The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-19 00:00:00

MEXICO AS IT WAS.

Mexico, considering its size, is one of the least populate d
countries in the world. With but few exceptions, the old
Spanish colonies, since they have proclaimed their indepen-
dence, and become free republics, having been constantly
engaged in war with each other, or in overthrowing the
government they themselves elected, have seen all the ties
attaching families to the soil broken in turn. Foreigners,
no longer finding the necessary safety for their speculations
in countries incessantly troubled by revolutions, have gone
away. Trade has been annihilated ; commerce has fallen
into a state of atrophy ; and the population has frightfully
decreased, with such rapidity that sensible men, who sought
remedy for this incurable evil, called emigration to the help
of these states, which nothing can galvanize, and which
only possess a factitious existence.

Unfortunately, the Hispano-Amorican race is essentially
haughty and jealous. Poor fellows, who let themselves be
seduced by the brilliant promises made them, and who con-
sented to cross the sea to settle in this country, found on
their arrival, and especially in Mexico, an ill- disguised
hatred and contempt, which was display ed in all classes of
society by ill-will and aversion. Hence, being disgusted
by their reception, and recognising the slight trust they
could place in the promises of the men who had summoned
them, they hastened to leave a country in which they had
only found unjust prejudices and deplorable ill faith, and
went to ask of the United States the protection refused them
by those who had so pressingly summoned them.
Mexico, in spite of a certain varnish of civilisation, the
last reminiscences of the Spanish occupation, which may
still be found in the large cities and their environs, is, there-
fore, in reality plunged into a state of barbarism relatively
greater than it was fifty years ago. The Pacific States,
especially being less frequently visited by strangers, and
left, as it were, to themselves, have retained a peculiar
physiognomy, whose picturesque savageness and rough
manners would cause the tourist's heart to beat with joy, if
ever a tourist ventured into these countries; but which
inspires an involuntary fear, justified, however, by every-
thing the traveller, forced to visit this land on business,
witnesses.

In Europe and all civilised countries, the means of trans-
port are numerous and convenient, but in Mexico only one
is known—the horse. In the Central States, and those
which run along the Atlantic seaboard, some towns possess
diligences, which change horses at the tantbos, a species of
inn, where the travellers stop to pass the night. But these
tambos and mesons, which possess a great resemblance to
Sicilian hostelries and Spanish yentas, supply absolutely
nothing to the guests they shelter, excepting a roof, reduced
to its simplest expression; that is to say, the traveller is
compelled to take his bed with him, in addition to provi-
sions, if he does not wish to sleep wrapped up in his cloak.
The narrative, as we have said, is full of adventure.
Spaniazds, Mexicans, redskins, hunters, and ban-
ditti of the prairi,Js appear upon the scene ; and,
while the Mexican Don Rufino and the bandit
Kidd are specimens of almost incredible base-
ness and treachery, Stronghand the hero,
together with his father, " the disin-
herited" Spanish grandea and Indian chieftain,
are inspired by sentiments of chivalry and magna-
nimity, only to be found in the breasts of heroes.
In 1811, about 29 years before the actual story com-
mences, Don Rudolfo de Tubaz, the eldest son of
the Marquis de Tobaz, had returned to his paternal
home to find that his younger brother Hernando
had usurped his place and robbed him of his father's
affection. The young heir was summoned to meet
his parents in "the Red Room," a chamber of awful
omen ;