The Columbian fountain., 1846-11-04
ano Geueral intflligenf {.
Rev. ]. I. WARD, AssistantEditor
PRICE ONE CENT.

4 hon OF Mexican Scenery.
| Aqua Del Alamo. F7P
We are now spending the heat Of the day
fona liighThill, from which we can see, a large
extent Of Country, the whole covered with
fore us like large black cloud. The peaks
shoot up into the clouds, and we are near
enough to distinguish plainly the rocks from
the green trees and table-iands. had expec-
ted to see something magnificent, but had for
med nothing like a correct idea OF the splendor
and majesty ofthe scene.
.@'e Sept 5,h
PUNTIAGUpo.- Every days approach to the
mountains brings US into finer country; the
land becoming less arid, and vegetation more
abundant and fresh. The country abounds
with clear running streams that spring FROM
the mountains From Camargo to this place
the road passes over innumefable beds OF lime
rock, and miserable soil, covered with scat
tering shrubbery and a hlndred varieties OF the
cactus plant Here the scene is suddenly chan
ged from barren waste TO a garden. The
camp is situated few yards from little
ravine down which the Aqua de! Alamo
rushes, over lime rocks, with great velocity.
The Mexcans have here erected neat dam Of
lime rock and cement, at which the creek is
the farms around. Below this dam, over which
the water falls almost perpendicularly in an
unbroken sheet, is basin of foaming water,
affordng one Of the most delicious bathing
places in the world | need not say that this
basin is always occupied by the soldiers
About half mile from camp is large rancho
or Mexican village, where the farmers Of this
delightful region are huddled together for Sc
curly. The buildings aremade Of stone, with
straw roofs
|.5# p5 aa sa3g3 ftsi ''..,la "Sept 7th
SERALvo.-W Wishing to see the country by
moonlight. we encamped half way and en-
tered Seralvo yesterday morning The coun-
try between Puntiaguda and this place is
beautiful. The grazing is very fine. and as TO
waterit is abundant and Of the very best quail
ity, as il gushes pure from the mountain side.
saw a live oak, pecan and a few other trees
on this road, the first had seen since leav-
ing Louisiana. There is likewis e small tree
or shrub, which we first observed at Camargo
bearing fruit which, when picked, can hard
| ly be told from an olive. Near Seralvo II il
very abundant. ta
This is the most beautiful place have seen
in Mexico. Situated as tits nearihe foot oil the
mountains, in valley with large shade trees
overshadowing lis ancient looking walls, and
a stream of beautiful clear, cold water dancing
through its streets in every direction, Seralvo
ought TO be perfect paradise. Nothing but an
American population is wanting TO make tone.
The church has a tall. handsome steeple. and
is nearly hundred years old. There is no end
TO the ''lwater privileges" around Seravo, and
ifthe Americans wereto settle here, mills would
be erected in fifty places in the vicinity
You can scarce conceive the difference OF
temperature between this place and Camargo.
] can hardly make myself believe that am in
Mexico, the air, except in the middle of the day,
bring as fresh and bracing as it is in New Eng
land at this season of the year. have not
been able to ascertain the height to which we
have alrerdy climbed, but it is certain that we
are " pretty well up in the world y and that the
mountains that look down upon Us rear their
heads full two thousand feet above US Never
mind; we shall look upon these mountains with
contempt in a few days, regarding them as
small potatoes when we get in among the brg
bugs. The mountains near Seralvo, however,
do very we'll to begin with; their peaks pierce
every thunder cloud that rises here; it is, cold
enough on the summit to keep ice from mel
Ting very rapidly, and on their sides, within
few miles of town, are rich silver mines, one
of which was for time the most profitable in
Mexico. The English company that worked it
were driven off during revolution, and in
their absence II was allowed to go TO decay
Another company afterwards spent $2O0, 900
on il but failed before they reached where the
first left off. The silver now lies there waiting
10 be dug" ..a an,.
Sept 9th
Ia miles from Marin.
We have marched twelve miles, over coun-
a country different in every respect from any
have ever seen. The shrubbery and plants
are entirely new TO me, with the exception of
the eternal cactus, which grows all over Mex
| leo, in hundred varieties. The wild olive, and
white round leafed shrub with pink-colored
blossoms, cover the mountains and table lands.
We have crossed FIVE or six clear streams TO-
day, and we are now encamped upon the brow
of ravine, down which runs spring brook.
One side OF the ravine is perpendicular rock
of soft limestone, filled with slate pebbles
From under this rock, hundreds ofcod streams
gush out, and opposite to the headquarters
of the 7th Infantry is basin OF cold water
about FIVE feet deep, into which at least one
thousand men have plunged, this evening
This stream is full of pata1as (sun-hsh) and
trout.
"Sept Ia.
*as.* "Our way has led along the
foot Of a mountain which rises on our right to
height Of 25OOt 5000 feet. We likewise
have a mountain on our left, Of nearly the same
| Iha;obt These two mountains converge before