Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1847-10-27
IlvIF Oh ] AN KUI I'll
WI 10 XICO!

WI ID .XICO!
The following letter from an old friend
and TYPO in Mexico, will doubtless be read
with much interest. The writer has been
resident of this State and Wisconsin for
some years. and during last winter, was a
resident of this place. engaged in mining;
and quartered on our old friend Cline, down
the street. His epistle comes in good time,
for now that we are placed upon meagre
allowance of news and that wholly .Neri-
can, 1.-THE truth of which we have more rea-
son to doubt, than to credit it is really a
blessing to be placed in communication with
one, in whose statements we may rely with
implicit confidence.
4 TAMPIco, Mexico,
Sept. Goth le47.
SIR:-I avail myself of few leisure mo-
mente, of copying from diary have kept,
! and sending you several extracts that may
prove OF some interest to you. and are plac-
ed at your disposition. Accept of my best
wishes for your health and prosperity.
Yours, with respect,
THOS. r. WARING.
GEO GREENE, Esq, ED. EXPRESS"
Capt. WIGHT's company of 10 Daviess
county Volunteers, Ito which belong,) left
Galena on the 10Th Of June, and arrived at
Alton on the 22d. Here we remained near
two months, drilling and performing other
camp duty. Oar long stay here was owing
to the tardy arrival Of the different compa-
MES which now compose our regiment
Col. COLLINS, Of Lafayette county, w. T.,
was elected oar Colonel. and Capt. HICKS,
Of Jefferson county Ill.,, Lieutenant Colonel.
We left Alton on the 18th of August, and
arrived at New Orleans, after very disa-
greable passage Of eight days; and encamp-
ed en- the Carrolton race course, 9 miles a.
bovo the city. Our Regiment was here d.
vided, and the % Battalion, containing the
Galena company, was ordered to this place,
under the command Of Lieut.. Col. Hicks
By this maneuvre, Capt. Wight has been
promoted to the rank of Major. A more
worthy promotion in our battalion could not
have taken place. He enjoyed the unbound
ed confidence of his company, and earned
for himself the esteem and admiration of the
command.
Our passage across the Gulf. was disa-
grsable one. We were out near four days
with a rough sea; and the effects upon the
volunteers can be 'better imagined than
described.' Picture to yourself $50 men
under the influence of q strong dose of ippe-
cac, with numerous operations of jalap, and
you can then form faint idea of our Life
on the Ocean wave" We suffered consd-
erably, both on the lower Mississippi and
on the Gulf, for the want of good water
The clear Mississippi water at Dubuque,
would have been luxury to us then.
We arrived at Tumpico on the fourth day
after leaving N. Orleans, and anchored in
the river, opposite the city. Here an en-.
tire new scene opened to our view. Our
ship was soon surrounded with canoes, work
ed by race Of people resembling in color,
our Winnebago Indians, with fruits and fish
for sale; their conduct and actions being
marked by the usual Indian traits. In front
of US, on the north, lay the city, composed
of an innumerGble number of houses and
sheds, apparently without any order or sym
etry in their construction. No merry sound
could be heard from the anvil or the work
bench. no rafting drays or putting steam
were visible. Every thing appeared to en-
Joy Sabbath stiffness. But there was one
object that presented itself to our view that
filed my breast with pleasing cmotions.-
There Heated proudly above this singular
mass, an AMERICAN FLAG, bearing the glo-
rious stars and stripes | was not prepared
to appreciate the feelings of Americans,
when beholding our flag foating in foreign
land, until then. Wave on! thou bright
forerunner of human freedom and happiness
may thy graceful waving folds never be fuTl-
cd until virtue, liberty, and dependence,
be spread throughout the habi;uble globe.
The cIiy of Tampico is in the State of
Tamauiipas, and is situated on q neck of
land about four hundred yards wide, formed
by the river Panuco on the one side, and the
Laguna del Barpintes on the other. 1t is
near six miles from the sea. Vessels of q
large class come up to the city. 1t ia recu-
iarly laid out,--the streets crossing each
other at right angles. The houses are gen.
orally but ono story high, and principally
constructed ola species of cane, and plaster-
ed, with matched roofs of bamboo. Each
building hos the appearance of a. prison.
Ine windows and doors are strongly barri
caded with iron bars, similar to our ,ails,-
The streets arc broad and well paved with
Ssoiioi "Ao ~ tuoy are LOlcr1Olv well
lighted up. There are not ten houses in the
city that have got chimneys. The whole
city is under the immediate command ofCol.
GATES, who is also military Governor. A
strict military police IS kept up, and every,
thing passes off smoothly. 1t is estimated
that the Mexican population here, is near
5000. and several hundred of them are in
the employ OF the Quarter Master, at from
$2o to $50 per month. The revenue col
lected from customs at this post, will aver-
age $4,000 month.
A Me xican funeral is most singular af.
fair. have attended the funeral Of a child.
The corpse was neatly attired in white. and
laid in the coffin, surrounded with cav tes-
toons OF flowers. The sides of the coffin
were ornamented with pink ribbon; at the
head OF the corpse there was placed large
boquette OF flowers, and cross laid on the
breast. In this manner they walked to the
grave, with the lid of the coffin taken off.
when at the grave the lid was nailed on; it
was then lowered in the vault, and the dirt
pounded down with mauls. The poorer
nj