Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-07-22

allied ms 10 supper. Ii
We had ono moment OF agony when we returned
o our clothes. Thea lay extended upon the bank.
,mbems Of men who had better days. The
eitng sun, which shed all n son and mellow .
usire. laid bare the OF mud and dirt and c
made them hideous. We had but alternative,
and that was to 60 without them But. this {
seemed be treaching upon the proprieiies of life.
we picked them up and put them reluctant. l
am not sure, however. but that made an unne-
cessary sacrifice of personal comfort The proprie-
lies of life matters Of conventional usage. Our
hist don; aud when we tpresented our letter
he received with great dignity, in single gar
ment. loose. white. and very aconic not quite reach
ing his knees. The dress OF his wife no less
sy; hat in the style ofihe old fashioned short
gown and pcitcOai. only the short gown and what
ever else is usually worn under IL were wanting
and their place supplied by string of beads.wIih n
large cross at the end A dozen and half
rrown boys. naked except the small covering form
ed by rolling the trousers up and down in the man.
ner | have mentioned, loungng about the
house; and women and girls IN such extremes of un.
dress. that n string Of beads seemed quite a cover
ing for modesiy.
Mr. c and were in rather awkwcrd predica.
incnt for the night The general reception room
contaided three beds. made Of stripes Of cowhide in.
/ terlaccd. The don occupied one; he had not much
undressing do he little he had he did by pulling
| of his shirt. Another bed at the foot Of my
hommock DOING, when I opened my Dyes.
and saw girl about seventeen sitting sideways up
on il, smoking a cigar. She had n piece Of striped
cotton clOtk tied around her waist and falling below
her knees; the Of her dress was the which
Nature bcsiOws alike upon the belle Of fashionable
life and tho poorest girl; in other words, IL the
same that nf the dSns wife. with the exception Of
the string Of beads. Al iirsi though, il was some.
thing had cOnjured up n dream; and rs walked
up perhaps ! raised my head. for she gavs few
quick puff of her cignr. drew a cotton sheet over
her head and shoulders, and lay down 10 sleep.
called TO mind the proverb, that travelling makes
strange bed frIlows' had slept pell nell with the
Greeks. Turks. and Arabs. was beginning jour
ney in a new country; il my duty to conform
the customs Of the people; he prepared for the
worst and snbRt with resignation 10 whatever
might beial me.
| As guests il was pleasant 10 feel that the family
made no strangers Of us. The wife of the don. re
tired with the ceremonies. Several times du
r ring the night We were walked by the clicking o
llinI and steel. anil ofour neighbors lighni
n cigar. At daylight the wife OF the don wns enjoy
ing her morning slumber; While I was dressing
she babe me good m"rnng removed the cntton GOV
ering from her shoulders and arose, dressed for tn
day
We started early; and for some distance roa'
lay along the banks Of the AionIagu almost rs beau
| lliul by morning as oy evening lShl IN an hou
. we commenced ascending The spur ola mountain
: and. reaching the top followed the ridge. IL wa
high and narrow. commanding on both sides an al
most bundles view, AM seemed selected for pic
Iurrsque effect The scenery grand, but tn
land wild and unculiivaied. without fences, enclo
surcs or habiiaons. A few cattle were wanderin!
wild the great eIpanse. but without impaTtini
that dinesIic inspect which in other countries al
tends the presence OF cattle We met few Ind
ATS, with their mlncheies. going to their morning
works, and a riding n mule. with a woman bc
fore him, his encircling her waist
was riding ahead Of my companions and on tn,
summit Of the ridge lille aside from the road. saw
lte girl. perfectly naked. playing before a rancho
As most of The people met were Indians or LadI
nosl was attracted by her appearance and rode up
The rancho The puprieipr. ia The easy costume
Of our hcst Of Encuentros. swinging ham
mock under the porco, and smoking n cigar. Alta
litIle distance a shed matched with stalks and
leaves of Indian c1rn AMI called tho cncnera OF
kitchen. As usual, while the don lolling in his
hammock, the women work.
| rode 10 the cucinera nnl dIsmounied. The
party consisted OF the mother ami pretty daughter
in-law of about nneiee., and two daughters OF abou
| fifteen add seventeen. The reader is PER-
perhaps curious about customs; bat having given
him insight ino those OF this country. he will not
require any further descriptions. la honor cf my
visi The mother snaichcd up the LILLE girl who had
aira cied TO the rancho, carried her inside and
slipped over her head garment which, believe,
is generally worn by liule girls; but in few mi Iu-
tes my young friend disencumbered herself of her
iinery. and loddline about with il under har
arm.
The whole family was engaged in toriillas. THIS
is the bread Of Central and Of all Spanish America
and the only species TO he found except in princi-
pal towns. At one end of the cucinera an ele.
walton, on which stood a comal gridde, resting
on three stones, with 6teIblazing under IT, The
caughterhlaw had before her earIhern vessel
containing Indian corn soaked in lime-water to re-
move the husk and placing handful on an OBJ
long stone curving inward mashed il with a stone
roller into thick paste. The girls took il was
mashed. and patng 1t with their hands into fat
axes, laid Them on the grddle to bake. This is
repeated for every NEAL and a great part ofIhe bu-
siness Of the women consists making tpriillas.
When Me- CnlherSoJd arriv ed the tortillas were
smoking, and we stopped to breakfast. They gave
the only luxury They had. cofse. made Of parch-
ed corn. which. in compliment TO their
kindness, we drank. Like me, Mr. was
struck with the personal beauty Of this family
group. With The advantages OF dress aud education
they might he ornaments in cultivated socieiy but il
Is decreed otherwise and those young girls will 60
thTOugh life making toriillas.