The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-27


numerous and singularly constructed rooms
and arches. The main rooms are abandon
ed 20 the swallows and bats and other rep
tiles that may happen to there make their
abiding place, and there is nothing now
visible in the condition of its few miserable,
destitute Mexican inmates to indicate any
knowledge, or appreciate the doctrines and
| morality as preached from the New Testa-
ment. These Mexicans that herd around
| these Missions are Of the lowest and most
| degraded class; they toll not neither do
they spin ; the extreme mildness of the
climate renders labor to them an irksome-
uess from which no encouragement or in
duo~snens sscAR rossso and from year to year
| remain these half-clad semi barbarian races
that seem to be subject to some mysterious
influence which hangs like an incubus upon
them, parylzing their physical and debasing
their intellectual capacities. From an i'm
| perfect inscription chiselled in the stone,
but now nearly obliteratcd from the build
ing, which is of stately appearance, it seems
to be either in process of erection or COM
pleted in the year 1854, and doubtless re-
tains at present much of the imposing ap-
pearance designed for effect on the aborigi-
| mes; the front is elaborately finished, the
| doorway being surrounded with five figures
| in alto rcliero, with many other richly sculp-
tured ornaments. As we entered, small
room at the right displayed through an iron
grated door, statue of the Virgin, which
is as well calculated to stihe any sentiments
| of devotion and excite those Of ridicule, as
any image that could be erected in temple
| devoted religion. There is q small chapel on
l Il. ~. 49,, >..,l.
by symbol The stone arched roof is fast
going to decay, and there is q broad fissure
running zigzag across it which must be con-
stantly widening, and unless it is soon re-
paired the who structure will come tumb-
ling to the earth. Wild Peach and Cherry
trees are springing from the roof, and
around the highest points of its turrcts,
grows the national plant which Mexico has
emblazoncd upon its Coat Of Arms, the
Nopal, or Prickly Pear, which winds its
huge thick leaves and yields most abun-
dant growth of fruit, or rather seeds. On
the bare, dirt-covered floor, half-buried in
cobwebs and mould, lies a broken bell bear.
ing date, Seville, 1919, fit relic Of the ruins
to which it belongs. We found nothing
more to arrest our attention in this room
which was vacant even of bench or seat
all looked lonesome and gloomy, and being
so darkened by the tiuttering bats and Sc
offensive that our longer stay was imposs
ible. At this Mission on the 28th Of Octo
Der, 1885, occurred short and hotly con
tested engagement between party Of abou
ninety Texans, commanded by Fannin anC
Bowie, against four hundred Mexicans, il
which the latter were defeated, with nearly
one half their number.
We spurred up our horses and soon lef
this fragmentary relic, which stands as
monument of the ubiquitous zeal and per
severing, but now crumbled and decaye'
power of the Oraer Of Jesus, thinking tha
in any other. part OF the United States
building so venerable in appearance, risins
as it were in the midst Of a vast solitude ant
apart from the busy hum of industry, i
would become an object Of wide spread in
terest and might perhaps induce some lib
eral man Of wealth to interpose il sutiicienc,
if possible to arrest its decaying progress
and convert it not only in name but in real
ity to the uses of a genuine christianity
but here these Missions are only haunt fo
the half-starved, scmi-civiiZel, mongrel ant
dissolute descendants of the Spaniards ant
AZtecs.
Cantering through the high weeds, W,
soon emerged on the open road, as it wount
along through the short, thick grass, occa
sionally interspcrsed with new plant to Il:
which we afterwards were told furnshe
the Mexican substitute for whisky, calle;
Puique. The plant resembles a bayonet i,
appearance. Many of these blades grow
from one stalk; they are furnished witt
sharp projections similar to very fine saw
teeth The roots and blades are gathcret
about the last of May for distilation, an,
the liquor it supplies has bitter, acrit
taste, and its action is much the same a.
American whisky, althought not so poten
or lasting in its effect We passed Mexi
can in small hedged field plowing, {;
Mexican laboring was curiosity to US ant
wishing to see this species of the Geau
Homo, the first one we had yet seen maxim,
even an attempt towards laboring, we rod
up near the fence. He was driving yok
of oxen with his stick in one hand and il
the other he held the only handle of hi
plow. The plow consisted Of straigh
piece of wood, about five feet long and SOM
four or five inches square and sharpened q
one end, to this end the oxen are hitched
at the opposite end is one handle In thi
alluvial soil when the ground is once broker
these plows will tear up the earth to deptl
of two or three inches, but if spot O
grass obstructS the way, it is pulled out O
the plowman's hand or runs into the earth
arresting for the time their progress. A
we approached he greeted us quite friendly
whereupon, rs Gil Bias says, there wer
many compliments on both sides. Ill
seemed quite familiar and soon gave us t.
understand he was the Alcaide, (an office
similar to Justice in the United States, Q
the neighborhood. While we were talking
a deputation of half-nakei children cam
laughing along from house near by, witt
an invitation for all parties to dinner
Smelling the odor of Garlic we at first dc
clined, but being again urged and feelin
rather hungry we consented, and proceeds
with our new-madc friend to his house,
} The interior of the adobe house consisted Q
one room, which served for the purpose G
parlor, bed room and kitchen. The carpe
was of good hard Mexican clay; the fl,rni
ture ef the room consisted of high post
antique bcdstead, embelished with a gaud,
colored checkered quilt three or four wood
en- benches similar to those found in al
} Indiana back-woods meeting house, a sever
} by nine looking glass, a rude wooden tabl
of primitive construction, clay moulded
image of Christ on the cross, and paint
bedaubed picture of the Pope, or some 9th
er respectable gentleman, which from it
appearance one would more readily suppos
!, was better representation of the Man Q
Sin.
We helped ourselves to drink of waite
fror. a gourd, which we held with muc
precision in consequence of sad break il
one side and the end OF the handle beinI
broken off, Besides the before mentione
children, his wife, not Unlocking buxor
specimen Of the sex, and two daughters
made up the sum total of his family; one G
. 1 l,aidsnrr n G,huixk. q