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

sonage of the department then residing Jaapa The
rage drawn by eight mules, the wheels four il
the middle, and two in front the left of the front pair rod
the soto, position the coceo the box Philadel
phan for one in Mexico would trust his neck in carrag
over this road with any other than NORTH american driver
The streets through which passed all like those seer
the previous evenings straight and paved and the houses
well built, though for the part in runous cond
ton The city in fact, with accommodations for twenty thou
sand persons, contained than oneh OF that
her and cannot yet comprehend how small population
spread large space to concoct SO much
putridity.
On leaving Vera Cruz we drove for some distance within
hundred yards Of the Shore and intervals through the
of the sea, which overows the wall high tides The
before Us desoae presenting only sandy plains
erpersed with ponds As advanced the surface became
and patches of weeds then the cha
parra hdiamocks, il is called in Florida, composed Of
and shrubs interviewer thick and at length
after three four miles, chiefly palms and others OF IN
known families People met coming TO the town clothed
generally shit and of short linen trousers IKE those
by the azzaron in Naples and driving mules or asses
loaded with various articles carried in pauniers or bundles
They all Indians, Messos, Sambosthat If, OF
mixed Indian and white negro blood except lew negroes
and for the part remarkably stout and healthy The
houses first observed merely Sheds thached with palm
under which the occupants slept in hammocks OF hide
suspended from the raers little further on they had sides
made OF reeds stuck in the ground and IN some the reeds
plasered with mud The soil here began TO put on the
appearance OF mould the country became more Irregular and
had gone eight miles it actually billy The road
simply track for rarely did any other wheels than those
Of stage coaches pass The Spanards had made
grand highway of stones joined by cement from Vera Cruz
Mexico, but our driver carefully avoided much pos
sble, and dashed at fearful rate disregarding all mud
holes other mpedment to the manifest disturbance Of the
nerves Of my feilow-passengers.
At the end Of hour stopped refresh the mules at
Santa Fe, distant eight miles from Vera Cruz This seat OF
the holy faith small country TAVERN made of boards and
mud with extensive stables for the mules of the carriers
About hundred of such mules then the place. and
had leisure to examine their accoutrements also those
the carriers (d,ero which probably differed in respect
o. he nack- d.
die of itself almost load, being massive Of
wood, with bale of wool hair stuffed into it, The loads
were OF all sors-bags, bales, boxes, barrels &ceach
mule carrying from two hundred and fifty to three hundred
pounds weight Twenty days required for the journey
rom Vera Cruz to the capital and eighteen for the return
he price OF the carriage being from fifteen twenty dollars
Very large articles (such pianos and mrros) carried
ters between two mules when the expense is Of
enormous No other modes OF transp ation in in
he Republic except where horses asses men,
substituted for mules, because there but few roads for
Wheel carriages and there few roads for wheel carriages
because there few wheels TO roll them The mule
dressed leather from head foot and armed with
enormous whips and spurs the saddles large and
nous, the stups made of heavy blocks of wood while the
hts present the appearance Of horrible engines Of
At six miles beyond Santa Fe changed mules and got
breakfast at solitary tavern called Ell Manantial he spring,
rom rvuet flowing near it, Manga de CLirv, the hacen
Ia plantation of Gen. Santa Anna, within three
niles of this place He residing there strict seclu-
ZION, having only few months previous returned from his
apivy in Texas As proceeded the country con-
anty becoming more rough and began to present merely
uccession OF hills and valleys We passed the village OF
roome, where Santa Anna defeated by Caderon in
$780, and at eleven reached the Pdso de Oceas (heepfrd
place OF some size, composed however, OF Dniseabe
iovels There may be the walls of unfinished build
ng, which, if completed, have been of the finest
d It's kind In the country. Ii simply extensive
square, surrounded by acades, and containing square courts
also arcaded the whole only story in height made OF
stone, covered with beautiful cement with which all the
houses Of Vera Cruz and the other cities of the lower
try coated II intended for the residence of Of
the Arrlaga family but the revolution arrested the work.
appears have arrested all improvements physical
and moral Spanish America After leaving Paso de Owe
the hills become mountains and coachman took great
pleasure In demonstrating his skill by the impetuosy with
which he drove and down those steep stony ridges
From the heights we occasionally caught gmpses OF the
great Cordlera range and its conspicuous point the
peak of Ozabs, but the Clouds from which heavy showers
fell at short intervals prevented from obtaining distinct
view At length after traversng wild rugged track for
miles, about half past IL descended rapidly into
gorge at the bottom of which rolled the little river Antigua
and it stretching the famous BRIDGE formerly
Puete del Rey Kings bridge j then Puente Imperial
in Iturbdes time, and Puente Ndciona-the Bridge Of
The Nation
We stopped the village the bridge for hour and
also passed the greater part of day there my RETURN
when examined the place carefully, able to present
toeraby exact idea of it.
The bridge passes branches Of the Antigua river,
short distance above their junction 1t is built entirely of
one covered with cement and twenty ago must have
been the finest work of the kind in America The branch OF
the Vera Cruz being SMALL that portion Of the
bridge has only arches the other main is crossed
by arches the portions being connected by
way, which continuous level road the whole
The arches by my measurement each as feet in span
and rise about the height above the which, with
feet for the thickness of the arch top make SO feet the
elevation Of the roadway above the stream The piers be-
arches about 20 feet each in thickness and the
length of the whole structure including abutmen and
way about $50 yards The roadway is in width 25 feet
with raised sidewalks and parapes each side and in
direction somewhat serpentne agreeaby to the necessities
If tho af nd XIV
the distance OF quarter Of mile above the bridge, the
highland dividing the streams terminates preciptous
knoll, which has been often temporarily occupied by military
parties during the revolution and the subsequent disturbances
and certainly forms strong position though utterly untena
bic for any length of time from want OF water.
The village the left north side OF the river, at the
end OF the BRIDGE and is simply line OF cane huts strewet
along the road between the and the flank Of the
hanging mountain Those who wish to learn Of how little
value time may he in places, would do well pass
day there did. The whole population in the road
and the only persons whom engaged employ
were the shopkeepe occasionally selling picked pepper
pound OF dried beef three making fOrHds
cakes of Indian corn, and three playing gui
tas The others sitting lying hides in tn
shade, enjoying the oe far ente while the
marked 100. On reflection however, might say the SAM
of every other place, except the large cities which
Mexlco yet no appeared to want Neapolan peasant
azzarcni may indeed be considered active and indus
trlous people when compared with MexicaDs.
Having little knowledge of military matters am ut a los
imagine what grounds the expectation formed tina
the MeSicans would have made stand against army
this place for, if gained the heights on the Vera Cru
side, the bridge and all beyond within cannon range
be at our mercy 1t only against forces coming from tn