Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-06-24

of its flih In company with Lieut.. s., |
eallea upon Mr.. Be, an American
merchant. He was very polite to US, ana
offered 10 70 with US and show ns the town;
This day being church day, the municipal
regulations make it fine OF go % open
your store. Mr.. BE told US that had we
not been in possession Of the town, his doors
would have been closed. We first went to
the CITY Prison. 1t is o building Of very
thick walls, with a large interior area.
along which are prison rooms. The filth
and stencil about 1t was disgusting. There
were very few prisoners. In the second
story Of one Of the magazines Of arms is the
Han Of Justice. tits room occupying the
whole depth of the building. At the lower
end is railing, enclosing the seats for the
Judges and the Jury; in the centre Of the
enclosure was large table, covered with
red cloth, with three arin-chairs for the
Judges, and one opposite for the Clerk
Directly over the Judges seat were suspen-
ded, in q frame, the arms of Mexico. On
each side, along the walls, were six seats,
covered with rich crimson velvet, tor the
jury. We were told that we were in the
ssholy Of holies," and that if we had entered
in this manner this legal sactuary two weeks
ago, death would have been the least Of our
sufferings.
Some of our officers told US that they had
seer, magnificent Spanish saddle, valued at
$40O. We took the liberty of going to
see It, and the gentlemanly owner politely
asked us up into his parlor and gave us a
peep ut it. The pummel andcantel wereof
solid silver. 1T was richly worked with
ssilyer;in every part. The gentleman had
yery comfortable house. Three large
rooms, running along in front of the house,
opened into each other. They were neatly
furnished; paintings and piano gave
evidence Of taste and refinement. Their
areas and thick walls take my eye; they
must make their houses deliciously cool.
We then went to the unfinished Cathedral,
a room Of which has been fitted up in which
to perform their religious ceremonies. We
were fortunate in finding the door-keeper,
who kindly showed us in. However, there
is no such thing as refusing us anything
'might gives right" The furniture around
the altar was neat, though not as costly as
had been led to suppose, from reading the
account of those at Mexico No diamond
and pearl petticoats Of "Our Lady Of Qua
daloupe" The painting Of the Virgin Mary
was very good my admiration of it pleased
our cicerone. as he said it was his property.
| could you of many nice things, but
my letter is spinning out monstrously long,
and i'll was not "Officer of the Day."
think should have cut it short long since.
We subjoin another description Of Mat
amoras from a correspondent Of the New
Orleans Tropic, which differs inssome re.
spects from the foregoing.
i.It was about 10 o'clock in the morning
when we reached the town Of Matamoras,
though its white buildings, so different from
those we passed on the route, had attracted
the eye long before that time. There was
something far more attractive to the eye
than the white buildings Of the town, some
thing to awaken thrill Of pleasure in the
breast Of the whole regiment, the Stripes
and Stars were majestically floating in the
breeze from the highest point in Matamo-
fas, and between the river and the town,
hundreds and hundreds Of white tents were
pitched in such admirable order as to in
duce the beholder to think it great town.
As we entered the town at the east end,
thousands ofpeople sailed out from their
houses TO look upon US, whose looks more
bespoke welcome to their own army than
to that of the invaders. AT many a half
opened door or window was to be seen the
head Of Sonora whose timidity or modes.
ty, (albeit they allow SO little to the Mexi.
cans, )forbade their emerging into the street.
Some of these women are indeed beau.
tiful, though great majority are indolent,
sIovenly and destitute Of that female deli
cacy which characterizes our own women.
Their common dress is white muslin
skirt, tied quite loosely around the body,
without any bodice: their chemise being the
only covering for their breast, in which they
wear their jewelry and cross. did moi
see one pair Of stockings in all the town
From this style Of dressing you will in(el
that pride of dress gives way to comfor
and ease, and that, too in greater de.
gree, than think the largest liberty woult
warrant them in indulging in. Iwent int
house yesterday. occupied by IN old mar
and two daughters, both speaking sufi
cheney Of English to be understood. Aftel
being seated for few moments, the eldes
ofthe daughters went to the bed and brough
10 me. d most lovely and interesting child
as white almost as any Of our own people
She informed me that she was marie,
about two years ago to Texan prisoner
and that he had been killed whilst fghtin,
under Gen. Taylor. She spoke in tn
'highest terms of her deceased lord, an
seemed to worship his image in the child
She is q lovely creature, and think deeply
devoted to our cause.
Matamoras is much handsomer plac
than expected to find it. 1t covers tw
miles square, though by no means as com
pact as an American city, every house ex
cant fhrse ar0,Ird the public soilares havin