Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-08

"hueUos del rey" which shall leave untanslated. am,
indeed induced to believe from my observation that the Mex
leans have carried gasronomy high degree Of perfection
and that they gifted with peculiar faculties in this,
several other branches Of the fine the materials afford
ed by their country excellent, and, with little care
would be unrivaed. IL III 4t 'ti &tss@.
saw every thing indeed about Jaapa worthy of notice.
including much that interesting stranger in Mexico
though little that to merit particular description here.
As regards climate and SOIL is one Of the most remarkable
spots in the world Nowhere else perhaps be found
temperature generally equabe and agreeable, great
variety Of vegetable productions, all excellent of their kinds
The dressa summer dress-is at all seasons in
the middle Of July found the weather. in the day. warm
but than comfortable and the nights delight
fully COOL Showers fell in every hour the clouds appearing
and disappearing with raPdty most astonishing; and, dur
ing the dry season, assured the extreme ardy
vang in all other parts of the country is felt Jaapa
where the air is penfuy supplied with moisture by the
north winds from the Gulf AS to its poducions-the pine
apples of Jaapa have been the best in the world
the coffee which drank gathered from trees which
growing, OF the finest flavor and less delicious
the chocolate procured from the fields. All the other
tropical vegetables abound in perfection and strange to say,
many of those also which considered peculiar the
temperate zone, and even TO ITS northern portions Never
have exqustey favored peaches or more deli
lettuce than those which daily served table
Of our jolly Scotch landlord McCarney-peace be to his
soul and on that of my worthy fellowcounyman JeweL
The town contained then about eight thousand Inhabitants
and had probably held greater number previous
rod there many deserted houses in the outskirts
The houses were already sad generally of but story
square, with court (patio surrounded by arcade in the
centre. These usually filled with small trees
shrubs which presented most pleasing appearances
from the street through the wide doorways while the music
Of guitar might generally be heard from within at hours
The inhabitants seemed be- with few exceptions, of mixed
blood those Of pure European being nearly all foreign
and this is the throughout Mexico, except in the
capital The people of the surrounding country, of whom
great in the market place, all apparently
pure nearly pure Indians resembling strongly in features
the abognes of States they very dark and in
general short and stout with dull grave faces seldom lighted
by smile other sign ofexcitemen The dress of the
uniformly of Shirt made of piece Of blue
woollen CLOTH about yard wide and two and half yards
long, doubled with slit in the middle for the passage of the
head and sewed up the Sides except where space left
for armhoes this tied about the waist with rope strap,
sandals of hide, and pameaf hat with round crown,
form in general their whole equipment Some Of them, how
ever, have also the zerdpe, blanket with slit in the mid
de- which is universally used in the higher country. The
commonly short chemse and peticoats !;
though many without the former article any other
covering above the waist than thereboso scarf which every
wonan of class in Mexico, always carries in place Of
a shawl and bonnet
The Parroqua church is large old building, of pasteed
stone surmounted by dome covered with glazed tiles and
high tower The interior divided by of columns
supporting arches, into and side ases and by my
measurement is go feet long by 100 wdearger probably
than any church in the United States except the Baltimore
Cathedral it is in the heavy old bastard Italian stye and
filed with awdy ornaments of gded wood and most baba
pictures The Franciscan very large and
ancient pile of buildings thrown together without any regard
the effect of the WHOLE and embracing labyrinth of clo
tiers and passages There only four ars in it. Of
whom, very old but bad little conversation with
him, as he seemed to be feeble.
In the market place, in front of the church. sold all
kinds of fruits and vegetables and various articles of pottery,
Of peculiarly fine clay, and of beautiful FORMS resembling
the Etrusca. All cooking utensils and indeed almost all
the vessels used in Mexico of pottery: neither cast iron
copper in-pae being employed of the
high price of manufacture and transportation. also small
Jumps of quick lime sold and inquiring the object
informed that lime essential in making torqs,
cakes which form the principal food of the greater part of the
population of Mexico The mode of making these cakes has
been often described that almost every acquainted
with it. To those who ignorant of this important branch OF
Mexican domestic economy may say at first that little
meal used in Mexico because there few mills and
there few mills because there little demand for
meal Instead Of grinding the corn they soak in
with quick ne by which the grains swollen than
double the natural sze and the husk is oosened
that it may be easily detached by washing After washing
many waters, the left is raced smooth fiat stone
and kneaded rolled with another stone shaped somewhat
like rolingpn until is reduced to fine paste, which
then spread into very thin cakes and baked plate grid
die of carthenware The PASTE mixed with and
boiled, forms kind of porrdge Cruel called atoie, which,
when sweetened is very good, and much used among all
classes.
The second great article of food in Mexico is the ijo
bean, which is infinitely better than any other bean have
ever asted it small and generally of dark purple color
but when boiled has much the OF Chocolate and
am informed nearly the the pea of South Caro-
lima The third necessary of life is chile red pepper, Of
which the quantity used by each individual daily almost in
credible. Mexican tola about inches in d.
ameer with beans stewed into PASTE and then throwing
the whole large table spoonful Of powdered chile, he doubles
up the and swallows il without any sign OF inconven
have persons the fresh peppers about large
cherries by the dozen, with Bread although when applied
one OF them to my tongue produced the effect of
white hot iron. Yet the taste be easily acquired
that for ardent spirits had been fortnight in Mexi
in great measure, reconciled to these fiery cond
mens and could eat the mole, devil, which is generally
produced at the end of dinner without much difficulty.
In the morning of Monday the 18th of July relumed my
seat in the sagecoach for Mexico. On this occasion
but six mules which driven by the coachman the
without poslon The only passenger besides myself
poor Frenchman who seemed oveoyed find himself ad
dressed by in his native language by the side Of the d
yer sat the Correo macaner and the top Of the
coach lay dirty Indian in ragged uniform who played the
part OF guard IN orderio make good the given
the advertisement that the coach thus protected against
damage from robbers.
After winding for couple Of miles around the top of the
mountain Of Macutepec, which Jaapa stands
the little stream of Cedeno where the Of the Serre
Madre begins. The road passes obquely along the side
the Coe dePeote towards the depression Of the ridge
northern part Of that mountan and presents series OF steep
ascen interrupted long intervals by slight depessions
the surface. Great expense bestowed this part the
road by the Spaniad who paved with large blocks of lava
but like all works of the kind executed by that nation
it badly laid out and is abandoned in many places
for more convenient lines of direction. Passing the village
of la BunderHa, Qhe little fag,) we, in hours and
half reached another about miles from Jaapa called
San Miguel del Soad, consisting Of three runous
buildings and immense church Of plasered stone
those which each great landed proprietor obliged by law
Il hyc A.