Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-30
TILE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY MORNING. AUGUST 80. 1859.

FOOTPRINTS ACROSS TIlE CONTINENT.
l'ndrr the above head the Rev DR.. Pierce.
oneoi the Bishops of the NJ f. Church, South,
Is publishing in the New Orleans Advocate Il
series %; letters describing his j"urnryhy the
overland route from New Orleans IL san
Francisco. Ii is u portion vi country very
lttlc known by ordinary travellers, ana the
description from the graphic pen oil n!s,"P
Pierce will be read with interest niSh"p
Pierce with his wife and daughter was ABOUT
twenty-four DAYS in the performance oi the
tourney. The letter below is number four of
The series The previous numbers carried
the Dr. from his home in Georgia, through
Texas to San Antonio:-
"Resuming in this letter the thread of my
narrative, let us linger yet little about San
Antonio The past and the present have
met here and abide in fellowship-the old
and the new live side by side-different
races, unlike in origin, government, educa-
ton, religion, domestic habits and national
destiny, constitute the population-neither
materially affecting the other; each perpe-
tuating the customs peculiar to them while
separate. The Mexican, with his old ideas,
plans and ways, all ancestral and superan-
nuated riding his donkey without a bride.
and peddlimg sticks and scraps for his daily
bread; the inventive headlong American, full
of energy, his hopes always head of his
business and his gains. The one, stagnant
from the dizziness of his nature and the mis-
rule of his country--content to live without
aspiration or change; the other, strained IN
every muscle and stretched to his full height
looking cut for the good time coming,
and resolved to 90 and meet it if it does not
come soon. In fine this conf JUNCTION of''pco-
pies" is odd. mOtlcy--curi0us to see and fruit
tul Of reflection.
The same contrast is to be seen in the hah-
itationS Here is the '.jdcai,' pronounced
''haiai," the lowest style of Il house--poles
set in the ground, tied with raw hide and
the spaces rudely daubed with mud, and the
roof thached with reeds or straw: next the
0doLe. a sort of Sun-dricd brick-the most
common material for building in all Mexico,
that have seen-these houses have small
doors. narrow windows, (otten none at ALL
dirt floors, and generally look to be any
thing but comfortable. Such buildings are
tit only for a very dry country long wet
spell would dissolve them They are cheap,
easy to build, and may be made agreeable
residences.
Now, look again there is a neat American
cottage of modern fashion: Wonder is brick
mansion that would look well ut home, in
any city North or South; turn II corner and
see stone structure three or four stories
high. not far from the magnificent; here
are shops and stores. shanteS aud palaces
mud. brick and wood huuses-high, low,
great and small, oddly associated, strangely
contraStcd
san Antonio is improving rapidly, trade
increases. population comes in, and the An
clo-Amcrran rules. The inhabitants of
Chihuahua. New Mexico and Sonora trade
here; the streets are full Of tcamSters, oxen
and wagons: and to the Eastern ear. there is
Il Babal of dialects on the side walks, at the
counter, OH the Plaza and everywhere. The
dust Is terrible the sun shines with trcmend
Gus power but a delightful breeze comes
every day. to fan revive and cheer both
stranger aud citizen. An appointment was
announced. and preached at night To Il fine
congregation.
The rImc has come t. leave. Mr. Gdd-
img>. the contractor. proposed to SEND myself
and family aud one the preachers III an extra
stage a. far AZ Fort Clarke one dayln advance
Of the regular line, inasmuch rs the stage
would be crowded to that post Moreover,
it gave u> the advantage ola III gifts rest upon
the road, and would prepare Us for the fatigue
Io come
On the 2Oth May we set out, accompanied
hv the good wishes aad openly expressed
fears of numerous friends. With fine team
at horses, IL careful driver aud II prairie road.
we soon were miles away from the dust al
the citv-rcioicing III the open country and
the play iul winds of heaven.
The rolling plain is covered with mezq"'t
bushes. rather than trees. yet furnishing fuel
for the camp fires of the emigran! and the
mountain ranges, and presently we descend
long slope and then ascend; now the hills
draw nigh. and Vet the road allows undimn-
iShcd speed. aud So we proceed for twenty
miles, to- the village of CaStrovilc, on the
Medina river.
The pretty town is named after MIR.
Castro. a Portuguese gentleman VIII" founded
II colony here. long years ago. The p"pula-
ton is French, German and Amerlcan--not
many of either.
The hotel. where we stopped TO dine, is
kept by Frenchman, who fairly MAIN
tains the reputation of his countrymen Tor
I,oltencsS, and withal spreads Il fair table for
his patrons.
The valley of the Medina is fertile: but
the farms give feeble promise OF bread to the
eater. III consequence of drought liza man
may Judge from appearance, work was as
scarce as rain The mountain scenery is
beautiful On one ofthe SUBMITS there stands
very conSpicuousy, cross. On inquiry
learned that two Mexicans had been killed at
that spot by Indians some years ago and that
the cross marked the place oftheir burial. The
grave and the cross--I cannot look upon them
without thoughts OF death-perhaps sudden,
violent, and burial by strange hands on the
lone wids-a grave without name or date,
or one memorial of affection. Humanity,
love, memory, hope, all shudder at such Il
prospect But the cross-instrumentot death,
vet lever of power to lift the fallen as 1t
stands erect, pointing to heaven, tells OF re-
surrection and lie
Ny thoughts ascend, and glory in faith
which reveals an omnipreSemt God, and a
Saviour who remembers the dust OF his
saints. The desert is as safe depository
for Christ's Jewels, as the private garden,
the country churchyard, Or the city cemetery.
I'm the afternoon we crossed the channel
where in wet weather, the Rio Frio runs, but
Al, bros N ,nr