The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-01
THE UNION.

haned the nght winch spent under their roof one
Oh the most uncomfortable oil my HE In narrow room
with the thermometer at 95 degrees and the atmosphere
such as might have been produced by the presence oil
three or four corpses suiocated the door on the bal
cony was SHUT and chilled by damp winds if remained
open Tor the rainy season then at its height and
showers succeeded each other with great rapidly Sew.
ea clocks striking the hours and the quarters, and
watcnman under the window bawhng out his SAILS ceip
every Ten minutes; devoured by mosquitoes of bed
and by bugs when laid downit not surprising thai
should have longed for morning
Morning at length came; and al six o'clock after
taking most delightful cup OF chocolate got into the
iigencla, which just three-seat American stage
made az Hartford My fellow-passengers were sick
man from Havana, merchant of Jalapa with
his wife and their niece young muatto senorita and
trenchwoman, whom afterwards found to be not only
the first nodste OF Vera Cruz but also the dear friend
parsonage in the department. then residing Jaapa
The carriage was drawn by eight mules, two at the
wheels, four IN the middle, and two in 'front.' on the left
OF me 'front.' par rode the soto or position; the coero
on the box was Philadelphia, for one in Mexico
would trust his neck in carriage over this road with
any other than North american driver The streets
through which we passed all like those seen on the
previous evening, straight and paved and the houses
were well built, though, for the part in runous
condition. The city, IN fact with accommodations for
twenty thousand PERSONS contained not more than
nth OF that number; and cannot yet comprehend how
so small population, spread large space, can
manage to cOncoct much purdity.
On leaving Vera Cruz, we drove for some distance
within two hundred yards of the Shore and at intervals
through the water of the which overlows the wall
at high tides The scene before us was desoate, pre-
sentng only sandy plains interspersed with ponds AS
we advanced, the surface became uneven, and
patches of weeds seen ; then the ct0parai, or
hammocks is called in Florida composed of vines
and shrubs interviewer into thick mass and at length
after three or TOUR miles, trees, chiefly palms and others
OF unknown families. People were met coming to the
town. clothed generally IN shit and pair OF short linen
trowsers like those worn by the lazzaron in Naples
and driving mules asses, loaded with various articles
carried IN pauners or bundles. They were all Indians
Mestisos, or Sambos-tlat is of mixed Indian and
fp,v md
for the most part, remarkably stout and healthy. The
houses first observed merely sheds, matched with
mocks of hide suspended from the rafters little farther
on, they had sides made of reeds stuck in the ground
and, in some cases, the reeds plasered with mud
The soil here began TO put the appearance of mould
eight miles, il was actually billy The road was simply
track for rarely did any other wheels than those of the
grand highway of stones Joined by cement from Vera
Cruz to Mexico; but driver carefully avoided it
much possible and dashed at fearful rate disre
garjng all mud holes or other mpedments to the mani
fest disturbance OF the nerves OF my fellow passengers
At the end of hour stopped TO refresh the mules
at Santa Fee distant eight miles from Vera Cruz. This
seat OF the Holy Faith is small country tavern made Of
boards and mud, with extensive stables for the mules OF
the carriers About hundred of such mules then
at the place, and had leisure examine their accoutre
ments also those OF the which,
probably differed in respect from those in in the
days OF Cervantes The packs saddle is of itself almost
a load being massive framework of wood, with
bale of wool or hair stuffed into The loads were OF
all sorts-bags, bales boxes, barrels &c.-each mule
carrying from $50 to 300 pounds weight Twenty days
required for the journey from Vera Cruz to the capt.
tai and eighteen for the return the price of the carriage
be ng from fifteen to twenty dollars Very large articles
such pianos and mlrrors-are carried on itters, be-
tween two mules, when the expense is of course, enor
nous No other modes OF transportation are in use in
the republic except where horses, men
substituted for mules because there but few roads for
wheel carriages and there are few roads for wheel
rages because there are few wheels to roll them.
drnc.n cd hnnI
and armed with enormous whips and spurs; the saddles
large and cumbous the strrups made of heavy blocks
of wood, while the bits present the appearance of horri
BILE engines OF torture,
AT six miles beyond Santa Fe, we changed mules, and
got breakfast at solitary tavern called eli Manant,ai-
the spr,ng-from a nvuet flowing near it. Manga dc
Gg9 the haeen do or an at Of Gen Santa Anna
siding there strict seclusion having only few months
previous returned from his captivity in Texas AS pro-
ceeded the country was constantly becoming more rough
and began present merely succession of hills and val
legs We passed the village of Toome where Santa Anna
was defeated by Calderon 1892 and IL reached the
Paso de elas-MseeRtordIa place Of some SIZE com,
the walls of an unfinished building, which, if
plced must have been of the finest of its kind in the
country 1t was SIMPLY an extensive square, surrounded
by arcades, and containing square courts also caded
the whole only one story height made of sone COW
cred with beautiful cement with which all the houses
of Vera Cruz and the other cities Of the lower country
are coated twas intended for the residence of one OF
the Arrllaga family; but the revolution arrested the
work, as appears to have arrested all other improve
ments physical and moral, in Spanish America. After
leaving Paso de Ovejas the hills become mountains;
and our coachman took great pleasure IN demonstrating
his skill by the impetuosty with which he drove us up
and down over those steep stony ridges. From the
heights occasionally caught glimpses OF the great
Corlillera range, and its most conspicuous point-the
peak OF Orzaba but the clouds, from which heavy
ing distinct view. At length, after naversng wild
rugged track for some miles, at about half-past twelve
descended rapidly into gorge at the bottom OF which
rolled the little river Antigua, and over it we saw stretch
ing the famous bridge, formerly i'"ente del ReV-kmgs
bridge; then Pente Imperial, in lturhdes tme and
Puente Noeionat-the Bridge Of the Nation.
We stopped at the village near the bridge for hour;
and as also passed the greater part of day there,
my return, when examined the place carefully, am
able to present toerably exact idea of it.
The bridge passes two branches of the Antigua
river short distance above their junction 1t is built
entirely OF sone covered with cement, and twenty years
AFRO must have been the finest work OF the kind in
America The branch OF the river nearest Vera Cruz
being small, that portion OF the bridge has only two
arc .es: the other main river is crossed by
arches the two portions being connected by cause
way which makes a continuous level road the
whole. The arches, by my measurement, are each 45
feet in span and rise about the height above the
Water which, with feet for the thickness OF the arch
at top make SO feet the elevation of the roadway
above the stream The piers between the arches
about 20 feet each in thickness and the length of the
whole structure, including abuments and oagseway, IS
about $50 yards. The roadway is in width IS feet with
raised sidewalks and parapets each side; and in
direction somewhat serpentine, ageeably to the neces-
sites OF the position The banks of the river steep
and rocky; at the distance of quarter of mile above
the bridge, the highland dividing the two streams ter
inmates in a precpitous knoll which has been often tenn
porary occupied by military parties during the revolu
ton and the subsequent disturbances and certainly forms
strong position, though utterly untenabe Tor any length