The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-07-21

with the single exception, that II You
meet woman with a fiue bust, which
they are very apt TO have, she finds some
occasion TO adjust her rebozo, and throws
it open for second. This reboZo an
swers all the purposes Of the shawl, bon
not and frock-hody.
The women of Mexico, think, gener-
ally smoke: il is getting to be regarded as
not exactly conme III |"Hf, and therefore
they do ii privately. AS the men gener-
ally smoke, they have the very same adj
vantage which Dean Swift recommends
to all who eat onions, 10 make their
sweethearts do so too.
One Of the favorite and most pleasant
recrealions of the Mexicans is what thew
call IN d.xde ,n",pa, day in the coun-
try. A party is made up to spend the
day at Tacuhaya, Or some other of the
neighhoring villages, or at some house in
the suburbs of the city, where dinner is
prepared, and band of music sent out;
and the day and large portion of the
night spent in dancing. Never have |
seen more Joyous or hi arious people
than they are on these occasions.
shall never forget one of these parties
which was gwen to General Almonte,
just before he left Mexiro on his mission
to this country. Ii was a genuine, roster
ing, country frolic. We got in.o boa s,
and with the music playing, were rowed
for some considerable distance bv moon
light, in the canal which terminates in
the Lake of Chalc0, and then amongst
the Chinampas or floating gardens. which
! are now nothing more 'han shaking hogs.
The verv Thin stratum of soil which had
formed on the water of The Lake is made
more unsteady, wien a small space of an
acre or two is surrouu l,l by a can1l.-
There are now none of tho floating gar
dens de crihed by the conquer0rs, which
were Termed by artificial means, and
moved ABOUT from one part Of the lake to
ther.
The men who are met in the streets,
are almost exclusively officers and sol
dlers of the army, Tr.esis and leperos. the
latter quite as useful, and much the least
burlensome and pernicious Of the three
! classes. The Mexicans of tie better
classes generally wear cloth cloaks at all
seasons of the year, and the Indian blank
cts, for ornament, suppose, for the
weather is never cold enough To make
either necessary. The thing, however.
could never account FOR, did not feel
uneom fortahIv cold III linen coat, nor
uncomlorlahlr warm with my cloak on.
All the physical peculIarilics of the Indi-
ans of Mexico are precisely the same as
those of our own Indians. they are, bow
ever, much smaller. Their appearance
is very much the same in all respects as
those of the siraggiing Indians who are
seen about our cities; no;l!ing of The elastic
step and proud hearing Of our natives of
the forest. Snch noble -ot;n { How rs
The S.ninple Cnisf, will Cat,wollIc use
c sensa ion tl.e'c;he might pos ibIy get up
a D.0nH"rin,nrn q have no doubt he
would attempt it. In word, am by
no mems sure that in exchlnging the
peculiar civiliz zion whiyh existed in the
time Of Montczuma for that which the
SpaniarIs gave hem,tia tn V have lm2r' :
we'd the condition of the masses; they
have lost lille OF ihe former hat lis virtues
and acc II i ltttle of the latter but its vi
ces. | have already remarked that al
though there are nn political disticntions
amongst all the various castes Of the pop
ulaion of Mex CO, the social distinctions
are verv marked Al one Of those large
assemblies at the Presidents palace. it is
verv rare TO see lady whose colour in
dicares any impuriiy Of blood. The
same remark is. 10 great extent. true of
the gentlemen. hut there are also a good
many exceptions.