Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-06-02

or other impediments, to the manifest disturb
ance of the nerves of my fellow passengers.
AT the end of an hour we stopped to refre sh
the mules at Santa Fe, distant eight miles from
/ Vera Cruz. This seat of the holy faith is a
small country tavern, made of boards and mud,
with extensive stables for the mules of the car.
rlers. Aoout hundred of such mules were at
the place, and had the leisure to examine their
accoutrements, as also those of the carrieres,
which probably differed in no respect from such
as were used in the days of Cervantes. The
pack-saddle is of itself almost load, being a
massive frame work Of wood with a tale Of
wool stuffed into it. The loads were of all
sorts-bags, bales, boxes, barrels, &c.-each
mule carrying from two hundred and fifty, to
three hundred pounds weight. Twenty DAYS
are required fer the journey from. Vera Cruz 10
the Capital, and eighteen for the return, the
price ofthe carriage being from fifteen to tw en-
ty dollars. Very large articles, such as pianos
and mirrors, are carried on litters between two
mules, when the expense is of course enormous.
No other modes of transportation are in use in
the Republic, except where horses, asses, men,
or women are somtmes substituted for mules,
because there are but few roads for wheel car
rlages and there are few roads for wheel car
riages, because there are but few wheels to roll
| over them. The muleteers are dressed in eath-
er from head to foot, and armed with enormous
whips and spurs the saddles are large and
cumbrous, the stirrups made of heavy blocks OF
wood, while the bits present the appearance of
horrible engines of torture.
| At six miles beyond Santa Fe we changed
mules and got breakfast at solitary tavern cal
| led Ell .Nanantiai, the spring, from rivulet
| flowing near it. Magma de CIaro, the haci-
enda, or plantation of Santa Anna, is within
| or miles of this place. He was residing in
stlct seclusion, having only few months pre-
vlous returned from his captivity in Texas
AS we proceeded, the country was constantly
becoming more rough, and began to present
mere succession of hills and valleys. We pass
ed the village of Tomole, where Santa Anna
was defeated by Calderon in 1882, and at elev-
en- reached the Passo de Orejos, or Sheepford,
place of some size, composed however, of mis-
cradle novels. There may be seen the walls
of an unfinished building, which, if completed,
must have been one of the finest of the kind In
the county. 1t was simply an extensive square
surrounded by arcades, and containing square
courts also arcaded the whole Que story in
height, made OF stone, covered with a beauti-
full cement, with which all the houses of Vera
Cruz, and the other cities of the low country
are coated. 1t was intended for the residence
of one OF the Arrillaga family f; but the rcvo-
IN ion arrested the work, as it appears to have
moral, in Spanish America. After leaving Pa
SO de Oveias, the hills become mountains, and
our coachman took great pleasure in cemonstra-
ting his skill by the impetuosity with which he
drove US up and down over those steep stony
ridges. From the heights we occasionally
caught glimpses of the great Cordillera range,
and its most conspicuous point, the peak of Orr
zaba ; but the clouds, from which heavy show
ers fell at short intervals, prevented US from OBJ
tanning distinct view. At length after ira
versing wild rugged track for some miles. at
about half past y we descended rapidly into
gorge, at the bottom of which rolled the little
river Antigua, and over it we saw stretching
the famous bridge, Puente del Reg, Kings
bridget then Puente Imperial, in Iturbide's
time, and now Puente .Naeionai-the Bridge
of the Mutton.
We stopped at the village near the bridge for
an hour, and as | also passed the greater part
of a day there on my return, when examined
the place carefully, am able to present toll
erably correct idea of it.
The bridge passes over two branches of the
Antigua river, short distance above their juno
ton. 1t il built entirely of stone, covered with
cement, and twenty years ago 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
arches the other, or main river, is crossed by
seven arches, the two portions being connected
by causeway which makes continuous lev
eli road over the whole. The arches according
TO my measurement, are each forty-fve feet in
span, and rise about the same in height above
the water; which with feet for the thickness
of the arch at top, makes % feet for the eleva-
ton of the roadway above the stream. The
piers between the arches are about 20 feet each
in thickness and the length of the whole struc-
ture, including abutments and causewey, is $50
Yards. The roadway is in width % feet with
raised sidewalks and Tarapets or each side; &
runs in direction somewhat serpentne, agre
ably to the necessities Of the position. The
banks ofthe river are steep and re csy at the
distance of quarter of a mile above the bridge
the highland dividing the two streams termi-
in a precipitous knoll, which has been often &C.
.cuIied temporarily, by military parties during
the revolution aud the subsequent disturbances,
and certainly forms strong position, though
utterly untenable for want of water.
The village is on the left, or north side Ct the
river, at the end of the bridge, and is simply a
line ofcane huts strewed along the road between
the river and the flank of the overhanging noun
tain. Those who wish to learn of how little
value time may be in some places, would do well
to pass day there, as | did. The whole pop
ulation was in the road and the only persons
whom saw engaged in any employment were
the shop keeper, occasionally selling picked
pepper or pound of dried beef, two or thee
women making tortillas, (cakes of Indian corn)
and two or three men playing on guitars. The
others were sitting or lying on mats or hides
in the shade, enjoying abe dolce far niente, the
thermometer marking 100. On reflection how
ever, might say the same OF every other pace:
except the large cities, which saw in Mexico;
vet no one appeared to want Neapolitan laz-
zaron and peasants, may indeed, be considered
as active and Industrious people. when compar-
ed t. the Mexicans.
Having little knowledge Of military matters,
am at loss to imagine on what grounds tie
expectation was formed that the Mexcans void
male stand against an army, at tbs place
for, if we gained the heights on the Vera Cruz
Il = L Ill