Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-08

send snees description oil IN
lower portion of the road from Vera Cruz Mexico,
which our army under Gen. Scorr moving by
accounts 1t made from my and recoecons of
trip to Mexico years ago. and will hope, be Of som
use in rendering more easily ineligible the which ma
be daily expected from that quarter. Should you consider
worth while will send you similar sketch of the remain
der of the road to Mexico. With great esteem, yours,
ROBERT GREENHOW
WAsHlSGroS, SATURDAY MAY !, lS47.
In the afternoon of Thursday the 18th Of july 1887
rood slocpofwar the Vandaa in which had the honor
be passenger anchored the roadstead between the island
of SACRIFICES and the mainland OF Mexico, within couple
hundred yards of the British fgate Madagascar and
spread around with every point Of which had long
been familiar from description. On the right lay Sacrieios,
little ridge of sand potruding above the water on the left
the low shore Of Mexico beyond which appeared faulty sha
dowed on the sky tall peak of Orizaba and the irregular
outline of Perote 'front.' the towers and spires Of Vers
Cruz and the white Of the castle Of uua gtterng
the sun while, turning to the southeast the black craggy
rocks Of the volcano of San Andres usta arose at the dis
lance Of sixty miles the point of Anton Lirdo The
weather delightful the sunset recalled to mind those Of
Naples and the breeze pure and esh seemed to contradict
the assertion of the old pilot that the roO was raging III
Vera Cruz scarcely four miles off, Through that famed hot
bed of peslence pass my way to the city OF
Mexico but only, expected to pass, for had been in
struced not until the of conveyance the
interior were ready and with this view had by
the pilot consul requesting him to engage place
in the dgenca, stage-coach for the following day
But here had eckoned without my host for at O'Clock
messenger came in boat bringing a letter from the con-
sui from which appeared that must Immediately go up
the city and spend the night there the waergate would
not be opened the morning until after the departure of the
coach No alternative being left, prepared to obey the
summons and soon on way In the boat, rowed by
three stout half naked Indians to the dreaded city.
few woods the topography of the surrounding places
NAV not be unacceptable at the present moment.
The Mexican there nearly northwest and south
east The whole shore and the country for miles
from very low and nearly level presenting sheet Of sand
umped by the Winds and sustaining only few weeds and
shrubs whee the ridges highest Opposite the Shore
distance of about three quarters OF me begins exten
sve bed coral rock four five miles in diameter OF which
several portions project above the forming small islands,
while Others Just covered by the water prevent all but the
smallest vessels from passing the spot The most south
ern of these sands-caed SACRIFICES by scovere Gra
va 1873 from the quantity of human bones found upon i'll
mass sand about three hundred yards in length by
ty in breadth, partially covered by rank weeds BLa Verde
Green Bad another, about three miles eastward from
Sacrcios and about the distance northwest from the
latter island is that Of Ua, S Juan entirely occupied
bv the famous fortress. From SACRIFICES Uua stretches
Inc OF coral reefs, called the Laudadera Waser,oona
from the 5ang breakers which appear during
reefs and islands the and the main
land the west the channel which forms the oads,ead
Vera Cruz The city lies exactly opposite to the castles
the intervening space constituting the harbor, vessels while
their cagoes moored rings in the castle
WALL from which the goods sent over lighters Should
their moongs fail during noter they must infallbly be
dashed to pieces the Lavandera and for this ships
Of and others, which not required TO be Vera
Cruz usually anchor between Sacrcio and the main land
they there have clear to wndward of breaking
heir cables.
The shores are here very difficult of access in
If the violence Of the surf Between Vera Cruz and Anton
zardo distance of about twelve miles, the only place
which boats reach with safety is the north side Of
small projection Of the called Mocambo Point, nearly
Opposite SACRIFICES and there, doubt General Scott eff
fected the Decentralization of his army the 18th of March
last.
On the spot where Vera Cruz stands the Spanish dis
coyere l5ls found Indian village called Cuiud or
Ula, from which the island opposite named San Juan
d Uua or 81. J0hn Of UlId. There, Good Friday OF
following year. fernando Cortez aisembaked and traced
with his sword the burning sand the outline of settlement
which bear the Of La Villa Rcd de la Vera Cruz
the Rich Cay of the True Cross. There he abdcatcd the
authority conferred him by the Governor Of Cuba and
copied its stead commission from the mayor and aldermen
the settlement command the forces Of their sovereign
the expedition for the conquest of the great empire of Ana
hutc and from that point after burning his ships which lay
the roadstead opposite he began his march into the interior
No spot In America, except perhaps that n could be den
hhed) which Columbus FIRST landed has many roman
tic associations connected with it. is likely to be
garded with interest in after ages.
The settlement thus begun after removed to the
mouth of river twelve miles further NORTH where it was
maintained until the end Of that century and them
sequence insecurity the anchorage inhabitants
transferred the pontrs selecedby Corez opposite which
the castle had been shortly before erected the island Of San
Juan The name of Vera Cruz assigned to the town
The site deserted marked by village called La an
hgud-the Old IOtcn-and the same appelation given
the river which flows by it. The castle begun about the
year 575 by the Vceroy Don Martin Ennques de Almanac
for the protection Of the royal shps-his exceency having
had opportunity Of witnessing in person, the danger to
which they might be exposed in the combat between his
and the vessels Of the famous English slaye-rade John Haw
kins, in 1868.
To myself After rowing hour, entered the
part Of the roadsead called the habo where few small
sells lying, between the castle the right and the
the left. 1t night and, although the shone
brightly, objects but ndnctly distance as
had rtunIfy 10 thsn with
my return shall describe them then found them.
The cattle somewhat oblong its ground plan, with
tons at the angles stretching, in its greatest length abou
two hundred and fifty yards in front Of the city, from
which it distant about half mile. The walls
high, probably less than forty feet and rise immediately
from the water and the WHOLE though imposing from il
mass, too regularly geomecal in form TO present much
the picturesque
The city, from the harbor, exhibits another line
dead WALL extending about three quarters Of mile in length
between two ortsihat Of La Caeta, Conception, tn
north, and that Of Santiago the SOUTH The castle and IN
city have each only gate opening the harbor Fror
the city gate mole OF sone about hundred and fifty yarJ
in length by BREADTH stretches right angles into Ii
but not far enough enable the smallest vessels
near it. its extremity showed that attempt
made TO continue but such work is beyond the power
the present of Mexico and the mole Ia
OF execution for deseers and other refractory individuals
the upper Countries who condemned labor ON it ar
are, Of course, soon dispatched by the vomto.
When we bad arrived at about hundred yards from Il
city wall single pull OF the plunged boat into
atmosphere Of the place, and could then, for the first tim
realize oil that has been said of its nsauby. had pass
through the Jews quarter in Rome during summer HI
threaded the hest lanes Of Nles the season Of Il
81.