Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-08
For tic EnqAlref.
ROIGH NOrES-[No. YLl

The ifrieaon OF the Mexcans, OF course, IS
performed Without skill; but without resorting
10 1t maHy orlions oil the country would be un-
productive, 10 for six months Of the year rain
never falls, I'd sometimes not enough falls for
two years tcnourish the crops. With the supe
rior skill of North Americans IN this branch Of
agriculture, the country would be hundred
times more productive. With proper manage
ment such i the uniformity and midness Of the
temperature that corn plane on any day in The
YEAR would produce a good crop.
From Canargo 10 the front of Taylor's line
at Camp Bena Vista, is about two hundred
miles, whc is land travel the whole Of the
way passin. through broken, lime stone re
gion, with NJ land proper for cultivation, ex
cepl upon ,ts small streams, branches Of the
Rio Grande. Tie road, for good part OF The
way, was pcned for wagons by General
Worth, whoiwas n The advance o. General
Taylor in matching upon Monterey, tAion tc ray
and the streams are al tolerabiy convenient dis
tanccs for ncampmen,s usually from ten to
thirty miles arart No other water is TO be
procured, exspt from few wells at Ceralvo,
until the Walnut Springs are reached, in The
neighborhood Of Monterey, sixty miles from
Brcna Vista. h;ier t'eer) IS the first town
above Camarp-ilier is tie town memora lie
for the bold resistance, the suiierngs ard the
massacres Of the "Mier prisoners during tie
Texan Revolution. After contest, worthy Of
their lineage, these brave young men were taken
prisoners, and one tenth of their number were
condemned TO be shot Here ia the plaza
where they mt their fate, and scarcely is their
noble blood bred upon the pavement where they
fell ere their lrothers, pouring down from the
North have overwhelmed the degene ate nalioa;
und though tie proud North american has his
heel upon IN, head Of the viper, he scurns 10
crush 1t.
All around the town of Micr, situated on
The Rio GraIde, after a shower, salt is visible,
and NAV b. s.raped from The rocks in consider
able quantities, indicating most bountiful SUP
ply OF that Indispensable article in that vicinity
think, also, there are indications Of coal in
MANY parts o. the couEtry above. In this town
the Mexicani exhibit good deal Of skill in ma
king hats, shoes, and weaving blankets. In
spinning the ancient dislaf is used. The distaif
il a stick, twelve inche' in length, with one end
placrd upon stoo and turned around ilh the
hand, the other end twists the thread, and re
ceiyos it on breach, near the middle. In the
ether hand is held tho cotton or WOOL uncardcd
which is dealt out to suit the size of the thread,
ing thew have no looms. Orc end of the warp
is confined hy pegs 10 the floor, and the other
end is fastened 10 the corner of the ceiling Of the
room In weaving, the filling IS carried through
the warp with The fingers, and thin slick is
used as batten, TO beat close the thread
Some blankets. woven in this way, vii en-
ploy female for twelve months, and will bring
sixty dollars But the common blankets cost
hi, four or FIVE d liars, and are worn By almost
every male TLcy are gracefully thrown around
he shoulders win The corners hanging down al
most 10 the ground. The remainder .! the dtess
OF The males (tembrss) consist Of pair Of TOW.
ser., usually blue clclh, open on The outside Ia
The knee, or OF bncks1in, confined by buttons al
the outside seam, from he ankle 10 The waist.
band. A while pair Of drawers is worn under.
meath aud most commonly but no; always, a
shin, wilhou; Goa, or vest The priests and al
aides dress in The American fashion, often with
costly coasS, and frequently in rounda buu!
coat OF black bumbazine. The rich nave car.
riages drawn b. mules-the driver riding The one
On The ei. Their carriages are formed quite
different from ours, will The body swinging low
down between the wheels. a Don [someboty
owns rancho containing 5000 poems near
8aena Visa, and all lha land III thai viciniiy
lie Is sarp"ss; ~ h. worth th.ec millions o! !ol
.afs. He has Two or ,l,iee daughters as dark as
mula',oes Thsy are 10; Handsome, tu; 10
tunb' they are verv amiable and accomplished
and hope il will be their fortune 10 Obtain while
husbands Which doubtless, is their wish. There
are several ranches above Camarso, once popu-
lous, that have been destroyed by The Americans
and The fields around nem are now unieDded and
.esoiae. The principal one Of these is Ramos
Two miles beyond which, is the place where
some 200 waeoneIs we're murdered in cold blood
nnarmed, BY Urea, [U-rearI and his cu-lhroai
gueT;llas. The situation was well chosen Tor
such deed. II is VALLEY some Two miles across
surrounded by high nils, over which he road
neanders; the wagons, 300 in number were all
allowed 10 enter The valley, and then the Mrx;-
cans, 200 in number, with irishliul cries, poured
down on all sides from the hills 10 their hendish
work Many OF the unfortunate team.ers were
murdered in The read, while the teams OF Others
being frightened TO run into the chapparel, their
drivers there mel their fate. The wagons were