The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-03-13
BLACKwOOD ON CLOS GR1NGos. >,

Our readers VIII, perhaps, recollect the
introduction with which we presented our
friend Lieut. Wise to their acquaintance
In this, as in givings Of opinions on other
subjects, the pleasure (to usJ is in the sub
stantiation of the estimate by the public
Few recent books have sold like 1.-The Grin
gos," and, in the readable extracts from the
review which follow, from the last number
of Blackwood, it will be seen that the esti-
mate is confirmed on the other side Of the
water:-[Home Jour.
"For fine specimen Of rich, rough-spun
Yankee narrative, commend US to Lieut..
Wise Of the United States Navy. There
is no mistake about the gallant author of
Los Gringos. He makes no more pretence
to style or elegance than a boatswain's mate
spinning yarn upon the forecastle. De-
spising the trammels Of orthography and
probability, sprinkling his comical English
with words of half dozen other languages
(often ludicrously distOrtej), sometimes
shrewd, frequently very humorous, invaria-
bly, good-humored and vivacious, this rol-
licking naval officer hoists the reader on his
shoulders, and carries him ut canter
through his great, thick, closely printed New
York volume, with infinitely less fatigue to
the rider than he himself experienced, ~ be n,
perched upon Spanish saddle, and armed
with whip whose lash WAS Ike the thongs
Of knout,' he urged the sorry posters
along the road to Mexico's capital In a
few lines Of preface, the humorous lieuten-
ant discloses his plan and gives US a glimpse
Of his quality. The sketches embodied in
this narrative he says, were all written on
the field Of their occurrence; the characters
incidentally mentioned are frequently NOM
mes du mer. 1t is not expected by the au-
thor that even the most charitable reader
will wholly overlook the careless style and
framing of the work, or allow it 10 pass
without censure; nor has it been his object
to deal in statistics, or any abstract refec-
tions, but merely to compile a pleasant mar
ratIve, such as may perchance please or in-
terest the generslity Of readers; and in
launching the volume OIL its natural element
the sea of public opinon-the author on
ly INDUCES in the inspiration, whether the
reader be gentle or ungrntle, whether the
book he praised or condemned. that at least
the philanthropy of the publishers may be
remunerated, wherein lies all the law and
the profits Alter which face,ious and
characteristic preamble, Lieutenant Wise
goes on hoard his frigate; is tueged out of
Boston harbor, and sails for Monterey; is
alternately bufTeted and becalned; is in
danger Of strandlng on the Dsho:ney terri
tory and reviles creation accordingly, hut
ultimately escapes the perils and sets foot
on shore IT Rio Janeiro, in which pleasant
latitude he visits the coffee houses, and par
takes Of mint juleps and other cold insiitu-
tions; watches the niggers dancing and jab-
bering their way along the streets, with lit
tie fingers affectionately interlaced, and
sistling polkas through their closed teeth;
and Is somew hat scandalized, and yet vastly
amused, by the samdcueca. a South Ameri-
can polka Of much grace but questionable de-
cency, on beholding which he, Lieutenan,
Wise, being. as an individual, fond Of d
taste Of cayenne to existence: clapped his
hands and vociferously applauded. This
eccentric dance, however, was al Valparai-
50, We fnd-not that the fair Brazilans are
behind any Of their South American sister.
in the license they accord their supple forms
and twinkling feet. At last, and in tbs heal
Of the war between Mexico and the States
Lieutenant W ise reached Monterey, where
his ship cast anchor. Cslifonia had beer
taken possession of by the Americans, and
fighting was going on in the nsighborhood
Before the war Monterey contained abou
/ FIVE hundred inhabitsnts, but when Mr.
Wise arrived, scarcely q native was to b,
SEEN. The men were away fighting in tb,
southern provinces, a few women scowies
from their dwellings at the gringos, (th,
name given to Apglo-Americans 10 Nexic,
posted. knife IN gIrdle, and rifie-lock care
fully sheltered from ths rain; and person.
moving about after dark were greeted a