Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-12-08
The MeXiCanS.

A correspondent OF the N. y. Picayune,
thus writes about the habits and manners
of the people of the 'magnanimous nation
aThe4 Mexican is never without his
blanket, clinging to it with a singular and
admirable tenacity of purpose; they are
inseparable by night and day, through
sunshine and storm, heat and cold, he
clings to his blanket as his main-stay
through life. If friends desert him, if his
mistress prove false, if the world frowns
and looks cold on him, he can turn with
confidence to his blanket and forget all be-
sidesein the warming embrace of his best
friend. Charity riryseoverssl-asen,u1titude of
sins''-so does a. Mexican. blanket, tam
bien; it is cover for poverty and rags and
cloak for rascality. When the Mexican,
exercising his national propensity for ap-
propriating to himself other peoples goods,
s'bags, anything, his faithful blanket hides
it; when he goes forth on some nurderous
errand with his deadly weapons in his gir
die, his blanket conceals tho keen, glitter
ing steel; it is his cloak by day and bed by
night. A pair of leather breeches, coarse
cotton drawers and shirt, stiff leather san
dals and sombrero, completes the Mexi.
can peasants dress on ordinary occasions;
his hair is generally somewhat long in
front, tangled and shaggy, and rarely ever
any beard or whiskers are seen upon his
face. The country isiin(ected with yermln
the men are alive with the most repui-
! sive kind, while the heads Of the women
suffer some, their kindness and assiduity to
each other Notwithstanding. There is not
a day in the calendarth the females do
not hunt each others heads, and this is not
confined to the lower classes by any means.
| have seen monkeys in a menagerie per-
form the same operation, but really the
Mexican women appear to derive quite as
much satisfaction from the operation as the
monkeys. Il am not addicted to slandering
people. and this is no slander. 1t is the
misfortune of the country and people that
such a course is necessary. ~~.>
t In their manner Of living, as we'll as
i everything else, the Mexicans are far be
: hind the age. Their dwellings are oil rude
and uncomfortable, from the cane Jacnts
: on the banks Of the Rio Grande, to th'
J. rude, rough houseo abodes in the cities
: In the poorer houses you see generally on
, comfortable bed, Il pile Of skins. few SAD
n dies and brides, a couple Of benches, sey
5 eral cushions of the same material as thel
Ii blankets, crock with water, a meagre dis
3 play Of leather breeehes, and q beggarl
II account of other wearing apparel; on tn
$, walls few rough daubs of saints and rud
q ornaments; upon the ground floor a nun
Der of naked children. or sometimes partl
IN clothed, and any quantity of rubbish
" You very rarely see a Mexican, either ma
v or woman, sitting upon a chair or bencl
of even when they have them, a sort of ma
in ural propensity inducing them to squat,
H.. | may be allowed the use of the wor
10 They squat to eat, to work, at grindir
", corn, washing, cooking, and almost ever
1e thing else. A Mexican renchero's wi
Ill has but little rest, for they grind all d
Of corn for the family consumption. Th'
IS, use no French cook books and live vel
r. simple, their principal articles of food +
IN ing beans, corn, tortillas, boiled beef
in goat, and sort ofolla:' podrida Of vege
ow bles, every compound abounding wi
3D. grease; coffee and tea they rarely get,
,ut use chocolate instead They eat but lit
1d, in the morning or at noon-the low
ted classes, I'mean-their principal meal
in ing at night. In the middle of the di
to after the midday meal, everybody takes
act siesta. In large town youmay go til
the Fthe streets from twelve o'clock till, four
the afternoon and find hardly a door op
per and see scarcely a solitary person in
ust streets. At the expiration of the time tt
the go to vespers, or say their prayers in tn
) own domicls, and are on hand, for good
op. evil for the rest of the day."