The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-08-01

Salinas pretty formidable stream that rises near far
ras and empties into the San Juan II Is very brackish
and hardly drinkable but II Is all the inhabitants have
to depend upon they have wells in the city car
rying out the national trait of the country to leave
well alone.n The town contains about 2700 lnhsbi-
tants and very we'll conditioned alcalde Sugar IL the
principal source Of revenues but owing to the saline
quallties OF the water the sugar Is OF inferior
quality. small amount Of rice is also raised.
but no more than to suffice for the consumption Of
rdncheaderos on this stream at different points beg
you will not attempt to look the map for this stream
Tor 1t has dozen different names and probably Ii not
noted the Mexican custom being to give fresh
name for every town they pass.
We encamped upon the southern bank Of the river
the night anu in the evening OF the party attended
fandango got up for their amusement in the town 1t
was the first ever attended, and rather dull AFFAIR,
very few senortas being present On the sth, by
rise struck tents crossed the salt river and
rived at Mamaequ about noon.
Arista's hacienda is situated upon the Rio Pc
cacho and at the foot of spur of the Sierra north
easterly direction from Monterey, about twelve miles
from Salinas and from distance has quite the appear
ance of baronal estate. His plantation is very
tensve one, comprising fourteen square leagues; but
the tall Spanish bayonet plant which brses up in every
direction Arsta purchased the place about four years
ago from lady residing in the city of Mexico for $3o
600 snd has since expended about $40 900 in improving
It. There Is very fine sugar and mill upon it, the
motive power of which is water of course. The dam
solid piece of work estimated in the bill
OF sale at $4,000 The estate is managed by admin
istrador who has under him There are
about ninety men and boys poems upon the place, and
as many women and girls all Of whom fixtures for
lie, are all IN ninety-nlne out hun
dred and quite bad of slaves your section of the
country-worse even, as when they become past work
their landlord ~ is not compelled to support them and
this duty devolving upon their relatives to bind
am afraid Arisa does not find agriculture quite as
profitable as the profession of arms for according to the
received from the profits of the
estate are little or nothing The nominal wages Of the
poems is from two to ten dollars month"; but they
are compelled to purchase every article they
and all their clothing from the proprietor of the estate
every month finds them deeper in debt. Two crops of
usual amount planted. The yield is generally hun
dred fold which would make the annual crop fame
gas $500 bushels or this but little is sold of the
tate, as it is the principal article Of food The crop of
beans which Is also of the stand bys is estimated
at 800 Jonegas-2200 bushels There about thou
sand head of cattle the estate and few sheep and
goats but as one beef is generally killed nearly every
day the sale of the estate is very spalnot than
twenty-five year. The crop il yet small but
more land is dedicated to its cultivation every year and
IL must yield handsome profit at present
than arobas OOo pounds) Of sugar are made in the
year but of a good quality A small amount of rice of
fair quality is also raised BY far the greatest
o. pront s the lumber some portions Of this extensive
OF cotton has been attempted but without decided
success
Gen Taylor and offer him the inequalities of the place
and cncamped about half mile from the main build
ing under the shade of pecan trees The residence
OF Arsta is spacious and very rongly built with walls
three feet thick. loop-holed for musketry II is
structed of the large sun.dried brick stuccoed and
whitewashed and better adapted for comfort than al
most any house have been in. These brick which
about foot square and four or five inches thick
made by the poems for bit and half (un real med'o)
hundred-by those of the place for three bits hun
dred
have said that We enoamped near the main building
under the cool shade of the pecans remained tranquil
during the rest Of the day The statistical information
which have given was Impaired to Gen Tsyler-who
takes the veliest interest in everything pertaining to
agriculture, and to obtain all the information
relative to the produce of the countryby the admins
trador In the evening this functonary who is young
man born the estate invited the general and party
fandango, and much to his satisfaction, evidently 1t
was accepted As soon rs 1t quite dark Gen lay
or Gen Cushing and the rest OF the suite repaired
the fandango In the open air in front of the house
three rows Of benches arranged forming three sides
OF square, leaving space between. and upon these
seated the male and female tenanry the dancing
ground being lighted by two torches of split pine wood
When the affair got well under way there about
sixty female peasants present all of them brown
berries and very ugly, notwithstanding which, they
volns ana couple Of guitars and the musicians payed
some very pretty tunes too Alter two national
dances, consisting of alternate dancing and dscordan
wild snging-the dancing resembling very much that
peculiar to the negroes in the States and the singing
an Indian chaunt-a waltz and quadrille started.
| can assure you the scene not only novel, but
wild and picturesque ia the extreme There stood the
victorious but hearty old veteran surrounded
by bis brave companions In arms who have stood the
brunt Of battle with him. and those who hope share
new victories unber his leadership gazing with sml-
ing face upon the merry making Of Arstas tenantry
little than year ago. while Arsta rusticat-
ing upon this hacienda he received the notification
OF his being placed In command and his very first order
on assuming his authority was dated Mamaeau Dur
ing that brief period he has been vanqushed dsgracsd
and stripped Of his command-hs nquisher has pene
trated to his very household and is entertained
honored guest by his dependents What strange events
come to pass Who tell what the will bring
forth Here let me remark that letter received
from Arista by his administrator recently dated Next
CO. June ~ He did not aude to matters transpirng
in that quarter at ALL his letter being purely business
one | mention this circumstances merely because we
had not heard Of his whereabouts for some time.
On the morning Of the 9Th We took our leave of Ars-
tas hacienda, and turned our horses heads towards
Monterey, but not the way that had come in
fe,
is about IL miles from Mamalequi, In soutbery drec
ton Before arriving at the villa we were met by the
thy and hosptabs proprietor I'll Senior don Jose Maria del
Villa Real, who warmly welcomed the general and ex-
pressed great pleasure at the honor OF his visit The
only pecuarites could then discover about the Senior
we're redundancy Of upright shirt collar and good
deal Of cotton umbrella, which not opened after.
wards discovered that gentlemany courteous bearing
and great hospitality his distinguishing traits
His hacienda is very extensive and well ordered he ID
always on the spot himself and handsome fortune hst
rewarded his exertions No had all gathered
der his cool roof than cart load literally cart load
Of water and musk melons, and large bushel basket
most dec Gus figs, bursting open If from impatienc
in. Need assure you that they were duly honorec
and praised Although quite early in the day, the Sc
nor insisted that the party must take little refreshment
and in hour long table rich and Offering will
the display Of silver plate plates dishes spoons forks
salt cellars, &c. all silver The little refreshment'
consisted of Of well cooked meat and fowl
Il la Mericano, also served up in massive silver dishes
and continual relays Of oriias Nearly every ha
breast work of tortiias before him when the repas
was concluded. At bid adieu to the extremel
liberal Den, and started for Camp Taylor. don't <
to destroy the idea of the beraty of the Senior that
have created but 1t was said that he thrown into
great state Of agitation short time since by repor
that Gen. Taylor WAS to send expedition to
| his place for goods taken from the captured wagon
supposed to DO concealed there aud that he imagine
the General had come to confirm the report. am nc
disposed to credit the dit myself but If 1t
more fully account for the milk In the nut
Sixteen miles from the villa the road strikes the Salna
road and crosses the Aqua Fra; which, although fresh
was nearly warm enough to boil egg Six miles NOR
and We were again at Camp Taylor where the party dis
persed all apparently much grated with the excursion
When at Nnmaeqni, the alcalde Of small town neal
warm arrived and applied to Gen Taylor for force tt
capture small band OF robbers headed by Mucho Mar
tini one armed robber long known in this region who
had CONNER need sundry outrages on the MexcanS ror
manifest reasons the general declined
Since arriving here have learned thata private named
Carleton, of the Massachusetts regiment who lett mere
with Captain Paul aud Lieut. Fuller, on the 'th inst
killed by Mexican robbers near Marin the rest on
| the party escaped train OF wagons bound up from
Cerralvo and Camargo when fteen miles TINS SIDE OF
the former place recalled by MAJOR ADoo. station
ed at Cerravo in consequence Of report that Urea
in the road in force. 10 was false alarm ana the
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