The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1841-12-04
COM MU MICA TED.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.-BY J. F. B. M.
No6.-ToUR ACROSS MEXICO.

The city Of Mexico with its splendid
buildings and other attractions, has been
$50 often and so well described that it
would be useles for me to attempt to give
hny new ideas Of the place, especially as
sickness prevented me, during our short
ktav from making more than cursory
observation Of this Garden of the New
/ {Word."
A day or two after my arrival visited
he famous statue of the Bronze Horse,
(which is noble work, being a colossal
Statue in bronze, of Charles of Spain, and
one entire casting. The rider is in the
Roman costume, and all the proportions
bf this huge statue are well preserved.
ht formerly stood in the Grand Plaza, but
turing tho Revolution, when the popuace
Were destroying every thing relating to a
king, it was removed for safety, to one of
khe courts of the Palace buildings, where
It still remains, appearing to much disad
Vantage, on account of the small space in
(which it is enclosed. WAS informed that
Mr Poinsett, when Minister here, offered
|ebhe Government ten thousand dollars for
hShis statue, intending it should be placed
fbt Washington as the statue of the Fa-
E}her Of his Country, but could not pur-
| thase it.
al On the morning of the Gath Of June at
e@hree O'Clock, we seated ourselves in one
obj the fine American coaches belonging
| 10 the mail line, and escorted by guard
f ferocious looking dragons rolled mer-
kily out Of the city. The numerous de-
lays which we had met with, had ncreas-
I'D my eagerncss to reach home to such
N degree that | babe adeu without
lhade of regret to the noble city of Mexi-
10, with its palaces, its fountains and its
churches, and throwing myself back, in
(ulged in pleasing anticipations of a
! peedy progress towards home. Between
Mexico and Vera Cruz there is a line
NJ mail coaches, which was first establish
| Id by Americans, but which has now
Passed into the hands Of Mcxicans. The
coaches were built in New York, and are
handsome. comfortable and strong. The
strivers also are Americans, and | could
lastly imagine myself travelling again in
he United States, while rolling along the
+ pad, except when our progress was stop
bed by team of mules sometimes of sew
ra hundred, carrying bales, boxes, &c.
Lie. from the sea port to the metropolis.
Dur coach contained Spaniard, an old
Mexican lady, and one American beside
P1ur own party; thus of eight passengers,
p1 tx were Americans, and five of them from
|r7 he Sandwich Islands, Il place which most
|F1 the people of this country are entirely
Enorant of. Indeed while in Gaudalaja
a. was asked by very respectable old
Z Mexican gentleman in what part of the
nited States the Sandwich Islands were
tua,ed He was confident that they
belonged to the United States, and SEEM
y think they must either be in the Mis-
!. ssippi or Columbia river.
Our escort left us at sunrise to take
are of ourselves and we were constantly
ID IN the "qui vive" for the gentlemen of
p he road, who are very numerous between
p lexico and Vera Cruz, both coaches hav-
~ As been robbed the day before.
|at} The fare from Mexico to Vera Cruz is
'y dollars, and each person is allowed to