Mexico and its Religion | Page 2

that I have presented of the inexhaustible supplies of silver in Northern Mexico, near the route of our proposed Pacific Railroad, may be interesting to legislators. These masses of silver lie as undisturbed by their present owners as did the Mexican discoveries of gold in California before the American conquest, from the inertness of the local population, and the want of facilities of communication with the city of Mexico.
The notion that the Mormons are destined to overrun Mexico is, of course, only an inference drawn from the exact parallel that exists between the circumstances under which this delusion has arisen and propagated itself and the history of Mohammedanism from its rise until it overran the degenerated Christians of the Eastern empire.
From want of space, I have been obliged to omit much valuable original matter procured for me by officers of government at the palace of Mexico, to whom, for the kind attention that I have upon all occasions received from them, I heartily return my most sincere thanks.
R. A. WILSON.
Rochester, September 1st, 1855.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Arrival at Vera Cruz.--Its appearance from the Steamer.--Getting Ashore.--Within the City.--Throwing Stones at an Image.--Antiquity of Vera Cruz.--Its Commerce.--The great Norther of 1852.--A little Steamer rides out the Tempest.--The Vomito, or Yellow Fever.--Ravages of the Vomito.--The Vomito brought from Africa in Slave-ships.--A curious old Book.--Our Monk arrives at Vera Cruz, and what befalls him there.--Life in a Convent.--A nice young Prior.--Our Monk finds himself in another World 15
CHAPTER II.
An historical Sketch.--Truth seldom spoken of Santa Anna.--Santa Anna's early Life.--Causes of the Revolution.--The Virgin Mary's Approval of King Ferdinand.--The Inquisition imprisons the Vice-King.--Santa Anna enters the King's Army.--The plan of Iguala.--The War of the two Virgins.--Santa Anna pronounces for Independence 30
CHAPTER III.
Incidents of Travel.--The Great Road to the Interior.--Mexican Diligences.--The Priest was the first Passenger robbed.--The National Bridge.--A Conducta of Silver.--Our Monk visits Old Vera Cruz.--They grant to the Indians forty Years of Indulgence in return for their Hospitality.--The Artist among Robbers.--Mexican Scholars in the United States.--Encerro 39
CHAPTER IV.
Jalapa.--The extraordinary Beauty and Fertility of this Spot.--Jalap, Sarsaparilla, Myrtle, Vanilla, Cochineal, and Wood of Tobasco.--The charming Situation of Jalapa.--Its Flowers and its Fruits.--Magnificent Views.--The tradition that Jalapa was Paradise.--A speck of War.--The Marriage of a Heretic.--A gambling Scene in a Convent 52
CHAPTER V.
The War of the Secret Political Societies of Mexico.--The Scotch and the York Free-Masons.--Anti-Masons.--Rival Classes compose Scotch Lodges.--The Yorkinos.--Men desert from the Scotch to the York Lodges.--Law to suppress Secret Societies.--The Escoc��s, or Scotch Masons, take up arms.--The Battle.--Their total Defeat 68
CHAPTER VI.
Mexico becomes an Empire.--Santa Anna deposes the Emperor.--He proclaims a Republic.--He pronounces against the Election of Pedraza, the second President.--His Situation in the Convent at Oajaca.--He captures the Spanish Armada.--And is made General of Division 73
CHAPTER VII.
In the Stage and out of the Stage.--Still climbing.--A moment's View of all the Kingdoms of the World.--Again in Obscurity.--The Maguey, or Century Plant.--The many uses of the Maguey.--The intoxicating juice of the Maguey.--Pulque.--Immense Consumption of Pulque.--City of Perote.--Castle of San Carlos de Perote.--Starlight upon the Table-land.--Tequisquita.--"The Bad Land."--A very old Beggar.--Arrive at Puebla 79
CHAPTER VIII.
Pueblo.--The Miracle of the Angels.--A City of Priests.--Marianna in Bronze.--The Vega of Puebla.--First View of the Pyramid of Cholula.--Modern Additions to it.--The View from its Top.--Quetzalcoatl.--Cholula and Tlascala.--Cholula without the Poetry.--Indian Relics 88
CHAPTER IX.
A Ride to Popocatapetl.--The Village of Atlizco.--The old Man of Atlizco and the Inquisition.--A novel Mode of Escape.--An avenging Ghost.--The Vice-King Ravillagigedo.--The Court of the Vice-King and the Inquisition.--Ascent of Popocatapetl.--How a Party perished by Night.--The Crater and the House in it.--Descent into the Crater.--The Interior.--The Workmen in the Volcano.--The View from Popocatapetl.--The first White that climbed Popocatapetl.--The Story of Corchado.--Corchado converts the Volcano into a Sulphur-mine 101
CHAPTER X.
Texas.--Battle of Madina.--First Introduction of Americans into Texas.--Usurpation of Bustamente.--Texas owed no Allegiance to the Usurper.--The good Faith of the United States in the Acquisition of Louisiana and Texas.--Santa Anna pronounces against Bustamente.--Santa Anna in Texas.--A Mexican's Denunciation of the Texan War.--His Idea of our Revolution.--He complains of our grasping Spirit.--The right of the United States to occupy unsettled Territory.--A few more Pronunciamientos of Santa Anna.--The Adventures of Santa Anna to the present Date. 113
CHAPTER XI.
From Puebla to Mexico.--The Dread of Robbers.--The Escort.--Tlascala.--The Exaggerations of Cort��z and Bernal Diaz.--The Truth about Tlascala.--The Advantages of Tlascala to Cort��z.--Who was Bernal Diaz.--Who wrote his History.--First View of Mexico. 122
CHAPTER XII.
Acapulco.--The Advantages of a Western Voyage to India.--The great annual Fair of Acapulco.--The Village and Harbor of Acapulco.--The War of Santa Anna and Alvarez.--The Retreat.--Traveling alone and unarmed.--The Peregrino Pass.--Quiricua and Cretinism.--Chilpanzingo.--An ill-clad Judge.--Iguala.--Alpayaca.--Cuarnavaca. 132
CHAPTER XIII.
California.--Pearl Fisheries.--Missions.--Indian Marriages.--Villages.--Precious Metals.--The Conquest of California compared with that of Mexico.--Upper California under the Spaniards.--Mexican Conquest of California in 1825.--The March.--The Conquest.--California under the Mexicans.--American Conquest.--Sinews of foreign Wars.--A Protestant and religious War.--Early Settlers compared.--Mexico in the Heyday of Prosperity.--Rich Costume of the Women.--Superstitious Worship.--When I first saw California.--Lawyers without