Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-06-16
ferior in height, an9 also Of volcanic origin,
though it has no crater.
nn,,.-l At L.

rable, and we continued onwards at fair
pace, generally through Withholding
country thinly wooded with oaks and pines,
among which great rocks Of lava and por
phyry are scattered. At the distance Of
six or seven miles, we passed ravine
with small stream flowing through it, on
fine stone bridge; and soon after changed
horses, at the venta or inn of Tesmelucos,
an old,hacienda Of most uninviting appear
ance. The road thence winds along the
side of the mountain, and it has been cut
through the solid rock in many places af-
ford;ng facilities for robberies, which have
not been neglected according to the ac-
counts of my fellow-passengers; after as
cending for some time, we made short
descent, and, at noon, entered dell, ira
versed by the little stream aboye-mention-
ed, which gives to the place its name OF
Rio Frio- Cold Rirer.
We dined at the solitary venta Of Rio
Frio, in company with the passengers Of
another stage coach, which runs only be-
tween Puebla and Mexico. Two of these
passengers were Franciscan friars, both
Mestizos; and more hideous looking fig
ures never saw, even among the tenants
of the widest Appenine convent of that
mendicant order. On returning to the
stage coach, took seat on the box with
the driver, in order to have good view Of
the interesting scenes which were soon to
present themselves, trusting to a thick
camlet cloak for protection agains. the &C.
casional showers. We continued to ascend
for an hour longer, when we reached the
summit of ridge near ravine, called the
Barranca de Joannes, elevated 10, 500 feet
above the level of the ocean; from this
point the decent was rapid, and in less
than an hour we emerged suddenly from
the forest into an open space, in which
stands the venta of Cordova, and there we
saw spread out beneath the famous valley
of Anahuac, with the famous lake of Tes-
cuco in the middle.
Respecting the view of the valley Of
Mexico presented from this spot, am OBJ
lighed TO express as opinion at variance
with all the others which have heard or
read. Grand and imposing are its fea-
lures, certainly; but none could be farther
from the beautiful. We see vast cavity,
like crater, surrounded by wall of
peaked and jagged mountains within which
rise number Of smaller peaks-all black,
bare and dosolate- The vegetable king
dom is represented only by those emblems
Of stertility, the nopals and the magueys,
(alees and preakly pears.) Of the exist
ence Of man, few traces are discernible;
everything, in fact, bears the marks of a
mighty igneous convulsion, from which
the earth has not yet recovered sufficient
ly to be able to resume the exercise Of its
organizing faculties.
The descent from the Venta de Cordova
is very steep, and we were borne down
it, with fearful rapidity, to the sandy plain
which forms the floor of the valley
Ploughing through this plain for an hour
or more, over sandy flats, among rocky
volcanic knobs, thinly covered!with gigan-
tic scaggy cactusses, we reached the lit
tie village of Ayotla, situated at the base
of the extinct volcano of Cochumac. on the
edge ofthe Lake of Chalco; beyond which,
on the left, we saw the old town of that
name, SO celebrated in the histories of the
conquest; and we at length, about four
o'clock, changed horses for the last time,
at the village Of Los Reyes, close to the
lake of Tezcuco.
Immediately on leaving Los Reyes, we
entered upon the great Calzado, or cause
way, which stretches in straight line
along the margin of the lake of Tezcuco, to
the capital. The rainy season'was, as already
said, at its height, and the lake presented
bread expanse on the right, while on the
left were large flats, partially covered with
water, extending to the Chalcsy lake
The causeway is aboGs,. as wide as Broad
way IN eS,ew York; and being in fine or
der we dashed over it at a rapid rate. !
strained my eyes to catch the first view Of
the towers of the cathedral, which a,
length became family visible at the dis
lance Of four miles. Other towers and
domes then slowly disengaged themselves
from the mist; and at 5 o'clock our carriage
was stopped by the customhouse officers
at the Garita del Pencil, the south western
SatC VI tiiC cay VI NACAlSo' 1 hC odSSdSC
having been hastily examined, we passed
the barrier and entered street, with low,
mean, decaying houses. As we advan-
ced, things put on better appearance
we were soon passing between rows OF
grand.looking buildings, resembling the
bestin Puebla; and, after driving mile in
this way, We found ourselves in the great
square, with the palace, the cathedral, and
the parion before us, just where they stood,
three hundred years before, the palace OF
Montezuma, the grand teocalli and head
quarters of Cortez.
| CD The United States have no addi-
tional glory says the Union, "to acquire
by war; and they will be ';the first TO hail
the restoration of peace. Let lis then
leave Mexico, after paying us the claims
and the indemniies which she owes us, to
pursue her own destiny, to improve her
own institutions, and to profit by the eX-
ample Of order, refinement, energy, and
industry, which we have exhibited upon
her territory. Those who effect to say
! that we aspire to possess the whole other
country, only delude her people and mis-
sepresent our government"
/ -" Latest accounts placed General Shields