American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-16
THE CITY OF MATAMORAs.

8 THE CITY OF MATAMORAS.
XTENT--BUILDlN GS--POPULATION-
INEsS-THE WOUNDED MEXLCANS, &c.
following interesting letter from Mata-
we find in the New Orleans Tropic:
s by THE people of Matamorasl are happy,
people, whose aim seems to be to make
ion for to-day, leaving tomorrow to look
itself. All along the road they were
waiting with milk, 4 sort of bread which
call tortiItiaS, cheese, poLoncaS of maple
and sort of liquor resembling in looks
= lste San Croix rum. We paid them lib
for all we obtained, which, to them, must
presented strong contrast to the Mexi-
ldiery, who spread dismay and devasta-
mong their own people, wherever they CO.
ms to have been the desire of every man
ranks to make the line of disparity be-
4 American and Mexican soldiers as pal
as possible, and the good effects of such
yet, ifnot Immediately developed, will, in
ourse of time, be made apparent. Our
p was very heavy, particularly the day we
ne Baritas, and some of our young men
VERY much used up. Two from company
}be unable to proceed further, and stopped
house of Mexican, where they received
fmost kindness and attention during the
and were furnished horses in the morn
catch up with US.
was about ten O'Clock in the morning
we reached the town of Matamoras,
th its white buildings, so different from
1--we passed on the route, had attracted the
bng before that time. There was some-
far more attractive to the eye than the
Il buildings of the town, something to
len thrill of pleasure in the breast of the
y regiment, the Stripes and Stars were ma
yally floating in the breeze from the high
|bint in Matamoras, and between the river
fihe town, hundreds and hundreds of white
were pitched in such admirable order as
| eluce the beholder to think it great town.
IN we entered the town at the east end,
FFands ofpeope sailed out from their hous-
y look upon us, whose looks more bespoke
e,come to their own army than to that Of
Ebvaders. At many half opened door or
How was to be seen the head of a Sonora,
Ne timidity or modesty, (albeit they allow
atle to the Mexicans) forbade their emerg-
u
|ffd beautiful, though great majority are
|54ent, slovenly and destitute of that female
IAcy which characterizes our women. Their
Einon dress is white muslin skirt, tied quite
h ly around the body; without any bodies:
chemise being the only covering for their
|ft, in which they wear their jewelry and
ID. did not see one pair of stockings in all
Elown. From this style of dressing you will
n that pride of dress gives way to comfort
|Xease, and that, too, in a greater degree,
HI think the largest liberty would warrant
in INDUCING in. lwent into house yes
yay evening, occupied by an old man and
ffaughters, both speaking safficiency of
/ fish to be understood. After being seated
Nv moments, the eldest of the daughters
5f to the bed and brought to me most love-
ind interesting child, as white almost as any
hr own people. She informed me that she
q married about two years ago to Texan
tpner, and that he had been killed whilst
ring under Gen. Taylor. She spoke in the
Jest terms other deceased lord, and seemed
worship his image in the child. She is a
ily creature, and | think devoted to our
de.
fidtdtlUIdS 10 uiuCli lldlIIsOlllCE pldCO LuuIl
,;pected to find it. 1t covers two miles square,
Ugh by no means as compact as an American
9-every house except these around the pub
dquare having large garden attached. The
',ses in the business part Of the town are
It after the American fashion though seldom
rreding two stories in height. All the win
rs to these buildings are grated from top to
som with iron bars, and half the door only
,ns for admittance which gives them the APP
france of prisons more than business houses.
u public square is in the centre of the town
4 must have been laid off by an Anne
kn or European, for the Mexicans never
\ lid have laid it out with such beauty and pre-
lon. On the four sides of the square the
hses are built close together as in block and
| of the same size s. height with the exception
1.-THE cathedral, which though unfinished still
,gers above the others, In these houses are
VI 6;y goods, groceries and every kind Of
aIes, with now and then an exchange or a
flee house. They are principally occupied
Europeans, and you can hear French, Eng
4, Spanish and German spoken at the same
fe. After leaving the public square on eth
F:ide, the houses decrease in beauty for two