Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-11-17
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER II, ls47
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.
CAMP BuENA VISTA, Sept. so, 1874

direction with the remnant Of his army-about
seven thousand men. What is to be his next s
move, we can hardly conjecture; but if he should
think of visiting us, shall endeavor to be pre-
pared for him.-Our Infantry Brigade is coming ON
finely. Col. Hamtramck, who is in command of
it, drills the Brigade three times week, and we
have besides company and battalion drills regularly
AS to the idea OF negotiating peace with Mexico,
l think every hope Of that Kind is at an end The
MeXicans never will consent to the surrender ofany
portion of their territory this is the common SEN
timent even of the humblest of them and do |
not see how the demands of our Government can |
be satisfied by them i'll any other way. We NAV |
keep up our armies here for years, but it will be to
no purpose.-l'nder the humane system which we |
observe, they are rather benefit to the country
wherever they are, by atfording ready markets and
high prices for every thing the MeXcans have to
sell.-Ihus it is apparent that at last we shall be
driven to the necessity OF just taking from them the
territory which we have demanded, and holding it,
You may rely upon it that this is to be the result,
and millions may be saved to our Government, by
coming TO it at once. The MeXicans hav We already
been discussing the proprety of avoiding any more
pitched battles, and If that should become their set
tied plan, certainly national honor will not re-
qulre OF us TO keep an army here to hunt up their
small parties from mountain to mountain and val
ley TO valley, like wild beasts Humanity indeed
would revolt at such war. But enough Of this, for
the present.
have already described the mountains in This
region as exceedingly barren and broken with
S'S''y al upon tIelll, ana unuuIatlnp their
courses like the waves of the sea. As there is q
succession OF these ridges, one towering above sno
Their, particularly to the West, the view i'm that d
Iec'ion from our camp and to the North is quite
picturesque Among these ridges are innumerable
small coveS or deprcSsionS, for they cannot be called
vallies, and have been surprised to learn that thew
are generally inhabited The approach to them il
by narrow, winding paths along the steeps. which
nothing but the sure foot of mule or ass can ira
verse, and no home could certainly look less inv;,in
rptra
selves by few goats which browse upon the noun
tais, ana perhaps In some oIthe more favorable To-
cauohs they may raise little corn. But il is need
less 10 speculate how MeXcans live, for that is a
mystery every where. They assuredly do live
more meanly, and subsst upon less than anv peonle
nave ever known. The poorest AMONGST us AT
home fare abundantly in comparison with Them.
III was not until few days ago tina; was aware
WI ,i'e existence OF work Of considerable magn-
tude In our neighborhood. 1t is canal which is
carried along the side of the mountain for several
miles, ana hnaily across it at low point for the
purpose OF lrrgating small valley on the Other
side. Such work in Mexico, where SO few evil
1ehceS OF industry and enterprise of any kind ,ra
TO be found, is certainly deserving of notice w
only parallel know TO il, is Stone Wall which
runs on dead stretch Of some or 10 miles alonU
tne Monterey road, this side of Rinconada pass
What the entire length of the Wall NAV be | can
not say, as 1t passes over the mountain Some have
taken 1t to be National work marking the line
between two States; but this is a mistake | nm
derstand that 1t Is the work of wealthy proprietor
and Is intended simply as an enclosure for sheen
and goats 'p
Another fact has come to nv KNOWLEDGE ,.b;cb
may be worth mentioning. The aaueducts which
supply Saltllo with water, | learn are nothing hut
troughs made out OF small stones mbedded In a ce-
tneht, ana covered over with flat rocks. The fall
from the upper part Of the city, where the wafer s
introduced, Is very regular, we'll to the sides as
the lower extremity thus the only stress upon
the ducts is in forcing the water up into the basins
ana tanks In the squares and along the Streets
How this is managed, has not been EXPLAINED 10
me, but have noticed that the flow of ali the Sn
tains is very weak ~
within few days past, we have had several
hneavy rains, accompanied with much wind The
NieXicahs told us when the cold, gloomy drizzlinp
spell OF weather set in, between two and tbree
weeks ago, that it would last for twenty davs and
mat me ltaIny Season would then close The wea
Their cleared of beautifully, however after abont
,nTee or Tour days, and continued settled until now
we may nope, then, that this is the end of il and
tnat me line weather we have enjoyed intermedi-
ateIy' has been happy respite 10 us from the usual
course OF 'le season. Ii SD, it has indeed been q
haPPy respite, for our cotton houses, assure Won
"ioiu h''le comfort III such weather. In order to
get warm, have had TO 90 to bed at dark and If
could not sleep, might amuse myself bv lstepipr
70 the howlings and tTamplngs of the innumerabIe
gangs OF wolves which nightly surround orr carDn
Ihey never iail to sercnadc us, whatever NAV I've
me weather, and often in numbers, and with an i'm
pudence absolutely annoying to a CIVILIZED man
that is, until he gets used TO them
mad the qualification of Witnessing some dave
ago, the skill and dexerity of a Mexican in l,ssn
ing "ild hoTse-at least in part The nI,in q,
louho our camp extends for miles without tree mr. !
SHRUB 70 intercept the view, and this was The tbea
IRE OF the exhibition. The horse to be cauobt ,y,s
a mustang, but partially broken which BELONGED to
some one IN our army. The Mexican EMPLOYED to
Ie-catch him was well mounted on fleet animal
'hat evidently understood the business and M race
couid nave been better contested, or more doonI,,
eHc'uhg. 9evere was the struggle between them
whenever inc mustang was forced, as was several
'ineS the case, to lead off in straight line for
snne VI more 10 avoid being headed and driven in
~ que VI 'ne 9orges Of the mountain. This seemed
10 DC the object of the Mexican's mannuvres ,Il IL
une, particularly after he found that his bnrso tI
not the speed TO overake the mustang and il ,aa
IN mat way he finally succeeded in CATCHING biz,
~ was so Tar up in the gorge, however that cnmd
ho' see the ilnale, entirely to my satisfaction IT.
IdsSo is made Of raw hide, prepared in a wav tbat
akes 1t very plant, and it is astonishing with xb1t
oeNtenty 1t is thrown by the MexicSns. The,
'"'Siy Mss their ann, even at the greatest speed
melancholy accident occurred in the Miseissin / ,
P regiment on Tuesday Mr. TetshaII actinc, sn,
te,' was Killed by the accidental DISCHARGE of = ME;
.oi ~ me hand OF an officer. The parties vvero IN
unate trends, and the circumstance has occasio,rd
ullVelSaI regro'-On Wednesday night am afTIav u
Oo'"eeh TWO men OF the same regiment at
CCaaInP,Hrc, IN which one Of them was killed d
nc neaith OF our Regiment continues abont tho :,
same. vi company reports a on tbe s;cL IL, ~ =
Jul 'ere IS only one case that regard as critical
yours, truly. "
The Washington Union states that Con "a, 10
Tor has asked for and obtained Ie,yo ,.c i n,