The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-10


mass Of the interior Of globe through crack IN
its shell when they had become sodhed in their present
shape and cooled they formed, at this place an immense
cavity or cup which, In time, became nlied win rag
mens from the mountains rolling down or washed mo
II by the rams; nay the whole may have formed iake
the bottom Of which has been thus gradually raisea unu
II reached the height OF the dram provided oy some de
preston of the surrounding wall Sueh DRAM IN lae'
exists from the lowest part of the plateau near rueo
in small stream called RIO P1eo-Bidek Ttrer-0he OF
the headwaers of the Yopez, which enters the racine
near Acapulco.
Besides the maguey and a few trees at some points
where little streams of fresh water traverse me pam
the only striking objects OF the vegetable Kingdom seen
in this part of the country are the nopdf the species OF
theI oval shaped leaves or lobes growing together and
armed with thorns pnckes; OF which representation
may be found on the Mexican dollars, as part OF me
mountains where they attain size lar beyond that OF
any seen green houses and present the most UNI
graceful or rather hdeous shapes imaginable They are
the food OF the cochnea insect and they produce sort
of fig, called the tuna, which has pleasant acld
taste nnumeabe the species OF cactus seen IN these
regons-some like muskmelons, others resembling long
snakes and others again forming uted columns ten or
fifteen feet In height. =.
We changed our horses (no mules being used on this
part OF the road) village or hacienda called lr-
reyes, with large church as usual and thence contin
ang our route, we reached about noon vast solitary
building called Ell ojo de aqua, (the spring, or literally ne
eye of ,rater) with noble spring issuing from the side
OF hill in its vicinity At some distance from this place
observed long irregular dark line, stretching across
the pain and approaching found to be composed OF
horses, probably many thousand in number, drinking
from the which also serves to noursh the grass
forming their food IN its envlrons The building is
hollow square, with walls about twenytv feet IN
height and other opening IN them than the door or
gate on the road opposite to stood mass OF manure
nearly as large-the accumulation probably of ages
which, with little labor, might have served to render
the borders OF the stream continued garden But such
things not done in Mexico. As OJo de aqua Will
probably, long, be brought into general nohce, by
despatch from army, may say that ITS pronun
citation is represented very nearly by Oak-ko-ddy-ah
gtrah.
il were, straight lines across the paln from point TO
point One of these points was a ruined Hacienda and
very fine formed with lis walls and church towers
OF stone rendered larger in appearance IRON the want OF
other elevated objects in Its vicinity This spot Is APP
preached with some anxiety by travellers, as IT rs Ia
vore haunt for bandt, about hundred OF whom, not
many years before under famous CHIEF named Lopez,
had surprised and captured eOndcd OF specie, alter
routing the soldiers sent TO guard it little farther on
| the country becomes somewhat better; and soon
reached town of oleraby neat appearance called No
paluca, where succeeded IN getting few eggs Tor DIM
ner my inquiries for all other articles being met by no
aay irere got none,l uttered in the shapest tone by
most feline landlady.
Nopauca the point OF junction of the two great roads
| from Vera Cruz-namey that by way OF Jaapa and Pc
ote, which we had passed. and the other taking
more southern course, through Cordova and Orizaba,
and crossing the great dividing chain Immediately south
of Mount Orizaba The distance Is about the same, and
the latter from the accounts to present bet
line for highway though it has not, believe, been
rendered practicable for wheel carriages. From Nopa-
uca Also roads extend towards the capital city;
by way OF Pueoa, over which we went, as Will be
shown; the other more northwaTd through town eau
ed Huamanta, and around the loot OF the great Mount
Malinche the ancient city OF Tascala 10 the plains
of Apam from which il passes over the mountains to The
valley OF Anahuac, or Mexico Cores in his first march
from Vera Cruz the interior followed very nearly the
present road through Jalapa and PeToe to Nopauoa or
It's vicinity: from which he went directly TO Ihascaa,
and thence through Ohoula 10 the pass between Popo
catape and lzaccpuate, where he entered the Mexican
valley.
/ AT Norauca we received an addition to our company
in old lady, who related 10 the particulars of
,rAsth hx hand nf
somebody two years before they ned her house COM
petev and then beat and stabbed her in several places
in order TO make her confess where her money was She
was in state OF constant alarm, and crossed herself at
each sound and at sight of each mueieeT who passed b.
We in FACT approaching the Ptndt the most motto,
ous spot for robberes IN Inc whole republic; and had
been urged by the agent al Nopauca to take escort oi
the remainder OF the journey TO Puebla; but determined
not TO DO so as was convinced that il would serve only
to invite attack Not far from the town we passed
large hacienda apparently IN perfect order belonging to
Don Miguel Sanchez; and IN an angle OF the grounds
first aloe, maguey, in full bloom with IFS great
golden flowers gitterng in the sun After an hours ride
changed horses al rento or tavern, and then entered
] the dreaded region OF the Pinal
Pinal means wood, or forest OF pine trees but the
here given TO two steep mountains, clothed with
pines, between which the road passes for about six
miles My only fears for the safety OF my papers,
as had determined to be perfectly passive, and had
with me an amount OF money and other articles, no,
great enough make their loss than nconvenlent
otherwise apt to give u,terance TO Their disappointment
by blows For the security OF the papers, placed the
package containing them the seat by my side, and
kept knife my hand, ready to rip open the envelope
and let them fall loose IN the carriage at the first
mons TO stop, that there might be temptation to
them under the idea OF their being articles OF value
Ere we had proceeded far could the immense advan
ages presented to the brgands by the nature of the road
which is, many places, cut TO the depth OF fifteen or
twenty feet, forming OF ditch with perpendicular
sides through the solid rock "a porphyry of the
beautiful blood red color not inferior TO any Egyptan)
and is crossed at intervals by barranod guies, form
ed BY the rain in the softer portions The brgands gen
orally twelve fifteen in number secrete themselves
in the barrancas and above the road and, coming for
ward at given signal the coach IS thus stopped IN 'front.'
guarded the and overlooked from above, that
all chance of escape resistance is cut off These fell
/ lows commonly content themselves with plundenng
the passengers seldom committing any further acts of
violence when resistance is made and they, IN TACT
do little than initiate their government, by exacting
forced loans in order fill their pockets rode
on the box with the driver, who pointed out various
spots where famous robberes had been committed
was however, unable to identify the place where Garcia,
ing his purse to crafty the gentlemen who were kind
enough to relieve him of it, BY of his finest airs and
was then unanimously hlssed by his audience
We got through the Pinal without any interruption,
and stopped at the village of Acaeie ITS western sde
one of the most wretched spots the globe believe,
inhabited by people who regarded as civilized On
a plain, through which we passed Immediately after
wards, Generals Mexia and Urea were since defeated
BY Santa Anna in May, 1899; Aexia being taken and
enemy in opposition the "perfdos Noyte daercanos
| was eagerly watching for the first view OF Popo-
catapet, the highest mountain of northern continent,
which knew be visible from the vicinity OF AcaJete
but to my surprise, neither the coachman nor the old
lady had heard of it, though the former had driven