The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-15
tn UNION.


that they would take Their stand AT the Puene Naclonale
he National brdge) the hgh-road to the capital We
then published very brief description from Madame
Calderons beautiful work of Life in Mexico" but as
General Scott is now the advance to the capital and
speculaons have been formed about the opposition
which might be expected at the bridge, have consult
ed another work on the subject, entitled Mexico in
1927; by ii. G. Ward, esq., his Majesty's charge DAT
fares in that country during the years 1885, 1885, and
part OF 1927 and find the following more minute de-
scrpton In the second volume of the bridge and the
rounding scenery 1t may be interesting at this moment
to the general reader because of the approach of
troops and it furnishes besides. amusing variety amid
the news from our armies and the politics of the day:
The Pue.te Macdonald, 80 miles from Yera Cruz, formerly
called Pueate del Rey; illustrated by engrdoing ia
son the morning of the 18th of December, we quilted
Santa Fe at about9 O'Clock, having OFT the carriages
and heavy baggage some hours before Our days journey
was TO be only twelve leagues had been advised
sleep at Puente del Rey large village celebrated the
scene OF many asanguiHary engagement during the
nut wars nn. although me ground rises but te IN
vancing, from the badness road which
IN many places awderness of sand The carriage-nues
Knocked up and the eoachmen mutnied both at FL Ma
nanu and at Paso oveas two ranches at each OF which
forced them on and leii guard with them at Last,
with strict orders not to allow them STOP they did not
ourselves about dusk with barely light enough enable
to admire the beautiful scenery by which
at this place. like Spanish works of this description
admirably constructed The arches Of stone and the
bridge Itself communicates with causeway, which,
the one side winds down steep descent and the other
forms an elevated road along huts, Of which the
village of the Puente is composed, scattered amongst
some large trees at considerable intervals from each other
Bnt is on looking towards the Vera Cruz side that you
are struck with the picturesque appearance of the bridge
for there you perceive most distinctly the in which
hat command it, and the rapid S s Stream 'si that n rUss
below forcing a passage over thousand obstacles,
with since our landing Nothing can be more monoto
nous than the general character Of the country from Ve,
Cruz to the Puen'e the sand hills do not indeed extend
$
there seems to be struggle between vegetation and ster
W Patches of rich and luxurious green are mersectcd
by long intervals of rock and sand is until you reach
Paso de OVENS that anything like regular cultivation is
hacienda, which had been abandoned during the revou
on and saw evident traces of rich and productive soil
Buto leaving the river, which this fertility due,
again found ourselves in sandy desert, where little but
the mlmosa was to be seen except in spots where
apparently insignificant stream called into existence at
once the luxri vegetation of the tropics In these
were quite bewleed by the variety of plants, all
to the European eye and generally thrown together in such
confusion that the experienced boanst would
have had some difficulty in CHASING them; for, each
tree supports two or three ceepers the fruits and flowers OF
which bear sort OF proportion in point of size the sen
def branches OF l he nGheF plant not easy to dsn
which they cling The air is quite periumed at times with
eoofed, (particulary the varieties of the convolyu
kind0 while the plumage of the birds, OF which, in
liant than the flowers themselves. Flocks of parrots
and macaws are seen in every direction, with car
the names of which, in any language, cannot pretend
to give deer too occasionally bounded the road
-
uials saw although their skins be with
great abundance. Throughout the TERRA Caenfe not
one-hundreti part of the soil has been brought cult
walton yet in the Indian cottages many which entered
always found plentiful supply of Indian corn rice,
bananas oranges, and neapples which, though certainly
not equal TO those OF the Havana flavor seemed to US
when heated with travelling, most delicious fruit Of
the banana, am not admirer; its reminded
sweet pomaum and gave it up after very short trial
spot of ground in the vicinity the cottage, which,
though apparently 100 small 70 support sns" ndiyd9o
(beans) and little chile from the Interior provide
the subsistence of the whole family. For this indeed,
much is required They seldom parake of animal food /;
their flows supply them abnndnny with eggs, and enable
them, when sent to the market of the pur
chase little clothing. This, however, the beauty of the
climate and sufficiently primitive notion of what de-
cency requires enables them in n great measure to dis
pense with. Ii horse be added the establishment
which is Indispensable where there mixture of white
blood the forest furnishes abundant pasurage and
causes additional expense saddle and a machete,
long and thrust sword, which is almost always,
as heooms IN the family from generation to another
and the young who obtains possession of such
during his fathers life time by any exerons OF his
own may be said to have established his independence
u once.
Frday, the 18th, quilted the Puente where our ac
connodaons had been very similar to those which
met with at Santa Fe MS we again bvouacked in front OF
the house, which nearly large enough
us We took last look before the bridge,
renched himself above II is sufficiently precipious
render any attempt to carry by assault extremely diff
cult but, military position it is unenabe being lia
Bile both TO be turned and to be deprived OF water with
which II is supplied from the below Victoria expc
renced this when attacked by regular force under Maes
stated in the Sketch Revoluon) against whom
hold in guerrilla war, the possession of Puenc del Rey
of importance by enabling the insurgents off the
ordinary communication with the CAPITAL and 10 bid def
to small detachments of the royast troops sketch
othe bridge and surrounding rocks will be found in the
irstvouine which, though on small scale, sufficiently in
dcaes both the beauties and the difficulties OF the pass.
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