Life in Mexico | Page 6

THE THIRTY-EIGHTH
New Minister--San Angel--Profitable Pulque Estate--The Village-- Surrounding Scenery--The Indians--The Padre--The Climate--Holy Week in the Country--Dramatic Representations--Coyohuacan--The Pharisees--Image of the Saviour--Music and Dresses--Procession-Catholicism amongst the Indians-- Strange Tradition--Paul the Fifth--Contrast between a Mexican and a New England Village--Love of Fireworks--Ferdinand the Seventh--Military Ball-- Drapeaux
LETTER THE THIRTY-NINTH
Holy Thursday at Coyohuacan--Hernan Cortes--His Last Wishes--_Padres Camilas_-Old Church--Procession--Representation of the Taking of Christ-- Curate's Sermon under the Trees--A Religious Drama--Good Friday--Portable Pulpit--Heat--Booths--Religious Procession--Simon the Cyrenian--Costumes-- Curate's Sermon--Second Discourse--Sentence Pronounced by Pontius Pilate-- Descent from the Cross--Procession of the Angels--Funeral Hymn--The Pesame to the Virgin--Sermon--"Sweet Kitty Clover"--Music in Mexico-- Anecdote
LETTER THE FORTIETH
Balloon--San Bartolo--Indian Women--A Beauty--Different Castes--Indians-- Their Character, etc.--Those of Noble Race--Ball at the French Minister's --_Abecilla_--Danger of Walking Unattended--Shooting Party--A Murder-- Robbery of a Farmhouse--Discomfited Robber Captain--The "_Zambos_"-- Letters and Visitors--Country Life in Mexico
LETTER THE FORTY-FIRST
Gambling--Fête at San Agustin--Breakfast at San Antonio--Report--Cock- fight--Ladies--Private Gambling--A _Vaca_--The _Calvario_--Bonnets-- Dinner--Evening Ball--Mingling of Classes--Copper Tables--Dresses and Decorations--Indian Bankers, Male and Female--Decorum--Habit--Holders of Banks--Female Gambler--Robbery--Anecdote--Bet--_Casa de Moneda_--Leave San Angel--Celebration--Address--Cross and Diploma--Reply--Presentation of a Sword--Discourses and Addresses--Reflections
LETTER THE FORTY-SECOND
Italian Opera--Artists, Male and Female--Prima Donna--Lucia di Lammermoor --Some Disappointment--Second Representation--Improvement--Romeo and Giulietta--La Ricci--La Se?ora Cesari--The Mint--False Coining--Repetition of Lucia--Procession by Night--A Spanish Beauty--Discriminating Audience-- A little _too simple_--Gold Embroidery--Santiago--Pilgrims--Old Indian Custom--Soiree--Mexico by Moonlight--Mysterious Figure--Archbishop-- Viceroy
LETTER THE FORTY-THIRD
Revillagigedo--The False Merchant and the Lady--The Viceroy, the Unjust Spaniard, the Indian, and the Golden Ounces--Horrible Murder--Details-- Oath--Country Family--The Spot of Blood--The Mother Unknowingly Denounces her Son--Arrest of the _Three_--Confession--Execution--The Viceroy fulfils his Pledge--Paving of the Streets--Severity to the Monks--Solitary Damsel--Box on the Ear--Pension--Morning Concert--New Minister-"Street of the Sad Indian"--Traditions--A Farewell Audience--Inscription on a Tomb
LETTER THE FORTY-FOURTH
Agitation--Storm--Revolution--Manifesto--Resembling a Game of Chess-- Position of the Pieces--Appearance of the City--Firing--State of Parties-- Comparisons--"_Comicios_"--The People--Congress--Santa Anna--Amnesty Offered--Roaring of Cannon--Proclamation--Time to _Look at Home_--The Will of the Nation--Different Feelings--Judge's House Destroyed--The Mint in Requisition--Preparations--Cannonading--"_Los Enanos_"
LETTER THE FORTY-FIFTH
Leave Mexico--Travelling Equipage--San Xavier--Fine Hacienda-- Millionaires--Well-educated Ladies--Garden, etc.--Tlanapantla--Indian Hut --Mrs. Ward--Do?a Margarita--The _Pronunciamiento_--False Step--Santa Anna in Puebla--Neutrality--General Paredes--President in Tlanapantla--Tired Troops--Their March--Their Return--Curate's House--Murder--General Paredes in the Lecheria--President in Tlanapantla--A Meeting--Return of the President and his Troops--General Paredes and his Men--Santa Anna in Tacubaya--A Junction--President in Mexico--_Allied Sovereigns_--Plan-- Articles--President declares for Federalism--Resigns--Results-- Hostilities--Capitulation--Triumphal Entry--_Te Deum_--New Ministry
LETTER THE FORTY-SIXTH
Santa Monica--Solidity--Old Paintings--Anachronism--Babies and Nurses from the Cuna--Society--Funds-Plan--Indian Nurses--Carmelite Convent--Midnight Warning--Old Villages and Churches--Indian Bath--San Mateo--The Lecheria-- Fertility--_Molino Viego_--Dulness--Religious Exercises--Return to Mexico --Mexican Hotel--New Generals--Disturbances--General Bustamante-- Inconvenience--Abuses in the Name of Liberty--Verses--Independence celebrated
LETTER THE FORTY-SEVENTH
Opera--Santa Anna and his Suite--His Appearance--_Belisario_--Solitary "Viva!"--Brilliant House--Military Dictatorship--San _Juan de Dios_-- Hospital _de Jesús_--_Cuna_--Old Woman and Baby--Different Apartments-- Acordada--Junta--Female Prisoners--Chief Crime--_Travaux Forces_-- Children--Male Prisoners--_For?ats_--Soldiers Gambling--Chapel-- Confessional--Insane Hospital--Frenchmen--Different Kinds of Insanity-- Kitchen--Dinner--Insane Monk--"Black Chamber"--Soldiers--College--Santa Anna's Leg--Projects--All Saints--Se?ora P---a--Leave-takings
LETTER THE FORTY-EIGHTH
Leave Mexico--Diligence--Indian Padre--Brandy-drinking Female--Bad Roads-- Beautiful View--Escort--Good Breakfast--Crosses--Robber's Head--Select Party--Lerma--Valley of Toluca--Hacienda--Toluca--Count de B---- and Mr. W------The Commandant--Gay Supper--Colonel Y------Day at Toluca--Journey to _La Gabia_--Heat and Hunger--Pleasant Quarters--Princely Estate--El Pilar--A Zorillo--A Wolf--Long Journey--Tortillas--Count de B------State of Michoacán--Forest Scenery--_Trojes of Angangueo_--Comfort
LETTER THE FORTY-NINTH
Leave _Trojes_--Beautiful Territory--Tarrascan Indians--Taximaroa-- Distressed Condition--An Improvement--Cold Morning--Querendaro--Fine Breed of Horses--San Bartolo--Produce--Country Proprietors--_Colear_--Ride to Morelia--Wild Ducks--Sunset--Cathedral Bell--Cuincho--Curates Morelos, Matamoros, and Hidalgo--Warm Baths--Handsome Girls--Starving Travellers-- Lost Mules--Lancers--Night on a Heap of Straw--Mules Found--Tzintzontzan-- King Calsonsi--Pascuaro--Kind Reception--Bishop--Robbers--Curu--Night in a Barn--Mountain--Uruapa--Enchanting Scenery--Pleasant Family--Jorulla
LETTER THE FIFTIETH
Indian Dresses--Saints--Music--Union of Tropical and European Vegetation-- Old Customs--Falls of the Sararaqui--Silkworms--Indian Painting--Beautiful Heroine--Leave Uruapa--Tziracuaratiro--Talkative Indian--Alcalde's House-- Pascuaro--Old Church--Mosaic Work--The Lake--The Cave--Fried Fish--Rich Indians--Convent--Cuincho--Darkness--Morelia--Alameda--Cathedral--Silver --Waxworks--College--Wonderful Fleas
LETTER THE FIFTY-FIRST
San Bartolo--Mass--Markets--Rancheros--San Andrés--Insanity--Rancho--House of Don Carlos Heimburger--Wild Scenery--German Songs--Las Millas--Leave taking--Storm--Rainbow--El Pilar--La Gabia--Toluca--News--Copper _Pronunciamiento_--Return to Mexico--General Moran--Funeral Obsequies--New Theatre--_Cock's Mass_--Santa Clara--Santa Fe Prisoners--New Year
LETTER THE FIFTY-SECOND
Last Day in Mexico--Theatre--Santa Anna--French Minister's--Parting-- Diligence--Last Look of Mexico--Fatigue--Robbers--Escort--Second Impressions--Baths at Jalapa--Vera Cruz--Some Account of San Juan de Ulua --Siege of 1825--Siege of 1838--General Bustamante--Theatre--Of the North Winds
LETTER THE FIFTY-THIRD
Sail in the Tyrian--Norther off Tampico--The Bar--The River Panuco--The Pilot--The Shore--Alligator--"_Paso de Do?a Cecilia_"--Tampico--Spanish Consul's House--Society--Navigation--Banks of the Panuco--Extraordinary Inoculation--The "_Glorieta_"--Leave Tampico--Furious Norther--Voyage-- Arrival at Havana
LETTER THE FIFTY-FOURTH
Havana--The Carnival--The Elssler--La Angosta--Ingenio of Count V---a-- General Bustamante--Lord Morpeth--Leave Havana--Voyage in the Medway--Old Friends--Return to the United States

PREFACE
The present work is the result of observations made during a two years' residence in Mexico, by a lady, whose position there made her intimately acquainted with its society, and opened to her the best sources of information in regard to whatever could interest an enlightened foreigner. It consists of letters written to the members of her own family, and, really, not intended originally--however incredible the assertion--for publication. Feeling a regret that such rich stores of instruction and amusement, from which I have so much profited, myself, should be reserved for the eyes of a few friends only, I strongly recommended that they should be given to the world. This is now done, with a few such alterations and omissions as were necessary in a private correspondence; and although the work would derive more credit from the author's own name, than from anything which I can say, yet as she declines prefixing it, I feel much pleasure in making this statement by way of