Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-11-06
NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Intelligent and agreeable correspondent whose
account Of &c Life on the Plains we published
in two previous letters, not long since
Ell PAso, (Texas,) Oct. g. Isse.
Editor ofthe Washington Star:
MY letter Of the Sd ult. brought us to Santa Fe
and l suppose ron have rested sufficiently, by
t9e time this will reach you, to digest another
short epistle. =
The approach TO Santa Fe Is through gap in
the mountains; still, the descent Is several thou
sand feet. IL lies in the valley of a small creek
which waters The town and furnishes water for
irngating the fields and gardens. 1t is surround
20 on every side, sxcep. down the valley, by
ioity hills, pehaps 1000 feet high, and in the
distance you will see the tops of mountains 600
feet above this valley; and you will Tscolect that
santa e Is more than 600 feet above the level
OF the sea My dwelling now is In Rrial resions.
As you approach the city, the first idea that
will strike you Is that you have now found the
place where all the bricks In the world are made;
but as you get nearer, instead of finding what
you once believed to be brick kilns, you will be
surprised to find that they are houses built of
adObes; that Is, bricks dried in the sun. They
one story high, Nat roofs, made Of earth, and
sometimes poTtico or verandah In 1. ont They
are generally built in square form, making
considerable plaza inside, to which there is one
entrance A tEue Mexican house has no doors in
Its froEt; but since the conquest there being more
security Of person and property, that mode Of
building is discontinued. The public square, or
plaza, is about as large as the public square in
Winchester In the centre, on a high mast, tie
American flag plays upon the breeze
IL was on a sunday morning that ] made my
mt ance into the city. The arrival Of a mail here
is like the arrival Of an Atlantic steamer In New
York. The whole town assemblies al the fonda
or hotel where the passengers are set down; ard
by the time they have found out who has come
over the plains, and exchanged salutations, the
mail is ready for delivery. The first person I met
was Col. Reuben Clements; the second, General
Pelham; and in fifteen minutes time-before |
could xchange my travelling dress was into
1g1s rltftn
place. Indeed, after twenty days Sojourn in the
pTaiTies, IT was grateful to hear the sound of
many voices, and to think that there was now
prospect Of enjoying something of civilized life
In this region, you must reccllect that sunday Is
day of more business and amusement than any
other day of the week show was going on
aud soon a car went through the streets with
nuSlc, The actors, and the clown pTinCipsl
orator announcing the bill OF fare Of the enter
tanment. This was allowed by dsums aud
procession 10 county convention to nomira e
candidates Tor The Legislature. In the house, the
consumption Of shychnine is enormous, and the
faro banks and billiard tables arc in full blast
was Up all Of the previous night, or lying in the
rain; 20 got shaved, took my dinner and went
TO bed. My room adjoiDs and opens into the bill.
lard rocm or course, much sleep was not to be
expected
On Monday morning the duller pursuits of life
aye resumed The market is under portal or
port'Co; here may be seen men and women with
baskets In basin shape filled with lIums aud
apTicotsi some with hi rsJds, as they call the
green pods Of pepper; some with mushmel Ions,
and some are selling beef and mutton All ar.
seat.d on the ground in true Mexican style, for
Mexican would not know how I'd sit on a chair
II one were given 10 him. la their houses ali
SIT on The dit floor, and their bedding is one or
two Indian blankets, on which they sleer in cold
weather; but when 1t is dry and warm as at
present, they generally sleep outside of their
houses AT every corner you will see p.o one
with his beloved burro (jack) loaded with wood
or grass from the mountains. This animal wa.
made expressly for the Mexican. The patient
beast has the whip tied round his neck and
ihihks ne Is tied to post aud remains docile.
men bearing Lis burden, he is driven along
with short baton or cndgel When Mexican
r.dss he sits on the rnmp OF his jack, and his
sack or hay lies across the saddle. When man
and woman ride the same animal the woman
rides before, and she rides rig ht or left handed
as she pleases. Such is her exper:ness that she
will change positions without dismonnting. The
saddle, OF course, Is high horned Mexican sad
The women have TO sleeves or body to their
outer dresses, but this par, Of the frame Is COW
ersd by shawl or rsboza, which answers also
me part OF bonnet. IL gives Il EN- coouettjsb
appearance but generation after generation will
have to pass before the rsboza will be laid aside
Another thing for which they are famous is fond
ness ana excessive use Of the eigarita, or tobacco
wrapped up In small piece Of corn shuck This
they are never without What would YOU think
10 see in ballroom, containing some twenty or
more sIgaorifns, all the women. those engap. d
In the dance and those on the seats all p1fiino
their eIgdritas-the smoke issuing from the sim
gle window like a tar-kiln, Verify, have seen
this. As for the males nine tentbs of them ~,
porn Iogues, AID are as expert thieves any in
Tue world. IL il d very safe estimate to saw that
one half Of all the population of Mexico l. n for
notelng but the gallows, and hard bargain al
mat rambling and iaziness are their beSstting
SINS IL - their custom to split their pantaIoons
from their bips downwards Oh the outside 10 dis.
play their drawers. Then with a blankst-s n
Ps-thIoWn over their shoulders, you have da-
gnerreotype Of Mexican dandy
EaF \ s.iA
society is in deplorabe condition What else
could be the result, when they spend their time
gambling, smoking, and dancing. A poor
devil, IL matters not which sex that has moi
eaten anything for a month but pan and chile.
(oread and pepper,) IL he or she should get bar
1t Will be spent for cigaritas or staked at cards
ana the night Is spent with light heart and MIN
Die llHb at fandango To enjoy this they are
content to live in miserable state Of ignorance,
superstition, dirt and poverty. Perhaps the
former government is in great degree charge.
have heretofore plupdered both people and treas
uTy at will and as they changed on the success
OF factions, as the foot ball OF fortune fell tc one
OF the Other OF the contendng parties, it is not
strange that the people should become coyed in
spirit and submit To their prOfigacy 4
Well. We are row done with Santa Fe, and 1
an ready to start for I'll Paso the stage is at the
door, and am told 10 get in The only chance
is to ride backwards, sitting on a trunk in a
crowded ambulance. The distance is $50 miles
not, as we know, through the OZARK valley AID
sbduoW OF death, ~ but we have To travel over
the 'JOrHndo del Mnsrfn,n which means tine
- Journey of the dead man. Another ppisfIe
,Vili end my travels and correspondence so you
know the end Of your troubles
The overland mail route has made Gov Aaron
brown The greatest man In the world in the
Estimation OF the people here They now have a
nail in about twenty days from Washington
ormeiIy, by the ox-team express, they received
one In every six months, en- an average arr
FORT kEARSEY, SOUTH PASS AND HONEY
LAKE RoAD.-The Department of the Interior
has advices from Superintendent Lander. dated
It South Pass, September 10Th Col. Lander
has opened this road from the South Pass 10
City Rocks, and had just returned over the
Dad with his wagons, at the rate Of 30 miles
per day. This road avoids the deserts of Green
sivcr and the rugged approaches to Salt Lake
Valley, via the old road, and must prove of
great advantage to the Oregon and California
traveller.
Col L.. reports that the Humboldt River In.
iians, having recently attacked the u. S. mail
md murdered FIVE emigrants, have promised