Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-08-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
correspondence of the New Orleans Picayune.
GEN. TAYLOR'S PLEASURE TRIP.


MONTEREY, Mexico, July 10, lS47.
have lust learned that party is 10 start lot
below early tomorrow morning, OF which oppor-
nnity shall avail myself and will endeavor 10
Owe Won an account OF Gen. TayloIs trip TO Ma
maleoni The plantation OF Gen. Arista. APP
prized YOU in my las, that he was 10 make an ex,
cursion and OF my intention OF making one Of
The party. -, co,,,
ii was quite refreshing TO see the old General
mounted on mis- horse on Wednesday morning. 'ne
Th inst, surrounded by the members oil MS s'aii,
about TO leave the monoony Of his camp, 10 Gu
ioy himself for few days-a qualification ne mas
denied himself ill now. Gen. Gushing and his
aid-de.camp accompanied the expedition, escort
ed by dozen dragons. We took the ROAD 70
Salinas. which lies in direction little noIth OF
east. about twenty miles from Monterey, ana
PASSED through the village Of San Nicnoias ae
las Caeas. hourishing little place for Mex'co,
oi some considerable extent, six miles from inon-
,erey. Al this town they raise conSiaeiapie cu,n
and vegetables for the Monterey malhes.
left camp al noon and arrived nj Salinas ABOUT
oclock in The afternoon where the alcalde re-
ceiyed the general and party with every demon
stralion of respect, invited him into his court
room. and treated him 10 figs and unripe water
melons. do not mean 10 speak slightlngly OF
his treat because il was evidently "he best ne had
in the shop"
Salinas. once a Aourishing town, but now 60
ing fast TO decay, is situated upon The northern
bank of the Rio Salinas, pretty Formidable
stream lha, rises near Parras and emp'les INTO NJ,
The San Juan. Ii is very bTackish and hara'y
drinkable bul it is all the inhabitants nave 70 ae
pend upon, as they have no wells IN Inc Guy
CARVING out The rational trait OF The country 10
mIeaye well alone.n The town contains about
200 inhabitants and very well conditioned al
calde. Sugar is The principal source OF revenue;
bnt owing 10 the saline qualities OF The wafer, Inc
sugar is OF an inferior quality. "A small amount
of rice is also raised, but no more corn lhan 10
suffice for the consumption Of the inhabhants.-
There are several very thriving little yaneheads-
ros on this stream a. different points. l beg you
will not attempt 10 look on he map ior inns
stream for il has dozen different names, anc
probably is no, noted. the Mexican custom oeins
10 give streams fresh name Tor every Town 'hey
pass
We encamped upon the southern bank Of the
river for The night, and in the evening some oi
The narly attended fandango got up Tor their
amusement in The town. II was the first ever
attended and rathera dull affair, very few sc'oTt
fas being present. On the S.h, by sunrise, We
struck our tents crossed the salt river and arrived
al Mamalequi about noon.
Arista's hacienda is situated upon or near The
Rio Pecacho, and al The TOO, Of spur oil The 81
ezra, in nor,heaslery direction from Monterey,
about twelve miles from Salinas, and from a ois'
lance has quite The appearance OF oafohiai eS-
tate His plantation is very extensive one,
comprising fourteen square Leagues; nu' MUGS ol
il are useless, low chapaual, only relieved by the
tall Spanish bayone, plant, which bristes up III
every direction Arisla purchased The place
about four years ago from lady residing IN Inc
civ of Mexico for S35 600, and has since ex-
pended about 10000 dollars in Improving Il.
There is a very fine sugar and saw mill upon VI;
The motive power OF which, IS water oil course.
The dam across The river, forming the mlll-pona,
is very fine solid piece Of mason work, and was
estimated in the bill OF sale al ii,0UO dollars.
The estate is managed BY an administrator, who
has under him an oyerseer. There are about
ninety men and boys poems, upon the place, and
as many women and girls, all 81 whom are hS-
lures for life as are all poems in niney-nine cases
oui OF huadTcd, and quite as bad on as slaves
in your section ul the country worse even, as
when they become pas; work, their LANDLORD ~ IS
nai compelled 10 support them, and lnls da'y dc-
vovins upon their relative, serves 10 bind them
the firmer.
guile as profitable as the profession OF arms; Tor,
according 10 the account We received from The
oyersrcr the profits OF the estate are little or no.
Thing The nominal wages OF the Peons is from
Two 10 ten dollars per month"; but as they are
compelled 10 purchase every article they con-
sumo, and all their clothing, from the proprietor
Of the estate every month finds them deeper IN
debt. Two crops OF corn ale raised, and twenty
four fanegas Of seed is The usual amount planted.
The yield is generally one hundred fold, which
would make he annual crop 24oo taasgas, or
$500 bushels O. this but little is sold of The es-
tate. as il is the principal article OF food. The
crop of beans, which is also one OF The stand
bvsn is estimated AT 900 fancgas-o20O bushels.
There are about thousand head OF cattle on The
estate, and few sheep and goals-but as one beel
;s generally killed nearly every day, The sale of
the estate is very small-not more than twenty
five year. The cane crop is as yes small, but
more land is dedicated 10 lis cultivation every
year, and il must soon yield handsome Proht
Al present not more than 40 arOJas l000 pounds
OF sugar are made ia The year, but Of good qua
liy. A small amount OF rice OF falr qnaliy IS
also raised. BY lar the greatest source of prom,
IS the lumber, some portions OF This extensive 90
main being heavily timbered with pine. The
growth OF cotton has been attempted, bul without
any decided success.
The administrator and overseer came out 10
meet Gen. Taylor and ofisr him the Inequalities
of the place, and We encanped about halt mile
from the main building, under the shade OF some
pecan trees. The residence OF Arisa is spacious
and very strongly bull; with walls three leel thick,
i0OU-n0ieQ
large sun-d,ied brick, succeed and whiiewashed,
and better adapted for comfort than almost any
house | have been H. These brick, which are
abou, foot square and four or five inches thick,
are made by the 1sGIs for bit and half (1s real
y modal hundred--by those OF the place for
ihfea bis hundred.
have said that we cacamped near the main
building, and under the cco shade oil The pecans
we remained tranquil during the rest OF the day.
The statistical information which have given,
was impaired to Gen. Taylor-who takes the
liveliesl interest in every thing pertaining 10
agriculture, and is anxious TO obtain all The IN
formation relative 10 the produce OF the country
by The administrator. In The evening this iunc-
lonary, who is a young man born on the estate,
invited the General and party TO a tandango, and
much TO his satisfaction evidently ii was accept.
ed. AS soon as il was quite dark, Gen. Taylor
and Gen. Gushing and the res! OF the sattc repair
ed 10 the faniangO In The open air, in front OF
the house, three rows oil benches were arranged,
forming three sides Of square, leaving large
space between, ard upon these were seated the
male and female tenan,ry, the dancing ground
being lighted by two torches of split pine wood.
When The affair got well under way there were
about sixty female peasants present, all OF them
as brown as berries and very ugly, notwihs,and.
inc which they found plenty OF part ness. The
music consisted OF Two yiolins and couple Of
guitars and The musicians played some very
pretty tunes, too.
Ailer one or two national dances, consisting Of
alternate dancing and disco.dant wild singing
the dancing resembling very much that peculiar
10 The negroes in the States and The singing an In
dian chaun,--a waltz and quadrille were startled
lean assure you The scene was not only novel, bu!
wild and picturesque in the extreme. There stood
the victorious, war worn, but hardy cid veteran,
surrounded by his brave companions in arms who
have stood the brunt Of battle with him, and those
who hope ye, 10 share new victories under ms
leadership, gazing with smiling face upon The
merry making Of Aristas tenaniry. "A iliie
more than year ago, while Aris,a was Iuslica'-
ing upon This same hacienda, he received The no.
LITIGATION oil his being placed in command, and
his very first order assuming his authority was
dated Mamalcqui. During that brief period, he
/. a "a