Mexico and its Religion | Page 4

Power of Assassination.--Educating the People robs the Priest.--Making and adoring Images.--The Progress downward 319
CHAPTER XXIX.
Causes that have diminished the Religios--The Provincials and Superiors of Convents.--The perfect Organization.--The Monks.--San Franciscans.--Dominicans.--Carmelites.--The well-reputed Orders.--The Jesuits.--The Nuns.--How Novices are procured.--Contrasted with a Quaker Prison.--The poor deluded Nun.--A good old Quaker Woman not a Saint.--Protestantism felt in Mexico 330
CHAPTER XXX.
The Necessity of large Capitals in Mexico.--The Finances and Revenue.--The impoverished Creditors of the State.--Princely Wealth of Individuals 348
CHAPTER XXXI.
Visit to Pachuca and Real del Monte.--Otumba and Tulanzingo.--The grand Canal of Huehuetoca.--The Silver Mines of Pachuca.--Hakal Silver Mines.--Real del Monte Mines.--The Anglo-Mexican Mining Fever.--My Equipment to descend a Mine.--The great Steam-pump.--Descending the great Shaft.--Galleries and Veins of Ore.--Among the Miners one thousand Feet under Ground.--The Barrel Process of refining Silver.--Another refining Establishment 352
CHAPTER XXXII.
A Visit to the Refining-mills.--The Falls and basaltic Columns of Regla.--How a Title is acquired to Silver Mines.--The Story of Peter Terreros, Count of Regla.--The most successful of Miners.--Silver obtained by fusing the Ore.--Silver "benefited" upon the Patio.--The Tester of the Patio.--The chemical Processes employed.--The Heirs of the Count of Regla.--The Ruin caused by Civil War.--The History of the English Company 362
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Toluca.--Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas.--Fresnillo.--"Romancing."--A lucky Priest.--San Luis Potosi.--The Valenciana at Guanajuato.--Under-mining.--A Name of Blasphemy.--The Los Rayas.--Immense Sums taken from Los Rayas.--Warlike Indians in Zacatecas. 372
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Sonora and Sonora Land Speculators seeking Annexation.--Sonora and its Attractions.--The Abundance and Purity of Silver in Sonora.--Silver found in large Masses.--The Jesus Maria, Refugio, and Eulalia Mines.--A Creation of Silver at Arizpa.--The Pacific Railroad.--Sonora now valueless for want of personal Security.--The Hopes of replenishing the Spanish Finances from Sonora blasted by War.--Report of the Mineria.--Sonora.--Chihuahua 382
APPENDIX.
A. Mineria Report on the Mineral Riches of Sonora 391
B. Report on the Mineral Riches of Chihuahua 398
C. Report on the Mineral Riches of Coahuila 400
D. Report on the Mineral Riches of Lower California 402
E. The Remains of Cortéz 405

MEXICO AND ITS RELIGION.
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.
It was a stormy evening in the month of November, 1853, when the noble steamship Texas cast anchor in the open roadstead of Vera Cruz, under the lee of the low island on which stands the famous fortress of San Juan de Ulua. Hard by lay a British vessel ready to steam out into the teeth of the storm, as soon as the officers should receive from us a budget of newspapers. We were too late to obtain a permit to land that evening, so that we lay tossing at our anchors all night, and until the sun and the shore-boats appeared together on the morning following.
VERA CRUZ.
The finest view of Vera Cruz is from the harbor; and the best time to look upon it is when a bright sun, just risen above a watery horizon, is reflected back from the antiquated domes and houses, which are visible above the old massive city wall.
Soon we were in one of the canoes alongside, and were quickly transported to the mole, on which we landed, among bales of cotton and bundles of freight that encumbered it. The iron gate of the city was now opened, and we passed through it, mixed up in the crowd of bare-footed "cargadores" or porters, who were carrying upon their backs bales of cotton, and depositing them in various piles in front of the custom-house. How quietly and quickly these cargadores do their work! and what great power of muscle they have acquired by long application at this laborious calling!
[Illustration: VERA CRUZ.]
What a contrast does this city present to New Orleans, which we had left only four days before! Instead of the noise and bustle of a commercial emporium, all here is as quiet and as cleanly as a church-yard. Even the chiming of bells for the dying and the dead, which so incessantly disturbs the living by night and day in the season of the "vomito" or yellow fever, is no longer heard, for it is the healthy season--the season of "Northers." The only noise is the little bells upon the necks of the donkeys, that are carrying about kegs of water for family use. The chain-gang have completed their morning task of cleansing the streets and gutters, and as they are led away to their breakfast, a clank now and then of their chain reminds the traveler that crime has been as busy here as in more bustling cities. Morning mass is over, and bonnetless women of low and high degree are returning to their homes; some