The Sun.
London, England, 1823-08-22 00:00:00

CITY OF MEXICO.

The following account of the appearance of the
City of Alexico, by an American Citizen, is
copied from the Kentucky Reporter: —" The
architecture of Mexico is truly splendid, and the
buildings massive beyond conception. Houses of
from six to seven hundred feet square, and occu-

pied by a single family, are not uncommon.—
Their. walls are all of volcanic stone, well plas-
tered over and whitewashed, and many of the
houses beautifully painted without and within.—
They are built to last for ever, and. in conse-
quence of their being scarcely a particle of wood
in the whole fabric, are fire-proof. The stair
steps are marble, the railings and balustrades of
iron and brass, and the floors of marble or tile.—
The doors are plated over with sheet-iron, or
copper, and the windows are like those of a prison,
without shutters, and secured by strong grates of
iron. These wonderful, buildings, together with
the great regularity and wideness of the streets,
their elegant pavements, and fine sewers, gave to
the city an appearance which as far surpassed my
expectation as the country around fell below it.
The Church put up by Cortez looks new, and un-
defaced in any part. Their splendid cathedral cost
the work of 90 years constant labour. One hun-
dred thousand dollars is,in our country, thought

an extravagant price for the building of a house,
while here one million is not unfrequently expend-
ed. In short, there is no city in the world that can
compare with it in number of fine buildings. It is
true,that in magnitude it falls far below many cities
ofsthe old world, and is probably but little supe-
rior to that of Philadelphia and New York;
though, notwithstanding, is has the advantage of
all others in one respect, there not. being an in-
different building in it. The city has a perma-
nent population of one hundred and thirty-seven
thousand ; one-fourth of which have no habita-
tion,- but pass their existence in the open streets.
At present there is a temporary influx, probably,
of one thousand of the latter description of po-
pulation. The valley of Anahauc, of which
Humboldt speaks as being so spacious and, well-
cultivated, is scarcely entitled to the name of a
valley. It is a narrow strip' of country, closely
bordered with bills and mountains, covered with
volcanic rocks and barren sands. There is not
oue sprig of native timber, neither on the hills
nor in the valley, near the city. Nor is this ow-
ing to the lands being cultivated, (for there is
more than one-half untillable) but to the ex-
treme sterility of the soil, which in many places
consists of dry sand ; and as there are eight
months in it year during which it never rains,
whatever little vegetation there is beomes as dry
as a crisp.. The Indians pack brambles, coal,
and mule's dung the distance of many leagues
upon their backs, and sell it as fuel for cooking;
for the inhabitants make no other use of fire,
there not being a chimney nor fire-place in the
empire. Mexico has a vegetable market not
inferior to any in the world. These vegetables
are cultivated upon what Humboldt very er-
roneously denominated " 4 floating gardens."
These floating gardens are spots of ground, re-
claimed from the swamp on the borders of the
lake, by.digging ditches and canals in ditTerent
directions, intersecting each other ; thus affording
a free passage for boats and stiffs to pass in every
direction from patch to patch—these are the
Baron's ' floating gardens,' as firmly fixed as the
island of Cuba. There is moisture enough to
support vegetation the whole year round, and
three or four crops of some species are raised.
But when Humboldt speaks of three or four crops
of corn and wheat upon any otisur part of the high
ground or table land, he does it without autho-
rity; for during the dry season of eight months,
it is well known that there is not humidity. suffi-
cient. The learned man's observations on the
features and agriculture of the country are, as all
modern travellers agree, very inaccurate. Owing
to a want of timber, there is not a fence in all
the country, and ditching is useless, for the clouds
of sand which drift before the wind soon fill them
up. The farmers, therefore, have herdsmen, who
watch the stock day and night. Mexico is over-
stopped by mountains on three skies, and the
volcanos Popcatepett and Iztecceinatt, clad in
eternal snows, rear their hoary heads full in
front. The ladies, in appearance and manners,
are not so pleasing as the gentlemen. They
are, in general, of dark complexion, with coarse
features, and countenances expressive neither of
intelligence nor refined feeling. They are all critics
upon bull and cock fighting,the two favourite sports
of all classes. Op one occasion I attended a bull-
baiting, where there were about 20,000 persons
collected to witness the spurt. It commenced at
3 P AL, and by six o'clock there were six bulls
and four horses killed ; several were led from omthe
ring with their bowels trailing on the ground,
while others, with their riders, were much maim-
ed. This sight seemed to give life and anima.
lion to the ladies, and, excited immoderate
laughter. They are all, young and old, smokers
of tobacco ; and the first civility offered the visit-
ant is a segnr and and invitation to puff with
them. Mexico at this time exhibits a scene of
horror and human degradation. The streets are
throughout the day crowded•with beggars, and
at night with prostitutes and assassins. The
mines, in consequence of the violence of the
Government, and rapacity of the rulers who
seized on all the wealth taken from them, have
been neglected. Enterprising capitalists from
the country have left it, and carried with them
their wealth ; while others who had money out
have called it in; and hoarded it for safe keep-
ing,—thus leaving time country almost without
money„ and reducing many to acts they would
scorn in better times : Colonels and priests. are
now to be found arnong the most importunate
beggars. Intellectual cultivation is almost at
a low ebb, and has ever been greatly inforior to
what we have been led to believe. Upon my in-
gulling of an intelligent friend sometime resident
in the city, and who is writing the history of the
the country, what the present state of intellectual
and moral improvement was, and whether it had
ever been such as are described by Humboldt, ho
answered me as follows,—' Baron Humboldt's
History of New Spain, extracted from his mathe-
matical demonstrations, his statistics and philo-
-4 sophical observations, may be compared to the

picture of a deformed object ; unless, indeed,
the physical as well as intellectnal charaiter of
the country, has, since he wrote, been totally
subverted. About 84 in 100 persons," con-
tinued he, "' are natives and casts of different
gradations ; 80 in 100 may read, a smaller num-
ber may write., Born, bred, and educated in the
grossest idolatery, a liberal, sound sense of re-
ligion is unknown ; and when I have proposed
to the clergy the gratuitous distribution of the
Holy Evangelists, to the extent of a thousand
copies, I have been told that the book was inter-
dicted, and it was observed that the people
were more happy in ignorance. Assassinations
are common in the streets, yet I have never
heard of a punishment nor complaint.'—Notwith-
standing the number of the aged, the blind, the
dumb, the decrepid, and maimed of all ages, sex
and colours, who invest the streets for alms, I
hear of no charitable institution for their relief ;

and the expression of pity, compassion, or hu-
manity had never struck my ears from man or
woman. As to intelligence, what can be expected
from people secluded from the world, and prohi-
bited the use of books ? Will mere scholastic
acquirements, scattered with a sparing hand,
convey to the mind useful knowledge or practical
information ? No 1 ninety in one hundred are
buried in the profoundest ignorance, without
morals, manners, or a ray of intellectual improve-
ment. Thefts, falsehood, fraud, gambling, and.
fornication, are familiar, and excite neither dis-
gust nor horror, and with the excepticut of the
first and third imputations, pervade all ranks and
professions, from the purpled Bishop and the be-
spangled Murquesa, down to the strolling men-
dicant. Can such a benighted race step sudden-
ly into a free and representative Govermnent—
the bases of which are moral principle, intellec-
tual light, private virtue, and public spirit ?
Alas! I must negative the proposition.-1 will
add a few observations on the tract of country
lying between Tampico and the city of Mexico.
This tract is one hundred and twently leagues in
extent, the greater part of which is a perfect wil-
derness, inhabited alone 11y wolves, tigers, pan-
thers, and monkeys. In passing it the traveller
must procure mules (horses are not sure-footed
enough for the road), a muteleer and guide, and
pack all the necessaries of life. The scenery
of this tract is truly romantic and sublime—the
road winding through deep and dark chasms, or
over mountains the most precipitous and elevated
of the Eastern Cordilleras. The traveller, after
leaving the coasts, finds himself gradually ascend-
ing till he attains an elevation of from 3,000 to
5,000 feet. This is the usual height of heavy land
clouds, and as there is but little variation in alti-
tude for the next hundred miles, he is every even-
ing enveloped in clouds and heavy dews. This re-
gion is handsomely variegated, and the scenery
beautiful beyond conception. The timber Is
palm, interspersed with groves of thick foliage,
and under shubbary of, citrons, limes, lemons,
and oranges, all 'native, which strew the ground
with, their fruits. The roads, after leaving this
region of palm, ascends briskly through oak land
to that of pine. Mountains now rise on MOUti•
tams, till they majestically tower above the
clouds. The traveller is now compensated for
what he sulFered from the humidity of the atmos-
phere below—for he can sit In a clear and serene
sunshine and look down upon the clouds, and
lightning, and storms that pass In terrible array
many thousand feet beneath him. Here might
the poet contemplate with rapture the sublime
works of nature,, and the painter pourtray her
most wonderful, rude, and majestic featurelx
The track on some of those peaks is so earror'
as scarely to afford room for a single mule to
pass; in consequence of which the muleteers
have taken the precaution to bell their mulesS
and such as going from the city, hearing the
bells, await the passage of those travelling to-
wards it. Previously to this regulation there vc as
much confusion, and those poor beasts were not
unfrequently precipitated from the road, nod
with their packs dashed to pieces against the
rocks below. On passing those straits for the
first time, you are seized with a vertigo, Aile
the awful sublimity of the scenery around part'.
lyses the movement of the feet."

FAMILY TlTtr French Seigneur in the "olden time's
was so proud of his birth and of the antiquity of his family;
that he ordered a representation to be made on tapestry, lu
which a porter was seen issuing from Noah'i ark, carrying a
load of. parchments and titles of noblesse belonging to his an•
tediluvtan ancestors.
13OROUGII rom the many
escapes which hive been effected lately from the
Borough Compter, the attention of the Gaol
Committee has been drawn to the state of that
prison, and a report made on that subject; and
we understand, that Mr. MONTAGU, the City Sur..
veyor, is at present engaged-in preparing an esti.-
mate of expellees for heightening the outward
wall, and otherwise placing the prison in a more
efficient state of security.
Yesterday morning, about eleven o'clock, the
shop front anti entablature of n'glOver's shop near Southampton.
street, Strand, fell out into the street : an elderley man passing
by at the time, was knocked down, and his leg broken, and it
is feared his thigh also. ' lie was immediately pjaeal in a
coach, and conveyed to St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

BIRTHS.
On Thursday, tbe. 21st inst., in Devonshire-street, Portlark
place the Ladyeof Octavius recne, Esq., of 'a daughter.
()tithe 17th inst., the Lady Sophia 'Macdonald, of a cloghtero

.
MA BRIE D.
Yesterday; at St. George's, Hanover-square, Edward Crow'.•
ley, Esq., to Mary, only daughter of Jonathan Sparrow, DPP,
of West-hill, Wandsworth. -
On the `3lst inst., at St. Margaret's, Westminster, Hall
Augusta Kohler, third daughter of the Tate John Kohler, Esq.'
Marylebone-street, Goldeu-square, to Lieutenant Robert LOP
A Wile°
On Wednesday, at Thurlow-house, Clapham, e,„1,.14;
Fould, Esq., of Paris, to Henrietta, daughter of.L. A.
schmidt, Esq

Di ED. 11 en°
At Quebec, on the sth ult., w the reat-grief of 11
and friends, Mr. Thomas Stott, soles surviving child ot pay
Master Stott, of the late 4th Veteran Battalion. 01.
On Saturday, the 10th • inst. at Lowes Green, near Cal or
Eliza, the woe of Richard inst.
Esq., and onlY
Charles IVilliam Wall, Esq., of Coolnamuek Coltrt,
county of Waterford.
On -lie 9r

°f.

the 20th inst. aged 77, Mrs. Ilannah Ftuuu, -
Rutt-lane, Deptford.
On the .21st inst., 'at Camberwell, Mr.: Thomas aril'
Richardson, aged son of Mr. Richardean,hldtitt_j..l........nent-}_,...ar''

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OFFICE. 112, Strand, by J. U. AitiTAlßs.