJUATO. 
 
 Nearly all the points of interest in and around the city may be more conveniently, 
 comfortably and quickly reached by car than carriage. 
 
 The hill and church of Guadalupe 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 
 Guadalupe. 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 Gaudalupe is the holiest shrme in Mexico, and has tiie 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 
 
 36 
 
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 plaoe 
 seemed impossible, but he found them there, gathered tliem 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 we-e emptied 
 from his tilma there appeared a most 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 was built as it stands to-day, and over its altar, in a frame of gold, 
 
 AT QUBRETARO. 
 
 hangs the tilma with the mysterious picture. A fund of some thousands of dollars 
 was collected to provide a crown of gold for the mysterious image on the tilma, and 
 in October, 1895, was with great ceremony placed over the pictui'e. 
 
 The cars arrive at the village about two leagues from the city, and stop in front of 
 the church at the foot of the hill where the shrine of Guadalupe 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 
 leading to the shrine or chapel on the crest of the hill where Juan Diego 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 Guadalupe and vowed that if they were saved from a watery 
 
 27 
 
grave they would carry the mast to the shrine and erect it there as a memorial 
 and thankofferiug — 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 
 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 thenativeupper 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 Atzeapotzalco 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 " e? saUo 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 TivoJi de 
 Eliaeo. At the end of the causeway, near the church of San Esteban,is the tree of 
 Noclie Triste (the dismal night), where Cortez sat down and wept after his defeat. 
 The tree is a giant ahuehuefe or cypress, of great age, now inclosed with an iron 
 rail to prevent a recurrence of further vandalism, as occurred some years ago by a 
 crank having set it on fire. 
 
 The floating gradens, chmampas, 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 flaco or a curatiUa, the 
 native sandwich, a tortilla con came or a tortilla con dulce. I offer no advice as 
 to this purchase, but I found the tortillas of La Viga 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 Viga gate and pay a duty to the city, 
 levied on all imjiorts 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,Xochimilco and Chalco, 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 the 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, ideally 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 Sefior 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 was a bull-fighter, and 
 much renewed in his day, but his career is not to be written here. 
 
 28 
 
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; theie 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 Maximilian ; several idols found in the Pyramids of 
 San Juan Teotihuaean ; weapons, feathers and war-dresses used by the Aztecs ; one 
 of the guns with which Maximilian was shot ; the bed used by General Santa Ana, 
 while President of Mexico ; a rifle used by General Miramon in the siege of Quere- 
 taro; a magnificent collection of cTitcaras (chocolate cups) painted by the Indians 
 
 CASTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC. 
 
 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 Texcoeo. 
 
 The collection of this bric-a-brac was Don Juan's hobby; but another and more 
 philanthropic pleasure of his was the care of children of the poor of La Viga, 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 
 
 29 
 
The Paseo, or, to be explicit, the Paseo de la Reforraa, 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 2j^ miles long, reaches from the city to 
 Chapultepec, and is a magnificent boulevard, wliere the hoti tonare pleased to drive 
 every afternoon from four o'clock till dark, when the magnificent procession of fine 
 equij^ages files down San Francisco street and disperses. The carriageway is broad 
 and shaded by great trees, two rows on each side, between which is a wide prome- 
 nade. At regular intervals the Paseo widens into a glorieta, a circle 400 feet in 
 diameter, where there are stone benches. In three of these circles are to be placed 
 statues of the nation's heroes — that of Charles IV, said to be the largest bronze in 
 the world, is at the entrance, 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 magnificence on this continent. The grand old trees, most of 
 which must date back over twenty centuries, rise in somber majesty above those of 
 ordinary growth, like a race 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 festooned and swaying from limb to limb. Through this 
 wood, shadowy as twilight even at 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 
 land, the most wonderous 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 paradise, with 
 soft green fields and waving hedges and avenues of lofty trees outlining gray 
 country roads that fade into the azure distance. A faint line of pale blue moun- 
 tains, purple sometimes with deep shadow, rest like brooding and watchful spirits 
 around the dim horizon ; and farthest of all, beautiful with that sublime sense of 
 remoteness and awfulness which belongs only to them, the solemn presence of 
 Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl rises like radiant clouds against the serene heavens 
 above. Everything we had before known of mountain scenery 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 undu- 
 lating, exquisite line of hills, like the frame of some rich jewel, is something unspeak- 
 able when contrasted with the grand solitary state of these twin monarchs who dom- 
 inate 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 (Galvez) 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 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 Governor 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 the others the fields of Cherubusco and Molino del Rey, 
 and from 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, and the old aqueduct. 
 
 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 another is inlaid pearl and onyx, A banquet- 
 
 30 
 
hall is reached by a fine stairway that has a ceiling decorated with coats of arras from 
 1474 to 1887. A drawing-room has the walls hung in the most delicately tinted 
 satin— 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, approached 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 
 hieroglyphics, supposed to be data of Aztec history. 
 
 The tree of Montezuma {arhol de Montezume) is also shown, where that chieftain 
 wept, as Cortez did under his tree, and also for defeat. 
 
 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 Santo Domingo, of Inquisition fame, and San 
 Hipolito, mentioned with the slaughter of the noche friste, to the Cathedral, which 
 is a grand aggregation of all styles and designs of church architecture in Mexico, so 
 that any detaU 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 Prepar- 
 atory School, San Carlos Academy, the Encarnacion School for young ladies and the 
 College of La Paz, each worthy of a visit. 
 
 The Mint, the National Palace, the National Museum, are all places of interest 
 in the center of the city, which can be visited in the walks about town. The Museum 
 is rich in antiquities of bygone ages, and the relics of fallen and past dynasties in 
 the country's history which must be older than Egypt, reading from examples of 
 Aztec picture writing, Montezuma's shield and the statue of HuitziloiiochUi, the 
 god of war, down to Maximilian'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, but would like to have. There is an atlas of England 
 printed in Amsterdam in 1659, with steel plates and in colors that areas 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 lo71. There is a book of autographs of 
 notables and soldiers of Cortez. A roll of deerskin shows some original dispatches 
 (painted pictures) sent by Montezuma to his allies, but intercepted by Cortez. 
 There are original manuscripts and immense volumes with every old English letter 
 done with a pen. 
 
 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 theaters are Principal, Arheti, National, Alarcon and Hidalgo, which, with 
 Orrin's Circus, form the amusements of the city, excepting always the bull -fights. 
 The non-Spanish-speaking American will hardly be amused at the theaters, but at 
 the extremely novel circus cannot fail to be pleased. There are two Plazas de 
 Toros in the city, where the national sport of bull-fighting is carried on in the 
 highest style of the art. Sundays and feast days are the days for the bull-fights, 
 and the rings have crowded houses. The sport was formerly interdicted in the Fed- 
 eral District, but the will of the people was too strong, and the law was i-epealed. 
 
 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 
 
 32 
 
music that is the gift of the Grovernment to its people. On Sundays and feast days, 
 and in the evenings during the week, militaiy bands play at this park or the other,, 
 so there is music somewhere all the time; and so it is in every city m 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- 
 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 
 
 IN THE FLOATING GARDENS. 
 
 stalls there in January. Strawberries and green corn, peas and watermelons and 
 everything of our summer gardens, grow under Mexico's genial skies all the year. 
 
 And as to flowers — great bunches of violets in the glass-covered pagoda under the 
 shadow of the Cathedral, go begging sale at a medio; a handful of roses worth a 
 dollar each in iSTew York, offered for a real; a basket of flowers for twenty-five 
 cents and one two feet high for a half-dollar. 
 
 The markets of Merced and Volador are just a square or two south of the Palace, 
 and a little farther on is the canal, Avith its waters covered with boats and the 
 banks 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. 
 
 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 
 
 33 
 
Mexico a policeman stands at each street interfoetion all over the city. He has a 
 lantern which he places in the middle of tlie street. Whether there is more protec- 
 tion in tliis or not, the officer can be found when wanted. 
 
 The stores of Mexico all have fancy names, more or less 
 sign indicates the stock for sale. Zapaieria indicates shoes, 
 Bonnvterid, millinery. Joycria, jewelry. Bofic<t, drugs. 
 
 shop. But it is the pulque shop that has the luiique sign. One is called"^/ 
 triunfo del diab/o," the triumph of the devil. Another, ''La cola del diahlo rojo,^' 
 the tail of the red devil. 
 
 An advertiser of furniture and bedding recommends his ^' El colchon bluulardo,"' 
 
 appropriate. Another 
 Plaleria, silver ware, 
 Peluqiieria, a barber 
 
 FOUNTAIN, CITY OF MEXICO. 
 
 the ironclad mattress. Instead of the auction store, the red flag indicates the 
 butcher. 
 
 There are some fine stores, and shopping 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. 
 
 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 Mejia, who were executed with Maximilian. Another 
 cemetery near Tacubava is the Dolores, where there are some fine monuments. 
 The Americans, English and Spanish have separate burial places. 
 
 34 
 
BULL FIGHTINa IN MEXICO. 
 
 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 exciting /'»;ictoH-s in the 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 
 and others at different times, but they have not dimmed the glory of the home con- 
 stellation, for Mexico believes in patronizing home industry when it comes to bull- 
 fighting, and Mazzantini's reception was not cordial nor his engagement a prosper- 
 ous one, so the field is left to the home toieadors. 
 
 There are famous names on the roll of tauromachy of Mexico, such names as 
 Corona, Hernandez, Gonzalez, Gavifio and a host of others, but none have reached 
 that pinnacle attained by the idol of the day, the great and only Poxciano Diaz. 
 
 The Plaza Je Toros is in shape very much like the cyclorama buildings of 
 America, only much larger; inside is a monster amphitheater seating thousands of 
 people. Encircling the arena is a high fence or barrier with a foot-rail about eigh- 
 teen 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 audietice 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 amaze- 
 ment 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 
 picadores on horseback, all clad in the gayest, gaudiest costumes, in all colors and 
 gold eml^roideries, they march to the President's box; the President is a municipal 
 or State officer, and has full direction of the px'oceedings. He is saluted by the com- 
 pany and the fight is ready to commence. 
 
 Now the wildest excitement prevails, and the scene is a perfect picture of pande- 
 monium; ail 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 al^out with fear and astonishment. He is a grand-looking beast. Surprise and 
 fear give waj to rage, he paws the earth and snorts in his frenzy, and discovering 
 the red cloak of the capeador starts towards him on the run. The mangoes over the 
 fence, but not too quickly, for he has hardly disappeared before the bull's horns are 
 
 35 
 
thrust through the boards. The animal turns and spies a liorse, and woe be unto 
 the horse, his day has come; the picador ^vit]\ his lance is totally unable to keep 
 the bull from goring tlie liorse, and it is killed on the spot. The horses are not 
 valuable ones, being old veterans retired from service, feasted and fatted to frisky- 
 ness 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. 
 
 Now comes the really interesting feature of the performance, the thrusting of the 
 
 ATTAC 
 
 I'llK IMC'ADOK. 
 
 banderiUas. The bull is alone with his tormentors, it is a contest between skill and 
 brute strength. A banderilla is a dart about two feet and a haK 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 ItulTs shoulders, 
 he must stand in front of the animal, 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 banderiUas in 
 the bull's shoulders as he passes by (they never speak as they pass by), as soon as 
 
 36 
 
the animal can check his headlong speed he turns, now furious with rage, he turns, 
 only to find another banderillero wilh two more banderillas. These and two more 
 are thrust into his shoulders, all hanging there. Bellowing now, he is wild. 
 
 Another signal from the President instructs that the bull has had enough and 
 must be killed — this is where the 7natador, the lyrimer espada, distinguishes him- 
 self ; his skillful killing of the bull by a single thrust of the sword is what deter- 
 mines 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 perform- 
 ance. The skill and agility of the performer's is something wonderful, and consists 
 in holding the red cloak in such a way 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 Tbros is the bullring; the /m^icjow is the performance; the best 
 seats are on the shady side, those in the sun being sold at cheap pi'ices. Seats in 
 the shade $2 to |3; boxes $12 to $20, aecordmg to the company playing. 
 
 The star fiahter 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 handeriUa 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 degree of banderillero. If he commits any 
 offense against the code of ethics or repeatedly fails in the act of placing the ban- 
 deriUas, 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 enti'ance 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 sti-oke between the horns; and when 
 he has done so six times (if there are only six bulls) the show is over. 
 
OVER THE INTEROCEANIC RAILWAY. 
 
 THE route from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico via Jalapa and Puebla is an 
 old one; how far back into the centiiries the date of its first use by travelers 
 may be, cannot be told by Mexico's oldest inhabitant, nor do the old records, the 
 picture writings of the Aztecs, give any information. Montezuma's messengers 
 knew the path as the easiest one up the mounlains, and if the story is true that in 
 twelve hours they carried fish from the sea to the Emperor's table, they could have 
 taken no other route, and the relays of runners must have been stationed on this 
 route. 
 
 When Cortez. determined on the Conquest, commenced his march to the interior 
 he found that he could get his horses and cannon up the mountains no other way 
 except over the northern slope of IMount Orizaba and the Cofre de Perote, and in 
 the succeeding centuries the route taken by his army became the royal road, and 
 in later yeai's the King's Highway became the road of marching armies and com- 
 mercial traffic from the sea to the Capital; then on this route of the oldest road as 
 the one of easiest grades was built the newest one, the Interoeeanic Railway, and in 
 many places the railroad crosses and recrosses in its curves the ancient highway 
 where the wore and torn cobble pavings may be seen from the cars. 
 
 Leaving the City of Mexico, as from its eastern terminus, the Interoeeanic passes 
 over historic ground near to the causeway used by Cortez in his entrance to Teno- 
 chtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, and follows close to tiie shores of Lake 
 Texcoco, skirting the south shore, leaving Lake Chalco to the right. Leaving the 
 station of San Lazaro the road passes thi-ough a long avenue of tall trees for sev- 
 eral miles, in view of the national prison, the artillery practice field, Penon and the 
 Hill of Ixtapalapa, famous in Aztec history. Los Reyes is the junction of the 
 Morelos Division, lying between Lakes Texcoco and Chalco, typical Mexican vil- 
 lage, where instead of fruits and peanuts brought to the train to sell, the natives 
 bring fish fresh caught from the lakes, not cooked but in their raw state, yet find 
 ready sale to native purchasers. Beyond Los Reyes the road runs along the lake 
 shore a short distance and then through a fertile plain, passing on the left the 
 Hacienda de Champingo, estate of the late General Gonzales, ex-President of the 
 Republic, gorgeous in oriental and rainbow colors. Immediately opposite Cha- 
 pingo is the village of Huixotla, where there are some prehistoric ruins. 
 
 TEXCOCO, beyond the eastern shore of the lake, once the capital of a great 
 nation of more than ordinary civilization, and during the second campaign against 
 the Aztecs, was the basis of Cortez operations against the City of Mexico, where 
 he built the bergantines to take his army across the lake. Near Texcoco is the 
 country seat of the family Cervantes, known as the Molino de Flores, the Mill of 
 the Flowers, surrounded by the most beautiful gardens imaginable. Here, also,. 
 was the palace of Nezahualcoyotl, the wise king of the Tezcucans, on the hill Tetz- 
 cotzinco, where there are baths cut in stone-paved walks and stairways. The view 
 on either side, as the train just here is going almost due north, is entrancing; there 
 is not a monotonous mile, the green fields stretch away to the hills that rise one 
 above the other till they become mountains that end in the snow caps of Ixtac- 
 cihuatl and Popocatepetl that are never out of sight; on the other side is the 
 broad lake of Texcoco, and beyond, on its other shore, may be seen the domed 
 
 38 
 
towers of the City of Mexico. Metepee, on the north side, a few miles away, is the^ 
 village of San Juan tie Teotihuacan, near which are the Pyramids of the San and 
 Moon, bnilt by the races inhabiting the country before the Toltecs came. Here is ■ 
 the last view of the City of Mexico going east and the first from the trains coming 
 up from Vera Cruz. 
 
 OTUMBA was the scene of a great battle between the Spaniards and Mexicans 
 a few days after the fateful battle of the " dismal night," when Cortez was defeated 
 and driven from the city by Cuautemoc. 
 
 Irolo, junction with the Hidalgo R. R. for Pachuca, the great mining city and. 
 the capital of the State of Hidalgo. Lorenzo, entrance to the pulque regions.. 
 Immense fields of the maguey, or as the Americans call it, the century plant,. 
 
 A POTTERY MARKET. 
 
 from which the national drink is extracted, extend for miles in every direction. 
 So great is the daily output that special trains are required to leave the fields daily 
 at two or three o'clock in the morning to get the product to market in time for the 
 opening of the shops. The fields extend beyond the stations of Calpulalpara and 
 Mazapa, both important pulque points. 
 
 It has been a steady up-grade since leaving the City of Mexico, as the road rounds 
 the base of the great volcanoes, and just before reaching Nauacamilpa, the station 
 of the highest altitude on the Interoceanic, the road passes the summit in a tunnel 
 that is over 9,000 feet above the level of the sea and starts upon a down-grade that 
 reaches to Puebla, passing through a region that is picturesque to a degree — hills 
 upon hills cut in deep barrancas from two hundred to two thousand feet deep, their 
 precipitous sides are of rugged rocks, cut in twain perhaps by the seismic shocks.. 
 A little further on the barrancas widen out into fertile valleys that are so far below 
 the road that the fields are filled with tropical verdure. 
 
 39 
 
SAN MARTIN" is an important station in the midst of a fertile district. In every 
 direction are the white walls and towers of prosperous haciendas; churches and vil- 
 lages dot the plains and peep out from beyond the trees of shady woodlands, alto- 
 gether a different prospect than is usually seen in Mexico. In circling the volca- 
 noes the road runs east from the city, then north to Otumba and now only a little 
 east of south to San Martin; straight away across the plain, if you look from the 
 windows on the north side, see the peak Malintzi, the top-most rocks showing a 
 giant face, clear cut against the sky, that may have given the name to the moun- 
 tain as showing Malintzi's face high in the heavens as a perpetual reminder of his 
 coming to save his people. 
 
 At Los Arcos, the junction of the Matamoros division, trains pass in sight of the 
 Pyramid of Cholula. 
 
 PUEBLA is one of the finest cities of the republic, with streets well paved, 
 clean and well kept, fine residences, hotels, business buildings, public edifices and 
 a cathedral, second in size only to that of the City of Mexico, and perhaps more 
 beautifully ornamented than any other church in the world ; altogether a most 
 attractive place of resort, an important business center, and as the capital of the 
 State of Puebla it has a population of over 100,000. Puebla has had an important 
 place in the history of the country from the Conquest down to the capture of the 
 city from the French on the 2d of April, 1867, by General (now President) Porfirio 
 Diaz. 
 
 At Puebla, on the main line of the Interoceanic Railway, connection is made with 
 the Mexican Southern Railway for Oaxaca, the Ruins of Mitla and the picturesque 
 regions of the south of Mexico. 
 
 Leaving Puebla the road runs in a northeasterly direction, passing the villages 
 of Amozoc and Acajete, the latter place being noted for the manufacture of that 
 unique sadlery hardware peculiar to Mexico, the immense steel spurs, bridle bits, 
 etc. Crossing this valley of Puebla, four volcanoes are in the view, Popocatepetl 
 and Ixtaccihuatl, that have been in sight all through the ride from the city, Malintzi 
 in the foreground to the west of the track and Orizaba eastward ; the three with 
 snow caps always, and Malintzi when there has been cold in the upper altitudes. 
 La Venta and San Marcos in the great grain country are passed on the plains; at 
 Ojo de Agua there is a spring of clear water and the plain changes to almost 
 a marsh, as the waters spread out over the fields. Vireyes is the junction for San 
 Juan de los Llanos. 
 
 Perote was a halting place for teams and travelers in the old Spanish days, and 
 a military post where a garrison was maintained and police parties sent up and 
 down the road for protection of the wagon trains against depredations by bandits. 
 The old castle is still standing, long since abandoned when its usefulness came to 
 an end. The old fortress is to the east of the track and may be seen from the cars. 
 
 Just after leaving Perote the highest point east of Puebla is passed, and the 
 descent to the sea is commenced at a point 8,200 feet above it. Turning a corner 
 in the mountains it seems that the veritable "jumping off place" is reached — 
 looking from the windows the vast panorama covers hundreds and hundreds of 
 miles of mountains spreading away to the north; on the other hand, close to the 
 cars, the mountains rise abruptly till their peaks touch the sky. The great Cofre 
 de Perote, with its box-like top of chalky cliffs, is high above all the others, while 
 the more distant peak of Orizaba with its snow-white cone peeps over the interven- 
 ing giants of the earth. The sun has been shining on the plains till Perote was 
 passed, and on coming to the brow of the hill, if there is a mist over the valleys, 
 there will be seen a vast sea of billowy clouds snow-white in the sun ; it is a curious 
 sensation, this railroading above the clouds as the train seems to drive into a sea of 
 snow. 
 
 Here are forests of pines and cedars; the ground is covei-ed with thousands and 
 thousands of tons of broken lava, the accumulation of the eruptions of the ages 
 
 41 
 
■ past and gone. Following down the mountain side the track twists and turns till 
 it can be seen above the train where it has just passed, and below wliere it will 
 come to. These curves are necessary for an easy gradient, but the traveler is the 
 gainer in the magnificent views of the line, than whicli there are no finer on the 
 continent. We may look down on the tops of the village houses and in a few 
 moments pass l)y their doors, go out of sight of one to find another around the 
 next hillside. The military road that was the king's highway, and before that the 
 path of Montzuma's messengers, is crossed half a dozen times since its steeper 
 grades permitted of straighter lines. 
 
 JALAPA is the most quaintly picturesque jdace in all Mexico, built on a hill 
 with narrow, crooked streets up and down, the long eaves of the liouses sheltering 
 the passers-by on the narrow sidewalks, with liere and there tropical vines clamber- 
 ing over a garden wall. The plaza is reached on one side by a steep flight of stone 
 steps, while the other side is level with tlie street — and the floor of the cathedral 
 commencing at the street, slopes upward to the altar. One of the grandest views of 
 this continent is from the high hills of Jalapa; looking eastward, although seventy 
 miles away, may he seen the Gulf of Mexico, the white houses of Vera Cruz and 
 the ships at anchor: to the west and south the peak of Orizaba, tlie Cofre de Perote 
 and the lesser ranges and jieaks. A tram line leads through the very heart of the 
 coffee regions to Coatepec, the tropical verdure almost enveloping the cars as they 
 pass along this most interesting side ride .Jalapa is the capital of the State of Vera 
 -Cruz, and has a population of about 30,000 people. 
 
 Leaving Jalapa it is a drop of nearly five thousand feet before the journey to 
 ■•-''era Cruz is completed, and the tortuous windings of the road bring the traveler to 
 
some more magnificent scenery and wonderful feats of engineering between Cerro 
 Colorado and El Palmar, where the cut of Huarumbo is, the deepest one in Mexico. 
 Near Rinconada is the cone-shaped mountain Cerro Gordo, the scene of one of the 
 bloodiest battles of the war of '47 with the Americans. The rich virgin forests 
 continue down to the plains again, with here and there coffee and fruit farms and 
 timber ranches for the shipping of dye-woods, mahogany, rosewood and ebony. 
 
 San Francisco is a fishing town on La Antigna River, where large quantities of 
 fish and oysters are taken. La Antigua was founded by Cortez, the station is only 
 a short distance from the ancient city, where the remains of the old wharf still 
 exists and a number of rusty cannon are shown as having been left by the Con- 
 queror, and in the ruined church, now used as a prison, is a tomb bearing date of 
 the year 1526. The ride hence is across the plains that extend to the sea. Groves 
 of palmettoes, palms, rubber trees and other vegetation of the tierra caliente, hot 
 land, are quite in contrast with what has been seen in the higher altitudes. 
 
 VERA CRUZ has no altitude ; it is literally the city by the sea, the approach 
 of the railroad is along a sandy shore where the "northers" blowing have piled up 
 mountains of white sand, so that it has been necessary to build protecting fences, 
 like the snow fences of the North, to keep the drifting sands from covering the 
 tracks. 
 
 At first Vera Cruz was called Villa Rica de la Santa Vera Cruz, the Rich City of 
 the Holy True Cross — the reports of the gold in the land brought Cortez here in 
 1519, where he landed on Good Friday, the 22d of April. In its strange contrast 
 with the interior cities of Mexico, Vera Cruz has attractions for the tourist and it 
 is never left out of a complete itinerary. 
 
 THE MORELOS DIVISION of" the Literoeeat.ic leaves the main line at 
 Los Reyes, eleven miles from the City of Mexico, runs in a southerly direction 
 with an ultimate terminus at Acapuleo on the Pacific coast. Passing along the 
 shores of Lake Chalco, the first stops are Ayotla, a considerable fish inarket, and 
 La Compania where tram lines extend to the surrounding villages and factories. 
 
 AMECAMECA, the Holy City, lies at the foot of the volcanoes; from tliis town 
 the ascent of Popocatapetl is made, the only practicable route, being used by the 
 sulphur miners to and from the crater, and the ice-men, who gather the product 
 from the gulches above the snow line, pack it in pine straw and bring it to the rail- 
 road on burros. On the right of the track just opposite the station is a wooded 
 hill, Saero Monte, the Sacred Mountain. From the station a paved causeway, 
 marked by the stations of the Cross, leads to the top where there is a holy shrine built 
 over a cave that was once the dwelling place of a hermit monk, and in which is pre- 
 served a curious image of Christ that althoitgh life-size weighs only a few pounds. 
 This image is carried with great pomp and ceremony between the shrine and the 
 parish church on certain feast days. 
 
 By a convenient arrangement of schedules totirists may go out from the City of 
 Mexico on the morning train, visit this interesting place and return in the evening. 
 The ascent of the volcanoes is very difficult, requiring three days. 
 
 The road southward is slightly on the down grade to Oztimba, through a fertile 
 region, very near the volcanoes, and nowhere can a finer view of the great moun- 
 tains be obtained than by a day's ride over the Morelos division; they are in the 
 view all day long. 
 
 NEPANTLA is a little station of some importance where the train stops for 
 a few moments, and there is time for a look over the wide expanse of the tierra 
 caliente, lying nearly two thousand feet below the level of the track at the station. 
 The grades take the train in a zigzag course, turning about in all directions. A 
 ruined church or castle is pointed out that may be seen first from one side of the 
 cars and the other for an hour or more. 
 
 CUATJTLA is in the sugar country, immense haciendas are seen in all direc- 
 tions. The streams from the mountains are turned from their courses into the fields 
 
 43 
 
for irrigating purposes, making the valley one of the most fertile in the world, and 
 with crops that never fail. It is a curious entrance into the town, the train seems 
 about to pass it by, but stops opposite, backs in on a Y into a station that was once 
 a church — where the n we was freights are stored, the sacristy is the agent's office 
 and tickets are sold in the chapel. Just outside the station is a pretty plaza and a 
 very interesting market. There is a good hotel, and near the town a spring famous 
 for the healing powers of the waters. 
 
 YATJTEPEC is another town in the sugar district a little further down the 
 valley; if you would see a primitive Mexican town, stop off at Yautepec. On down 
 through this wonderfully fertile valley the road runs by Jujutla, and comes to its 
 present terminus at Amacusac. 
 
 THE MATAmOBOS DIVISION from Los Arcos, six miles east of Puebla, 
 leads southward on the eastern slope of the volcanic range. The first station is 
 
 CHOLTJLA, where the train stops at the base of Mexico's greatest pyramid, 
 which tradition says was a Tower of Babel of the aboriginal races, now crowned by 
 a Christian church. 
 
 Atlixco is in the heart of a rich agricultural country; near the town are some 
 mineral springs whose remedial powers are said to excel the famous springs of the 
 world. Here also are some great sugar haciendas, among the richest in the 
 republic. The road runs through the immense plantations till it comes to Mata- 
 moros de Izucar, the present terminus of the division, that will ultimately connect 
 with the Morelos division and complete a railway circuit around the volcanoes. 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 '^/-'^ 
 
THE MEXICAN EAILWAY. 
 
 THE 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 difference 
 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, alongside of the causeway to the village and church of 
 Ouadalupe — the holiest shrine in all Mexico. Along the causeway to be seen from 
 the right-hand windows are shrines and archways de'licated to the saints, and here 
 the devotees stopped to pray and processions marched by, from Mexico to Guada- 
 lupe ; 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 Texeoco, the city, and the volcanoes 
 of Popocatepetl 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 enti'ance to the Pyramid 
 of the Moon has been effected, the interior explored, and some very interesting pre- 
 historic relics discovered indicating their building by a race of people older than 
 the Toltecs. 
 
 THE PLAINS OF APAM the great ]iulque district, are fifty miles from the 
 city. 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 s'>nds 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 center of the 
 plant. This is the crude pnlqun. Each day, until the life of the plant is exhausted, 
 an Indian and a hurro, with hog-skin bags on their backs, visit each plant. The 
 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 ^uZg'Me, and must be sent to market at once. Pulque will not keep. 
 
 45 
 
Knowing this, perhaps, the Mexican, not liking to see a good thing wasted, pro- 
 ceeds to drink it energetically, and desists not till his last fku-o has vanished. 
 
 No matter whether you have experimented v; \i\i })ulque elsewhere or not — get a 
 glass at Apam, or rather a mug — it is peddled at ihe station in earthen mugs, by 
 Indians of all sizes, colors and conditions ; but the pulque is good. Mescal and 
 tequila are drinks of a stronger natui-e, like rum. both made from a species of the 
 maguey. The pulque business is of such proportions that special trains are 
 required to deliver it fresh in the shops of the city : the pulque trains leave the 
 plain early in the moi-ning and arrive in the city by four o'clock, so that the supply 
 is fresh every day. At 
 
 APIZACb there is a branch line to Puebla, one of the oldest cities of Mexico, 
 
 PYRAMID OF CHOLULA. 
 
 requiring a visit of some days. There is a good restaurant at the station at 
 Apizaco ; the train stops long enough for coff.ee, pulque or to buy a cane or basket 
 from the Puebla Indians. 
 
 As an evidence of civilization, at least from the peddler point of view, he (the 
 peddler) is as assiduous in the effort to dispose of his wares as 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 your own risk. 
 
 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. 
 
 46 
 
ESPEBANZA 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 trijD. 
 
 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 
 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 center, 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 any ordinary locomotive, as not 
 heavy enough even with wheels working backward to resist the force of the rolling 
 car.*. Air and steam brakes are not trusted 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 immediately below 
 and in sight all the time ; that little patch of tiled roofs and church with its dome 
 of red, way down in the valley, is Maltrata. It must be a fair day when this 
 journey is made, or 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 down 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 through the valley of La Joya, the jewel, and 
 comes to 
 
 ORIZABA, a city of 20,000 people, lying in a .tovely 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. On the left, overlook- 
 ing 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 the 
 Metlac gorge, crosses it on a curved bridge, which may be seen, and the track on 
 the other side of the gorge, for some minutes before, from the right-hand windows, 
 and far below 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 i-ocks, showing like liquid silver amongst the green of the shad- 
 owing trees. 
 
 N'ow the scenery is different entirely from all before traveled through. The 
 adobe house gives place to those of the thatched sides and roofs. The barren hills 
 have melted away to orange groves and gardens of bananas with cofliee trees almost 
 brushing the ear windows. There are green forests with trees and vines hanging 
 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 toward Vera Cruz. 
 
 AT COBDOBA may be bought the very finest fruits of all tropical varieties 
 — oranges, lemons, pineapples, bananas, mangoes, fresh from the trees, and plants 
 
 47 
 
"brought to the train by the cleanest, fattest, sleekest Indians imaginable, old men 
 and women, young men and maidens, all with something to sell and a few to beg. 
 
 Cordoba seems to be the gateway of this "oute to the hot lands. The luscious 
 fruits offered at the station and the light and airy costumes of the natives indicate 
 this. Here the tropic Mexican appears in all liis picturosqueness as he is seen in 
 pictures — wide of trouser and broad of straw sombrero, and brightly colored cos- 
 tume of women'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 gat dens of mangoes, pineapples and bananas, and comes to 
 •Soledad, from whence the ride to Vera Cruz is una* tractive; but that city is an 
 object of interest to every touiist, and a stay of some days can be very pleasantly 
 made in wandering about under the palms of the alameda, 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 Pnebla 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 aqueduc's, 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 Pueltla, lying over against the mountains, conies to the 
 Tiew — the fort of Jjoreto on the left and Guadalupe on the right on the hills just 
 outside the city, 
 
 Puebla has been a city long enough to possess all metropolitan advantages, and 
 is not behind the average Mexican city ; horse-cars lead to all parts of the city 
 and to the surrounding villages, making it quite a railway center. 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 beau- 
 tiful 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 N^] 
 Mexico, and the view much finer. 
 
 It is a saying ni IMexico, when speaking of a spendthrift, 
 "He will never build a house of tiles." If houses of tiles 
 are evidence of thrift, Puebla slionld be noted, not for spend- 
 thrifts but for its successful financiers ; tiles are used every- 
 where. 
 
 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 un- 
 done one of the 
 features of a 
 tour of Mexico. 
 
 48 
 
SOUTH OVEK THE SOUTHERN. 
 
 THE Mexican Southern Railway opened up an entirely new field to the tourist- 
 traveler, and he who has traveled through Mexico and has not seen Oaxaca, 
 the Ruins of Mitla and Monte Alban, has not seen the most interesting part of this 
 interesting country. 
 
 Unlike any other railroad in Mexico, the Southern does not run high on the 
 table-lands and along the mountain sides, but follows the valleys, and, from a 
 scenic point of view, offers an innovation to the traveler's of other lines that have 
 looked down on the valleys below the tracks, till they came here to travel through 
 the valleys, and through one canon and barranca after another, looking up to the 
 overhanging cliffs and towering peaks that close in about the roadway till it seems 
 there is hardly room to pass between them. Here are the ever-running rivers to 
 complete the innovation from the dry, rocky beds of the rainy-season rivers of other 
 sections. The route of these rivers is the route of the road, and the two are com- 
 panions, hardly out of sight of each other for many miles. 
 
 Leaving Puebla the Mexican Southern Railroad runs almost due east, parallel 
 with the line of the Interoceanic Railway, across the plain as far as Amozoc. This 
 should be called the Valley of Churches. Look where you will, the tiled domes rise 
 above the plain. They are- in the villages, north, east, south and west, and every 
 hacienda has one of its own — picturesque to a degree, with the polished tiles of 
 many colors, as in the Puebla Valley and around Cholula. Looking backward, as 
 the train leaves the handsome station in Puebla, there is a view of the city, the forts 
 on the surrounding hills, and beyond them, to the westward, the pyramid of 
 Cholula; further, high against the western sky the volcanoes of Popocatepetl and 
 Ixtaceihuatl, and, to the northward, old Malintzi and the Cerro del Tecolote; then, 
 a little to the east of north, the sharp white peak of Orizaba rising above the hill 
 of Amaluea. 
 
 It is a slightly ascending grade from Puebla, with an altitude of 7,091 feet to 
 Amozoc, at 7,593 feet above the sea, and after leaving that station it is as con- 
 stantly descending, for more than a hundred and thirty-five miles, to Quiotepec, 
 and then it is up hill to Las Sedas, and again down hill to Oaxaca. 
 
 It was in the year of Montezuma's downfall that the conqueror, Cortez, sent 
 bands of men, here and there, to spy out the land he had invaded. He had deposed 
 the Aztec princes, and the Emperor was in chains, a humiliated slave to the Spanish 
 King. There was a lull in the wars, and the projects of peace claimed attention. 
 The open road of the sea at Vera Cruz left no ]irotection for the Spanish ships. A 
 surveying party proceeded down the coast, guided by a chart that Montezuma had 
 shown them, and found a harbor at the mouth of the great river Coatzacoalcos, that 
 offered safe and suitable ship room, A spot was selected for a fortified post, 
 and a detachment of a hundred and fifty men, under Velasquez de Leon, was sent 
 to form the colony. The route of Velasquez was direct to the southeast, through 
 the canons, down through the Valley of Oaxaca, where Cortez obtained a grant of 
 a large tract of land, and laid out plantations for the crown. The estate was soon 
 so prosperous that its value was more than twenty thousand ounces of gold. The 
 report gives detailed descriptions of large and beautiful edifices, and some of them 
 the most elaborate specimens of Indian architecture in the Province of Oaxaca. 
 
 49 
 
The princely domain comprehended more than twenty large towns and villages, 
 and 23,000 vassals. Of these large towns and villages, Mitla was one, and another 
 was Oaxaca. 
 
 The journey to the Ruins of Mitla is an early one, by rail to Oaxaca; thence, 
 over a wide road, hard beaten by much travel, through a valley almost treeless, 
 save where the verdure is along the banks of a little rio, or clusteied here and 
 there about an hacienda or straggling village, or on the sides of the mountains 
 which hedge this valley in, and help to make the journey a pleasant one, with 
 pretty pictures of scenic beauty. 
 
 Diligencias or carriages may be obtained at Oaxaca, and they will roll over the 
 broad road as easily and smoothly as on a street. The start should be made at a 
 ■convenient hour in the morning, not later than seven o'clock. This will bring you 
 to Mitla at two in the afternoon, and the return may be started at eight the next 
 morning; thus giving the afternoon and morning sun on the weird pictures of 
 the Ruins. ■ 
 
 Lunches may be taken from Oaxaca, but this is not absolutely necessary ; the 
 fonda at Tlacolula, the little more than half-way town, is surprisingly good, where 
 good coffee, excellent bread, and all the fruits, may be obtained, and at tlie hacienda 
 of the muy amable, Seflor Don Felix Quero, at Mitla, there are good beds, and an 
 excellent dinner is served by a genial host, who will welcome in cordiality and 
 speed the parting guest with good wishes, till you will, with the memories of the 
 wonders, the pleasant journey and the good, wishes, bless the day that you came to 
 Mitla. 
 
 The big tree of Tule is in the church-yard of Santa Maria del Tule. A great 
 grandfather of trees, tha,t must have been still a great tree long before the Span- 
 iards came, or even while the builders were at the temples of Mitla. It is 154 feet 
 and 2 inches around the trunk six feet from the ground, and, as a native says, "it 
 takes two looks to see the top." To give a better idea of its immense size, if 
 twenty-eight people with outstretched arms, touching each other's finger-tips, stood 
 around the trunk, they could barely complete the circuit. 
 
 It is only five minutes' walk from the hacienda at Mitla to the Ruins, through 
 a straggling village of thatched huts, through narrow streets hedged with giant 
 cacti, across a little rio, up a rocky hill, and you stand within the graven walls of 
 a temple that may be older than Solomon's. 
 
 This may have been one temple, or four. There are four walled courts facing 
 about an open patio, lying exactly at the four points of the compass, with their 
 walls on lines true to the needle. Of the southern court, only three of its walls are 
 standing. The east wall is in the best condition, next the north, while the south 
 is almost crumbled away. 
 
 The east court has only one of its walls standing, and two columns that are not 
 thrown down. Others, and the heavy cornice stones and cap pieces, lie at the base 
 of the wall. 
 
 The north court is in the finest state of preservation, and gives ample evidence of 
 the magnificent handiwork of the men of a buried and forgotten race whose civiliz- 
 ation is attested in the intricate carvings here; in theshapingof these stones; in the 
 lifting them from their quarries, and setting them in their places, as with a mason's 
 tact, that all the earth's tremblings have not shaken, nor the warring elements 
 effaced their gravings. The north court is built on the same plan with the others, 
 and its walls are in a most complete state. The entrances of all the courts open 
 into the patio in the center, with no openings at all in the outer walls. There are 
 no windows anywhere. The heavy cap-piece of the entrance to the north court is 
 supported in the center by a huge column of hewn stone. Under it leads a passage 
 underground that may extend to the other courts, as there is a subterranean gallery 
 running the entire length of the court, east and west, with a short extension due 
 north, and these may have existed, also, in the other courts of this great temple. 
 
 51 
 
As this court is the best preserved, it is also the most extensive part of the Ruins. 
 Above the ground, extending the entire lengtli, and immediately above the under- 
 ground gallery, is a grand corridor, called the Hall of the Monoliths. Here are six 
 massive columns, nearly seven feet in circumference and twelve feet high, ranging 
 down the center of the hall An underground passage leads to a second larger 
 room, whose walls also face the compass points. This room is surrounded by four 
 smaller ones, the one on the west side being in an almost complete state. The walls 
 are laid in the most intricate mosaics, of small pieces and of the most beautiful and 
 unique designs, fitted and put together without mortar or cement. 
 
 The ancient races of this land had no arches in their architecture, as is evidenced 
 by everything tliat is' left of their meager history, and here, over their square-cut 
 doorways, are magnificent monoliths, twelve to eighteen feet long, four to six feet 
 in width, and three to five feet in thickness. 
 
 Down the hill, towards the village, in the yard of one of the residences, discov- 
 ered within the year, is what the Indian guide calls " the sepulcher," now used as 
 a corn bin. It is about eight feet long and six feet wide, and below the level of 
 the ground. The architecture and cutting of the stone is exactly the same as in 
 the larger ruins on the hill. 
 
 OTHER RAILWAY LINES. 
 
 ryiHE Mexico, Cuernavaca & Pacific Railway is under construction southwest 
 
 1 from the City of Mexico to the Pacific coast. The route is through a won- 
 derfully picturesque region, rising from the plain to the surrounding mountains the 
 views are very beautiful. A most attractive day's outing may be made over this 
 road to Tres Marias or Cuernavaca, and further on as the track is completed down 
 into the State of Morelos. 
 
 The Hidalgo Railway runs northeast from the City of Mexico to Pachuca, with 
 branches and extensions to Tulancingo, Irolo and Zumpango. The great aqueduct 
 of Zempoala is seen from the cars on the Hidalgo road. 
 
 The Mexican Northern Railway runs from Escalon, on the Mexican Central, 
 to the mining town of Sierra Mojada. 
 
 The Sonora Railway runs from Benson, on the Southern Pacific, to Guaymas, 
 on the Gulf of California. 
 
 The Tehuantepec Railway runs from Coatzacoalcos, on the Gulf of Mexico, to 
 Tehuantepec, on the Pacific. 
 
 The Michoacan & Pacific Railway runs from Maravatio, on the Mexican 
 National, to Las Trojes. 
 
 The Mexican National Railway runs from the City of Mexico to Toluca, 
 Acambaro, with branch to Morelia antl Patzcuaro, thence again on the main line 
 to San Miguel, San Luis Potosi, Saltillo, Monterey and Laredo. 
 
 The Porvenir de Matehuala Railway runs from Matehuala to El Pilar, con- 
 nect ion from the Mexican National at Catorce. 
 
 The Monterey & Mexican Gulf Railway runs from Treviilo, on the Interna- 
 tional Railway, to Monterey and Tampico. 
 
 The Vanecjas, Cedral & Rio Verde Railway runs from Vanegas, on the Mex- 
 ican National Railway, to Matehuala. 
 
 The Nautla Railway connects with the Mexican Railway at San Marcos. 
 
 The Motzorongo Railway connects with the j\Iexican Railway at Cordoba. 
 
 The Tehuacan National Railway runs from Esperanza, on the Mexican Rail- 
 way, to Tehuacan. 
 
 The Alvarado Railway runs from Vera Cruz to Alvarado. 
 
 52 
 
HALL OP THE MOXOLITHS, MITLA. 
 
CUSTOMS AXD COSTUMES. 
 
 THE dress of the Mexican is a picturesque one, of which the wide sombrero is 
 the feature, often richly trinimed in gold or silver lace, with a crest or mono- 
 gram 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 zerajje 
 of many colors; a zerape is a blanket or shawl worn over the shoulders, thrown in 
 knightly fashion, wiih the fringed and tasseled end over the left shoulder. 
 Men of all classes wear the zerape. Coats are almost unknown, except among 
 the better classes. The principal and favorite part of a costume is the som- 
 retn. 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 liorseback in Mex- 
 ico is a picturesque figure in gold lace and buttons, and the ti'appings of 
 his horse and saddle are most elaborate. It is to be regretted that 
 
 J^ this style is giving place to the more modern American or English 
 ^ dress. 
 
 /^ There are dudes in Mexico. They call a dude " un lagartijo." 
 
 "^V He wears the most gold lace and buttons, the tightest trousers and 
 tlie widest hat. In other respects he differs not from the dude of 
 other countries, 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 or the hat or bonnet, and 
 the Spanish costume from shoulder to high-heeled pointed slipper. 
 The middle classes wear a black ("ajjff/o, a shawl which is both wrap 
 and head-gear ; the lower classes and Indian maidens Avear in the 
 same way a scarf of cotton, usually blue or brown ; this is the reboso. 
 Mexican women are almost without exception of fine form, healthy 
 and robust. There are thousands of pretty faces, of richest color, 
 long laslies, 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. Men 
 embrace their friends, and pat each other on the back. In passing 
 on the street say " buenos dias," or " adios — good-by." 
 
 Following the customs of their ancestors, the young people of Mexico 
 liave 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 ou his best girl, 
 as in this free and enlightened country. He must win her by jugando el oso — 
 playing the bear. 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 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 
 
 54 
 
her in the presence of another meinher 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 
 theater and on the cars, except in the sleeping cars; some ladies indulge, but the 
 custom is going out — though it is always the polite thing to offer your cigarette 
 case. Zvlexieo 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, " Pase, senor, " urgently put, till it is seen that 
 one must go first, and then age or rank or guest takes precedence. The salutations 
 on 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 " 3Ii 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, strata- 
 gems and spoils. Xo jacal is too humble but what its adobe walls 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. 
 
 As is generally known passports are not required in Mexico; the money of the 
 country is all that is required and only enough to pay expenses to the capital should 
 be purchased at the border. This may be done at the ticket offices of the railroads. 
 American money always commands a premium, and bank drafts are in demand. 
 Tlie rate of exchange iuay not be quoted here, as it is constantly changing. The 
 currency most in iise 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, exceiJt at a slight discount. 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 of reales are named in giving prices, dos reales, twenty-five cents; cuatro 
 reales, fifty cents; seis reales, seventy-five cents; unAun peso, one dollar. The 
 smallest copper coin is a tlaco, one and one-half cents, except the centavo, one cent 
 piece; a, eum'tilla is three cents; a, medio, six and one-fourth cents ; a rea/, 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 onzade oro, is sixteen dollars; the 
 media onza, eight dollars; th.Q 2yistola, 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 autitmn 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 en route, 
 and yet more amusing to observe the A'iolent struggles with the pronunciation and 
 the riotous efforts to make themselves understood. One calls attention to the 
 "jackals at Jimmy-nez," and is deeply chagrined when a more apt scholar advises 
 to say the "ha-kals at him-a-nez '' when the jacals at Jiminez are referred to. 
 
 When you learn the money, the numerals and how to put them together, and to 
 read a bill of fare, you can get along very well, especially with the aid of the bell- 
 
 55 
 
boy at the hotel, who will teach you more than the phrase-book about water, towels, 
 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, 
 and with this amount of Spanish education, a spring ovei'coat, and a light suit of 
 clothes, the tour of Mexico may be made without trouble. 
 
 Railway regulations are practically the same as in the United States as to pass- 
 age tickets and baggage. Round-trip tickets are on sale at all prominent points in 
 the United States all the year round, good to return within nine months of the date 
 of sale. Stop-over is permitted at any point in Mexico, allowing sixty days to com- 
 plete the going or returning journey. Children under 5 years of age free, between 
 5 and 12, half fare. 
 
 On each full ticket from the United States 150 pounds of baggage is carried free, 
 and 75 pounds on half tickets. On tickets purchased in Mexico, baggage is subject 
 to the local regulations of the railroads t^iere. Baggage from the United States may 
 be checked to the border only, as it is required to be examined by Mexican customs 
 officials, after which it may be checked to destination, the old law allowing a revi- 
 sion of baggage at each State line has been repealed. On arrival at the Ci^y of 
 Mexico a transfer agent will check baggage to hotels or residences; the other cities 
 are as yet without transfer companies, and baggage must be taken on the carriage 
 or entrusted to cargadores, licensed carriers, which is perfectly safe, but the num- 
 ber of the cargador's badge should be taken. 
 
 Holders of tourists tickets to California via the Southern Pacific Ry. may stop 
 off at San Antonio or El Paso and purchase excursion tickets to Mexico, going and 
 returning by the same or diverse routes at reduced rates, taking up their California 
 tickets again on the return. 
 
 The traveler can make himself more perfectly "at home" in a Mexican hotel 
 than anywhere in the world, for once assigned to a room he is left severely alone. 
 After you have registered and have been assigned to a room, the proprietor writes 
 your name on a blackboard on the wall and goes about his business, if he has any. 
 
 Your room has an iron bedstead ; a simple bedstead, perhaps, and it may have 
 springs, but sometimes 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, 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 palatial, but 
 the emperor's furniture is not used, and the emperor is not there. 
 
 The Jardin was once' a monastery, and many other hotels rejoice in some incident 
 of history or legei^d, but have been modernized and are improving all the time, till 
 now it is possible to find good living in most of the cities and towns. Mexican 
 hotels are for the most part on the European plan, but arrangements may be made 
 to suit the wishes of the traveler. 
 
 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. 
 
 56 
 
Compliments 
 
 Ql SUNSET 
 
 ^ £mpp^ 
 
 SUNSET ROUTE 
 
LW 1'., -^^' 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 017 508 485 A