Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-05-22
HABITS OF THE MEXICANs.

L. -
Extract of a Letter from Gentleman resi-
dent Mere.-l AN sorry To tell you that think
there is little in the character Of this people to adj
mire aud less to love. IL there is place IN the
world where the scriptural enquiry can be made
with peculiar emphasis. it is in Mexico, who
can find virtuous woman, for her price is far
above rubies. with perhaps a few rare excep-
tiuns the men are all knaves and the women all
abandoned. would not trust one Of them be-
You'd INV power to chastise them. Their mo-
ney is The only merit haUc found amoumg them.
THIS people are extremely foud Of sport and ex'
cl,emeut.
Gambling of various kinds is carried to grea-
ter excess than have known it before. They
have game at cards which they call morte, IN
which they can win or lose money faster than at
ordinary games. A thousand dollars to win or
lose in ten minutes Is mere recreation. Men,
women aud children are So fond of this game
that all they can get Is hazlrded on the turn OF
a lavourite card. Oie day a man NAV have in
hi, pocket a thousand ounces aud the next be
prnnyiess.
| have seen often group Of from ten to TWEEN
e. seated round a table in Profound silence, and
watching with interest the fortune OF the game.
From sunset till sunrise they continue to bet,
ten, twenty fifty, aud ahundred dollars, and whc.
Their they win or lose there is no expression oil
pleasure or disappointment, either by word or
feature. An entire nights often spent IN depna-
i,ing stakes aud 10 taking up The money, and
scarcely word is spoken IN all the tme. They
have such perfect command OF their feelings
and faces that II Is impos,lble to determine "he-
Their they are lucky or undergraduates they
are pleased or di, pleased. In short they are gen
orally most cOnsummate hypncricS.
r. A, L. hIDh v,
ded me grea, amusement s. of which the Mexicans
are passonateiy fond, consists in throwing or
tumbIinc bulls A drove OF these animals half
" lid aud half lomesticatcd. are shut in small
enclosure One at a time they are let 0nt Ia a
convenient square, in which are stationed as ma
ny hor,empn as choose to enter the lists. As
soun as the bull discovers his endeayors to eS
CAPE by flnht-the hof semen bound forward in
pursuit, each one exrrting himself to seize the
animal by the tail II he gets his hold (Which is
generally the case he plies his spurs to his horse
who bounds forward With his utmost speed. and
twirlinn tue bull round suddenly while in full ca
reer, he falls rolling sometimes believing on the
ground The cavalcade then returns to the pen
To wait the sally of another bull, when the same
scene is acted again. This is torture without
cruelty, for the animals always escap. with only
fright and a fall.
The women are some of them geneel and the
s,rls pretty They have more fondness Tor fine
rs AMI dress than taste. in putting 1t on. De
voted to fun and froc they will spend night at.
ter night at fandansoes. dancing as If upon a wa
ger TO tire each other Gown. Many OF them are
very comey in their persons and graceful 10 their
move ments, and if they had, but spice OF hon.
estv might soften even northern heart There,
il, however. one custom among them which de-
tracts materially from their graces and often
clouds all their charms. Ii is the habit OF smok.
ING cigars. 1hi, is almost universal among the
the Mexicans. Those Who dislike 1t are at last
driven to 1t in ,self.defcncc. Children often OF
two years old are taught to puff and smoke like
veterans.
The cigars are made BY envelopins small
quantity of powdered tobacco in bit oil white
pauer. This i, lighted at one end, and smoked
ior perhaps minute, when the stump - thrown
upyn the floor aud a new one lighted. am told
that fifty per day is the average humber smokeu
by the Young ladies. The habit was at hrst so
DISGUSTING to me that almost foreswore their So
cieiy;-but what, will not time reconcile US to-!
Fancy what would be your own feelings upon en-.
,erinv room 20 make bow tOa COLLECTION OF
Heavens last best gifts, and finding them like
so MANY Venuses enscnnced behind a cloud. In
the first place you would most likely be obliged
10 walk over a thick bed Of cigar stumps, and
upon making your salutations be answered win
discharge of smoke that would draw tears II II
did not endauser sufocation. 1t is not only from
the mouth that the Tuning torrent flows. but 1t IS
also snorted in volumes from the nose, as the
whale spouts saltwater from his nostrils. Many
of the poorer people expcnd more for this article
Of Mexican luxury than for their food and drink
Northampton Courier.
| A Tarern Sign -" What device shall have
upop NV new sisn?" said gentleman about L
omen house of public entertainment, with his 6a
more fully provided than the parlor or bed rooms
=" Put on it the picture of horn, with yoursel
comming out of the iitie end," said bystander